Opinion | Lessons from Nepal’s past for families living without answers
Summary
Families affected by the Bhotekoshi flood are grappling with ambiguous loss as thousands remain unaccounted for, with no clear proof of life or death. Drawing on lessons from Nepal’s conflict-era disappearances and earthquake response, the authors call for integrated psychosocial, legal and financial support for the missing.
Key Points
- A 64-year-old woman was rescued 11 days after the Bhotekoshi flood, after her family had already held a symbolic funeral for her and three missing relatives.
- Around 5,300 people are still unaccounted for, leaving families torn between hope, mourning and pressure to accept death.
- The article argues that Nepal’s past experience with disappearances, earthquake survivors and psychosocial support offers lessons for helping families facing ambiguous loss.
- It calls for long-term recovery efforts, one-stop support centres, nationwide family-centred psychological services and family-led programmes.
