Disaster issues must be high in Saarc priorities

South Asia is currently in the grip of severe floods that are causing havoc in three regional countries -- India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Millions are badly affected and authorities in these countries are sparing no efforts to mitigate their sufferings, which is certainly a gigantic task. The catastrophe is seen as the worst in the region in several decades, and the international community, including the chief executive of the United Nations, has also expressed grave concern and anxiety at the situation in the three countries. Several countries and agencies have also announced assistance in cash and kind, which is only natural when a large segment of fellow humans is mired in great hardship.
Natural disasters are not a new phenomenon, as countries -- rich or poor, big or small -- are victims of the fury of nature. Despite tremendous technological and other advancement, the human habitats are still helpless against natural onslaughts, and cannot offer much resistance. People can, at best, know in advance about the impending disaster and take some precautionary measures, and this preparedness helps them to contain to some extent, or minimise, the consequences of disasters. In some cases, significant progress has been made in combating natural disasters but, by and large, people remain only spectators before nature that can cause devastating losses.
It is a matter of common knowledge that South Asia, along with adjacent regions in South East Asia, is a disaster-prone area, and the countries here have had enough of the onslaughts of severe proportions in recent history. Catastrophic floods, storms, hurricanes, droughts, earthquakes, and other colossal problems caused by the whims of nature are a regular phenomenon in this part of the world, while many other regions are also vulnerable to various disasters.
An early warning system, adequate pre-calamity preparedness, and a speedy post-disaster management system are some of the measures that can definitely reduce the chances, and more importantly lessen the scale, of devastation likely to be wrought by the disaster. It is not that these possibilities are not being thought of, or efforts are not being made in this line, to save the calamity-prone nations as far as possible. But what is urgently needed is a more serious attempt in that direction on the basis of utmost priority, and placement of resources, even if there is constraint on part of the countries that desperately need protection from natural disasters. It appears that such a drive is somewhat lacking, even though there is no dearth of anxiety and concern as well as talk of probable steps to mitigate the causes and consequences.
Not long ago, the tsunami tragedy, which occurred just before the scheduled 13th summit brought to the fore once again the dire need of anti-disaster measures on a regional plane, and this has received particular attention since the occurrence of unimaginable magnitude that took the lives of more than a quarter million hapless people in South and South East Asia. The Tsunami that struck mainly three South and two South-east Asian nations, leaving a trail of devastation, caused postponement of the summit .Indeed, such a postponement was the logical development of the situation caused by the disaster.
In the past, Saarc summits had been deferred several times owing to man-made crises like political problems among the member states and, hence, there was no reason why the event should not have been called off temporarily when nature had inflicted three of its seven members and friendly nations of nearby areas. The nations affected by the disaster obviously needed to focus on domestic relief operations at that critical hour of national tragedy. The summit took place later, and it was heartening to note that when the leaders met the issue of the natural disaster was fresh in their minds, and the tsunami figured prominently in the discussions in the context of natural disasters causing huge destruction in the region.
Bangladesh is vulnerable to natural disasters, which are highlighted by the catastrophes of 1970, 1988, 1998, and other occasions. Our country is often described as calamity prone by the international world, and the world conference on disaster management in Kobe, Japan, two years ago focused especially on the hardships caused by nature in such nations. The conference was participated by most of the world's countries, and opened by no less a person than the Emperor of Japan as a rare gesture. The former chief of the UNHCR, Dr.Sadako Ogata, was an attraction in the high profile event which drew world-wide attention. The Bangladesh delegation was given importance as a disaster-prone nation.
The 13th Saarc summit in the Bangladesh capital, coming almost immediately after that global conference, picked up the thread of that conference suiting the regional requirement and priorities. This idea was beneficial for individual nations as well as collectively. It goes without saying that a venture like disaster prevention in South Asia needs collective endeavour, and larger international support and assistance are also required for the purpose. It can be concluded that international help will not be absent, as evidenced by the fact that the sympathy demonstrated in the aftermath of Asia's tsunami was more appealing in the Western nations, particularly among the people, whose hearts went out in consolation with the dead and affected.
Some leaders of powerful nations were criticised by their people and the press for either not acting immediately, or adequately, for the calamity hit countries. School children, top celebrities of the cinema and music worlds, sports figures, and heads of government of some countries spared no efforts to stand by the suffering humanity. Many of the Asian countries lagged behind in this regard in contrast to European, and several other nations.
Bangladesh was definitely narrowly spared by the tsunami. Had it hit, the destruction could have been of unimaginable proportions. The Kashmir region in Pakistan and India was extensively damaged by severe earthquakes, and now parts of three countries -- Bangladesh, India and Nepal -- are in the grip of floods. The woes of the people in the affected areas naturally know no bounds, and the government, the armed forces, and people of all walks of life throw their weight behind the relief operations, which is no doubt a gigantic task.
The Kobe conference threw up several effective ideas for disaster prevention, and mitigation of their consequences. The Dhaka conference, and the subsequent 14th conference of the Saarc leaders in New Delhi in April this year, discussed the natural disaster issue as a major area of cooperation among the member states. However, the Saarc must take a new look at the issue of disaster management and related matters in the wake of the current flood situation in South Asia, which has displaced millions apart from killing many.
What is more important is the massive task of rehabilitation in the post-flood situation, which is more complicated and difficult. The South Asian countries had earlier reached broad understanding on issues like natural disasters, but experience from the current deluge can certainly provide meaningful input to the quest for combating or mitigating the natural disasters in the region in a concerted manner. They should discuss the issue soon, and not wait for the next summit in Male, or the next meeting of the council of ministers that generally takes place midway between the summits.
As the South Asian nations under the banner of the Saarc are sparing no efforts to improve their economic and social condition through collective endeavour, despite occasional strain in the Saarc and the sluggish progress made by the forum, all avenues are being explored for multi-faceted cooperation in various fields. The last summit in New Delhi was quite productive in this direction. But the disaster-prone South Asia must take up the issue of cooperation in this field as a priority. It is just not that disasters bring human tragedies of enormous proportions, but they also badly damage and even, at times, wipe out assiduously built developmental infrastructure.
This destruction covers agriculture, road, and other communications, as well as some other vital sectors which are critically important for the welfare and well-being of the people. Such catastrophes obviate progress being made in different fields, and it is imperative that anti-disaster plans be taken up with all seriousness for socio-economic uplift. It also needs modern and external technological and financial support, which should not be lacking since many quarters are keen to assist Saarc for the larger good of the region, particularly when related to the direct interest of the vast multitude living in the most populous region in the world.
Meanwhile, the UN has expressed fears that the flood-hit countries in South Asia may face food shortage and other problems. Saarc should discuss all these issues so that timely and concerted measures can be taken to minimise the consequences.

The writer is the Chief Editor of the BSS News Agency and a columnist.