Disaster issue must be high in SAARC summit

The tsunami tragedy has brought to the fore once again the dire need of anti-disaster measures on a regional plane. This has received particular attention since the occurrence of unimaginable magnitude taking lives of a quarter million hapless people in South and South East Asia took place just before the earlier scheduled early January13th summit of the leaders of seven south Asian countries. The tsunami that struck mainly three South and two South East Asian nations on December 26 leaving a trail of devastation postponed the summit which is now rescheduled to be held early February. Indeed, such a postponement was the logical development to the situation caused by the disaster. In the past SAARC summits had been deferred several times owing to man-made crises like political problems among the member states and hence there was no reason why the event should not be called off temporarily when nature inflicted severe blow on three of its seven members and friendly nations of nearby area. The nations affected by the disaster obviously needed to devote on domestic relief operations at that critical hour of tragedy. Then again the summit should not remain hanging for long since this may lead to loss of enthusiasm and preparedness and it is more so when the coming summit is expected to take up a number of matters crucially important to the welfare and benefit of the 1.4 billion people living in the region. It is heartening to note that the conference of the heads of government is taking place at the earliest possible time following the deferment.

However, there was another line of thinking on the issue of postponing the event. Some quarters felt that the issue relating to natural calamities in South Asia would have received highest priority had the summit taken place on the scheduled dates close on the heels of the tsunami tragedy without disputing the fact that for the affected nations the time might not have been convenient for the event. Arguably, there is a point in such thinking even though the rescheduling has been largely justified. The ASEAN had no scheduled meeting but gathered in quick time at different levels to discuss the situation caused to its two members and the region. It is expected that this sense of highest priority surrounding serious regional approach in containing or mitigating disasters as far as possible will not be lost in the proceedings of the 13thsummit. This has already been made clear that the matter will be very much in the agenda and this is a good augury. Hopefully, something concrete will come out on the subject, which, however, is daunting in nature.

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Bangladesh is vulnerable to natural disasters and we terribly experienced these happenings highlighted by the catastrophes of 1970,1988,1998 and other occasions. Ours is country often described as calamity prone by the international world. The recent world conference on disaster management in Kobe, Japan, focused especially on the handicaps caused by nature on such nations. The leader of the Bangladesh delegation, flood and disaster management minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, had the rare honour of presenting one of two keynote papers in the large and important gathering participated by world's most countries and opened by no less a person than the Emperor of Japan in a rare gesture. The other keynote presenter was former chief of the UNHCR Dr. Sadako Ogata. It was a high profile event drawing worldwide attention and the Bangladesh delegation and its suggestions in the relevant fields were well received by participating countries. The SAARC summit in Bangladesh capital coming almost in quick succession of that global conference may also pick up the thread from that conference suiting the regional requirement and priorities. This will be beneficial for individual nations as well as collectively.

It goes without saying that a venture like disaster prevention in South Asia needs collective endeavour, and larger international support and assistance are also required for the purpose. It can be concluded that international help will not be absent as evidenced by the fact that the sympathy demonstrated in the aftermath of Asia's tsunami was more appealing in the Western nations, particularly among their peoples, whose hearts went out in consolation with the dead and affected in the South and South East Asia. Some leaders of powerful nations were criticised by their people and the press for either not acting immediately or acting inadequately for the calamity hit countries. School children, top celebrities of cinema and music world, sports figures and heads of government of some countries spared no efforts to stand by the suffering humanity. Comparatively many of the Asian countries lagged behind in this regard in contrast to Europe and several other nations. This is not a happy spectacle. Even in countries like ours the outpouring of sympathy for the tsunami victims has not been anything much praiseworthy.

Unpalatable it may sound, one may say that even the media by and large did not play the kind of role expected in such a situation in encouraging the people of all spheres of life to mingle with this great human tragedy although some scattered initiatives by organisations like NGOs or others and some leading persons of different professions were certainly commendable. The government also dispatched relief to some affected countries. But the nation as a whole did not seem to have risen to the occasion considering the severity of the devastation in the countries which are all friendly nations -- fellow South Asians and South East Asians including the population wise largest Muslim country. Furthermore, we ourselves are a disaster prone nation and the tsunami definitely narrowly spared this country. Had it been hit, the destruction could be of unimaginable proportions. Our response to the situation needs introspection and soul-searching. Our capacity is limited but why there should be dearth of sufficient feelings and sympathy ? Newspapers and TV of many countries including some in the neighbourhood helped sensitising public response to this demanding situation.

The Kobe conference has thrown up several effective ideas for disaster prevention and mitigating consequences including effective early warning system. The SAARC summit coming within weeks of this event and against the fresh tsunami background must devote itself concretely on the disaster issue which is inextricably linked with the fate of the region where countless perish and huge properties get destroyed at regular intervals by whims of nature. The summit will hopefully shed enough light on the issue, which is enormously and critically important for South Asia.

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury is a senior journalist.