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31/12/2020: Guard
up : People are letting their guard down while the
risk of Covid-19 has not subsided (kp), The
year the government failed to save lives, control the
Covid contagion : The government gave up key measures
such as testing, contact tracing and isolating and
left the people to fend for themselves amid a raging
pandemic, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Oli’s
crime : Nobody is above the law in
contemporary Nepal. Nobody ought to be,
by Pramod Mishra (kp), A
year held hostage by the Nepal Communist Party feud :
The infighting in the ruling party reached a tipping
point as 2020 drew to a close. Oli dissolved the House
and called snap polls resulting in the party split and
forcing the country towards uncertainty, by Anil
Giri (kp), House
Dissolved To Save Democracy: PM (rn) [You
claim that you had to destroy democracy and the
constitution in order to save them? Are you actually
still in your right mind? All your actions are geared
only to your personal preservation of power!],
Congress,
JSP-N rule out any : truck with Dahal-led NCP, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), How
the pandemic put the brakes on Nepal’s economic growth
: Projections by various agencies show recovery will
be long and arduous, especially with political
uncertainty, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Is
load shedding back? What is the NEA doing? (rep) [Nepal's most incompetent
government ever, that of KP Oli, has gone all out to
prevent an extension of the capable Kul Man Ghising's
tenure as NEA Manager!], People
are closely watching NEA; and warn of massive outrage
if power cuts continue (rep), Province
1 CM Rai suspends 15 lawmakers : Prachanda-Nepal
faction picks Acharya as PP leader (kh) [?????
The destruction of state and democracy goes unabated!],
Province
1 Chief Minister Rai suspends 15 assembly members of
his party after they file a no-confidence motion
against him : Following the split in the ruling Nepal
Communist Party, Bhim Acharya, of the Dahal-Nepal
faction, was voted to replace Rai, an Oli ally, as
Province 1 assembly leader (kp), In
a tit-for-tat move, Province 1 Chief Minister Rai
suspends 15 provincial assembly members for three
months (rep), Violence
against women on the rise in Province 2, by
Kamalesh Thakur (kh), NC
demands immediate release of its cadre arrested for
criticising NCP leader Mahesh Basnet on Facebook
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
30/12/2020: Beijing
recalibrating its Nepal policy as political situation
unfolds fast : China may have sent a team to explore
unity formula for Nepal Communist Party, but its
concerns are wide-ranging after recent developments
following House dissolution., by Anil Giri (kp), Broken
promises : Farmers have become disillusioned because
of debts and policy corruption (kp), Time
to rewrite the constitution : It is time to move
beyond the idea of political stability to the idea of
constitutional stability, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal
(kp) [The 2015 Constitution is
the work of those politicians who are abusing and
destroying it today. The CA, which was not even really
socially inclusive in the end, was misused contrary to
the interim constitution only for nodding off!],
Nepal’s
new path : A real transformation is possible in Nepal,
and this will be a true nationalist act, by Atul K
Thakur (kp), Thousands
demand Oli’s ouster : Elections not possible on the
dates announced by the government: Dahal (ht) [Dahal's arguments may be valid,
but he must realise that he himself cannot be
considered as Oli's possible successor given his past
responsibilities!], House
dissolution: Political instability feared, by
Uttam Maharjan (ht), Health
experts warn of massive surge in COVID-19 amid
political turmoil (rep), What
next in Nepal? If the Supreme Court reinstates the
House, state of emergency will be declared. Oli then
may join hands with pro-monarchy forces which have
been demanding constitutional monarchy and a Hindu
state, by Suraj K Shrestha (rep) [Oli
is a Hindu fanatic either!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
29/12/2020: Poll
Preparations : As per the apex court order, the govt
must enact a law allowing voting right of the migrant
workers from their host countries (ht), Five
arrivals from UK test positive, raising fears new
coronavirus variant may be here : Whether they are
infected with the new variant can be ascertained
only after sample is tested abroad, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Beware
and prepare : Reports of a variant of the coronavirus
have sparked fresh worries amid an ongoing pandemic
(kp), Health
Ministry expects second wave of Covid-19 cases in
three weeks, by Arjun Poudel (kp), What
will 2021 have for Nepal? The year 2020 was
disruptive, but there is yet hope for Nepal in the
future, by Sujeev Shakya (kp) [But
the world situation is unlikely to improve
significantly in 2021! And Nepal is ultimately
dependent on this.], NC
holds massive protests against HoR dissolution
(ht), Chhau
sheds destroyed in Achham (ht), NCP
Split : A Windfall For Opposition, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn), We
are ready to forget everything if Oli accepts his
mistakes and the dissolved parliament is restored:
Madhav Nepal (rep) [Neither
the massive constitutional and legal violations of the
Oli government nor the crimes from the time of the
insurgency nor the violence and discrimination against
women must remain forgotten and unpunished, Mr Nepal!],
Chand-led
underground outfit forges strategic common front with
three other left parties against parliament
dissolution (rep), Another
writ filed at SC against Cabinet expansion (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
28/12/2020: आश्चर्य,
कांग्रेसले दीपावली किन गरेन ! नेकपामा काँक्राचिरे ठाडो
विभाजन भएका बेला नेपाली कांग्रेस, जनता समाजवादी वा
आफूलाई वैकल्पिक शक्तिका रूपमा स्थापित गर्न कसरत
गरिरहेका राजनीतिक दलहरूका लागि अहिले निर्वाचन घोषणा
हुनु राजनीतिक चिट्ठा पर्नुसरह हो [Wonder why
Congress did not celebrate Diwali! For the Nepali
Congress, the Janata Samajwadi Party or the political
parties that are trying to establish themselves as an
alternative force at a time when there is a sharp
division in the NCP, the announcement of the election is
like a political lottery.], by Achyut Wagle (ka) The
KP Sharma Oli caretaker government question : As Oli
ceases to be a member of the House of Representatives,
which he dissolved, he can only be a caretaker prime
minister, experts say. But he did not resign despite
calling snap polls, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Ordinance
and constitutional body recommendations challenged in
court : Writ petitioners argue that the ordinance over
functioning of Constitutional Council was
‘unconstitutional’ while defenders say there was no
choice but to amend the law, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Oli
draws flak for appointing new ministers (ht), Writ
filed at SC against Cabinet expansion (kh), Provincial
govts feel the heat as NCP’s Dahal-Nepal faction seeks
to oust chief ministers close to PM Oli, by Kosh
Raj Koirala (rep), The
plot thickens : The way they have taken the fight to
the provinces is an affront to political culture
(kp), ‘Down
with KP Oli!’, by Monika Malla (rep), Who
crossed the Rubicon?, by Surendra Singh Rawal
(rep), Police
exchange fire with Biplab-led group in Sankhuwasabha
(rep), Quarantine
centres are being closed as pandemic rages on : Public
health experts say the importance of quarantine
facilities has increased in the wake of the emergence
of new coronavirus strains said to be more contagious
and lethal, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
27/12/2020: अन्तहीन
संकटतर्फको प्रस्थान : देशलाई समुन्नत तुल्याउन आडम्बरी
राष्ट्रवाद, नक्कली नायकत्व, तानाशाही नीति र जातीय
आग्रहबाट मुक्त भएर व्यावहारिक, व्यावसायिक, यथार्थवादी,
समावेशी राजनीति आवश्यक हुन्छ । [Departure towards
endless crisis : In order to make the country
prosperous, practical, professional, realistic,
inclusive politics free from ostentatious nationalism,
fake leadership, dictatorial policy and ethnic demands
is necessary.], by Mohna Ansari (ka), Tired
of Oli’s actions, Dahal and Nepal decide to join
hands. But can they coexist? Unless Pushpa Kamal Dahal
and Madhav Nepal make their unity a result of
conviction rather than convenience and fight for the
larger interest of common people rather than their
personal gains, their association may not last long,
analysts and insiders say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
[Until Dahal's responsibility
for the victims of the uprising is clarified and
justice is done for the latter, he has no legitimacy
for any political office! He himself has declared that
he is responsible for 5,000 deaths. Already at this
moment, his immediate resignation from all offices
should have taken place and he should have faced a
court.], JSP
takes to the streets demanding House restoration, by
Monika Malla (rep), Oli
is pushing the country back toward regression: Ex-PM
Bhattarai (rep), Ganga
Maya staging hunger strike for last six days, by
Ujjwal Satyal (ht), Serious
COVID-19 linked syndrome in children reported
(rep), Electricity
imports from India reach 44 percent of the total
consumption amid soaring demand for energy (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
26/12/2020: Nepalis
Still Awaiting Political Stability, by Aashish
Mishra (rn), “Stop
Oligarchy!”, by Monika Malla (rep), Constitutional
Bench asks for reasons for House dissolution, seeks
amicus curiae : The five-member bench also asks about
the time of the no-confidence motion filed against the
Oli government. There are conflicting versions on when
it was registered, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Election
Commission to settle dispute over legitimacy of Nepal
Communisty Party : After the Dahal-Nepal faction
submitted the necessary documents claiming legitimacy,
the commission will now ask the Oli faction for its
response to the claim, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Experts
question if caretaker prime minister can reshuffle the
Cabinet : The decision is against the spirit of
constitutional and political cultures, observers
argue; Most of the new ministers in the Oli
Cabinet are former Maoists, by Tika R Pradhan and
Anil Giri (kp), PM
inducts new ministers in Cabinet; Eight fresh
faces in Cabinet; Portfolios of six changed (ht),
Cabinet
recommends calling winter session of the upper house :
The recommendation comes six days after the lower
house was dissolved (kp), Govt
recommends parliamentary session for Jan 1 (rep) [After dismissing the directly
elected representatives of the sovereign people???],
RPP
holds mass demonstration demanding restoration of
monarchy, Hindu state (rep) [The
Hindu state is a playground for exclusively male
Tagadharis (15% of the population) and marginalises
85% of the population, Gyanendra is a Putschist like
Mahendra and Oli and therefore no longer fit for any
political office, his insane son is unqualified in all
respects. So what does this extremist minority want to
restore and why? The total failure of male Bahuns at
the helm of the parties does not justify depriving the
people of their sovereignty once again!], Political
protests cause long traffic jams in Valley : Just 15
minutes of traffic jam in core city areas could cause
at least two hours of snarl-ups in various parts of
the Valley, by Anup Ojha (kp), Protesting
sugarcane farmers fear being elbowed out of public
view : The farmers from the Tarai have been holding a
sit-in to demand payment for their crops sold to sugar
mills, by Krishana Prasain (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
25/12/2020: Prime
Minister Oli is pushing the country to precipice. Is
there a way to stop him? It is necessary for all of us
who want this constitution to function and who care
about this country to shout out that the Prime
Minister is wrong, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Nepal’s
Person of the Year: KP Oli, by Bishal Thapa (ae),
Supreme
Court issues show cause order on decision to dissolve
parliament (kh), Can
the Speaker revive the House dissolved by the
executive? There is no constitutional provision for
the Speaker to restore the House. If he does, it would
be another blow to the constitution, some observers
warn, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The
only institution that has to decide on the
constitutionality of the dissolution of parliament is
the Supreme Court. So, please wait!], Dissolution
of House exposes the fault lines in Nepali Congress :
Detractors accuse Deuba of being soft on Oli and say
only agitation can ensure timely polls if the House is
not restored, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal’s
future jeopardized, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (ae), Who
benefits from the communist split in Nepal?, by
Biswas Baral (ae), Nepalis
are leaving for India to work—in droves : Most migrant
workers returning to India fear political instability
in Nepal may lead to an unstable economy, pushing them
to the brink of poverty, by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Public
responsible for containing spread of new coronavirus
variants, officials say : Experts argue new strain
could spread across the country if officials don’t
step up monitoring and strictly enforce quarantine
rules, by Arjun Poudel (kp), It’s
cold outside : It is time we asked ourselves whether
we are prepared enough to deal with this annual hazard
(kp), No
Confidence Motion Registered Against Bagmati CM, Three
Ministers Resign En Masse (rn), Ensuring
Access To Vaccine, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Provincial
assembly members close to Dahal-Nepal faction file
no-confidence motion against Bagmati chief minister
(rep), A
year of living dangerously : The pandemic affected
every facet of Nepal’s economy, environment and
socio-cultural life, by Alisha Sijapati (nt), Step
back from the brink : When the dust settles, let’s
plan for a free, fair and peaceful elections in 2021
(nt),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
24/12/2020: Chief
justice forwards all writs against House dissolution
to the Constitutional BenchThe bench, which is led by
Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana and has four
other justices as members, will start a hearing on a
total of 13 petitions on Friday, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), After
split, there’s now fight for the party name and
election symbol : As both factions led by KP Sharma
Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal claim to have majority
Central Committee members, the ball is in the Election
Commission’s court, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
As
winter bites, hardship of Lidi landslide survivors in
Sindhupalchok worsens, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Pandemic
and protests : Precautions are as important as our
right to stand up for what we believe in (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
23/12/2020: Nepal
Communist Party’s fragile unity falls apart : Factions
led by Oli and Dahal are in bid to wrest control of
the party, as both claim to have majority members on
their side, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Polls
have been announced, but there are challenges,
officials say : Willingness of the parties to go to
the polls is the biggest one. Before that Election
Commission will have to resolve the dispute within the
Nepal Communist Party, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp) [Dissolving parliament
and calling new elections just because the PM has lost
his support and refuses to resign are not justified
and criminally destroy democracy and the political
system!], House
reinstatement or elections, Congress party divided
over future course of action : Some leaders are in
favour of using elections to party’s advantage as they
reckon ruling NCP is heading towards split, by
Anil Giri (kp) [You cannot win
democratic elections by supporting the destruction of
the constitution and democracy! What opposition
performance can the NC show at all?], Whether
to hit streets or not against HoR dissolution: NC in
Hamletian dilemma (kh), Dissolution
of House of Representatives sends shock waves through
provincial governments : Chief ministers of some
provinces set to lose majority in the provincial
assembly, destabilising their governments (kp), Political
unrest likely to trigger surge in new coronavirus
cases across country (kp), A
magnificent implosion : The least that is expected of
the leaders is that they follow a minimum standard of
dignity (kp), Five
years of relentless ‘Oli-fication’ : The worry is that
the societal and political changes have become almost
irreversible, by CK Lal (kp), Writ
petitions filed against dissolution of parliament
forwarded to a constitutional bench (rep), CJ
refers all cases related to dissolution of HoR to
Constitutional Bench : Cases to be heard on Friday
(kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
22/12/2020: House
dissolution: Whether it’s lawful is now for Supreme
Court to decide : Despite political parties terming
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s move
‘unconstitutional’, in terms of its legality the
final arbiter will be the court, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), The
ultimate arbiter : Nepalis are waiting with bated
breath for the judiciary’s response (kp), Climax
of Oli’s autogolpe : It is up to the judiciary now to
save Nepal’s hard-earned federal republican democracy,
by Achyut Wagle (kp), Road
to political disaster : The ‘unconstitutional’ move by
PM Oli begins the era of uncertainty in Nepali
politics. Let us all be careful, by Deepak Joshi
Pokhrel and Rajendra Senchurey (rep), House
Dissolution PM Takes Pre-Emptive Move, by Narayan
Upadhyay (rn), Oli’s
address to the nation didn’t validate dissolution of
House, observers say : The ‘strongest prime minister
in Nepal’s modern history’ can’t say his own comrades
didn’t allow him to work, they add, by Anil Giri
(kp), Oli’s
move of dissolving the House has brought Nepal
Communist Party to a moment of truth : The party has,
in effect, split. It’s just a matter of time when a
formal announcement is made, insiders say, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp), Lawmakers
of dissolved HoR file writ against House dissolution
(kh), Student
unions conclude: Parliament dissolution undemocratic,
unconstitutional (kh), JSP
decides to request Speaker for summoning House session
: Unveils protest plan against ‘House dissolution’
(kh), Troubled
days ahead : The rift is likely to have its impact on
the provinces also, where the NCP has formed six out
of the seven governments (ht), Political
instability could affect recovery of the economy
hit by the pandemic : The party has, in effect, split.
It’s just a matter of time when a formal announcement
is made, insiders say. With elections announced,
government policy will not be stable to attract
investment and businesses will be pressed for
donations for parties’ poll campaigns, experts say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Oli's
policy has never been stable!], Coronavirus
spread is not slowing down, these four indicators
demonstrate : Critical care facilities are still
overwhelmed, positivity rates haven’t declined, death
rates have increased and 15 percent of healthy people
seeking to go abroad are testing positive, by
Arjun Poudel (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
21/12/2020: Democracy’s
undoing : Prime Minister Oli and President Bhandari
have ticked all boxes of Machiavellian treachery in
Nepali politics (kp), President
dissolves House, calls polls for April 30 and May 10 :
Oli attacks the constitution one more time as the
noose tightened around him, by Tika R Pradhan and
Binod Gjhimire (kp), This
dissolution and those dissolutions: Looking for
parallels to Oli’s move in history, by Anil Giri
(kp), House
dissolved, mid-term polls announced, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Undemocratic,
autocratic step: NCP (ht), In
address to the nation after House dissolution, Oli
defends his move : He says that he was left with no
choice as he was not allowed to work by some ruling
party leaders and seeking a fresh mandate was the best
alternative given the situation (kp) [The
offender declares himself to be the victim! The threat
of losing power does not justify the destruction of
the democratic foundations of the state and the
constitution! Even the all-powerful Gyanendra had to
pay bitterly for such a crime in 2006!], Oli
‘explains’ how he was ‘forced’ to dissolve House and
announce midterm elections (rep), Protests
held across country (ht), Suicidal
move : As many legal experts have termed the PM’s move
‘unconstitutional’, we need to wait until the Supreme
Court gives its verdict on it (ht), Dissolution
of parliament was not my wish: PM Oli (rep) [A no-confidence vote in parliament
would have been a normal democratic procedure.
Dissolving the parliament to prevent it is an attack
on the fundamentals of democracy and both PM and
President must stand trial for this crime! The long
overdue resignation of the PM would have been another
democratic option!], Parliament
dissolution was not an abrupt decision: PM Oli :
"Election will strengthen party unity" (kh) [What a sick mind on departure from
the political stage!], Demanding
parliament restoration, lawmakers knock at Supreme
Court’s door (rep), 8
petitions against House dissolution at SC
(Setopati), 13
writs filed at SC against House dissolution :
Constitutional Bench to conduct hearing on Wednesday
(kh), Parliament
dissolution and announcement of mid-term poll:
Parties intensify meetings (kh), NC
calls an all-party meeting to forge a common strategy
to challenge govt's move to dissolve parliament
(rep), All-party
meeting convened by NC underway at Sanepa (kh), Dissolution
of HoR is unconstitutional: Former Prez Yadav
(rep), Government
is whitewashing extent of coronavirus infection,
public health experts say : Health Ministry counting
test results of travellers, health workers and
government staff, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Covid-19
affected businesses to protest demanding relief and
rehabilitation package : Entrepreneurs say that the
refinance facility has not been available to the small
and medium scale enterprises, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Chhaugoth
demolition drive gathers pace (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
20/12/2020: PM
Oli and President Bhandari betrayed the people and the
country (rep), 90
CPN lawmakers registered no confidence motion against
Oli in morning proposing Dahal as next PM
(Setopati), Oli
government recommends House dissolution : After being
cornered in his own party, speculations had been rife
that Oli could take such a measure (kp) [60
years and 5 days after the coup by Mahendra : This is
a putsch by a totally incompetent politician for the
sole purpose of maintaining his personal power. This
man should be arrested immediately and brought to
justice to prevent worse from happening to his
country, which has already been severely battered by
the pandemic and politicians!], Oli
sacrifices the constitution to save his skin
(Record), What
does the constitution say on House dissolution : No
constitutional provision for Oli to dissolve House,
experts say. The House can be dissolved before its
five-year term ends only in case of a hung parliament
but Nepal Communist Party has nearly two-thirds
majority (kp), After
House dissolution recommendation, prime minister for
holding elections in Baisakh (April-May) : The
President, however, is yet to endorse the House
dissolution recommendation and she is holding
consultation, an official at Sheetal Niwas says
(kp) [It is the President's
supreme duty to uphold the Constitution and not to
keep a failed Prime Minister in power!], President
Bhandari Dissolves HoR, Mid-Term Election On April 30
And May 10 Next Year (rn) [The
President must be in a state of mental derangement
with her reasoning: Article 76 (7) concerns the
situation after a successful vote of no confidence in
the PM. Article 85 concerns the extension of the
five-year parliamentary term in times of emergency.
Neither of these is a given!], Hours
after dissolution of parliament, Prime Minister Oli
calls National Security Council meeting (rep), Government
is mulling over declaring a state of emergency:
Sources (rep), Nepal
Army assesses security situation following PM Oli’s
controversial move (rep), Security
forces on high alert following PM Oli’s controversial
move (rep), Ministers
close to Dahal, Nepal resign en masse after PM's
controversial move to dissolve parliament (rep), 7
ministers resign en masse : Term House dissolution
"unconstitutional and undemocratic" (kh), Protests
erupt across the country against parliament
dissolution (rep), Students,
leaders of Prachanda-Nepal faction protest Oli’s move
at Maitighar (kh), Almost
four dozen appointments made in various constitutional
bodies; Former Home Secretary Prem Rai picked as chief
of anti-graft body (With full list) (rep), Oli's
coup against Constitutional Council (Setopati), Government
yet to respond to growing calls for winter session of
federal parliament : Ruling party internal feud is
also besetting parliamentary processes, analysts say,
by Binod Bhandari (kp) [The
dissolution of parliament would finally free the
authoritarian PM from constant demands to convene the
body of elected representatives!], Ministry
says 10 days enough for Covid quarantine, isolation :
Public health experts say that such an advisory is
meaningless as the government has halted all other
measures to fight Covid-19, including testing and
contact tracing, Doctors say infected are seeking help
only after becoming critically ill, by Arjun
Poudel (kp) [The reduction of
Covid cases in Nepal has been artificially constructed
by the incompetent Oli government!], Protesting
farmers unconvinced they will be paid soon despite
assurances from the government (kp) [Who
would believe a government of constant liars?],
Call
to protect rights of migrant workers, their families
(ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
19/12/2020: Nepal
waits for an unequal Citizenship Law : An
international policy perspective on gender-based
discrimination in the country’s citizenship Law,
by Ajay Pradhan (nt), Extrajudicial
killings : Court order to form mechanism could provide
justice to victims’ kin; Such crimes have so far been
investigated by Nepal Police or a task force, but
perpetrators are hardly ever punished as
investigations are not honest, human rights activists
say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [In
a state where even those in the highest offices do not
feel bound by the constitution and laws, and where
supposedly binding statements constantly turn out to
be lies, the close links between politics and crime
prevent any justice for victims!], Confrontation
looms in the ruling party as Oli remains defiant :
Oli’s reluctance to withdraw the ordinance despite
agreeing to do so has raised concerns within the Dahal
camp if he is up for some drastic political steps,
by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Efforts
on to make Oli toe party line, says Dahal (ht) [That is not the problem, Mr Dahal!
Obviously you do not understand this either. Oli has
to abide by the constitution and the law. The rest is
an internal party matter!], Workers
still pay hefty sums for jobs abroad : Even years
after ‘free visa and free ticket’ policy was
rolled out, most workers haven’t benefited from it,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Restoration
Of Faith In Politics, by Nyas Yadav (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
18/12/2020: The
duel within the Nepal Communist Party : In Nepal’s
political culture, leaders never retire because
politics has paid them well, by Naresh Koirala
(kp) [This is true for other
parties, especially the NC, as well! Politicians like
Deuba, Oli and Dahal can fail miserably several times
as Prime Ministers, they still remain entrenched at
the top of their parties!], Oli
keeps mum on revoking ordinance, leaving all confused
and guessing : A day after agreeing to withdraw the
ordinance, Oli called and then cancelled the
Constitutional Council meeting, later refusing to even
discuss it in the Cabinet, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
PM
forced to put off Constitutional Council meeting,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Damaged
Oli : He seems determined to stop his opponents from
prevailing in the party, even if it entails doing harm
to the democratic process (ae), As
Oli finds strong opposition in his own party, Congress
yet to realise it is the main opposition : A day after
agreeing to withdraw the ordinance, Oli called and
then cancelled the Constitutional Council meeting,
later refusing to even discuss it in the Cabinet. The
leadership’s failure is the reason behind Nepali
Congress’ floundering in performing the role of an
effective opposition in a democratic dispensation,
leaders and analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Prachanda-Nepal
faction warns of further steps against Oli if
ordinance not withdrawn (kh), Rights
groups say Miklajung teacher murder premeditated : Two
weeks on, police have yet to arrest the members of the
Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal who
abducted and murdered Rajendra Kumar Shrestha, by
Binod Bhandari (kp), Biplav-led
outfit is using the Maoist-era playbook to sow chaos,
but the government is slow to act (rep), House
panel wants sugar mills to clear all arrears within a
week : The House committee directs the government to
take action against mills showing laxity in
settling farmers’ dues, by Krishana Prasain (kp),
Supreme
Court not hearing case against Speaker Sapkota
(kh) [A typical case of denial
of justice! Without clarification of this case,
Sapkota should never have been appointed Speaker of
Parliament in a democratic state! However, it has only
been almost 15 years since the crime was committed...],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
17/12/2020: Oli
agrees to revoke ordinance but his actions come into
question : Observers say the prime minister is making
a mockery of the system by issuing ordinances and
withdrawing them and losing legitimacy to govern,
by Tika R Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp) [The
PM and the President have long since lost their
legitimacy. Both have numerous obligations by virtue
of their office, but they hardly fulfil them° At the
same time, they overestimate their rights like
authoritarian rulers or monarchs!], How
Baluwatar brought disgrace upon Sheetal Niwas and the
high office played complicit roles : The brazen
display of promptitude by the President to act as per
the Oli government’s demand has eroded the image of
the hallowed institution, analysts say, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Lessons
unlearned : With the recent faux pas, Oli’s legitimacy
to govern has come into question (kp), Wrong
practice : The ordinance has given the PM sweeping
powers to appoint persons in the constitutional bodies
without consulting others (ht), Supreme
Court moved against controversial ordinance (ht),
PM
Oli convenes Constitutional Council meeting : Cabinet
meeting slated at 6 pm (kh), Despite
agreement to withdraw ordinance, PM Oli calls
Constitutional Council meeting (rep), Government
pushes antigen tests to confirm the spread of virus :
Public health experts say antigen tests are
unreliable and could lead to fresh outbreaks,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Government
to ramp up antigen test once again (ht), Rs
1.40bn spent from COVID-19 fund in four months
(ht), RPP
to go for nationwide protests for Hindu state,
constitutional monarchy from December 27 (rep) [A party that was supported by only
two per cent of the electorate in the last elections,
in the midst of the pandemic, calls its supporters to
the streets to demand a return to the two institutions
that bear the original blame for the whole political
and social malaise of the non-inclusive multi-ethnic
and multi-religious state of Nepal???], Police
issues arrest warrant against operators of four sugar
mills (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
16/12/2020: Minister
Gyawali yet again says amendment to transitional
justice law soon : Conflict victims and experts doubt
the amendment will be presented before Parliament
anytime soon and it will do away with provisions of
amnesty for perpetrators of rights abuse, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), In
ordinance, Oli shows yet another authoritarian streak
: By amending the Constitutional Council Act, the
prime minister has effectively defenestrated the
opposition leader and Speaker and disturbed the
balance of power in a blatant attack on the spirit of
the constitution, analysts say, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), President
reissues controversial ordinance : She had issued the
same ordinance amending Constitution Council Act in
April as well; It had to be rescinded after four days;
Appointments made under it can’t be revoked by HoR,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), What
is in the newly-introduced ordinance brought to amend
Constitutional Council procedure? (with document)
(rep), NCP
lawmakers close to rival faction reach President's
Office demanding special session of parliament
(rep),
NCP lawmakers reach Shital Niwas demanding special
session of Federal Parliament (kh), NC
asks government to convene House session (kh), PM
Oli asks Prachanda to withdraw signatures sent to
Shital Niwas (kh), Oli,
Prachanda agree to withdraw allegations against each
other (kh), Temporary
ceasefire in NCP after Oli agrees to withdraw
controversial ordinance (rep), Sugarcane
farmers refuse to sit for talks as the government
dilly-dallies : Home and industry ministers show
lukewarm response to farmers, with one promising
‘lawful action’ against mill owners and the other
saying infiltration by ‘middlemen’, by Krishana
Prasain (kp), Keep
using face masks until vaccines become available,
experts say : As it might take months, if not years,
for vaccines to be available in Nepal, wearing masks
and maintaining distance should be the new norm,
they point out, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Most
defendants in Baluwatar case have been released either
on bail or general dates : Former Deputy Prime
Minister Gachhadar and key middlemen including Ram
Kumar Subedi and Sobha Kanta Dhakal are yet to present
themselves to the court, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
15/12/2020: Judicial
custody of former anti-graft body chief raises
questions over appointments : Unless appointments are
made in a transparent way without political
motivations, the trend of choosing a person
lacking qualifications will continue, observers say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [A
consequence of the total party politicisation of all
areas of public life by an anti-democratic generation
of male high caste top politicians], Crime
and punishment : Basnyat’s arrest has proved that
corruption is not possible without a nexus between
politicians and bureaucrats (ht), Congress
holds mass rallies to proclaim it’s back in business.
But is it? : Analysts say it’s already too late for it
to focus on raising issues from the House and work as
an effective opposition party that can really hold the
government to account, by Anil Giri (kp) [A
backward-looking party that advocates an exclusionary
and discriminatory Hindu state has no future in a
modern and inclusive multi-ethnic, multi-cultural,
multi-religious and multi-lingual state of Nepal! The
leadership of the NC also urgently needs to be
replaced by a younger and open-minded generation!],
Pro-Monarchists
Up The Ante, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Odd-even
rule on traffic movement hasn’t checked spread of
virus : The rule has led to overcrowding in public
transport and experts say its efficacy should have
been reviewed earlier, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Health
experts warn against lowering guard, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Army
chief directs all units to remain alert as Chand-led
CPN ramps up activities (ht), Entrenched
Bias Against Females, by Nishtha Shrestha (rn), NC
leader Gagan Thapa challenges Prez Bhandari to
maintain dignity of her post or contest election with
him, by Pushparaj Joshi (rep), Prez
Bhanadari issues ordinance amending Constitutional
Council procedure (rep) [Democracy
the Nepali way: Parliament is completely superfluous!
Oli and his president regulate everything through
ordinances!], President
Bhandari issues ordinance on Constitutional Council :
Paves the way for holding meeting with majority
members (kh), CC
meeting postponed as Speaker Sapkota abstains :
Rescheduled for 5 pm (kh) [Outside
the parliamentary session, he should not have any
other important task besides his function as a member
of the Constitutional Council!], NCP
row deepens with Prachanda demanding withdrawal of
Ordinance : Terms it “unconstitutional” (kh), Constitutional
Council meeting rescheduled for 5 pm today (rep),
Coronavirus
pandemic impact in all sectors; poor starving to
death!, by Dinesh Bista (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
14/12/2020: Congress
awakening: Too little, too late—and misplaced,
analysts say : The main opposition is holding rallies
in the midst of a pandemic to hold the government to
account. But many are questioning why it’s not
demanding the House session, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
[In the eyes of the top
politicians of all parties, parliamentary elections
serve exclusively to procure a majority for the
personal power satisfaction of the top politicians.
They then behave like authoritarian absolute rulers
and negate the sovereignty of the people. They do not
understand that even after the election they only have
a few special rights, but a lot of duties, even as
opposition politicians!], Sugarcane
farmers are back in the Capital as Oli administration
broke its promiseThe government failed to make sugar
mills pay the farmers their dues despite an agreement.
