A Tale of Two Cities

This month, Asia witnessed two natural disasters both drawing different attentions in their own rights. My condolences to the millions of people affected by the loss of family members, properties, works etc etc. My answer to these disasters would be there is always a limit to what mankind can do to conquer the forces of nature.

Although satellites have made it possible for us to forecast typhoons with greater accuracy, not all countries are blessed with the technologies to forewarn them. Certainly not Myanmar! I am talking about Cyclone Nargis causing 1.5 million people struggling to survive and an estimated 100,000 dead or still missing. This is the plight of the Myanmar people, trapped under the tight Junta regime and the ‘sensitivity’ of the rest the world. The latest UN reported donations to Myanmar relief effort reached an estimated US$43.7 million with an additional US$71.8 in pledges.

On Monday 12th May, a massive earthquake hit Sichuan province causing the death toll to some 12000 people. The death toll from the quake is expected to rise even higher, with state media saying thousands are still trapped in collapsed buildings. Relief aids are pouring in with Hong Kong alone pledging a whopping HK$300 million and Macau another mind boggling HK$100 million. I guarantee more international aids will come over the next two weeks. The difference in aids is quite apparent, needless for further explanation apart from being surreal. By the way, I’ve always had a problem with the word “surreal” which means “unreal in a strange, dreamlike way”. I’m not sure if it is just me, but life seems to me to be almost entirely surreal. Which then makes reality unreal and to a certain degree, perhaps, truly it’s Asia. What a shame!

Cyclone Nargis was heading for Bangladesh but took a 90º turn and headed towards the Irrawaddy delta without any warning. The devastation that ensued needs no further reports. In short, either Burma was caught off-guard or the country just doesn't have the infrastructure to withstand the on-slaughter. Over in China, the Sichuan Basin is known to be notoriously active, tectonically speaking. The Longmenshan fault is very active and has been constantly monitored for any seismic activity. The possibility of a major quake coming is then known well before it came. In the aftermath of the quake, the seismological institute predict a massive aftershock to occur at 2pm 13th May, amongst the 2000 over aftershocks. The massive aftershock came at 3pm and on a Richter scale of 6.1. I quote this example to show how much China knew about earthquakes and, on a similar scale, how little Burma knew about cyclones.

Call it hypocrisy or for that matter call me an utter brute of the worst order. I simply cannot find a good reason to convince myself why the rest of the world is throwing so much attention to China and not Burma. Burmese are suffering because of the restrictions of Junta government to allow international presences. If humanity was on the agenda, and of utmost importance, these aids could come in through neutral nations indirectly. Why then do countries like USA insists on going in when they know will find resistance through bureaucracies when the primary aim is to help on a humanitarian front?

I read somewhere today my government will be tabling a cabinet meeting to donate through relief fund to China. I am highly amused (I use this word when I actually meant ‘horrified’ in actual context) and dumbfounded. I am pretty sure the amount will be much much more than what we gave Burma...... that much I am able to guarantee. You can't say much about this country who is more than willing to help a genius turned hooker, a foreigner, than to help her own citizens. As a matter of fact, I give up for these hopelessly hard-to-predict gestures. Trust me, whatever amount we may gesture to ‘help’ China; it makes no difference at all. I have seen the Chinese flocking into Hong Kong on a buying spree and still claimed it was a bargain to spend $300K here. These people are rich, filthy rich; they are able to do their own domestic charity. After all, charity begins at home.

The Unassuming Burmese

'Hell-low', care to look at me in the eyes?

The Swanky Chinese

Eww! that's totally sick

While the rest of the world debates on the Sichuan earthquake and relief aids, the authority is only concern and committed on the stupid act of running the torch of fire around the country. Tauraus Fimus? My foot!