The Nepal Army Has Been Doing Exemplary Work

From day one the Nepal Army has been doing great work on the ground.



४ लाख त्रिपाल छ, पीडितले पाएनन्

भन्सार विभागका अनुसार चालू आर्थिक वर्षमा भुकम्प आउने अघिल्लो दिनसम्म १ लाख ५५ हजार त्रिपाल आयात भएको थियो। ...... सोमबार साँझ सम्म २ लाख ४४ हजार त्रिपाल भित्रिएको देखिन्छ ‘भूकम्पपछि व्यवसायीले ६८ हजार ८ सय त्रिपाल आयात गरिसकेका छन्,’ विभागका प्रवक्ता सूर्यप्रसाद सेढाईले भने, ‘पहिले आयात भएका पनि धेरैजसो भूकम्पपछि बिक्री वितरण भएको हुनुपर्छ।’ यसमध्ये पश्चिम बंगाल सरकारले सोमबार पठाएको त्रिपाल पनि पर्छन्। उक्त त्रिपाल मंगलबार काठमाडौं ल्याइँदै छ। यो समेत जोड्ने हो भने मंगलबार साँझसम्म ५ लाख त्रिपाल हुन्छ। ....... सरकारले पनि करिब ३० हजार वटा त्रिपाल खरिद गरिसकेको छ। योसहित राहतका नाममा विभिन्न देश तथा दातृ निकायले भूकम्प अघि र पछि भित्र्याएको, खरकारले खरिद गरेको र व्यावसायिक प्रयोजनका लागि ल्याइएका सहित गरेर मुलुकभित्र ५ लाख त्रिपाल रहेको तथ्यांकले देखाउँछ। ....... सबै प्रकारका गरेर साढे ३ लाख घर क्षतिग्रस्त भएका छन्। ..... आयात भएको त्रिपाल कम्तीमा एक परिवारलाई एकवटा पुग्ने देखिन्छ। तर विवरण भएको तथ्यांक र आयात भएको त्रिपालबीच तुलना गर्दा झन्डै १ लाख त्रिपालको लेखाजोखा छैन। ..... ‘भूकम्प आएको दिन उपत्यका सबैजसो परिवार घरबाहिर थिए। पहुँचवालाले लिए। .... केही त्रिपाल यस्तो घटना पुन: घट्न सक्ने सम्भावनाको आँकलन गर्दै मौज्दात पनि हुन सक्छ। विभिन्न व्यक्तिदेखि लिएर व्यबसायीले मौज्दात राखेको हुन सक्ने अनुमान उनीहरूको हो। ...... ‘केहीले पहुँच भिडाएर २/३ वटासमेत लग्ने गरेकाले सबैलाई त्रिपाल नपुगेको हुन सक्छ,’ एक सरकारी अधिकारीको अनुमान छ। त्रिपाल नपुगेकै कारणले १ लाख २५ हजार खरिदको प्रक्रिया अघि बढाइएको ....... अहिलेसम्म त्रिपाल बढी मात्रामा हवाई मार्गमार्फत त्रिभुवन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानास्थल भन्सार नाकाबाट भित्रिएको देखिन्छ। अधिकांश मुलुकले अन्य राहत सामग्रीसहित त्रिपाल पठाएका छन्। अहिलेसम्म राहत पठाउने मुलुकको संख्या ३४ नाघिसक्यो। बढीमात्रामा भारतबाट त्रिपाल आयात भएको देखिन्छ। ....... सरकारले त्रिपाल वितरणमा सहजता अपनाउनका लागि भन्सार छुटको व्यवस्था गरेको छ। विभागका अनुसार वैशाख १९ बाट जेठ २० गतेसम्म जुन कुनै प्रयोजनका लागि ल्याइने त्रिपालमा भन्सार नलाग्ने व्यवस्था गरिएको छ। एक त्रिपालमा करिब ४७ प्रतिशत भन्सार लाग्ने गरेको थियो। एक हजार रुपैयाँ त्रिपालको मूल्य हुँदा ४ सय ४७ रुपैयाँ भन्सार महसुल लाग्थ्यो।

आकाशमा मानवरहित यन्त्र घुमेपछि सरकार गम्भीर

मुलुक भुकम्पको विनाशकारी चपेटामा परेका बेला कतिपय शक्ति र व्यक्तिहरुले मुलुकको गोपनीयता र संवेदनशीलतालाई चुनौति दिदै मानवरहित यन्त्र आकाशमा घुमाउने गरेका छन् । मुलुक यस्तो गम्भीर संकटमा परेका बेला आकाशबाट अनधिकृत तस्वीर खिच्ने को हुन् भनेर सरकारले अनुसन्धान गरिरहेको छ । गृह र पर्यटन मन्त्रालयले यसलाई मौका छोपेर गरिएको ठूलो अपराधका रुपमा लिएका छन् ।

२३ सय रूपैयाँमा त्रिपाल र चामल पुर्‍याउँदै बुढानीलकण्ठका विद्यार्थी
चौधरी ग्रुपद्वारा २५ करोड राहत घोषणा,१० हजार घर बनाउने
अमेरिकी ८, भारतीय १३ र चिनियाँ ३ हेलिकोप्टरले राहत ओसार्न थाले

