Wednesday 26 December 2007

Three years on & some have forgotten

The way we stuck together trying to help the needed after the tsunami disaster was probably the strongest example of togetherness I've seen in this country for a long time. People said the disaster turned our economy back 25 years. I think our sense of community was, too. These days neighbours are seen as 'those annoying mutts' by most of us. People living in islands are, unfortunately considered dumb by a few arrogant gits.

I remember the 26th of December 3 years ago and the weeks that followed it very well. How on earth can one forget an incident of such magnitude, I hear you say. It seems as though some of us already have. Our society is back to square one, with the ever-rising crime rates, political turmoil etc. The only reminder of the event is a truly atrocious structure erected on the south eastern corner of Male'. Big deal..

I remember my aunt, who had gone to a nearby shop running home screaming about something coming at us. I can almost smell the salty water now as I cast my mind back to the day; it gushed in through a little space under the main door of where I live and flooded the corridor. I remember my mom and I trying frantically to remove the tv & computer cables and taking other important stuff to a safe height. The water kept rising, grey murky water that looked rightly foreboding. I wondered whether it would ever stop, and after a while it did. My mom called my father, who told his office mates about the incident. They thought he was joking..

What touched me the most was the community spirit that followed. The way everyone, even the notoriously selfish ones lent their stuff for others to gain. My whole neighbourhood was packed with lorries stacked with clothes, toys & even food.

It's a shame we don't see such spirit everyday..

2 comments:

Unknown said...

It's a day we'd never ever forget. Highlighted in our history as the most disastrous day. I was in Male', and couldn't even imagine how much people on the badly affected islands would be going through. Loss for many families that could not be returned. It's so sad. I hope we don't have to face another day like that. cheers! :)

.mini said...

yeah the tsunami really made people work together and all.. but now as you've said.. its all gone
maybe they've forgotten like you mentioned
i don't know..
humans!