Monday, May 2, 2011

NUCLEAR INCAPABILITY


By Rabia Ahmed



Some 25 years after the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl there has been another such disaster in Japan, full effects of which are yet to appear. For the survivors of Chernobyl effects of the horror they endured continue to manifest. Thousands evacuated their homes and today a large contaminated area around the site remains deserted. Cancer and deaths among those exposed are higher than average, with more likely to occur.

Meantime, a member of Al-Qaeda has warned that in the case of Osama bin Laden’s capture or assassination, a nuclear device would be detonated in Europe.

The mind of a person who condones nuclear holocaust is unfathomable, but it is hoped that the people in charge of security in Europe are doing their utmost to defuse the threat. Whether or not security prevails (and one fervently hopes it does) they will try to locate the device and take all measures to safeguard their people. We can also assume that nuclear power plants in that region are in reasonably capable hands.

Between American use of nuclear bombs in Japan during the Second World War and now, there has been a sharp increase in the awareness of the educated public regarding the devastating and widespread effects of radiation exposure. No responsible government today (one fervently hopes, once again) would risk carelessness in the matter, if nothing else for fear of the kind of backlash they care about most as a result: loss of votes.

Pakistan possesses three nuclear power plants. In addition, Karen De Young reports in the Washington Post that Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal now consists of more than a hundred weapons, making it, some say, the fifth largest nuclear power in the world, ahead of France and Britain.

Now I have never had much confidence in British culinary skills, and I definitely draw the line at escargots. Yet as far as organisation is concerned, I would place my bet on the Brits and French any day.

After the mishandling of dikes and dams in this country, not to mention other institutions, one may be excused a degree of misgiving regarding precautions in place around nuclear power plants and weapons arsenals.

Nuclear power plants require regular maintenance by personnel trained and certified for the job. Any problems must be attended to promptly, which is a bit frightening in a country where “Allah maalik hai” is the extent of maintenance most things receive.

More than four years since the approval and initial stages of construction of a water filtration plant in Umerkot, the scheme was blithely abandoned because of lack of funds and escalation of rates, and residents of the area continue to suffer from diseases borne by contaminated drinking water. Other plants elsewhere fell into disrepair because filters were not changed on time.

For the rich who favour bottled water, contaminated water for the masses is just fine. It is the same with power load-shedding which is but another opportunity for political canvassing, such as the power outage that took place when Mr Gilani attended an All Pakistan Newspaper Society convention in Lahore on April 30, when he quipped he was no stranger to such occurrences, the dear cute man.

Indeed, if any of our dignitaries encounter any load-shedding in their homes or offices I will eat my hat.

Pakistan consists of many bigots who would approve of Al-Qaeda’s threat, and in the absence of a sense of responsibility, the severely circumscribed mental capacity of those in charge in this country means they too are unwilling/unable to conceive the full ramifications of a nuclear disaster.

There are always ways around problems encountered by our favoured classes so they are probably not too worried, planning on leaving the country for a weekend, or shutting themselves behind security barriers in case of a nuclear disaster, sacking someone else for the crime when they return. If those involved in, say the Hajj scam, were not worried about a much higher power, surely nuclear power pales by comparison.

As for those who imagine they have sole rights to Allah’s ear, they probably bank on sheltering under a prayer mat in the event.

Darlings, let me disabuse you, lift you out your state of denial: nuclear power does not discriminate between Muslims and non-Muslims, or between common citizens and the elite, gate crashing leaders of political parties, pirs or anyone else. People DIE of nuclear exposure, and for survivors there are severe long term complications: burns, birth defects, cancer, cataracts etc.

As Mark Twain said, denial is not just a river in Egypt. Yep, denial flows right through Pakistan, folks, and many of us live right in it.

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