Rebuilding a new nation: A way forward
Rebuilding a new nation: A way forward Mr. Kedar Neupane
Kedar NEUPANE <neupanek1950@gmail.com>
केदार नेउपाने, जीनेभा,स्वीजरल्यान्ड
Tribune de Geneve headline said it all "Nepal has lurched ground like a ship on the high seas" when the second major earthquake of 7.3 magnitude rocked Nepal on 12 May 2015 again. According to a study sponsored by the Netherlands‐Based Institute for Geo‐information Science and Earth Observation Kathmandu valley has a 300‐meter deep layer of black clay which amplifies damages caused by earthquakes. This region, therefore, is prone to liquefaction in strong earthquakes and vibrations can turn ground into something like quicksand – capable of swallowing buildings. This could mean by the turn of the century another powerful jolt could be a possibility. Therefore, future planning for human settlements should strictly adhere to the seismic‐resistant buildings throughout Nepal. Continuing series of shockwaves has created an unprecedented scale of humanitarian tragedy and developmental challenges not witnessed in our living memory since the great earthquake of 15 January 1934, which caused extensive damage to infrastructure in Nepal and India. It is imperative we carefully reassess our general approach to building infrastructures. The colossal damages inflicted by the recent earthquakes were so gigantic, embattled Government of Nepal may falter the reconstruction process no matter how hard it tries to convince the people of Nepal for we know government institutions and agencies are weak, inept and nearly dysfunctional. The mounting emergency needs faced by millions of Nepalese can be overwhelming for government's disaster response capabilities are cracking and its inability to respond to many in devastated inaccessible areas outside Kathmandu valley are coming to fore. At times, response appeared inadequate and mismanaged, adding further misfortune to vulnerable community. In this situation, there is a danger of over reaction from government, which is struggling with continuing political debacle and entrenched with bureaucratic challenges. This is unlikely to abate and could prove disastrous leading to existential threat, compounded by further loss of life and property. Millions of homeless people may end‐up living in tented shelter for months, if not for years. Everything must be built from the scratch. Rebuilding tasks will be arduous for economic gains have either disappeared or reversed by the extensive destruction. Hundreds of homes, schools, hospitals, bridges, roads and other infrastructure must be rebuilt; opportunities of economic means must be created and sustained. This requires money, takes time and needs appropriate technology. One early guestimate suggests Nepal's economy may have lost equivalent of years 'of national GDP and rebuilding cost may go as high as US$15‐20 billion. This is a staggering figure and a tall order for economically poor Nepal for it cannot finance it through domestically generated revenue resources. The overwhelming sympathy and solidarity displayed by international community for Nepal must not be missed by the government. It should be mulling over a program for reconstruction and rebuilding almost like that of the European Recovery Plan after the World War II , known as Marshall Plan, which was to rebuild economy making Europe prosperous. This plan must address all obstacles 1to post‐disaster recovery and Government of Nepal should look towards the future and focus on the destruction caused by natural calamities. Nepal is geographically isolated for it is sandwiched between China and India. Both countries were also hit by earthquakes and suffered losses. They are our closest friends and biggest trading partners. We must involve both nations in rebuilding effort. Nepal should solicit full cooperation of China and India and campaign for rebuilding program. We should leave aside political differences and must overcome individual compunction. Pursuing our over‐confident and isolationist‐policy‐tendency will not help for Nepal faces stellar tasks and crisis of confidence with population and international donors. Building a new nation cannot be business‐as‐usual. Given that the UN General Assembly has endorsed the flash appeal for US$ 415 million issued last month in Geneva by UNOCHA is a welcome endorsement. However, many Nepal observers believe rebuilding costs would be many fold higher than the initial emergency aid. The Government of Nepal should now, in collaboration with China and India, move ahead with a follow‐up consciousness‐raising resolution at the UN Security Council for additional support for 'rebuilding