Funny to see just in a matter of days, it seems that the Tsunami Aid campaign somehow become like a rat race.
The most starking example is the Arab world, stung by so many critics why as Indonesia as a Muslim brother and sister to them in religion not help much by the Arab world (in particular Indonesia happened to be the worst hit by the disaster and being the largest Muslim nation in the world - 90% of 210 million known to be Muslims).
Many in Indonesia feel very disappointed with the attitude of the Arabs. At the BBC yesterday one professor from Arab said that the problem might be attributed to the media in most Arab countries is being controlled by more fundamentalist and extremist group of people who are watching the media content.
Therefore any thing the American and the Western world, or in their concept "the infidel" then the Arab should not follow or have to go againts.
The other reason is simply like everybody else the extent of the damage was not known. Even America, Japan in the beginning (see the hard fact posting) committed a relatively low figures.
Thanks to the media then every body awaken with horror to see how vast was the destruction specially in Indonesia.
On the lighter side, I guess that says true to the saying in our daily life, we often said: "Dasar Arab loe" meaning one is stingy.. there is a base after all for that saying.
Coming back to these who is the biggest aid donor race, Australian tonight raised more than AU$ 12 million on a televised fund raising event at the Sydney Opera House area.Televised nationally, star studded by celebrities. Even GWB gave US$ 10.000 from his own pocket so it was press released.
Arab not to be left behind swore will be the largest among all.. they are going to be the mother of all donors
Come on every body .. wow.. whoa..cool down.
China is being critisized by Washington Post (see article on the next posting) for not exercising more than the Japanese.
It is eventually become a PR golden opportunity, a geopolitical opportunity to exert foreign policies, a political foot ball. Off course, why should not China as the largest economy in Asia (well almost) be presence more. US$ 500 million to match the Japanese can be made available. But in a way that is in contrast that China also still recipient of various aids.
To me it looks now more a PR exercise.. and behold ye all.. not necessarily all the pledge aid will materialised.
Read,listen, find out what Kofi Annan said of what happened.
Look to the past ... many broken promises unshamely done by the big fanfare donor to the level down low to not a penny being transferred at all. What a hypocrite world.
So what is these all about then ? Is it still about the woman in Meulaboh who had broken leg for 11 days with out medical help at all? Or is it about being who is the largest donor?
I leave it up to you.. what matter most for me, who is really delivering the life back to all the victims of the mother of all disaster?
I cried this morning when I saw the Singaporean landed on the beach of Meulaboh. They are all Chinese looking fellas and selflessly rebuild the airport runway day and night, so more aid can come quickly.
They work very hard, run the hospital both on the existing hospital and makeshift field hospital tents. The local doctor was killed during the tsunami.
These is a very strong image of how strangers came and help them in their worst possible situation. I guess Singapore will long be remember by the people of Meulaboh as Angels who came from the sea.
That what I call a sincere aid on the grass root level, I guess the Colonel and his troops there care less on what being stage on the political level by big fat cigar touting politician with a champagne bubbling on the other hand on any of that parties back in the capitals of this world.
The Singaporean troops, doctors in Meulaboh just walk the talk, taking care that broken leg lady who had not been treated for a long suffering of 11 days. That is what I call the real help. That is bringing back life to the people.
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