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Crisis solution (current) / 2020 / 2019 / 2018 / 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 / 2012 / 2011 / 2010 / 2009 / 2008 / 2007 

Since the Delhi Agreement between seven parliamentary parties and the insurgent CPN (Maoist) of 22 November 2005, the people of Nepal have been waiting in vain for the promised realisation of an inclusive democratic system. Although the then putsching monarchy was abolished and a constitution was passed in 2015 after long power struggles between the political parties, even this was the sole work of the exclusively male leaders of the three major parties, predominantly male Bahuns. The appropriate participation of all social groups, as provided for in the interim constitution of January 2007, did not take place. In this respect, the constitution of 2015 even represented in part a step backwards compared to the interim constitution.
Thus, apart from the abolition of the monarchy, not much has changed since the 1990 system. Numerous fundamental human rights continue to be disregarded. There is no inclusion of all social groups. All power and the majority of all state functions are still in the hands of male Tagadharis, especially male Bahuns.  The latter make up only 6 percent of the population, but the identification of the state and its society and culture, in short the nationalist image of the state of Nepal, is still based on the culture and partly narrow-minded, anarchic, patriarchal and socially discriminating view and thinking of this small minority. Under the Oli government this trend has even intensified. As long as this state of affairs continues and the failed generation of political leaders of all parties is replaced by a younger generation that is inclusive, open-minded, receptive and not exclusively oriented towards personal power interests, there will be no end to the crisis situation.

Timetable:

5656 days since Delhi agreement of political parties
5504 days since King Gyanendra was forced to end his putsch
5292 days since Comprehensive Peace Agreement; government, leading party politicians, former Maoists and army leaders still prevent conclusion of the peace process
5237 days since promulgation of the Interim Constitution
4787 days since elections to CA-I
4156 days since CA-I committees presented suggestions for the new constitution (discussion in CA prevented by leading politicians)
3395 days since SRC presented suggestions for the federal structure (majority suggestion rejected by Nepali Congress)
3278 days since dissolution of CA-I
2737 days since elections to CA-II
2308 days since promised Constitution by CA-II failed
2171 days since non-inclusive deal by male Tagadhari leaders of the three big parties
2067 days since promulgation of non-inclusive and so far still not really implemented constitution through illegal procedure (text of constitution)
1941 days since unilateral and non-inclusive first amendment of the new constitution
1213 days since the federal system should have been implemented; still missing: laws, infrastructure, fiscal regulations, staff, naming of states and capitals, etc.
1188 days since KP Oli became PM: most of the necessary working processes not really completed, yet; instead, growing violation of fundamental rights, federal chaos, unabated nepotism, corruption and power struggles; putsch and breaking of the constitution
0511 days since the Samajbadi Party Nepal left the coalition government after PM Oli refused any discussion to make the constitution more inclusive though this promise had been decisive for cooperation
0149 days since PM Oli putsched and destroyed the democratic system with the help of President Bidya Devi Bhandari
0084 days since the Supreme Court confirmed the deliberate unconstitutionality of Oli's procedure : Oli continues to reject personal consequences and further destroys democracy
0072 days since the Supreme Court ruled that the merger of CPN-UML and CPN-MC to form the NCP on 17 May 2018 was illegitimate, thereby reactivating the two original parties: all parties want power, but not democracy and the rule of law

Links to articles:


Documents and websites:

18/05/2021: Morality and policy and the means (upaya) of Hindu politics, by Karl-Heinz Krämer (kh), Leaders underplay spectre of split hovering over JSP-N (ht) [The dissent within the JSP is also a result of PM Oli's use of the Hindu political device bheda (sowing discord among opponents)], JSP Chairmen Thakur and Yadav agree to consolidate party : JSP would rather lead the government than joining Oli-led govt (kh), Oli mulling budget through ordinance as his vote of confidence in Parliament remains pending : The federal budget for the next fiscal year must be presented on May 29. Parliament session is yet to be called for presenting policies and programmes and pre-budget discussions, by Anil Giri (kp) [Oli needs no parliament, just a president who willingly signs his every ordinance!], Send oxygen, not circulars : Oli’s prime ministership has been riddled with a lethal combination of ignorance and arrogance (kp), Minister Shrestha is ignoring most pressing issues facing education sector, experts say : While schools remain closed and key exams have become uncertain due to the pandemic, the education minister hasn’t announced any measures to address the problem, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [That alone qualifies him to be a minister in the Oli government!], SC seeks written response from PM on swearing-in (kh), Prolonged prohibitory orders hit valley's daily wagers hard (ht), How not to manage a crisis : Society’s handling of the pandemic reflects on the government’s performance, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

17/05/2021: Authorities continue to fumble around amid Covid-19 surge : With pandemic showing signs of sliding into a devastating crisis, authorities mull a new law to streamline response, as they ignore the basics like tracing, testing and isolating, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Help us, world : Nepal is counting on you for life-saving  oxygen equipment and vaccines (kp), The economy has been eroding : Given the rapid spread of Covid-19, CBS’s growth  projection will most likely be an overestimation, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Vegetables rot in fields as lockdown paralyses market : Groceries are allowed to open briefly in the morning and sales are at minimum level, traders say, by Pratap Bista and Krishana Prasain (kp) [This is an expected consequence of the totally ill-conceived pandemic policy of the incompetent Oli government!], Controversy over PM's swearing-in snowballs : Petition filed in the Supreme Court demanding that Oli be sworn in again, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Nepali politics: Testing waters of democracy, by Geeta Kochhar (ht), Daily wage earners struggling to meet survival needs (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

16/05/2021: Do we have a government?, by Kamal Subedi (rep), Despite increase in health budget, preparations for crisis were sorely lacking : Plans to set up enough oxygen plants, ICU beds and to  procure equipment remained only on paper. Less than  4 percent of Covid-19 capital budget has been spent, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Contact tracing yet to take off as ministry assigns job to local level : Cases won’t come under control unless they are checked at the source but whether local governments have the capacity to do the task is another question, experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Army ignores House panel’s directive, forges deal for expressway : Bypassing the directives of the House committees is an act of defying the sovereign entity, experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli’s envoy appointments could erode country’s credibility, experts warn : Only two out of eleven ambassadorial nominees are career diplomats, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt urged to protect citizens' right to life (ht), Oli’s Third Innings In Government : The entire drama indicates that political culture and constitutional conduct is yet to take roots in the federal republic, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), What are Nepali youth thinking?, by Jagannath Lamichhane, Sanjaya Mahato and Sushav Niraula (rep) [see corresponding Niti report],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

15/05/2021: An oath of office when people are gasping for breath as well as answers : As Oli has been sworn in as prime minister again, he now must focus on fighting the pandemic and saving lives, leaving his political games aside, analysts say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Nepal’s missions abroad have little to show in seeking Covid-19 assistance : Even as country battles the virus and the world shows concern, diplomats have failed in actively lobbying for support, By Anil Giri (kp), Flimsy huts set up in lieu of holding centre at Gaddachauki border point : Kanchanpur authorities are yet to set up a holding centre for people returning from India, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp) [Unlike the completely superfluous power struggles, this would have belonged to the real tasks of a competent and morally oriented prime minister!], Lawmakers get second dose of vaccine while citizens are still waiting for theirs : They didn’t pressure the government to ensure vaccines for all as they knew they wouldn’t be deprived of the second dose, says a former general secretary at Parliament Secretariat. Around 1.3m people are still waiting for second jabs, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [!!!!], Government preaches but does not act, political analysts and local units say : Kathmandu Valley Mayors’ Forum alleges that the central government has just been issuing instructions while doing little to address the Covid-19 crisis, by Anup Ojha (kp), People can’t go out, and they can’t get home delivery : Online stores are confused about providing service due to lack of clear guidelines from the government regarding ecommerce, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Cabinet recommends 11 envoys for various countries : Of the recommendations, nine are political appointees while only two are from the foreign service (kp), Rato Machhindranath chariot being pulled despite the pandemic terror (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

14/05/2021: Losing trust in the republic : As citizens scramble for oxygen and a hospital bed, our state has disappeared, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp) [It is not the republic, the top politicians have failed. The monarchy was no better. The party-political oligarchs behave like the monarchy once did, without conscience, without morals, oriented only towards their own power interests!], A tale of two Nepals : As the country reported 8,842 new Covid-19 cases and 214 deaths, Nepali politicians had but one number in mind—136, the figure that could secure them power; Oli reappointed prime minister, by Tika R Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp) [There must be a way to get rid of these failed and totally irresponsible politicians! Unfortunately, even possible elections are hardly hopeful, as only these self-declared masters of Nepal decide on the selection of candidates and will never change their undemocratic party structures!], Virus in the villages : The perennially marginalised cannot be left to fend for themselves (kp), Daily infection count hovers around 9,000 mark but deaths could continue to rise : As hospitals are not admitting patients due to oxygen shortages, many infected are in home isolation. Without timely and sufficient care, they are at high risk, doctors say, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [Thank you Mr Oli, you have all the time in the world for your power struggles but no time to fulfil your obligations as Prime Minister and care for the people in their need!], Ill-timed trust vote may scupper pre-budget session : Avoiding the pre-budget discussion is like barring people from participating in the budget process, a former Parliament Secretariat official says, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [PM Oli does not need a budget. He can rule without one and also without parliament! The money earmarked for the country's development is never spent as planned anyway!], Defeat of confidence motion : Herculean challenge for new govt, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), We need a functioning govt (rep)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

13/05/2021: Data discrepancy amid virus crisis could spell disaster : Different figures on Covid-19 death toll, which have  puzzled many, raise concerns if there are more virus  fatalities than what the government is reporting, by Binod Ghimire (kp), How the raging coronavirus pandemic is tearing families apart : The government’s inefficiency and apathy towards  handling the pandemic has made things much more  challenging for people infected with Covid-19, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp), End of the Oli show : Oli’s departure from the scene will not and should not be lamented, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Rawal urges CPN-UML lawmakers to quit (ht), Only essential services to remain open from today (rep), Talks between UML Chair Oli and senior leader Nepal end on a positive note : Resignation on hold; leaders agree on making a task force (kh), NC and Maoist Center bid to form majority govt fails (kh 13/05/2021)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

12/05/2021: Oh, what a fall it was : Oli will be remembered in Nepali politics and society for all the wrong reasons (kp), It’s time to go, El Supremo : Oli considers the amoral pragmatism of Marxism-Leninism and Maoism to be the guiding principle of his political life, by CK Lal (kp), Nepal’s health system cracks under the strain of rising Covid-19 cases : More people are in dire need of oxygen, but plants are falling short of production, as hospitals say they cannot take new patients for lack of the life-saving gas, by Shuvam Dhungana and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Country faces political crisis on top of a deepening virus crisis : With political turmoil ignited by Oli, parties are now in the number games, which look like a futile exercise, given their strengths and internal feuds in UML and Janata Samajbadi, by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Housemaids and elderly hit hard by  prohibitory orders in Kathmandu  : The lockdown has not just put many domestic helps out of their jobs, elderly people have also lost their caregivers, by Anup Ojha (kp) [The Oli government again fails to realise that countless other things need to be considered and thought through in a lockdown. Anyone who even makes the remotest power play in such a situation is completely out of place.]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

11/05/2021: Noxious politics hits the nadir : We need a wholly new approach to regain the sanctity, independence and efficacy of our institutions, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Public policy implementation : Ways to upending barriers, by Madhav Shrestha (ht) [No prime minister after 1990 could build on such a stable majority government as Oli, but his delivery was the worst Nepal has seen since!], Regaining Lost Credibility, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn), Oli loses vote of confidence : Parties have until Thursday to form a new government, but the process appears to be tricky. Congress and Maoist Centre look to Janata Samajbadi as they lack numbers, by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), As things stand, Oli is likely to be PM again under Article 76 (3) (kh) [This is definitely the last thing Nepal needs at this critical hour!], Oratorical genius Oli missed a golden opportunity, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh), Janata Samajbadi’s Thakur not to support government formation process : Thakur’s Monday midnight statement makes the government formation even trickier as the Congress and the Maoist Centre lack the numbers (kp) [Obviously, you want Nepal to go further down the drain or prolong the disastrous Oli government, which is somewhat the same thing, Mr Thakur! How can you want to destroy your homeland so deliberately?], NC to stake claim on govt formation after discussion with all parties (kh), The sting operations : It is very difficult to say what possible impacts the ban will have on the anti-corruption drive, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), HRW urges Nepal to act urgently to avert looming COVID-19 disaster (ht)  [see: Nepal: Act to Avert Looming Covid-19 Disaster : Desperate Need for Supplies, Oxygen as Cases Surge (HRW 10/05/2021)], Human Rights Watch calls on Nepal government to act urgently to avert a looming Covid-19 crisis : The rights body urges donor countries like the US, UK and EU to make life-saving oxygen equipment and vaccines equitably available (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

10/05/2021: Nepal Prime Minister Oli fails trust vote in Parliament : Of the 232 lawmakers present, 93 cast votes in Oli’s favour and 124 against him while 15 lawmakers stayed neutral, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), PM Oli fails to secure parliament’s confidence, what next? (rep), PM Oli fails to retain confidence of parliament (kh) [Budget session of parliament ended on its very first day?], Speaker Sapkota writes to President saying PM failed the floor test (kh), PM Oli reaches President’s Office (kh), Out of control : It is the coronavirus pandemic, and not the media narrative, that should be under control (kp), Chief justice in dock for attending council meet : Experts say Rana, who has refused to hear a petition against ordinance on Constitutional Council Act, committed judicial misconduct, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli dangles a carrot as Nepal-Khanal faction wavers : Nepal-Khanal group remains indecisive as prime minister faces a trust vote today. Janata Samajbadi is a divided house. Congress waits and watches. So do the Maoists, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), No immediate plan to evacuate workers affected by flight suspension : Officials say the government will repatriate the affected workers if the flight suspension remains for an extended period, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [A similar lack of interest from the Oli government as during the first lockdown!], Oli appeals to stop anti-party activities : Says it’s a crime to attempt to pull down the party (ht) [The one who has been misbehaving in this way for months is above all you personally, Mr Oli: sowing discord among political opponents, dividing your own and other parties, destroying democracy and the constitution, disregarding numerous laws, pretending false facts, neglecting urgent measures to contain the pandemic, suppressing fundamental rights, neglecting any moral responsibility, etc.], Nepal records highest single-day spike with 9,127 new Covid-19 cases : Health Ministry says 139 deaths based on statistics from the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre and Nepal Army (kp) [The Oli government really has it all under control!], Super-spreader Special Session of Nepal’s Parliament . Oli loses confidence vote in the midst of a raging pandemic, demonstrating why the country is in crisis (nt)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

09/05/2021: Oli’s virus ‘situation under control’ remark meets with criticism : Crisis continues to deepen with over 8,000 new cases  and 53 deaths. Many from Oli’s orbit and over two dozen lawmakers test positive ahead of May 10 House session, by Tika R Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Valley hospitals face shortage of oxygen, many have stopped admitting patients : Oxygen manufacturers say demand has gone up four times their production capacity. China has given 3,500 cylinders as a grant but they will take three weeks to arrive, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Anti-COVID-19 Cooperation : Can China’s Move Fill Regional Void?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Constitutional Council recommends appointments to various Constitutional Commissions (kh) [Last manipulated appointments before Oli is finally dumped?], Can’t give a vote of confidence: Mahanta tells PM Oli (kh), Prohibitory orders likely to be extended by two more weeks (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

