#572 23 - 29 September 2011 16+4 pages Rs 30 Sundays 6.9 magnitude quake left at least 11 dead and displaced more than 1000 families. Thousands lost their homes in eastern Nepal. Kathmandus alluvial soil magni ed the shaking. Three were killed and many houses were damaged, like this one in Bhaktapur. Next time, we wont be so lucky. Sundays quake was a wake-up call, but will we learn Lean on me from it? See Editorial, Dress Rehearsal for the Next Big One, p2 BIKRAM RAI 2 EDITORIAL 23 - 29 SEPTEMBER 2011 #572 DRESS REHEARSAL FOR THE NEXT BIG ONE e are probably not going to learn any would have no hospital to go to since most of them lessons from Sundays quake. Just like will have collapsed. Some 1.5 million residents of Wwe didnt learn from the 2008 Sichuan the capital will be homeless. earthquake in which thousands of school children As happened in Haiti, there will be a great were among those killed. Just like we didnt learn exodus of the Valley population on foot to the from the Haiti earthquake last year in which 200,000 hinterland. International relief should therefore perished. be targeted at the moving population, and not September 18 was a dress rehearsal for the concentrated in the areas with most visible Next Big One that is bound to hit Kathmandu Valley physical damage. It should be a priority to help the sooner or later. If a 6.9 magnitude quake 270 km displaced to stay in host families or communities, away caused so much damage and even fatalities the inftrastructure of the capital will not be able in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, imagine a replay to support them. Emergency food aid, health, of an 8 magnitude earthquake like the one that education and job creation should go to the rural devastated the Valley in 1934. areas where the internally displaced have migrated On Sunday, it was only a tremor in Kathmandu to. Rehabilitation should be decentralised to share yet there was confusion and panic. People jumped the burden. out of windows, parliamentarians stampeded. The Kathmandu itself needs a plan for shelters and cell phone network was immediately overwhelmed. mobile clinics in open spaces, pre-positioned water Pre-planning is the key, especially for disasters that and digging equipment. Prioritised rubble clearing we know are coming. There wasnt much of that in is a must since rescue vehicles will otherwise not have access to the devastated city core. evidence on Sunday night. BIKRAM RAI At rst light the next morning, there should have Nepal's politics will be in disarray, the been aerial reconnaissance of eastern Nepal to assess the the Nepali state is a given, the question is what are we going government will probably be paralysed with shock at a time damage. There could have been massive landslides blocking to do despite that. We will probably have to fall back on when its rapid response will be needed the most. Learning from the Arun and Tamor or their tributaries, impounding water and communities, families and individuals to be prepared for risk Sunday, our legislators should immediately pass the bill to set up unleashing ash oods in the narrow valleys downstream. reduction, rescue and relief. a National Commission for Disaster Relief Management. Such disasters have occurred before in Nepal, the oods International help will take at least three days to get Western Nepal hasnt seen a major earthquake for 300 killing more people than the original earthquake. to Kathmandu, and will probably have to be para-dropped years, and tremendous tension has built up in the colliding This should have been the job of the newly created since the only runway of the only international airport may be tectonic plates below. This is bad news for big towns like Pokhara Disaster Risk Reduction Centre under the home ministry. damaged. Highways and bridges will probably be gone. We and Kathmandu since alluvial soil magni es shaking. When the Yet, all it did was play a passive coordination role. The prime cannot expect much help from India since a major earthquake Big One does hit one day soon, it will make the casualties and minister and deputy prime minister both ew off to New York, in Nepal will also seriously affect the densely populated Indo- physical damage of Sunday evenings quake look like picnic. and our foot-in-the-mouth home minister told parliament he Gangetic plains. We got failing grades for the response this time around. It is prayed earthquakes would not happen elsewhere, not in The forecast scenarios are staggering. Historical records a wake-up call to get our act together for the real thing. Nepal. The dress rehearsal was a disaster. show that there is a 8 magnitude earthquake