In spring 2015, Nepal suffered two major earthquakes and hundreds of terrifying aftershocks. That was bad enough, but in September the Temporary government (um, “temporary” is relative — it had been in place for eight years…..) released the new constitution, proclaiming it to be “the best in the world.”
The Nepalis of the southern plains were already protesting, but what ensued was a five-months-long protest by Nepalis of the plains (the “Terai’) which focused on obstructing all petrol and LP gas imported from India. Kathmandu was especially vulnerable to this strategy. The obstruction may or may not have been aided by India. ( oh, those Indians of South Block are such canards!)
During the time of the “blockade/non-blockade” I wrote a diary every day recapping the news, right here on DailyKOS, to share info that nobody was sharing, not even the New York Times. On my other blog, I debunked a government-sponsored rumor about getting oil from China, which gained 22,000 views in Nepal and brought me some notoriety there. Every one in USA focuses on the Himalaya when they think of Nepal, and now the observers were given the chance to learn about the flat southern plains that border India — “The Terai.” I spent five months in Terai — more than many Nepalis of Kathmandu. I don’t pretend I’m an expert, but I will share what I know.
Here in USA I was working as much as 72 hours a week on my new job and needed to dial it back on the diaries in January. Here is a bit of a catching-up……
Nepal in western media
I always like to relay news of Nepal that show up in USA reporting. The New York Times published this piece by Mike Chambers, a mountain climber. It starts with:
The morning of the avalanche was quiet. It was still unseasonably cold at base camp but the stiff winds had loosened, and for the first time in a week I felt healthy. I knocked the frost off of my sleeping bag and headed to the mess tent for a cup of instant coffee. It was April 18, 2014. Our team was scheduled to set off from base camp at first light for an acclimatization climb through the Khumbu Icefall, but we were still recovering from a dhal bhat-induced gastrointestinal disaster of the variety that makes you miss your mom. We decided to stay put another day. http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/author/mike-chambers/?_r=0
He continues with a riveting description of the April 2014 ice avalanche on Everest, then some commentary on the economics of Sherpas who are employed at low wage to serve the climbers.
I should note that both the 2014 and 2015 climbing seasons on Everest were cancelled. I gave my opinion on rock jocks back along, and it still reads well, IMHO.
Prince Harry visits Nepal
A member of the British Royal Family visited Nepal. This was the latest in a series of celebrity visits. the idea is to show what a tourist can do, underscoring the message that Nepal tourism is safe.
Subina Shresta
The inestimable Ms. Sta works for Al Jazeera English. The AJE channel is not available on USA YouTube, but she also posts her work on vimeo. Here is a provocative piece on child marriage, focusing on the eastern Terai.
In my view, she is the best, because of the cinematography of her reports. The piece above was shot in a Tharu village, complete with animals and wattle-and-daub housing, in eastern Nepal.
Blockade followup
The blockade is over, but the politics continue. The Prime Minister of Nepal has visited both India and China, returning home to proclaim success each time. Just yesterday, there was a “Joint E.U.- India” summit, and one of the press releases referenced Nepal policy, at which the Nepal government bristled.
US ambassador statement
Alanna B. Teplitz, the current US Ambassador, wrote an op-ed for a major Nepali newspaper, in honoro of International Women’s Day, that culminated with this:
In 27 countries, including Nepal, women do not have the same rights as men to confer nationality to their children. In Nepal, a provision in the constitution prevents Nepali women married to foreigners from transmitting citizenship to their children. This is unfair to women, and also creates the risk of statelessness for their children. As the government prepares legislation to amend or replace the current citizenship law, we urge officials and legislators to ensure the law allows all Nepali parents to transmit citizenship to their children on an equal basis.
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This is noteworthy because past Ambassadors do not seem to have made definitive statements on internal Nepal issues, and the Nepal press is quick to jump down the throats of any foreign ambassador who makes any such pronouncement.
CUGH 2016 in San Francisco
As I reported a month or two ago, I will be attending the seventh annual national meeting of CUGH, the Consortium of Universities for Global Health, in California from April 8th through 11th.
The final program has been released, and there are more than a dozen poster presentations on projects in Nepal. One of them is mine. As a promotion, my project will be giving a paranda to any attendee who wants one.
For doctors and nurses going to Nepal
I recently learned of a nurse from Seattle who is travelling the world for a year, looking at the way palliative care needs are addressed in various countries, and she blogs about it at End of the Earth Nurse. I was able to give her some names of nurses working in palliative care in Nepal. Here is my open invitation to any nurse or doctor travelling to Nepal that wants to network with Nepali nurses or doctors: contact me, let me know what you would like to do, and I will share contacts with you.