A LOCAL musician and trade union official has released a stirring new anti-war song in aid of humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Written by North Belfast-based singer-songwriter Davy Kettyles –- an organiser for Unite the Union – ‘Every War is Called Ukraine’ has been released on the Bandcamp platform.
The song draws the horrors of war into sharp focus, pointing to the impact of wars across the globe including those Yemen, Syria, and Palestine.
Davy, who previously released a track in aid of humanitarian aid in Syria, will donate proceeds from his latest track to charities in Scotland and Ireland who are helping victims of the war in Ukraine.
Davy Kettyles praised the "incredible amount of humanity" being shown towards the people of Ukraine, and spoke of the need to help those there. As an internationalist, he raised the need to highlight the evils of war wherever it occurs.
"The war in Ukraine seems to be the focus of the world, but there are a lot of conflicts and a lot of war going on today," he said.
"All war in my book is bad news, particularly for working class people because they fight it. The song is an attempt to remind people that the Ukrainian conflict is not the only war going on, and that the Ukrainian people are not the only people in need, but help them we must.
"I am not trying to put people in a league table. We shouldn't get bogged down with 'I'm not helping them because the Palestinians weren't helped, the Syrians weren't helped, or the Yeminis weren't helped'. Let's start with the good and say that solidarity with Ukraine is a good sign that people haven't lost their soul and their humanity. But let's try to look over our own hedges and see what else is happening in the world and who else needs our help. That's really the crux of what we want to do with the song. It's to raise consciousness of what war is and to recognise the plight of other people."
Jackie Pollock is Irish Regional Secretary of Unite, which is sponsoring the song.
“Together with the accompanying video, this is one of the most powerful anti-war songs I have ever heard. Unite is proud to be associated with the aims of this project, and I would urge everyone to buy the single from Friday May 6th”.
