Dear Friends,

 At the outset I would like to thank James Lewis,Dave Gilles, Robert
Alexander ,Ian Davis, Roger Musson,Maureen for the thought provoking
analyses and comments on the issues raised by a scholar and development
activist and consultant from the third world. It is not fatigue but facts
of life which we suffer silenly. Though 90% disasters occur in developing
countries,we have very little say in study, survey ,policy making and the
relief or long term mitigation process. In the avowed world of
liberty,equality,frarternity,we are neglected and shunted by the bilateral
and international agencies. Have you noticed that nobody from
ISDR,ProVention  Consortium, Red Cross made any comment though many of them
are members of this international discussion group. They would be getting
their per diem and perks which is ten times the annual average per capita
income of the concerned countries.
I would like to join the concerned scholars and development consultants by
raising few vital points:
1) If a scholar or development consultant from developing country wants to
work with DFID fund she/he has to work as an appendage of a British NGO
even though they may only have 10'x8' office  and very little knowledge
and get only crumbs in return. In any case the charity money must be
repatriated back. Even if a firefighter conducts a three month course on
disaster management and policy,the development activists from Asia and
Africa must follow the the course as the money has been paid by an
international agency in a place where no such disasters occur.
2) Don't be surprised if you find that most of the thesis work on India in
American universities  are crafty rehash of reports ,articles and Ph.D.
work collected by paying the photocopying charges while doing two month
fieldwork in India. Worst still they are published again  in India by
paying money to the publishers.
3)No qualified scholar can participate in any international conference for
the high registration fee,higher hotel bills and highest air fare. The cost
of attending a conference in Japan is equal to 10 months' payof a scholar
fom a developing country. Only those who have sacks of money in developed
countries can have an intellectual viewpoint to present before thw world
coomunityWhat is this networking,sharing of knowledge and infornation.
4) to solve the development and disasters in Asia and Africa Consultants
must come from the mushrooming organisations in every bylanes of small
cities in U.K. to grab the hefty fly by night fees and perks for helping
the downtrodden in the villages and slums of Asia and Africa.Is there any
dearth of knowledgeable and dedicted acivists who understand and feel the
social ,cultural and psychological factors in long term disaster mitigation
or development.There is also scope of conversion.
5) As my other fellow thinkers have said this imperialistic exploitaion and
deprivation in the intellectual understanding and consultancy for solving
the problems of disaster and development in  developing countries should be
eliminated and justice and fair play must prevail.
Warmest regards to all of you.

Prof. Durgadas Mukhopadhyay