CONFLUENCE MAY 2021 Current Affairs SOUTH ASIA: CONFRONTING THE COVID-19 CATASTROPHE by Shalomi Daniel Nearly one and a half years since the COVID-19 and Tamil New Year celebrations in Sri Lanka, which Lockdowns imposed without putting in place virus was first detected in Wuhan, the virus saw Sri Lankans travelling across the country and support systems that will provide a safety net for continues to ravage the world. As of May 2021 gathering in large numbers to participate in daily wage earners and manual labourers who do more than three million lives have been claimed by festivities, are cited as such examples of not have the luxury of working from home, led to this pandemic. The virus seems loathe to leave governments mishandling the crisis. It has been such persons having to battle both the virus and mankind alone, with countries across the globe said that stricter rules should have been put in dire financial circumstances. They were left with no reporting third and fourth waves. Lockdowns, place to ensure that movement is restricted, that choice but to go outside, exposing themselves to vaccines, social distancing and teleworking are now basic guidelines such as social distancing and mask the deadly virus, to provide for themselves and common parlance in the new normal. Whilst the wearing are adhered to, and to roll out the their families. Forced to choose between the pandemic also brought to light several acts of vaccination process far more efficiently. Instead, pandemic and starvation, they opted for the kindness and love that proved to be a ray of hope South Asian governments were complacent with former, hoping that they do not contract the virus, in the pandemic induced darkness, there have also having ridden out the first wave with minimal as they go out to forage a living for themselves and been tales of irresponsibility and foolhardiness on casualties, with some governments taking personal their families. Governments are tasked with the the part of both governments and individuals which credit for having vanquished the pandemic. The responsibility to ensure that measures adopted in has exacerbated the crisis. warnings of local health experts and the reality of respond to public crises such as the pandemic, take It could be said that different parts of the world second and third waves in other parts of the world on a wholistic approach. Not only should measures experience spikes in COVID-19 cases and resulting went largely unheeded. be put in place to restrict movement, curtail the public health catastrophes at different stages and spread of the virus and protect public health, seasons. In the early and mid parts of 2019, most of governments should take into consideration the Europe and North America bore the brunt of the needs of the most vulnerable, those who might not pandemic. From Italy to Spain to the United States be able to sustain themselves in the new normal. of America, hospitals were stretched beyond Heart wrenching stories are heard about non capacity, daily death rates exceeded the 1000s and distribution of relief to the most deserving, of the world looked on helplessly as the pandemic corruption seeping into COVID relief measures, of ruthlessly crippled public health systems, and certain class or community of persons being denied economies and brought great nations to their relief based on their race, religion, class or political knees. affiliation. While the situation in these countries have now South Asia also saw a crackdown on free vastly improved, another part of the world is Various sectors of society have censured the expression, with journalists and citizens being currently gasping for air as the pandemic ravages governments for prioritising economic welfare over denied the right to criticise their leaders. across South Asia. Long queues outside hospitals the safety of its citizens. What is the use of a Allegations of fake news have been levelled against waiting for oxygen, lives being lost by the 1000s and thriving economy if it kills its most valuable several voices who have dared to ask difficult daily infection rates reaching an all time high, were resource – human capital? Several other questions and challenge the powers that be. seen in India, home to more than one billion governments have been embroiled in political Way forward people. The situation continues to be dire with rivalry to pay too much attention to the pandemic. While the situation in South Asia appears to be dire, several states in India under complete lockdown In India, the onset of several state elections, saw there is much that both individuals and and daily infection rates soaring past 350,000 a day. election campaigns being held with large crowds governments can still do to salvage the situation. A The situation threatens to spill over to India’s gathering as though completely oblivious to the March 2021 report by World Bank showed that on neighbours in the Indian Ocean. From Sri Lanka to pandemic. Securing votes and consolidating power average South Asian countries spend only 2% of Pakistan to Nepal, lockdowns are being reimposed, took precedence over ensuring that the population their GDP on healthcare. Increasing budgetary and public healthcare systems are already on the is protected from the pandemic. Meanwhile allocations for healthcare, ensuring non- brink of collapse. neighbouring Nepal was also plunged into political discrimination in rolling out public healthcare, Are Governments guilty? uncertainty with the Nepali Prime Minister losing a ensuring an organised and informed vaccination Many South Asians are holding their governments vote of confidence, leading to uncertainty and rollout and ensuring that the vulnerable and accountable for this most recent wave, stating that chaos. marginalised are not overlooked are just a few of their governments ought to bear the blame for Minorities matter the steps that South Asian governments can adopt failing to put in place adequate measures to The general public, and especially those in the to address the rising tide of COVID-19. On the part contain the virus and prevent a public health lower rungs of society and the most economically of individuals, loving one’s neighbour has never catastrophe. vulnerable have suffered the consequences of such been more important – from wearing masks, to Governments have been blamed for taking the gross negligence. Whilst the rich chartered their maintaining social distancing, from looking out for virus too lightly and allowing large gatherings and private jets and were whisked off into the blue, the the vulnerable and helping out a colleague in need lax adherence to public health guidelines. The poor, the vulnerable, and the impoverished, were – small acts of kindness and great amounts of love Kumbh Mela festival in India where thousands left to fend for themselves. are essential, if South Asia is to weather this storm. congregated at the River Ganges, and the Sinhala CONFLUENCE MAY 2021 1 CONFLUENCE MAY 2021 Editorially speaking: Contents Our May issue has been delayed due to several reasons. However, it South Asia: Confronting Covid-19 Shalomi Daniel gives me comfort that we have been fortunate enough to produce this 1 issue under the prevailing conditions. As our readers are well aware, the current pandemic crisis has affected all of us directly or indirectly in 2 Editorially Speaking Vijay Anand many ways. This time, we found that contributors have been somewhat slow in sending their works to us on time. Compiling a magazine of this 3 Remembering Satyajit Ray on his Sunayana Panda calibre without losing quality needs a lot of patience and focus. I am centenary glad we have been able to offer our best to produce this issue with a variety of content from contributors from different corners of the 4 A bolt from the blue Innamburan world. Talking about the pandemic again, it is quite sad that millions of lives 5 Poems: Dialogues with Ganga in Sukrita Paul have been sacrificed to the Coronavirus, despite the fact that an Coronatimes Kumar effective cure has been found already. India in particular, has been badly hit even though it has been in the forefront of producing the 6 Zooming Down Melody Lane Jameela Siddiqi vaccine and making it available, not only to its own population but also for many other countries that couldn’t afford to make one. We can’t 7 The Elusive Right to Remember Shalomi Daniel simply blame the political leaders alone for the current crisis even though things could have been handled differently with some hindsight. India: Searching the present Anjana Basu Let’s hope this crisis will come to an end in due course and lessons can 8 from past be learnt to avoid any future crisis of this magnitude. In the meantime, Two poems Reginald Massey we would like to urge media organisations and politicians not to use the names of the countries when describing the variants of the Corona virus 9 Ekphrastic and surrealist poem Anita Nahal as it causes a lot of problems among the communities. As usual, this issue includes many different, interesting features from 10 Narendra Modi: The Yogi of Martin Lumb our contributors. I would like to thank them all for the splendid work Populism sent to us. In future, I would like to maintain an article bank, containing 11 The Sarasvati Civilisation Kusum Pant Joshi enough content available for each issue. So, please consider sending your contributions at anytime without waiting for a deadline. I would like to ask the contributors to send their work to 12 The Detective's Son by Subhash [email protected] email only, and not to any other emails. Chandra We have an active Facebook group which is growing all the time and I like to have healthy discussions on varied topics.