08/05/2021: Nepal wanted to buy millions of jabs. Here’s how it failed : Over the past months, conflicting narratives have emerged on what went wrong in Health Ministry that leave the country without vaccines, as virus crisis deepens, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Govt rules out vaccine import in near future (ht), Elderly waiting for second dose, by Sabitri Dhakal (ht), Residents in Karnali and Sudurpaschim hit hard by the second wave of pandemicPandemic brings challenges to regions suffering from lack of proper health care system, and poor road connectivity, by Hari Gautam, Chhapal Lama, Menuka Dhungana and Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Deuba, Dahal reach understanding to foil PM Oli's bid to secure vote of confidence (rep), Deuba leaves NC PP meeting in the middle to chalk new strategy (kh 08/05/2021), Main oppn leader Deuba, Speaker Sapkota to boycott Constitutional Council meeting (rep 08/05/2021)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

07/05/2021: Oli’s preference for politics to virus crisis is an affront to people, analysts say : The UML chair and prime minister is paying no attention to soaring coronavirus cases, as he busies himself with political schemings ahead of his May 10 trust vote, by Tika R Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp), Pandemic is getting out of hand, as government has its focus misplaced  : Officials fail to heed fundamentals like increasing contact tracing and testing as they see lockdowns as only option, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Factories face shortages of raw materials as prohibitory order cuts supply lines : Entrepreneurs say they can handle a short period of immobility, but worry the lockdown may be prolonged, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), Health Ministry refutes news reports on the involvement of govt in COVID-19 vaccine procurement scam (rep), Vaccine procurement scandal is not just a case of corruption but a ‘crime’: MP Thapa (rep), Nepal is a hotbed of virus and politics : In the midst of a pandemic, Nepal’s prime minister calls for a confidence vote in Parliament, by Kunda Dixit (nt), Microcosms of a pandemic : In the absence of government, municipalities and communities on the frontlines manage the second wave, by Sonia Awale (nt), PM summons Constitutional Council meeting on Sunday (kh) [Oli continues to try to prove that a Prime Minister, no matter how incompetent, has the right to govern without respect for the Constitution and the rule of law!]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

06/05/2021: No plan B to break infection chain as virus continues to rage : Experts say prohibitory orders can slow the spread of the coronavirus but until there  are other measures simultaneously in place, a let-up in the surge is unlikely, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Govt's indecision threatens vaccination drive : Agents of vaccine producing companies want advance payment, health ministry not ready to pay (ht), Oli reaches out to Deuba as opposition forces band together : Meeting follows talks between Congress, Maoist Centre and a section of Janata Samajbadi leaders, by Anil Giri (kp), What happens after Monday’s voting on confidence motion : Oli will be in difficulty if the Nepal faction with its around 30 lawmakers resigns before vote, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Flight suspension stalls Covid-19-related imports : Suppliers say almost all oxygen concentrators in the market have already sold out causing an acute shortage of equipment, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Things to do before the budget : Institutional structures  at the federal level  should be reduced by at least a quarter, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

05/05/2021: Complacency, miscalculation and missteps : Country records highest daily coronavirus death toll and new cases. Oli’s chest-thumping and false claims  continue as vaccine supply is nowhere in sight. 47 percent of total tests return positive results, byArjun Poudel and Binod Ghimire (kp), Rights activists find rapid response team ineffective : The job of squad representing several ministries is to keep supply lines clear during the prohibitory period aimed at containing rising Covid-19 cases; Traders say trucks bringing food items to Kathmandu have to wait at entry points for long, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Will Oli’s confidence vote plan shake up political landscape? Maoists withdraw support and Nepal-Khanal supporters are mulling resigning as lawmakers. Congress party eyes  government and Janata Samajbadi is still a divided house, by Anil Giri and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Restoring balance : The relationship between the people and political parties is reaching a breaking point, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Maoist Center submits letter of withdrawal of support to govt at Parliament Secretariat (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

04/05/2021: Sick and tired : The monkey business that is called democratic politics (kp), Authorities enforced antigen tests but failed to increase numbers : Such tests at border points could have been helpful  but they were few and far between, experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Frontline health workers deprived of promised risk allowances : Health workers who were engaged in setting up quarantine and isolation facilities and providing treatment to Covid-19 patients last year say they feel cheated by the authorities, by Madhav Aryal (kp), Kathmandu Valley district administration offices decide to enforce prohibitory orders more strictly : Shops selling essential foodstuffs will be allowed to open only in the mornings and up to 9 am. Vehicle passes will not be issued anymore (kp), Covid-19 restrictions once again cast uncertainty over labour migration : After a disastrous 2020 when labour migration dropped to a new low, the foreign employment sector has once again started to feel the heat amid surge in coronavirus cases, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Maoist Centre decides to withdraw support to government : The decision comes days after Oli said he would go for a floor test (kp), NC decides to foil PM Oli’s bid to garner majority in HoR (kh), Second wave of corona : Quality education compromised, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

03/05/2021: As if there’s no pandemic : Oli and his clique’s seeming indifference to the raging coronavirus and unfolding tragedy is stark. Even as virus cases hit a new record of 7,137 and death toll clocks 3,325, political games continue, by Tika R Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Campaigners join global call for lawful postings at human rights commission : The National Human Rights Commission has the chance of becoming a mere shadow of the government, they say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Organisations asked to divert some funds to fight pandemic : The government has asked domestic and international relief organisations to divert 5 to 20 percent resources for pandemic relief depending on the size of their budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), After Health Ministry bows out, municipal officials bear the brunt of Covid-19 crisis : Ward chiefs say they’re flooded with phone calls from people asking for hospital beds. Kathmandu lacks isolation or quarantine facilities, infected persons can’t access bottled oxygen, by Anup Ojha (kp), Pupils in limbo : The cabinet needs to reconsider its  decision to conduct in-person exams (kp), Conflict victims seek prosecution of perpetrators (ht) [see statement by Advocacy Forum-Nepal]
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

02/05/2021: Covid-19 peak yet to arrive, warn experts as they lay stress on curbing infections : Doctors say increasing number of beds and keeping  an eye on possible hoarding of oxygen cylinders, as well  as expanding testing, should be an immediate priority, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Oli caused formation of Janata Samajbadi Party. Now he is prompting its split : Cracks have emerged in the party which was formed in April last year through the merger between Rastriya Janata Party Nepal and Samajbadi Party Nepal, by Anil Giri (kp), NHRC urges govt to handle health crisis effectively (ht), Offices to operate with only 25 per cent staffers (ht), Prohibitory order in the Valley to be tightened from today (rep), PM Oli calls cabinet meeting at 4 pm today : Likely to take crucial decisions on COVID-19 (kh), Nepal records highest-ever 7,211 new coronavirus cases in last 24 hours : Kathmandu Valley witnesses 3,595 fresh COVID-19 cases (kh), Resignation of CM Pokharel approved, preparations to form UML-led one-party govt (rep), Lumbini Province: UML parliamentary party decides to form new govt under Pokharel’s leadership (rep), Lumbini Province Assembly Member Bimala Khatri joins Maoist Center, CM Pokharel loses majority (rep), Pokharel re-appointed CM in Lumbini Province (kh) [Article 168 (1) requires a majority of the party concerned, in this case the CPN-UML, in the provincial assembly for such action. As of today, however, the UML no longer has such a majority. The procedure is a clear breach of the constitution following KP Oli's trick!], Pokhrel’s bid to form UML-led government in Lumbini meets with obstacles : A Provincial Assembly member, Bimala Khatri, chooses to side with the Maoist Centre, making the UML fall short of a seat to prove majority (kp), Opposition requests Lumbini Province Chief to stop Pokharel from forming govt : Maoist leader Kul Prasad KC says he should form new govt as Pokharel lacks majority claim now (kh), Three UML lawmakers resign in Lumbini : UML loses its majority in the province assembly (kh) [All these political capers are a direct consequence of KP Oli's power games after his failed coup at the central level!], PM Oli sees need for paperless government service system (kh) [Is that all he sees? But the little insight comes too late!], Domestic and international non-governmental organisations required to divert 5-20 percent of budget to fight Covid-19 : Such funds can be used to procure medical supplies and equipment, distribute relief and run small construction projects targeting employment for migrant workers, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

01/05/2021: ‘We give up’ : Health Ministry asks people to be ‘sensible’, saying the health system cannot cope, as hospitals have run out of beds with new cases crossing the 5,000 mark, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [Since Oli and other top politicians are largely to blame for this situation, this is a declaration of bankruptcy by the government and party political circles!], To Prime Minister Oli’s relief, Deuba rules out no-confidence motion : With Janata Samajbadi Party not wholly supportive of  such a motion, the numbers would not be enough to  oust Oli, the opposition leader says., by Anil Giri (kp), JSP-N to back no-confidence motion : Opposition to the move by Thakur, Mahato might split the party, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [This is all a consequence of Oli's policy of sowing discord among his political opponents, one of the traditional means (upaya) of Hindu politics to maintain a ruler's power!], Permit no longer needed for essential services within Kathmandu : From Friday, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu started issuing permits only to those who have to travel out of the Valley for funeral rites or highly essential purposes, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp), Biplav-led NCP splits as Dhamala forms Jana-Samajwadi Manch (kh), Three decades of movements, uprisings, putsches and constitutions: Did they promote democracy?, by Karl-Heinz Krämer (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

30/04/2021: Lash of a lockdown : It’s the decline in the moral foundation of Nepali politicians that is causing this situation (kp), Modern-day Neros : Our political leadership’s abdication of responsibility borders on criminality, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp) [Today's party leaders will go down in history as the great destroyers of the country!], Nepal: A victim of party politics and power games, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (rep), Ugly face of Nepali politics : Ruling party engaged in ugly horse-trading as opposition parties mount effort to oust it from power in provinces (rep), Scrambling for jabs, Nepal in talks with Russia, China, US : With India, the vaccine powerhouse, itself in dire need  of international support, the government looks to other countries to acquire shots as coronavirus cases surge, by Anil Giri (kp), Kathmandu Valley’s daily wage earners worry about survival : For many daily-wage earners and squatters living in Kathmandu, they have nowhere to go to escape the brunt of the pandemic, by Anup Ojha (kp) [The problem repeats itself from the first lockdown, as the Oli government is not at all interested in these people and once again believes it can solve all problems with a lockdown!], 1.1 million child labourers in the country: Report; 3.3 per cent of child labourers in urban areas involved in hazardous work (ht) {see report], Prohibitory orders to be stricter from today (kh), JSP’s “majority members” agree to bring no-confidence motion against PM Oli (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali):

29/04/2021: Politics in the midst of a pandemic as people suffer : At a time when politicians should have demonstrated unity to fight the virus, they are busy in their petty political games, which represents a betrayal of citizens’ trust, analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Government and Janata Samajbadi Party near deal : Agreement is expected to address several longstanding demands of the party, including the release of jailed party lawmaker Resham Chaudhary, by Anil Giri (kp), Failure of Nepali political class, by Biswas Baral (ae)
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

