The days after the ground opened up

Photo by Jan Grarup via Padacia

I was in Pakistan last year, two months after the earthquake hit the kashmir valley and surrounding region in October. I wanted to go to the earthquake ravaged areas more than anything else, but it just didn't pan out.

However, while in Pakistan, I learnt quite a bit about the situation, much of which I have not shared on here, atleast I don't remember doing so. Today being the one anniversary of this sad day, I wish to share it. It might make some Pakistanis look bad, but its the truth- people take advantage of another almost as willingly as others will help out in such a situation.

Point form is best I guess, because I realise I will end up saying a lot. Besides, it makes Yasmine happy :-

-- The earthquake hit an area which has long been under contention between Pakistan and India- a region where soldiers from both countries have been posted in abundance, and in perpetuity since the inception of both nations. On the Pakistani side, reports suggest that the Pakistani armies' own barracks, offices and stations were ravaged by the earthquake into a critical state. Thus, any army personnel that survived the earthquake's power (of which there were many more than normal citizens who tend to live in slightly more developed areas than a hilltop bunker), were first sent to excavate and dig out all army posts that had been affected by the quake. This was so that the armies' sensitive documents, its critical holding points and strategic advanatge over the 'enemy' would at no point be compromised. Any indication of an overwhelming military response in the region following the earthquake is only because Pakistan has the military capabilityt o move its soldiers fastidiously from outside Kashmir into Kashmir. The initial help came solely from outside the Kashmir region.

-- Iran donated 20,000 high end tent structures to Pakistan after the earthquake hit. These are highly useful tents which can house two families with ease, and contain an in built washroom and kitchen to provide continuing sanitary conditions throughout the recovery period. Each and every one of these tents was taken by the army of Pakistan. Not one of them was given to an earthquake survivor. In return for this robbery, the army took tents out of its own stock and handed them out to survivors. This was not official, but it wasn't condemned by army superiors either.

-- Full consigments of water, food, blankets and clothes were stolen with the trucks that carried them right on the highways to Kashmir and NWFP. The culprits were local thugs and zamindars who wield extreme control over their lands, which become crucial in times of catastrophe. The biggest culprit by far was the Muhajjir Quami Movement (MQM), a party with a dubious track record in Pakistan- their thuggery held no bounds as they would hold trucks ransom as soon as they left charitable areas such as the Pakistan Air Force Museum in Karachi (which became a rallying point for thousands of volunteers and hundred of organisations).

-- People in Pakistan controlled Kashmir are not only muslim, there is a large chunk of Hindus too. These people were discriminated against when it came to donations of food, water and clothes. They were, at their most vulnerable, kicked down even further by the insensitivity of some groups that call themselves benevolent muslims.

-- Nowadays, the help that the normal guy in Kashmir is getting has dried up. Pakistan has not been able to sustain its relief effort (more on that later). therefore, the only ones that are now getting government help with rebuilding therir homes are those with connections. The man who took thirty five years to build his home wit his own hand, and his ever-expanding family by his side has no one to to look to, the money is just nto there. Whatever is there is being held ransom by corrupt politicians and officials who look for kickbacks before they sign the money and aid off.

-- There are a lot of positive stories too. Pakistanis helped in a massive way from across the world not to mention the thousands of volunteers from across Pakistan that showed up in Kashmir just days after. Since my family was leaving Canada at the same time, and were only able to carry 40 kgs of stuff with us, we ended up donating loads of cartons of clothes and blankets to the effort. There were many like us, some even more generous than we could ever hope to be.

All in all, my description of some of the many injustices these survivors have faced should not affect the overall perception of the relief effort, which has been, from every account possible, stellar. In the last five days, there have been numerous negative stories about Pakistan's response to the quake. However, a few things have to be kept in mind:

1) Pakistan in a poor country unable to sustain relief efforts for very long without outside help, which although great during the first few months of the relief effort dried out by the time we needed money for major rebuilding projects.

2) These mountainous regions are blanketed with snow and treacherous conditions for atleast 5-6 months in the year starting with November. This led to an almost freezing of operations when the weather got too bad, and a virtual stop to the relief efforts due to a blockage of routes and transport systems.

Keeping such points in mind, Pakistan has done well, really well. There is still a lot to do: millions still live in makeshift shelters; almost all schools have not been rebuilt and kids are still studying outside; basic amenities have been restored but keep failing when a hitch occurs; life is arduous and the onset of the coming winter will be another test for the survivors who face their hell everyday.

It was never my intention to make a formidable point with this entry, although somewhere in there I am sure a message exists. The situation speaks for itself loud and clear though.

We just have to keep in mind that we should not and can not relegate this disaster (or any other) from our minds as we walk into our own daily bubbles, immune from the scare of filthy drinking water, infectious diseases and the threat that our children will grow up without a place to live, burdened down forever by those two minutes on this day last year, which brought the valley of Kashmir to its knees.

Just for one minute... put down that phone, turn down your music, tell your brother to stop playing air guitar, stop punching the keyboard for a few seconds, and ignore the flashing of that MSN message from your friend- a moment of silence for the souls that have passed and those that suffer every day, please.