The world has seen some major disasters over last few weeks. First was the cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (I don’t really know why do they come up with sweet feminine names for such calamities) and then we had the great earthquake in China.
Let’s hope for their quick recovery. But what attracts my attention is that all such major disasters also create an opportunity for political mudslinging and muscle flexing at the international level. I think the Military Junta in Myanmar is still in two minds about accepting foreign assistance, especially from the countries that don’t recognize its despotic demeanors. Coming to China, we would probably never get to know the correct picture thanks to its highly censored and straitjacketed media.

I remember the earthquakes in Uttarkashi in 1991 and in Latur and Osmanabad a couple of years later during my schooldays. India had foreign aids pouring in from all nuke and corners of the world. With due respect to their honest intentions, such aids have always been a way to show global supremacy and clout. But anyway it did help those victims in distress. Some nations hesitate in taking external assistance as they place national pride above the plight of the affected. I think everyone remembers how the Russians dillydallied about NATO’s help offers when the Kursk submarine sank in the Arctic. The hesitation eventually turned out to be fatal.

India’s turn to play generous benefactor also arrived as the Tsunami swept away most of the south and south-eastern Asia. Woes apart, India used it as a strong statement announcing its arrival at the global stage and denied any foreign assistance. It managed to cope up with the situation itself and also helped other neighbors to get back to normalcy. The recovery from the gigantic disaster was reasonably quick and well managed which would give the nation more respect and credibility in the future.

To end with, the character of a nation gets reflected in the way it deals with disasters. But the effort to play brave and strong should not go to an extent where people have to suffer due to their leadership’s obsession with ideologies, enmities and pride. Hopefully the Myanmar Leaders would realize this soon.

Image Source: doctorswithoutborders