Heavy rains—now apparently ended—have cause mayhem and deaths in Jedda and Mecca according to breaking news reports.
The fact is, because it rains so rarely in Saudi Arabia, Saudi cities lack infrastructure to deal with heavy rain. There simply are not many rain sewers and drainage canals to deal with a torrent. Roads and structures are not built to deal with the occasional floods, either. You can put this to bad city planning and civil engineering—as I do—or look for another cause, but the prospect of retrofitting cities with millions of residents spread over dozens of square miles is not a trivial issue.
So, while great precautions were being made to protect pilgrims from swine flu, not much was done to deal with the possibility of a natural disaster affecting both residents and pilgrims. Still, some sort of solution will need to be found. Floods in Saudi Arabia, as rare as they might be, are still disasters that can be mitigated.
Worst Flood In 27 Years Kill 77 In Saudi Arabia
(RTTNews) – The worst flood in 27 years in Saudi Arabia killed 77 people, reports quoting the Saudi government said Thursday.
Incessant rain until Thursday morning soaked the faithfuls and flooded the roads to the holy city of Mecca where millions are converging for the annual Haj pilgrimage.
The Red Sea port city of Jeddah received 2.76 inches of rain Wednesday, more than it gets in a year on average.
Seventy-three people were killed in Jeddah and four in Mecca. Saudi emergency workers rescued more than 900 people, the Civil Defense Authority said in a statement.
Wednesday’s downpour and thunderstorms paralyzed the entire city, flooding streets, destroying homes and sweeping away cars.
…
The Indonesian news service ANTARA also reported, but clearly from earlier in the day:
The Agence France Presse report notes that there are hundreds still missing:
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November:26:2009 - 19:18
Subject: A proposal to build a South Asian Union (SAU) like European Union by expanding SAARC states.
His Excellencies,
Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings, Head of Governments & States, Political & Religious Leaders, Intellectuals, Educationists, Economists, Welfare Organizations, Mass People of South Asian region.
Peace be upon all of you, history is repeating from the creation of human life till now and will be repeated until the last final judgment of Creator. Actually, Creator created us as his best creation of life but we divided it into different nations, religions, cultures, languages, ideologies, etc in several thousands of years since the appearance of 1st human Adam (PBUH). We don’t know when the human life on earth will be finished for ever on dooms day, but some think that human life never stop repeating it’s wrongs. Now we have seen that the days of the human being are becoming more critical, insecure, divided among our selves in different ideas, increasing of poverty, and destruction of economy of some nations in comparison with the economy of some rich countries of the west. So the time for South Asian nations to unite as a strong body which is most caring for the inhabitants of this region has come, and in this way, we can develop ourselves. I have no right to waste your valuable time, but my heart is pressing me to place this proposal or advice to the holy hearts of our great rulers of the people of SAARC countries.
Proposal for future South Asian Union (SAU)
1. The mass people of this region want to abolish visa system for them selves in order to enjoy traveling facility freely and free trade among the regional countries like EU states. We can include Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan & Philippine. The Afghan president his Excellency Mr. Hamid Karzai and his Government also shows interest for entering into SAARC.
2. If we can include thirty seven more countries (Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan & Philippine) with the seven countries of SAARC (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives), then this organization or union will be one of the strongest unions. Then we can establish a powerful single currency like EURO as, for example SACU (South Asian Currency), dollar, or any other selected by the forum. And currency value can be fixed by averaging the currency values of the nations concerned.
3. All states will keep there own national flags as state flag and one common union flag, like that of EU.
4. We can establish joint military command council for the defense of the whole region like EU. That means we can unite in a union to ensure human life security along with a strong economy like European Union.
I do not know when the people of this region of South Asia will start to feel love and affection for each other, and will be united. But we should try to establish a golden future for ourselves. If successful, then generation after generation of this region will remember you for your kindness. God bless us with eternal & external peace.
Yours,
Saulat Kamran
E-Mail Address: saulat@dhaka.net
Website: http://www.southasianunion.net
House No -28, Road No-4, Dhanmandi R/A.
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Proposal for Future South Asian Union (SAU)
The Proposed countries are Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Philippine.
South Asia (Political Map) 1999
Proposed Road Map of SAU
. Marching a step ahead to form South Asian Union (SAU) is good sign for the people of the region. We may be of different cultures, religions, languages etc but we all are human and descendents or genealogy of first parents-Adam and Eve (p.b.u.t.).
We all have to come closer and make ourselves ambitious to lay down the foundation of the Union. Proposed 44 countries are mentioned below:
Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Cyprus, Iran, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, , Brunei, China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Philippine.
Process of South Asian Union (SAU) Implementation
1. Forming union by including 44 countries as mentioned above.
2. The Nations of the region can form South Asian Parliament by approving the appointment of Presidents, Kings, Prime ministers, Foreign ministers, Home ministers, Defense ministers & ministers for trade & commerce as members of the SAU parliament.
3. Establishing a powerful single currency like EURO, for example South Asian Currency (SACU) or dollar or any other selected by the forum. And valuation can be fixed by averaging the currency values of the nations concerned.
