Oregon's 'Nepalese ReBuild' Organizes Fundraiser Dinner in Portland, USA for Help to Earthquake Victims

Dr Rabin Man Shakya
(A Nepali journalist in America)

Portland,  May 24 (Nepal Oregon News): I am no seismologist, but it does not take an expert to understand that the earthquake that took place on April 25 in Nepal with 7.8 magnitude was an apocalyptic catastrophe for an impoverished nation like Nepal. According to news reports, death toll from the devastating earthquakes in Nepal has reached 8,654 and 22,053 people were injured.

Meanwhile, news stories about a number of landslides taking place in Nepal in the aftermath of the massive earthquakes - like the one related to Kali Gandaki - have raised questions about the security of the people in Nepal. In order to avoid possible catastrophe, the Nepal government should have the necessary mechanism to evacuate the people and provide safety to the people from the landslides.

At this hour of distress, the Nepalese people are sadly discouraged at the inept and slow handling of relief management of the Nepal government. There is little Nepal can do on her own. So the outside help and support are really important and inevitable. There is no doubt that the situation today in Nepal is very chaotic, the nation is in socio-economic turmoil. The memory and impact of the earthquake will be felt by the survivors for decades to come.

Nepalese diaspora living across the world are organizing various programs with the purpose of fundraising for Nepal's earthquake victims. Meanwhile, a fundraiser dinner was organized by Nepalese ReBuild on May 23 at the Nekusingh Memorial Theater, USWC Hollywood Taekwondo, Portland, and according to the organizers, they were able to raise about $2000.00 just from the dinner. As a matter of fact, fundraiser dinner was not confined just to dining alone.

Slides and pictures depicting images of devastation and tragedy in Nepal by a series of earthquakes were also shown on the occasion. Other attractions at the dinner were silent auction, Henna and raffle game which were also aimed for the fundraising. One minute of silence was observed on the occasion for 'rest in peace' of the departed souls.

Contrary to the organizers' expectation of 100 participants at the dinner, the total number of guests who showed up at the dinner was 157, guests of the dinner program were not only from Portland, its periphery and Salem but from outside of Oregon too. T-shirts depicting the logo "Pray for Nepal" and Nepal's national flag were also on fundraising sale. Interestingly, more than half of the participants at the dinner were seen wearing the "Pray for Nepal" T-shirts.

"Pray For Nepal" T-Shirts

Speaking on the occasion, Diwakar Maharjan, a well-known taekwondo guru and president of NRN-NCC-USA, Portland chapter, said:"Our thoughts are always with the people of Nepal affected by the massive earthquakes and aftershocks." Others, speaking on the occasion, were Kathleen Hoag, Karen Blackledge, Bikram Vaidya, former presidents of Nepali Association of Oregon Bharat Banskota and Daya Shakya.

After the dinner program, a candlelight vigil was also held on the occasion of the Memorial Day in memory of the six US marines and two Nepalese service members who died in a helicopter crash while supporting post-earthquake relief efforts in Nepal.

Candlelight Vigil

Participating in Events

Group Shot

It is to be noted that Nepalese ReBuild, a non-profit organization,  was established recently at the initiatives of Diwakar Maharjan in Portland aiming to raise funds to support the earthquake victims, and focusing on providing relief materials. Nepalese ReBuild - which is stepping up activities to provide help to the vulnerable people of Nepal - is accepting donations for the recovery efforts.

Nepalese ReBuild describes itself as a humanitarian organization  working for rebuilding Nepal which was badly devastated by the powerful earthquakes.

Earthquake Coverage and Journalism

Dr. Rabin Man Shakya
State Education Director, NRN NCC USA, Oregon chapter,
Former Associate Editor,  The Rising Nepal.


To be a real, truthful and honest journalist has always been a challenging job. The apocalyptic disaster  of April 25 has proved to be a big humanitarian crisis for Nepal. It posed a major challenge for the government and the mainstream political parties of Nepal.

As Nepal faced a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions, the government's move of aid delivery and disaster management are going on at a snail's pace. The Nepalese people are frustrated with their government not without reason.

The challenges facing the journalists covering the post-earthquake issues are formidable. A basic tenet of journalism is to report all sides of a story - no matter how ugly or difficult. If there are heroes doing great job to the quake-affected people, they should be prominently highlighted by the journalists in the media.

Journalists have challenging job  to make sure the financial and other assistance pouring from friendly countries are moving in the right direction, make sure help is reaching the really hard-hit people of the Kathmandu valley as well as remote districts.

Already, there are news stories in the mainstream media and in the digital journalism about the protests and demonstration of Nepalese people against the wrong approach and slow pace of aid delivery.

