News We Didn't Get: Redux
A few days ago, I posted on some of the under-reported stories of the year, based on a Boston Globe article. Yesterday, an editorial in the Sacramento Bee continued that theme.
In a world with many failed states and intractable conflicts, it's all too tempting to turn a blind eye to human beings caught in the crossfire through no fault of their own.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Doctors Without Borders seeks to change that with its annual list of forgotten crises – the "Top Ten Most Underreported Humanitarian Stories." We may have short attention spans and "compassion fatigue" in the face of seemingly unresolvable problems, but we can do something to feed the hungry and heal the sick where societies have fallen apart – if we muster the will to do so.
The list the editorialist referred to can be found at the Doctors Without Borders website. Here is a listing of the top ten stories. At the link you'll find the details, which I haven't seen too much about in our press.
Displaced Fleeing War in Somalia Face Humanitarian Crisis
Political and Economic Turmoil Sparks Health-Care Crisis in Zimbabwe
Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Spreads As New Drugs Go Untested
Expanded Use of Nutrient Dense Ready-to-Use Foods Crucial for Reducing Childhood Malnutrition
Civilians Increasingly Under Fire in Sri Lankan Conflict
Conditions Worsen in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Living Precariously in Colombia's Conflict Zones
Humanitarian Aid Restricted in Myanmar
Civilians Caught Between Armed Groups in Central African Republic
As Chechen Conflict Ebbs, Critical Humanitarian Needs Still Remain
Today, our foreign policy, such as it is, finds it easy to donate a hundred million or so to shore up Pakistan's military and millions more to give Israel the latest, bestest, state-of-the-art Patriot missiles. And then, of course, there is the $150 million per day spent on the Iraq War. Surely this nation can summon the wherewithal to provide the funds, expertise, and/or pressure to alleviate some of this suffering, especially in those places where our own misguided policies have caused the suffering.
As the Sacramento Bee concludes,
The Doctors Without Borders "forgotten crises" list reminds us that compassion is not just about sympathy; it's about taking action to alleviate suffering or removing its cause. As individuals, we may not be able to end human conflict, but we can do something to help feed the hungry and heal the sick – and expose corruption and repression to put pressure where we can make a difference.
Make it so.
In a world with many failed states and intractable conflicts, it's all too tempting to turn a blind eye to human beings caught in the crossfire through no fault of their own.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning organization Doctors Without Borders seeks to change that with its annual list of forgotten crises – the "Top Ten Most Underreported Humanitarian Stories." We may have short attention spans and "compassion fatigue" in the face of seemingly unresolvable problems, but we can do something to feed the hungry and heal the sick where societies have fallen apart – if we muster the will to do so.
The list the editorialist referred to can be found at the Doctors Without Borders website. Here is a listing of the top ten stories. At the link you'll find the details, which I haven't seen too much about in our press.
Displaced Fleeing War in Somalia Face Humanitarian Crisis
Political and Economic Turmoil Sparks Health-Care Crisis in Zimbabwe
Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Spreads As New Drugs Go Untested
Expanded Use of Nutrient Dense Ready-to-Use Foods Crucial for Reducing Childhood Malnutrition
Civilians Increasingly Under Fire in Sri Lankan Conflict
Conditions Worsen in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Living Precariously in Colombia's Conflict Zones
Humanitarian Aid Restricted in Myanmar
Civilians Caught Between Armed Groups in Central African Republic
As Chechen Conflict Ebbs, Critical Humanitarian Needs Still Remain
Today, our foreign policy, such as it is, finds it easy to donate a hundred million or so to shore up Pakistan's military and millions more to give Israel the latest, bestest, state-of-the-art Patriot missiles. And then, of course, there is the $150 million per day spent on the Iraq War. Surely this nation can summon the wherewithal to provide the funds, expertise, and/or pressure to alleviate some of this suffering, especially in those places where our own misguided policies have caused the suffering.
As the Sacramento Bee concludes,
The Doctors Without Borders "forgotten crises" list reminds us that compassion is not just about sympathy; it's about taking action to alleviate suffering or removing its cause. As individuals, we may not be able to end human conflict, but we can do something to help feed the hungry and heal the sick – and expose corruption and repression to put pressure where we can make a difference.
Make it so.
Labels: Foreign Aid, Foreign Policy
posted by Diane at 12:26 PM
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