Award for Shay Cullen Documentary
Columban Intercom
March-April 2005
A film about the work of regular Mabuhay correspondent and international human rights campaigner, Father Shay Cullen, ('69) received the Irish "Radharc Award", which honours documentary programmes of outstanding quality that address national or international topics of social justice, morality or faith.
The award winning producer, former Australian television journalist and now resident of Ireland, Annette Kinne of Andec Productions, said that her documentary, "Father Cullen: Taking a Stand", was filmed on site in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Germany and The Philippines. She explained that these countries represent just a small slice of the breadth of influence that Father Cullen has built up over his years as a rights advocate, especially in the context of the abuse of children.
"A detective at Scotland Yard told me they were able to get a conviction of an English paedophile for a crime in The Philippines," said Kinne "simply because Father Cullen was able to find the children whom he had sexually abused." She said the German police told her similar tales and stressed how important someone like Father Cullen is in the process of collecting evidence. "Without a person like that it is usually impossible to find the abused children," one officer told her. Kinne said that she was amazed at the breadth of activities that Father Cullen is involved in.
She was impressed by the professionalism of his treatment centre at the PREDA Foundation in Olongapo City. "it would stand up to a scrutiny by any professional standards institute in the world," she noted. "it is staffed by psychologists, social workers and other professionals and everybody is accountable." She explained that Father Cullen believes that poverty is the root cause of the problems suffered by most victims of the sex-trade. As a response to this, his centre sponsors a programme of growing and marketing mangos which pays fair wages and sells its product for fair prices. He has also developed a long standing cottage industry making traditional, Filipino bamboo furniture operating on the same principles.
Kinne explained that in filming the documentary she visited children in prison with Father Cullen. "I was revolted at the conditions these children are kept in," said the 43-year old mother of two. "Many of them were the same age as my own children and I kept imaging how I would feel if they were subjected to similar inhumane conditions."
She told Mabuhay Father Cullen believes that changing the opinions of the general public is an essential dimension of his human rights work, and he sees advocacy in Ireland, Europe and other countries throughout the world as an integral part of this. She also said that his international fame is probably one of the things that protects his life. "In The Philippines he and his staff have been charged with crimes on 68 occasions," she said. "The local business people, who make money out of the sex-trade, want to shut him down and their attempts in court have so far been unsuccessful." She noted that many human rights workers and journalists have been liquidated in The Philippines for standing up for the exploited.
Hong Kong Sunday Examiner, 1 August, 2004.
