Democracy For Nepal

Saturday, May 02, 2015

The Perfect Time

English: Kathmandu. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When the tragedy hit, I was too far away - 10,000 miles - to be able to claim trauma. But I was in shock for a few days. I could not believe. The Dharahara toppling was too powerful a metaphor for all the damage that might have happened before the reports came in.

One of the decisions I took was I was not going to make political statements for a few weeks. But very soon I realized the Corruption And Criminal Complex (CCC) on the ground was in no mood for a timeout. Quite the opposite, it was gearing to go on a hyperdrive. And I have come to the conclusion that this actually is the perfect time to be talking politics. Because the CCC is hellbent on messing up the relief work. And if that happens, the world is not going to pour in money for the reconstruction work. And so now is the time. Nepal should not see a Haiti repeat. There also one of the first local moves was to collect all the incoming money into one account. After that the local elite went on a looting spree. That messed up the reconstruction possibilities.

And so now is the time for all concerned Nepalis to step in and hold the local political class accountable. Money will not be a problem. Money will come in, if not from governments then from ordinary citizens across the world. But that faucet will turn itself off if 100% online transparency is not ensured for all the money coming in.

Relief supplies left stranded at the airport: that also has a parallel in Haiti. The local elites there did that to send a message to the international donors. Don't send us stuff. Send us cash. It worked. They started sending cash. Cash is much easier to loot. There's all sorts of creative accounting you can engage in.

The one bank account all money is supposed to go to: that also has a parallel in Haiti.

Foreign governments are not above the 100% online transparency idea. When they pledge $10 million, what they mean is $5 million will go to their own nationals they need to hire, another $3 million will go to buy stuff in their own country. Of the remaining $2 million, the local elites will gobble up about $1.5 million. 500K is no pocket change, would you say?

Sushil Koirala is not that innocent. He might have walked into the Prime Minister's Office with only three cell phones to his name. (Why three?) But the PMO stinks. There is a large coterie of people who need Sushil to stay PM and come back as party president, because otherwise their wells start running dry.

Bamdev Gautam is the epitome of the Corruption Criminal Complex (CCC). The guy stinks through and through. If you want the worst for the Bahuns of Nepal, you would wish for them to have Bame as their leader forever. This guy vandalizes the entire administration. His underlings can't get promotions unless they show up at his residence with suitcases. His ties to the mafia are open, when he is in power, and when he is not in power. He wants the Home Ministry each time because that is where he is the most useful to the mafia.

KP Oli is uneducated and corrupt and verbose. That is an amazing cocktail of stink. His house is bigger than the Prime Minister's residence. And he won his first election only recently. He sure is no businessman.

Ram Sharan Mahat might be an economist, but he is a corrupt economist. He bought a new car for the Finance Minister, a very expensive one, only a few months back. It was not because the Finance Minister did not have a car. On the books it might look legitimate, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. When in New York last time, he organized a gathering of Bahuns to tell them, "We should corner the Madhesis and the Janajatis to the max!" This guy is not only corrupt, he is also a racist. Those are not two separate character flaws. They go hand in hand.

The list goes on and on.

They are already messing up relief work. They will thoroughly mess up the reconstruction work unless something is done by the concerned Nepalis across the world.

This is not only the perfect time to be talking politics, this is also the perfect time to be talking corruption. This also is the perfect time to be talking federalism. Precisely because Sindhupalchok is a Tamang (Janajati) stronghold did help took forever to get there. In a federal setup, there would have been lesser need to look to Kathmandu for help.

A commitment to 100% online transparency put in place by a bill passed by the national parliament will also make sure Nepal stays hot news through social media, because it is only a matter of days before some idiot blows up some cafe somewhere and global media moves on, and Nepal is forgotten by the world.

Complaining About Tuna And Mayonnaise

But the government, complaining it has received such unneeded supplies as tuna and mayonnaise, insisted its customs agents had to check all emergency shipments.

