Archive for Monsoon

Where has the humanitarian heart gone?

December 8, 2011 at 2:53 pm · Filed under Drought, East Africa, Humanitarian, Libya, Monsoon, Pakistan, Values

As the year winds down – it seems that the world is forgetting the different humanitarian emergencies around the world.

We have seen drought and floods affect the Horn of Africa, Floods in Pakistan, and outbreaks of disease in countries such as Chad, Mali and Nigeria. The news is in recent weeks has been dominated by the EU trying to save the Euro, the misdeeds of the British tabloid press or the latest gossip from the X Factor or Strictly Come Dancing.

It does seem that this year in general, humanitarian emergencies have not been seen as newsworthy. This is a shocking state of reality – that it seems that the progression of a minor celebrity in a dancing competition receives more column inches than humanitarian emergencies.

While we maybe in the midst of a recession, and are looking for escape into a different world (or a jungle, depending on what reality show you have watched recently) rather than read or watch a news story about a family which has lost their livelihoods due to flood.

I have said this more before and I’ll say it again, despite the economic downturn, we are still far better off than people in the most destitute parts of the world.

Have a think…

By Mohammad Shakir

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Programme cut backs in Pakistan

November 11, 2011 at 5:54 pm · Filed under Humanitarian, Monsoon, Pakistan ·Tagged , ,

A recent story in The Guardian gave me a cause for concern. Aid agencies say “programmes to help flood victims could be cut back because of a sluggish response from donors”.

This is a worrying trend. We have covered the lack of coverage on the recent floods in Pakistan in recent weeks. Still more worrying is the lack of news coverage which has been saturated with news of financial meltdown across Europe or the sales figures of a well known computer game.

It maybe a case of the Western world keeping an eye out for number one at the moment, which is understandable, but as human we need to look beyond that.

The MCF will continue to raise awareness of humanitarian emergencies with its members to the MPs and the public. No humanitarian emergency should go unawares.

By Mohammad Shakir

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Mediawatch on Pakistan

October 13, 2011 at 1:15 pm · Filed under Humanitarian, Monsoon, Muslim Charities, Pakistan ·Tagged , , , ,

Earlier this week Sir Nicholas Young CEO of the British Red Cross highlighted the silence of the media surrounding the monsoons which have besieged Pakistan. For the second time in as many years the country has seen the negative effect of rain and monsoons.

The point he has raised is a good one. The past year has seen multiple humanitarian crises due to displacement and natural disasters. USA, Japan, East Africa – as the year has gone on each crisis has received less and less media coverage. The number of column inches and news clips about the current crisis in Pakistan has been minimal. They have been linked to other stories such as one about a party for British expats or a simple weather report.

Every news story needs a hook – an angle to draw a reader or viewer to take interest. Despite aid agencies from the UK such as British Red Cross, Islamic Relief and Oxfam  as well as MCF members Human Appeal International, Human Relief Foundation and Muslim Hands are all working in the region to help people who have lost their livelihoods; there has been a lack of interest.

Possible reasons could include fatigue of the different disasters coupled with a perilous financial situation in our economy. We may be more interested in the care of the elderly in hospitals or the latest Blackberry outage – but surely there is space to cover those in need.

An international perception that Pakistan has problems due to terrorism is seen as off putting to donors. The overwhelming majority in the country are like you and I – wanting earn a living and take care of their families. We need to distinguish and separate the political situation in the country and its humanitarian needs otherwise the people that matter and their plight will be forgotten.

The power of the press and media cannot go unnoticed and neither should humanitarian disasters which require attention in order for aid and support to reach the regions of crisis.

By Mohammad Shakir

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The of irony of natural disasters

October 3, 2011 at 4:20 pm · Filed under Collaboration, Drought, East Africa, Humanitarian, Monsoon, Pakistan ·Tagged , , , , ,

Humanitarian work sometimes brings up irony in the form of two humanitarian disasters, in two parts of the world which are complete opposites. East Africa is in the midst of a drought while Pakistan – a little over a year since the worst floods had hit the country in 80 years – has been besieged by monsoons.

Currently there are nearly 60 countries in which there is a requirement for humanitarian relief and aid. No country is immune from natural disasters and tornadoes in USA or earthquakes in Japan both earlier this year have shown us. No matter how developed a country is, it can lose everything in a single go. While countries such as Japan and the USA have the resources and finances to get back on their feet, countries such as Ethiopia, Somalia and Pakistan do not.

In the charity sector, we don’t know where the next emergency will be. We have to be ready to get up and work at a moments’ notice- every part of an organisation doing its part to ensure that clear coordination lead to aid reaching the people it needs to get to.

We have to remember that the next humanitarian alert can be moments away. It could be a flood, earthquake, drought or famine. We don’t know where it will strike next – but we must be ready.

By Mohammad Shakir

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