28/04/2021: Lawmakers across parties for continuing pork barrel funds : They say misuse of the funds in some places doesn’t mean the Local Infrastructure Development Partnership Programme has failed across the country, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The system implies high levels of political corruption, as it only helps handpicked mainly male directly elected MPs to secure future re-election!], Consequences Of Power-Centered Politics, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn), Govt decides to withdraw 15 cases filed against 120 people (with list) (rep) [This is part of Oli's desperate efforts to maintain his power. Just to remind you, during the Madhesh Movement, his attitude was totally adamant!]
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27/04/2021: Back to square one, or even worse : No contact tracing even as the number of active cases crosses the 20,000 mark. Country reports 3,442 new cases and 12 deaths, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Set up soup kitchens : With yet another lockdown, we are back to square one. Are we better prepared this time? (kp) [Definitely not! The Oli government has been busy all along with power struggles, breaking the constitution and laws and suppressing basic human rights! There was no time to deal with such trivial things as the pandemic!], Take harsh measures : Nepal may not have much of a choice other than to place extraordinary civil restrictions to break the chains of infection (ht), Prohibitory orders enforced in Kathmandu Valley for 15 days starting Thursday : Decision comes amid rising number of coronavirus cases in the Valley, which recorded more than half the total new infections reported across the country in the past 24 hours, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), United Nations special rapporteurs urge Nepal to rectify the appointments in the National Human Rights Commission : They have pointed out the appointments were not in line with international practices and undermines the independence, integrity and legitimacy of the rights body (kp), More than 900 women go missing in Morang (ht), SC refuses to issue stay order against Oli's action (ht)
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26/04/2021: A system that failed in the fight against pandemic : Failure to empower sub-national governments and political games in Kathmandu impacted provinces, thereby  deepening the coronavirus crisis, experts say, by Anil Giri (kp), Police defy court to arrest journalist, media manager: Anil Tamang and DL Tamang of ujyaalonetwork.com were detained for publishing document bearing purported signatures of KP Oli and Samant Goel, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ujyalo Network editor, publisher arrested for crime against state (ht) [Oli ist nicht der Staat! Außerdem eine solche Regierungsmaßnahme gerichtlich untersagt untersagt!], FNJ demands immediate release of journalists (ht), Phallic fallacies : The Dharahara inauguration drama amidst the coronavirus crisis was in bad taste (kp), What is wrong with Nepal govt's COVID response, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [What response? The Oli government is irresponsible in every respect and only interested in prolonging the power it no longer has anyway!], Covid-19 prohibitory orders re-introduced in Kathmandu valley; regulations effective from Thursday (ht), Prohibitory orders in Kathmandu Valley from Thursday : The decision by three chief district officers comes amid rising number of coronavirus cases in the Valley which recorded almost half of the total infections across the country, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Act now! (rep), Local administrations given authority to impose prohibitory orders : Educational institutions cannot hold examinations and those entering Nepal have to stay in quarantine, by Tika R Pradhan (kp),
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25/04/2021: People ignoring social distancing measures despite spike in infections : When government officials and politicians themselves have been organising functions and rallies in defiance of  Covid-19 restrictions, ordinary people have stopped taking precautions, experts say, by Shuvam Dhungana (kp) [This criminal behaviour of Oli and the other so-called top politicians was a deliberate part of their ruthless and self-serving power struggles!], As cases surge and hospitals fill up, doctors are worried : With only seriously ill cases coming for treatment, doctors say that the virus is much more widespread than daily infection data shows and the next two months will be critical, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Amid fears of oxygen shortage, government talks to suppliers : Manufacturers say production is sufficient but supply could be disrupted if hospitals start hoarding oxygen.  To increase capacity, more cylinders need to be imported, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Lax health security checks at Darchula  border points ; There is no official record of entries through five of the six border points in Darchula, by Manoj Badu (kp), JSP-N undecided, new govt formation in limbo (ht), Fickle Comrades Bicker Over NCP Day, by Ritu Raj Subedi (kp), PM Oli urges party rank and file to fan out for control of COVID-19 (kh) [With your months-long calls for mass public meetings for the purpose of maintaining your personal power, you bear an outstanding responsibility for the development of the pandemic in Nepal. Resign from all offices at last!], DAOs in Kathmandu Valley suspends non-essential services from Monday (kh),
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24/04/221: Nepal seeks support in virus fight from crisis-hit India : The request for oxygen, antiviral drug and intensive care beds exposes the government’s inaction despite warnings of a looming crisis, experts say, by Anil Giril (kp) [All oxygen available in the country should be used exclusively for Covid-19 patients and not for mountaineers!], A second wave prompting  a new exodus : Fearing lockdown, people are moving out to avoid the trouble they faced last year, by Anup Ojha (kp), After Nepal Communist Party (NCP), now UML headed for vertical split : Oli constitutes a 19-member Standing Committee excluding leaders close to Nepal—an indication the two leaders are prepared to go their separate ways, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Most handwash stands installed in Valley last year are not in working condition: Authorities say they are working to repair and restore the handwashing stations  but even after four days since the commitment, the situation remains the same, by Anup Ojha (kp), Health Ministry recommends immediate lockdown in Kathmandu Valley (kh),
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23/04/2021: When governance took a backseat, second wave took hold : At border points, authorities are failing to conduct tests and quarantine people, just as health facilities are on the verge of buckling under the caseload, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [The Oli government is behaving almost more incompetently and irresponsibly than during the first Corona wave!], Government mismanagement  leads to crowding at hospitals : Many were forced to return without getting the jabs despite waiting in line for hours, by Anup Ojha (kp), Billions spent on Dharahara but school reconstruction suffering in lack of funds : Reconstruction of college buildings damaged in the 2015 earthquakes is yet to begin as the government only recently decided to take Indian loan despite stringent conditions, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Health ministry seeks Rs 33 billion for vaccines (ht) [That would have made more sense than 95 kg of gold for the Dharahara top!], Politics In A State Of Flux, by Dhruba Hari Adhikari (rn), Arrested democratic transformation in Nepal : International civil society intervention could make a difference, by Bihari Krishna Shrestha (kh)
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22/04/2021: Lives vs livelihoods? Amid a surge in coronavirus cases, lockdown fears loom : Authorities must devise strategies to contain the spread without imposing blanket restrictions as such curbs can severely impact the economy and the people, analysts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Red alert : The government has to stop waiting for things to turn worse and urgently prepare for the worst (kp), Justice eludes rape victims in six South Asian countries, including Nepal : Rape survivors and their families face pressure to withdraw complain (ht), Khadka held from UML HQ for calling CM Rai a ‘rapist’ (kh) [??], Fostering Intergovernmental Ties, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Caste discrimination still prevalent in Karnali, by lalit Bahadur Budha (ae)
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21/04/2021: Swearing by political principles and acting just the opposite : Nepali politicians are losing their moral compass, they themselves say to criticise others. Analysts say such a lack of political ethics among leaders is a threat to democracy, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), An old mindset prevails : Public confidence in federalism is waning because of the Constituency Development Programme, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp) [The CDP is an instrument of political corruption by the non-inclusive male ruling oligarchy!], Online classes for some : The pandemic has exposed yet another  harsh reality—the digital divide (kp), Thousands participate in Seto Machhindranath chariot procession (ht) [An excellent behaviour in times of strongly increasing Corona infections!], Need Of Robust Civil Society Movement, by Namrata Sharma (rn), Maoist Center entrusts party chairman Dahal to take decision to withdraw support to Oli-led govt (rep)
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20/04/2021: Government issues a slew of orders  amid threat of a second wave : More than 25 people cannot gather at one place; schools and places of worship among others closed till May 14. Testing and treatment made free, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Schools close again but there have been no preparation for virtual learning : Distance learning was not effective last year and as the virus may not go away soon, a long-term policy is required rather than seeking ad-hoc solutions, experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Building institutions : The focus on the individual must be replaced by a culture of institution-building, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Import controls go as foreign exchange reserves swell : Experts say that Nepal should increase earnings from other sources and not depend too much on remittance, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Lower House of Parliament prorogued, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht),
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19/04/2021: Vaccination rate dismal even as cases are surging with only 100,000 taking Chinese shots : Poor planning on accessibility, target groups, and awareness campaign; and vaccine hesitancy cited as reasons, by Arjun Poudel (kp), ‘Strategic plan’ hints federal civil service law will be delayed by around two years In the absence of the law, provinces have been unable to recruit staff since 2017; The Bill faced delays after Oli prorogued the House on July 2, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Oli and many other central leaders are not interested in federalism!], In MCC, Oli sees a chance to play domestic and geopolitical games : The prime minister is using the American aid not only to rein in opponents in his party but also to curry favour with international power centres, analysts and insiders say, by Anil Giri and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), The elusive no-confidence motion : What are the options to replace Oli and restore sanity in Nepal’s politics?, by Naresh Koirala (kp) [The endless infighting of the failed and incompetent top politicians results in the morally reprehensible Oli government remaining in power and continuing to play its manipulative games!], President Bhandari ends winter session of HoR (ht) [This means that all ordinances ipso facto cease to be effective according to article 114 (2) of the constitution since they have not been tabled at the session of parliament held after their promulgation! Is Oli about pushing MCC through without Parliament?], Siraha woman accused of practicing witchcraft, tortured (ht), Good Governance: Myth Or Reality?, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn), Govt decides to withdraw cases filed against JSP cadres (kh) [Part of Oli's policy to win over the divided JSP? Not to forget: Already in 2018, Oli had promised the party all sorts of things without ever delivering!]
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18/04/2021: Democracy and political parties in crisis, by Karl-Heinz Krämer (kh) [See also shortened Nepali text], Officials forgot duty, public dropped masks; now second wave is here : New variants of the coronavirus are more transmissible and deadlier, but people are not taking precautions and there is not enough testing and monitoring of those in home isolation, by Arjun Poudel (kp), In the CPN-UML, Oli has found a new spin doctor—Pradeep Gyawali : The foreign minister lectured on ‘democracy with Nepali flavour’ and morality as he defended House dissolution. Now he says Karnali incident is against parliamentary system, by Binod Gyawali (kp), Oli asks parties for support to ratify MCC in Parliament : With the Nepali Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party in favour, the compact will likely  be ratified but the Speaker has to  agree to table it for vote in the House meeting, by Anil Giri (kp), Home Min Thapa loses ministership after being removed from National Assembly; reappointment likely today (ht), Leader Badal Re-Appointed As Home Minister (rn), 2077 BS: Annus Horribilis, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Most INGOs in Nepal yet to work in areas beyond Kathmandu Valley (rep), PM Oli warns of seeking Speaker’s alternative if MCC not presented in HoR (kh) [Mr. Oli should finally get to grips with the constitution. The replacement of the Speaker of Parliament is not a matter for the executive, but requires the support of a two-thirds majority of MPs (Article 91 (6) (c)). Much more important would be the election of a Deputy Speaker of Parliament who has been pending for more than a year! In the current constellation, this post would belong to a woman!],
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17/04/2021: Janata Samajbadi, amid differences within party, close to a deal with Oli : Leaders say the government has given them word to free their lawmaker and to withdraw cases against their cadres in return for support to Oli on early polls and the MCC, by Anil Giri (kp), Shahi survives vote of confidence in Karnali as four UML members defy whip : The decision to cross the floor is aimed at sending across a message to Oli, says  a leader who decided to vote to save the Maoist Centre provincial government, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Karnali CM wins confidence vote : Four UML lawmakers cross, by am Kumar Kamat (ht) [Oli's manipulations foiled!], Message from Karnali: No govt is safe unless internal conflict is resolved (kh), To open, or not to open : Contradicting messages from government about running schools  amid the coronavirus scare confuse guardians, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Election Commission earns disrepute over communist party legitimacy indecision : The commission has time and again failed to resist influence despite being a constitutional body, observers say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Political Shifts And Public Intellectuals, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Political Space for Youths : The political space for youths is going to contract further in South Asia including Nepal until and unless the senior leaders voluntarily give the youths the chance to lead, by Rajaram Bartaula (rep),
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16/04/2021: No-confidence motion filed against Gandaki Chief Minister Gurung : Since the Provincial Assembly was prorogued hours before the motion was filed,  provincial lawmakers have also called for a special session, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Unmasking the second wave : Nepalis are ignoring the new coronavirus surge, by Sonia Awale (nt), Preparing for a ‘No Normal’ : Nepal’s Covid-19 second wave is here, and it is an exact re-enactment of 2020 (nt), Miracle Boy, six years after Nepal quake : Baby survived being buried under the rubble for 22 hours, but his family still struggles to cope, by Monika Deupala (nt), Quarter of Nepalis still hungry during pandemic : A year into the Covid-19 crisis, Nepalis have more food but still suffer under-nutrition (nt), PM Oli calls an all-party meeting for Saturday (kh), Discriminatory citizenship laws continue to disenfranchise Nepalis : Despite constitutional provisions, inaction on supporting laws has meant that individuals are routinely denied citizenship through their mothers, by Bimita GC (Record) [Thanks to Oli and all the other patriarchal so-called leaders!]
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15/04/2021: Why Nepal is not on the list of invitees for climate summit called by Joe Biden : The country has failed to demonstrate its actions to mitigate impacts and make concerted efforts to show its vulnerabilities before the world despite bearing the brunt, by Chandan Kumar Mandal and Anil Giri (kp), Mountain blues : The government must invest in  climate change research (kp), Verdict ahead of parliamentary hearing raises multiple questions : Experts say the Supreme Court saying Nahakul Subedi is qualified for the post of justice before a parliamentary hearing threatens the principle of separation of powers, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Armed and unrestrained : Wrangling concessions from a pliant leadership, the army’s professionalism is compromised, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Purse Plays Havoc In The Polls, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Ominous 2078 : As the Oli government battles for its very survival, it has been badly distracted from the growing virus menace (ae), Debt without reforms : Financing debt without adequate policy reforms is a bit like financing the gambler, by Bishal Thapa (ae), Gandaki Province Assembly winter session prorogued (rep) [Practising KP Oli's undemocratic methods to prevent his dismissal!], No-confidence motion filed against Gandaki CM Gurung, NC’s Pokharel proposed as new CM (rep), Opposition parties in Gandaki to call for special session (kh), Fearing no-confidence motion Gandaki Chief Minister Gurung prorogues Assembly : Leaders of the Maoist Centre say a no-confidence motion will be filed nonetheless and the party will support the Nepali Congress to form a new provincial government (kp), Health Ministry urges not to attend schools in COVID-19 affected districts, including Kathmandu (kh),
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14/04/2021: A lament for lost opportunities : The excitement of achievement in 1990 turned out to be a rather short one, by CK Lal (kp), Political lull in Nepal : All the major parties to be blamed, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), The second wave is knocking on the border : The government seems to be unconcerned about a possible renewed virus outbreak, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp), Covid-19 infecting more children, but government reluctant to close schools : Epidemiology and Disease Control Division says the UK variant B.1.1.7. might be responsible for over 60 percent of the new infections in Nepal, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Janata Samajbadi willing to form new government under its leadership : Party leaders say the candidate will be based on a consensus, by Anil Giri (kp), Government has failed on employment front (ht), Supreme Court scraps provision requiring online media to renew their registration each year (rep), Oli govt is trying to usurp the rights of provinces: Prakash Man Singh (kh)