They want cash, and they want cash in a Prime Ministers' fund. They don't want tuna. Although some of the tents have ended up in private shops. This is an attempt at corruption, pure and simple.

They are not just holding up tuna, they are also holding up tents and tarps, food and medicine.

They want cash so as to engage in party building activities.

This is not time to engage in partisan politics. This is time to rise above party politics.

सरकारले काम गरेको कि नगरेको?

मुख्य सचिवले भने मानवीय संवेदनाको ख्याल राख्नुस्, पढ्नुस् उनका कडा छ कुरा

कर्मचारीले अहोरात्र काम गरेका छन्। सेना, प्रहरीले गरे अरुले गरेनन् भन्ने छ। बिजुली कसले बनायो? भत्केको बाटो कसले बनायो? निजामती कर्मचारीको दक्षता खोज र उद्दार होइन। त्यतिकै गाउँमा खटाउँदा कुटाई खाने अवस्था हुन्थ्यो। अहिले राहत आयो। हामीले सहसचिवलाई गाउँ पठाएका छौँ। १२ घण्टामा कर्मचारी फिल्डमा पुगेका छन्। सबै मोबिलाइज भएका छन्।

Nepal customs holding up relief efforts, says United Nations

“They should not be using peacetime customs methodology,” he said, adding that material was piling up at Kathmandu airport instead of being ferried out to victims. ...... Anger is growing as hundreds of thousands of people made homeless by the quake were yet to receive aid because of logistic bottlenecks, poor infrastructure and a chaotic government response. ..... Thousands of villages have been devastated, with up to 90% of clinics and schools in some districts rendered unusable.

भारतको रोल, चीनको रोल, नेपालको आफ्नो रोल

Politics भित्र राजनीति घुस्यो भनेर भनिन्छ।

तथ्यगत रुपले हेर्दै जाऊँ ---- मीडिया मा आउने प्रत्येक लेख लाई सीरियसली लिन मिल्दैन ---- मीडिया को काम नै हो प्रत्येक एंगल बाट लेख्ने, पत्रिका बेचने, कहिले भएको कुरा लेख्ने, कहिले नभएको पनि लेख्दिने। तर भारत प्रति निकै आक्रामक ढंगले एक वर्ग प्रस्तुत हुँदैछ। एउटा उदहारण:

महाभूकम्पमाथिको डरलाग्दो राजनीति

सीमित उद्धारकर्मी तथा राहत बोकेर काठमाडौं उत्रिएको चीनले थप नयाँ प्रस्ताव नगरुन्जेल राजनीतिकजगत् तथा सरकारमाथि ‘चीनबाट थप सहयोग नल्याउने’ दबाब दिन भारतीय पक्षले भूमिका खेलिसकेको प्रस्ट बुझ्न सकिन्छ ।

यो पनि पत्याउने कुरा हो? चीनको सहयोग नलेउ भन्छ भारतले? यस्तो विपत परेको बेला?

सोमबारसम्म उद्धारमा प्रयोग हुने भारतीय सैनिक हेलिकप्टर दर्जन पटकभन्दा बढी आइसकेको थियो भने चीनले सबभन्दा बढी क्षति भएको आफ्नो मुलुकको छिमेकी जिल्ला सिन्धुपाल्चोकको सम्पूर्ण उद्धार तथा अरनिको राजमार्ग २४ घन्टाभित्रै खुलाइदिने प्रस्ताव गर्‍याे । सो प्रक्रियाका लागि आफूले १० वटा स–साना हेलिकप्टर तयार राखेको समेत जनाउ दियो । .... नेपाल सरकारको स्वीकृतिको पर्खाइमा रहेको चिनियाँ टोलीले गृहलगायतका प्रभावकारी सबै मन्त्रालयलाई अनुमतिका लागि गुहार्‍याे । तर, सबै मन्त्रालय मौन रहे । यसरी मौन रहनुमा भारतीयहरुले चिनियाँ काम प्रभावकारी नहोस् भनी हालेको छेकबारका रुपमा कूटनीतिक विश्लेषकहरुले टिप्पणी गरेका छन् । ...... सरकारसँग क्षतिग्रस्त जिल्लाहरुमा उद्धारका लागि आवश्यक सामग्री नहुनु तर आफैंले गर्छु भनेर प्रस्ताव गरेको चिनिया सहयोग–प्रस्ताव अस्वीकार गरिनु राजनीतिक खेल मात्रै नभएर मानिसहरुमाथि गरिएको अपराध समेत हो । यसो हुनुको खास कारण भारतीयहरु ‘नेपालमा चिनियाँ प्रभाव बढ्न नदिने’ आफ्नो स्वार्थमा तल्लिन रहनु तथा नेपाल सरकार र मुख्यतः गृहप्रशासन भारतीयहरुका अगाडि लाचार हुनु नै हो भन्ने कुरा स्वतः स्पष्ट छ । यो सवालमा गृहमन्त्री वामदेव गौतमको चर्को आलोचना हुँदै आइरहेको छ ।

