Some questions on the Asian Earthquake

[Acrylic-bob]

Over the weekend I have been following the unfolding tragedy in Pakistan and India following the Earthquake. Terrible pictures and every story as sad as the last one. One's heart naturally goes out to those poor people who must now face the onset of winter without a home.

Listening to the additional media wallowing this morning on breakfast news I was struck by one or two salient questions which I think it is only right that someone should ask.

I recall that shortly after the Asian Tsunami last Christmas there were voices raised in Pakistan who insisted that the tsunami was an expression of God's wrath and displeasure at the sinfulness of the people in the countries affected. Are we now to conclude that the people of Pakistan and Kashmir and India who have lost their lives and their relatives and their homes and livlihoods are similarly sinful? This despite the majority of them being good Muslims who have spent their lives rubbing their foreheads in the dust in obeisance to a seemingly fickle and capricious deity? Has their observance of Ramadan and their pilgrimages to Mecca earned them so little consideration and mercy?

It then occured to me to wonder how those voices who are so quick to criticise the west for being wicked and ungodly to the extent of training their youth to make war against it are now crying out to the west for assistance; there were calls today for everything from blankets through search and rescue teams to helicopters to assist with the rescue effort.

It struck me as odd, but in a way understandable, that though the region affected has a history of earthquakes going back way before mankind first came to settle in the area the Government of Pakistan has done practically nothing to ensure the safety of it's citizens. Instead it has preferred to spend what little income it has on the ridiculous pursuit of nuclear armaments. Fat lot of use such macho posturing and dick waving is to those who are now grieving without a roof over their heads, to say nothing of the plight of the thousands of children who have been orphaned.

I wonder how much Al Queada will be donating to the rescue fund?

[Margaret Pilkington]

Well, A-B.....it struck me as a bit ironic that 3 months ago our firemen and ambulance personnel were picking over the wreckage (human and mechanical) that was caused by young men who originated in that country......who had training in the religious schools over there......who were brainwashed into believing that the country that they had adopted so willingly was evil and wicked......and who are the first people to line up and go out there to search for survivors.....to put their skills at the disposal of the people.....Yes, our firemen and ambulance personnel. And where does this muslim country look for aid.....why, the WEST.....and before anyone starts accusing me of racism.....I am not being racist......just stating facts.

I know there are lots of people over in Kashmir and Pakistan who have lost their lives in this tragedy......and I wouldn't wish this kind of event on anyone. But I just wish that when the fundamentalist Muslim clerics are spouting their venom, they will remember where aid has come from.

When Hurricane Katrina devastated the US, there were some muslims who rejoiced and said it was the judgemnet of Allah.......I wonder what these same people are thinking now.

[Margaret Pilkington]

And before anyone points out to me that aid in circumstances like these knows no religious boundaries.....I know.....It is humanitarian. Did someone mention tolerance?

[chav1]

although the people who are rescued will be greatfull i highly doubt the likes of these clerics and binladen will care about the wests helping out or infact even give a damn about the victims of the earthquake

[Bagpuss]

Nothing to do with being a racist Margaret you are just stating the facts as is AB.

[PILKYBUSDRIVER]

You can guarantee we wouldn't get any aid off Pakistan if it happened here,unless it was muslim areas that had been affected.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

I recall that shortly after the Asian Tsunami last Christmas there were voices raised in Pakistan who insisted that the tsunami was an expression of God's wrath and displeasure at the sinfulness of the people in the countries affected.

Whose voices were raised? I can't remember reading anything like that. There might have been a crackpot cleric who said it, but there is always a crackpot cleric blaming every natural disaster on some God's displeasure.

Since a lot of the victims were from the east as well as west, and of numerous faiths, you can't give much creedence to that.

[SPUGGIE J]

There are children who have suffered in this disaster and dispite what people feel its the inocent that are suffering and they need our help. Its times like this that all malice and mistrust must be put aside in order to help those in need.

