Matters Around Us
Disaster management must be top priority
THE catastrophic cyclone Nargis narrowly spared Bangladesh but battered neighbouring Myanmar, where many lost their lives and many more have been otherwise affected. Bangladesh has rightly, and in time, responded within its limits to mitigate the sufferings of the fellow brethren in Myanmar. This catastrophe could have struck Bangladesh or any other country in the South Asian or the South East Asian region.
It was just six months ago that cyclone Sidr wrought colossal devastation in Bangladesh, and the nation is still reeling under its effects while sparing no efforts to bring back normalcy in the affected areas. Unfortunately, natural disasters have become regular visitors to this part of the world, and we all are largely helpless before the whims of nature.
South Asia was in the grip of severe floods last year, which caused havoc in three regional countries India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Millions were badly affected as the catastrophe was seen as worst in several decades in the region, and international community, including the chief executive of the United Nations, expressed grave concern at the situation in the three counties.
Natural disasters are not a new phenomenon as all countries rich or poor and big or small are innocent victims to the fury of nature. Despite tremendous technological advancement, the world is still helpless against natural onslaughts. People now, at best, can know in advance about the impending disaster and take some precautionary measures, and this preparedness helps them contain, to some extent, or minimise the consequences of the dangers.
In some cases, significant progress has been made in combating natural disasters as far as possible, but, by and large, people remain only spectators before nature that can cause devastating losses.
South Asia, along with its adjacent region like South East Asia, is a disaster-prone area, and countries here have had enough of the onslaughts of natural disasters of severe proportion in recent history. Floods, storms, hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes and other colossal problems caused by the whims of nature are a regular phenomenon in this part of the world, while many other regions are also vulnerable to various disasters. Early warning system, adequate pre-calamity preparedness and speedy post-disaster management system are some of the measures that can definitely reduce the chances and, more importantly, lessen the scale of devastation likely to be wrought by the disaster.
It is not that these possibilities are not being thought of, or efforts are not being made in this line, to save the calamity-prone nations as far as possible. But what is urgently needed is a more serious bid in that direction on the basis of utmost priority and placement of resources, even if there is constraint on part of the countries that desperately need protection from natural disasters. It appears that such a drive is somewhat lacking, even though there is no dearth of anxiety and concern, as well as talk, of probable steps to mitigate the causes and consequences.
Not long ago, the tsunami tragedy brought to the fore once again the dire need of anti-disaster measures on a regional plane, and this has received particular attention since that occurrence of unimaginable magnitude took the lives of more than a quarter million hapless people in South and South East Asia.
Bangladesh is vulnerable to natural disasters, which is highlighted by the catastrophes of 1970, 1988, 1998 and other occasions. The world conference on disaster management in Kobe, Japan, three years ago focused especially on the handicaps caused by nature on such nations.
The next Saarc summit is scheduled for the first week of August in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, and the disaster issue is among the priority subjects for the conference. The last summit in New Delhi, in April last year, also dealt with such matters with all seriousness. 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 people, 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 inadequately for the calamity hit countries.
School children, top celebrities of cine and music worlds, sports figures and heads of government of some countries spared no efforts to stand by the suffering humanity. Bangladesh was definitely narrowly spared by the tsunami.. Had it hit Bangladesh, the destruction could have been of unimaginable proportions, like what happened in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The Kashmir region in Pakistan and India was terribly damaged by severe earthquakes, followed by flooding in three countries Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
The Kobe conference had brought out several effective ideas for disaster prevention and mitigation of the consequences. The 13th Saarc summit in Dhaka and the 14th in New Delhi discussed the natural disaster issue as a major area of cooperation among the member states. However, Saarc must take a new look at the issue of disaster management and related matters in the wake of the frequent occurrence of natural disasters in South Asia and nearby regions.
The South Asian countries had earlier reached some broad understanding on issues like natural disasters, but new avenues for cooperation and more pragmatic and modern ideas must crystallise in this direction. The latest situation can certainly provide meaningful input to the quest for combating or mitigating the natural disasters in a concerted manner in the region.
As the South Asian nations under the banner of the Saarc are sparing no efforts to improve their economic and social condition through collective endeavour, despite occasional strain and sluggish progress made by the forum, all avenues are being explored for multi-faceted cooperation in various fields. The last summit in New Delhi was seen as quite productive in this direction. But natural disaster-prone South Asia must take up the issue of cooperation in this field on a greater priority.
It is not just that disasters bring human tragedies of enormous proportions, they also badly damage, and even at times wipe-out, assiduously built developmental infrastructure. And this destruction undoubtedly covers agriculture, roads and other communication systems, as well as some other vital sectors, which are critically important for the welfare and well-being of the people. Such catastrophes negate progress made in different fields, and it is imperative that anti-disaster plans and progress are taken up with all seriousness for the socio-economic uplift.
The terrible Sidr experience in Bangladesh and the Nargis havoc must serve as a wake-up call for them albeit all member states are aware of this issue of great concern. The next summit is still two and a half months away, and sufficient ground-work needs to be done in this area.
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