Comments on BBC report from Pakistan

BBC NEWS | South Asia | Musharraf says aid 'inadequate': "Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf says the amount of foreign reconstruction aid pledged after the South Asia quake is 'totally inadequate'.

Gen Musharraf told the BBC that about $620m had been promised but that Pakistan needed about $5bn to rebuild devastated areas.

An estimated three million people in Pakistan lack adequate shelter."

Pete's Points:

What fascinates me about this story is how people seem to react to disasters. When the Tsunami disaster first struck everyone went out of their way to provide assistance and governments as well as individuals seemed to compete with each other for being the best 'givers'. The media issued story after story which seemed to want to shame people, organisations and countries into giving more and more.

This time I am seeing less of this form of endeavour. Rather I see the need being portrayed on our media but this time the portrayal is NOT accompanied by the same level of aggressive demand that was present at the last disaster.

Why is this so?

1. Has the increasing cost of fuel inhibited giving because we need more money just to pay our bills?
2. Have we simply given our 'share' for the financial year?
3. Do we care less about people in Kashmir than we do about our near neighbours in Indonesia?
4. Does the advertising by the Howard government in respect of both the IR and Anti Terrorist legislation make us so fearful for our own future that we want to hoard?

I don't know the answer but I do see the difference. I would welcome comments from others with their views.