11/12/2019: Female
deputy speakers of various provinces complain of being
given rights, but no responsibilit: The task of the
deputy speaker is to run the house in the speaker’s
absence but the position doesn’t allow one to take
decisions independently, by Pratiksha Kafle (kp),
Nepal
moves up in Human Development Index but still lags
behind in South Asia. Nepal’s human development index
of 0.579 indicates that people are living longer, are
more educated and have greater incomes, according to
the Human Development Report, by Sangam Prasain
(kp) [see
UNDP report on Nepal], Nepal
inches up one spot in HDI ranking (rep), Human
development: Nepal up 2 spots (ht), Overall
human rights situation dismal: NHRC (ht), Nagarik
reporter injured in police assault, by Rajan Shah
(rep), Police
want to be friends with the community but they act
more like foes: Time and again, police quickly resort
to baton charges and physical violence to deal with
protests, even when unnecessary, by Anup Ojha
(kp), Lack
of health facilities deprives Nepalis of medical care:
Concerned government agencies are responsible for
inequalities in human development, experts say, by
Arjun Poudel [kp], Abused
and forced to flee: How unchecked superstition
displaced a family in Dolakha: Belief in superstition
and the abuse of human rights that comes with it is
widespread in this mountainous district of about
200,000 people, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp) Implement
verdict, local levels told: There are no legal
provisions that allow local level
office-bearers to draw salary (ht)
10/12/2019: Nepali
women say they are not just ‘cheli’ but individuals in
their own right: Many have protested the media’s use
of the word ‘cheli’ to refer to women athletes,
arguing that it is patronising and demeaning, by
Ankit Khadgi (kp), Worrying
signals in the economy: Policy failures and the
inability to mitigate the increase of corruption will
hit Nepal’s economy hard, by Achyut Wagle (kp), NC
likely to lose 7 seats in upper house, by Ashok
Dahal (rep), Renounce
violence, sit for talks (rep), Civil
Society As A Public Sphere, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
09/12/2019: What
should NHRC do? While NHRC has to do the regular job
of protecting and promoting human rights, it also has
to ensure that those people who grossly violated human
rights are punished, by Mohna Ansari (rep), High
cost of jet fuel in Kathmandu airport is keeping
foreign airlines away: Airlines pay $1 per litre to
fuel up at Tribhuvan International Airport, compared
to $0.55 per litre in Delhi, a new government report
says, by Sangam Prasain (kp) [High
ground handling charges, twice as high as at other
international airports, are another reason for foreign
airlines not to fly to TIA. Quite obviously, the
government does not want to increase the number of
incoming tourists!], Corruption
watchdog tells government to either terminate sick
contracts or speed up construction works: As many as
1,848 contracts related to seven ministries worth a
cumulative Rs118 billion have been found to be sick,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘Protecting
human rights a challenge’ (ht), Gurung
recommended for head of National Information
Commission (rep)
08/12/2019: Continued
political interference is weakening crucial
constitutional bodies: Though such commissions are
envisioned as independent agencies, parties have not
allowed them to function independently, experts say,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Madhesi
inclusion in judiciary still a far cry (ht), Anger
brews within ruling party (rep)
07/12/2019: Supreme
Court asks government to halt plans for Nijgadh
airport: The judge has invited both the petitioners
and defendants to discuss the matter, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), SC
bars felling of trees in Nijgadh: There are 500 to 600
years old trees. They should be preserved (ht), SC
stays Nijgadh airport construction work (rep), Six
universities have been without vice-chancellors for
months, but government has done precious little to
appoint them: Committees formed to recommend names are
waiting for consensus among parties, officials and
experts say, by Bionod Ghimire (kp) [They
have their almighty and energetic chancellor Oli. What
else do they need Vice-Chancellors?], EC
to consult political parties for NA election (ht),
MPs
flay govt for not being serious about border security
(rep)
06/12/2019: Police
arrest brother-in-law of Parbati Budha who died in a
menstruation hut in Achham: This is the first arrest
since the country criminalised Chhaupadi in August
2017, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal
is positive about being part of State Partnership
Program under Indo-Pacific Strategy, minister tells
visiting US official: Defence Minister Pokhrel’s
communication comes at a time when Kathmandu has been
rejecting any role and engagement in the US-led
comprehensive policy, by Anil Giri (kp) [??],
Without
calendar, House sessions are called at government’s
convenience: Officials say winter session will
commence soon, but no one knows when, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Electoral
reforms: To ensure free, fair polls, by Krishna
Man Pradhan (ht), Security
Provisions In Constitution, by Bigyan Sharma (rn)
05/12/2019: Banishing
women to “period huts” is a national shame: Young
girls and women losing their precious lives to a
deadly superstition is distressing (kp) [It's
not only a shame, it's a grave crime!], For
greater activism: The local school is a good place for
intervention, where an appropriate curriculum could
help create awareness among the students (ht)
[related to chhaupadi crime], Oli
likely to be discharged from the hospital on Friday:
Doctors involved in the prime minister’s treatment are
mulling another kidney transplant, but say it will be
done only after two to three months due to his health
condition, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [But
his health is good enough to run Nepal's executive?
This is absolutely irresponsible towards the country
and its citizens!], Victims
of domestic violence must make the decision to take
back control of their lives: The national mission to
end domestic violence must be taken to every family,
school, workplace, courtroom, cabinet and police
station, by Madhuri Rana Singh (kp), Children
feature most in media coverage on human trafficking
(ht), Directive
to cover potholes: Yet another deja vu, by Jiba
Raj Pokharel (ht)
04/12/2019: Menstruation
huts become death traps: 17 die in sheds in ten years,
by Prakash Singh (ht) [If men
cannot stay in the house together with menstruating
women, then men must leave the house and stay in
sheds!!], Transitional
justice: Truth is its foundation; Transitional justice
is a challenge by which we test ourselves, our vision
of the future and the kind of society we want to build
out of the rubble of the decade of conflict, by
Mohna Ansari (ht), NHRC
concerned about status of its recommendation on
differently-abled (ht), Rendered
without work, Poverty Alleviation Fund is now seeking
money to run climate change-related programmes:
Despite an earlier decision to scrap the agency after
local governments were installed, it continues to
exist and it is seeking a new role, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), After
Oli’s reservations, President holds constitutional
council ordinance: The ordinance, forwarded last month
by the government, seeks to allow constitutional
appointments to be made through a majority decision,
as opposed to consensus, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Because of constitutional
responsibility or because of PM order?], A
bold decision by Oli to exit gracefully from active
politics should win him accolades: A rational decision
this time will help the prime minister to restore his
waning public image, by Kushal Pokharel (kp), Ritual
sacrifice at Gadhimai shrine begins, photos barred
(ht 04/12/2019) [This brutal
and completely senseless slaughter of innocent
creatures must never be called a "ritual sacrifice".
It is simply barbaric!], Contempt
of court case against govt, Gadhimai Trust for animal
sacrifice (rep)
03/12/2019: Nembang
all but certain to become next Speaker, party insiders
say: NCP leaders say Pushpa Kamal Dahal could give up
his claim that the position stay with the Maoist
faction, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), State
fails to allocate adequate budget to rebuild
quake-ravaged public schools: The current delay means
students will have to wait a few more years to shift
from makeshift structures, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
The
government’s year-old social security scheme is a
mess: Arbitrary actions, confusing policies and opaque
management will throttle investments and economic
growth, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Right
to Information Act: Most ministries fail to update
their information (ht), NC
registers historic victory in Dharan (ht), Dharan
election, a cause for concern for ruling NCP (ht),
Time
for goods delivery: With the by-elections over, the
government must now concentrate its efforts on goods
and service delivery to the people (ht), Accessibility
for inclusion: For those living with disabilities,
by Pralhad Gairapipli (ht)
02/12/2019: CVCP
calls for parliamentary panel’s meeting (ht), Parliamentary
panel proposes reducing fine against journalists to as
low as Re 1 (rep) [As
long as the threat of punishment is not completely
rejected, journalists remain offenders!], Kathmandu’s
Newars watch cautiously after government hints at
reviving the Guthi Bill: Although officials said the
new land bill will include suggestions from indigenous
communities, local leaders say no one has reached out
to them yet, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Election
results show no major change in political equation
(rep), New
parties face drubbing in by-elections as Nepalis
continue to vote along party lines: “They failed to
convince the voters as to what they would bring to the
table if they were given a chance”, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), In
by-election results, ruling party's popularity
declines but opposition is unable to capitalise:
Contesting polls for the first time as a unified
party, the Nepal Communist Party should’ve won even
more seats, but it failed to perform as expected,
analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Curbing
corruption: Faulty election system of First Past the
Post is one of the main reasons responsible for
motivating political corruption, by Kul Ratna
Bhurtel (rep)
01/12/2019: International
concern: Delay in transitional justice process
(rep), Most
traffickers are relatives of victims, officials say:
Police in the past four fiscal years have rescued
2,333 trafficked persons, statistics show, by
Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Officials
and ministers face contempt case for not enforcing
court order to ban visual pollutants: Four years into
the Supreme Court order, government authorities have
failed to save the city from unsightly advertisements,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), NVC
seeks action against 258 employees (kp) [How
can the Nepalese state dare to force all civil
servants to wear the Hindu caste clothes in office?],
Enraged
locals hold symbolic protest against delay in road
repair, by Ramesh Khatiwada (rep)
30/11/2019: TJ
appointments process hits snags (rep), As
pollution peaks, unsafe air could have detrimental
effects on athletes: With over 6,000 athletes and
officials arriving for the South Asian Games, concerns
about Kathmandu’s air pollution are very appropriate,
environmentalists say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), ‘Domestic
violence prevalent among poor families’, by
Narahari Sapkota (rep)
29/11/2019: Conflict
victims demand government to dissolve the
recommendation and start afresh selection process:
They claim the government is inviting international
intervention by politicising the transitional justice
process, by Binod Ghimire (kp), By-elections
unlikely to affect national politics, analysts say:
Given the organisational structure of the traditional
parties, observers say there is little chance for
newcomers to enter the system, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Former
anti-graft body chief abruptly suspended
investigations into a dozen lawmakers and government
officials, records show: Deep Basnyat, who headed the
Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority
between 2016 and 2018, is being probed for money
laundering, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), In
Parbat, sluggish pace of reconstruction work leaves
victims and officials blaming each other: Only 30
percent of the post-quake reconstruction is complete
in the district, where the 2015 quakes saw over 5,000
houses demolished, by Agandhar Tiwari (kp)
28/11/2019: Majority
of the missing persons are never found, but officials
say the data is not telling the whole story: Police
and the officials of the National Child Rights Council
believe many cases are passed as unsolved because the
authorities are almost never informed when a missing
person is found, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), In
Achham, domestic abuse is driving women to depression:
Every week, the Bayalpata Hospital, which has a
dedicated mental health bureau, sees over a hundred
women suffering from depression, doctors say, by
Menuka Dhungana (kp), Oli
handed Dahal the party reins—and took it back just as
quickly: Despite agreeing to make Dahal the executive
chairman of the ruling party, Oli hasn’t shown
willingness to let go of power, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), With
Deputy Speaker powerless, crucial bills get further
delayed: There is ambiguity over whether Deputy
Speaker can chair the first House meet in Speaker’s
absence, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Positions
like Deputy Speaker and Deputy PM should be abolished
immediately! They are only good for por struggle and
waste of money!], Politicians
say the darndest things: Words without action mean
nothing. But our leaders don’t seem to believe so,
by Deepak Thapa (kp)
27/11/2019: Rights
groups’ statement shows the world is watching Nepal’s
transitional justice process, experts say: The
statement from four prominent human rights
organisations is stronger than ones issued in the
past, indicating the international community may be
gradually losing faith in Nepal’s system, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [see joint
statement by ICJ, AI, HRW and TRIAL], International
rights watchdogs concerned about justice for victims
(ht), NHRC
decision too little, too late: Conflict victims,
by Roshan S. Nepal (ht), The
power of the throne: The ruling party continues to
play games of power, even as the status quo is
maintained and the opposition is crippled, by CK
Lal (kp), Nepal’s
economic growth tapers off as construction slackens
and remittances slow in the first quarter: The
country’s GDP is likely to grow at 7 percent this
fiscal year, lower than the government’s 8.5 percent
target, experts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Deplorable
conduct: The unruly conduct of the student unions has
its genesis in the upbringing by the parties that use
them for disruptive activities (ht), Fund
shortage likely to hit post-quake school
reconstruction drive: Rs 30bn needed to finish
rebuilding all damaged schools within next fiscal
(ht), Delay
in reconstruction of classrooms affecting children’s
education in Sindhuli: NRA officials claim that they
are expediting the reconstruction process but school
officials say the efforts have been sluggish, by
Anil Bhandari (rep)
26/11/2019: Prime
Minister has used a cabinet reshuffle to mask his
government’s incompetence: But without solving
internal party anomalies, the current government is
unlikely to make Nepal prosperous and Nepalis happy,
by Achyut Wagle (kp), Amid
NC protest, prez withholds ordinance on constitutional
council: The government attempt to amend the council
law comes at a time when the prime minister is
planning to fill 39 vacant positions including heads
and members at key constitutional bodies immediately
after the November 30 by-polls (rep), High
operating costs and few passengers force Buddha Air to
cancel Kolkata flights: The airlines’ cancellation
does not bode well for the domestic aviation or
tourism industry, analysts and entrepreneurs say,
by Sangam Prasain (kp) [Nepal's
pricing policy does everything to prevent the
development of aviation and tourism!], He
was one of the few ministers who delivered. Then the
prime minister sacked him.: Gokarna Bista won plaudits
for pushing reforms and taking on the foreign
employment cartels, but fell prey to entrenched
interests and political horsetrading, by Chandan
Kumar Mandal (kp), Yadav’s
U-turn causes confusion among Samajbadi leaders: Some
suspect that RJP’s potential joining the Oli
administration could weaken the party, forcing it to
remain in the government despite disagreements, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [It's
only because one man wants to stay in power!],
Protect
Tibetans: Tibetan community in Nepal has raised
serious concerns over the treaty that could be used to
persecute them under Chinese pressure (ht), Summon
the parliament (rep), Spring
Of Frictions In Political Parties, by Dev Raj
Dahal (rn)
25/11/2019: With
ruling party dynamics satisfied, the hunt begins for a
new House Speaker: Subas Nembang and Agni Sapkota are
the strongest candidates from the ruling party but
Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahangphe will not be
giving up her claim easily, party leaders say, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Extradition
treaty with China: US Congressmen urge govt not to
sign treaty (ht), Free
education by law: Nepal’s constitution and compulsory
education act are more progressive than UN Conventions
and other constitutions in terms of ensuring education
as a human right, by Jivesh Jha (rep)
24/11/2019: The
transitional justice process has failed to envision
the pains of women who were sexually abused during the
insurgency: As the state has excluded rape in the
interim relief process and in transitional justice,
many victims still await closure, by Chandra
Bhadra (kp), Panel
moves to recommend TJ officials amid widespread
criticism (rep), After
a recent deal, Dahal sets sights on becoming sole
leader of the partyFor former rebel leader, getting
executive chair is half the battle won. His intention
is clear: tightening grip on party, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), ‘Cabinet
reshuffle not related to ministers’ performance’: The
move renders signing of performance contract
irrelevant (ht), It’s
time to deliver: New ministers in the cabinet
(rep), Shaming
defaulting contractors may have worked, but it signals
system failure: Contracting firms get off scot-free
despite their poor performance because most of the
owners enjoy political patronage, experts say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Activists
step up drive against Gadhimai mass animal sacrifice
(rep), Marching
towards ‘Asare Bikash’ again: Developmental works
snail paced as four months of the fiscal year pass,
by Dinesh Subedi (rep), Raut’s
party holds mass rally in capital against
‘discrimination’ (rep)
23/11/2019: With
new legislation in the works, Nepal’s civil society
organisations fear tighter control: The KP Sharma Oli
administration has been repeatedly criticised by
national and international rights bodies for trying to
curb dissent through laws and policies, by
Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Our
songs from the forest: Finding freedom from menstrual
taboos in the lap of nature, by Uma Bista (kp), FNJ
to hold demonstration for protection of press freedom
(ht), Although
sidelined, Samajbadi Party to remain in government and
push for amendments: The party is not consulted on any
of Oli’s major decisions, signalling that the prime
minister does not care for their presence in
government, analysts and party members say, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Nepal
sends a diplomatic note to India over Kalapani issue:
This is the first time Nepal has formally responded to
India regarding the Kalapani issue, by Suresh Raj
Neupane (kp), Constitutional
experts say president betrayed constitution (ht),
Air
pollution kills 37,399 people per year in Nepal:
Study; ‘Increases the chances of dementia’, by
Shree Ram Subedi (rep), Poverty
reduction is possible: There are ways to reduce
poverty. All that Nepal needs is the political will
and commitment to change the lives of the poor, by
Balkrishna Subedi (rep), Prosperous
Nepal And Happy Nepali, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
22/11/2019: Conflict
victims decry apathy of government and parties towards
transitional justice: Thirteen years after the peace
deal, victims of the decade-long Maoist insurgency
continue to wait for justice, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Conflict
victims still struggling for justice (rep), Dahal
for appointing new faces to TRC (ht) [The
leader of one of the outstanding human rights
violating forces at the time of the conflict must not
have any say in the composition and work of the two
commissions!], Oli’s
Cabinet reshuffle aimed at managing party factions
rather than improving results: Instead of addressing
public grievances with underperforming ministers, the
prime minister has seized the opportunity to placate
factions, party leaders say, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), All
the prime minister’s men: KP Sharma Oli’s new Cabinet
has fewer women than it did before, and people aren’t
happy, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Yadav,
who is attending a WHO conference as health minister,
finds his portfolio changed: He says there was no
consultation and he would respond to the prime
minister’s decision after returning today, by
Suresh Raj Neupane (kp), Swing
into action: With the cabinet’s reshuffle in a hiatus
of almost two years, it is the right time for the
government to swing into full action to speed up the
economy (ht), Using
numbers to fight gender-based violence: On the
International Day for the Elimination of Violence
against Women and Girls on 25 November, let us pledge
to help end gender-based violence, by Lisa
Honan (nt)
21/11/2019: Reimagining
the peace pact: Some aspects of the 2006 Comprehensive
Peace Agreement need to be revived and updated, by
Mohna Ansari (kp), Justice
still eludes conflict victims: NHRC (ht), Waiting
for justice: Thirteen years after signing of CPA,
justice eludes the conflict victims, by Ram Kumar
Bhandari (rep), Peace
and injustice: Thirteen years of Comprehensive Peace
Accord (rep), After
meeting with the President, Oli reshuffles Cabinet:
Ruling party leaders say that President Bhandari, who
has played the role of a catalyst in developments, had
her say in the reshuffle, by Anil Giri (kp), Reshuffling
Cabinet And Adjusting Power Sharing, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km), New
ministers to take oath today (ht), Oli
seals five years full, Dahal get face-saver under
revised deal, by Roshan Sedhai (rep), Dahal
to command party while Oli will remain prime minister
for the full term: Given the growing dissatisfaction
within the party and his failing health, Oli was
finding it increasingly difficult to manage both the
government and the party, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli
to complete full term as PM: Dahal to have executive
power to lead Nepal Communist Party, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Nepal
reaffirms commitment to eliminating forced labour,
human trafficking and child labour: Nepal’s objectives
are in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable
Development Goals, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Cases
of missing children on the rise in Nepal (rep), Number
of missing girls two times more than boys: Report
(ht), Child
marriage cases on the rise but police complaints
scarce, say child activists: According to a recent
survey, 46.9 percent of total marriages in the country
are still child marriages, by Durgalal KC (kp), Over
three million people in Nepal suffer from respiratory
problems, but only three percent receive proper
treatment: In rural areas, cases of chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease are on the rise due to
indoor pollution and in cities because of air
pollution, say doctors, by Arjun Poudel (kp), A
local unit in Rukum (West) spends Rs 750,000 in
foreign junkets: The money would have been better
spent on development projects for roads and drinking
water, say locals, by Hari Gautam (kp), An
experiment in identity-based federalism: CM Lalbabu
Raut has the opportunity and duty to deliver good
governance to his people so that they don’t feel
alienated anymore, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Shopkeepers
of Chabahil halt vehicular movement (ht) [Criminal
neglect by an incompetent government!], Dalit
family struggles to obtain citizenship (ht), Poor
capital spending: The government’s inability to spend
the money allocated for public capital expenditure
means it is snatching away people’s jobs instead of
creating them (ht), Arguing
For Executive Presidency, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
20/11/2019: Alleging
political intervention, applicants for transitional
justice commissions are withdrawing their names: Since
the recommendation committee has become a rubber stamp
for the political parties, no independent decision is
forthcoming, rights activists and victims say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Stakeholders
prepare for consultations on TJ bill (rep), Oli
officially informs ministers about his Cabinet
reshuffle plan: The prime minister asked Cabinet
ministers not to participate in programmes on
Wednesday as he will announce rejig, a minister says,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Quake-displaced
families say they were cheated during land
distribution: The land plots handed over to the quake
survivors in Helambu, Sindhupalchok, fall in the
middle of a busy road, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Building
view towers does not equate to development: Our
leaders like to build grand view towers, but their
vision is myopic (kp), Nepal
does need to focus on economic growth, but not at the
cost of a better quality of life for all: It is better
to have an evenly distributed low per capita income
without people living in the slums, by Jagadish
Prasad Bist (kp), Capital
expenditure only 6% in first four months (rep)
19/11/2019: After
deal between parties, selection panel publishes list
of probable candidates for transitional justice
bodies: Conflict victims object to political
interference, saying they won’t accept the officials
selected without following the due process, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Victims
decry selection of candidates for TJ bodies, by
Rohan S. Nepal (ht), Doubt
over justice as panel moves to select TJ officials
(rep), Despite
officials’ bold statements to constituencies, little
diplomatic progress has been made on Kalapani: The
prime minister, foreign minister and various former
prime ministers have all made public statements
regarding Kalapani but diplomatic measures have been
sorely lacking, analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Kalapani
dispute and the way forward: The national mapping
authority of India has been including Kalapani and
areas south of Lipulekh Pass in its maps since the
1950s, by Atit Babu Rijal (kp), People
in Khotang say their elected leaders lack vision and
waste budget in inconsequential projects: Local units
across the district are concentrating on projects that
have no positive impacts on people's living standard,
by Dambar Singh Rai (kp) [Symbolic?],
Nepal’s
decision to scrap security printing tenders will have
major repercussions: The government needs to explain
why it thinks an expensive and opaque
government-to-government deal is better (kp), Nepal
hasn’t been able to adapt to a changing world: Think
tanks can play a significant role in helping countries
like Nepal deal with the changes, by Sujeev Shakya
(kp), Province
2 takes centre to court over Forest Act (ht), Integrity
deficit in parties: Weakening value-based politics,
by Mukti Rijal (ht), Accountability
For Governance, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
18/11/2019: Panel
proposes Bhatta for TRC head, Mallick for CIEDP chief
(rep), Oli
to offer party reins to Dahal in exchange for his own
men in cabinet: The prime minister, who had long
appeared reluctant to hand over party matters to his
co-chair, will now allow Dahal to handle party matters,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Cabinet
reshuffle unlikely even today (ht), PM
secures party nod for cabinet reshuffle (rep), Pick
the right candidates: Mere change of ministers in the
cabinet is not going to contribute to improved
governance (rep) [Oli's
goal is not good governance but total power control!],
Political
parties found violating election code of conduct in
Sankhuwasabha: Government vehicles are being used in
election publicity campaigns, by Dipendra Shakya
(kp), NC
opposes any move to deny pension to retired civil
servants, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Won’t
cede even an inch of Nepali territory: PM; Urges India
to withdraw troops from Kalapani (rep), Indian
SSB preventing tourists from visiting Sandakpur,
by Bhim Chapagain (rep), State
of local governance: Federalism is as much about
devolution of political rights as it is about
development rights. Delivery of basic services is now
the responsibility of the local governments, by
Biswo Poudel (rep)
17/11/2019: After
third dialysis in two weeks, doctors monitoring Oli's
health say they are mulling kidney transplant:
Physicians attending to the prime minister are
exploring the countries for another transplant, by
Arjun Poudel (kp), PM
Oli undergoes dialysis again: This is the third time
he has done so since October 30 (ht), Samajbadi
Party fails to decide on pulling out of government as
Upendra Yadav appears unwilling: The party’s merger
talks with Rastriya Janata Party Nepal to make a push
for constitutional amendments have hit a roadblock
again, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM’s
Cabinet reshuffle plan could take some more time
(rep), The
geopolitical scenario in South Asia: China and India
are marching forward with their competitive
aspirations to draw global attention, by Bam Dev
Sharma (kp), Lawmakers
reluctant to register private member’s bills, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Martyrs’
families bemoan state’s apathy (ht)
16/11/2019: In
Rajapur, police consistently fail to investigate cases
involving marginalised communities: Police have
refused to look into a number of recent cases
involving Tharus and Dalits, despite their families
alleging foul play, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Prime
Minister Oli attempts to get all leaders on his side
as Cabinet reshuffle looms: The planned reshuffle has
been delayed due to the prime minister’s desire to
gain broad consensus within the party for whatever he
has planned, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), State
Of Think Tanks In Nepal, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)
15/11/2019: Human
Rights Watch criticises the government’s move to
undermine citizen’s rights to organise: The current
administration has been repeatedly criticised by
national and international rights bodies for trying to
curb dissent through laws and policies, by
Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Parties
close to consensus on chairperson for Truth and
Reconciliation Commission: Both ruling and opposition
parties are positive about appointing Ganesh Datta
Bhatta, associate professor at Nepal Law Campus,
ruling party leaders say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Clarion
call to enforce fair recruitment to protect human
rights of migrant workers: The International
Conference on Protection of Rights of the Migrant
Workers concluded with a 21-point Kathmandu
Declarations, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Intelligence
department to get sweeping powers to carry out
domestic and foreign counterintelligence: Under a
draft amendment currently at the National Assembly,
the department will be able to spy on all foreign
countries, institutions or groups that are deemed
detrimental to national security, by Anil Giri
(kp), What
privilege looks like in Nepal: Liberalism seems to die
a quiet death when it comes to addressing its own
failures, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp)
14/11/2019: Constitutional
Council meeting postponed yet again without making
appointments: Delay in appointments to crucial
commissions weakens institutions, experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), PM
plans to fill constitutional bodies positions after
by-polls (rep), Nepal
isn't just importing two-thirds of its needs from
India, it’s also importing inflation: With the Indian
economy slowing and the Indian rupee falling, Nepal
could face increasing pressure on its foreign exchange
reserves, by Himendra Mohan Kumar (kp), The
curious case of Non-resident Nepalis and politics: The
NRNs collectively share a great interest in politics
back home with an aim to hobnob with the politicians,
by Deepak Thapa (kp), For
Nepal to thrive, federalism must work: History should
have taught us by now that a top-down,
Kathmandu-centric approach to development will not
work, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Law
to protect victims, witnesses need of hour:
‘Vulnerable should be relocated and their privacy
protected’ (ht)
13/11/2019: Families
of air crash victims say they are being pressured to
withdraw their case: 22 Nepalis were killed when
US-Bangla flight BS 211 from Dhaka crashed while
landing at Kathmandu airport, by Sangam Prasain
(kp), 'Equal
representation of women in politics still a far cry'
(rep), After
aborting passport tender, government to sign security
printing deal with French firm: In what is set to be
the biggest deal signed by the KP Sharma Oli
administration, the French government will be
providing a soft loan of 200 million euros, by
Anil Giri (kp) [The conclusion
of a contract without a correct invitation to tender,
the details of which are also not disclosed, is
unlikely to do justice to the principles of a
democratic constitutional state and substantiate the
authoritarian accusations against the Oli government!],
As
Oli plans Cabinet reshuffle, the post of House Speaker
could be a bargaining chip: The rejig and a number of
top appointments are aimed at balancing the ruling
party’s internal power dynamics and its relationship
with its partners in government, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), PM
may induct critics into cabinet in big reshuffle
(rep), National
Reconstruction Authority spent just 65 percent of its
budget last fiscal year: Officials blame the use of
existing government mechanisms to channel the funds
for subpar spending, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)
[??], Education
Ministry issues circular, asking local governments to
stop teacher hiring: Local governments say the move
infringes upon their constitutional mandate, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [Another
grave violation of the constitution by the
anti-federal Oli government!], Centre
owes local levels Rs 56bn royalty: Lack of
coordination between govt agencies proving costly,
by Umesh Poudel (ht), A ticket for her: The
old practice of fielding wives in their husbands’
former seats continues (kp), SPN
intensifies consultations on continued participation
in govt (rep), Dr
KC suspends his 17th hunger strike (rep)
12/11/2019: Parties
often prioritise women candidates to cash in on
sympathy votes: The fielding of a number of candidates
in the upcoming by-elections fits a tendency to award
election tickets to women after the demise of their
husbands, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Brahmins
and Chhetris continue to dominate entry into civil
service: Despite reservation policies for marginalised
groups, Brahmins and Chhetris have not just maintained
their dominance but have increased their presence in
civil service, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Oli
to decide on Cabinet reshuffle by the end of the week:
At least eight sitting ministers and two provincial
chief ministers are likely to be relieved of their
current positions, party insiders say, by Tika R
Pradhan Anil Giri (kp) [In a
federal state, the central government should have no
right to interfere in the staffing of a provincial
government!], Health
of Dr KC deteriorates but he refuses to be airlifted
to Kathmandu: KC, who launched his 17th hunger strike
in Dadeldhura on November 4, has expanded his scope of
demands and some are political in nature, by Arjun
Poudel (kp), Civil
society organisations call on govt to save Dr KC’s
life: Minister urges KC to end hunger strike. Says
border dispute with India a more pressing concern
(ht) [??], Police
fail to bring Dr KC to capital (rep), Govt
told to correct erroneous maps; Parliamentary
committee tells it to issue a new map including the
Kalapani region; No need to internationalise the
issue: Dahal (ht), Dependence
on Google caused errors: Aryal (ht), Little
above 1pc budget spent in Karnali in first quarter of
fiscal year (ht), Intergenerational
Justice, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
11/11/2019: The
government has undermined education: A core value for
a country to develop, the federal govenrment must make
amends (kp), FNJ
to launch special mission for press freedom from
January (ht), Oli
might be in poor health but he is showing no signs of
slowing down: The prime minister has already taken a
number of crucial decisions and has scheduled a series
of long-overdue meetings for the next couple of days,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), State
Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Prakash Rawal
resigns over fraud investigation: Rawal is an elected
provincial lawmaker of the Nepal Communist Party from
Kanchanpur Constituency-3 (A), by Arjun Shah (kp),
Nepal
is ignoring a necessary international arbitration, at
its own risk: The Ncell case is at the International
Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, but the
government is doing nothing, by Rajesh Bastola
(kp) [This is another example
of the absolute incompetence and ignorance of Nepalese
politicians and administrators!], Over
20 cadres of Chand-led CPN arrested from a rally
(ht) [??], KC’s
supporters ban govt vehicles from roads (ht), Every
citizen should get access to health and education: Dr
KC, by Pushkar Bhandari (rep)
10/11/2019: New
education policy ignores nearly all recommendations
made by a high-level education commission: The policy
serves the interests of the private sector, which had
lobbied against the commission’s recommendations,
commission members say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli
plans rejig in his secretariat as he prepares for a
Cabinet reshuffle: There had been some indications
that the prime minister wanted to change his team of
advisors for quite some time, a secretariat member
says, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), All
members of PM’s secretariat likely to quit (ht), Aides
to resign en masse as PM signals massive changes
(rep), Banks
are required to maintain databases on high-profile
persons but bankers say government agencies do not
cooperate: A centralised database of high-profile
persons could plug loopholes in the system, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), The
problems Nepal faces in implementing federalism: To
successfully complete the transition, the country has
to focus on economic policy and border security,
by Saurav Raj Pant (kp), Dr
Govinda KC admitted to Dadeldhura Hospital (ht), All-party
meet on border issue shows rare unity across entire
spectrum (rep), Chure
has been captured by crusher mafia: Former president
Yadav, by Kamlesh Thakur (rep)
09/11/2019: Recommendation
committee fails to pick candidates leaving TJ bodies
in the lurch (ht), Department
of Passports cancels e-passport bid hours before the
end of tender deadline: The bidding process was
annulled after the direct intervention of Prime
Minister KP Sharma Oli, officials say, by Anil
Giri (kp), Rastriya
Janata Party and Samajbadi Party eye electoral
alliance for November 30 polls: The Janata Party will
support the Samajbadi Party for three provincial
assembly and a federal parliament seat, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Police
arrest suspected former leader of Chand party for
misbehaving with police: Police in Bhaktapur are said
to have confiscated some donation receipts and found
them suspicious, by Sguvam Dhungana (kp), PM
Oli calls all-party meet to discuss Kalapani (ht),
Rally
held to express solidarity with Dr Govinda KC (ht)
08/11/2019: New
Delhi responds to uproar in Nepal over new political
map, says it is “accurate”: Raveesh Kumar,
spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs,
says the map has not revised the boundary and that it
accurately depicts India’s sovereign territory
(kp) [Yes and India is the
supreme lord of Nepal with the latter being an Indian
vassal state!?], Use
diplomacy : The border disputes in Kalapani and Susta
must be resolved through diplomatic channels and based
on historical documents (ht), Govt
websites using faulty map of Nepal despite ire over
Indian version (rep), Provinces
set to finally get a role in regulating national and
foreign non-government organisations: Social Welfare
Council has drafted a coordination mechanism policy
among the three tiers of the government, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), NA
top brass involved in Tarai Fast Track graft: Former
major general Khand likely to be arrested soon, by
Umesh Poudel (ht), Woman
accused of witchcraft, tortured (ht), Protest
rally in Dadeldhura in support of Dr KC, by
Pushkar Bhandari (rep), Nearly
half of Nepali children still malnourished: Progress
in reducing malnutrition has stalled. What can be done
to ensure enough of the right food for all?, by
Sonia Awale (nt)
07/11/2019: Government
finally comments on new Indian map but takes no firm
position: In a press statement, the Foreign Ministry
refers to media reports and commentary before
asserting that the matter would be resolved
diplomatically, by Anil Giri (kp), Kalapani
Nepali territory: Govt: ‘Unilateral decisions on
border
issues won’t be accepted’ (ht), Unilateral
move to alter border demarcation not acceptable: Nepal
(rep), Security
at TIA foolproof, claims govt, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), Matter
of concern: When the customs at the TIA and along the
borders are considered to be lucrative postings, you
know something is amiss (ht), Minister
Rawal yet to appear before court (ht), Prisoner’s
dilemma: If Nepal ignores its next-door neighbors, the
consequences may be stark. Ignoring the West may also
be costly for Nepal’s development endeavors, by
Chandra D. Bhatta (rep)
06/11/2019: Nepal
Police appears unwilling to take action against
officials involved in extrajudicial killing: The human
rights commission had asked that criminal charges be
filed against officers implicated in the killing but
police say they have yet to receive any official
communication in that regard, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), End
this pomposity: VIP culture is fundamentally
undemocratic, deeply demeaning to the people and is
against the principle of equality, by Laabhesh
Thapa (rep) [In a democratic
state, the elected representatives of the people have
to serve the people and not vice versa!], Even
as pressure mounts, Oli administration remains silent
over Kalapani: A new map released by the Indian
government has placed Kalapani inside Indian borders,
drawing widespread condemnation on social media,
by Anil Giri (kp), Oli’s
tendency to bulldoze decisions riles a section of
ruling party leaders: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is
showing authoritarian traits in a bid to consolidate
power, party insiders say, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Parliament
Secretariat in fix as deputy speaker can’t initiate
House meetings, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [In
2013 it was no problem for the leaders of the major
parties to seize all power without a legal basis, to
make the head of the judiciary the interim head of the
executive and to hold elections for which there was no
legal basis either. Now, however, under the supposedly
best constitution in the world, it is not legitimate
for the Deputy Speaker of Parliament to summon a
parliamentary session after the Speaker of Parliament
has been imprisoned for a criminal offence. What is
the meaning of deputy posts in the country's political
system?], ‘Dubious
stance’ pushes Yadav to isolation in party, govt
(rep)
05/11/2019: Aiming
for a better future, by prioritising the young: Nepal
has no idea how to prepare its children for the
future. But it needs to learn before it is too late,
by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Ex-speaker
Mahara off to jail until final verdict: He is the
first politician of his stature to land in jail on a
criminal charge in Nepal’s recent history (rep), Krishna
Bahadur Mahara remanded in custody over attempted rape
allegations: The former House Speaker will have to
stay in custody until the court passes the final
decision, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Life
imprisonment sought for Alam and ten others, by
Madan Thakur (rep), The
District Attorney’s Office files charge sheet against
Alam, seeking life imprisonment: Alam was presented at
the court on Monday amid tight security, while his
supporters had gathered outside the court, shouting
for his release, by Shiva Puri (kp), India’s
new political map places disputed territory of
Kalapani inside its own borders: Nepal has long
claimed Kalapani as part of its territory as per the
Sugauli Treaty signed between Nepal and the then East
India Company, by Anil Giri (kp), The
way the provincial governors have been removed is not
illegal, but it’s wrong: All seven governors were
ejected in a totally unexpected move (kp), Unfortunate
dismissal: The government has set a bad precedent by
sacking the governors appointed by the previous
government (ht), Government
picks new governors after sacking Deuba-period
appointees: President Bhandari will administer oath of
office to new governors on Tuesday; The nominees of
senior leader Nepal were rejected by the secretariat
meeting, by Tilak R. Pradhan (kp), Nationwide
campaign launched to end violence against women:
Flagged off from Province 1, the drive will be run
throughout the year for long-term effectiveness,
by Binu Timsina (kp), Dr
KC launches 17th hunger strike in Dadeldhura HQ
Bagkhor (ht), Dr
KC starts 17th hunger strike, by Pushkar Bhandari
(rep), Local
deputies: Less into development politics; In Nepal,
leaders are taken as budget holders, who are efficient
in diverting the national resources to their
constituencies. This has made policy makers an extra
structure above the constitution in terms of
distributing money, by Anirudra Neupane (ht), Why
media must be free: Nepal would do better by adhering
to the principles of freedom, diversity and equality
in media actions, by Mohan Nepali (rep)
04/11/2019: President,
acting on Cabinet decision, removes governors of all
seven provinces: While the Oli administration’s
decision is constitutionally sound, it is politically
authoritarian, constitutional experts say, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp), Governors
of all seven provinces sacked, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), Butwal’s
women leaders burdened with gender-based
discrimination in governance: Women leaders stress the
need to condemn gender-based discrimination from all
quarters, by Amrita Anmol (kp), High-profile
individuals, when arrested, tend to suddenly need
hospitalisation: Often, lawyers and doctors are
complicit in employing legal loopholes to help the
accused avoid time in jail while in police custody,
by Arjun Poudel (kp), Court
urged to send Mahara to judicial Custody (ht), Tundikhel
in its entirety should be open for public use: The
city's open spaces should be given back to the people
(kp), Choose
able persons: Political parties should field
candidates who are honest, competent and have
maintained a clean image in society in the
by-elections (ht), Children
working on road project implemented by Nepal Army,
by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Province
1 spends just four percent of development budget in
1st quarter, by Binod Subedi (rep)
03/11/2019: Nepal
yet again fails to report to the UN on status of
judicial action on the killings of journalists: We are
waiting for updates from the Home Ministry,
Communication Ministry says (kp), Doctors
advise prime minister to rest more and work less:
Physicians attending to Oli must convince him that he
should avoid exertion, public functions and long
meetings, doctors say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Dr
Dharma Kant Banskota set to be appointed Tribhuvan
University vice-chancellor: The education minister-led
search committee will choose top officials among the
applicants in the other seven universities, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [Never
ending political nominations and nepotism!], Non-government
organisations concerned over a new law to regulate
them: The move to authorise Home Ministry to draft the
law could be part of the bid to introduce stringent
provisions, groupings of social organisations say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)
02/11/2019: Ministry
starts process to amend bill on transitional justice
law: Law and Justice Ministry will gather suggestions
from the concerned parties to finalise the amendment
bill, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Filing
complaints with the police is filled with hassles:
Nepal Police’s behaviour with people seeking help from
the authorities has frequently come under the scanner,
by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Women
lawmakers demand 50pc reservation in Parliament
(ht), Oli
is firm, will not be stepping down any time soon, his
aides say: The prime minister will require
twice-a-week dialysis or another kidney transplant,
both of which could affect governance, but he is
determined to see through his accomplishments, by
Anil Giri (kp) [???],
‘No
right to privacy in matters of public interest’
(ht), A
10-point agreement signed between the agitating
parties and local administration in Kapilvastu: The
situation remained peaceful throughout Friday;
administration yet to lift curfew, by Manoj Paudel
(kp), Curfew
continues at Krishnanagar (ht)
01/11/2019: Man
dies after police fire on a group defying curfew in
Krishnanagar: Local administration imposed indefinite
curfew after a clash between Hindu and Muslim
communities over the route of idol procession, by
Manoj Paudel (kp),
One dies in Krishnanagar when police open fire,
indefinite curfew imposed (rep), Krishnanagar
is returning to normalcy as two sides sign 10-point
deal (rep) [No
politician or administrator is qualified to decide
this judicial case!!], “I
thought I would die”: Despite laws on domestic
violence, archaic and insensitive treatment by police
and the justice system force women in Nepal to remain
trapped in cycles of abuse, even when they muster the
courage to report them; In the majority of domestic
violence cases, police push for reconciliation, by
Bhrikuti Rai (kp), VTEN's
arrest is only a symbol of a larger malaise: ‘Moral
order’ is such an amorphous idea that anything
undesirable to the authorities can be slotted into it,
by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp),
Govt told not to curtail Bista’s rights
(ht), Confusion
in local governments threatens to derail federal
government’s total literacy plan: Singha Durbar aims
to achieve total literacy in the country by July 2021,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Chargesheet
filed against Mahara for rape attempt: District
attorney office has sought five to seven-and-a-half
years jail term for the former House Speaker, by
Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Attempt
to rape case filed against Mahara: His trial hearing
has been scheduled for today (ht), Rape
attempt case filed against Mahara: Prosecution seeks
up to 7 years 6 months jail (rep), The
health of the prime minister is a topic that affects
everyone in the country: The public has a right to
know about KP Sharma Oli's condition (kp), Over
murky details, Oli’s health raises questions about his
fitness to govern: Doctors say all is not well with
the 67-year-old prime minister and there are chances
he has to undergo dialysis twice a week, by Anil
Giri (kp), PM
Oli discharged after second dialysis in 24 hrs: Need
for routine dialysis to be determined after a few days
of observation, say doctors (ht), Squatters,
who received plots to build houses, are deprived of
land titles: Around 500 landless squatters had
received space to build in Salyan district, by
Biplab Maharjan (kp), Dr
KC starting 17th hunger strike from Monday (rep)
31/10/2019: Time
to critically examine Nepal’s VIP culture: People are
no longer going to tolerate the authorities’ tantrums
and want to be treated as equal beings (kp), Politics
has become a haven for crime and corruption: Political
parties have not only protected the criminality of
their cadres, but they also have provided shelter to
notorious criminals, by Achyut Wagle (kp), 3
years on, language commission in limbo for lack of
full shape (rep)
28/10/2019: Passengers
protest at airport after Oli’s return from Baku
delayed their flight by nearly an hour: Pilots were
asked to stop engines of Shree Airlines flight because
of disturbance caused at VIP lounge where Oli was
being welcomed, officials say (kp) [This
unbelievable political arrogance continues unabated!
