In 1885, Russian writer Leo Tolstoy wrote ‘Aspark neglected burns the house’. The story makes me wonder why the super mindsand super powers of this planet neglected Wuhan in the first instance. Despiteall known about Ebola break out in Congo and having almost similarity with theCorona virus, why the humanity is let suffer and also the already flagellatingeconomy. Who is responsible for all these deaths because of callous, uncaringand irresponsible attitude? Why the suggestions and recommendations ofscientists and experts are not being paid attention to every now and then? Whywe start firefighting every time and let the humanity suffer? Why don’t welearn lessons from history and every time we are caught unawares despite havingsuffered the same in the past?
Since its start in Wuhan, China, from a seafood market, the live host human bodies were allowed to travel to every part ofChina and to the rest of the world. Not only this when full outbreak of thedisease started, the countries started transporting their citizens to theirnation countries without putting in place proper medical infrastructure toquarantine them or treat them, if infected. Treatment anyway is and was notpossible. Scientists are still struggling to find the vaccine. At least nowlet’s honour their services. Let they succeed as soon as possible otherwise all– mighty, powerful, rich, poor, atheist, religious or downtrodden will vanish.
Now it’s almost complete lockdown. Yes, butit’s too late. Why not at the onset of Corona or Covid-19 as we call it. HadWuhan been locked down by China, or China lockdown by its government with noentry or exit, the rest of the world would have been safe. But wait a minute,we are too much scholarly and learned. Why should have we taken such a naïvedecision? Why till date there is no such provision in global charters? Yes, ithits our terms of trade, globalization, deglobalization and indeed capitalism.But now the worst situations and stories and the gory and gruesome pictures oflively cities around the world are curse for the decision makers. So selfishand eerie. Yes, we are.
It’s time to learn and learn hard lessons. TheEbola was a lesson which started from consumption of a dead monkey. The animalsbeing host to many viruses can’t be consumed as staple food. This urge ofhaving something exotic is going to turn devastating and it has turned in pastmany a time. Rats, bats, crocs, monkeys, dogs and what not. And now it’sfashion and delicacy. On the other hand, the poverty is also a cause as theyhave such food the only choice being free and available. Who is responsible forsuch habits and tastes letting flourish? Yes, for tourism and forex we canallow anything and for keeping the countries as our markets we will dictatedifferent theories, terms of trade and practical approaches so that they nevercome out of starvation. At the end we are the super minds, we have on one sideof the road a billionaire sleeping in his posh high rise and on the other sidean empty stomach poor child crying in dream. Hell, with this humanity and itsdreadful standards. But at present ashock has struck and struck badly with all in same boat.
Time has come to decide. To decide about suchmarkets which sell this exotic food. To decide and pen down internationalcovenants putting ban on transport to and from a country or area hit by anyvirus. To decide on amount of compensation the locked country would be entitledto from donor organizations like World Bank, IMF etc., and other nation states.With World Bank ready to pump in $ 14 billion and all other donors comingforward in same way, we can imagine how much money will go into firefightingdespite the world economy plunging in recession, a big and unimaginable loss.Had the Wuhan or China been locked down and paid for the losses by the worldnations, it would have been far less from the present losses which we aresuffering. All losses, economic, moral, health, education etc.
Let’s unite for a cause and let’s not neglectthe spark. Let’s come out of shackles of manmade borders and think big. Let’sbe citizens of this mighty planet first and work for humanity. Corona has alesson for us and that lesson we have to learn. The lesson is ‘we are one andwe have to fight together’. Let this catastrophe shape our mind towards betterunderstanding of humanity and we instead of spending on defense, instead ofgoing for GDP based growth, channel our resources for development in scienceand technology which would result in prosperity of humanity first. Enough isenough. Let the humanity prevail. Let’s be saviors of humanity, ecosystem andworld order and not butchers and looters. Let all have enough to cherish lifeinstead of few having all world wealth. Let’s ignite our minds in this time ofchaos and distress. The best solutions have been taken in worst times.
The ideas are personal and has nothing to dowith the official position of author.
Mohammed Shahid Saleem is doing Masters inDevelopment Studies (Public Policy), International Institute of Social Studies,Erasmus University, The Hague, Netherlands.