By Nirmal P. Acharya
On February 3, a freight train carrying the dangerous chemical vinyl chloride derailed in the US state of Ohio, causing a powerful fire.
East Palestine, Ohio is undergoing an ecological disaster as vinyl chloride is an extremely dangerous chemical gas, a top carcinogen. In a bottle of ordinary mineral water, 0.5 ml can kill a person. The accident in the US resulted in 100,000 gallons of vinyl chloride leaking and burning. 100,000 gallons, which is 370 million milliliters.
This accident, so to speak, is the American version of Chornobyl. However, the Soviet Union mobilized the whole country for disaster relief during the Chornobyl disaster in 1986. Yet, it has already been more than 10 days since such a disaster occurred in the US and the whole country seems to be quiet like almost no one knows about it. Where are the so-called environmentalists?
Despite, the deadly chemical has contaminated the Ohio River while emitting massive amounts of carcinogenic compounds into the air, the media seems completely disinterested in the story. In fact, the few journalists who had investigated in the past were dispersed, and some who had persisted in their work were arrested. No media outlets were allowed to mention the story, going so far as to arrest reporters covering certain details of the incident and suppressing information. Even Twitter and Facebook banned anyone who mentioned it.
If the US is so unreliable to itself, she can’t be expected to use the MCC to help and save Nepal. As, another train derailment also carrying “some hazardous materials” have been reported in Houston, Texas. It is high time for Nepal to wake up.
As a sovereign state, the MCC must be administered by the government of Nepal and governed by Nepalese law. This is the basic duty and obligation of Nepal’s national sovereignty. The Supreme Court was very wise in denying Rabi Lamichhane’s civil rights as a non-Nepali citizen. We expect the Supreme Court to strike down the unconstitutional provisions of the MCC program and safeguard Nepal’s sovereignty.
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