ल भयो अब! बामे ले गरेको ठुलो गलती को दोष मोदीले लिनुपर्ने? बामे त्यही मान्छे हो जसले मोदीलाई जनकपुर जान दिएन। याद छ? अमेरिका ऑस्ट्रेलिया मा मोदीले आम सभामा बोल्दा अमेरिका ऑस्ट्रेलिया को राष्ट्रियता लाई धक्का पुगेन। ओबामा खुदले कहिले सेंट्रल पार्कमा बोलेको छैन, मोदीले बोल्यो। जनकपुरमा आम सभामा बोल्दा नेपालको राष्ट्रियता मा धक्का पुग्ने जस्तो लाग्यो उसलाई! ५०० करोडको घाटा लाग्यो जनकपुरलाई बामेको बदमाशीले गर्दा। त्यो बामे को गल्तीको दोष मोदीले लिनुपर्ने?

सिन्धुपाल्चोक तामांग हरुको इलाका हो, बाहुन हरुको इलाका होइन, अनि बामे लाई किन मतलब हुन्छ त सिन्धुपाल्चोकको? संघीयता मा यसरी विपत पर्दा काठमाण्डु को मुख ताक्नु पर्ने हुँदैन। भाको कुरा।

यसबीच अन्तर्राष्टिय सञ्चार माध्यमहरुमा भारतीयहरुले ठूलठूला हल्ला गर्न भ्याए । आफ्नो उपस्थितिविना नेपालमा उद्धार नै सम्भव नरहेको भन्नेजस्ता हल्ला चलाए । यता आफूले उद्धार गर्न भनी ल्याएका हेलिकप्टरहरु भारतीय मिडियाका सञ्चारकर्मीहरुलाई घुमाउन र ‘लाइभ’ खिँचाउन प्रयोग गराए । एक चर्चित सञ्चारकर्मी टेलिफोनबाट दोलखाको एक घटनालाई दुःखद् रुपमा सुनाउँदै थिए–‘बुधबार दिउँसो भारतीय हेलिकप्टर दोलखाको चाइनासँग सीमा जोडिएको लामाबगर पुग्यो, ११ वटा त्रिपाल झार्यो अनि ३ जना भारतीय नागरिक लिएर फर्कियो । यसले भारतीयहरुको काम गर्ने शैली र स्वार्थ प्रस्ट्याउँछ ।

भारत बाट गरिने सहयोग को खर्च भनेको भारतको करदाता ले हो। अनि त्यो करदाता लाई जानकारी गराउने भनेको मीडिया बाट हो। फर्किंदा "३ जना भारतीय नागरिक" नटिपेर हेलिकॉप्टर खाली नै फर्केको भए राम्रो हो? के भनेको?

