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Resham Binita Bhujel lost her house and her husband in 2015, the year Nepal was struck by an earthquake. “When the earthquake hit, we lost our small house but luckily, all our lives were spared. We were struggling to feed ourselves when my husband met with an accident. Suddenly I was a widow, a single mother, and the sole breadwinner of a family of five,” the resident of Sangahachowk, Sindhupalchowk shares.

“For three years, we were living in a shed and it was difficult to feed my children with the little money I made. It was a relief to be selected by JICA as a vulnerable household beneficiary. The mobile masons helped us to build our house brick by-brick, which is stronger and will not collapse even if another earthquake hits.” JICA has supported almost 56,000 household beneficiaries such as that of Bhujek in Gorkha and Sindhupalchowk by providing technical assistance and financial help in building seismic-resistant houses.

Under JICA’s Community Mobilization Program, mobile masons, also known as “local engineers”, received expert training in seismic-resistant building. They then supervised the construction of houses in the two districts. Bhujel, who was trained as a mobile mason as well, benefited from the program in man ways. “I can work for almost 5-6 days a month and receive a monthly allowance from the government.

All my children go to school every day; I am hopeful that they will study till high school and secure a job in the future,” says Bhujel. “When the earthquake hit, our old house which was made of only mud and stones was crushed to the ground. When our children came running through the dust, we were very relieved to have lived through the disaster but worried about not having a shelter anymore.”

“I lost my job and had no way to feed my family of six. When JICA began the mobile mason training, I trained to become equipped with the knowledge of building earthquake-resistant houses. I began working as a mobile mason and rushed to complete the construction of my house to shelter my family.” Since then, Bhujel has helped build almost two dozen houses in her village. She now has a disaster-proof house, a stable source of income and her children also go to schools built by JICA.

Geeta Devi, a resident of Nageswari village is one of the women preserving the unique skill of intricate pattern making. The village in Tehrathum District, Province 1, consists of 26 households with the majority belonging to the indigenous community. The village lies on the border of the district due to which its problems and issues often go unnoticed and the people are deprived of information and facilities provided by the local government as well as the other organizations.

The area is quite dry and lacks irrigation facilities. This has made life difficult for its residents, including women who are deprived of opportunities to become economically independent. Women from this community possess indigenous skills of weaving cotton and making fabric out of it. Only women from the older generation possess this skill and if it is not passed to the new generation, it will be wiped out from the community.

Geeta Devi remembers her first weaving experience, “During that time only a handful of women had this skill. I always saw my motherin-law and sister-in-law get busy all day weaving cotton to make beautiful fabrics. I got inspired by them and learned this amazing skill. Initially, it was just out of interest, but now it has become the source of our family income.” “Cotton requires less water and grows well on dry land. After receiving cotton seeds from ActionAid Nepal (AAN) and Deurali Society (AAN partner organization), we started to grow cotton and it really grew well,” she shares.

“Through a reflect circle (an empowerment group), AAN also trained members of the group. I trained 15 women/girls to process cotton as well as weave fabrics. AAN also provided required equipment for weaving, which has been installed in the community building. It has made the weaving easier.” A reflect circle was formed in coordination with the local partners. The group included one member each from 26 households. Initially, the meetings were conducted weekly to identify potential areas for economic development, and cotton farming, as well as weaving.

AAN provided support of Rs 23,930 to procure cotton seeds. Cotton farming was first started in 11,192.28 sq meter of land. As production of cotton increased, residents wanted weaving equipment. AAN then provided Rs 30,560 to buy the required weaving equipment. Fifteen people were provided three months of training in cotton processing. The cotton fabric is called “khadi” in the local language.

“I am glad that I can contribute to preserve the indigenous skills of our community and transfer them to the new generation. Through cotton farming and weaving, I earn about Rs 150,000 annually which is three times more than what I could earn from farming. My husband and children help me by growing cotton, harvesting, processing, weaving, and selling. I feel this is more like teamwork. All the villagers can make more money from this if we can draw the attention of the local government in promoting farming, developing a good marketing strategy, and bringing innovation in the fabric-making process”.

Amrit Maya, 74, from Gaurishankar Rural Municipality, became blind from cataract in her right eye two years ago and then her left eye six months ago. Her daughter Bal Kumari and son-in-law Sahadev brought her to the eye clinic by bus. The 47-km journey to Dolakha, which is at the foot of the Himalayas, takes two-and-a-half hours due to the narrow roads, which wind up and down through the mountains.

Amrit lives with her husband Gyan Bahadur Nepali, 70. The couple has six children—Bal Kumari is the only one married—six grandchildren, aged 10–22, and two great-grandchildren, aged two and one, although Amrit has never seen the one-year-old due to becoming blind. Amrit’s blindness made it difficult for her husband to take care of her on his own, so Bal Kumari and Sahadev sent their 13-year-old daughter Maiya to help care for her grandmother.

