worried scared upset angry

I can't remember a time I've been so worried. Any day now, including today, the lake water could reach the spillpoint in Gojal. According to dave's landslide blog, once the water starts pouring down the other side of the dam, erosion will most likely start within hours and there's a significant risk the dam could give way before long. The hope is for slow erosion. I'm so scared for the people downstream. What loss of property - and even life - will result? Few people have the money to replace land, home, and livestock. The good people of Gojal are already facing this terrible reality, and now many more may join them.

What's got me upset is not knowing what's going on. We've come to expect regular updates from Pamir Times, but besides a few articles that recap the latest blather from govt officials, there's nothing. No reports indicating the status of the water. No reports that let us know Noor and Zulfi are safe. Where are they? I presume they're onsite, investigating, and unable to upload at the moment, but I'm going spare with this silence. Add to this the Pakistan Facebook ban (unbelievable timing!) and what appears to be a ban on YouTube as well, and there's truly no news coming across from the sources I've relied upon.

I am so angry about this whole situation. From the very beginning, there's been so much talk, talk, talk with no action! I cannot grasp the irresponsibility of the leadership. I applaud the NGO FOCUS and some of the local GB leaders for doing what they can, but the federal authorities have been truly negligent. Pakistan's mainstream media has been cowardly in their reluctance to point out this negligence, and most international reports have simply been rehashes of official government statements, such as this nonsense in the New York Times, which misleads the reader into thinking all is under control.

Today, in a striking statement of incomprehensible ignorance, Pakistan's major English newspaper Dawn reported that "Nobody except few experts anticipated that the disaster of January 4th, 2010 would turn Gojal valley into a water bomb." Oh really, nobody? Except for me (a simple tourist), my friends (people with brains), and the local population (also people with brains). That Dawn could make such an insulting and false statement shows how much the rest of the country is catching up and finally realizing the gravity of the situation.

The next day or two will try my patience as it's rarely been tried before, but this is nothing to the worry that must be gripping the people whose livelihoods are at stake. I send every good thought their way and wish for the slowest possible erosion of the dam. These are kind and generous people. They do not deserve this. I look forward to a day when this is history, when pain and fear are replaced with spirited music and joyful dancing.

Photo: Standing in the spillway, looking down at the approaching lake. (Photo by Zulfiqar Ali Khan, Pamir Times)