महाभूकम्पपछिको खोजी तथा उद्धार कार्य सकेको नेपाली सेनाले अतिप्रभावित मानिसका लागि राहत पुर्‍याउने कार्यलाई प्राथमिकता दिएको छ। छिमेकी तथा मित्र राष्ट्रका सरकार या सैनिक सहायतामा आएको राहत द्रुत गतिमा भूकम्प प्रभावित क्षेत्रमा पठाउन थालिएको पनि सेनाले जनाएको छ। ..... काठमाडौं वेस भएका भारतीय वायू सेनाका ६ हेलिकोप्टरलाई भने मकवानपुर, धादिङ र गोरखा जिल्लामा राहत पुर्‍याउने जिम्मेवारी दिइएको छ। भारतले पठाएका १३ हेलिकोप्टर मध्ये ७ वटाले भने पोखरालाई बेस बनाएर उद्धार तथा राहत सामाग्री ओसार्ने काम गरिरहेका छन्। ..... प्रत्येक हेलिकोप्टरमा एक–एक जना नेपाली सैनिक अधिकृतलाई सम्पर्क अधिकृत राखेरमात्र उडान गर्न दिने नीति बनाइएको छ। सेनाले भनेको छ, ‘त्यस नीति अनुसार विदेशी हेलिकोप्टरमा नेपाली सैनिकलाई सम्पर्क अधिकृतका रुपमा खटाइएको छ।’

When A Nation Didn't Want To Know

A few years ago when i had gone to Kathmandu in the aftermath of King Gyanendra's declaration of a state of emergency in the Himalayan nation, an Indian diplomat posted at our embassy there told me how the first thing he advises new joinees is to remember that Nepal is a sovereign, independent country and not New Delhi's colony in the mountains. ........ Someone should have shared this very simple, very basic pearl of wisdom last week with the Indian TV crews and other members of the press as they went about barging into relief camps in Nepal that had no food or water, pointing cameras at battered faces and thrusting mics into mouths too numb to give a byte. ........ They did in a foreign land exactly what they do here ­ elbow people, shout each other down, intrude and aggravate.Just that everyone in this part of the world is used to it, even encouraging it at times. There are places, though, where such show of belligerence is alien to the local ethos. ....... At the heart of Nepal's frustration with the Indian media, voiced eloquently and strongly on Twitter through the trending hashtag #GoHomeIndianMedia, lies a more fundamental issue. A clash of cultures ­ i would go so far as to say civilisations ­ and a tendency to disrespect populations not living in the white powerhouses of Europe and America. ........ A polite, humble society where everybody elder to you is didi or dai and younger is bahini or bhai, Nepal doesn't understand the aggression of Indians.Its people think violence is best suited only to the battlefield. Road rage cases in the capital city of Kathmandu are rare, so is eve-teasing and molestation ­ all illicit manifestations of a misplaced sense of might. ........ When someone tells you something in Nepalese homes and streets, you acknowledge it with a `hajur'. The `tu' of Hindi, which translates into `ta,' is almost always reserved for the junior lot, sons, daughters, children, never elders. ....... What compounds the relationship India has had with Nepal is the condescension for a people who have always been fiercely independent, repulsing British attacks in the early 1800s with such determination that in a rare acknowledgement of courage in the face of adversity they erected a memorial at Kalunga, present day Nalapani, that honours the `gallant adversary'. So impressed and awestruck were the Brits at the valour of the Gorkhas that they would soon go on to recruit the hardy soldiers into their own armies, a tradition that continues to this day . ......... A friend from Kathmandu who studied in India ­ St Paul's in Darjeeling, St Stephen's in Delhi and later Jawaharlal Nehru University ­ would always tell me Indians do not realise, or refuse to, that not all Nepalese are Gorkhas, and not all Gorkhas durwans. ...... “It's only the most deprived, most needy that come to India to guard people's home,“ he would explain to fellow students at JNU. “It's like the poor Bihari, UP-wallah and Punjabi come in search of work to Mumbai as taxi and auto drivers.“ ....... It is this insensitivity and suffocating patronising that goes with it that had Nepal erupt in anger at the Indian media even as hundreds and thousands from this country opened their hearts and wallets to the suffering millions next door. ...... One of the close to 1,30,000 tweets that complained about our handling of the crisis in Nepal, already shell-shocked with devastation and distraught with grief in the wake of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake that left more than 7,000 dead and innumerable others homeless, said Dharahara has fallen, not their pride and dignity ...... There is a similar show of tastelessness that marks the `mainstream' Indian's attitude towards the country's north-easterners. Everyone is a `chinky'. In fact, in the eyes of many , the whole of NE, Sikkim, Darjeeling, Bhutan and Nepal form one contiguous, homogenous Mongoloid swathe, where everyone speaks Nepali, eats momos for breakfast and plays the guitar at night....... Going beyond, there is a boorishness being associated with us that is increasingly making the Indian a target of hatred and vilification across the world. The most reflective of this is our online world. There was a time when the slightest hint of criticism against Narendra Modi would awake hydra-headed defenders leaping from Pilibhit to the Paraganas, ready to chop your anti-national, unworthy and un-Indian head off........ They are still there, lurking, albeit a little less prickly after the great electoral triumph of last year. Not that you can say much against Sachin Tendulkar either....... There are many lessons for us in the Nepal fiasco. The biggest is that we need to respect people from the smaller countries and states. It's the same hurt we feel when America frisks our presidents.

