The forgotten ones

The recent earthquake in Japan and its terrifying aftermath brings back memories of the 2005 tremor which shook the northern parts of the country and Azad Kashmir, leaving behind scenes that were as horrifying and apocalyptic. Five-and-a-half years on, most of the destruction caused by the quake has vanished from view. Houses have been rebuilt, cities stand again where once there were only piles of rubble. But some of the damage will never go away. The quake left behind many people disabled in different ways. Some are today paraplegics or quadriplegic. Some are cared for by loving families. Others have had to face far tougher odds. For instance, a number of women were abandoned and remain at a government institution in Islamabad while the remoteness of mountain homes makes access to medical care difficult. Experts point out the need for such people to have a living facility which can allow them to get on with their lives and also earn incomes. While there have been efforts to establish such a centre for the forgotten victims of the quake by Pakistanis based overseas and other groups, there has been a tragic lack of funding. Few have stepped forward to offer aid and this needs to change.

By the same token, there is also a need for schools that can accommodate children who use wheelchairs or need help to tackle normal classroom activities. The absence of such schools has left many children and teenagers completely isolated. Remedies need to be found. This should have happened many years ago. Even now, we need corporations, philanthropists and others to step forward and do what they can. We, as a nation, tend to have short memories. But we must remember there are those who will live with the aftermath of 2005 for the rest of their lives and their lives are far from back to how they were prior to the catastrophe. That goes to show how we — state as well as society — have failed them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2011.