Shortages of Gasoline and Medicine

Meanwhile the Washington Times report the following:

Nepal warned on Friday that shortages of gasoline and medicine would be severe soon as supply trucks from India stopped during protests at border crossings by hundreds of people angry about Nepal’s new constitution.

Acting Nepalese Foreign Minister Khagraj Adhikari called Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae and inquired about obstructions at the border, said Deepak Adhikari, a ministry spokesman.

The Indian foreign ministry in New Delhi denied there was any hurdle on its side and blamed protests inside Nepal for the disrupted movement of oil tankers and trucks loaded with medicine, sugar, salt, food and cooking gas cylinders.

The small Himalayan nation depends heavily on supplies from its giant neighbor.

While many in Nepal cheered the constitution that was adopted Sunday, some ethnic groups object to the territory or boundaries of the seven federal states, or want more government representation, and other protesters want the country to remain a Hindu, rather than secular, nation as was decided. The protests have been subsiding, but violence related to the protests has killed at least 45 people in recent weeks.

On Friday, hundreds of protesters blocked a bridge linking Birgunj, a Nepalese border town, with India. The area is nearly 300 kilometers (200 miles) east of Kathmandu, the capital.

“The protests have gone down significantly. There are some minor protests on the border. But Indian officials don’t allow the cargo trucks from crossing the border citing security reasons,” said Laxmi Prasad Dhakal, a Home Ministry spokesperson. “Hundreds of trucks have not been allowed to enter Nepal.”

Deepak Baral, the Nepal Oil Corporation spokesman, said only 40 oil tankers entered Nepal from the Indian side on Thursday. “Today, the supply has come to a complete halt.”

“Nepal will face severe shortages of petroleum products in a few days if the situation continues,” Baral said.

There will be a shortage of medicines in a week or so if the issue was not resolved, said Mrigendra Mehar Shrestha, chairman of the Association of Nepal Chemists and Druggists Association.

“There is already a shortage of saline solutions and other essential medicines related to diseases such as blood pressure and diabetes. The shortages will immediately hit the districts outside Kathmandu,” he warned.

The Indian embassy in Nepal said in a statement that Indian traders and transporters have had difficulties moving within Nepal and are worried for their safety. They fear their trucks will be looted by protesters if they ply unescorted by security guards.

India says that the aspirations of the disgruntled groups from the southern plains bordering India have not been met, and that the troubles might flare up violence spilling into India, where a large number of Nepalese nationals work.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/25/protests-in-nepal-causing-shortages-of-gasoline-me/

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Hundreds of Protesters block key trade checkpoints

The below report from NDTV shows some of the unrest that is currently being experienced in Nepal. Although this is 200km south of Kathmandu the potential repercussions are preventing the IES Team from going back at this stage. Hopefully though we will be heading back as soon once word gets back to IHQ that it is not as bad as the reports make it out to be. Especially in and around the communities that we have been working with…

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Vital supplies to Nepal were cut off today as hundreds of protesters who were opposing the new Constitution had blocked key trade checkpoints between India and Nepal. More than hundred trucks loaded with essential goods, cooking gas cylinders and petroleum products were stalled at the Nepal-India border due to the agitation.

The protesters belonged to the Joint Madhesi Front, claimed the new Constitution does not guarantee them enough rights and representation to the Madhesi and Tharu communities who live in southern Nepal.

Madhesis are Indian-origin inhabitants of the Terai plains bordering India.

At least 40 people have died in over a month of clashes between police and protesters from the Madhesi and Tharu communities and ethnic minorities who say the new internal borders leave them under-represented in the country’s Parliament.

The blocked checkpoint in Birgunj, 200 km south of the capital, is as a major transit point between Nepal and India. Though the shutdown in the region was lifted temporarily today due to the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Azha, the blockade continued at the Nepal-India border check point affecting normal life.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae today held separate meetings with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli and senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

According to reports, the leaders told Mr Rae that the two nations should improve their relations and the problems of Nepal should be dealt by Nepali leaders themselves.

The leaders claim that the Nepal-bound cargo and freight have been left stranded at the Indian side of the border and has allegedly not been given clearance.

Mr Rae stated that the problems were not created due to India, and the obstruction was caused by the protests in Nepal’s Terai and Madhes region.

Story First Published: September 25, 2015 21:15 IST on http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/major-trade-checkpoints-from-nepal-to-india-blocked-by-protesters-1222995

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Withdrawal from Nepal

This entry has been composed over the past week as I look back on our withdrawal from Nepal…

Within 12 hours of being advised of IHQ’s decision of our eminent withdrawal from Nepal for the time being, I was sitting in the airport with our team leader Andrew waiting for a flight to Kuala Lumpur. The rest of the team was due to fly out that same evening.

The flight from Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur was very quiet with hardly anybody on it, so I was able to relocate to one of the exit rows which gave me space to stretch out. The plane was only about 1/4 full if you were lucky.

Upon arriving KL I said my goodbye’s to Andrew as his connecting flight wasn’t until the next day and wished him well for his upcoming move to Bangladesh in the New Year. I’m sure that he will revel in it as he has been looking forward to doing an overseas ministry appointment for a while. It’s in his blood me thinks! 🙂

The flight back to Auckland from KL was a different story, it was quite packed and I had to move – this time due to my headphones not working, even after trying a second set (1st World Problem I know!) As it happens I picked up a bit of a chill on the flight due to not having a blanket as the flight crew didn’t have any left, which has manifested itself into a cold as the week has progressed.

After a couple of days on flights and sitting in airports (four flights in two days) I arrived back, safe and sound in Invercargill, New Zealand with mixed feelings over our withdrawal from Nepal. It was great to be greeted by one of the life groups / small groups at church who had decided to provide me with a welcoming committee. Obviously it was great to be home catching up with my wife Annette & the children. As well as seeing where things are at as far as the redevelopment of the former Hostel and refurbishment of the Corps buildings.

But it is also hard leaving Nepal with so much work still to be done. In fact if I am truly honest with myself my heart aches for all those that we have had the pleasure of working alongside, both those assisting with the cause and those that have received much needed assistance.

Some of the work to date has been finishing off projects that other people have been integral in starting, monitoring and almost seeing through to completion. We have also been looking at projects that we can continue with a slightly different range of outcomes as we continue helping those communities in need that we have already developed relationships with. While in other cases identifying with the help of other agencies, assistance required for communities that have had little or no help to date – either from the government or other NGO’s, that are working in outlying districts.

But it shouldn’t be too long before we head back to continue the work that we had started while we were there, and I’m sure that there will be some things we can do via email to help move things along while we await confirmation of our flights back to Nepal.

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