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INTERNAT IONAL DESK
When Nations
Lose Their Way...
The problems of sma/1 newly independent nations that need he/p.
ER SEVERAL
days in the heat,
dust and dirt of the "fourth
world"
f
was enjoying the
respite.
lt
was
1O
o'clock at night, but
the hotel's restaurant was still
crowded. Not surprising, because it
was just about the only place in town
where the food was edible, the beer
cold and the air conditioning func–
tioning.
Jn this poverty stricken country it
was the best place for Westerners to
congregate. They could meet each
other and perhaps rub shoulders with
sorne of the country's educated
younger genera tion- tomorrow's
leaders.
1 had been chatting casually with a
young man. He was a good conversa–
tionalist, intelligent and well-in–
formed. Suddenly he said seriously,
"Lct's go where we can talk."
"We are talking," 1 said. "What's
wrong with here?"
"No, outside. 1 want to
real/y
talk."
He got up quickly. Somewhat
reluctantly, 1 followed him out into
the street.
It
was still stifling hot and
crowded-as usual. He led me
through the throng to his car- an old
French model of uncertain vintage.
"J didn't want to talk in there," he
explained as we drove into a gloom,
away from Main Street. "Walls have
ears, if you know what I mean."
Then he said, earnestly, "What do
you think of my country?"
" 1 have been telling you all the
evening that 1think it is fascinating."
"Yes, but really,
honestly,
you as a
Westerner, what do you think of
this?" He gestured at the ramshackle
shacks, the filth littering the streets,
the homeless families bedded down
for the night on the sidewalk.
"Well-to be honest-1 think it is
a terrible shame."
"A shame?"
"Yes. You see, 1 know a bit about
your country!"
T
explained, " I know
that you have resources, raw materi–
als, fertile land and an abundant
energy source in your rivers. You
don't have overpopulation and your
people are not savages. Most are
üterate, cultured and intelligent. You
have the potential rigbt now to be a
prosperous nation- perhaps the rich–
est nation in the region. But nobody
seems to care. Nothing is taken care
of. You all seem demoralized and
apathetic. That is why
1
say it is a
shame."
My young friend looked at me
sadly. "What you say is right. You
know what has happened? Since we
became independent, our country has
lost its way."
He continued: "Many of us, the
young people, are very dissatisfied.
But we are not foolish. There is
always talk of overthrowing the gov–
ernment. But in our saner moments
we know that that isn't the answer.
We know that this problem is
not just the fault of government."
"Why does your country reject
help from outside?" 1 asked.
"Because we value our indepen–
dence. You see, we know that foreign
aid has strings attached. With tbe aid
comes obligations- and that is what
we are afraid of.
"You see for years, our country
was a colony. Our people were second
class citizens in their own land. Our
traditions were subjugated to West–
ern and European customs. But we
are a strong people. We value our
ways, our customs and our religion.
So when we gained independence, we
decided-no more interference. We
would go our own way."
"But your way hasn't worked, has
it? Look at the results."
"Yes, this is our di lemma. We
know we need help. But whom do we
go to? We are a freedom-loving
people, and we take our religion very
seriously. The Communist countries
would help us, but at what cost? We
have seen what happens in other
countries- soon it would be the end
to our culture as we know it. We
cannot afford to sacrifice a way of
life for tractors, dams and power
stations."
" What about the West? They
would help."
"Yes. We would like the things
that you could give us. But you also
would bring
your
culture. We look at
your societies today and we say- no
thanks. We may be poor, but our
families are not breaking up. Divorce
is rare. Children respect their par–
ents, the elderly are Joved and cared
for. The streets of our cities are safe
to be in at night. We are afraid of
your way of life. Materially, you are
better off, but-."
He stopped the car and looked at
me. "My people have Jost their way.
We need help. But whom can we
trust? lsn't there anybody who can
show us the way?"
l saw something in this young man
that 1 had not seen before. He was
not just a radical or a fanatic. He
deeply loved bis country and had
genuine concern for its future.
He and his country are not unique
in today's world. Many smaller states
seem to be losing their way.
Wealthy nations are often quick to
criticize poorer countries for their
problems; not without cause. Al-