Visit Nepal Year should be renamed into Travel Godlike
Policians Year! After the democratisation only the
names of the gods have changed! Nepal is probably the
only country in which internationally insignificant
politicians regularly frustrate domestic and foreign
travellers!], Traffic
division starts training programme for drivers from
Singha Durbar to cut down on traffic rule violations:
Traffic Police gives training to 35 drivers of Home
Ministry and would train other officers after Tihar,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Artists
decry the growing tendency to arrest musicians for
their lyrical content as autocratic censorship: In the
wake of singer Durgesh Thapa and rapper VTEN’s arrest,
Nepali artists say that the police’s actions are
alarming and people need to resist them, by
Timothy Aryal (kp), The
street is their home: Homelessness has become a
recurring problem owing to federal policy failure on
poverty issues (kp)
27/10/2019: Education
Ministry makes a push for not counting illiterate
persons during census: The ministry fears its claim on
literacy rate could be called into question if 2021
census comes up with different figures, statistics
bureau officials say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [???!!], Democratic
nations should protect all free speech: If a state
fundamentally guarantees freedom of expression then it
also guarantees a right to offend, by Atit Babu
Rijal (kp)
26/10/2019: Even
with a murder conviction, lawmakers might still be
able to hold on to their seats: Lawmakers are
suspended when they are convicted but they do not lose
their seats unless their crime involves ‘moral
turpitude’, but no one is certain what that means,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), ‘Enough
evidence to corroborate accusation against Mahara’:
Office of the Attorney General will decide whether or
not to file charge sheet against Mahara (ht), Police
arrest four suspected Chand party members for burning
PM Oli’s effigy: The four persons have been held on
charges of disturbing public peace, by Shuvam
Dhungana (kp) [??], The
true worth of a picture : Who will speak for this
country and boost its image internationally? Who will
stand for accountability, transparency and democracy?,
by Devendra Gautam (rep)
25/10/2019: Rapper’s
arrest is latest in government’s attempt to crack down
on free expression: Samir Ghising’s detention comes
just days after another singer, Durgesh Thapa, was
called for questioning by the police for the same
reason, by Samuel Chhetri and Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Even
as lawmakers are accused of heinous crimes, Parliament
remains without disciplinary committee: The Speaker,
who is responsible for forming such committees,
himself remains in judicial custody after being
accused of rape, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
24/10/2019: For
four years, commissions mandated to empower
marginalised communities have remained largely vacant:
While five commissions—Madhesi, Dalit, Tharu, Muslim,
and Inclusion—have chairpersons but no members, two
others—Women and Indigenous Nationalities—don’t even
have chairpersons, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The
government must not support or defend the police’s use
of excessive force or extrajudicial killings: The
perpetrators have to face the full weight of their
actions (kp), Building
blocks to peace: Government, civil society and the
media all have a stake in Nepal’s new federal journey.
They must trust each other and collaborate for
sustained peace, by Anurag Acharya (kp), ‘SP-N
must quit govt to unify with RJP-N’ (ht), In
defense of the constitution: Ours is the first charter
in South Asia to include explicit mandate of one-third
representation of women in legislative apparatus. How
can we call it a regressive charter?, by Jivesh
Jha (rep) [The Constitution is
in some respects regressive compared to the Interim
Constitution. But even this 7th Constitution in just
as many decades does not bring the inclusion that
Nepal needs. Why are only 6 of the 165 directly
elected MPs of the House of Representatives women? Why
are almost all important positions in the state still
occupied by men, especially male Bahuns? Why are 95
per cent of the Mayors/Chairs of the
Nagarpalika/Gaunpalika male persons? Why are the
leadership levels of all political parties in the
hands of men? Why are the leadership levels of all
political parties in the hands of men? Why does this
constitution still consider women as second-class
people with different citizenship rights?]
23/10/2019: The
crimes Alam has been accused of are grave, but his
party has little to say: Nepali Congress leaders
continue to insist that an individual’s crimes do not
reflect on the party, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The cover of criminals in their
ranks has system in many Nepali parties!], Alam
refuses to undergo polygraph test: Police on Tuesday
attempted to carry out the test after the Nepali
Congress lawmaker denied his involvement in the murder
while recording his statement, by Shiva Puri (kp),
Begin
thorough probe: The government should start a thorough
investigation, and there must be no attempt by the
state to influence the outcome (ht)
22/10/2019: Killing
of Chand party cadre Kumar Paudel was extrajudicial,
human rights commission says: The National Human
Rights Commission has concluded that Paudel was killed
after he was arrested and has recommended criminal
charges against three police officers, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Police
killed CPN leader Paudel in cold blood: NHRC (ht),
NHRC
rejects police encounter claim in Paudel death, calls
for suspending 3 (rep), Big
2 parties agree to revise controversial TJ law
(rep), Govt,
parties ‘have put TJ on backburner’, by Roshan S.
Nepal (ht), Unearthing
of the grisly mass murder in Alam case has Nepalis
pointing fingers at a failed system: The onus to
strengthen the system lies on politicians and the
people in power, but analysts say recent incidents
show how they have used the system in service of their
own interests, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Civic
Edifice Of National Identity, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn)
21/10/2019: Janajati,
Madhesi forces seek to revive identity-based movement:
The KP Sharma Oli administration has undermined the
rights and privileges of marginalised communities,
leaders say, by Anil Giri (kp), With
Oli maintaining grip on both party and government,
Dahal feels sidelined: Dahal has been consistently
pointing out to past agreements between the two
chairmen and remarking that there’s nothing for him to
do anymore, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Lack
of consistency in pursuing its foreign policy has cost
Nepal dear: Competition may be forcing powerful
countries to facilitate undemocratic and corrupt
tendencies in the country, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal
(kp), ‘Discontinuing
chhaupadi isn't just about destroying period huts;
it's about ending the stigma of menstruation.’ Former
Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada discusses her
one-night stay at a chhau goth in Babala, Achham, to
experience the ancient practice of the outlawed
Chhaupadi, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp), Verdict
needs review: For spending long hours in the office
and doing all the people’s work, should they be denied
a salary? (ht), Provision
on salary and perks flawed: Gurung (ht), Heed
the youth, by Raju Chauhan (rep)
20/10/2019: Mahara’s
three days in judicial custody already over, but
police are yet to file a chargesheet: The former House
Speaker, who is facing rape charges, has been in
hospital and refused to record his statement, citing
health condition, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Government
ups surveillance on Chand party in the lead up to
by-elections: Wednesday night’s police action followed
reports that the outfit was planning attacks just
after festivals, officials say, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Two
elected ward chiefs on the run for the past three
months on fake citizenship charge: Administrative, as
well as development, works affected because of the
absence of ward chiefs in Birtamod and Bhadrapur
municipalities, by Arjun Rajbanshi (kp), SC’s
ruling not applicable for Province 1: CM Sherdhan Rai
(ht) [SC decisions are binding
law for all! So please follow the legal process!],
‘Constitution
amendment needed’: ‘It will be illogical to deprive
local level office bearers of their salaries’, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Local
bodies’ associations call for revision in laws:
Friday’s ruling has effectively barred local
representatives from taking salaries (rep), Inter-caste
marriage leaves girl in a lurch (ht)
19/10/2019: A
discrimination case riles up Dalit activists in Morang
district: A Dalit rights group has demanded the
authorities launch a fair investigation, by Binu
Timsina (kp), Constitutional
bench of Supreme Court repeals provincial laws for the
first time: The legislation, related to salaries that
local representatives were receiving, contradicted the
constitution, according to the bench, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), SC
halts salaries of local level office bearers:
‘Parliament should correct the contradiction in the
constitution’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), SC
invalidates salaries for elected local officials
(rep)
18/10/2019: Supreme
Court directs information commission to respond to
writ regarding Lal Commission report: The report
includes findings from investigations into deadly
violence in 2015 that killed nearly 50 people, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NIC
gets three months to decide on Lal panel report
(ht), Nepali
citizens detained during Xi Jinping’s visit for
Tibetan signage on clothes and accessories: All
citizens have a right to political opinion and the
right to criticise and protest Nepal’s foreign policy,
irrespective of the country’s formal position, say
rights activists, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Crime
and punishment: The legal actions taken by the police
against politicians can help bring an end to
criminalisation of politics (ht), Nepal
has made progress in reducing child mortality rate,
but inequality persists: Children’s risk of dying
before their fifth birthday varies nearly three-fold,
a new study suggests, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Nearly
two dozen Chand party cadres arrested in biggest
police raid yet on the outfit: The arrests were based
on a tip-off that the group was planning ‘something
big’ for the upcoming by-elections, by Durga Lal
KC (kp), 21
leaders, cadres of Biplav-led CPN arrested in Dang:
Leader Netra Bikram Chand’s brother among those
arrested (ht), China
to provide Rs 2.5 billion in military aid to Nepal: It
appears that that defence cooperation will be
prioritised in this ‘strategic cooperative
partnership’ between the two nations, security
analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp)
17/10/2019: Parties
continue to look the other way while their leaders get
arrested for crimes: Three lawmakers were arrested in
the past two weeks and none has been censured or
suspended by their parties, by , by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [This has to do with the
fact that politicians and parties consider themselves
to be above the law, just as the monarchy did before!],
Lawmaker
Parvat Gurung served summons for murder bid (ht),
Arrest
warrant issued against NCP lawmaker, by Ramesh
Khatiwada (rep), Lawmaker
Sah remanded to custody (ht), CIAA
bars local governments from appointing teachers on
their own: All local governments informed about the
views of anti-graft body, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp) [One of so many problems
by the failed implementation of the federal state!],
After
six decades and billions spent poverty alleviation
remains a far cry, by Shree Ram Subedi (rep)
16/10/2019: Oli
now has problems with the way the media addresses
individuals: Oli expressed displeasure over the
media’s use of the informal Nepali pronoun ‘timi’,
by Anil Giri (kp) [?? But it
is okay that husbands address their wives with 'timi'
and the latter have to say 'hajur'?], Budget
for target groups used unproductively in Province 3:
Half of the budget allotted for women, children, and
the elderly has been invested in campaigns and
seminars, by Subash Bidari (kp), Dismal
spending: Failure to spend capital expenditure will
mean no economic growth and no new job creation in the
country (ht) [This is a
special form of crime and corruption by the highest
circles of politics and administration!], Members
charged with a crime should be removed forthwith: The
criminalisation of politics is a threat to the basic
structure of the constitution, but the current
regulation allows lawbreakers to continue as lawmakers
(kp), Fighting
crime and gaining public trust: The government can
show its sincerity by conducting a fair probe into
Mahara's case, by Udayan Regmi (kp), Lawmaker
Pramod Sah arrested for vandalism: ‘Booked without
invoking any Civil Aviation Act section’ (ht) [It seems the time has come for
godlike politicians to finally become normal mortals!]
15/10/2019: Nepal
and China elevate bilateral ties to a ‘strategic
partnership’ but no one’s certain what that entails:
Analysts believe that a strategic partnership has
security and military components but caution against a
hasty interpretation, by Anil Giri (kp), China
may ‘misuse MLAT against Tibetan refugees’ (ht), Health
Ministry to monitor hospitals to curb sex-selective
abortions: Newborn data of the Paropakar Maternity and
Women's Hospital shows a wide gap between the number
of boys and girls, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Despite
rape and murder charges, Mahara and Alam remain
‘honourable’ lawmakers: The new House Regulations have
removed a previous clause that automatically suspended
any lawmakers charged with crimes, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp) [There are a lot
more honourable criminals among Nepal's politicians!],
Crime
and impunity: Arrest of Mohammand Aftab Alam
(rep), Rastriya
Janata Party lawmaker vandalises counter at Janakpur
airport: The lawmaker said that he was furious at the
condition of the airport, and the irresponsibility and
indifference of Budhha Air’s officials to passengers’
queries, by Santosh Singh (kp), Airline
operators warn of suspending all Janakpur flights
(rep) [When are politicians
severely punished for such crimes so that they finally
realise that they are not above the law?], It
is politics as usual with Dahal back to making cryptic
statements: Statements made by ruling party Co-chair
Pushpa Kamal Dahal at a Congress tea reception has
left many wondering if he seeks support from the
opposition, or perhaps from across the border, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), KC
gives ultimatum to govt, warns of protest (ht), Dr
KC demands accord implementation (rep)
14/10/2019: Congress
lawmaker Mohammad Aftab Alam arrested in relation to
2008 Rautahat blast: The politician faces charges of
burning those injured in the explosion alive in a
brick kiln, by Shiva Puri (kp), Police
arrest NC leader Alam (ht), Explainer:
The brick kiln murders Alam is accused of, by
Bhadra Sharma (rep), Ruling
Nepal Communist Party stares at tough by-election:
Government’s poor show and controversies surrounding
some leaders could affect performance during polls,
analysts say, by Thika R. Pradhan (kp), In
Achham, postpartum mothers continue to face ostracism:
While the district has introduced several safe
motherhood programmes, they have largely been
ineffective, by Menuka Dhungana (kp), A
riddle, wrapped in a mystery: What ideological
identity the Nepal Communist Party subscribes to
remains unclear, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), Nepal
reiterates commitment to One China policy (ht), Gathering
storm: We the people must not ignore some of the
lurking dangers to the spirit of constitutionalism
emanating from the government’s own unconstitutional
behaviour, by Gopal Thapa (rep), Conflict
Over Natural Resources, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)
13/10/2019: Xi
arrives, heralding the rise of an influential
geopolitical actor in Nepal: The visit of the Chinese
President might come with material benefits for Nepal
but it is laden with geostrategic symbolism, analysts
say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), China
will help transform Nepal from ‘landlocked’ to
‘land-linked’: Prez Xi: Xi announces Rs 56 billion in
assistance between 2020 to 2022, by Kosh Raj
Koirala and Ashok Dahal (rep), 11
Tibetan refugees among 22 held (ht), Social
media users welcome Xi, criticize govt for ignoring
public, by Priyanka Adhikari (rep), Mahara
to face trial following his treatment: Likely to
remain in hospital for an extended period (ht)
12/10/2019: Parties
agree on transitional justice officials but
recommendation committee disagrees: Political
consensus may be necessary but the committee's
independence should not be undermined, taskforce
members say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Much
hype, little work to show: Rasuwagadhi border point
lies in a state of disrepair: While the Chinese side
of the border has received a major facelift, that of
Nepal remains in a sorry state, by Balaram Ghimire
(kp), Walking
the tightrope: The Chinese president’s visit is likely
to have tremendous political significance but how
Nepal calibrates its foreign policy will be key
(kp), Chinese
President Xi to sign at least a dozen agreements in
Kathmandu: While the 1,200MW Budhi Gandaki
hydroelectric project is set to be revived, an
agreement is also expected on the detailed project
report for the Kathmandu-Kerung railway line, by
Anil Giri (kp), Former
President Yadav urges government to amend
constitution: Delay in amendment will give rise to
more dissatisfaction, the former head of state says,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Don't
count on divine intervention: Dashain is the time to
worship the goddess, have a terrific time, and that’s
where the story should end, by Pramod Mishra (kp)
11/10/2019: Nepal
is the worst performer in economic competitiveness in
South Asia, report says: The economy performed poorly
in terms of innovation capability, information,
communication and technology adoption, product market
development, judicial independence and government’s
long-term vision, by Prahlad Rijal (kp), Kathmandu
readies itself for Chinese president’s visit:
Agreements related to infrastructure, connectivity,
trade, commerce and energy are expected to be signed
during Xi Jinping’s visit, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal,
China to discuss extradition treaty: An agreement on
the treaty, however, is unlikely, during Xi Jinping’s
visit, officials say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [What about the security of Tibetan
refugees in Nepal?]
10/10/2019: Chinese
President Xi Jinping is arriving in Kathmandu on
Saturday on a two-day state visit, foreign ministry
confirms: It will be the first visit by a Chinese
president to Nepal in 23 years since Jiang Zemin
visited in 1996 (kp), Preparations
to welcome Chinese President Xi in full swing
(ht), Chinese
Prez Xi Jinping to visit Nepal on October 12 (ht),
MoFA
announces Chinese President Xi's visit to Nepal,
by Santosh Ghimire (rep)
09/10/2019: Xi's
visit may enhance Nepal-China energy cooperation,
by Ramesh Lamsal (rep)
07/10/2019: Police
arrest Krishna Bahadur Mahara over rape allegations:
Police took Mahara into custody after the Kathmandu
District Court earlier on Sunday issued an arrest
warrant against him following a formal complaint by
the accuser on Friday (kp)
06/10/2019: With
a complaint formally registered against Mahara, all
eyes are now on the police and the government: As the
country prepares for Dashain holidays, there are fears
about the investigation’s progress and about the
complainant’s safety, by Bhrikuti Rai, Anil Giri
and Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Preparation
on to take Mahara into police custody as investigation
escalates (ht)
05/10/2019: Politicians’
silence on the Mahara case speaks volumes about their
beliefs: Analysts say politicians pay lip service to
women’s rights but don’t speak out about cases
involving one of their own, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Govt,
parties mum on slur against Mahara: Women MPs from
ruling, oppn parties also silent on the issue
(ht), Dashain
holidays could delay investigation into Mahara rape
charges: Though police say investigation is underway,
they refuse to share the progress, by Shuvam
Dhungana (kp), National
Human Rights Commission seeks progress report from
police on Mahara rape charges: Though police say the
woman's conflicting statements have made it difficult
for them to pursue the case, criminal lawyers say the
investigating agency can take the investigation
forward as she had already called police on the night
of the incident (kp), Journalists’
group demands action against those issuing threats to
journalist Shiwakoti: The Federation of Nepali
Journalists says threatening journalists for doing
their job is against press freedom (kp), Impunity
in sex crime: UN, Australia, EU nations concerned
(ht), Why
democracy fails: In existing scenario, people will
continuew to be oppressed, political machinery will
continue to be oiled and election will be won but
democracy will lose, by Sandesh Paudyal (rep)
04/10/2019: Rights-protecting
bodies are supposed to keep the executive in check:
The National Women Commission not having a chairperson
since 2017 is a sign of institutional erosion
(kp), Weekly
meet cancelled to duck Mahara issue? (ht), Rights
groups seek probe into rape case (ht), Journo
who broke ‘rape news’ gets threats, by Ujjwal
Satyal (ht), Journalist
pleads for his safety (rep), Failure
to ensure justice in Mahara case could cost Nepal
dearly in the international arena: As Nepal is party
to many international human rights conventions, it is
required to ensure justice for victims of gender-based
violence, or face international censure, by Anil
Giri (kp), Police
stop Mahara probe as woman files complaint saying no
truth in media reports (rep) [No
one will resign from office immediately if the
accusations against him are completely false!],
The
Mahara case once again exposes the Nepal Police’s
shortcomings: Repeated failings in high-profile cases
are slowly eroding the public’s trust in the capacity
of Nepal Police to conduct impartial investigations,
by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Prioritise
Transitional Justice, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn)
03/10/2019: Human
Rights Watch calls on Nepal government to make public
Lal commission report: The commission, which
investigated deadly violence involving police and
protesters in 2015, submitted its report in December
2017 (kp) [see statement
by Human Rights Watch], Govt
told to release report on 2015 Tarai violence
(ht), Investigation
against Mahara should go on, opine lawyers (ht), Mahara’s
fate rests on our probe: Police (ht), Victim
needs emotional support, counselling, by Sabitri
Dhakal (ht), Women,
human rights activists remain mum in Mahara rape case
(ht), All
eyes on PM: The PM should unequivocally ask the police
to launch an inquiry even if Shahi does not file an
FIR against Mahara and refuses to undergo medical
tests (ht), A
constitutional body that could’ve played a significant
role in the case against Mahara has been scuttled:
Without a chairperson for four years, the National
Women Commission, mandated to deal with cases of
gender-based violence, cannot even issue a statement,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), With
Mahara’s resignation, a tricky political situation
arises: The House Speaker’s resignation over rape
allegations means that the parties will now need to
select a new Speaker, a critical position in a
parliamentary system, by Anil Giri (kp), While
the entire country takes a four-day holiday, Nepal’s
courts go on a two-week break: The decision to take a
15-day holiday is especially concerning given that
thousands of cases remain pending at the courts,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), How
a Dalit woman fell victim to caste-discrimination in
Pokhara, by Deepak Pariyar (kp), Ignorance
and poverty driving parents in Humla to send their
children to children’s homes in Capital: 40 children
were rescued from several children’s homes in
Kathmandu and handed over to their families in Humla
in the past three months, by Chhapal Lama (kp), Mahara,
Rolpa and the problems plaguing the government: It
must be a blow Mahara’s disciples that they will now
have to do without their guide and teacher, by
Deepak Thapa (kp)
02/10/2019: NHRC
concerned about curbs on free speech (ht), Inclusivity
and minority rights: Reservation ensures them, by
Yagyadi Acharya (ht), FNJ
demands law guaranteeing press freedom (rep), Speaker
Mahara resigns following rape allegations: The
incident cannot be allowed to become yet another
unsolved case (kp), Why
the rape charges against Speaker is a litmus test for
police, the ruling party and government: Although
Krishna Bahadur Mahara has tendered his resignation,
the government and ruling party have yet to take a
concrete position while the police still haven’t
pursued a criminal case, by Anil Giri (kp), A
scandal that could mean curtains for Mahara’s long
political career: Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who has
risen through the ranks over the decades, was
embroiled in controversies in the past too, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Victim
does U-turn, says media reports false (ht) [???], Mahara
no stranger to controversies (ht), Mahara’s
resignation after rape allegations runs into
controversy: No such thing as conditional resignation,
say legal experts, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Speaker
of scandal (rep), Moral
turpitude: Mahara’s bad conduct is a setback to the
party and the political system, and a betrayal of
those who had voted him to the high post (ht), Nepal's
economy is the 136th freest, says US think tank: The
report says that Nepali courts are generally reliable,
but they remain vulnerable to political pressure,
bribery and intimidation, by Prahlad Rijal (kp) [In other words: Still a very
unfree economy!] [see ranking
of Nepal according to the Heritage Foundation], NCP
working to impose one-party system, allege opposition
leaders (ht)
01/10/2019: Nepal:
Release Report on 2015 Protest Violence: Suppressing
Lal Commission Findings Denies Justice to Terai
Victims (Human Rights Watch), Women
victims of conflict era in Rupandehi demand identity
card: Since the government has not addressed many of
the issues faced by conflict victims, many widows say
they are facing an uncertain future, by Amrita
Anmol (kp), Stop
attacks: The ruling party must keep its cadres under
control, and the police should take action against
those involved in physically intimidating the NC
leader and others (ht), The
government and the ruling party must dial down on the
authoritarian behaviour: The Oli-administration would
do well to remember that the people democratically
elected it to uphold the rule of law (kp), Congress’
shadow cabinet has largely failed to check on
government activities: Since its formation five months
ago, the shadow government of the main opposition
party has yet to hold a single meeting, by Anil
Giri (kp), Many
education consultancies are still operating without
government permits: Officials say they are waiting for
the Federal Education Act to define their mandate to
oversee education consultancies, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Dysfunctional
system of governance: The long snake-like traffic jam
in Naubise-Nagdhunga aptly depicts the incompetence of
the state authorities, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Parliament
Sectt staffer accuses Mahara of rape (ht), Speaker
Mahara accused of sexually harassing female employee
(rep), Speaker
Mahara offers 'temporary resignation' following
accusation of rape (ht), PM
advises Speaker Mahara to step down from his post,
by Tapendra Karki (rep), House
Speaker Mahara resigns amid sexual harassment
accusations, by Tapendra Karki (rep), Revolution
in digital age: There will first be a few
revolutionaries, who are joined by hundreds of
thousands then supported by millions. It happens
without a central leadership and starts on the
Internet, by Bimal Pratap Shah (rep)
30/09/2019: Attack
on government critic signals drive to crush dissent:
The brutal beating of Gyanendra Shahi is a symptom of
the ruling party’s intolerance for any kind of
criticism, analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp), ‘Attack
on Shahi a severe blow to freedom of expression’
(ht), Rise
of intolerance (rep), NCP
cadres stop NC leader Rijal on the way for 3 hours
(rep), Contemptible
act: The ruling party cannot use its cadres to
intimidate the people criticising the government for
its failure to deliver goods and services (ht), Governments
have no right to dictate what the citizenry can think:
The current government is notorious for its attempts
to muzzle the free press (kp), Decline
of democracy, by Dinesh Bhattarai (kp), Provinces
are still stuck in slow gear in forming public service
commissions: Delay in forming institutional setup may
hamper recruitment of staff at provinces and local
level through the provincial commissions, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Oli
unlikely to hand over party reins to Dahal anytime
soon: Before leaving for Singapore in August, many had
believed the two co-chairs had agreed to share
responsibility, but Oli shows no signs of letting go,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Bid
to attack Minendra Rijal of NC: Main opposition party
blames NCP cadres for the incident (ht)
29/09/2019: Pushpa
Kamal Dahal wants people to restrain themselves on
social media: Analysts say Dahal’s statement might be
indicative of the current government’s intention of
controlling social media, by Tika R. Pradhan and
Bhrikuti Rai (kp) [What would
it be like if the top politicians held back a little
more from their power struggles and finally tackled
what they were elected for?], Anti-corruption
campaigner Gyanendra Shahi attacked in Chitwan: Shahi
was one among the passengers who criticised Minister
of Tourism Yogesh Bhattarai for causing a delay to a
Kathmandu-bound Buddha Air flight in Nepalgunj earlier
this month, by Ramesh Kumar Poudel (kp), Far
from progressive: Yes, the constitution is a historic
document but it has still failed to become the
people’s document for it is not still wholly accepted
by the excluded and marginalized communities, by
Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep)
28/09/2019: Janakpur
is decked out in saffron, and not everyone is
thrilled: The city government has been providing
saffron paint for homeowners for free, or at a
discount, to showcase the city’s heritage. But many
are concerned about the colour’s links to Hindu
nationalism, by Sweksha Karna (kp), For
Chepang locals, government services are 80 km away:
Officials say they don’t have enough staff to open
office near the village, by Thakur Singh Tharu
(kp), Unauthorised
body should not scrutinise SC’s ruling: CJ Rana
(ht)
27/09/2019: Press
Council wants to monitor journalists’ social media use
because it wants them to be ‘role models’: Amendments
to the Journalist Code of Conduct could stifle
journalists’ freedom of expression on social media,
rights advocates say, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Dahal
owns up to insurgency-era mistakes and pledges to
deliver transitional justice: The major parties—Nepali
Congress and Nepal Communist Party—are on the same
page when it comes to an early conclusion to the
drawn-out transitional justice process, by Binod
Ghimire (kp)
26/09/2019: The
unending horror of gender-based violence: Unless we
question the very fabric of our social norms and
destroy them one by one, nothing will ever change,
by Pooja Pant (kp), Social
equality is essential for sustainable development:
Uplifting all segments of the Nepali community has
holistic benefits for the society, environment and
economy, by Sneha Pandey (kp), The
economic slowdown in India does not bode well for
Nepal: Nearly two years since the last elections,
Nepalis are neither happy nor is the country on the
path to prosperity (kp), Married
as children, women in Bajhang are abused, abandoned
and killing themselves: The majority of marriages in
the district are still between underage children,
which often leads to polygamy and gender-based
violence, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Private
medical college operators threaten not to enrol
students in the present scenario: Dr Govinda KC warns
of another hunger strike if the malpractices in
medical education don’t stop, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Why
are Nepal's two major parties attempting to adhere to
imported ideologies?: Either of the schools of
thought, one from China and the other from India, is
bound to cause severe indigestion in Nepalis, by
Pramod Mishra (kp)
25/09/2019: In
Bardiya, even elected Dalit representatives face
caste-based bigotry: Untouchability and caste
discrimination may have taken a backseat in public
places and platforms, but it is still prevalent on an
individual level, say Dalits, by Kamal Panthi
(kp), The
federal government should let local governments take
care of education: Respective governments need to work
within the parameter of their jurisdiction to make
sure that innocent children do not suffer
unnecessarily (kp), Inflation
at almost three-year-high of 6.95pc: Unnatural price
hike hints weak governance: Economists, by Sujan
Dhungana (ht)
24/09/2019: Ineffective
Constitutional Bench will hamper implementation of
constitution and federalism, experts say: Legal
experts say there is a need to create a separate
constitutional court to deal with disputes, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Around
1,600 children deprived of citizenship: Lack of
citizenship certificates has put the lives of many
youths on hold in Nawalparasi (West), by Nabin
Paudel (kp), Centre
for Education threatens to cut student facilities if
public schools don’t update student data: Local
governments say they have been unable to update the
data as they lack administrative staff, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [This
anti-federal government and administration will never
understand and implement the principles of federalism!],
More
than 1,300 rape cases filed in seven months: NHRC
report (ht), Police
are failing rape victims, new human rights commission
report says: Nepal’s criminal justice system continues
to make access to justice complicated and challenging
for victims of rape, according to the report, by
Bhrikuti Rai (kp), A
strong government needs a stronger opposition: Nepali
Congress should snap out of its trance and do its job
in Parliament (kp), We
need a culture of dialogues in Nepal: A remnant of the
feudal past, people are always willing to dole out
speeches but never willing to listen, by Sujeev
Shakya (kp)
23/09/2019:The
de-democratisation of Nepal: The Prime Minister's
speech on Constitution Day highlighted several
challenges to Nepal's democratic transition, by
Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Dahal
hints at withdrawing ‘fake’ cases related to Tikapur
incident: Tharu activists have long argued that the
Tikapur violence was a spontaneous political event and
should be treated as such, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp)
[??], Ruling
party holds hours-long discussion to build a concrete
position on Indo-Pacific Strategy, by Anil Giri
(kp), Foreign
exchange reserves decline for the first time in 10
years, reducing import ability by half: Four years
ago, Nepal had enough reserves to sustain the imports
for 14.1 months, but now that number has reduced to
just 7.8 months, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Women
are suffering due to a lack of doctors at district
hospitals: The entire healthcare sector suffers from
staff and funding shortages—and the slow
implementation of federalism (kp)
22/09/2019: People’s
inclusion in lawmaking a challenge, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), NHRC
concerned about deteriorating rights situation
(ht)
21/09/2019: Less
than a year later, Nepal’s men of #MeToo are back to
work: When women came forward to share stories of
sexual harassment, there was hope that powerful men
were finally going to be held accountable. But today,
it’s business as usual, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Inside
the Oli administration’s culture of decision making:
When the prime minister is not acting unilaterally, he
is reliant on a few people for advice on policy and
decisions, ignoring party members and even his own
Cabinet members, by Anil Giri (kp), Government
celebrates Constitution Day while Madhesis and
indigenous groups protest: While many donned t-shirts
with the national flag, protestors wore black vests
and black headbands protesting what they called a
‘black day’, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Madhesis
and Janajatis are in clear majority and women, Dalits
and Muslims also have great objections! This is a
constitution drafted by male Tagadharis only,
especially Bahuns!], Constitution
amendment can wait: Prime minister (ht) [????],
Copies
of constitution burnt, black flags shown (ht), Government
actions don’t match its words: Recently concluded
budget session a case in point, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht)
20/09/2019: Why
celebrate Constitution Day? The document continues to
alienate many while even the progressive provisions
remain unimplemented (kp), Wrecking
crew, by Saindra Rai (nt), Calls
for constitution amendment persist, but can it happen
anytime soon? As the charter turns four, voices are
growing for ‘correcting the mistakes’ to ensure its
wider acceptance, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), As
country celebrates the constitution, marginalised
groups await amendments: For Madhesis, Tharus, and
indigenous groups, the constitution is still a
contested document, but the government doesn’t seem
too bothered, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Four
years on, constitution still divisive for some
(rep), ‘Implementation
status of constitution dismal’ (ht), Parliament
prorogued without endorsing laws critical to
federalism: Four years since constitution
promulgation, the government has failed to endorse
laws that are necessary for federalism to function as
envisioned, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Progress
in rights has stalled: Sexual minorities (ht), A
few more suggestions to become better Nepali
nationalists: After T-shirts and the national anthem
at Pashupati, could there be more places to display
our nationalism?, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp)
19/09/2019: In
a democracy, protesting is a right: Guided by the
‘best constitution’, we have to presume our current
political system is not a sham democracy, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), Prejudice
in the rights community: Human rights activists should
join forces and fight violations regardless of the
victims' backgrounds, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (kp),
At
House of Representatives, health minister makes light
of dengue spread: Even as doctors call for urgent
action, Upendra Yadav says no need to declare health
emergency and flies to the US, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Minister
Yadav rules out health emergency: Claims number of
dengue patients decreasing (ht), Ruling
party MPs blast Minister Yadav over dengue crisis
(rep), Challenges
In Controlling Dengue, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Nepal
to host Sagarmatha Sambaad in April: The theme for the
first-ever multi-stakeholder dialogue is ‘Climate
Change, Mountains and Future of Humanity, by Anil
Giri (kp), Province
ministers divided on whether to celebrate Constitution
Day or protest it: RJP-N leaders are protesting
against the constitution as it does not incorporate
the rights of Madhesis, Janjatis, women, Muslims and
Dalits, by Ajit Tiwari (kp), Civil
servants across the country told to attend
Constitution Day event (ht) [The
constitution was not drafted by the elected
representatives of the people but by the leaders of
the big parties, almost all of them being male Bahuns.
