Scream

Re: # 78, Behram:-

a) In India, the Armed Forces are always the first line of rapid movement and assistance in times of natural and similar disasters. This is largely because they are not busy with ``ruling`` the people as in Pakistan. So any assistance from India for large-scale disaster will perforce involve the Indian Armed Forces, more often than not dressed in practical fatigues. Generals to Doctors to Soldiers.

And unlike the Pakistani Armed Forces, they will not change into Full Dress Brass and Monkey Caps or Western Suits or Razakar Pathan Suits when travelling abroad either.

So India and Indians are not getting on a high horse by offering assistance. We are, by nature, a helpful Nation. But we fly our own choppers, drive our own motor vehicles and most of all, behave like people on mercy missions and not as ``rulers``.

b) To the next part, about not wanting Indian soldiers, fair enough. But then why are your people going around bleating for American or NATO soldiers? Do your leaders think that they will visit and build your motorways again, or do they hope that they will leave their guns behind?

Anyway, another few days and the LOC will be wide open to accept distressed people. And I shall be there. Back to Chikoti, before the snows, at the wheel of a truck loaded with supplies.

Let me see how many Pakistani interactors will take the trouble?

Re: # 13

Dear Romair:

I agree with you on this one....[It was a political move by India, to put Pakistan down. What could Indian soldiers do that Pakistani soldiers could not do?] This was all a political drama by the Indians. Good for Musharraf.

Respectfully submitted,

re:#22 by veeresh
I think Kashmiris may decide to unite together and fight both India and Pak in future. Until now, the fight was against India`s real/perceived atrocities. But none of this will come about anytime soon. The real anger will be seen to come out of the closet after the rehab process is well underway. It is in best interest of both nations to slowly let the 2 Kashmirs merge and start giving each part substantial autonomy.
Sridhar

re:#12 by Romair
This guy keeps talking about Indian soldiers but Paki dictator has not allowed any Indian: NGOs, doctors, paramedics, into the Paki Kashmir. So, it is much more than just the soldiers. I can understand Pak dictator`s sensitivity in allowing Indian army personnel but whatabout civilian NGOs, doctors etc.
Romair is part of the reason why Pak stinks big time, even at this hour of tragedy. Sorry, i got to say what is in my mind even though it hurts.
Sridhar

re:#13 by Romair
Hey moron, when are u going to go to POK and help your Kashmiri brothers. Unlike Ijaz Gul, u are just sitting on your butt in Canada and talking about India`s occupation of Kashmir. Get a life, moron.
Sridhar

re: the article
A great article. Author speaks from his heart.
#9 by ijaz_gul
Great work Sir. You have been to the scene of devastation and given a vivid picture of destruction but also of hope. Was it not Dr Shahid Masood who sounded alarm (over a private channel) even before the Pak govt knew of the scale of destruction and the Minister of Information Sheikh Rashid Ahmed kept denying any vast devastation had taken place.
I salute people like you and Shahid Masood.
I also urge u to find ways by which Indian NGOs, doctors, paramedics can come across LOC to help the victims. More than a million face death due to weather, wound complications etc etc. India is a vast country and people are willing to help if Pak govt says yes. Wonder what u think?
Sridhar

My Dear Indian Interactors,

Indian soldiers are not needed on Pakistani soil. And that was the correct decision. There can be no ifs, buts, about it. Personally, their qualifications are no better or worse than that of the Pakistani soldiers. So please get off your high horse.

Respectfully submitted,

Re: # 60

Dear Romair:

You want a reduction in the armed forces of approximately 58.3%.
[Most of all, it needs to downsize its military, from 600k to around 250k - combined air force, army and navy.] And what are these 350,000 or so going to do in the Pakistani economy. I have no idea as to what the current unemployment rate in Pakistan is? Do you know the current unemployment rate in Pakistan?

[But will he have the vision, to use this tragedy to carry out massive social reorientation. Lets see. My guess is maybe not.] Musharraf might have the vision, but can he implement it? And the answer is still out there.

