OT: Pakistan earthquake and the Muslim community.

Surely, Caryn, you have put your finger on the nub of the issue. After a disaster like the earthquake, where should the priorities be? Saving lives or preserving hatreds? After the Indian Ocean tsunami, two scenarios were played out. In Sri Lanka, they preserved hatreds. In Aceh, they saved lives. The belligerents declared a temporary ceasefire; this became permanent, and then there was a political settlement. The tsunami ended 30 years of war, and tens of thousands of casualties. Obviously Gen Musarraff (sp?) and I have very different priorities. Unfortunately, IMHO, his are the only ones that count.

-- Jim Cripwell. A volante tribe of bards on earth are found,/ who, while the flattering zephyrs round them play,/ on "coignes of vantage" build their nests of clay;/ how quickly from that aery hold unbound,/ dust for oblivion!/ To the solid ground/ of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye. Wordsworth.

What is your point Jim, other than the obvious reasons behind your posts ?

India offered help and Pakistan accepted it - what more do you ask of them ?

I merely mentioned the history behind any reluctance. They did manage to get past it tho, so why keep saying they didn't?

People can be better than expected, let's celebrate that shall we?

Caryn

OMG The Sky is Falling !!!!!!

I just saw on our local news that a Halifax man - originally from Pakistan - is being allowed to fast track the immigration of his sisters who are homeless. Three of them! All in hajibs! This is a bad bit of business.

I bet they organized that earthquake so Islamic terrorists could infiltrate Canada the easy way and then sneak over the border to the US and blow something up.

Well, at least you have room for them. It`s the bastards who will use it as an excuse to come over here that I object to. Do you realise that there are more than 70,000 of them in Bradford alone? SEVENTY THOUSAND!!!

Pat P

Obviously, Pakistan does not have the resources to cope with the disaster. India offered to help, and Pakistan refused the first two offers. They finally accepted 25 tons of aid delivered to Islamabad, far from the disaster area. Had Parkistan accepted to full offer of help India made, then more aid would have got to the victims, and the seeds for a rapproachmnet with India might have been sewn. A wonderful opportunity has been lost. Incidentally I am delighted that Canada has fast tracked immigrants from the disaster zone. I would have been disappointed if we had not done so.

-- Jim Cripwell. A volante tribe of bards on earth are found,/ who, while the flattering zephyrs round them play,/ on "coignes of vantage" build their nests of clay;/ how quickly from that aery hold unbound,/ dust for oblivion!/ To the solid ground/ of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye. Wordsworth.

Have you seen the pictures of Islamabad ? Doesn't look like things are normal there.

I think you are nit picking.

Had Parkistan accepted to full offer of help

Now that explains everything. I knew there had to be a better reason other than the design of this little planet. But then we have taken in refugees from Katrina as well. Some of them might even be gasp!! """non Christian"""" Even the Queen of England wears a kerchief on many occasions. Ruby

Is that the immigrants fault or your screwed up immigration policy that for a number of years gave British citizenship to all its conquered peoples??? I can't see blaming people for wanting a better life. Even those Chinese are starting to drive cars How insensitive of them to forsake their bicycles for motor cars and use up our oil. I suppose we should just let them eat cake. ruby

We just heard that Pakistan alowws us to finnaly send them the Medicines , Food tents and other materials we made ready for them , but they won`t have any person `s help ...no doctors , nurses or such,,,, mirjam

Probably both.

I can't see blaming people for wanting a better life.

Not when it makes ours so very much worse in our already overcrowded little island.

Pat P

Absolutely fascinating! I have just seen an interview by BBC World with the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK, where it was stated that Parkistan had an urgent need for doctors and other medical personnel. Obviously it is not so urgent that they must come from the right country and religion. The mind boggles!!

-- Jim Cripwell. A volante tribe of bards on earth are found,/ who, while the flattering zephyrs round them play,/ on "coignes of vantage" build their nests of clay;/ how quickly from that aery hold unbound,/ dust for oblivion!/ To the solid ground/ of nature trusts the mind that builds for aye. Wordsworth.

Well, you know, you reap what you sow. If you had all just stayed home in the first place (starting with leaving Ireland alone) perhaps you wouldn't have so many people wanting the benefits of the "civilization" you brought to them over the centuries. Serves you right, I say.

Elizabeth

Hey! You forgot to mention when they drove the Scots from Scotland (to Nova Scotia) with the Enclosures. Bloody English!

What about you lot stealing "America" from the Native Americans and treating them like s*it? Yes, I know that some of those early settlers were from here, as well as from everywhere else.

Pat P

Hmmm...State of Georgia got it's start as a British prison colony, betcha it wasn't the prisoners driving out the natives down there. In the case of Pennsylvania, the Quakers (fleeing persecution in England) worked out a peaceful deal with the natives there, at least when they started the colony. Things changed over time in both places, of course.

The Dutch had a very short foothold in New York (then New Amsterdam), but the Brits kicked them out and took over, leaving the entire east coast of what became the U.S.A. under British control. That is, until we got fed up and fought for our independence.

Thus, it was mostly the British that started the trend of treating the Native Americans like s*it as you say!

Caryn (who couldn't resist)

And England (the islands) were invaded by the Norse, the Romans, the Gauls and a few others. Sounds like a continuation of a tradition.

Cheryl

Well all I can say is that here in Nova Scotia I would like the government to treat me like s*it in the same way. Free house, free medications, no taxes ~ I would have no complaints. Most of their problems now are generated by their own people taking advantage of each other, there is a system in place where friends and relatives of the current chief do extremely well, at the expense of non relatives. Incredibly the government is not allowed to see the books or have any control over how the money and benefits are handed out.

They certainly weren`t alone - and just about EVERYONE continued it. Things may have changed a bit, but what about compensation?

Pat P