‘कमजोर’ सरकार र राहतको ओइरो

सहायता घोषणा गरेका केही मुलुक र अन्तराष्ट्रिय दातृ संस्थाले सरकारको संयन्त्रलाई ‘बाइपास’ गर्ने संकेत गरेका छन् । ति आफ्नै संयन्त्र वा उनले छानेका नेपाली एनजिओ मार्फत कार्यक्रम लैजान इच्छुक छन् । थुप्रै प्रवासी संस्था र व्यक्ति समेतले आफ्नै ढंगले राहत वितरण र पुन निर्माणका योजना घोषणा गरेका छन् । ....... सरकारलाई बाइपास गरेर जान खोज्नुको कारण के छ ? कि त यिनले सरकारलाई विश्वास गर्न सकेका छैनन् कि सरकार मार्फत जाँदा आफ्नो प्रभाव र पकट कम हुने राजनीतिक लगायत स्वार्थ राख्छन् । अनि हामी चाँहि सरकार र राज्य प्रणाली ‘कमजोर’ र ‘भ्रष्ट’ ठान्ने अनि यस्ता विदेशी संस्था र निकायलाई अत्यन्तै प्रभावकारी र पारदर्शी ठहराउने हो भने कता पुगौला ? ....... सरकार कमजोर छ, यसमा कुनै शंका छैन । यो आजको दिनमा आएर अनुभूत भएको पनि हैन । हामीसँग यस्ता अनुभवका खात छन् । ‘अभिभावक’ सरकारको निन्याउरो अनुहार हामीले धेरै पटक देखेकै हो । अस्ति जाजरकोटको महामारी, गत वर्ष सिन्धुपाल्चोक-जुरेको पहिरो, महाकालीमा आएको बाढी, यस्तै यस्तै । ........ उही कमजोर सरकार र यसका संयन्त्रले यसपालीको महाविपद्‍मा एक्कासि चमत्कार गर्न सक्ने कुरै भएन । उद्धार र राहतमा भएको सरकारी ढिला-सुस्ती प्रति चर्कै असन्तुष्टी छरपस्ट छ । यो असन्तुष्टी अस्वाभविक हैन । तर यसपाली हामी सामान्य जीवनमा फर्किन ज्यादै कठिन बाटो हिड्नु छ, फलामका चिउरा चपाउनु छ । विगतका ‘साना तिना’ विपत् जसरी टरे, यसपाली त्यति सजिलो छैन । यसो भन्दैमा सरकारको विकल्प खोज्ने बेला आएको हो त? ........ क्षतिको विवरण, तत्काल र दिर्घकालिन राहतको आवश्यकता निर्धारण, कहाँ कति पुग्यो, कहाँ बाँकी छ ? पुन: स्थापना र पुन: निर्माणको मापदन्ड के हो? यस्ता विषयको एकीकृत संयोजन नगरी राहत र पुन: निर्माण प्रभावकारी हुनै सक्दैन । यो जिम्मेवारी सरकार र यसका संयन्त्रले नै पुरा गर्ने हो । अरूले गर्न पनि सक्दैन । गर्न दिनु पनि हुँदैन । ....... सन २०१० मा २ लाख भन्दा बढि मानिसको ज्यान लिने गरी गएको भुकम्प पछि हाइटीमा विदेशी सहायताको यस्तै ओइरो लागेको थियो । जम्मा १ करोड जति जनसंख्याको हाइटीका लागि अन्तराष्ट्रिय समूदायले उपलब्ध गराएको १३ बिलियन डलर ज्यादै ठुलो रकम थियो । यसबाटै सारै ठुलो आशा राखिएको थियो । नेपाल जस्तै गरिब हाइटीको पुननिर्माण मात्र हैन यो सहायता रकमले आर्थिक वृद्दी र जीवनस्तरमा पनि झलाङ मार्ने गरिएको अनुमान स्वाभाविक नै थियो । ........ हाइटीमा भ्रष्टाचार र कमजोर संयन्त्रको निहुँ पारेर सरकारलाई सिधै राहत रकम हस्तान्तरण गरिएन । कुल सहायताको जम्मा ९.६ प्रतिशत मात्र सरकारी नियन्त्रणमा रह्यो । ०.६ प्रतिशत स्थानिय संस्था र बाँकी ८९.८ प्रतिशत रकम विदेशी संस्थाले सिधै चलाए । देशमा यति ठुलो विदेशी र एनजिओको चलखेल भयो कि विश्लेषकहरूले देशको नाम नै ‘रिपब्लिक अफ एनजिओज’ भन्दै व्यङ्ग गरे । ....... सरकार झन-झन कमजोर र निरिह बन्दै गयो ।

हाइटीका लागि घोषित सहायताको अधिकाशं रकम देश भित्र नआउँदै वासिंटन र न्युयोर्कमै प्रशासनिक खर्चका नाममा सकियो । ५ वर्षसम्म पनि हाइटीको परिस्थितिमा सुधार आउन सकेको छैन ।

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हो, सरकार अक्षम्य रुपले असफल भएको हो