Respectfully submitted,

Re: # 52, Romair/Ijaz et al, nobody is trying to score any points.

I am just stating ground level facts. And the facts are that:-

a) there is a fairly intensive mobilisation going on in India right now to accept the refugees that are likely to flow across the border/LOC in the next few weeks. The trickle is turning into a flow, with people landing up as ``Afghans`` into India already.

b) countries do not invade each other any more. Yes, Pakistan can hold the threat as a means of scaring and impressing its own population, but in this day and age, armies are not going to be used to march on to each other`s capitals and then take up residence there.

c) there is some sort of under-current of people who changed religions re-establishing family ties and reverting back to pre-conversion in 1947 family structures. It is important to note here that this is accompanied by some amount of tension on account of property issues, so expect the incumbents/occupiers to resist.

d) the rescue and post-disaster efforts are hampered by the simple fact that the Pakistani Government refuses to let a better prepared and experienced India provide assistance, apparently for the fear of the symbolism that Indians on POK soil would represent.

e) and here is the last one - even ordinary Indians including those from Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh and others from the Indian end have been refused permission to enter POK to help. The devastated in POK are asking, is medical tourism from Pakistan to India restricted only to the people from the plains?

Shame on me? Look inside your own house first.

I am only here to point out that you have made a total mess of the house I vacated so that you could improve on it.

And then, you want to scream.

Sure, scream. But please scream for the larger picture.

Re: # 73

ali:

you are so right.

BTW where do you leave that you encounter mongrels barking at you while going home?

Re: # 64
it`s DART. canadian govenment will match dollar for dollar all earthquake relief funds raised by the indo-pakistani community till 24th october 2005. it is amazing to see the hardwork being put up by a large number of indians and pakistanis through chum fm, a local radioand tv program hosted by darshan sahota and his daughter. they are doing an amazing job through radio, tv and other media. i must be amiss if i do not mention the great work being done by volunteers from india, pakistan and bangladesh who have been working tirelessly for the last two weeks to gather as much medicine, money and other relief items, packing and freighting it to pakistan...

Why do the Pakistanis on this forum feel obligated to respond to Injun interactors? I mean, do you stop and bark back at the mongrels that bark at you on your way home? Let`s not waste our energies here... let them gloat, celebrate, criticize whatever. We have more important things to take care of right now.

FOLKS:

WHEN I LAMENTED THE LACK OF ADEQUATE COVERAGE ABOUT THE RAVAGES OF ERATHQUAKE ON CHOWK IN ONE OF MY POSTS, THE SELF-APPOINTED CHOWKIDAAR, MR. t QUIPPED: `` .. LIFE GOES ON...`` JUST LOOK AT THE ARTICLES PUBLISHED ON CHOWK SINCE OCTOBER 8.

Its taken me a while to go through the article and all 70 responses so far. Ive been conviced and counter convinced on a number of occasions. Good intellectual masturbation. Does India want to score points? Who knows, who cares. Do Pakistanis need help. Yes. Do Kashmiries care where the help comes from? No.

It will take quite a lot to erase the decades of mistrust and latent hostility between our nations, but as individuals we can cover the distance relatively quickly if only we are prepared to make a start - and now is as good a time as any. So lets pls come back to the article and debate whether screaming makes a difference? I think it does but only if we shout in the right direction and Im afraid we are preaching to the converted.

Umair, a number of schools in the northeast -- including your successors -- are having a candlelight vigil tomorrow. And the House observed a minute of silence.

Well-written as always. I think all any of us can do is organize fundraising events and donate personally.

This is a great article and I hope efforts like this will jump start the much needed aid. I was also saddened by lack of adequate coverage in international media about this disaster, except for a few exceptions like BBC. I dont think it is because of any anti-Muslim bias thought it might and will be percieved as such. To be honest, there is a certain disaster fatigue in general which might be contributing to this...

Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to keep this thing alive, like this author is doing and hope that it amounts to something,

Thanks,
Avkrishna