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13/04/2021: Experts warn against lapses and complacency as virus cases surge : As Nepal reports 13 new deaths with a daily count of  496, concerns grow over a repeat of last year’s cycle if  authorities fail to ramp up measures to contain the spread, by Arjun Poudel (kp), New Virus Variant : Averting Second Wave Of Pandemic, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Lumbini Province sees surge in Covid-19 cases ; Health officials are concerned about cases increasing in all districts of the province that borders with India, by Thakur Singh Tharu and Sanju Paudel (kp), Accountability? What? The Baskota case shows how little politicians care about public opinion (kp) [KP Oli stands out in a particularly negative way. He can be bluntly described as a protector of corruption!], Performance contract blues : Such contracts have failed due to the lack of ownership and concrete incentives, by Achyut Wagle (kp), JSP leaders Yadav, Bhattarai holding talks with NC President Deuba in Budhanilkantha (kh)
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12/04/2021: A third of Oli’s Cabinet ministers are not members of federal parliament : Analysts say the prime minister is showing utter disregard for constitutional provisions for his political gains, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Oli should one day be held accountable for his continued destruction of the state and democracy, but his opponents are also to blame! The drama would end if the CPN-MC finally officially ended the coalition with the CPN-UML!], Ghode Jatra draws huge crowd at Tundikhel amid Covid-19 risk : People are not following simplest of advice like wearing masks in public, by Anup Ojha (kp) [And the Oli government supports this criminal madness by doing nothing to stop it!], Baskota’s recommendation to House committee raises concern about conflict of interest : The ex-minister, who was embroiled in a Rs700 million bribery scandal, has been recommended as a member of the Public Accounts Committee, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [This is probably part of Oli's way of fighting corruption!], Free legal aid inadequate, ineffective, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Ensure Voting Rights Of Persons With Disabilities, by Dev Datta Joshi (rn), World Hindu Federation office vandalized in Kathmandu (kh)
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11/04/2021: Bipul Pokhrel-led panel sweeps all positions of Federation of Nepali Journalists (kp) [The media should be free from any infiltration by political parties!], Erosion of poetry in Nepali politics : The most alarming aspect of politicians’ use of language is the production of lies, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Nepal needs an ICT census : The survey will provide facts and figures to help manage education during crises, by Sagun Shrestha (kp), Particracy Undermines Democracy, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)
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10/04/2021: NC asks CPN-MC, JSP-N to help form government, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Janata Samajbadi seeks time to decide and politics is stalled again : Three parties finally meet to discuss unseating Oli. Nepali Congress and Maoist Centre agree to join hands, but the fourth largest party wants to  wait for Oli’s response, by Binod Ghimire and Tika R Pradhan (kp), Dialogue As Tool To Solve Conflict, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
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09/04/2021: Deuba’s intriguing dilemma and his credibility chasm : The onus of taking political process forward is upon the Congress chief. But given the dynamics in his party, and his relations with Oli and other parties, he is hesitating, by Anil Giri (kp), Three parties meet today for talks on new government formation : If the negotiations between Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre) and Janata Samajbadi Party are  positive, further discussions will be held on the way forward to unseat Oli, Congress leaders say, by Anil Giri (kp), An election of journalists under the shadow of political parties : Almost all candidates have backing of parties, leaving little space for independent ones to lead, which many say could affect independence of Federation of Nepali Journalists, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), FNJ Must Rise Above Partisan Interest, by Kundan Aryal (rn), Untangling the knots : What is happening in Nepali politics is impossible to explain in a nutshell. But we will try (nt), JSP as Nepal’s king-maker party : “I have given my word to Oli that I will not turn against him”, interview with Mahantha Thakur (nt), Maoist Center suspends National Assembly membership of Home Minister Thapa, seeks clarification from lawmaker Khadka (rep), PM Oli to reappoint four former Maoist Center ministers, oath-taking later today (rep), Govt mulling to stop physical classes as the COVID-19 cases see a fresh spike (rep), Health ministry recommends to CCMC to stop physical classes as second wave of COVID-19 hits Nepal : COVID-19 infection rate doubled among children below 18 years of age (rep),
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08/04/2021: How rigid provisions are hobbling Nepal’s political process : A no-confidence motion is a tool parties can use against prime minister, but strong conditions aimed at stability have weakened opposition forces in the House instead, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Coalition to topple govt merely a chimera, by Ram Kumar kamat (ht), Election in crisis : Why we need to talk about, by Apurva Singh (ht) , Four Maoist Center lawmakers lose their posts (kh), NC leader Gagan Thapa invites PM Oli to HoR (kh), Amnesty International paints bleak picture of rights situation in Nepal Report calls Nepal out for custody deaths, police brutality, curbs on freedom and failure to probe conflict-era crimes (kp), AI paints dismal picture of human rights in Nepal (ht), Combat human trafficking : As many as 300 children, more girls than boys, go missing every month in Nepal (kp), Politics and institution building : Political tactics and  short-term gains trump institution-building for frontline politicians, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Struggling for breath : The biggest problem right now is that people have zero faith in their government (ae),
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07/04/2021: Are Nepal’s parties taking the country towards early polls? Oli is for elections, and Congress, the main opposition, Maoist Centre, Oli’s former ally, and Samajbadi Party, the fourth but a key force, appear to give their tacit consent, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Break the deadlock : The political parties have squandered the opportunity given by the Supreme Court (kp) [Nepal's political parties lack democratic structures and plitical culture!], Politics of fear and international influence : Political processes in Nepal are now increasingly being influenced by networks of greed, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Government plans to hold census in Kalapani but doesn’t know how : Sending enumerators there looks impossible, local leaders say. Authorities are mulling over counting residents on  the basis of past Indian census data or satellite imagery, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Early marriage and teen pregnancy rampant in Karnali Province : According to the Ministry of Social Development, 41,000 teenage girls got married in Karnali in the last three years, by Chandani Kathayat (kp), VAW On Rise, Seven Rape Cases Reported Daily In Nepal, by Deepa Chaudhary (rn), Nepal 2020 (excerpt from Amnesty International report 2020/21), Nepal records 339 fresh cases, tally hits 2,78,809 (kh), Nepal’s security forces used excessive force in peaceful protests : Amnesty International (kh)
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06/04/2021: As Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party hem and haw, politics has stagnated : Congress leaders say Deuba must take a lead, but he is still reluctant with one eye on the polls. Maoist Centre’s indecision on withdrawing support complicates things, by Anil Giri (kp), NC's New Initiative JSP In Decisive Position, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Maoist Center taking action against its Ministers in Oli-govt (kh), Maoist Center writes to Parliament Secretariat to expel four of its lawmakers (kh), Poverty Alleviation Fund was scrapped, but it still exists. What does it do? The fund created at the height of insurgency has lost its relevance with local governments in place, officials admit, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Three years have passed, but no consumer court in sight : Consumer rights activists accuse the government of deliberately delaying the implementation of the law, by Krishana Prasain (kp)
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05/04/2021: Local governments say they don’t get enough resources : The federal government needs to hand over their constitutional responsibilities as well as staff to subnational governments, experts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Women representatives in Achham are excluded from decision-making roles : Most women ward members say the inclusion policy has only served as a token gesture to fulfil gender and caste representation requirements at the local level, by Menuka Dhungana (kp) [All the male Bahuns who dominate all levels in the state and parties, even though they are recruited from only 6% of the population, consider the state as their property and have no interest whatsoever in social inclusion, decentralisation and federalism! Ending the Bahun patriarchy requires a fundamental change in the state, parties and society!], On the campaign trail : Oli is on an inauguration spree with an eye on elections (kp), NC urges JSP-N to help form govt (ht), The Vice Of Factionalism, by Bhupa P Dhamala (rn), SP leader Mahato hints at party’s intent to lead new govt (kh),
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04/04/2021: Oli capitalises on other parties’ lack of heft to act against him : Experts say the prime minister needs to seek  a vote of confidence by Tuesday, but there is  no answer to what happens if he refuses to do so, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Political course unclear despite Nepali Congress decision to unseat Oli : Maoist Centre has to withdraw support but more importantly Janata Samajbadi has to make its stance clear. And early elections cannot be ruled out, leaders say, by Anil Giri (kp), Nepal-Khanal faction mulls forming a party and joining broader alliance, insiders say : With its leaders suspended from the UML and Oli in no mood to compromise, the  cornered faction has few options before it as its leaders’ political future is at stake, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Oli rushes to inaugurate 165 road projects without their preparatory works complete : Observers term prime minister’s move a populist ploy aimed at securing his political position, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Freed haliyas in Bajura still remain victims of state apathy (ht), Thorny political course versus conceited leaders (kh),
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03/04/2021: United Nations questions rights body’s autonomy after controversial appointments : Five National Human Rights Commission office bearers were appointed after the Oli government introduced an ordinance in December to amend recommendation rules, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepali Congress appears to be ready to get the ball rolling : The main opposition decides to seek Oli’s resignation and start process to form a government led by its president, by Anil Giri (kp), NC demands resignation of PM Oli : NC to take initiative to form a new government under its own leadership (rep), Judge's daughter-in-law complains of torture (ht)
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02/04/2021: A setback for Dahal as court rejects his review petition : With the court refusing to revisit the revival of the Maoist Centre and UML, Dahal’s options are limited, as Nepal faction joining hands with him soon is unlikely, insiders say, by Tika R Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp), Rainfall brings some respite from pollution but threat of more wildfires remains : With the rain, the number of wildfires came down to 59, air quality index to 42 from  a high of 334, and visibility went up to 7,000 metres from 1,000 metres, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Public hearing by Greater Civic Agitation : The disgrace that was!, by Bihari Krishna Shrestha (kh), Reinstated HoR has become dysfunctional: PM Oli (kh) [Yes, this has been your intention for months!], Political smokescreen : The smoke that shrouded Nepal for the past week was a metaphor for the state of the state (nt), Why On The Thirteenth Day? As birds of the same feather flock together, and as there are neither permanent friends nor foes in politics, it is likely that the politicians will come to a political deal that suits them rather than what is best for the country, by Hemang Dixit (sp)
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01/04/2021: Be no fool : We must start questioning the intention and integrity of those who govern us (kp) [This whole generation of failed so-called political leaders must go immediately! Anyone who thinks and acts like them should not even apply to be their successor!], Whatever happened to equity and inclusion? That one group should progress so disproportionately talks about the failure of the state-society compact, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Disregard of constitutional norms : Manifestation of hubris syndrome, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), A complex political triangle of Maoist Centre and two opposition parties : The Maoists are looking to the Congress, which does not want to make any move, while the Janata Samajbadi is  a divided house. Amid this, Oli continues to wield power, by Anil Giri (kp), Nothing is being done to curb local pollution, environmentalists say : Vehicle emissions, industries, brick kilns and construction are major sources of air pollution, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Supreme Court refuses to review its verdict to revive UML and Maoist Center (rep), Maoist Center not to withdraw support to govt immediately (kh), The Political Imbroglio, by Narayan Manandhar (rep),
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31/03/2021: Judiciary in the spotlight as political process is halted : Nepali politicians’ inertia and failure to find solutions to the deadlock politically could give room to non-political actors, which is not good for democracy, analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Worsening wildfires a reminder that the country lacks clear policies : Despite their frequency, in which lives, wildlife and hundreds of thousands of hectares of green cover are lost, forest fire disasters have been largely ignored by authorities, experts say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Talks between the government and Tharu Welfare Society termed positive : The dialogue takes place two days after the home minister met the agitating group whose demands include  the release of jailed lawmaker Resham Chaudhary, by Tika R Pradhan and Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), PM Oli should gain vote of confidence from parliament by April 5: CPN (Maoist Center) leader Gurung (rep), Govt’s constitutional validity ends on Apr 5 if vote of confidence not taken: Maoist Center (kh) [KP Oli was elected prime minister by the CPN-UML and CPN-MC MPs under Article 76 (2), i.e. he was prime minister of a coalition government whose two components only later merged to form the NCP. Article 100 (2) is not very clear on the situation at hand. The NCP is again divided into the original parties by the SC decision; however, it was in principle already divided into the Oli and Dahal/Nepal factions before the ruling. At that time, therefore, Oli should already have asked for a vote of confidence under Article 100 (2). Formally, however, it is also the case today that Oli was elected by the two aforementioned parties in 2018 and the CPN-ML has not withdrawn its confidence in Oli to date.], Take the initiative to form new govt: Prachanda urges Deuba (kh), Highly-proclaimed People’s Housing Program goes sluggish : 31 percent budget and 30 percent construction in 11 years, by Sabina Karki (kh),
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30/03/2021: Education institutions ordered shut for four days, stakeholders criticise delayed response, by Anup Ojha (kp), 52% Nepalis support declaring Nepal a Hindu state: Nationwide survey, by Shree Ram Subedi (rep) [This little opinion poll was not a political election. In a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious state like Nepal, one cannot link state identification with any one of these cultures and religions. Otherwise, we will have the same situation that has existed for centuries and is the cause of many of today's serious social problems. Even according to the opinion poll, more than 40 per cent would obviously feel discriminated against. Only a secular and socially inclusive state suits Nepal, but the country is still miles away from that! Why at all is the Hindu state brought into play in this otherwise purely politically oriented opinion poll?]
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29/03/2021: Deteriorating air quality amid spike in Covid-19 cases causes concerns : Experts say asking people to stay inside and wear  face masks is just a temporary solution and stress  a long-term plan to deal with such situations, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Gasping for air : The government’s response to the ongoing air pollution emergency is grossly inadequate (kp), There’s House and there are political parties. But politics is deadlocked : While Congress has been partly blamed for not making any move, the Maoist Centre’s indecision over support to Oli is the major reason the political process is stalled, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [PM Oli has lost all moral legitimacy for political office after his failed coup, but the rest of the so-called top politicians are no better!], Disregarding Covid-19 risk, hundreds celebrate Holi : Health experts fear the revelry could become a ‘super-spreading’ event, by Anup Ojha (kp), Subnational level finances : The provinces should enlarge their own sources and not depend on fiscal transfers only, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp) [But Oli and many other central level politicians don't really want federalism and decentralisation!], Child marriage continues unabated (ht), Home Minister-led talks team formed to address demands of Tharuhat movement : The list of demands includes the release of Resham Chaudhary, convicted for masterminding the 2015 Tikapur incident in which nine people were killed (kp), CPN (Maoist Center) to withdraw support to govt in Bagmati Province (kh) [A test for a similar approach at the central level?]
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28/03/2021: As controversy over Constitutional Council continues, recruitment in state agencies is hit : Office bearers of Public Service Commission retired last week. With the ordinance on Council challenged in court and bill stuck in House, new appointments can’t be made, by Anil Giri (kp) [How much longer will Oli and all the other would-be leaders be allowed to destroy this beautiful country and its newly won democracy?], Data collection for national ID card distribution hits snag : Against the target to collect the details of 10 million people, the government may only be able to collect the details of 4.4.5 million people because of Covid-19 scare, officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [And what about the millions of Nepalis who are denied citizenship because they do not fit into the male Bahuns' concept of national identity?], Law implementation remains weak in cases of caste-based discrimination : A report says police are reluctant to register cases. And even if cases get registered, they lack evidence to back up the claims, which results in low conviction rate, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Jurisdictions of human rights protection ambiguous: NHRC (ht), Investing in youth : Big employment generating programs must be carefully evaluated while small innovative pilots should be supported, by Simone Galimberti (rep), Speaker Sapkota meets PM Oli, discusses a host of issues including crucial bills (rep),
