LOFTY DREAMS

This is with reference to “Humanitarian needs continue to grow in Ethiopia” ( May 11).

The title cries help. And yet, somewhere else on the same planet and in the same world billions of dollars are spent by a certain Elon Musk for space travel, and some well-heeled humans have loty dreams of migration to another planet.

The irony and the idea cries foul. While humans on this planet are dying due to reasons that are certainly preventable, such as food and water, money is wasted in many parts of the world on frivolous and fancy dreams.

I believe it is about priorities. The priority to set things straight first on the planet we currently inhabit. To look at Ethiopia and its citizens that are in dire need of help. Instead of looking far away at a red planet and hatching dreams to inhabit it.

If we make the earth a beter place, we wouldn’t be in such an urgency to conquer another planet. Earth is beautiful enough and sufficient enough. All that is needed is humanity. Sadly, the existence of humans cannot allude to the existence of humanity. “An estimated 1 million people are displaced within the region, and their number continues to grow. Schools turned into temporary shelters for those who fled their homes. Every grain of food and every drop of water counts, and dozens of families sleep side by side on classroom floors amid the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

If this allows the rest of the world to sleep peacefully, then we have lost humanity.

Joyce D By email