नेपाल गरीब देश। अमेरिका मा जस्तो, अथवा चीन भारतमा जस्तो बाटो घाटो छैन। गरीब देश भएकोले। त्यस्तै राजनीतिक नेतृत्व सँग पनि ठुलो अपेक्षा राख्नु मनासिब शायद होइन। गरीब देशको राजनीतिक नेतृत्व। तर नेपालको गरीबी र पछौटेपन सगरमाथाको चट्टान होइन, सदा सदा का लागि बसिरहनु पर्ने। पृथ्वी नारायण शाह का पालामा नेपाल र अमेरिका विकास को क्रममा उस्तै उस्तै थिए। अहिले कहाँ अमेरिका, कहाँ नेपाल! त्यत्रो फरक के ले पार्यो? कट्रीना आँधीमा नेपाल बाट प्लेन उडेर अमेरिका पुगेन -- अहिले अमेरिका बाट प्लेन नेपाल आएका छन। एउटा देश गरीब अर्को धनी र सक्षम किन? के यो गार्हो प्रश्न हो? सोध्न नहुने प्रश्न हो?

लोकतंत्र भनेकै खुला संवाद हुने व्यवस्था हो। वाद प्रतिवाद चलिरहन्छ।

पृथ्वी नारायण को पालामा अमेरिका को बराबर हुनु, अहिले आएर त्यत्रो फरक पर्नु ---- कारण हो राजनीतिक व्यवस्था र राजनीतिक नेतृत्व। नेपालले परिष्कृत लोकतंत्र पाए र सक्षम राजनीतिक नेतृत्व पाउँदै गरे नेपाल पनि चीन जस्तो गति लिन सक्ने देश हो। १९९० मा प्रति व्यक्ति आय का हिसाबले चीन भन्दा भारत अगाडि थियो। अहिले चीनले फड्को हानि सकेको अवस्था छ। अहिले फेरि भारतले चीनको आर्थिक वृद्धि दर उछिनेको अवस्था छ।

नेपालको भैंचालो केपी-बामे-सुशील ले ल्याएको होइन। प्रकृतिको प्रकोप। भैंचालो गैसके पछि पनि नेपाल सरकारको सीमित स्रोत साधन ले नभ्याएको नगरेको कुराको दोष नेपाल सरकार लाई दिन मिल्दैन। तर भैंचालो गएको दिन चीन को हेलीकाप्टर हरु सिंधु पस्न नदिएको बामेले -- त्यो त अपराध हो। काठमाण्डु एयरपोर्ट मा आइसकेको राहत सामग्री १० दिन सम्म एयरपोर्ट मा थुपार्नु --- त्यो त अपराध हो। १० वटा हेलीकाप्टर ले २ दिनमा प्रत्येक प्रभावित गाउँमा एयर ड्राप गर्न सकिन्थ्यो। भएको हेलीकाप्टर, भएको राहत सामग्री। त्यो अवरोध त अपराध हो। राहत सामग्री जिल्लामा लाने अनि त्यसलाई कोठामा थुन्ने --- त्यस्ता पनि भएका छन -- त्यो त अपराध हो।

पहिलो कदम relief को ----- त्यसमा भ्रष्टाचार र निकम्मापन भयो भने दुनियाले देख्छ अनि reconstruction मा आउनु पर्ने सहयोग आउँदैन --- त्यो व्यापक भ्रष्टाचार को जुन तम्तयारी भइराखेको छ -- त्यो अपराध होइन?

म असफलता होइन अपराध को कुरा गर्दै छु। अहिलेको अवस्था मैं मॉनसून आयेमा अर्को भैंचालो गा जस्तो हुन्छ। चुनाव को बेला गाउँ गाउँ बुथ राख्न भ्याउने सरकारले अहिले त युद्ध स्तरमा त्यो भन्दा बढ़ी गर्नु पर्ने हो। खै त?

राहत सामग्री ल्याएका ट्रक बोर्डर मा रोकिने काम पनि व्यापक भयो। त्यहाँ पनि ठुलो त्रुटि देखियो।

सरकार असफल भएकै हो त?

