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By Yug Bahadur

Prime Minister KP Oli has already gone to China. Despite the controversy surrounding this visit, most people are concerned about where our own country, Nepal, is heading.

By the way, political developments are taking place many observers see only dismay and no chances of development here in our own country.

However, it would not be going out of the way that the China visit of Oli has been magnified out of distortion and the media too has been used to spread wrong information about a regular visit of Nepal’s Prime Minister to a neighboring country, that also one of the most powerful nations of the world, both economically as well as militarily.

This is definitely disturbing for a casual observer like this author, who feels there has been too much foreign interference in this tiny country which they consider as their home.

Having been in this media sector for a long, long time, I fully understand how the media is used in different ways, not only by foreigners but also INGOs and local political parties themselves. They are influenced through different methods, including hard cash, gifts and specially travel and tours abroad which all Nepalis seem to adore.

I have also taken notice of the reports that came out in which the names of different so-called ‘democratic’ media persons who had taken cash from the then ‘undemocratic’ Communication Ministry. The then Communication Minister was a good friend of this author, but was his name ever mentioned in such an unethical act? No. This is something which I would like to say about how media people are also influenced by different people. However, I can say with my head held high that I never indulged in such unprofessional acts and that is why I am able to face all opponents and all well-wishers with dignity and humbleness.

There are incidents also as disclosed by an official, where there was a list of how media personnel usually take money from bureaucrats, police and also the army, just to make favourable reports or write some bad news about one rival individual or the other. The names of the journalists were also given. This is shameful to say.

All these issues have come to mind, by the way, a systematic attack seems to be brewing against BRI or the Belt and  Road Initiative, which Nepal is keen to sign with China. Sadly, the Nepali Congress, which is a partner in the present coalition government itself is creating obstacles for this decision to get this project not getting through.

This is the same party which had lobbied very hard for the MCC project of the United States. If MCC was acceptable for the country, why such antagonism against a development project of a neighbouring country like China?

It is true nobody gives ‘free meals’, but when one is in need, there is no alternative to accepting such offers, specially if it means for the development of the country and not one power or person. Like said by a popular TV anchor, why should Nepal not receive loans, if it contributes to its development and it can pay back the loans on a long-term basis? After all, it has been taking loans from other countries and also financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which it has to return with interest.

If the project is in the interest of the nation, then why should it be rejected? This is where we can come back to the theme of how the media is being influenced by outsiders and their agents in Nepal itself.

I feel sad to say this, but it seems some sort of a programmed policy is being initiated by some powers to forcibly ‘inform’ the media and in this way influence the people by giving only wrong information or information which is to their benefit. This seems to be happening in the BRI deal that Nepal wants to adopt like many other countries of the world.

Only reports of about half a dozen countries which have failed to pay back the loans taken through the BRI projects have been given to some sections of the media. At the same time, there are many other countries which have strengthened their development and also their economy by this very project. But only the negative sides of BRI have been sent to the media deliberately. Why has this been done? It is apparent that some powers do not want China’s influence growing in some countries where they have their own interests or they want to see China failing on all fronts, specially in its dominant economic policy which has made it the second largest power of the world.

India, which has fought several wars with China has its own reasons not to see more influence of that country in the region.

As already mentioned before, the Nepali media is very easy to manipulate, just because of the greed of some individuals and also their ambitions to please their ‘masters’, no matter from which country they come. That is probably why so much fuss is being made out of the BRI issue when there are many other instances of how Nepal has been exploited by foreigners in different ways. Not that I blame all the media people, some may be thinking that they are informing the people with such ‘exclusive’ information, but not realizing that they are simply being misused. If BRI can be used for the good of the country like in many other different parts of the world, why question its intention before any agreement has been made?

If development projects are completed in time and they come into effect, there is no reason why Nepal cannot pay back its dues to this project, exactly like what it does to other financial institutions and nations as well.

To shift from the BRI issue, in our own country as well the media has been savagely used to bring discontent and disharmony among the leaders and the political parties. This, we are witnessing almost on a daily basis and the leaders are also falling in this trap and making accusations against each other just for media consumption, rather than working together to make a better Nepal.

The media is very effective these days and we are seeing a new generation of people working in honesty for the task of correcting the mistakes of the leaders as well as others in different government institutions. It is difficult to say whether they too have certain biases, but as a person who has been long in this sector, I feel proud to call these young persons fellow journalists. The only thing is that they should not be misled by seeking only sensational information, many times induced by some foreign powers or persons with vested interests who only want to use them. So don’t over-cover the BRI issue, if it is good for Nepal say it, but if it is bad for the country then also say it. Don’t come under the influence or information of others.