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27/03/2021: Janata Samajbadi looks set to support Oli even as some leaders oppose idea : Those holding talks with the prime minister say there is  no harm in joining the government if their demands, including freeing Resham Chaudhary, are met, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [If KP Olis, one of the biggest opponents of Madhesh interests, is supported, the JSPN will be permanently damaged!], Team formed to hold talks with government regarding release of Tikapur riot convictsTharuwan/Tharuhat Rashtriya Morcha says it will continue movement until government releases all prisoners related to Tikapur incident and withdraws cases filed against them, by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Tharuhat-Tharuwan National Front forms team : Six-member talks team is led by Resham Chaudhary (ht), Only 217 migrant workers availed of government’s pandemic repatriation scheme : Poor implementation of the programme led to low numbers, labour rights experts say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp) [One of numerous cases of complete failure by the Oli government!], Challenges Of Political Leadership, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), High-level mechanism advised for effective RTI implementation (kh),
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26/03/2021: House panels aren’t doing their part when government decisions are being questioned : Parliamentary committees should spring into action when the House has been rendered ineffective, analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Give business to HoR : Some of the bills are sensitive and require cautious deliberation before they are passed by the parliament (ht), Break the cycle of impunity for rape : Repeal statute of limitations,  by Laxmi Pokharel and Boram Jang (ht), JSP won’t join Oli-led govt under any circumstance: Upendra Yadav (rep), KP Oli sits pretty as opposition forces in Nepal run out of options, by Ashok Dahal (ae), No replacement for Oli in Nepal? (ae), Only 20 percent budget spent in eight months, by Shivaraj Bhatta (ae), In a state of disillusionment : A public opinion survey shows disenchantment for the centre, but hope in local leaders (opinion poll (nt) [A damning but understandable verdict for the government and the political parties! What is incomprehensible, however, is what people in the multi-ethnic and multi-religious state of Nepal with its endless discrimination against women, Dalits and ethnic groups expect from a Hindu state!], PM Oli discloses his plan to end parliament session soon (kh) [Oli-archy does not need parliament! But all ordinances become invalid if they are not decided by this session, Mr Oli!],
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25/03/2021: Which party those elected under Nepal Communist Party now represent? Analysts say they have freedom to choose between the UML and Maoist Centre but don’t rule out complications, by Binod Ghimire (kp), No-confidence motions against Rai and Poudel to be withdrawn : The positions of Province 1 and Bagmati chief ministers were challenged after Prime Minister Oli dissolved the House of Representatives on December 20 last year; A UML leader says the indecision on the part of  Nepali Congress also led to the decision, by Deo Narayan Sah (kp), Parliament in limbo, bills pending, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Get thee to work : Lawmakers should understand that their primary role is making laws (kp), 17 Dalits killed after introduction of act against untouchability (ht), Deputy Mayors Disempowered At Local Level, by Mukti Rijal (rn) [And most of the are women! This is typical for Nepal's macho patriarchy!], Marriage is no license to rape : Sexual violence by intimate partner is largely unreported due to social stigma as well as the belief that forced sexual relation by a husband without the consent of the wife doesn’t constitute violence, by Roshani Giri (rep)
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24/03/2021: Oli and Janata Samajbadi Party take their talks one step aheadBut hurdles remain as not all in Samajbadi Party are willing to support Oli government, by Anil Giri (kp) [No one from any party should support Oli after all the reprehensible and anti-democratic things he has done out of pure lust for power!], JSP-Nepal leaders offer support to Oli, by Ram Kumar Kamat (kp), A forgettable year : Not much has changed a year after Nepal went into lockdown (kp), Supreme Court: Arbiter of democracy : One bad stumble is all it takes for a fledgeling system to suffer a fatal blow, by Paban Raj Pandey (kp), My body, my rights : There is growing evidence that the Covid-19 economic recession has led to increased vulnerabilities, by Christian Manhart and Eunsong Kim (kp), Govt to decide on lockdown after analyzing the pandemic risk (kh)
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23/03/2021: Nepali politics is becoming devoid of principles, ethics and ideologies : Beneath the veneer of their high-sounding claims of fighting for the system and democratic norms and values lies politicians’ insatiable desire to attain power and control, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Provincial, local governance hit as key law delayed : It has been more than two years since bill on federal civil service was registered. But passage of bills has not been a priority of the House, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Oli and many other top politicians are among the most adamant opponents of federalism and any kind of decentralisation!], NC will neither table no-confidence motion nor join govt: Deuba, by Binod Subedi (rep) [This literally means: Deuba is committed to keeping PM Oli in power, as the latter could only finally be deprived of power through the active participation of the NC.], UML and JSP discuss constitution amendment, government formation (kh) [This is exactly what Oli had already promised the JSPN once in 2018. After their entry into his government, he no longer wanted to know anything about it! But even with the participation of the JSPN, the Oli government would not have a majority in parliament!], Guilty until proven innocent? The practice of making suspects public too quickly is wrong (kp), Girl injured after boyfriend sets her on fire by dousing her with kerosene in capital (rep)
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22/03/2021: Political instability an excuse to delay justice, conflict victims say : Leaderships of major political parties have refused to sit for a meeting with the victims, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Deuba’s silence has resulted in status quo—and it is benefiting OliCalls are growing within the Nepali Congress that the party president must take initiatives to form an alliance with Maoist Centre and Janata Samajbadi Party to unseat Oli, by Anil Giri and Binod Ghimire (kp), Enough of bickering : The arbitrary ways of the PM are making it more and more difficult to effect a reconciliation with the rival faction (ht)
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21/03/2021: As Oli tightens grip on the party, he tells rivals to support him or face the music : UML Central Committee amends Parliamentary Party statute giving its leader sweeping powers including that to sack lawmakers. It asks four of them for clarifications, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The party structure of the UML is not democratic but dictatorial, which, by the way, is similar in all political parties. According to Article 269 (4) of the Constitution, such parties should not even be registered by the Election Commission! All office-bearers of a political party should be elected democratically from the grassroots upwards and in a socially inclusive manner, must be accountable at all times, face a re-vote at regular intervals and must not have authoritarian powers! Well-founded criticism and dealing with it without aggression are part of the basis of democracy!], Rite of passage : Nepal is excited by the prospect of moving up from the LDC status, but dreads losing the benefits, by Bijendra Man Shakya (kp), Health ministry urges not to organize any gatherings, rallies and seminars as threats of COVID-19 grows (rep),
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20/03/2021: Representation of women in state organs dismal: NHRC report (ht) [see annual report of NHRC], As Janata Samajbadi rift grows, so does uncertainty over new coalition formation : While the Thakur-Mahato faction of Janata Samajbadi Party supports Oli, the Yadav-Bhattarai faction wants to join hands with the Congress and the Maoist Centre, by Anil Giri (kp), To ally with Oli or NC-Maoist Center: JSP in Hamletian dilemma (kh) [The Oli government should not be supported on moral grounds!], Oli wants to prove House irrelevant, critics say : The prime minister neither attends meetings, nor does his government provide any business to the House of Representatives, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prime minister's resignation sought on moral grounds : Opposition lawmakers cite examples of ministers in Oli govt who did so not long ago, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Beating The Politics Of Attrition, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), COVID-19 Crisis Management Center is ‘nonfunctional’ : The CCMC sat for a meeting after a gap of three months on Thursday (rep), Nepal ‘happiest’ country in South Asia (rep) [Maybe that's because they're laughing at Oli and all the other failed politicians, although it' more like crying!]
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19/03/2021: No to censors : Functioning democracy and regulated speech just don’t go together (ae), Moment of truth : The leadership should leave no stone unturned to manage the vaccine shortage (kp), PM Oli has lost all moral, ethical grounds to rule: NC leader Thapa (kh), UML vs UMLThe Nepal-Khanal faction plans to revive all party committees to counter KP Sharma Oli while the latter appears firm on bulldozing decisions, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Oli accused of promoting factionalism in UML (ht) [Oli is currently one of the most destructive politicians in the world. Everything he does is done with full intention, without regard for democracy, state, nation and party!], Government directed to run VAW classes in schools every week (ht), HoR holding fourth meeting; when is address by top leaders?, by Narayan Neupane (rep) [What good is parliament if it is not even willing or able to remove from the prime minister's office a putschist who has only a small proportion of MPs on his side? Democracy looks different!], Attorney General Agni Kharel resigns (rep) [This was overdue since his strange justification of the Oli coup!], “The goal is empowerment and independence of women”, Supreme Court Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla on the struggle ahead for Nepal’s feminist movement (interview) (nt)
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18/03/2021: Why KP Oli must go : Failing to sack Oli out of power is tantamount to breeding a situation of impunity at the highest level of executive authority, by Narayan Manandhar (rep) [After his departure, additional judicial steps should be considered.], Rigging the match : The president is deeply enmeshed in the ruling party’s mess, and that is not good for the republic (kp) [Both Oli and Bhandari have failed completely, because they know no duties, but are only oriented towards their personal advantages!], Parliamentary hearing no more than ritual, experts say : Former bureaucrats, committee members say panel is obliged to toe the party line, by Binod Ghimire (kp), UML’s Oli faction withdraws support to Karnali government : Parliamentary Party won’t back Chief Minister Shahi from CPN (Maoist Centre), leaders say; Shahi now has two options: step down or prove majority  in the provincial assembly, by Kalendra Sejuwal (kp) [Just like Oli on the national level!], Language chauvinism : The recent arrests in Balaju show the need for greater understanding of language diversity, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Health service cuts resulting in more child deaths (ht), Integration, disintegration of parties : Lack of ideological debate responsible, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht) [Even more significant is the lack of democratic party structures and the personal claims to power of the top politicians, even if they have already failed several times!]
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17/03/2021: House is reinstated, but neither government nor opposition has faith in it : The government hasn’t given Parliament any business, and the opposition too hasn’t used it to hold officials to account, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [When will people realise that they have neither democracy nor a future with this generation of failed politicians?], President’s all-party meeting comes into question over intent : Oli proposing House dissolution and fresh elections makes the event look like Sheetal Niwas dancing to Baluwatar’s tune, leaders attending the meeting and analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp) [Bidya Devi Bhandari is a president by Oli's grace. Since then, she has therefore been a compliant tool in support of her Prime Minister's ambitions for power, forgetting her constitutional duties!], Prez criticised at all-party meeting (ht), Laws are not enough : We risk reversing years of hard-earned progress toward keeping children, especially girls, in school (kp), Musahars deprived of land for lack of citizenship (ht)
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16/03/2021: The spectre of split hovers above CPN-UML even as Oli and Nepal hold talks in a fence-mending attempt : The factions led by party chair and senior leader refuse to budge from stances, thereby deciding to make their own moves, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Delay in talks hobbles the Congress, Maoist Center, Janata Samajbadi Party’s attempts to forge an alliance : What looked like an easy game has turned out to be cumbersome exercise with multiple factors coming into play by the day, by Anil Giri (kp), In Kalikot district, incidents of child marriage are still rampant169 incidents of child marriage were reported in two local units of the district in 2020, by Tularam Pandey (kp), Shun violence : Let us hope Nepal is not witnessing a resurgence of those violent activities that brought the country to a standstill (ht), No End To Political Theatrics, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), HoR meeting concludes in just seven minutes, next meeting on March 19 (rep) [The farce continues! All top politicians care more about personal power claims than democracy and the well-being of the people!], Let women lead : Men must be part of the equation but women must be prepared and assert themselves, by Simone Galimberti (rep)
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15/03/2021: Court yet to hear case on constitutional body picksChief Justice Rana himself is a defendant in the case that should constitutionally be heard by the bench he chairs, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [The Chief Justice is clearly biased and cannot judge objectively in this case!], Eight injured, two critically, in a blast at a government office in SirahaThe explosion, for which Jaya Krishna Goit-led group has taken responsibility, shows radical forces continue to exist and they should be brought to the talks table, analysts say, by Bharat Jarghamagar and Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Only a few days ago, PM Oli claimed that there was no militancy left in Nepal, except for the one he had started. That was probably a false statement!], Maoist Centre is in a fix over its next move : The party has decided to seek clarification from its members who have sided with Oli but it is yet to chart out further strategy, by Binod Ghinire (kp), Why participation isn’t enough : Women’s participation  in decision making may  not mean they are truly empowered, by Sahara Basnet (kp), Making our democracy work : The thing to do is rein in political corruption and depoliticise public institutions, by Naresh Koirala (kp), Many senior citizens continue to be neglected: NHRC report (ht),
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14/03/2021: Renewed feud leads CPN-UML towards a vertical split : As Oli prevails, the Nepal-Khanal group is in a bid  to form parallel party committees and has called  a national gathering of its own on March 17-18, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [How can a party leader who has gone berserk work himself up into such a frenzy and destroy his party? All political parties must finally democratise themselves and drastically curtail the authoritarian rule of their leaders!], Congress, Maoist Centre and Janata Samajbadi pursue deal to remove Oli : But they are aware that the whole political scenario could change if Oli offers premiership to Samajbadi Party which, with 32 votes in Parliament, has turned kingmaker, by Anil Giri (kp), The Tragic End Of NCP, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Bomb blast at Lahan’s Land Revenue Office, three injured, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Lahan Blast: Pamphlets of Jay Krishna Goit-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha recovered from incident site, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Tarai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha’s leaflet found in Lahan blast, by Kamalesh Thakur (kh)
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13/03/2021: Elusive Democratic Stability : The domination of personality conflict in Nepali party politics demonstrates the return of old politics of authoritarianism that devalues participatory impulses and the spirit of democracy in their inner life, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), As Deuba gets nod to lead government, efforts on to build coalition to oust Oli : The former prime minister, however, has an eye on party’s general convention in August as well as on next general elections before playing his card, leaders close to him say, by Anil Giri (kp) [Oli must be replaced immediately, but not by Deuba. The latter acted in 2002 in a similar way to Oli now, exclusively to preserve his own power. It would be a chance to change to younger politicians like Gagan Thapa!], Congress-led new coalition government soon: Gagan Thapa (kh), JSP, NC and Maoist Center inching close to forming a new government (kh), JSP-Nepal leaders meet Deuba (ht), Oli tightens his grip in UML relieving leaders from Nepal camp of their roles : Nepal and other leaders returned to their old party and have vowed to fight, form parallel committees, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [In no democratic party in the world would the chairperson have such authority, in other words, the CPN-UML is definitely not a democratic party under Oli!], Oli cuts Nepal down to size in CPN-UML : His aides divested of responsibilities, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Nepal-led faction of UML forms parallel party committees (rep), UML’s Nepal-Khanal group forms parallel structure to counter Oli’s move (kh), CPN-Maoist Centre calls back its members from the Cabinet (ht), CPN (Maoist Center) decides to recall its minister including Home Minister Thapa from cabinet : The party asks to Maoist lawmakers joining UML to choose either the party or the position of lawmaker within 24 hours (rep), Rebuttal to international rights concerns draws flak : The National Human Rights Commission’s response to statements by Human Rights Watch and others is unprincipled, unwarranted, ex-officials say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This is part of the destruction of Nepal's reputation in the democratic world by the machinations of Oli!],
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12/03/2021: It’s broke, fix it : The best-case scenario now would be if the four main parties skipped a generation and elevated a new crop of untainted younger leaders (nt) [!!!], PM Oli should be toppled at any cost: NC leaders (kh), Supreme folly : A dangerous precedent of largely political questions being settled by the judiciary could be set (ae), A crucible of fragile coalitions : There's little to expect from political partnerships that have repeatedly failed the people in the past, by Shekhar Kharel (nt), Congress to wait for Oli, Janata Samajbadi and Maoist Centre moves before making its own : An alternative government with the Nepali Congress at the helm only if the Maoist Centre withdraws support to Oli and he fails to strike a deal with Janata Samajbadi Party, by Anil Giri (kp), JSP-N leaders set riders for support : Party emerges key player in formation of next government, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [Going into coalition with a PM who has repeatedly cheated the Madheshis and plotted against the state and the constitution is morally reprehensible!], Janata Samajbadi Party PP meeting concludes, no new decision taken to join govt (rep), Oli strips leaders close to Nepal of responsibilities : The move comes days after Nepal and other leaders were forced to return to the CPN-UML after the court revived it and the Maoist Centre, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Under the Oli-archy, the autocratic chairman enjoys absolute decision-making power to punish his internal party critics! This is democracy as Oli understands it!], PM Oli was confident of the tide turning in his favor, by Ashok Dahal (ae), Oli nominates 23 ex-Maoist leaders including Ram Bahadur Thapa as UML CC member (rep) [Under Article 89 (e) of the constitution, MPs lose their parliamentary seat if their original party suspends them, which is likely to happen in this case!], Badi people end protest after 16 day : Provincial government of Karnali has pledged to address the demands concerning their rehabilitation and reintegration, by Kalendra Sejuwal (kp),