They saw no option and came to Kathmandu to protest
demanding payments, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Pandemic
could hit goal of graduating to developing country
status, report says : Human development report
stresses enhanced roles of provincial, local
governments to minimise development gaps; The report
also casts doubt on Nepal achieving United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp) [see Nepal
Human Development Report 2020], When
vaccines arrive : The government must make the vaccine
available for free to every citizen (kp), Human
Rights National Magna Meet concludes (ht),
NC General Secretary Koirala bats for Hindu state
(kh) [This is an affront to
the numerous people who do not belong to the Hindu way
of life and to Nepali women, after all more than 51%
of the total population, who have been regarded as
inferior creatures in the Hindu-oriented state for
centuries! Nepal does not belong to the at best 6%
male Bahuns like Koirala!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
13/12/2020: Victims
suffering for want of rules, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(kp), Govt
issues Institutional Grants Standard (ht), It’s
there, not here yet. As the jab is still far away,
precaution is vaccine, experts say : With countries
racing to vaccinate their populations, there are
concerns Nepal may be left behind, as the end of
the pandemic is still nowhere in sight, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Constitutional
Council should be held above partisan interests,
analysts say : Experts say dozens of constitutional
body vacancies give the council an opportunity to
ensure proportional representation while recommending
candidates, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Constitutional
Council meeting put off until further notice due to
lack of quorum (rep), Constitutional
Council meeting postponed as Deuba declines to attend
(kh), Nepal’s
Human Development Index reaches 0.587 (rep), Human
Development Report: Nepal promoted to Medium Human
Development Index (kh), The
bitter story of sweet sugarcane: Farmers not paid for
past seven years (rep),, Case
filed against a judge offering clean chit to ‘Siddha
Baba’ (kh), Former
CIAA Chief Commissioner Basnyat remanded to judicial
custody (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
12/12/2020: Government
failed its people during pandemic, rights
organisations say : International Commission of
Jurists points out a series of missteps by the
government, from making light of the disease, denying
free tests and care to failing to provide social
safety net to the vulnerable groups, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Form
‘new body’ to probe extra judicial killings: Supreme
Court : Apex court directs govt not to include police
officers in it (kp), Government
Begins Consultations To Purchase COVID-19 Vaccines
(rn), The
Downsides Of A Mass Society, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Saga
Of Leadership Transition In Nepal, by Kushal
Pokharel (rn), COVID-19
pandemic, its psychosocial impact on healthcare
workers, by Saswot Kumar Dhakal and Ujwol Neupane
(kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
11/12/2020: Ordinance
amends law on rape but fails to recognise rape of boy
child and sexual minorities : Provision to legally
recognise rape of only a woman or a girl child
retained despite authorities wanting to change that
provision to ‘person’. That could have had other
implications, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rights
violation rampant in Nepal, says AHRC (ht) [See
AHRC report: The
Government of Nepal has been using the Covid-19
Pandemic to Exercise Control, to Commit Human Rights
Violations and to Deny Justice to Victims of Human
Rights Abuses], Govt
urged to investigate custodial deaths (ht), Teacher
files sexual abuse case against principal (ht), Women
Forced To Stay In Cave, Open With Abolition Of
Chhaugoth (rn) [If men
cannot stay indoors with women during their periods,
then please let the men spend this time outdoors or in
caves!!], At
the talks table : There is no alternative to dialogue
for lasting peace (kp), Contain
Chand-led party’s activities before they get out of
hand, analysts say : Observers say the more the
incumbent government fails, the more it will create
space for anti-democratic forces, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Chand
cadres often visited slain teacher : Villagers say the
activists of Communist Party of Nepal used to come to
their homes asking for food and money, by Binod
Bhandari (kp), History
on replay : But it is a farce, Nepalis have no wish to
return to the barbarism of war (nt),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
10/12/2020: Reflecting
on the past years : Our political class should feel
ashamed for having let down the Nepali people for so
long, by Mohna Ansari (kp), AI
Nepal Starts Campaign Urging PM Oli To Probe Incidents
Of 'Custodial Deaths' (rn), AI
Nepal starts campaign urging PM Oli to probe incidents
of ‘custodial deaths’ (kh), PM
Oli summons Constitutional Council meeting for Sunday
: 46 posts in 11 constitutional commissions lie vacant
for years (kh), Chand
party’s killing of school principal is a grim reminder
of the Maoist conflict : Analysts say the government
appears to be failing in its approach to deal with the
Communist Party of Nepal, which has been involved in
violent activities for long, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Chand-led
Communist Party of Nepal claims responsibility for
murder of school principal : The party said it took
action against Rajendra Kumar Shrestha for being an
informant to police and helping them arrest its cadres,
by Madhav Ghimire and Binod Bhandari (kp) [It
is indeed brazen that the people whom the CPN wants to
"liberate" through murder, extortion and destruction
of public and private property are defending
themselves against these crimes! There is a great deal
wrong in Nepal, but Dahal and other leaders of his
former Maoist party have already amply demonstrated
how quickly dear targets are replaced by personal
power interests!], Let’s
rage against Biplav’s barbarism (rep), Nepal
Police Headquarters directs its units to be aggressive
against Chand outfit (rep), Entrepreneurs
are being threatened to either pay extortion amount or
close businesses: FNCCI (rep), Language
jingoism : The selective outrage of ruling party
leaders on the use of English terms and letters shows
their hypocrisy, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Early
inoculation a long shot in Nepal (ht), What
is pro-monarchy protest all about?, by Sarans
Pandey (rep), जात–व्यवस्थाको
जाँतोमा मानवअधिकार : अधिकांश राजनीतिक शक्ति दलितमाथि
भएका अन्यायविरुद्ध नबोल्नु विभेदकारी जात–व्यवस्थाको
पक्षपोषण गर्नु हो [Human rights in the mill of
caste system : The fact that most of the political
forces do not speak out against the injustice done to
the Dalits is to support the discriminatory caste
system], by JB Bishwakarma and Rup Sunar (np),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
09/12/2020: Incidences
of sexual violence on the rise; 4,000 girls raped in 4
years : 16 Day Campaign against Gender Based Violence,
by Sabina Karki (kh), Civic
space blocked in Nepal: CIVICUS report (ht) [see report],
Power
sharing cases pile up at constitutional bench :
Constitutional experts say devolution of power between
various tiers of government has been hampered due to
bench’s failure to issue verdicts, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Oli
calls all-party meeting, expecting support, but gets
vitriol instead : Leaders of the political parties
represented in the federal parliament say that the
failure in governance has invited the ongoing
protests against the republican system, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Parties
tell PM to improve governance (ht), CPN
cadres abduct, kill school principal (ht), Anil
Sharma 'Birahi', a key leader of Chand-led CPN
arrested from Nuwakot (rep), Brainchild
behind ‘Bir Gorkhali’ says Nepal will soon restore
monarchy, by Anjali Subedi.(rep) [Clearly,
these young people have not understood the history of
the country and the negative role of the monarchy in
it!], “I
am not angry at what happened to Nabaraj. I am scared
that it will happen to me”, by Binayak Sundas
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
08/12/2020: Country’s
poor human rights situation continues: NHRC (ht)
[see report
in Nepali], Ghost
of the crown : The risks associated with a
return to the past far outweigh its touted,
fictitious benefits, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Monarchists
took to the streets due to govt’s incompetence: NC
(kh) [The incompetence of the
oppositional NC should be mentioned as well! A
democratic system requires a strong and active
opposition and this has not been provided by the NC!],
NC's
'Flawed' Leadership, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Pro-monarchy
protest a fallout of govt’s inaction, failure: Parties
(kh), The
predicament of the ruling party: It can neither split
nor remain united : Leaders are caught between a rock
and a hard place. Parting ways has its fallout, but
with relations so bitter now being under the same roof
has become untenable, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Where
the Janata Samajbadi Party is when ruling and
opposition parties are failing : At a time when the
federal system is under attack, party leaders admit
that they are disoriented, largely because they are
trying to figure out their goal, purpose and ideology,
by Anil Giri (kp), Education
Ministry continues action against two bodies for
publishing commission report : A day after seeking
legal proceedings against the two for violating
copyright provisions, it asks major donors about their
ties with them, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The
state is ours, says the Oli government. Civil society
has to shut up or face action!], Government
recommends action against two NGOs (ht), Teacher
shot dead by Biplav cadres in Morang (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
07/12/2020: All
of Prime Minister job funds to go to wages : In the
third year of its implementation, the programme has so
far been a let-down as it fails to achieve its target,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Disasters
in waiting : Nepal’s disaster preparedness and
response mechanism is pretty disastrous (kp), Austerity
measures : The standard could slash a lot of
unproductive expenses and free up funds for
development and the prevention of COVID-19 (ht), Ignored,
ergo ignorant: Without intervention, the plight
continues, by Durga Innani (ht), Nepal
revises its climate target, Cabinet to endorse this
week : By 2030, the government aims to increase
E-vehicles sales share to 90 percent in total private
passenger vehicle sales, by Shree Ram Subedi
(rep), Synonym
of a woman is “helpless,” says a government textbook,
and Facebook users are outraged (rep), Nepal
saw massive spike in food imports (rep) [This
is no wonder after the incompetent Oli government did
not allow Nepali products to be transported to markets
and consumers!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
06/12/2020:
Lack of pandemic contingency plan has led to rise in
maternal deaths, experts say : More than 17 women have
been dying every month due to birth related
complications since March, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Pandemic
derails country’s economic recovery, Nepal Rastra Bank
survey suggests : Economists and business people have
urged the government to implement economic recovery
programmes to lift the faltering economy, by
Prithvi man Shrestha (kp), Government
halts COVID antigen test after low public
participation (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
05/12/2020: Education
commission report publicised without officials on
board : Thirteen of the 25 members of the commission,
who made the report public, hope the document will
help start a debate on reforming education, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Doti’s
rape-murder suspect escapes from custody; on-duty cops
suspended, by Tekendra Deuba (ht), Breaking
The Culture Of Silence, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Let’s
Keep Our Tongues, by Aashish Mishra (rn),
Mass protest in Kathmandu demanding restoration of
constitutional monarchy, by Monika Malla (rep), Politicization
obstructing easy access to justice, by Buddhabir
Bahing (kh), 46
posts in 11 constitutional commissions lie vacant for
years, by Gajendra Basnet (kh), Fighting
Political Frustration, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
04/12/2020: Attacking
the system, one step at a time : Oli administration’s
actions are against constitutional provisions
and pose a threat to democratic principles and
norms, observers say, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal’s
infrastructure development aspirations build pressure
on its existing green cover : Legal provisions that
trees felled must be replenished by planting more
trees may not be implemented, experts say, as big
projects will be undertaken in the coming years,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Show
us the numbers : The government cannot withhold survey
results that don’t suit its narrative (kp), Experts
doubt success of Covid monitoring groups :
Health ministry’s decision to form such community
groups found unhelpful to contain the spread of the
virus as contact tracing hasn’t resumed yet, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Warning
on the wall: Rising protests in favor of monarchy
(rep) [Why do people not learn
from history? In the past, the monarchy has set the
course for non-inclusive, undemocratic and
authoritarian politics. The fact that today's party
politicians act as heirs to this misguided policy in
no way justifies a return to the basic evil! The
problem is not the system, but the incompetent and
selfish politicians!!], RPP
to stage mass demonstration in support of monarchy
(kh) [The former henchmen of
the autocratic monarchy scent their chance, even
though they won only two per cent of the votes in the
elections three years ago!], Nepal
party reincarnating Hindu monarchy : The RPP exploits
disarray among ruling Communists to push restoration
of Hindu kingdom (nt), Why
nations fail: Lessons for Nepal : The lesson for Nepal
is to continue making political and economic
institutions inclusive. And also to develop a strong
central government that can maintain law and order,
by Anand Jha (rep), Preparing
for the clash of empires : Slew of recent visits by
Indian and Chinese military, intelligence and
diplomatic officials underscore Nepal’s new
geo-strategic status, by Bhaskar Koirala (nt), Women
leaders set example for rest of Nepal : Imagine if
this women-led municipality in the Tarai was upscaled
nationwide, by Laxmi Basnet (nt),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
03/12/2020: Transitional
justice is once again being used as a tool for
political one-upmanship, conflict victims say : After
reminding Dahal of it as a ‘very sensitive issue’, the
Oli government reaches out to the victims. But victims
and analysts wonder if it is just a ploy to threaten
his opponent, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Fourteen
years of CPA: What did Nepal achieve? The issues that
plagued pre-war Nepal still find resonance in
contemporary times. It is important to work with civil
society and victims to exert pressure on political
elites to ensure full implementation of CPA, by
Raunak Mainali and Prakash Bhattarai (ht), Province
2 govt files writ at SC against central govt’s
‘intervention’ (kh), Local
levels making justice accessible, by Kokila Dhakal
(kh), Kathmandu
DAO’s ban on protests comes under fire (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
02/12/2020: Spectres
of monarchy : We might loathe the current regime, but
we can’t let the country slide back on the regressive
path (kp), Senior
Congress leader Ram Chandar Poudel arrested in Tanahu
: Police say the leader was taken into custody for
violating prohibitory orders that were imposed after a
dispute in the district over the inauguration of a
bridge, by Samjhana Rasaili (kp), Arrest
of NC leader Paudel is an indication of
totalitarianism: President Deuba (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
01/12/2020: Women
commission defunct as cases of violence against women
continues : Since it was elevated to a constitutional
body in the new constitution, it has not had full
quota of commissioners, and since 2017 it hasn’t had
any office bearers, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Murdered
by caste : We have become accomplices to crimes
against humanity and brought dishonour upon ourselves
(kp), The
why, how and who of the anti-federalism,
pro-king rallies : The rallies, though small, are an
expression of frustration with both the government and
the opposition for their failures, and should be
taken as a warning, observers say, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), With
free testing available only for symptomatic patients
contact tracing is yet to resume : As people are left
to die in their homes due to government apathy,
officials say that asymptomatic cases, which make up
the majority of the infected, may be superspreaders,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Nepal-China
border closure affects northern villages of
Sankhuwasabha, Taplejung : Local residents living in
border settlements are having a tough time
managing essential commodities and finding
markets for their products, by Ananda Gautam and
Dipendra Shakya (kp), Central
bank approves refinance of Rs64 billion for Covid-19
hit enterprises : With the massive demand for the low
interest loan through commercial banks and other
financial institutions, Nepal Rastra Bank plans to
make Rs200 billion available for this facility, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
30/11/2020: Six
people arrested in connection with ‘honour killing’ of
17-year-old in Rautahat : The victim was living with
her parents after divorcing her husband, police say,
by Shiva Puri (kp), Parents
mastermind daughter’s murder to ‘save family honour’
(ht), Tamasha
in the party : As top leaders of the ruling Nepal
Communist Party cancel each other, it is the people
who suffer (kp), Political
quake in the offing : Collision of Indian, Chinese
political tectonic plates, by Jiba Raj Pokharel
(ht), Govt
starts rapid antigen testing to contain virus spread
(rep), Govt
launches ‘antigen’ test against COVID-19; report to
come instantly (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
29/11/2020: As
Kathmandu plays host to guests from south and north,
concerns grow over geopolitical games : Nepali
leadership needs to strike a fine balance when it
comes to dealing with neighbours and friendly
nations so as to earn support for its larger national
interests, analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Discussing
Nepal’s geopolitical trajectory : Maintaining a
delicate balance between the immediate and extended
neighborhood is the best way for Nepal to realize its
national interest objectives, by Angana Guha Roy
(rep), Women’s
contributions to development : Modernism and
globalisation are impacting Nepal’s social and
economic scenarios, by Greta Rana (kp), Transparency
International report unacceptable: Government : Says
it is politically motivated (kh 29/11/2020) [It is quite normal for failing
governments to reject such dismantling reports!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
28/11/2020: Two
women thrashed in Saptari district (ht), FoE
defenders demand justice to victim journalists
(kh), Government
urged to be responsible to people, nation (ht), PM
Oli obstructing anti-graft bodies to investigate
corruption cases, alleges civil society body
(rep), Lawmakers
not trained in making laws, Speaker Sapkota complains,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), 4,400
health workers infected in two months (ht), Watching
The Watchdogs Of Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
COVID-19
fallout: No money to fend off cold for mountainous
people (kh), Judicial
Committees working as local courts, by Bimal
Prasad Pokhrel (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
27/11/2020: Protest
continues against rape and murder of six-year-old girl
: Demonstrators obstruct the traffic along the
East-West Highway demanding justice not just for
the child but also for the man killed by police in
Tuesday’s clash, by Sunita Baral (kp), UN
condemns girl’s rape, murder (ht), Teenager
raped while out for fetching water from well : Village
elders try to influence case tempting victim with
10gram gold (kh), Father
arrested on charge of raping 13-year-old daughter in
Pokhara (rep), No
country for girl child : The perceived importance of
having a son continues to exert manifold pressure on
women (kp), Constitutional
body vacancies irk House committee : Follow principle
of proportional representation while making
appointments, it says as it once again summons Prime
Minister Oli to explain the delay, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Nepal
joins race to acquire the vaccine. When and how it’ll
get is still up in the air : The government needs to
be proactive in getting hold of the vaccine as the
whole world is in the queue, and legwork here
for storage and transport is needed, experts say,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Taking
On The Himalayan Challenge, by Dhruba Hari
Adhikary (rn), ‘Prime
Minister cannot be ousted without the decision of the
parliamentary party’ (rep) [open letter by civil
society members],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
26/11/2020: Elusive
justice : Many stakeholders of the transitional
justice process lack the commitment to complete it
(kp), In
their wait for son, Baitadi women keep delivering
babies : The reproductive health of the majority of
women in the district is poor, with many
suffering from anaemia, uterine prolapse and other
issues, health workers say. The pressure to bear a son
compromises women’s mental health, officials say,
by Tripti Shahi (kp), Situation
tense in Bardibas as protests against rape, murder of
minor continue : Demonstrators took to streets despite
prohibitory order imposed by local administration,
by Sunita Baral (kp), UN
urges relevant authorities to urgently follow due
process, ensure perpetrator is booked (rep), 14
rape cases in Gorkha in just four months; 10 girls
under 16 years are among victims, by Narhari
Sapkota (rep), Rapist
father gets 37 years in prison (kh),
Act now to address shadow pandemic of VAW, says WHO
(ht), End
to gender-based violence sought (ht), Ensure
right to life: NHRC (ht), Right
to health : Advancing universal health coverage,
by Jhabindra Bhandari (ht), 'Vested
interests of politicians demoralizing honest officers
in police organization', by Shivahari Ghimire
(rep), House
panel directs govt to fulfill vacant positions in
constitutional bodies (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
25/11/2020: Six-year-old
missing girl found dead; rape and subsequent murder
suspected : Three persons injured on Tuesday as police
opened fire at demonstrators demanding action against
the guilty, by Sunita Baral (kp), Local
shot during Mahottari rape protest dies during
treatment (ht), Agitation
Grips Bardibas Again (rn), As
demonstration intensifies after murder of a minor,
Mahottari DAO imposes curfew in Bardibas (rep), Government
strategy against VAW confined in papers, VAW cases
increasing : 16-day campaign against VAW starts today,
by Sabina Karki (kh), Govt
will not tolerate gender-based discrimination,
violence: PM Oli (kh) [You,
your govt, your party and most of the other political
parties discriminate against women in almost every
respect, Mr Oli!], Commissions
lobby for term extension as justice eludes conflict
victims : The term of the present set of commissioners
ends in February but experts say without a political
will to settle the tens of thousands of cases, there
can be no progress, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Valley
mayors call for stringent steps to break Covid-19
spread chain : Virologists suggest two ways to contain
the pandemic: conscious public behaviour and
government measures, by Anup Ojha (kp), Stirrings
in the wok of conspiracies : The visits and manoeuvres
of several high profile figures from India and China
should not be taken lightly, by CK Lal (kp), Oli
accused of undermining Parliament : The government is
trying to rule on the basis of ordinance, bypassing
the Parliament (ht), ‘New
labour standards crucial to fight violence and
harassment at workplace’ (ht), 84
percent of people in Nepal think that government
corruption is a big issue: TI report (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
24/11/2020: Never-ending
road to justice : In the absence of political
will, the process has been derailed systematically,
by Susan Risal (kp), Ruling
party feud has far-reaching repercussions : If the
meddling and backstabbing go unchecked,
democracy and federalism may be at stake, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Ready
to host the new session of the House, says Speaker. Is
the government listening? Insiders say Oli is not keen
to call Parliament given the rising internal conflict
in his party, as the floor could provide an
opportunity to his opponents to build pressure on him,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Uncontrolled
people’s movement risk : Rupandehi to Covid
outbreakThe district administration is not doing much
to contain the virus spread while local
residents fail to follow health safety protocols,
health officials say, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), Combating
rape culture : The latest ordinance is a positive step
towards providing justice to victims of sexual
violence (kp), Six-year-old
girl murdered after ‘rape’ in Mahottari, enraged
locals torch house of accused (rep), Reopen
Nepal-India border, stakeholders demand (ht), Four
cadres of Chand-led outlawed CPN and a journalist
arrested from Pokhara, by Sandesh Shrestha (kp), Three
injured as police open fire on locals protesting
against murder of minor in Mahottari (rep), CCMC
decides to resume flights to all countries (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
23/11/2020: Cornered,
Oli woos the opposition. But his opponents say it’s
just a ploy : The prime minister met Sher Bahadur
Deuba seeking his help to stay in power, indicating he
is ready to split the party rather than give in to
demands for his resignation, by Anil Giri (kp), Prime
minister anticipating split in NCP? Oli’s meeting with
NC president an attempt to enlist main opposition as
coalition partner? (ht), Mediators
in rape cases will also face jail term, as per a new
ordinance (kp), Three-year
jail for forcing reconciliation on rape victims
(ht), World
Children’s Day : Reflecting on its meaning, by
Simone Galimberti (ht),
Nepal plans to immunize 72 percent of population with
corona vaccine within two years, by Shree Ram
Subedi (rep), A
bunch of jobless people seeking to bring instability
in the country sought my resignation: PM Oli, by
Khagendra Adhikari (rep) [Little
Trump lives up to his title! Or has the high altitude
air in Taplejung not been good for him?], Despite
COVID-19 fears, thousands of Nepalis leave for India
to earn bread and butter, by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal
(rep) [This is the reality of
the unemployed you discredit, Mr Oli!], Nepal
to make 14-day quarantine compulsory for int’l arrival
(kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
22/11/2020: Decades
and still no justice : Not a single victim has
realised any form of justice or acknowledgement in the
14 years since the peace deal, by Suman Adhikari
(kp) [But the perpetrators and
those responsible live in luxury and leading positions
through which they know how to prevent any justice!],
Dalit
family thrashed in Siraha; one critical (ht), With
just Rs1 billion in account, most of Rs50 billion fund
to aid pandemic-hit sectors may be foreign loans : The
government, five months after announcement to set up
the economic rehabilitation fund, has made plans to
use external loans that it can use at its discretion
to lend to businesses at subsidised interest rates,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Govt
urged to reach deal with COVID vaccine producing
countries : Government will have to spend Rs 50bn for
80 pc population, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) Long
neglected, people of Humla see no point in cooperating
to check virus spread : A week after 56 people were
found to be infected, contact tracing has yet to
begin. Winter brings seasonal flu, which has symptoms
similar to Covid-19 and people may not be aware that
they are carrying the coronavirus, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Explosion
in municipal office in Udayapur on Sunday, by
Shyam Rai (ht) [If you want to
improve people's lives, you must destroy their public
property! Or is this just a matter of securing your
own advantages, as in the case of Dahal and his
associates?], कांग्रेस
र कम्युनिस्ट आत्महत्याको बाटोमा : नेकपाको लोभको
झगडालाई जतिसुकै सैद्धान्तिक आवरण दिए पनि त्यसको मूलमा
सांस्कृतिक र नैतिक विचलनको चिन्ता छैन [Congress
and communists on the path of suicide : No matter how
much ideological cover is given to the struggle of the
CPN (Maoist) for greed, there is no concern of cultural
and moral deviation at its root], by Puranjan Acharya
(np), दलीय
सहमतिमा भ्रष्टाचार ! सत्तामा रहनेहरू नागरिक असन्तुष्टि
दबाएर राज्यसंयन्त्र आफ्नो नियन्त्रणमा राख्ने
गैरलोकतान्त्रिक अभ्यासमा अभ्यस्त हुँदैछन्
[Corruption in party consensus! Those in power are
becoming accustomed to the undemocratic practice of
controlling the state apparatus by suppressing civil
dissatisfaction], by Shyam Prasad Mainali (ap),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
21/11/2020: Fourteen
years on, victims of the decade-long armed conflict
are still awaiting justice : On eve of the anniversary
of the signing of the peace deal, rights bodies warn
that delay in concluding transitional justice
process could be investigated by international courts,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Failure
to prosecute perpetrators promoting fresh abuses, warn
rights groups (ht), Rights
bodies accuse Nepal of stalling justice for
conflict-era crimes (rep), Cultural
Cohesion Fosters Unity, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Mayors
demand lockdown in Valley after Chhat (kh), Journalists
on the receiving end of COVID-19 crisis (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
20/11/2020: Kathmandu
city officials forcefully shift free meal distribution
venue : Only 20 percent people show up to get food at
the new venue in Thapathali, by Anup Ojha (kp), Oli
came to power on nationalistic plank. But he seems to
be failing to adhere to the hope he sold : Despite a
strong government that could keep foreign meddling in
the country at bay, observers feel that instability in
the ruling party could go against the national
interest, by Anil Giri (kp), Why
is the bureaucracy so inept? The pace of
decentralisation is slow, and the administrative
culture is not performance-oriented, by Shankar
Man Singh (kp), Mha
Puja as a unifier: The new year ritual can be promoted
as a pan-Nepali event as well as a tourist attraction,
by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Cross-border
travel ban extended till Dec 15 (ht), Action
sought against Gaur massacre perpetrators (ht), Political
gatherings being held despite pandemic (ht), Engagement
with Nepal: Crucial for US diplomacy in region, by
Prajwal Baral (ht), The
Vanishing Weekly Newspapers, by Kundan Aryal (rn),
Outside,
looking in : The internecine clash within the NCP
coincides with greater regional involvement in our
politics (nt), Chinese
Defense Minister arriving in Nepal next week as ruling
NCP is plagued by bitter intraparty dispute, by
Kosh Raj Koirala (rep) [Competition
between China and India with massive US interference?],
अनुत्तरदायी
लोकतन्त्र, बिन्दास नेता : वार्षिक करिब ९ खर्ब विप्रेषण
नभित्रिने हो भने नेपालको अवस्था कस्तो हुन्थ्यो, कल्पना
गर्नसम्म सकिँदैन । यो बुझेका छट्टु नेताहरूले
उद्योगधन्दा खोल्न होइन कि, आक्रोशमा आउन सक्ने असंख्य
युवालाई विदेश पठाएर स्वदेशमा लुटको साम्राज्य कायम
गरिरहेका छन् [Unaccountable democracy, cool leader
: It would not be possible to imagine what the situation
would be like in Nepal if about 900 billion remittances
were not received annually. Realizing this, the
Chhattisgarh leaders are not trying to start a business,
but they are sending a large number of youths abroad to
establish an empire of plunder in the country.], by
Buddhi Prasad Sharma (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
19/11/2020: Chinese
whispers, Sheetal Niwas and wrangling in Nepal
Communist Party : Just as conflict was escalating in
ruling party, the President intervened and China’s
ambassador called on Oli. Despite reservations,
Oli then attended the Secretariat meeting, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp), Oli
to respond to Dahal’s proposal in 10 days : NCP
Standing Committee to meet on December 3, Central
Committee on Dec 10 (ht) [??],
In
ruling party one-upmanship game, the only loser is
general public : As the Oli government has failed to
fight the pandemic and ensure governance amid party
infighting, experts say there’s a danger of systemic
failure, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Lying
with numbers : The government has failed so much
as to quantify Covid-19 casualties, let alone humanise
them (kp), Time
to seek an answer from NCP, by Gagan Thapa (kh), Effective
Governance To Overcome Challenges, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), When
will Nepal rise? It's important to rise. But where is
the possibility? Who is the possibility? Where are the
forces with vision and humility?, by Anjali Subedi
(rep), Ensure
right to justice of conflict victims: NHRC (kh), India’s
Foreign Secretary Shringla to visit Nepal on Nov 26-27
: Preparation underway for Foreign Minister-level
visit (kh) [??],
लोकतन्त्रको
फजिहत ! : नयाँ पुस्ताले पुरानो पुस्ताका नेतालाई
विस्थापित गर्ने पद्धतिको विकास नेपालमा किन हुन सकेन ?
[Embarrassment of democracy! Why the system of
displacing the leaders of the old generation by the new
generation could not be developed in Nepal?], by
Ghanashyam Bhatta (ap), असान्दर्भिक
बन्दै राजनीतिक दलहरू : दलभन्दा नेताले प्राथमिकता पाउनु
दलीय औचित्य कमजोर हुनु हो, जुन लोकतन्त्रका लागि सह्य
होइन [Political parties becoming irrelevant : To
give priority to a leader over a party is to weaken the
party's legitimacy, which is not tolerable for
democracy], by Ram Gurung (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
18/11/2020: In
ruling party, war between two chairmen is raising the
spectre of a split : The battle of egos has reached
the tipping point with Oli seeking delay of
Secretariat meeting and withdrawal of Dahal’s
political document. Dahal has refused to oblige,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Lawmakers’
call to adopt calendar for Parliament goes unheeded :
The Oli administration is in no hurry to convene the
winter session and face questions from lawmakers,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Just
like his great example of behaviour in Washington, Oli
ignores all democratic institutions that might
restrict his exercise of power!], संसद्
बन्द कहिलेसम्म ? कोभिड संक्रमण उच्च रहेका अमेरिका र
भारतमा हालै निर्वाचन सम्पन्न भएका छन्, यहाँ भने
कोभिडलाई नै कारण बनाएर साढे चार महिनादेखि संसद् बन्द
गरिएको छ । जनप्रतिनिधिमूलक संस्थालाई लामो समयसम्म
निष्प्रभावी बनाइएकामा सरोकारवालाहरुले प्रश्न उठाउन
थालेका छन् [Parliament closed till when? Elections
have recently been held in the United States and India,
where the Covid infection is high, but here Parliament
has been closed for four and a half months due to Covid.
Stakeholders have started questioning the
ineffectiveness of the people's representative body for
a long time], by Rishiram Paudyal (ka),
नेकपा कम्पनी प्रालि : राजनीति त्याग र सेवाको सम्मिश्रण
हो, सेयर हिस्सा देखाएर नाफा माग्दै क्याल्कुलेटर चलाउने
पेसा होइन [CPN Company Pvt : Politics is a
combination of sacrifice and service, not a job of
calculating profits by showing a share], by Akhand
Bhandari (ap), नेकपा
अब कता ? सत्तालाई प्रधान ठान्ने प्रवृत्ति कायम रहने हो
भने मुलुक, पार्टी र लोकतन्त्रको हित हुँदैन भन्ने चेतना
नेतृत्वमा हुनुपर्छ [NCP, quo vadis? : If the
tendency to consider power as paramount is to be
maintained, the leadership must be aware that it is not
in the interest of the country, the party and
democracy], by Homnath Dahal (ap), Will
Nepal rise? It's important to rise. But where is the
possibility? Who is the possibility? Where are the
forces with vision and humility?, by Anjali Subedi
(rep), Number
of Covid-19 deaths far higher than what the government
claims, officials say : Health Ministry’s data does
not include all known deaths as well as of those who
were suspected to have died of the coronavirus
but were not tested, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Remove
the ‘luxury tax’ to overcome period poverty in
Nepal : Nepal should stop charging value added tax on
menstrual products to make them more affordable,
by Jesselina Rana and Shubhangi Rana (kp),
पूरक बजेट : एक अनिवार्य विकल्प : प्रादेशिक एवम्
स्थानीय सरकार र उद्योग वाणिज्य क्षेत्रका समानान्तर
संरचनाहरूलाई रोजगारीका अवसरहरूको पहिचान र सिर्जना गर्न
संघीय सरकारले स्रोत र वातावरण प्रदान गर्नुपर्छ
[Supplementary budget: a mandatory option : The federal
government should provide resources and environment to
the provincial and local governments and the parallel
structures of industry and commerce to identify and
create employment opportunities, by Achyut Wagle (ka), सामान्यीकरण
: बढ्दो जातीय हिंसा तथा अपराधको कारण . मानव भएर जिउन
पाउने नैसर्गिक अधिकार खोसेर समाज र राज्यसत्तामा
रमाउनेहरूका विरुद्ध विद्रोह नगरुन्जेल दलित समुदायले
सामाजिक न्याय नपाउने निश्चित छ [Generalization:
Due to increasing ethnic violence and crime : It is
certain that the Dalit community will not get social
justice unless it revolts against those who rejoice in
society and state power by depriving them of their
natural right to live as human beings], by Prakash Bik
(ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
17/11/2020: see news programmes of Kantipur
TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
16/11/2020: Police,
Biplav cadres exchange fire in Sankhuwasabha (kh),
Cabinet
endorses guidelines for reopening schools : Local
governments, however, say it might be too risky to
open schools at the moment given the rising number of
Covid-19 cases in the country, by Binod Ghimire
(kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
15/11/2020: As
crisis deepens, ruling party factions in wait and
watch mode : Leaders close to chairmen Oli and Dahal
take sides in calling the other’s move foul while
experts say the situation is so murky that how events
will pan out cannot be predicted, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Health
Ministry has spent Rs20 billion on pandemic but
infections continue to surgeOfficials and public
health experts say lack of coordination and
collaboration among various state agencies is the main
reason behind the losing battle against Covid-19,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Kathmandu
Metropolitan City doesn’t have plan to feed the poor,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Cabinet
endorses guidelines for reopening schools : Local
governments, however, say it might be too risky to
open schools at the moment given the rising number of
Covid-19 cases in the country, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Fiscal
transfers for what? The laws related to grant
distribution have not defined and clarified the
concept of expenditure needs, by Khimlal Devkota
(kp), बलात्कारीलाई
जन्मकैद : बलात्कारलाई जन्मकैदको सजाय गर्ने, जाहेरी
दरखास्त दर्ता नगर्ने प्रहरीलाई कारबाही गर्ने, जाहेरी
दरखास्त लिन प्रहरी पीडितको घरमा जाने, बलात्कारको घटना
मिलाउनेलाई बलात्कारीलाई हुने सजायको आधा सजाय गर्ने
कानुन बनाउनुपर्यो [Rapist is sentenced to life
imprisonment : A law had to be enacted to punish the
rapist with life imprisonment, to take action against
the police for not registering a complaint, to go to the
victim's house to file a complaint, and to punish the
rapist with half the punishment for raping the rapist.],
by Balram KC (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
14/11/2020: Will
generational change in party leaderships be for the
better? Experts aren’t optimistic.Politicians have
made a career of politics rather than having the
intention to serve the people and therefore it is the
value system in politics that needs to change, they
say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), At
Secretariat meet, Dahal asks Oli to ‘sacrifice’ for
saving party and republic : In his political document,
Dahal points out the failings of the government,
accuses Oli of being individualistic, and demands that
the prime minister engage in ‘self-criticism’, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [These
accusations are all true, but they also apply to Dahal
and many of the other so-called leaders in the NCP and
NC!], Provincial,
local officials target free speech, media : Advocates
of free speech fear the culture that trickled down
from the federal government will ultimately lead to a
state of censorship, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Overcoming
The Cultural Cringe Essential, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), What
is Nepali Congress thinking about China?, by
Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Open
area feeding for poor to close from Nov 17 (kh) [And where will the mayor provide
the hungry with food in the future? After all, it is
his job!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
13/11/2020: Khula
Manch was once a symbol of struggle against
authoritarian rule. The days are long gone, it seems :
Kathmandu Metropolitan City has ordered free food
distribution be removed from Khula Manch. This, many
say, is against democratic principles, values the
space once stood for, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp) [What could better symbolise the
state of democracy in oligarchic Nepal?], Patients
of chronic ailments and accident injuries deprived of
care due to pandemic : Immunisation programmes have
also been disrupted in Lumbini Province, by Nabin
Paudel (kp), 54
women missing since March lockdown (ht), 247
missing from Bara (ht), Looming
lockdown : It won’t be easy to convince Kathmandu
folks to again agree to hole themselves up in their
homes (ae), Airline
operators take strong exception to another lockdown
preparation : Enforce health safety measures strictly,
not lockdown, says AOAN (rep), Nepal
headed towards soft dictatorship? Longing for able
leadership without adequate institutional safeguards
against erosion of democratic rights is often a
prelude to a soft dictatorship, by Bishal Thapa
(ae), राजनीतिमा
दलित महिला सहभागिता : अहिले करिब ६,६८२ वडासदस्य, २८
प्रदेश सांसद र संघीय संसद्मा १३ जना दलित महिला छन्
[Dalit women's participation in politics : At present,
there are about 6,682 ward members, 28 state
parliamentarians and 13 Dalit women in the federal
parliament] , by Tika Kumari Bishwakarma (np),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
12/11/2020: Good
riddance : Four years of the Trump administration has
done enough damage, but the Nepali Trump ploughs on,
by Deepak Thapa (kp), Fighting
Leaders, Fragile Unity, by Mukti Rijal (rn), More
virus-spurred disruptions to come : The International
Monetary Fund forecasts the economy to have
grown by zero percent, by Paban Raj Pandey
(kp), Slow
first quarter revenue may force government to
borrow more : Authorities may fail to show urgency to
make up for the gap amid sluggish spending, thereby
upending economic activities, experts say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Provincial
Health Directorate demands budget for free treatment
of Covid-19 patients : Health institutions across the
province are running short of funds to continue their
fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, by Arjun Shah
(kp), Health
Ministry preparing legal grounds to roll out Covid-19
vaccines, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Farmers’
woe : This has happened largely because the government
has failed to crack down on the industrialists for
duping the farmers (ht), Ambassadors’
appointment: Quality versus party affiliation, by
Nir Bahadur Karki (ht) [Nothing
has changed over the years, irrespective which party
is in power!], Govt
advised to impose lockdown in Kathmandu Valley
(rep), Despite
failing to combat pandemic, govt claims over Rs 20
billion has been spent in COVID-19 response (rep),
शासकमाथि
नागरिक नियन्त्रण : नेपाली राजनीतिज्ञको नैतिक
धरातल निकै कमजोर छ, पराजित भइसकेपछि पनि चोरबाटोबाट
सांसद, प्रधानमन्त्री हुने परिपाटी बसेको छ [Civil
control over the ruler : The moral ground of Nepali
politicians is very weak.] , by Tara Prasad Oli (np), देशमा
चम्केको गुटतन्त्र : गुटबन्दीको धन्दामा कमी आउन पहिले त
पार्टीमा निहित स्वार्थ भएका नेताहरूका बीच समझदारी
हुनुपर्छ । त्यस्तो समझदारी सहज ढंगले आउँदैन
[Factionalism shining in the country : Before the
factionalism subsides, there must be an understanding
between the leaders with vested interests in the party.
Such an understanding does not come easily] , by Kishor
Nepal (ka),
गणतन्त्रका मुफासा [Mufasa of the republic] , by
Kosh Prasad Neupane (nag), जातीय
मुक्तिका अप्ठ्यारा मार्क्सवादी बाटा [The Marxist
path to ethnic liberation], by Mekh Raj Udaya (nag),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
11/11/2020: Conflict
deepens in ruling party as Oli spurns, once again,
Dahal’s call for Secretariat meet : Oli has no option
but to agree to a meeting, but right now he is
employing all his means to delay it and have the
upper hand, Nepal Communist Party insiders say, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Prohibitory
orders reimposed in several places across
country to contain Covid-19 : District administrations
and local units take preventive measures for upcoming
Tihar and Chhath festivals, by Madhav Ghimire
(kp), Health
Ministry says revision of guidelines needed to resume
free tests and treatment : Officials say they are yet
to receive a copy of Monday’s Cabinet decision to
provide Covid-19 tests and treatment free of charge,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Minister’s
‘dignified’ journalism jibe draws flak : Government
spokesman and communications minister Parbat Gurung
says media was promoting ‘negative’ news, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Impact
Of COVID-19 In Education: Class Dropout Rate May
Increase In Coming Years, by Sheshkanta Pandit
(rn), Supreme
Court paves way for NCP Vice Chair Gautam to become
minister (rep) [He is
not qualified either, just as all the other so-called
top leaders of NCP and NC!], Manang
sees lack of well-placed isolation wards to combat
coronavirus (kh), सहरका
गरिबको व्यवस्थापन [Urban poor management] , by Lok
Nath Bhusal (np), मृत्युशय्यामा
कम्युनिस्ट राजनीति [Communist politics on the
brink of death] , by Raja Ram Gautam (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
10/11/2020: A
cornered Oli pulling out all the stops to gain support
in the party : After attempting to woo Madhav Kumar
Nepal, the ruling party chair is in a bid to resurrect
the task force that had come to his rescue a few
months back, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Majority
members likely to call NCP Secretariat meet :
Apparently, Oli’s ploy to engineer a split among NCP
leaders opposed to him has backfired and the PM is
likely to face the heat in days to come (ht), Kathmandu
Metropolitan City lacks seriousness in containing
virus spread, Health Ministry officials say : In
response, City authorities are demanding free testing
by the federal government although other
municipalities in Valley have been doing it with their
own resources, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Reversing
its earlier decision, govt decides to provide free of
cost treatment to COVID-19 patients in all
state-owned hospitals (rep), Govt
holding discussions to procure Pfizer vaccine claimed
to be over 90% effective (rep), Empty
food depots force Mugu folks to buy rice at higher
price : Subsidised rice meant for the villages hit by
food shortage is being sold elsewhere, by Raj
Bahadur Singh (kp), Materialising
Zero Hunger Challenge, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), It
is Federal Democratic Republic Nepal, not just Nepal,
parliamentary committee says : State Affairs and Good
Governance Committee of the lower house directs the
government not to implement its September 27 decision
to write Nepal as the country's official name
(kp), Govt
asked to stick to ‘Federal Democratic Republic’
(ht), What
the Biden win means for Nepal : While some Trump-era
policies may continue, the US’s approach to South Asia
will likely change, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Where
is the public administration? Nepali administrators,
except a few, engage more in self-serving acts than
public service, by Dinesh Pant (kp), Pass
bill soon : The failure to enact a new law should not
be a reason for depriving so many citizens of their
inherent right (ht), अधिनायकवादको
बाटो पछ्याउँदै : लोकतन्त्रको स्वाद चाखिसकेका नेपाली
मतदाताले सिद्धान्ततः पुरातन शैलीको कम्युनिस्टलाई
स्विकार्न सक्दैनन् [Following the path of
totalitarianism : Nepali voters who have tasted
democracy cannot accept the old-fashioned communist in
principle.], by Dharmendra Jha (np), शासकीय
अश्लीलता र भोकको ‘इज्जत’ [Government Pornography
and 'Respect' for Hunger] , by Sarita Tiwari (ka), वित्तीय
संघीयतामा अनुदानको औचित्य : जहाँ धेरै मानिस बस्छन् वा
धेरै गरिब छन्, त्यस्ता स्थानमा प्रतिव्यक्ति अनुदान बढी
चाहिन्छ । ठूलो भूगोल भएको ठाउँमा प्रतिवर्गकिमि अनुदान
धेरै आवश्यक पर्छ [Justification of grants in
financial federalism : In places where many people live
or are very poor, more per capita grants are needed.
Grants per square kilometer are very much needed in
places with large geography., by Khim Lal Devkota (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
09/11/2020: Denied
citizenship, stateless Nepal residents recount tales
of woe (ht), ‘Rights
situation deplorable during pandemic’ (ht), As
winter sets in, Nepal faces double threat: Pollution
and pandemic : Studies around the world show the risk
of Covid-19 fatality is higher with longer exposure to
polluted air which engulfs the country as temperatures
plummet, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Why
the idea of alternative forces is still failing
to get traction in Nepal : There’s scope for new
parties in the country, but those wanting to be
alternative forces must win people’s trust and
have clear ideologies, analysts say, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Protect
jailbirds : The government cannot abscond from its
duties of upholding human rights amidst Covid-19
(kp), Practicality
of federalism : How long before it is fully
functional?, by Dinesh Pant (ht), Beema
Samiti To Present Details About Corona Insurance,
by Keshab Raj Paudel (rn), House
panel directs govt not to use 'Nepal' as the country's
official name (rep), सार्वजनिक
खपतको अभिव्यक्ति र राजनीतिक भ्रष्टाचार : भ्रष्टाचार
बढ्दै जाँदा नेपालमा पनि हङकङमा जस्तै जनता स्वतःस्फूर्त
सडकमा निस्किएर भ्रष्टहरूउपर कारबाहीको अभियान प्रारम्भ
हुनेछ [Expression of public consumption and
political corruption : As corruption grows, people in
Nepal, like in Hong Kong, will spontaneously take to the
streets and launch a campaign to crack down on the
corrupt.], by Shyam Mainali (np), प्रधानमन्त्रीसहितको
भ्रष्टाचार छानबिन [Corruption investigation
including the Prime Minister] , by Bhairav Risal (nag),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
08/11/2020: Ruling
party top leaders spar over holding Secretariat
meeting : Oli charges Dahal group with promoting
factional politics and creating nuisance. Opponents
accuse Oli of threatening to split the party whenever
asked to call its meetings, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Incomplete
integrated model settlement handed over to
impoverished families : The model settlement in
Gramthan Rural Municipality, an open defecation-free
local unit in Morang district, does not have any
toilets, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp), Despite
court verdict, Covid patients made to pay for tests,
treatment : The Supreme Court quashed its review
petition, but the ministry is yet to implement the
judiciary’s latest order, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
PM Oli adamant to this stance of not resigning
(kh), Govt
to start ‘aggressive’ contact tracing (kh), नेपालको
अर्थतन्त्रमा नयाँ सामान्यीकरण कसरी ? राजनीतिक र
सरकारका अंगहरूको खर्चको विश्लेषण गरी अत्यावश्यकबाहेकका
खर्च कटौती गरेर ठूलो राशी जम्मा गर्न सकिन्छ [How
about a new generalization in Nepal's economy? By
analyzing the expenditure of political and government
organs, a large amount can be collected by cutting
non-essential expenses], by Sudarshan Paudel (np), सुशासनको
लागि प्रश्न [Questions for good governance], by
Bishwa Kuinkel(gp), नेकपा
विभाजन भयो भने नेपालमा यति ठूलो गणितमा वामपन्थीको
शक्तिशाली सरकार सायद कहिल्यै बन्ने छैन [If the CPN
(Maoist) splits, there will probably never be a powerful
leftist government in Nepal with such a big math], by
Surendra KC (ap), ‘डेड
एन्ड’ मा नेकपा, संकटमा जनता [CPN in ‘Dead End’,
People in Crisis], by Krishna Khanal (ka), प्रतिवेदनले
जगाएको आशा [Hope raised by the report] by Charan
Prasai (nag), Govt
to bring Nepalis back home through regular flights
(rep), Chhaupadi
Still In Practice In Few Villages Of Terai, by
Chandani Acharya (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
07/11/2020: Dahal-Nepal
faction to ask Oli to fall in line or face the music :
Dahal briefs Secretariat members at an
‘informal’ meeting on Oli’s warning that a
formal meeting without his consent would mean
declaration of party split, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), NCP’s
secretariat members including Dahal appeal to PM to
hold high command meet (ht), Amid
dispute, Supreme Court stays implementation of grade
11 curricula : Court rules officials shouldn’t enforce
curricula when local governments have authority to
manage school education, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ministry
of Health yet to resume Covid-19 contact tracing :
After the government started charging patients for
Covid-19 test and treatment, more people are getting
infected and dying at home, experts say, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Former
CJ Kalyan Shrestha concerned about delay in
implementation of constitution (ht), Cost
Of Personality Cult, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Held
hostage in Saudi Arabia for over 15 years, a Nepali
woman pleads for rescue, by Raju Adhikari (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
06/11/2020: Decision
not to call Nepal a federal democratic republic is an
attack on the system, experts say : The government’s
recent decision to refer to the country just as
‘Nepal’ is unconstitutional and against the spirit of
federalism, they argue, by Tika R Pradhan and
Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli
and Dahal blow hot and cold, as they play a game
of brinkmanship : Conflict in the Nepal
Communist Party will continue for some time unless one
of the leaders makes a decisive move, which is
unlikely anytime soon, insiders say, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Kathmandu
city orders all schools to teach Nepal Bhasha, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [To put
this into perspective : Newars constitute about 21% of
Kathmandu's population; only 17% speak Newari as
mother tongue; more than 8% speak Tamang; more than
20% have other mother tongues than Nepali and Newari!
The promotion of all ethnic mother tongues
would be important!], Seroprevalence
study yet to be completed weeks after samples were
collected : Experts say the delay in the study shows
that the government is not doing anything to contain
the spread of the virus and is only doing things to
pretend it is doing something, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Centre’s
approval must for MoU between local levels, foreigners
(ht) [After all, the Federal
Republic of Nepal is still a centralised state, says
HM Oli! All power is vested in the PM and emanates
from him!], Do
your job, PM Oli : The prime minister has to mend his
errant ways and justify his continued government
leadership (ae) [PM Oli
has only rights, not duties, at least he thinks!!],
Could
Nepal be another Afghanistan? Nepal could witness
revolutions and counter-revolutions supported by
US-India or China, bringing the superpower rivalry
home to us, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (ae), Nepal’s
great divide : It has become easier to understand what
a white American male is thinking than what goes on in
a Dalit Nepali’s mind in Rukum, by Dinkar Nepal
(ae), Landless
people of Bardiya vent their ire at federal government
: Landless people meet to prepare for an agitation
against the federal government, by Yadab Acharya
(ae), अधिकारको
दुरुपयोग : अनेकतामा एकताको सूत्रमा आबद्ध हामी नेपाली
पृथक् बन्दै जाने परिस्थिति निर्माण भइरहेको छ, by
Shyam Prasad Mainali (ap), No
free meal at Khula Manch from Nov 17 due to fears of
COVID-19 spread : “Safe and closed structures will be
explored for the purpose” (rep), President
Bhandari’s involvement in party activities unethical:
Rawal (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
05/11/2020: SC
declines to review its verdict on free treatment for
COVID-19 : Asks Health Minister as to why he should be
exempted from action for contempt of court (kh), President’s
interest in party issues uncalled for, undermines high
office, analysts say : Bidya Devi Bhandari runs into
controversy, once again, as she tries to ‘manage’
rising tensions in the ruling party, by Anil Giri
(kp), Mayor
Shakya berates volunteers for distributing ‘unhygienic
meals’ : Volunteers say mayor’s remark is baseless;
rights activists call city’s ban on food distribution
against people’s right to life, by Anup Ojha (kp),
Report
on ways to address COVID impact submitted (ht), Costing
High On Political Stability, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
Maternal
Health Takes A Knock, by Sampada Anuranjanee
Khatiwada (rn), Participation
of Dalit in media will be prioritized: Minister Gurung
(kh) [You are the only one who
believes in this statement! Only male Bahuns are
prioritised!], जनस्वास्थ्यमा
अविवेकी निर्णय : सामान्यतया आवधिक निर्वाचनमार्फत
जनताले सार्वभौमसत्ता फिर्ता लिन्छन्, तर, यो अवस्था
नरहेमा विद्रोहको अधिकार रहन्छ, by Ram Chandra
Shrestha (np),
लोकतन्त्र हो कि लुटतन्त्र ? , by Raj Kumar Rai
(np), कहिले बन्छ नयाँ नेपाल ?, by Devi Prasad Acharya
(Rajdhani),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
04/11/2020: Nepal’s
Covid-19 death toll crosses 1,000 mark : Public health
experts warn of a catastrophic situation ahead if the
authorities still fail to take preventive measures
immediately, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Valley’s
mayors say government not doing its bit to contain
spread of Covid-19 : They do their best, but
centre letting them down, they say, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Good
Samaritans continue to feed poor people at Khula Manch
(ht), Don’t
try to identify Kathmandu as a city of beggars: KMC
Mayor (kh) [?????],
राजनीतिमा
अपराधीकरण, by Sri Prasad Prasain (Rajdhani), विधि,
पद्धति र अराजकता : सत्तासीन नेकपाले आफूभित्रैबाट
सरकारको विरोधमा प्रतिपक्ष खडा गरेर मोर्चाबन्दी गर्नुको
पछाडि के रहस्य छ ?, by Shyam Upadhyay (ap), उन्मादक
राष्ट्रवादको पाकशाला : नयाँ दिल्लीले नेपालसँग
अनुग्रहको साटो सुरक्षा चुनौतीका रूपमा व्यवहार गर्न
थाल्ने हो भने पश्चिमाहरूले काठमाडौंमा सामरिक
परिसम्पत्ति सृजना गर्न दशकौंदेखि गरेको व्यापक लगानी
बालुवामा पानीसरह ठहरिन सक्नेछ, by CK Lal (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
03/11/2020: HR
groups urge govt to implement NHRC’s recommendation on
human rights violators (rep), Call
for House session lost in the din of ruling party war
of words : Covid-19 may be the excuse for not holding
the winter session anytime soon, but analysts say the
issue is on the back burner now given the ongoing
conflict in the ruling party, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), What
does Oli mean by ‘big action’? It may indeed mean some
drastic moves. But since he often employs such
tactics, as is his wont, it may mean nothing but a
ploy to threaten his opponents, insiders say, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), प्रतिशोधको
परकम्प : कथंकदाचित फुटिगयो भने यसका उपल्ला नेताहरूको
भविष्य अनुहार देखाउनलायक हुने छैन, by Akhanda
Bhandari (ap), Kathmandu
Metropolitan City to remove free food distribution
from Khula Manch : Voluntary organisations who have
been distributing food wonder how they will now
feed the hungry and want an alternative location,
by Anup Ojha (kp) [This shows
all the irresponsibility of incompetent government and
administration, that are only interested in personal
power struggles and are completely indifferent to the
people and the country!], KMC
bars people from serving meals to needy (ht), Thank
you for saving Kathmandu’s honor by feeding people: NC
leader Thapa (kh), How
young activists are trying to reshape the movement
against sexual violence in Nepal : In a country with
alarming rape statistics, where survivors of sexual
violence fail to get justice, ‘Ajhai Kati Sahane’
hopes to bring about social change, by Ankit
Khadgi (kp), Patan
High Court bars arrest of “Vten” on charge of
promoting vulgar language (rep), Local
levels’ role stressed to stem coronavirus spread,
by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), दलित
आयोग गठनमा ढिलाइ : सरकारले कानुन निर्माण प्रक्रियामा
दलित आयोगले खेल्न सक्ने भूमिकालाई छल्न खोजेको त होइन
, by Sushil BK (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
02/11/2020: Transitional
justice, conflict victims and human dignity : Nepal
has failed miserably as a responsible state that is
willing to investigate war-era atrocities, by
Madhav Joshi (kp), संविधान
कुल्चेर समृद्धिका खोक्रा नारा : सरकार स्वतन्त्र
न्यायालयको अस्तित्व र यसले गरेका फैसलाहरूलाई पूर्णतः
बेवास्ता गरेर अगाडि बढ्न उद्यत छ । विधिको शासनमाथि
गरिएको यो निकै योजनाबद्ध प्रहार हो, जसले मुलुकको
समृद्धिका सम्भावनामाथि प्रत्यक्ष चोट पुर्याउँछ,
by Achyut Wagle (ka), Ruling
party on the verge of split? Less than two months
after a truce, Oli proposes to Dahal: Let’s part ways,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), In
a U-turn, Health Ministry now says it will run free
tests based on contact tracing :The ministry had
discontinued free tests and treatment, which public
health experts say made the Covid-19 situation worse,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), No
price tagging lives : Citizens must realise that in a
corrupt state, the onus to remain alive is on
themselves (kp),
Fewer coronavirus patients getting admitted to
hospitals, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), Govt
seeks judicial review of Supreme Court verdict to make
PCR test, COVID-19 treatment free : Claiming that the
costs of PCR test, COVID-19 treatment had been fixed
taking into account the economic situation and
capacity of the patients to bear the cost, the health
ministry demands an overturn of the apex court’s
previous order (rep), Engaging
returnee migrants in country a pressing issue
(ht), Limi
folks worried about food shortage during winter
(kh), मधेसमा
पिटिएको पिटियै दलित समुदाय : प्रहरी र अदालतमा होइन,
कथित पञ्चायतमा टुंगिन्छन् कुटपिटका घटना, by Bhola
Paswan (np),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
01/11/2020: Nepal
records 367 rape cases in last six months, 77 percent
victims are minors (kh) [see monthly
report by WOREC], Strengthening
constitutionalism strengthens democracy, analysts say
: Experts stress wider discourse on constitutionalism
amid incidents in which those tasked with
implementing the constitution have been brazenly
trampling upon it, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Contempt
of court case filed against PM, Health Minister
(kh), Oli
is in a tight spot, again, of his own making, insiders
say : Dahal and Nepal have ignored his overtures and
are pressing for a Secretariat meeting to discuss all
outstanding issues, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Is
the ruling NCP on the verge of split? The party is
facing a serious existential crisis, says its General
Secretary Bishnu Poudel, by Santosh Ghimire (rep),
NCP
unification has reached a critical juncture: General
Secretary Poudel (kh), PM
Oli proposed to part ways, Prachanda briefs his
confidants (kh), Private
hospitals in Biratnagar are charging Covid-19
patients exorbitantly : Private hospitals are
demanding a deposit of Rs 100,000 to Rs 300,000 from
each Covid-19 patient, locals say, by Binod
Bhandari (kp), Rs50
billion reliefpackage roll-out delay worries
businesses : Change in the leadership of the Ministry
of Finance and transfer of secretaries behind the
delay, officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Pandemic
disproportionately affects women, girls (ht), From
disaster response to sustainable rehabilitation,
by Kai Weise (ht), Pandemic
is out of control in Kathmandu, warn health experts :
One in every 28 people in Kathmandu diagnosed with
COVID-19, by Kunga Hyolmo (rep), A
leader of Biplav-led outfit arrested from Lalitpur
(rep), Washing
vehicle to be made mandatory at entry points to
Kathmandu (kh) [Wouldn't
it make more sense to wash the vehicles when they
leave the valley, when the KTM valley is supposed to
be the absolute hotspot?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
31/10/2020: Fellow
Nepalis, fear the government, fear as much for the
country, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep),: In
constitutional breach, none of the 13 constitutional
commissions has full quota of office bearers : The
National Human Rights Commission was the only one
which had all five positions filled but the team’s
six-year tenure ended two weeks ago. This suits the KP
Sharma Oli government just fine, experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [Oli and
his colleagues see themselves as the lords of the
country, who are above the constitution and laws; this
applies to the top politicians of all parties! The
NC's top politicians are no better. There is only one
democratic solution for the voters and that is 2022,
if by then there are politicians and parties committed
to democracy and the rule of law!], Building
Resilient Economy After The Pandemic, by Apsana
Kafle (rn), Need
Of Promoting Political Culture, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
30/10/2020: Somehow,
federalism rightly flagged up : There is no convincing
reason for the government to take so many irrational
decisions, by Achyut Wagle (kp), No
risk communication strategy yet as Covid-19 infections
and death toll soar, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Window
on the future : Prevention is the only cure for
coronavirus this winter in Nepal (nt), Impoverished
families in Udayapur have no access to Covid-19
testing : Poor people with Covid-19-like symptoms
forced to stay home as they can’t pay for expensive
tests, by Dilliram Khatiwada (kp), Covid-19
and the new Great Game : Nepal has to tread carefully
in a bipolar world in which its northern and southern
neighbours are on opposite sides (nt), Local
government moves Musahar families to homes without
basic amenities : Kankai Municipality has built 14
houses without road connectivity, electricity and
water supply, by Parbat Portel (kp), Large
number of people from Sudurpaschim Province are
leaving for India for jobs after Dashain festival,
by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Correcting
the course : We must build our opportunities but not
at the cost of the environment and people (kp), Naravane
visit a positive step to repair ties but has little to
do with boundary dispute, experts say : Indian Army
chief is arriving in Kathmandu next week amid frosty
relations between Nepal and India and on the heels of
the controversy over the trip of a top Delhi spy last
week, by Anil Giri (kp), Rumors
of political change intensify in Nepal after RAW
chief’s visit : "Is Nepal vanishing from the
global/regional strategic radar?" asks Dr Bhattarai as
Pompeo visits the Maldives, but not Nepal, by Kosh
Raj Koirala (rep), Double
whammy: air pollution and Covid-19 : Winter air
pollution will complicate the struggle to manage the
pandemic in India and Nepal, by Sonia Awale (nt),
बुहारी
: लैंगिक विभेदको जीवन्त तस्बिर , by Ghambar Nepali
(np), संसदीय
व्यवस्था, जनवादी केन्द्रीयता र सामूहिक नेतृत्व :
केन्द्रीकृत वा जनवादी केन्द्रीयता वा सामूहिक
नेतृत्वबाट राजनीतिक दलहरू सञ्चालन हुँदासम्म
लोकतन्त्रले गति लिन सक्दैन । संविधानले दिएको व्यवस्था
भनेको संसदीय प्रणाली हो, यससँग बेमेल अभ्यासहरूलाई
क्रमश: छोड्दै जानु नै युक्तिसंगत बाटो हो, by
Krishna Hachhethu (ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
29/10/2020: Goel
came last week. Questions remain if Delhi has handed
its Nepal policy to spiesIndia’s intelligence chief
visited Kathmandu as Modi’s envoy, leaders close to
Oli say. What analysts find missing about the trip is
envoys’ visits are announced beforehand, by Anil
Giri (kp), Covid
cases expected to surge in villages in next two weeks
: Experts urge authorities to prepare district
hospitals as they expect Dashain returnees to transmit
the virus, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Virus
in the villages : Dashain has been a low-key
affair this year. But it might have helped spread the
coronavirus (kp), Constitutional
Agenda For Youth Mobilisation, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Himalayas
poised for a series of big earthquakes: Study
(kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
28/10/2020: Biplav
warns of action against those creating business out of
pandemic (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
27/10/2020: see news programmes of Kantipur
TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
26/10/2020: see news programmes of Kantipur
TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
25/10/2020: see news programmes of Kantipur
TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
24/10/2020:
Politics Without Frontiers, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
Nepal : Justice stalled for conflict victims.
