Two widows seeking death certificates die in road mishap
Langtang reclaiming fervor swept by avalanche
RAMCHE, RASUWA, Dec 15: Jim Bahadur Tamang of Ramche, Rasuwa went missing in the Langtang avalanche that was triggered by the Gorkha earthquake on April 25 this year. He was one of 83 persons that went missing in that avalanche. None of them have been declared dead by the government so far. Along with Jim Bahadur, Pasang Narbu Tamang and Sukaram Tamang of the same village went missing in that avalanche. Though the local administration has shown reluctance in declaring them dead, kins of Jim, Narbu and Sukuram, recently performed their last rites. After performing their final rites, the trio's wife went to district headquarters to get death certificates of their husband. However, another tragedy was waiting for the families of these women. They met with an accident and two of them lost their lives. And the one, Jim Bahadur's wife, had to return without getting the death certificate.
"Either the government should have brought them to us alive or show us their bodies and declare them dead. Government's inaction has put us in great dilemma,” said Phurbu Tamang, wife of Jim Bahadur. “I have lost my family and two of my friends lost their own lives in their pursuit to get their husbands death certificate, still the government is not taking our concerns seriously.”
Following the accident on November 3, Phurbu's mental health has not been good, her relatives inform. She gets nervous and needs counseling time and again. On the other hand, deceased Mensi and Sapdolma have left little kids behind with no proper caretaker for them.
"Had the government been more active in declaring them dead on time and handed over the certificate, these families would not have to face the present sufferings," noted Phurba Lama, a local of Ramche. He added that the wives of the trio had no choice but to carry out the last rites and then take the pain of reaching out to the concerned office for death certificate. "They had not choice other than to perform the last rites and pursue the government to declare them dead. The government was not telling anything about the whereabouts of the missing even after so many months. As they tried to do things on their own, two lost their lives," he said in anguish and adding that tragedy has made the future of their children uncertain.
Mensi has a daughter and two sons. Similarly, Sapdolma has four children. Sapdolma's father-in-law Sarki is the only person to take of the four kids and he is too old to move round on his own. "I am a setting sun. I have no future. But what about these kids?" the elderly man said. "There is sea of pain in my heart, and there is no one whom I can share these pain and responsibilities with."
Sarki had gone into reclusion since the news of his son's disappearance had reached him. Death of his daughter in law has further shocked him and forced him to cater to the needs of the children. "What will happen to these kids now? They cannot even say what they want, forget about earning a living," he said.
According to Jim Bahadur's wife Phurbu, the government had provided these three families equal compensation as entitled for the deceased's families. Yet, they were still not listed under dead but missing. And that was an awkward and painful situation. "Each of us received Rs 140,000 from the government. Then why is it difficult for the government to declare them dead?" she questioned. Phurbu is further disturbed as the District Administration Office refused to give her husband's death certificate even after her continued insistence.
Jim Bahadur had told Phurbu that he would return in seven days. But he never returned. The couple's son Kami is also in trekking field. "What to do? Now the responsibility of my younger siblings has come upon me," he said.
Trekking guide is occupation of many youths in Ramche village. "It's adventurous though very risky field," said Kami. "It's painful when the government does not care of our family if we are killed," he added.
Families of the missing in the avalanche have been asking the government to declare them dead as there is no chance of coming back of their loved ones. However, the administration has not listened to them.
