The election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States of America threatens to undo all the gains we have made with combating climate change. Afterall, what may well have been the biggest threat to our planet for a while now, he believes is a hoax.
The people in the district of Mustang — where I am from in Nepal — are suffering from the consequences of climate change. The documentary below about the major life-changing dilemma a nomadic yak herder faces has everything to do with just that: climate change and its consequences.
But climate change is not the only force disrupting and shaping the social, economic, political and natural climate of the very very fragile, other-worldly, ancient and traditional worlds of the Mustangis.
Recent discovery of uranium, after opening the area for up for tourism (dollars) in the early nineties — following its neglect pretty much the entire modern history of the country — promises to unleash again the same force: greed.
Minister Pandey on Uranium discovery. It’ll b miracle if #Mustang get’s a share of profit. https://t.co/0jT8XzBO7K pic.twitter.com/UODYluI9d9
— Dorje Gurung (@Dorje_sDooing) July 4, 2016
Abt Mustang civilization, which has never really mattered. (Uranium, like tourism, will cuz of profits 4 KTM elite.) https://t.co/wEk1zHiksC
— Dorje Gurung (@Dorje_sDooing) September 27, 2016
References:
MyRepublica (July 2016). Uranium mine confirmed in Upper Mustang. The article contains an embedded video of the site and conversation with a geologist, amongst others.
Nepal Rastriya Saptahik (फाल्गुन ३, २०७१). २५ सय वर्ष पुरानो कंकाल
Nepali Times (June-July 2014): Climate Refugees. Review of the above documentary.
Nepali Times (July 2010): Climate refugees in Mustang.
TheThirdPole.net (Nov 2015): High and Dry in Mustang. Nepal’s most arid region is getting even less rain than it did before, forcing villagers to relocate.
Nepali Times: High and dry. The same article as the preceding one but with more photos and visuals.