The elected representatives only had to vote for this
draft as ordered by those party leaders!], Eight
Chand-led CPN cadres arrested (ht), MEDPA
in crisis: ‘Over 70% multi-billion rupee anti-poverty
training went to party henchmen’, by Shree Ram
Subedi (rep)
18/09/2019: Why
Nepal's existing constitution is innately flawed:
Nepal has had seven constitutions in as many decades;
the latest one is entering middle age, by CK Lal
(kp), Ambiguous
regulation puts nearly 1,500 contracts at termination
risk: The Public Procurement Regulation has a
provision of extending deadlines of expired contracts,
but it does not specify which project gets extension,
officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), IFJ
condemns arrest of nine journalists (ht), Respect
criticism: Criticism of the government does not mean
people are against the democratic system for which
they fought for decades (ht), Pressure
mounts on Oli to cede party reins to Dahal (rep)
17/09/2019: Anup
Raj Sharma: We could not be bold enough to pressurise
the government: The chairman of the National Human
Rights Commission on the weaknesses of the commission,
interview with the chairperson of the National Human
Rights Commission, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Government
ready to amend transitional justice Act as per
international standard: Law minister: Conflict victims
say they are ready to support the process if Minister
Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal fulfils his commitments, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Conflict
victims want suspension of recommendation committee:
Ministry braces for holding consultations to formulate
TJ law within a week and a half (rep), Lack
of necessary laws leaves local government helpless:
With no laws in place, the local government in
Province 5 is failing to work effectively in various
sectors—particularly forest and land management,
by Amrita Anmol (kp), Simply
unministerial: As minister, Bhattarai must show
responsible behaviour, and not be a party to another
row in the making (ht),, NCP
‘resorting to fear-mongering’: Dahal’s appeal to
youths to ‘counter’ forces that are trying to fail the
system condemned by civil society (ht), The
government musn't attempt to stiffle dissent: The
government and the ruling party need to learn to take
criticism; it is a part of supporting democracy
(kp), Growing
intolerance makes one ask: Is this dictatorship or
democracy (rep), Stalled
reform, stunted development: Nepal's economic policy
regime suffers from over-regulation, duplication,
contradiction and lack of clarity, by Achyut Wagle
(kp), FNJ
condemns arrest of nine journos, including secretary
(ht), SP-N
to neither celebrate nor protest Constitution Day,
RJP-N set to oppose (ht), Experts
slam Speaker for telling House panels not to obstruct
govt (rep)
16/09/2019: Women's
battle for citizenship continues: The new proposals
regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill still treat
women as second-class citizens (kp), Politics
of the Dolpo festival: The violation of the political
rights of Dolpo in 2014 is still fresh in the minds of
many, by Tashi Tewa (kp), Violence
against children on the rise, by Ujjwal Satyal
(ht), TRC
used as tool to exact revenge: Dahal (ht) [The
unbelievable statement of a person who obviously used
the Maoist uprising for his own personal political and
economic rise and who is not interested in the fate of
his former fighters nor in that of the victims of the
uprising and their families!], How
Nepali women were misled into Maoist conflict, by
Pratap Sharma (rep), Centralisation
of power reflected in drinking water projects: Move to
bring 700 drinking water projects under federal
government tramples upon provincial jurisdiction,
province officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Nepal’s
foreign policy problem: The country seems to be lost
on what external affairs strategy to adopt, but
non-alignment has worked for it in the past, by
Lok Raj Baral (kp), Banke
attack prompts NC to obstruct both houses, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), US$
10.5b education project in trouble: Mid-term review:
World Bank and ADB skeptical about govt’s literacy
achievement claims, not keen to further support SSDP,
by Ruby Rauniyar (rep)
15/09/2019: Ruling
party’s indecision delays finalisation of the bill to
amend Citizenship Act: Cross-party top leadership will
discuss the matter with an aim to find a solution,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Lack
of meaningful political discourse is helping neither
parties nor democracy: Leaders should engage more in
issue-based discussions and informed debates, analysts
say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp)
14/09/2019: Government
proposes national identity cards to end contention
over naturalised citizenship: Ruling party backs the
proposal to issue ID cards until citizenship is
granted, but the opposition Nepali Congress has sought
time to reach a decision, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Govt
floats options on naturalised citizenship, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Panel
set to include 7-year threshold for naturalization of
foreign brides (rep), Government’s
plans to celebrate Constitution Day reek of
Panchayat-era nationalism, says civil society: All
civil servants will be required to attend programmes
marking Constitution Day, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp)
13/09/2019: Committee
formed to select transitional justice officials
decides to step up efforts: Government is preparing to
start consultations with victims to amend the
transitional justice act, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ruling
party prepares for mass gatherings but party leaders
say they have nothing to tell the people: The Nepal
Communist Party is planning mass gatherings to connect
the party to the people, but many are unconvinced if
the campaign will yield anything useful, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp)
12/09/2019: Citizenship
debate has reached another low, rights activists say:
New provisions in the citizenship amendment bill could
further limit equal citizenship rights for women,
by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Lawmakers
continue to debate marital naturalisation in
Parliament (ht) [Women
and men should be legally treated absolutely equally,
regardless of whether they are foreigners or not!
Nepal is not the property of men!], To
forgive or not to forgive: Failure of the government
to adhere to the Supreme Court verdict in relation to
amnesty could further agonize the victims, setting the
ground for vengeance and violence, by Deepak Joshi
Pokhrel and Rajendra Senchurey (rep), The
Health Ministry has failed at controlling the dengue
outbreak: Tragic stories of clearly avoidable deaths
due to dengue fever reflects the dysfunction of our
health care system (kp), Despite
poor track records, companies continue to receive
lucrative public works contracts: Shailung
Construction, owned by Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s landlord,
has received numerous contracts despite dismal
performance on almost every project it’s handled,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), US
Embassy seeks clarification after Beijing says Nepal
‘disapproves’ of Indo-Pacific Strategy: The US
ambassador will be meeting with the foreign secretary
to confirm if China’s statement citing Pushpa Kamal
Dahal’s stance on the Indo-Pacific Strategy reflects
Nepal’s official position, by Anil Giri (kp) [The USA only pursue their own
interests and have no understanding for the special
situation of Nepal! Nepal has never declared that it
wants to be part of the US Indo-Pacific Strategy!],
From
public harassment to acid attack, legal loopholes
emboldening assailants, by Priyanka Adhikari
(rep), Reason
to worry for Nepal, by Devendra Gautam (rep), Tall
Promises, Short Delivery, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
11/09/2019: Despite
reservations, parties have their way on transitional
justice appointments: Conflict victims say they won’t
accept the new teams chosen at the behest of political
parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This
is the safest way to secured injustice!], Recruiting
agencies ‘using migrant workers to siphon off US
dollar abroad’: Country's foreign exchange reserve
depleted by Rs64 billion in the last fiscal year
compared to the preceding year, according to the
central bank, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Nobody can go abroad with $500 in
cash! Everybody knows this. The Nepali citizen Khadka
Prasad Sharma Oli recently went to Singapur twice for
expensive health treatment. Has he been checked and
arrested at TIA? All citizens are equal before the
law!], To
stand or not to stand: The idea of compelling people
to stand up for the national anthem in a cinema hall
is bizarre, condescending and undemocratic, by
Deepesh Paudel (kp), State
of real estate: How is it possible that land prices in
Nepali cities with poor infrastructure are close to
land prices in London, New York, Tokyo and Shanghai?,
by Ajaya Kusum Adhikari (rep)
10/09/2019: Fair
or not, some say it’s time to talk about skin colour
discrimination: Like racism, colourism is largely
overlooked and dismissed in Nepal. Some Nepalis say
society should start addressing it head on, by
June Karkee (kp), Samajbadi
Party, a partner in the Oli government, says it won’t
observe Constitution Day: Leaders say the party will
talk to the prime minister one more time before
quitting the government, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp),
Ongoing
Parliament session unlikely to pass citizenship bill,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), NC
to stall House if controversial bills moved (ht),
Enact
law pronto: The government should enact law to
regulate the sale and distribution of acids to prevent
women and girls from acid attacks (ht)
09/09/2019: Nepali
women are being trafficked to China and sold as wives॥
Bride-buying is becoming increasingly prevalent in
China, where men far outnumber women, by Shuvam
Dhungana (kp), Panel
set to publicize list of TJ bodies candidates this
week (rep), The
government cannot shove nationalism down people's
throats: If the KP Sharma Oli administration is really
serious about celebrating the constitution, then it
should have high regard for the rule of law and treat
everyone equally (kp), With
the anniversary of constitution promulgation
approaching, Congress proposes amendments: Nepali
Congress, under whose leadership the constitution was
promulgated, has said it will make amendment one of
its protest agendas, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The NC was in government when this
constitution was passed. Later, its current chairman,
Sher Bahadur Deuba, was PM. But he and all the male
Bahuns at the top of the party were against a
constitutional amendment. Obviously, they are calling
for such a change now in order to stage themselves,
knowing full well that they lack the necessary
two-thirds majority!], Overcoming
corruption and impunity: We need policies for
development, rule of law and human security that can
get results in spite of corruption and impunity,
by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Two
offices of Road Department award separate contracts
for the same road: Department officials say such
duplication may happen due to lack of clear
demarcation of jurisdictions among the centre,
province and local govt, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), MPs
wonder why govt is letting dengue spread: Local level
reps claim they lack: budget, manpower to do needful,
by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), Dahal
at odds with govt over Kailali lynchings: By siding
with the Tharu people, Dahal has put himself at odds
with many of his NCP colleagues who see the Kailali
massacre as the most gruesome crime post-Maoist
insurgency (rep)
08/09/2019: Discrimination
against Dalits still rife, continue to be left out of
decision making processes: Marginalisation of members
of Dalit communities still persists even though
several laws and constitution bar discrimination,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Province
2 Dalit empowerment bill: Scholarships, ration cards,
health benefits to poor Dalits proposed, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), 11
years on, many Haliyas struggle for their rights,
by Bira Gadal (rep), Human
rights body to pull out of committee formed to select
transitional justice commission officials: Rights body
is recalling Prakash Osti from the committee, saying
it does not want to be part of the process that has
been heavily politicised, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Health
rights a far cry sans regulations: It hasn’t been
possible to implement the Health Act, by Sabitri
Dhakal (ht), Govt
set to withdraw Security Council Bill, by Ashok
Dahal (rep), In
the ruling party, leaders wait and anticipate Oli’s
next steps: KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal
appear to be on the same page, but it’s not clear if
they have decided on ‘one leader, one responsibility’,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Ghanshyam
Bhusal: The prime minister needs to realise his style
is not working: The Nepal Communist Party ideologue
evaluates his party’s performance in government and
talks about the relevance of Marxism today, by
Pranaya SJB Rana (kp), Outlawed
party on extortion spree amid clampdown: Security
officials said the ongoing arrests and crackdown on
the party's activities have proved little to deter the
party's donation drive (rep)
07/09/2019: Conflict
victims may ‘snub’ TJ process over commissioner
appointments (rep), Can
House panel cross-examine SC verdicts? No, say legal
experts as unwarranted interference in judicial
process will erode judicial independence (ht), Parliamentary
panel to study court decisions on NCELL tax case
(rep) [???], Amendment
to Media Council Bill fails to address concerns:
Journalists have demanded that the recommendation
committee for the proposed media council be
accountable to Parliament, not the government, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), A
teenage girl was attacked with acid after her father
told a man to stop pursuing her: Muskan Khatun, a
ninth grader, suffered burns on her face, chest and
hands, and is receiving treatment in Kathmandu, by
Bhusan Yadav and Shankar Acharya (kp) [The
government must also be made responsible for not
enacting the August 2017 order of the SC to regulate
sale and distribution of acids!!], Bote
community in Makwanpur denied licence renewal for
fishing: The Bote people fish in the local rivers and
rivulets, especially in the Rapti river, which falls
inside the Parsa National Park, by Pratap Bista [???? This is the economic survival
basis of this small group! At the same time, members
of the ruling social groups destroy the nature of the
country in many places for the mere sake of profit!],
PM’s
arrival at TIA delays flights one hour, by Sujeeta
Pradhan (rep) [This royal bad
habit must be ended at once!], Near
Rs 2 billion and 6 yrs later, poverty ID cards still
in limbo (rep)
06/09/2019: Will
the new commissions go the way of the transitional
justice bodies? There is no alternative to making
appointments in such commissions transparent and fair,
by Mohna Ansari (kp), Ruling
party keeps alluding to looming threats to the
republic. But no one will say what they are: There are
no such threats and, if any, the strongest government
in recent history should deal with them adequately,
analysts say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Clear-cut
laws are needed to fight human trafficking: While the
individuals concerned are doing their best to stop it,
the laws defining what constitutes human trafficking
remain narrow (kp), Notes
from a climate change defeatist: It’s time for
governments to decide ultimately whether they are for
the planet or against, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), NC
against restoring Hindu state: Nidhi, by Kosh Raj
Koirala (rep) [Many in your
party have a different opinion, especially the leading
Bahuns!], Bhattarai
urges Dalits to renounce Hinduism (rep), Deuba
vents ire against gov't for dissolving Dalit
Development Committee, by Kamal Subedi (rep)
05/09/2019: Rift
surfaces in committee to select transitional justice
commission officials: Committee members are at odds
over the selection criteria, chairman fails to rise to
the occasion, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Human
trafficking still a major challenge for the country:
Despite legal protections and law enforcing agencies
in action, Nepali girls, women and children are still
vulnerable to human trafficking, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), People’s
impatience might grow to dangerous level, Dahal warns
(ht), Sit-in
staged for journo’s release (ht), Ensure
media freedom : The media council should be an
autonomous body, free from state control and headed by
someone familiar with the media (ht)
04/09/2019: The
government should prepare a plan to achieve total
literacy: It should focus more on ways to ensure that
the children stay in school until they complete their
studies, at least until the secondary level (kp),
Looking
back in melancholy at the events of September 2015:
Madhesis have forgiven but not forgotten, by CK
Lal (kp), The
oppressed have become the oppressors: Envy of the
power that feudal lords held was the real motive that
fueled our freedom fighting generation, by Naresh
Koirala (kp), TJ
appointment meeting cancelled at the eleventh hour
(rep)
03/09/2019: Agencies
struggle to justify their existence with not much to
do under federal set-up: The federal government has
retained many agencies deemed redundant, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Government
says it will achieve total literacy in two years: This
is the third time the government has made this
announcement, and experts say setting targets without
proper evaluation won’t yield results, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Despite
being a voice of sustainable development, Bajhang CDO
relieved of duties and transferred to Morang: The
transfer came into effect after local lawmakers made
frequent trips to the Home Ministry seeking his
transfer, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Nepal
feels the heat of the cooling Indian economy: While
there is a legitimate fear of the slowing growth
having trickle-down effects, Nepal may benefit in the
short term, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Lawmakers
urge government to remove proposed fine on
mediapersons: MP Bimala Rai Paudel has sought licence
system for journalists to maintain professional
standards, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Parties
one on rejecting fines for journalists (rep), Govt
bodies not complying with RTI Act provision: Some govt
offices have not made proactive disclosure for the
last nine months (ht), The
Art Of Civic Renewal, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Living
In Fear?, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)
02/09/2019: Appointment
of India’s lead in EPG as state governor casts doubt
over future of group’s report: Bhagat Singh Koshyari,
who led the Indian side, was seen as the last hope for
the submission and acceptance of the report in New
Delhi, by Anil Giri and Suresh Raj Neupane (kp), Does
blackface have a place in Nepali comedy? Probably not:
Stereotypical Madhesi portrayals in popular culture
are a big hit, but for the Madhesi community, they are
racist and offensive, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp), The
declining confidence in public institutions: Leaders
making promises that they cannot keep is a significant
reason for the increased mistrust, by Parshu Ram
Bhattarai (kp), Rationalists
of Nepal, unite: Reason fails during times of public
frustration and when emotions rule. A critical mass of
intellectuals should be there to tell right from wrong
and to make right arguments, by Mahabir Paudyal
(rep)
01/09/2019: Where
are the disappeared? (rep), No
regulation to implement acts related to fundamental
rights, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Students
should be open to learning, not parrot party beliefs
unquestioned: Politicians, in filling universities
with party adherents, have helped erode the strength
of free thought that would have come only with the
right education, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Claim
your products: In lack of specific Geographical
Indication law, Nepal could even lose its sovereign
rights over the products which have their origin in
Nepal, by Jivesh Jha (rep)
31/08/2019: Police
rough up a Madhesi man yet again. This time, it’s on
video: A viral video from Janakpur shows police
pushing and pulling on a Madhesi man, prompting
outrage on social media, by Samuel Chhetri (kp), With
Oli out of the country, Dahal sees opportunity to make
moves: While the former Maoist chairman hasn’t given
up on leading government, he is now focused on party
leadership, insiders say, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp,
State
softens stance on transitional justice after pressure
from victims and rights groups: National Human Rights
Commission says it will recall its member from the
recommendation committee if parties don’t correct
their working style, by Binod Ghimire (kp), SC
jolt for govt on Sagarnath Forest: Stays decision to
bring it under the federal government’s jurisdiction,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), ‘On
citizenship, NC should stick to provisions of 2007
statute’ (ht) [Shekhar
Koirala once again calls for a return to Hindu state!]
30/08/2019: Media
Council Bill tabled in the Upper House amid uproar:
Minister for Communication and Information Technology
Gokul Baskota says the government is ready to refine
it, by Binod Ghimire (kp), A
day for the victims, and for the future of
transitional justice: This day should serve as an
occasion to remember the need to continue working
towards completing the transitional justice process,
by Navaraj Pudasaini (kp), Victims’
woes unaddressed: CIEDP collected 3,212 complaints but
couldn’t probe any, by Roshan S. Nepal (ht), Insurgency
victims in Rolpa await return of missing kin, by
Dinesh Subedi (rep), Implement
NHRC’s recommendations, MoFAGA tells local bodies
(ht)
29/08/2019: OHCHR
criticizes Nepal over child labor abuse (rep) [see
Torture
and forced child labour: UN experts find Nepal
violated human rights, by OHCHR including full
text of the UN document], Voices
of women unheard in Dolpa local units: Because of
male-dominated local units, plans and policies of the
local units are not in favour of women in Dolpa,
by Chandani Khatayat (kp), Naturalised
citizenship: ‘Law for foreign women married to Nepali
men shouldn’t end’ (ht) [Okay,
but most important is that there ist absolutely no
difference between the legal tratment of women and
men! The current citizensip law clearly violates the
fundamental rights of the Nepali citizens!], Govt
urged to protect consumer rights (ht), Rawal
slams Bhattarai for his remarks at Tharuhat-Tharuwan
conference (ht) [Only
the central state level can be run in an ethnicity
based way, i.e. by male Tagadharis and their
self-identification with nepaliness!], Fragment
of the future: If Nepal is to avoid the dystopian
future and revive its economy, it will have to revisit
Democratic Socialism prescribed by BP Koirala, by
Bimal Pratap Shah (rep)
28/08/2019: Federal
government’s reluctance to devolve power is reflected
in small development projects: Unitary mindset and
politicians’ interest in road and bridge projects are
defeating the purpose of federalism, experts say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Provision
allowing prime minister to monitor constitutional
commissions raises concerns: Opposition leaders say
the provision was inserted in the bill in a mysterious
way, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Nepal
violated human rights: UNHRC (ht), UN
asks Nepal government to bring anti-torture law at par
with international standard: The existing provision in
criminal code is flexible, legal experts say, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [It is not
only the unchanged and continued practice of torture
and targeted injuries up to killings by the security
forces. Numerous other laws and practices also violate
internationally recognized human rights statutes,
although Nepal has been a member of the UN Human
Rights Council since the beginning of 2018!],
Let
them speak: NCP ruling against dissent (rep), Stifling
dissent of members is no way to run a political party:
If the party is structured to be democratic, the
leaders must show some regard for such values (kp)
[None of the political parties
is democratic unstructure and mind, regardless of the
party concerned!], Citizenship
in limbo: Sub-panel fails to forge consensus on
naturalised citizenship, by Jagdishor Panday
(ht), Citizenship
bill stalls over naturalization through marriage
(rep)
27/08/2019: Derailing
justice: Transitional justice has taken up a lot of
resources. It cannot be allowed to get derailed into
an industry that supports interests of conflict
spoilers, by Pranab Kharel and Gaurab KC (rep), ‘Dissolve
Ranger Battalion’ (ht), Growing
protests seen as govt’s failure to deliver (rep),
RJPN
says EPG report doesn’t represent national voice
(rep), NCP
bars its leaders, cadres from airing dissent in public
(rep), Party-Based
Democracy In A Muddle, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
26/08/2019: Tharu
community stresses reconciliation but will not give up
on its demands: Participants at a conference marking
four years of the Tikapur incident said that they
would launch a decisive movement for a Tharuhat
province, by Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), Not
everyone can afford to go abroad for medical
treatment: Bir Hospital is intrinsically connected to
the larger public health picture, and its service
delivery and capacity should be improved (kp) [If you belong to the 6 per cent of
the population who are male Bahuns, then you meet the
main requirements for a job as a leading politician.
As such, you can be treated abroad at any time at the
expense of the state!], End
of the ‘tacking’ strategy: With deeper integration,
Nepal may no longer be able to swing freely between
India and China as in the past, by Ajaya Bhadra
Khanal (kp), The
Right To Environment, by Jivesh Jha (rn)
25/08/2019: Parties’
undue intervention could call credibility of
transitional justice process into question: Conflict
victims and rights activists say politicians must
correct their past mistakes and appoint officials in
an impartial and transparent manner, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Dalit
women representatives in Pokhara say they continue to
face discrimination: The representatives say they are
disrespected by colleagues and are often relegated to
the sidelines, by Deepak Pariyar (kp), Nepal
is attempting to cripple the National Human Rights
Commission: The government’s introduction of the
Amendment Bill is putting human rights, one of the
pillars of democracy, at risk, by Chun Bahadur
Gurung (rep), Forced
eviction from public land unlawful: Activists, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), ‘Delegated
laws not based on main laws’, by Jagdishor Panday
(ht), Scaring
the media, again (rep)
24/08/2019: End
gender discrimination in citizenship bill: NHRC
(ht), A
semblance of calm has returned to Tikapur, but the
demands of Tharus remain unaddressed: Marking four
years since the Tikapur incident, where nine people
were killed, a three-day conference hopes to address
demands and maintain social harmony, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Dahal
foresees communists’ downfall: Says they should stop
behaving like maharajahs (ht)
23/08/2019: Conflict
victims oppose plan to amend transitional justice act
based on a draft they rejected a year ago: As the
political parties do not appear serious about ensuring
justice, their actions will only promote impunity,
conflict victims say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), CVCP
flays partys’ plan ‘to divide spoils of appointment’
in TJ bodies (ht), TJ
appointments get messy as one nominee declines offer
(rep), High
ATF price hits foreign airlines: ‘Operating from Nepal
becoming increasingly infeasible', by Sujan
Dhungana (ht) [Obviously,
Nepal is not interested in promoting tourism!],
1947
Tripartite Agreement is irrelevant now: Foreign
minister (rep), Misinformation
Or The Truth, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
22/08/2019: Former
attorney general Raman Shrestha is parties’ pick for
truth commission: While Shrestha himself says he will
not take up the position, conflict victims too are
against the parties’ decision, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [?????], NCP’s
choice for TRC chair turns down offer (ht), Transitional
justice in jeopardy: Keep aside vested interests,
by Ram Dayal Rakesh (ht), Revised
Advertisement Bill: Media owners may end behind bars
for a year, by Ashok Dahal (rep)
21/08/2019: Despite
concerns, top officials in universities are set to be
appointed on political sharing: The government is
ignoring the recommendations made by a panel it had
formed in May, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [After
the abolition of the authoritarian monarchy, which in
the recent history of the country was mainly
responsible for the exclusion of the majority of the
Nepalese population, the non-inclusive political
parties dominated by male Bahun have infiltrated the
entire state apparatus in a very short time. This is
undemocratic, completely irresponsible and highly
politically corrupt!], Sacked
Karnali minister has a long business and political
history: A week after the court’s arrest order, police
fail to locate the whereabouts of Khadka Bahadur
Khatri, who has connections with the NCP leadership,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), PM
calls for strengthening FDR system, by Roshan S.
Nepal (ht) [PM Oli's politics
that favours continued central control has been one of
the greatest obstacles for implementing federalism!!]
20/08/2019: Parties
finalising names for two transitional justice bodies
this week: Nepal Communist Party will take leadership
of the truth commission while Nepali Congress will get
the one on disappearances, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Still active leaders of both
parties had political responsibility at that time and
are not qualified for this task!], Do
not obstruct justice (rep), Costs
of justice delayed: If the voices of the victims are
ignored and justice process is put on hold like this,
Nepal’s TJ process is surely going to attract
universal jurisdiction, by Ram Kumar Bhandari
(rep), How
the public procurement process derails the economy: It
took 15 years to pass the Public Procurement Act, the
provisions of which have been largely ignored, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Petition
filed against laws of six provinces (ht), ‘Women
humanitarians risking their lives to help others’
(ht), Nepal
to counter Oli, Dahal with note of dissent, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht) [May the
male Bahun fighting within this party go on for
eternity! Male Bahuns, who constitute only six per
cent of the population, fill half of the leading
positions within the special committees of the NCP! Of
course, this is not criticised by male Bahun Mahav
Kumar Nepal !], Return
migration: Build nation, and they will come; An
effective way to influence the return of productive
Nepalis living abroad would be to make a strong
domestic push for government accountability in areas
of infrastructure development, social justice and rule
of law, by Keshar M. Ghimire (ht), Crafting
State Priorities, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
19/08/2019: Prime
Minister Oli’s parliamentary address leaves his party
wondering: The statement seemed to put a firm end to
the gentleman’s agreement with Dahal which said they
would take turns to lead the government, by Anil
Giri (kp), Oli
rules out vacating PM’s post for Dahal (ht), NCP
chairperson Dahal hints at changing leadership of
government, by Suresh Yadav (rep), NA
offers to set up Maina memorial, by Roshan S.
Nepal (ht) [This is a blatant
mockery against the background that criminals from the
security forces, including in the murder case of Maina
Sunuwar, are protected and promoted unchanged by the
army leadership and politicians!], PM
Oli revisiting Singapore for medical check-up (ht)
[??], Celebrating
#Womenhumanitarians: In the aftermath of disasters,
women’s specific humanitarian needs are often not
adequately identified nor responded to. Women and
other minorities face further marginalization during
disasters, by Indu Ghimire and Valerie Julliand
(rep)
18/08/2019: Nine
persons, including NEFIN president, injured in baton
charge (ht), Lawmakers
flay govt for not responding to their questions
(ht), No
substance and no deadline in PM’s performance deals
with ministers, by Ashok Dahal (rep), There’s
a semblance of calm in the ruling party, but the storm
is not over yet: If not addressed well, at least three
issues can easily upset the applecart, say party
insiders, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Dahal
not happy with party unification? (ht), ‘JC’s
actions can undermine independence of judiciary’: ‘If
JC were to punish judges then no one would get bail’
(ht), Case
against Chhaupadi: Chhaupadi is rooted in ignorance
and unfounded fears, another reason why it must be
completely eradicated, by Shiva Kumar Pokharel
(rep)
17/08/2019: RJP-N,
SP-N likely to merge before their general conventions,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NCP
announces heads, co-heads of departments: Deputy Prime
Minister Ishwar Pokharel to lead School Deptt; Of the
32 department heads of the party, only two are women,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht) [Non-inclusion
and continued dominance of male Tagadharis, expecially
Bahuns!]
16/08/2019: Province
3 government objects federal government’s bill that
interferes its jurisdiction: Provincial Minister
Jammakattel argued that the federal
government-introduced bill was meaningless as the
provincial government has already formulated laws
regarding vehicle and transportation management act,
by Subash Bidari (kp)
15/08/2019: Journalists
are being arrested for their political beliefs, in
eerie reminder of Panchayat days: At least two
journalists are in detention on suspicion of their
affiliation with the Chand-led Communist Party of
Nepal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Public
school teachers launch protests demanding the federal
government should manage them: Local government in
response says the centre cannot take the move, citing
it unconstitutional, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Civil
society, gender rights activists call on govt to
present consolidated reports (rep), Need
for presenting progress of Nepali women stressed
(ht), Nepal
falls behind in combating human trafficking, says NHRC
(ht), Nature
conservation: Political stability is a must, by
Usha Dahal (ht), Neglected
for giving birth to a baby girl: If there is something
our society as a whole must fight together it is this
(rep), Who
Is Running This Country? Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)
14/08/2019: Province
5 creates is own Provincial Public Service Commission,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Lawmakers
criticise Federal Civil Servant Bill, by Jagdishor
Panday (ht), Police
use force on protesters (ht)
13/08/2019: Once
staunch anti-imperialists, the Maoists are now singing
a different tune: Since their merger with the UML, the
former Maoists have all but abandoned their once
vociferous vilification of India and the US, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Supreme
Court’s order on Sumargi case remains unimplemented A
division bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher
Rana and Justice Ananda Mohan Bhattarai had ordered
retrieval of money withdrawn by the
controversial businessman, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp) [Typical disregard of
court decisions by the executive branch!] , Geneva
Conventions instrumental in reducing suffering, says
Welch (ht), Jail
term till death proposed for grave violations, by
Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)
12/08/2019: Questions
remain over PM Oli’s health as he returns today: In
the interest of transparency and accountability, the
prime minister’s health status should be made public,
along with his expenses and who paid for them, by
Anil Giri (kp), Time
for reconciliation: Oli must now learn to partner with
the well-wishers of democracy with whom he's wasted
time, fighting, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Evoking
responsibility to bridge the youth-government trust
deficit: Youths will have a sense of ownership towards
nation-building only when they are directly involved
in policymaking, by Pukar Malla (kp), House
endorses two crucial bills related to police force,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Anger
on the streets (rep), Police
baton-charge SRC agitators (ht), Four
provinces still struggling to fix their capitals,
names (rep), Civil
servant adjustment triggers chaos in health sector,
by Yogesh Rawal (rep)
11/08/2019: Indigenous
movement, once a champion for the rights of indigenous
people, is losing steam: Activists fighting on behalf
of the indigenous population themselves are not
hopeful about sustaining their efforts, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Government
is working on Mass Media Bill with harsher provisions
for media sector: The draft bill, currently at the Law
Ministry, proposes fines up to Rs 10 million and jail
terms up to 15 years or both, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Sociological
short-sightedness of alternative politics: Instead of
embracing social complexity, our alternative politics
is steadily becoming an enterprise aimed at reducing
it, by Nimesh Dhungana (kp), Applying
for a driving licence: You will understand why they
call it an online system when they make you stand in
endless lines, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp), ‘Province
2 won’t accept FPSC-recruited staff, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Federalism
might fail: Leaders whom we entrusted infant
federalism have limited vision or skills as to how
they will nurture the new system. They are running the
show like they did under constitutional monarchy,
by Kshitiz Khanal (rep)
10/08/2019: Oli
has signed work performance contracts with his
ministers, but many doubt their efficiency: Stability
in the bureaucracy and a lack of political
interference, not performance contracts, key to
finishing works on time, officials say, by Anil
Giri (kp), Opposition
lawmakers demand halt to National ID card
distribution: At the parliamentary State Affairs and
Good Governance Committee, lawmakers question the
government why the cards were issued when the bill
regarding the same is being discussed at the federal
parliament, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Nepal
Army is amending laws so it can get into commercial
activities: Eyeing projects with high returns, the
Army wants to invest the billions it has in its
welfare fund in hydropower projects, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Top
bureaucrats are thwarting investigation into transport
entrepreneurs, officials say: At least six
office-bearers of former transport committees have
been under investigation since last year, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)
09/08/2019: Ethnic
communities to hold a protest rally on World
Indigenous Peoples' Day: The indigenous nationalities
say the state is still reluctant to address their
concerns of identify and inclusion, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Trafficking
in persons: Nepal must focus on prevention efforts and
victims' protection, by Dev Datta Joshi (kp)
08/08/2019: Road
to unfreedom: The government's actions show it wants
to turn the country into a police state (kp), How
the government bowed down to contractors: All key
demands of the contractors were addressed as the
public procurement regulation was amended three times
in two and a half months, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Cases
of domestic violence unchecked in Baitadi: Eighty-six
cases of domestic violence were filed at the District
Police Office in the fiscal year 2018-19, by
Tripti Shahi (kp 08/08/2019)
07/08/2019: When
politicians go to foreign lands, who pays? The prime
minister is currently in Singapore with a seven-member
team. While the government says he is paying his own
way, many are sceptical, by Anil Giri (kp) Calls
from the police shake up human rights activists: At
least three rights activists received calls from the
police asking for their professional affiliation,
without saying why, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Media
for democracy: In a modern democracy, citizens feel
empowered when they have adequate access to truthful
information without which they cannot take wise
decisions, by Mohan Nepali (rep)
06/08/2019:
Ministers
from Maoist camp are uneasy with prime minister’s
intervention in appointments, aides say: Several
officials at line ministries say ministers have no
freedom in appointing people and the secretaries
report directly to Oli, hindering efficiency and
results, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Human
traffickers, in a change of tricks, are now waiting
across the border: Despite decades of surveillance and
awareness programmes, hundreds of women continue to be
trafficked across the open Nepal-India border every
year, by Madhu Shahi (kp), Nearly
1.5 million Nepali at risk of human trafficking,
report says: Aspiring migrant workers, Nepali working
abroad, child labour, workers in the entertainment
sector and missing persons are more vulnerable human
trafficking, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), States
are beginning to play a direct role in supporting
press freedom: The declining state of freedom of
expression in the subcontinent needs more exposure,
by Achyut Wagle (kp)
05/08/2019: Costs
of delay: International pressure on transitional
justice (rep), Mind
your own business: The federal government needs to
stick to its jurisdiction and let the provincial
governments enjoy their authority over certain things
(kp), Political
parties and their decay: The leaders’ commitment to
the process and values of democracy is increasingly
becoming suspect, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), No
credible basis to conclude Paudel was killed in
encounter: Rights groups (rep), AWC
urges NHRC to conduct fair investigation (ht), ‘Govt
formed through democratic system is transforming Nepal
into communist state’, interview with NC whip
Pushpa Bhusal (ht)
04/08/2019: Politicians’
self-centred attitude could put federalism in peril,
say experts: Public post holders are increasing their
pay and perks instead of spending more on public goods,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), On
a collision course? Legal battle likely to intensify
between provinces and Kathmandu: They say Province 2
move to challenge federal government’s bid to infringe
upon its jurisdiction is an important step, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Suspected
suicides by people under graft probe highlight need to
revamp investigation process: Anti-corruption
activists say the corrupt should not be spared, but
agencies should be careful while filing charges and
making the names public, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Army
expedites action against soldiers who had defected to
the Maoists: According to the national defence force,
over 450 can face court martial, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Do
we need nationalism or patriotism? When people feel
they must choose between them, nationalism customarily
proves more potent, by Bina Jha (kp), Ministers
avoid Q&A in House: Make mockery of regulation,
show disregard for democracy, by Jagdishor Panday
(ht), Citizenship
bill stuck in SAGGC, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), More
rape victims seek police help (ht), ‘Implement
sexual and reproductive health rights’ (ht), NCP,
NC intensify search for candidate for Kaski-2
by-elections: PM Oli urges Bamdev Gautam, a party
veteran, to contest by-elections from Kaski-2
(rep) [There can never
be enough male Bahuns in parliament to represent their
meagre 6 per cent castemates! Long live non-inclusive
male Bahunvad!]
03/08/2019: Recommendation
committee to consult with victims before picking
transitional justice leadership: The move comes in
place following concern from various international
human rights bodies urging the government to take
action, by Binod Ghimire (kp), A
new film bill draws sharp criticism from Nepali
entertainment industry: The proposed bill gives
sweeping authority to film censor board and adds
unnecessary hassles, filmmakers say, by Bhrikuti
Rai (kp), NHRC
investigation challenges govt claim on Kumar Paudel
‘encounter’ (rep), Quake
victims unpaid for lack of coordination between NRA
and local units, by Sher Bahadur Jero (rep)
02/08/2019: Chand
outfit turns aggressive as talks remain elusive
(rep), Unidentified
groups torch more than 30 Ncell towers across the
country: Police suspect Netra Bikram Chand-led
Communist Party of Nepal behind the arson (kp), Ncell
towers torched in far-west, by Tekendra Deuba
(ht), New
tourism minister faces a slew of challenges,
especially on policy: Yogesh Bhattarai will need to
retool civil aviation while also ensuring that Visit
Nepal 2020 takes off without a hitch, by Sangam
Prasain (kp), Challenges
facing Minister Bhattarai: The new tourism minister
has to chart a new course to revitalise a promising
industry (kp), Growing
criticism and internal power dynamics force Oli to
change courseCriticism from both inside and outside
the party, coupled with manoeuvrings by Pushpa Kamal
Dahal, have led the prime minister to adopt consensus
and compromise, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Prachanda
and the spectre of The Hague: Transitional justice
should not be aimed only at hounding and punishing
Prachanda for all war-era crimes. But his own party
comrades may not be with him on this, by Dinesh
Kafle (kp), HoR
meetings not happening for almost a month, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Gender
stereotypes: Hamper social inclusion, by Bina Jha
(ht)
01/08/2019:
As
tourism minister, there are immediate challenges—and
opportunities—for Yogesh Bhattarai: Bhattarai, elected
from Taplejung, has been overseeing the party’s
publicity department and has often been critical of
the Oli administration, by Bhrikuti Rai and Tika
R. Pradhan (kp) [Thank god,
another male Bahun! This is obvious what the
government understands by inclusion. 10 of the 23
full-fledged ministers are Bahuns, of whom 9 are male
Bahuns, although male Bahuns account for only 6
percent of the total population. So 1-2 male Bahuns in
the government would be appropriate, not more!],
‘Killing
two birds with one stone’: ‘Oli has outwitted Dahal
with Bhattarai’s appointment’ (ht), Federal
government halts grants to local governments for
failing to present their budget: Employees are unsure
if they will receive their salaries in time, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Locals
risk their lives to cross rain-swollen Mahakali river:
Villagers have to cross the river as they rely heavily
on Indian markets across the border for everyday
commodities, by Manoj Badu (kp), Consumers
have rights: The government must do everything in its
power to establish consumer courts in the country
(kp) Restructure
SSDP: In line with federalism, by Hari Prasad
Lamsal (ht)
31/07/2019: Amend
the act: The government should not be seen as trying
to protect the perpetrators of rights violations
during the conflict era; it is time justice is
delivered to the victims (ht), TJ
process prolonged as victims insist on no impunity:
Political parties wrangle over appointments to
commissions (rep) [The
perpetrator side must not be represented in the
commissions, i.e. please no representatives of the
political parties, the army and the former monarchy!],
In
absence of consumer court, businesses keep getting
away with selling substandard products: Although
dozens of restaurants and companies are found selling
contaminated and low quality food, lengthy
administrative process results in little action,
by Rajesh Khanal and Krishana Prasain (kp), Child
marriage still prevalent in areas declared child
friendly in Sudurpaschim: Fourteen girls under the age
of 20 became mothers in the area in the last three
years, health workers say, by Tripti Shahi (kp), Nepali
leaders find India's BJP bigwigs advocating Hindu
state 'insulting' (rep)
30/07/2019: Four
international rights groups criticise government
inaction on transitional justice: Nepali government
officials say they are working sincerely to conclude
the process, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [see common
statement by Amnesty
International, Human
Rights Watch, TRIAL
International and International
Commission of Jurists; same statement
in Nepali], Govt
told to start fresh appointment process‘: Authorities
flippant on fulfilling obligations’, by Roshan S.