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11/03/2021: It is spring, and the political games have begun, again :As parties start talks on government formation, they are weighing each other up before forming an alliance, by Anil Giri (kp), Speaker under scrutiny as much rests with him to keep the House in order : Parliament is set to turn into a battleground and Agni Sapkota must demonstrate tactical acumen to maintain the dignity of the chair he holds, observers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Turning the tide : The fight now should be about how we can stop making democracy a zero-sum game (kp), New gender equality policy to end discrimination (ht) [???], Fluid politics : The most likely scenario is that the NC or UML will try to form the next government with the backing of two other parties (ht) [After his attempted coup, Oli has no legitimacy to play a leading political role!], Secular stagnation : Ways to push ahead for Nepal, by Sumit Pathak (ht), Dalit Network urges govt to address Badi people’s problems (kh), Possibility of joining the govt. cannot be ruled out: Biplav (kh),
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10/03/2021: Poll body’s rush to enforce court decision raises questions about its credibility : That the commission had shown no urgency to resolve the NCP dispute leaves room for suspicion, former officials argue, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Court verdict on Nepal Communist Party (NCP) and possible after-effects : The decision has revived the CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre, thereby leading to a split in the Dahal-Nepal faction and opening up myriad possibilities (kp), What’s Article 76 on which the House will focus now onwards : The provision on  government formation will come into play as Oli will try to remain in power while others to unseat him, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Changed context catapults Janata Samajbadi Party into the spotlight : Both UML and Maoist Centre are in a bid to woo fourth largest party, for its 32 members in Parliament now hold the key, by Anil Giri (kp) [The united NCP has repeatedly lied and deceived the JSPN in the past. Oli was not sympathetic to the concerns of the Madheshis as early as 2015!], Restoration of multiparty democracy : The new round of political surprises can push forward political realignment, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Making the country safe for women : Many times people who have been raped feel it was their fault and they end up feeling disgusted for something which was not their fault at all, by Nilima Adhikari (rep), Meeting of House of Representatives adjourned till March 16 (rep) [?? Artificial extension of the validity of ordinances initiated by PM Oli??], PM Oli in mood to split JSP for new power sharing (kh) [A person without any morals and political culture, who destroys the entire state if necessary to safeguard his personal power interests!], CPN (Maoist Center) not to withdraw its support to the government (kh), No violence of any type exists in country now: PM Oli (kh) [However, the violence of the Oli-archy continues to prevail, seeking to destroy all democracy and political culture!], अक्करमा अड्किएको राजकाज : समसामयिक परिवेशमा प्रतिगमनलाई पनि निर्वाचनको वैधानिकताबेगर बाँच्न कठिन हुन्छ । त्यसैले सत्ता साझेदारीको जोड–घटाउबाट उम्किएर राजनीतिक दलहरू जनताका घरदैलोमा पुग्नु बुद्धिमानी हुनेछ  [Government work formally stuck : Even in the current environment, regression is difficult to survive without the legitimacy of elections. Therefore, it would be wise for the political parties to reach the doorsteps of the people by escaping from the tension of power-sharing], by CK Lal (ka)
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09/03/2021: What next for NCP after the court verdict? If NCP Double is to split along UML and Maoist Centre what will happen to those MPs crisscrossing between Oli and Dahal-Nepal camps?, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), A setback for Dahal as his allies from CPN-UML decide to return home : With 53 seats, the Maoist Centre is now the third party in Parliament. And to make any substantial move, the Maoist chair has to look to Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party, Tika R Pradhan (kp), Apex Court Ruling : Headache For NCP Leaders, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Review petition likely against SC verdict, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Congress revising strategy as court decision changes political equations : With the CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre revived, the main opposition is exploring  two options—leading the government and going for early elections, by Anil Giri (kp), Maoist Centre to consult Nepali Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party on government formation : The party, which was revived on Sunday by the Supreme Court after scrapping the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), has 53 seats in Parliament, well short of the required number to form a government (kp), Prachanda and Deuba hold talks (kh), Political uncertainty : Oli's chances of getting the support of either the NC or the FSP is very slim due to his move to dissolve the HoR (ht), Politicians influencing constitutional body decisions comes to light once again : As a minister implicitly admits the Election Commission was ‘pressured’, analysts say independent bodies are increasingly being brought under the control of the executive, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Why only a few came : There is a serious lack of information about the vaccination drive (kp), Lost in transition : Political beliefs and actions are driven by whims rather than carefully judged thinking, by Atul K Thakur (kp), Global bodies' statements against country's sovereignty, says NHRC (ht) [The allegations of the NHRC prove that this commission in its present composition, fabricated by PM Oli, has lost all independence and is in thrall to the Oli government!],
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08/07/2021: Harassment, misogyny still all too common for women : The law has ensured women’s representation in the  political sphere but attitudes have not changed, by Samiksha Baral (kp), The (NCP) party’s over : Now there is political mess as the Supreme Court invalidates the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) under Oli and Dahal and revives the pre-merger CPN-UML and Maoist Centre, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), SC deals legal blow to teetering ruling party, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Gopal Kiranti-led CPN Maoist threatens to move Court (kh), PM Oli tells Rawal: Go to SC to ask which party I belong to (kh) [This man knows nothing but mockery, lies and authoritarian behaviour! He should be aware that it does not require a formal split of the CPN-UML to vote him out. It is not only for moral reasons that such a vote out is urgently needed!], Politics of no confidence in House, boycott and sloganeering : Dahal-Nepal faction walks out in protest, Nepali Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party bar government from presenting ordinances, as Parliament convenes after it was reinstated, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Nepal's politicians once again prove their lack of political and democratic culture!], Ruckus in House over ordinance : Opposition lawmakers demand withdrawal of Constitution Council Amendment Ordinance (ht), People of Limi and Yari in Humla deprived of immunisation against Covid-19 : Public health experts say the government has failed to ensure equal health care rights to all people, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Our right to move : Restrictive policies have only served to delegitimise women’s free movement, by Neha Choudhary and Sandhya Sitoula (kp), Dip in per capita income challenge to Nepal’s graduation to developing country status, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Social media is ‘dangerous’ to women journalists in Nepal, by Anjali Subedi (rep)
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07/03/2021: Many Nepalis deprived of citizenship certificate (ht), Civil Society staging demonstration today in favor of democracy (kh), Supreme Court awards Nepal Communist Party to Rishiram Kattel : The decision makes the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) registered under Oli and Dahal in May 2018 illegitimate (kp), SC recognizes Rishi Kattel’s party authentic NCP : Annuls Prachanda-Oli’s NCP (kh) [This means that the two divided factions of the ruling party must immediately look for a new names. Both use of the name NCP is illegitimate! The question remains why the SC took so long to make this important decision. The EC should never have recognised Oli and Dahal's party as NCP under existing law!], House of confrontation : As Parliament session begins, Oli will try to prove his legitimacy while the Dahal-Nepal faction, though still confused, prepares to nix his plan, by Binod Ghimire and Anil Giri (kp), Nation Awaits Political Cliffhanger, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Prachanda-Nepal faction holding emergency PP meeting (kh), Badi people’s sit-in continues for two weeks : Around 400 people of the Badi community have come to Surkhet for the protest, demanding land plots, by Kalendra Sejuwal (kp), As chief ministers go troubleshooting for Oli, provincial governance takes hit : Every time prime minister faces trouble in the Nepal Communist Party, Pokharel and Gurung rush to Kathmandu. They are now at the forefront of efforts to save the party, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Federalism Oli's way! Centralism to keep the Prime Minister in power!], Three years of provincial governments : Despite the challenges, all seven provinces of Nepal have made many achievements, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), SC verdict on NCP name dispute strengthens PM Oli (kh) [Why? On the basis of the judgement, the unification of the two parties never took place. Oli, who lost all legitimacy anyway because of his coup, therefore only has the 121 MPs of the original CPN-UML on his side. Because of the switch of many these MPs to the original CPN-MC, their number is likely to be even much smaller!], NC obstructs House session demanding withdrawal of ordinances (kh), HoR adjourned till 1 PM Wednesday (kh)
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06/03/2021: Congress lawmakers against backing Oli and rather for leading new government : But with a formal proposal yet to be made to the party  and the Nepal Communist Party besieged with legal  complications, it is in no hurry to make a decision, by Anil Giri (kp) [The problem here is not the NC party, but its top politicians: Sher Bahadur Deuba, who has already failed four times as PM, behaved in 2002 just as KP Oli does now, asking the then head of state to dissolve parliament in order to prolong his personal power, which heralded the end of the 1990 political system and the split of his party. In 2010, Ram Chandra Poudel blocked the work of the first Constituent Assembly for months simply because he wanted to become PM, although he had no chance of success. When will the political parties realise that a younger and more open-minded generation is needed immediately?], NC leaders Deuba, Poudel and Shekhar not to run after PM’s post (kh), Chand commits to peaceful politics but many questions remain unanswered : The three-point deal signed with the government does  not say much about arms management and addressing the Communist Party of Nepal’s political issues, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), In his meeting with home minister, CPN Gen Secy Chand seeks immediate release of jailed party leaders, cadres (rep), Ill practices, society's attitude root causes for sexual violence (ht), Experts slam government on restrictive approach on governing women’s mobility : The government imposing bans on women from migrating instead of making labour migration safer for them only infringes on their rights to mobility and employment, they say, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), All eyes on House session beginning tomorrow amid heightened dispute in NCP : PM Oli is likely to face a no-confidence motion in the House session beginning tomorrow (rep), Supreme Court final verdict on NCP’s name row on Sunday (kh)
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05/03/2021: Chand party agrees to shun violence, government lifts ban : Details of the three-point pact to be made public today. It’s unclear what happens to the outfit’s political demands like scrapping of parliamentary system and a round-table meet, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The question remains whether in a democratic state the government is allowed to ban another political party so easily! In Western democracies, at least, this is an extremely complicated and lengthy process in which the judiciary plays a decisive role.], Hold on to peace : The truce with the Chand-led party is a much-needed flicker of hope for Nepalis (kp), Biplob bungle : Why was the CPN banned if talks were to be later held with no change in its violent modus operandi? (ae), Chand expresses commitment to abide by three-point agreement : The Communist Party of Nepal leader, who made his public appearance after two years, however, reiterated that the existing political system is flawed (kp) [You can't disagree with that!], Nepal witnessed economic recession but quick recovery likely, economists say : There was negative growth in the last quarter of 2019-20 and first quarter of 2020-21. In the final analysis year-on-year growth in the last fiscal year was minus 1.99 percent, by Sangam Prasain (kp), More politician, less finance minister, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (ae), Address Badis' woes : It is the responsibility of the government to provide basic amenities to the underprivileged groups (ht), Of trafficking and absurd rules : Long before, women travelling abroad were routinely subjected to humiliating questions about why and with whom they were travelling, or how they could afford to do so, by Bishal Thapa (ae), Two decades of debate on female migration : A look back at how we have come back full circle in 20 years about the ban on migration. Or maybe we never left, by Upasana Khadka (nt), Erosion of elections : The idea of elections has changed from an eagerly awaited event to an occurrence that could be good or bad but necessary for the continuance of the present political system, by Sambridh Ghimire (rep), Security of VIPs in Nepal: Need vs. Obsession, by Abhaya Raj Joshi (kh),
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04/03/2021: They put excessive focus on stability. But they failed  to achieve it : Nepal’s lawmakers and framers of the constitution wrote strong provisions to end instability, but instead of helping politics move ahead, the laws have made it hobble, by Binod Ghimire (kp), The president and the prime minister : Bidya Devi Bhandari and KP Oli have ridden roughshod over accepted political norms, by Deepak Thapa (kp), PM's ire against the intelligentsia : Indicator of despotic tendencies, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), Indecision in Congress, Samajbadi Party as Dahal and Nepal grope in the dark : Former election commissioners call on the Election Commission to resolve the Nepal Communist Party dispute at the earliest to facilitate the political process, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt and Chand-led CPN reach three-point agreement, the underground outfit to renounce violence to advance its political goals (rep), Govt and Biplav group seal 3-pt deal (kh),
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03/03/2021: Linguistic discrimination and conflict : As long as there is unfairness, the goal of an inclusive and prosperous Nepal is impossible, by Sangmo Yonjan-Tamang (kp) The court verdict is a temporary respite : The pyrrhic victory of democracy has restored judicial supremacy in place of Parliament’s sovereignty, by CK Lal (kp), Oli takes initiatives for talks with Chand party as he struggles to stay afloat : The government forms a team under Home Minister Thapa to hold dialogue with Communist Party of Nepal, an armed outfit led by Dahal’s one-time trusted lieutenant, by Anil Giri (kp), Challenges to manage sufficient doses of vaccine for the second phaseManufacturer has refused to sell jabs at $4, the price Nepal paid earlier, and WHO may not supply vaccines on time. This could lead to shortages for second dose for those above 55, by Arjun Poudel (kp), While focus is on vaccination, other strategies to fight pandemic ignored : The European Union had offered help to perform a seroprevalence study and strengthen surveillance and early  warning systems a year ago but the government has not taken up the offer yet, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [This too is part of the utter failure and disinterest of the Oli government!], Overcoming The Trust Deficit, by Namrata Sharma (rn), NC should join government: Shashanka Koirala (kh), Deuba says he is ready to shoulder the responsibility as a PM (kh) [It cannot be a democratic solution if Deuba, who in 2002 putsched against the state and democracy in a similar way as Oli did recently, is now to be made his successor!]
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02/03/2021: Political flux and geopolitical manoeuvres : Despite the Supreme Court decision, the murky political waters of Nepal will not quieten anytime soon, by Achyut Wagle (kp), House braces for Nepal Communist Party factional infighting : Half of the party still is ruling the country and the other half is acting as the ‘opposition’ trying to unseat Oli, raising risks of confrontation when the House convenes, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Nepali Congress mulls over at least four options amid rising political uncertainty : Leaders say a deal with Oli cannot be ruled out provided that he agrees to play along, either to let the party lead the government or create a situation for an early election, by Anil Giri (kp), Plan for Oli statue reeks of feudalism, analysts say : Terming the prime minister as ‘Father of Industrial Revolution’ his statue is to be put up at the China-Nepal Friendship Industrial Park in Jhapa, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [A case of megalomania in its terminal stage!], Nepal’s debt nearly triples in the last five and half years : Experts, however, say the country still has room for borrowing needed for development but insist that there should be productive use of the borrowed funds, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Supreme Court lenient on pressing contempt charge against journalists, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [!!!], Ready to work with Oli-led faction if it accepts its mistakes: Madhav Nepal, by Binod Subedi (rep) [??? Hopefully, the leaders of both factions will then personally pay for the completely unnecessary state expenditures that their irrational power struggle has caused! Oli is unacceptable in a constitutional state for all time to come!]
