(TibetanReview.net, Oct06’24) – A controversy has arisen over the fact that China’s donation of humanitarian relief for the victims of the flood and landslide disasters that hit Nepal in recent days has been made a party-to-party affair. It is rare for a foreign political party to provide direct aid and support to political parties in Nepal, said the kathmandupost.com Oct 6.
A leader from the ruling party who attended the event for delivering the humanitarian relief materials on Oct 4 has said such practice does not do well for the host country, that it was not an event that required inviting representatives from various political parties.
At a time when the government had decided not to receive support bilaterally from any country for the flood and landslide victims, receiving such donation from a political party of a foreign country sets a very wrong precedent, the leader has further said.
The relief initiative was launched by the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee in collaboration with the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal Office. However, the relief materials were handed over to the representatives of various political parties of Nepal including the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and others at an event on Oct 4.
The initiative, “Join hands to face the difficulties and overcome the difficulties together,” aimed at providing humanitarian assistance to the flood-affected people in the Kathmandu Valley. Those who attended the event were stated to include Wang Xin, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Nepal; representatives from major political parties of Nepal; representatives from the China Foundation for Rural Development Nepal office and its partners; as well as local residents and government officials.
The leader who attended the event on order from senior party leaders has said, requesting anonymity: “First, the amount was not significant. Second, extending direct support from foreign political parties to the political parties of another country is a very bad practice. But we were told by the party’s senior leaders to attend the event, so we went there but none of us were comfortable while receiving the support.”
The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has said the relief materials including rice, blankets, food packages and other daily necessities worth Nepali Rs19.70 million were distributed to the households affected by the recent floods and landslide through Nepali political parties.
Former vice-chair of the National Planning Commission, Govind Raj Pokharel, has said any such support should be received only through an effective and transparent one-door policy.
“If the BJP of India will give us cash, then should we accept it or not?” Pokharel has asked. “We have to be cautious while accepting such support.”
He has called for a timely discussion about the policy of political parties about accepting support provided by other countries directly to them.
“Assistance at the time of disaster is welcome but such assistance should be accepted through one-door policy of the government,” Pokharel has written on X. “We need to think on time regarding political parties of other countries providing assistance to our political parties directly.”
Also, Vijay Kant Karna, a former ambassador, has describes it as a very dangerous practice. It gives opportunities to other countries’ diplomatic missions to distribute anything to Nepali political parties. “I have never seen this practice before in Nepal,” He has written on X.