Nepal (ht), Rights
bodies urge govt to halt ongoing commissioner
appointment process: The process cannot be halted,
says the recommendation committee (rep), ‘I’ll
become global hero if dragged to The Hague’ (ht) [What bullshit nonsense! Dahal is
obviously trying to acquit himself of his
co-responsibility for crimes from the time of the
uprising!], Dispute
over forming panel to investigate Tarai deaths
obstructs House, again: Speaker Mahara feels trapped
by the positions taken by the ruling and opposition
MPs, his advisors says, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Postpartum
mothers in Joshibunga carry the weight of old
traditions: In many parts of Nepal, new mothers are
considered “untouchable” until the eleventh day of
delivery, by Trpti Shahi (kp), Oli,
Dahal to go abroad (ht) [Both
will hopefully pay for these trips out of their own
pockets and not export more than the 1500 dollars
allowed by their government!], Flint,
federalism and way forward: Shun centralised mindset,
by Sajal Mani Dhital (ht), Tackling
Intra-Party Conflict, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
29/07/2019: Ruling
party’s repeated failures to ensure representation
call its commitment to inclusion into question: The
recent selection of the top leadership in its district
and metropolis committees has shown a distinct failure
to be inclusive, which is mandated by law, by Tika
R. Pradhan (kp), Away
from a society that judges, Nepali women are turning
to Facebook for help: Thousands of Nepali women have
joined closed—and secret—Facebook groups in search of
solidarity, friendship and safe space, by Bhrikuti
Rai (kp), Bill
of flaws: For sure, Nepal needs some level of media
regulation to check or at least control bad media
practices and lack of discipline but proposed bill
does not help, by Roshani Giri (rep)
28/07/2019: Death
of a new mother forces government to rethink its
rescue programme for critical pregnant women: A woman
in Nuwakot died last week from postpartum haemorrhage
after she was denied an airlift to Kathmandu for
treatment, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Public
procurement decisions are taken through the Cabinet to
avoid scrutiny, chief of anti-graft body says: In an
exclusive interview, Nabin Ghimire said his office is
undecided on interrogating former prime ministers over
Cabinet decision on Lalita Niwas scandal, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [see interview
with Nabin Ghimire] [Corruption
in order to protect the corrupt!], Central
bank tightens the purse strings as forex reserves
deplete: Monetary policy says people going abroad for
travel and study will get less in foreign cash, by
Tsering D. Gurung (kp), 367
days of injustice (rep), What
does Biplav want? Biplav’s outfit has ended up
becoming the subject of public hatred. His armed
political activism needs an urgent shift toward social
activism, by Thaneshwor Chalise (rep), Tracing
Disappeared Persons, by Jaya Chor Chapagain (rn)
27/07/2019: National
human rights body asks prime minister’s
office—again—to report on the status of Nirmala Pant
case: The rights watchdog had made 24-point
recommendations in January for a fair and credible
probe into the 13year-old’s rape and murder, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), NHRC
asks govt about action on report (ht), NHRC
for lifting curbs on women aspiring to work
abroad (ht), How
do we move forward with #RageAgainstRape? When
activists group together to fight for a cause,
imperfect solidarities are formed, by Hima Bista
(rep)
26/07/2019: As
both ruling and opposition parties focus on internal
divisions, governance takes a hit: Neither the Nepal
Communist Party nor the Nepali Congress has played
effective roles in governance, analysts say, by
Anil Giri and Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Govt
endorses committee report on talks with Chand group
(rep)
25/07/2019: The
government spent Rs 230 million on buildings for
squatters. Nobody moved in: The empty, eerie housing
project is a symptom of a haphazard, rushed
decision-making, by Tsering D. Gurung and Anup
Ojha (kp), Monsoon
arrived over a month ago, but windstorm victims are
still waiting for homes: Government had announced that
families affected by windstorm in Bara and Parsa would
be resettled before the onset of monsoon, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Freed
haliyas complain of being left out of government data:
The haliya rehabilitation is yet to gain
momentum, 11 years since their emancipation, by
Mohan Shahi (kp), The
government should protect intellectual property, not
hide behind it: It should make all data easily
accessible, not limit its usage by adding unnecessary
watermarks, by Deepak Thapa (kp)
24/07/2019: NHRC
urges govt to end caste-based discrimination (kp)
[see NHRC
report of 18/07/2019, in Nepali], Police
reluctant to register FIR of trafficking victims,
by Ujjwal Satyal (ht), Not
quite a case of one for all and all for one: The
ethnonational government with almost complete control
over the instruments of the state and institutions of
society has proved to one of the most ineffective in
recent history, by CK Lal (kp), Government
and Chand in blame game over talks: The home minister
said Chand’s party has not shown interest in talks
even though the outfit has specifically put forth
preconditions to come to the table, by Tika R.
Pradhan (kp), Data
shows significant revenue and expenditure progress,
but economists cry foul: Revenue and expenditure
targets were considerably revised, leading new figures
to show marked progress, economists say, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), People
are furious after Home Minister says Nirmala Pant’s
rape and murder isn’t a “new phenomenon”: The remark
comes just days before the one-year mark of the
gruesome incident whose investigation is still
incomplete, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp) [It
is an outstanding task of the govt, especially of the
home minister, to end this phenomenon once and for
all. If you are incompetent to do this, Mr Thapa, then
you should resign and stop such nonsense talk! This is
a political issue in every respect!], New
recruits for local levels: Ground for conflict; In our
country where decision-making has been long
centralised with the political, administrative and
technical elite at the helm of affairs, genuine
devolution of power is still a problem regardless of
the federal polity, by Mukti Rijal (ht)
23/07/2019: Human
rights body summons police involved in killing of
Chand cadreHome Ministry has defended the killing,
saying security personnel opened fire in
self-defence, but family members tell another story,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Just
as the security forces killed thousands of persons
during the times of insurgency only in self-defence??], Around
50,000 quake-affected families to be removed from
government list of beneficiaries: They didn’t sign
housing grant agreements within deadline, rebuilding
authority says; Lack of land titles, disability
and old age may have kept some people from signing
agreements, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Debate
on external voting rages on, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), Hiepe
stresses social protection for economic development
(ht), RJPN
working on Madhesi-Janajati protest alliance
(rep), Sources
Of State Effectiveness, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
22/07/2019: Crackdown
on Chand outfit raises fears of escalation of
conflict: Security analysts say there is no
alternative to dialogue and both parties should engage
in talks, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Chand-led
party’s Kathmandu head held (ht), Congress,
the party that stood for democracy, attempts to
control its own members: Party members say use of
restrictive measures by the leadership to stifle
opinions is cause for concern, by Anil Giri (kp),
An
increase in rent-seeking activities by the government
has derailed politics and the economy: Demonstrations
against the ill-conceived Guthi Bill have already
indicated what may be in store for the future, by
Prakash Chandra Lohani (kp), Opposition
lawmakers demand probe into spending budget at the end
of fiscal year: The provincial government engage in
organising events to avoid budget freeze, lawmakers
say, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp), Ensuring
accountability: One single victory in favor of the
people will be monumental in consolidating our
transition from authoritarianism to a proper
democratic framework, by Sarans Pandey (rep) [Before, Nepal had royal
authoritarianism, now it has party authoritarianism!
Both in common are their selfish interests, under
which they do/did not care for people and country!]
21/07/2019: TRC,
CIEDP nominations next month, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht) [Take your time and wait
until all the victims and perpetrators have died a
natural death. This is likely to happen sooner to the
victims and their families due to the circumstances of
their lives!], Heed
the victims’ call (rep), Provincial
govts ill-prepared to tackle disasters (rep) [This has much to do with the
anti-federal policy of the central government!],
Only
dismal progress is seen in KP Oli’s dream projects
(rep), More
than 18 months after Karki report, government yet to
take action against the accused: While accused
officials have questioned the report’s legitimacy,
experts say the government needs to take a stand,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), Despite
protests, Public Service Commission continues exams to
hire staff for the local level: Protesters have said
the vacancy notice is against the principle of
inclusion, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Failures
of Oli Administration, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
20/07/2019: Transitional
justice without leaders as parties disagree on
candidates: Transitional justice without leaders as
parties disagree on candidates, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [And only politically
nominated male Bahuns can lead these commissions?],
Billions
at stake as projects delayed, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), Minister
urges government to allocate more budget for health
sector (ht), Why
Chand-led Maoists are now inclined to talks, by
Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Chand
cadre injured in Dhangadhi blast dies of injuries,
by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal and Pushparaj Joshi (rep) [Carrying bombs for self defense?
Mr. Chand, you're insane!]
19/07/2019: Conflict
victims demand halt to TJ bodies appointment process
(rep), ‘People
refuse to rent me a room when I tell them my surname’:
New study says despite laws in place, caste-based
discrimination is rampant across the country, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), ‘Chand-led
communist party should shun violence for dialogue’
(ht), MoHA
to continue performance contract (ht) [Under
the federal system, the performance of district
administration should be the exclusive task of the
provincial administration!], SRC
continues protest against FPSC (ht), NCP
lawmakers criticise FPSC members (ht), Rehab
plan a must: It is high time a separate ministry
or a powerful authority to look into
natural disasters was formed in the country
(ht), Renounce
violence before any talks, govt tells Chand outfit:
'No surrender to govt' (rep), Five
injured in Dhangadi explosion, one critical (rep)
18/07/2019: The
Avarice Of Power, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Anticipating
criticism, government puts Mass Communication Bill on
hold: After facing public reproach for Media Council
Bill and IT Bill, the Oli administration appears
wary of inviting any more criticism, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Think
first, act later: Myopic decisions have made the
people question their faith in this
government, by Kushal Pokharel (kp), Recruiting
for PSC vacancies gets thorny as protests turn
aggressive, by Ashok Dahal (kp), Rise
against discrimination: How many Dalits possess land
in cities? How many Dalit students are enrolled in
top-notch private schools and colleges? How many Dalit
politicians are there in higher ranks?, by Sangita
Chalise (rep)
17/07/2019: Transitional
justice: Restructuring of selection panel demanded,
by Roshan S. Nepal (ht 17/07/2019), Leadership
issues hamper unification talks between Samajbadi
Party Nepal and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal: Leaders
say they have been working to settle the issue through
dialogue, and talks will intensify once leaders return
from flood-affected districts, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp) [It's always the same
because Nepal only has power-hungry leaders, not
charismatic ones!], Govt
registers $500m pact signed with US in Parliament,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Hundreds
protest against FPSC’s job notice (ht), Inept
speaker: Regardless of why Mahara chose to adjourn
Monday’s House meeting, the ultimate sufferers are the
people affected by the natural disasters (ht), Capital
spending at 73 pc in 2018-19: Experts urge enhancing
capacity of bureaucrats, contractors (ht), Are
we a peaceful nation? Based on Nepal’s happiness
index, Nepal is a happy country because we do not have
violence but we are also sad country because we fall
behind in positive peace, by Narayan Manandhar
(rep)
16/07/2019: Provinces
say federal government is in bid to control provincial
security operations: Police adjustment bill, passed by
a House committee, is yet another attempt to
centralise power, provincial ministers say, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The Oli
govt neither wants federalism nor does it understand
how federalism works!], A
changing world order: It is important to look at how
Nepal will plan its engagement with the world, by
Sujeev Shakya (kp), Open
letter to Finance Minister: Dear Finance Minister, you
may choose not to believe in the future as you did by
rejecting digital financial technologies, but in the
process please don’t block our future, by Bishal
Thapa (rep), Chaotic
Oli Administration, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
15/07/2019: Centre
refuses to devolve authority to provinces: Province 3
minister says Kathmandu has refused to share powers
with the government in Hetauda, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp) [In grave violation of
the constitution, the central politicians prevent the
implementation of federalism at any cost!], Centre
retains power to transfer provincial SP, SSP, DIG
(ht), Both
Nepal and India have done little to address flooding
along the border, officials say: Inundation becomes a
hot button issue every monsoon, only to fizzle out in
a few months, by Anil Giri and Suresh Raj Neupane
(kp), Chure
degradation over the years has worsened floods
in Tarai districts Human activities are to blame for
massive flooding down the Chure hills,
environmentalists say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp) [Total disinterest by
govt and administration!], In
the way of the rivers: The recent floods are actually
man-made, or at least made worse by poorly-planned
infrastructure (kp), Stay
alert: While it is easy to blame nature’s wrath for
causing death and destruction, one cannot dismiss
man’s folly for compounding the devastation (ht),
Sources
in Communist Party of Nepal say the outfit is not
convinced by state’s call for talks: Chand outfit has
put forth three conditions for dialogue, including an
official invitation letter, by Tika R. Pradhan
(kp), Govt
in backchannel negotiations with Chand outfit (ht)
14/07/2019: Repeated
diplomatic failures reveal shortcomings in the Oli
administration’s foreign affairs operation: Foreign
Ministry officials have not responded to at least
three requests for clarifications from American and
Indian embassies, by Anil Giri (kp), Vice-chancellors
of several varsities to retire next month: Experts
suggest selection on merit ending practice of picking
officials based on their political affiliation, by
Binod Ghimire (kp) [It would
be best to nominate chancellors from the academic
circles! There is no justification to make the PM the
chancellor of any university!!]
13/07/2019: Bill
that curtails NHRC’s rights not acceptable, say
former chief justices, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Nepali
Congress and Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal say they will
continue to obstruct Parliament: Two opposition
parties demand that the government release the report
on Tarai protest and launch parliamentary
inquiry into the deaths of CPN leader Kumar Paudel and
Sarlahi youth Saroj Narayan Mahato, by Binod
Ghimire (kp)
12/07/2019: More
rules were violated in awarding national ID contract
to French company: Although provisions require bidder
to provide full security bond at contract signing,
IDEMIA was given more time to submit the bond, by
Anil Girci (kp), Another
Chand cadre’s killing raises questions about
government’s stance—and style—against the outfit:
Killings of citizens, regardless of which party they
belong to, cannot be justified, rights defenders
and security experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Security
heightened in Achham against threats posed by Chand
outfit: PolicePatrols have been increased in remote
areas and bordering districts, by Menuka Dhungana
(kp), Prime
minister says he’s in the dark. His critics aren’t
delighted: This was not the first time Oli, who heads
a government having two-thirds majority, admitted to
having been ‘misled’, ‘deceived’ or ‘kept in the dark’,
by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [This
proves once more that Oli is unable to cope with the
office of PM!], Prime
minister out of touch with his own administration: ‘PM
cannot shirk responsibility by saying he was not
informed’, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), ‘Appointment
procedure for Medical Education Commission faulty’
(ht), KC
demands halt to vice-chairperson appointment in
medical commission: Irregularities would flourish and
regulations would turn into a mess if incompetent
people or stalwarts of political parties are
appointed as vice chairman, the orthopaedic surgeon
says, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Tehrathum
villagers desert rural areas in search of greener
pastures: Drinking water shortage, wild animals
menace, food scarcity, lack of education and
health facilities is driving migration in the area,
by Chandra Karki (kp)
11/07/2019:
The
dismissal of gender equality: Although the government
does have social inclusion provisions, they are
largely ignored or purposefully ridiculed, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), Cabinet
plans to award $16m ID card project to French company
without bidding process: Public procurement law
mandates a public call for bids while awarding
contracts above one million rupees, by Anil Giri
(kp), The
injured and families of martyrs wanted cash. They got
buffaloes instead: Livestock provided by the Province
2 government is an additional burden, many families
say, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Chand
cadre, police constable die in shootout, by Alisha
Shrestha (kp), CPN
cadre, cop killed in exchange of fire (ht), Two
including cop killed in incident with armed Chand
cadre, by Akson Rai (rep), NC,
RJPN join hands against govt (rep), Ruling
party stands firm against forming probe committee,
opposition obstructs House: Opposition lawmakers
refuse to buy government’s argument on deaths of Chand
party member and Madhesi man in police action, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), A
year-old child is paying the price of his brother’s
eloping with a Dalit: It’s been eight years since
Nepal was declared ‘untouchability free’, but
caste-based discrimination is still practiced widely
in the country, by Pramita Dhakal (kp), As
they clash to conquer: Until Sino-US rivalry drags on,
both China and America will try to have Nepal in their
fold. How should Nepal respond?, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep)
10/07/2019: Politics
of marginalization: Diversity is strength only if the
state promotes a policy of equality and justice.
Inequalities, oppression and marginalization lead to
instability and conflict, by Tejendra Pherali
(rep), Police
killed a Madhesi man. Home minister blamed it on the
man: Opposition obstructs House after ruling party
refuses to form a panel to look into deaths of
Saroj Mahato and Kumar Paudel, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Series
of controversies prompt Oli to evaluate his Cabinet’s
performance: Evaluations are in preparation for an
imminent Cabinet reshuffle, ruling party leaders say,
by Anil Giri (kp), UNESCO
withdraws from restoration of two temples in the
Basantapur area: Local residents and conservationists
have been critical of the government decision to
allow foreign agencies to rebuild Jagannath and Shree
Krishna Mahavishnu temples, by Chandan Kumar
Mandal (kp), UNESCO
pulls out of reconstruction project, by Ujjwal
Satyal (ht), 10
years on, freed Kamaiyas still wait for rehabilitation
: Only 34 percent of Rs317.2 million budget allocated
for their rehabilitation has been spent so far, by
Nirmala Khadayat (kp), Settle
them pronto: It is the duty of the government to
provide shelter, food, health and education to the
freed kamaiyas and haliyas (ht), NCP’s
commitment prompts FNJ to suspend protest
(ht), Appoint
TRC, CIEDP officials after act amendment, says
accountability watchdog (ht), SC
hearing on pesticide residue tests case today
(rep)
09/07/2019: Tradition
defies the law: Parliament has criminalised Chhaupadi,
but the practice still exists due to prevalent social
norms, by Labhesh Thapa (kp) [This
reflects the cultural mania determined by men in the
patriarchal Hindu state that discriminates against
women!], Workers
denied timely wages under prime minister’s job
programme: Dissatisfied workers warn that they will
launch protests if they are not paid by Tuesday,
by Nirmala Khadayat (kp), Chart
the road ahead: Only a strong opposition can
keep the ruling party on its toes (kp), Power
Of Conceptual Knowledge, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
08/07/2019: Rift
in ruling party is nearing tipping point, insiders
say: Leaders say two chairmen must resolve outstanding
issues at the earliest, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Act
now regret later: The government’s tendency to make
hasty decisions has cost it dear (kp), Pesticide
testing infra unlikely in six months: Agriculture
minister (ht) [The
infrastructure should have been built many years ago!],
The
Indo-Pacific strategy is a bad idea: If Nepal joins
the US-led strategy, it may cause a fundamental
change in the hard-won regional balance and the
geopolitical environment, by Gao Liang (kp), Peaceful
social demonstration: Studies show that non-violent
civil resistance is far more successful in creating
change than violent campaigns, by Binoj Basnyat
(kp), Changing
storytellers: Nepali people are tired of self-declared
great storytellers of mainstream political parties and
actors who are already past their prime, by Babu
Ram Neupane (rep)
07/07/2019: Government’s
apathy renders constitutional commissions ineffective:
Dalit, Tharu, Muslim, Madhesi and Inclusion
commissions not a priority right now, an aide to
prime minister says, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [This state belongs to the small
minority of male Bahuns only! They will do everything
to keep all other groups excluded!], Six
bills on hold following controversy, by Ashok
Dahal (rep), NCP
PP meeting: Lawmakers slam govt, leadership; Prime
minister criticises decisions of parliamentary
committees, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), As
party lawmakers criticise government, Oli instructs
them to speak in defence: Prime minister censures
parliamentary committee for instructing government
like court, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Under
Oli's democracy, only the king-like PM has freedom of
expression and no need to justify himself to anyone!],
RJP-N,
SP-N intensify merger talks: Analysts sceptical
unity will materialise any time soon, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Masking
the pollution truth (rep)
06/07/2019: With
parties still divided on Citizenship Amendment Bill,
parliamentary sub-committee fails to make headway: The
primary bone of contention remains the provision
related to obtaining naturalised citizenship
through marriage, by Tsering D. Gurung (kp) [The main problem is the male
superiority delusion of the patriarchal high-caste
political elite and their misguided national identity
thinking!], Eminent
Persons’ Group report continues to gather dust: The
report recommends a revision to the 1950 treaty
between Nepal and India, by Anil Giri and Suresh
Raj Neupane (kp), Govt
halts Dalai Lama birthday celebration: Diplomats from
western countries express serious concerns, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht) [Nepal's
Hindu politicians wold never stop celebrations for
Hindu religious leaders from in the same way
hegemonial India! This is disrespect to the millions
of Nepalese citizens who are traders of Tibetan
Buddhist beliefs!], Media
council bill: Mediapersons, activists flay government
(ht), Reactionary forces despise Nepal’s successful
peace process, says Dahal (ht) [Especially
those who prevent justice for the victims of conflict
and protect and promote criminals!], Serving
Interest Groups, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
05/07/2019: Conflict
victims still awaiting justice, by Sonam Lama
(rep), Ruling
party leaders are enraged after provincial lawmaker
with criminal past enters the party: Rajib Gurung, who
goes by the name of Dipak Manange, has been charged
with attempted murder, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The party leaders knew all this
when they mada him a candidate in the elections!],
It’s
not about sovereignty, stupid: The IIFA fiasco should
be a lesson for the government on what its priorities
should be, by Dinesh Kafle (kp), Minister
rebukes directive on IIFA Awards: Says hue and
cry about the government’s plan to host the
glitzy event unnecessary, by Jagdishor Panday
(ht), Preventing
resource drain: Cut non-essential agencies, by
Mukti Rijal (ht), The
business of politics undermines Nepal’s democracy:
Politicians and businessmen were always in cahoots,
but now they don’t even try to hide it, by Ramesh
Kumar (nt)
04/07/2019: Healthcare
at risk: Health budget is inadequate, and coordination
among the provinces and the state is lacking (kp),
The
reasons why rebel groups persist: The consensus is
that the big fish among the corrupt persons should be
called to account mercilessly, by P. Kharel (kp),
New
directive on diplomatic protocol issued: Bars local,
provincial govt office-bearers from meeting foreign
reps sans federal govt permission (ht) [????],
Crime
and politics: Conviction of former lawmakers
(rep), Fund
For The Lawmakers, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
03/07/2019: In
yet another protectionist move, Oli administration
prepares to limit foreign film screenings: A new law
will mandate showing Nepali films exclusively for half
a year, and limiting foreign
movies—predominantly Bollywood—to 185 days, by
Timothy Aryal and Anil Giri (kp), Doctors
take exception to new law that allows late-term
abortions in special cases: A new provision allows
abortions in cases of rape,incest or danger to health
at up to 28 weeks, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Public
Service Commission says its recruitment drive on
course after court order: The top court has refused to
issue an interim order to halt the process, but
questions over principle of inclusion remain, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), House
panel locks horns with SC over staff recruitment,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), People’s
representatives concerned over incidents of blasts,
arsons: Elected representatives have stopped going to
their local offices in rural areas of Achham district,
by Menuka Dhungana (kp), Seized
by the corrupt: Yes, previous governments were also
corrupt—but the Nepal Communist Party came to power to
clean the system, by Naresh Koirala (kp), Back
to square one? An ineffective and inefficient
bureaucracy was one of the reasons which contributed
to the downfall of the monarchy in Nepal, by
Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Rolpa
conflict victims worried about the secrecy of their
complaints, by Dinesh Subed (rep), Mend
your ways: Oli made satirical remarks, talked big
about projects, two-digit economic growth and
prosperity in 2016 too but people did not call him a
joker then because they trusted him, by Sandip
Neupane (rep) [PM Oli simply
doesn't have the competence that his certainly
difficult job requires!], Are
we a happy nation? Will prosperous Nepal make happy
Nepali? Or will happy Nepali make prosperous
Nepal?, by Narayan Manandhar (rep)
02/07/2019: Uphold
rule of law: The rule of law cannot be upheld in
society as long as the government pays no heed to the
court verdicts and directives (ht) [!!!],
Decline
of constitutionalism: Ensure separation of powers,
by Yagyadi Acharya (ht), Killing
of Tarai man brings age-old question to the fore: when
can police fire a live bullet?The country’s law
enforcement agency fails to exercise restraint during
protests in Madhes, rights activists say, by Tika
R. Pradhan and Om Prakash Thakur (kp) [It's
not only the citizens' right to life, the question is
also when will the police stop torture and beating and
respect the fundamental rights of the people?],
Insurgency’s
over but police continue to stop and interrogate
people on streets: City residents say they regularly
get accosted by police, particularly at night,
asking why they’re out until late., by Tsering D.
Gurung (kp) [Yes, and police
must also learn to be polite! Citizens are not under
orders and have a right to explanation!], Amid
controversy over Bollywood awards, government plans
another international event for this year: The
international media summit, to take place in the fall,
will reportedly cost Rs 200 to 300 million, by
Anil Giri (kp) [Respect
freedom of opinion and press freedom first!], Provinces
ready to hold secondary education examination next
year: Federal government is still undecided about
delegating the authority, by Binod Gimire (kp) [Central politicians are not
interested in implementing federalism!], Majority
of people enrolled under PM’s Employment Programme
dissatisfied in Sudurpaschim: The programme has come
under fire for its ineffective implementation plans
(kp), Police
team and CPN members exchange fire in Sankhuwasabha:
Security tightened in Hongla village of
Silichong following the crossfire, by Dipendra
Shakya (kp), Talk
to Biplab: When the government can mainstream the
secessionist outfit, why cannot it address Biplab’s
concerns through talks? Why cannot it bring Biplab to
peaceful politics?, by David Kainee (rep)
01/07/2019: Why
this delay? (rep), Samajbadi
Party mulls quitting government to renew call for
charter amendment: Leaders say they have waited too
long but the Oli Cabinet has taken no steps to address
their demand., by Tika R Pradhan (kp), One
killed, several hurt as police open fire at
protesters in Sarlahi: People of Ishwarpur
Municipality were protesting against illegal sand mine
after a 12-year-old boy died falling into a 30-feet
pit, by Ajit Tiwari and Om Prakash Thakur (kp), ‘NHRC
Bill provisions will affect transitional justice’,
in terview with HRC Chairperson Anup Raj Sharma (ht), Yet
another panel to prepare criteria for TJ appointments
(rep), The
last-minute rush: Development or deception?, by
Devendra Basnet (rep)
30/06/2019: Martyrs’
families complain of discrimination (ht), Constitutional
bodies without officials despite mandatory provision,
by Ashok Dahal (rep), Police
initiate action against its staff amid further erosion
of its credibility, by Sujeeta Pradhan (rep), Burden
of republic: We have functional governments from local
to federal levels. But a number of operational
fissures have started to appear on the surface over
utilization of resources and powers, by Krishna KC
(rep)
29/06/2019: ‘Unfair
citizenship laws put children at risk of becoming
stateless’ (ht), As
rift grows between Communist Party co-chairs, Dahal
holds a meeting with Congress President Deuba: Dahal
and Deuba’s closed door meeting comes amid widespread
speculation of a growing trust deficit between
Dahal and party Co-chair KP Sharma Oli, by Anil
Giri (kp), Federal
government’s plan to hire staff for provinces hits a
snag: Controversy over recruitment of employees at the
local level has halted the plan, officials say,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Supreme
Court asks government to show cause why Rs 60 million
was allocated to lawmakers: The constitutional bench
of the top court has demanded clarification within a
week, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), SC
notice to govt on pork barrel fund, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Bill
to amend NHRC Act in accordance with constitutional
provisions: Minister (ht) [???],
In
tyrant we trust!: In this great republic, I think our
netas have forgotten that they are here to serve the
publi, by Guffadi (kp)
28/06/2019: Loss
of legitimacy: The Oli government suffers from a
crisis of credibility, with its tall electoral
promises now faded away, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp),
Nepalis
got a raw deal: The country has fallen into a black
hole of bad governance, corruption, nepotism and
totalitarianism, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp), US
Embassy seeks clarification after Nepal refused entry
to US citizen: Immigration officials barred Penpa
Tsering, acting on a blacklist sent by the Chinese
Embassy, by Anil Giri (kp)
27/06/2019: Citizens
in uniform: Differential treatment by the police
towards people from the Tarai community is condemnable
(kp), NHRC
tells govt to punish perpetrators of torture (ht),
China
asked Nepal to ban a Tibetan official from entering
the country. Nepali officials got the wrong man: Home
Ministry officials said the Chinese side directly
communicates with the Department of Immigration, whose
top official has sole authority to make decisions,
by Anil Giri and Tsering D. Gurung (kp) [Does
the Nepalese government blindly obey all instructions
of the Chinese? Independence looks different! In any
case, the unlawfully rejected person shall be entitled
to a public apology from the Nepalese Government and
an adequate compensation payment.], Nepal
is mired in corruption: The kleptocratic network here
touches all aspects of society, making it almost
impossible to destroy, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Obstacles
To Ending Corruption, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km),
Dalit
women representatives and decision making: They are
entering positions of power in their own right, not
thanks to the quota system, and need to be respected,
by Sarita Pariyar (kp), Bureaucracy
Under Scrutiny, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Oli’s
missed opportunities: The two-thirds majority
government formed after 20 long years of short-lived
coalition culture was expected to focus on nation
building. It is missing that opportunity every single
day, by Jainendra Jeevan (rep)
26/06/2019: Tarai
communities more prone to abuse and torture in police
custody, report says: Advocacy Forum says marginalised
communities and women are more likely to be abused and
tortured in detention, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [See
statement
by Advocacy Forum - Nepal], Torture
in detention up by five per cent: Report (ht), In
the name of merit: It needs emphasising that merit
isn’t inherited with the DNA of a person despite
claims to the contrary, by CK Lal (kp), No
justice in sight for rape, murder victim Nirmala, by
Ujjwal Satyal (ht), With
growing internal rifts and criticism from outside, a
Cabinet reshuffle is likely: Ruling party insiders say
party co-chairs are likely to use a Cabinet reshuffle
to balance internal party politics, by Anil Giri
and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Banda
affects life across country: Transportation was
disrupted while educational institutions and markets
remained closed (kp) [Once
again, Chand's CPN works in support of Nepal's
citizens and the future of the country?!], Say
no to politics of terror (rep), Government
scrambles to speed up spending as fiscal year end
nears, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Government
withdraws controversial Guthi Bill: Minister says it
was taken back in response to people’s request
(ht), Why
Newars are raging: Newars will not easily give up the
fight and will clearly protest until the badly drafted
Guthi Bill is completely scrapped or totally rewritten
in collaboration with Newar stakeholders, by
Gérard Toffin (rep)
25/06/2019: Political
violence: Missing the gender lens, by Susan Risal
(ht), Fresh
bout of political instability: Former Maoists are
frightened as a fair investigation into conflict-era
cases would send many among them behind bars, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Lawmakers
are unconvinced Chand party member was killed in
‘encounter’: Home minister reiterates police version
but commits to forming a probe committee, by
Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Chand outfit leader
Karki arrested in capital (rep), ‘Govt
invoking reasonable restriction provision to curtail
press freedom’: Deteriorating press freedom in Nepal
has drawn the attention of international press bodies
(ht), Man
labelled Dalai Lama’s agent, deported to US:
Immigration officials at TIA did so because a man with
his name was on China’s most wanted list, by Rajan
Pokhrel (ht) [???], RJPN
bats for alliance with ethnic parties to revive
identity movement (rep), Journey
Towards Peace, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
24/06/2019: House
committee to question Home Ministry over killing of
Chand party leader: Lawmakers are concerned over
whether Kumar Paudel’s killing in Lalbandi was
extrajudicial, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Rural
farmers travel to Kathmandu for fertilisers, only to
return empty-handed: Failure to import sufficient
fertilisers has meant Nepal is reeling from critical
shortage, by Arjun Poudel (kp), From
a fierce reporter to a minister who wants to muzzle
the press: Gokul Baskota, who started his career
writing for left-leaning publications, is now one of
the prime minister’s most trusted ministers, and a
spokesperson for the government, by Bhrikuti Rai
(kp), Committee
failsagain to recommend TJ commissioners (rep), Appointments
in TJ bodies hang in the balance, by Roshan S.
Nepal (ht), ‘Madhesi
Dalits and Janajatis want quota within quota’,
interview with Vijay Kumar Datta,
chairperson of Madhesi Commiussion (ht), Guthi
controversy Do away with it, by Mahadev Devkot and
Shree Prasad Devkota (ht), 17
days on Kailali windstorm victims yet to receive aid,
by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal (rep), You
got to be serious: How did the Prime Minister who at
one time appeared like a deliverer transform into the
subject of hate? Why is he becoming the butt of jokes?
Why is he losing public trust?, by Mahabir Paudyal
(rep) [Oli had already totally
failed during his first time as PM, so there has never
been any reason for optimism!]