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01/03/2021: Nepal’s Human Rights Commission’s integrity in jeopardy, three international human rights groups say : In a joint statement on Monday, Human Rights Watch, the International Commission of Jurists, and Amnesty International said that lack of transparency in appointments undermines effectiveness and public confidence (kp) [see common statement of AI, HRW and ICJ: Nepal: Human Rights Commission’s Integrity in Jeopardy : Lack of Transparency in Appointments Undermine Effectiveness, Public Confidence], International rights bodies demand withdrawal of ordinance (ht), NBA opposes recent appointments in constitutional bodies (ht), Oli does not want to quit on moral grounds but instead is talking of horse trading : Implying elected representatives are for sale is disrespecting the House and electorate, lawmakers and analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Politics becomes more complicated in ways that will exacerbate gridlock : Oli refuses to budge as the Dahal-Nepal faction explores options, only to realise that there are none as of now, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Graduating wisely : We need a solid post-graduation plan to enjoy the perks of becoming a developing country (kp), Focus on GNI : Nepal must do adequate homework to meet the necessary threshold related to GNI per capita to graduate from a LDC (ht),
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28/02/2021: They spoke up and they are receiving threats : Harassment, death and rape threats, and bigotry against women are a silent epidemic affecting their right to speak up against issues, women activists say, by Samiksha Baral (kp), Nepal needs strategy, robust trade deals to graduate from poor club, experts say : As the United Nations recommends Nepal’s graduation from least developed country after 2026, challenges are of sustained growth since nation will lose existing support, by Anil Giri (kp), Oli’s unconstitutional House dissolution leads to unwanted burden on state treasury, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Thank you, Mr Oli! Nothing is too expensive for you to maintain your power, but you, like the other top politicians, do not care about the country and its people!], COVAX jabs supply to fall short of forecast : WHO likely to provide only 380,000 doses of 2.25 million it was expected to deliver to Nepal in the first phase of scheme, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Road upgradation continues amidst tight security (ht) [What does the Oli government care about Supreme Court directives!], Tharuhat-Tharuwan National Front's special convention begins in Kailali (ht), Triumph Of Constitutionalism, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Olitics-politics and ethics : Prime Minister Oli is very much the part of the problem. Therefore, cannot be part of the solution, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), NC, JSP not to support no confidence motion sans agreement prior to HoR meeting (kh),
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27/02/2021: Who owns the constitution anyway : As those elected to protect the charter assaulted it and those with reservations emerged as the vanguard, analysts call for work towards its wider ownership and acceptability, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [In any case, the constitution was not created as the interim constitution had prescribed. It is the work of the traditional male elite from the so-called high Hindu castes and continues to safeguard their interests in particular!], What if Supreme Court gives Nepal Communist Party to Kattel? The decision could make Nepal Communist Party (NCP) null and void, taking the warring factions to the state prior to May 2018 when UML and Maoist Centre had merged, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Diplomats are meeting political leaders but Foreign Ministry is unaware : The interest that foreign envoys show in Nepali politics during political instability is the result of political leadership giving them unhindered access, leaders and experts say, by Anil Giri (kp), A year of pandemic teaches a lot, but lessons not learnedPublic health experts say the Covid-19 crisis exposed a lot of weaknesses, which could be used as an opportunity to improve and prepare for the future, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Civic Activism Of Civil Society, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
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26/02/2021: Narrow the gap : Although the constitution has not discriminated its citizens based on gender, the laws need to be amended to see this in practice (ht) [The constitution, too, discriminates against women, for example with regard to citizenship law!], Supreme verdict : Nepal’s Supreme Court has put the derailed political and democratic process back on track (ae), Cabinet decides to summon HoR meeting on March 7 (kh), House restored but poll body still has to settle ruling party dispute : Experts say the Supreme Court verdict may have taken some pressure off Election Commission but it cannot sit on the case forever, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Janata Samajbadi Party seeks clarity from Dahal and Nepal as they approach it for supportThe party asks which party the leaders head and if they are ready to address its demands, including charter revision, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Nepali Congress to wait and watch developments in the Nepal Communist Party unfold : Following the two warring factions’ approach to help it form a new government,  a meeting of top Nepali Congress leaders decides not to take sides for now, by Anil Giri (kp), Obstacles, confusion galore over the election of new Nepali PM : Neither NCP faction can claim government leadership without the support of Nepali Congress. But the jury is still out on whether NC will support an NCP faction or itself claim leadership, by Ashok Dahal (ae) [Given what Oli has done, he and his party do not deserve to be part of the next government. However, Dahal and Deuba also have plenty of negative responsibility! Ke garne? Nepal desperately needs a new generation of political leaders!], Calm before another storm in Nepal : A day after Supreme Court verdict political forces jostle to form new government (nt), House of cards : We are just reshuffling the cards. We may need a new deck (nt), Parliamentary arithmetics, by Mukesh Pokhrel (nt),
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25/02/2021: Citizens’ manifesto : The Citizens’ Movement has called for freedom from political regression and justice for the marginalised, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Congress weighs options as both Oli and Dahal-Nepal factions make overtures to it : The party has emerged as a clear beneficiary but its  leaders are hesitant to make any move until a formal split of the Nepal Communist Party, by Anil Giri (kp), How KP Sharma Oli’s authoritarian politics bid boomeranged on him : House dissolution move turned out to be a trap for Oli, as he is set to lose prime minister’s post and even likely to be reduced to playing second fiddle either to Deuba or Dahal, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [After his grave breach of the constitution, perpetrated out of pure greed for power, Oli has no legitimacy whatsoever to play any kind of fiddle anymore!], Sapkota: The fate of no-confidence motion against Oli depends on the party that registered it : The House speaker on Supreme Court verdict, how the parliamentary process will move ahead, his relations with Prime Minister Oli and his petition in the court (kp) [interview], Prisoners of uncertainty : We can’t afford to return to the old days of horse trading (kp), Sales of masks, sanitisers drop as people become carefree : The pandemic is not over yet, and people should take precautions even if they have been vaccinated, health experts say, by Krishana Prasain (kp) [Highly responsible for this aberration are Oli, Dahal, Nepal Deuba and all the other so-called top politicians who lure the people en masse to the streets for their political power games and make them believe that there is no pandemic in Nepal!], Give this constitution a chance : The only democratic way forward, by Raghav Gautam (ht),
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24/02/2021: House reinstated : Constitution has prevailed, parties and analysts say, by Tika R Pradhan and Anil Giri (kp), In landmark verdict, SC reinstates Lower House : Orders government to call new session of Parliament within 13 days, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), The constitution wins : Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli must step down on moral grounds (kp), Supreme Court may have brought politics on track but experts say crisis hasn’t ended : The Nepali Congress, with 63 seats in the House, will be the kingmaker. But if it chooses to stay out of the fray, Parliament may struggle to give a new government, by Binod Ghimire (kp), With court verdict reinstating the House, alliance talks begin : Gyawali says House meeting will be called within 13 days. Both factions of the Nepal Communist Party reach out to the Congress (kp) [The Oli faction lacks any moral basis to be involved in the next government. In particular, KP Oli personally must never hold public office again!], Prime Minister Oli, resign immediately : If KP Sharma Oli has an iota of respect for the people and the democratic processes, he should resign immediately and pave the way for forming  a new government (rep), PM Oli says he is not in the mood to resign soon (kh), SC issues interim order against Jalahari installation at Pashupatinath (kh), President Bhandari reaches Pashupatinath to begin installation of golden ‘Jalahari’  (kh) [???], A season of revolutions : Neither elections nor revolution is a solution to the current problems, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Haliyas declared free on paper but their plight remains same : The former bonded labourers say the state has done little for their rehabilitation, by Jyotee Katuwal (kp), Curtailing women’s liberty : The rule proposed by Department of Immigration tries to force the patriarchal vision of society onto women through the fabric of legislation. This policy is based on classification of sex, by Niyati Adhikari (rep),
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23/02/2021: SC reinstates House of Representatives : Orders government to summon House session within the next 13 days (kh), House of Representatives reinstated with the verdict of Supreme Court on Dissolution case (ht), In a landmark verdict, Supreme Court reinstates House of Representatives (Read the verdict) (rep), Supreme Court scraps all appointments made by govt to various constitutional bodies after Dec 20 (rep), Addressing HR violations : Nepal Police needs to reform, by Mohna Ansari (ht), Six held for seeking justice for Nirmala (ht) [It is a crime to demand justice for rape victims when His Majesty the Prime Minister is in town!], Execute penal code : The government should take corrective measures to make improvements in the criminal justice system (ht), Army chief’s meeting with chief justice stokes speculation of political message : The meeting between Thapa and Rana comes at a time when the nation is awaiting a verdict on House dissolution, which could determine the country’s future course, by Anil Giri (kp), Security Council discusses lifting ban on Biplav outfit (kh), Cabinet meeting to follow National Security Council meeting, today (ht), Initiating development projects after poll notice is abuse of resources, analysts say : Week-long plan of laying foundations of five industrial estates begins even as progress of ongoing projects is poor; Oli has warned of  agitation if  the court decides against dissolution of  Parliament, by Prithvi man Shrestha (kp), HoR dissolution case on SC’s cause list for today (kh), Provincialising instability : Balloting alone can be inadequate to gauge the aspirations of the people (kp), EC undecided which NCP faction legitimate (ht), Congress A Mute Spectator?, by Narayan Upadhyay (ht), Members of Badi community stage sit-in protest in front of Karnali Chief Minister’s Office (rn)
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22/02/2021: Oli faction cripples provincial assemblies to save two chief ministers : The Nepal Communist Party feud is having an impact on provinces, which will be detrimental to democratic  principles and the constitution, analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Oli destroys the state and the constitution out of pure greed for power and calls this the preservation of democracy! The other top politicians also have little interest in the latter, but Oli's behaviour is unbelievable and should be punished most severely!], SC order on corrective measures for prisoners remains unimplemented, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [Supreme Court decisions are binding law, but the Oli government sees it completely differently!], Secretariat member of Chand-led CPN Bastola arrested again, despite SC order to free him (rep), Nutrition deficiency still prevalent despite country spending billions to address the issue : Distribution of complementary foods and micronutrients alone will not address the problem, nutritionists say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Government to respond to Chand’s call for talks after next Cabinet meeting : If the dialogue takes a positive turn, jailed leaders and cadres of the outfit will be released gradually as demanded, officials say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), What’s in a language : The government should learn from the past blunders of promoting one language (kp), Bhojpuri language not developed thanks to govt apathy (ht), Stronger laws needed : Merely handing down prison terms and fines is not going to deter people from engaging in human trafficking law (ht), Army chief Thapa meets Chief Justice Rana (rep) [Contempt of court??], How Oli government botched COVID-19 response, by Ashim Neupane (rep), Manifestation of misogyny : If the government really wants to ‘protect’ women it needs to make the country safe from violence, prejudices, practices and laws that harm and humiliate women, by Grishma Bista (rep),
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21/02/2021: Nepal needs to amend human trafficking laws to fully enforce Palermo Protocol, experts say : Existing laws define the crime in a narrow sense and fail to protect the victims, they argue, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), 'Trafficking is crime of moral turpitude', by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Chand-led party expresses willingness to hold dialogue with the government : The announcement, two years after the party’s activities were banned, comes amid a changing political scenario  in the country since the lower house was dissolved, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Deuba reluctant to organise protests against House dissolution : Some Congress leaders suspect a tacit understanding between Deuba and Oli could be the reason, by Anil Giri (kp)  [Two autocratic opportunists show their anti-democratic sentiments. For Deuba, too, it is only about personal power, not about law and constitution!], Wisdom of the crowds : The only definite way of gauging the will of the people is through an election, by Sambridh Ghimire (kp) [There may have to be early elections in the near future, but not now. At the moment, the only question is whether Oli was allowed to dissolve parliament in order to prolong his personal power or whether he had to abide by the internationally customary democratic rules of the game: resignation or a vote of confidence in parliament. Only then, if no new government can be formed, may there be new elections!], Nirmala’s mother watches Bhagarathi case unfold, wants Dilip Singh Bista to be investigated (rep)
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20/02/2021: To reclaim democracy, citizens hold Tundikhel march : Brihat Nagarik Andolan vows to fight to protect the country from falling into an abyss, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), With hearing over, justices will now study legal briefs and discuss case before verdict : More than 100 lawyers, including amicus curiae members, spoke on the legality of Oli’s move. Arguments on both sides were weak and repetitive and waste of time, analysts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ensure Fair Distribution Of Responsibility, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Biplav outfit “positive” for dialogue with government (kh),
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19/02/2021: End of war is not peace : A generation later, the legacy of war is seen in residual violence and impunity, extortion and murder, rape and torture (nt), The lingering trauma of war : 15 years after opposing sides in Nepal’s conflict made peace, a victim’s fight for truth and justice continues, by Pratibha Tuladhar (nt), From the frontlines of Nepal’s war : Five reporters remember their coverage of the people caught up in the Maoist ‘People’s War’ (nt), Nepal’s democracy challenges : Analysts say the major impediment to democratic process in the country is a lack  of political culture among leaders and their failure to put people first, by Anil Giri (kp), Civil Society to unveil its manifesto today (kp), Intra-Party Feud Causes Instability, by Bhupa P. Dhamala (rn), Hearing In HoR Dissolution Case Ends (rn), Hearing on writ petitions against HoR dissolution concludes, verdict awaited : The apex court is expected to issue the verdict anytime after Feb 23 (rep), President removes Tilak Pariyar as Province 2 governor, appoints Rajesh Jha : Pariyar was appointed in November 2019 under the former Maoist quota (kp), Why Pushpa Kamal Dahal repeatedly finds himself alone : Dahal’s critics say his first preference while making important appointments are his immediate family members, by Ashok Dahal (ae)
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18/02/2021: People are fed up : Undemocratic practices have been the hallmark of politicians across parties (kp), In a state of confrontation : Oli’s moves, especially the ordinance on Constitutional Council Act and the House  dissolution, set off events which have created hostility among key state organs, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Dumping federalism : The discriminatory immigration rule targeting women reflects the values of an illiberal government, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Food availability in Nepal : Challenges faced with urbanisation, by Sauravi Regmi (ht), How proposed immigration policy on women is deeply flawed : Limiting women’s education, employment and movement hinders their economic empowerment and freedom thereby perpetuating their dependency on men, by Tara Kanel (rep), Is parliament dissolution constitutional? Prime Minister Oli has not been able to prove how exactly the House of the Representatives did not cooperate with him in carrying out his duties, by Neha Sharma (rep)
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17/02/2021: Contempt of conscience : Let freedom of speech and divergent views flourish (kp), Temptations of saffron secularity and hybrid democracy : The political call for a Hindu Rashtra poses a mortal threat to the very idea of an inclusive Nepal, by CK Lal (kp), A constitutional crisis in the offing : Without some sort of settlement, Nepal cannot be rescued from the present imbroglio, by Narayan Manandhar (kp) [All those responsible for this must ultimately be held legally accountable!], House dissolution hearing in final leg as amicus curiae starts presenting brief : The first of the five friends of the court in his arguments wavers talking about ambiguities in the constitution  rather than the legality of KP Sharma Oli’s move, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Cabinet clears way to procure 2 million vaccine doses : Nepal is buying the jabs from the Serum Institute of India at $4 per dose, for which the government, changing existing guidelines, has given the nod to 80 percent advance payment—around Rs749 million—to the manufacturer, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Government seeks logistical support from India, China even as poll uncertainty continues : Poll body has yet to resolve dispute in Nepal Communist Party, a must for holding elections, but it has expedited other works, by Anil Giri (kp), Dahal-Nepal camp drafting white paper to convince otherparties, civic groups to join stir : Members of the civil society have been questioning the faction’s commitment  to democracy, rule of law and social justice, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), NHRC urges govt to save Ganga Maya (ht), Enact the law : It is hard to define what constitutes contempt of court when the parliament has not enacted a law to this effect (ht)
