In the ultra-connected world in which we live, we have developed a sort of solemn, yet dutiful ritual when a natural disaster strikes, especially in Third World or underdeveloped countries. Pictures of orphaned children and tent hospitals appear on CNN. The President, whoever he might be, releases a statement promising support from the United States and its citizens and other developed countries do the same. The UN begins to arrive in the affected area. George Clooney hosts a telethon and asks us to text $10 to the Red Cross. Developed countries are increasing coordination bilaterally and via the United Nations making humanitarian responses more robust and organized.
This all makes what’s happening in Pakistan noteworthy. Following heavy monsoon rains during this summer, flooding began in northeast Pakistan at the beginning of August. The statistics are mind-numbing. A full month after the flooding began, one fifth of the country is still underwater. The United Nations estimates that 20 million people have been left homeless, seriously injured, or both. Officials put the total economic damage to the country at 43 billion US dollars. However, at almost one month after the flooding began, the international relief effort is conspicuously lacking in both enthusiasm and scope.
Within the first ten days of the flooding, $45 million had been donated to Pakistan. In comparison, in the first ten days after the Haitian earthquake $742 million had been committed. Pakistani earthquake’s in 2005 yielded $247 million during the first ten day’s of its aftermath. During the first ten days following cyclones in Myanmar in 2008, $110 million was pledged by the international community. All the these crises affected far less people than the current floods in Pakistan and the economic and structural devastation was far less severe.
The aid response has simply fallen short of what is needed. Halfway through August, the United Nations released an appeal to the international community asking for at least $460 million more dollars. This was just to simply cover the immediate needs of the victims over the next few weeks and months, not any long term rebuilding efforts. Representatives of UNICEF have stated that they are unable to reach many victims who lack clean water due to a “serious lack of funds”.The World Health Organization faces similar funding problems. State Department Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, publicly stated, “The international recognition of this disaster has not yet been sufficient to its dimensions”.
Various theories as to why the response has been so inert have been presented. Some cite a lack of celebrity involvement and media coverage.Some say the death toll, being so much lower than the disasters in Haiti and the Indian Ocean, has failed to catch public attention. Some have cited the phenomenon known as “disaster fatigue”, where citizens of countries like the US simply lose enthusiasm after successive disasters at home and abroad. And their is the fact that Western governments fear their aid is either going to a corrupt Pakistani government or worse, funding Islamic terrorism in the region. UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron just last month accused Pakistan of “promoting the export of terror” to both India and Afghanistan.
Whatever the reason, the lack of aid is documented, and it is having a direct impact on the ability of relief efforts to reach those affected and to rebuild Pakistan. This is a tragic humanitarian situation, as the 20 million people affected will continue to languish as they wait for any form of aid to arrive. The fact that Pakistan happens to be a country with a formidable nuclear arsenal, an unstable civilian government, and a military and intelligence community that is controlled by radical Islamist elements makes the lacking response even more pressing. It is not hyperbole to say that these floods have put the Pakistani economy on the verge of collapse. The Taliban in Pakistan has already begun a concerted effort to aid victims, no doubt with the end goal of winning more hearts and minds. And the civilian government of President Asif Ali Zardari cannot survive much more public scorn if it hopes to remain in power.
From the perspective of the United States, there are few countries in the world whose well-being matters more than Pakistan’s. Like it or not, our security depends on what happens there. If anyone wants to think of themselves as serious about Islamic terrorism or nuclear proliferation, they first need to get serious about humanitarian relief.
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