Aiding the Tsunami's Victims

December 26 was as a dark day for mankind. Without hyperbole, it stands out as one of the great tragedies of history. By now all are at least passingly familiar with the tsunami disaster that has consumed South Asia for the past two weeks. But many have conveniently repressed some of the more disturbing images while at the same time underestimating the sheer amount of human misery.

Let us remember that the ocean hurled itself a mile inland in an area of the world not known for wealth or stability, but for deprivation, poverty and civil strife. The waves that smashed ashore changed the very geography of the region; islands that once housed hundreds or thousands are now only a memory. Nature, without the slightest hint of mercy, snuffed out over 150,000 human beings, ending their lives anonymously and with great pain. We can only imagine the dread those thousands experienced when the waters roared up, the terror so many mothers felt as waves swept their little children away or the anguish of nameless fishermen trapped under beached and broken vessels. Even today the death toll still continues to grow, grimly marching ever higher.

The community of nations, to its credit, reacted swiftly and decisively to a calamity unprecedented in size and scope. Organization of a multi-billion dollar aid effort for tens of millions in eleven different countries is not an enterprise to be taken on lightly, and such a vast undertaking is bound to have a few miscues and errors. While there have been reports of bottlenecks and delays in getting aid to the afflicted regions, the ruin foisted upon transportation infrastructure regrettably makes this all but inevitable.

The difficulties faced so far do not outweigh the good, and a great amount of critically important aid is getting through to those in such pitiable need. The United States, whose giving to this point ranks only fourth worldwide, has taken the lead in actually delivering the aid now arriving. The men and women of the Seventh Fleet have distributed badly needed food, medicine and potable water to some of the most remote and ravaged regions. While further efforts are needed to ensure that epidemics of communicable disease do not result, the world seems to have summoned enough willpower to do what is necessary to prevent further catastrophe.

Like the world as a whole, the Harvard community has risen to the occasion. A group of students led by Rashmi J. Singh ’05 have already founded an organization, the Harvard University Tsunami Relief Effort, to aid the victims of this disaster. Another student group, the South Asian Association, has announced a host of major efforts aimed at raising funds for the victims. We applaud these, and other, student groups who will take time during a busy reading period to help those in such grave need.

Special recognition is also due to University President Lawrence H. Summers. We applaud his recent announcement that Harvard will match student and staff contributions, including donations that have already been made, up to $100 and that the University will be receptive to student ideas for any additional action. While we have in the past been critical of Massachusetts Hall for overzealous guarding of University coffers, we are thankful that Summers has taken such a generous stance in this most dire circumstance. As the world’s wealthiest nations and individuals have opened their wallets, it is only appropriate that Harvard, one of the world’s wealthiest private organizations, should contribute to the cause as well.