Amnesty International submission for the UN universal
periodic review, 37th session of the UPR working group,
January 2021 (Amnesty International)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
23/10/2020: Leaders’
centralised mindset challenge to federalism : Several
laws essential for a functional federal system have
still not been endorsed by the federal parliament,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [These
so-called "leaders", as which they see themselves,
have never wanted a federal system. The central state
serves their personal interests based on patriarchal
Hindu thinking much better!], Karnali
blues : PM Oli’s repeated attempts to prolong his
tenure through internal party machinations will be
costly for Nepal (ae) [PM
Oli should one day be held legally accountable for
this. A prime minister is not immune when it comes to
his power-political moves!], ओलीको
हठले नेकपा विघटनको डिलमा : ओलीको सरकार इतिहासकै अन्तिम
बहुमतको कम्युनिस्ट सरकार मात्र होइन, कम्युनिस्ट
पार्टीको अन्तिम सरकार बन्न सक्छ, by Lokesh Dhakal
(np) [But the leadership of
the main opposition party around Deuba and Paudel is
unfortunately not a bit better!], After
rolling back free testing and treatment, officials
stop responding to Covid-19 distress calls ; Officials
at the Ministry of Health handling its hotline have
stopped picking up as hospitals have run out of beds
and treatment facilities, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Four
provincial governments to continue free tests and care
: Health facilities run by the federal government
witness a sharp drop in number of people coming
in for tests as they start charging money, by
Ghanashyam Ojha, Ramesh Kumar Paudel, Dipesh Pariyar and
Chitranga Thapa (kp), India
intelligence chief’s sudden dash for Kathmandu raises
many an eyebrow Oli’s meeting with him could be aimed
at mending strained ties between Nepal and India, say
observers, while party leaders disapprove saying it
goes against diplomatic norms, by Anil Giri (kp),
Why
honor Indian army chief? Has he, the Indian Army, or
the Indian government issued an official apology?,
by Dinkar Nepal (ae), Building
back better : The post-earthquake reconstruction has
been too little and too late (kp), The
government goes borrowing as virus strangles revenue
sources : Foreign aid commitments to Nepal in the
first two months of fiscal year grow seven-fold,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), No
job, no income, no Dashain for these Biratnagar folks,
by Kishor Budhathoki (ae),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
22/10/2020: An
ideology of exclusion : Only by exposing its
fraudulent nature can caste be eradicated from the
Hindu consciousness, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Contact
tracing was never effective. Government decision on
tests and treatment has made it even more difficult :
After authorities said people have to pay for tests
and treatment, labs are refusing to conduct tests and
no one is coming forward to share information, making
contact tracing difficult, which could exacerbate the
virus situation, public health experts say, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Government’s
decision to charge for COVID test, treatment draws
flak : Apex court can take govt to task for violating
its order’ (ht), Government
should reconsider decision: Free PCR tests are a must,
by Uttam Maharjan (ht), One
more report ranks Nepal among most polluted countries
in the world : State of Global Air report says Nepal
had second most PM2.5 concentration levels in 2019,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [The
glorious, inimitable Oli government is doing
everything it can not to care about the environment!],
Nepal
presents rosy picture in its Universal Periodic Review
report amid poor rights record : Victims of the
conflict, non-governmental organisations reject the
government’s claims, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Demarcating
Functions In Federalism, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Has
the government utterly failed in COVID-19 response?,
by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh), कोरोना
महामारीमा हाम्रो जिम्मेवारी :
सरकारलाई
दोष थोपरेर संकट र महामारीबाट बच्न सम्भव हुँदैन, सबैले
नागरिक जिम्मेवारी पूरा गर्नुपर्छ, by Dibya Mani
Rajbhandari (np), लोकतन्त्र
भर्सेज भोकतन्त्र , by Bhesraj Ghimire (ap), Only
600,000 People Exit Valley For Dashain (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
21/10/2020: Keep
the change : Lawmakers should work to better the lives
of the people rather than making token gestures
(kp), Covid-19
infected refuse to cooperate after new decision on
tests and treatment : Without help from those who’ve
contracted the disease, contact tracing becomes
ineffective, further risking the spread of virus and
causing more deaths, experts warn, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), New
provisions on parliamentarians' fund will encourage
irregularities, experts say : With a new working
procedure coming into effect, there is high risk of
lawmakers choosing their own people as consumer
committee members to spend the funds, critics say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Drought
and hunger drive Nepal farmers to India, defying COVID
ban (ht), Netra
Bikram Chand’s underground outfit launches
anti-government protests (rep), जातीय
व्यवस्थाको अर्थशास्त्र, by CK Lal (ka), संघीयताको
खर्च व्यवस्थापनका केही उपाय, by Khim Lal Devkota
(ka),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
20/10/2020: NHRC
urges govt to ensure constitutional rights of citizens
(kh), Failed
leadership : This is how Oli-led government is failing
the country and the people (rep), It’s
governance, stupid : Citizens are bearing the brunt of
the patchwork of responses by the government (kp),
Oli
administration’s decision on Covid tests and treatment
breaches social contract : As social media users call
for not paying taxes, analysts say the government is
shirking its fundamental duty and running away
from its constitutional obligations, by Anil Giri
and Arjun Poudel (kp), Move
to charge COVID patients draws flak (ht), Government
has obligation : The govt cannot wash its hands of its
obligation to provide health care and other help to
the people when they most need it (ht), NCP
leaders censure government over virus test and
treatment move : It seems the government has thrown in
the towel in the fight against the virus and running
away from its duty which will tarnish the party’s
image, insiders say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), The
government itself is breaking the law, by Bhasha
Sharma (rep) [Yes,
continuously!], Lawmakers
won’t get their Dashain bonus, parties decide amid
uproar : While the ruling party will deposit the
amount in Covid-19 fund, opposition will return it to
the government, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Even
amid pandemic, Nepali migrant workers continue to seek
jobs abroad : Nepali migrant workers see ray of
hope in labour destination countries that are
re-opening their economies as they fail to find jobs
at home, foreign employment experts say, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Oli,
Prachanda strike four-point deal on resolving dispute
in Karnali (kh) [Long
live the centralised federal state of Nepal!],
NC
more as democratic farce : Clearly, younger pretenders
to the throne are no different from the corrupt oldies,
by Bihari Krishna Shrestha (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
19/10/2020: Misplaced
priorities : The relation between what leaders should
do today and what they are doing is inversely
proportional (kp), As
Oli government limits its role to counting deaths
during the greatest public health crisis, people are
dying at an alarming rate : Experts say the government
has decided to shred the constitution (rep), Karnali
crisis resolution another example of anti-federalism
approach, politicians and experts say : Provincial
leaders question the value of elected people’s
representatives if the ruling party leadership’s
diktat from Kathmandu matters above all, by
Anil Giri (kp), Poudel
as finance minister is a wrong man at wrong place at
wrong time, observers say : With no background in
economics, the ruling party general secretary faces a
host of challenges as finance minister in an
economy ravaged by the pandemic, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Government
announces mandatory face shields for long-route
passengers : Observers doubt if ordinary people will
buy face shields when many are not even wearing face
masks, by Anup Ojha (kp), Everything
is not okay : A series of impractical recovery
policies have heightened business and employment
uncertainties, by Chandan Sapkota (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
18/10/2020: Step
up measures or brace for the worst, experts say amid
new Covid-19 projections : Health Ministry estimates
320,000 additional new cases in the worst case
scenario, and 148,000 new cases in moderate conditions
in the next four months, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [Oli and all the other incapable
politicians are only interested in senseless power
struggles, nepotism, corruption and suppression of the
rule of law! Measures important for the country and
the people are not to be expected!], Kulman
Ghising, Bonnie Henry and Bamdev Gautam : Nepal’s
biggest challenge is not poverty. It is the impunity
with which politicians operate, by Naresh Koirala
(kp), What’s
really happening in the economy : The rosy picture
presented by the central bank does not reveal a
recovery phenomenon, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp),
With
income disrupted for most, Dashain economy unlikely to
do well : The prices of food items like rice, lentils,
legumes, edible oil too have increased by Rs10 per kg
on an average, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Returnee
women migrant labourers stare at bleak future, survey
finds : While some of them want to go abroad for work
again due to lack of opportunities in the country,
others want government help to stay in the country to
start their own business., by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
17/10/2020: Dalits
suffer hardship, discrimination during pandemic, new
study finds : A nationwide study on the impacts of
Covid-19 pandemic on Dalits shows they have been hit
hard because of various measures put in place to
contain the spread of coronavirus, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), National
rights body probe finds yet another extra-judicial
killing : State protection for guilty giving rise to
such cases, activists say, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Bhaktapur
abduction accused killed in police custody: NHRC
(ht), Rape
cases continue to rise in Bara district (ht), Authorities
warned against settling rape case through
reconciliation (ht), Youths
misbehave with girl, arrests sought (ht), Oli
continues to transfer secretaries without letting them
settle at one place : Serving and retired bureaucrats
say the current administration is stable and it
could have done much to strengthen civil service, but
it is doing just the opposite, by Anil Giri (kp),
Govt’s
bid to control COVID ineffective: Congress : The main
opposition party demands that the Parliament be
convened to dwell on the matter (ht), Democracy
Needs Civic Competence, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Implementing
Federalism In True Spirit, by Kushal Pokharel
(rn), Where
is the rage against injustice?, by Hisila Yami
(rep), PM
Oli directs Karnali leaders to abide by decision made
by Chairmen (kh) [This
is federalism in its purest form! What does Lord Oli
care about the fact that, according to the
Constitution, such a decision lies solely with the
provincial assembly?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
16/10/2020: To
pile pressure for action, National Human Rights
Commission lists 286 violators : Rights abusers are
also from conflict era and they could face national
and global scrutiny as the government fails to
implement the constitutional body’s recommendations,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), NHRC
Makes Public Name Of Human Rights Violators (rn),
Dalits
stage protest against violence (ht), Step
up Covid-19 response : The onus to protect the people
and keep communities safe is on the government
(kp), Running
to remain in place : The Dahal-Oli duel is diverting
attention when all focus should be on the worsening
Covid-19 crisis (nt), In
Oli administration, ministers don’t even know of many
of the Cabinet’s decisions : Ministers admit they
rarely speak up either because they fear retribution
or are hardly given a chance, as the prime minister is
the one who calls the shots almost every time, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [All
executive, legislative and judicial power is vested in
His Majesty and emanates from him according to Article
20(2) of the Panchayat Constitution! Oli and other
politicians consider themselves the rightful heirs of
the former royal power!], NCP
leaders term Cabinet reshuffle an example of PM’s
unilateral approach (ht), Gagan
Thapa raps PM Oli for being ‘unsympathetic’ (kh),
Festive
public mobility has further raised Covid-19 risk,
officials say : Kathmandu Metropolitan City officials
are already struggling to keep track of the infected
and the people who have come into their close contact,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Uncovering
poverty amidst the pandemic : Better data required,
by Faris Hadad-Zervos (ht), Changing
Nepal, without leaders, by Bishal Thapa (ae), Holding
Nepal to account : Our development partners like the
IMF and the World Bank should rethink about funneling
money into our state coffers without due diligence of
service delivery, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (ae),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
15/10/2020: Listen
to rural women : Nepal must commit to uplifting the
status of those at the bottom of society (kp), With
a Cabinet rejig, Oli sows the seeds of conflict in the
ruling party : The prime minister, who is also the
party chair, ignored calls not to reassign
ministers and imposed his unilateral decision,
once again, insiders say, by Anil Giri and Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Recommendations
on virus response have gone unheard almost every time,
officials say : As cases continue to spike, government
authorities have failed to take strong measures and
abide by the suggestions based on data and
investigations, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [The
Oli government is not only incompetent, it is
ignorant!], No
takers for government’s migrant repatriation plan,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Manels
and the Nepali heart : The consistent case of only
a few women being invited to speak at most
conferences reeks of tokenism, by Deepak Thapa
(kp) [Even better, you should call it
Tamanel, Tagadgari male panel!], Strengthening
federalism : Intergovernmental relationships are to be
refined through experience and practice, not directed
by laws, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), SC
orders govt to ensure free tests, treatment of
coronavirus, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Dr.
KC Voices For Egalitarian Healthcare, by Mukti
Rijal (rn), SC
orders PSC to allow COVID-19 patients to attend
examinations (rep), Who
pocketed nine billion rupees commission in Budhi
Gandaki Project?, by Himal Lamsal (rep), Ostracized
by entire village, a family in Siraha fights for
justice after their mother is tortured for
‘witchcraft’, by Anjali Subedi (rep), Suspension
of DSP GC acquitted in Nirmala Pant case lifted
(kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
14/10/2020: Nepal’s
war on multiple fronts : Saviour needed, by Jiba
Raj Pokharel (ht), Karnali
row exposes fault lines in Nepal Communist Party :
Following Dahal’s meeting with Nepal, seven provincial
lawmakers from the Nepal faction withdraw their
support to the no-confidence motion against Chief
Minister Shahi, by Anil Giri (kp), Follow
the protocol : Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli leads the
country in flouting Covid-19 safety guidelines
(kp), Nepal
still tepid about reopening for foreign tourists as
virus cases continue to rise : Scenario does not look
good for the tourism sector as the government once
again pushes back the date for welcoming foreign
tourists, industry insiders say, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), Government
decision to relax protocols on public buses draws
criticism : Activists, doctors and local authorities
say the move will only increase the risk of
transmission of Covid-19 among the public, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Public
vehicles allowed to run at full capacity : Advance
booking of tickets ruled out this festive season
(ht), Travelling
can increase risk of coronavirus transmission : The
government should entice labourers to stay where they
are (ht), FNJ
threatens to launch stir against media houses
(ht), Nepal
re-elected to UN Human Rights Council (rep) [Given the numerous serious human
rights violations in its own country, which the Oli
government strictly refuses to combat, Nepal is still
not qualified for this task!], Online
Misogynist Bullying Emerging as a Silent Pandemic in
Nepal, by Deeksha Khatiwada (kh), An
act of sheer negligence: MV Dugar Group sends workers
home as they test positive for coronavirus, by
Gajendra Banet (kh), COVID-19’s
impact on Dalit community in Nepal, by Binita
Bishwakarma (News Himalaya),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
13/10/2020: Does
Nepal await another popular revolt? There seems to be
a dearth of organised public anger against the federal
government’s failures, by Achyut Wagle (kp) [As under the undemocratic royal
system, power is in the hands of a small male elite of
high-caste Hindus, characterised by a high degree of
incompetence and corruption. Inclusion, the rule of
law and human rights are foreign words. The only
difference: under the monarchy, male Chhetris were
predominant; today, authoritarian male Bahuns dominate
almost exclusively!], Crisis
in Karnali a manifestation of top leaders’ conflict in
Kathmandu : Party insiders say concern is now growing
if other provincial governments could face a similar
situation, as the Oli-Dahal struggle for power
continues, by Anil Giri (kp), Oli
continues to hold meetings despite his ministers and
close aides testing positive for Covid-19 : The
government’s health protocol is applicable to all
including the prime minister and he should be in
isolation, doctors say, by Tika R. Pradhan and
Arjun Poudel (kp) [Just like
Trump: The PM is immune (he thinks) and the spreading
of the virus to others does not matter!], Local
units unprepared to manage people returning home for
festive season : Locals are worried about the possible
outbreak of Covid-19, as authorities do not
conduct PCR tests on those returning home for Dashain
and Tihar, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Honour
thy farmer : Sugarcane producers are deep in debt as
the government looks away (kp), Right
To Information During Pandemic, by Mahendra Man
Gurung (rn) [The
fundamental right to information is very often disregarded
by the Oli government though it is guaranteed by the
constitution!], Impacts
Of COVID-19 On Poverty Alleviation, by Uttam
Maharjan (rn), Govt
decides to close down border with India until Nov 15
to contain the spread of COVID-19 (rep), Revoking
its earlier decision, govt allows public vehicles to
carry passengers full of their capacity (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
12/10/2020: Witchcraft
violence continues unabated across Nepal (ht), Child
marriage: Time to reverse the trend, by Bjorn
Andersson and Jean Gough (ht), No
more cheating : Citizens must keep seeking answers and
accountability from the government (kp), Chief
minister of Karnali faces no-confidence motion from
party :Oli and Dahal due to meet today to defuse the
tension that some leaders say was a result of party’s
internal dispute, by Anil Giri (kp), No-confidence
motion against Karnali Chief Minister ignites fresh
row within ruling NCP (rep), Prachanda
requests PM Oli to take initiation for withdrawal of
no-confidence motion (kh) [The
federal state of Nepal that is still under control of
the central level in every respect!], With
revenue lower than expenditure, officials to bridge
gap with foreign aid and internal loans : Amid
decreasing imports, the Department of Customs has been
struggling to collect revenue as per the target,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), New
Guideline Issued On COVID-19 Rescue Flights, by
Purushottam P. Khatri (rn), Exodus
to India on Dashain eve as people fear starvation,
by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal (rep), Govt
hints at enforcing lockdown again (rep), 'Jaatko
Prashna' courts controversy over Christain Aid Nepal
connection (rep), Assessing
the cracks in reconstruction process : The government
and NRA, through numbers and visual narratives,
presented a success story of the reconstruction but
social and political cracks that appeared following
the earthquake were different, by Gaurab KC (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
11/10/2020: Victims
of crimes continue to be at the receiving end of
panchayat justice : Most of them have no knowledge of
legal proceedings while factors like lengthy legal
process and financial burden drive them to seek
justice from within the community, lawyers say, by
Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), A
crusader of Sanskrit education : Chandrakant Paudel’s
frustration at the inertia of progress is something
felt by many in rural areas, by Pramod Mishra
(kp), UNFPA
urges stakeholders to uphold rights of girls (ht),
Government
reaches eight-point deal with Dr KC on 27th day of his
hunger strike : Both sides signed the agreement late
on Saturday to address most of the demands of the
agitating doctor, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Nepal's
dishonest politicians will also disregard this
agreement, just as all governments have done in the
past!], Dr.
KC breaks 19th hunger strike (kh), Modes
of resistance in Nepal : Dr KC raises his voice to
fight for something the political leaders themselves
should have attempted to sort out, by Abhi Subedi
(kp), Amid
differences over appointments, Cabinet reshuffle
lingers : Oli and Dahal don’t see eye to eye on
ministerial changes while party reunification process
remains in limbo; Appointments in constitutional
bodies, diplomatic posts also remain affected, by
Anil Giri (kp), NCP
Govt Must Not Miss The Boat, by Ritu Raj Subedi
(rn)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
10/10/2020: Nepal’s
Covid-19 infections cross 100,000 mark, as active
cases strain health-care system : The country is
headed for more difficult times, public health experts
say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), ‘Test,
trace, isolate to combat COVID’ (ht), Government
indifferent to plights of Nepali workers in India,
experts say : They continue to remain out of foreign
labour policies even though Nepalis have been going to
work in India for centuries, by Chandra Kumar
Mandal (kp), Learning
achievement gap widening amid Covid-19, experts warn :
While students at private schools are having
classes online that is not the case at government ones,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), ‘The
commission is completely under the shadow of
patriarchy : ’Mohna Ansari on working at the National
Human Rights Commission, the body’s failure to make
bold changes and the rising rape cases in the country
(interview) (kp), Dr
KC’s hunger strike to continue : His representatives’
talks with govt team break down (ht), Relay
hunger strike in Nepalgunj in support of Dr KC, by
Arjun Oli (rep), All
services except emergency and COVID-19 to be halted on
Sunday (kh)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening (Nepali)
09/10/2020: World
Bank projects Nepal’s economic growth for 2020-21 at
0.6 percent : If disruptions persist and relief
spending weakens, growth could be as little as 0.1
percent, but in case a vaccine is available, it could
go up to 2 percent, the bank says, by Sangam
Prasain (kp), Ruling
party internal conflict is taking a toll on governance
: The two chairmen have been holding talks while the
party has been holding Secretariat meetings
regularly, but with no concrete decision, there is
confusion all around, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Power struggles, nepotism and
corruption of incompetent and aloof male Bahun
politicians are ruining the Nepalese state in times of
pandemic!], Dailekh
residents accuse local units of misappropriating
Covid-19 fundsDespite the high expenditure, the local
governments did not deliver on their promise,
say locals, by Jyotee Katuwal (kp), We
can’t keep importing food : Increasing dependence on
the market to supply food may not be feasible in the
days ahead, by Madhukar Upadhya (kp), Bharat
Raj Paudyal is new foreign secretary (rep) [Thank god, another Bahun! Male
Bahuns represent only 6 percent of the population, but
they should really be appointed to all posts of the
state! Or would this be nepotism in its purest form?
This non-inclusive policy is really disgusting!],
Dr
KC’s health condition “deteriorates” : Supporters warn
of escalating agitation (kh), KC’s
fast highlights Nepal’s Covid-19 failure :
Government’s reckless disregard of the crusading
surgeon’s demands shows why it has bungled in the
pandemic, by Ramu Sapkota (nt), Declare
a health emergency : Kathmandu is not just the capital
of Nepal, it is also the capital of Covid-19 in Nepal,
by Shekhar Kharel (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
08/10/2020: A
state of status quo : After immense pressure, the
government has formed a panel to hold talks with KC,
but the way it ignored him for 24 days and has failed
on various fronts including the fight against
the pandemic shows the Oli administration is losing
its grip on governance, analysts say, by Anil Giri
(kp), Talks
between govt and Dr KC’s representatives underway
(kh), Father
of Bijay Mahara claims he was forced to change
complaint : The father of Bijay, who died in police
custody, was promised monetary compensation and
martyrdom for his son if he agreed to receive his body
and change his statement, by Shiva Puri (kp), Protect
health workers No one is safe if our frontliners
are unsafe (kp), Harvesting
our souls in a reset world : Nepal needs to set a new
developmental narrative by giving weightage
to continuity and change, by Atul K Thakur
(kp), Nepal’s
economic growth projected to slump to 0.6 percent :
The World Bank predicts worst-ever recession in South
Asia (rep), Gagan
Thapa urges PM to focus on COVID crisis not Cabinet
reshuffle (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
07/10/2020: Women
Alliance Calls For Stern Action Against Guilty Of VAW
(rn), Given
its failure, Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre’s
relevance in question : The deputy prime minister-led
centre’s role is limited to making recommendations to
the Cabinet but they are often shot down by the prime
minister, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [This
has to do with the authoritarian basic attitude of KP
Oli, who likes to play the little Trump, with similar
incompetence!], There
may not be enough health workers to attend to
patients, doctors warn : Hospitals which treat
Covid-19 patients lack sufficient personal protective
equipment, putting health workers at the high risk of
exposure to the coronavirus, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
An
assembly of vandals : Nepali Congress must show that a
well-behaved opposition is paramount to democracy
(kp) [These MPs have
disqualified themselves as representatives of the
people, now and for all future! That they personally
pay for the damage done is the least they must do!
Nepal must show that it is a democratic constitutional
state!], Make
journey safe : As this is a difficult situation,
everybody should refrain from travelling far away as
it poses a risk to their health and that of others
(ht), Heed
Nature To Avoid Large Gatherings, by Namrata
Sharma (rn), Govt
advises extreme caution as COVID-19 cases surge in
Kathmandu Valley (rep) [Public
gatherings, meetings and celebrations must be strictly
prohibited in the weeks to come!], Govt
preparing to open religious sites for visitors from
Oct 17 (rep) [???],
Govt
urges people not to leave Kathmandu Valley this
Dashain (kh), Government
decides to allow universities, schools to conduct
exams (rep), Cabinet
reshuffle plan put on hold as PM Oli and Chairman
Dahal fail to reach a deal (rep), Dr
KC’s health deteriorates on his 24th day of
fast-unto-death (kh), Former
PMs urge the government to save Dr KC’s life
(rep), Doctors
attending to Dr Govinda KC say he needs critical care
: The orthopaedic surgeon has been on his 19th hunger
strike for the past 24 days (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
06/10/2020: NCP
conflict plays out in Province 5, Congress jumps into
the fray : Provincial assembly members from the
opposition resort to vandalism amid dispute in the
ruling party over declaring name and capital of
the province, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), It’s
official: Province 5 named as Lumbini, Deukhuri is its
capital, by Rekha Bhusal and Binod Pariyar (rep),
Over
2,000 NCP cadres quit party in Rupandehi (kh), PCR
machine lies unused for lack of supportive equipment :
The machine was purchased at Rs 3.8 million to test
swab samples in Mahakali Hospital in Bhimdatta
Municipality, but it has been sitting idle for last
two months, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Officials
shut their ears to experts on Coivd-19 : A group of
experts has been trying to meet Prime Minister Oli for
seven months to brief him on best practices, but to no
avail, by Arjun Poudel (kp), The
response to the pandemic will further isolate
Nepal : A problem—be it an earthquake or a pandemic—is
only recognised when it hits the capital, by
Sujeev Shakya (kp), Hold
talks : Dr KC has sat for too many hunger strikes
already, and the government should see to it that this
is his last (ht), Govt
team visits Dr Govinda KC (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
05/10/2020: 6.3
million Nepalis without citizenship (kh) [A
consequence of the narrow minded patriarchal Hindu
thinking of Nepal's top Bahun politicians!!!],
NRNA
Europe Meeting urges parliament for prompt passage of
law on Nepali citizenship (kh), Why
Govinda KC’s demands matter even more today as country
battles the pandemic : Covid-19 has exposed Nepal’s
fragile health system and the fasting doctor’s demands
for years have been aimed at making health care
services accessible to all, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Doctors
Show Solidarity To Dr. KC (rn), Baluwatar
keeps mum over Oli’s status even after his close aides
tested positive for Covid-19 : No information has been
shared if those who have contracted the virus had been
in close contact with Oli and whether he’s
quarantined himself. Instead, he met Dahal on Sunday,
by Anil Giri (kp), Covid-19
spares no one : The average number of new infections
has been consistently rising, with no exit strategy in
sight (kp), Protests
continue in Butwal against decision to designate
Deukhuri as Province 5 capital : District
administration enforces four-day-long prohibitory
order in major places of Butwal starting Sunday,
by Ghanshyam Gautam, Sanju Paudel and Amrita Anmol (kp),
Oppn
lawmakers resort to vandalism as Province 5 Assembly
meeting deliberates on proposal to name the province
as Lumbini and make Dang its capital (rep) [The destruction of public property
by office bearers must be punished severely!],
Women
MPs lobby for harsher penalties for rape : As cases of
sexual violence have continued to go up despite
increased jail term, women lawmakers want rapists to
be chemically castrated, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal's
High Prospects As Remote Work Destination, by Ravi
Dhungel (rn), Expect
more rape and murder unless internal security is
improved: Experts, by Anjali Subedi (rep), Supreme
Court justices, officials catch COVID-19; apex court’s
services severely affected (rep), Recollecting
post-earthquake reconstruction : The credit for the
success of reconstruction process solely goes to the
earthquake survivors themselves who managed the money
by borrowing loans from various sources, by Gaurab
KC (rep), Expert
panel submits report on disputed border region with
India to Foreign Minister Gyawali, by Santosh
Gjimire (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
04/10/2020: Coronavirus
sneaks into Baluwatar as five of Oli’s aides and 70
security personnel test positive : Concerns grow about
the prime minister, given his age and his health
condition. Oli, 68, underwent his second kidney
transplant only in March this year, by Arjun
Poudel, Tika R. Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp), PM
Oli’s media aide Bajgain also contracts COVID-19
(rep), PM
Oli tests negative for COVID-19, by Tapendra Karki
(rep), Debate
rages over current relevance of the anti-corruption
commission : There is no alternative to making the
constitutional watchdog effective, and for that
choosing the right person to head it is imperative,
experts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Tenants
in the Valley face discrimination in the hands of home
owners : Many tenants, especially health workers
living in rented rooms in the Valley, fear getting
kicked out if they contract the virus, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Decision
to designate Deukhuri as capital of Province 5 sparks
protests : Fourteen NCP provincial assembly members
wrote a note of dissent during the parliamentary party
meeting, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), 14
ruling party PA members write note of dissent on
province capital : There has been all-round opposition
to the proposal ever since it was put forth (ht),
Protests
in Butwal despite prohibitory order : Lawmakers asked
not to bypass the people’s mandate, act as a puppet of
the leadership, by Rekha Bhushal and Binod Pariyar
(rep), CDOs
riding roughshod over provincial governments : Even
the chief minister has to seek the consent of the CDO,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [Federalism
only on paper, if at all!], Why
the state must address the demands of Dr KC : Even the
most shameless criminals cannot publicly say that Dr
KC’s demands are ill-intentioned, irrational and
impossible to address, by Mohan Nepali (rep), On
average, 75 staffers of each commercial bank test
positive for coronavirus (rep), 8,260
security personnel test COVID-19 positive so far
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
03/10/2020: NCP
undermines spirit of federalism, again, as it
‘decides’ for Province 5 : Oli and Dahal may have
taken the decision in a bid to placate some
leaders in the party but in doing so, they have
trampled upon the constitution, experts say, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Rs
4.2 million was spent to name Province 5 and its
capital but the job was finally done at the direction
of NCP chairmen : The committee spent Rs 1.8 million
on its India tour and Rs 11 million to pay three
experts, by Binod Pariyar (rep), Oli
govt’s appointments are a mockery of the constitution:
experts, NCP leader, by Ashim Neupane (rep), Province
1 is still undecided about its name : Three years on,
consensus eludes the parties and lawmakers in the
province, by Deo narayan Sah (kp), House
committees matter, but they don’t matter. In Nepal,
mini parliaments are failing in their job :
Parliamentary committees should do the real work, but
the way they are functioning and issuing directives
shows they are falling short of holding the
administration to account, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Patriarchal
Mind-Set Impedes Women Empowerment, by Niyati
Adhikari (rn), COVID-19
likely to spread further during Dashain and Tihar
(kh), PM
Oli’s key advisors Bishnu Rimal and Surya Thapa catch
COVID-19 (rep), PM's
Chief Advisor Rimal And Press Advisor Thapa, Foreign
Affairs Advisor Bhattarai Test Positive For COVID-19
(rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
02/10/2020: Man
Power : When political calculus involves dividing up
the spoils, enforcing constitutionally-mandated
affirmative action for women is meaningless (nt) Cabinet
decisions invite criticism for failing to abide by the
system : As decision to make crucial appointments
renews party row, analysts say government is promoting
favouritism, by Anil Giri (kp), With
Oli backtracking, truce may not last long, ruling
party leaders say : He faces charges of reverting to
his old unilateral style despite promising to take
decisions after consultation in the party , by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Decrease
in tracing and testing efforts puts public health at
risk : in Province 5The number of critical
Covid-19 patients visiting hospitals has been on the
rise, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), Hearing
On Bamdev Gautam's Case Adjourned Again In
Constitutional Bench, Next Hearing On Oct. 7 (rn),
Politics
Dictates Public Institutions, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
Get
Tough With Rapists, by Bini Dahal (rn), Province
5 to be named Lumbini, Dang’s Deukhuri permanent
capital, by Rekha Bhusal (rep), Nepal’s
unfinished revolution, by Bishal Thapa (ae),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
01/10/2020: Our
broken politics : A leopard never changes its spots,
and our political leaders have shown a
similar inability to change, by Deepak Thapa (kp),
Foul
play suspected in private firm’s deal to supply
Russian vaccine to Nepal : Experts and officials
wonder how a little-known company reached an agreement
to import the Covid-19 vaccine when the government
should have been taking the lead, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Much
ado about vaccine : Nepal must put in place an
effective vaccine policy so as to ensure total
coverage (kp), SC
hearing against Gautam’s nomination to NA begins,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Former
finance minister Khatiwada appointed as Nepal’s envoy
to the US (rep), Lok
Dharshan Regmi recommended Ambassador to UK (kh),
Nirmal
Kumar BK recommended as Nepal’s new ambassador to
South Africa (rep) [Once
again three political nominations, all male, two of
them Bahuns and one Dalitwhat is a rare exception!],
Nomination
of envoys sparks dispute within NCP; Prachanda
‘displeased’ (kh), SC
orders govt to conduct COVID-19 tests for free
(kh), Ward
secretary arrested on rape charge (kh), SC
allows review of verdict to acquit accused in Ram Hari
murder case (kh), Govt
requests Dr. KC to call off hunger strike (kh) [??? Never-ending power struggles
of top politicians and the continuous disregard of the
agreements with Dr. KC are also inappropriate,
especially in the current situation of the country!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
30/09/2020: Firm
first steps : Acid attack is a symptom of a much
larger gender problem in our society. More needs to be
done (kp), Increasing
the number of ministries to pacify dissidents
sets poor precedent, experts sayIt would not only go
against the spirit of constitution but also federalism
and provinces could follow suit in future, they say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Such an
unconstitutional and in any case completely
superfluous procedure must be strictly prohibited by
the SC. Nepal is not a playground for the pointless
power struggles of politicians.], Officials
unaware of Russia supplying Covid-19 vaccines :
Officials from state agencies, including foreign and
health ministries, say they don’t know about the
purported deal with a private firm on Russian vaccines
arriving in Nepal, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [Such
a measure should not be possible at all without the
knowledge and priority involvement of the government!
What kind of government is this?], Officials
are not tracking mental health of
Covid-19-infected people in home isolation : Many
people in home isolation suffer from anxiety and
depression, and can harm themselves experts say,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Jumping
on the Hindutva bandwagon : Nepali Congress has
nothing to offer the electorate save its history,
by CK Lal (kp), Govt
offices told to abide by Right to Information Act
(ht), Why
Dr Govinda KC has not been heard : The reason why Dr
KC has been on hunger strike repeatedly is because no
political party is ready to overhaul Nepal's health
service and medical education system, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
29/09/2020: Inaction,
thy name is government : The government needs to
immediately act in four critical areas to
counter the effects of Covid-19, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), Harsh
laws are prepared but not always implemented
effectively, past records showOrdinances increasing
the penalty for acid attacks and its sales has come
into effect but ensuring that it is not to cash in on
public sentiment is necessary, experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp),
Family refuses to accept the body of 12-year-old rape
and murder victim : The accused, who is in custody,
has not admitted to the crime, raising doubts about
the police investigation, say family members, by
Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Factories
forced to slash output due to erratic government
policy amid pandemic : Most of the plants that have
been affected are those producing cement, iron and
steel, and construction materials, by Madhav
Dhungana (kp), Six
NSU leaders arrested for staging protest outside
Chinese Embassy (ht) [Freedom
of expression is only valid as long as the government
allows it and the opinion is in line with the
government's opinion!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
28/09/2020: Human
Rights In Time Of COVID-19, by Jaya Shor Chapagain
(rn), Cabinet
reshuffle: Much ado about nothing, as Oli and Dahal
fail to reach a deal : The two chairmen have a lot on
plate before they find a common ground. Therefore, it
could take some time before a rejig in the Council of
Ministers, party insiders say, by Anil Giri (kp) [Since there is nothing really
important to do at the moment, the irresponsible
politicians have endless time for their crazy power
struggles!], Despite
a spike in cases, authorities are reducing tests and
contact tracing in Valley : More than 800
coronavirus-infected people are out of contact,
authorities say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Municipal
officials visit infected people to boost their morale
in Lalitpur : People’s representatives hope their
campaign will help end stigmatisation of the Covid-19
patients, by Anup Ojha (kp), Prominent
personalities urge govt to save Dr KC (ht), Welcome
ordinance : The tendency on the part of the govt to
bypass the parliament to bring new laws is unbecoming
of a democratic norms (ht), “Don’t
let rapists walk free”, by Dipesh Shrestha (rep),
Frail
local governance: Old administration ways to blame,
by Navneet Jha (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
27/09/2020: In
fighting the pandemic, the government has ignored
other deadly health issues : Failure to envision the
possible risks not only pushed the country many
years back but also lost hard won achievements,
experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
Police force adjustment : Province 2 threatens to
knock Supreme Court door (ht), Fearing
backlash, provinces other than Province 2 are not
fighting for their rights : They must follow the
example of Province 2 and demand the authority
guaranteed by the constitution, or else it will
be a historical failure on their part, analysts say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Convoluted
court judgments often leave even lawyers scratching
their heads : Legal experts stress the need to
simplify the language in court orders, which are so
wordy and long-winded that even they struggle to
decipher them, let alone the general public, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [For the
at least 56 percent of Nepali citizens for whom Nepali
is not their mother tongue, the problem is likely to
be much greater!], Rape
cases in Nepal peaked in past two months : 420 rape
cases registered (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
26/09/2020: UN
rapporteurs concerned over proposed citizenship law :
Some provisions seem discriminatory against women, and
sexual minorities, they say, by Anil Giri (kp), Pandemic
comes as ready excuse for economic slide which was
already visible : The slowdown began in 2018-19 with
low capital spending leading to a liquidity crunch,
which in turn lowered the confidence of the country’s
private sector, experts say, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), In
disparaging others, ruling party youth leaders follow
their political master : Oli’s crude witticisms to
fend off any attack on him are known but promising
politicians taking cue from him only shows the extent
of their subservient attitude, analysts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Amid
government failings, lawmakers call for House session
to hold it to account : Government has failed in its
fight against the pandemic and the House—not social
media— is the proper place for the government to
listen to people’s plight, parliamentarians say,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Flood
victims in Surkhet await resettlement for past six
years : Only a few families have received half the
grant announced by the provincial government while the
rest have received none, by Chandani Kathayat
(kp), For
Nepali workers abroad, wait to return home gets longer
and tiring : Nepali missions in labour destinations
struggle to send Nepalis back as price of air tickets
skyrocket due to government-imposed cap on the
frequency of international flights, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), 76,967
Nepalis Returned Home (rn), Consolidating
Constitutional Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Ordinance
moots 20-year jail term for acid attack (ht) [And what about strict control of
acid selling?], Youths
seek justice for 12-year-old girl killed after rape,
by Monica Malla (rep), Police
arrest 17 supporters of Dr KC for mocking PM Oli
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
25/09/2020: How
controversial statements by lawmakers on sensitive
issues go unchecked : A debate has started on the need
for lawmakers to change their traditional mindsets,
rather than just amend the laws and policies, by
Binu Subedi (kp), Students
of public schools deprived of education (ht), COVID-19
pushes more children into poverty (ht), Find
alternative : If the govt decides to reinforce another
lockdown, the country’s economy and the education
system could collapse beyond recovery (ht), Covid-19
weighs heavy on Nepali economy : Industrialists say
the national economy won’t regain previous rhythm
unless all restrictions on free flow of people and
vehicles are lifted, by Tulsi Subedi (ae), Dr
KC v State, Round 19 : The irony of the most powerful
government in Nepal’s democratic history working for
medical mafia is not lost on anyone (ae), NHRC
requests govt to save Dr KC’s life (rep), NHRC
asks govt on implementation status of agreements with
Dr KC (kh), Offer
to include Kalapani in 2011 Nepali census was
neglected : An interview with Rudra Suwal (ae) [The area of Kalapani was not even
included as Nepali territory in the constitution of
2015 when it was written by all the hypocritical
"leaders" of the big parties!], Before
disaster strikes Nepal : The country is prone to
disasters, which will not change. But better
preparedness and response, in- sync at all three
levels of governments, can help to contain the damage
and save lives, by Sanju Koirala and Shristi
Shakya (ae), The
‘f’ word : Whether it is called federalism or
whatever, true devolution improves governance,
especially during the pandemic (nt), Nepali
workers stuck in no-man’s land : Migrants in the Gulf
are caught between cruel employers and a heartless
homeland (nt), Covid-19
lessons for Kathmandu from the Tarai : Tables are
turned as the virus jumps from the plains to spread
rapidly in Kathmandu Valley, by Sonia Awale (nt),
“No one remains hungry, and no one dies of hunger,”
reiterates PM Oli (rep), Locals
in Jajarkot still using tuin to cross river for years
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
24/09/2020: Supreme
Court blocks Bamdev Gautam’s way to the Cabinet, for
now : Responding to a writ against Gautam’s nomination
to the Assembly, Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai has
ordered not to give any additional constitutional
positions to him, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Supreme
Court tells government not to induct Gautam in Cabinet
: He will not be able to act as a member of the
National Assembly until September 30 (ht), As
Covid-19 cases soar, test numbers are declining and
contact tracing is ineffective : The authorities that
were too slow to recognise the looming threat seem to
have given up the fight against the virus,
public health experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Health
Ministry recommends lockdown if active coronavirus
cases surpass 25000 (ht) [The
stupidest thing that this lack-of-ideas government
could come up with would be another nationwide
lockdown!], Cabinet
reshuffle unlikely before Dashain as Oli has other
pressing issues : Prime Minister Oli has other tasks
at hand like picking the nominees for various
constitutional bodies anduniversities and concluding
the party unification, by Anil Giri (kp) [And
what about pandemic, economy, jobs, justice for
victims, human rights, inclusion, etc.? The PM is
either unwilling or he is not capable!], The
doctor versus the state : Govinda KC remains a
headache for successive governments in Nepal for all
the right reasons (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
23/09/2020: Why
the state shows haughty contempt for a social crusader
: The way Dr Govinda KC is being treated for his
peaceful protests and campaign for the larger good of
society indicates that the government is growing
increasingly intolerant of its citizens who demand
system and good governance, analysts and observers say,
by Tika R. Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Way
out of the quagmire : Young reformists must now join
either party, depending on their ideologies, and push
for change from within, by Naresh Koirala (kp), Nepal
and China in border row over missing pillar : Both
sides claim that an area where the Chinese have
erected 11 buildings falls within their territory.