I am sure there have been inevitable issues with logistics. That is where it has been for the Nepal Government to play a key role. But look at these:

प्रत्यक दिन ५०००० खाना उपलब्ध गराउछौं, सरकारले समन्वय गरेन: शिरोमणी गुरुद्वारा प्रबन्धक कमिटी
विदेशी उद्धार टोली परिचालन नभई फर्किने तयारीमा

विदेशमा रहेको प्रधान मंत्री लाई आफ्नो देशको इतिहास को सबै भन्दा ठुलो ट्रेजेडी को समाचार उसको आफ्नो सरकारको कसैले दिएन -- मोदीले व्यक्तिगत दियो। राष्ट्रियता ले ओतप्रोत उसकै उप प्रधान मंत्री अझ कायम मुकायम प्रधान मंत्री किन भएन त्यो समाचार दिने पहिलो मान्छे?

चीन ले अध्ययन नै गरिरहँदा भारतले पहिले खेप मदत पठाइ सकेको थियो। नेपालको राहत प्रयासमा चीन को भारत संग कुनै प्रतिस्प्रधा छैन, हामी मिलेर काम गर्छौं भनेर चीनले बिज्ञप्ति निकाल्यो। भारतले प्लेन मा त पठायो पठायो, तुरुन्तै ५०० ट्रक सामान पठायो, तेल जति चाहिन्छ लेउ भन्यो।

बरु कांग्रेसले पार्टीगत बदमाशी गरेको देखियो। यो संगठन विस्तार गर्ने समय होइन बाबा --- time for that will come. That time is not now.

विनाशकारी भूकम्पबाट घाइतेहरुलाई उद्धारमा समेत सत्तासीन दल, मन्त्री तथा पहुँचवाला नेताहरुबीच राजनीति चल्यो । सत्तासीन दलका केही मन्त्रीहरु हेलिकप्टर चढेर तुलनात्मक रुपले कमै मात्र प्रभावित आफ्ना गाउँघर पुगे अनि आफन्तजनहरुलाई बटुलेर काठमाडौं फर्किए । प्रभावित जिल्लाहरुमा समेत पहुँचवाला नेताहरुले चाँडो उद्धार तथा राहत पुर्याए भने पहुँच नभएका नेताहरु भएका जिल्ला तथा क्षेत्रहरुमा निकै ढिलोगरी मात्रै उद्धार तथा राहत पुग्यो–पुग्दैछ ।

यता अब करिब करिब उद्धार सकिएपछि राहत दिन ढिलो भइसकेका बेला अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय तथा राष्ट्रिय सहयोगबाट प्राप्त राहत सामग्री सेनाका ब्यारेक तथा जिल्लाका केन्द्रहरुमा थुप्रिएर बसेका छन्; उता पीडित मानिसहरु भोकै मर्ने स्थिति बनिसकेको छ । राहतलाई व्यवस्थित गर्न सत्तासीन दलले मात्रै सक्ने र भ्याउने अवस्था छैन । सत्तासीन दल राहत वितरण तथा उद्धारकार्यलाई समेत ‘भोटको राजनीति’ सँग जोडेर हेरिरहेका छन् ।

प्रभावित जिल्लाहरुमा गाविसस्तरसम्म तत्कालै सर्वपक्षीय राहत तथा उद्धारा समितिहरु बनाउनु र व्यवस्थित गर्नुको सट्टा उनीहरु आफ्ना कार्यकर्ताका हातबाट ‘राहत वितरण’ को चाँजोपाँजो कसरी मिलाउने भनी जोखाना हेरिबसेका छन् । सत्तासीन दलले राहतलाई राजनीतिक फाइदा–घाटासँग जोड्दा प्रतिपक्षी दलहरु पनि आ–आफ्नो ढंगले मात्रै राहत तथा उद्धारमा लागेका देखिन्छन् । आवश्यकता भने सम्पूर्ण शक्ति एकीकृत रुपमा राहत तथा उद्धारमा खट्नुपर्ने छ ।

