Following the devastating earthquakes that hit Turkey and Syria, many voices have been raised, especially on social media, calling for a setting aside of political differences and rivalries and coming together to rescue those still trapped under the rubble, care for the thousands of injured, and assist the homeless.
This is especially important in Syria, where the government's presence is limited and the poorest communities, including refugees, have been hit the hardest.
The earthquake only added to the already tragic conditions caused by the destruction and killing inflicted by the regime's bombing and military control.
These calls stem from the initial shock, inherent human empathy, and an instinctive reaction to the numerous heart-wrenching videos and reports from the impacted regions.
Despite differences in background and affiliations of their initiators, and some politically motivated attempts to exploit the disaster, these calls remain idealistic and romantic. They fail to grasp the harsh reality, instead entertaining a misguided belief that tragedy alone can bring change.
However, the harsh truth is that the earthquake disaster is not a turning point for those suffering from its aftermath, but rather another chapter added to their long years of suffering and pain.
The Covid-19 crisis is still remembered globally as a time when a fleeting sense of unity briefly emerged, as people recognised their shared destinies and the need for solidarity against the wrath of an uncontrollable virus.
However, this unity was quickly overshadowed by political considerations as government conflicts and corporate pursuits took centre stage.
The hopeful music and singing from balconies and rooftops fell silent, giving way to the new reality.
Syria has long been a ‘disaster’
Before the recent devastating earthquake, the global and Arab perception was that what Syria experienced over the past decade was already a ‘natural’ disaster.
The high numbers of casualties, refugees, and detainees made it seem that the Syrian crisis was simply fate. People resigned themselves to this current state of reality in Syria: a divided country with conflicting interests between the regime, opposition groups, and international powers.
Its reality did not improve: the dictator remained in power, Syria did not become democratic, and justice was not served to the victims.
The persistent fundamental issue globally — from the atrocious use of chemical weapons against civilians in Syria and up to the recent earthquake — is the essence of human empathy.
What is happening today is not new — it has already happened many times over and, unfortunately, will continue to occur in future disasters.
Yet our responses remain unchanged: an initial outpouring of emotion through comments, videos, and images that capture both tragedy and hope, followed by a rapid fading of empathy within days at best or hours at worst.