Several years ago there were only two, by Anil
Giri (kp), Nepali
youths demonstrate against China over border
encroachment (kh), Assess
and address risks : The Covid-19 situation could
worsen when the Dashain traffic picks up in a
fortnight from now (kp), Ruling
NCP pressures PM Oli to fill constitutional posts
(ht), Govt
urged to implement apex court’s order on jailbirds
(ht), 507
Inmates Contract COVID-19 At Siraha Prison (rn), Attempts
to dismiss rape exposed, ward chair chased off
(ht), One
mistake of Nepali democracy: Oversized parliament : It
is sad that despite all the political upheavals and
fiery speeches delivered to the public, no serious
case has been made to trim the size of parliament and
the government, by Sukhdev Shah (rep), Perplexities
of Human Rights and COVID-induced Crisis in Nepal,
by Uttam Poudel (South Asia Time)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
22/09/2020: Boundary
study panel to submit report this month : Report
likely to recommend that Nepal government refrain from
internationalising the border dispute with India
before formal talks take place, by Anil Giri (kp),
Distribution
of school book on Nepal’s borders and territory halted
: Land management and foreign affairs ministries
have reservations about the textbook since
Ministry of Education had prepared it without
consulting them, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Valley
public vehicles are not complying with health and
safety protocols : Passengers are at risk of being
infected with coronavirus as government agencies blame
one another for lax monitoring of public transport
vehicles in the city, by Anup Ojha (kp), Nepali
society and meritocracy : The question of Kulman
Ghising’s reappointment shows how Nepalis actually
value meritocracy, by Sujeev Shakya (kp) [This
is more a misconduct of corrupt politicians who have
lost all sense of morals and values than of Nepalis as
such!], Majority
of private school teachers, staffers deprived of
salary (ht), Police
drag Dr KC out of ambulance, forcibly take him to
Trauma Center (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
21/09/2020: Ruling
party fight was for power-sharing and that is evident
now, analysts say : After a truce about two weeks ago,
the Nepal Communist Party Secretariat has started
discussions on Cabinet reshuffle and political and
constitutional appointments, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Cases
of violence against women have gone up in Achham :
Many men who have returned home from foreign jobs due
to the pandemic have taken to drinking and hitting
their wives and children, police say, by Menuka
Dhungana (kp), Honour
sans honour : National honours have become an object
of ridicule rather than a matter of pride (kp), Women,
children highly affected by COVID pandemic (ht), Dr
KC admitted to ICU, refuses to undergo health checkup
(rep) [Lies, corruption and
nepotism on the part of leading politicians repeatedly
force KC to take action. PM Oli is personally
responsible for the well-being of this pioneer of
civil society!], Dr
KC’s health deteriorates as his protest enters 8th day
(kh), 3
writ petitions filed at SC against Bamdev Gautam
(kh), Woman
thrashed on charge of witchcraft in Saptari (kh),
Biplav
outfit warns of action if COVID-19 expenditure not
disclosed (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
20/09/2020: Achievements
of the federal constitution : The need to travel to
Kathmandu for small tasks has been completely reduced,
by Khim Lal Devkota (kp) [But
this does not change the numerous shortcomings of the
constitution, which in any case remains largely
unimplemented and misused by the politicians!],
People say constitution turns out to be mere sheet of
paper due to lack of implementation (rep), Democratic
and Egalitarian Discourse, by Ganga Bahadur Thapa
(kh), Arbitrary
awarding of Constitution Day honours draws widespread
flak : Writers who praised the prime minister and the
driver of the chief secretary among 594 awarded for
contributing to national life in the past year, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Long
live the nepotistic oligarchy of Nepal!], Constitution
Day is like any other for city’s poor : Official
celebrations take place barely a hundred metres from
the people queuing up for free meals, by Anup Ojha
(kp), Migrant
workers would return home with money and gifts. Now it
is just themselvesWith contracts terminated and jobs
lost due to the pandemic, homecoming for Nepalis
who left the country for work is not a joy amidst an
uncertain future, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Nepal
Spending Billions In Onion Import, by Laxman Kafle
(rn), “Why
have I been abducted?” asks Dr KC : His health
deteriorates, government silent about his demands
(rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
19/09/2020: With
festival season close, bank loans for imports halve,
bankers’ data shows : Low spending outlook around
Dashain clearly suggests that Nepal’s economy, 82
percent of which is driven by consumption, will
continue to slide, economists say, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp), Beating
Predicament Of Weak Governance, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Respecting
Spirit Of Constitution, by Bishnu Gautam (rn), The
constitution has been vindicated : It would be a
mistake to attribute the mess the ruling party has
created, or the misconducts demonstrated by political
parties across the spectrum, as the consequence of the
constitution, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Our
most vulnerable need protection during the pandemic.
We can then celebrate the constitution : First thing
first, by Shreejana Pokhrel (rep), Will
your daughter look upto to the Constitution of Nepal
2015?, by Karma Tamang (rep), Cooperatives
blame MoALD for wastage of agro products (ht), Curfew
clamped in Malangawa to avoid possible Hindu-Muslim
clash, by Tanka Chhetri (rep), Kulman
Ghising urges his supporters to refrain from staging
demonstrations on streets (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
18/09/2020: Ruling
party wants to gag its leaders to suppress criticism
and dissent : Nepal Communist Party has asked its
members to refrain from commenting on the party,
leadership, government and policies and warned of
action if they fail to comply, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Long
route bus service resumes, but not many people left
Valley on the first day : Police say only a fraction
of normal traffic was observed on the city’s exit
points, by Anup Ojha (kp), Resettlement
plans still to be readied, landslide survivors live in
leaking tents : Not only immediate relief, survivors
also need means to start their lives anew, experts say,
by Anish Tiwari and Timothy Aryal (kp), Resettle
The Disaster-Hit, by Bini Dahal (rn),
Five eventful years of Nepal’s new constitution,
by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Help
the constitution mature (ae), Govt
ready to amend constitution on the basis of
justification: PM Oli (rep) [??],
Constitution
cannot be amended to fulfill individual interest: PM
Oli (kh), Special
economic cost : The PM could have appointed anyone as
his special economic advisor, but only after the
appointment of a new finance minister, by Bhoj Raj
Poudel (ae), Uma
Bhujel in and out of jail : Although the war is long
over, this famous guerrilla commander is still
breaking out of jail, by Tufan Neupane (nt), COVID-19
has taken heavy toll on women's entrepreneurship in
Nepal (rep), Policemen
who beat up civilian at Babarmahal on Thursday to be
investigated (rep), Fear
of infection looms large as 500 tested positive go out
of contact in capital (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
17/09/2020: Teenage
rape victim in Saptari took her own life after being
forced into out-of-court settlement : The village
elders had tried to hush up the matter and
threatened the victim and her mother of
consequences if they reported the incident with
the police; The four men who raped the 17-year-old
girl are still at large, police say, by Abdhesh
Kumar Jha (kp), Oli’s
preferential treatment to Khatiwada may invite rift in
ruling party and hit governance : As special economic
adviser to the prime minister, the former finance
minister is poised to have a bigger mandate, which
could confuse bureaucrats, insiders and analysts say,
by Anil Giri (kp), Long-haul
transport resumes, but people who want to go home are
unsure about virus safety : Public health experts say
increased mobility during festivals could fuel
Covid-19 spread, by Anup Ojha (kp), Plan
to evacuate all workers in distress within a month
draws scepticism : Procedural complications and lack
of coordination among agencies are not going to be
resolved overnight, experts say, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), As
revenue dries up, government to borrow from public
enterprises to fund stimulus : It could also inject
funds into pandemic-affected cottage, small and medium
and tourism enterprises through the treasury if
revenue collection surges, officials say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Youths
stage demonstration demanding Ghising’s reappointment
as NEA MD (rep), Bamdev
Gautam says he will boost National Assembly’s dignity
(kh) [How should this work?
The voters have rejected him as their representative
in Parliament! Where is there room for dignity?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
16/09/2020: Rape
victim in Saptari commits suicide after villagers stop
her from filing a case with police (rep), The
intent of elite imitation : Most movements in
Kathmandu since 2015 have been staged by the
urban bourgeoisie, by CK Lal (kp), Government
appoints Yubaraj Khatiwada as special economic advisor
to Prime Minister Oli : Other Cabinet decisions
include resumption of travel services from Thursday
and allowing foreigners to visit Nepal for trekking
and mountaineering starting October 17, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp) [Never-ending
power games of Mr Oli's never-ending power games: he
takes over the Ministry of Finance, of which he has no
idea, appoints the former Minister of Finance as his
economic advisor and nominates Bamdev Gautam, who was
rejected by the voters, for the National Assembly in
order to influence the party's power struggle in his
favour!], Four-year
tenure of Kulman Ghising ends (ht), #ThankYouKulman
trends on social media as NEA MD Kulman Ghising
retires (ht) [Thank you,
incompetent Oli government, for dismissing the
country's most competent administrator!], Not
to reappoint Kuman Ghising a height of corruption:
Mishra (kh), Ghising
says NEA faces massive managerial challenges
(rep), Govt
allows hotels and restaurants to resume their
operations from Thursday (rep), Insurance
companies are cheating the people, and destroying
their own credibility during pandemic, by Rudra
Khadka (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
15/09/2020: In-custody
death of a Dalit youth in Kailali sparks protests,
by Arjun Shah (kp), Domestic
flights, long-haul buses to restart next weekCabinet
discusses allowing in foreign tourists but no decision
was made, according to a minister, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Small
businesses begin to collapse as prolonged lockdown
paralyses operations : Entrepreneurs have no income,
but government taxes and bank interest payments are
piling up, they say, by Krishana Prasain (kp), CIAA
under public scrutiny as outgoing chief puts NOC land
scam case on hold (rep), Barbers
organize march against govt’s measures to combat
COVID-19 pandemic (rep), 10
major achievements of Kulman Ghising, Nepal’s ‘light
man’ (rep) [PM Oli and
his party/government do not like such competent
persons because they make their own incompetence even
more apparent!], Five
years after the constitution, where do we stand?,
by Jivesh Jha (rep) [The
author denies the numerous shortcomings of the
Constitution and rejects any criticism of it. What is
missing is a statement that many of the provisions of
the critically rated Constitution have not really been
implemented even after five years.], Saving
jobs during Covid crisis, by Nhasala Joshi and
Shweta Acharya (rep), NAC’s
negligence puts lives at risk (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
14/09/2020: Thirty
months of poor governance and a weak opposition :
Despite a huge mandate, the ruling Nepal Communist
Party has failed to deliver on many fronts and the
main opposition Nepali Congress has been a mute
spectator., by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), As
revenue dips, provincial and local governments worry
about funds from centre : Federal government can
reduce the promised funds but this would jeopardise
projects, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Net
the ‘big fish : ’The CIAA must begin cracking down on
large-scale corruption issues with a system-based
approach (kp), 'Unfair
To Restrict Street Vendors From Business As They Are
Among Hit Hardest Due To Pandemic', by Mukunda
Gaire (rn), Dr
KC starts 19th hunger strike in Jumla (rep), Two
deaths in police custody within a month (ht), Towards
provincial fiscal autonomy : Nepal remains a framework
wherein the key revenue sources rest with the federal
government, by Ankshita Chaudhary (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
13/09/2020: Disappearance
Commission suggests relief packages for conflict
victims : There are fears Covid-19 may present an
excuse to further delay investigation into war-era
cases of rights violations, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Anti-graft
body in the spotlight as questions arise over its
independence : The constitutional body is largely
failing to function as per its mandate because
over-politicisation has meant officials often
serve their political masters, analysts say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), In
ruling party, leaders’ focus has been on
one-upmanship—not Covid-19 : The party leadership
squandered crucial months and multiple meetings
bickering over their individual interests, ignoring
the most pressing issues of the present time, insiders
say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Returnee
migrants and their management : When they come home,
out-migrants can revive rural economic activities that
were abandoned in the conflict era, by Kul Kapri
(kp), Farmers
Unable To Take Vegetables To Market (rn), Why
is the government ignoring SC’s verdicts on pandemic?,
by Ananta Raj Luitel (rep), NCP
should stop assault on the Constitution, by
Abhishek Pratap Shah (rep), Bajura’s
new mothers die young. Failure to give birth to a baby
boy often results in second marriage, by Nanda
Kumari Thapa (rep), Over
60,000 Nepalis from 58 countries repatriated so far
(kh), 231
prisoners infected with COVID-19, five die (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
12/09/2020: Many
National Human Rights Commission recommendations go
unimplemented (ht), Tug-of-war
ends, but ruling party leaders wonder how long truce
will last : Oli and Dahal’s joint proposal commits a
lot. But since it fails to address some
key issues, insiders say irritants are likely to
emerge sooner rather than later, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), In
cases involving members of Chand-led outfit, police
are violating court orders : Members of the group have
been rearrested multiple times despite courts
ordering their release citing the lack of evidence,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Despite
poor rights record, Nepal eyes another term at Human
Rights Council : Nepal government has largely failed
to uphold the promises it made in 2017 in the
lead up to the election for membership for the
2018-20 period in the UN body, by Anil Giri (kp) [Nepal has never been qualified for
this task!], Undocumented
migrant workers to get support to return home : They
had so far been excluded from the government’s
repatriation schemes, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), Local
governments to manage school education : Local
authorities charge the federal government with
waiting for months to announce the decision and
hindering children’s education, by Binod Ghimire
(kp),
Kathmandu wants administration to roll back decision
to allow footpath vending : Friday’s incident shows
absence of coordination between federal and local
governments in controlling Covid-19 as cases spiral in
the metropolis, by Anup Ojha (kp), Ensuring
The Right To Peace, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
11/09/2020: Ruling
party calls on cadres to stop criticising its policies
on social media : Leaders and analysts see this as a
step to shrink democratic space within the party
as well as the larger society and it will be
opposed, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The
extremely bad policies of the so-called party leaders
must urgently be criticised by the cadres as well. It
is the duty of every concerned democrat!], Nepal’s
leaders are in isolation : The political leadership is
taking self-isolation a bit too seriously, and are
nowhere to be seen (nt), Valley’s
traffic and public movement up as restrictions are
eased : Many motorists and shop owners found violating
rules, raising concern among traffic officers, by
Anup Ojha (kp),
Reproductive health gains at risk as pregnant women
die due to lack of care : Maternal mortality had gone
down by 76 percent and stillbirths by 56 percent in
Nepal since 2000, but the Covid-19 pandemic is eroding
the achievements, by Aditi Aryal (kp), The
shadow curve : Disruptions in health services due to
the pandemic could result in a secondary health crisis
(kp), Tourism
minister proposes unshackling travel industry : The
Covid-19 Crisis Management Committee will discuss the
proposals aimed at revitalising the economy
before sending them to the cabinet for approval,
officials said, by Sangam Prasain (kp),
Reading between the lines, by Dinkar Nepal (ae), First
came candles then came Kool Man, by Jackie Taylor
(ae), Indigenous
communities: Adversaries to Nepal’s development?,
by Kushal Pokharel (ae), Implement
corrective measures for prisoners: SC (ht), COVID-19
confirmed after death of four inmates of Central
Prison (kh), Access
to formal jobs more restricted for women (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
10/09/2020: Curbs
extended with some relaxations, but experts question
ad-hoc decisions : Doctors say Valley authorities have
failed to explain on what basis they are taking their
decisions, since the restrictions of past three weeks
were largely ineffective, by Tika R. Pradhan and
Arjun Poudel (kp), Lockdown
eased in Kathmandu valley, prohibitory orders extended
till Sept 16 : Shops selling non-essential stuff can
open three days a week; Odd-even rule back; Groceries
can open for two hours in evening as wel; Public
vehicles can ply, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Jumla
farmers face difficulties due to transportation halt :
Every year during the harvest season, traders and
businessmen would reach the orchards to purchase
apples but no one has come this year, say farmers,
by LP Devkota (kp) [The
well-considered decisions of the government really
move the economy forward!], Case
filed against police for alleged custody death
of Dalit youth : Bijay Mahara’s father filed the
complaint with the Office of District Attorney
on Wednesday seeking investigation into his son’s
death, by Shiva Puri (kp), Covid-19
surge deprives 60 percent of malnourished kids of
treatment : Lack of public transportation and
conversion of rehab centres into quarters for
health staffers cited as reasons, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Mental
health patients deprived of drugs and counselling
during pandemic : Doctors say remote counselling is
not accessible to patients living in small towns and
villages as regular therapy sessions and supply of
medications are obstructed by lockdowns, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Bridges
to hell : As defaulting contractors remain scot-free,
bridges continue to pose a threat to life and property
(kp), Prohibitory
orders hit daily wagers hard (ht), ‘Facilitation
letter’ from DAOs a must to enter Kathmandu Valley
even as prohibitory orders relaxed : PCR test not
mandatory to enter Kathmandu Valley (rep), Nepalis
in the Middle East fear starvation as government
delays repatriation, by Rudra Khadka (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
09/09/2020: Amid
little progress, pandemic could become an excuse to
delay justice for conflict-era victims : Five years
have passed since two commissions were formed, but not
a single investigation has been started, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Valley
mayors for easing curbs; district officials wait for
Home Ministry orders : Authorities’ confused response
to the coronavirus pandemic continues, as prohibitory
orders that have been in place for the last
three weeks end tonight, by Tika R. Pradhan and
Anup Ojha (kp), Health
Ministry suggests extending prohibitory order by a
week (kh), Lockdown
in Kathmandu Valley to be relaxed from Thursday :
Vehicles will be allowed to ply the roads on odd-even
basis (rep), Prohibitory
order in Kathmandu Valley relaxed : Operation of
vehicles on odd-even rule allowed (kh), Public
transport entrepreneurs announce operating vehicles
from Sept 17 (kh), Dalits
picket DPO to file FIR (ht), COVID-19
cases surge among security personnel deployed at
Kathmandu Valley transit points (rep), A
teenage girl held captive and gang-raped for days
after being drugged in Kanchanpur (rep), 3
held in connection with 17-yr-old girl’s rape in
Baitadi (kh),
see also
news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
08/09/2020: Businesspersons
demand alternative to restrictions as economy takes
hit : Continued curbs could spell disaster for the
already fragile economy and result in loss of
livelihoods of many more people and closure of small
and medium enterprises, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Tailor
pandemic response : The government must devolve power
to respond to the pandemic effectively (kp) [But the Oli government is far too
busy with power struggles. How is it supposed to take
care of such trivial matters as the pandemic?],
Gautam
to the Upper House and then Cabinet may invite more
trouble for Oli than succour, insiders say : Prime
Minister Oli is likely to delay Gautam’s appointment
process until he falls into extreme crisis, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), 12
years since their liberation, freed Haliyas in
Kanchanpur still await resettlement : Out of 21,069
freed Haliya families in Nepal, only 16,000 are listed
in government data, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Police
officials don’t accept complaints against their own
colleagues, activists say : The latest of such
examples is police in Garuda Municipality, Rautahat
refusing to register a first information report
against the death in custody of 19-year-old Bijaya
Mahara, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
lockdown is a mistake : In the name of containing the
spread of COVID-19, the government should not ignore
other health issues and let the citizens suffer bigger
collateral damages, by Priyasha Maharjan (rep), 1,200
Nepali migrant workers hit the streets in Saudi Arabia
: Shout slogans against Nepali Embassy, by
Yogendra Yogi (kh),
see also news programmes of
Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
07/09/2020: How
a pandemic law would have helped fight the virus and
strengthened federalism : Nepal has resorted to the
six-decade-old Infectious Disease Act, which does not
talk about people’s rights, but empower bureaucrats to
punish citizens, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), With
a sharp quarterly slump, last fiscal year growth
headed for a massive decline : Government data show a
downward spiral, and with uncertainties caused by
Covid-19, economists say the country will hugely
struggle to escape a negative growth this fiscal year,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp), Frontline
health workers in Kapilvastu deprived of risk
allowance : Some health workers in the district have
set up coronavirus insurance in their own initiatives
by paying premiums themselves, by Manoj Paudel
(kp), Nepali
migrants in Lebanon feel forgotten : Many workers have
been stranded in the crisis-ridden country as Nepal’s
government has not approved a flight to bring them
home, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), As
migrant workers start returning home, local levels
feel the heat to create jobs : Local governments
across country prioritise employing returnee migrant
workers mainly in agriculture and local development
sectors, with some coming up with innovative ideas,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Burden
of unemployment : We cannot afford off-and-on
lockdowns and prohibitory orders that jeopardise the
economy (kp), Ensure
Effective Service Delivery, by Uttam Maharjan
(rn), Over
2,000 Nepal Police personnel contract Covid (ht),
138
inmates infected by COVID-19, five die (rep), Control
border movement, save lives, by Devendra Gautam
(rep), UNFPA
launches Phase II project to prevent gender-based
violence (kh), Expensive
fare and limited flights trouble migrant labors in
Gulf, by Yogendra Yogi (kh),
see also news programmes of
Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
06/09/2020: Can
Gautam become a minister? Depends which Article gets
invoked : .While Article 78 (4) bars him from going to
Cabinet for losing elections, Article 76 (9) may allow
him to become minister once he is sworn into the
National Assembly. But opinions among legal experts
are divided, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [In
any case, there is no qualifying reason to make him a
minister!], Job
schemes come into question as virus-induced
unemployment hits rural youths hard : Several
employment schemes have been rolled out to absorb the
labour force at home, but they are failing to
stop youths from migrating, and the trend has started
with many leaving for India for work, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), Relief
distribution programme in Birgunj fails to cover
vulnerable families : Around 150 women had reached the
District Police Office on Thursday to receive relief
but had to return empty-handed, by Bhusan Yadav
(kp), Around
40 percent government staff haven’t received their
salaries yet, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), As
virus spreads, city to focus on contact tracing : As
many families live in the same house in Kathmandu, the
risk of transmission from one household to another is
high, officials say, by Anup Ojha (kp), Human
trafficking continues unabated amidst COVID pandemic
(ht), Nepalis
abroad will get to vote: Minister Bhusal (rep), 73
pregnant women die for lack of treatment since
lockdown (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
05/09/2020: How
politicians’ chopper rides to disaster-hit areas flies
in the face of spirit of federalism : Leaders and
ministers’ penchant for flying to different parts of
the country in the name of rescue and relief is
reminiscent of the days when the country was under a
unitary system, by Anil Giri (kp) [Nepal
is a federal state in name only. Central politicians
and parties are doing everything to ensure that this
does not change!], Overstay
fines become hurdle for Nepali workers waiting to
return : Many workers have been charged with hefty
fines for overstaying their visas as flights to Nepal
were suspended for months due to Covid-19 pandemic,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Repatriation
quandary persists even with funds to support migrant
workers’ airfare : While Nepali embassies in labour
destination countries struggle with the complicated
verification process, labour rights activists
question the government’s commitment to bring citizens
home, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Put
women at centre of COVID response: Supreme Court,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Coronavirus
insurance only for those screened at govt labs
(ht), Private
health institutions slam govt’s decision of not
providing insurance amount to COVID-19 patients
testing positive at private labs : Eight private labs
have been conducting COVID-19 testing following a
green signal from the government (rep), Pregnant
woman dies after being denied admission by Biratnagar
hospitals, by Chuman Basnet (rep), Who
is right, who is wrong on Nepal-India battle of maps?
Nepal’s claim is based on Article 5 of the Sugauli
Treaty and the maps of that time. India would like us
to rely on maps published after the Sugauli Treaty,
by Buddhi Narayan Shrestha (rep),
see also news programmes of
Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
04/09/2020: Disappearing
justice in Nepal (ae), End
impunity, protect rights: HRW : Human Rights Watch
pushes Nepal and its donors to punish violators
(nt), Nepal
must reboot human rights, rule of law : The goal of
political stability does not remove the need for
active promotion of human rights, by Mohna Ansari
(nt), Custodians
of injustice : Nepal has a lot to do in terms of fully
democratising its institutions (kp), The
ruling party is making a mockery of democracy,
analysts say : Nepal Communist Party decides to send
Bamdev Gautam, who lost parliamentary polls, to the
National Assembly, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [There
cannot be enough male Bahuns in power positions, may
they be incompetent or not. If they are rejected in
democratic elections by the people, then they have to
be nominated in a way where the people don't have a
say!], Finance
Minister Khatiwada resigns (kh), PM
Oli rules out immediate Cabinet reshuffle (kh) [This competent and extremely
healthy PM can easily take over some other ministries!],
The
arrogance of NCP will be costly : The present
generation will curse the Nepal Communist Party, the
party they elevated to power with overwhelming vote,
if leaders fail to deliver on their promise and
deceive the people, by Deepak Joshi Pokhrel and
Rajendra Senchurey (rep), Cluster
infections cause Covid-19 cases to soar in Valley
despite restrictions : Just extending curbs is not
helping contain the virus spread as nearly two-thirds
of the cases so far were detected during two weeks of
prohibitory orders, health experts say, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Opening
shops till 11am in Valley could backfire, health
officials warn : Traffic police booked 600 motorists
for violating prohibitory orders while hundreds of
people descended on the street of Pulchowk for
chariot-pulling festival on Thursday; Nepal on
Thursday saw the highest single-day surge
of coronavirus cases, by Anup Ojha (kp), Authorities
caught unawares of protests despite calls for allowing
the Machhindranath chariot festivalThe local
administration has imposed a curfew inside Ring Road
of Lalitpur from 4 am to 10 pm on Friday after a clash
between police and locals who attempted to commence
the jatra which has been on hold for months, by
Shashwat Pant (kp) [Such mass
events represent the highest risk of the pandemic
spreading. Under no circumstances should they be
allowed!], Curfew
in inner-Lalitpur on Friday from 4am to 10pm (ht),
With
standards in place, online home delivery and takeaway
services can resume : Delivery people must have a
negative coronavirus test result and deliveries will
be allowed between 1 and 7 pm (kp), SP
Khadka replaced in wake of custodial death in Rautahat
(ht) [This can only be a first
step!], APF’s
strong border presence against Covid-19 (ae), Getting
Nepal’s flawed transitional justice process back on
track : Conflict victims and human rights defenders
lighting candles at Maitighar, Kathmandu, in memory of
those ‘disappeared’ during the conflict /Amnesty
International Nepal, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae),
What
could go wrong in Nepal in the next two years?, by
Ujwal Thapa (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
03/09/2020: How
to spot a genius : Nepotism and favouritism have been
the bane of Nepali polity for centuries. It is not
going away any time soon, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Let
the data sink in : Our approach to dealing with the
pandemic needs an overhaul (kp), Economists
paint a bleak picture of economy as virus hits harder
: With rising virus caseload, authorities are
tightening curbs which could result in a massive
economic contraction, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), The
fertiliser conundrum–governments ponder over it every
paddy season and forget after harvest : An agreement
with India to procure fertiliser expired in 2017.
Since then farmers have been deprived of timely
supply, as authorities have failed to explore other
options, by Sangam Prasain and Anil Giri (kp), Two
former lawmakers stage hunger strike over
custody death of Dalit youth : The struggle committee
has warned of stepping up protest if its demands are
not addressed, by Shiva Puri (kp), As
Covid-19 affects healthcare workers, non-Covid
patients are left in limbo : With over 800 health
workers, including more than 200 doctors, infected,
public health experts have called for protecting them
first to avoid any catastrophe, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Over
two dozen Kathmandu officials in self-isolation : The
absence of senior officials has hindered the city’s
effective response to the pandemic, by Anup Ojha
(kp), Policy
Research For Democratic Governance, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Prohibitory
orders extended till September 9; Groceries to open
till 11:00am; Kids below 12, elderly above 60 barred
from venturing out (ht), 1,954
police personnel test positve for COVID-19 (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
02/09/2020: Authorities’
confused response to Covid-19 continues as infection
cases rise by the day : Chief district officers of the
Valley are not sure of the next move as curbs imposed
since August 19 midnight end today, by Tika R.
Pradan and Arjun Poudel (kp), With
no clear plan, Nepal may remain closed for tourists
until 2020-end : With the festival season approaching
and a large number of Nepalis, including migrant
workers, expected to return home, officials say it
will be difficult to manage tourists., by Sangam
Prasain (kp), Food
shortage looms large in Mugu, Dolpa districts of
Karnali Province : The Food Management and Trading
Company Limited could not transport food to Mugu due
to the nationwide lockdown and the disruption of
Namga-Gamgadhi road by floods and landslides, by
Raj Bahadur Shahi and Hari Gautam (kp), Government
preparing to accord formal status to remote and
virtual classes : Education experts, however, warn
that a large number of children still don’t have to
access distance learning, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Panting
of the pachyderms : Oli’s reliance on modern medicine
for his ailments does not stop him from peddling
turmeric to the public, by CK Lal (kp), The
cash cow is drying up : Don’t be fooled by the
better-than-expected results from the external sector,
the effects are only temporary, by Chandan Sapkota
(kp), Prohibitory
Order In Kathmandu Valley Extended By A Week (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
01/09/2020: Demonstrations
continue over custody death of Dalit youth : Family of
Bijay Kumar has refused to accept probe committee
formed by Home Ministry, by Shiva Puri(kp), Work
or perish: The state is morally bound to safeguard its
citizens working in precarious conditions abroad
(kp), Two
killers: Cities and centralism; The federal
government’s lack of support for the vulnerable is
going to add to the death toll, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), Covid-19
pandemic delays dozens of projects that were on their
final lap : Apart from time and cost overruns for the
private and state projects, the impact will also
be on the country’s economy which could incur losses
worth billions of rupees., by Sangam Prasain and
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Kathmandu
Mayor Shakya tests positive for Covid-19 : As he had
met mayors from other municipalities on Thursday, they
are worried they might have been infected, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Govt
increases per day cap on returnees (ht), 12-year-old
boy chained and caged since 2016, by Dinesh Subedi
(rep), Four
inmates die at Central Jail, one tests positive for
COVID-19 : Source claims that a few more inmates at
the jail are ill (rep), Parliamentary
committee directs govt to maintain standards in prison
health (kh), Good
Samaritans: People taking lunch at Khulamanch, by
Eak Raj Bastola (kh) [Wouldn't
this be a primary task of government and
administration?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning
(English), evening
(Nepali)
31/08/2020: Ensure
effective contact tracing and place symptomatic
patients in hospitals, doctors say : Given the lack of
facilities at home for self-isolation for a majority
of Nepalis, encouraging them to stay home after
testing positive for Covid-19 could spell a disasters,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Care
for the frontliners : The government must immediately
provide risk allowances to all Covid-19 frontline
workers (kp), Migrant
Workers In Gulf Being Charged Exorbitant Fares For Air
Tickets, by Modnath Dhakal (rn), Govt
Postpones Vaccine Testing (rn), Panel
formed to prepare home delivery protocols (ht), Government
urged to test sewage water for coronavirus (ht), Operation
of long-haul vehicles, domestic flights to remain
suspended till September 16 (ht), An
Ultimate Guide to Prevent Social Stigma related to
Covid-19, by Bikram Thapa (kh)
30/08/2020: “Forgotten
and Forsaken”, by Nirajan Thapaliya (ht), Various
organizations call for end to continue delays in
justice for Nepal's victims (rep), CIEDP
asks govt to amend transition justice law to help
accomplish its mandated tasks (rep), For
the families of the hundreds of disappeared, the long
wait for justice still continues : Fourteen years have
passed since civil conflict ended and five years since
the Commission of Investigation on Enforced
Disappeared Persons was formed, but not a single
family has been told what happened to its loved one,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Not
even those who claim to be responsible for the death
of 5.000 people are removed from all offices and taken
to court!], Despite
growing evidence, ministry says no community
transmission yet : With system overwhelmed, infected
not getting re-tested for virus but told to continue
home isolation and only serious cases may be
accommodated in hospitals, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Dhangadhi
reports community transmission cases of Covid-19,
by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Frontline
health workers in Syangja district deprived of risk
allowances : The Ministry of Health and Population had
committed to provide health workers with risk
allowances equivalent to their salary, by
Pratiksha Kafle (kp), Kathmandu
city’s non-hospitalised Covid patients find themselves
in limbo, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Migrant
workers don’t have shelters to go to when they need
them the most : A Supreme Court decision in 2010 and
existing provisions allow officials to set up safe
homes which could have served workers even during the
pandemic, say labour rights activists, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), Covid-19
and human relationships : The greatest toll that the
pandemic is taking is on the very power of human
interactions, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Livelihoods
of hundreds of fish farmers in Province 5 at stake :
As a result of travel restrictions, farmers in the
region say they are unable to transport produce to the
market or purchase feed and many of their fish are
dying, by Sanju Poudel (kp), How
the government is failing education : The students who
have been deprived of learning will look back to this
time to recall how the government failed education in
the name of pandemic, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)
29/08/2020: Yet
another Dalit death puts spotlight on culture of
torture police custody : Family members and rights
activists demand investigation into the death of Bijay
Mahara detained over a murder case, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), NHRC
investigates death of Dalit boy in police custody
(ht), Covid-19
reaches government agency formed to fight it : Three
ministers, including defence minister who leads the
Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre, in home isolation
after a soldier they were exposed to tested positive,
by Tika R. Pradhan and Jagadishor Panday (kp), Federal
government takes charge of small road and bridge
projects defying spirit of federalism : New projects
are added to government programmes every year largely
under pressure from politicians, officials say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Federal
government injecting budget into district hospitals
without proper study : The hospitals identified by the
federal government as corona-specific hospitals are in
no condition to be upgraded immediately for the
treatment of coronavirus patients, health officials
say, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), Mayor
Shakya under fire for his lack of initiative to
contain coronavirus spread, by Anup Ojha (kp), Customers
bewildered after police stop online stores from making
deliveries : Kathmandu CDO says shops are open in the
morning, delivery services could be allowed after
health protocols are in place, by Krishana Prasain
(kp),
Police halt home delivery service, arrest staff :
‘First they held our delivery boy and then they came
to arrest me. Other operators also in custody’, by
Arpana Ale Magar (ht) [Politicians
who do not deliver should be arrested instead!!],
COVID-19
Impact: Kathmandu Valley sees closure of over 300
hostels, by Sabina Karki (kh)
28/08/2020: Locals
protest the death of youth held on murder charge : The
deceased’s family has accused police of torture while
authorities claim the detainee died due to prior
illness, by Shiva Puri (kp), Police
looking for man who sold a 14-year-old Nepali girl in
India : She was trafficked last year but had been too
traumatised to speak up about the incident, by
Shuvam Dhungana (kp), ‘I’m
shocked it happened to me’. Record-breaking athlete
encounters discrimination : Chandra Kala Lamgade, who
has represented Nepal in two South Asian Games and an
Asian Championship, was allegedly attacked for
standing up against caste-based discrimination, by
Parbat Portel(kp), Nearly
4,000 Vehicles Held For Defying Prohibition In
Kathmandu Today (rn), The
Tale Of Storytellers, by Kundan Aryal (rn), The
evolution of Kalapani border dispute between Nepal and
India, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), At
least two-thirds of Nepal's schoolchildren unable to
access remote learning during school closures: UNICEF
(rep)
27/08/2020. Justice
as subterfuge : Make no mistake, the ruling party is
hardly interested in concluding the transitional
justice process (kp), Man
shot in clash over ox slaughtering dies : A clash had
ensued between the locals of Kamatoli and police on
Wednesday; police personnel had fired at the crowd,
says eyewitness, by Parbat Portel (kp), Youth
dies in police custody in Rautahat : The family of the
deceased accuses police of ill-treatment while police
rule out allegation, by Madan Thakur (rep), By
extending restrictions, government is barking up the
wrong tree, experts say : Authorities are still not
following the basics—doing effective contact tracing,
isolating the infected, listening to experts and
ensuring that there are sufficient dedicated Covid-19
health facilities, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Investigation
into Chepang youth’s death in Chitwan National Park
yet to conclude : The father of the deceased had filed
a complaint with the district police against
Nepal Army personnel a month ago, but no one has been
booked yet; Nepal Army has been accused of
fatally assaulting Raj Kumar Chepang, by Ramesh
Kumar Paudel (kp), Endogamy,
hierarchy and violence : Only a free flow of ideas can
help society move its culture and traditions in sync
with the times., by Pramod Mishra (kp), Govt
urged to save lives of jailbirds amid COVID-19
(ht)
26/08/2020: Party
panel’s transitional justice proposal draws flak : The
recommendations are political and go against
principles of transitional justice, and Nepal’s
commitments to human rights, victims and activists say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Gender
inequality in education has widened during the
pandemic : With families struggling financially, girls
cannot focus on their studies. They have to help out
in household chores and do not always have access to
technology for remote learning, by Elisha Shrestha
(kp), Health
workers say they reuse disposable masks as hospitals
don’t provide enough : More health workers not
involved in treating Covid-19 patients are getting
infected with the coronavirus due to the lack of
enough personal protective equipment, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Old
age homes on high alert to prevent infections : As
Covid-19 continues to spread, facilities dedicated to
taking care of the elderly are adopting strict
measures, by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp), Gandaki
Province is not using time it bought with prohibitory
orders, health officials say : Local units have rushed
to impose restrictions while the provincial government
has failed to strengthen health facilities, by
Deepak Pariyar (kp), Fear
of stigmatisation has hindered contact tracing in
Kathmandu, by Anup Ojha (kp), Valley’s
municipal forum for ramping up coronavirus tests,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Moving
forward safely : The government must consider ethical
guidelines and protocols before allowing Covid-19
vaccine trials (kp), Prohibitory
order in Kathmandu valley extended till September 2
(ht)
25/08/2020: Experts
stress full compliance with procedures for Covid
vaccine trials : China, Russia and UK’s Oxford
University Group have shown interest to perform Phase
III clinical trials in Nepal, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Ruling
party task force suggestion throws future of MCC into
confusion : Experts say amendment to the deal
unlikely, a supplementary agreement may be possible at
best, by Anil Giri (kp), Undocumented
migrant workers left to fend for themselves : As
officials only provide airfare for those with valid
labour permits, a large number of workers, who
overstayed or went through informal routes, remain
deprived of assistance to return, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Change
begins at home : The traits of Nepali society are
perfectly reflected in how the government functions,
by Sujeev Shakya (kp),
Need To Prevent Corona-related Stigma, by Bikram
Thapa (rn), All
local govts inside valley to remain shut until August
31 (ht), These
52 districts are under lockdown (rep)
24/08/2020: Health
workers under attack as lack of Covid awareness is
fuelling stigma: While the government fumbles in
handling the pandemic, it is also failing to ensure
risk communication and make people aware of the
disease in a proper way, doctors say, by Arjun
Poudel (kp),
Kathmandu’s delay in enacting umbrella laws holds back
implementation of federalism: Without relevant federal
legislation in place, provincial governments feel
stymied to introduce their own laws to function
independently as the constitution envisions, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Federal
transgressions and the pandemic : The federal
government is overstepping its constitutional
jurisdiction in the name of the Covid-19 response,
by Anurag Acharya (kp), Government
looks for more loans as debt balloons : Borrowing from
World Bank and others is for capital expenditure and
distributive programmes but experts warn it cannot go
beyond 50 percent of GDP, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Schools
once used as quarantine centres are now damaged and
littered with garbage : Many schools in Karnali
Province have been left to pick up after the mess left
behind by quarantined villagers, by Chandan
Kathayat (kp), Landslide-displaced
people worry about their future : Many families who
were driven by the landslide in Lidi are not assured
by the government’s plan to resettle them, by
Anish Tiwari (kp), The
cost of stigma : The government must run a campaign to
counter the infodemic surrounding Covid-19 (kp), 48
districts have partial or complete lockdown (rep)
23/08/2020: How
government defied science and disregarded experts as
Covid-19 spread: Even after 146 deaths and over 31,000
cases, there’s no specialist-led national committee as
the Oli administration continues to take decisions on
ad-hoc basis, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Lack
of clarity in rules, and hindrances drive e-retailers
to operate amid confusion : With vendors allowed to
operate only for a limited time, retailers say they
are having problems managing stock, by Krishana
Prasain (kp, As
pandemic slows down economic activities, construction
sector hits a brick wall : Worker shortage, low
factory output and an uncertain future put brakes on
the booming construction industry, by Krishana
Prasain (kp), Mayor
plans to build isolation centres, but no one knows
when: Experts say isolation centres are urgently
needed to prevent the disease from getting transmitted
in the community, as home isolation is not possible in
a densely populated city, by Anup Ojha (kp), Despite
call for changes in Nepali Congress, old guard clings