दुःखद् पक्ष अर्को पनि के हो भने यति ठूलो विपत्तिको घडीमा समेत राजनीतिक नेताहरुको सर्वपक्षीय बैठक र महाविपत्तिको एकीकृत निर्णय हुन सकेन । औपचारिकतामा सीमित एउटा सर्वपक्षीय बैठक बसे पनि त्यसले कुनै ठोस निर्णय र योजना निर्माण गरेन । सरकार यति असरल्ल देखियो कि ऊ सम्पूर्ण रुपमा भूकम्पसँगै बिलिन भयो र सरकारको प्रत्याभूति दिनै सकेन ।

Dipak Jung Thapa writes- भारत विरोधी लाई भारत को विरोध न गरि खानै पच्दैन.. ल हेर्नुस सानो उदाहरण भारतिय कोकाकोलाले आइतबार १० हजार वटा एक लिटर पानीका बोतलहरु नेपालमा पठाइसकेको छ। त्यस्तै गोदरेज इन्ड्रष्ट्रीजका कामदारले पनि एक दिन बराबरको तलब रकम नेपाल पठाउने निर्णय गरेका छन्। भारतीय टाटा कम्पनी महिन्द्रा एण्ड महिन्द्राले भने आधार शिविरमा सहयोग पुर्‍याउनको लागि आफ्नो नेपाल स्थित बितरकलाई सो स्थानमा ट्रयाक्टर र पिक अप पठाउन निर्देशन दिएको छ। त्यसैगरी भारतीय आइटिसीको नेपाल स्थित भातृ कम्पनी सुर्य नेपाललेे खाद्य पदार्थका दुई लाख प्याकेट र नौ टन बराबरको आफुले उत्पादन गर्दै आएकेा बिस्कुट पठाएको छ। भारतको डावर कम्पनीको भातृ कम्पनी डाबर नेपालले जुस तथा ग्लुकोजको प्याकेट पठाएको छ। इमामी कम्पनीले ब्ल्यांकेट तथा औषधि पठाएको छ भने रस्ना कम्पनीले भने सात टन बराबरको ग्लाुकोज तथा पाउडर दुध पठाउने भएको छ । पेमेन्ट बालेट अक्सीजेनले दैनिक कारोबारको एक प्रतिशत रकम भुकम्प पिडितलाई प्रदान गर्ने निर्णय गरेकेा छ। स्पाइस जेटले बिभिन्न देशबाट नेपालका लागि प्रदान गरिएको राहत सामाग्री, डाक्टर र उद्धारकर्मीहरुलाई निशुल्क नेपाल सम्म ल्याइदिने भएको छ। त्यस्तै एयर इन्डियाले भाडादरमा केही कमि ल्याएको छ।

What Do You Make Of This?

Doctor warns 2nd wave of deaths could hit Nepal

Nepal is desperately poor. Its hospitals are overcrowded with earthquake survivors who need urgent medical treatment, and the threat of infectious disease, given the dismal circumstances at the overstrained facilities, is real and mounting. .... With clean water in short supply, what Barley's really worried about now is infection and disease. ...... "Just about anything you can get in the tropics, they'll be getting," Barley warned of the coming weeks for the survivors. "The number of people that may die from that can be bigger than the original problem of the buildings falling down." ..... the tent cities that have sprung up around the capital could become breeding grounds for infectious disease.

