11th January, 2005

DAVID ADAMS

The word precedent is often bandied about in the aftermath of a disaster such as the tsunamis that devastated parts of south Asia. But in this case it’s true.

Not necessarily in the number of casualties. As horrific as the the figure of 150,000 dead is (and there are concerns it may grow well in excess of that), such numbers are not, sadly, unprecedented.

Take for example, the 300,000 people who died as a result of a cyclone in Bangladesh in 1970 (another 138,000 died in Bangladesh in 1991, again as a result of a cyclone) or up to 655,000 people estimated to have died during an earthquake in Tangshan, China in 1976.

Rather it’s in the global nature of this tragedy that this disaster stands out. It significantly affected as many as 12 different countries on the Indian Ocean. Thousands of others visiting the regions at the time from scores of countries across the globe have also lost their lives. And it’s provoked a massive global response - the likes of which we’ve never seen before.

Billions of dollars have been pledged from across the globe by both governments and their citizens, including the Australian Government’s contribution of a billion dollars to Indonesia - the largest ever aid package offered by this country - and the enormous outpouring of aid from average Australians with donations in this country alone topping $174 million.

It’s an amazing response. But it’s only the start. The rebuilding - of infrastructure, of homes and businesses, of lives themselves - in those regions affected by the tsunami will take years.

The fact that the world has pulled together in a way not seen in living memory should also inspire further action. People do care about what happens to people in other nations and in this global age, more than ever before, they’re able to make a direct difference to the lives of people they will probably never meet who may live on the other side of the this blue planet.

According to the United Nations, an estimated 2.3 million people died of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa during last year alone. More than two million people died in developing countries - most of them children - from diseases related to dirty water, inadequate sanitation and poor hygiene. In those developing countries where hunger is most common, one in seven children will die before the age of five, partly as a result of hunger. The cold hard facts that define so much of our planet go on and on and on.

It’s time we took the challenge of making a difference to other people’s lives seriously - as individuals, as communities and as a nation. The tsunami disaster has been a catalyst and shows what can be done when people are moved. But it mustn’t stop there. While there is poverty, disease and injustice in this world, we all must keep giving - not just of our financial resources but of ourselves.

Maybe, just maybe, the world’s response to the tsunami disaster - and Australia’s in particular - will be looked back at in future years as heralding the dawn of a new, truly “global” age.

Agree? Disagree? Want to give your opinion? Have your say here...

Your Say

Discuss this article. Name: Message: Enter your name and message to make a comment. You may need to refresh the page to see your message appear. Due to recent spam problems, messages that contain links are moderated before they will appear.