This made me very mad, resulting in the first GPL-ed software in Iran (FarsiTeX) unmaintained for quite a few years, to the users’ discomfort. I was waiting for years for someone to send a patch for a very trivial bug, or for someone to branch. None happened. Not that I hadn't mentioned my expectations.
This has basically resulted in me being very uninterested when I receive bugs with no patches. When I get a bug report with no patch, I basically think "how will fixing this help me?" If it is useful for myself, or would be returning a favor to someone who has helped me or I have learned from or in any other way I have respect for, it's probably going to get fixed. Otherwise, it will even sit there forever, until someone gives me a fine patch.
Your post made me think that this may not be regional culture at all. This may be a lose-lose situation. Those kind of people, if you beat them, they go away nagging about you forever and won’t ever become a helper. If you talk nicely, they will come with every expectation from you next time, and nag the first time you won’t give it to them.
It's sad that this is happening to you now. In other words, I have no clue why it hasn't happened earlier. But brother, it will pass.