By Phuntsok Yangchen
DHARAMSHALA, April 28: With the death toll in Nepal continuing to rise and thousands others still waiting for help following Saturday’s earthquake that struck the Himalayan nation Nepal has declined Taiwan’s offer of 20-men rescue team, allegedly for fear of backlash from China, a major donor to the impoverished country.
Nepal has cited lack of diplomatic ties and absence of direct flights between Taiwan and Nepal as reasons for turning away the offer from Taiwan, known internationally for its quick response rescue and medical teams, Vice Foreign Minister Andrew Kao told CNA.
Tara Prasad Pokharel, a Spokesman for Nepal’s Foreign Ministry, however said that he was not aware of such offer.
Taiwan has excellent rescue and search teams as the island nation has been prone to frequent earthquakes and had also sent teams to Sichuan in 2008 and Haiti in 2011.
Younten Phuntsok, a student of University of Warsaw said, “I strongly protest against the political motivation and playing with lives in dangers. Taiwanese are more experienced in natural disaster.”
Despite the refusal from Nepal, the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said it was dispatching a team from Taiwan International Health Action, which oversees emergency humanitarian medical aid.
A private joint medical team from three Taiwanese charities is also expected to arrive in Nepal today. The Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation and Taiwan Root Medical Peace Corps are also sending medical assistance.
Taiwan has also pledged US $ 300000 in financial assistance so far, and the Taiwanese Red Cross has started a fund raising drive to collect US $ 1 million.
The earthquake with epicenter at Gorkha district was the worst to hit the South Asian nation in more than 80 years damaging many historical monuments and buildings in Kathmandu. The death toll from the earthquake rose to 4362 on Tuesday morning.
Nepal’s worst recorded earthquake in 1934 measured 8.0 and caused destruction in the cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. So far, there have been fifty-two aftershocks as tremors were felt in the Indian capital, West Bengal, Sikkim, Bihar, Tibet, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
