[ LETTERS ]

A brave, resilient people

When Typhoon Morakot crashed into Taiwan, it felt like the end of the world for villagers whose homes were washed away by raging rivers and powerful mudslides.

For those who were fortunate enough to survive and for the rest of Taiwan, Morakot and its aftermath was a lesson in gratitude — gratitude to those who helped victims, rescued victims or donated food and clothing to village relief centers, and gratitude to those who stood by victims, prayed for them and never gave up hope that life would go on.

And life does go on. Taiwan will recover as always and the people will become more resilient, wiser and better prepared for the next big storm or earthquake. Taiwanese are a hardy bunch of people and natural disasters have struck Taiwan for thousands of years.

Yes, Morakot brought the worst flooding in 50 years, but Taiwanese are brave and will face the future together.

In good time, farms will recover, tea plantations will welcome tourists and Taiwan will rejoice over the miracle that is life. Lessons in gratitude and thanksgiving, indeed.

DAN BLOOM

Chiayi

Ma’s comments are baffling

President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) takes apparent pride in his ability to communicate with the international press without an interpreter.

His remarks of late to foreign reporters shed light on his administration.

In an attempt to brush off charges that delays in the government’s response to Typhoon Morakot exacerbated the calamity, Ma made a curious statement to a British TV reporter: “They are not prepared.”

It seemed to imply that victims had brought the catastrophe upon themselves.

Ma’s response was no less astonishing the next time he faced foreign media.

When asked about the government’s disaster response by a CNN reporter days after Morakot struck, Ma said: “I’ll take the full responsibility,” but then added “We might punish those people who are responsible.”

Ma, it seems, playing the part of a traditional Chinese benevolent ruler, was only feigning “imperial humility.”

He had no intention of bearing any responsibility for the widespread suffering — and perhaps a higher death toll — that resulted from his inexplicable yet deliberate withholding of resources even after the scope of the disaster was apparent.

Ma’s comments since the typhoon have been an eye-opener for the public, but Taiwanese may not be the only ones learning something new about Ma.

On the Monday after Morakot struck, the US Department of State made an unsolicited offer to contribute the US military’s vast experience with inhospitable terrains to the search and rescue mission.

Washington said it was ready to go, yet was kept cooling its heels while Ma squandered precious time.

Four days passed before the US military received the green light to go in.

Washington must wonder whether Ma would cooperate with or impede US efforts in case of an emergency relevant to the Taiwan Relations Act.

Previously, the US’ main concern with Taiwan’s decline in military readiness in terms of hardware and software was its potential impact on US casualties if its military intervened in a cross-strait crisis.

That was based on the premises that the Taiwanese government would be on the same page as Washington.

Ma, who recently received Chinese President Hu Jintao’s (胡錦濤) congratulations on winning the Chinese Nationalist Party chairmanship, has let Beijing down.