अहिले धेरै नेपालीमा उद्धार र राहतका काममा सरकार पूर्ण असफल भएको भन्ने निराशा र नैराश्यता जताततै देखिन्छ। हुन पनि अमेरीका र अस्ट्रेलियादेखिका गैरआवासीय नेपालीहरू राहतका सामान बोकेर सिन्धुलीदेखि गोर्खासम्म पुग्नु तर काठमाडांैमै रहेका नेतागण, मन्त्री र उच्च पदस्थहरू त्यही ललितपुर, कीर्तिपुर र भक्तपुरमा केही राहत बाँडेजस्तो देखाउनु र दुर्गमका गाँउहरूमा भूकम्प गएको ८–१० दिन बित्न लाग्दा पनि राहत नजानुले सरकारप्रति जनताको आक्रोश जायज छ। ...... विपत्तिका बेला सरकारको उच्च नेतृत्वले सबैलाई एकजुट गर्ने, जनतालाई यो कठिन परिस्थितिबाट हामी अघि बढ्नेछौं भन्ने सन्देश दिने र सरकारले के गरिरहेको छ र चुनौतीहरू के–के छन् भनेर हेरक दिनजसो पत्रकार सम्मेलन गर्ने गर्नुपथ्र्यो। यो अवसर पत्रकारसँग साक्षात्कार वा प्रश्नोत्तर गर्नेमात्रै नभएर जनपरिचालन गर्ने र सबैलाई एक ठाउँमा उभ्याउने थलो बन्न सक्थ्यो। विश्वमा चाहे त्यो अमेरिीकाको क्याट्रिना आँधिबेहरी होस् वा जापानको सन् २०११ को सुनामी होस्, राहत र उद्धारको जिम्मा लिएका मुख्यालयले दिनहुँ पत्रकार सम्मेलन गरेका थिए। ..... अफबाहकै कुरा गर्ने हो भने विदेशी सेनाले राहत कम जासुसी बढी गरिरहेको भन्ने संवेदनशील कुरा पनि बाहिर आए तर सरकारले न त खण्डन गर्न सक्यो न यो हल्लालाई मत्थर नै पर्ने प्रयास गर्‍यो। ...... तेस्रो समस्या, ‘शोकलाई शक्तिमा बदलौं’ भन्ने नाराका साथ राष्ट्रियरूपमा राजनीतिक शक्तिहरूको परिचालन हुन सक्नुपथ्र्यो । सर्वदलीय बैठक गरेर हरेक दलका मुख्य नेताहरू र संविधान सभाका सदस्यहरूको जिम्मेवारी तोकेर जिल्ला–जिल्ला, गाउँ–टोल आदिमा राहत परिचालन गर्ने गर्नुपथ्र्यो। तर हामीकहाँ हरेक दलले आफ्नै तरकिाले छुट्टाछुट्टै बैठक गरेर प्रतिवेदन पेस गर्ने र आफ्नो पार्टीले यो गर्‍यो ऊ गर्‍यो भनेर देखाउन बढी समय खर्चिए भने केही नेताले त नेताको काम राजधानी बसेर नीति बनाउने हो, गाउँ–गाउँ घुम्ने होइन भन्नसम्म चुकेनन्। ...... कार्यवाहक प्रधानमन्त्री वामदेव गौतमले आफ्नो सल्लाहबिना नै संकटको घोषणा गरेकाले रुष्ट बनेका भनिएका राष्ट्रपति ..... उद्धार र राहतमा सरकारको समन्वय एकदम फितलो रहेको देखियो । सरकारले एउटा इन्टरनेटको वेबपेज बनाएर आँकडा राख्ने कोसिस गरे पनि अहिलेसम्म कतिले त्रिपाल र अन्य राहतका सामग्री पाए, कुन–कुन जिल्लामा के कस्तो राहत गयो, कुन–कुन राष्ट्रिय र अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय संस्थाले के गरिरहेका छन्, संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघ लगायतका दाताहरूले के गरिरहेका छन्, कति रकम प्रधानमन्त्री कोषमा जम्मा भएको छ र कति हुन बाँकी छ, कति ज्यान गुमाएका परिवारले राहत पाए वा कति घाइतेले उपचार पाए आदि बारे सक्दो जति आँकडा राख्न र समन्वयन बढाउन जरुरी छ। ........ हाम्रो मुख्य दातृ मित्रराष्ट्र जापानले नेपालका ऐतिहासिक भवनको पुनर्निर्माण गर्न सहयोग गर्नेदेखि भूकम्पपछिको पुनर्निर्माणका लागि विश्वबाट आथिर्क स्रोत जुटाउन एउटा सम्मेलनको आयोजना गर्ने चाहना देखाइसकेको छ भने भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री नरेन्द्र मोदीले पनि भत्केका सम्पदाको निर्माण गर्न चासो देखाएका छन्। ..... सरकारले आफूले गर्न सक्ने जति गर्न चुकेको छ। ......

आएको राहतलाई भन्सारबाट सहजरूपले छुटाउने प्रक्रिया (फास्ट ट्रयाक) को नीति अवलम्बन गर्नुपर्छ। वर्षायाम सुरु हुनुपूर्व पाल, खाना र औषधिको व्यवस्था गर्न नसके महामारी वा भोकमरीले गर्दा धेरैको ज्यान जाने सम्भावना छ।

.....विगतका जनआन्दोलनहरूले सिकाएको पाठ के हो भने एउटा हद नाघेपछि नेपालीको धैर्यको बाँध टुट्छ र यसले अक्सर राजनीतिक परिवर्तनको रूप धारणा गर्छ।

Tibet Was An Independent Country For Most Of History

That is just a historical fact. For China to insist that the Dalai Lama say it ain't so is rubbish. Let's assume the Dalai Lama says what China wants him to say. Will that change history? Not at all. Tibet was an independent country for most of history. Nepali history books are full of references to Tibet. (Tibetan Empire)

What the Dalai Lama can say and has been saying is that he is not seeking independence for Tibet. He just wants to be able to visit. That is a fair, simple thing to ask for. Why can't a Tibetan visit Tibet?

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The Tibet Question

Speaker Pelosi presented the first Lantos Human Rights Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama this morning in the Capitol Visitor Center. Named for the late Congressman and human rights activist Tom Lantos, the Lantos Human Rights Prize is intended to raise awareness about human rights violations and honor the brave individuals who are committed to fighting for human rights throughout the world. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Not even the Dalai Lama is asking for Tibet to become an independent country. I am not going to exceed him in my expectations for Tibet. When the Dalai Lama was in Tibet one person was the religious leader of the Tibetan people, and the same person was also the political leader. How do I feel about that? How do I feel about bullock carts compared to bullet trains? The same person being the religious and political leader by birth is a political bullock cart. It is not a modern concept. And there is no ancient boundary I am beholden to. This is the age of globalization, internet and trans-continental trains. National boundaries matter less and less. What matters is trade.