कुनै महामारी हुँदैन, हल्ला नपत्याउनुस्

स्वस्थ्य मानिसको शवले कुनै रोगव्याधी ल्याउँदैन ...... भूकम्पको साना धक्का कम हुँदै गएपछि वितण्डाको थप भय घटिरहेको छ। तर महामारी फैलिने अनुमान र हल्लाले अर्को डर फैलिएको छ। काठमाडौं उपत्यका छाडेर जिल्ला जानेको लर्को छ। ...... फोहोरले दुर्गन्ध मात्र ..... फोहोर थुप्रिएर डुंगुर हुँदै गयो। फोहोर कुहिएर झोल बग्न थाल्यो र त्यो पिउने पानीमा मिसियो भने संक्रमण हुन सक्छ। यसबाट जोगिने उपाय पनि पानीलाई शुद्ध बनाएर खाने नै हो। ...... भुँइचालोमा अधिकांश स्वस्थ मानिस बितेका हुन्। उनीहरूको शरीरमा कुनै रोगको किटाणु हुँदैन। शरीरलाई गाल्दै लाने ब्याक्टेरियाबाट महामारी फैलिने भन्ने हुँदैन। ....... सिन्धुपाल्चोक जिल्लामा मात्रै २५ सय भन्दा बढीको मृत्यु भएको खवर आइसकेको छ। गोठमा बाँधिएका गाई, भैंसी, खसी, बाख्रा मानिस झन् ठूलो संख्यामा मरेको हुनुपर्छ। अहिलेको पानी ती मृत जनावर भएर बगेर सानो सानो भलमा परिणत हुनसक्छ। त्यो भल पानीको मुहानमा पुग्छ र संक्रमण हुनसक्छ।

6 Health Challenges Nepal Earthquake Survivors Now Face
Nepal Earthquake: Health Threats Loom Over Survivors

यस संकट काल मा राष्ट्रियता माथि खतरा देख्ने हरु

The politicians in Nepal are making it hard for me. After the disaster struck, one of my resolutions was that I was perhaps going to refrain from making political statements for about a month. But soon I realized that was not a choice.

प्रतिपक्षीले भने- 'राहतका नाममा मुलुकलाई खतरा'

Rome is burning. And these dudes feel like the country's sovereignty is under siege. No, fools, the country itself is under siege. A massive earthquake just hit.

Enough Trucks, Enough Helicopters

There is no excuse for the relief supply logjam at the airport. There are only between 500 and 1,000 villages that need air droppings of tents/tarps, food, water, medicine. Trucks are good for the capital city. Organize soup kitchens - roti/sabji - at all major street corners.

For a few days I was in shock, and I was 10,000 miles away. So, I understand. But now is way past all that. The relief supply logjam at the airport has no excuse.

I hear there are 200,000 tents stuck at the airport. That's enough for everyone who lost a home, and more. Get them out there. Tents/tarps are perhaps the number one need. Just air drop them in every village. Can be done in one day with five helicopters. People will figure out what to do with them. They will distribute among themselves. Trust them that much.

People also know how to use basic medicine, like antiseptics to help with basic wounds. Drop them from the air. Drop food.

Friday, May 01, 2015

The Corrupt Ones Are Worried About Money Laundering!

I am in disbelief.

Money laundering is a manageable problem.

First start with all organizations that are already registered as non profits in their countries of origin. Then get them to comply with 100% online transparency. And let them go do their work. Chances are organizations registered as non profits and with long tracks of good work will not engage in money laundering.

That alone will clear up 90% of the incoming funds.

Speed is of essence.

Shesh Ghale Tells It Like It Is
Mass Action For Relief And Reconstruction
An Insane Act By The Nepal Government

For example, it is a pretty good bet that the NRN organization and Shesh Ghale are not going to engage in money laundering. So let him get with it.

The COC (Center Of Corruption) that is the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) is the ultimate "money laundering" operation in the country.

What Kills? Earthquakes? Collapsing Buildings? Or A Corrupt Government?

It is said, earthquakes don't kill people, collapsing buildings do. Maybe in Japan. In Nepal, collapsing buildings do kill people, but what really kills is a corrupt government.

Mass Action For Relief And Reconstruction
An Insane Act By The Nepal Government

Politicians and administrators known for their corrupt ways are looking at this biggest tragedy in Nepal's history and seeing this as their ticket to unprecedented wealth, and hence the call to try and grab all incoming aid. Did you note the call for cash? This can not be allowed. Instead, the global attention the earthquake has attracted, and the unprecedented unity among Nepalis it has brought about has to be used to do a thorough job of relief and reconstruction, and to kickstart the country out of its slumber, to take it to its deserved prosperous days.

