THE TSUNAMI AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE

THE TSUNAMI AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
By
Moin Ansari

The tsunami is the direct result of, and an after effect of an underwater earthquake. This consummates nature’s contrivance and creates the consequences that are felt ubiquitously. As the earth moves, the waves swell up and eliminate everything in their path. The tsunami, after the earthquake moves faster than a jetliner, at hundreds of miles per hour, and forges ahead ruthlessly, a wall of destruction, and devastation. All coastal cities are targets. It does not discriminate. The only escape is to get to high ground.

There is a "tsunami" brewing in the Himalayas!

The world’s tepid response to the agony of the Pakistan is generating a stealth tsunami of deep resentment. and profound exasperation. As people discover the lack or international response, the anger against the apathetic world will germinate and grow not only in the tent cities of Azad Kashmir, but also the slums of Nottingham, the streets of Leeds, and the devastated textile factories of Bradford.

The "tsunami" of indignation will permeate in the poverty-stricken cities and villages of South Asia, and the Middle East. This "tsunami" will provide fodder to the insurgency in Afghanistan and Iraq. Unless the world wakes up form its slumber, this tsunami will be more devastating to the world because it will be fertilized by the worst evil-doers on the planet.

The international media has refused to cover the Pakistani catastrophe in detail. The BBC, CNN, and Voice of America, which had long monopolized South Asian information, are fast becoming irrelevant in this part of the world. Pakistan is no longer dependent on scraps of news doled out by the world media. With 35 TV channels and hundreds of papers, Pakistanis are seeing the scale of the disaster on local channels. Pakistan society has come together as never before. It is being called the "new nationalism." Within four days 25,000 troops were moved to rebuild broken down bridges and roads. The army and corps of volunteers from all sections of society are working together like a team. "Tent factories" are now creating 5000 tents per day to try to eliminate the dearth of tents. This energy will propel it to different heights in self-reliance. From the ashes of Muzzafarhgarh and Balkot and Bagh, the phoenix will rise.

The earthquake may have buried the story of Pakistan being listed as a target on the axis of evil, but this story will resurface. In the streets of Karachi and Baghdad, this was always known. In the wake of the taped transcript of President Bush in which he named Pakistan and Saudi Arabia next on the list after Iraq, the shell-shocked Pakistani nation is watching with great patience. As soon as the shell shock is over, and some of the people are settled, there will be deep introspection of Pakistani priorities and the world’s response to the quake. The value of American lives in America is known to all. The successful rescue of stranded victims in New Orleans, and Missouri was surely a great advertisement of the efficacy of Bell choppers. Today the dearth of helicopters, and the reluctance of powers who own the helicopters to lend them to Pakistan, is the main logistical challenge faced by rescuers in Pakistan.

Maj. General Farooq Ahmad, the newly appointed Commissioner of Relief Operation, calls the $350 million as peanuts. He was polite but complained about the lack of choppers made available to Pakistan. Pakistan was under multiple embargoes for a decade. The lack of transportation is the direct result of those embargoes. While General Dynamics 75 F-16s may do much for the security of the nation, it is Bell Helicopters, which will be receiving the next "flash" "peoples purchase order" for the acquisition of hundreds of helicopters. This procurement will retire the 7 decrepit machines that are presently owned by Pakistan today.

Five million Palestinians starving in refugee camps germinated the PLO and the PFLP. 3.5 million Afghans in camps created the "Talibaan". Kashmiris are already armed, and trained. They are already incensed at the occupation of Kashmir by India. 700,000 Indian troops were unable keep the Kashmiris down. This is the second time the Kashmirs have been displaced. 200,000 homes have been destroyed. How will these houses be rebuilt? Five million Azad Kashmiris in tent cities, supported by 150 million Pakistanis will make India’s "cross border terrorism" seem like a picnic! It is for this reason that Indian glee over devastation in Pakistani Kashmir was short lived. The Indians fully realized that homeless, hungry, and dislocated Kashmiris could not be good for anyone.

Right after Katrina and Rita, one newspaper said that it is "as if Osama Bin Laden was controlling the weather." An earthquake just hit Azad Kashmir and dislocated five million people. Osama Bin Laden could not have asked for a better present for his recruiting drive. There is early evidence that banned groups, and fundamentalist groups are organizing huge relief operations. Their substantial influence in the tent cities will be responsible for the radicalization of millions of homeless and hungry Kashmiris.

God Help us prevent this tsunami!