Obviously, going by the views of the people from the social media sites, much of the rising disdain for the government has to do with the perception among media, social media and the public of the callous and inept handling of the disaster management.

 No wonder, the peoples' frustration with the Nepal government over the slow distribution mechanism   of financial help to the affected people is palpable from the pages of the social media. As the custodian of democracy and rule of law, journalists should always be vigilant enough to point out irregularities in distribution of aid to the needy and affected people.

The government and its ministers have been castigated for moving too slowly to help people affected by the quake.The main political parties have lost the confidence of the people and their credibility.

Journalists should be able to play a role of a bridge between the government and the people in this hour of big calamity There is no doubt that the earthquake on April 25 was the country's worst catastrophe.The government and the mainstream political parties should  understand the need to avert social and economic catastrophe that may arise in the event the aid distribution, is not carried out in an effective and honest way, and effective and honest strategies are not implemented.

Believe me, a lot of important journalism related to the earthquake and other disasters may begin with the  news stories about the ordeal of the affected people. If some affected people get the much-needed help because of a pen of a journalist, the journalist can be called himself a hero. That is to say, journalists' pen should be used in such a way as to boost the morale and confidence of the quake-hit people.

Horrific earthquake and after-shocks certainly have an impact on perceptions and perspectives of the people. The media cover them intensively, which is only right. But sometimes news stories business  is not blameless. The news stories about the quake issues should be accurate and balanced and should not play with the sensitivities and vulnerabilites of the affected people.

Media coverage of post-earthquake situation should be honest, unbiased and balanced. Well, hard news about the earthquakes is over. News and news analysis  on the post-earthquake issues are drawing extensive coverage not only in the national media of Nepal but  in the international media as well.

Is Al Jazeera America a Bit of a Damp Squib?

Rabin Man Shakya
Former Associate Editor, The Rising Nepal

When Al Jazeera America was launched on August 30,  2013, it occurred to me that the scenario of new world information order is changing fast in the age of globalization and that finally a TV channel - owned by Al Jazeera Media  Network, funded by the ruling family of Qatar - is making inroads into millions of US homes.

Well, Al Jazeera America which was launched amid much fanfare about two years ago hiring creme de la creme of American television journalism is in turmoil today,  judging by the news stories in the mainstream newspapers. Meanwhile, the crisis and turmoil in Al Jazeera America was culminated by the ouster of its powerful chief executive officer Ehab Al Shihabi recently.

The reality of American television journalism is that the polls, ratings and views, not quality, merit and excellence determine the destiny of the TV channels and TV programs.

Meanwhile, with a news story under the headline "Turmoil and Exodus Rattle Al Jazeera Network" on May 6, 2015, The New York Times reported:"Almost two years later, the ratings have not come, nor have the profits. The station has been a nonfactor in news, drawing about 30,000 viewers a night."

The New York Times story went on: "To make matters worse in the last week, a lawsuit and an exodus of top executives have brought to the surface a series of grievances that employees say reflects a deep dysfunction in management of the newsroom, undermining the network's mission."

Well, Al Jazeera America or Al Jazeera may have some weaknesses. News reports suggested that the newsroom of the Al Jazeera America was in total "disarray behind the scenes, a view echoed by almost a dozen current and former employees interviewed."

It is to be noted that during the crisis in Egypt, nearly two dozen journalists of Al Jazeera quit after claiming the network told them to provide favorable coverage to ousted Egyptian president Mohammad Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. Likewise, former Al Jazeera journalists claim that the network had biased coverage in favour of the rebels in Syria's prolonged civil war. These are just the tip of the iceberg.

Al Jazeera America is the successor to Current TV that Qatar regime bought from Al Gore in January, 2013 for about $ 500 million. And although the channel is available in about 43 million households, it is drawing about meager 30,000 viewers a night.

According to media analysts, even though Al Jazeera America has access to the Al Jazeera's 60 global correspondents, 76 per cent of its coverage emanated from Washington DC or New York city.

Earthquake in Nepal and the Social Media

Dr Rabin Man Shakya
(A Nepali journalist in USA)

I was  both humbled as well proud to be part of a fundraising for earthquake victims in Nepal launched in Portland, USA by International Open Friendship Taekwondo Championship (IOFTC) at the initiatives of people like Diwakar Maharjan and Sita Rai of Hollywood Taekwondo School. Likewise,  my spouse Naveena Shakya and daughter Palistha Shakya  also took part at a  candle light vigil organized by Mercy Corps recently in downtown Portland in memory of quake victims in Nepal. The candle light vigil was attended by hundreds of Nepalese and Americans in Portland.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes and tornadoes etc are natural disasters which play havoc on the lives of the people and nations. Recently, the powerful earthquake in Nepal with 7.8 magnitude has claimed the lives of more than 8,200 people so far.

