December 2023 Analysis: National Security And Climate Change
The recent increase in the gold smuggling incidents through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) has hinted Nepal to be the transit hub for the illegal trades. The Earthquake affected in Jajarkot are still in fiasco as there has been delay in the distribution of relief grants. COVID 19 pandemic hit Sudurpaschim Province, brought by Nepali workers from India where pandemic has resurged.
On 7th December, 2023; the custom officials at Tribhuvan International Airport seized 14Kg of smuggled gold from a Nepali man who arrived from Dubai. Similarly, on 10th December, 2023; Egyptian national was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport with 6.5 Kg of smuggled gold. Lately, Nepal has been witnessing the series of gold smuggling incidents. The surge in these incidents has raised a concern of TIA being the transit hub for the illegal trade. The investigation of these recent cases is carried out by the six member probe of investigating team of the government.
The repeated seizure of gold through the premises of TIA has highlighted the weakness of the Government of Nepal to provide proper security facilities. Despite of government forming the high- level commission to conduct the detailed investigation of the smuggling of gold, the government has failed to minimize the cases of smuggling. During the investigation it has been found that the sensitive place like airport lacks the proper infrastructures like advanced X-ray machines and the CCTV cameras that could store footage for longer period of time. Therefore, the continuous seizing of the smuggled gold has brought upon the urgency of government of Nepal to improve the security measures to control the rate of illegal trades.
On 27th December, 2023; a 24 year old new mother, displaced by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake of 3rd November has died from cold in the Kushe Rural Municipality of Jajarkot district. The earthquake had left number of people homeless, and delayed distribution of grant has forced them to live in the temporary tents. With the decrease in temperature, the displaced people have started to become the victims of cold and the death has reached 35 in number. However, the government of Nepal has decided to provide the amount of 50,000 in two tranches to the earthquake displaced people. But due to the delay and unequal distribution, the amount is still not received by many earthquake displaced people.
The delay in the grant distribution has highlighted the urgency of the Government of Nepal for the efficient aid distribution, improved coordination, and accountability to ensure all survivors receive timely and adequate support. Likewise, the local units of the government must be pressurized to collect the proper data of the earthquake victims so that the grants could be distributed in both equal and equity manner.
According to the antigen testing done in the Sudurpaschim Province on 31st December, 2023 it was found that the number of Nepalese returning from the India has been infected by the Corona virus. Recently, there has been surge in the number of new covid variant JN.1 cases in India. Although Nepal has not reported cases of the new variant of the Covid virus, the increasing number of cases in India poses a significant risk of the variant spreading to Nepal.
The rise in the cases of Covid in the neighboring country has hinted upon the urgency for the Government of Nepal to take the immediate actions. For minimizing the spread of Covid virus, Government of Nepal must prioritize the establishment of the sufficient isolation centres, increase the border surveillance and also expand the number of testing booths at the border areas. Furthermore, Government should also focus on providing the strong emphasis on vaccination campaigns, promoting wearing of masks and also on the implementation of the additional preventive measures.
Timeline of Major Events
| Date | Events |
| 27 December | A 24-year-old new mother from Ghartigaun in Kushe Rural Municipality who was displaced by Earthquake died from cold. |
| 31 December | Number of Nepalis returning home from India have tested positive for coronavirus in Sudurpaschim Province. |
Gold Smuggling exposes the security weakness of the Nepal’s Government
On 7th December, 2023; the custom officials at Tribhuvan International Airport seized 14Kg of smuggled gold from a Nepali man who arrived from Dubai. Similarly, on 10th December, 2023; Egyptian national was arrested from the Tribhuvan International Airport with 6.5 Kg of smuggled gold. Lately, Nepal has been witnessing the series of gold smuggling incidents. The surge in these incidents has raised a concern of TIA being the transit hub for the illegal trade. The investigation of these recent cases is carried out by the six member probe of investigating team of the government.
The repeated seizure of gold through the premises of TIA has highlighted the weakness of the Government of Nepal to provide proper security facilities. Despite of government forming the high- level commission to conduct the detailed investigation of the smuggling of gold, the government has failed to minimize the cases of smuggling. During the investigation it has been found that the sensitive place like airport lacks the proper infrastructures like advanced X-ray machines and the CCTV cameras that could store footage for longer period of time. Therefore, the continuous seizing of the smuggled gold has brought upon the urgency of government of Nepal to improve the security measures to control the rate of illegal trades.
Delay in grant distribution affected the livelihoods of Earthquake victims
On 27th December, 2023; a 24 year old new mother, displaced by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake of 3rd November has died from cold in the Kushe Rural Municipality of Jajarkot district. The earthquake had left number of people homeless, and delayed distribution of grant has forced them to live in the temporary tents. With the decrease in temperature, the displaced people have started to become the victims of cold and the death has reached 35 in number. However, the government of Nepal has decided to provide the amount of 50,000 in two tranches to the earthquake displaced people. But due to the delay and unequal distribution, the amount is still not received by many earthquake displaced people.
The delay in the grant distribution has highlighted the urgency of the Government of Nepal for the efficient aid distribution, improved coordination, and accountability to ensure all survivors receive timely and adequate support. Likewise, the local units of the government must be pressurized to collect the proper data of the earthquake victims so that the grants could be distributed in both equal and equity manner.
Nepal at the risk of getting infected by new Covid variant
According to the antigen testing done in the Sudurpaschim Province on 31st December, 2023 it was found that the number of Nepalese returning from the India has been infected by the Corona virus. Recently, there has been surge in the number of new covid variant JN.1 cases in India. Although Nepal has not reported cases of the new variant of the Covid virus, the increasing number of cases in India poses a significant risk of the variant spreading to Nepal.
The rise in the cases of Covid in the neighboring country has hinted upon the urgency for the Government of Nepal to take the immediate actions. For minimizing the spread of Covid virus, Government of Nepal must prioritize the establishment of the sufficient isolation centres, increase the border surveillance and also expand the number of testing booths at the border areas. Furthermore, Government should also focus on providing the strong emphasis on vaccination campaigns, promoting wearing of masks and also on the implementation of the additional preventive measures.
CESIF Nepal