South Asian Earthquake: Don’t care… or don’t know?

How filled were the Jars in Maha’s class in Karachi when Tsunami or the Hurricane struck?

Last night a segment on 60 Minutes showed a bunch of Paramedics from NYC working in the remote EQ hit areas, where no Pakistani medics or Military rescuers were to be seen. Where 60% of the population still believes that 9/11 was a Jewish doing, don’t be surprised over the empty Jars, sooner or later someone will come up with the same rotten theory that it were Jews who stole money from the Jars. Stay tuned.

This piece is particularly insensitive in light of the fact that Americans are doing more than the rest of the world combined in relief efforts. If only a few wealthy Pakistanis broke their Bakree-Banks (Piggy Bank is Haram) to help the EQ victims, no one will be looking for foreign Jars.

Re: # 12

Dear Kulharee:

You are absolutely right in your post.

One of my American friend was asking me similar question. Where are those muslims of the world? and why are they not helping out their fellow muslim?

I had no answer.

Respectfully submitted,

Lack of accountability is certainly a major reason why the international donors are shying away from cash donations. I think the Pakistanis have to look to themselves in order to come up iwth the necessary resources for re-habilitation and re-construction. We would be better of utilising our energies to put our own house in order and tightening our belts (at all levels and not only the common man) rather than blaming the international community.

Harimau
Tragic & shameful as was the incident of Daniel Pearl`s murder and such incidents as well as the Jihadi groups operating in Pakistan you surely cannot be suggesting that those poor innocent children and villagers had anything to do with that?
And you may hate Mush and all Pakistanis (as seen from your comments throughout this site) but surely you have some tiny speck of humanity left in you. One basic thing you fail to understand - the general public does not love support and admire these extremist murderers....but getting suchg a poor response from the world is likely to radicalise those who have lost their families and everything in their lives.
What about the number of people killed by the Maoist rebels in India. They number in the thousands do they not? Just as lethal really except they are killing exclusively their own country people whereas Jihadi groups kill both their own people and outsiders....truly these disgusting pakis dont deserve to live according to your mindset.

Re: # 10

Dear traveller:

Harimau has already provided a response in #14.

You must also take some responsibilty. Just saying that [One basic thing you fail to understand - the general public does not love support and admire these extremist murderers....] is not enough.

There are still 25% of Pakistanis who think suicide bombing is justified. How long does it take for this administartion to clean up Pakistan. They have been in power for over 6 years....and they can not clean up their own created mess.

Give me a break.

I agree with you that ...[but getting such a poor response from the world is likely to radicalise those who have lost their families and everything in their lives. ] Yes, and that is the scary part.

But, most westerners know by now that those who are asking are corrupt to the teeth. Besides, why are there no muslim countries helping. Saudi Arabia has just announced that it will be providing over $1 Billion for Iraq reconstruction package.

What is the difference between the two reconstruction packages? It is the Pakistani administration that is the difference, I suppose.

Is this one more strategy for the Pakistani administration to pocket donor money. Why aren`t there major non-governmental organization helping people?

Keep searching your inner soul and there you will find an answer.

Respectfully submitted,

The world might be a bit more responsive if the collection boxes had a picture of victims.

May I suggest a photo of Daniel Pearl with his throat cut?

Zeena,
your husband and you did a commendable job, bravo.
if every pakistani donate rs50 each in pakistan a lot of money can be raised.

`For weeks she’s pounced on all the small change from grocery shopping and deposited her pocket money into the ‘hurricane jar’ in her classroom.`

Yaar, is there such a thing as `pocket money`? kaka has read so much about these stipends little kids get for godknowswhat.. especially from mothers who are busy reporting while raising kids. kaka used to have to beg for money everyday and was explained that.. `agar aap ko maheenay kay maheenay pocket money day dee jaee tau, for the rest of the month, aap apni ammi ko peechat muR kay bhi na daikhaiN gay..`

Anyways, kaka thinks that these `pocket money` mentionings are just a prelude to the rest of `shaming of the non-donors` essay. Unless kaka sees the receipts about these `pocket moneys`, they are a urban legends like opera lovers and Oprah haters.