But then human rights are religion to me. Free speech is religion to me. Religious freedom is religion to me. Political reform is in Beijing's best interests. It is not true the Chinese economy is too mature to attempt double digit growth rates. But the only way China goes back to double digit growth rates now is if it engages in fundamental political reform.

But then that does not mean copying the American system. If America were to get more democratic, it would bring about fundamental campaign finance reform. If America were to become better at respecting human rights, the American police would not brutalize African Americans, and the American criminal justice would not be so skewed against them. So, just like China, America itself is a work in progress.

China moving towards political pluralism and free speech takes it to cutting edges of technology. China going federal integrates it with Taiwan.

Tibet has seen progress in the physical sphere. You see shiny trains. But its cultural heritage remains sacrosanct. And I never have never will approve of the police brutalization of peacefully protesting Tibetan protesters in Kathmandu.

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Massive Infrastructure, Massive Growth

What needs to be done is fairly simple. Which means Nepal has been paying a huge price for corruption, political incompetence, and the ethnic myopia of its current crop of leaders. One more revolution (this time electoral) has become necessary.

India was richer than China in 1990, measured by per capital income. China happened right before your eyes, and you know it. 20 years would be enough time to turn Nepal into a living, breathing China, economically speaking. All you have to do is clean up the politics, get rid of the entire political class. They had their chance, and they blew it. Get in some new blood.

Those who are saying this is not the time for politics, this is the time for relief work are either dishonest, or ignorant and misguided. This is precisely the time to clean up the politics. If you can bring about 100% online transparency, that would kick start the system.

The work is obvious.

• Broadband is at the top of the list when it comes to infrastructure talk today. Get broadband to a village before you get a road there, and people could go to college right there, and they could engage in global ecommerce. 
• Roads and bridges are important. The political elite in Kathmandu has been doing all it can to make sure the Hulaki Rajmarg in the Terai does not get built, they hate Madhesis so much. The truth is, if you build that highway, that makes the Terai vibrant, and less Nepalis will end up abroad. If you are against sex trafficking, build the Hulaki Rajmarga. 
• Revolutionary education. This is the centerpiece. How fast can you take 100% of the population, young and old, through high school? How fast can you take 50% through college? You do that much, and you are a first world country. You have to use technology. You use the FM radio. Beam out lessons over the air. Adults too proud to attend school will tune in. Use MOOCs (Massively Open Online Courses) for the college part. 
• Health. Here I admire Mao and Fidel. You train health care workers and teachers on a massive scale. And deploy. 
• A business friendly policy environment. Modi is not a corporate stooge. He realizes that the government's budget is small. For all that he wants to do, he has no option but to involve the private sector. A small, effective government does the trick. FDI is key. The single, best, easiest thing to do there is to do the dual citizenship thing that the NRNs want. Let the diaspora bring in global money. You could bring in FDI, or you could send cheap labor to Qatar. Take your pick. 
• Once these basics are put in place, Hydro and Biotech and all the fancy stuff happen on their own. 

But it all starts with clean politics. I say it is Kotparva time. 

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Aam Aadmi Party: Message For Vivekshil Nepali

AAP: How We Are Different

This party will function with full financial transparency. Every single rupee collected by donations to run this people's party will be publicly declared on the party's website and all expenditures will also be declared on the website.

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Digital Sharing: How It Could Work

The ultimate step is to pass a bill in the national parliament. But the powers that be will not do it. Because the very idea of the bill is an admission that there is massive corruption in the country and it might go on a hyperdrive during the muddy waters of the relief and reconstruction work. This tragedy is not for the corrupt to get rich but for the needy to get help, to get back on their feet.

Step 1 would be for Vivekshil Nepali to keep expanding organically. They have to take the lead on making their work transparent. Keep the book keeping online, update in real time. Let the world see the money coming in and going out, to the last paisa. Use multimedia, photos and videos. Yes, you do have to advertise the work that you do. That is what makes fundraising possible. If you do a good job of "selling" the good work you are doing with 500 volunteers, people will donate so you can go on to 5,000 volunteers and beyond.

There is work that you do, and there is the scope of the disaster, and there is work that everyone else is doing. I believe there is a group that is updating a map in real time showing where the needs are, where the damage has been. That would be a good group to rope in.

Make a list of all organizations that are in the field working through publicly available data: governments, NGOs, INGOs.

Then agitate for a bill to be passed by the national parliament. Rope in Dr. KC, Nepal's Anna Hazare. You give an ultimatum. You go meet all the political leaders. You try to talk sense to them. If that lobbying does not work, if a public awareness campaign does not work, Dr. KC needs to go on a fast unto death to put pressure.

All this has to happen within weeks. The effort has to materialize before the monsoon hits.

What is the bill?

