Nepalese foreign minister links flash floods to other countries, highlighting blame-shifting culture

In the wake of disasters, the question of accountability often arises and blame shifts from leaders to the very citizens they serve. This tendency to evade genuine responsibility fosters a culture of finger-pointing rather than constructive discussion. A recent statement from the Nepalese foreign minister underscores this phenomenon where natural forces are excused from criticism, revealing the inclination of humans to externalize fault instead of confronting underlying issues.

Every disaster raises a simple but pertinent question: Who is to blame for the cataclysm? If the terrible event is Himalayan, then the scale of accusation should also be ginormous. Otherwise, the charge will not reach the intended audience. Whenever a politician levels an allegation, the target is not the one who is held responsible for the tribulations, but the poor voter - whose strength lies in his finger.

A politician knows that finger-pointing is an easier game than lifting a finger. Hence, if one cannot understand and stop Himalayan blunders, then one can effortlessly make Himalayan allegations. Mind it, this game is truly enjoyable. Why? Because it costs neither a cent nor reputation. The onus is on the victim to prove (disprove) charges. What a play!

One can only speculate what thoughts occupied the Nepalese foreign minister's mind - Gen Zers, Millennials or Gen Xers - when he linked the deadly flash floods to the actions of other countries. Was he thinking about the three as one unit or the whispers of criticism at home? Or was he just thinking aloud?

Whatever it was, the mountains, the rocks, the trees, the glaciers and the rivers should consider themselves lucky that the blame-gamers spared them. Nobody asked why they went down the slope with such force, and no one dared to demand compensation from them.

The Himalaya - abode (alaya) of snow (him) - is all eyes and ears to everything happening within its empire. Intruders must watch out!