Beena Sarwar
My husband is the current Appna president , NJ chapter, he worked day and night to arrange for this fund raiser. His efforts succeeded and we were able to raise $ 100,000 in one night during eid dinner.

I donated $22,000 out of my own pocket out of my personal savings. God will give me health to work harder for their future help. Inshallah.

Bravo,Appna NJ eid dinner raised $100,000 11/12/05 in one night.

The executive committee of Appna NJ chapter and it`s president raised $ 100,000 in cash for earthquake victims(besides, $22,000 donated by President of NJ chapter out of pocket which will be spent in December for homes construction) during Eid dinner at Royal Albert Palace NJ, and donated Medicine(2000 doses of Tetanus Toxoids), Approximatley, $28,000 were contributed by th ephysicians and employees of Barnabas Health care system, and the drive still continues. Most impressive were the teenagers there who contributedTHE from their savings and pocket money. Malahar and Javed entertained the attendees in to the wee hours of the night. Malahar donated their time for the evening.The program was covered by Geo TV. Slides and Video clips to follow. You can also see the news clips on Geo TV tomorrow.

Beena Sarwar
Now, I am giving this news. Sadly, majority of chowkies discourage such media coverage. They think in their own lil minds that I am bragging.
When, you have the intentions of spreading the good deeds like this, which we really need at this moment, God loves such acts of open kindness and mass advertisement.
You raised very good points. Thanks for bringing this up. We need this at this time of trouble. We are going to arrange same earthquake reunion and dinner donation fund raisers in December in Islamabad Pakistan.........................

The rather indifferent response to Earthquake is on two accounts. The earthquakes do not create sensation like Tsunami or for that matter even Volcanic Eruptions. The earthquakes happen every now and then so the world so the world remains indifferent. Second thing is that South-east Asia does not figure prominently in the world map. At best it is seen as poor and dirty place where people die often and on due to epedemics, riots and other internal violence and conflicts. It is unlikely that the world is going to do more than what it has already done for the quake victims. The resources required for rehabilitating the quake victims will have to be arranged by Pakistan itself internally. There seems to be no other alternative.

Media reportage on the Kashmir earthquake is not something that can exist in isolation.

For decades, large parts of Pakistan have been absolutely out of bounds for external and neighbouring media, leave alone visitors. How do you expect them to suddenly form the required lines of service delivery?

What little internal media there is in Pakistan can be divided into neat little self-interest groups, to my knowledge and experience. Their credibility is close to zilch internationally.

Another reason for the media follow-up and subsequent high level of aid post-Tsunami was the direct involvement of the world media in being part of an audit on how the aid was being spent. Can you point out something similar in Pakistan please? Most foreign media soft-pedal around the misuse of aid and most Pakistani media try to tone down the realities of misuse of air, if not apologising for pointing it out.

To blame the world for Pakistan`s problems is something which the world has now got tired off. Please look within and fix your own house before wondering why others are giving it a wide berth.

(For the usual shouting brigade, please try to ignore my nationality and respond only on the points raised, especially the regular suspects?)

Even with the pathetic coverage recently, the emphasis is on Kashmir. What about the devastated villages of the NWFP? Even the BBC website has Kashmir Relief, because it`s so attractive - NWFP is an unkown and Balakot mourns alone.

Abdul Hafeez, a young Kashmiri man, is known to me for over 6 months or so.

His family has suffered a major loss ... all their houses and belongings have been destroyed. He wants to reconstruct his house but hasn`t received any aid because his village is located north of Rawalakot.

If you can help please contact me.

Re: # 1
manto
can you give me details, i may be able to help.

my email: aslam644@yahoo.co.uk