KATHMANDU: Mahabir Pun, a Nepali scientist, teacher, social entrepreneur and an activist known for his extensive work in applying wireless technologies to develop remote areas of the Himalayas, has expressed his view on Millennium Challenge Cooperation (MCC) Compact. Pun said that he was compelled to express his opinion on the US-funded MCC following constant pressure from well-wishers.
Below is the four-point opinion that Pun gave on MCC.
-The MCC is an economically linked political issue. As I am not a political man/leader, I have not given opinion on this issue so far. But since many Nepalis have asked for my opinion/stand, I can give only personal opinion on MCC.
-I have never been and still am not a party to any conditional donation or grant. If someone gives a donation/grant on condition, I will not take such donation/grant at all. As a human being or seeing someone’s suffering, I believe in the principle that if a rich person/country gives a donation/grant to another poor person/country, it should be given without any condition. No matter how miserable/poor a person or country that receives donations or grants is, if it is of a bad character or corrupt, it is not illegal to impose strict conditions so that donations/grants are not misused. However, I strongly believe that the donor/grantee should not take advantage of the donor/grant by imposing any illegitimate condition on the self-esteem of the recipient/donor and should oppose any attempt to take undue advantage.
-If there are any illegitimate conditions that inflame Nepal’s self-esteem in the MCC agreement, they should be removed. If there are any conditions that the Nepali people are not satisfied with and if those conditions are not removed by the United States, the government should not accept this grant.
-Therefore, on the issue of MCC, Nepalis should take important steps to make the country economically strong by uniting rather than fighting and dividing among themselves.