Maiya has remained in school but had to swap to the local government school in the same area as her grandparents. Because she is already enrolled, she will have to stay there even though her grandmother has regained her sight. Dr Sanduk Ruit performed Amrit’s surgery and removed both cataracts one after the other. The day after, when her patches were taken off, an emotional Amrit touched her daughter and son-in-law’s faces.

With tears in her eyes, she expressed excitement at being able to see the light and said she was looking forward to going home and doing whatever work she could, including feeding her goats and cow. She is also looking forward to looking after all her grandchildren including the one-year-old she has never seen. Amrit also fulfilled the promise she made herself before surgery, to dance again, and got up and danced in front of the room full of patients and surgical team.

Amrit’s daughter, Bal Kumari, said she was relieved her mother’s surgery was successful. Before, she had to take her mother everywhere and she was scared she might fall down. Now, her mother is independent again.

An eminent group of Nepali personalities has appealed to the government of Nepal as well as to countries around the world to ensure the safety of Afghan citizens and to offer every kind of humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees, including giving them asylum.

The statement:

We, the citizens of Nepal, have been traumatized by the chaotic political situation in Afghanistan. Since the radical Islamic force of Taliban took over Kabul the life and safety of journalists, educators, women, children, human rights workers and individuals who have dedicated the past two decades to propagate liberal values in Afghanistan have been on the line.

In this extremely difficult time for the Afghan people, global leaders and citizens around the world have the responsibility to speak out and find ways to ensure the safety of those in desperate need. The traumatic images of ordinary Afghani people, especially women and children, circulating around the world speak of our collective failure.

Progressive and liberal Afghanis need our moral, economic, political and security support. The world cannot ignore the pleas of help from the women, children and young people of Afghanistan. They have absolutely no hand in terrorism of any kind.

As the Chair of the SAARC, we appeal to the government of Nepal to initiate an emergency regional consultation to address the humanitarian and security issues of Afghan citizens and prospective refugees. If necessary, Nepal must be prepared to give asylum to those fleeing Afghanistan irrespective of their religion and gender. Other countries must also urgently explore ways to help the people of Afghanistan in whatever way they can. Therefore, we urge all regional allies and the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

Friday, 20 August, 2021, Kathmandu

On behalf of Nepali Citizens:

Jagannath Lamichhane, Sooraj Ray, Prem Sapkota, Shusma Baraili

Shivanath Yadav, Dawa Lhomu Sherpa, Deepjyoti Shrestha, Anne

Dr. Bishal Dhakal, Saugat Wagle, Pradip Pariyar, Keshab Bohara

Aanand Mishra, Srishti Adhikari, Dr Jiwan Kshetri, Nabin Silwal

Basanti Chaudhari, Ganesh Budhathoki, Suman Adhikari, Kailash Neupane

Prabin KC, Basanti Chaudhari, Romas Khatiwada, Aanand Mishra

Biswas Baral, Janaki Ghimire Aryal, Bhola Paswan, Rukmani Maharjan

Thusar Neupane, Shila Timsina, Bhuwan KC, Shehnaz Banu

When Dang district-based entrepreneur Neelhar Rajaure needed funds for his business, he approached the Ghorahi branch of NIC Asia Bank for a loan. The bank went through the process and invested in him. He had been paying regular installments and interest to the bank as per the loan agreement when the pandemic struck.

According to local media reports, the bank repeatedly pestered him for installments and interests even at the height of the pandemic. NIC Asia also set the interest rate at three percent higher than had been agreed.

“How can they suddenly increase the interest rate without informing me? NIC Asia seems to have this tendency to increase interest rates at will,” Rajaure says. “We should stand against this malpractice.”

Shiv Puri of Tulsipur is a client of NIC Asia Ghorahi branch. In his case too the bank suddenly started charging a higher interest rate, which went up to 12.61 percent from the previously agreed 9.91 percent. A distraught Puri contacted the branch manager as well as the regional manager, but to no avail.

In recent times, there have been many complaints against NIC Asia’s interest fluctuations. The bank allegedly charges higher interest than other banks on lending and gives less interest in deposits. It has been found that the bank charges up to 13 percent on loans and gives as little as two percent on deposits.

Recently, more than 40 entrepreneurs in the district have urged the Nepal Rastra Bank to take action against NIC Asia Bank for arbitrarily increasing interest rates. 

