"Interagency Meeting" genre: Folk
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	Touches on the frustrations that can occur in "the field" of humanitarian relief. Anyone who has worked in an organization should be able to relate.
	CD: Shadows of Belgrade   Label: self released (pm productions) in Hong Kong Credits: written, arranged, performed and recorded by Paul Meredith. Djembe by Peter Suart. Production assistance in HK from Simon Hui
	Story Behind the Song I think that many of the mixed emotions I had about all the work I started and left unfinished in Serbia went into this song. I started it in Belgrade in March 2000, and recorded the guitars a few weeks later in Skopje Macedonia, just before leaving the Balkans and returning home to Hong Kong. I had just been evacuated with colleagues to Macedonia from Belgrade for safety reasons; much work started was left behind, and in both places many rushed, awkward and sometimes painful goodbyes were said. The entire experience was unfortunately a bit much for me to assimilate, and I'm sure I wasn't my best self... With all the humanitarian needs throughout the Balkans, and particularly in Serbia, many NGOs were nevertheless for political reasons in a "go slow" mode, which was frustrating to say the least. I found in Serbia, as in other such conflicts, that issues of war and peace are rarely simple, and that even the noble cause of helping people in need cannot be seen as being void of political interests, like it or not. Maybe after working throughout the 1990s with Vietnamese refugees and asylum seekers (a "go slow" operation if there ever was one), and seeing the damage that conflict had done to generations both in America and in Vietnam, I had hoped that the collective nature of the NATO campaign, and the seeming "clarity" that the media projected on the conflict ("Serbs: bad. Everyone else: innocent victims.") somehow made it all okay, a step forward for civilization at the dawn of the new millenium... such naivete! I think this song was one way for me to share and express, as a result of my experience, some of my world-view altering doubts and misgivings about war, and about the ways governments sometimes use the humanitarian work of NGOs in their own interests; thoughts that were hard to articulate in conversation. Looking back, I think that the political climate of uncertainty on the diplomatic front and in the donor community contributed to the surreal atmosphere alluded to in the song, where for many NGO staff members it seemed at times that there was more talking and planning than actual implementing and doing. In any case, I tried to write about this theme with a bit of irony and maybe humor, I suppose to cheer myself up! The song in no way dims my admiration for and solidarity with humanitarian relief workers in all parts of this planet, and actually the most positive reactions I get for the song seem to come from former colleagues or people in the field. Musically, I was looking for a sort of alienated mood to express some of this. Remember that old Rick Nelson song, Garden Party? I loved the dramatic irony that it invoked to so well express the character's alienation from his surroundings. Like in that song, the chord changes, harmonies and picking patterns here are all kind of on the sweet side, which I think makes the sadness and dull anger that permeates the song a bit easier to take. Ok, so much for long analysis, I hope you like "Interagency Meeting." Whether or not, support the UN and NGOs that are doing such good work out there. Lyrics INTERAGENCY MEETING At the interagency meeting everyone announced their name International roll call humanitarian hall of fame I R C R S O S C E U N K FOR That's all that I recall was there, there mighta been some more At the interagency meeting we heard security reports Logistics and statistics, sadistics of all sorts License plates exchange rates vehicles office space and rent Doners and their owners and where it all gets spent And we talked about coordination for all the NGOs But it strained my concentration -- I began to doze... I dreamed about kids, I dreamed of refugees Charts tables graphs and grids, mothers cryin' please, help us please... And before I did awaken, viewpoints were exchanged Decision bravely taken, next meeting time arranged Then I heard the sound of shuffling, I woke up and looked around The meeting was nearly over, I put a smile on my frown Any q's before we go? Any other b? Anybody out there know how long until we really gonna be free? When the meeting was finally over, I headed for the door Handouts in my hand, doubts about what it's all for Cleaning up the messes all those governments seem to make Like patchin' up some kind of wall that you know is gonna break Caring and courageous, everyone come and see Such a gentle world we have, such a proud humanity Ciao, kiss kiss to my colleagues, handshakes for my friends See you at the happy hour, be seeing you again... c) Paul Meredith, 2000

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