We Could Have Done More

By: Editorial Comment

THE Asian tsunami tragedy, while not the worst natural disaster in our time as many of the electronic media describe it, nevertheless killed at least 145 000 people and injured and rendered homeless many others, prompting offers of aid the world over, from even some of the poorest nations.

The death toll is expected to still increase dramatically, and

citizens of many countries of the world, not only those worst hit,

have been lost in the disaster.

Namibia responded very belatedly, and then only verbally, to the

crisis.

 

Although the disaster happened on December 26, President Sam

Nujoma issued a statement this week, saying he had conveyed

condolences to the various heads of state of the countries touched

by the cataclysm, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Malaysia and Bangladesh.

 

This in turn was followed by a press release from the Ministry

of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday.

 

In his statement the President conveyed sympathy and condolences

and assured the six heads of state that Namibians were "deeply

saddened by the massive devastation and loss of life", sending

condolences to the people of those countries, the relatives of the

deceased and wishing the victims a speedy recovery.

 

In its turn, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

expressed its pride "in the fact that Namibians were raising funds

and offering their services to assist the victims of this

horrendous disaster" and adding that "these acts demonstrate that

Namibians are humane and indeed a caring society".

 

We echo the sentiment about commending individual Namibians who

are offering contributions and volunteering their services to

assist in the disaster through the good offices of the Red Cross

Society of Namibia.

 

However, we cannot help but wonder why the President and/or

Government have been both so belated in their responses to the

disaster, as well as failing to offer any substantive assistance in

this time of crisis.

 

Countries even less well-off than Namibia, Nepal, for example,

have made what contributions they could to aid the people and

countries in question in the tsunami aftermath.

 

In our case, not only were the condolences belated, but we also

failed to offer concrete support.

 

We are quick to ask for aid, but not very speedy when it comes

to giving it.

 

Such support need not necessarily be in the form of huge

financial promises, which we are not able to generate, but could

also be in the form of contributions and/or services and

co-ordinating a support effort across the country.

 

Suffice it to say that some of the countries worst-struck by the

disaster have been some of the incumbent Government's closest

allies, and the lack of help offered is even more disappointing

when viewed against this background.

 

We have said it before and we say it again: that while some

individual Namibians may have their hearts in the right place, at

the start of a new year, the Government has once again disappointed

in its lack of human charity and spirit of giving towards people

and countries beset by crisis in other parts of the world.

 

Namibia responded very belatedly, and then only verbally, to the

crisis.Although the disaster happened on December 26, President Sam

Nujoma issued a statement this week, saying he had conveyed

condolences to the various heads of state of the countries touched

by the cataclysm, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,

Malaysia and Bangladesh.This in turn was followed by a press

release from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on

Wednesday.In his statement the President conveyed sympathy and

condolences and assured the six heads of state that Namibians were

"deeply saddened by the massive devastation and loss of life",

sending condolences to the people of those countries, the relatives

of the deceased and wishing the victims a speedy recovery.In its

turn, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting expressed its

pride "in the fact that Namibians were raising funds and offering

their services to assist the victims of this horrendous disaster"

and adding that "these acts demonstrate that Namibians are humane

and indeed a caring society".We echo the sentiment about commending

individual Namibians who are offering contributions and

volunteering their services to assist in the disaster through the

good offices of the Red Cross Society of Namibia.However, we cannot

help but wonder why the President and/or Government have been both

so belated in their responses to the disaster, as well as failing

to offer any substantive assistance in this time of

crisis.Countries even less well-off than Namibia, Nepal, for

example, have made what contributions they could to aid the people

and countries in question in the tsunami aftermath.In our case, not

only were the condolences belated, but we also failed to offer

concrete support.We are quick to ask for aid, but not very speedy

when it comes to giving it.Such support need not necessarily be in

the form of huge financial promises, which we are not able to

generate, but could also be in the form of contributions and/or

services and co-ordinating a support effort across the

country.Suffice it to say that some of the countries worst-struck

by the disaster have been some of the incumbent Government's

closest allies, and the lack of help offered is even more

disappointing when viewed against this background.We have said it

before and we say it again: that while some individual Namibians

may have their hearts in the right place, at the start of a new

year, the Government has once again disappointed in its lack of

human charity and spirit of giving towards people and countries

beset by crisis in other parts of the world.

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