The Indifference to Disaster

It is Sunday morning, and I mean to spend it in as languorous a state as I am possibly capable of maintaining while technically remaining conscious. It is a trifle cloudy outside, so I can justify my sloth by blaming it on the inconsiderate tantrums of the weather.

While enjoying a relatively healthy breakfast, I cast a semi–attentive eye to the weekend’s top stories: Four Dead In Boating Accident. Floods Destroy Homes in India. Aids Crisis Reaching Epidemic Lev– A moment of mounting irritation assails me, when I discover that not only has someone consumed the last bits of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, but that there are no more croissants left. Drat. –els in Africa. Mass Graves Found in Bosnia. A terrible shame, most disturbing, quite a calamity for those poor people in ah, Whatchamacallit–istan. How absolutely dreadful. But Good God, where on earth are the croissants?

I wonder if this is how the world (or the portion of it endowed with the luxury of televisions) responded to the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, where approximately 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally slaughtered in one of the worst mass killings of our age.  Or on October 8th 2005, when a massive earthquake demolished entire villages in Pakistan, killing tens of thousands?

The ghastly violence in Rwanda served to cast a revelatory light on many issues of considerable relevance. Not only was the genocide a significant event because of the vast numbers of people viciously murdered in such a short period of time, but because of the virtual inaction of first world countries in the face of these atrocities. Nosy, first world countries that were aware of the cloud of death that was to descend upon Rwanda, thanks to intelligence reports provided before the massacres began.

Ever grateful for modern technology, I find it fascinating that while this carnage was being televised live and broadcasted into our living rooms, we seemed to sit back and watch the mayhem unfold like mere cinemagoers at a matinee showing. Were we immobilized by the sheer size of the tragedy, or has the modern, desensitized, First World citizen completely lost the ability to differentiate between movies and real life?

Alas, the first world countries, (by which I mean you and myself, as we are really living in first world democracies, remember) declined to intervene. The United Nations balked from authorizing a peacekeeping operation, and the international authorities in Rwanda at the time were expressly forbidden from repelling the militia forces, or even using their weapons.  The U.N. also ignored reports of Hutu militias hoarding firearms, even though such reports arrived weeks before the violence actually began. At the time, President Clinton was advised to not interfere, because it would be bad press, perhaps exacerbating backlash after the American involvement in Somalia.

Similarly, this leads me to wonder about the recent spate of natural disasters occurring the world over. On December 26th 2004, a tsunami of colossal proportions hit South East Asia,  its destructive effects felt as far as the coast of Africa to Indonesia. It was heartening to see global efforts to aid the disaster struck regions, with everyone from private citizens to Hollywood celebrities donating money in a waterfall of caring and sharing that didn’t seem to end.

Too bad for the more than 69,000 Pakistani villagers left injured and homeless, without water, light, electricity, or heat, because of a 7.6 Richter scale earthquake that killed at least 86,000 of their fellow countrymen in late 2005. Too bad, because with the tsunami and then Hurricane Katrina, the media had seemingly bored of apoplectic natural disasters, and moved onto fresher topics. And because the media’s ’fresher’ topics generally revolve around the antics of insipid Hollywood celebrities, the attention of the Hollywood celebrities naturally followed suit. Surely we are not suffering from an epidemic of attention deficit disorder which renders us unable to focus on issues for more than a few headlines, especially those aren’t crafted for meaningless diversion?

I don’t mean to come across as insensitive to the efforts of those around the globe who have contributed generously to help their fellow human beings in times of dire need. I am merely mulling over the vast influence of the media, not only in relaying necessary information, but by its power to galvanize or lull our populations into action or inaction. Should popular culture be endowed with the ability to decide what lives are more valuable, and when they are considered most important to save?

Isn’t it our duty as relatively affluent Muslims living in the first world, to not only help our own Muslim brothers and sisters in their times of need, but to extend arms of generosity and mercy to alleviate the suffering of our fellow human beings, regardless of their race, colour, or creed? To be compassionate, to empathize with those whose places could easily be interchanged with ours – this, in my mind, is an essential part of our noble Faith.

And while we sit breakfasting on casual weekend mornings, it would not hurt to utter a prayer of gratitude for the food in our hands the roof above us. It would not hurt to remember the non–celebrities on the other side of the television screens.

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