Dean Nelson, South Asia Editor
The Telegraph
May 1, 2015
Announcement by Nepal government that all donations to help earthquake victims must be made to its prime minister’s fund raises fears millions of pounds could be allocated for political considerations.
International aid donors expressed alarm on Friday after the Nepal government warned that all donations to help its earthquake victims must be made to its Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.
The announcement was seen as an attempt by the ruling Nepal Congress Party to seize control of millions of pounds of aid donations being sent from around the world and raised fears that it could be allocated for political considerations rather than humanitarian need.
Some groups have privately said they will halt their earthquake relief fundraising until the threat of their donations being seized by the government is removed.
The row emerged shortly after the United Nations appealed for £270 million to provide emergency food, shelter and medical treatment to the millions of people injured or displaced by the country’s worst earthquake in 80 years.
More than 6,000 were killed, several thousand remain missing, and more than 10,000 were injured. An estimated 70,000 homes were destroyed and more than half a million were badly damaged.
The campaign to raise relief funds was dampened by the statement, which caused concern among donor governments.
Foreign aid officials said while it would not stop them deciding how their aid would be spent, it may intimidate smaller NGOs, including many from Britain, who operate social work projects in the country and have raised considerable sums for earthquake relief.
Four-month-old baby boy Sonit Awal is held up by Nepalese Army soldiers after being rescued from the rubble of his house in Bhaktapur, Nepal
A British government spokesman said no official UK money would be affected by the statement but declined to comment further.
The attempt to assert control of private foreign aid donations was made in a press release by Uttar Kumar Khatri, prime minister Sushil Koirala’s spokesman, who said he was concerned about the number of groups in Nepal and around the world collecting donations without the government’s permission.
The statement warned that any aid donations from institutions or individuals must be transferred to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund and that those who flout the rules will be punished.
“No individual or organisation will be allowed to withdraw such relief funds. The funds will be automatically transferred to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. The details of receipts and expenditures will be circulated on a daily basis. Individuals or organisations not complying with this provision will be punishable by law”, the spokesman said.
The statement was dismissed by foreign governments which said the Nepal government was beset by political wrangling between the Nepali Congress and its Communist coalition partners and had a poor record of aid distribution.
A woman sweeps the street next to debris of a collapsed temple at Durbar square in Bhaktapur
A senior United Nations official told the Telegraph the government would not be able to enforce its threat: “There is no way they’re going to co-opt anyone’s funds. They might think that but donors will never allow it to happen. The government does not have the capability to run this, that’s the reality.”
So far Nepal’s army has co-ordinated much of the relief operation according to humanitarian need, but aid officials fear that government control of funding could lead to certain districts receiving priority for political reasons.
One official for a small British aid group, who asked not to be named, said the statement had sown confusion and that he had tried to contact the government to seek clarification.
A member of the British military unloads a Royal Air Force C-17 aircaft in Kathmundu, delivering shelter kits and solar lanterns
“Less money will come to Nepal or it will come through illegal channels…I’m not sure how many of us will be comfortable to give the money to the PM’s fund”, another UK-based and Nepal-focused NGO official said.
“I propose for now we request our fund-raising donors to hold the fund for some time until we think it through”, he added.