The bill does not take away powers or funds from any organization, government, NGO or INGO. All the bill does is create a volunteer corps of IT professionals who help bring about 100% online real time transparency to the entire relief and reconstruction effort. The transparency enhances effectiveness, clamps on possibilities of corruption, and makes possible fundraising. Inevitably some idiot will blow up some cafe somewhere and the global media will lose interest in Nepal. And media attention is what has brought in all the help and funds so far. You need media attention. So what do you do when mainstream media moves on? Because the work has to go for months and months. You use social media. The 100% online transparency effort will be designed to feed in pictures, video clips, infographics, and articles and blog posts about work that gets done. Everybody is on Facebook these days. If only the Nepali diaspora keeps sharing those pictures and videos, funds will keep coming in. Ordinary people will contribute. Remember, Facebook raised more money than the US government for Nepal. This effort will enhance the fundraising capacity of a-l-l participating organizations.

So there is a map of the need. And there is a map of where work is being done. We go down to the project level. Each project gets highlighted. If we do it right, we could get individuals across the world to adopt individual families. As in, here's $200 so you can buy some goats and start a new life. Because I know the money is going to you, I see your face.

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• Nepal quake: aid finally begins to arrive in remote villages, sent by locals
• 'The Nepali Government Has Left Us'

Exemplary Relief And Reconstruction Through Digital Sharing

विवेकशील नेपाली (Vivekshil Nepali), a young political party led by Ujwal Thapa, is best positioned to take the lead on this effort. He could be Nepal's Arvind Kejriwal. It was the only party in Nepal to have responded immediately. His response was faster than Modi's. And although the scale of his work is small (500 volunteers and growing at last count), it is exemplary in its effectiveness. It is the germ of something big.

Nepal is Haiti. But then it is not Haiti. The biggest tragedy in the country's history to have hit the country that has been the most popular among Peace Corps volunteers in the entire existence of that program is a poor but a different kind of country. I think it is possible to set pace, and set an example for the world. Look, this is how relief and reconstruction is done.

Nepal is a poor country. It has poor roads. I don't judge. That is part of being a poor country. Similarly, Nepal's politicians and bureaucrats leave much to be desired for, collectively speaking. That is also part of being a poor country. So I don't judge, at least not too much. But the thing is, unless the political leadership gets world class, Nepal will remain poor. With the right leadership Nepal will have the option to become a developed country in 20 years. I place much hope in the likes of Ujwal Thapa and CK Raut. Like the Labor and the Scottish National Party might come together, it is possible Ujwal Thapa and CK Raut will go on to form an alliance down the line. And that would be a good thing. CK Raut already has a political base. Whereas Ujwal Thapa's political base is rather minuscule at this point. This tragedy would be a great fulcrum point to catapult Ujwal Thapa to the larger role he deserves.

In The News (3)

India tapering off military aircraft sorties to Nepal

the massive 'Operation Maitri', with the deployment of 12 helicopters, NDRF teams, Army medical and engineering taskforces, will continue in full swing ...... Three flights each to Kathmandu and Pokhara from India, with food, medicines, blankets, tents, water and power equipment, were undertaken on Wednesday. "The first one of a C-130J Super Hercules, for instance, landed at the small airstrip at Pokhara with six tonnes of food and water. On Wednesday evening, a C-17 Globemaster-III and an IL-76 were awaiting clearance to fly to Nepal. ...... With relief pouring into Nepal from all over the world, the small Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu has become heavily congested over the last three days. After some Indian flights were forced to return from Kathmandu without landing, the IAF had even dispatched its director (transport) to Kathmandu and worked out a plan to send flights in "low density periods" ...... the "land route has become the primary route" now. ......

With 48 to-and-fro sorties of its C-130J, C-17, IL-76 and AN-32 aircraft, the IAF has airlifted 315 tonnes of relief material and equipment to Nepal since Saturday. "They have also inducted 951 people into Nepal for relief work, which included doctors and paramedics for three Army field hospitals, one IAF rapid aeromedical team and a naval medical team. On their way back, they have carried 3,193 people"

.....The helicopters of IAF (8 Mi-17s) and Army (4 Dhruv advanced light helicopters), meanwhile, continue with their sorties within Nepal, operating mainly from Kathmandu and Pokhara. "Apart from airlifting relief supplies, the four Dhruvs have rescued over 110 people from Pokhara, while almost 1,000 have been ferried by the Mi-17s"

Inside the Inflatable Hospital That’s Saving Lives in Nepal
Nepal quake survivors face threat from human traffickers supplying sex trade

“There is nothing like an emergency when there is chaos for opportunities to … traffic more women. There is a great chance that everything that is bad happening in Nepal could scale up” ..... “People here are now desperate and will take any chance. There are spotters in the villages who convince family members and local brokers who do the deal. We know who they are.” ..... Sita, who was rescued last year, was taken by an uncle “for a job” in India. Her parents, who are subsistence farmers and illiterate, believed assurances she would have a good job and be able to send back her wages.... In the brothel in Siliguri, Sita was forced to have unprotected sex with up to 20 or 30 men a day, seven days a week for a year. ..... most of these criminal networks were based in India, which made identification of traffickers difficult. The gangs have representatives and agents looking for suitable women across Nepal, but particularly in deprived rural areas such as Sindhupalchowk. ..... Many local agents do not know the eventual destination of the women, with some genuinely believing they will find well-paid work in Kathmandu or India. Others are well aware of the real nature of their “jobs”. One ruse is to promise marriage to wealthy foreigners. ..... Kathmandu also has hundreds of bars and massage parlours where women work in poor conditions, with many compelled to have sex with clients. These women are recruited locally, again often in zones hit hard by the quake. “Now [after the earthquake] it is going to be easy for brokers” ....... The uncle who abducted Sita was murdered by a contract killer. Her parents remain unaware of exactly what happened to her, though her brothers have found out. They have now disowned her. ..... Sita lives in a secret shelter run by Shakti Samuha. She does not know what has happened to her parents in the earthquake. For many days, communications to her remote village were cut. When she managed to get a line through to a brother, he refused to acknowledge her. “He said he had no sister and I had called a wrong number,” Sita said.