on to power : With six months to go for the general
convention, alliances are being built, but younger
leaders are not ready to take over, by Anil Giri
(kp) [The two major parties do
not differ at all in this respect. The generation of
failed, incompetent, authoritarian and largely aging
or sick politicians clings to power and posts!],
Timber
collection ban discourages user groups from continuing
conservation : Due to restrictions, community forest
users are in trouble and they have lost their valuable
source of income, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Internet
access is a human right : Affordability, accessibility
and availability must be ensured to build a digital
Nepal, by Narayan Prasad Ghimire (kp) [Human rights ares an alien
concept for the Oli government!],
Lockdown
extended in Kapilvastu, Dolakha owing to rising
COVID-19 risk (rep), Gorkha
extends lockdown for another week (rep), Prohibitory
order extended until Aug 30 in Sindhupalchowk (kh)
22/08/2020: International
flights to resume from Sept 1, but tourists won’t be
allowed: Nepalis and diplomats will be allowed to take
chartered and regular commercial flights to Nepal, 500
passengers daily at most, while Nepalis can also fly
out from that date, by Tika R. Pradhan and Sangam
Prasain (kp), Ruling
party moves forward only to take a step back again :
The latest disagreement comes over Oli’s minor
political nominations but opponents say he’s back to
his old ways, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Oli
and numerous other politicians need this style of
politics to cover up their great incompetence!],
Decision
after decision, government rubs salt in workers’
wounds : First the penniless and jobless workers had
to wait for flights to resume. Now they need to cough
up thousands of rupees for hotel quarantine,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Hotels,
room charges for returnees’ quarantine (ht), Grocery
shoppers scramble due to small window of time :
It is challenging to finish making deliveries by early
morning, traders say, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Intricacy
In Breaking Political Deadlock, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Arrange
10,000 ventilators, House panel tells govt (ht), Bajura
locals reeling under acute food shortage (ht), Nine
security personnel including PSO of NCP leader Madhav
Nepal test positive for COVID-19 (rep), With
a deluge of new COVID-19 cases, govt directs hospitals
to admit only serious COVID-19 patients (rep), 4
districts in Sudurpaschim Province issue prohibitory
order (kh)
21/08/2020: Restrictions
can’t check virus spread, proper response needed,
experts say: Public health experts reiterate that the
authorities must utilise the period to expand
testing and contact tracing and devise short- and
long-term strategies, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Confusion
and chaos as Kathmandu Valley residents wake up to new
coronavirus curbsA lack of clarity on opening timings
of shops selling essential goods and who are allowed
to move around and who are not creates hassles for the
public and law enforcers, by Anup Ojha and Shuvam
Dhungana (kp), Rupandehi
authorities face local resistance to their bid to set
up isolation centres: Tilottama and Siddharthanagar
municipalities have failed to set up new isolation
centres as Covid-19 cases spiral, by Sanju Paudel
(kp), Starting
over again: There seems to be no end to either the
pandemic or the government’s incompetent response,
by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Over
80,000 Nepal Police, APF personnel deployed for
COVID-19 response, by Keshab Raj Poudel (rn) [????], Only
30 per cent students have access to IT in Bagmati
Province (ht), India
returnees being sent home directly (ht), Seven
persons charged with Dalit youth’s murder paraded
(ht), Nepali
migrant workers slam ‘irresponsible’ govt decision to
halt repatriation, by Arpana Ale Magar (ht), Govt
decides to resume fifth phase of repatriation flights;
makes hotel quarantine mandatory : Those returning
home through land route also must stay in quarantine
for a week in hotels designated by the government in
each of the 10 entry points (rep), Profit-making
army and Nepal’s democracy, by Bishal Thapa (ae),
The
progressive weakening of the Janajati movement in
Nepal, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Who
is in charge in Nepal? The Covid-19 control committee
is acting like a government within a government,
by Alisha Sijapati (nt), Kulman
Ghising’s tenure at NEA in doubt: Man credited with
ending power cuts may not get an extension next month,
by Ramesh Kumar (nt) [Not
competence and and correctness have priority in
Nepal's political decisions, but partisanship,
nepotism, corruption ability and ethnicity!], Learning
from HIV to fight Covid-19 in Nepal : Nepal’s
experience in HIV/AIDS prevention holds lessons in
tackling the spread of the novel coronavirus, by
Sonia Awale (nt), Prohibitory
order issued in Tehrathum (kh), Chitwan
extends prohibitory order for one more week (kh),
Govt
forms high-level state committee for COVID-19 control
and prevention (kh)
20/08/2020: Empowering
chief district officers in Covid-19 fight tramples
upon the spirit of federalism, experts say: Amid
criticism for its failure to contain coronavirus
spread, the Oli administration has ignored provincial
and local governments and granted powers to the
district administration offices to issue prohibitory
orders, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Test,
trace, contain We cannot afford to let this
window of opportunity slip by (kp), Teachers
unpaid as schools can’t collect pupils’ fees: With the
pandemic worsening, the future remains uncertain and
the federal government says local governments should
look into the matter, by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp),
Respect
the rights of all people: Development and humanitarian
efforts can never be traded off for increased natural
risks, by Valerie Julliand (kp), Prohibitory
Order Enforced In Kathmandu Valley From Today: Even
People’s Mobility Is Restricted, by Narayan
Dhungana (rn), Govt
announcement of lockdown leads to panic buying, taking
vegetable prices in Valley skyrocket (rep), People
have mixed reactions on new prohibition order in
Valley (rn),
Province 2 gets one more week to respond to HC on
COVID preparation (ht), Govt’s
plan to make hotel quarantine could put many migrant
returnees into trouble (rep), Dalit
lives matter: We do not know how many Nabarajs have to
sacrifice their lives in the name of caste if the
state fails to come up with the constructive and
meaningful strategies to address such issues, by
Mandip Lamichhane (rep), 1,170
persons face music for violating prohibitory order in
Kathmandu Valley (kh)
19/08/2020: Pandemic
exposes the country’s economic divide: Lack of
adequate public health facilities means those who
can’t afford to pay for tests as well as treatment
have nowhere to go, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Experts
call for utilising restriction period to step up fight
against virus: Stern measures declared for Valley for
seven days with a ban on public mobility and
vehicular movements, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Past
1,000 Covid-19 cases, Kathmandu has no plan on how to
handle crisis: Deputy mayor blames mayor for failing
to take a timely decision that works, by Anup Ojha
(kp), Conflict
in ruling party hits governance: Ministers busy
resolving internal conflicts, officials don’t want to
take risks, experts say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [In view of the enormous problems
Nepal is facing, the ruthless power struggles of the
political elite must be classified as a criminal
offense. All those involved have disqualified
themselves from any political activity for the rest of
their lives! This is reinforced by the fact that
persons like PM Oli are not up to their difficult
tasks, neither professionally nor in terms of health!],
Pathology
of an ultranationalist regime: Populism is enough to
ensure stability in a country that takes pride in
being an insecure nation-state, by CK Lal (kp), Economic
woes may lead to a political disaster, by Nischal
Nath Pandey (rep), CPN-UML
party formally registered at EC (kh), SC
issues interim order to not remove PC Acting Chairman
(kh)
18/08/2020: People
from remote districts stranded in Nepalgunj Airport
for want of PCR test report: PCR test reports are
mandatory for all air passengers on rescue flights,
but it is unclear who should bear the expense of the
test, by Rupa Gahatraj (kp), Half
of beneficiaries could be deprived of social security
money: As per the social security regulation, renewal
of identity cards is a must by mid-August even during
pandemic, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Undocumented
Nepalis in UAE can return home without facing
penalties: Around 300,000 Nepalis whose visas expired
before March 1 are expected to benefit from the new
scheme, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), We
reap what we sow: The country must come up with a
comprehensive agriculture strategy (kp), The
cost of the ruling party feud: This dispute is
destructive because of its disconnect from the
pressing issues of national interest, by Achyut
Wagle (kp), Kathmandu
Valley goes for a week-long lockdown, starting
Wednesday midnight (rep), Prohibitory
order extended for 15 more days in Saptari (rep),
Week-long
prohibitory order in Kathmandu Valley from Wednesday
midnight (kh), Russian
Ambassador ready to facilitate for quick availability
of coronavirus vaccines to Nepal (kh), CDOs
authorized to issue a prohibitory order any time
(kh)
17/08/2020: Prohibitory
orders reimposed in several districts due to rise in
Covid-19 infections: he District Administration Office
in Chitwan has imposed prohibitory orders in six
out of seven local federal units in the district,
by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), In
bid to save party, Oli plans Cabinet reshuffle as part
of deal with Dahal: arty insiders say change in
ministers and some other agreements hopefully prevent
the party from splitting and address concerns of
leaders including Nepal and Khanal, by Anil Giri
(kp), Court
clears way for Bhatta to take charge as board chief,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Options
before mainstream media: It is in this chaotic ecology
that an opportunity arises for some to cement their
place as purveyors of credible news, by Ishan
Joshi (kp), Prohibitory
orders in 39 districts to curb COVID-19 (rn), Over
400,000 people punished, 25,000 fined for not wearing
face mask, by Keshab Raj Poudel (rn), Weeklong
prohibitory order in Pokhara, to be enforced from
today midnight, by Tara Chapagain Dube (rn), Don’t
let hospitals deny medical care to anyone: SC to govt
(ht), Dalit
youth murdered in Rautahat (ht), Oli,
Deuba agree to fill vacant positions in constitutional
bodies (rep), Fifth
phase of repatriation flight that began Monday
cancelled until further notice (rep), Transport
management offices in Valley close indefinitely
(kh)
16/08/2020: Government
plan to repatriate only 500 migrant workers a day
comes under fire: There are hundreds of thousands
wanting to return home and this number is growing with
the expiry of more visas, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), Nepali
Migrant Workers, Students Put Off Plans To Return Home
As Virus Cases Spike, by Renuka Dhakal (rn), The
topics of discussion in Nepal: It seems that petty
politics has once again overtaken urgent matters—such
as the handling of the pandemic, by Abhi Subedi
(kp), With
Restrictions On Vehicular Movement, Prithvi Highway
Looks Deserted, by Murari Adhikari (rn), Makwanpur
Imposes Prohibitory Order Again (rn), Madhyapur
Thimi Municipality Sealed Off For 10 Days (rn), Damak
Decides Go Into One-Week Lockdown (rn), Dolakha
enforces COVID-19 lockdown from today (kh), PM
Oli likely to reshuffle cabinet; Secretariat meeting
tomorrow (kh)
15/08/2020: Rights
watchdog comes down on government over migrant
repatriation: As a result of poor preparations, the
number of workers languishing abroad goes up by the
day and they get no support from authorities, National
Human Rights Commission says, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), 44
feared dead in Sindhupalchowk landslide (ht), Lidi
landslide update: Death toll reaches 12, 27
still missing, by Dhruba Dangal (rep), 13
dead bodies retrieved from Lidi landslide: Search
continues for 26 gone missing (kh), ‘We
had long been asking the authorities to move us to
safer locations’: Lidi villagers say they knew a
disaster was coming as the area weakened by the 2015
earthquakes was experiencing landslides since the
start of the monsoon season, by Anish Tiwari (kp),
Restrictions
imposed on various activities and services in Valley
to curb virus spread: Public, gatherings,
religious activities, roadside vending have been
banned and restaurants asked to provide takeaway
services only, by Tika R. Pradhan and Sangam
Prasain (kp), Various
Activities Prohibited In Kathmandu (rn), Time
To Shun Paternalistic Politics, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
14/08/2020: No
Ram to Nepal’s rescue: In this time of crisis, Nepal
needed a strong and trustworthy leader, and PM Oli
doesn’t fit the bill (ae), Menstrual
huts: You demolish one, we’ll build another: In
Surkhet district alone, around 2,000 menstruation huts
were demolished. But with the end of the campaign,
menstruation huts are resurfacing, by Lalit
Bahadur Budha and Hiknat Bahaduur Nepali (ae) [Ram,
Ram, says the PM!], Another
case spotlights apathy towards rights body: Ministry
of Home Affairs asks the National Human Rights
commission to review its recommendations on alleged
extra-judicial killing of Kumar Poudel, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [The
authoritarian Oli government continues to move forward
on its path of anti-democratic and unlawful action!],
Govt
urged to rescue Nepalis stranded abroad (ht), Nearly
a quarter of Nepal’s workers lose jobs due to
coronavirus: Central Bank (ht), Nepal’s
casteist youths: Of the Nepali youths I surveyed, most
said human beings are equal. Yet they also expressed
their reluctance to marry outside their caste, by
Mim Bahadur Pariyar (ae), Unemployment
in Nepal worsens as government fumbles for a response,
by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), COVID-19
sharpens caste discrimination in Nepal: Dalit
returnees from India face double discrimination at
home even after recovering from coronavirus infection,
by Unnati Chaudhary (nt), COVID-19
impact on food and school in Nepali children: 20% of
children eating less, 52% not studying at all from
home (nt) [see corresponding baseline
findings by UNICEF Nepal and Sharecast], Half
of Nepal’s girls may drop out of school: Survey shows
53% of female students may not go back to schools when
they reopen, by Namrata Sharma (nt)
13/08/2020: Us
and them: In Nepal, divisions created by differences
in caste, culture, gender, religion and vested
interests are aplenty, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Covid-19
leaves devastating impacts on education, jobs and
mental well-being of youths: ILO study says that the
Covid-19 has disrupted the education of more than 70
per cent of youth, leaving a disproportionate effect
on young people, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Covid-19
taking away Nepal’s achievement in maternal health:
Report says 13,189 women delivered babies at hospital
prior to the lockdown while the number decreased to
7,165 after the outbreak (kp), No
entry into or exit from Kathmandu valley until further
notice (ht)m Pandemic
and State: How is state accountable?, by Abhishek
Jha (ht)
12/08/2020: Nepal
braces for a return to locked-down life as rise in
Covid-19 cases rings alarm bells: Earlier date of
August 17 for resumption of flights, long-distance bus
travel, and start of school admissions has been pushed
back by at least 15 days, by Sangam Prasain and
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Over
20,000 people booked for flouting mask and social
distancing rules in Valley: More than 350 police
officials across the country are infected with the
virus, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), With
many traffic officers in quarantine, other police
personnel mobilised to enforce odd-even vehicle rule:
8,302 motorists have been booked for violating
alternate-day driving rule in the past six days,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Govt
Instructs Offices To Embrace 'Work From Home' Amid
Growing Virus Cases (rn), Informal,
salaried workers hit hard by COVID-19 in Kathmandu
valley: Study (ht) [see report
by Nepal Food Security Monitoring System], Govt
decides to provide Rs 1 million each to the family of
those killed in Soti incident (rep) [And
what about the brutal killers? When will a court
finally punish them severely? The compensation
payments to the victims and their families must be
made by all those who committed the crime, supported
it or in any way incited it!], How
government scrambles to spend budget, by Nitish
Shrestha (kh), Sindhupalchowk’s
Bahrabise sealed, over 500 asked to stay in quarantine
(kh)
11/08/2020: Cabinet
takes a slew of decisions to curb virus spread but
stops short of making them public: Decisions include
no flights and long-distance transport until August
31, tightening of entry into the Valley, and reducing
the number of entry points from India to 10 from the
present 20, by Tika R Pradhan & Sangam Prasain
(kp), Flights,
long-haul transport to remain suspended till August 31
(ht), Govt
extends suspension on domestic, international flights
until Sept 16 (kh), Nepal
Bar Association calls for a mechanism to control
corruption in the judiciary: It has concluded that the
justice delivery process under the incumbent
leadership of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana is
not satisfactory (kp), Buddha
and the world: What we really need is a debate on the
enlightened one’s teachings rather than his
citizenship (kp) [Neither
Nepal nor India existed as states whens Buddha lived!],
Nepal lost Rs 7 billion in exports of high value
products as virus strangles foreign trade: Shipments
of listed products in fiscal 2019-20 plunged 18.65
percent year-on-year, according to official data,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), 849
passengers arrive on last day of fourth phase of
repatriation (ht), Digitised
interventions for social inclusion: Adapting to the
unwelcomed crisis, by Samridhi Rana and Simone
Galimberti (ht)
10/08/2020: Losing
the fight against a pandemic, one battle after
another: The government’s promise to set up more
isolation beds in the Valley has failed to materialise
while money allocated for provinces has not been
properly utilised, officials say, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Enough
is Enough campaigner ends hunger strike after
agreement with health ministry: The youth-led campaign
has urged the government to implement the agreement
this time, by Aditi Aryal (kp), Indigenous
groups feel deprived of their access to land and
natural resources: Indigenous rights activists blame
the state for its coercive approach, the latest
examples being the eviction of Chepangs in Chitwan and
plans to displace the Newars from Khokana, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), 395
Thousand People Face Action For Not Wearing Face Mask
(rn), Entry
From Sanga Tightened Amidst COVID-19 Fear (rn), Gahanapokhari-Hadigaun
area sealed amid surge in Covid-19 numbers (ht), Siraha’s
Dhangadhi Municipality Goes Into Lockdown For A Week
(rn), Curfew
to be clamped in Hetauda from Monday midnight, by
Ashok Sujan Shrestha (rep)
09/08/2020: Nepal
likely to face host of questions in its bid for
another UN rights council term: But officials say the
country is one of the best performers among the
present members of the council; Various rights
enshrined in the constitution have not been
implemented (kp) [Nepal
was already not qualified for this task in 2018. This
disqualification has unfortunately worsened
considerably under the Oli government!], After
two weeks of reopening, hospitals are full. Worst is
yet to come, doctors say: Public health experts say
piecemeal efforts won’t help curb the virus spread and
authorities must step up to increase testing, tracing
and isolation beds, by Arjun Poudel (kp, ‘I
and my wife go to bed hungry to keep children fed’:
Returning migrants in Sudurpaschim and Karnali face a
bleak future. Government is still unclear how to
provide help, by Arjun Shah, Basanta Pratap Singh
and Chandani Kathayat (kp) [You
must understand that the politicians power struggle
has absolute priority! They are completely incompetent
anyway with regard to their assumed duties and tasks!],
Prime
Minister Employment Programme has so far proved to be
a let-down for jobless citizens: The much-talked-about
programme has yet again failed to provide a minimum
100 days of employment, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), Kathmandu’s
ward chiefs find themselves in eye of Covid storm:
Kathmandu Valley has reported over 1,000 positive
cases of coronavirus, and local residents are turning
to their elected representatives for help, by Anup
Ojha (kp), PM
Oli tells Madi delegation to Build Ram's idol and
promote Ayodhyapuri as his place of birth (ht) [This is really the most important
task in Nepal at this critical moment, Mr Oli!],
Young
woman dies for want of treatment (ht), Girl
who died after denied admission to hospitals tests
COVID-19 positive (kh), Maintain
essential health services during COVID-19 response:
WHO (ht). Procedure
to regulate health facilities issued (kp), Judiciary:
Public should maintain restraint on comments about
court order/verdicts, by Pankaj Kumar Karn (ht) [As long as the court decisions are
based on existing law and serve the purpose of finding
justice, this must be agreed to!], COVID-19
renders one-fourth private sector workers jobless, NRB
survey finds: Businesses expect to return to normality
in nine months (rep)
08/08/2020: Government
mulls options, including strict restrictions, as it
flounders in virus fight: Authorities are considering
sealing areas with more infections and ‘service
lockdown’ but experts warn if the response is too
little too late, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Hand
washing stations were installed across the city to
fight virus–but they have no water now: While people
complain about authorities’ failure to ensure one
simple measure against the virus, officials say no one
uses them as everyone uses hand sanitiser, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Lax
approach by authorities in dealing with new arrivals
could spell a disaster for Sudurpaschim: Lack of
coordination among government agencies and poor policy
to blame for the spike in coronavirus cases, health
officials say, by Chitranga Thapa (kp), Birtamod
Municipality starts mass screening while under
lockdown: The sole isolation centre in Jhapa reaches
its capacity within first four days of its operation,
by Arjun Rajbanshi (kp), Government
casts doubt on August 17 resumption of flights, rules
out complete lockdown (ht), District
administration offices agree on 16-day restrictions in
valley: Only essential services to be allowed
beginning tomorrow (ht), Curfew
to be clamped in Nuwakot from Saturday midnight for
next 10 days to contain spread of COVID-19, by Him
Nath Devkota (ht)
07/08/2020: ICJ
urges Nepal to bring law and policy reform to achieve
human rights accountability and strengthen justice
sector institutions (rep) [see statement
and report
by ICJ], On
the horns of a dilemma: Nepal wants to say it is open
to the world, but Covid-19 cases are rising: Officials
from ministries are mulling over various measures,
including how the country should welcome the arriving
tourists when flights resume in about 10 days, by
Sangam Prasain (kp), Province
5 flounders in Covid-19 prevention and control
efforts: Local units ill-prepared to handle the second
wave of the coronavirus pandemic as cases begin to
surge in the province, by Dipendra Baduwal (kp), Nearly
5,000 Nepali workers apply to return home on
government support: Nepali missions abroad are
verifying applicants’ status before recommending their
names to the government to provide them airfare from
Migrant Workers Welfare Fund., by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), 6,000
migrants apply for free rescue from abroad (ht), Murder
accused ex-Maoist commander gets clean chit from
Supreme Court; The decision is fallacious, says a
former justice, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Isolation
centre vandalised over food quality (ht), Nepal
lockdown 2.0: Who’ll suffer the most?, by Simone
Galimberti (ae), Neglect
of fiscal commission puts Nepal’s federal project in
jeopardy, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Air-brushing
history by toppling statues: Keeping them visible may
help remind the present generation of historical
wrongs, by Ivan G. Somlai (nt) [But
not as long as they are celebrated as idols of Nepal's
national identity!], Smart
lockdown: Nepal braces for COVID-19 surge as
neighbouring India reels under pandemic, by Sonia
Awale (nt), Only
essential services to be provided from DAOs in Valley
from Sunday (rep), Fearing
axe, top leaders switch over to encrypted phone apps,
by Raghab Sharma (kh)
06/08/2020: As
Covid-19 cases rise, government scrambles to contain
the virus flare-up: As new measures to curb the
coronavirus spread, authorities impose odd-even rules
for vehicles in the Valley and other districts with
over 200 cases and bar social gatherings at hotels and
restaurants, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
Local units reimpose lockdown measures following rise
in Covid-19 cases: Most districts have reported new
cases since the nationwide lockdown was lifted in
July, prompting local governments to step up safety
measures, by Laxmi Sah (kp), Prohibitory
order in 15 districts to curb COVID (ht),
10-day curfew clamped in Kapilvastu after witnessing
COVID-19 transmission at community level, by Kiran
Man Bajracharya (rep), Govt
decides to enforce odd-even rule for vehicles as
COVID-19 cases see sharp rise (rep), Stuck
at home after losing job to pandemic, Nepali migrants
from districts where monsoon has wreaked havoc face a
difficult road to recovery: Remittance money has
always played a crucial role in disaster recovery. But
Covid-19, which has left many migrant workers without
work, has now made it much more challenging to recover
from disasters, by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp), Time
to talk turkey: Address the warnings beforehand to
stop an unemployment pandemic (kp), Distractions
of their own making: What Prime Minister KP Oli and
his challenger, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, seem to have
forgotten is the sorry state Nepal is in, caught
between a killer pandemic and a disastrous monsoon,
by Deepak Thapa (kp) [Both do
not have to prove their incompetence any further. They
should resign from all offices immediately and so
should a number of other so-called top politicians!],
Businesses
laid off a quarter of employees, trimmed 18 percent
pay during the lockdown, survey says: The survey
showed that half of the companies’ business is
financed by debt and as a result, they were unable to
pay their employees as their cash flow dried up,
by Sangam Prasain (kp), COVID-19
renders one-fourth private sector workers jobless, NRB
survey finds: Businesses expect to return to normality
in nine months (rep) [For
what reason??]
05/08/2020: Bhatta’s
appointment despite criticism puts a spotlight on
problem inherent in the system: Oli’s decision to
appoint Sushil Bhatta the IBN chief has run into
controversy, but analysts say it comes as a
continuation of Nepal’s parties’ trend of handpicking
people of their choice disregarding merit and process,
by Anil Giri (kp) [Long live
nepotism and corruption in Nepalese political circles!],
When
enough is never enough: The success of an ethical
appeal requires that the moral principles of the
respondent be equally proper, by CK Lal (kp), Nepal
may see 28.7 percent contraction in remittance in
2020, highest in the developing Asia, ADB says: But
Nepal Rastra Bank says as China’s demand for oil will
create jobs in Gulf countries, Nepal may not see a big
contraction on remittance earnings despite the
pandemic, by Sangam Prasain (kp), 14
Districts Issue Prohibitory Order Against COVID-19
(rn), Heinous
Crime Of Acid Attack, by Namrata Sharma (rn)
04/08/2020: Festival
season could be a time for virus spread as elsewhere
in the world, experts warn: Health Ministry to bring
out do’s and don’t during festive season within days
as people thronged to religious sites on Monday,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Enforce
public health guidelines in hotels and restaurants or
shut them down, Health Ministry tells Covid committee:
Public health officials consider hotels, restaurants
and roadside eateries as potential infection hotbeds,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Curfew
clamped in seven major cities of Province 2 suspecting
community transmission of COVID-19 (rep), Where
are Nepal-India relations heading? The foreign policy
of the Nepal Communist Party government has been a
blanket failure, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Experts
suggest government impose curfew in affected areas
(rep)
03/08/2020: How
the government got lost in its fight against the
pandemic: After refusing to recognise the risk and
failing to come up with right strategies, authorities
now have few options left to contain the virus spread,
experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Growing
arrears show bad governance: The increasing rate of
arrears in the use of taxpayer money is an immense
disrespect to the people, by Chandra Lal Pandey
(kp), Book
imports at a trickle as issues remain unresolved:
Government not backing down on decision to tax books
published in West based on their original value even
as importers pay discounted Indian prices (kp) [Politicians cannot read, at least
they don't. So, why should they try to promote
people's literacy?], Media
urged to refrain from brewing controversy over court
verdict, order (ht), Govt
urges children below 12 and elderly above 60 not to
come out of home (rep), 'Enough
is Enough’ campaigner Iih admitted to hospital as his
health deteriorates due to hunger strike (rep), Worst
times may be coming: This is not the time to celebrate
the ending of lockdown. Everyone must be alert and
understand that small carelessness can lead to a big
public health catastrophe, by Samagya Koirala
(rep)
02/08/2020: Police
arrest dozens of protesters: Enough is enough campaign
(ht), As
Covid-19 cases rise, Kathmandu Valley could see yet
another lockdown: Restrictions can’t be ruled out amid
increasing risk of virus spread and difficulty in
contact tracing, officials say, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Officials
trade blame as virus spreads in Capital: Mayor Shakya
passes the buck to central authorities, who say local
governments need to act more responsibly to contain
the spread of coronavirus, by Anup Ojha (kp), Agreement
to provide Rs 1 million as a relief to Raj Kumar’s
family: Chitwan National Park has agreed to provide Rs
700,000 and the Rapti Municipal Office agreed to
provide Rs 300,000 to the bereaved family, by
Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp) [And
what about punishment of those guilty?], Political
drama in Nepal: The political spectacle concerning the
ruling party that is currently overwhelming public
discourse has all the components of a theatre play,
by Abhi Subedi (kp), Say
no to coronavirus stigmatisation: Misinformation and
prejudice during a pandemic may be more dangerous than
the pandemic itself, by Subidha Parajuli (kp), Prohibitory
order issued in Parsa as coronavirus cases spike: NA
to be deployed (kh)
01/08/2020:
Fifty youths, including passers-by, detained from
Baluwatar ahead of ‘Enough is Enough’ protest: Police
claim the youths were protesting in a restricted zone,
but protesters say the planned rally could not happen
following random arrests, by Aditi Aryal (kp), Renewal
Of Politics To Address Public Needs, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn), Lockdown
relief for tenants: Supreme Court tells government to
ensure they don’t get evicted for not paying rent for
the period (ht), Govt
sending revised map to UNO, international community,
by Bhuwan Sharma (rep)
31/07/2020: Police
arrests scores of ‘Enough is Enough’ campaigners
(rep), Police
arrest peaceful protesters from Baluwatar (rep), Court
acquits eight police officers charged in connection
with Nirmala Pant rape-murder case: The officers were
charged with meting out torture and destroying
evidence, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), I
was forced to file a case. I now feel exempted of that
guilt: Durga Devi, by Anjali Subedi (rep), With
state-run hospitals overwhelmed, government permits
private hospitals to admit patients: Public health
experts say that the government should not shun its
prime responsibility of protecting the people, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Three-day
prohibitory order to be imposed in Banke from Sunday
after spike in coronavirus cases: Twenty-seven people
in the district including nine employees of the Inland
Revenue Office in Nepalgunj, tested positive for
coronavirus on Thursday, by Rupa Gahatraj (kp), The
elusive dream of a land-linked Nepal: Nepal is not
economically strong and politically stable to be a
bridge between India and China, by Neelesh
Maheshwari (kp), Fourth
Phase Of International Air Rescue Begins (rn), Covid-19
and Hindu politics in Nepal, by Biswas Baral (ae)
[Nepal is a multi-religious,
multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual state!!],
The
revolution yet to come, by Dinkar Nepal (ae), Enough
already: NCP power struggle headed for yet another
showdown (nt), ‘A
decade of work lost in 4 months’: Nepal’s volunteer
teachers fight the crisis in rural education caused by
the COVID-19 lockdown, by Sheryl Lee (nt), Govt
bars from entering Kathmandu Valley during night time
(rep), NCP
row: Greed overpowers ideology, by Prakash Giri
(kh)
30/07/2020: Porous
border, poor interception and changing forms continue
to enable human trafficking to flourish: Trafficking
of Nepali girls and women remains a big challenge for
the country as traffickers use the open border–not
only to traffick them to India, but also to further
smuggle them into the Persian Gulf and Southeast Asia,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp),
Nirmala Pant murder case: Eight police personnel
including SP Bista accused of destroying evidence
acquitted (rep), Eight
police personnel get clean chit on Nirmala rape and
murder case (kh), Failure
to ensure effective contact tracing could spell a
disaster as Covid-19 cases rise, experts say: With
lockdown lifted, there has been an increase in
people’s movement, but government authorities have
failed to keep up with contact tracing, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Congress-aligned
professors, students padlock Tribhuvan University
office: Ruling party appointing key officials without
consulting other parties, they allege, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Lawmakers
point out flaws in Prison Bill-2020: Say it fails to
incorporate provision on counselling, deploying female
cops inside prisons (ht), Supreme
Court issues a show-cause order on tax rise on
electric vehicles (rep), Impact
of Covid-19 on Nepalese Economy, by Nitish
Shrestha (kh)
29/07/2020: Govt
offices neglecting RTI (ht), Police
arrest five 'Enough is Enough' campaigners (rep),
As
pandemic stops Nepali students from going abroad,
consultancies and other businesses take a hit: Plans
of thousands of students to study abroad have been
either postponed or shattered due to Covid-19 related
travel restrictions, and suspension of visa services,
by Aditi Aryal and Elisha Shrestha (kp) [This
would be the time and opportunity for a complete
overhaul of the Nepalese education system.
Unfortunately, however, the responsible politicians
are just as uninterested in this as they are in
controlling the pandemic, providing emergency aid for
the numerous natural disasters and measures to prevent
them in the future, saving the economy in a
forward-looking manner, full equality for women and
their protection against criminal elements, exposing
capital crimes or immediately rescuing the desperate
migrant workers who are willing to return and creating
jobs in the country on a permanent basis. Instead, the
small male group in power, mainly Bahuns, is engaged
in senseless struggles for power and personal
privileges.], Go
local: The government must create a support system for
local farmers rather than continue to import agro
products (kp), An
inside account of Nepal: It is all about power, who
did what and ended up getting what in reciprocation,
by Atul K. Thakur (kp), No
To Gender Based Violence, by Namrata Sharma (rn)
28/07/2020: Rights
lawyers move Supreme Court against forceful eviction
of landless families: Petitioners have sought
government intervention into wanton eviction of
vulnerable communities and offer alternative locations
for them to live with dignity, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), SC
urges all to respect judicial sanctity as it courts
public criticisms over a case involving former DIG
Koirala (rep) [Decency
and moral courage demand that the Supreme Court should
also be criticised when, for whatever reason, it
condescends to such judgments that call into question
the rule of law and the dignity of human beings. In
any case, the Chief Justice must explain his decision!],
SC
dissatisfied with its verdicts being questioned
(ht), Conflict
set to escalate in ruling party, as Dahal once again
ups the ante against Oli: After a brief lull, the
party has returned to where it was a few weeks ago and
the battle lines are drawn, say insiders, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp), PM’s
fate in hands of NCP Standing Committee? Leaders are
planning to force him to quit by putting the issue to
vote (ht), India
makes Kalapani, Lipulekh off limits to Nepalis
(ht), NHRC
concerned about youths staging hunger strike (ht)
27/07/2020: Youth
activist’s fast-unto-death enters ninth day,
government indifferent (ht), Government
may reimpose lockdown if coronavirus infections
continue to spike: The government’s failure to expand
the test range and increase in public mobility post
lockdown have raised the infection risk, Health
Ministry officials say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Supreme
Court orders review of the decision by a bench
comprising chief justice on Ranjan Koirala case: A
three-justice bench questions the rationale behind
Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana and Justice Tej
Bahadur KC’s verdict to commute Koirala’s sentence
from life imprisonment to eight and a half years for
murdering his wife, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Commuting
of Ranjan Koirala’s sentence likely to be reviewed,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), How
continued EU ban on Nepali carriers denied Nepal
Airlines opportunity to earn during pandemic: Nepal
was close to getting rid of the ban but problems in
the ruling party resulted in sudden prorogation of
Parliament, putting bills to split up the Civil
Aviation Authority of Nepal in limbo, by Sangam
Prasain (kp), Recruiting
agencies decry government directive on repatriation of
migrant workers: As per new repatriation directive
recruiting agencies should ensure that Nepali workers
get air tickets, salary and other benefits before they
return on tickets bought from Migrant Workers’ Welfare
Fund, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Regulate
acid sale: The chemical has become a weapon for jilted
lovers to disfigure the beloved who couldn't be theirs
(kp), Body
of Chepang youth taken to Kathmandu for postmortem:
The deceased’s family has accused Nepal Army personnel
of fatally assaulting the youth last week inside
Chitwan National Park, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel
(kp), Ending
Widows’ Woes, by Mahima Devkota (rn), Fake
news can destroy Nepal's relations with India, China
and the US: By the time Foreign Ministry refuted the
report of land encroachment by China, the ‘fake’
report had been circulated for over a year and reached
over millions and millions of readers, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep)
26/07/2020: With
over three dozen positions to fill, Oli, Deuba want to
share spoils: Experts warn such appointees will be
loyal to politicians, not constitutional bodies,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Most leading politicians
in Nepal have neither understanding nor interest in
democratic processes! They are only interested in personal
advantages and power!], Full
Division Bench Grants Approval To Review SC's Verdict
On Releasing Ex-DIG Koirala (rn), Committee
Concerned About Implementation Status Of Safe
Motherhood Rights (rn), Two
years on, delayed justice disappoints Nirmala Panta’s
mother, by Ujjwal Satyal and Tekendra Deuba (ht),
SC
excludes seven justices from list of justices hearing
govt’s review petition against verdict to release
ex-DIG Koirala (rep)
25/07/2020: Calls
grow louder to impeach Chief Justice Rana: Verdict to
commute a wife murderer’s sentence erodes people’s
trust in judiciary, legal practitioners say, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), SC
decision to set free murder accused former DIG kicks
up row (ht), Investigating
officers recall Koirala case: The former DIG would not
have been connected to his wife’s murder but for one
error he made, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Nepal
Army personnel blamed for death of Chepang youth:
Nepal Army has denied allegations of beating seven
youths who had entered Chitwan National Park on July
16 without permission, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel
(kp), Concern
raised about forced eviction (ht), Time
To Promote Deliberative Politics, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Sexagenarian
arrested on rape charge (rep), Threat
of party split not over yet; CPN-UML registered at the
behest of PM Oli: Chairman Dahal (rep)
24/07/2020: Attorney
general questions Supreme Court verdict on Koirala
case: The former DIG of the Armed Police Force
convicted of murdering his wife was released Thursday
following top court’s order, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp) [Doubts about the
constitutional action of the judiciary!], Demonstration
staged against controversial SC verdict to waive jail
term of murder-convict Koirala: Impeachment sought
against justices issuing the verdict (rep), A
father recounts his pain as his daughter’s killer is
allowed to walk out of jail (rep), Implementation
of guidelines to repatriate stranded workers fraught
with challenges: Long verification processes might
further delay repatriation, fear experts, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Why
current conservation models are flawed: Top-heavy
conservation models have little regard for locals.
This has to change if conservation is to succeed,
by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Chepang
organisation demands inquiry into Kusum Khola
incident: Nepal Chepang Sangh has submitted a
memorandum to the chief district officer of Chitwan,
demanding legal action against the guilty, by
Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Dearth
of health service, food crunch takes toll (ht), Majority
of public vehicles in the Valley are not following
health and safety rules: Public health experts have
warned of the coronavirus risk if public vehicles do
not follow the guidelines set by the government,
by Anup Ojha (kp), A
22-year old woman attacked with acid in Kathmandu
(rep), Two
arrested for throwing acid on 22-year-old woman in
capital (rep), Transition
in crisis: COVID-19 and federalisation in Nepal,
by Ian Payne (rep), Push
and pull of Nepali politics: After hectic political
horse-trading, it is all quiet in Kathmandu this week,
by Saindra Rai (nt), You
stab my back, I stab yours: Nepal's wily Oli has
outfoxed his rivals yet again (nt), Stop
complaining, start contributing: Whether you see the
glass as half empty or half full, it is time to take
action and move ahead, by Anil Chitrakar (nt), Children
are collateral damage in Nepal lockdown: Four months
of lockdown has killed many more children than the
disease it was supposed to control. by Sonia Awale
(nt)
23/07/2020: Distressed
Chepangs of Kusum Khola bemoan loss of property and
await relocation: Chitwan National Park authorities on
Saturday set ablaze two huts and vandalised eight
others, asking the indigenous people to vacate Kusum
Khola, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Lockdown
lifting was required, but Covid-19 threat is still
high, public health experts warn: Doctors say the
government should have taken the country’s healthcare
capacity and experts’ advice into consideration,
by Anil Giri and Arjun Poudel (kp), Unlocking
into uncertainty: We’re nowhere close to flattening
the curve.This is not how we can return to normal
(kp), Health
experts warn of coronavirus risk as traffic police
announce resumption of drink driving test: Officials
at the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division say the
test will be performed by maintaining a safe distance
without breathalyser devices, by Anup Ojha (kp), Government
decision to open tourism takes the sector by surprise:
Entrepreneurs say much needs to be done including
provision to conduct PCR tests of visitors at airport
to build confidence in them, by Sangam Prasain
(kp)
22/07/2020: Nepal:
Authorities must stop ruthless evictions of Indigenous
peoples (Amnesty International), Amnesty
International calls for halting forced eviction of
people from Chepang community in Chitwan (rep), Amnesty
condemns enforced eviction of indigenous Chepang
families by Chitwan National Park authority: The
rights organisation has called on the authorities
concerned to hold the people accountable who set fire
and razed down the huts of the landless families
(kp), Amnesty
International calls for halt in eviction of Chepang
peoples (kh), Amnesty
International Calls For Halt In Eviction Of Indigenous
Peoples (Sancharkarmi), Amnesty
International calls for halt in eviction of indigenous
peoples (Ratopati), ‘Halt
forced eviction of Chepang people’ (ht), Government
decides to lift the four-month-long coronavirus
lockdown, but with conditions: Provisions related to
Covid-19 prevention, control and treatment will
continue, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Enough
is Enough Campaign files complaint against Health
Minister Dhakal, officials at CIAA (rep), Three
youths go on a second hunger strike over pandemic
handling: Youths demand the government fulfil its
earlier commitments while government says says all
demands have been met, by Aditi Aryal (kp), Tempest
in the ruling party almost over after Dahal takes a
conciliatory approach: Until a few weeks ago, Oli was
cornered, but he has now managed to overpower mounting
pressure to resign both as party chair and prime
minister, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), It’s
time to start learning Mandarin: When the layperson on
the street cares more about the MCC Compact than the
pandemic response, it is clear that the status quo is
changing—again, by CK Lal (kp), Who
will save the Oli government? People are the most
faithful defense of any government. They can save it
from all miscreants. But PM Oli and his ministers are
alienating them, mortifyingly, by Mahabir Paudyal
(rep), No
Option But To Vote For Nepali Congress (NC)?, by
Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km),
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
21/07/2020: With
more rains predicted, there are fears of loss of more
lives and properties across the country: Rising water
levels in the rivers with widespread rainfall ring
alarm bells as authorities warn this year’s monsoon
could be among the deadliest in years, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal ((kp), Chitwan
park authority accused of burning huts of landless
squatters in Madi: Local government criticise the park
officials for trying to evict poor families during
monsoon, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Coordinated
Efforts Needed To Manage Disasters, by Ganesh
Paudel and Hari P. Pandey (rn) [Sorry,
but people must understand that the responsible
politicians do not have time for such unimportant
things. They are fully engaged in their power
struggles!],
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
20/07/2020: More
confusion in the ruling party as Dahal vacillates
between Oli and Nepal: The Nepal faction, which has
backed Dahal so far, is suspicious after reports that
the party chair has reached a deal with Oli keeping
his allies in the dark, by Anil Giri and Tika R.
Pradhan (kp) [In view of these
completely irresponsible power struggles, the entire
leadership of the NCP should resign immediately!],
Covid-19
results in massive decline in labour migration
numbers, with no immediate hopes of recovery: The
number of labour permits issued to migrant workers has
slumped to a new low owing to the pandemic, but
available jobs are likely to be even fewer, labour
migration experts warn, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp) [This is just one of
several serious problems that the government should
take care of day and night. Instead, the incompetent
PM Oli and his party colleagues have only their
personal power ambitions in the visor! Nepal, quo
vadis?]
