Retribution for Islamic Fundamentalist ranting ?

[youngmafbog]

Aid to Pakistan has been described as pitifull woefull.

Why do you thin that is? Are people sick of Fanatic Muslims, many of whom receive their radical training out there ? Is it just apathy ?

Personally I think the country only has itself to blame. Those suffering may not be directly responsibel for some of the worlds worst attrocities but you can bet that many have helped or supported the likes of the Taliban or Bin Laden. So is this the Worlds way of getting back ?

[Davethedog]

Never thought I would ever say this, but I agree with you 100%

[R1Geezer]

Perhaps Allah is also somwhat annoyed with them and this is part of a smiting!

[Zeuhl]

Errr Bangladesh is not Pakistan Doc. Is geography not one of your strengths? :-)
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[Zeuhl]

It's approximately the same distance as Liverpool to Moscow.
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[Zeuhl]

Pakistan is right in the front line of the 'war on terror' (sic). Unfortunately they have people on both sides.

Here's an idea - why don't we invade and sort the place out.
Hang on; that's already been tried in places and doesn't work.

Does Pakistan even have any oil?
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[youngmafbog]

True Zeuhl, but I guess the same applies to Pakistan, although I was more referring to the disaster funds not to odd pennies sent out to poor relatives.

[Zeuhl]

Yes.

I suppose the primary driver for individual giving is a feeling of empathy for the victims.
That for an instant people put aside any prejudices or fixed opinions (be it Haiti or Ethiopia etc) and put themselves and their families in the place of the people affected.

It's a response from human being to human being - especially if the victims are epitomised by young children.

Because of recent events Pakistan has become epitomised (rightly or wrongly) by fanatical men with ak-47s or British people turned into traitors and killers by their ethnic links with Pakistan.

That's probably all it takes to reduce what is usually a very generous response from the british people.
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[naomi24]

The British are usually very generous, so I don't think this is apathy. I think people are sick of the fundamentalist ranting. I've spoken to several people about this and in the main the general consensus seems to be "sod 'em".

[rov1200]

It was very noticeable that France has given exactly 0. Maybe they're fed up with all the Muslims that populate their country and are prepared to show their feelings. The wearing of the Burka ban was recent news there.

[modeller]

Could it also be that as a major charity director last week complained that at least half the money donated for the 2005 earthquake never reached the victims. He claimed most of it ended up in with government officials . He said of the 500 million US dollars which should have gone to his group of charities only a few thousand was ever made available. It is stories like that which make many people and governments reluctant to donate yet again however the genuine need.

[keyplus90]

Modeller gave the right reason.

[sandyRoe]

"supported the likes of theTaliban or Bin Laden."
Most of the people of Pakistan wouldn't support them. But if they had voiced any opposition they, and their families, would probably have been murdered.

[naomi24]

The reason Modeller gave could be a factor, but we've known that for years and it's never stopped us yet. There's a vast difference between the amount of aid going to Pakistan and that given to Haiti, for example, just months ago, so what happened?

[tigerlelly]

There's also the fact that the recession has really started to bite - that and the food bills going up 58% in just over a year! Perhaps people just can't afford to be as generous to Pakistan as they've been to other places in the past. There have been an awful lot of these appeals recently.
There was an article in one of the Sunday supplements a couple of years ago and apparently UK gives more to charity, home and overseas based, than any other country in the world so I don't think we need to beat ourselves up.

[anotheoldgit]

http://tinyurl.com/29csdfb

'Cash strapped' Britain has given the most, $40,235,085 = £25,758,912

USA, $24,975,715 = £15,989,707

Kuwait, $5,000,000 = £3,201,051

United Arab Emirates, $1,519,482 = £972,788

Very poor response from fellow Muslims from oil rich countries.

[cc1]

Like India, Pakistan is not a poor country, but the gap between rich and poor is breathtaking, no-one is more responsible for the abject poverty of many than the rich and influential fellow citizens.