4. Abolishing visa system in order to promote traveling freely, and adopting free trade among the regional countries.
5. Forming a joint military council to establish security of state, countries of the union & for common people.
6. Paving ways for the people of the Union to seek jobs according to their capabilities.
7. Making good uses of cultural and sports organizations through which the participating nations can establish their identity to understand each other.
8. Funding should be made by member nations to establish Research Centers for medicines, incurable diseases, and science & technology for the benefit of general people.
9. Establishing Bank such as Union Bank of South Asia to educate mass population, provide fund for natural disaster. Also making ways to drive homeless and astray people into employment through cottage industries to make their livelihood better so as to stop them from becoming smugglers, miscreants, or terrorists.
10. Regarding child labor, concrete steps should be taken by providing free education established by the Union in the form of NGO. Orphans to be included in this establishment.
11. Each state should be responsible to stop smuggler from drug/ arms trafficking. Also find ways to stop women & children trafficking.
12. State to State disputes should be resolved for the best interest of the people. If necessary, the SAU may be called in the process of settlement.
Yours,
Saulat Kamran
E-Mail Address: Saulat@dhaka.net
Website: http://www.southasianunion.net
House No -28, Road No-4, Dhanmandi R/A.
Dhaka, Bangladesh.
November:26:2009 - 21:03
john, i usually agree with your posts in general and my responses are only complimentary to your posts. here, i insist this is squarely the fault of corruption. bad decision making in the government is both inherent and the result of keeping the al-Saud’s on top.
many resources are spent for the benefit of palaces. even if there was a capacity for proper city planning, the princes can manipulate plans as they please. also, the corrupt (the al-Sauds and their cohorts) leave little for the money supposedly allocated for infrastructure.
ask the people of jiddah and they’ll tell you the roads are crap to begin with regardless of the tough economical decision about how much to spend for drainage. it’s to the point where sewage is not routed let alone rain water. they will also tell you about construction works that seem to never end on the same spot.
as for taxation, some independent scholars will argue that God only instructed for zakat tax. therefore, any other tax is forbidden. of course this can be debated. but this opinion falls into the al-Saud’s philosophy very well. they want control and they want their subjects to come and beg for money. so, taxation in this corrupt system is worse as you can bet the government will not be transparent. and people are already complaining that since they control the oil wealth, why do they charge for the issuance of various government documents?
you might ask how can islamic govenments be accountable in its spending of public funds without taxation? well, islam has an institution for that: hisbah…yes, the saudi version is the disaster and the pointlessness that is the commission for the promotion of virtue… hisbah comes from the arabic word for accounting and accountability. the saudi commission of course are empowered over the subjects but not the government and are not interested in financial corruption.
you might want to read some american accounts of how Bechtel and aramco were frustrated with their dealings with the al-Sauds.
here’s how saudi media will handle this:
- showcase the rescue operations
- it was an act of God, therefore there was nothing that could have been done to save lives
November:26:2009 - 22:33
I’m not going to argue that there’s no corruption in the KSA, nor that some of the Al-Saud have very dirty hands. Real estate, foremost of all, has been handled very questionably.
I will argue, though, that what modern sensibilities see as corruption is seen very differently by many of the Al-Saud. Their starting point seems to be: Our ancestors conquered this country. It’s theirs to do with as they like.
Now that was a pretty common view in the West, too, several hundred years ago… none of the modern states of Europe started out giving a rip about the people who happened to occupy the lands that were conquered. Ask the Basques. Ask the Cornish. Ask the Kashoubians or the Wends. You can point at the US as well, what with ‘Manifest Destiny’ and clearing troublesome indigenous populations from land the settlers wanted. You can probably look at China, vis a vis Tibet, too.
Yes, it’s archaic thinking, but it’s not unthinkable if your starting point is traditional Bedouin culture. It just doesn’t fit any more.
I’m confident that there are some Al-Saud who are very dirty people. I think that most are not, however. I see far more in the way of incompetence than corruption.
Now the mayors of Jeddah are not Al-Saud, if I recall correctly. Are they related to them through marriage? Could be. Are they ‘retainers’ that receives special privilege? He wouldn’t have the job if he hadn’t. Apparently, and sadly, among those privileges is a high degree of immunity from criminal liability, at least for financial crimes. [Note: I'm not throwing stones at the current or any other mayor of Jeddah. I've no personal knowledge of any specific malfeasance attributable to any of them. I am accepting for the sake of argument that money intended for infrastructure ended up in somebody's pockets somewhere along the line.]
I do argue that it takes time to wean a group of people away from benefits they believe to be their just entitlements. I see that happening in the KSA. Allowances to princes (and princesses) have been reduced. The number who can claim allowances has been reduced. Members of the Al-Saud, excepting the direct children of Abdulaziz, now have to pay to fly on Saudia. The Al-Saud have to pay their own phone bills.
Not much, you say? Perhaps to you, or even me. But those cuttings of ‘benefits’ causes a great deal of anger among those losing them. And it does move the beneficiaries into a status more equal to the typical Saudi. Some leaders–as King Abdullah–have told their sons to choose either government or business, but not to mingle the two. That’s a good example, I think.
There is still a cultural bias, though, for patrons to take care of clients who take care of patrons. That can change; that will change; but change isn’t going to happen terribly quickly.