19/07/2020: Nepal
failed to implement recommendations from periodic
review, says rights group: During the next review,
members should remind Nepal it needs to do much better
in upholding civil, political, economic, and social
rights, says Human Rights Watch (kp) (see HRW
report], ‘Enough
is Enough’ campaigners begin hunger strike once again
(ht), Oli
refuses to quit as PM, party co-chair: Leaders say
problem will be resolved through consensus, but a plan
to achieve it remains elusive (ht) [This
sounds more like a denial of consensus!], A
tentative deal between Oli and Dahal saves ruling
party from imminent split, for now: Senior leader
Madhav Nepal says any backdoor dealings will not be
accepted and that he will go to the party rank and
file if the two chairs attempted to impose
totalitarianism, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Ministry
seeks opinion on social inclusion policy (ht) [Yes, there still a few positions
and functions that are not filled by male Bahuns!],
‘Home
minister, officials misusing state fund’ (ht), Is
there a China connection? It is interesting that the
other disputed area—Susta—has not been included in
Nepal's new map, by Nihar R. Nayak (kp), Police
in Bardiya crack down on farmers importing fertilisers
from India: Farmers, on the other hand, are troubled
further, as many of them had taken loans to purchase
the fertilisers, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp) [This sounds like a totalitarian
regime!], Public
transport to resume from tomorrow, by Kunga
Hyolmo (rep)
18/07/2020: ‘Journalists
deprived of rights to work, pay’ (ht), Rights
situation of women, girls disappointing, says HRW
(ht), A
purported Nepali man is humiliated in Indian city of
Varanasi over Oli’s Ayodhya remarks: If bitterness at
the political level has percolated down to the
people’s level, it is a matter of grave concern,
leaders and foreign policy experts say, by Anil
Giri (kp) [And all this only
because PM Oli repeatedly moves on the lowest
spiritual level, only to assert his personal power
ambitions in a selfish way!], Apolitical
Youths Concerned About Governance, by Kushal
Pokharel (rn), Untouchability
Living With Discrimination, by LB Thapa (rn), Man
beaten by police at quarantine facility in Surkhet has
a fractured hand, by Nagendra Upadhyaya (rep), Over
80 percent Nepali migrant workers want to return home,
engage in self-employment (rep)
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
17/07/2020: Nepali
elites sans devotion or dignity:As Nepal lacks an
elite class that can stand for its dignity, and
political forces deeply committed to their ideologies,
all the political experiments here have backfired,
by Dinkar Nepal (ae) Dispute
in ruling party now set to reach Central Committee as
Oli and Dahal fail to find a common ground: Madhav
Nepal was invited to the meeting in hopes of a deal,
but stalemate continues as Oli refused to resign
either as party chair or prime minister, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp), The
invisible pandemic: From 2015-18, a total of 27,000
families were affected by floods and landslides and
721 lives were lost, by Madhukar Upadhya (kp), Despite
tackling disasters every monsoon, Nepal fails to learn
from experience: Local governments should be empowered
to prepare in advance and respond effectively when
disasters strike, they say, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Meghauli
locals want politicians to fulfil promise to rebuild
embankments: Some structures constructed last year
have already been destroyed by this year’s rains,
by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Unfortunate
Truth, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Malnutrition
takes toll on vulnerable communities amid lockdown:
Government plans to distribute fortified flour in
affected areas, but experts say that’s not a long-term
solution to the problem, by Arjun Poudel (kp)
see also morning news
from Kantipur TV
16/07/2020: Pandemic
has once again thrown light on plights of Nepali women
migrant workers: Blanket ban on women from migrating
overseas for employment has only encouraged labour
trafficking and exploitation, labour migration experts
and rights groups say, by Elisha Shrestha (kp), Blood
on the hills: Though insufficient, the parliamentary
probe committee's recommendations on the Soti killings
must be implemented to provide justice to the victims
(kp), When
it comes to portraying ethnicity, Nepali pop culture
still depends on stereotypical tropes: From using
blackface makeup to actors speaking in exaggerated
indigenous accents, why is Nepali films and television
still filled with regressive cultural stereotypes?,
by Ankit Khadgi (kp), 2.36
million Nepalis scared of losing home or land
(ht),
DoA to undertake research on Lord Ram’s birthplace
(ht) [???], Role
of civil society during the pandemic:: We have to make
the role of civil society more relevant. Civil society
must act as torchbearers to deal with this global
pandemic, by Pramod Bhattarai (rep)
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
15/07/2020: Rukum
(West) murder of six youths was result of caste-based
discrimination, parliamentary probe says: Study finds
sheer lapses on the part of the local administration,
local government and police in handling the incident,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Amid
soured Nepal-India ties, Oli is threatening relations
between peoples of two countries, leaders and experts
say: Foreign Ministry scrambles for damage control
after the prime minister made unsubstantiated
arguments about Ram’s birth and accused India of
cultural aggression by creating a ‘fake’ Ayodhya,
by Anil Giri (kp), Has
Oli crossed Laxman Rekha? Ram’s birthplace and
nationality can be debated endlessly. But the prime
minister’s rodomontade raises serious questions
(kp), New
public service broadcasting bill draws criticism:
Journalists, lawmakers say it envisages broadcaster
that continues to remain accountable towards the
government and not the legislature, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Education
Ministry mulls allowing local governments to resume
schools in places with low risk of Covid-19: Public
health experts say it's not safe to hold any activity
that brings people together, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
14/07/2020:
Govt
does not have authority to illegally ban citizens from
traveling abroad: SC (rep) Nepal’s
PM KP Sharma Oli ‘claims’ real Ayodhya is in Nepal:
Many remark the statement is in bad taste (ht) [Is he out of his mind? The
multi-ethnic and multi-religious state of Nepal does
not need a fake Ayodhya nor an authoritarian Hindu
fundamentalist fantasist like Oli!], Without
proof, PM Oli accuses India of creating artificial
Ayodhya--the birthplace of Ram (rep), India’s
BJP condemns Nepal PM’s comment on ‘real’ Ayodhya
(ht), Capital
budget spending at two-decade low of 40 per cent
(ht), Nepal
presents its second voluntary national review report
on sustainable development (rep) [see statement],
Kamalaris
are still not free: Government needs to ensure
livelihood, employment, education and social security
for Kamalari girls and women, by Sarita Nandmehar
(rep)
see also morning
news from Kantipur TV
13/07/2020: Amid
Covid-19, health experts warn of an outbreak of
water-borne diseases: Doctors say water- and
vector-borne diseases could kill more people than the
coronavirus if authorities fail to pay attention as
monsoon wreaks havoc, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Flooded
rivers put Tarai settlements at high risk of
inundation: The Saptakoshi is gaining strength as it
gushes through provinces 1 and 2, eroding embankments,
flooding settlements and displacing people, by
Abdhesh Kumar Jha and Dilliram Khatiwada (kp), Restoring
public transport: The government needs to strike a
balance between safety and reopening the economy
(kp), Supreme
Court asks government why Nepalis working in India are
not considered to be in ‘foreign employment’:
Petitioners say excluding work in India from the
foreign employment category is discriminatory towards
Nepali workers, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [!!!], Govt
urged for effective handling of natural disaster
(ht) [Monsoon came completely
unexpected this year, just as every year...], NA
chairman asks govt to take care of flood victims
(ht), Rift
between ruling party chairpersons widening? Dahal says
no one in the party has monopoly over nationalism
(ht) [Both Oli and Dahal are
power-hungry anti-nationalists! Nepal's nationalism
has to be inclusive, multi-ethnic, multi-religious,
multi-lingual and anti-patriarchal!], First
phase of repatriation flights ends, second to begin
from Wednesday (ht)
12/07/2020: Women
rights organisations urge Human Rights Council to take
up issue of women’s equality in citizenship rights:
National Women Coalition has called for a revision in
the constitution to redress discriminatory citizenship
law, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Institutionalising
discrimination: A society that treats its sons and
daughters differently will never achieve prosperity,
by Bina Jha (kp), Caste
and the subtle psychology behind it, by Shreya
Soni (ht), Human
rights situation in Tarai-Madhes: There are several
examples of rights violations after the coronavirus
lockdown was declared, by Ram Dayal Rakesh (kp), When
it comes to media content, leave it to viewers’
discretion, experts say: Cable operators' move of
banning Indian news channels after insulting video
about Oli has raised a question if the state should
encourage them to control the content, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Even
months into the pandemic, the government has yet to
introduce risk communication strategy: Public health
experts say failure to communicate with people
properly and provide them with accurate information
could lead them either to overreact to the risk or
undermine it, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [You
must understand that Oli and his colleagues have more
important things to do like power struggles and
suppression of fundamental rights!], Consumer
rights activists, commuters criticise public transport
fare hike: The decision puts extra burden on members
of the public, who are already stressed financially
due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown,
observers say, by Anup Ojha (kp), Over
300 loan defaulters added to blacklist as fiscal year
nears end (rep)
11/07/2020: Major
coronavirus crisis looms as Health Ministry reduces
sample collection and test range: Health experts warn
the government is making a serious mistake by lowering
the test numbers, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Supreme
Court says government cannot restrict anyone from
travel: Barring Lenin Bista from visiting Thailand was
unconstitutional and against International Covenant on
Civil and Political Rights, full text of the verdict
says, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Monsoon-induced
disasters occur every year but authorities
ill-prepared to handle them: Hundreds of people are
displaced by the monsoon disasters in Sudurpaschim
Province year after year but the authorities rarely
make disaster preparedness plan (kp), NHRC
chief draws flak for condemning Mohna Ansari (ht),
Conflict
victims lament govt’s apathy in their joint submission
(ht)
10/07/2020: Women
politicians go unheard when they speak out but are
ostracised if they oppose party narrative: The trials
of Sarita Giri illustrate just how difficult it is for
outspoken women to have a career in Nepali politics,
politicians and activists say, by Aditi Aryal
(kp).Marginalised
community commissions say they don’t have resources to
fulfill their mandate: Parliamentary committee asks
government to ensure that the constitutional bodies
get the needed budget to implement their plans, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Help
returning workers reintegrate socio-economically,
labour migration analysts tell government: A large
number of Nepali workers returning from Covid-19
affected countries will need employment opportunities
at home after they have lost overseas jobs and there
is no immediate hope of going back anytime soon,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Nepal
doesn’t meet minimum standard for eliminating
trafficking, a US government report says: The report
suggests the Nepal government to investigate
allegations of official complicity in trafficking
crimes and hold perpetrators criminally accountable,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [see report
by US Department of State], In
Nepali politics, you can never trust your friends: The
one common factor through Nepal’s history has been
that alliances never last, by Amish Raj Mulmi
(kp), Cable
operators ban Indian news channels in response to
‘insulting’ video about prime minister: A baseless
‘video report’ about Oli and the Chinese ambassador
has drawn widespread criticism, leading the government
to seek legal and political remedies, by Anil Giri
and Suresh Raj Neupane (kp), Fake
it like Indian TV: The only lesson one can learn from
India’s nationalist television anchors is how not to
be rowdy like them (kp), Can’t
welcome decision to allow buses to resume in haste,
say health experts, public transport operators:
Transport entrepreneurs say government made the
decision just to pacify the voices of thousands people
who are involved in the sector, by Anup Ojha (kp),
Achham
children deprived of education with no means to attend
online classes: Most children in rural areas spend
time roaming around villages, playing in groups or
herding their livestock unaware of the risk of
contracting or spreading the coronavirus, by
Menuka Dhungana (kp), Nepal
Airlines announces suspending flights after crew
members catch virus: The national flag carrier
operates four to five repatriation charter flights
daily (kp), The
interface of politics and science: Nepal’s politicians
study neither biology nor political science, and we
are paying the price during this pandemic, by Anil
Chitrakar (nt)
09/07/2020: Imagining
a motherland: Gender and nationalism; The boundaries
set by the nation, state, families and societies often
do not allow a woman to become a citizen. This leads
to women not becoming the part of the nation but just
a national embodiment, by Swasti Gautam (rep), Nepal
yet to fully implement a single recommendation on
transitional justice, says universal periodic report
by non-governmental organisations: The UN Human Rights
Council’s Universal Periodic review has been postponed
until January, but officials have little progress to
show to the international community, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), For
marginalised, access to media and information a major
challenge during pandemic: The Danuwar community in
rural Sindhuli is deprived of information regarding
Covid-19 and facts are overshadowed by rumours, by
Samiksha Baral (kp), House
committee directs government to allow taxis to resume
service: Taxi drives, who were struggling to survive,
have welcomed the “life-saving decision”, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Nepal
allows operation of public transport with 50 pc
capacity (kh), Failing
our migrant workers: One would have expected the
present government to be more attuned to the
challenges faced by workers in destination countries,
by Deepak Thapa (kp), The
lockdown may be over but the threat of Covid-19 is
not: Here are some things to keep in mind to limit the
spread of the virus in this post-lockdown world,
by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp), Eroding
Political Values, by Mukti Rijal (rn), When
floods strike, it’s the poor who suffer, by
Dipendra Gautam (ht) [And, of
course, the government takes no precautions every
year. A lockdown, its only idea to protect against
Covid-19, wouldn't do any good anyway!], India
sends ‘diplomatic note’ protesting against Nepal’s
decision to endorse new political map (rep)
08/07/2020: Development
partners’ dilemma: History is unlikely to look kindly
upon donors that helped an exclusionary regime survive
internal challenges, by CK Lal (kp), Patients
seeking treatment in non-Covid hospitals are testing
positive for coronavirus: Health Ministry officials,
who have so far claimed that the infection does not
spread from asymptomatic patients, are now saying
there is a high risk of community transmission, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Pandemic
could affect school retention and enrolment rates:
Government needs to roll out financial packages for
marginalised communities so that children can go to
school, they say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Satyagraha
campaign signs 12-point agreement with Health
Ministry, calls off hunger strike: The satyagraha,
called by the Enough is Enough campaign, had asked for
better quarantine conditions, more PCR testing and
financial transparency over Covid-19 spending, by
Aditi Aryal (kp), Pokhara’s
bus operators hand over the keys to their vehicles to
banks: Banks have been asking the bus operators to pay
the loan instalments, by Deepal Pariyar (kp), Hit
hard by pandemic, Sherpa widows face uphill battle:
Contagion has hampered their plan to provide job
oriented training for fellow widows (ht), COVID-19
delays annual audit report detailing govt
irregularities: OAG officials say the report to be
made public after lockdown is lifted (rep), Chinese
envoy Hou-NCP affinity: Isn’t it time to say ‘no’ to
external panacea?, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh)
07/07/2020: How
KP Oli failed the nation: The goon-like politics which
he promoted throughout his political life is perhaps
his greatest weakness, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Power
Game Getting Upper Hand, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Oli
and Dahal agree to continue talks as they declare a
‘ceasefire’ for now: While both party chairs agreed
not to spoil the environment for dialogue, there has
been little progress on resolving the ongoing crisis,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [These
ruthless power struggles of failed politicians are
simply no longer bearable. Both of them and a whole
series of older, high-caste men should make room for
an inclusive and non-patriarchal young generation:
Women, Janajatis, Madheshis, Dalits and a maximum of
30 percent Tagadharis, of whom about half should also
be women! Nepal is not the property of male Bahuns!],
Landslide
hotspots: The government must prioritise
science-guided policies and actions to mitigate risks
(kp), A
government lab in Dang issues notice to local units
demanding charges for Covid testing: Many local unit
heads have protested against the Academy’s move,
arguing that it is the federal or provincial
government’s responsibility to pay for the tests,
by Durgalal KC and Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), Apex
Court’s Vital Rulings During Lockdown, by Jivesh
Jha (rn), Public
transportation under low govt priority (ht), Reviving
the Ailing Economy hit by Covid-19 Pandemic, by
Bijaya Shrestha (kh)
06/07/2020: After
Covid-19 and locust invasion, country braces for
monsoon mayhem: Water-induced disasters this year are
expected to collide with the peak of Covid-19 cases,
compounding the impacts of the disasters for the
country, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Feud
continues in the ruling party as Oli-Dahal talks fail:
Both leaders maintain their position but none wants to
be seen as the trigger for a party split, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp), Federal
government stops releasing budget for constituency
development programme: The move comes after the
government decided to transfer the saved amount for
fighting Covid-19, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Finally! This is nothing else but
political corruption in the interest of a
non-inclusive male highcaste elite!], Shops,
businesses and people in Valley are flouting safety
protocols as Covid-19 cases continue to rise:
Government has failed to monitor and enforce the rules
due to practical hindrances, Corona Crisis Management
Centre secretary says, by Anup Ojha (kp), Listen
to Khokana: The government can’t dislocate thousands
of people from their indigenous habitat in the name of
development (kp), 7
NAC crew members, including three pilots, test
positive for COVID-19 (rep), 14
NAC crew members including 3 pilots infected with
coronavirus (kh)
05/07/2020: Oli
says plots being hatched to oust him and impeach the
President: Amid feud with Dahal, the prime minister
asks his ministers to pick a side–whether they are
with him or with the rival faction, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Sudden
move to prorogue Parliament undermines legislature,
experts say: The budget session was ended saying it
lacked business, but there are some crucial bills,
including one related to citizenship, pending for
approval, by Binod Ghimire (kp), People
without vehicles are having difficulty commuting to
work as public transport service remains shut:
Transport department says health and safety guidelines
are being prepared for passenger carrying vehicles in
case the government decides to resume public transport
services, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Struggling
shop owners have put their businesses for sale to pay
off their debts but there are no buyers: In Thamel,
270 travel and tour agencies, restaurants, curio shops
and hotels have closed in the past three months,
by Anup Ojha (kp), COVID-19
Magnifies Domestic Violence, by Suman Raj Tamrakar
(rn), Govt
turns deaf ears to demands of youths staging hunger
strike (ht), Deuba
concedes meeting emissaries of PM Oli and Prachanda
(kh) [Neither Oli nor Dahal
nor Deuba nor any other so-called top leaders of the
CPN and NC should play a role in the election of a new
PM and government. They all failed miserably often
enough, proving their incompetence and disinterest in
policies that are oriented towards the interests and
welfare of the state and its people.]
04/07/2020: How
the strongest communist force in Nepali history came
so close to imploding: Oli’s arrogance and Dahal’s
ambition have both derailed the Nepal Communist Party
so much that it is now on the verge of a split, party
insiders and political analysts say, by Anil Giri
(kp), Confusion
reigns in the ruling party as factions remain
deadlocked: Talks between rival party chairs Oli and
Dahal failed after the former refused to step down in
any capacity, neither as party chair nor prime
minister, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Jobless
and without pay, migrant workers are returning home.
But they have no recourse for compensation: Labour
migrant experts say the concerned Nepali embassies and
the government should start recording the details of
the returning migrant workers to take the matter to
the court, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Oli
asks party’s sister organisations to help create a
favourable environment for him: Analysts, however, say
if Oli had lived up to the people’s expectations, they
would have raised their voice in his support, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Numerical
strength of parties in parliament and likely coalition
govts if NCP splits (rep), Destiny
Of Nepalese Prime Ministers, bySiddhi B. Ranjitkar
(km)
03/07/2020: Patriarchy
and citizenship: Conspiracy theories flowed seamlessly
from Panchayat-era scholars to politicians, by
Pramod Mishra (kp), A
cornered Oli prorogues the House and considers
splitting the ruling party: Party insiders say that
Oli is planning to reintroduce an ordinance that will
make it easier for him to split the party, and is also
seeking support from the opposition, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), PM
Oli-Prachanda agree to narrow down differences
(kh), NCP
intra-party spat takes toll on Parliament, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht) [Absolute
rulers do not have to ask or inform anyone beforehand
when they shut down democratically elected
institutions in order to secure their power despite
great incompetence!], Questions
arise once again over the President’s role in the
ruling party: Both Oli and Dahal have met recently
with President Bhandari, leading many to ask about the
role the non-partisan head of state is currently
playing, by Binod Ghimire (kp), A
week-long hunger strike put protesters in hospital, as
government pledges to address demands: Prime Minister
Oli himself visited protesters from the ‘Enough is
Enough’ campaign at hospital but campaigners say they
won’t give up until all demands are met, by Aditi
Aryal (kp), 91
health workers across the country have been infected
with coronavirus so far: Public health experts warn
health facilities could become coronavirus hotspots if
the government fails to set up an infection control
system, by Arjun Poudel (kp), International
nonprofits cut aid pledge to Nepal amid Covid-19
pandemic: They have committed Rs 21.62 billion for the
new fiscal compared to Rs 24.79 billion in the
previous, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Government
starts issuing labour permits to migrant workers on
job break and with renewed contracts: Experts question
the government’s decision as the threat of Covid-19 is
still not over in labour destination countries, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Police
fire warning shots during demonstration by Dalit
Struggle Committee: The protest was launched demanding
justice for two Dalit youths who died in the past
month; one at an isolation centre in Dhanusha and the
other in Sabaila police custody, by Santosh Singh
(kp), Government
urged to make transport service effective (ht), Nepal
crises syndrome, by Raju Adhikari (South Asia
Time)
02/07/2020: Factions
in ruling party harden positions and devise strategies
to prevail over the other: The Dahal and Oli factions
both held separate meetings on Wednesday to chart out
a path forward, with Oli deciding to fight until the
last, by Anil Giri (kp), Suicide
by youth in police custody raises concern over mental
health of inmates: Restrictions on visits by family
members could exacerbate problems faced by those
behind bars, psychiatrists say, by Shuvam Dhungana
(kp), Government
tells UN that it will incorporate conflict victims’
concerns but victims are not convinced: Victims have
called the government’s response to the concerns of
five special UN human rights rapporteurs insincere and
the entire transitional justice process flawed, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Drive
home a solution: The government must either let taxi
drivers return to work or help them financially
(kp), The
privilege of returning to Nepal: The scene at the
airport was strikingly different from what is
published in the papers, by Aasna Sijapati (kp), Post
Corona State Dynamics, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Hunger
strike by youth activists enters sixth day, by
Ujjwal Satyal (ht), PM
Oli meets activists staging hunger strike demanding
govt's better response to COVID-19 (rep), Photos:
Independent youths stage demonstration in capital
against government's apathy toward COVID-19 pandemic,
by Monika Malla (rep), ‘Citizenship
bill not inclusive’ (ht), Govt
urged to protect rights, interests of LGBTI people
(ht), Rescue
for Nepalis stranded abroad due to COVID-19 ‘too
little, too late’, by Muna Sunuwar (rep), President
prorogues Parliament’s budget session (kh), Is
PM Oli bringing an ordinance again? (kh), Prorogation
of House session leads to catastrophe: Gagan Thapa
(kh), NCP
Standing Committee meeting postponed until Saturday
(kh), Is
NCP heading closer to a split?, by Ishwar Dev
Khanal (kh)
01/07/2020: No
snooping here: The Oli government’s baby steps towards
totalitarianism must grind to a halt right away
(kp), Leaders
call for Oli’s resignation as both prime minister and
party chair: Senior party leaders, including chair
Dahal, ask Oli to vacate both positions as his actions
have placed the ruling party and government in a
difficult position, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Oli
calls Cabinet ministers, some Standing Committee
members to Baluwatar for consultation: The meeting
comes a day after senior leaders demanded Oli's
resignation both as party chair and prime minister
(kp), Guidelines
ready for repatriation of migrant workers who cannot
pay for their flights: Those who have already returned
at their own expenses can claim for reimbursement,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Taxi
drivers protest outside transport department, accuse
officials of forcing them to ‘kill themselves’: Ever
since the government eased the lockdown rules from the
second week of June, taxi drivers have been raising
their voice demanding that they too be allowed to work,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Protests
flare up in Province 2 against citizenship amendment
bill: Janata Samajbadi leaders warn of intensifying
their protests if the bill is not withdrawn (kp)
30/06/2020: What
defines a Nepali citizen? Nepal needs to understand
the realities of the 21st century. It needs to move
forward, not backward, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), House
session to be prorogued without endorsing crucial
bills: Parliament secretariat is for immediate end to
the session, citing an increasing threat of Covid-19
to continuation of House meetings, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), NCP
top leaders demand Oli to resign both as PM and
Chairman: Oli, Prachanda engage in heated debate
(kh), Top
NCP leaders ask PM Oli to step down as intra-party
dispute peaks (rp), Controversial
provisions in corruption-related bills to be revised
but private sector to remain under the purview of
anti-graft body: Opposition leaders and the private
sector continue to object to the bills, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Restrictions
on testing and focus on returnees from abroad don’t
contain Covid-19, say experts: They say active
surveillance and testing of all symptomatic patients
are necessary to flatten the curve and stop
coronavirus from spreading in the community, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Observers
worry Oli’s statements about an Indian conspiracy
could further damage bilateral ties: The prime
minister hinting at an Indian conspiracy to unseat him
is not befitting the high office and could delay any
diplomatic talks over the border dispute, they say,
by Anil Giri (kp), No
gaslighting, please: Intra-party feud, rather than
foreign conspiracy, is a more likely nemesis of the
Oli government (kp), MCC
ratification deadline ends today (ht), New
directives for rescue, repatriation endorsed (ht),
Nepal
families face hunger, skip meals as pandemic hits
remittances, by Gopal Sharma (rep), Lockdown:
How practical?, by Kiran Khadgi (kh), ‘Nepal,
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan have
already lost a golden opportunity to contain the
COVID-19 with no or minimal damage’, interview
with Dinesh Neupane (South Asia Time)
29/06/2020: Faced
with criticism, Oli sees plots being hatched to unseat
him in Delhi and Kathmandu: The prime minister has
once again fallen back on his nationalistic rhetoric,
saying certain actors are trying to remove him for
adopting a new political map, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), PM
rants against India in bid to cling to power (ht),
‘Anti-national’
Mahakali Treaty comes back to haunt ‘nationalist’ Oli
(ht), As
the world slowly reopens after lockdowns, remittance
inflows begin to improve: After a significant slump in
the month of Chaitra, there has been a slight increase
in inflows, and officials believe that the downturn
will not be as bad as predicted, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), No
reports of significant damage caused by locusts in
Nepal, but threat of bigger invasion looms: Experts
suggest Nepal also focus on other impacts of climate
change that do not involve the Himalayas and the
melting of its snow, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp)
28/06/2020: Supreme
Court issues show-cause notice over delay in election
of deputy speaker: Constitutional experts say it is
unfortunate that the court had to remind officials to
make plans to elect a member of Parliament to the key
position, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [After
all, what do politicians care about the constitution?],
After
fall armyworm havoc and Covid-19, locust invasion is
new threat to food security: Massive invasions like
those in Pakistan and African countries could spell
catastrophe for Nepal where food production is already
low, experts say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal and
Sangam Prasain (kp), Govt
caught flat-footed as locusts enter country:
Prediction of experts failed because the wind changed
direction with onset of monsoon, by Arpana Ale
Magar (ht), Motorists
in Kathmandu are not following odd-even rules; 26,995
motorists booked in two weeks: Public health experts
have warned that increased movement of people has
raised the risk of coronavirus infection, by Anup
Ojha (kp), Lower
the investment threshold: Slashing the minimum foreign
investment required will help to create new jobs,
which Nepal badly needs now, by Shikhar Bhattarai
(kp), MoFAGA
drafts Social Inclusion Policy-2020 (ht) [It's
a farce! In upper political circles there is no
willingness for social inclusion, as you can see from
the government, parliament, political parties and
laws!]
27/06/2020: Oli
skipping meeting in order to avoid criticism is
disgraceful, party leaders say: Oli knows that the
Standing Committee is preparing to ask him to choose
between the prime ministership and the party chair,
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), India
refuses to sit for talks and there is no boundary
dispute with China, foreign minister says: Pradeep
Gyawali’s clarifications on Friday come after a number
of media reports stating India’s offer for talks and
boundary disputes with China, by Anil Giri (kp), Experts
say Covid-19 epidemic yet to start, stress community
tracing: ‘Testing people placed in quarantine only
will not help contain the pandemic’, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Evacuation
flights to continue at least until June 30: As the
first phase of repatriation of Nepalis stranded abroad
ended on June 25, a total of 9,413 citizens have
returned home from 22 countries, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp)
26/06/2020: The
government has not followed most of the Supreme
Court’s 23 rulings related to the pandemic: Interim
orders related to proper management of quarantine
facilities and the repatriation of migrant workers
have all either been ignored or were belatedly
followed, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Nepal's
leading politicians are neither interested in the
fundamentals of democracy nor do they understand the
aspect of the separation of powers. As soon as they
are in power, they believe to possess absolute rights!],
Who
is a Nepali? (ae), Nepal:
The danger within, by Bishal Thapa (ae), Oli
scrambles to prevent censure but Dahal is adamant: Oli
realises his position in party and government is
shaky, with a proposal asking him to give up party
chair or prime minister likely to be endorsed by the
Standing Committee, by Anil Giri (kp), Restaurants
and cafes in Kathmandu defy government order: If big
stores can welcome huge crowds, why can’t we open for
our customers? owners ask (kp), Lockdown
leaves private hostel owners, students in a fix:
Hostel operators seek help from the government and
money from students to stay afloat. But the government
hasn’t helped, and students themselves are under
financial stress, by Sasmiksha Baral (kp), Monsoon
madness: Inundation ravages lives and livelihood each
year.: The government can’t remain clueless anymore
(kp) [They can! Politicians
only live for power struggles and their access to
funds. This was the situation under the absolutist
royal system and it has not changed after the
democratisation in 1990!], Mishandling
the virus crisis: Even after spending Rs10 billion to
control Covid-19, the situation has not improved,
by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp), Rupandehi
District Court remands in custody three people
arrested in connection with murder of Dalit teen:
Prosecutors filed a charge sheet against the trio on
June 21 and presented them before the court on Tuesday,
by Sanju Poudel (kp), Survey
document shows Chinese encroachment in seven districts
(ht), Govt
expands scope of essential goods and services (ht)
25/06/2020: 15
lawmakers, activists arrested from Baluwatar (ht),
SC
seeks PM's reply over order violation charges
(rep), Ruling
party’s Standing Committee meet begins with opening
salvos from the two party chairs: Although Wednesday’s
meeting did not discuss anything substantial, Oli and
Dahal both made speeches blaming the other for
failures within the party and the government, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Ruling
party agrees to hold CIAA amendment bill in order to
build consensus: The decision came in response to
widespread criticism from both the opposition and
private sector, which believes that it will ruin the
investment climate, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Watch
your Act: The proposed amendment to the CIAA Actputs
democracy in danger (kp), District
court remands 23 accused in killings of six youths in
Rukum (West) to judicial custody: Police have so far
arrested 29 individuals in connection with the
incident, by Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp), Migrant
workers suffer as government due to delay in drafting
of workers’ repatriation guidelines: Many workers are
returning home with their own expenses while those
without money continue to languish overseas, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Is
Oli lying or clueless? Anyone who has heard the prime
minister's speeches knows he always attempts to
qualify his words with a veneer of what he thinks is
science, by Deepak Thapa (kp), The
art of protesting: Nepal has witnessed several
imaginative, unorthodox and evocative rebellions,
by Deepesh Paudel (kp), Farmers
more worried about finding fertiliser and workers than
the virus: The paddy transplanting season is underway,
and Province 1 has reported better-than-expected
progress, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp), Strengthening
The State Government, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
24/06/2020: In
anticipation of criticism at Wednesday’s Standing
Committee, Oli makes overtures to other party
factions: Oli has long been avoiding the Standing
Committee, where he is in the minority, but he is now
scrambling to garner support, especially for the MCC,
insiders say, by Tika R. Pradhan and Anil Giri
(kp), Official
plan to resume public transport worries public health
experts: Authorities looking at the second week of
July to resume services. Guidelines being prepared to
adhere to social distancing and safety of passengers
and staffers, by Anup Ojha (kp), Feigned
innocence of the ‘White Shirts’: There is little need
to raise eyebrows at the Nepal Communist Party holding
a virtual workshop with the Chinese Communist Party,
by CK Lal (kp), Incompatible
PCR test kits will raise infection risk, Parsa health
officials warn: PCR tests have been halted at the
Narayani Hospital in Birgunj since Monday for a lack
of compatible PCR test kits, by Bhusan Yadav (kp),
Apex
court stays COVID quarantine guideline: Makes PCR test
mandatory before discharging those showing no symptom
from quarantines (ht), National
Debt Situation Of Nepal, by Bhanu Kandel (rn), What
does the PM have to say about ‘encroachment by China’?
(ht), Returnees
face hurdles during repatriation (ht)
23/06/2020: Surveillance
vehicle worth Rs 50 million being purchased for Prime
Minister, by Tapendra Karki (rep), Govt
looks for budget transfers to pay salary to civil
servants, by Rajesh Khanal (rep), PCR
test kits procured by Nepal Army incompatible with
most Nepali laboratories: Health Ministry officials
say that around 28,000 PCR test kits purchased by the
Nepal Army do not work with most PCR testing machines,
which could lead testing rates to decline, by
Arjun Poudel (kp) [???],
Lockdown
has pushed a family of rickshaw puller to the brink:
At 64, Kaila Tamang is planning to quit his profession
of 35 years old and become a porter. If it doesn’t
work he says he will beg on the streets to feed his
family, by Anup Ojha (kp), Supply
chain and food security: Meeting the dietary needs of
all Nepalis has been a problem, with or without
Covid-19, by Roshee Lamichhane (kp), State
plunder during a pandemic: A systemic annihilation of
the entire anti-corruption system will have far graver
consequences than a single instance of corruption,
by Achyut Wagle (kp), Only
12,000 Nepalis stranded abroad to be evacuated in
first phase (ht), Home
Ministry’s diktat for mandatory 14-day home quarantine
for those entering Kathmandu (kh) Govt
mulling over resuming public transport: Entrepreneurs
say not possible with 50 percent passengers, by
Sabina Karki (kh)
22/06/2020: Food
insecurity, economic slowdown loom as acute shortage
of fertilisers is going to hit paddy production: This
year, fertiliser was supplied neither from the
government’s mechanism nor from illegal traders, as
their clandestine supply lines were severed by the
Covid-19 lockdown and border restrictions, by
Sangam Prasain (kp), House
panel endorses bill to amend Citizenship Act amid
objections from three parties: Opposing parties and
rights activists call seven-year rule for foreign
women married to Nepali men to get naturalised
citizenship a regressive move, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp) [Long live male
Bahunbad with its misogynistic patriarchal thinking!
Laws must apply equally to all people, regardless of
gender!], What
on earth do we want on citizenship? There is a lot of
whining and crying, lot of ifs and buts, unleashing of
hate against political leaders, nation and nationalism
but there is no solution, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)
[Well written article, Mr
Paudyal, but the male macho patriarchal high caste
politicians will never understand. Maybe it's simply
because they cannot read and think or simply refuse to
do so!!], Labour
migration experts criticise government decision to
resume foreign employment: The government’s decision
contradicts its own move of repatriating migrant
workers from the pandemic-hit labour destination
countries, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [This
finally takes the entire completely ill thought out
lockdown of the Oli government ad absurdum!], Build
safety nets: The government must buttress its support
system to help those rendered jobless by the pandemic
(kp), The
novel coronavirus poses new challenges: Equality and
inclusion are critical to minimising the impact on the
poor, marginalised and vulnerable, by Karuna Onta
(kp), Country
faces challenges of COVID-19, monsoon related
disasters (ht), Desperate
informal sector: Those in the informal sector have
already been disproportionately harmed by the
pandemic. They are the ones the governments struggle
most to reach with targeted policies and relief,
by Suresh Pandit (rep)
21/06/2020: ‘Enough
is Enough’ movement voices concern: Organisers condemn
caste and gender-based violence taking place in
quarantine facilities (ht), Youths
take to street against poor handling of COVID-19 yet
again (ht), All-male
party Secretariat decides on citizenship, an issue
that largely concerns women: If the ruling Nepal
Communist Party does not take steps to make its
committees more inclusive, its decisions could lose
moral authority, women leaders say, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Residence
permit with economic, social and cultural rights
proposed for foreign women married to Nepali nationals
until they get citizenship cards (rep) [And
Nepali women who are married to foreigners have to
leave the country? But of course, women are not really
human beings and citizens, only men, especially male
Bahuns! What arrogance! What machismo!!], When
Oli speaks before Parliament, there is no telling what
he will say: Political commentators say the prime
minister tends to address Parliament like he is
speaking to his party cadres, veering off topic,
cracking jokes and even ridiculing others, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Out-of-job
domestic workers are struggling for survival even as
lockdown is relaxed: Up to 85 percent of domestic
workers lost their jobs during the lockdown—and now
there is no safety net for them, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Homeward
journey in difficult times: Stories of people longing
to go home during the pandemic show the grim realities
of these uncertain times, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Seven
years since the Mahakali floods, victims await
compensation: Residents of Khalanga fear possible
floods every monsoon, as the embankments that were
damaged seven years ago are yet to be reconstructed,
by Manoj Badu (kp), 3,108
stranded Nepalis return home in three weeks (kp) [The number is hardly worth
mentioning!], Revenue
collection adversely affected by lockdown; govt faces
economic crisis: Experts advise govt to economize
(kh)
20/06/2020: Youths
stage protest against govt’s handling of COVID-19,
by Santosh Raj Panday (kh), Ruling
party’s virtual meeting with the Chinese Communist
Party draws widespread criticism for being ill-timed:
Politicians say that such meetings at a time of
heightened tensions between India and China will raise
questions about Nepal’s commitment to its own
non-aligned foreign policy by Anil Giri (kp), Officials
seek support from non-profits to manage dispatch and
quarantine centres: Social Welfare Council was also
conducting a need assessment for managing quarantine
centres to generate support from non-government
organisations, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Bus
operators want officials to announce plans to resume
public transport: They say the government should come
up with a modality to reopen public transport as over
millions depend on transport-related business for
their livelihoods, by Anup Ojha (kp), Police
arrest in-laws over death of Hetauda woman:
Investigators, family of deceased believe she was
murdered, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Government
bars movement of people and vehicles from 10pm to 5am:
Security agencies and local administrations have been
directed to strictly monitor that the directives are
being followed at workplace and public areas, by
Matrika Dahal (kp), Individuals
at quarantine facilities in Banke living with fear of
snakes: Most refuse to stay in these facilities since
snake sightings have increased with the rise in
temperature, by Madhu Shahi and Rupa Gahatraj
(kp), Government
issues COVID safety guidelines (ht), Govt
decides to lift ban on foreign employment as lockdown
measures are relaxed (rep) [???
International flights are still banned!!], NCP
decides to make foreign women married to Nepali
nationals wait for 7 years after marriage to acquire
citizenship (rep) [Any
unequal treatment of women and men is a blatant
violation of the principle of equality of the
Constitution and internationally recognised human
rights. The male Tagdhari, who dominate Nepal, show
here their archaic-patriarchal way of thinking, which
denies Nepalese women a free choice of partner and
life style. Only foreign wives of Nepalese men are
entitled to naturalization, whenever, but never the
foreign husbands of Nepalese women!], Mainstream
Nationalism vs. Regional Nationalism, by Ashis
Adhikari (rep)
19/06/2020: With
the new map endorsed, Oli braces once again for
challenges from within the party: Party leaders had
rallied behind Oli to present a united front in the
border dispute with India, but they say their patience
is fast running out, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Women’s
rights groups call for safe, dignified repatriation
and reintegration of returnee female migrant workers:
They have demanded that the government allow
registration of illegally migrated women workers with
the Foreign Employment Board and ensure the rights of
returnee women migrant workers, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Tax
authorities press businesses to clear dues: Govt under
pressure to meet even recurrent expenditure (ht),
Food
insecurity across country increases by 23 per cent:
Survey (ht), ADB,
UNICEF join hands to supply medical equipment
(ht), PM
defends MCC agreement (ht), As
parties wrestle over naturalized citizenship,
thousands don't yet have the document (rep), As
30,000 plus swab samples pile up, patients have to
wait for up to three weeks to get results (rep)
18/06/2020: No
justice, no peace: Young people are coming out for the
very first time to protest against injustices. These
newly minted activists may change the world profoundly,
by Pramod Mishra (kp), Dalit
killings in Rukum village spark outrage over caste
discrimination (ht), Unable
to collect taxes, the government is going broke: Based
on the current revenue stream, the government could
soon be unable to pay salaries, pensions, social
security allowances, and its bills, finance ministry
officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Two
years on, parties are still undecided on naturalised
citizenship: State Affairs and Good Governance
Committee has given five days to the parties to arrive
at consensus or go for a vote, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), National
Assembly endorses the constitution amendment bill to
update Nepal’s new map: All 57 members present voted
in favour of the bill which will now be sent to
President Bidya Devi Bhandari for authentication,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal’s
President certifies Constitution Amendment Bill:
Nepal’s new map gets constitutional recognition
(kh), President
authenticates Constitution amendment bill (ht), Frustration
grows in quarantine centres as corona test results
delayed: While some people have resorted to protests,
others have clashed with police demanding that their
test results be made available at the earliest, by
Shiva Puri and Jyotee Katuwal (kp), Discharged
Covid-19 infected individuals return to their villages
only to be shunned: Returnees to their villages in
Narainapur face hunger, poverty and ostracisation in
society, by Madhu Shahi & Rupa Gahatraj (kp),
Paradox
of republic: How many more governments do we need to
change in order to realize that the fault line goes
far and beyond the convenient scapegoats?, by
Sarans Pandey (rep), Covid-19
– A triggering factor for domestic violence, by
Niruta Timalsina and Nisha Parajuli (ht)
17/06/2020: Reports
suspect police negligence, political protection for
murderers in Rukum killings: They doubt a strong case
will be presented to prosecute the perpetrators,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Kin
of the youths killed in Soti continues protest
demanding justice: Protesters demand to scrap of the
alleged ‘falsified’ postmortem report, by Bhim
Bahadur Singh (kp), Non-Dalits
are not shaken to the core; the response is hollow:
Dalit youths, by Anjali Subedi (rep), Home
Ministry urged to curb rising violence against women
(ht), Supreme
Court orders government to use welfare fund to
repatriate Nepali workers stranded abroad: Tens of
thousands of Nepalis willing to return home are still
stranded for a lack of money to buy air tickets and
clarity on repatriation modality, Sangam Prasain
& Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Use
govt fund to rescue migrant workers: Supreme Court
(ht), Nepali
embassies’ ill-treatment of workers continues even
during pandemic: A video gone viral on social media
shows an official at the UAE embassy cold- shoulder a
Nepali man in distress, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), Police
arrest labourers protesting against Melamchi project:
Workers, vendors and subcontractors of the project are
yet to receive over Rs169million in remuneration and
provident fund, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Capital
spending dismal at fag end of fiscal: Only 31
per cent development budget spent; Average expenditure
in previous years 60pc (ht), Power
authority set to lose Rs 25bn annually: Govt fails to
address electricity demand with wrong taxation
(ht), Public
transport entrepreneurs seek government support for
survival, by Arpana Ale Magar (ht), Food
insecurity increased to 23 percent; Karnali most
vulnerable, by Shree Ram Subedi (rep)
16/06/2020: Call
for change: Through peaceful and smart protests around
the country, the youth have demanded a structural
transformation. It should be perceived as a warning
bell by all of society, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Congress
vows to take to the streets alongside politically
unaffiliated youths: While the youths have largely
remained politically unaffiliated so far, the
involvement of the Congress is likely to bring the
movement under a political flag, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp) [This movement
would be better left in the hands of civil society, as
it directly addresses the concerns and needs of the
people. For decades, all political parties, especially
the Nepali Congress, have put the needs of the
multi-ethnic and multicultural population behind
personal power aspirations and interests!], Relatives
of youths killed in Soti question 'ambiguous'
post-mortem reports: Protesters accuse doctors of
caving under political pressure and vandalise Jajarkot
hospital, by Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp), Provinces
announce budgets with strong focus on health and
employment: Most provinces have reduced the size of
their budgets and earmarked significant amounts to
health infrastructure and job creation alongside
austerity measures, by Sangam Prasain and Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Odd-even
rule for motorcycles irks commuters: The rule will
affect hundreds of people rely on two-wheelers to get
to work and run their businesses, by Anup Ojha
(kp), Study
finds a litany of shortcomings and shortages in
Covid-19 treatment facilities: From inadequate
protective suits to lack of trained medical workers to
limited testing capacity, health facilities have a
host of issues keeping them from fighting the disease
effectively, by Arjun Poudel (kp), A
woman shares her family’s harrowing journey from India
to Surkhet during pandemic: Maan Kumari and her family
were cruelly treated when they reached their hometown
and at the quarantine centre they were accused of
bringing the coronavirus, by Elisha Shrestha (kp),
Learning
curves: Doubts persist over the efficacy of the
government’s ambitious alternative learning model
(kp) [As so often, Oli
obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.
Probably within a week he will provide the whole
country with the necessary infrastructure and
personally take over costs that cannot be borne by the
mass of the poor population.], Sharp
rise in number of people entering Kathmandu after govt
eased lockdown (rep), Justice
Done To Statues, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)
15/06/2020: In-custody
death of a Musahar man sparks protests in Janakpur:
Police say 23-year-old Shambhu Sada committed suicide,
but family members suspect it was an extra-judicial
killing, by Ajit Tiwari (kp) [Nepal
is also ripe for an anti-racism movement and a
correction of its view of history, including its
questionable heroes, identifications and
socio-hierarchical discrimination!], Cases
filed against 34 people demanding life imprisonment
for Dalit youth killings in Soti: Homicide, attempted
homicide and caste-based discrimination and
untouchability charges have been filed against them,
by Krishna Prasad Gautam (kp), Three
youth protests in a week. Observers say government
needs to take note: Politically unaffiliated youths
taking to the streets is not a regular occurrence in
Nepali history, say analysts, as most protests are led
by political parties, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Over
1,200 people killed themselves during 74 days of
lockdown: Doctors say the pandemic and its social and
economic impacts have led to increased stressors,
resulting in more mental health problems, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), 648
women committed suicide during lockdown: Police
(kh), Of
maps and morals: With an amicable solution to the
current dispute, Nepal and India can forge a new
global ideal of living together peacefully (kp) [For this, India's politicians must
accept historical facts and Nepal's politicians must
end their hypocritical outrage and admit their
mistakes publicly!], Finance
minister shows bleak revenue situation as court halts
revenue collection: Government fears it will be unable
to meet liabilities such as salary, pension and social
security allowance, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Managing
our economy: In order to kick-start the economy,
citizens should receive cash or other means of relief,
by Manoj Kumar Kedia (kp)
14/06/2020: FORUM-ASIA
urges government to ensure safety of migrant workers
returning from India: The human rights group has
raised its concern about heavy congestion and lack of
necessary facilities in Nepali quarantine centres
(kp) [See joint statement by 7 HR organisation: Nepal:
Ensure safety of returning migrant workers
(12/06/2020)], Constitution
amendment bill to update Nepal map endorsed
unanimously at the Lower House: Diplomatic and
political dialogue with India necessary to bring
Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani back into Nepal’s
possession, lawmakers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
House
of Representatives unanimously endorses the national
emblem having Nepal's new map (rep), 11
lawmakers skipped crucial Lower House meeting that
endorsed new political map (rep), Prime
minister’s advisor reveals expenditure report but no
one knows where it came from: Government officials
have professed ignorance about a report published on
social media breaking down the amount the government
has spent so far in fighting Covid-19, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Lockdown
curtailed tuberculosis patients’ access to health
facilities, TB center says: A study shows detection of
new tuberculosis cases declined by 50 percent during
the lockdown, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Food
crisis hits Bajura folks hard (ht), Police
fire tear gas, shots to control quarantined people
(ht), Airfare
for repatriation flights reduced (ht)
13/06/2020: There’s
silence in ruling party as protests continue on
streets. But it could be the calm before the storm,
insiders say: Leaders are biding time before upping
the ante against Oli, who according to them, is trying
to run the government and party with an iron fist,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Independent
youths take to streets against govt's lackluster
response to COVID-19 (rep), Massive
protest begins at Maitighar (rep), 7
foreigners held for participating in demo (kh), Government
move of forming a team to collect evidence on Nepal’s
boundary runs into controversy: Experts and analysts
say instead of devising a strategy for negotiations
with New Delhi, Oli administration is moving a step
back and putting the cart before the horse, by
Anil Giri (kp), Online
classes could lead to fatigue, long term physiological
problems, say experts: While different countries have
started debating about its negative consequences,
Nepal’s government is promoting virtual classes
without looking into ways to deal with its downsides,
they say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Making
migrant workers pay for Covid-19 screening adds to
their desperation: While Nepalis working abroad are
already asked to pay for chartered flights, burdening
them with the cost of testing makes their repatriation
more difficult, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Government’s
odd and even rule not effective in Kathmandu,
virologist suggest if vehicles and number of people on
the road not controlled this will create havoc:
Citizen criticize the government’s rule of restricting
pillions in motorcycle and call it a ‘nonsense move’,
by Anup Ojha (kp), The
Costs Of Governance, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), High-level
COVID control panel disbanded (ht), Restriction
on pillion-riding affects mobility (ht), Amid
mounting public pressure, govt publicizes details of
Rs 8.39 billion spent on COVID-19 response so far
(rep), Govt
unveils COVID-19 expenditure of Rs 8.39 bln (kh)
12/06/2020: Youth-led
protests against the government’s handling of Covid-19
spread to major cities: On Thursday, over a thousand
people in Kathmandu and hundreds more around the
country demanded financial transparency and better
management of the pandemic from the government, by
Shuvam Dhungana (kp), More
anti-government protests in Kathmandu, by Bikram
Rai (nt), Lockdown
is officially eased, with private vehicles allowed on
odd-even basis and shops to open: After widespread
criticism regarding the prolongement of the nationwide
lockdown, the government has decided to ease
prohibitions in certain sectors, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Exit
strategy: More challenges lie ahead even as we learn
to live with the pandemic (kp), Quarantine
centres are turning into Covid breeding ground,
National Human Rights Commission warns: Government
ignoring repeated calls to improve situation in
quarantine facilities, says its monitoring report,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Supreme
Court orders government to allow taxpayers a month
after lockdown ends: Authorities ordered not to
implement tax notice and make justifiable review at
places where people continue to face difficulties
(kp), All
20 prime accused in the killings of Dalit youths in
Rukum (West) arrested: Police arrested three more
people on Wednesday in connection to the incident,
by Hari Gautam (kp), Over
300 Nepali workers return home from Kuwait:
Undocumented women workers who were pardoned by the
Kuwaiti government were the first to return home,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Stranded
Nepalis start to fly home: Government releases
timetable of evacuation flights for Nepalis stranded
in 34 countries (nt), Nepal
Media Society objects to Press Council survey report:
It has concluded that the Press Council’s report
disregards accepted research norms and attacks rule of
law and independent journalism (kp), Married
daughter entitled to inherit parental property: SC,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Nepal
at the edge of the COVID-19 precipice: Connect the
dots: oil import, electric cars, drop in remittances,
air pollution, corinavirus lockdown, by Anil
Chitrakar (nt),
11/06/2020: In
Saptari, a Musahar woman is accused of practising
witchcraft and beaten: Despite being beaten bloody
with a metal plate, Manjudevi Sada has been ordered by
the village panchayat to settle with the perpetrators
and not file a case, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), These
21 services are open from today. List of phase-wise
openings (rep), Cabinet
decides to ease lockdown in phases: Shops to open up
and private vehicles to ply in the first phase, by
Anil Giri (kp), Phase-wise
relaxation of lockdown begins today (kh), Govt
eases lockdown; businesses and industries to open,
private vehicles to operate on odd-even basis
(rep), Oli
peddles in mistruths and sidesteps criticism before
Parliament: Responding to lawmakers on Wednesday, Oli
stated that Nepalis have “stronger immune systems” and
refused to furnish details of the Rs10 billion spent
fighting Covid-19, by Anil Giri (kp), PM
Oli stirs nationalist sentiments to hide govt failure
(ht), Oli
must go, but what’s the alternative?, by Jagannath
Lamichhane (rep), Demonstration
in Pokhara demanding PM’s resignation, by Sandesh
Shrestha (rep), People
brave water cannons, teargas during protest at
Baluwatar (kh), Kathmandu
markets to reopen today, pvt vehicles to ply (ht),
Birth
pangs: We can't afford to ignore the rights of
pregnant women and newborns (kp), Skirting
the issue: On paper, Nepal has made some important
strides towards gender equality and inclusion. Yet, in
reality, the situation is far from perfect, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), Govt
schedules 67 flights to repatriate Nepalis, by
Arpana Ale Magar (ht), 299
Nepali women brought home from Kuwait, by Dipesh
Shrestha (ht), For
Dalits, love is forbidden: A woman’s family harbors a
dislike for an inter-caste marriage only when the
groom belongs to a ‘lower caste’. The dislike is
greater if he happens to be a Dalit, by Giri
Bahadur Sunar (rep)
10/06/2020: Water
cannons and batons at protest against government’s
handling of the pandemic: Police employed force to
disperse around 150 people gathered in peaceful
protest outside the prime minister’s residence in
Baluwatar, by Anup Ojha (kp), Peaceful
protesters beaten up (ht), Even
with three committees and marathon meetings,
government undecided on lifting lockdown: In response
to increasing pressure, the government is looking at
three models that aim to completely lift the lockdown
by Dashain, by Anil Giri (kp), Supreme
Court orders government to take special care of
pregnant women: Justices say the right to safe
motherhood is a right guaranteed by the constitution
(kp) [The fact that a court
order is required speaks volumes about the competence
of the government. Orders from the courts do not
interest the government anyway!], Government
task force says Nepal needs 1.5 million jobs to avoid
unemployment crisis: The government has set the target
of creating only 700,000 jobs over the next fiscal
year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Job
creation has been neglected by all governments for
many years. Now these politicians are getting the
credit!], Police
halt operation of businesses in valley (ht), Experts
urge government to set safety protocols and slacken
lockdown: The delay in reaching a decision over
unshackling the economy has spread confusion among the
business community, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Government
not to accept medical aid worth below Rs500,000: The
Health Ministry has issued a set of standards that
require donors from providing quality certified goods
to following single window policy before making their
donations, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Can't
the country need all kinds of help?], Digging
for justice: Keep an eye on the parliamentar
committee’s probe on Soti killings (kp), Khatri
released in the presence of NHRC member (ht), 10
per cent local veggies still not getting market
(ht), Government
all set to ease lockdown enforced to contain spread of
COVID-19 (rep) [What
does it mean? The people have the right to detailed
information!!], Program
for the poor: How welfare-to-work programs can protect
the poor and vulnerable during the difficult times,
by Tara Kanel (rep), Nawaraj:
The spark that will light the fire: Nawaraj was brave.