The first 5,000 people died because they could not run to safety and buildings collapsed on them. The next 5,000 died because no one came for them for days. But another 10,000 might now die because the Nepal government decided to stand in the way of relief work.

Shesh Ghale Tells It Like It Is

राहत संकलन अन्यौलबारे अर्थ मन्त्री महत

In The News

Time: 1,000 Europeans Still Missing After Nepal Earthquake
CBS News: As chaos subsides in Nepal's capital, death toll climbs
New York Times: 3 Ways Nepalis Are Using Crowdsourcing to Aid in Quake Relief
CNN: Nepal earthquake: Mountain villages are cut off from almost everything
The Guardian: Nepal earthquake: two rescued after five days in Kathmandu building wreckage
The Telegraph: Nepal aid donors 'may halt fundraising' amid fears government will seize donations

The announcement was seen as an attempt by the ruling Nepal Congress Party to seize control of millions of pounds of aid donations being sent from around the world and raised fears that it could be allocated for political considerations rather than humanitarian need. .... Some groups have privately said they will halt their earthquake relief fundraising until the threat of their donations being seized by the government is removed. ........ More than 6,000 were killed, several thousand remain missing, and more than 10,000 were injured. An estimated 70,000 homes were destroyed and more than half a million were badly damaged. The campaign to raise relief funds was dampened by the statement, which caused concern among donor governments...... Foreign aid officials said while it would not stop them deciding how their aid would be spent, it may intimidate smaller NGOs, including many from Britain, who operate social work projects in the country and have raised considerable sums for earthquake relief. ..... The statement was dismissed by foreign governments which said the Nepal government was beset by political wrangling between the Nepali Congress and its Communist coalition partners and had a poor record of aid distribution. ...... "There is no way they're going to co-opt anyone's funds. They might think that but donors will never allow it to happen. The government does not have the capability to run this, that's the reality."

Thousands still missing after Nepal quake
Nepal Aid Workers Helped by Drones, Crowdsourcing
Quartz: Why women are more at risk than men in earthquake-ravaged Nepal
India and China’s geopolitics at play amidst Nepal’s ruins
The Star: How India’s help post-earthquake ended up annoying Nepali leaders

But less than a week later, the efficiency of Modi’s response — part of a wider effort to improve ties with the region since he took office — is having an unintended consequence: It’s made clear just how underequipped and dysfunctional Nepal’s own government has been in the aftermath of the earthquake. ..... Nepal brought up media coverage of India’s response in a meeting with high-ranking officials, triggering a diplomatic flare-up that’s gone all the way to Modi’s office, said a senior Indian official in Kathmandu who asked not to be identified because the subject is politically sensitive. India has had to spend time doing damage control that has distracted from relief efforts, the official said. ....... “What kind of government do we have here? I have not seen a drop of water or food in four days,” the shopkeeper said. “Maybe if we had a leader like Modi who took charge and was decisive in his actions, things would not be this bad.” ...... A front-page headline on The Himalayan Times on Thursday encapsulated the impatience: “Govt slow in distributing relief.” The day before, another front page story said “relief has been pouring in from all corners of the world but the government has no clue about how to get it distributed among the needy, nor is it willing to hold anyone accountable ...” ....... the problem in Nepal is compounded by national politics that were already fragile before parts of the country were torn apart on Saturday. ...... Faced with damages that the country’s finance minister says will exceed $10 billion (U.S.), about half the size of the nation’s economy, Nepal’s 28 million citizens look increasingly vulnerable. ........ “We, of course, all want to leave Nepal in charge,” Wendy Sherman, U.S. under secretary for political affairs, told reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday. “It is their country — how they want to proceed. But I know that they could not proceed forward in this overwhelming disaster. When you have a disaster like this, you’re in trauma.” ..... “All this talk of a new constitution and a new government is an embarrassment — this government is failing its people,” said Magar, a 33-year-old taxi driver in Kathmandu. “What we should do is beat them up and kick them out.”