Apparently, yes. After all, it’s not like there’s any shortage of tragedy in the world to focus on, right? And who cares about a few thousand people buried in rubble, or the fact that the majority of the country’s population was already in dire need of aid before this latest disaster struck? No, no. Let’s move on to the next crisis.
Mariam and Ilaaf, two children from the small village of Besnaya-Bseineh in northern Syria, were rescued from the rubble of their home more than 36 hours after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region. Mariam, the older sibling, whispered to rescuers, “Get me out of here, I’ll do anything for you.” When the rescuer replied, “No, no,” she added, “I’ll be your servant.” And what did Mariam do during those 36 hours of waiting for help? She gently stroked the hair of her younger sibling and covered their faces to shield them from the dust.
Meanwhile, their father, Mustafa Zuhir Al-Sayed, said he and his family recited the Quran and prayed out loud for someone to find them as they were pinned under the rubble. When they were finally rescued, Al-Sayed thanked God and those who rescued them. But despite the bravery and resilience of these individuals and others like them, aid is still slow in reaching those in need.
And what about the bigger picture? At least 1,730 people have died in the rebel-controlled Idlib governorate alone, with the number “expected to rise significantly due to the presence of hundreds of families under the rubble,” according to the Syrian Civil Defense. Across the Turkey-Syrian border, the death toll has now surpassed 15,000 and is expected to keep rising.
But don’t worry, the UN and “humanitarian partners” are “currently focusing on immediate needs, including food, shelter, non-food items, and medicine.” Because obviously, that’s all that matters. The “devastating impact” this tragedy will have on vulnerable families struggling to survive on a daily basis? Eh, not so important.
So, let’s all just forget about the Syrian earthquake victims and move on to the next crisis, shall we? After all, there’s always another disaster waiting around the corner.
