The South Asian Earthquake And Disaster Fatigue.

Last week, I read a post at Tedrow Drive (from frequent commentor Vavoom) that asked why relief efforts for and media coverage of the earthquake in Pakistan don't seem to compare favorably with those of the South Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina:

Is American life more valuable than Indian, Pakistani and Kashmiri life? Reach deep down, ask yourself -- was I more concerned about the lives of those left in Katrina's wake? We are the viewers and readers that major American media outlets cater to, after all. Is the lack of media attention to the rescue efforts in South Asia indicative of a problem with American attitudes or American media or both?

I haven't seen Bill Clinton or George Bush holding hands on television asking people to donate money to help these poor people. Last I checked, Hollywood stars aren't marshalling their efforts to help victims of the earthquake.

I have been asking myself this question, too. I am not asking about the media or other bloggers, or even ex-presidents. I am asking this of my own motivation.

I have mentioned the quake only once since it happened. Why? I was all over the last few disasters. Do I hate Muslims? Of corse not. Do I not care for Afghani and Pakistani lives? Well, no. The tsunami took a lot of Muslim lives, even though, let's face it, media was all over tourists and supermodels who had been caught in the wave. And I have nothing against those who live in South Asia, or South Florida.

And it's not that I haven't read as many articles about the quake as I could find. I have just felt incapable of offering any cogent comment on it. It seems, though that the usual suspects are a bit absent. On the Red Cross site, one can find specific links to donate for Katrina and the tsunami, but when you go here, you can earmark donations to go for the quake.

I do think that the dirth of media attention may be due to the lack of compelling footage and perhaps the "foreignness" of the location. And it may be that there is little connection in the US to that region. The BBC has been on top of the whole story, which may be a function of the large Pakistani minority in Britain.

But I think there's more. I'm calling it disaster fatigue. It seems (I don't know how to quantify this, it is merely a "feeling") that we have had so much to deal with that by now, the public is wrung out and empty. We need a break to fill back up.

Disaster fatigue goes beyond nature, too. For many, Iraq, Plamegate, the government itself are all parts of the string of disasters that we have been witness to.

And let's not forget about Wilma.

The BBC is reporting that the quake is causing a "logistical nightmare" and that aid is slow in coming.

Mr Egeland said only $86m had been pledged of the £312m the UN had asked for to fund the relief operation - and far less actually received in hard cash.

Yes, it's that Mr Egeland.

This story, however, suggests that some of the immediate aid and assistance were held up out of age-old suspicions and "military sensitivities":

Our correspondent says much anger has been directed at Gen Musharraf's government after an Indian offer to deliver aid in helicopters foundered because Islamabad insisted on the pilots being Pakistani.

Meanwhile, Pakistan banned the export of tents as relief teams struggled to provide shelter for victims, particularly those stranded in remote mountain valleys. An estimated 1.5m tents are required.

The upside here is that this may do more to help relations between India and Pakistan. Not everything is about the U.S., after all.

So, I haven't really answered Vavoom's question. I do not have the authority or ability to speak for anyone but me. So:

No, American lives are not more valuable, but more immediate to Americans. This is not a crime, and it happens in every country on the globe. But that isn't it. I know that when I heard of the quake, my first thought after thinking about the catastrophy at Qom in 2003, was that this was going to make Musharraf's life even more miserable. I am not proud of the fact that it took a while for the human toll to register.

There is a delicate balance Musharraf is trying to keep right now, between accepting aid (from the US, International aid agencies and India, etc) and staying far enough away so as not to incite further unrest. I think there is some collective breath-holding going on as the death toll mounts and the winter comes closer. Disaster fatigue in a most vital area, visited on a most vital ally.

We are certainly not required to respond to every disaster equally, and with each new one, the fatigue gets worse. Who gets to be the demographic that is finally the one in need when the impulse to give hits a wall? I see this every day in the lives of my clients. They have spent and given, and now they are tapped out, both financially and emotionally. This is a growing problem and one that seems to have no end. How many times have you either said or heard, "Oh no, not again?"

It's okay to question why the disaster in Kashmir has not ignited passions here as other catastrophes have, but I don't know if there is one answer that will satisfy.

Comments

[Vavoom]

I'm intrigued by your "disaster fatigue" concept. I suppose we'll see if that notion is validated by our response to Wilma. Then again, that response would be a convolution of people's apparent desire to help their own and "disaster fatigue." If I may extend the discussion, does our lack of interest in the earthquake send an errant message to a critical ally in the war on terror and it's citizens that Americans don't care?

[Daniel]

I have a feeling (and only a feeling) that there will be less of an outpouring for several reasons. Jeb Bush has more on the ball than the LA governor, damage will likely be far less and the area(s) hit will be "better off" folks. Plus, the newly-minted DF.

To your question:

Yes. Which is what I was trying to get at with this:

I think there is some collective breath-holding going on as the death toll mounts and the winter comes closer. Disaster fatigue in a most vital area, visited on a most vital ally.

I think that there are many elements that are looking to take advantage here. For instance, AQ and the Taliban would be working in these remote villages and if there is aid to give, they would be right on the spot, all the time talking about how Musharraf's infidel allies don't care about the victims.

On the other hand, Musharraf can't appear to be too beolden to the US, so there is that "delicate balance."

But, a generous effort from the American people would do a lot. Why the president isn't out there every day imploring Americans to send help, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with Judy Miller...

[Maggie]

Pesonally I think it's disaster fatigue. But some quarters might wonder how desperate they are if they can refuse assistance from Israel.

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2005/10/pakistan_earthq.html

[Daniel]

That has to be part of the problem, but it also has to do with perception. Even with the Bali bombings, Indonesia gets better press here than Pakistan, the common view being one of lawlessness, corruption and radical Maddrassas. On the left, Musharraf is seen as Bush's puppet (that's a switch) and liberals tend to harbor a particular animosity towards him. And the masses who contribute to disaster relief probably have, in the back of their minds that Musharraf is playing hide and seek with Osama and not coming clean, ignoring the fact that the guy really has stuck his neck out (we won't go into whether that was coerced or not).

On the other hand, I wouldn't get too exercised about the refusal of Israeli aid. It took a while for the Pakistanis to accept Indian aid. And the Muslim world has nothing near the enmity for India that it has for Israel. Rest assured that aid is flowing through back channels and is greasing the wheels of diplomacy. And everybody knows what would have been inferred if there was no offer at all.

Musharraf sees how India has benefited from trade with Israel and wants some of that. If he survives this latest crisis, a trade pact with Tel Aviv might be coming faster than we think.

[Maggie]

A trade pact with Tel Aviv...from your lips to God's ears.

Amazing they will "deal with the devil" for goods & services......but not human lives.

[Jack]

An FYI regarding the news coverage: CNN International and BBC World Service are both giving about the same level of coverage to the earthquake disaster as they did to New Orleans in the wake of Katrina.

I've seen or heard dozens of interviews and reports from the area, with some of the same themes, such as "Where is the government?"

People are starving and freezing in the remote areas. This disaster is still occurring.

I don't know if that is being reported in the US.