He walked up fearlessly and while outnumbered still
tried to reason. This is the courage we will all
require. Let his death not go in vain, by Binayak
Sundas (rep)
09/06/2020: Malnourished
children at risk as nutrition centres are
requisitioned for Covid-19 care: The country will have
more deaths from malnutrition if the issue is ignored,
nutrition experts have warned, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Children
from low-income working class families can't join
online classes: Schools and colleges across the
country are rolling out online classes, but those
without the means to get a computer or an internet
connection are being left out, by Anup Ojha (kp) [We are talking about the
overwhelming majority of Nepalese school children!],
In
sharp contrast to government’s ambitious 7 percent
growth, World Bank forecasts a dismal 2.1 percent for
next fiscal year: The 7 percent target has been deemed
overly ambitious while economists call the World
Bank’s forecast more realistic, by Sangam Prasain
(kp) [The absurd prognosis of
the government without any basis is an irresponsible
whitewash!], Over
40 days in a Kuwaiti camp with no sign of returning
home: Undocumented workers in Kuwait had taken
advantage of a general amnesty to return home, but the
Nepal government has yet to let them fly into the
country, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), MoFA
submits list of citizens needing urgent evacuation
(ht), Nationalism
has overshadowed governance: A clear disconnect
between Nepal’s immediate priorities and the national
budget has been exposed, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Resumption
of public transport on cards: Social distancing,
disinfecting vehicles and wearing of masks to be made
mandatory (ht), Police
use water canon to disperse protestors in Baluwatar
(kh), Nepal:
End impunity for caste-based discrimination and
killings (Forum-Asia)
08/06/2020: Supreme
Court asks why state shouldn’t pay for repatriation of
migrant workers: Petitioners say the government’s
repatriation plan contradicts the provisions of the
Foreign Employment Act, as well as the constitution,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Avoid
rough landing: The last thing the country needs at
this moment is a repatriation disaster (kp), Most
Covid victims have died untested, with infections
detected after death: Doctors are questioning why they
weren’t tested earlier since most of them had been
living in quarantine, and why they didn’t receive
proper medical attention, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Rise
in Covid-19 cases across the country prompts concern
over already crowded prisons: Hundreds of new inmates
have entered prisons since the lockdown began on March
24, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), ‘Lawmaker
Satgaunwa’s remark to be probed’ (ht), Huge
price difference in health equipment purchased by Army
and Department of Health Services, by Sunil
Sapkota (rep), Time
for national awakening: Murder of Nabaraj BK driven by
discriminatory and racist behaviors should drive a
process of national reckoning, by Simone
Galimberti (rep)
07/06/2020: Authorities
plan to rescue Nepalis stranded abroad. But no one
knows who will pay for it: There’s no clear decision
yet on who pays for travel as the government plan
hints at bringing them on chartered flights, by
Sangam Prasain and Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Health
workers deployed at Covid-19 frontline deprived of
their allowances: The health workers were supposed to
be paid an amount equivalent to their salary for
working under challenging conditions, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Govt
directed to ensure regular medical services to
citizens (ht), Army
for Covid response raises questions if government is
getting over-reliant on the defence force:
Government’s failure to make it clear why and on what
grounds it is mobilising the Army may mean civilian
authorities are ineffective and incompetent, analysts
say, b y Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NHRC
concerned about journos’ rights, condition in
quarantine (ht), Odyssey
of Nepali media: Nepali media deserve a cheer for
their vigilance, boldness and service, by Abhi
Subedi (kp), A
shadow pandemic: With the lockdown grabbing all
attention, domestic violence against women is often
overlooked, by Nilima Adhikari (kp), Local
units in Gandaki are running out of financial
resources to combat coronavirus: As the province sees
a surge in Covid-19 cases, local units struggle to
fund their response, including rescue efforts
(kp), Government
unveils list of 47 self-paid quarantine hotels
(ht)
06/06/2020: Government
is considering plans to ease the lockdown but there’s
no decision yet: The government is under immense
pressure to find ways to gradually lift the
restrictions as people are starving and businesses are
on the verge of collapse, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp),
Efforts
on to quarantine evacuees in hotels across country:
Ministry of Tourism negotiating rates with the hotels
association to accommodate foreign returnees who can
afford to foot their own bills, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), Government
underestimates number of workers awaiting
repatriation, say experts: While officials say 25,000
will be brought home in the first phase, the plan will
leave behind a majority of Nepalis whose conditions
are worsening due to the Covid-19 pandemic, by
Chandan Kuimar Mandal (kp), As
new fiscal year draws near, government’s plan to plant
50million tree saplings in 2019-20 is nowhere near its
target: Government officials are confident about
meeting the plantation target but they are not willing
to bet on the survival of the plants, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp) [As always,
empty words from the Oli government!], 15
yrs on, Bandarmudhe blast victims still await justice
(ht), Easing
the lockdown and its impact on women: For women in
Nepal, easing of the lockdown has potential to further
compound pre-existing gender inequalities based on
caste, class, geographical location and various
religious conventions and beliefs, by Swasti
Gautam (rep)
05/06/2020: Health
Ministry recommends declaring public health emergency
but Cabinet undecided: A public health emergency will
allow the government to make use of all healthcare
infrastructure, both public and private, and
redistribute funds to fight Covid-19, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Pandemic
and lockdown provide veil for government to withhold
information: Nepal’s political parties advocate
transparency when in the opposition but ignore it
while in government, observers say, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Migrant
rights groups slam government plan to charge migrant
workers for their repatriation: A writ petition has
been filed at the Supreme Court demanding free
repatriation and medical services for Nepali workers
stranded in various labour destination countries,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Feed
the hungry: The government can’t abandon the poor in
the face of a humanitarian crisis (kp), Limpiyadhura-Kalapani-Lipulekh
dispute: The only option Nepal has is to try and
resolve the issue through quiet diplomacy, by
Naresh Koirala (kp) [Diplomacy
is the way, but it should not be too quiet! For
decades no one has heard of the claim that this is
Nepalese territory, neither inside nor outside Nepal.
Even the politicians who are so outraged today
declared the area to be Indian territory in 2015 when
the constitution was created. In this respect, there
is a very considerable lack of explanation on the part
of all leading politicians! The people have a right to
know why the politicians have behaved this way in
2015!], Govt
refutes UNHCR statement on freedom of expression
(ht), Mental
health in Nepal: A ticking pandemic time bomb, by
Arjun Poudel (ae), Famine
or feast in Nepal?, by Sushma Joshi (ae), Time
to grow up: We are now entering our 12th week of the
lockdown. But neither are we updated daily (or not
updated at all) on what the future plans are, nor are
we encouraged to ‘keep up the good work’, by
Jackie Taylor (ae) [Incompetent
Oli and his incompetent government have no plans, only
greed for power! Why inform the people on any plans?],
Far-reaching
impacts of lockdown on Nepali society: In the Initial
days, the lockdown disproportionately affected
daily-wage earners. Now, it is starting to weigh heavy
even on those in organized sectors who rely on monthly
salary, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae)
04/06/2020: The
lockdown is killing the poor and the marginalised: In
Pathari’s Musahar community, one person has already
died of hunger and others are on the verge of
starvation, by Binu Subedi and Abdhesh Kumar Jha
(kp), Public
health experts point at government failure amid
projections of spike in cases: Officials estimate that
the number of Covid-19 cases is likely to double
within a week, ultimately reaching a peak of 20,000
infections and between 400 and 500 deaths, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Challenge
To End Caste Discrimination, by Gopal Khanal (rn),
Traders
defy lockdown as patience runs thin in Nepal (ht),
Evacuation
of Nepalis likely to begin Friday: Around 40,000
citizens expected: to be repatriated in first phase
(ht) [This already means at
least 160 flights!!], Govt
entrusts high-level committee to prepare modality to
ease lockdown (kh)
03/06/2020: Discrimination
against Dalits continues to stain Nepal’s social
fabric: Two recent incidents resulting in the killings
of seven Dalit individuals have once again brought to
light the uncomfortable fact that caste-based
discrimination is alive and well, by Elisha
Shrestha and Aditi Aryal (kp), Parliamentary
committee directs formation of Dalit cell in Nepal
Police: Panel on law and justice calls for separate
unit to deal with cases of caste-based discrimination,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Soti
incident: Sixth missing body found after 10 days: The
deceased along with his 18 friends was attacked by
Soti villagers while the group was accompanying
Nabaraj BK to bring home his 17-year-old girlfriend as
his bride, by Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp), Caste
And Race Based Discrimination, by Namrata Sharma
(rn), In
a symbolic gesture to Madhes, Congress registers its
own constitution amendment bill: The bill is the same
one that was registered by then government led by
party President Deuba in 2017, by Anil Giri (kp) [In reality, even the NC has no
understanding for the concerns of the Janajati and
Madheshi. The present non-inclusive constitution was
passed in 2015 under the then NC Chairman and PM, late
Sushil Koirala!], The
budget has failed to take advantage of a critical
juncture: The government has, once again, not been
able to enact structural change when afforded an
opportunity by the extraordinary circumstances, by
Chandan Sapkota (kp), As
the never-ending lockdown continues, taxmen ask
business firms to clear taxes: Taxpayers say they have
not been able to collect cash from the market and are
unable to pay the tax at the moment, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp) [???],
Deadline
to pay taxes extended by a fortnight to June 21: The
Inland Revenue Department deferred the deadline after
meeting with widespread criticism for asking citizens
to pay taxes in the middle of a lockdown, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)
02/06/2020: JSP-Nepal
registers private constitution amendment bill
(ht), Janata
Party and Samajbadi Party register private
constitution amendment bill of their own: The regional
parties propose amendments to 23 issues that are aimed
at addressing the long-standing concerns of the
Madhesis, Tharus and Janajatis, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Government
pushing constitutional amendment in Parliament hardens
positions on both sides of the border: Once the
amendment passes, the new political map will be
enshrined in the constitution, leading India to also
take up a more inflexible position on the boundary,
pundits say, by Anil Giri (kp), Oli
administration taking decisions keeping respective
ministries in the dark: Announcement in the new budget
to assign private high schools to look after a public
school leads to severe criticism, by Binod Ghimire
[This is normal under
Oliarchy!] (kp), Thousands
of children in Kathmandu deprived of immunisation:
Doctors say the capital city is highly vulnerable to
outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Ease
the lockdown: The government should now improvise to
get the economy running before people begin pouring
out onto the streets (kp), As
Covid-19 cases spike in Karnali, provincial government
grapples with resource management: Of the 198 Covid
patients in Karnali, 65 are still at quarantine
facilities, by Kalendra Sejuwal (kp), Plan
to evacuate Nepalis from abroad unveiled: Nepali Army
to take care of most of the work to manage returnees,
by Umesh Poudel (ht), Social
media users blast planned renovation works at
President's Office calling it ill-timed (rep) [???]
01/06/2020: Supreme
Court orders govt to provide goods to needy for
preventing COVID-19 pandemic (rep), Government
seeks shortcut to get constitution amendment bill
passed: The government has said that a quick passage
of the bill will allow it time to prepare ground for
talks with India, but analysts believe it fears
political disruption, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Massive
influx of returnees in Sudurpaschim risks community
spread: An overwhelming number of returnees, poor
testing rate, and unmanaged quarantine facilities may
cause a rampant community spread of the coronavirus,
experts warn, by Mohan Budhaair and Bhawani Bhatta
(kp), Police
personnel face host of challenges due to pandemic:
Officials say they have changed their strategy to
minismise infection among personnel, by Shuvam
Dhungana (kp), NHRC
deploys separate team to probe Soti incident (ht),
Ill-managed
quarantine facilities putting lives of many at risk,
doctors say, by Ashim Neupane (rep), COVID-19:
Challenges and role of government: The COVID-19 has
currently sparked a backlash against the global
economy, by Swastik Aryal (kh), 18,000
Nepalis enter Nepal via Gaddachauki in past one week
(kh), COVID-19
and food insecurity, by Purna B. Nepali and Mahesh
Bisukhey (ht)
31/05/2020: Calls
grow louder to ease coronavirus curbs and reopen the
economy: Government extends Covid-19 lockdown until
June 14 amid relaxation demands by economists and
business people, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and
Sangam Prasain (kp), Rising
Covid-19 cases and limited isolation beds once again
expose government’s lack of preparedness to fight the
virus: Amid plans to send infected persons home and to
poorly managed quarantine, experts warn of community
spread, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Ruling
party Secretariat decides to put projects under MCC on
hold until House ratification: Finance Minister
Yubaraj Khatiwada will clarify the government’s stance
on the issue before Parliament, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Where
is the roadmap? International adjudicatory settings
have traditionally been hesitant to place legal value
on maps, by Semanta Dahal (kp), Farming
falls on women's shoulders: But their work and
contributions tend to be invisible to policymakers and
academics, by Subarna Malla Singh (kp), Nepal’s
Economy May Take Years To Recover, by Hari Prasad
Shrestha (rn), Preparing
For 'New Normal’, by Shyam P. Lohani (rn), Action
plan to address problems of women, children and senior
citizens (ht)
30/05/2020: UN
condemns Dalit killings in Rukum (West) and calls for
independent probe: Despite constitutional guarantees,
impunity for caste-based discrimination and violence
remains high in Nepal, UN High Commissioner for Human
Rights says (kp), Rights
commission expresses concern over death after rape
incident in Rupandehi: National Human Rights
Commission says its Butwal office has started a probe
into the incident (kp), NHRC
concerned about death of rape victim (ht)
29/05/2020: Still
untouchable: Navaraj BK and his friends died because
he loved an upper-caste girl. He won’t be the last,
by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), One
more body recovered from Bheri River; death toll of
Soti incident reaches five: Search is on for another
missing person, police say, by Hari Gautam and
Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp), UN,
AI demand impartial probe into Rukum incident
(ht), Nepal:
Bachelet condemns Dalit killings, calls for
independent investigation (OHCR), Nepal:
Authorities must deliver justice for Dalit killings
(AI), Revised
regulation in Security Allowance Act hangs single
helpless women out to dry: The new regulation issued
by the Department of National ID and Civil
Registration to exclude single women below 60 years of
age from receiving the Helpless Single Woman Allowance,
by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Despite
massive blow to economy from Covid-19, government aims
for 7 percent growth: The government’s target is
overly ambitious and unrealistic, say experts,
especially as the full impacts of the Covid-19
pandemic have yet to be felt, by Sangam Prasain
(kp) , Government
eyes massive 700,000 jobs within the country: Experts
say the government plan of creating jobs is neither
new nor adequate to deal with the Covid-19 fallout,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Health
sector gets 32 percent more budget compared to
previous year: Experts say that the budget will be
insufficient to deal with the pandemic and resume
regular services if the number of Covid-19 cases
surges past government estimates, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Nepal’s
budget: Not quite all there: Though the government
seems to have its heart in the right place, the plans
and allocations announced are underwhelming (kp),
High
Level Committee decides to rescue Nepalis stranded
abroad: Fixes 20 checkpoints for entering from India
(kh)
28/05/2020: Fourth
body recovered: from Bheri River: Family members and
relatives of the deceased had found the body on
Wednesday, by Hari Gautam (kp), Removal
of constitution amendment from parliamentary agenda
leads to finger pointing between parties: While the
Nepal Communist Party says that the agenda was removed
to allow the Congress more time, the opposition says
it’s the ruling party that is delaying amendment,
by Anil Giri (kp), Involving
men in eliminating taboos surrounding menstruation: As
menstrual stigmas have largely been put in place and
supported by men, their participation in uprooting
these taboos is critical, gender rights activists say,
by Elisha Shrestha (kp), Digital
divide too wide for online classes to succeed in
Nepal: The government has proposed online
teaching-learning, but a majority of the schools and
students in the country do not have computers, much
less the internet, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
digital divide: Supporting private investment in
education will not increase access to learning during
the current crisis (kp), A
story of two halves: Democracy may have already lasted
longer than the Panchayat rule did, but accountability
remains a fiction, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Border
dispute reaches new heights: The geopolitical
environment post-Covid-19 must be well analysed and
evaluated, considering that Sino-US and Sino-Indo
relations are not the same as before, by Binoj
Basnyat (kp), No
preparedness to handle incoming people: Two people
returning from Gujarat, India died in Surkhet and
Dhanusha for want of medical attention and hunger,
by Kalendra Sejuwal and Ajit Tiwari (kp), Nepal
has enough food to feed the population for 5 months:
Distribution amid the lockdown is the problem,
officials say, by Krishana Prasain (kp) [???],
Action
plan to rescue Nepali citizens stranded abroad in a
day or two (ht), Protect
rights of citizens residing in border areas: NHRC
(ht), Don’t
arrest quarantine escapees: SC (ht), Wage
earners hit hard due to prolonged lockdown (ht), Constituency
development fund given continuity despite widespread
criticism (rep) [Long
live political corruption!]
27/05/2020: Cracks
in the melting pot: The various rights bodies need
serious political support to truly stamp out
discrimination (kp) House
to discuss constitutional amendment to update map
after national consensus: As the issue concerns a
matter of national importance, the ruling party had
sought all-party consensus on the amendment to update
the country’s map on the national emblem, by Anil
Giri (kp) [The equal and
egalitarian inclusion of the Janajatis, Madhesis,
Dalits and women in general in the constitution would
be of much greater importance than the territorial
claims which the male politicians at the head of the
state in 2015 completely ignored! Today, these same
politicians are playing the nationalism card instead
of trying to rationally contain the pandemic and save
the people's economic base!], A
200 percent increase in maternal mortality since the
lockdown began: At least 24 women have died of
birth-related complications in the last two months,
compared to 80 deaths in all of last year, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Government
forms team to investigate the death of three youths in
Rukum West: Lawmakers have demanded a parliamentary
probe committee to study discriminations against
Dalits throughout the country (kp) [This
is an extremely severe criminal case, based on Hindu
fanatic thinking! Why are representatives from
ministries participated? Or are you loking for ways to
eliminate outdated Hindu social thinking and
behaviour?], Treacherous
trail to Lipulekh: Modification of Nepal’s political
map is just the beginning of an arduous political,
administrative and diplomatic journey, by CK Lal
(kp), Thousands
of Nepalis without food or shelter await entrance at
the Karnali border: Migrants arriving from India are
massed at the border without basic amenities as the
provincial government has sought to test them all for
Covid-19 before letting them in, by Aditi Aryal
(kp), Surdurpaschim
braces for a food shortage with influx of returnees to
the province amid pandemic: A significant majority of
Sudurpaschim natives returned to the province in the
wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. This has led
to a sudden increase in demand for food in the
province, by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Govt
projects 2.3 per cent economic growth for this fiscal:
Per capita income to increase to Rs 126,018; Despite
joblessness absolute poverty to decline (ht) [Just like a miracle!], Taking
Covid-19 induced challenges as an opportunity: Key
areas of focus, by Padam Raj Paneru (kh)
26/05/2020: Serious
human rights violations against Dalits reported during
lockdown: Parliamentary committee orders the
government to book culprits, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), One
more body recovered from the Bheri River on Monday:
The third victim was among the 18 who had accompanied
Nabaraj BK to Soti in Rukum (West). The deceased
Nabaraj was killed in his pursuit of a girl whose
family deemed him ‘untouchable’, by Bhim Bahadur
Singh & Hari Gautam (kp), 15
including ward chair arrested in connection with
Nawaraj BK’s killing, by Dinesh Kumar Shrestha
(ht), Dirty
mop: While changing the laws governing the CIAA is a
good thing, the current amendment under discussion
falls below par (kp), Caste-based
discrimination ends a beautiful relationship: Even a
locally-elected representative was against their
relationship, by Lokendra Khanal and Ganesh Bishu
(rep), In
address to nation, Oli repeats misinformation and
provides no concrete plans: In his third address in
two months, the prime minister commended his
government’s efforts to combat Covid-19, but provided
little of substance even as cases continue to rise,
by Anil Giri (kp), Health
Ministry insists Nepal has still not entered
‘community transmission’ stage: Such a claim from the
ministry comes when people without travel history have
been infected with the coronavirus, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Poor
border security arrangement fails to control
cross-border movement in Morang: The entry of people
through proxy border routes still continues risking
spread of Covid-19, by Madhav Ghimire (kp), Successive
governments have failed to ensure state’s presence in
border towns and villages, a report by national rights
body says: The four-year long study has also pointed
out the lack of basic services like schools and health
facilities in border areas and harassment faced by
locals at the hands of Indian border security force,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Return
to the dialogue table: When governments fail to
address contemporary problems, they resort to
provocative nationalistic demagogy, by Achyut
Wagle (kp), 58,769
have returned home since Mar 24: ‘Nearly 580,000
Nepalis stranded in several parts of India’ (ht),
New
modalities necessary, say health experts (ht)
25/05/2020: Bodies
of two Dalit men recovered from Bheri River: A Dalit
man went to marry a girl from ‘upper-caste’ but her
family and villagers chased them into the river,
by Hari Gautam and Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp) Janata
Samajbadi Party reiterates demand for constitutional
amendment to incorporate concerns of Madhesi
community: As the government prepares to revise the
constitution to legitimise new map, Samajbadi leaders
tell the Business Advisory Committee of Parliament
that it’s also an ‘opportune’ moment to address their
concerns, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Speaker
for consensus on revising emblem: Madhesis, Janajatis
sense opportunity to push their agenda, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), The
Border Dispute Saga – End of the argument for the
Royalists, by Sachin Timalsena (kh), Corruption
in private sector needs probe but so does corruption
in political parties, say experts: An amendment to the
anti-corruption law seeks to widen the jurisdiction of
the CIAA to include the private sector but political
parties also need scrutiny, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), With
patients testing positive for Covid-19, more hospitals
could close down completely: If hospitals close down,
more patients will be deprived of medical services and
the country’s health infrastructure will come under
more stress, doctors warn, by Arjun Poudel (kp), The
politics of distraction: While Nepal’s release of a
new political map was important, the discourse must
move back to Covid-19 management (kp), Putting
the environment above profits: The time has come for
us to reimagine and restructure our economic
priorities, by Avash Pandey (kp), Govt
still lacks concrete plan for businesses to resume
(ht)
24/05/2020: Madhes-based
parties press own demands alongside constitution
amendment for new map: While there’s no debate on an
issue of national importance, the constitutional
amendment bill could be an opportune moment to address
long-standing demands of Madhesis, Janajatis and
Tharus, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The
clarification of territorial claims is certainly
important and decades overdue, but the inclusion of
population groups that have been excluded for
centuries, even under the constitution of 2015, is
even more significant, a fact that the male Bahun at
the head of the state and parties do not want to
understand. It is problematic, however, that the
leadership of the ethnic and regional parties is also
exclusively male!], JSP-N
seeks NC support for constitution amendment (ht),
Kathmandu
ward makes it compulsory for relief recipients to work
for four hours to check fraud: At least one member
needs to perform labour work assigned by local
authorities, if the family is to receive essential
supplies from the government, by Anup Ojha (kp), Infected
people stay in quarantine centres in lack of isolation
ward: Twenty-five people in Godaita Municipality,
Sarlahi, have tested positive for Covid-19, by Om
Prakash Thakur (kp), Rukum
town stops providing meals to those in quarantine,
gives them cash instead: People in various quarantine
facilities across the municipality say Rs 178 given by
the municipality every day is not enough to cover the
cost of their four meals, by Hari Gautam (kp), Oli
avoids NCP secretariat meeting on MCC (ht), Is
COVID-19 portending bleak days in Nepal? Job-cut in
Gulf countries to impact Nepal’s economy adversely
(kh)
23/05/2020: Two
months into lockdown, government yet to have a plan to
bring back Nepalis from abroad: Officials say they are
working on ways to repatriate citizens but there is
neither evacuation protocol nor quarantine facilities
and testing guarantee, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt
still unprepared to bring back Nepalis (ht), CCMC
tasked to manage returnee Nepalis (ht), People
suffer as groceries become scarce and costly under
lockdown: Prices continue to rise even as livelihoods
have been taken away by the restrictions enforced to
tackle the pandemic, by Krishana Prasain (kp), The
lockdown has brought public transport to a grinding
halt, leaving drivers and conducts by the roadside:
Many believe that public transport will be the last to
restart after the lockdown, but that could be too late
for those who depend on driving for their livelihood,
by Shashwat Pant (kp), Government
registers constitution amendment bill to revise
Nepal’s map in national emblem: The bill seeks to
amend Schedule 3 of the constitution to update the map
in the national emblem as per a new political map
released on Wednesday (kp), Nepali
and Indian ‘hackers’ attack websites over ‘boundary
dispute’: Although, they claim to have made peace,
recent spate of attacks on government websites expose
their security vulnerability, by Shuvam Dhungana
(kp), Deciphering
the Kalapani-Lipulekh Conundrum, by Sumitra Karki
(kh), When
strategies don’t work, they backfire, by Prakash
Acharya (ht), 378
Nepalis rescued from Nepal-India border in Baitadi,
by Bira Gadal (rep), Is
COVID-19 portending bleak days in Nepal? Job-cut in
Gulf countries to impact Nepal’s economy adversely
(kh)
22/05/2020: The
Covid-19 pandemic will lead to fall of HDI across the
globe, says UN: An assessment by UNDP shows Nepal will
have challenge in attaining SDGs (kp), Lockdown
restrictions have hit livelihood of poor families who
depend on community forests: Government set to lose
billions in revenue as forest cutting halted due to
Covid-19, by Shashwat Pant (kp), Government
has failed to procure a single ventilator for Covid
treatment: Public health experts say except for
enforcing and extending the lockdown, authorities have
done nothing substantial, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Nepalis
in Gulf seek immediate evacuation; 25,000 to be
repatriated (kh), With
tensions escalating on both sides, officials recommend
holding Nepal-India talks at the earliest: As
Kathmandu has been seeking diplomatic talks over the
border with India since November, it is now up to New
Delhi to make overtures, by Anil Giri (kp), Dialogue
of the deaf: Both Nepal and India have made unilateral
moves to stake their claim at the source of the
Mahakali. Now what? (kp), Nepal’s
accidental leaders: Now that the Army is in the
business of importing medicine, why not deploy the
Ministry of Health to defend Lipu Lekh?, by Anil
Chitrakar (nt), Finance
Committee recommends government launch Rs 188 billion
stimulus package to keep economy afloat (kp), Gulmi
teacher, third victim of COVID-19, buried against
family consent, by Krishna Prasad Dhakal (ht), 3rd
month of lockdown: Nepal now has to balance the risk
of coronavirus with many more non-COVID deaths due to
the lockdown, by Sonia Awale (nt), Cabinet
decides to amend constitution to include new map in
emblem (kh) [What about
an amendment that makes constitution and state more
inclusive, just as promised back in 2006? All top male
Bahun politicians have rejected this so far. And now
same same politicians want to change the constitution
for a territorial issue in which they have never been
interested for decades!],
China’s
silence adds to Nepal’s woes on Lipulekh:
Kathmandu expects China, which is a party to the
dispute over the Lipulekh Pass, to tell India to
address Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial
integrity concerns. China has been noncommittal,
by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae), Corruption
in the epidemic: Double jeopardy, by Prem
Lamichhane (kh)
21/05/2020: Upper
House endorses Bill on Special Service allowing phone
tapping without court order: Legal experts say the
provision could be misused by the government to
silence dissidents, by Binod Ghimire (kp), At
least 500,000 migrant workers want to return home at
the earliest, says report: Nepal Association of
Foreign Employment Agencies says 10-30 percent of jobs
held by Nepalis in Malaysia and the Gulf is gone,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Government
preparing to rescue migrant workers stranded abroad,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The
Oli govt talks of 5 per cent only of those who have to
return urgently!], Is
Nepali media failing to abide by ethical journalistic
standards in its quest for clicks and breaking news?
Media outlets, both old and new, must abide by fair
and ethical reporting, along with verification of
information, while reporting the news especially in
the time of a pandemic, observers say, by Aditi
Aryal (kp), With
release of new map, Nepal and India enter a state of
‘cartographic war’, experts say: While tensions are
likely to escalate in the days to come, the move will
ultimately pave the way for talks with India and a
shift in bilateral relations, they say, by Anil
Giri (kp) [The current
position is okay, but the question remains why
Nepalese governments have sold the Indian version as
given for decades and even included in the 2015
constitution: Incompetence and ignorance?], Continued
lockdown may trigger unpredictable economic
consequences, experts say: The Central Bureau of
Statistics has said Nepal's economy would likely grow
at a rate of 2.27 percent this fiscal year, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Scrap
Lawmakers’ Fund To Fight Corona, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), Pandemic
threatens to upend labour relations: Workers term
employers’ decision to cut staff, wages ‘unilateral’
and ‘unacceptable’, by Sujan Dhungana (ht), Home
Ministry directs to seal off all entry points to
Kathmandu Valley (kh)
20/05/2020: NHRC
urges govt to follow WHO protocol for quarantine
facility management: Asks it to ensure all facilities
meet WHO standards (ht), As
doctors face eviction from landlords, a hotelier
offers free lodging (rep), Failed
strategy: The government seems to have forgotten why a
lockdown was enforced in the first place (kp), In
three hours before Parliament, Oli presents problems
but offers few solutions: At a time when the nation is
looking for empathy, effectiveness and hope from the
prime minister, Oli failed to provide any real roadmap
for the days ahead, observers say, by Anil Giri
(kp), Parliament
should decide whether to endorse MCC compact, Oli
says: If political parties feel they don’t need the
MCC, they can ask their lawmakers to vote against it,
the prime minister says (kp), Task
force suggests ways to create 2.5 million jobs amid
job losses at home and abroad due to Covid-19: Focus
is on entrepreneurship, reviving sick industries and
utilising land spaces allocated for the industries,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Such
initiative is overdue for decades!], Govt
to rescue Nepalis stranded abroad ‘on priority basis’
(ht) [Given the major failings
of the Oli government in the last two months, there
are almost only priority cases!], Reawakening
in Nepal for territory: We are standing against
encroachment because we know that national sovereignty
is inviolable, that nations may be big or small but
they are equal in terms of national sovereignty,
by Devendra Gautam (rep), Nepal
releases revised political map that incorporates
Limpiyadhura, Lipu Lekh and Kalapani, the territories
encroached by India (rep)
19/05/2020: Rights
watchdog urges government to follow WHO quarantine
practices: National Human Rights Commission suggests
using the money in relief fund in coordination between
the three tiers of government (kp), Police
hit 67-year-old with baton for stepping out to buy
milk: Man sustains a broken bone in his right leg due
to the severity of the blow, by Bhusan Yadav (kp)
[Both this police officer and
the person who ordered such action must be brought to
justice!], Nepal
Army patrolling the streets raises alarm, leading many
to question why the defence force was mobilised: The
army says that military police were mobilised to
ensure that its uniform is not misused to breach the
lockdown, but analysts say it could have sought the
help of the Nepal Police, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Cabinet
endorses new political map that includes all
territories that Nepal claims: The endorsement of the
map, which will be made public on Tuesday, follows
India’s inauguration of a new road link via Lipulekh
in Nepal’s western frontier, by Tika R. Pradhan
and Anil Giri (kp), With
Oli already in a quagmire over Indian border
encroachment, MCC compact rears its head again: A
letter by two senior ruling party leaders has asked
for wider discussions over the US-led aid programme
which has long been controversial for its alleged
geopolitical elements, by Anil Giri (kp), Paddy-whacked:
The agriculture sector needs immediate attention from
the government to make use of the coming monsoon
(kp), Economic
Recovery Need Of Hour, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Khanal,
Rawal pen probing note to Prime Minister Oli: Seek
explanation on reference to MCC in the govt’s policies
and programmes (ht), Deal
to open trade route through Lipu Lekh does not affect
outstanding boundary questions between Nepal and
India: China tells Nepal, by Kosh Raj Koirala
(rep) [Have they lost their
minds? Do they really think Nepalis are stupid?],
Limpiyadhura,
Kalapani, Lipu Lekh are parts of Nepal: PM Oli
(kh) [And why did you exclude
it in the constitution and in all the maps for
decades?]
18/05/2020: Elusive
justice: The government continues to hold out on
completing the transitional justice process (kp),
Lockdown
extended by another 15 days, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), After
second Covid-19 death, government extends lockdown to
June 2: The Health Ministry has confirmed that the
Sunday morning death of a 25-year old man in Banke was
due to Covid-19, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Man
lost his job, wanted to come home. Lockdown killed
him: Bishnu Prasad Neyopane died in his wait for
restrictions to be lifted. There’re more than 3,500
Nepalis like him in Kuwait, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp) [The
responsibility lies especially with PM Oli and his
government, who completely shirk their obligation for
the migrant workers! The problem is not the lockdown
as such, but the disinterest in its effects!],
Without
work and salary, Nepali migrants protest in Covid-hit
UAE: Nearly 500 workers have been confined to their
apartments while the company has not paid them
anything for the last two months, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Remittance
down by 132.35 percent (kh), Remittance
income plunges 51pc (ht), Govt
likely to evacuate Nepalis stranded abroad from next
week (ht) [Of course, PM
Oli is absolutely aware that this will require up to
1.500 flights or even more!], Nepali
workers in Kuwait: “We don’t want to die in a foreign
land”, by Sabina Karki (kh), Keep
the border regulated: Before the Sugauli Treaty we had
a closed border to the south. Following the annexation
of Naya Muluk in 1860 it became controlled border and
gradually changed into an open border, by Nara
Bahadur Kandel (rep), Economic
cost of Covid-19 and way forward (1)d, by Bijaya
Shrestha (kh) [see part
2, 19/05/2020]
17/05/2020: Nepal
hasn’t allowed UN rapporteurs on transitional justice
to visit country: The government is afraid their visit
will expose it’s failure, say victims and human rights
activists, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal
reports its first Covid-19 death: The Health
Ministry confirms a woman’s death at Dhulikhel
Hospital on Thursday was due to the coronavirus,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Nepal
records second COVID-19 death (kh), Second
Covid-19 death reported, 25-y/o succumbs to
the disease in Banke (ht), Despite
controversy, projects under MCC included in
annual list of programmes: Ruling party
lawmaker Bhim Rawal, who has been advocating
against the compact in its current form,
demands the leaders first discuss a report
prepared by the task force, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Five
years since the Gorkha earthquake, Nepal still
falls short: The country being in a
highly-vulnerable seismic zone, one would
think the government and society would plan
better, by Keshab Sharma (kp), Chandragiri
Municipality sealed after five confirmed
COVID-19 cases (ht), High-level
committee recommends to govt to tighten
lockdown (rep), Cabinet
meeting underway; committee recommends 10-day
lockdown extension (kh), Lawmakers
demand govt bring home Nepalis abroad at the
earliest, by Kamal Subedi (rep), International
Committee seeks prompt rescue of Nepalis in
crisis (kh)
16/05/2020: UN
points out lack of consultation with victims (ht),
Survivors
of domestic violence are forced to “compromise” with
abusive husbands, by Sher Bahadur Jero (rep), Order
to shoot at fleeing patients draws flak (ht), A
COVID Challenge for Nepal Army: What is the point of
having a large NA in this poor country in peace-time
if not to fight the human insecurity of our citizens
when a global pandemic has made millions of Nepalis
vulnerable?, by Kul Chandra Gautam (rep), Two
years since the birth of the Nepal Communist Party,
not much to show except for infighting and power
politics: The party had the possibility of
transforming the country, given its massive mandate
and overwhelming strength. But it has squandered all
opportunity, say analysts, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), In
light of the pandemic, government’s policies and
programmes target social sector: Unlike previous
years’ focus on physical infrastructure, the upcoming
year’s focus on the social sector will not translate
immediately into high growth, analysts say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Impact
of COVID-19 on Nepal’s Remittance Economy &
Foreign Employment, by Sunil Kumar Chaudhary (kh),
Seed money for migrant workers, entrepreneurs as
government targets employment opportunities inside
country: Without hassle-free procedures for accessing
the initial capital and set criteria as per the
vulnerability of migrant workers, the scheme can not
yield expected results, experts say, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), Health
sector gets priority as government unveils its annual
plans amid pandemic: The government has announced
ambitious plans for social sector, but experts say
they need budgetary support, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Policies
and programmes for fiscal 2020-21 focus on boosting
the agriculture sector: Farming to be made an
attractive occupation by increasing agricultural
investment, by Sangam Prasain (kp), Kanchanpur
sends recent returnees to their local units, by
Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Plan
to revive COVID-hit economy missing: Financial
liabilities that govt’s programmes will create aren’t
easily bearable, say experts, by Sujan Dhungana
(ht), Order
to shoot at fleeing patients draws flak (ht), Lockdown
extension recommendation likely (ht), One
held for posting PM’s morphed photo (ht), Govt
policies and programs indirectly include MCC project
(kh) [???]