Many argue that as Afghanistan is not even South Asia proper the recent spate of events there are unlikely to have any direct impact on Nepal, a fellow SAARC member state. Of course there is the question of the fate of around 10,000 Nepalis who are believed to be working in Afghanistan, both legally and illegally. Thankfully, their repatriation is in full swing. Other than that, there will be limited direct impact. But that does not mean events there will have no bearing on Nepal whatsoever.

“You must factor in the Nepal-India open border when we talk about recent events in Afghanistan,” says Pramod Jaiswal, Research Director at Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE). “Afghan refugees have various ways of reaching India, including on tourist visas. They could then easily come to Nepal. India won’t look kindly on such movements,” he argues. This is because India expects a spike in Taliban activities not only in India but in the whole of South Asia in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

Indra Adhikari, another foreign policy analyst, points at a related risk. “Even in Nepal, we have had plenty of problems with extremist forces,” she says. “At least for some of them, the victory of the Taliban in Afghanistan would be a huge morale booster.”

Both Jaiswal and Adhikari offer cautionary advice to Nepal. Afghanistan is an old victim of great power rivalry, and if Nepal does not play its cards well, it too could be a victim of the growing geopolitical competition between the US, India and China in South Asia. Nepal is a stronger state than Afghanistan, which is riven by multiple geographical and sectarian divisions. Yet that should be no cause for complacency.

“Another important lesson from Afghanistan is that overreliance on outside forces inevitably backfires,” adds Adhikari. The previous Afghan government propped up by the Americans seemed divorced from the concerns of ordinary Afghans. Corruption rocketed. “Just look at how swiftly the inefficient and corrupt Afghan military collapsed to the Taliban attack.”

If the Nepali state wants to learn from Afghanistan, there is much to internalize. If it doesn’t, the country will eventually suffer. 

Birth: 1950
Death: 14 August 2021, Kathmandu

Paddy is not only a staple in Nepali cuisine, but also the means of income for many farmers. Agronomist and paddy expert Bholaman Singh Basnet contributed prodigiously to this sector through his long career in research. On August 14, Basnet breathed his last at Om hospital where he was being treated for Covid-19.  

Basnet pursued his interest in agriculture from an early age. He obtained his bachelor's degree in agriculture from India. After this, he completed his postdoctoral studies researching paddy in the Philippines. 

In over five decades of his professional career, Basnet was involved for a long time as a senior paddy expert at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC). Here he became the principal scientist for agronomy and retired as Director for Planning and Coordination. With a vision to uplift farmers out of dire economic conditions, Basnet contributed immensely to make sure efficient techniques and technologies were accessible to them. 

With this determination to spread knowledge to farmers, Basnet also became active in the media for agriculture news dissemination. Through farming centered programs on television and Radio Nepal, he ensured that relevant information was reaching farmers across the country. 

Even after retirement, Basnet was involved in research with the International Rice Research Institute. He explored the conservation of native paddy species, cultivated new varieties of seeds and fostered open debate on such matters.  

Basnet also initiated winter paddy plantation in Nepal and was a major proponent of celebrating the 15th of Asar as national paddy festival. He was 71 and is survived by his wife and two daughters. 

Governance should be based on principles, not partisan interests. With the intent of strengthening his government, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is bringing an ordinance to make it easier to split political parties. During the tenure of KP Oli, his predecessor at Singha Durbar, Deuba as the leader of the main opposition had principally opposed a similar ordinance. This act of hypocrisy suggests the new prime minister is no different from Oli, at least when it comes to misusing the PMO’s powers for personal gains. Moreover, such acts are a threat to our democratic process.

Even during his four previous tenures as prime minister, Deuba was never far from controversy. He was among a clutch of post-1990 politicians who initiated the culture of offering inducements to MPs to bolster the ruling coalition. Even parties with a single seat in parliament got cabinet berths. The latest ordinance has similar aims. Again, this is precisely the kind of naked opportunism that contributed to the unpopularity of the previous government.

Our government representatives seem to have learned little from their previous mistakes. They are still tone-deaf to public criticism and feel entitled to do pretty much as they please. Deuba undoubtedly has an eye on the Nepali Congress general convention in November-end. He wants to use all tools at his disposal to ensure that he is the prime minister going into the general convention. In his calculation, it will then be easier for him to engineer his way back to the party presidency.

Reactionary forces couldn’t be happier. They are trying to remind the public of the ‘golden days’ under a constitutional monarchy and Hindu state. Public memory is short. Our political leaders have been so brazen and shameless in their actions, a sizable section of the public is starting to rethink. 

The allure of a benevolent dictator is an ever-present phenomenon in Nepali politics. Especially if our main political parties go into elections with current leaderships and their stale agendas, the rise of reactionary forces is a distinct possibility. Such foresight, alas, is in short supply among our top leaders.