23/06/2019: Chaudhary’s
shackling shows how state treats its citizens
differently, rights defenders say: District court had
convicted Chaudhary, who won the 2017 elections
from Kailali, of inciting the 2015 Tikapur violence,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Resham’s
manacled leg enrages PM: Chief secy told to take
action against cops who did this (ht), Government
employees desert provincial and local governments
after adjustment: Karnali Province faces a precarious
situation of losing services of most of the employees
at its local units, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
Trafficking
of Nepali women, girls continues unabated, says
report (ht), Making
accountability real: We must fight restrictive laws
that aim to curtail rights by mobilizing together and
building strong civic and media coalitions, by
Narayan Adhikari and Suresh Chand (rep)
22/06/2019: After
Guthi Bill, pressure mounts on government to withdraw
disputed Media Council Bill: Civil society leaders say
that the government’s indifference to the bill
could put the whole system in danger, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Rethinking
The Culture Of Protest, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), ‘Nominate
untainted personalities for TJ bodies’ (ht)
21/06/2019: Steps
yet to be taken to ensure justice for war-era victims
of sexual violence: Two rights bodies file petitions
at UN committee to build pressure on the government of
Nepal, by Binod Ghimire (kp) , Chand’s
district in-charge killed in police action, by Om
Prakash Thakur (kp), Nationalism may be
fine, but protectionism isn’t: In the name of
attaining self-sufficiency, several industries have
been haphazardly protected with subsidies and tariffs,
by Paban Raj Pandey (kp), Half
of capital budget for 2018-19 yet to be spent (ht)
, Fixing
what ain’t broke: Let us hope the government learnt a
lesson not to tamper with a system that preserved
Nepal’s unique cultural heritage, by Anil
Chitrakar (nt)
20/06/2019: In
the biggest protest since 2006 People’s Movement,
thousands gather to oppose the Guthi Bill: Although
the government had decided to withdraw the bill from
the National Assembly on Tuesday, protesters demanded
that the bill be scrapped completely, by
Anup Ojha (kp), Thousands
of Newars gather against Guthi Bill in show of
strength protest, by Ujjwal Satyal (ht), The
people’s voice: The government needs to look at
Wednesday’s protest as a warning (kp), Withdrawal
Of The Guthi Bill, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Nepalis
cannot be hoodwinked by politicians: The people today
are literate, aware and mobile—the Oli government
would do well to remember, by Pramod Mishra (kp),
Government’s
reluctance to abide by House rulings irks Madhes-based
parties: Opposition MPs accuse Speaker Mahara of
acting like a minister in the Oli administration,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Team
formed to monitor human rights violation (ht), Quit
Mr. Prime Minister On Ethical Ground, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km)
19/06/2019: Killing
the constitution: The more Prime Minister Oli wastes
time dishing out slogans and false promises, the more
he will be pushing the country to the brink, by
Narayan Manandhar (rep), Government
backtracks on controversial Guthi Bill after
widespread condemnation: Prime minister says he wholly
supports Minister Aryal’s decision to withdraw the
bill from National Assembly, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp) [Welcome decision, but
what a nonsense comment by the PM!], For
the first time, ruling party lawmakers criticise Oli
administration’s foreign policy conduct: Party MPs
pointed to the failure of Oli’s Europe tour and
censured the Foreign Ministry’s lack of direction,
by Anil Giri (kp), Casteism
is so deeply entrenched, not even law can deter it:
Elected representatives from Dalit communities say
they are discriminated by their own colleagues
(kp), Nothing
new to offer: The provincial budgets are a mere copy
of the federal budget with unrealistic goals, by
Chandan Sapkota (kp), FNJ’s
protest against Media Council Bill enters third phase
(ht)
18/06/2019: NCP
representatives from Valley advise prime minister to
withdraw Guthi Bill: Oli says he will take a necessary
decision through the Cabinet, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), MPs
demand Public Service Commission uphold inclusion and
revoke vacancy notice: The commission has defended its
call as being based on solid legal ground but
lawmakers argue that it contradicts the spirit of the
constitution, by Binod Ghimire (kp), 121
persons file writ petition in apex Court
(ht), Reimagining
the future: Nepal is far behind in the discourse that
is shaping the course of the 21st century, by
Sujeev Shakya (kp), Geo-strategic
spill over: In trying to maintain political order, the
government is ignoring the areas where it is needed
the most, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Challenge
to democracies: Elected autocracy on the rise, by
Mukti Rijal (ht), Virtues
Of Participatory Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
Corruption
and citizens: A lone protester staging a hunger strike
against corruption provides an illuminating view on
how the absence of individual responsibility in
Nepal’s civil society is fuelling corruption, by
Bishal Thapa (rep)
17/06/2019: Opaque
government: Government cannot use security as a reason
to reduce transparency (kp), Delay
in deciding names and capitals of four provinces
raises concerns over federalism implementation:
Experts say provincial assemblies should make
independent decisions and not wait for orders
from leaders in Kathmandu, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Without
personal means and support from government, mother of
acid attack survivor struggles to foot medical bills:
Kamala Khadka can expect financial aid only after a
final verdict on her daughter’s case, by Nayak
Paudel (kp), Lack
of integrated approach mars development works: There
has been no coordination among various government
agencies when it comes to development works
being carried out in the Valley, by Arjun Poudel
(kp) [The most non-integrated
development projects are those run by the FPTP MPs
under the so-called pork barrel fund that has the only
meaning to safeguard the future re-election of these
non-inclusively nominated MPs!], Guthi
bill: Protests on despite PM’s assurance,
by Ujjwal Satyal (ht)
16/06/2019: Government
limits access to Singha Durbar amid criticism for
being intolerant. Home Ministry’s measures to keep the
seat of government out of bounds to public and
journalists draw flak, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Slim
chance of Supreme Court reviewing its 2015 ruling on
transitional justice, official says: The landmark
verdict struck down a dozen provisions, directing
government to provide no amnesty for
perpetrators of serious human rights violations,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Students
at a Janakpur basic school go to school—not to study
but to teachTwo months since the start of the academic
session, students at Shree Basic School have yet to
get textbooks and hence they teach their juniors,
by Santosh Singh (kp), Local
units suffer as federal and provincial governments
spar over staff hiring: Municipality and rural
municipality representatives say lack of employees has
affected service delivery, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Ills
of the Guthi Bill: The biggest blunder is
disqualifying indigenous people from their rightful
ownership of community structures, by Sanyukta
Shrestha (kp), Mass
at anti-guthi Bill protests swelling, by Ujjwal
Satyal (ht), ‘PSC
has to honour parliamentary panel’s directives’,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)
15/06/2019: Oli’s
Euro trip: Maybe our politicians should learn a thing
or two from the netas around the world: they
resign when they feel that they have failed the
country, by Guffadi (kp), Newars
continue protests against Guthi Bill, by Roshan S
Nepal (ht), New
bill curtails Dalits’ right to education:
Activists, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Making
Federalism Work, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Stakeholder
Consultations In Policy Making, by Kushal Pokharel
(rn)
14/06/2019: United
in haste, ideological schisms appear in the ruling
communist party: The merger between the former UML and
Maoists was simply a marriage of convenience, say
party leaders, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), On
sex and citizenship: The debate on citizenship goes
from nationalist rhetoric to plain misogyny, by
Subina Shrestha (kp), Right
to housing law must extend protection to tenants,
squatters: Amnesty report; Director of Amnesty
International Nepal Nirajan Thapaliya says the
government has been increasingly enacting laws
related to fundamental rights without any consultation
with stakeholders, by Tsering D Gurung (kp), Senior
citizens in rural areas deprived of citizenship
certificate: Without citizenship, people are denied
job opportunities and social security allowances,
by Ramesh Chandra Adhikari (kp), State
bodies fail to submit delegated legislation (ht),
Govt
making cybercrime a new weapon to stifle criticisms:
Freedom Forum (rep), Firing
up Nepal’s democracy: Announcing election dates would
focus the minds of politicians on the fact that voters
are watching, by Anil Chitrakar (nt)
13/06/2019: Intimidation
game: The right to free speech must be defended at all
costs (kp), In
stunning continuation, comedian remains in detention
despite widespread calls for his release: Even as
#Free Pranesh Gautam was trending on Twitter,
prominent filmmakers released a statement supporting
the comedian’s arrest, by Bhrikuti Rai and Tsering
D. Gurung (kp) [This is what
Oli in his Oxford speech has called 'freedom of
opinion'!], Activists
protest against arrest of a YouTuber (ht), In
filling public sector jobs, the government is making
mistakes: It keeps forgetting about federalism and
inclusiveness, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Government
amends procurement regulation allowing contractors to
bid in projects beyond their scope Latest
amendment removes the provision introduced barely a
month earlier to discourage contractors from
occupying multiple projects at a single time, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Transformative
Politics, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
12/06/2019: Oli
celebrates democratic freedoms and rights at Oxford,
but back home, his actions say otherwise: The
government has been roundly criticised for attempting
to push through a number of controversial bills that
many say could be used to stifle criticism and muzzle
the media, by Pranaya SJB Rana and Anil Giri (kp),
Freedom
of speech crucial for prosperity: PM Oli (ht) [How true, how true, Mr Oli!],
FNJ
announces fresh protest programmes (ht), Instead
of encouraging provinces, federal government went
ahead with staff recruitment: Provincial
government officials and experts say the entire
approach to staff hiring for the local level was
flawed, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), With
Guthi Bill, government wants to exploit ancient
customs for money, locals say: The controversial bill
pits Kathmandu Valley’s indigenous community
against a government increasingly bent on
extending its control, by Arpan Shrestha (kp), Budget
allocation draws HoR flak: Constituencies represented
by top leaders get major chunk, say ruling, opposition
during House discussion, by Jagdishor Panday (ht),
A
long hot summer of protests? (rep), Provoking
The Public Backlash, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
11/06/2019: In
Nepal, democracy is a sham:. No independent and
impactful movement exists at present which could
challenge the government against its increasingly
undemocratic demeanour, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Committee
to recommend leadership for transitional justice
bodies fails to nominate anyone, again: Latest excuse
for the delay: busy schedule of the committee head,
by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Real
reasons: There is no interest in providing justice for
the victims and the responsibilities of politicians
and army leaders for the crimes are to be disguised!],
Opposition
obstructs House, protesting use of force against Guthi
Bill protesters: Nepali Congress has accused the Oli
administration of trying to attack traditions
and cultural values, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Parliamentary
panel directs government to terminate staff
recruitment processLawmakers ask government to manage
local units’ workload by hiring contract staff until
permanent hirings, by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
10/06/2019: In
recommending four ambassadors, Cabinet goes against
foreign ministry’s criteria: Mahesh Dahal, Narad
Bhardwaj Wagle, Banshi Dhar Mishra and Dawa Futi
Sherpa have been named as ambassadors to
Australia, Qatar, Bangladesh, and Spain respectively,
by Anil Giri (kp) [Continued
nepotism and political nominations for important
diplomatic positions!!], Government’s
latest picks for envoys court controversy (rep), People
take to streets against Guthi BillBaton charge,
high-velocity streams of water used to disperse
demonstrators in the capital, by Ujjwal Satyal
(ht), Police
use force against those protesting Guthi Bill:
Conservationists, Guthi representatives are demanding
withdrawal of the bill, by Anup Ojha (kp), Controversial
bills set to flare up tensions in federal parliament:
At least half a dozen bills, brought up without proper
discussions with stakeholders, have courted
controversy over their contents, leading to protests
from civil society, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Brain
drain: Nepal likely to grow old before becoming rich,
by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), 18
CPN cadres held (ht), Netizens
question freedom of expression as Meme Nepal's Gautam
lands in police custody (rep)
09/06/2019: Four
months after ban on its activities, Chand outfit yet
to join talks: Government officials do not rule out
violent actions, as security analysts say the approach
to dealing with the party is faulty, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp) [For a government
that does not take fundamental rights and the
constitution too seriously, it is hardly possible to
enter into dialogue with terrorists who claim that
their murders and the destruction of private and
public property are in the interests of the citizens!],
Inclusion
Commission recommends measures to local governments to
empower marginalised people: One of the suggestions is
building care centres, amusement parks, religious
spaces and sports grounds for the marginalised, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [A
better inclusion on the basis of Khas-Arya ethnicity
is rediculous! Male members of this group already
dominate all spheres of public life!], Journos
hit the street against Media Council Bill (ht), FNJ
Saptari deplores eviction of mediapersons (ht), ‘Centre
biggest hurdle to federalism’ (ht), Clash
of elites: Nepali elites seem mostly regressive in
nature and character sans originality, novelty, and
thirst for knowledge. Democratic elites are dejected
by disgraceful downfall of Nepali Congress, by
Babu Ram Neupane (rep)
08/06/2019: Former
child soldier files petition at UN Human Rights Office
demanding justice: Lenin Bista has asked the UN to
place pressure on Nepal to address the demands
of child soldiers, who have been largely left out of
the transitional justice process, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Comedian
in police custody for a video reviewing the
film Bir Bikram 2: Responding to a complaint
filed by the film’s director, police detained stand-up
comedian Pranesh Gautam on Friday, by Bhrikuti Rai
(kp) [A fatal attack on the
freedom of opinion!!!], Govt
told to issue citizenship by descent to Birgunj
denizen (ht), Politicians
are their guardians but they live in orphanages or
pick yarsa (rep)
07/06/2019: People
in Nepal are not enjoying their civil rights and
political freedoms, new human rights report says: The
KP Sharma Oli administration has been visibly
attempting to limit freedom of expression
through laws and policies, rights advocates say,
by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Top
court postpones hearing on petition against 2015
ruling on transitional justice for 22nd time:
Continued deferrals amid delay in amending
Transitional Justice Act concern conflict victims,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Dialogue
is the only way: Netra Bikram Chand’s party is a
raging fire which, if left uncontrolled, can burn
everything to ashes, by Mangal Bahadur Thapa (kp)
06/06/2019: Conflict
victims mount pressure on leaders to amend
transitional justice Act: Law minister tells victims
the process will start when top leaders reach an
agreement, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This
is a question of justice and the rule of law! Many of
the so-called leaders have been responsible for the
crimes of the past! They have no right to have any say
at all!], Top
leaders seek ways to manage conflict-era cases:
Consider revising TJ-related laws by taking victims
into confidence and appointing commissioners at the
earliest (rep), Conflict-era
sexual violence victims yet to be identified (ht),
Thirteen
years on, victims of the Badarmude incident await
compensationDespite a pledge from Pushpa Kamal Dahal
during the 2017 election season, victims of the
2006 civilian bus bombing have received nothing,
by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Dalits
used as ‘vote banks’ by parties forgotten after
elections, by Pant (kp), Keeping
up with Asia: Investing in children is the best
investment a country can make, by Ned Olney (kp),
NPU
to seek IFJ’s support to pressure govt (ht), States
Defy Central Control, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
05/06/2019: Respect
institutional norms: State institutions are being
grossly politicised and made pliant and loyal to
individual leadership, by Dinesh Bhattarai (kp), Leaders
may face arrest abroad if TJ issues not resolved:
Australia envoyVoices concern over moves concerning
NHRC and press freedom, by Kosh Raj Koirala
(rep), Over
a year since unification, ideological differences
appear in ruling communist partyNepal Communist Party
leaders seem divided over whether the party should
follow the erstwhile CPN-UML’s political
ideology or the Maoist Centre’s, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Worry
over lack of coordination as state and local
governments gear up for budget: Local government
representatives say more discussions required to avoid
duplication of projects and resources, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Over
2,000 projects could be halted (ht), Caste
discrimination still a hindrance for Dalits, by
Binod Pariyar (rep), Once
a Maoist combatant, now a mental case, by Dinesh
Subedi (rep) [This woman
should consider herself lucky! Her former leaders, who
betrayed all previous promises and ideals, are now
leading politicians and live in material abundance!],
Dance
of democracy: Considering that Nepal only recently
adopted secularism, that too without broad consensus
across the political spectrum, political discourse is
expected to shift to Hindu State, by Manjeet
Mishra (rep) [What a flathead!
Hindu politics is destructive for Nepal and for India
as well! Hinduism is only a partial identity of the
multi-religious, multi-ethnic and multicultural state
of Nepal and has been abused as a basis of identity
for centuries!]
04/06/2019: The
creed that failed: Nepal’s communists are engaged to
an ideological slogan but married to a capitalist
pattern, by P Kharel (kp), Police
send reinforcements to Solukhumbu village after Chand
party’s ‘suspicious activities’: Reports of an attack
on a police post, which authorities later said was
baseless, have prompted new security concerns, by
Kumbha Raj Rai (kp), Security
beefed up in eastern hill districts, by Ram Kumar
Kamat and Hari Adhikari (ht), Move to hire
staff for local units irks provincial governments:
Province representatives say such actions are against
the spirit of federalism, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Withdraw
notice for recruiting civic staff: MPs, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Disaster
resilience after Bara’s rainstorm: The government
needs to understand the importance of socio-cultural
identity when planning reconstruction, by
Susumlata Tiwari (kp), Toward
green democracy: Nepal’s constitution is the first
national charter in the world to enshrine the
provisions to advance the cause of green democracy. We
need to communicate this message clearly, by
Jivesh Jha (rep),
Rule
Of Law Or Rule Of Justice?, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
03/06/2019: Back
to Bhardari Sabhas: No public consultations are held,
and people have to obey whatever rules are made,
by Prakash Acharya (kp), SC
moved to abrogate pork barrel fund, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), ‘Federalism
incorporated sans comprehensive discussion’,
interview with Lok Raj Baral (ht), Contrary
to government claims, latest Indo-Pacific Strategy
report includes Nepal in its State Partnership
Program: Officials denied knowledge of the programme
and pointed to the Army, which also denied
information about the partnership, by Anil Giri
(kp), ‘MCC,
Indo-Pacific Strategy not linked’: Foreign Minister
Gyawali says Nepal won’t be part of any strategic
alliance, by Roshan S Nepal (ht), As
Upendra Yadav renews push for amending constitution,
party members doubt the demand’s weight: Political
analysts say making a genuine effort to demand
constitutional amendments would require the Samajbadi
Party Nepal to quit the government first, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp), Abide
by constitution: The provincial Public Service
Commission would have been the best way to hire
employees for the local levels (ht)
02/06/2019: Rulers,
religion, and the republic: Nepal’s new rulers have
just taken over the roles and duties of the former
monarchs, by Khem R Shreesh (kp), As
Oli, Dahal make light of reports, a storm is brewing
in ruling party: Party insiders say intense power play
expected in the coming days, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Dahal
says he will be PM after a year (ht), How
a video of a film review provoked police complaint
against a meme page: Free speech advocates and online
content creators say powerful people are
misusing criminal laws to curtail freedom of
expression, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), New
policy aims to bar foreign NGOs from financing
religious and political institutions: The decision was
taken to discourage religious conversion which could
harm religious harmony, officials say, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp), Furore
over PSC decision: ‘Ad for recruitment of employees in
local bodies not inclusive enough’ (ht)
01/06/2019: Local
and provincial governments take exception to national
budget: Representatives say diminished share of budget
for the upcoming fiscal year shows federal
government’s centralised mindset, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Whose
budget is it anyway? How about our VVIPs ride around
town on bicycles for a year and lead by example
instead of looting us more?, by Guffadi (kp), PM
sidesteps question on stepping down: Says the issue is
being unnecessarily brought up now, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Bamdev
sides with Dahal in leadership tango (rep), AHRC
tells govt to withdraw Media Council Bill (ht), NGOs
filling gaps left by govt in post-tornado
reconstruction (rep)
31/05/2019: End
cronyism: The new transitional justice bodies
have to be independent (kp), Dahal
brings up deal with Oli again, leading to suspicion
among party members: In three days, Dahal made two
references to an agreement which states that the party
co-chairs will share government leadership, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Fresh
debate on who heads govt, party as 'secret agreement
leaked' (rep), Party
pleasing budget: The budget fails to rein in on
scattered projects to enhance allocative efficiency
and promote fiscal prudence, by Chandan Sapkota
(kp)
30/05/2019: State
and Citizenship: The geographical location of Nepal
between two emerging superpowers has been used as an
excuse to deny women the rights they deserve as equal
citizens of Nepal, by Swati Gautam (rep), Rs
1.53 trillion: Ambitious and unrealistic; The
government’s financial plan lays emphasis on
infrastructure projects, but reveals little
about how it will accomplish them, by Sangam
Prasain (kp), Govt
unveils Rs 1.53 trillion budget: Focus on infra
development; Inflation to remain within 6pc; Elderly
allowance up by Rs 1,000; Civil servants’ salaries
raised by up to 20pc; Economic growth projected at
8.5pc in next fiscal, by Sujan Dhungana (ht), Budget
For Fiscal Year of 2019: Magic Or Reality, by
Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), A
populist budget: Finance Minister Yubaraj Khatiwada
has failed to resist political pressure (kp), Federal
government reduces the budget for provincial
governments: Finance minister announces Rs99.85b for
next fiscal against Rs 113.43b in the current fiscal,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Continued
recentralisation of a state that had been hopeful to
become a federal republic!], Allocation
of Rs 60 million to lawmakers draws public ire: The
pork barrel spending will cost the state Rs 9.9b,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [Continued
corruption and taking advantage of high-caste
parliamentarians, who are put up by the male Brahmin
leaders at the top of the parties! Uncontrolled money
distribution in arbitrary and uncoordinated
development projects is not the task of the
legislators!], Superstition
drives women out of homes—again— into Chhau sheds in
Achham districtDhakari was declared a Chhaupadi- and
untouchability-free village on May 17 with much
fanfare. But a recent fire has led the villagers to
believe that their embracing of the campaign has
angered the gods, by Menuka Dhungana (kp), Citizens’
Participation, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
29/05/2019: Call
for civil society to wake up from slumber, by
Tsering D Gurung (kp), Is
Mishra panel waiting for political consensus to
finalise nominees for transitional justice bodies?
Panel member denies seat-sharing deal among parties,
but sources say major political parties are in
negotiations to finalise the share before Oli’s Europe
trip, by Binod Ghimire (kp), An
anaemic republic: Democracy failed to take root
because society is poisoned with the toxicity of
ethnonationalism, by CK Lal (kp), Republican
order fails to impress people of mid-western Nepal:
Most politicians who led the people's movement in 2006
have already benefited from the protests. And now,
they have even started behaving like the feudal people
they claim they fought against, by Nagendra
Upadhyaya (rep) [You can't put
it more succinctly!], Republic
government fails to impress people even after 11 years
(rep), Sustaining
Nepal’s republic (rep), Lawmakers
voice concern about Media Council Bill (ht), Musahars
in Siraha forced to drink contaminated water (ht),
The
absent generation: The ones that got away, by
Uttam Paudel (ht)
28/05/2019: Renewed
recourse to recentralisation: Unless the centre
devolves power, federalism cannot be exercised in its
true sense, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Blasts
indicative of an intelligence failure, analysts say:
Security officials said they were aware of possible
violence but they failed to prevent a series of blasts
that killed four people, by Anil Giri (kp), ‘All
four killed, five of seven injured CPN cadres’
(ht), Blast
victims in critical condition, by Sabitri Dhakal
(ht), Thapa
says those killed in explosions weren’t citizens,
angering opposition: Home minister has grown extremely
critical of Chand, once his ally, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [You may call them
criminals or even terrorists but that were most of the
offenders of the Maoist insurgency, too! They all are
Nepali citizens and have to be punished according to
law!], Government’s
dealing with Chand outfit faulty, experts say, as
multiple blasts unleash terror: Tensions ran high in
Ghattekulo a day after an explosion killed one in the
neighbourhood, by Tika R Pradhan and Anup Ojha
(kp), General
shutdown hits life across nation: Terror unleashed as
bombs go off and vehicles get torched (ht), Chand’s
shutdown affects normal life (rep), 8
million stduents missed classes due to Chand shutdown
(rep), Bomb
scares and arson mark the nationwide strike enforced
by Chand-led communist outfit: Co-chair of ruling
Nepal Communist Party Pushpa Kamal Dahal says
political objectives cannot be materialised by
spreading terror (kp) [Dahal
claimed the opposite between 1995 and 2005 though he
did not call it terror at that time! And he vehemently
resists a punishment of the perpetrators from the time
of the rebellion!], Govt
‘failed to act’ on intelligence about threat from
Chand outfit (rep), Take
stern action: The govt must take bold steps to curb
the violent acts resorted to by the outlawed CPN and
maintain peace in the country (ht), No
gray zone in terrorism (rep) , In
educated and elite circles, a different kind of
‘period huts’: Young Nepali women living in cities may
not be banished to sheds, but many of them are
forced to adhere to a long list of menstrual
restrictions, by Tsering D Gurung (kp), Confusion
grips three tiers of government over division of
royalties from natural resources: The National Natural
Resources and Fiscal Commission is working on a
formula for royalty sharing but no clear
modality has been found yet, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp) [One of the
numerous failures of the Oli government!], Govt
all powerful but performance not commensurate
(rep)
27/05/2019: Conflict
victims demand amendment to TJ Act (ht), Finalize
laws before recommending names for transitional
justice bodies: Conflict victims (rep), Call
for justice, once again: Government should not miss
this opportunity to conclude Nepal’s transitional
justice process under Nepal’s own leadership and
ownership, by Bhagiram Chaudhary and Suman
Adhikari (rep), Government
should widen tax base and strengthen tax regime,
analysts say: Economists lay emphasis on putting
sustainable and broad-based systems in place
rather than implementing ad hoc measures, by
Rajesh Khanal (kp), Four
killed, at least three injured in separate blasts in
the Capital: Police suspect the involvement of Chand
outfit, which has called a general strike today,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), Multiple
blasts claim four lives in valley: Police suspect hand
of Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal; Three of the
seven injured in critical condition, by Ujjwal
Satyal (ht), Terror
sweeps Valley: Own bombs kill 4 Chand outfit members,
six injured; IEDs found in several places (rep), Parliamentary
Party leaders ask Baskota to revise Media Council
Bill: Chairman of National Assembly holds meeting with
ruling and oppositions parties on Sunday in the
presence of Minister Banskota to discuss ways to move
the bill forward (kp), Missing
civil society: This group, which often led democracy
movements, is nowhere to be seen (kp), More
lawmakers oppose constituency development fund
(rep), Heed
the warning: Prime Minister’s arrogance and
one-upmanship has resulted in his government not
getting credit even for some of the good things
accomplished under his leadership, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep)
26/05/2019: Where
has Nepal’s once active civil society gone? While
professional groups have been raising voices
against moves to curtail individual and press
freedoms, citizens-led movement is conspicuous
by its absence, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Editors
demand withdrawal of Media Council Bill (ht), Senior
leaders of ruling party stand against proposed Media
Council Bill: The government should not make any move
that contravenes the constitution, they say, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Itahari
mayor misbehaves with a journalist and deputy mayor
issues apology: The instance may look like simple
bureaucracy, but female politicians say it shows how
women are denied decision-making role and made to play
second fiddle, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Of
communists and farmlands: It is not the exodus of the
youth to foreign jobs, but the communist government’s
neglect of land reforms that has undermined
agriculture, by Abhi Subedi (kp), People’s
movement injured bemoan state’s apathy (ht)
25/05/2019: This
is how society and state continue to fail rape
survivors: Many survivors have their lives uprooted,
and are forced to relocate, live away from their
family and friends, and start fresh in an
unfamiliar setting, by Tsering D Gurung (kp), 10
months after Nirmala rape and murder, rights activists
renew call for justice, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), House
committee pledges to revise bill to amend human rights
law: Human rights committee chair says he will also
work for amending Media Council Bill, by Binod
Ghimire (kp)
24/05/2019: Editors
urge govt to withdraw Media Council Bill (ht), Government
will not take back the MCB, says minister (ht) [Mr Baskota's task should be the
protection of press freedom but he is one of the most
incompetent and arrogant ministers of the Oli
government!], Bamdev
Gautam seeks revision of bill (ht), Devolving
the judiciary: New and old structural challenges
remain in federalism and access to justice, by
George Varughese and Iain Payne (nt)
23/05/2019: Free
the press: Should the draft bill with provisions of
harsh penalties and prison terms be passed, it will
discourage professional journalism, while promoting
servile psychology and self-censorship, by Mohan
Nepali (rep), Oli
is weakening key institutions and it’s not good for
democracy, observers say: Experts express concern over
government’s attempts to muzzle the media and control
democratic and constitutional bodies, by Anil Giri
and Binod Ghimire (kp), Foreign
Ministry urges US envoy to ‘step back’ from a planned
social media interaction, by Anil Giri (kp),
‘Holding
public interaction on social media part of core
function of diplomacy’ (rep) [The
American government would see it as diplomatic core
function as well if Iranian, Russian and Chinese
ambassadors to the US, e.g., would get into
interaction with each and every US citizen and tell
the US president simply "shut up"??], MoFA
objects to US envoy’s move: Randy Berry plans to
engage with Nepalis through social media, by
Roshan S Nepal (ht), Need
Of Integrative Vision, by Mukti Rijal (rn)
22/05/2019: UN
urges Nepal to change its rape law: Rights activists
say they are cautiously optimistic given Nepal’s lax
attitude to past pleas, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Change
laws to ensure justice to rape victims: UN to Nepal
(rep), Amend
laws for victims’ access to justice: UN (ht), Oli
makes yet another remark that contradicts the spirit
of federalism: Local government representatives say
either the statute has to be amended or prime minister
should stop making such comments, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [Such unconstitutional
statements are not lapses! It is time for the PM to be
taught through the legal process that the executive
must also respect the constitution!], The
importance of dialectics, by Tejendra Pherali
(kp), Media
warns it could form independent regulatory body
(ht), Whose
Media Council? Drop the draft bill, don’t even
consider revising it. Rather, force the media
community to form their own independent press
standards mechanism. Let them call it whatever name
they choose, by Dharma Adhikari (rep)
21/05/2019: Rights
activists urge govt to sign OPCAT, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Spare
all kinds of rods: They are ineffective, by
Dronashish Neupane (ht), Mishra’s
departure throws the future of government think tank
into disarray: Insiders believe Chaitanya Mishra’s
discomfort with bureaucracy was the primary
reason for his resignation as the head of Policy
Research Academy, by Anil Giri (kp), Rastriya
Janata Party-Nepal asks government to make Lal report
public: Party says it will obstruct House proceedings
until the report on Tarai protest is out, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), ‘Bring
budget to coordinate three tiers of govt’, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Many
macroeconomic indicators worsen on Oli govt's watch
(rep), Governance
Transformation, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
20/05/2019: As
protest mounts, media bill draws ruling party members’
ire: Senior leaders and party-affiliated journalists
now openly criticise the government and information
minister over controversial bill, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Journalists
close to NCP suggest amendments (ht), Ruling
NCP hints at revising controversial media laws under
pressure (rep), FNJ
announces fresh protests (ht), Social
roots of authoritarianism: We blame the prime
minister’s ‘authoritarian’ tendencies for constricting
the space of civil society, but we need to do
some introspection, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Bill
to coordinate three tiers of govt tabled (ht), Gross
misuse of budget in the name of users’ groups, by
Matrika Dahal (rep)
19/05/2019: One-upmanship
game in ruling party as power play intensifies:
Insiders say Dahal is in a bid to accumulate strength
to put pressure on Oli to honour understanding, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Spokespersons,
please step aside: The call of transparent governance
is to hold briefings and provide answers with respect
and dignity, by P Kharel (kp), Newborns
dying in sheds in Bajura (ht), Cancel
constituency development program (rep), Sex
and society: A society that expects women to be virgin
until the day they get married and expects these women
to become sex slaves will never know the impact women
have in changing history, by Ushma Rebel (rep), Contractors
oppose law barring graft-accused to bid govt projects
(rep) [Nepal cannot develop
without flourishing corruption???]
18/05/2019: Rights
activists say Oli government heading towards
authoritarian rule, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Journalists
continue protest across country, by Roshan S Nepal
(ht), Journalists
hit streets against Media Council Bill (ht), Journos
demonstrate against anti-press bills (rep), Project
selection process hindered in provinces
with Centre tight-lipped on its schemes, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Heads
and Tales: Oli is back! If you ask the real Oli
then the reason he’d offer is he dreams of the
political system set up there. Vietnam is a
Marxist-Leninist one-party state, by Guffadi (kp),
Merger
as NCP fails to erase past identities as UML, Maoist:
Left leaning analysts say the unification of the
ruling NCP could collapse at any time if the top
leaders don't work to assimilate their political,
ideological and organizational strengths immediately
(rep), Acid
attack survivor Magar comes forward to support another
victim, by Sonam Lama (rep)
17/05/2019: Media
barred from covering SAGGC meet: Opposition MPs say
decision against democratic principles, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), FNJ
to stage sit-in to protest Media Council Bill
(ht), Media
Council Bill, by by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Govt
petition in TJ case scheduled for hearings after years
(rep), US
worried by probe into dissemination of news on Dalai
(rep), As
ruling party marks one year of merger, leaders still
undecided on political ideology: The erstwhile UML is
for People’s Multi-party Democracy while the
former Maoists are for 21st-century People’s Democracy,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), A
20-year-old woman battles for life after her husband
hurled acid at her: Last fiscal year alone, four acid
attacks were reported across the country, by Nayak
Paudel (kp) [This reflects the
value of women in the extremely patriarchal state and
society of Nepal!], Choose
the best: Let’s have no more political
appointments at universities (kp) [And
please remove the Prime Minister's function as head of
all universities and academies that was taken over
from the erstwhile monarchy!], BRI
And Indo-Pacific Strategy, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn)
16/05/2019: National
Human Rights Commission objects to Media Council Bill:
If endorsed in present form, it will be against the
basic principles of human rights and freedom of
expression, watchdog says, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
NHRC
concerned about freedom of expression (ht), Journalists
slam Media Council Bill (ht), Musahar
families denied access to water after an intercaste
marriage dispute, by Binu Timsina (kp), Silent
screams: Overcrowding and inhumane conditions are the
hallmarks of Nepali prisons (kp), NC
wants bills that contradict constitution withdrawn:
Threatens protests if bills on media council,
NHRC, national security are not amended (ht), CIAA
ex-commissioner out on bail: Pathak posts Rs
7.8-million bail, a Special Court record, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht) [???],
Listen
to lawmakers: The upcoming fiscal budget must be
prepared based on the suggestions given by lawmakers
during the pre-budget debates (ht)
15/05/2019: Fringe
communist parties launch a movement against the ruling
Nepal Communist Party, calling them ‘fascists’: Led by
Mohan Baidya and CP Gajurel, four parties and one
communist front have vowed to expose the
‘anti-national activities’ of the government, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), Stick
to your mandate: MPs should stick to legislating
and let local units carry out development plans
(kp), Govt
getting ready to ratify Palermo Protocol, by Sonam
Lama (rep), There
will be no excuse for justifying budget underspending
next fiscal: FinMin (rep) [The
govt claimed similar things a year ago!]
14/05/2019: A
heavy hand: The Media Council Bill further endangers
press freedom (kp), Media
council bill draws flak from MPs, by Jagdishor
Panday (ht),
Mass
media draft bill draws heavy flak, by Ram Kumabr
Kamat (ht), Speaker,
NA chair assure FNJ of amending anti-press provisions
in bills (rep), Media
Council Bill in favour of journalists: Minister
Baskota (ht) [This
brazen minister is making idiots of the whole nation!],
Justice,
interrupted: The NHRC is an important constitutional
body and it should be allowed to function
independently, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Leaders
say ruling party is using fear and coercion to control
them: Nepal Communist Party insiders say internal
democracy is on the wane while individual
freedom is being curtailed, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Lawmakers
lobby for hiking constituency development fund: If
allotted as per the demand, budget for them will reach
a whopping Rs 21 billion, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [A very special form of corruption!],
Disputes
galore over jurisdictions of federal and local
governments, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Two
years on, Nepali women still barred from working in
the Gulf as housemaids: Latest recommendations urge
the government to revoke discriminatory restrictions
and allow all women equal access to employment, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Figment
of third force: The viability of an alternative force
is contingent on its commitment to democracy, by
Achyut Wagle (kp), Slow
capital expenditure continues to bedevil development
projects, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), In
Pursuit Of Wellbeing, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
13/05/2019: Journalists’
group begins struggle against Media Council Bill: The
legislation to replace Press Council Act will have
power to issue hefty fines and give the government
more say in the hiring and firing of council members,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Three
journalists are under investigation for publishing
news about the Dalai Lama: Communication Minister
Gokul Baskota admitted he ordered the probe into
reporters working for the state-owned wire service
after publishing the news on the exiled Tibetan
leader when the President was on a state visit to
China, by Anil Giri (kp) [?????],
Media
society seeks bill’s withdrawal (ht), Umbrella
body of journos launches protest, by Ujjwal Satyal
(ht), Don’t
gag the press: A govt-appointed body can never qualify
to monitor the Nepali media, unless the government’s
intention is to gag it and have it tow its line
(ht), Nepal
Media Bill: Experts advise FNJ to challenge anti-media
bills in court (rep), PM
Oli’s claim that Kathmandu is ‘dust free’ is far from
reality: City residents say VIPs who move around in
air conditioned vehicles are unaware of the
Valley’s ground reality, by Anup Ojha (kp), Government
stops reimbursing health facilities for offering free
treatment to ‘disadvantaged’: Dozens of state and
private health facilities have signed the agreement
with the ministry and have been providing services
accordingly, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Keep
aside budget for consolidating federalism: MPs, by
Jagdishor Panday (kp), Police
face new challenges in drive against Chand outfit,
by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep)
12/05/2019: Supreme
Court set to hear review petition on its landmark 2015
ruling: Conflict victims are cautious as reversal of
the verdict, which struck down amnesty provisions,
could jeopardise transitional justice process, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Bill
on Nepal Media: New law seeks up to Rs 10m fine, 15
yrs jail for erring media persons: Govt may confiscate
media equipment, by Ashok Dahal (rep), IFJ,
FNJ ask govt to drop harsh provisions in proposed
media law (rep), Let
the press be free (rep), ‘Ban
on women from working as maids in Gulf countries
unfair’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Women
rebuilding Chhau sheds in Chhaupadi free
areas of Bajhang: Local representatives’ awareness
drive in Saipal Rural Municipality was ineffective,
by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), The
scourge of cults: Personality cults are dangerous. And
even more so for democracies, by Naresh Koirala
(kp), Protest
Against Patriarchy, by Deepesh Paudel (kp), Old
wine in new bottle:
The
government’s policies and programmes for 2019-20 look
like more of the same, by Jagadish Prasad Bist
(kp), Jog
your memory: Historical amnesia has hit Nepali
politics and politicians alike, by Abhi Subedi
(kp), Scan
bills that curtail rights of sub-national govts:
Speaker, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Govt
against statute amendment: Bhandari (ht), National
ID cards find no use (rep)
11/05/2019: Proposed
media bill envisions new press council with increased
government role: A new body overseeing the press could
alter the nature of the self-regulatory body and limit
press freedom, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), FNJ
denounces provisions of media council bill (ht), Benefits
for Thapa-led group concern leaders fromthe Maoist
stream in unified communist party: Leaders joining the
erstwhile Maoist force from splinter groups including
the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal
have been left high and dry, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Leader
of CPN’s student wing held (ht), House
panel directs govt to ready federal laws at the
earliest (rep) [This
would meant at least one year agao!]
10/05/2019: New
bill ‘aims at curtailing press freedom’: Proposes
fines up to Rs 1 million against media outlets,
editors, journalists for ‘damaging someone’s
reputation’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt
drafts bill with harsher provisions on media, journos,
by Ashok Dahal (rep), Press
and freedom, by Gunjan Upadhyay (rep), Communism
and Nepal: The opinion that Nepal will turn into a
one-party communist state is preposterous, by Lok
Raj Baral (kp), Agitated
residents, traders shut down unrepaired Bouddha road:
At least four protesters and a member of the police
force were injured in the brief scuffle, by Anish
Regmi (kp) [The imcompetent
politicians and administrators had promised the repair
years ago!], Locals
protest road construction delay, by Ujjwal Satyal
(ht), Contractor
buckles under pressure (ht), Creative
freedom and fragile sentiments: Does literature need
to always put righteousness before aesthetics?, by
Dinesh Kafle (kp), Improve
human development index, NIC told (ht), Survey
is wakeup call for Nepal government: Public opinion
poll shows the people’s trust in government is falling
sharply, by Rameshwar Bohara (nt), Federalism,
rule of law and the judiciary: The Constitution alone
cannot reshape a culture that accepts impunity,
backroom deals and horse-trading as normal, by
George Varughese and Iain Payne (nt)
09/05/2019: INSEC
raises alarm over NHRC Act amendment bill (rep), Government
quietly moves Media Council bill to House:
Transparency and participatory law-making processes
are being overlooked, stakeholders say, by
Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Parties
in negotiations to get ‘their’ people in transitional
justice bodies: Victims say such political
interference could jeopardise transitional justice
process, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [It's
always the same! These failed and dishonest
politicians and parties will never change! They want
to prevent justice for the victims at all costs!],
Linger
no more: The delay in naming the provincial capital is
keeping the people in a state of confusion
and preventing the govt from investing in
infrastructure (ht)
08/05/2019: Time
to intervene: The government has failed to acknowledge
the failure of previous commissions, ignored victims’
pressure and their key demands for legal amendment,
by Ram Kumar Bhandari (rep), Nepal
should not backslide on human rights, by Meenakshi
Ganguly (kp), Congress
accuses Speaker of siding with government: Opposition
leaders demand Oli’s remarks be removed from record,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ruling,
opposition parties at loggerheads in House: Govt’s
policies and programmes endorsed amidst chaos, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), PM,
oppn MPs in heated debate after Oli’s ‘demeaning’
remarks (rep), ‘My
govt’ included with due consideration, not by mistake:
PM (rep) [Dream on!],
Name
provinces, fix capitals (rep)
07/05/2019: Bhattarai,
Yadav launch Samajbadi Party in bid to create an
alternative force: Analysts doubt the new political
outfit can make much of an impact, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Bhattarai,
Yadav form new party, by Roshan S Nepal (ht), Human
capital for growth: The economic and political
landscape for the rest of the century will be
influenced by the international flow of human capital,
by Narayan Prasad Wagle (kp), One’s
identity, one’s pride: No need for consolation, by
Mim Bahadur Pariyar (ht), Erosion
of political capital: The erosion of political capital
created after the promulgation of new constitution is
leading to a rising level of public frustration which
might trigger mass demonstration and disorder, by
Prakash Chandra Lohani (rep), Sanskrit
for Dalits: In the past, untouchables were not allowed
to read and write Sanskrit. Sanskrit was considered to
be the subject meant only for Brahmins. The situation
has not changed, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep), Media
In Democratisation, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
06/05/2019:
Undermining democracy: The government seeks to weaken
the Human Rights Commission by changing the law, by
Gyan Basnet (kp), FNJ
announces national campaign for press freedom
(ht), As
Oli
prepares to visit Cambodia and Vietnam, questions are
being asked—why? Prime minister should set his
priorities right when it comes to visiting foreign
countries, experts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Four
men caught for slaughtering ox, by Nayak Paudel
(kp) [Many greetings from the
Hindu state!!], Humla
forgotten: Push for double digit growth means nothing
when places like Humla are left behind (kp), Only
10
percent of Poor ID cards distributed in seven years:
While households not identified as poor have already
received their cards, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Govt
to regulate NGOs, says Baskota (ht) [???],
Ambitious
goals:
The govt’s target of achieving double digit growth
within four years is not viable unless it improves the
spending capacity (ht), Whose
government is it anyway? (rep)
05/05/2019: Human
rights commission might withdraw officer from
recommendation committee, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Disease,
hunger
and chronic poverty kill people in Humla: Doctors on
the ground say living conditions are terrible in the
district, by Arjun Poudel (kp), PM’s
claim
to complete rebuilding projects in a year far from
reality: Records at National Reconstruction Authority,
which has plans for the next three years, show a huge
funding gap, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Leaving
out practical projects and tasks, govt talks up fancy
ideas (rep), Against
popular perception, Oli claims to have checked
corruption, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Bhattarai,
Yadav
agree to merge parties to form Samajbadi Party Nepal:
Two leaders to head federal council and central
committee, insiders say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal
(kp), FSF-N,
NSP-N parties unify New political entity will be named
Samajwadi Party Nepal, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), FSFN,
Naya Shakti to merge as Samajbadi Party Nepal, by
Ashok Dahal (rep), The
numbers keep changing: The reconstruction process is
stymied by lack of reliable data on earthquake
survivors, by Prakash Budha Magar (kp), Erosion
of
reason: Why cannot Nepali intellectual community give
a clear opinion on pressing political issues? What has
led to this intellectual slackening?, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep)
04/05/2019: Laws
are
being designed to stifle press freedom in Nepal, a new
report says: The report is the second in two days to
point to a ‘legal stranglehold’ over press
freedom, showing how laws are being used to
harass and silence journalists, by Tsering D
Gurung (kp) [See IFJ report The
Legal Stranglehold], Siraha
woman, 21, found dead in suspicious circumstances,
by Bharat Jarghamagar (kp), Whose
government
is it anyway? People ask as President presents annual
policies and programmes: Use of ‘mero sarkar’ in the
document invited criticism and ridicule on social
media. But ‘this is very much the President’s
government,’ PM’s adviser defends, by Anil Giri
(kp), Policies
And Programs Of Government For FY 2019, by Siddhi
B Ranjitkar (km), Policy
and Programs for FY 2019/20: Govt mum on last year's
commitments but projects record high growth (rep),
Govt
envisions rapid economic growth, by Sujan Dhungana
(ht), President
hints at populist programmes in upcoming budget,
by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Project
list forwarded sans PM’s nod: OPMCM (ht), Shift
the
Capital! We can solve some of our VVIP-induced traffic
jams if we shift the capital elsewhere. Chitwan would
be the best place to shift our Very Very
Irritating People who have no shame wasting our
taxpayers money, by Guffadi (kp), What
if?
