Dear Mr. Mcgoldrick :
The way earth trembled beneath our feet with 7.8 magnitude energy on April 25, was enough to send us in panic zone. But, what we saw on newspapers and television next day made us speechless, stunned and emotional. The loss of human lives and images of collapsed villages, temples and our monuments as well as damaged pillared high rise buildings were beyond imagination. While this made the world news headlines, our only international airport started having air traffic problems, and our cargo department was in serious problem to store and distribute with equal speed the relief materials which were coming-in in huge quantity. If we went by newspapers about the delayed response of our government to provide relief materials, it seemed TIA officials were incapable of handling the flooded support, that blocked air traffic as well.
When international news channels were talking about how many country acted fast to send Nepal their rescue teams, relief materials, and how people around the world were opening their purse and heart, our news channels were showing the faces of quake victims; saying they have yet to see the relief materials, or get a tent. Should then, we be surprised, if we read in newspapers during the following days, there was demonstration in front of Red Cross relief camp for tents ? Or the provocative interview on Kantipur TV of Home Minister by Dil Bhushan Pathak ? No, our media should not be blamed for such behaviour from mass.
The cost of massive devastation as a whole is incalculable, billions of dollar is needed to rebuild and reconstruct for long term. With this, fund collection is a must. We watched on our news sources, many nations started raising fund individually. Well known International humanitarian agencies were on the front row to raise fund to help Nepal, to help it rise from the rubble. Never before in my life, I have heard or seen so many people coming together to help Nepal and so much being raised in short time. Again, what is mere a hundred thousands dollar for US citizen or in European Nations is a million here in Nepal. Not surprisingly, that difference in thinking also remained the same in people just like the conversion of currency here and there. That just got collided, in a very bad way. In result, I/NGOs being lambasted in our social network or in many papers. It was interesting to read so many comments that would scare INGOs’ top heads, if they read in facebook post with links from prestigious sites in foreign land.
And just when I thought, generous people around the world have opened their hearts and purse to help Nepal, I read this on May 15th in UNIC, Nepal facebook post: The window of opportunity to provide vital relief to people in Nepal affected by the earthquakes is closing quickly, as urgent funding requirements remain unmet. To date, barely US$ 59.5 million, or 14 per cent, was received against the $423 million humanitarian appeal, launched by the United Nations and partners on 29 April. “If we don’t act quickly, the implications will be severe,” Jamie McGoldrick, Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal said “We can only expect misery, a crippling loss of dignity and the real potential for more deaths especially in the rural and remote areas.”
Ever since I read your words ‘a crippling loss of dignity’ it's been hitting my head like anything. There is no doubt, UN and all other humanitarian organisation have all good intentions to help Nepal and Nepali to rise from the rubble as our already poor government can't face this kind of disaster. However, we must think hard at this very point is, has all such good intention help, helped us to rise from our unending poverty ?
At this point, I have a question to ask you, does UN wants to cultivate begging mentality, that is so deep rooted here yet people deny it outright ? Is this kind of huge donation is what is needed to rebuild and reconstruct now when INGOs working in Nepal have doubts about channelling funds into our government account due to deep rooted corruption. Insiders know how our government works here in Nepal.
One burning question is, how long does it take for Nepal to rise from the rubble or how much money we need for this ? What do we have to do to raise funds, when we need vast money to address fast when we face this kind of natural devastation; sure is beyond our belief. But, when you were busy turning the West to raise funds for Nepal, see what our A grade journalists got in their head and wrote about it. Bijay Kumar, turned South to find answers. Politics is not my strength nor I put my believe in it, it does not offer us all the answers. So, I wonder why we have intellects in my country who turn north and south for all kinds of problem we face, be it political or natural mega disaster ? Reading this article by Bijaya Kumar, confused me but even if, he is the journalist, I read despite my lack of interest in politics. Should I [all Nepali] not be excited then, they are - South and North - competing with each other, who can spend more to rebuild and reconstruct ?
North and South are competing with each other and UN has raised more funds to help Nepal build back better but reading this post on BBC, might help you to get better idea about where the money goes in Nepal. Or why Nepal is still among the poor country in world sitting between economic giants ?