At a time when people in Nepal are still confronting the after-shocks, thousands of people becoming homeless and facing unimaginable agonies, the Nepalese diaspora across the world including the  Non-Resident Nepalese Association (NRNA) are sincerely striving to help the earthquake-hit people of Nepal. Equally overwhelming was the help and aid provided by the friendly nations.

Meanwhile, the Nepalese blogosphere and social media sites were abuzz with news, information, photos, YouTube and other visuals related to the devastation of the earthquake. Social media is fast changing the perspectives and lifestyles of the people across the world. So many Facebook friends and relatives in Nepal have been marked as safe giving a sigh of relief to the Nepalese living abroad. This is also a new technological innovation.

But it is also true we are not seeing a lot of original materials on social media because much of the information on these sites originate from mainstream media. However, it goes without saying that we are seeing much more live debate in the social media about the news and views published and broadcast in the mainstream media.

Just ten years ago, before the advent of social media, the mainstream media (newspapers, radio and TV channels) had the monopoly over news and information. Not any more. Today more than ever, the social media has become more ubiquitous and omnipresent than the mainstream media. As a matter of fact, the mainstream media has, somehow, been eclipsed by social media and digital journalism.

Of course, mainstream media and social media have some kind of symbiotic relationship. News organizations are in the early days of figuring out how to most effectively use social media for their news stories. Today mainstream newspapers and TV channels are profusely using the quotes from the Facebook and Twitter as the important source of information. Well,  recent experiences have demonstrated that the social media is the most effective medium in showing the world the devastating consequences of the natural catastrophe and disasters like the one in Nepal.




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Decline in Newspaper Readership

Rabin Man Shakya
Former Associate Editor, The Rising Nepal

From the soaring newsprint price dilemmas, to advertisement drop quandaries to circulation decline conundrum, the newspapers in the US, UK and other European countries are finding themselves at the crossroads of post-Internet age.

So why is newspaper readership declining in the US, UK, Canada and other European countries? Was Prof Marshall McLuhan right when he foretold in 1960s the annihilation of the printed word by the electronic media?

In the US and elsewhere young people are seen daily with smartphones everywhere. Young people all over the world are too much obsessed with the smart phones and other electronic gadgets. You can read and find not only news of all kinds but virtually anything in the smart phones. That is why very few Americans in their twenties and thirties read a newspaper.

Well, decline of newspaper readership is rightly attributed to easy availability of Internet access and growth of other electronic media like television and radio. The dramatic decline in newspaper advertisement since 2000 has added to it. Excessive use and dependence on Internet and excessive use of smart phones have triggered the free fall of the newspapers in the developed countries.

So, maybe, Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press was absolutely right when he said: "Young people are reading everything but newspapers."

In case of Britain, Audit Bureau of Circulation figures show that since January 2001, the total circulation of the UK's ten major national newspapers has declined from 12.06 million copies sold on average each day 14 years ago to a daily average of 6.84 million copies sold in May last year.

And according to Pew Research Center, "While Americans enjoy reading as much as ever - 51 percent say they enjoy reading a lot, little changed over the past two decades - a declines proportion gets news or reads other material on paper on a typical day. Many readers are now shifting to digital platforms to read the papers."

Only 29 percent say they read a newspaper yesterday - with just 23 percent reading a print newspaper. Over the past decade, the percentage reading a print newspaper the previous day has fallen by 18 points (from 41% to 23%), adds Pew.

The conspicuous regions not affected by decline of newspapers are Asia and Latin America where sales of newspapers are still rising. Among the 100 bestselling newspapers in the world, 74 are published in Asia and 62 bestselling newspapers are brought out only in Japan, China and India.

Nepal is also seeing the boom of newspapers' growth, where according to government statistics, in 2003 there were were 3,741 registered newspapers of which 251 were published daily.

Bikram Sambat is an Official Calendar of Nepal, But It is Not a Nepali Calendar

Dr Rabin Man Shakya


Portland, April 13, (Nepal Oregon News): The Nepalese people living in Nepal and living across the world are welcoming the Bikram Sambat New Year 2082 with new optimism, enthusiasm and resolution.

Bikram Sambat -- which was created by emperor Bikramaditya of Ujjain, India following his victory over the Sakas in 56 BC -- is the official calendar of Nepal.  Remember: Bikram Sambat is Nepal's official calendar, but it is not the Nepali calendar. In fact, Bikram Sambat was introduced in Nepal during the period of Rana autocracy. Prior to that, Saka Sambat was the official calendar of Nepal.

