Letters from Renu and the WFN staff . . .

A diary of social work in Nepal . . . January 17, 2008

The Letters from Renu on these pages detail an ongoing saga of abuse. WARNING: these letters have graphic descriptions which may be disturbing. These are stories of real people in terrible trouble. The good news is that there are many individuals who are working to set the world right in Nepal. WFN is one of the groups seeing to it that something is being done to help.

STRIKE affects petrol and kerosene deliveries - food prices jump - fuel exhausted

Dear Brian,
Namaskar

How are you? We were unable to make contact for a  long time. Our family is all fine.  Yasoday Bauju went to Jhapa today. Sita didi is in Kathmandu, she is fine and all the family is fine.

Would you like to know about  what is happening in Nepal ?.

For the past month

There has been no petrol for busses, taxis or other public vehicles. We walk to the office.  Today we needed  to come office urgently because I need to take the plain ticket for Bharat’s mother to go to Jhapa so I paid 800 to come to the office from home.

Every day is a strike day because of cartage of gas or petrol in Katmandu and the Tarai area is closed because of Madesi.

There is no gas or kerosene  for cooking ( several people use kerosene  to cook food ). We can see on the road 200-200 people standing in a line to buy one to five liters of kerosene. Yesterday I cried seeing the line. Several people were sand who were standing in line (queue) to buy kerosene. They stay seven hours and when they nearly reach to the  kerosene place. The seller said kerosene finished. Many of them were waiting with one liter to three liter pots. That old women was crying and telling us that yesterday she could not buy the kerosene because she stayed in the line and she went to toilet after some time. When she came back to the line. Her pot was lost. So she could not cock food yesterday. Today she has no pot to buy kerosene so she asked one empty water bottle where she can buy one liters of petrol. She stayed 8 hours and when she reached near to the kerosene pump the kerosene was finished.

No electric: at present 10 hours  each day we have no electricity. The government announce 9 hours a day there would be  no electricity but they cut 10 hours a day. Starting  next month, the  government has announced 11 hours a day with no electricity.

The price of basic needs has increased  50% -100%. : Rice, dal, oil, sugar, etc., are the daily necessary items for people. The cost increase is very high. Last month we paid   Nrs. 30 per Kilo gram rice and this month same rice we pied  Nrs.50.

These are some example of the difficulties which Nepali people are facing. It is very difficult for groups like our organization which is supporting a big family and  the price become double suddenly.

Na election is coming soon. It should be on 10th of April. 
The WF is going to observe the election.  About 500 of our members will be selected for election observation.  We gave detailed information about them to the election commission office. We are very optimistic about the election.

Many greetings lots of love and respect.
Renu