plan for Nepal', similar to the Marshall Plan. This is to re‐energize the world community calling for financial and technical assistance aiming at restoring one third of Nepal's population's lives which are at serious risk of survival and deprived of means of livelihood. In parallel, the government should also reinforce its own resolve to address the challenges with open door policy for foreign government's active participation. To lead the process, the Government of Nepal should consider a new consortium of friends of Nepal co‐chaired by members from major donors, trading partners and philanthropist advocates of Nepal. The suggested approach is timely for we would not want to stagger like some countries which faced large disasters. Lessons from unsatisfactory response and weak coordination during the hurricane Katarina, Haiti's earthquake and Haiyan typhoon in the Philippines should guide to our response to the crisis. Poor response to hurricane Katarina and Typhoon Haiyan were largely attributed to political inaction from the centre. Haiti, as a failed state, stumbled for reasons there was no one appeared coordinating complicated and diverse relief work, causing delays in aid distribution. According to Refugee International the aid agencies were dysfunctional and the humanitarian response appeared paralyzed. Oxfam also noted that relief and recovery were at standstill due to government inaction and poor donor response. Does not it sound familiar? It is worrying that Nepal, a fragile state, may also quickly descent into similar chaos. Kedar Neupane 17 May 2015 [Mr. Kedar Neupane, a retired United Nations staff, has worked for over 38 years in countries of Asia, Africa and Europe and lives in Geneva. ) - See more at: http://www.swissnepal.com/bichar/rebuilding-a-new-nation-a-way-forward#sthash.zkuBVgHS.dpuf
2015-05-18 7:17 GMT+02:00 Kalyan Bhattarai <kdbhattarai2009@gmail.com>:
friend i see nothing to be shy or sorry or unfunny/funny when two dogs are eying to lo loot the relief fund it is quite natural they will bark at each other after all you can not avoid the barking of two dogs for the piece of bone. It is proven fact that Nepalese politician are far far below the standard of dogs and it will be insult to dogs to copmpare the nepalese politicians with dogs .2015-05-18 6:57 GMT+05:45 The Himalayan Voice <himalayanvoice@gmail.com>:WHETHER TRUE OR FALSE, IT IS ALSO DEPRESSINGLY UNFUNNY TO HAVE TO READ FROM HALFWAY AROUND THE GLOBE !JAY HOS !--The Himalayan VoiceCambridge, MassachusettsUnited States of AmericaSkype: thehimalayanvoice[THE HIMALAYAN VOICE does not endorse the opinions of the author or any opinions expressed on its pages. Articles and comments can be emailed to: himalayanvoice@gmail.com, © Copyright The Himalayan Voice 2015]काठमाडौं । विनाशकारी भूकम्पबाट पीडित भएका परिवारलाई राहत दिने विषयलाई लिएर नेपाल सरकारका दुई उपप्रधानन्त्री आरोप प्रत्यारोपमा उत्रेका छन् । उपप्रधान तथा गृहमन्त्री बामदेव गौतले पीडितको पीडामा राजनीति गरेको आरोप अर्का उपप्रधान तथा स्थानीय विकासमन्त्री प्रकाशमान सिंहले आरोप लगाए छन् । ब्यवस्थापिका संसद विकास समितिको बैठकमा गौतमको खुलेर आलोचना गर्दै सिंहले भने उहाकै कारण राहतमा ढिलाई भइरहेको छ त्यो हामीलाई सह्य छैन । केन्द्रीय दैविक प्रकोप उद्धार तथा राहत समितिको प्रमुख गौतम भएका र उनले आफ्नो दलसँग नजिक भएका पीडितप्रति बढि राहत केन्द्रीत गरेको आरोप लगाए । मैले केही ठाउँको भ्रमण गरेँ, त्यहाँ कसैले धेरै राहत पाएका छन्, कतिपयले हालसम्म राहतको एक टुक्रा पनि पाउन सकेका छैनन् । यसले झन समस्या ल्याएको छ । उनले मेरो मन्त्रालयबाट गएका राहतमा राजनीति कतै भएको छैन ।
उनले जिल्ला दैविक प्रकोप उद्धार तथा राहत समिति मार्फत गएका केही ठाउँमा निस्पक्ष भएपनि धेरै ठाउँमा राजनीतिक आस्थाले काम गरेको बताए । आफू निकटका प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारीलाई आदेशै दिएर गौतमले राजनीति गरेको उनले आरोप लगाए । गृहमन्त्री गौतमले राहतमै राजनीति गर्न थालेपछि आफ्नो दल नेपाली कांग्रेसबाट सरकारमा गएका मन्त्रीहरु दैनिक गृहमन्त्रालयमा बाच गर्न पुग्ने गरेको बताए ।
उता गृहमन्त्री गौतमले राहतमा राजनीतिक गरेको प्रमाणित गर्न सिंहलाई चुनौति दिएका छन् । राप्ती काठमाडौं सम्पर्क मञ्चले गरेको रक्तदान कार्यक्रममा गृहमन्त्री गौतमले राहतमा राजनीति गरेको प्रमाणित भए देखाउन अन्यथा जथाभावी नवोल्न सिंहलाई चेतावनी दिए । मैले कुन जिल्लाका कुन स्थानमा बस्ने पीडितलाई राजनीतिक आस्थाका आधारमा राहत वितरण गरेँ, प्रमाण देखाउनु परयो फाल्तु कुरा गर्न मिल्दैन ।
गृहमन्त्री गौतमले उल्टै स्थानीय विकासमन्त्री सिंहले राजनीति गरेको प्रतिआरोप लगाएका छन् । राज्यको गएको राहतलाई प्रकाशमान दाईले पठाउनु भएको हो भन्दै उनका कार्यकर्ताले वितरण गरेको सुचना बरु मैले पाएको छु, गृहमन्त्री गौतमले भने । स्थानीय विकास मन्त्रालयबाट गएका राहतमा सिंहले राजनीति गरेको उनले प्रतिआरोप लगाए ।
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