I have one more concern, when Bijay Kumar recommends the name of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai in his post, to be the head of rebuild and reconstruction department. Just because we are having hard time, does not mean we should go for Dr. Baburam. How can we forget this fast its “people war” that costed us billions of Rs and we have not even been able to recover from that ugly mess. No other party or event - other than our own low preparedness for every mega natural calamities including earthquakes like this- in this country, have costed this nation as much as Maobadi movement and its top heads selfish motive. If this country can do justice to its people, then these people should be punished for every bad deeds they did to this nation. But, politics is not my strength; so you might want to have a look on this post by Kanak Mani Dixit. Here, he gives us one of his very best analysis about the war. Still; he forgets to mention some very important informations in that analysis, which are : there are 40,000 young girls and women working as sex workers in many cabin restaurants, dance bars, dohori geet restaurants and massage parlours in Kathmandu alone. Reading a book published by Raksha Nepal on its tenth anniversary will let us know, majority of them are forced to be in flesh trade, because of maobadi war which created a civil war. Mr. Dixit may have forgotten to include it, in his analysis but you must be aware, why our children's homes are flooded ? why everyday 1500 Nepali leave this country, even after the war is over ten years ago ? Again, the answer is maobadi war and so Baburam’s name recommended, to head, rebuild and reconstruction ministry just because our prime minister is too old, too slow and too sick ? My point of mentioning all these is, when in need, please stand for the other option. Why I expect this from you ? Oh, I read in news paper UN requested our custom through government to be flexible to receive turks coming in with relief material.
When all media, agencies, organisations and government are talking about rebuild and reconstruct, I worry about absolutely other thing. Rebuild and reconstruction is possible by the help money coming from outside; is what scaring me most. I do not find my answer there also, because this too focuses all on physical construction not our mindset - there is UN or North or south who will take care of everything that goes wrong in this nation. Cant we find solution in between ?
This is the right time, we have to find new ways to create job opportunities in local market money.
Of all the donation money Nepal collects, minimum 10 percent of it, must go to separate account to be invested in, to create job opportunities and to generate income for our people. Each and every organisation be it government, [I/NGO], private or individual[s] whoever are collecting funds must contribute 10% of total fund collections diligently so that we see the progress in real sense in the years to come. This new policy must be made mandatory to all concerns. Otherwise, billions of donation funds will never see its full potential to bring needed change in this country. I have never seen Nepali joining hands to help each other to face the massive mega earthquake. This earthquake just opened the way for us. Can we continue work together for better result ?
We saw how international humanitarian organisation came forward to help and we appreciate it wholeheartedly. However, as much as we should appreciate what United Nation have been doing, I feel the need of coordination with all organisations that have been working in Nepal, be it small or big; local or international, government or non-government, because we are working for better Nepal, right ?
United Nations not being a business company, can work with our businessmen like, NRN's President - Shesh Ghale who is 99th richest person in Australia, Mr Upendra Mahato, richest Nepali in Russia and local businessmen like Binod Chaudhary, who is only Nepali listed in forbes Magazine. These three came forward to work with their own plan to rebuild and reconstruct. UN can also join hands with other small organisations which are collecting funds to rebuild and reconstruction like Help Nepal Network: One Dollar a Month Fund for Nepal, विवेकशील नेपाली BibekSheel Nepali, on close relation to make this concept work for build back better Nepal. New account for new concept and big or small the policy must work for all.
There should be couple of well thought and planned TV programs to be made, to help our people think beyond the urgent call and seek long term solutions; not just short term solution like shelter and food, when we will rise after the series of mega hits and hundreds of aftershocks. TV programs will bring many creative industries to work under one roof. For a television program to make, it generally requires a whole new creative team to work with; like songwriting, creating music, working on new concepts and ideas, photography, art, fashion designing, you name it. Creating new stars and new talent is also a must to keep the money rolling. Old and new talents can be mixed and new talents needs to be encouraged. Media in fact, is more powerful tool to bring changes in society and our media really haven't used that power in true sense, definitely not yet.
This will help keep rolling money in the market. TV shows can be used to bring behavioral change in our society. Other plus points of using television is, it also can be used as a platform to creating market for the products that our village people make which partner agencies have micro funded in rural Nepal. once they see it on television our city people can use it.
One teleserial may cost about 10 million Rs a year [approx.], but it will help create more job or money, there will be need to advertise which is another creative industry, bank should be open to invest in new concept of programs or investment rather than freezing their bulk money in unproductive fields like land and home loans.
Television show on National channel[s] and UN ? How can it work ? who are the audience and what are the subjects to be focused on this program ? Well, all that can be discussed further. How can UN stay away from our hyper reactive media people from this ? Well, UN can circulate news among its partner organisations 10% of its total fund [ in from of TVC advertisement, making those advertisement suitable to air at time like this and commit for whole year so that such programs runs smoothly and it will help individual company to make good program for the country.
Sunita Giri
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