KATHMANDU, Nov 16: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged India and the authorities concerned to immediately lift the “unofficial blockade” imposed on Nepal for nearly two months now.
“Recalling the high-level exchanges of visits between the two countries, we on our side are ready to create a situation of [mutual] trust by ending any mistrust and suspicion,” Prime Minister Oli said in his address. “In this context, I want to recall the India visit of the Nepal government’s deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs as well as my dialouges at the higher level.”
The prime minister described the hardships that Nepali people in all sections of society have been facing due to the blockade and the humanitarian crisis that has resulted from the shortage of essential goods such as fuel, medicines and food items.
Hundreds of trucks laden with fuels, medicines, food items and other essentials have been stopped at the border while the lives of critical patients in Nepal are at risk due to acute shortage of these same items, he said.
“Nursing mothers and patients awaiting surgery are at high risk due to shortage of the packets needed for blood collection while children are at risk due to lack of medicines and nutritious foods,” he said.
He said that even ambulances and vehicles carrying doctors and other health workers are not in a condition to run and hospitals are on the verge of closure due to lack of fuel.
Stating that Nepali society and the economy were badly hit by the April earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people, left hundreds of thousands homeless and caused damage of over Rs 7 billion to the economy, Oli said the ongoing blockade has caused greater losses than even the recent natural disaster.
He said the government will issue a white paper depicting the real picture of the damage to the Nepali economy and describing the government’s plan of action to cope with this.
“Thus, a situation has arisen which shouldn’t occur even during a situation of war. Anyone who has human sympathy must describe this kind of act against a country that has been coping with a recent earthquake disaster as unfortunate and inhumane.”
The prime minister expressed dismay over the present crisis, describing it as unnecessary troubles imposed on Nepal for no genuine cause. “One couldn’t have inagined that a soverign nation might face such hardships, pain and an inhumane act like a blockade in the twenty-first century just for producing a progressive and pro-people constitution of democratic content through an elected and inclusive Constituent Assembly after wide public participation,” he said. “However, we are compelled to face this unimaginable pain and this has caused me deep pain.”
He was quick to add that the constitution could be amended on the basis of public aspirations, the national interest and valid rationale. He also said the boundaries of the provinces could also be changed on the basis of need and practical experience.
He expressed serious displeasure over the failure of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to supply petroleum products even after being paid in advance, and accused it of breaching the basic ethics of trade.
“It has saddened us that supply has not resumed even from places where there is no security problem at all,” he said.
Oli thanked China for supporting Nepal at this time of crisis and said the government will take initiatives to import petroleum products from the northern neighbor.
“The roads linking with China will be upgraded and initiatives taken to import petroleum products from other friendly countries also,” he said.
He added that the government wanted to develop Nepal’s historic relations with India in such a way that landlocked Nepal wouldn’t be deprived of its unhindered transit right to a sea port in future.
With such hindrances along the southern boder, he said the UN Charter, the principles of Panchasheel, the charter of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation and the transit rights ensured to landlocked countries by UN convention have been violated.
“This situation has undoubtedly soured the friendly relations between Nepal and India. I believe this situation shouldn’t continue for long and that bilateral relations will be restored to the previous condition because the crisis has benefited no one.”
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