in central Nepal The lesson from Haiti is that a major catastrophe here will every 80 years or so. Experts estimate an earthquake of that overwhelm such a feckless government. Response will be intensity would kill outright up to 100,000 people in the Valley nepalitimes.com chaotic and uncoordinated, especially since communications alone. Depending on the time of day, a majority of them could and transportation will be destroyed. The dyfunctionality of be school children. The projected 300,000 severely injured Sunday's earthquake ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com TRAFFICKING lot in her life with so little given to her. Bravo, Nepal. But the show should also travel to the the outcome can indeed be very dark for How unfortunate to hear about the traf cked and inspiring. Himal, not just Tarai and Pahad. Nepal. girls from Humla (A faraway rescue, #571). Alex Bickett D Gurung Kamal Kishor I have travelled through this lovely area and would like to see those crazy western zGood job Haridevi Rokaya (Karnali zA fan here. I like Narayan Shresthas zLet the Maoist split. That is the best religious folk kept out. It is happily and community, #571). Hope we can hear more voice, he has a unmatched by any other thing that could happen. After the split successfully Buddhist and Hindu, and does stories from Karnali. media personality. you can arrest Pushpa Kamal, Kiran not need these zealots tainting the area with Biraj Bahadur Bista Chandra Gurung and Gajurel and charge them with there version of religion. treason. Baburam is an educated man, you Jo zCongratulations to Haridevi and thanks to zAfter reading Rubeena Mahatos A new can reason with him. As for the other three Rubeena Mahato for bringing the story of her radio revolution, #571, I wondered whether let us remind them that if they want to live zI was shocked and saddened to read struggle to light. It proves that there are many there is any justi cation in Kathmandu valley by the sword, then we will be quite happy about the village in Nuwakot (The missing women in the Karnali who have to go through having 30+ FM stations. Surely, it cant be to see them die by the sword. half, #571). There should be capital Haridevi did. anything other than an extreme example Bibek Sharma punishment for these scums of society. Gorakh Bista of free for all and a colossal waste of Many Kale Tamangs are freely roaming resources. CORRECTION around in the hills of Nepal preying on zWe people of Karnali are encouraged by Armugam The poll result of #571 has been corrected as follows: innocent daughters, mothers, and sisters. the work of Nari Awaz, and Haridevi for her Kale Tamang should be shown no mercy courage and determination to support the REALITY CHECK and the punishment should serve as a women and people here. After reading your editorial (Reality check, deterrence for others like him. Suraj Sejuwal #571) I am convinced Gopal Kirati is a Trojan Dhana Rai Horse. Bahun Chhetris that include Thakuris zThank you Nepali Times for constantly and Sanyasis, even Dalits, have never asked JHAMAK GHIMIRE reaf rming our faith in the Nepali people with for a province or state with racial or ethnic Jhamak ghimire is truly a model for us heart-warming stories like that of Jhamak labels. They are for federal multi-cultural, (A pen between her toes, #571). Her Ghimire, Haridevi Rokaya, the Esther inclusive, proportionally represented fully Weekly Internet Poll # 572 determination and will power is an example Benjamin Trust that rescues traf cked girls, democratic secular provinces representing Q. Should the Prime Minister travel in for those of us who complain about petty and activists like Asmita Thapa of Shakti the present ground reality of the compotion of economy class? problems. She showed what a human being Samuha. And not to forget Narayan Shrestha various nationalities residing in them. can achieve if there is this a strong will and of Sajha Sawal. They are the true heroes of Tapan Das Total votes: 2,638 determination. Jhamak may be physically the New Nepal. weak, but she has immense determination Kiran L zWe want to believe that the new PM might and will power. She is an inspirational be able to steer a path in this turmoil. We are Nepali. Despite her problems, she always SAJHA SAWAL desperate and that is why we want to clutch has a bright smile on her face that is proof A true, calm journalist is our Narayan at any straw that comes our way. It is human of her dignity and determination. Shrestha. (Sajha Sawal is 200, #571) nature. A desperate person tries to save Tashi Lama Prakash Sharma himself with actions seemingly ridiculus to others. But beware: this is a desperate man.