Asia Quake: burden of death
When the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami occurred, the donations received were unprecedented and the help offered was unanimous. But, for the south asian quake that occurred in Pakistan with maximum number of casualties there, the aid has been, if one goes by the reports, barely trickling down.
I wonder why? Is it because Pakistan, in all its backwardness, is considered a terrorist supporting state? Do people and governments, normally willing to donate, fear that their monetary aid may end-up as funds to aid more terrorist camps? I wonder what the people of Pakistan have to say about this. More than that, what are they doing to change this. How long will they suffer because of their country’s status as a terrorist state?
I do not know if they realize the number of lives, the amount of resources wasted on a cause that has virtually no meaning—trying to get hold of a state land, which is for the most part, un-inhabitable, experiences harsh weather and has fewer means of livelihood. Governments that have performance problems, suck on causes that have emotional values and incite hatred to survive. Thanks to the three wars we fought, they found an easy enemy in India.
I truly believe that everybody, from the mullah to the general, is trying to make a buck out of this hatred, preaching, arming, and keeping people uneducated or keeping them misinformed while sidelining the real issues, development and in general avoiding working for the betterment of the people.
I saw the General’s interview yesterday on the BBC. The only thing that struck was that he was trying to save his own skin—by praising his army, the self-righteous back-thumping and looking down upon India’s conditional offer of helicopters.
Kashmiris have described Gen Musharraf’s refusal to allow Indian helicopter pilots to operate on Pakistani soil as an equivalent of “signing the death warrants” of thousands of Kashmiris still stuck on top of inaccessible mountains.
Some said it was evidence Pakistan was only interested in Kashmir’s territory and not its people.
He has done it so often that he seems to have developed a knack for this blame-game. If there were proper maintenance of hill-roads, the aid could have reached quicker. So, why is the government of Pakistan spending their money on expensive gun-shells instead of spending on better connectivity to their people. People are wrong on both sides. Indians could have handed over the choppers if they were really interested in helping. Do you think the tricolor painted on the hull of Indian choppers would have been replaced by Pakistan’s flag for credits? Come on, give me a break.
I am an Indian, but my heart aches for the people of Pakistan that have suffered tremendously in this tragedy. The picture of this little girl is so unnerving. I pray for her well-being.
Update: I’ve donated a small amount to Unicef towards its South Asia Earthquake Emergency Response. Please donate or help in any way you can.