Why is it necessary for the full squadron of ministers
and battalions of top ranking officers to be present
at the airport for every goings and comings of VIPs?,
by Hemant Arjyal (rep), Democracy
and the Rule of Law in Federal Nepal, by Karl-Heinz
Krämer (Nepal Observer 57)
03/05/2019: Victims
pressure
government to amend Transitional Justice Act: Rights
defenders and victims’ groups ask authorities to
halt process to appoint officials, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), The
fourth estate: Free press is a pillar of democracy and
it should be allowed to function unhindered (kp),
Media
freedom protects and supports us all, by Richard
Morris (kp), Government
must uphold press freedom: AI Nepal (ht), Journalists
still working under threat: NHRC chair Sharma
(rep), Long
shadows, by Sewa Bhattarai (nt), In
quest
for the ‘third force’, Bhattarai and Yadav discuss
party merger: Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal and
Janamukti Nepal also join talks, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Avoid
royal
show: The head of the state needs special security and
state honours; but this does not mean one needs to
cling on to the royal culture (ht)
02/05/2019: Fostering
impunity: Proposed amendment to NHRC Act 2012 does a
disservice to justice delivery (kp), Threats
to
press freedom have only increased in Nepal, report
says: Even as violations of press freedom nearly
doubled in the last 12 months, the administration is
formulating tighter laws, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp)
[see report
by Freedom Forum], 104
cases of press freedom violations in a year (ht),
FNJ
organises rally for press freedom (ht),
Shades
of single-party rule: The Prime Minister’s Office
seeks to keep a firm grip on the entire state
machinery, by Kushal Pokharel (kp), Only
22 percent of working-age women are employed in Nepal:
There is also gender pay gap and it must close,
experts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Women
working in informal sectors put forward five-point
demand to labor ministr, by Somam Lama (rep), Two
major
police units operating from tents for the last four
years: While officials continue to face difficulties,
authorities say there is a lack of budget to
build proper infrastructure, by Nayak Paudel (kp),
President’s
arrival
affects TIA departures: Foreigners who embarked on
mountain flights and were to fly back home later miss
their flights (ht), Right
to food sovereignty still a far cry, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), ‘65
pc cases of violence against women occur inside home’
(ht) [see WOREC
Nepal report]
01/05/2019: NHRC
proposes making its recommendations binding on govt
(rep), Bill
to
amend Human Rights Commission Act raises fierce
debate: The powers of national rights watchdog are
being curtailed, say opposition MPs, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Members,
MPs flay govt for bid to keep rights watchdog on tight
leash, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Dahal
hints at toppling Province 2 government (ht), Dahal’s
warning
to topple Province 2 government draws criticism:
Leaders and experts say such remarks are against
spirit of federalism, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Neither the central government nor
the co-chairman of a political party has the right to
interfere in the affairs of a federal province. The
central political leaders obviously lack any
understanding of federalism!], TJA
can’t be amended from Mandala: Law minister (ht),
Women’s
empowerment: Still an uphill task, by Kokila
Khadka KC (ht), SC
releases man held for waving black flag at PM
(rep) [PM Oli obviously
regards every criticism of his person as an sacrilege
and would like to see such criminals punished for
life!]
30/04/2019: They
are citizens too: Nepali mothers should be able to
pass citizenship on to their children via their name,
by Pratik Gurung (kp), Conflict
victims demand amendment to Transitional Justice Act
(ht), Deuba
and
Dahal discuss ways to take transitional justice
process forward: The two leaders want to form a common
position so as to put pressure on Oli, sources
say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Both
these leaders are responsible for the great number of
victims! One initiated the civil war, the other one
has been responsible for the mobilisation of the army
and the escalation of the conflict!], No
to
pork barrel: The CISP has faced criticism in the past
as it is largely geared towards giving the elected
lawmakers an edge during the elections and purchase
votes with patronage (ht)
29/04/2019: NCP
MPs want hike in pork barrel spending, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht) [The
uncontrolled and self-interested investment of money
by the MPs elected under the FPTP system is a grave
and very special form of corruption!!], FNJ
concerned about deteriorating press freedom (ht),
Empower
minorities:
It is the constitutional duty of the three tiers of
government to protect the language and culture of the
marginalised communities (ht), Govt
yet to dispatch 5.5 million copies of school textbooks
to districts (ht), Mockery
of
socialism: Prime Minister committed to zero tolerance
against corruption when he took office in 2017. Now
this commitment is mocking at his face for his
administration has failed to control corruption,
by Prakash Acharya (rep)
28/04/2019: Nothing
done to create special, protected or autonomous
regions, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Federal
government
shows no signs of devolving power, chief ministers
say: Province representatives least convinced by prime
minister’s promise at inter-state council meeting,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Where
from here? The government needs to talk less and do
more work, by Udayan Regmi (kp), Minister
Baskota slams media (ht) [Another
statement by the government, which only aims to
undermine freedom of the press and freedom of
expression!], Know
their
interests: One of the reasons Indo-Pacific advocates
are focused on Nepal is due to our strategic
importance, so distinctive for global power’s
attention, by Suresh Sharma (rep)
27/04/2019: Apex
court
orders halt on citizenship, complicating matters
further: An interim order asking that the ongoing
process of granting citizenship by descent to children
of those with citizenship by birth will only create
more problems, some officials believe, by Tsering
D Gurung (kp), RJP-N
to launch nationwide protest against government
(ht)
26/04/2019: Blindness
of insight: The amalgamation of Oli-path and
Aditya-path will be the undoing of secularism in Nepal,
by Dinesh Kafle (kp), Amid
reservations,
government bent on amending Human Rights Act: Rights
watchdog says the move is aimed at reducing its role
as an agency subordinate to the government, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Slow
recovery: Four years since the quake, and people are
still in temporary shelters (kp), Crowded
Kathmandu’s
few remaining open spaces are steadily encroached
upon: Khula Manch housed thousands after 2015
earthquake. Now, there is space barely for half a
dozen families, by Anup Ojha (kp), Post-quake
recovery
works hit as 4,000 workers resign en masse:
Technicians hired by the National Reconstruction
Authority say they quit as they did not get any
allowance and facilities, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Police
record statement from Kiran’s family: NCP stands
against its members protesting teen’s custody death,
by Parwat Portel (kp), TJ
bodies receive 60 applications for chairs, members,
by Roshan S Nepal (ht), Statute
implementation found wanting: Jamarkattel (ht), Untouchability
thriving in rural Bajura (ht), Scientific
land use: Gateway to prosperity, by Santosh Paudel
(ht)
25/04/2019: Looking
back to look forward: The restoration of democracy
came at a cost. Let’s not forget that (kp), Conflict
victims’
associations to recommend names for transitional
justice bodies: But they lay stress on an amendment to
the existing act before new leaderships assume offices,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Slow
progress:
NRA has been slow in the post-quake reconstruction
works thanks to its inefficiency, political
interference and shortage of resources (ht), Pace
of reconstruction taking forever to pick up: Cash
crunch a major setback, says NRA (ht), Four
years
after Nepal’s deadly earthquakes, survivors continue
to live in disarray: Many survivors of the 2015
earthquakes say financing reconstruction of their
homes and the burden of loans have become major
challenges, pushing them further into poverty, by
Tsering Ngodup Lama and Arpan Shrestha (kp), Grant
delay disappoints homeless victims, by Sarita
Shrestha (rep), Many
families
in Valley’s core areas are forced to live in
quake-damaged houses: Seventy percent of quake-hit
families have not demolished their homes for
reconstruction, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Time
for reckoning: Four years after earthquakes (rep),
Nepal’s
pseudo-federalism: Leaders and bureaucrats do not want
to give up the power they have been holding, by
Kunja Rai (kp), New
bill deprives provinces of right to prosecute
criminals, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NHRC
tells govt to ease woes of elderly (ht)
24/04/2019: Loktantra
Day: People injured in police brutality decry
government’s apathy, by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Leadership
failed
to follow principle of inclusivity, ruling party
leaders say: District committees announced on Sunday,
concluding the unification, have only three women, two
Dalits and 19 Janajatis as chiefs, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Rs
429b needed to complete reconstruction, says authority,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Centre’s
decision to recruit teachers on its own further
deepens dispute with local level, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Rights
activists picket DAO demanding justice for Nirmala,
by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), The
binds that tie: Intergovernmental collaboration a must
if we want to make federalism work (kp)
23/04/2019: Human
rights
watchdog censures police bid to enter its Nepalgunj
office: National Human Rights Commission terms the
action an attack on its independence and autonomy,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rebuilding
of
schools after quake faces funding gap of Rs 27
billion: Thousands of children will be studying in
makeshift structures for a few more years,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Reconstructed
schools lack toilets (ht),
The
fallacy of false precision: Govt using obsolete
investment, growth model, by Rupak D Sharma (ht),
Democratic
Citizenship, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
22/04/2019: Families
of windstorm victims denied relief due to lack of
documents, by Laxmi Sah (kp), Fear
among storm victims yet to subside (ht), Jumping
on the gravy train: The linkages between Nepal’s
private sector and corruption is increasing, by
Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Enact
umbrella
laws: The umbrella laws required for the creation of
provincial structures, including the Provincial
Judicial Service Commission, should be enacted as
early as possible (ht), Aid
for empowerment: Building capacity of LGs, by
Prakash Paudel (ht), Centre
has not internalised federalism, says CM Poudel
(ht), Don’t
curtail powers of NHRC (rep), Footprints
of
uncertainty: Nepali governments have a habit of
engaging in negotiations only when a conflagration
breaks out. Biplav proved to be a tougher nut to crack
than Oli-Dahal had imagined, by P Kharel (rep)
21/04/2019: Pressure
mounts
on ruling party to take action against general
secretary: Bishnu Poudel’s Baluwatar land deal has put
him into a controversy but leadership is maintaining
silence, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Enrolment
drive
a ritual if poor families don’t get support, experts
say: Stakeholders stress need to ensure opportunity
costs for extremely marginalised communities so that
they can send their children to school, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Ministers
ignore wards undereducational guardianship, by
Binu Timsina (kp) [Leading
politicians only love the show; they never mean what
they say!!], Human
Rights Commission objects to bill to amend its Act,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Bitter
pill to swallow: Dr Govinda KC has legitimate demands,
ones that affect the quality of your healthcare
directly, by Jiwan Kshetry (kp), Provincial
Justice Service Commission: Ministry lacks clarity on
umbrella law, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)
20/04/2019: 14
RPP leaders held from Shanti Batika (ht) [The
action
initiated by Kamal Tapa was a grave militant
aggression against the secular foundations of
multireligious and multicultural modern Nepal!],
Govt
brings bill to coordinate federal tiers, by Ashok
Dahal (rep), More
Chand cadres quit party, by Nagendra Upadhyaya
(rep)
19/04/2019: Justice
delayed:
The entire peace process will remain incomplete unless
the victims get justice, reparation and fair treatment
from the state (ht), End
impunity: Don’t make mockery of HR, by Ram Dayal
Rakesh (ht), UN
letter
on transitional justice process puts government in a
bind: Officials say the agency has tried to portray
Nepal in a way that inaccurately shows the
country has done nothing, by Anil Giri (kp) [And why have you prevented justice
for the victims for 13 years and instead protected and
promoted perpetrators?], Intimidation
game: The criminalisation of legitimate journalistic
activity should not be taken lightly (kp), Nepal
has failed to ensure full press freedom: Reporters
Without Borders, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Strike
disrupts life in Sudurpaschim (kp), Blasts,
hoaxes, arson mark CPN’s general strike (ht) [Only criminals organise strikes
against the interests of the people, destroy their
properties and endanger their lives!!], Arms
surrender deadline for Chand ends, focus now on talks
(rep), Nepal
is being loved to death: Four years after the
earthquake, we Nepalis have got really good at playing
victim, by Anil Chitrakar (nt)
18/04/2019: UN
pushes
Nepal to amend Transitional Justice Act in a strongly
worded letter: UN officials, in a 10-page letter, also
reminded the Foreign Ministry of their repeated
requests for a visit by the Special Rapporteur, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), UN
concerned about sluggish transitional justice process
(ht), UN
rapporteurs for transparency in TRC, CIEDP members
appointments (rep), Application
deadline for chairs, members of TRC, CIEDP extended
till April 30 (ht), Government’s
existing
and proposed legislation threaten press freedom,
experts say; Dozens of journalists have been charged
with cybercrime since the Electronic Transaction Act
came into effect a decade ago, by Bhrikuti Rai
(kp), FNJ
to stage sit-in at DAO today (ht), Seventeen
Bibeksheel Nepali cadres arrested (ht), Prosperity
from
below: Policy makers and politicians are reluctant to
recognize, expand and lead the country toward
prosperity in a socially and ecologically sustainable
manner, by Khem Lal Bishwakarma (rep)
17/04/2019: Oh
no, not this again: Transitional justice seems to be
walking blind; that’s why it keeps falling into holes,
by Mohna Ansari (kp), Capital
spending at 35pc till mid-April: Government urged to
clear bottlenecks at bureaucratic and
contracting level (ht)
16/04/2019: Transitional justice bodies: Recommendation
panel extends deadline for applications by 10 days; 40
people, including retired judges, are in the race,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Journalist
arrested
on charge of cybercrime for publishing news on
financial fraud: Reporters, freedom of speech
campaigners condemn the arrest saying journalism is
not cybercrime, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), Gearing
towards
a Hindu republic: Perceived lack of good governance
from the secular republic means the conversation is
moving back to notions of a Hindu state, by Achyut
Wagle (kp), Balance
in
a turbulent world: Maintaining a strategic balance
between China, India and the US-led Western world
remains a challenge for Nepal. But some recent events
show we may be losing this balance, by Prakash
Chandra Lohani (rep) [The
leadership of the Western world by the USA is
increasingly being questioned under its current
president. India's Indo-Pacific security interests
also differ substantially from the ideas of the
Americans, who primarily orient themselves along their
own interests and power claims. Accordingly, Nepal
must concentrate on its own security interests or to
say it with Trump: Nepal first!], Stability
of Political Life, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
15/04/2019: Bill
to
amend National Human Rights Commission Act alarms
experts: Provision authorises attorney general to
decide on recommendations, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp)
[A
further step by the government to enforce impunity!],
‘Bid
to render national rights body toothless’, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), Flaws
in
government mechanism led to misappropriation of funds,
auditor general’s report says: The flaws reflect weak
implementation of laws by the KP Sharma Oli
administration, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Arrears
on
the rise: The ever-increasing arrears cannot be
minimised unless the government revamps the existing
accounting system (ht), ‘Taming
secessionists an achievement’,
by Jagdishor Panday
(ht) [There is obviously some
misunderstanding, Mr Oli. CK Raut claims that you
agreed on a referendum on secession; that's why he
formed the 'Referendum Party'!], Government
urged to improve state of jails (ht)
14/04/2019: Parliament
Secretariat spent millions illegally: OAG, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Reckless
expenses have gone up, says OAG report (ht), No
future for Madhes-based parties: CK Raut (ht), 'Mafia'
grabbed 1,860 ropani govt land in 6 yrs post-Panchayat,
by Matrika Dahal (rep), A
year mired in big time corruption (rep), Way
forward for transitional justice (rep), Reviewing
transitional
justice: The government formed a committee to
recommend new commissioners in TJ bodies without
adequate consultations with the victims, by Ram
Kumar Bhandari (rep), Former
Maoist
child soldier reaches out to UN over injustice: Lenin
Bista urges special representative of the UN Secretary
General for Children and Armed Conflict to put
pressure on government to address the concerns of
former child soldiers, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Why
Dalits
convert: Dalits are strong Hindu believers but they
have been segregated and are not allowed to enter
Hindu temples while other castes are, by Giri
Bahadur Sunar (rep) [The Bahun
and Chhetri 'leaders', especially those from RPP and
Nepali Congress, are against conversion and pro Hindu
state only because they want to preserve the
discrimination and servitude of the Dalits!!],
Promises
of prosperity from Rara Lake last year look elusive,
by Rudra Pangeni (rep), Parliament
panel
says government failed to deliver on many promises:
The government had promised a double digit economic
growth and the reconstruction of all private houses
damaged by the 2015 earthquakes, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp)
13/04/2019: Call
for
competent people in transitional justice bodies:
Faulty process was responsible for picking inept
people in the past, rights defender says, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), TJ
bodies
spent Rs 460 million in four years, conflict victims
still await justice: Despite spending millions of
rupees in the salaries, neither of the two commissions
could prosecute even a single perpetrator (rep),
Government
plans
to set up annual regional dialogue: Through
‘Sagarmatha Dialogue’, the government wants to raise
issues of climate change, and promote Nepal’s peace
process and social inclusion, by Anil Giri (kp), Doctors’
Responsibility, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)
12/04/2019: Slow
boat to justice: The government keeps dilly-dallying
while frustrated conflict victims keep waiting, by
Geja Sharma Wagle (kp), CIEDP
commissioners retire without accomplishing given tasks
(rep), ‘Offsprings
of citizens by birth entitled to citizenship by
descent’ (ht) [But still
with patriarchal bias!], Inequality,
Inclusive Growth And Nepal, by Hira Bahadur Thapa
(rn)
11/04/2019: A
democratic nightmare: A sure way of killing democratic
culture is by jettisoning collective decision-making
(kp), The
Centralist Mind-set, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
After
promises
failed, secretaries told to focus on ‘flagship’
projects: It is implementation, not the addition of
loaded phrases in policies and programmes, that
matters, officials say, by Anil Giri (kp), Medical
association
calls meeting to find a way out to ongoing doctors’
strike: Agitating government doctors provide medical
care from hospitals’ premises, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Patients
treated under open sky as docs’ strike drags on,
by Santosh Pokharel (rep), Govt
doctors’ protest continues: Strike hits poor people
who can’t visit private hospitals the most, by
Anita Shrestha (ht), Women
groups in Kailali empower rural women, by Ganesh
Chaudhary (kp), Inter-government
dialogue: For federalism without conflict, by Har
Govinda Pandey (ht)
10/04/2019: Democracy
within
ruling and opposition parties is waning, lawmakers
say: NCP leaders say their chairman rarely listens to
anyone, while Nepali Congress lawmakers say the party
president functions in a unilateral style, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Govt
doctors continue to halt health services (ht), ‘Docs’
strike violates Nepalis’ right to health’ (ht), Patients
continue to suffer as doctors and government stand
their ground, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Keep
fiscal
order: Easy fiscal transfers are likely to increase
the dependency of the local governments on the centre
instead of trying to raise revenue to finance their
expenditure (ht), Legal
and constitutional experts find fault with Judicial
Council’s structure, by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
09/04/2019: Recommendation
panel calls for applications in transitional justice
bodies, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Police
baton charge RPP supporters (ht), Police
baton-charge RPP protestors in capital, detain 20 in
Pokhara, by Biken K Dawadi (rep) [This
police action is a crime, regardless of the
anti-national policies advocated by the demonstrators!],
Supreme
Court stays govt circular allowing citizenship by
descent (ht) [The
circular upholds the inequality of women either!],
Implementation
of fiscal discipline challenging at local levels: WB
(ht), Waning
public faith: Faith in the system can only be restored
if leaders connect with the people at a profound
emotional level, by Kushal Pokharel (kp), Statehood,
Nationhood & Peoplehood, by Dev Raj Dahal
(rn), Most
Chand outfit leaders, cadres out on bail: Police,
by Biken K Dawadi (rep)
08/04/2019: Process
of
selecting TRC, CIEDP members okayed: Conflict victims
not impressed, lambast recommendation panel for
‘unilateral decision’, by Roshan S Nepal (ht), A
new approach: Victims must be placed at the centre of
the reconciliation process (kp), Tools
of impunity and political control: The politicisation
of the judiciary has led to the erosion of the
public’s trust in it, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp),
Delusion
of democracy: The internet, designed to enable the
free flow of information, scares governments, by
Bimal Pratap Shah (kp),
As
government
doctors go on strike, the country’s poor suffer the
most: Several state-run health facilities were
overwhelmed on Sunday by patients, most of whom were
visiting from outside of Kathmandu, only to be refused
medical care, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [The
legitimacy of a medical strike is extremely limited.
As soon as patients are seriously endangered, it
becomes a crime!], Ruling
NCP
leaders ‘reaching out’ to Chand party leaders for
talks: Ruling party leader Janardan Sharma is holding
talks with high-level Chand party leaders in a bid to
bring them to mainstream politics, an aide to the
former home minister says, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
CPN:
a major security threat in Gandaki Province, by
Sandesh Shrestha (rep), The
Chinese
are coming: Recovering Nepal from Chinese embrace has
preoccupied Delhi but balanced ties with China and
India are Nepal’s political compulsion and sovereign
necessity. Unsettling it will invite back-breaking
repercussions, by P Kharel (rep)
07/04/2019: Conflict
victims
seek role in appointments in transitional justice
bodies: Groups advocating for conflict victims warn
they will not accept the process if officials
are picked without ‘meaningful consultation', by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Voting
for
change: An integrated electoral system will not only
limit electioneering costs but also make the
representatives responsible to their voters, by
Birendra P Mishra (kp)
06/04/2019: Confusion
on exercising concurrent powers persists, by
Rewati Sapkota (ht), After
mega
projects, government assigns Army to construct homes:
Security experts say the government decision could
give a message that the country’s civil
administration has failed, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
Impossible
promises:
Our comrades have either lost their minds or they have
become too big for their boots because they have a
majority in parliament, by Guffadi (kp), Doctors’
strike hits patients hard across country (ht), Near
50,000 patients hit by doctors' strike (rep), ‘Judiciary
in the clutches of interest groups’ (rep)
05/04/2019: Govt’s
apathy promoting impunity: NHRC (ht), Rescind
orders
against free press: Nepal Media Society: ‘We have seen
how such moves in the past by those drunk on power
have boomeranged on them' (kp), Restrictions
on issuing press identity cards draw Nepal Media
Society flak, by Roshan S Nepal (ht), Two
steps back: The government wants to keep
journalists on a tight leash (kp), Past
agendas
likely to dominate second Inter-State Council meet:
The meeting, which is slated to take place in the last
week of April, will look to settle the same set of
issues concerning devolution of authority, by
Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), CMs
advise PM to avoid project duplication (ht), Political
chaos:
Tensions currently engulfing Nepali politics could be
a distraction created by the NCP to cover its
shortcomings, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Inequality,
Inclusive Growth And Nepal, by Hira Bahadur Thapa
(rn)
04/04/2019: Citizenship
relief
for children of citizens by birth: District
administrative offices told to grant them citizenship
by descent, by Roshan S Nepal (ht) [The
cheering can only come from male persons! Concerning
the right to citizenship through the mother everything
remains unchanged! Women continue to be treated as
unequal and inferior persons! Long live the
patriarchal state of Nepal!!], Nepali
children
born today will have their lives shortened by 30
months: New report says Nepal has the highest levels
of air pollution in the world, by Arpan Shrestha
(kp 04/04/2019)),
Storm-hit
Dalits living under open sky, by Prabhat Kumar Jha
(ht), Nomination
of
Supreme Court justices draws flak for not being
inclusive: The decision violates constitutional
provision on proportional inclusion, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), Imbalance
of powers: The independence of Nepal’s courts is
becoming more precarious (kp), Strengthen,
implement right to food law: AI to govt (ht), Nepal:
To End Hunger, Strengthen and Implement Right to Food
Law (Amnesty International), In
latest
attempt to squeeze media, government seeks
journalists’ payroll details, violating the
constitution: Ministry of Information uses issue of
working journalists’ minimum wage to block
broadcasters’ payments to satellite
companiesnCircular follows a series of regulations to
muzzle journalism, by Anil Giri (kp), Panel
to
pick new leaderships of two transitional justice
bodies by mid-April: Names of former Supreme Court
justices under consideration, sources say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Federalism
has led many civil servants in Achham to work sans
payment, by Menuka Dhungana (kp) [The
reason is not federalism, but the indecision and
incompetence of the central government to implement
it!], The
colours of us: Reserved quotas have had a positive
impact in maintaining diversity at the workplace,
by Deepak Thapa (kp)
03/04/2019: Bara
freak storm victims left in a lurch, by Prabhat
Kumar Jha (ht), Storm
survivors struggle under open sky on empty stomachs,
by Madan Thakur and Upendra Yadav (rep), No
money for storm from PM Relief Fund (rep), ‘We
need
shelter, we don’t need more food’: As politicians
promise money, survivors say they’ve heard it all
before; 'IIt looks like a game for political
leaders; they are competing with each other to make
announcements', by Anup Ojha and Laxmi Shah (kp),
Review
electoral system for good governance, says CIAA chief
(ht), Conflict-hit
women say no to war, by Lokendra Khanal (rep), Slicing
the Madhesi pie: Raut’s Janmat Party is elbowing its
way into an already crowded political landscape,
by Brahmanand Thakur (kp)
02/04/2019: Complaints
registered
with transitional justice bodies to be sealed until
new leadership assumes office: Office bearers at the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission
of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons will
retire on April 14, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Burden
of
two-thirds majority: None of the majority governments
since 1958 has survived full term mainly because of
intra-party feuds and personal rivalry among leaders
of ruling party. What will happen to Oli government?,
by Thira L Bhusal (rep), Duties
Of Citizen And State, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
01/04/2019: Reimagining
leadership:
Transitional justice process has not come to a
meaningful end because conflict victims were not
placed at the center, by Charan Prasai (rep),
Genealogy
of
xenophobia: In a country burdened by
ethno-nationalism, self-destructive jingoism and
hubristic self-importance, the politics of prosperity
is merely a façade to decorate existing power
structure, by CK Lal (rep), Sunita
murder case: A sad story of a wife killed by husband
for dowry, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Woman
allegedly beaten to death by her husband, by Madan
Thakur (rep), Local
govts disobeying central govt, by Devendra Basnet
(rep) [This has to do with the
failure of the central govt to introduce clear
regulations on power sharing and responsibilities
under the federal system! The decisions mentioned in
this article should be under the responsibility of the
local govt because the central govt has no idea of the
local situation!!], Oli
says
he consulted Deuba on nominations, but Congress calls
it a lie: Opposition leaders say the prime minister
decided to call a meeting even after Sher
Bahadur Deuba proposed an alternative date, by
Anil Giri (kp), Koshi
flood victims pay tax for inundated land, by
Pradeep Menyangbo (kp)
31/03/2019: No
more secrecy: The government must pick the people for
the transitional justice bodies transparently, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Is
Nepal’s
progressive trans rights movement bracing for a
setback? LGBTIQ community expresses reservations about
provisions in the citizenship bill which, according to
them, can result in further discrimination against
sexual minorities, by Asmita Manandhar (kp), Amid
government’s
unilateral moves, calls grow for adherence to
constitutionalism: Experts point at Constitutional
Council’s decisions without taking opposition leader
into confidence while taking decisions, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Let
provincial
government hold remaining SEE exams: Experts; The
Ministry of Education cancelled the rest of the exams
on Friday after a series of paper leaks, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), SEE
students
stage protests in several spots in Province 2: 20
people — including police — injured and more than a
dozen vehicles vandalised (kp), Sunita
beaten to death over dowry, by Bhusan Yadav (kp),
300
quake-victims under huts in Dolakha, by Rajendra
Manandhar (kp)
30/03/2019: Investment
summit
showcases the country’s mega projects—and its gender
disparity: The biggest stage for business and
investment fails to provide stage for women
entrepreneurs and investors, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp)
29/03/2019: Government’s
intent
to keep security policy secret raises concerns: The
document has given too much emphasis on army, ignoring
other security agencies, officials who have seen the
document claim, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Crime
and forgiveness: We need to rethink reconciliation for
peaceful coexistence in post-insurgency Nepal, by
Dinesh Kafle (kp)
28/03/2019: ‘We
represent diversity’: Chauvinists can learn from the
New Zealand prime minister and change their way,
by Pramod Mishra (kp) [This is the opposite of what
narrow-minded pseudo-nationalists from the NDP, a
great number of NC politicians and other Hindu state
fanatics preach! It should be the basis of Nepali
nationalism as well!!], Rage
and
reason: We need to bring around every actor from the
plains as well as the hills to agree on some basic
fundamentals of citizenship. Otherwise, citizenship
debate will prolong indefinitely, by Mahabir
Paudyal (rep) [There is only
one solution: Make it equal without any patriarchal
fantacies based on gender, ethnicity and region!],
‘CPN
brass goes underground’, by Bikan K Dawadi (rep)
27/03/2019: Government
ban unconstitutional, says Nepal Bar Association,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Communist
Party of Nepal announces stir against crackdown,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), CPN’s
strike likely to hit students (ht) [Criminal
anti-people procedure!], Protest
meaningless, says CM Gurung (ht), 11
CPN cadres nabbed (ht), How
big—and
widespread—is Chand’s communist party? Depends on who
you ask: Despite arrests of scores of its leaders,
including some senior ones, the group has shown little
sign of joining talk, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), A
job to be done: Remittance is a short-term fix, we
need to create work here (kp)
26/03/2019: Panel
formed
to pick names for transitional justice bodies: Former
chief justice Om Prakash Mishra to lead 5-member
recommendation committee, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ruling,
opposition
parties at odds over handling of the Chand outfit:
Nepali Congress says high-handed approach could sow
the seeds of conflict; Prime minister maintains tough
stance, calls Chand party ‘pseudo-communist’, by
Anil Giri (kp), Making
bureaucracy deliver: Bureaucrats, as public service
providers, are facilitators, not controllers of
operations, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Foreign
policy dilemma: Nepal cannot antagonise emerging
superpower China or the sole superpower, the US,
by Madhab P Khanal (kp)
25/03/2019: His
mother
is a Nepali.He has been refused citizenship for 10
years: Between 2009 and 2017, Nepal has issued 13
naturalised citizenships to those born to a Nepali
mother and a foreign father. Many are waiting, hoping
to be the next, by Tsering D Gurung (kp), Where
is
Netra Bikram Chand? Senior officials say the leader of
Communist Party of Nepal, which was involved in a
series of bombings, is still in the country and
dismiss claims that he has fled to India, by Anil
Giri (kp), Surrender
arms or face action, PM tells Chand (rep), Civil
servants stop going to work over Chand outfit’s threat,
by Narayan Sharma (kp), Ansari’s
rival
seeks interim order not to let him continue his work:
In his writ petition, Salam has claimed that Ansari
was appointed only because he was a central committee
member of the ruling Nepal Communist Part, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp), Reversal
of
democratic thrust: The government is de-democratising
the security sector and weakening democratic oversight
of the security forces, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal
(kp), There
cannot be referendum on monarchy: PM Oli (rep), Inter-caste
couples still facing social stigma, by Tanka
Chhetri (rep)
24/03/2019: Power
to PM to deploy Army causes unease in defence force:
Experts say government should abide by constitutional
provisions, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Police
arrest
9 Chand group members, including a senior leader, from
Kavre: Hemanta Prakash Oli ‘Sudarshan’, one of the
five members in Chand’s high command, is said to have
been a key person behind the blasts at Nakkhu and
Basundhara in the Capital, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Campaign
against casteism: Reframing the narrative around
caste-based discrimination warrants a different
outlook, by Rajendra Senchurey (kp)
23/03/2019: Women
are still dying after being sent to menstruation huts,
but no one is filing complaints: A new report by the
National Human Rights Commision paints a grim picture
of Chhaupadi and how it’s still taking women’s lives,
despite being outlawed, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp) [see
NHRC
report (in Nepali)], More
daughters
are enrolled in public schools while sons are sent to
private ones: Even though girls outnumber boys in the
10th grade national level exam, discrimination is
clearly visible, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Holi
was colourless and joyless for families of those
martyred during the 2015 Madhes protests, by
Shankar Acharya (kp), Shashank’s
referendum remarks irk Congress, by Anil Giri (kp)
22/03/2019: On
the
wrong side of history: Defending unequal citizenship
rights is defending the Khas-Arya man’s status, not
the state sovereignty, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Action
against
Chand outfit—but how and under which laws? There’s no
specific law to deal with the Chand group the way the
government wants, security and legal experts say,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), As
Ansari
takes oath, questions arise over necessity of hearing
committee: Parties failed to follow the spirit of
legal provisions and this undermines parliamentary
supremacy, observers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
21/03/2018: Rebels
without a cause: No one seems to understand what
exactly Biplab wants, not even Biplab himself, by
Deepak Thapa (kp), Govt
steps
up measures against Chanda-led group: Four including a
close aide to senior leader Hemanta Prakash Oli
arrested on Tuesday (rep), Police
arrest
two Chand cadres in Kavre after shootout: Experts say
government should deal with the group delicately and
invite them for dialogue, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Govt
mulls
carrot and stick policy against CPN: Families of
cadres, leaders of the outfit will not have to bear
the brunt of actions of their kin, by Rewati
Sapkota (kp), NC
general secy backs for reinstating Hindu state thru
referendum (rep) [This
is in the same way anticonstitutional as Raut's demand
for a eferendum on an independent Madhesh state!
Both referenda would be aimed at destroying Nepal's unity
and multicultural identity! The Nepali Congress is about
to destroy its former democratic ideals!]
20/03/2019: Government
moves indicate effort to centralise power in prime
minister: Problem lies in intent rather than method,
experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Towards
authoritarianism: When all powers flow to the prime
minister, it will undermine the achievements of
democracy (kp), Congress
demands government to explain ‘jana abhimat’ in its
pact with CK Raut, by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
19/03/2019: CK
Raut launches Janamat Party (rep), After
quitting
‘Free Madhes’ campaign, CK Raut launches a new party:
Raut’s Janamat Party vows to continue struggle for the
rights of people, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Hasty
deal with Raut: Both contracting parties have
interpreted the agreement as per their convenience,
by Kushal Pokharel (kp), Govt
agrees to publicize Lal panel report: RJPN hopes to
use report to its advantage (rep), Baburam
Bhattarai
objects to government’s bid to further empower prime
minister: Naya Shakti Party leader demands release of
Resham Chaudhary, saying the 2015 Tikapur
incident should be treated as a political movement,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [?? A
crime cannot be excused for political reasons!],
80%
of accused rapists were acquaintances of the victims,
by Biken K Dawadi (rep), Parties
still
undecided on appointment of officials at transitional
justice bodies: Conflict victims concerned about
further delay in justice delivery, by Binod
Ghimire (kp) [Positions are
far more important than justice for the victims!]
18/03/2019: Chand’s
men on extortion drive in Surkhet, by Nagendra
Upadhyaya (rep) [Another crime
against the common people!], PM
terms Chand outfit a criminal gang (rep) [How
else shall it be called?], A
series of events, and intel report led to government
action against Chand outfit: Security agencies have
orders to arrest major suspects behind violent
activities carried out by the group, a high-level
police source says, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Listen
to the people: They want peace (rep), The
Maoist
cul-de-sac: Chand has very little to lose and
everything to gain by creating mayhem. The NCP has
everything to lose and nothing to gain by ignoring him
forever, by CK Lal (rep), Raut’s
outfit endorses 11-pt agreement signed with govt,
by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Congress
lashes out at proposed law to further empower PM,
by Sanjeeb Phuyal (kp)
17/03/2019: Distressed
and
disheartened, disqualified Maoist fighters await
support to run their lives: Ex-rebel fighters feel
betrayed. They say there could be another conflict
if the state continues to ignore them, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Locals
in cradle of Maoist insurgency say NO to conflict,
by Dinesh Subedi, Devendra Basnet and Nagendra
Upadhyay (rep), In
Dahal’s
‘my life under threat’ claim, many see bid for
sympathy: Politicians, analysts say Dahal is
exaggerating ‘sabotage’, a term his party used to mean
‘destruction of infrastructure’, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Government’s
bid
to vest power to deploy Army in prime minister draws
flak: The main opposition Nepali Congress calls a
special meeting to discuss the provision in the
Bill on Work, Responsibility and Rights of National
Security Council, by Tilak R Pradhan (kp), Special
taskforce to monitor Chand outfit activities
(rep), Raut’s
outfit meeting today to ‘chart future course’
(rep), Secessionism
is
dead: The overwhelming rage against referendum that
was not even mentioned in the deal with CK Raut is the
strongest evidence of how the whole country stands
united against secession, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)
[Many of these protesters at
the same time demand for a referendum on a return to
the Hindu state, what is in the same way divisive
against the background of Nepal's multiethnic,
multireligious, multicultural and multilingual
society! Stop both demands!]
