The death toll from the Sichuan earthquake is in the tens of thousands and climbing. A reasonable assumption is that as communications and access in the disaster zone improve, the number will grow still higher. Experience shows that disaster data and the type of disaster are factors determining the effectiveness of relief. Such was the case after Taiwan’s 921 Earthquake.
The same is true with Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, where poor communications and deliberate blocks on information by the government have hindered international relief efforts.
To maximize rescue options in the crucial first 72 hours after an event, hard information must be available.
Otherwise, even abundant supplies would be of no avail, as rescuers would have no leverage and may inadvertently waste resources.
Alternatively, rescue groups can first be sent to a disaster zone to hunt for victims, but the greater uncertainty in doing this might limit its success.
In China’s case, detailed information and channels of communication can be more important than material resources.
There are several reasons for a lack of disaster information. External communication may be cut off and roads blocked in disaster areas.
Exact figures on casualties may therefore not be available to either the government or private relief organizations. Even Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s (溫家寶) relief team could not get beyond Dujiangyan on their way to Wenchuan, and so were unable to reach the most seriously affected areas. In addition, media reports have said that there has been no contact with nearly 60,000 people near the epicenter, indicating that much information remains unavailable.
Added to this, the Chinese government and media’s grasp of the situation is fragmented.
The Chinese government also has strict control of the media and other communications. It would therefore be logical to assume that communication networks are not well developed.
China has relaxed certain media controls, but the regulations there are still much stricter than in Taiwan. This is not likely to change in the short term.
With the 921 Earthquake, large parts of Nantou and Taichung counties were completely cut off. Luckily, amateur radio enthusiasts were able to piece together valuable information for relief agencies so that rescue teams were able to arrive in the disaster areas earlier.
However, their capabilities were limited, and many of these places were unable to state what they needed before relief arrived.
When the Central Weather Bureau said the epicenter of the quake was in Chichi Township (集集) in Nantou County, many assumed that the situation there would be the most severe.
Later, Puli Township (埔里) in Nantou also reported severe damage, and the media then focused on those areas, leading the public and officials to focus their attention on them.
When Chungliao (中寮) and Kuohsing (國姓) townships reported damage of similar severity, a lack of communication channels and transportation delayed the influx of aid.
On the whole, the media focused on Nantou, which quickly received large amounts of aid from the public and the government.
The Nantou County commissioner called for drinking water, instant noodles, tents and other necessities over the radio, and in just three days, the local school gymnasium, acting as an emergency response center, was overflowing with donations.
Later, the mayor said that they had enough relief and that cash donations were required, and donations quickly arrived from various sources.
Taiwan’s intense media competition turns large-scale disasters into matters of great concern for everyone.
Although relief to certain disaster areas was delayed because they did not receive media attention, media reports can nonetheless work against delays in relief delivery.
More importantly, the media force the government to respond with more gravity to a disaster, thus giving the public an extra layer of security.
The Chinese government should respond to the disaster in Sichuan and surrounding areas by focusing on the collection and dissemination of information in order to maximize the effectiveness of relief work.
Yang Yung-nane is a professor in the Department of Political Science and vice dean of the College of Social Sciences at Cheng Kung University.
Translated by Angela Hong
There are moments in history when America has turned its back on its principles and withdrawn from past commitments in service of higher goals. For example, US-Soviet Cold War competition compelled America to make a range of deals with unsavory and undemocratic figures across Latin America and Africa in service of geostrategic aims. The United States overlooked mass atrocities against the Bengali population in modern-day Bangladesh in the early 1970s in service of its tilt toward Pakistan, a relationship the Nixon administration deemed critical to its larger aims in developing relations with China. Then, of course, America switched diplomatic recognition
The international women’s soccer match between Taiwan and New Zealand at the Kaohsiung Nanzih Football Stadium, scheduled for Tuesday last week, was canceled at the last minute amid safety concerns over poor field conditions raised by the visiting team. The Football Ferns, as New Zealand’s women’s soccer team are known, had arrived in Taiwan one week earlier to prepare and soon raised their concerns. Efforts were made to improve the field, but the replacement patches of grass could not grow fast enough. The Football Ferns canceled the closed-door training match and then days later, the main event against Team Taiwan. The safety
The National Immigration Agency on Tuesday said it had notified some naturalized citizens from China that they still had to renounce their People’s Republic of China (PRC) citizenship. They must provide proof that they have canceled their household registration in China within three months of the receipt of the notice. If they do not, the agency said it would cancel their household registration in Taiwan. Chinese are required to give up their PRC citizenship and household registration to become Republic of China (ROC) nationals, Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chiu Chui-cheng (邱垂正) said. He was referring to Article 9-1 of the Act
The Chinese government on March 29 sent shock waves through the Tibetan Buddhist community by announcing the untimely death of one of its most revered spiritual figures, Hungkar Dorje Rinpoche. His sudden passing in Vietnam raised widespread suspicion and concern among his followers, who demanded an investigation. International human rights organization Human Rights Watch joined their call and urged a thorough investigation into his death, highlighting the potential involvement of the Chinese government. At just 56 years old, Rinpoche was influential not only as a spiritual leader, but also for his steadfast efforts to preserve and promote Tibetan identity and cultural
RSS