Syria and Turkey are now about the people, not the earthquake

It might have started with the earthquakes and their immediate coverage, but now it's about rescuing and helping the people. Listen to them, focus on their pain, and let's help them survive.

The death toll is now at almost 6,500 souls, with thousands injured, and counting. The pitiless natural disaster that has ravaged entire neighborhoods between Turkey and Syria has shocked the world.?

World leaders were quick to convey condolences and to dispatch the necessary aid and assistance to help set up rescue missions in and around the affected areas. Millions of Dollars in aid, equipment, and personnel are all making their way to both countries.

I’ve written about the dual earthquakes and their magnitude. The scientific, political, and journalistic approach to convey the size of the calamity and the response of the international community. But this piece is about the people.

It is in such times of need that the best of humanity can shine through. Do not cover Turkey, omitting Syrian pain because of political inclinations; do not come to Syrians' aid and forget Turkish lives because you’re making a point. This is a human calamity on an epic scale. If there was ever a time to allow humanity and common sense to take the lead; that would be today.

Videos have gone viral showing kids being pulled out from the rubble, making their way back into the light amidst flattened buildings and freezing temperatures. These kids have survived the total collapse of their home, the one place where they should be safe. They endured hours, by themselves, under dirt, rocks, rubbles and cold, wondering if they’ll ever see the light of day.

They spent hours, without the protection and love of their parents, without holding their mothers’ hands for security. How do these kids come back from this dark place?

The border between Syria and Turkey is home to families who have fled the war, who hear and know about it. Some of them, left their homes to find shelter there, just to see it now completely ripped from under them.

Fathers who have left everything behind in search of a better life, families that have relocated for a better future, and mothers who believed in the safety of a new place.?

Wars are manmade catastrophes, that show the worst of humanity, yet they keep being repeated and instigated. The current headlines clearly showcase that. Mother nature can cause apocalyptic scenes within minutes and result in horrific tragedies with heart-wrenching pictures and inconceivable psychological trauma and PTSD. Humanity and the Middle East can't seem to catch a break.

The death toll is doomed to rise, the injured as well. People’s lives have been drastically altered, some of them lost their family, others their homes, and some their will to fight.

In the midst of it all, if we can take away one thing from those children whose faces were broadcasted around the world, protecting each other under the rubble, smiling at rescuers, and telling them where their loved ones are, is that strength, humanity, and hope can truly bring the world together, and make it slightly better, even in the worst of situations.?

https://maritakassis.com/feature