WITH the confirmed death toll from the Indian Ocean tsunami still climbing, and with relatives and friends still awaiting news of the thousands missing, we might reasonably have hoped for more. Hoped that the world's governments would at least ensure that the next giant wave or earthquake does not become a humanitarian disaster on such a scale.
But it was not to be. Last week's World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Japan, was once again bedevilled by realpolitik. What many were hoping for was a clear plan of action. Instead, the representatives of 168 nations settled for well-intentioned declarations and policy initiatives.
Many observers and delegates say the conference achieved all that could be expected. Most notably, governments agreed that the basic technology needed for an Indian Ocean tsunami warning system would be put in place within 12 to 18 months. And there was optimism that this system will ...
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