Although Bikram Sambat which derives its name from  an emperor of India Bikramaditya, is an official holiday in Nepal, it is not enthusiastically celebrated by the people in Nepal like Nepal Sambat and Lhosar. However, the Nepalese people across the world celebrate the Bikram Sambat New Year as a part of maintaining Nepalese traditions and culture.

Although there are growing signs of discontent with the Bikram Sambat  as the official calendar of Nepal among some sections of Nepalese population especially among the ethnic and indigenous communities, Bikram Sambat is still used popularly for almost all practical purposes in Nepal except the cultural and ritual procedures.

Detractors of Bikram Sambat calendar claim that Bikram Sambat does not have anything related to Nepal, and it is so true. So why did the Ranas scrap the Saka Sambat and replaced it with the Bikram Sambat? Emperor Bikramaditya was a Hindu emperor. Therefore, ostensible reason for Hindu Ranas to adopt Bikram Sambat could be because it was created by a Hindu emperor.

But Saka Sambat which was officially used in Nepal prior to the Bikram Sambat is also not related to Nepal. In fact, Saka Sambat is official calendar of India today, along with the Gregorian calendar. First of all, it is very important to clarify that Bikram Sambat is not a Nepali calendar as wrongly claimed by its diehard opponents. Yes, Bikram Sambat is official calendar of Nepal, but again it is not a Nepali calendar. Gregorian Calendar (Christian Calendar) is an official calendar not only of the UK, the US, Canada, many European countries but it was an official calendar even in the non-Christian Communist Soviet Union. Gregorian calendar is an official calendar of India too, along with Saka Sambat.

It goes without saying that arguments must not be for the sake of arguments. Criticism and arguments should be healthy, logical and rational and should not be based on jingoism and chauvinism. I have never read or seen anything that describes Bikram Sambat as Nepali Sambat. Some sections of the Nepalese community is harbouring a deep ambivalence about the Bikram Sambat when they wrongly claim that we should not celebrate India-born Bikram Sambat as Nepali New Year. First of all, no body can say or claim that Bikram Sambat is a Nepali calendar. To celebrate it or not simply depends on their personal wish or freedom. We cannot and should not impose anything in a free and democratic society.

To say that we have been taught wrong history just demonstrates ignorance and lack of information and knowledge because even high school students in Nepal are aware that Bikram Sambat is not a Nepali calendar.

Anyway, it is  okay that Bikram Sambat New Year is celebrated by the Nepalese communities across the US too. In Portland, Oregon Nepal's official new year is celebrated every year by local Nepalese community organizations.

Well, I think with the passing of time,  New Years keep coming and going, and we meet new people, new experiences, new hopes, new dreams and maturity in our lives.

Press Freedom is OK in Nepal, But Working Conditions for Journalists Are Not

Rabin Man Shakya
Former Lecturer of Journalism, Peoples Campus, RR Campus, TU.

I was very much stunned, surprised and disappointed by what was written in Wikipedia's article on "Freedom of the Press" where it says: "In Nepal, Eritrea and mainland China, journalists may spend years in jail for using the "wrong" word or photo.

If it was during the few turbulent years when King Gyanendra usurped political power, the statement of Wikipedia might be true. But it does not say that.

I know it is true about Eritrea and mainland China, but absolutely false when it comes to Nepal which is a fully democratic country. This kind of blatantly false information may erode the credibility of Wikipedia.

Freedom of press is guaranteed by the Interim Constitution of Nepal. So there is no problem with the press freedom in Nepal. When it comes to freedom of press, I believe we must define a journalist and the constitutional and statutory protections that a journalist should receive. Politically, there is considerable press freedom in Nepal and journalists are free to write about whatever they want.

It is true that, although the Nepali press has enjoyed freedom in principle, the job of the journalists is still hazardous. Nepalese journalists are still vulnerable to threats, attacks and intimidation from notorious politicians, tycoons and criminal dons.

It goes without saying that no Nepalese journalists are harassed and imprisoned by the government for doing their jobs. Journalists in today's Nepal are neither persecuted nor prosecuted merely for what they write.

And yes, the threats intimidations and assaults to journalists usually come from non-state sector. So many Nepalese media people were killed in the past decade. The sad part is that the government has not been able to prevent the murders and assaults on journalists.

One of the noticeable deterrents of the Nepalese journalism is related to the working conditions. Many journalists and reporters especially working in small newspapers and private TV channels are underpaid and some are not paid at all.

There is no doubt that safety and good working conditions are important to journalists. Media industry can not flourish in a professional way in the absence safety and good working conditions.