Yes, the whole issue of assistance has been a sore point during family disscussions while I as in Australia.. I heard the news, early yesterday morning while preparing to return home to Japan.. I was saddened by the news and was angered in the fact that although our country can be proud to be a servant of the needy, it simply has to question reasons for being there!.. Indonesia on the other hand has become so reliant on other countries for assistance that it gives me reason that this is indeed a country that has its priorities in the wrong place..
Not only did Australia help assist with relief aid, inferstructure, food, and logistics. But it also contributed a total figure of 1billion dollars!.. A large amount of money for a country with the population of Australia!... This is not the only time that Australia has opened its wallet. For generations, Australia has been assisting Indonesia with aid and assistance..
In saying this, Australia has asked for nothing in return. Rather we have had to deal with grumpy cousin's such as Indonesia, as over the years we have seen a country that has been unstable not only to our own country, but through corruption and disspute within its own borders!.. Any aid that has been given has never really helped those who have needed it, and it has often founds its way into the coffers of the military and corrupt!
In the wake of the boxing day tsunami, and then again the recent earthquake. One can only feel saddened for the people of this area!.. Being able to help is an instinct in all of us!.. But in saying this. Our help can not be one of lost promiss.. Countries such as Indonesia should be made accountable for its innability to provide proper inferstructure, security and safety to its own people.. The money's donated should have been set asside for not only rebuilding, but also the creation of inferstructure in order to respond to such events.. As a little side note.. In 1988. The city of Newcastle, just north of Sydney suffered a major earthquake.. Loss of life, buildings leveled. . Indonesia offered no assistance!.. Australian bush fires.. Mass home and property loss, loss of life.. Indonesia offered no assistance.. Cyclone Tracey, leveled the whole city of Darwin. Indonesia offered no assistance.
I know that I am being rather grim in my writings here. But I am writing in order to get people to stop thinking of things on a level of sadness and grief. And rather get everyone to start thinking about accountability.. It is time that these countries, rich or poor, are made accountable for thier own actions.. Even though we cant stand and watch another human being suffer. Then it is our duty to make these countries stand up and accept responsability for its own people, and to put their priorities in the right place!.. I am sick of seeing wealthy politicians in poor countries.. And I am tired of seeing everyday Australian battlers taking a few needed dollars out of their own pockets to make sure that an Indonesian cousin gets assistance that should have been provided by his own country!..
It is now high time that the do-gooders of the world shut up, or put up.. Cuntries all over the world have to start making countries such as this stand up and face reality.. The days of dictatorship (as in N Korea) and corruption (Indonesia) are gone.. There is simply no place in the world for it anymore!.. Fundamentalism (In any religion) is old hat now, and so we should all start the walk together, and not against each other!
Please dont feel for one minute that I am trying to send out a right winged tone of hating the world.. But I feel for the families of those Australian service men and or women that lost their lives, doing what their countries had asked them to do!..
I am proud of them, and hope thier families nothing but love and strength for the upcomming times.. My point is, that if Indonesia had its priorities right.. Then our men and women should never have been there!.. As they were doing what most Australians would (Helping). Then all I can do is thank them for thier valuable service!...I just wish that things were different, and that it is never easy to lose a loved one.. Their country will never forget!
Lest we forget....
Chris in Japan