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Climate change 'a curse from the gods,' Bangladeshis say
Written by: Esther Williams
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
Momena Begum and her daughters sit by the river where her home was washed away by Cyclone Aila in May. PHOTO/Esther Williams
Momena Begum has never heard of climate change. I asked her why she thinks the weather is so unpredictable. "This is a curse from the gods. We are sinners. That's why this is happening," she replies. I'm in rural Bangladesh listening to stories of climate refugees. Momena has had to move six times this year, and the distress is clearly visible in her eyes as we visit the remains of her old house, washed away by Cyclone Aila in May. On first sight Bangladesh looks like a massive swamp. There is water and mud everywhere. It's highly vulnerable to extreme weather because of its geography and its agriculture-dependent population. Every person I speak to says the same thing: They have never heard of the phrase climate change but they are all too familiar with its consequences. "We are already poor and we can't afford to move again," is a familiar theme. I ask people if they know about the Copenhagen climate summit and if they have any messages for world leaders meeting in December. DYKES, CYCLONE SHELTERS, TREES NEEDED Again the replies are unanimous: They want help to adapt to climate change. They want dykes, and cyclone shelters. They want deforestation to stop and trees to be planted. Those are their words, not mine. People living in Bangladesh want the same things as you and I do - education for their children, a safe home to live in and for their voices to be heard and listened to. It's amazing how climate change exacerbates an already dire situation, such as poverty. Momena fears for her daughters as they join the hundreds of people who are now living as refugees on a dyke. A disaster management officer from a local NGO informs me that sexual harassment is a new problem to deal with as families live in such close proximity to each other. Before coming to Bangladesh, I have spent months talking about the injustice of climate change, how poor communities are hit hardest by a crisis that is not of their making. However I am stunned by what I see. It's vital that rich nations agree a strong, fair and legally binding deal in Copenhagen that helps people like Momena learn to live in a changing climate and develop along a low-carbon path. The people in Bangladesh can't wait while world leaders default on their promises. They are literally trying to stay afloat and have lived on the edge for far too long. Esther Williams is an environment press officer working for the development agency Tearfund and Christian Relief.
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