I feel the earth move

If you read an Australian newspaper, news-site or listen to the radio, you will be aware of the fact that a plane crashed in a fireball in Jogjakarta yesterday, injuring or killing a handful of Australians. Less well known is the fact that a large earthquake (6.3 Richter) killed at least 72 people in Sumatera Barat on March 6.

Sumatera Barat was where I lived in Indo. The quake was centered in Solok, not far from Padang, my Indo home, and a great deal of damage and devastation was caused in Padang. I have only heard from one of my friends in Padang, who said that the quake was terrifying, and he was afraid he would die.

It really bothers me that the Australian media is so loathe to focus on any international matter which does not immediately impact an Australian life. I would love to find out more about the Sumateran quake, but information is sparse. In The Age today, at least four pages focused on the plane crash. One small article in the World News section was the extent of reporting on the earthquake.

I'm finding the recent tragedy in Indonesia difficult to deal with. In some ways, I feel guilty for not having been involved in the quake. By all rights I should have been. I was due to be in Padang until August. Because I was fortunate- and wealthy- enough, I was able to leave. But because I left, someone else (my replacement) found themselves in danger.

It just sort of stirs up feelings that I wimped out by coming home. Like I cheated. 72 people have died in an area I lived, hundreds more injured or bereft of their homes, and I escaped that because I was unhappy that I didn't have a Western toilet. It feels so petty. I feel so petty. I got an email from the Australian embassy in Jakarta, concerned for my welfare. It seemed hollow to reply, advising I was in fact in Australia.

I know this is silly. Had I been there, I could have done nothing to help. I would have achieved nothing except worry to my loved ones had I been in the quake. Maybe if there were some media recognition that human lives have been disrupted, and are as valid as those lost in the Garuda crash, I would feel less guilty.

Meanwhile, if I feel guilt, I hope our Foreign Minister is suffering bucketloads of it. All of the Australians on the Garuda crash were travelling to Jogja to attend a conference chaired by Mr Downer. The lucky bastard arrived the next day. Karma misses its mark again.