16/03/2019: In
annual
report, US Department of State paints bleak picture of
Nepal’s human rights: Officials say they have not read
the report yet, by Anil Giri (kp) [See US
eport] [And how will
they answer any questions on this subject at the
Investment Forum at the end of the month?], Women’s
voices go unheard in local units led by male
officials: Budget for women empowerment and
income-generation unspent, by Menuka Dhungana
(kp), Bill
to
enable PM alone to recommend army mobilization:
Security Council may recommend security at sensitive
projects, heritage sites (rep) [??],
Transitional
Justice bodies may end up without commissioners
(rep), 1,127
rape cases recorded in 8 months (rep)
15/03/2019: 35
days to hand over illegal guns: Govt urges CPN to
renounce violence and come to the negotiating table,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Bandh
partially hits life across country (ht) [Every
bandh is a crime against the people!], Some
8 million students affected by general strike
(rep), Government
contradicts its decision on Chand outfit and its
activities: On Tuesday, the Oli administration used
the term ‘ban’. Two days later, the ministry stated it
is ‘taking action’ against the group, by Anil Giri
(kp), In
ruling
party, leaders are questioning Oli’s ‘unilateral’
decisions: Most of the decisions come straight from
Baluwatar without proper discussion in the party,
members say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Give
up
violence: It would be rational for the Chand-led group
to stop extortion, renounce its arms and violence, and
join mainstream politics (ht)
14/03/2019: Fault
line
appears in the ruling party over decision to ban Chand
outfit: The main opposition Nepali Congress is divided
over the issue, while other parties have criticised
the Oli administration’s decision, by Anil Giri
(kp), Nine
held after explosion in Bharatpur ward office, by
Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Quake
victims struggling to repay loans they borrowed to
build damaged houses (kp) [Hail to the incompetent NRA,
government and adminstration!], House
issues ruling to make public probe report on Tarai
protest, by Binod Ghimire (kp)
13/03/2019: Government
labels
Chand party a criminal group, bans its activities: The
Cabinet has concluded the Communist Party of Nepal’s
activities are more criminal than political, an aide
to the prime minister says, by Anil Giri and Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [How else shall
we call a group that kills innocent citizens and
destroys public property, independent of some probably
reason able arguments?]
12/03/2019:
After
deal
with CK Raut, the guessing game continues: Raut aide
hints at a new party, but analysts say the
activist has been co-opted by the establishment,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), No
question
of referendum on sovereignty and national integrity,
PM Oli says: Those claiming that the second point of
the agreement means referendum are ‘trying to
create rumours among the public’, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Be
the change: Behavioural transformation is the key to
societal transformation, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)
11/03/2019: Province
2
to have its own officials ‘to check’ chief district
officers’ authority: The move is likely to deepen
province-Centre conflict, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Government
scrambles
to explain ‘jana abhimat’, a phrase in the agreement
signed with CK Raut: After a barrage of questions,
home minister tells lawmakers the term is nowhere
close to referendum, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Peace
overtures: Caution must be exercised over
interpretation of the deal with CK Raut (kp), Chand
party owns up to Friday’s explosion in Basundhara:
Police await government’s position on how to deal with
the outfit, by Nayak Paudel (kp), The
Super Government And Its Activities, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km)
10/03/2019: Oli’s
aim
for political mileage and Raut’s quest for safe
landing led to 11-point deal: Pact sends strong
message against secessionist politics, but its
implementation remains a challenge, analysts say,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), A
section in the ruling party objects to most of the
points in pact with Raut: Text of agreement is flawed
and it may widen intra-party rift, party insiders say,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Another
explosion
in Capital—two weeks after a deadly blast—raises
security alarm: High time the government made it clear
whether the Chand-led party is a political
outfit or a terror group, security experts say, by
Nayak Paudel (kp), Justice
for conflict victims: If the government continues to
dillydally, we should go to the international courts,
by Govinda KC (kp)
09/03/2019: CK
Raut
quits secessionist fight, joins mainstream politics:
In an agreement with the government, Raut commits to
honouring the sovereignty, territorial integrity
and dignity of the country, by Binod Ghimire (kp),
RJP-Nepal
gears up for anti-government protest, by Abadhesh
Kumar Jha (kp), Tikapur
residents
fear possible unrest over court’s order to imprison 11
people: The authorities, on their part, have beefed
up security in Tikapur to control possible
violence, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Arjun Shah (kp)
08/03/2019: Debate
on
women’s citizenship rights rages as House takes up
amendment bill: Activists say lawmakers’ reluctance to
grant equal citizenship rights to women is reflective
of the deep-rooted patriarchal beliefs in society,
by Tsering D Gurung (kp),
Women are being denied equal rights in the name of
national security and sovereignty: Binda Pandey
(kp) (interview), The
fear factorSome are absurdly terrified that fairer
laws will lead to an influx of immigrants (kp) [Pervasive thinking by arrogant
male Tagadhari politicians who think they are the
world and Nepal is their property!!]
07/03/2019: Resham
Chaudhary
and ten others sentenced to life for 2015 Tikapur
violence: Rastriya Janata Party-Nepal objects to
Kailali District Court’s order, pulls out support from
the government immediately after the ruling, by
Arjun Shaha (kp) [Politicians
obviously see criminals within their parties as immune
against punishment!], Video
of frustrated citizens defying roadblock for President
sparks discourse over VIP movements, by Anup Oja
(kp) [This is a special form
of corruption by arrogant party politicians with royal
ambitions!!], Wrong
choice: Candidates should not be appointed on the
basis of their loyalty to the party (kp)
06/03/2019: Government
rules
out international community’s role in transitional
justice: Nepal at this stage does not feel any need to
seek international assistance and support to complete
the process, Foreign Minister Gyawali says, by
Anil Giri (kp) [Those who were
responsible for injustice during the times of conflict
are not qualified to bring justice now!], Dang
police arrest three leaders of Chand outfit for
extortion, by Durga Lal KC (kp)
05/03/2019: Concerns
grow
over weapons—in good numbers—in possession of Chand
outfit: Two guns seized from a Communist Party of
Nepal leader in Sunsari last week belonged to former
Maoist army, sources say, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), Local
units want revision in federal bills:
Representatives say some provisions encroach upon
their constitutional authority, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), This
government has been ineffective not because of
incompetence, but because of its design,
inteerview with CK Lal (kp), Exchanging
words in Kathmandu: China showed just how it felt
about recent US remarks on the Belt and Road
Initiative, by Achyut Wagle (kp)
04/03/2019: Provinces
warn
of legal recourse if Centre fails to address their
concerns: State governments say Kathmandu is unwilling
to share constitutional rights, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), The
big fish in our midst: How is it that corrupt figures
participate in our society with their heads held high?,
by Sailesh Tiwari (kp)
03/03/2019: Parliament
misses
deadline to amend laws inconsistent with constitution:
Provisions of the Acts that contradict the charter are
invalid from tomorrow, by binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal’s
Badi
community finds itself in a bottomless pit of despair:
Although the community is slowly weaning off the
world’s oldest profession to keep their hearths
burning, they are also struggling to shrug off the
history they are burdened with, by Basanta Pratap
Singh and Dipesh Khatiwada (kp), Chand
outfit
spokesman under probe for terror financing: Department
of Money Laundering Investigation says it has started
probing Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Identity
crisisHaving the tallest peaks in the world is not
enough; fame and identity must be earned, by Arpan
Dahal (kp), The
moment of truth: Dalits see converting to Christianity
as an escape from the caste system, by Rajani
Maharjan (kp) [Probably this
is one of the most important reasons why a number of
male Tagadharis call for a return to Hindu state: They
want to keep the Dalits under suppression and
exclusion!]
02/03/2019: Bills
to
strengthen federalism stuck as end of winter session
looms: Provinces need these documents to frame laws on
civil servants, peace and security, public commission
and police, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), ‘Democracy
is also about tolerating dissent’ (ht), NRA
collecting details of fake quake victims (ht) [This is only a secondary task of
the NRA. What about the large mass of legitimate
victims who have been waiting for the promised aid for
almost 4 years?], Three
slapped with 10 years jail in Godamchaur rape case:
Victim's family still receiving threats, by Bikan
K Dawadi (rep), Conflict
victims demand their 'say' in transitional justice
process (rep)
01/03/2019: Seeking
change: Women and girls should have autonomy over
their bodies, by Sivananthi Thanenthiran (kp), No
blanket amnesty for serious rights violations, Gyawali
says in Geneva, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepali
women lag behind in economic empowerment (ht), It’s
a crime not to call it terrorism, by Kunda Dixit
(nt), Terror
attack
leaves tragedy in its wake: Family of Sing Prasad
Gurung remember a proud solider, devoted husband,
father and friend, by Sonia Awale (nt)
28/02/2019: Whither
Transitional Justice?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), No
blanket amnesty for rights violations, says Gyawali
(ht),
Local
Adjudication Under Scanner, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Chand
party
planned for a month before perpetrating attacks:
Police sources: The outfit reshuffled its district
committees to dodge security officials after attacks,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), Chand-led
CPN cadre held in connection with Nakkhu blast
(ht), We
all
need Nepal: Nepal doesn’t need me or any
foreign-endorsed people like me. It’s us who need
Nepal, to experience, to love, to live, to praise, to
savor, to relax and to be content, by Ushma Rebel
(rep)
27/02/2019: In
not
speaking against Chand outfit, Dahal sees an
opportunity to rebuild his own image: At this point,
Chand’s rise plays to Dahal’s benefit, a Maoist leader
says, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Scourge
of dowry violence in Dhanusha: Around 690 cases of
gender violence have been registered in the current
fiscal year, by Ajit Tiwari (kp), A
horror confronted: Sexual harassment of girls in
schools largely goes unreported (kp), In
need of a broader solidarity: #MeeToo is an
intersectional issue where gender, caste, and
ethnicity all come into play, by Sangita Thebe
Limbu and Kalpana Jha (kp)
26/02/2019: Left
Government: One Year On, by Prem Khatry (rn), Ncell
blast victim’s kin wants govt to act against Chand’s
CPN (ht) [It would be
completely incomprehensible if such action had not
already been taken in the face of this terrorist
crime!], Oli,
Dahal initiate process of building consensus on
citizenship bill ,
by Rewati Sapkota (ht)
[Women and men as well as
their descendants must be treated equal in each and
every respect!], Dalits
in Bajhang shut down meat shops as non-Dalits refuse
to buy, by Jagat Khadka (rep)
25/02/2019: Chand
party
owns up to attacks, but shows no signs of giving up
violence: Despite evidence against party, government
hasn’t concluded who—and how—to hold accountable for
Friday’s bombing and arson, by Anil Giri (kp), Chand-led
CPN behind Ncell blast: Home minister, by
Jagdishor Panday and Ujjwal Satyal (ht), Ncell
attacked over tax evasion: Chand's party (rep), Country
of fear: Government should hold Chand-led party to
account for its terrorist act (kp), Monitoring
the monitors: Fewer people are filing complaints with
the anti-graft body, reflecting its fading trust,
by Narayan Manandhar (kp), CIAA
plans dubious means to nab corrupt (ht), ‘Political
leadership is responsible for problems in
implementing federalism’, interview with
Gandaki Province Chief Minister Prithivi Subba Gurung
(ht), Why
are you hiding reports? (rep), Not
Many Positive Things Happening, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km)
24/02/2019: Unidentified
groups torch Ncell towers across country (ht), Blast,
arsons
targeting Ncell prompt concerns about business
climate: Police suspect Chand-led party’s involvement
in attacks on mobile company; One injured in Nakkhu
explosion dies; two wounded are receiving treatment,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), Nakkhu
explosion victim dies: Six
arrested in Kathmandu, 16 held in other districts,
by Ujjwal Satyal (ht), Friday's
blasts
a question mark on PM's claim: Police suspect hand of
Netra Bikram Chand-led Maoist party in Friday's
multiple blasts (rep), Victims
push against reappointment of transitional justice
body officials, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Concerns
of Nepali women to be presented at international stage,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), Customs
trump law on issue of gender equality (kp), ‘Federal
govt attempting to centralise powers’ (ht), Govt
hiding nearly half dozen probe reports, by Ashok
Dahal (rep)
23/02/2019: Menstruating
women are still being banished to outdoor sheds — and
it’s killing them, by Tsering D Gurung (kp), Nirmala’s
parents call off indefinite sit-in after 105 days,
by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Everything
you
need to know about the government’s new IT bill: In an
attempt to regulate the cyberspace, the K P Sharma Oli
government is trying to give itself enormous new
powers to curb online content, by Bhrikuti Rai
(kp), Nepali
Congress MPs criticise Information Technology Bill
(ht), IT
bill tramples on freedom of expression: Oppn MPs
(rep), Anti-corruption
Crusade Match Word With Action, by Kushal Pokharel
(rn)
22/02/2019: Big
Brother looms: The government is working to introduce
legislation to regulate public discourse, by
Hardik Subedi and Harischandra Subedi (kp), Minister
Baskota defends curbs on social media use (ht), ‘Centre
shouldn’t control provincial, local govts’, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Focus
on
lawmaking: Rather than seeking pork barrel fund for
their constituencies, lawmakers would do well to focus
on the lawmaking process (ht), Complaint
filed to probe properties of tainted anti-graft
official and ‘his associates’, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Has
national
ID card project put Rs 7.5bn at stake? MPs fear it
will be just another card to occupy space in wallet;
Seek govt clarification before spending billions on
the project, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Water
crunch hits displaced quake survivors (ht)
21/02/2019: Getting
off easy: Corrupt officials get to resign and
go scot-free, fuelling impunity (kp), Assaulting
free speech: The provisions in the new bill could
further curtail free speech and silence dissenters,
by Taranath Dahal (kp), Sick
projects put government’s billions at risk: 1,848
projects with contract amount of Rs118 billion are
incomplete, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Nominated
lawmakers angry as they are not allowed to spend Rs
40m, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This
once
again means that the option is predominantly for
male Tagadhari leaders only, expecially male Bahuns!
Especially,
almost all female MPs are excluded. Nevertheless,
development investment is not the task of elected
legislators, it only helps to promote corruption!],
PR
lawmakers accuse govt of discriminating against them,
by Rewati Sapkota (ht), 900
posts of local level reps vacantNo law to conduct
by-polls for ward chairs, members, by Ram Kumar
Kamat (ht), No
politics and good voters: Case for local development,
by Prem Sharma (ht)
20/01/2019: Graft
watchdog puts fallen commissioner Pathak under probe:
Three-member committee is announced to look into
bribery scandal, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Hearing
panel
to probe credentials of Muslim commission chairman
nominee Samim Miya Ansari: Hearing scheduled for today
deferred until the investigation is completed,
by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ansari’s
papers’ veracity to be verified: PHC has received
complaint that he is NCP CC member, by Rewati
Sapkota (ht), Heinous
crime:
Women’s rights, dignity and safety cannot be ensured
as long as the community itself does not foster the
“we” feeling (ht), RPP
submits memo to PM demanding restoration of Hindu
kingdom (rep) [Thank God
the RPP is a completely insignificant minority party
that was supported by only 2 per cent of voters in the
last parliamentary elections!], Heed
the voice of disabled civilian war victims: Lalitpur
Declaration (rep), Rape
cases up 79 pc in 2018: INSEC (rep) [For intensive
evaluation of human rights in 2088 see: Human Rights Yearbook 2019, by INSEC,
17 February 2019], Democracy
for the people (rep), Betraying
Madhes:
Madhesi leaders don’t care about real needs of Madhesi
people. They don’t serve people and they have no
compunction that they are not serving, by Jivesh
Jha (rep), Sixty-ninth
Anniversary Of Democracy Day, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km)
19/02/2019: Political
roadblocks: Hurdles to prosperity are far more
difficult to clear than seasonal economic distresses,
by Achyut Wagle (kp), Chief
ministers press for devolution of power: Provincial
leaders blame federal government for held-up state
affairs, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Federal
affairs ministry renames five local units:
Administrative centres of 7 federal units changed in
Sudurpaschim (kp) [Under
the federal system, this should be the task of the
provincial government!!], Back
to
misrule: If Prime Minister Oli wants to make the
country prosperous on the foundation of corruption and
misrule, he will surely fail, by Nilam Sangroula
(rep), Attorney
general
says CIAA can probe Pathak corruption case: Anti-graft
agency sought the office’s opinion if laws allowed it
to prosecute him, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘We,
as
a society, have kept quiet on sexual harassment, abuse
and violence so far’: Issues of sexual violence must
be included in public discourses to ensure equality
for women (kp), Stop
intimidation:
What the intimidation tactic has done is given those
in the opposition and the angry commoner a platform to
hit back at the government (ht), An
offer he couldn’t refuse: Self-censorship is dangerous
(kp), Reconstruction
conundrums: Labelling ‘fake victims’ doesn’t help,
by Bina Limbu, Jeevan Baniya, Manoj Suji and Sara
Shneiderman (kp), Engendering
change: Women will be more visible in the political
structure only once they are allowed to leverage power,
by Avasna Pandey (kp), More
reservation quotas sought for ethnic groups, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht) [The
text of the bill provides for a reduction!]
18/02/2019: Following
threats,
popular folk singer Sharma pulls video from YouTube:
Rights advocates call pressure an attack on freedom of
expression, by Anup Ojha and Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Folk
singer Pashupati faces YAN music for satirical song,
by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt
‘muzzling critical voices under pretext of reasonable
restriction’, by Pratik Rimal (rep), Public
uproar on social media after song removed from YouTube
(rep), Youth-focussed
panel discusses social media, entrepreneurship and
freedom of speech, by Timothy Aryal (kp), CIAA
discusses probe in Pathak’s graft case (kp), Take
further
action: Pathak’s resignation must not make him a free
man; he must face charges of corruption and abuse of
authority (ht), Bribe
case investigation: CIAA, parliament passing the buck
(rep), Fantasy
of
prosperity: Constraints of social disharmony,
contested constitution and institutions plagued by
centuries of nepotism and favoritism will not allow
Nepal to be Singapore or Switzerland anytime soon,
by CK Lal (rep)
17/02/2019: Anti-graft
official’s
bribe case exposes how corruption thrives: Governance
experts say letting go Pathak will perpetuate impunity,
by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
CIAA,
MPs least interested to implicate Pathak in bribery
case (rep), Prosecute
Raj Narayan Pathak (rep),
What
Is Brewing Inside CPN?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Parliamentary
supremacy in govt spending under serious question:
Over Rs 800 billion spent out of budget in last three
years, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), Provincial
governments blame center for their poor performance
(rep), Indo-Pacific
strategy purely driven by strategic considerations:
Former Army Chief Rana (rep), Beyond
statement:
Dahal’s bid to support another parasitic and decaying
communist regime is not based on heartfelt belief of
global communist solidarity. It is rather a matter of
political expediency, by Manjeet Mishra (rep), One
Year Of Oli Administration, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar
(km)
16/02/2019: Nepal’s
peace came with a promise for justice — but it’s been
painfully slow, by Binod Ghimire (kp), ‘Appoint
TRC, CIEDP members without delay’, by Roshan S
Nepal (ht), SC
begins hearings on petitions against Agni Sapkota
(rep), With
a new IT bill, state draws battle lines against free
speech: In attempting to regulate social media
platforms, Oli administration violates the freedom of
speech and opinion guaranteed under the constitution,
experts say, by Bhrikuti Rai (kp), One
year of Oli: Oli wants us to believe we are on our way
to being the most peaceful and prosperous land on
Earth but in reality, we have nothing to be happy
about, by Guffadi (kp)
15/02/2019: Anti-graft
agency
official stares at impeachment over corruption:
Commissioner Raj Narayan Pathak faces charge of taking
bribe to ‘settle a case’, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
CIAA's
controversial commissioner Pathak tenders resignation
(ht), CIAA
chief Raj Narayan Pathak resigns (rep), PM's
one year in office: Strong government, weak governance,
by Rupak D Sharma (ht), Oli’s
1st year (nt), PM
Oli's address to nation: A recap of promises
unfulfilled, by Roshan Sedhai (rep), Hard
to say: This year seems to be a critical year to test
every citizen's fundamental right to express their
opinions (kp), No
looking back: There has to be pluralism and inclusion
in federalism which are its primary values, by
Rajaram Bartaula (kp), Ex-Maoist
combatants accuse leaders of forgetting the dreams
which they once fought for, by Lokendra Khanal
(rep)
14/02/2019: Govt
pushes IT bill to control social media, by Ashok
Dahal (rep), Government
proposes harsh punishment for posting ‘improper’
contents online, by Sanjaya Lama (kp), Ideological
differences in governing party surface over ‘people’s
war’, by Anil Giri (kp), Oli
skips event to mark People’s War anniversary, by
Rewati Sapkota (ht), Oli,
Nepal skip ‘People’s War Day’ function (rep), Conflict
victims of Guranse struggle to overcome trauma, by
Biplav Maharjan (kp), For
some in Rolpa, the Maoists have forgotten Maoism,
by Dinesh Subedi (rep), The
fallouts of Ncell: Business is politics and politics
is business in Nepal, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Wilful
inaction:
Whatever the outcome of the report from abroad, it
will not convince the public because the Nepal Police
has lost credibility (ht), Oli's
one year: Talking big, bungling through, by Roshan
Sedhai (rep), One
year of hope, followed by despair (rep)
13/02/2019: Nepal
to defend its transitional justice process in Geneva:
Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali says he will tell the
international community there will be no blanket
amnesty in cases of serious human rights violations,
by Anil Giri (kp) [13 years have passed since the end
of the ten-year conflict and not much has really
happened! So, what process do you want to defend?],
'Bomb
shattered my dreams, poverty took away my wife',
by Bhadra Sharma (rep) [How
will you defend 13 years of inactivity in such cases,
Mr Gyawali?], Lawmakers
criticise
home minister over Police Bill: Parliamentarians,
mostly from ruling parties, question if the government
in Kathmandu is acting against federalism, by Tika
R Pradhan (kp) [In this case
you should vote against its implementation!], Move
to empower CDOs draws flak: Ruling, opposition MPs
call it a ploy to weaken provincial police, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), MPs
slam police bill for making CDO more powerful than CM
(rep), Report:
Lack of federal laws hits provincial, local
governments; Centre’s lack of urgency upsets
provincial governments, by Prithvi Man Shrestha
(kp), Ministry
asks staff to not partake in programmes without
consent, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Fundamental
rights not valid for civil servants!], No
party
politics: Only an apolitical, competent and pro-public
civil service will serve the interest of the country
and the people (ht), Two
years after flood, displaced await delivery of
government’s promises, by Abadhesh Kumar Jha (kp)
[Government failure to provide
assistance!], Badi
community threatens protest (ht)
12/02/2019: Bill
restricting civil servants from sharing views on
social media cause for concern: Experts, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Bill
puts rigid restrictions on govt staff, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), Many
muzzles: Press freedom cannot be curtailed in the name
of ‘regulation’ (kp), Open
transitional justice process, urge ICJ, AI, TRIAL
(ht) [see announcement],
Int'l,
local rights bodies ask govt to pick independent
experts for TJ bodies (rep), Phase
out:
Govt’s bid to push its way through the Parliament to
strengthen the role of the CDO is against the spirit
of federalism (ht), Dahal
woos Madhes with amendment talk (rep) [The
Oli
government is one year in office and nothing has
happened concerning the fulfilment of its promises
towards the Madheshi parties!], A
Dalit settlement awaits land ownership for over four
decades, by Govinda KC (rep) [This
would never have happened in a Bahun village!],
Federal
government transferring projects from provinces
(rep)
11/02/2019: Opportunity
knocks: Nepal’s diplomacy efforts are in many avenues
— the Human Rights Council is irrefutably one of them,
by Antara Singh (kp)
Provincial
media
bills will curtail press freedom, experts warn:
Provincial assemblies should take into account the
importance of fourth estate in democracy and
governance, observers say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
25
govt docs arrested, 3 injured in police action in
Kathmandu (rep), Elusive
Justice, by Ajit Kumar Singh (SAIR), International
company
used lies to threaten government, private rescue
agencies and hospitals in Nepal: A Post investigation
shows Australia-based Traveller Assist has been using
the helicopter rescue scam to market itself as the
sole representative of global insurance firms, by
Arpan Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp), Govt
launches investigation into Traveller Assist
(rep), District
headquarters dispute of Rukum (East) in constitutional
bench, by Hari Gautam (kp), CDO
made TDC member amid objections, by Jagdishor
Panday (ht), Oli
on
back foot: Amid sinking hopes at the popular level,
the government’s promises are far insufficient to
assuage public disenchantment which threatens to break
loose any time soon, by P Kharel (rep)
10/02/2019: There’s
more
to Oli-Dahal rift than meets the eye: Former Maoists
are concerned about government’s plan to take forward
transitional justice process, ruling party insiders
say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Necessity
and acrimony: Dahal miffed at PM’s unilateral
decisions, delayed transitional justice and party
unification, by Rewati Sapkota (ht), Oli,
Dahal hold a number of meetings to build mutual trust
(rep), Dashed
hopes: Owing to the Oli administration’s inability to
lead by action, its credibility is waning, by
Kushal Pokharel (kp), Ruling
partner FSFN accuses PM of interference: Oli unhappy
with Yadav for non-cooperation (rep), CDOs
still powerful under federal setup, by Ashok Dahal
(rep)
09/02/2019: They
have
a home. They don’t have a country: In a tiny village
in western Nepal, arcane laws and government
bureaucracy have left families without citizenship and
pushed them further into poverty, by Tsering
Ngodup Lama (kp), Bill
on civil servants’ transfer against federalism, say
lawmakers (ht), Civil
servant bill imperils future of federalism: CMs,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht),
Name
and headquarters: Provinces scramble to reconcile
differing views, by Roshan S Nepal (ht) [According
to the constitution, this should have happened until
August 2018 latest!]
08/02/2019: Fault
lines
in ruling party exposed as Oli, Dahal spar over
Venezuela: Divergent views may affect party’s internal
dynamics and country’s foreign policy, say NCP
insiders, by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Millions
of students affected by Chand-led Maoist party’s
strike, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli
Style of Running Administration, by Siddhi B
Ranjitkar (km), Caracas
crisis brings Dahal-Oli rift to fore (ht), "I
knew I couldn’t stay silent anymore”: meet the women
fighting sexual violence in Nepal (Amnesty
International)
07/02/2019: House
endorses
amendment bill on Transitional Justice Act: Two
transitional justice bodies will get one-year
extension and new officials, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Truth
and Reconciliation Commission chairman and member put
in papers, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Government
fails
to give concrete answer on Nirmala Pant rape and
murder probe: Home minister goes on defensive
responding to lawmakers’ queries, by Binod Ghimire
(kp), Winners,
losers, and posers: In politics, what goes around,
comes around. It is the country that loses all the
time, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Why
parties
split: One major reason why political parties are
unable to lead the change is because they are not yet
ready to transfer power to people, by Meena Bhatta
(rep)
06/02/2019: Chairman
and a member of truth commission to quit, by Binod
Ghimire (kp)
05/02/2019: Structural
blindness: The foundation of modern Nepal lies in the
caste system of governance, by Subhash Nepali
(kp), Cold
winter
nights add to the trauma of women banished to period
huts: ‘We can’t even build a fire inside because the
shed gets filled with smoke, and then it becomes
suffocating', by Basanta Pratap Singh and Menuka
Dhungana (kp), Police
seize
Ram Manohar’s body on the way to funeral: Hundreds of
supporters of the Free Madhes movement showed up
for the last rites despite the arrest of scores by the
authorities, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Youth
denied citizenship despite SC order (ht), NC
holds nationwide anti-government protest rallies
(ht), Govt
weakening federalism, says NC leader Gagan Thapa
(ht), NC
to oppose imposition of communist rule (ht), Lack
of legal clarity hinders local bodies’ performance,
by Bhim Chapagain (rep)
04/02/2019: Standing
in the way of control: Protests, a means of
political communication, cannot be stifled
(kp), Handover
delay in peak season stalls more than 1,000 road
projects, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Anti-federal
government politics!], Alleyway
to
Beijing: Centralization of all authority in Baluwatar
continues unchallenged. Federalism is slowly being
turned into a farce. Fundamental freedoms are being
curtailed in insidious ways, by CK Lal (rep), It
takes two to tango: In diverse Nepal, it is natural
that different lifestyles shape different world views,
by Sarans Pandey (kp), Prime
minister
skips question-answer session in House: "The PM
decides to attend programmes as per their
significance. He attends most important programmes of
the day", by Jagdishor Panday (ht) [Not
understanding the rules democratic culture or simply
authoritarian arrogance?], Govt
to tighten security: Home minister (ht) [??],
We
may withdraw support to govt after the GC if our
demands are not addressed, interview with Pradip
Yadav, Federal
Socialist
Forum-Nepal lawmaker (ht), 7 projects worth Rs 351
billion for PM's constituency: Jhapa-5 is by far the
largest recipient of federal projects under PM Oli,
by Yuvraj Biwas (rep)
03/02/2019: As
dirty
cash flow review nears, Nepal scrambles to make and
amend 50 laws: Country runs the risk of being
blacklisted if it fails to prepare legislation
compatible with global standards, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), In
education, Kathmandu wants to hold sway over local
governments, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This
is typical for the anti-federalist central elite!],
Opposition
Veering off the Track?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (kp), Student
wing resorts to violence; government vehicles
vandalised (kp), NSU
cadres torch four govt vehicles, take scores in
control (rep),
Women
run the fields: Agriculture in Nepal is experiencing
rapid feminisation - why isn’t legislation catching
up?, by Maina Dhital (kp), Dr
KC to change agitation mode: He will coordinate, talk
and lobby the govt (ht), Lawmakers
visit Bajura for field study of chhaupadi (ht), TJ
bodies preparing interim reports as term ends near
(rep)
02/02/2019: A
Madhesi died in police custody. No one knows what
really happened: Five months since the death of Ram
Manohar Yadav, a Free Madhes activist, the
family is still looking for answers while the police
stay silent, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Transitional
justice is our internal affair: Govt tells diplomats,
by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep) [The
victims need international support, especially when
violators are sitting in government and army!],
Ministry
consults conflict victims on justice process, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), I
stand by my statement on Venezuelan crisis: Dahal
(rep) [Why don't you give a
similar clear statement in support of the victims of
the armed conflict?],
Contentious
issues of citizenship bill discussed in House
committee, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Lessons
for the Government, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Dr
KC ends hunger strike, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Dr
KC ends fast-unto-death, slams govt for 'policy-level
corruption' (ht), Dr
KC ends fast after 24 days, accuses Oli of dishonesty
(rep), Mafia
1 KC 0, by Guffadi (kp), 17
protesters arrested, released (ht)
01/02/2019: Donors,
investors
voice concerns over lack of reforms ahead of
investment summit: ‘Holding this forum before real,
bold, and tangible reforms are made, both to laws and
practices, is premature,’ a US Embassy official says,
by Anil Giri and Mukul Humagain (kp) [!!!],
Crucial
bills
may hit snag if opposition continues obstruction: More
than 170 Acts need to be amended or replaced with new
ones by March 4n Congress says it could consider
letting House function if government comes up with
urgent bills, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Upper
house passes Medical Education bill amid protest
(rep), Nepal
Medical Association to shut down all hospitals today:
Doctors to see only emergency cases as they join KC’s
cause, by Nayak Paudel (kp), NMA
calls for health services strike today (ht), All
health services except emergency to halt nationwide
today (rep), Dr
Govinda KC’s health deteriorating (ht), Muscle
versus moral: Muscles and money won the day; quality
medical education suffered, by Naresh Koirala (kp),
Focus
beyond reserved seats, Dahal tells women (kp) [Yes, they are still ignored by all
political parties despite appropriate legal
regulations!], Crime
and politics: Nirmala Panta’s unsolved rape and murder
divides activists and prolongs the family’s grief,
by Namrata Sharma (nt)
31/01/2019: Nepal
Citizenship Bill faces hurdles to passage in HoR,
by Rewati Sapkota (ht), Graph
keeps falling: Nepal has slipped from corrupt to
more corrupt in global rankings (kp) [And
this under a government that one year ago has claimed
to eradicate corruption!], State
did not perform as expected: Deputy PM (kp) [???], SC
rules its writ runs on military court, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt
will save Dr KC’s life: Minister Pokharel, by
Anita Shrestha (ht) [By doing
nothing? This hunger strike would not have taken place
if the government had abided by its agreement with Dr
KC instead of encouraging its MPs to pass a different
law, Mr Pokharel! Do not talk such nonsense!],
Solidarity
with Dr KC, demands for talks well up as his condition
worsens (rep), Minister
Baskota says he cares about freedom of press. Really?
Muzzling of press unabated,
by Roshan Sedhai (rep)
30/01/2019: Crime
and candidacy: Having lawbreakers as lawmakers would
be the biggest irony (kp), Nepal
Citizenship bill: Female lawmakers decry unequal
provisions, by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Transitional
justice
bodies to get term extension; officials won’t: Move
aims to allay concerns of conflict victims but lacks
substance, by Binod Ghimire (kp), TRC,
CIEDP members’ tenure extended till April 13:
Commissions get one year extension (ht), Nepal
falls
two places to 124 on Corruption Perception Index: The
political leadership prioritised serving the interests
of those who run syndicates and contractors with poor
track records, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Cabinet
meets
Congress’ demand on two hospitals: Government
decides to bring hospitals named after NC leaders
under federal government, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
Govt’s
olive
branch fails to appease NC: Feb 4 protest on despite
a decision not to scrap hospitals named after
the Koiralas, by Rewati Sapkota (ht), Medics
say frail KC needs intensive care, by Arjun Poudel
(kp), Doctors
continue relay hunger strike (ht)
29/01/2019: Government
in
bind as conflict victims divided: One association
calls for mechanism to decide the future of
transitional justice process; another objects to any
new structure to deal with war-era cases, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Congress
mum on wide-body deal: Aircraft purchase scam issue
missing from minutes at Deuba’s behest, party insiders
say, by Anil Giri (kp) [This
proves
the hypocrisy of Nepalese politicians. Civil society
is much more effective if the political parties do not
participate!], Rajeev
Gurung, aka Deepak Manange, sworn in as provincial
lawmaker, by Lal Prasad Sharma (kp) [He
is still a person under accusation: There cannot be
enough criminals in parliament and provincial
assimblies!], The
art of conversation: Speeches and the long-held need
to preach are passé, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Through
the eyes of our cartoonist: The journey of Dr Govinda
KC, by Abin Shrestha (kp), NMA
gives govt until today to address Dr KC's demands
(rep), Bill
giving sweeping powers to CDOs tabled, by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht) [RIP
federalism!], Federalism:
An opportunity not to delay, by Upendra Raj
Bhattarai (ht), Docs
stage relay hunger strike in Dr KC’s support, by
Anita Shrestha (kp), Nepali
Congress
halts PHC meeting: Says the chairs of constitutional
commissions were nominated by the Constitution Council
in the absence of opposition leader, by Jagdishor
Panday (kp), Confessions
of
a socialist: We march on steadily toward a socialist
nation that offers a brighter and better future than
anything we have seen before, by Bishal Thapa
(rep)
28/01/2019: Conflict
Victims Common Platform splits (ht), A
faction of war victims refuses to be part of any
mechanism: “We want the two transitional justice
commissions to continue, but their officials should be
changed,” says Phanindara Luitel of Conflict Victims
National Network, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Four
winters passed under huts, quake survivors say, by
Balaram Ghimire (kp), Doctors
put pressure on the government to save Dr KC: Nepal
Medical Association announces relay hunger strike
starting today, by Nayak Paudel (kp), NMA
calls
for nationwide relay hunger strike: Threatens action
against docs who don’t support Dr KC; ‘Even senior
docs have to take part’ (ht), Bill
on health education ‘not duly passed’: 'Speaker
himself said the majority was against the bill',
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Congress
to hold protest rallies across country (ht), Show
seriousness:
The government can still meet Dr KC’s remaining
demands by making corrections in the bill at the
National Assembly (ht), Jajarkot
children still out of schools (ht) [The
former
Maoist party has long been in power in a leading
position, but obviously nothing has changed in one of
the initial districts of its uprising!], Assessing
media
attack: When public figures indulge in media attacks,
the prospects and conditions for the media grow dimmer
and dangerous by the day, by P Kharel (rep), Reimagining
leadership:
Right leadership ensures inclusivity in actions,
inspires colleagues to think out of the box and
cooperates during times of crisis, by Anusa Thapa
(rep)
27/01/2019: Law
minister-led
mechanism to decide future of transitional justice:
Sources say the body will seek participation of
all stakeholders, including conflict victims, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Transitional
Justice & Factional Diplomacy, by Ritu Raj
Subedi (rn) [An incredible
statement by the Deputy Executive Editor of the
government-owned daily The Rising Nepal in blind
support of the machinations of the Oli government,
despite all the hypocrisy of today's opposition NC,
which has done similar things in the past when in
power. National and international supporters of
victims and civil society are accused of manipulative
interference in internal Nepalese affairs. They are
denied any appeal for respect for the rule of law,
democracy and human rights. Peace without justice for
the victims is not possible! Like all governments
before, the Oli government will do nothing in support
of justice without internal and external pressure!],
KC’s
supporters say medical bill doesn’t speak to have-nots,
by Nayak Paudel (kp), NMA
likely to shut down health services (ht), Police
and internal security bills: Province 2 CM Raut
threatens street protest (ht), Souring
ties between NCP, NC leave law amendments in crisis
(rep), Think
beyond
grants: A blanket approach of distributing Rs 300,000
each to all earthquake victims can’t be considered as
mission accomplished, by Prakash Budha Magar (rep)
26/01/2019: Govt
plans nationwide consultation on next transitional
justice process (rep), Governing
party bulldozes medical bill through House: The
forceful move will have far-reaching consequences,
Congress warns, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), This
bill will have dire implications on medical sector:
Mathema, by Arpan Shrestha and Nayak Paudel (kp),
Govt
uses marshals against oppn to pass Medical Education
Bill, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Passage
of Medical Education Bill leaves NC in fighting mood,
by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), National
Medical Education Bill passed, by Rewati Sapkota
(ht), NC
questions speaker’s neutrality (ht), Oli
must resign for deceiving 30 million people: Dr KC;
Fast-unto-death to continue (rep), Dr
Govinda KC seeks PM’s resignation (ht), 48
arrested in capital for protesting against Medical
Education bill (rep) [Freedom
of opinion denied!], Dr
KC supporters hit the streets wearing black bands
(rep), Making
hay,
our way: Probably nothing much will come out of
investigations on wide-body scam. Events bear a
“symbolic” and yet uncanny similarity to how Jamal
Kashoggi was murdered, by Hemant Arjyal (rep)
25/01/2019: International
community
builds pressure on transitional justice: Foreign
missions, UN call for broader consultation with
conflict victims and stakeholders, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Govt
slams statement of Western countries, UN on
transitional justice (rep), ‘Zero
draft’ starting point for talks with victims, by
Roshan S Nepal (ht), Dejected
and disappointed, former combatants want to forget
their past, by Dinesh Subedi (rep), ‘Medical
bill will pass as wished by government’ (kp) [But Oli says it is the parliament
that wants to reject the government's agreements with
Dr KC; now the Speaker of Parliament claims that it is
the express will of the Oli government! Lies over lies
to safeguard vested interests!], Dr
KC writes open letter to lawmakers: If pact was a
sham, we’ll have to fight against such betrayal’
(ht), I'm
not against any party or person but for a proper
system: Dr KC (rep), HoR
passes National Medical Education Bill amid commotion
(ht), Stuck
on repeat: In Nepal, the cycle of history seems
unchanged; the wheel just does not seem to break,
by Amish Mulmi (kp), Swindlers’
list: The promise of a ‘serious probe’ devoid of any
strategy is frustratingly familiar (kp), From
tika to ashes: There are layers upon layers of
injustice in the rape of Dalit women, by Sarita
Pariyar (kp), Repressive
Oli Administration, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)
24/01/2019: Citizens’
Right to Health, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Health
minister
says government must abide by deal reached with KC:
The bill will be endorsed at any cost by
Parliament on Friday: NCP lawmaker Yogesh
Bhattarai, by Niyak Paudel (kp), Promises
to keep: The government cannot deviate from past
promises to convert the nine-point deal with Dr KC
into legislation (ht), League
of nationalists: Oli’s rhetorical tendency to spew
erroneous ‘truths’ is a common practice among
nationalists, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Women
brave cold and spend night under tents during
menstruation, by Khamma Khatri (rep)
23/01/2019: Saving
federalism: Growing public disenchantment may lead the
country to another political ‘accident’, by Achyut
Wagle (kp), ‘Laws
made thru political consensus unacceptable’ (ht),
Discord
over
affiliation leaves medical bill in limbo: Institutions
other than Tribhuvan and Kathmandu universities could
pave the way to grant affiliations for colleges
outside the Valley, by Arpan Shrestha and Nayak
Paudel (kp), Speaker
fails to set House in order, by Rewati Sapkota
(ht), Call
to save fasting doctor’s life (kp), Panel
formed
to probe into jet purchase deal is directionless: 19
days have passed since the probe body was formed, and
it still lacks terms of reference, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp) [It has
obviously been formed gang to prevent facts regarding
a participation of leading politicians by doing
nothing!] , A
game of limbo: More thoughtful deliberation must
factor into procurement and bidding (kp), Nepal
poised to become fastest growing economy: Oli (ht)
[This is an almost criminal
statement in the face of an extreme and
ever-increasing trade deficit and an employment policy
that completely negates the domestic market and is
focused solely on the labour migration of the
ever-increasing number of young people!], Move
against parody accounts a ‘bid to stifle freedom of
expression’ (rep)
22/01/2019: House
braces
for opposition-ruling party showdown: Nepali Congress
obstructs Parliament proceedings over Medical
Education Bill, a concern of fasting KC, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp),
Pashupati
road being operated against Supreme Court directive,
by Anup Ojha (kp), Mind
the gap: Transitional justice is not detached from
foreign policy, by Rajendra Senchurey and Binod
Kumar Paudel (kp), Govt
has failed to provide security to women: Ansari
(ht), Govt
shows no interest in addressing Dr KC’s demands
(ht), Don’t
betray
Satyagrahi: If Dr KC’s demands are met and agreements
with him materialized, it will be the socialist dreams
of communists coming true, by Shankar Tiwari (rep)
21/01/2019: Justice
delayed:
There is no reason why the transitional justice
process should have taken thirteen years unless it is
trying to protect the perpetrators (ht), Families
of martyrs living in misery, awaiting death, by
Dinesh Subedi (rep), A
dangerous life: Road safety is not a privilege,
but the right of the people (kp), Move
to
scrap hospitals a bargaining chip: ‘Govt wants Nepali
Congress to agree to award affiliation to Manmohan
Memorial Institute of Health Sciences’, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), A
web of factors hamper probe into offshore investment,
money laundering: Businessmen exploiting legal
loopholes while channelising illicit cash into the
country, by Krishna Acharya and Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Decoding
NepaLeaks:
It should be noted that mere investing in foreign
lands does not constitute illicit activity in an age
of globalization and liberalization, by Narayan
Manandhar (rep), Experts
look askance at real deal as PM heads to Davos: Say
lack of preparation on government’s part for jamboree,
by Anil Giri (kp), Council
nominates chairpersons of five commissions, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Once
again little social inclusion: Predominantly male
Bahuns who constitute only 6 per cent of the country's
population! This is true even for commissions that are
meant to provide better inclusion of disadvantaged
sections of society! Long live male Bahunbad!],
We
will present Nepal’s new identity at Davos,
interview with Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar
Gyawali (ht) [But
non-inclusion and male Bahunbad are very old
identities, Mr Gyawali!], Madhes
movement demonstrator appeals to state for treatment,
by Santosh Singh (kp), Twelve
years
on: Decades had happened in the first few weeks of
2007, it will most definitely happen again. History
doesn’t repeat itself only as tragedy and farce,
sometimes it does push the society forward, by CK
Lal (rep), Life
in the fast lane: The Nepal Army is overstepping its
mandate, and the fast track has dissatisfied locals,
by Ayushma Basnyat (kp), Federal
government’s figure on revenue collection a hoax,
by Rupak D Sharma (ht), Making
governance work: Federalism has the opportunity,
by Prem Sharma (ht), Oli
Administration and its Activities, by Siddhi B.