Nepal earthquake: Expert fears satellite mapping could point to more aftershocks

the stress that caused the initial earthquake may not have been fully released....... "There are a lot of concerns about what is to come in terms of aftershocks, because the ground displacement is much less than we expected. ...... the region would be safer if more seismic events were felt along the boundary of the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates. ..... "Normally we expect a lot of aftershocks along the plate boundary, but in this case, there are none," he said....... "After Sichuan, there were hundreds...here, there aren't many at all, just a couple of dozen........."[When] we see some aftershocks along the boundary, we say the stress has been released and we'll feel a little more relaxed. ......... "At this stage, I can't see that yet."

Why Is Israel Criticized for Helping Nepal Earthquake Victims?
After Nepal quake, time is ripe to push for safer buildings, experts say

more than 200,500 houses have been destroyed and 186,285 damaged. The government thinks the number of wrecked homes could rise to half a million ....... A key factor is explaining to people that building earthquake-resistant houses is not expensive .... For rural buildings, usually made with stone and mud, simple ways of tying the walls together with wood or concrete elements can make them around 80 percent safer and adds only 5 percent to the building cost ..... The extra cost of strengthening old buildings - known as retrofitting - may be too much for individuals, especially in a poor country like Nepal, but is still cost-effective for public buildings ..... Risk reduction experts say the best time to push for more investment of this kind is often in the wake of a major disaster, when the danger is still fresh in people's minds. ..... "The reason we have ... exposure to hazards is that there is something wrong with ... the way we are building our cities" ...... Disasters like the Nepal quake - which damaged rickety, close-packed buildings in the capital and elsewhere - expose these problems and offer a chance to build back better ..... "Don't wait several months, start immediately to think in this tragedy, how can we use what is now happening to improve some other things?" ...... She advised assembling a team of Nepali experts as soon as possible, with outside support if needed, to plan reconstruction and better urban design, before people begin rebuilding themselves in ways that would leave them at risk in the future. ...... Architecture Sans Frontieres (ASF) International, a network of professional groups including Engineers Without Borders Nepal, is setting up a network of built environment experts to assess the damage and help plan the rebuilding process. ...... ASF International chair Peter Newton warned against rushing to construct interim "pop-up" homes, which are not durable and are expensive compared with longer-term aid....A better approach is to assess existing buildings so that safe ones can be re-occupied quickly, providing temporary shelter for those made homeless ..... The challenge is how to provide relevant solutions for poorer social groups that have lost their livelihoods in the disaster, rather than just designing quake-resistant homes for them and raising money to get them built ...... "The aim is to have a bigger impact on people that are more vulnerable, which is a much trickier problem"

Nepal, aid agencies trade blame as confusion mars earthquake relief

A row has broken out between Nepal and some international agencies over the handling of aid that poured into the country after last month's devastating earthquake, with each side blaming the other for confusion and delays in getting help to victims. ...... The 7.9-magnitude quake, which struck 10 days ago, has killed more than 7,500 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. ...... Relief material initially piled up at the airport as Nepalese customs officials checked each crate that came in so commercial goods did not slip through. ........ Senior government officials said customs checks were necessary, because they did not know what was coming into the country....... Supplies included goods that Nepal did not need and many relief workers arrived without proper documents to enter the country, complicating efforts to move the aid effort along, officials said. ....... Some rescue workers, for their part, said they were frustrated by what they saw as bureaucratic delays and lack of coordination by the government. ...... Frustrated by delays and a lack of coordination, some donors are circumventing the government and sending aid directly through non-governmental organisations for distribution, adding to disagreements ........ Meetings about earthquake preparedness have been a regular feature in Kathmandu in recent years, and global donors have invested millions of dollars to help Nepal be better prepared for a major seismic event. ...... Chaos after a disaster of this magnitude is inevitable, experts said, and given that aid groups had estimated a major quake near Kathmandu could kill 100,000 people, they said things could have been worse. ...... the government had made an error by urgently requesting tents for Nepalis who had lost their homes....."When donors sent them, they were huge and heavy. What we really want are tarpaulins"

'Why Wasn't Nitish Kumar Allowed to Visit Nepal?' His Party Asks in Parliament

Mr Kumar wanted to visit Janakpur near Bihar's border with Nepal, which is around a half-an-hour chopper ride from Patna..... Nitish Kumar has not reacted officially, but sources say he had commented to his party colleagues that he would have been more surprised, had he been allowed to make the trip. .... "He wanted to go to Janakpur to express solidarity with people there, most of them are from Bihar. But there seems to be politics in asking Nitish Kumar not to go to Nepal," Mr Tyagi said amid speculation that the PM Modi-Nitish Kumar rivalry had played a role.

BJP slams Nitish Kumar for proposing to visit Nepal