[Frontlines: Defensive about the appearance of an “aid” scramble in Nepal for power, influence and control, former Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Zhang Chunxiang said, “We do not have competition with India and other countries. There is no competition in humanitarian assistance.” But, not to miss an opportunity….]
“In post-quake aid rush, Nepal neighbors jockey for position”
By DIDI TANG Associated Press, April 27, 2015
Nepalese volunteers unload relief material brought in an Indian air force helicopter for victims of Saturday’s earthquake at Trishuli Bazar in Nepal, Monday, April 27, 2015. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) The Associated Press
Wedged between the two rising Asian powers of China and India, landlocked Nepal watched rescuers and offers of help pour in from both sides within hours of an earthquake that killed more than 4,000 people.
India, the traditional power in the region, launched Operation Friendship soon after the quake Saturday. It has sent the most help so far, deploying 13 aircraft and more than 500 rescuers as well as water, food, equipment and medical supplies.
China, increasingly making inroads in Nepal through everything from infrastructure investment to increased tourism, also pledged all-out assistance within hours of the disaster. It has sent 62 rescuers plus blankets, tents and generators and announced plans to send four planes and an additional 170 soldiers.
India’s rival, Pakistan, also has sent four cargo planes full of supplies, including concrete cutters and sniffer dogs.
The largesse of recent days is a microcosm of something much larger. It represents a subtle brand of disaster politics, a curious but understandable focus on strategically located Nepal, one of the poorest nations in its region but — clearly — a pocket of regional importance for powerful neighbors jockeying for position.
Maoist leaders allege that Hindi movies create hatred against Nepal.
India Today: Lucknow, October 3, 2012
The Maoists have succeeded in preventing the supply of Bollywood films to Nepal after blocking all traffic via Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh. As a result, there is no cinema hall in Nepal showing a Hindi film at present.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), a radical faction of the ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), led by Mohan Kiran Vaidya had threatened last week that supporters would attack cinema halls if they continued screening Hindi films.
Simultaneously, several Maoist groups owing allegiance to Vaidya established their camps in Nepal’s border area of Bhairahwan near Nautanwa in Maharajganj on the UP side and stopped all vehicles from plying between the two countries.
Vaidya had alleged that Hindi movies created hatred against Nepal. “They show Nepalis as servants only and portray us in bad light,” he said.
Raj Kumar Rai, president of Nepal Film Producers Association, was quoted as saying that cinema halls across Nepal will incur a loss of several crores. “Since most of the people go to cinema halls to see Hindi movies, they are now deprived of entertainment here. But since there was also a demand to encourage Nepali films, we have decided to agree to them and asked the cinema hall owners to show only Nepali films for 10 days,” he said. Continue reading →
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