Off topic: Afghan translators forgotten and having to "live" with death threats
Thread poster: Jean-Christophe Duc
Jean-Christophe Duc
Jean-Christophe Duc  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 14:14
English to French
+ ...
Apr 15, 2015

This article is in French, but I am sure this happens with all other translators employed by NATO.
http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/monde/20150414.OBS7208/moi-abdoul-interprete-de-l-armee-francaise-oublie-menace-de-mort.html
Please share on social networks, it might be our only way to help them and raise
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This article is in French, but I am sure this happens with all other translators employed by NATO.
http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/monde/20150414.OBS7208/moi-abdoul-interprete-de-l-armee-francaise-oublie-menace-de-mort.html
Please share on social networks, it might be our only way to help them and raise awareness in high places.
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MurielG
MurielG
France
Local time: 14:14
English to French
Thanks Apr 15, 2015

I didn't know about that. I hope our government will listen to reason.

 
Grace Shalhoub
Grace Shalhoub  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 14:14
French to English
+ ...
History repeats itself Apr 16, 2015

France - Vietnam
USA - Vietnam
USA - Iraq

Nothing new under the sun


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:14
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Collaborations Apr 16, 2015

@ Grace: yes, it's an age-old story. Those who collaborate with occupying forces have to suffer the consequences. In France in 1945 they shaved the hair of women who'd gone with Nazi soldiers. In my own country, Ireland, in more recent times, women who consorted with British soldiers were tarred and feathered and left tied to lamp-posts in the street (if they were lucky). And so on. War is a nasty business. I don't think the countries that occupied Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. spare even 5 minutes th... See more
@ Grace: yes, it's an age-old story. Those who collaborate with occupying forces have to suffer the consequences. In France in 1945 they shaved the hair of women who'd gone with Nazi soldiers. In my own country, Ireland, in more recent times, women who consorted with British soldiers were tarred and feathered and left tied to lamp-posts in the street (if they were lucky). And so on. War is a nasty business. I don't think the countries that occupied Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. spare even 5 minutes thinking about whether they owe anything to the people who translated for them.



[Edited at 2015-04-16 09:24 GMT]
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Grace Shalhoub
Grace Shalhoub  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 14:14
French to English
+ ...
Collaboration is a big word Apr 16, 2015

"Those who collaborate with occupying forces have to suffer the consequences."
Tom, you are being too harsh. Those translators (who happened to speak French and English or any other language) merely wanted to earn a living.

Western countries should learn to thank these people and grant them a visa.


 
Balasubramaniam L.
Balasubramaniam L.  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 18:44
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
Fond hope Apr 16, 2015

Grace Shalhoub wrote:
Western countries should learn to thank these people and grant them a visa.


These are the countries that exterminated whole nations in the north and south Americas, enslaved millions of Africans for several centuries and traded in them like cattle, invented and practised diabolic systems like apartheid in countries like South Africa and Australia, killed millions of people of their own race in interminable wars, nuked two whole cities in Japan...

So it is fond hope that they would loose too much sleep over the fate of a couple of Arabic translators they have used and thrown in the middle-east.


 
Grace Shalhoub
Grace Shalhoub  Identity Verified
France
Local time: 14:14
French to English
+ ...
21st century hope Apr 17, 2015

Balasubramaniam L. wrote:

Grace Shalhoub wrote:
Western countries should learn to thank these people and grant them a visa.


These are the countries that exterminated whole nations in the north and south Americas, enslaved millions of Africans for several centuries and traded in them like cattle, invented and practised diabolic systems like apartheid in countries like South Africa and Australia, killed millions of people of their own race in interminable wars, nuked two whole cities in Japan...

So it is fond hope that they would loose too much sleep over the fate of a couple of Arabic translators they have used and thrown in the middle-east.



Governments yes, in the 20th century, yes. I'm expecting the general public to think and act differently in the 21st century. I would LOVE these translators (or any person who has served the "occupying countries") to be my neighbors in France!


 
Tom in London
Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:14
Member (2008)
Italian to English
Different Apr 17, 2015

Grace Shalhoub wrote:

.... I'm expecting the general public to think and act differently in the 21st century.



Alas, the very bad habit of invading other people's countries, killing a lot of people, plundering the countries' assets, and trying to install a puppet government, shows no signs of abating. The general public is very easily manipulated into going along with it. People will think whatever they are told to think.

[Edited at 2015-04-17 10:15 GMT]


 
Balasubramaniam L.
Balasubramaniam L.  Identity Verified
India
Local time: 18:44
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER
No change in the 21st century Apr 17, 2015

Grace Shalhoub wrote:
Governments yes, in the 20th century, yes.


The 21st century is no different, in fact, it is bloodier. Powerful nations resort to outright lies and falsehoods to invade sovereign countries and dictators they themselves had propped up earlier, but who have now become inconvenient, carpet bomb whole villages in the name of fighting terror, hob-nob with countries sponsoring terror, team up with sworn enemies to tame former friends who have now turned enemies...

Welcome to the 21st century which is getting murkier and murkier and more and more sinister!


 


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Afghan translators forgotten and having to "live" with death threats






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