15/05/2020: Over
400,000 Nepalis stranded abroad appeal for rescue
(kh), Prioritise
rights issues in upcoming fiscal budget, says NHRC
(ht), Plans
after the pandemic: Nepalis knew all along that the
economy, based largely on remittance, is
unsustainable. But we never realised that it would
meet such a chaotic fate, by Madhukar Upadhya
(kp), More
individuals seek Covid-19 tests but ministry to focus
on health workers: As new cases continue to be
identified, authorities are expanding testing but
prioritising those on the front lines, including
health care and security personnel, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Warning
bells: The concerned must plan now for further
shocks—the worst of the crisis is yet to come
(kp), Kalapani
Question: Searching Peace in Turbulent Waters, by
Aditi Paul (kh), Talks
with India over Lipulekh unlikely in near future given
technical and political factors: While the Covid-19 is
currently the prime delaying factor, analysts say that
it is in India’s interest to bide its time and hope
the issue fizzles out, by Anil Giri (kp), Gandaki
Province at high Covid-19 risk due to lax border
security: The province is seeing a steady flow of
people from outside despite the nationwide lockdown in
place (kp), As
government announces to make lockdown stricter,
experts say, it does not offer long-term solution:
Public health experts say since the virus is here to
stay, the government should focus on resuming daily
life with precautions in place, by Anup Ojha (kp),
Kin’s
permission sought to bury 144 Nepalis who died abroad:
Repatriation of bodies not possible as flights are
suspended till May 31 to check COVID spread (ht),
Capital
spending at 28 per cent in first 10 months (ht), Prez
Bhandari unveils govt’s policies and programs for FY
2020/21 (kh), High-Level
Committee mulls changing lockdown modality (kh), Saving
the Nepali State, by Bishal Thapa (ae), What
is CK Raut doing now?, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae)
14/05/2020: As
Covid-19 continues to weaken the health system, an
estimated 4,000 children could die in Nepal in the
next six months, UN agency warns: UNICEF says it fears
that without urgent action, the number of children
dying before their fifth birthdays is going to
increase for the first time in decades (kp), 4000
children may die in Nepal in next six months due to
lockdown, UNICEF warns (rep), If
Covid-19 cases continue to increase at current rate,
Nepal’s health infrastructure could easily be
overwhelmed, doctors warn: Most of Nepal’s isolation,
ICU beds and ventilators are centralised in the
Kathmandu Valley and urban centres, leaving many parts
of the country without adequate infrastructure, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Cases
are still rising: It’s not that lockdown measures
wouldn’t have worked, it’s that the government has
failed at implementing a successful regimen (kp),
Nationalism,
migration and the impending job crisis: Communist
parties have always disliked the idea of out-migration
yet have done little to help Nepalis stay back, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), The
Kalapani Conundrum: Indo-Nepal Diplomatic Rifts,
by Shonit Nayan (kh), Cross-party
leaders urge Oli government to hold talks with both
India and China on Lipulekh: At an all-party meeting
called to discuss India’s opening of a road via
Lipulekh, political leaders criticised the
government’s response and asked that immediate steps
be taken, by Anil Giri (kp), Authorities
seal off two places in Bhaktapur and a hospital
premises in Lalitpur after Covid-19 confirmations: All
travel passes have been revoked following Covid-19
flare-up as the government plans to drastically limit
the movement of people to stop the infection., by
Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Siraha
Placed Under Curfew After Surge In Number Of COVID-19
Cases In State 2 (rn), Out
of cash, Nepali travellers seek help from banks:
According to the Foreign Employment Board, at least
127,000 Nepali migrant workers are expected to return
home from the Gulf and Malaysia after international
travel restrictions are lifted, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp)
13/05/2020: After
over 80 new Covid-19 cases in a single day, officials
warn that number will only go up: The rise in the
number of cases has been attributed to increased
testing but also to Nepalis sneaking across the border
after being barred from entering legally, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Rescue
stranded migrant workers, says NHRC (ht), Nepali
students in Thailand, like Nepalis stuck elsewhere,
just want to come home: Twenty-five Nepalis doing an
internship in Phuket are fast running out of money and
want to come home but they aren’t hopeful of any help
from the government in Kathmandu, by Shashwat Pant
(kp) [It is your
responsibility to bring them back, Mr Oli!], Despite
concerns about job losses, there is little demand for
foreign exchange to be sent to Nepali students abroad:
The central bank has allowed banks to provide one time
foreign exchange facility upto $500 per student,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), More
than 200 Nepalis stranded at the border point in
Kanchanpur brought home: District Administration
Office in Rupandehi is preparing to bring Nepali
migrants stuck in quarantine facilities in the
bordering Indian town of Nautanwa, by Bhawani
Bhatta (kp), Arghakhanchi
seals off its borders from Tuesday until further
notice: Parsa and Bara issue prohibitory orders
restricting public movement in a bid to control
further spread of coronavirus (kp), Protests
go on in the time of Covid-19: Experts are concerned
that protesters have not been maintaining physical
distance as it can worsen the situation, by Shuvam
Dungana (kp), Maelstrom
of collective narcissism: The task of tackling the
challenges of governance seldom goes with
neo-nationalism; Oli has found another issue to
distract from his poor record, by CK Lal (kp), Earthquake
reconstruction: no more excuses: Successive
governments have used feeble excuses to delay
reconstruction. But there is an opportunity now to
finish some priority projects (kp), Revoke
time card system, urges NDA (ht), Why
Nepal cares about its land so much, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep)
12/05/2020: Motion
tabled in Parliament to repatriate Nepali migrant
workers: The motion of public importance tabled by
Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa recommends that
the government initiate rescue and repatriation of
Nepalis from Covid-19 hit countries based on their
status of vulnerability, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), Returning
migrant workers can be lured into profitable
commercial agriculture, experts say: But,
opportunities in other sectors should also be explored
based on their skill sets as all migrant workers won’t
be interested in agriculture, they say, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Haphazard
planning: The federal government’s organisation for
economic revival has been lacking (kp), The
lockdown budget: The government needs to reassess
budget priorities, but it seems reluctant to listen to
sound advice, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Nepal
makes its position clear on Lipulekh with a diplomatic
note to India: Foreign Ministry hands over the
diplomatic note to Indian envoy and seeks talks with
Delhi to resolve boundary issues at the earliest
possible date, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal
to station APF personnel in Kalapani (ht), Entrepreneurs
complain the timecard system is hindering their
businesses: The scheme has led to delays and losses
due to lack of clarity and coordination, they say,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), Rationale
Behind Enforcing Lockdown, by Uttam Maharjan
(rn), United
Arab Emirates seeks permission to repatriate Nepali
migrants (ht) [Shame on
the Oli govt!], Kapilvastu
sealed for one week as COVID-19 cases increase
(ht), Unidentified
group thrashes Bara journalist (ht), People
in Sarlahi defying lockdown despite growing numbers of
COVID-19 cases, by Aditya Neupane (rep), Govt
annuls all inter-district vehicle passes as COVID-19
cases spike (kh), Migrant
labors cross Indo-Nepal Border secretly at Bardiya
(kh), Over
450 Nepalis in three British overseas territories want
to return home (kh), 600,000
Nepalis abroad to return home once int’l flights
resume (kh)
11/05/2020: How
Free Is Freedom Of Expression?, by Mukunda Kattel
(rn), Government
presented repealed ordinances in Parliament, creating
legal confusion: While experts say there was no need
to take the ordinances that were null and void, Law
Ministry argues no provision bars from doing that,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Boundary
issues with India require a lasting solution that
addresses all disputes, say analysts: As seeking
international arbitration or deploying armed forces
could only further complicate matters, better solution
is a diplomatic approach, they say, by Anil Giri
(kp), Internationalise
Lipulekh dispute if need be: House panel (ht), MPs
press govt to reclaim Kalapani (ht), Janus-faced:
Border disputes may happen among friends, but India’s
reluctance to hold talks shows insincerity (kp), ‘Time
card’ system rolled out, shopkeepers open shutters:
Police say traffic congestion in the morning due to
stringent checks, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), House
committee urges India to stop encroachment of Nepali
territory (rep), Valley
sees traffic jam, as more vehicle owners get passes to
ply (ht), Understanding
poverty: It is not only bad governance but a failure
to attract foreign capital and to stop cartels from
forming that has hampered development, by Niraj KC
(kp), Rukum
municipality introduces food for work relief
programme: Each worker will receive 50kg rice for five
days of labour, municipal officials say, by Hari
Gautam (kp), Kapilvastu's
10 COVID-19 Patients Came From Mumbai, Sneaked Into
Nepal (rn) [This is due
to the fact that the Oli government refuses Nepalese
citizens entry into Nepal, instead of sending them to
controlled quarantine centres, checking their health
and then transporting them to their home villages!],
Fiscal
budget to prioritise revitalising crisis-hit economy,
by Sujan Dhungana (ht), Restarting
our economy needs thoughtful policy choices, by
Lokesh Todi (rep), Nearly
5,000 foreigners stranded in Nepal due to lockdown
return home (rep) [And
not to forget: The Oli government is not interested to
rescue any Nepali citizen stranded abroad!!]
10/05/2020: Govt
told to handle crisis effectively (ht), Oli
has shown no urgency to call Constitutional Council
meetings to fill vacancies in constitutional bodies:
Earlier, he had tried to bulldoze two ordinances—one
of which he said was to prompt constitutional
appointments, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Foreign
Ministry statement regarding Lipulekh welcome but
needs to be translated into action, say analysts:
According to foreign policy experts, the statement is
just a press release and needs to be followed up with
diplomatic notes that assert Nepal’s claim over the
disputed area, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt
opposes inauguration of link road connecting Lipu
Lekh: Indian Ministry of External Affairs says the
road has been built within Indian territory (ht),
India
began construction of controversial road 12 years ago,
Nepal ‘unaware’, by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal (rep), Exchange
of notes won’t work; take concrete steps to resolve
Lipu Lekh issue with India, China: Prachanda; China,
too, is involved (kh), Biplav
outfit warns of stern struggle against Indian
intervention in Lipulekh (kh), Local
governments at a loss on how to implement
relief-for-work programme: Federal government last
week decided to employ workers from the unorganised
sector in public construction projects, but has not
issued the guidelines to follow in the process, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Gandaki
Province eases restrictions for construction projects
but lacks workers and resources: 24 construction
projects have resumed operations in the city,
according to the Pokhara Metropolitan Office, by
Deepak Pariyar (kp), Government
move to reopen businesses and industries leaves many
scrambling: Factory workers who had gone home, mostly
to their villages, are still locked down, by
Krishana Prasain (kp)
09/05/2020: Thousands
of Nepali migrant workers from Persian Gulf and
Malaysia expected to return home soon: A study by the
Foreign Employment Board has estimated that at least
127,000 migrants will return home immediately once
travel restrictions are lifted, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), Hundreds
of Nepalis stranded at Nepal-India borders as federal
government has yet to respond: Local units in the
bordering areas say they can’t let the people enter
the country until the centre takes a decision, by
Madhav Dhungana (kp), Nepali
Migrant Workers Coming From India During Lockdown
Stranded At No-Man's Land (rn), Ambushes
everywhere: Rolpa folks forced to go through recurring
pain even 14 years after end of Maoist insurgency,
by Dinesh Subedi (rep) [The
then responsible Maoist and army leaders as well as
their political protectors must be made responsible
and brought to justice!], India
opening a road via Lipulekh, a territory that Nepal
claims, is a diplomatic failure: Despite the furore in
Kathmandu over the inclusion of Kalapani on a new
Indian map, the government has done little to reclaim
lands that Nepal claims as its own, by Anil Giri
(kp), Govt
of Nepal responds to India’s unilateral move on
opening link road via Lipulekh (ht) [Can
you hear the laughter of the Indian government?],
Nepal
strongly objects to construction of road by India
connecting Tibet via Nepali territory of Lipulekh
(rep), Nepal
condemns road construction by India inside Nepal’s
territory: Calls on India to refrain from carrying out
any activity inside Nepal’s land (kh), 70
protesters detained in capital as India inaugurates
road through Nepali territory (ht), Upcoming
budget to put new projects on hold as the economy
braces for a hit: The pandemic and the lockdown’s
impacts have meant that revenue collection has fallen,
forcing the government to revise its budgetary
ceilings, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam
Prasain (kp), Fear
Of COVID-19: Ambulance Drivers And Health Workers
Denied Food, Shelters On Way Along (rn)
08/05/2020: Oli
might have avoided the Standing Committee so far but
he can’t keep putting it off forever, say party
leaders: According to ruling party insiders, Oli is
afraid that a Standing Committee meet will lead to
assessment of his government and subsequently, call
for his resignation, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Empty
trails and deserted villages: the pandemic brings the
mountain economy to a standstill: During the spring
trekking season, mountain trails would have been
teeming with tourists, but this year, Covid-19 has
turned these trails ghostly and desolate, by
Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp), Nepal
Army writes to China to expedite delivery of medical
equipment: It will take at least one more week for the
cargo to arrive if the process is not sped up, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [The Nepal
Army should be abolished! In case of a defence against
one of the two big neighbouring countries it would be
completely useless. It is hardly ever up to other
important missions!], Health
experts warn of multiple outbreaks if contact tracing
efforts are not ramped up: Lack of coordination among
government agencies is said to be the major factor
behind the delay, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Police
officials adopt stringent measures to prevent people
from entering Valley without valid reason: Officials
seize permits issued to people found misusing them,
by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Food
and livelihood insecurity during a pandemic: As the
services sector is bound to face a long and hard
journey to a revival, the agro sector will be all the
more important, by Apsara Karki (kp), Hundreds
of homebound Nepalis stranded in no-man’s-land in
Kapilvastu: Scores of people gathered at the border
attempted to enter Nepal on Monday, but they were
stopped by security personnel of the Armed Police
Force, by Manoj Paudel and San ju Poudel (kp) [Thank you Mr Oli for contributing
so extensively to spreading the virus among desperate
Nepalese migrant workers! The returnees have every
right to enter their home country. It is your duty, Mr
Oli, to place them in safe quarantine stations in
Nepal, check their health and then transport them
safely and quickly to their home villages!], Security
personnel fire a warning shot to disperse crowd at a
border point in Bara, by Laxmi Sah and Kamal
Panthi (kp), Nepal
Drops In International Rating On Central Government
Budget Transparency (rn) [see survey
related to Nepal], IBP
Survey ranks Nepal 65th in terms of budget
transparency, accountability (rep)
07/05/2020: When
leaders go rogue: What remains of Oli is a
megalomaniac besieged by his own comrades, by
Avasna Pandey (kp), The
treason of KP Oli and civil society leaders: Is
political stability really worth keeping Oli in power,
even after his mafia-like manoeuvres?, by Pramod
Mishra (kp), The
fault lines of civil society: The very idea of civil
society is artificially manufactured and promoted by
the elites to negotiate with political power of the
'state' and economic power of the 'market' and to
undermine the 'cultural strength' of the society,
by Chandra D. Bhatta (rep), Opportunity
For Stronger Unity In NCP, by Gopal Khanal (rn) [Yes, by replacing all top leaders
of the party!!], Lockdown
Extended Until May 19 With Selective Relaxation,
by Purushottam P. Khatri (rn ), Government
extends lockdown until May 18: International flights
to be suspended and border to remain sealed until
May-end (kp), Nationwide
lockdown extended till May 18: International, domestic
flights to remain suspended till May 31: Border to
remain sealed, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [Against
the background of how inconsistently the lockdown is
being carried out and in view of the fact that the Oli
government is leaving tens of thousands of Nepalese
citizens completely helpless and in despair, the whole
measure can only be described as ineffective nonsense.
This is also proven by the rapidly growing number of
proven Covid cases, which in reality is probably much
higher!], People
continue entering valley defying lockdown (ht), These
44 types of industries will be allowed to operate from
tomorrow (rep) [And how
can the people gop to work under total lockdown and
without transport facilities??], Security
personnel working in high risk zone of Covid -19 lack
proper safety gear: Nepal Police personnel are being
mobilised for contact tracing and transporting
suspected patients to health facilities, by Shuvam
Dhungana (kp), Poorly
implemented: The lockdown in its current form cannot
be sustained for a long period. The government must
ramp up testing and tracing (kp), Province
5 to expand the capacity of healthcare facilities
given the growing number of coronavirus cases: Three
districts in the province—Banke, Rupandehi and
Kapilvastu—will collectively set up 3,000 bed-strong
quarantine facilities for those who have and may
return from India, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), With
the new twist in internal dynamics, ruling party
defers Standing Committee: Oli walks out of
Secretariat meeting, citing health reasons, after
coming under pressure again, by Anil Giri (kp), Ruling
NCP’s Standing Committee meeting put off (ht), Review
Election System For Stability, by Mukti Rijal
(rn), FinMin
Khatiwada says govt can’t afford relief package to
business sector: If you need relief, pay more tax: FM
says to private sector (kh), Avenues
of research on Coronavirus pandemic; socio-economic
implications, by Padam Raj Paneru (kh)
06/05/2020: No
time to lose in bringing Nepalis home: It is shameful
that it has taken over a month for the government to
begin talking about rescue flights (kp), A
deal might have been reached in the ruling party but
suspicions remain: Many party leaders do not trust Oli
to live up to his promises, given numerous past
instances of him not implementing agreements, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Despite
calls to ease the lockdown, high-level committee
recommends extension: The high-level committee to
control Covid-19 has concluded that opening up the
country right now is not a wise move, given the rising
number of coronavirus cases, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), Lockdown
likely to be extended, decision today (ht), Nepal
extends nationwide lockdown till May 18 (kh), Government
extends nationwide lockdown till May 18 (rep), Industries
may operate on priority basis (ht), Direction
for rent waiver falls on deaf ears (ht), Reeling
under virus crisis, IPPAN seeks rescue (ht), Biplav
outfit leader Bandhu Chand released after 14 months
(kh) [The Bandhu Chand case is
a prime example of the criminal contempt of judicial
decisions by the Oli government!], Procurement
of medical supplies from China uncertain, by
Gajendra Basnet (kh)
05/05/2020: Government
and organisations at odds over distributing cash as
relief: After the government prevented domestic and
foreign non-government organisations from distributing
relief in cash, they write a joint letter to draw its
attention, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), District
attorney office takes Yadav abduction complaint but
only after a counter-complaint by the accused:
Complaint by ruling party leaders accused of
kidnapping lawmaker Surendra Yadav is aimed at
defusing the case, lawyers say, by Tika R. Pradhan
and Binod Ghimire (kp), Yadav
finally gets to lodge FIR against ex-IGP, NCP MPs
(ht), Government
considers bringing back Nepali migrant workers from
Covid-19-affected countries: Foreign Minister Gyawali
says everyone will not be brought home at once, those
in urgent need to return home will be prioritised in
the first phase, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Govt
plans to evacuate over 35,000 illegal migrants
(ht), Without
proper contact tracing, the lockdown will have little
effect, doctors say: Public health experts warn that
failure to expand contact tracing, especially in
Covid-19 hotspots, and not testing all suspects could
be costly, by Arjun Poudel (kp), ‘Test,
trace, test to arrest COVID transmission’ Experts call
for seven-fold jump in tests — from an average of 139
a day at present to 1,000, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht),
Karnali
Province completely sealed off for a week: Even though
the province hasn’t reported any cases so far, the
provincial government decided to exercise caution in
light of the growing coronavirus cases in two
neighbouring provinces, by Kalendra Sejuwal (kp),
Finance
minister says revenue gap can be filled through
foreign aid (ht) [???],
Workers’
unions refuse to obey HAN’s decision (ht), Synergic
Efforts To Avert Recession, by Uttam Maharjan
(rn), Riddles
of electoral democracy: Is there any rational to
participate in voting? Why are we voting? For whom are
we voting? Isn’t it time to look for an improved
system of securing representation even when that
happens through voting?, by Pranab Kharel and
Gaurab KC (rep)
04/05/2020: Oli’s
reckless adventurism: Almost without exception, the
prime minister has long staked a position that went
against social and political liberalism, by Deepak
Thapa (kp), Where
government efforts have faltered, the people have come
to the rescue: In the absence of governmental efforts,
many individuals and communities across the country
are working to ensure that relief reaches the most
vulnerable, by Aditi Aryal (kp) [The
top politicians in government and political parties
are only interested in their power struggles. They
know neither their duties nor the rules of democracy,
not to mention human rights and respect for the
constitution and laws!], Government
aims to support workers from unorganised sector with
relief-for-work programme: Urban development and
federal affairs ministries have submitted the list of
potential jobs to the finance ministry, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Over
70 percent of industrial workers denied pay, survey
finds: A majority of employers in the formal sector
flouted government order and withheld their staff
salaries for the month of Chaitra, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), Govt
mulling to extend lockdown for two weeks (kh), Budget
planning: The government must buck its own trend of
non-performance to ensure employment to Nepalis
(kp), Change
approach to testing and plan for possible outbreak
before lifting lockdown, experts suggest: Health
Ministry working on plans to create into ‘red’,
‘yellow’ and ‘green’ zones based on risk of spread of
the coronavirus, by Arjun Poudel (kp), How
the crisis in ruling party was averted and each leader
got what they wanted: A deal has been reached to allow
KP Sharma Oli to continue as prime minister for the
full five-year term while Pushpa Kamal Dahal gets to
run the party and Bamdev Gautam to enter Parliament,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp)
03/05/2020: Can
human rights be set aside in our fight against
Covid-19? The answer is no. We have to do everything
possible to make sure human rights are front and
centre when we deal with the pandemic, by Mohna
Ansari (kp), Media
facing hard time during pandemic (ht), Press
freedom violation and political intolerance on the
rise in Nepal, says report: The Annual World Press
Freedom Report paints a grim picture of freedom of
expression, press freedom and rights of journalists in
the past year (kp), Ensure
strict implementation of lockdown: PM; 'Don't allow
Nepali citizens stranded in India to enter Nepal'
(kh) [All Nepalese citizens
have the right to retun to their country! It is the
duty of the PM and his goverment to take care of their
safe return! Oli tries to cover up his incompetence
with authoritarian orders!], By
courting Dahal and Gautam, Oli has effectively
silenced opponents’ calls for his resignation: Oli has
offered to get Gautam elected to the lower house ‘at
an appropriate time’, and has broken the Bhaisepati
alliance—at least for now, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Oli,
Dahal-Nepal camps avert crisis in NCP: Leaders engage
in self-criticism, party to field Gautam for HoR polls,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Reports
of NCP fielding Bamdev Gautam from Palpa-1 are
baseless: NCP MP Rana (rep) [Democracy
along the authoritarian Oli way? Hopefully,
the voters will know how to punish such misbehaviour!],
Covid-19:
Impact and response: The current economic growth
predictions, although abysmal, can still be
optimistic; the government needs to prepare
accordingly, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Gandaki
Province eases lockdown restrictions for industries
and construction projects: With the decision, all
hardware stores, vehicle workshops and other stores
with essentials for construction and agriculture work
will open in the province, by Deepak Pariyar (kp),
Construction
works continue despite lockdown in Myagdi and Rasuwa:
The local units have continued infrastructure work,
such as drinking water projects and dam projects to
prevent landslides, while restricting the movement of
people across wards, by Ghanshyam Khadga (kp), WHO
and Nepal: Filling the void in pandemic preparedness,
by Sumnima Karki (kh)
02/05/2020: The
Wisdom Of Statesperson, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), International
rights bodies, UN welcome Supreme Court decision on
transitional justice: Government should now amend the
law to comply with the verdict, they say, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), SC’s
decision reaffirms need to amend transitional justice
law: Rights bodies (ht), Oli
seizes May Day address to take the media to task for
“promoting instability”: While Oli’s aversion to the
media is nothing new, commentators say that it is
worrying that the prime minister has threatened to use
the ruling party to combat dissent, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [No one causes
more instability in Nepal than Khadga Prasad Sharma
Oli. His threat to the media, adorned with false
statements, is an authoritarian attack on basic human
rights and democracy!], Create
employment opportunities for workers affected due to
Covid-19 through new budget, say experts: As workers
at home struggle without jobs and tens of thousands of
migrant workers are likely to return home, experts
suggest the government should be ready to provide jobs
through the upcoming budget, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), On
International Labour Day, workers remain under
lockdown racked with uncertainty caused by Covid-19
pandemic: Labour right activists say the government
has failed to assure worker’ safety and employment
even if they have been languishing at home and abroad
for a long time now, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp),
All
eyes on Oli as Secretariat members await his roadmap
to address party feud: While Gautam toys with the idea
of taking charge as prime minister, Nepal and Dahal
are not keen on the proposal, party insiders say,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The
current constitution would not be worth the paper it
was printed on if a politician who has been rejected
by the people on several occasions and is therefore
not even a member of parliament were made prime
minister!], Lockdown
restrictions loosened as worries about food shortages
rise: Agriculture Inputs Company in Dhangadhi starts
distributing chemical fertiliser to farmers, by
Mohan Budhair (kp), Govt
plans to ease lockdown, restart economy: Colour coding
of districts toreflect coronavirus intensity, by
Sabitri Dhakal (ht), Government’s
stimulus packages inadequate, laments private sector
(ht), Hospitals
turn away patients with fever, by Laxmi Gautam
(ht), What
happens to MCC deal is a big question as rival
factions prevail in ruling NCP, by Kosh Raj
Koirala (rep), Govt’s
decision to procure weapons draws flak (kh)
01/05/2020: Human
rights monitoring panel formed in all districts:
Government urged to protect migrant workers and
students during lockout (ht), OHCHR
urges govt to amend TJ law in support of SC ruling
(rep) [see OHCHR
Press briefing note on Nepal], Four
int'l HR bodies urge govt to immediately amend TJ law
in line with Supreme Court ruling (rep) [see press
statement by AI, HRW, ICJ and TRIAL
International], Information,
please! The government needs to communicate its
lockdown policies better to the people, by Amish
Raj Mulmi (kp), Cyber
Bureau arrests journo for social media post (ht),
After
police and district attorney’s refusal to take
complaint, lawmaker Surendra Yadav approaches human
rights commission: Commission asks Nepal Police to
explain in writing why it refused to register Yadav’s
case and ensure his and his family’s safety (kp),
Not
many are buying Oli’s proposal to make Bamdev Gautam
prime minister: As Gautam’s road to the prime
ministership is fraught with complications, party
leaders believe that Oli is simply trying to buy some
time, by Anil Giri (kp) [It
is unconstitutional to even submit to such a proposal,
which is evidence of the power-hungry degeneration of
Nepal's political leadership, whose predominantly male
Bahuns regard control of the country as a closed shop!],
Hurdles
in Bamdev Gautam becoming prime minister (ht), Oli’s
twin offer creates ripples in ruling NCP, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht) [PM Oli shows
his Hindu-political attitude by using the main means (upaya)
of politics (rajniti), which according to the
rules of Arthashastra are at the disposal of a Hindu
monarch to maintain his power: negotiation (saman),
punishment or attack (danda), bribery (dana)
and division or sowing discord (bheda). He also
applies the three other upaya: deception (maya),
ignoring (upeksa) and misrepresentation of the
facts (indrajala)!], Refocus
efforts: Ruling party mustn't allow political drama to
overshadow more pressing needs (kp), Stigma
against health workers, patients and area locals
continues in coronavirus hotspots: In districts like
Udayapur that have reported a high number of Covid-19
cases, health workers and local residents are being
shunned and treated as pariahs, by Arhun Poudel
(kp), Government
likely to continue local infrastructure development
programme fund despite criticism: The way the money is
spent, however, will be changed in the new fiscal
year, says National Planning Commission, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [The only reason
why these funds are channelled through the directly
elected deputies, who are not responsible for local
development at all, is to ensure their re-election at
the next elections, i.e. political corruption!
Besides, the incumbent PM naturally wants to keep the
MPs in line!], Around
1,300 Nepalis stranded in bordering Indian district
brought home: Hundreds of home-bound Nepali workers
were quarantined in the border area after Nepal-India
border was sealed amid fear of Covid-19 around a month
ago, by Manoj Badu (kp) [It
would have been the duty of the Oli government to
arrange this about five weeks ago!], Govt
launches relief package targeting workers, by
Sujan Dhungana (ht), Four
children killed in a bomb blast in Rolpa: Two of the
deceased children are said to be from the same family,
by Kashiram Dangi (kp), Poultry
farmers in distress with trade stopped dead in its
tracks: Without subsidised insurance premiums and bank
loans, the poultry business could collapse, chicken
raisers said, by Sanju Poudel (kp), FNJ
seeks aid for media houses (ht), Media
is creating instability in the country: PM Oli
(rep) [????], Health
Minister Dhakal hints at easing lockdown after May 7
(rep), NCP
task force concludes MCC is part of Indo-Pacific
Strategy: Suggests amending 11 points of MCC Compat
(kh)
30/04/2020: WFP
sounds food crisis warning (ht), SC
orders govt to fully implement sentence determination
Act (rep), Following
the World Bank, Central Bureau of Statistics too
revises growth rate to 2.27: The revision is a sharp
fall from 8.5 percent that the government had set for
the economy this year, but even a 2.27 growth is
optimistic, economists say, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), Janata
Samajbadi Party lawmaker Yadav knocks NHRC door,
accusing NCP lawmakers and ex-IGP Khanal of kidnapping
him (rep), Cornered
everywhere, Oli looks to Parliamentary Party for
support, but even there, he’s short: As Oli’s
opponents control the party Secretariat, Standing
Committee, and Central Committee with sizeable
majorities, the only chance he stands is in the
Parliamentary Party, by Tika R. Pradhan and Anil
Giri (kp), In
a bid to buy more time, Oli dangles prime minister and
party chair bait to Gautam and Nepal: Oli, whose
position has become tenuous, made the surprise
proposal after Secretariat members asked him to step
down, by Anil Giri (kp) [Oli
once again proves that he neither knows the Nepalese
constitution nor is he interested in democratic
principles and procedures: The person to be elected
Prime Minister must be a member of parliament.
However, Gautam has been repeatedly rejected by the
electorate, a fact that also disqualifies him from a
moral point of view!], PM
Oli offers to make Gautam new PM in a bid to settle
intra-party disputes (rep), Abdication
of governance: Power in a democracy has been perceived
as a tool to empower the many, but in practice, it has
benefitted only a few, by Siddhartha Thapa (kp), Blanket
ban on international arrivals will not stop new
Covid-19 cases, experts say: As people continue to
cross the border illegally, experts suggest that it is
better to allow them to enter the country, send them
to quarantine, maintain their records and send them
home (kp) [This should
have been understood by the Oli government from the
very first moment!], Valley
sees rise in number of lockdown violators after
lockdown extension: Police say many people have been
using alternative routes to enter the Valley in recent
days, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Nepal’s
response to COVID-19: Initiatives, challenges, future
pathways, by Sujan B. Marahatta (ht), Lost
in translation: The people deserve more essential
health services, and the government must clarify and
publicise what’s available (kp), Home
Work On To Bring Nepalis Stranded Abroad: Government
(rn), Cash-strapped
youths set on foot to Kailali from Bajura amid
lockdown (ht), COVID-19
recovery must deliver universal health insurance,
safety nets and affordable internet access: UN
(rep), Journalist
Pathak arrested on charge of defaming NCP chairman
Dahal (rep), What
is the next wave?, by Sambridhi Gyawali (rep), Worst
is yet to come: As long as Oli remains in power, there
will be conflict inside the NCP and uproar against
him. Once he goes, there may be a celebration for some
time but another series of power games will follow,
by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), 4,532
foreigners return home thru 34 int’l flights during
lockdown (kh) [No Nepali
could return home in a legal way thanks to the failed
politics of the Oli government!]
29/04/2020: After
police, district attorney also refuses to register
complaint against alleged kidnapping of lawmaker
Yadav: District attorney asked the complainants to
leave an application, but didn’t file the complaint,
Janata Samajbadi leaders said (kp), JSP-N
MP’s abduction case a hot potato: Govt attorney
accused of turning deaf ear to kidnapping complaint
against ex-IG, lawmakers (ht), In
Province 5, sexual harassment and domestic abuse cases
are getting more severe: A large number of sexual
harassment cases in the province still go unreported,
said police, by Sanju Poudel (kp), Measles
outbreaks reported in five districts including in
Kathmandu and Lalitpur in last one month: Doctors
warns continuous disruption in routine immunisation
could put lives of thousands of children at risk,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), House
of correction: The federal government needs to work in
coordination with other subgovernments (kp), Nepalis
stranded in India continue to brave Mahakali River to
return home: More than 30 people tried to cross the
boundary river this weekend, by Manoj Badu (kp), Faced
with an increasingly hostile party, Oli makes last
ditch efforts to retain his position: His opponents,
however, are firm in their opposition, leading Oli to
warn his confidantes to prepare for consequences,
including a party split, by Tika Pradhan and Anil
Giri (kp), Unity
of the two Madhesi parties could be hamstrung by a
lack of coherence among their leaders: Analysts are
wary of welcoming the unification of the two
Madhes-based parties as they see it as a reactive move
rather than a unity born out of shared agendas, by
Anil Giri (kp), As
the essential goods continue to flow inside country,
Health Ministry issues safety protocal for officials
and drivers dealing with import of goods: Drivers and
their assistants need to self-declare they are free of
Covid-19, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Everybody
wants to be an autocrat: The politicisation of crime
is a relatively common affair in clientelism, by
CK Lal (kp), Volunteers
delivering fresh vegetables to people's homes at farm
price: Locals said the social work being done by the
youths had provided them much relief, by Durgalal
KC (kp), Media
industry seeks govt relief as revenue source hit
(ht)
28/04/2020: Supreme
Court thwarts attempt to retain amnesty provisions in
transitional justice law: The government now has no
option but to amend the law to adhere to the court’s
February 2015 landmark order, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Corrupting
democracy: The Oli administration and the ruling party
have together bulldozed the very pillars of a
legitimate state (kp), Oli's
hara-kiri, in kamikaze style: The prime minister’s
manoeuvres have taken the spotlights away from the
government’s handling of the novel coronavirus, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Factions
fail to see eye to eye, leaving Oli in a tenuous
position in the ruling party: After failing to reach a
deal with the Madhav Nepal faction, Oli will now face
the Secretariat and the Standing Committee, both of
which are allied against him, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Standing
Committee meet call grows shriller (ht), Without
immediate support, small and medium enterprises on
verge of collapse: Despite employing a majority of the
labour force and making significant contributions to
the GDP, SMEs rarely feature in policy decisions,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Biratnagar
city office calls out Kathmandu local administration
and government for impeding Valley residents from
going home: Biratnagar city had helped 160 Valley
residents to retrun home during lockdown but they were
stopped at Nagdhunga, by Anup Ojha (kp), Has
Covid-19 exposed the stark inequality between Nepal's
haves and have-nots? Social distancing, the primary
weapon to prevent the pandemic from spreading, is a
privilege, by Sushrey Nepal (kp), Communities
come together to respond to the Covid crisis: In an
inspirational display of humanity, several groups
around Kathmandu are making sure the most vulnerable
in our society have food to eat in this time of crisis,
by Srizu Bajracharya and Anup Ojha (kp), Economy
Takes A Knock, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), General
refrain: Ramp up tests, identify red, orange, green
zones, ease lockdown, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), NRB
to bring relief package for businesses next week: Govt
plans stimulus package for businesses through budget
(ht), Removal
of Bhattarai’s interview from Radio Nepal draws flak
(ht), Communications
Ministry seeks clarification from Radio Nepal
Executive Director (kh), Journos
briefly taken into custody (ht), Hundreds
of Kathmandu returnees stranded at Thankot check post
(ht), Helambu
Rural Municipality rescues its people from Kathmandu
(rep), NC,
RPP and People's Socialist Party demand legal action
against those involved in 'kidnapping' lawmaker Yadav
(rep), Reopening
our economy: Nepal is on sick leave, but what next?,
by Sumana Shrestha (rep)
27/04/2020: Fears
of a rise in cases of domestic violence due to the
lockdown may have come to pass: Although official data
says otherwise, anecdotal evidence from helplines and
rights organisations report a significant increase in
cases of gender-based violence, by Aditi Aryal
(kp), Attorney’s
office file a court case against former government
secretary Upadhyaya for cyber crime: Upadhyaya was
arrested for his critical comments against the Oli
government on his social media, by Shuvam Dhungana
(kp), Former
secy charged with ‘defaming govt, prime minister’
(ht), Former
secy Upadhyay’s arrest shows govt hell-bent on
silencing critics (rep), Ex-secretary
Upadhyaya released on bail (kh), It's
a free country: The government must remember it is
serving a democratic country where people have a voice
(kp), SC
rejects govt’s request to review verdict on
transitional justice (rep), Tough
times ahead for Oli as party likely to ask him to
choose between leading the country and leading the
party: A majority of Secretariat and Standing
Committee members have demanded a Standing Committee
meeting where they plan to ask Oli to step down as
prime minister, by Anil Giri (kp), Rival
NCP faction miffed at Prime Minister Oli (ht), Nepal
Police’s refusal to register Surendra Yadav abduction
case raises questions about its neutrality: Many
believe police are acting on order from on high to not
register the case, especially since: it involves
powerful political actors and a former chief of police,
by Shuvam Dhungana Tika R Pradhan (kp), Police
refuse to book former IG, NCP MPs (ht), Nationwide
lockdown extended till May 7 (ht), Prime
Minister’s Employment Programme may not provide
expected relief to migrant workers affected by
Covid-19, analysts say: The government had pinned its
hopes on the scheme to provide jobs to thousands of
people, but the programme’s track record gives little
to cheer about, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Rights
body urges government to study situation of Nepalis
stranded in foreign countries: The National Human
Rights Commission has asked the government to make
arrangements for food and shelter for Nepali workers
in foreign labour destinations and to plan for their
rescue, repatriation and reintegration if the
situation further worsens, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), An
unfolding tragedy: The prime minister may be down but
is not out. Further conflict between claimants to
power will cost us more, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal
(kp), Vegetable
imports banned to promote local products and keep
virus at bay: Officials are working to bring fresh
produce directly from the farmers' fields to consumers,
by Durga Lal KC (kp), Activists
running food distribution campaign in Valley amid
lockdown (rep), Govt
tightens noose on rescue of stranded people (kh),
Special
permit not required for vehicles transporting
essential goods (kh)
26/04/2020: Health
Ministry recommends extending the lockdown by a week
or allowing the provinces to decide on their own: But
no matter what measures the government takes, Covid-19
is not going away any time soon, doctors say, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), Colleges
start online classes but students don’t have reliable
internet access: Tribhuvan University has requested
telecom service providers to reduce the price of the
mobile data plans, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Instead
of letting veggies rot, this trader is delivering it
to the needy for free, by Anup Ojha (kp), Hundreds
of Nepalis quarantined in India come home via Sunauli
and Krishnanagar: Authorities have coordinated with
the respective local units to transport the returnees
home, by Madhav Dhungana and Manoj Paudel (kp), More
than 1,000 people entered Sindhupalchok in the last
few days but none were quarantined: Quarantine
facilities have been set up across three
municipalities and nine rural municipalities in the
district but most remain unoccupied, by Anish
Tiwari (kp) [???], Taplejung
runs out of subsidised rice supply as demand soars
during lockdown: Food Management and Trading Company
Ltd has requested the centre to supply 1,000 quintals
of rice to fulfil the demand, by Ananda Gautam
(kp), Retailers
continue to raise vegetable prices despite wholesale
rates hitting rock bottom: Retail prices of
cauliflower, cabbage, squash, bitter gourd, pumpkin
and tomato have increased by Rs 25-30 per kg, by
Krishana Prasain (kp), Jajarkot
seeks 26,000 quintal rice to avoid food crisis
(ht), Stranded
in Kuwait, undocumented Nepali migrant workers await
repatriation, by Anuj Tiwari (rep), The
ripple effect of COVID-19 on the Nepali economy,
by Prashanna Mahat (kh)
25/04/2020: Municipalities
seek government funds to provide essentials to
families affected by Covid-19 lockdown: Municipal
Association of Nepal have also asked provincial and
federal governments funds to continue their relief
distribution programmes, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Lockdown
affected families continue to struggle for relief
package as Province 2 retains the relief campaign: As
lockdown hit daily wage workers and poor groups await
relief, Province 2 government decides to take over
relief distribution following reports of
irregularities and discriminations during relief
distribution, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Lockdown
adversely affecting vegetable farmers in Dhangadhi:
While the farmers are compelled to throw away their
vegetables due to lack of buyers given the lockdown,
consumers are compelled to buy vegetables from
middlemen at exorbitant prices, by Mohan
Budhaair.(kp), A
normal monsoon this year could boost agricultural
output, if only farmers weren’t under lockdown: A
labour shortage due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a
potential shortage of chemical fertiliser could offset
any potential gains from the monsoon, say economists,
by Sangam Prasain and Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Five
years after earthquake schools and health centres
await reconstruction: The tenure of the national
reconstruction authority likely to be extended by at
least one year, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Repealing
the ordinances might quell dissent but Oli still faces
moral questions: Oli needs to answer for a series of
political events, including an alleged kidnapping,
triggered by the two controversial ordinances, say
leaders and analysts, by Anil Giri (kp), Lockdown
measures gradually loosen up in Province 5 with no
Covid-19 positive case detected so far: Even though
the province has zero cases so far, the risk is still
high, given many districts in the province share
borders with India, by Ghanashyam Gautam (kp), In
Baglung, District Crisis Committee orders locals to
clear fences set up at entry points to ward off the
movement of people: In Parbat, the fences are still
intact despite the fact that the police have been
deployed at major entry points to scrutinise the
movements of people, by Prakash Baral and Agandhar
Tiwari (kp), Restaurant
workers put under financial strain due to extended
lockdown: With restaurants being shuttered for more
than a month, many workers have lost their income,
by Krishana Prasain (kp), Two
Villages In Bardiya Sealed After Indian Laborers
Tested Positive For COVID-19, by Siraj Khan (rn),
The
Noble Culture Of Givingby Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Red
Cross Movement to back Nepal in crisis (ht), Quake
survivors struggle in crammed homes, housing grant
insufficient (ht), Suspension
of domestic, int’l flights extended till May 15,
Cabinet to decide on lockdown extension (rep), High-level
Committee concludes not to ease lockdown outright
Agriculture, healthcare and food supply management
sector to go unaffected (kh) [unaffected???],
Two
Unacceptable Ordinances, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar
(km)
24/04/2020: Fighting
disinformation during COVID-19 pandemic, by Prem
Lamichhane (kh), Deterred
by criticisms, govt withdraws ordinances (kh), PM
Oli’s mission hits a snag, by Ishwar Dev Khanal
(kh), How
Oli aimed ordinances at splitting parties but instead
led to their merger: The ordinances, introduced on
Monday, culminated in a political drama that saw
allegations of kidnapping and the merger of two
Madhesi parties long at odds, by Tika R. Pradhan
and Anil Giri (kp), Cabinet
decides to recommend repealment of two ordinances that
were promulgated on Monday: The Oli government
backtracks on ordinance decisions after widespread
criticism, including from within the ruling party,
by Tika R. Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Our
Democracy is under attack, by Akshya Aryal (ht), Undermining
Loktantra: It seems that the large electoral mandate
has been misinterpreted by the prime minister
(kp), Reviving
the world after Covid-19 crisis: Focusing on
development work in line with SDGs will be important
in the days to come, by Gokarna Awasthi (kp), 'Govt
Not In Situation To Lift Lockdown' (rn), 24,859
Overseas Returnees Traced, by Purushottam P Khatri
(rn), COVID-19
Takes Heavy Toll On Remittance Inflow (rn), SRJP-N,
SP-N unify, register new party at EC: Poll panel
to decide by tomorrow; New ordinance proves to be a
catalyst for unification, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht),
SP-N
alleges party lawmaker abducted (ht), Preparing
for Nepal’s returnees: Planning repatriation of Nepali
workers abroad has to go hand in hand with providing
for them where they are, by Upasana Khadka (nt), Human
Rights in the time of COVID-19, by Sushil Koirala
(ht)
23/04/2020: Nepal
loses six spots on global press freedom index to rank
112th out of 180 countries: Environment for
journalists working for independent media outlets has
been extremely difficult, Reporters Without Borders
report says, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), On
the eve of 14th Loktantra Diwas, PM Oli reignited
“dirty games” in Nepali politics (rep), President’s
swift approval of Monday’s ordinances has many
wondering about her role: This is not the first time
that President Bhandari’s influence on Prime Minister
Oli, and vice-versa, has been called into question,
by Anil Giri (kp), Four
political parties condemn ordinances: A meeting held
at Nepali Congress’ central office in Sanepa demanded
the federal parliament be convened immediately
(kp), Oli
in favour of letting leaders split parties (ht), Some
relief package: Officials should serve the people, not
con them (kp), Dying
to get home: Both Modi and Oli did not have the
imagination and sensitivity to anticipate the
hardships that migrant workers would face by the
lockdown, by Pramod Mishra (kp), On
ending this lockdown: The end of Covid-19 is not
imminent. Meanwhile, life cannot be put on hold
without plans for a way out, by Manesh Shrestha
(kp), Medical
Supplies Arrive From India, China (rn), India
provides 23 tonnes of medicines to Nepal (ht), COVID-19'S
Impact On Labour Migration: Remittance Inflows To
Reduce By 20% (rn), Balanced
Policy, Coordinated Approach, by Gopal Khanal
(rn), Haemophilia
patients lack medicines to plug bleeding: The
situation has worsened after movement of international
flights was disrupted, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), Jajarkot
facing shortage of essential drugs (ht), Crowds
gathering at pick-up points at risk of infection,
by Ujjwal Satyal (ht), NPI
drafts policy-level recommendations on migrant workers
(ht), Vegetable
import from India continues while farmers lament lack
of market (ht), Lockdown
will continue until COVID-19 cases are brought under
control: PM (rep)
22/04/2020: Chepangs
face a humanitarian crisis: The impact of the lockdown
on vulnerable communities does not appear on the
government's radar, by Biwash Chepang (kp), With
hundreds of thousands of migrants predicted to return
home, Nepal needs to brace for a crisis: Hundreds of
thousands of Nepalis who work abroad are likely to
lose their jobs in the aftermath of the Covid-19
pandemic, and they will come home looking for
employment, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp) [The leading
politicians in government and parties are only
interested in power struggles! They do not understand
their main tasks in the interest of the state and the
people! PM Oli's recent actions are the best example!],
Oli’s
ordinance issuance draws criticism as an attack on
democratic values and constitutional spirit: Leaders
from his own party and the opposition as well as
experts describe issuing ordinances at a time of a
pandemic as the government’s misplaced priority,
by Anil Giri (kp), Unilateral
separation: Oli’s move to ram through controversial
ordinances is not a good sign for democracy and
cooperation (kp), Like
most vulnerable groups, soon-to-be and new mothers
face an uncertain near future: With hospitals and
public transportation shut, expecting and new mothers
can’t go for regular check-ups for themselves and
their children, by Elisha Shrestha & Thomas
Heaton (kp), Two
weeks on, 181 people quarantined in Jamunaha still
waiting to get home: Nepalis, including migrant
workers from 26 districts arrived at the border
crossing from various parts of India, by Rupa
Gahatraj (kp), Bardiya’s
poor are starving while the local unit has been slow
to distribute relief: According to data by the ward
office, around 200 daily wage earners in the ward have
been severely affected by the lockdown, by Kamal
Panthi (kp), Kalaiya
mayor arrested on charge of selling substandard
lentils: Police on Saturday sealed a grocery store run
by Raya and sent the sample of the lentils to the
Regional Food Technology and Quality Control Office in
Hetauda for a quality test, by Laxmi Sah (kp), Government
prepares to seal Udayapur district following
confirmation of 11 new Covid-19 cases in a day:
According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control
Division, all the patients who tested positive for
Covid-19 on Tuesday were asymptomatic, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), More
than 400 prisoners released from across the country to
prevent outbreak of Covid-19: Over half of those
released were serving their time in juvenile
correction homes: Court had ordered government to free
jailbirds sentenced up to a year for minor crimes,
by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Of
the total 5,000 entering Jumla in a month, the number
of people tested for Covid-19 is in the hundreds: The
local administration admitted that most of the people
sent home from quarantine were not tested for Covid-19,
by LP Devkota (kp), Govt
plans to let industries operate from next week
(ht), Food
product factories resume operations at reduced
capacity: Pokhara Industrial Estate, which was
shuttered after the lockdown was announced, threw open
its gates on Monday, by Lal Prasd Sharma (kp), COVID-19:
Yet Again Poor Are Hardest Hit, by Achyut Tiwari
(rn), Plight
Of Labourers And Migrant Workers, by Namrata
Sharma (rn), Three
Nepalis arrested for entering country during lockdown,
sent back to India, by Prabhat Kumar Jha (ht) [????], Thousands
of stranded people transported to their hometowns
(ht), Nepal
slips 6 ranks on RSF index (ht) [Lowest ranking
since 2014! See RSF comment
and index 2020],
200
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