phayul.com
Tenzin Dharpo
November 25, 2015
People wait to buy petrol in Kathmandu/file
The deadlock between the two nations has continued with only timely rhetoric and accusation exchanged between New Delhi and Kathmandu. The Nepalese government has alleged that India is meddling with its sovereignty with this ‘undeclared blockade’. However, India has pointed to the Madhesi protesters within Nepal for the supply cut. Yet in the commotion the people have been left to fend for themselves. With shortages worsening on daily basis, the divide between ethnic lines and ‘us and them’ differentiation has been magnified with outsiders and refugees such as Tibetans beginning to feel left out of the increasingly visible circle.
A Tibetan woman in Nepalese capital Kathmandu, while speaking to Phayul on the condition of anonymity, said, “The shortages are affecting everybody in the city, yet in some gas stations where Tibetans have lined up in queues for hours have been asked to show Nakrita, the primary identification document for Nepalese citizens, without which they are refused the gas cylinder. I have personally been buying one LPG cylinder for 8000 NPR (equivalent to 5000 INR, almost 6 times its regulated price) in the black market.”
“Even the black market cannot fulfill the rising demands so many Tibetans and Nepalese are going to the Sanauli border (Indian border) themselves to buy supplies like medicine and fuels.” she added.
With such cases as attested being on the rise although without such distinctions, life in Nepal is on the verge of getting reversed with increasing number of people opting for wood for cooking and resorting to measures such as carpooling or simply riding a bicycle.
Another Tibetan, a 28 year old, said, “I personally haven’t felt such prejudice because most of the household chores are managed by my sister or my father but while going to college, it is difficult to find petrol for my bike. Even if you get it, it’s for 400 NPR per litre, that’s four times the usual price. The public bus is reducing its trips because of the same problem.”
The Tibetan Bureau Office in Nepal while speaking to Phayul could not comment on the current development and didn’t confirm or deny such incidences of prejudice against Tibetans in Nepal.
The strained relationship between India and its neighbor has meant that Nepal look north to emerging ally China to pull them out of the mess. The Nepalese government on Oct. 28 mentioned in a statement that a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) has been signed between Nepal Oil Corp and National United Oil Corp (PetroChina) and that China will supply 1000 tons of fuel to Nepal as a grant. The developments seem only a trickle considering Nepal got almost all of its fuel earlier from India; the open border between Nepal and India saw nearly 300 fuel tankers daily before the blockade.
Clashes between law enforcement personnel and people in predominantly Teria region and others have resulted in death of more than 40 people, according to Daily Signal News.
On the humanitarian front, the relief aids are blocked and life for people recovering from the two deadly earthquakes just few months ago are on a stand-still and necessary rebuilding project and medical aids stuck at border or far off warehouses. Adding to the woes is that the people in the erstwhile Himalayan Kingdom remain largely unprepared to deal with the first winter since the earthquake that brought massive devastation to life and property.
