I’ve not posted anything about the South-East Asia disaster thus far, as many others have posted logs about various aspects of the disaster and the response.

One of the most thought provoking articles I have read is this item on the BBC News website. It resonates on two issues in particular.

Firstly, it highlights the initial response compared to ongoing support. Currently major countries almost seem to be trying to out-do themselves with how much they can donate – although it is worth comparing the amount they are donating compared with the billions that have been spent elsewhere, for example on the war in Iraq. (There is also an interesting article by an American here discussing the response, and putting some of these big numbers in perspective) However the article highlights the earthquake last year in Bam, where despite a big initial response, victims are still living in temporary shelters more than a year later. How quickly will this disaster slip from the headlines?

The second point that resonated was when I saw a news report with a local fisherman who had lived pretty well on the beach, saying that he hadn’t been told it wasn’t safe, and he wouldn’t live there any more. The point is that there is a known risk of tidal waves in the area, to the point that providing a warning system, such as the one that is already operating in the Pacific was discussed recently, but not taken seriously. It is true to say that the last major tsunami in the area was in 1883, caused by the eruption of Krakatoa – the disaster killed 40,000 people. In the Pacific, there have been more recent tsunami in Alaska in 1964, and hitting Chile and Hawaii in 1960. As with the ongoing wait of the next big earthquake in San Francisco, the fact that it hasn’t happened recently, doesn’t mean that the risk has gone away. What is sad is that it takes an event like this for people to actively consider employing the same technology that is protecting the countries of the Pacific in the Indian Ocean.

However the point that comes through clearly is that after the initial burst of aid, we need to offer medium and long term aid as well, we shouldn’t forget the long term effects. Christian Aid is highlighting this on it’s donation page by including an option to make a regular donation. As the page says:

“The most effective way to help the people of south Asia is by giving a little each month. Such regular donations help with long-term planning and cut administration costs.”