[Doug]

There is nothing wrong in highlighting these facts so described or discussing the failings of the governments concerned and their leader’s lack of ability. But I would ask you to consider that British personnel both civil and military went out to Pakistan and the surrounding area without question and without prejudice; they have rescued people already and will continue to search for others and provide help and advice to local people for as long as it is practical to do so. Again without question and without prejudice the British people have donated money, goods and clothing. The British Government will provide Air Transport, Funding and undoubtedly assist further by providing British military personal, equipment and know how. Whatever our feelings about what have gone before, I believe that the British People should be both proud of what we have been able to achieve and grateful that we will sleep peacefully in our beds tonight………

[garinda]

I do agree though with A-b [ring dem bells!] It is outrageous that such a poor country spends such a large amount of it's income on arms, and wanting a nuclear arsenal costing many millions of pounds.

[WillowTheWhisp]

I think some sort of distinction needs to be made here.

There may well have been some people from Pakistan and Kashmir who decreed that the Tsunami and hurricane Katrina were God's punishment on the wicked. That doesn't mean that all the inhabitants of Pakistan and Kashmir felt that way, any more than all Pakistanis in England are suicide bombers, (it's like declaring all English people are lager louts just because the majority of lager louts seem to be English - some of us don't even drink)

Many of the victims of this earthquake are children who wouldn't know a political opinion if it jumped up and shouted "Boo!"

There may well have been some nonsense following the Tsunami where Christian aid workers were told not to offer help in some areas for fear of upsetting muslims. Perhaps sometimes people need to accept help wherever it comes from and not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

So if anything good can come of such a terrible disaster maybe it is that people can learn from it to be more gracious to those who offer to help them even if they do not share beliefs, and for people not to lump everybody togethr in the same pot just because they are of the same nationality/religion or whatever.

How admirable for people just to be willing to help for no other reason than that the help is needed.

There's a little poem which I think was written by Mark Twain which has always touched me:

He doeth well who doeth good
To those of his own brotherhood.
He doeth better who doth bless
A stranger in his helplessness.
But best, oh best of all doth he
Who helps a fallen enemy.


Maybe it's the first step on the way to understanding and acceptance rather than animosity - and even if it isn't I'd far rather be proud to belong to a nation of helpers than a nation of grudge bearers.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by garinda

I do agree though with A-b [ring dem bells!] It is outrageous that such a poor country spends such a large amount of it's income on arms, and wanting a nuclear arsenal costing many millions of pounds.

Think what we could do with the money we spend on nuclear weapon systems? We don’t really need them do we. We can’t even fire the buggers without written permission or a directive from Prime Minster Bush. But we still have them, we spend billons a year maintaining them, training personal how to use them and even more on how to survive them. When we need to keep these murderously system going beyond their useful lives we will spend even more billions to do it. Why shouldn’t they have their own world splitting destructive weapons systems as well? We let the Israelis have them? Why not the Pakistanis or the Indians……..I do get your point Garinda, but what does it matter. This is politics and their little room for that when thousands lay dead in the rubble and thousands more will die or suffer illness as a result of it. I would ask you to remember that many thousands of Asian Troops, Sailors and Airman died for this country not sixty years ago and those that survived got ****** all from the British people other that they themselves worked for……

[SPUGGIE J]

"THE BOMB STILL THE ULTIMATE DETERENT" yes and the unfortunate thing is that those who want it are the poorest states, who think it will make them secure. A damning inditement of the times we live in. Untill these nations fell safe they will carry on developing them at the expense of their own people. Yet even with that these poor people need our help and it might create a smidgin of trust between nations. Its sad that earthquakes and sunamis are needed to bring use together.

[Doug]

Well said Willow.

[garinda]

I agree Doug, the scenes were heartbreaking, and like Willow said, most of the victims seem to be children who had just gone into school.

However I do think that a country with such a poor population, and very little infrastructure in place, does spend too much of it's gross national income on arms.

I also think we do, but in relation to Pakistan we have the luxury of wealth to do so.