Ranjitkar (km), Walk
The Talk, Raju Prasad Chapagai (Amnesty
International)
20/01/2019: State
bodies breached payment procedure, treasury office
shows; Staffers tend to misinterpret laws for gains:
Officials, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), KC’s
crucial Satyagraha: Given our revolutionary history,
how has this simple man’s resistance been so
misunderstood?, by Abhi Subedi (kp),
Supporters
press government to honour deals with KC, by Nayak
Paudel (kp), , EC
draws attention to new order of precedence (kp), 12
years
after Madhes Movement, gains are yet to be
institutionalised: Dissatisfaction persists among
Madhesis as parties seem to have lost the plot, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp), FSF-N
chair threatens to launch protest (ht), Policing
the police: Reform Nepal’s interrogration practices,
by Sakun Bhandari (kp), Trump’s
Asia Policy Leaves Nepal in a Tight Spot?, by Ritu
Raj Subedi (rn), Govt
misses deadline for forming Natural Resources
Commission, by Ashok Dahal (rep)
19/01/2019: Govt
unlikely to hold consultations with victims, by
Roshan S Nepal (ht), How
rice
became a staple—and why that’s unsustainable: Nepal’s
reliance on rice over traditional nutrient-rich grains
is costing the country billions every year, and making
people unhealthier, by Tsering Ngodup Lama (kp), PM’s
Office
directs probe into Nepalis with offshore investments:
Finance minister says Non-Resident Nepali Act, Income
Tax Act and Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement could
be amended, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), On
identity: In Nepal, a woman’s identity is still tied
to their male kinfolk—first father, then husband,
by Bibhu Kuitel (kp), Govt
unlikely to address fasting surgeon’s demands, by
Jagdishor Panday (ht), Parliament
is supreme, nobody is above the law: PM Oli on Dr KC
(ht)
18/01/2019: HRW
urges Nepal to ensure transitional justice (rep),
Nepal:
Address Transitional Justice: Decade of Promises, but
Victims Still Await Answers (Human Rights Watch),
Republic
Memorial unclear on what and who it commemorates,
by Bibhu Luitel (kp) [?],
Nepal
and Indo-Pacific Strategy, by Narad Bharadwaj
(rn), ‘PM,
do you want to finish off Dr KC?’ (rep), Money
laundering watchdog to probe fund transfer (ht)
17/01/2019: Can
Nepal bring back Rs 52 billion stashed in Swiss banks?
(rep), Sumargi
among 55 Nepalis with investment abroad (rep), 55
Nepalis invest in foreign firms (ht), Rs
35.8 bn parked in Swiss banks: 55 Nepalis have
invested in foreign countries violating domestic laws
(ht),
Dozens
of Nepalis invested in tax havens overseas, by
Tsering D Gurung (kp), How
the ultra-rich use FDI to launder their illicit cash,
by Bibek Subedi (kp), Black
money: From shell companies to Nepal, via Ncell,
by Arpan Shrestha (kp), Washing
up: Political will vital to implicate Nepalis amassing
wealth in offshore accounts (kp), Ex-minister
Pandey posts Rs 40m bail: Sikta irrigation project
scam (ht), Congress
presses government to address KC’s demands, by
Sanjaya Lama and Biplaw Bhattarai (kp), Hope
and despair: If things don’t get straightened out
soon, Nepal may enter uncharted territory, by
Pramod Mishra (kp), Locked
up abroad: A mechanism needs to be created to protect
the legal aid rights of migrant workers, by Anurag
Devkota (kp)
16/01/2019: Kathmandu,
provinces at odds over security arrangements:
Provinces say centralised mindset defeats the purpose
of federalism, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Share
power:
The way the umbrella bill on the Nepal Police has been
designed will weaken the provinces when it comes to
maintaining law and order (ht), 17
years
of denied justice: Muktinath Adhikari’s family is
among thousands who have been dismissed in the
Transitional Justice process, by Suman Adhikari
(kp), Justice
delayed,
denied: Why is the state so indifferent toward cases
of sexual violence even as it has totally undermined
rule of law, justice system, national security and
good governance?, by Nabita Nakarmi (rep), Govt’s
capital expenditure still sluggish: Only 17.68pc of Rs
313.9 billion allocated spent in first half of fiscal
(ht), Govt
betrayed Dr KC: Mathema panel members (ht), ‘Dr
KC’s demands won’t be fulfilled’ (ht) [Admits
vested interests of NCP affiliated entrepreneurs!],
Women
still unable to enjoy reproductive health rights
(ht)
15/01/2019: New
bill lets federal government lord over provincial
police, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Politics
in
full play as accusations fly over tainted jet purchase
deal: House panel tweaks report, takes out the
part that calls for ‘lawful action’ against
ministers, by Sangam Prasain (kp) [????],
Poudel
calls for enquiry into Deuba’s role in aircraft
deal, by Anil Giri (kp), Deuba
denies involvemen, by Arjun Shah (kp), Frail
KC needs to be admitted in better hospital, say
doctors, by Biplaw Bhattarai (kp), Govt
scraps hospitals named after Girija, Sushil Koirala
(ht), Nepali
Congress up in arms (ht), PM
admits NRA won’t complete task in its tenure, by
Rewati Sapkota (ht)
14/01/2019: NCP
chief whip opposes new bill: Says it tips the balance
of power heavily in favour of federal govt, by
Rewati Sapkota (ht), ‘Indigenous
nationalities neglected’ (ht), Chinese
construction
along Nepal-Tibet border puts strategic land at risk:
Embankment on the Arun river could flood 200 ropanis
of land; Local officials say China won’t address their
concerns, by Dipendra Shakya and Anil Giri (kp), Opposition
calls for consensus on Medical Education Bill, by
Tika R Pradhan (kp)
13/01/2019: Bibeksheel
Sajha: Split major blow but journey will continue,
by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Improved
Sino-India Ties, Indo-Pacific & Nepal, by Ritu
Raj Subedi (rn), Third
space of conversationIt should be a space for
transformation for Dalits and non-Dalits, men and
women, by Sanjeev Uprety (kp), Costs
of
inequality: Key among the development challenges
facing Nepal is the ever-widening income and wealth
gap between the haves and have-nots, by Cecilia
Keizer (rep), Symptoms
of
decay: Political parties, parliamentarians and
government ministers feature as the most distrustful
institutions in almost all surveys, by Narayan
Manandhar (rep), SAGGC
for political consensus on citizenship,
by Jagdishor Panday
(ht), Bill
obliges children to deposit certain percentage of
salary in parents’ account, by Ram Kumar Kamat
(ht), Government
issues
new order of precedence: NPC vice-chair ranks higher
than Supreme Court justices and chiefs of
constitutional bodies (ht) [??],
NHRC
concerned (ht)
12/01/2019: Bibeksheel
Sajha, after promising hope and change, splits, by
Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Bibeksheel
Sajha faction applies to register new party at EC
(rep) [Once again, a hopeful
young party destroys itself over personal power
ambitions!], Bibeksheel
Sajha Party suffers split (ht), The
rise of a strongman: Is the Oli establishment inclined
to create spectacle and drama than to deliver what was
promised?, by Mohan Guragain (kp), Respect
Public Interests, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), US
admiral urges Nepal to resolve legal hurdles to import
US arms: Expresses concern for peace in Indo-Pacific
region (rep) [?],
Govt proposes to curtail PSC’s autonomy: Public
Service Commission office bearers seek amendment
to bill, by Rewati Sapkota (ht), Holes
seen
in house panel report on jet purchase deal: Despite
shortcomings, PAC report has detected stench of
corruption wafting over the A330-200 procurement deal,
which must be probed, by Rupak D Sharma (ht)
11/01/2019: Even
right activists and teachers observe criminalised
Chhaupadi in western Nepal, by Basanta Pratap
Singh, Menuka Dhungana and Arjun Shah (kp), Accounts
committee
ignores crucial facts in aircraft purchase probe:
Jitendra Dev was not the tourism minister when the
first instalment was released to Airbus plane vendor,
by Sangam Prasain (kp), Action
against those named in jet scam after panel report,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp)
[???], Govt
in bid to trash PAC probe report, by Jagdishor
Panday (ht),
Teaching
Hospital residents on strike, by Nayak Paudel (kp)
[Not paying the doctors'
salaries for 8 months is an unbelievable crime! Please
stop the paymernt of all politicians and responsible
administrators for the same period of time!], Ideological
Pillars Of Unity, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [Please stay on the ground: Nepal
must thank Prithvinaran for her independence to this
day, but he was also responsible for the lack of
social inclusion, inequality, the over-centralised and
discriminating Hindu state and the total control of
public life by a minority of male Tagadharis!], Richest
10 % Nepalis over 26 times wealthier than poorest 40 %
(rep) [see OXFAM
report], Bill
requires children to allocate portion of income to
elderly parents, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Prime
Minister KP Oli and Prithvi Narayan Shah, by
Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)
10/01/2019: Engendering
change: Reluctance to accept women leadership is
a culturalised behaviour (kp), The
number game: The Public Service Commission has not
been shying away from providing government data,
by Deepak Thapa (kp), Mother
and two sons die in Chhaupadi shed fire: Women are
still banished to sheds though the practice has been
criminalised, by Arjun Shah (kp), Break
the
shackle: The local levels must launch a massive
awareness drive to get rid of the chhaupadi system
that dehumanises women in rural areas (ht), House
panel flouts accord with Dr KC (rep), House
panel okays medical education reforms bill: Principal
concerns of Dr Govinda KC not addressed , by Ram
Kumar Kamat (ht), NCP
lawmakers
bulldoze Medical Education Bill through House panel:
KC starts 16th hunger strike objecting to change in
provisions, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Nirmala’s
mother demands DNA authenticity verification, by
Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Ganga
Maya
meets UN resident coordinator: Says government has
been unwilling and unable to deliver justice in her
son’s murder case (ht), Ganga
Maya Adhikari seeks global attention, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), ‘Government
must answer to queries raised by MPs’, by Binod
Ghimire (kp), Speaker
tells PM, ministers to take MPs questions after
address (rep), Anti-graft
body drags Shrestha to court, by Prithvi Man
Shrestha (kp), Institutions
nd Leadership, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Conflict-affected
families of security personnel launch indefinite
sit-in (ht)
09/01/2019: Fate
of transitional justice bodies hangs in balance: As
parties vacillate, conflict victims are divided over
new mechanism, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Snowfall
adds chill to quake survivors’ lives, by Anish
Tiwari (kp), Dr
KC to launch 16th hunger strike today: Demands end to
‘mafia reign’ in medical sector, by Biplaw
Bhattarai (kp), Road
to
misrule: Lawmakers must act on measures to curb abuse
of authority and impose harsh sanctions against those
implicated and accused of robbing tax payers, by
Kedar Neupane (rep), Opposition
is
rising: Government should heed the issues raised by
the opposition party and work to fulfil the promises
made to the people and the country, by Shankar
Tiwari (rep), Shadow
govt under Deuba on cards, by Roshan S Nepal (ht)
[A four times failed PM is not
the right person! He has highest responsiblity for
state failure himself!], Cold
worsens menses woes in far-west (ht) [It
would
be better for male persons to stay in sheds during
menstruation time of female family members. Maybe this
would help them to understand this criminal practice!],
Rectify
swearing-in:
Democracy is not just about elections, it is about
electing righteous people who will work for the
welfare of the people and the country (ht)
08/01/2019: PAC
buckles under political pressure, by Umesh Poudel
(ht), House
panel goes soft on ministers: Recommends action
against two secretaries, acquits Home Secretary Rai,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [There
is no rule of law as long as the crimes committed by
politicians and their clientele remain unpunished!],
PAC
for action against current and ex-ministers, clean
chit for Rai: Directs govt to suspend MD Kansakar
immediately (rep), SC
refuses to set Resham Chaudhary free (ht), Apex
court refuses to release Chaudhary, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Gandaki
PA mired in dilemma over swearing in Gurung (ht),
House
panel fails to endorse medical education draft bill,
by Jagdishor Panday (ht), Dr
KC threatens to launch 16th fast-unto-death (ht),
Dr
KC warns of 16th hunger strike: Parliament
sub-committee endorses bill on medical education
through vote, by Nayak Paudel (kp), Dr
KC blasts sub-committee for tweaking bill (rep), A
tale of lies: Misuse of numbers as weapons to paint an
incorrect picture is a real tragedy (kp), Prime
Minister, tell us the truth (rep), Lead
anew: The creation of new organisations of
historically marginalised groups can lead to
transformative change, by Subhash Nepali (kp), Undemocratic
move: If the lawmakers are barred from putting
questions to the PM, it will undermine the
parliamentary supremacy (ht), ‘Government
should face questions from lawmakers every week’,
by Rewati Sapkota (ht),
CIEDP
probes
85 pc complaints in first phase: Preparing to record
statements of alleged perpetrators for the second
phase of investigation (ht)
07/01/2019: Provinces
to
appoint police up to DSP: Schedule 6 of constitution
gives provincial governments exclusive right to
oversee their security affairs, by Prithvi
Man Shrestha (kp) [The anti-federal government is
above law and constitution!],
Oli
avoids major issues in House, by Tika R Pradhan
(kp), PM
lies to House over contract awarded to Huawei, by
Sunil Sapkota (rep), PM
cherry-picks information that fit govt progress
reports (rep), Prime
minister digs bigger hole for himself, by Rewati
Sapkota (ht), Congress
to protest if PM does not answer, by Anil Giri
(kp), Provincial
Assembly snubs Manange, by Lal Prasad Sharma (kp),
Give
fairness a chance: Conflict is caused by inequality,
so inclusive development is needed to sustain peace,
by Prakash Paudel (kp), Saffronization
of
Congress: The liberals, moderates and youth leaders in
Congress must safeguard their party against the
communal, sectarian allure of right wing Hindutva
ideology, by Chhering Yonzon (rep), Legal
contradictions put local levels in a fix (ht)
06/01/2019: Wide-body
Plane Purchase and PAC, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar
(km), Adhikari
upbeat
as criticism builds over aircraft deal: Minister says
he will not resign only for the ‘superficial’
charges even as it created moral pressure on him,
by Tika R Pradhan (kp), ‘Probe
panel undermining parliamentary supremacy’: Govt
should have formed panel before Parliament started
probe’, by Rewati Sapkota (ht), Verdict
on Tikapur carnage delayed, by Tekendra Deuba
(ht), Road
to impunity: Oath to Resham Chaudhary (rep), Will
Manange be administered oath?, by Bishan Chhetri
(rep), Kathmandu,
provinces
differ on CDO’s role: According to the bill, the chief
district officer reports the law and order situation
to the Federal Home Ministry and provincial Internal
Affairs Ministry, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Obviously, central government
thinking never dies out!], Coalition
partner
presses for constitution amendment: Sanghiya Samajbadi
Forum-Nepal has handed over an 11-point memorandum to
Prime Minister Oli, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), NC,
ruling FSFN join the fray for constitution amendment
(rep), FSF-N
memo seeks statute amendment (ht), Breaking
the
silence on #MeToo: Women’s silence in Nepal’s feeble
#MeToo movement has also to do with illiteracy and
socioeconomic disadvantages majority of women face,
by Gyanu BK (rep)
05/01/2019: Criminal
Code ‘ineffective’ to end Chhaupadi practice, by
Binod Ghimire (kp), Government
groups local federal units into four categories
(kp), In
the name of politics: The road to Singha Durbar is not
in Dillibazar but in Delhi. When Delhi decides, our
netas reconcile, by Guffadi (kp), Army
to
buy 4 choppers worth Rs 6b for VVIPs: Currently, Nepal
Army has two fixed-wing planes and 12 helicopters. The
army plans the number of aircraft to 31 by 2082
(rep) [Investments for VVIPs
are far more important than those for reconstruction,
education, road construction and pollution prevention!],
Govt
begins
amendment discussions with Madhes parties: Prime
Minister Oli has promised to study the possibility of
withdrawing cases against those RJPN cadres who are
currently serving jail-term, according to RJPN leaders
(rep) [Such legal matters do
not fall within the decision-making scope of the
executive! The separation of powers is an essential
characteristic of a democratic constitutional state!],
Province
2 ready to retaliate if federal govt obstructs
exercising constitutional rights: CM Raut ,
interview with Chief Minister Mohammad Lalbabu Raut
(rep), Lawmakers
divided over wide-body aircraft scam, by Arpana
Ale Magar (rep) [Stop any form
of politicisation in the clarification of corruption
cases!], Civil
servants adjustment: SC summons govt over ordinance
provisions, by Jagdishor Panday (ht)
04/01/2019: Cabinet
forms
panel to probe disputed aircraft purchase:
Three-member commission set up after a parliamentary
subcommittee charges sitting minister and top
bureaucrats with embezzling billions, by Tika R
Pradhan (kp), Chaudhary
sworn in after party’s pressure, by Binod Ghimire
(kp) [?????], Why
govt let massacre-accused Resham Chaudhary take oath
(rep) [There cannot be enough
(potential) criminals in leading political positions!
The rule of law in democratic states does not allow
the participation of persons who are accused of
crimes!], Back
to jail after oath, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Tikapur
victims speak of grave injustice, by Dil Bahadur
Chhatyal (rep),
Task
force
recommends reinstating 12 holidays: The incumbent Oli
administration had slashed these holidays soon after
coming to power last year, saying that the
unnecessary holidays hinder service
delivery to the public, by Anuj Kumar Adhikari
(kp), A
tightened muzzle: Protracted governmental strategies
have led to waning press freedom in Nepal, by
Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), The
ship of state, by Rameshwar Bohara (nt)
03/01/2019: Fool
me once: The Conflict Victims’ Common Platform could
breathe new life into our pursuit for justice, by
Binod Kumar Paudel and Rajendra Sechuray (kp), Panel
implicates 3 ministers, 29 top officials in wide-body
scam (rep), Oli
government
faces moral quandary: While pressure mounts on the Oli
government to open a fair and comprehensive
probe into the case, some leaders from the
ruling Nepal Communist Party say the government
will not take any decision in haste, by Anil Giri
(kp), Sky-high
corruption: Government must take serious note of the
wide-body financial irregularity (kp), Govt
trumpets tree plantation ‘success’ (ht), Press
freedom
anxiety: To demonstrate that it will work as per the
spirit of the Constitution, the govt has no option but
to amend some of the draconian provisions (ht), Civil
society and media: Give them their due, by Dutta
Shree Duwadi (Khanal) (ht)
02/01/2019: Violations
of press freedom up: Report (kp) [see report by Freedom Forum], 2018,
a challenging year for freedom of press: Federation of
Nepali Journalists (ht), Transitional
Justice Actr: Govt undecided on amendment, by
Roshan S Nepal (ht), Bill
to amend Nepal Army Act (rep), Together
for justice: Charter initiative may further empower
perpetrators rather than victims. Dialogue can help us
unite, by Om Prakash Aryal, Anita Neupane Thapalia
and Ram Bhandari (rep), Ganga
Maya to tell her story to the world, by Ujjwal
Satyal (ht)
01/01/2019: Torture,
disappearings to be moved from military to civilian
court, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Around
Rs 4b embezzled while buying planes: House sub-panel,
by Anil Giri (kp), Journalism
in peril: Looking forward to a safer year for
journalists (kp), Revelation
by reflection: Nepal needs incremental changes from
the bottom to change; the top down approach has not
worked, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Who
is in charge? Nation-building has never been our
national policy, by Andrea Upadhya (kp), Migration
as Path to Progress, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
|
|
|
Human
Development Report 2019: Inequalities in Human
Development in the 21stCentury. Briefing note for
countries on the 2019 Human Development Report: Nepal.
New York: UNDP 2019
Nepal: 13 Years On, No Justice for
Conflict Victims. Joint statement by ICJ, Amnesty
International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and TRIAL
International, 25 November 2019
Nepal:
New NGO Law Should Protect Rights
Government’s Recent Moves Have Restricted Activists,
by Human Rughts Watch, 14 November 2019
Nepal:
Release Report on 2015 Protest Violence:
Suppressing Lal Commission Findings Denies
Justice to Terai Victims, by Human Rights Watch, 1
October 2019
On
the Occasion of International Day in Support of
Victims of Torture, by Advocacy Forum - Nepal, 26
June 2019
The
Legal Stranglehold, by International
Federation of Journalists, 3 May 2019
Regressive
Laws, Mounting Violations, report by Freedom Forum, 3
May 2019
Nepal:
To End Hunger, Strengthen and Implement Right to Food Law.
Amnesty International 04 April 2019
Nepal
2018 Human Rights Report, by US Department of State,
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Human Rights Yearbook 2019, by INSEC,
17 February 2019
Fighting
inequality in Nepal: The road to prosperity. OXFAM
report, 11 January 2019
Media Freedom Deteriorating.
Annual media freedom report 2018 by Freedom Forum
Preliminary
Comments:
Draft Bill to Amend the Act on Commission on
Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and
Reconciliation, 2014], by Amnesty International,
ICJ and TRIAL International, 20 July 2018
Preliminary
Comments
of Conflict Victims’ Common Platform (CVCP) on proposed TJ
draft bill to amend Commission of Inquiry on Enforced
Disappearances, Truth and Reconciliation Act, 2014, 17
July 2018
Nepal: Transitional Justice Reform an
Urgent Need;
Current Draft Law Does Not Meet International Standards on
Prosecuting Worst Crimes, by Human Rights Watch, 7
July 2018
Rule of Law Index 2017-2018 - Nepal,
by World Justice Project
Nepal
2017 Human Rights Report, by US Department of State,
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
Amnesty International Annual Report
2017/2018 on Nepal, 22 February 2018
Nepal:
Transitional Justice Proving Elusive Term Extensions do
not Cure Act’s Fundamental Problems. Joint press
statement by ICJ, HRW and AI, 13 February 2018
Nepal: Events of 2017, by Human Rights
Watch, January 2018
Preliminary results of Nepal’s
parliamentary elections of 2017 (with some comparisons
to the CA elections of November 2013), by K.-H. Krämer,
Nepal Observer 44, 17 December 2017
Gender
and Nepal’s transition from war, by Jeevan Baniya,
Sambriddhi Kharel, Deepak Thapa and Alexander Ramsbotham.
Accord, 14 September 2017
Nepal’s
Transitional Justice Process: Challenges and Future
Strategy. A Discussion Paper, by International
Commission of Jurists, August 2017
Elections
in
Nepal: 2017 Local Elections, Frequently Asked Questions,
by International Foundation for Electoral Systems, 10 May
2017
“Building
inequality":
The failure of the Nepali government to protect the
marginalised in post-earthquake reconstruction efforts
(Amnesty International 25/04/2017)
"What
I
want is for the government to help". Nepal: Ensure the
right to adequate housing for the marginalised in
post-earthquake Nepal (Amnesty International
25/04/2017)
Two
steps
forward, one step back
The Nepal peace process, by Deepak Thapa and
Alexander Ramsbotham. Accord 26, March 2017
Serious
Crimes
in Nepal’s Criminal Code Bill, 2014. A Briefing
Paper by International Commission of Jurists (ICJ),
March 2017
Statement
on
renewed escalation in Tarai, by Surya Subedi (in
Nepali and English, originally: Kantipur, 9 March 2017)
Nepal 2016 Human Rights Report, by
US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human
Rights and Labor, 3 March 2017
Nepal
206/17, report by Amnesty International, 22
February 2017
Nepal:
extending
transitional justice commissions without granting real
powers betrays trust of victims, by International
Commission of Jurists, 10 February 2017
Nepal:
Decade
After Peace, Scant Progress On Justice; Political
Parties Fail to Deliver on Promises, by Human
Rights Watch, 18 October 2016
Statement
on
the CIAA and reports on investigation of Social
Science Baha (SSB) and Alliance for Social Dialogue
(ASD) (BNAC 01/10/2016)
“Our
Time
to Sing and Play”: Child Marriage in Nepal, by
Human Rights Watch, 7 September 2016 [see
also video]
Supporting
Safety
of Journalists in Nepal. Paris, August 2016
Nepal
-
Torture and Coerced Confessions, by Amnesty
International, 19 July 2016
The
Torture
and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (Control)
Bill, 2014. A Briefing Paper by International
Commission of Jurists (ICJ), June 2016
Nepal
2015
Human Rights Report, by US Department of State, Bureau
of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, 14 April 2016
International Crisis Group: Nepal’s
Divisive
New Constitution: An Existential Crisis, Asia Report
N°276. Brussels, 4 April 2016
INSEC
Yearbook
2016 (19 February 2016)
HRW:
World
Report 2016, Nepal chapter (27 January 2016)
Constitution
of Nepal 2015 (unofficial translation by Secretariat of
the Constituent Assembly)
BNAC Statement: End the Political Crisis in Nepal and
Indo-Nepal Relations (9 November 2015)
International Crisis Group: Nepal:
Conflict
Alert, Brussels, 2 September 2015)
1st
draft of new constitution (07/07/2015, unofficial
translation)
Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction
(MoPR)
Ways to destroy a nation: bandh calendar
Tracking
national
and international funding, a tool by Open Nepal
Initiative, Young Innovations
Human
Rights Watch: Silenced and Forgotten Survivors of
Nepal’s Conflict-Era Sexual Violence. September 23,
2014
International
Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Justice
denied:
The 2014 Commission on Investigation of Disappeared
Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act. Geneva, May
2014
U.S.
Department of State: Nepal 2013 Human Rights Report
International
Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Authority without accountability: The
struggle for justice in Nepal. Geneva, 29 October 2013
Missing persons in Nepal: Updated list
2013. Report by ICRC, 30 August 2013
Nepal
Armed
Violence Assessment, by Small Arms Survey, Switzerland
Amnesty
International: Nepal:
The
search for justice. London, 10 January 2013
International
Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Compromising
justice:
Nepal's proposed ordinance on commission on disappeared
persons, truth and reconciliation. Geneva, October
2012
OHCHR:
Nepal Conflict Report. Geneva, October
2012
International
Crisis Group: Nepal's
constitution
(I): Evolution not revolution. Asia Report No. 233 –
27 August 2012
International
Crisis Group: Nepal's
constitution
(II): The expanding political matrix. Asia Report
No. 234 – 27 August 2012
International
Crisis Group: Nepal’s
Peace
Process: The Endgame Nears. Asia Briefing No. 131,
13 December 2011
Adding Insult to Injury: Continued
Impunity for Wartime Abuses, report by Human Rights
Watch and Advocacy Forum, 01/12/2011
International Crisis Group: Nepal:
From
two armies to one. Asia Report No. 211, 18 August 2011
International Crisis Group: Nepal’s Fitful Peace Process, Asia
Briefing No. 120, Kathmandu/Brussels, 7 April 2011
International Crisis Group. Nepal:
Identity
politics and federalism. Asia Report No. 199, 13 January
2011
International Crisis Group. Nepal's
political
rites of passage. Asia Report No. 194, 29 September 2010
International Crisis Group. Nepal:
Peace
and justice. Asia Report No. 184, 14 January 2010
Report
of
the Secretary-General on the request of Nepal for United
Nations assistance in support of its peace process. 7
January 2010
The Carter Center International Observation Mission
in Nepal. First
Interim
Report. 26 August 2009
UNDP. Nepal
Human
Development Report 2009, 17 August 2009
International
Crisis Group. Nepal’s
Future:
In Whose Hands? Asia Report No. 173, 13 August 2009 [see
complete
report]
International Commission of Jurists. Disappearances
in
Nepal: Addressing the past, securing the future.
Briefing paper, March 2009
International Crisis Group. Nepal's
Faltering
Peace Process. Asia Report No. 163, 19 February
2009 [see full report as PDF
file]
Prabin K. Prajapati. Feminist
Movements from Global to Local: Has it helped Women
Empowerment Process? Patriarchy and Status of Nepali Women.
Lund University, Sweden, November 2008
Prabin K. Prajapati. An
open letter to prime Minister Prachanda from a victim of
People’s War. Lund University, Sweden, 9 September 2008
Prabin K. Prajapati. Development
Challenges in New Sociopolitical Structure: A Case of Nepal.
Lund University, Sweden, August 2008
International Crisis Group. Nepal’s
Election:
A Peaceful Revolution? Asia Report No. 155, 3 July 2008
[full
text]
International Crisis Group. Nepal’s
New
Political Landscape. Asia Report No. 156, 3 July 2008 [full
text]
United Nations Security Council. Report
of the Secretary-General on the request of Nepal for United
Nations assistance in support of its peace process. 12
May 2008
Conflict Study Center. Nepal's
CA Polls on Third Attempt and Its Challenges. Situation
Update 68 (Unedited Version), April 4, 2008
International Crisis Groups. Nepal’s
Election
and Beyond. Asia Report No. 149, 2 April 2008 [full
text as pdf]
Conflict Study Center. Key
Parties' Manifestos to CA Polls in Nepal: Comparative Study
of the Maoist, UML and NC. Kathmandu, 28 March 2008
Amnesty International. Fear
for safety / fear of torture or ill-treatment/ possible
enforced disappearance: Tsering Dhondup (m) aged 27.
Urgent Action, 27 March 2008
Tek Tamrakar. Federalism
with a Dalit perspective. 25 March 2008
Prabin K. Prajapati. Political
transition in Nepal: Chances of Resembling Faustian Model of
Development. Lund University, Sweden, March 2008
Prabin K. Prajapati. Text
and Pretext of New Nepal. Lund University, Sweden,
January 2008
Manjushree Thapa. Frieden
ist
mehr als eine Wahl. Bono-Direkthilfe e.V., 19.12.2007
International Crisis Group. Nepal:
Peace
Postponed. Asia Briefing No. 72, 18 December 2007
Human
Rights and Security Challenges. FES, News Update, 4
December 2008
Krämer, Karl-Heinz. Chancen
für
eine positive Entwicklung des Friedensprozesses in Nepal.
FES, November 2007
Colette Rausch, Shobhakar Budhathoki and Karon
Cochran-Budhathoki. Nepal
In Transition : Strengthening Security and the Rule of Law.
Findings of Nepal Police - Civil Society Dialogue. USIP,
Public Report, September 2007
Prabin K. Prajapati. Is
Nepalese politics going towards anarchism? A view on CA
election postponement. Lund University, Sweden, October
2007
Karon Cochran-Budhathoki and Scott Worden. Transitional
Justice in Nepal: A Look at the International Experience of
Truth Commissions. USIPeace Briefing, September
2007
Prabin K. Prajapati. CA
Election and New Nepal: A Review from Perspective of
Democratic Practice. Lund University, Sweden, September
2007
Karon Cochran-Budhathoki and Colette Rausch. Constituent
Assembly
Elections and Security in Nepal. USIPeace Briefing,
August 2007
Amnesty International. Reconciliation
does
not mean impunity: A Memorandum on the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission Bill. 13 August 2007
Canada Forum for Nepal. Send
message of unity to Nepal. 6 August 2007
Human Rights Home. Letter
to British Ambassador Andrew Hall. 24 July 2007
International Crisis Group. Nepal's
troubled
Tarai region. Asia Report No. 136, 9 July 2007
Prabin K. Prajapati. YCL,
Eight Parties and People's Mandate. Lund, Sweden, July
2007
Karon Cochran-Budhathoki and Colette Rausch. Nepal
in Transition: Developing Security and Rule of Law
Strategies. USIPeace Briefing, May 2007
International Crisis Group. Nepal’s
Maoists:
Purists or Pragmatists? Asia Report No. 132, 18 May
2007.
Human Rights Watch. Last
Hope:
The Need for Durable Solutions for Bhutanese Refugees in
Nepal and India (17/05/2007)
Women groups and organisation. Press
statement on the non-inclusive new council of ministers.
April 2, 2007.
U.S. Department of State. Nepal:
Country
Report on Human Rights Practices - 2006. Released by the
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 6, 2007
International Crisis Group. Nepal's
constitutional
process. Asia Report No. 128, 26 February 2007
United Nations Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Nepal:
2007
Common Appeal for Transition Support. Summary of
Requirements by Thematic Area as of 23 February 2007
ICRC. List
of more than 800 persons still missed in Nepal.
15/02/2007
Interim
Constitution,
2063 B.S. (Nepali text). 15/01/2007 [see unofficial English
translation]
Relief Web: Nepal:
Reports
of security incidents - December 21, 2006 - January 10, 2007.
11/01/2007
Conflict Study Center. Nepal’s
Interim Constitution: Inspiring Versus Cynical Experience.
31/12/2006
National Democratic Republican Front. Press
release, 18/12/2006
International Crisis Group: Nepal’s
Peace Agreement: Making it Work. Asia Report No. 126, 15
December 2006 (full
report)
Indigenous Women Republican Front (Inworef). Open
letter to Mr. Ian Martin, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary
General to Nepal for proportionate representation and women
sensitive peace process. Kathmandu, Nepal, 12/12/2006
Peace Women Alliance, PEWA Nepal. Open
letter from Women Peace Alliance, PEWA to Mr. Ian
Martin, Personal Envoy of the UN Secretary General to Nepal
for inclusive, proportionate representation and women
sensitive peace process. Kathmandu, Nepal, 12/12/2006
Karon Cochran-Budhathoki, Defend Human Rights
Movement-Nepal. Security
Sector
Reform in Nepal: The Role of Civil Society. United
States Institute of Peace, December 2006
Conflict Study Center. Situation
Update XVII: Nepal’s Culture of Impunity. 09/12/2006
Conflict Study Center. Situation
Update XVI: Another Milestone for Peace: Army and Arms
Management in Nepal. 01/12/2006
12-Point
Understanding
Concluded between Seven Political Parties and the Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist), New Delhi, 22 November 2005
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