Sir, – For the first time in my life, I find myself writing to a newspaper on the plight of the Syrian refugees.
Why can’t we, as we did for Vietnamese refugees, give sanctuary to the Syrian refugees in redundant NHS buildings?
In the Angus area alone, we have Sunnyside Royal and Strathmartine Hospitals.
There was also the former Charleton Maternity Hospital at Montrose which was used for Vietnamese refugees thus setting a precedent.
Unfortunately this building is now demolished.
I am well aware that these buildings have been allowed to fall into disrepair, but surely they are still a better option than the existence from which the refugees are fleeing?
These people have already shown great enterprise and resilience and I am sure, with minimal assistance, they could make these buildings habitable and surely better than their current intolerable situation.
After all, all evil needs to thrive is for good people to do nothing.
Mary A Henderson. 59 Gardyne Street, Friockheim.
History may prove PM right
Sir, – It is hardly surprising that the horrific situation in Syria with the threat posed by the obscenely barbaric ISIL movement and rebel groups has resulted in the reckless desperation of a family to risk all for a better life in Canada in an overcrowded boat without, it would appear, even life jackets for the most vulnerable.
Ironically, the Syrian wife and her children who so tragically drowned have now been buried in their home town of Kobane in Syria from where they had made such extreme efforts to escape and we’ll probably never know what impelled them to leave the relative safety of Turkey and take such enormous risks.
The brutality and complexity of the conflict worsens daily and the admission by Vladimir Putin that Russian forces are deployed in Syria adds a new and dangerous element in a highly volatile region.
As a result, an estimated four million people displaced by this rotten war will not be returning to their homeland any time soon and they must be taking a close interest in the decision by European nations to admit large numbers of asylum seekers.
It could be that what we are seeing now is just a trickle of humanity, soon to be followed by a flood.
The overwhelming desire for many to help these people in their wretched misery is completely understandable in a Continent where the culture is based on Christianity.
However, political opportunism to the harrowing scenes are unwarranted, especially when hasty decisions can lead to unintended consequences for generations to come.
Part of the answer must lie in countering vigorously man’s inhumanity to man.
The emotional response may be wrong in the long term when a dispassionate approach may yet yield the best outcome for all involved in this terrible mess.
David Cameron may be vilified for his heart-and-head stance now but I think in retrospect he will turn out to be vindicated. Mr Corbyn and Ms Sturgeon may have lots of heart but I fear they have little head in dealing with this catastrophe.
Iain G Richmond. Guildy House, Monikie.
We need action not politics
Sir, – The SNP’s recent exhortation to the UK Government to do something regarding the migrant/refugee crisis, and that “Scotland will help” in whatever way it can, is insincere and contemptible in equal measure.
Instead of hiding behind the UK Government’s overall responsibility for our border security, why doesn’t Nicola Sturgeon make some helpful suggestions for the way forward.
She should tell us exactly how many incomers the SNP Government estimates Scotland could take, together with exactly where and how they would be housed, employed, schooled, medically treated, and integrated into Scottish society.
If the Scottish Government hasn’t yet made contingency plans for such things then it should keep quiet until it has.
You can bet your bottom dollar (because the pound won’t be an option in an independent Scotland) that the SNP ministers who advocate an influx of immigrants to these shores will make sure that none of them will be settled anywhere near their abodes or constituencies.
Locally, it only takes the arrival of a few traveller caravans to cause outrage among disaffected residents until the travellers play the game and move on.
So come clean Nicola, how do you propose to accommodate thousands of Middle Eastern migrants here on a permanent basis?
I suspect it will be a long time, if ever, before we get a straight answer to that question.
The SNP stance on this matter is designed purely to disadvantage the United Kingdom and England, its hatred of which is its raison d’etre.
Jim Shaw. Hill Street, Dundee.
A warning from Hungary
Sir, – Along with thousands of others in this country, no doubt, I was surprised to see that the father of the drowned wife and children returned to Syria with the bodies of the deceased for their burial in Kobane.
Filmed for television, there was a large crowd of (presumably) mourners and the bereaved father made a speech to the camera.
There was no apparent threat to him or the mourners, nor noise of battle. I thought he and his tragic family were supposed to be refugees?
I think David Cameron’s measured response offering refuge via UN border camps is the correct one.
The aggression and refusal to cooperate shown by so-called refugees in Hungary to accept the need for registration is a warning for us.
Politicised tears are not the answer to the migrant crisis.
Nigel Farage, at the start of his opening address to the out campaign for EU membership, got it exactly right.
We do take real refugees, with due care and attention for the refugees and our country.
Among the hundreds of thousands arriving in Europe just now, there are too many unknowns.
A T Geddie. 68 Carleton Avenue, Glenrothes.
Hold ex-leaders to account
Sir, – Like many people, I am saddened by the desperate plight of the refugees but I am also disturbed by the fact that the true instigators of this tragic scenario are hardly ever mentioned.
It was George W. Bush and Tony Blair who started the whole domino effect off by their promoting of what we now know was an illegal war against Iraq.
They both should be brought to trial as alleged war criminals but will this happen? I very much doubt it.
It seems the higher rank you obtain in the Western World the safer you are from being held to account for your actions.
George Bush at least keeps a low profile but Tony Blair still struts around.
David Cameron seems a bit slow to react to certain events but I question whether there is any level Nicola Sturgeon will not stoop to in order to grab a political point.
She surely has enough to do without involving herself in matters which do not really concern her.
Robert Finlay. 6 Greenmount Drive, Burntisland.
Scotland must look forward
Sir, – I am honoured Kevin Cordell found time out from his busy schedule as a Dundee councillor to acknowledge my long-held opposition to hard-pressed taxpayers’ money having to pay the bill for Gaelic education.
However, I note he failed to respond to the shortage of teachers and falling education standards mentioned in my letter. I do not support any political party, preferring instead to vote for the individual I think can do a decent job.
However, I am finding it difficult to identify politicians with the ability and standards I would expect them to have for public office.
I was delighted to learn that children in Orkney are learning Japanese so that they can communicate with Japanese children and share their common interest in the climate. That is how I see a modern, forward-thinking Scotland progressing, not being held back by an allegiance to a language spoken by a minute band of citizens.
RHL Mulheron. 28 Cowgate, Tayport.
Respect the faith of others
Sir, – I found the views of Mr Spencer Fildes (September 2) interesting and worthy of comment. He states that people see the term religion as the basis for most the world’s evils.
But when we replace the word religion with faith, we get an accurate picture of Christ’s true worshipper.
True Christians do not kill, rob or exploit their fellow believers or, indeed, any other believers. If Mr Fildes does not believe, let him but he should not try to deprive others of their faith.
Mr L. Morrison. 8 Nursery Caravan Park, Brechin.
Mr Salmond must explain
Sir, – I was perplexed to read Alex Salmond’s comments that he preferred people of faith to people of no faith or who have lost their faith.
Assuming that he must have been misquoted, I checked the video clip of him speaking and, sure enough, that was what he said.
As someone who is a member, albeit not a very active one, of the Church of Scotland it has never occurred to me that it was something on which any MP would judge me or anyone else.
Yes, I like to think I have a set of basic beliefs, probably founded in my upbringing, which guides how I behave, treat others and what I regard as my duty to help others.
But is it faith? Whatever it is it is certainly not something on which I would judge anyone, even an MP.
As Mr Salmond describes himself as a Church of Scotland adherent, that may be a disappointment to him.
To get to the bottom of this bizarre issue I have written to the man himself for an explanation.
Christine Jardine. Scottish LiberalDemocrat candidate for Aberdeenshire East.