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16/02/2021: Former chief justices reply to the court, reasserting why free speech matters : In saying House dissolution is unconstitutional, they say they used their right to freedom of expression and that does not amount to contempt of court, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Oli says he was not allowed to work. But he flaunts his achievements : Analysts and leaders say prime minister is making contradictory statements to justify House dissolution, by Anil Giri (kp), Ramechhap earthquake survivors have no proper homes even six years after disaster : Three integrated settlements remain incomplete as the National Reconstruction Authority has not issued funds, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp) [The early elections ordered by Oli, which are completely unnecessary, are certainly considerably more expensive!], Nepal at risk from new virus variants, experts warn : The government’s focus on vaccination while ignoring importance of testing, contact tracing and genome sequencing could prove costly, they say, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [The completely wrong and conceptless handling of the pandemic is undoubtedly one of the biggest areas of failure of the Oli government!], Create more jobs : The scheme of a minimum of 100 days of work is, at its best, a complementary project (kp), Failure on the economic front : A thorough evaluation shows that this government has more severely failed Nepal on economic matters, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Intellectual property versus consumer rights : Regulators must come between the act of cheating and the violation of consumer rights, by Roshee Lamichhane (kp), Abduction and murder case filed against 42 members of the Communist Party of Nepal, including its leader Chand : They have been charged with kidnapping and killing a teacher in Morang on December 4 (kp),
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15/02/2021: He was chosen to strengthen the charter. He has left it weakened : In three years, Oli took measures to impair federalism until he dealt a blow to the constitution, throwing stability dream down the drain and inviting uncertainties, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Misreading the provinces : Attempts to further weaken the provincial sphere will result in the scrapping of federalism, by Ajay Das (kp), Vaccination begins for third group, but experts say target will be missed again : Around 300,000 local representatives and staffers and those working at financial institutions are on the list, but without proper planning, it’s unclear if all will be covered, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Ensure right to speech : It is sure to backfire on the government should it introduce the directives aimed at curtailing the freedom of speech (ht), Poll body steps up preparations, but indecision on Nepal Communist Party legitimacy continues : Amid concerns over spring elections, Dahal-Nepal faction says preparations lack meaning without resolving party row, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Mudslinging in Nepali politics : Going from bad to worse, by Jiba Raj Pokharel (ht), For a pinch of salt : The government must ensure that essential commodities reach rural areas efficiently (kp), Former chief justices respond to the Supreme Court, say their statement does not amount to contempt of court : The court had sought reply in writing from four former justices over their January 8 statement in which they called Oli’s House dissolution move unconstitutional (kp) [But the statements of Oli and his henchmen do this in an extremely diverse way!], We are still determined that House dissolution was unconstitutional: Four former chief justices (rep)
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14/02/2021: Broken promise : The Nepal government has failed to live up to its commitments on transitional justice, by Ram Dayal Rakesh (kp) [Oli has implemented almost nothing of what he had announced three years ago. All Nepali politicians think and act similarly, but Oli's failure is particularly extreme!], Bardiya municipalities unite to keep memories of war victims alive : Local and provincial governments can now do their bit to  provide relief for victims of the conflict, experts say; Governments formed after the peace accord have failed to bring  justice to victims, by Binod Ghimire (kp), More women joining protests in capital (ht), NHRC introduces policy to ensure gender equality (ht), Oli’s large-scale secretary transfers in lead-up to elections come into question : More transfers of bureaucrats as well as of police officers are on the cards, officials say. Past experience shows  that officials have a role in influencing elections, by Anil Giri (kp), 'Reject contitutional appointments bypassing parliamentary hearing' : Rights activists are very certain that the National Human Rights Commission will not be able to do its job effectively as it lacks legality and validity (kp)
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13/02/2021: ‘Justice, justice, justice’ : Fed up with inaction, women march to demand end to impunity, by Samiksha Baral (kp), Hundreds rally in capital for women’s rights (ht), The legacy of the decade-long ‘people’s war : ’Former fighters don’t deny the gains of the sacrifices but wonder whether the political achievements have indeed brought socio-economic transformation in the country, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Draft directives to regulate social media give authorities power to define decency : Provisions of the directives, to be enforced by the Department of Information Technology, are from the controversial Information Technology Bill which is in Parliament., by Bijay Timalsina (kp), New directives to control online media worry free speech proponents (ht), Two years after shortening public holiday list, government starts adding to it again : Officials are calculating potential political benefits while taking decisions on holidays, critics say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Constitutional Imperative Of Civic Education, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Nepal’s constitutional crisis and mounting security challenges, by Abhaya Raj Joshi (kh)
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12/02/2021: Nepal’s ‘inferior’ women : Nepal is still a highly patriarchal society that looks upon women as second-class citizens (ae), History of female (im)mobility in Nepal : Immigration Dept proposal is just the latest proof of a misogynist, bungling bureaucracy, by Upasana Khadka (nt), ‘Women’s March’ in Kathmandu to demand an end to violence against women and impunity : People from various walks of life are participating in the march from Basantapur to Singha Durbar gate (kp), In Jhakri’s arrest, analysts see Oli government’s intent to curb free speech : The leader was charged with crime against the state, before she was released, for her remarks on the President, but legal experts say police stretched the law a bit too far, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Jhakri arrested for remarks against prez : Freed more than five hours later following protests led by parties, civil society (ht), Proposed travel rule change may not help control women’s trafficking, experts say : Immigration official tries but fails to convince protesters that the government is not trying to curtail anyone’s rights, by Chandan Kumar Mandal and Samikshy Baral (kp) [But it helps the patriarchy to control women even better! According to the thinking of Hindu fundamentalists like Oli, this is perfectly fine!], Day trippers : Organisers and demonstrators must be mindful that the risk of coronavirus transmission looms large (kp) [The responsibility lies mainly with top politicians like Oli, Dahal, Nepal and others, who call people to the streets in large numbers almost every day for demonstrations, where most of them turn up without mouth-nose masks!], KP Oli has assassinated democracy, claims Democratic Thought Society (kh), Revolution and counter-revolution : Why have the Maoists  run out of steam, and  their vision become nearly void?, by Hisila Yami (kp), Most businesses still operating in the red despite end of lockdown, report saysA survey conducted by the Ministry of Industry showed that 10.81 percent of firms have shut down, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Oli’s follies : Deceit and thuggery have gone to such an extent that in one moment PM says one thing and in the next moment does opposite of what he just said, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), Is KP Oli staying on, or will the SC verdict be his final farewell?, by Ashok Dahal (ae),
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11/02/2021: New rule on foreign travel for women under 40 draws ire as patriarchal and preposterousIn what is described by public and rights defenders as a regressive move, government says women under 40 years of age must take consent from family to fly abroad on visit visas, by Chandan Kumar Mandal and Samiksha Baral (kp), Women under 40 require a letter, and permission from family to travel abroad: DoI Director Paudel (with audio), interview with Teknarayan Paudel, director of DoI (rep), DoI expresses concern over news reports on alleged requirement of letter from local govt and permission of family to woman under 40 to travel abroad (rep), Girl abducted and raped in Morang, by Chuman Basnet (rep), Smash rape culture : Impunity is one of the reasons why sexual violence continues to thrive (kp) [The Oli government and political parties care more about their sympathisers, even if they are perpetrators! They also regard women as inferior creatures, subordinate to men in every way!], Children becoming victims of sexual exploitation due to internet misuse (ht), Youth revolt: the battle for democracy  and transparency; For the freedom-loving, educated in Nepal, Oli and company represent regression and hypocrisy, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Dahal seeks international community’s support to save democracy in Nepal : It’s nearly two months since Oli dissolved the House, but major countries, including India, the US, the UK and China, have opted not to speak up on the political situation here, by Anil Giri (kp) [This may also be due to the person of Dahal, who claimed responsibility for the death of 5,000 people during the time of the insurgency, but did not draw any further legal and political consequences from it!], Hearing on House dissolution to take at least one more week to conclude : The bench is yet to hear from lawyers representing Speaker Sapkota, counter-argument from plaintiff and statements from the amicus curiae—a process that could go on till February 17, a court official says, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This long duration of the trial is irresponsible in view of the immense damage already done to the country!], Govt attorneys conclude debate in writs against HoR dissolution (kh), Rallies may be by Oli or Dahal but it’s always citizens who suffer : Political parties and their leaders are interested in mass protests, but the people, including the participants of such demonstrations,  say they are not., by Anup Ojha (kp), Government yet to respond to Biplav group’s call for talks : Since the split in Nepal Communist Party, both factions are trying to woo leaders of the banned outfit. The ruling  faction’s efforts, however, seem half-hearted as it fears they might support the rival camp once they join the mainstream, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Pliant Cadres Fail Democracy, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Leader Ram Kumari Jhakri Arrested (rn), NCP's Dahal-Nepal faction leader Jhakri arrested from home for "committing a crime against state" (rep), Dahal-Nepal faction protesting outside Jhakri’s residence as police prepare to arrest her (rep), NC leader Thapa takes strong exception to Jhankri’s arrest (kh), Dr. Koirala condemns Jhakri’s arrest, demands immediate release (kh), Habeas corpus petition filed at SC against Jhakri’s arrest (kh),
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10/02/2021: Lactating mothers, newborns in the far-west forced to stay in cowsheds after childbirth, by Prakash Singh (ht), Eliminating gender based violence : The way political leadership is working to end gender-based violence in our country is not inspiring enough. There should be greater commitment and more actions, by Mandip Lamichhane (rep), New rule requiring women under 40 to take approval from family, local ward office to go abroad draws criticism : Social media users call it a regressive move, saying the decision deprives women of their agency and limits their right to free movement (kp) [Oli, the misogynist!], New directives to regulate media, social networking sites in offing (ht) [Media censorship in preparation!], Is Oli right to say he dissolved the House, just the way UK prime minister did?No. In October 2019 Boris Johnson invoked the Fixed-term Parliaments Act-2011 as per which his election motion was endorsed by more than two-thirds of Members of Parliament (kp), Oli asking poll body not to get into any party disputes raises concerns : As polls are not possible until the Nepal Communist Party issue is resolved, analysts wonder if the prime minister has a different game plan to drive his opponents into a corner, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Cabinet decides to hold Secondary Education Examinations centrally : The decision is against the spirit of federalism envisioned in the constitution, provincial officials say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ministry mulls vaccinating workers who come in frequent contact with public : Bankers, transport staff and public utility workers, among other priority groups, to get the vaccine, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Lack of strategic thinking : The constitutional mess in Nepal could lead to political and security dilemmas, by Binoj Basnyat (kp), Time will soon come to gherao Singha Durbar and Baluwatar, Prachanda warns (kh) [Now, at the latest, Dahal is also playing the Trump. Of course, he is not one bit better than Oli. It's enough to give you the heebie-jeebies!],
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09/02/2021: Three incidents of rape and attempted rape reported in five days in Gorkha (rep), Why women should be given equal rights in citizenship : Nepal’s sovereignty will be stronger if we empower our women and children and weaker if we disenfranchise the children of Nepali mothers. A nation that treats its citizens unequally is doomed from within, by Riti Prasai (rep), Poor planning responsible for low Covid-19 vaccination rate in first phase, experts say : Studies were needed to inform policy on who to get the vaccine and when, they suggest, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Conduct sero survey : We cannot afford to let our guard down yet (kp), Why are more than 245,000 frontliners refusing to get COVID-19 vaccine? : Though the government had planned to vaccinate at least 430,000 frontline workers, only 184,857 people chose to get the shot (rep), Effects of the dissolution : Two dozen bills will lapse or have their enforcement processes halted until the House resumes, by Sushrey Nepal (kp) [The responsibility for this lies with the power-hungry KP Oli and the president who blindly supports him!], Politics of convenience of Nepali Congress : Nepali Congress is putting its feet in two boats in its response to House dissolution. In other words, Congress is playing a politics of convenience but will it help?, by Rajaram Bartaula (rep),
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08/02/2021: Amend the laws : Amending the laws as per the protocol would ensure adequate compensation to the victims and tough punishment to the traffickers (ht), What if polls fail to happen even if way for it were cleared : Country could face constitutional and political vacuum of an unprecedented proportion, and the constitution and hard-earned gains could unravel as a result, observers say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Oli has already destroyed so much with his inimitable greed for power, arrogance and incompetence that it can hardly be repaired. The rest will be done by the other top politicians, who are no better in their attitude!], Amid global powers’ vaccine diplomacy, analysts say Nepal should make the most of it and tread carefully : After India gifted 1 million doses, China is offering half a million shots, and there are other countries too joining the fray, by Anil Giri (kp), Heed the protocol : The government has consistently failed to set the priorities right amid a public health emergency (kp), Number of new Covid-19 cases has come down dramatically and experts wonder howFewer tests, virus variants becoming weaker and already infected population are some of the hypotheses, but doctors say no one should be complacent and warn of a resurgence, by Arjun Poudel (kp) [The figures reported by the Oli government are completely unrealistic. Those who do not test do not detect new infections. At the same time, Oli and the opposition he has aroused call masses onto the streets every day, mostly without mouth-nose masks or not wearing masks correctly. Nepal seems like the only wonderland in the Corona crisis: the Oli government does nothing to contain it and yet the disease is visibly disappearing even without vaccination.], Political leaders on ribbon-cutting spree in Lumbini in a bid to woo voters : Residents say they want leaders to work on improving education and health sectors instead of engaging in publicity stunts, by Durga Lal KC (kp) [Once and again: Forget this whole generation of current so-called political leaders!], Pandemic offers rare opportunities for  sustainable transformation, study says : While the Covid-19 pandemic affected people and pushed back achievements of the past, the crisis also offered lessons for the future., by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Defending lawyers told to end arguments by Feb 12 (ht), Hearing on HoR dissolution: Chief Justice Rana turns strict on time limit : Orders advocates to end debate instantly (kh), Show cause notice to govt on new appointments (ht), ओलीको श्रीपेच–सपना र मार्क्सवादी हिन्दुत्व : जनता र मुलुकका प्राथमिकताहरूतिर पिठ्युँ फर्काएर सोच्ने प्रत्येक अधिनायकवादी शासकको सबभन्दा स्वाभाविक आकांक्षा नै श्रीपेच लगाउने हो [Oli's Crown of a King dream and Marxist Hindutva : The most natural aspiration of every authoritarian ruler who turns his back on the priorities of the people and the country is to wear a crown], by Achyut Wagle (ka),
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07/02/2021: Attack on federalism unacceptable : It is important for the Nepali people to raise their voice strongly against this move, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Human trafficking laws need to be amended, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), With extended vaccination deadline for frontliners over, only about half took the jabs : Lack of proper risk communication, overestimating the number of health workers and geography are the reasons, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Govt’s COVID vaccination target falls short by half (kh), Dahal, Nepal desperate for joint movement but no one, including civil society, is keen : As court verdict nears, shows of strength seem to be modus operandi. While other parties continue to be suspicious of the Dahal-Nepal faction, civil society asks why join hands, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), 25 percent startups have folded up since pandemic began : Other than the lack of proper business plan and demand, they collapsed after the government failed to provide subsidised loans, experts say, by Krishana Prasain (kp), How Nepali migrants suffered during the pandemic : In the immediate aftermath of the pandemic, job loss created a financial hardship to low-skilled migrants. It cut off the survival lifelines of the family members back home, by Dinesh Prasad Joshi and Laxmi Kumar Parajuli (rep), Public prosecutors’ debate likely to end today, time limit set to 15 minutes (kh)
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06/02/2021: Speaker moves court bringing key institutions of state in confrontation : Agni Sapkota files petition against the constitutional body  appointments made by the Constitutional Council where prime minister is the chair and chief justice a member, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli counts his achievements as if in a poll rally and defends move of dissolving the House : Addressing a mass gathering, prime minister expresses his commitment to the federal democratic republic, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Oli’s show of strength strikes different notes with different people : While commuters see it as a traffic nuisance, supporters rally behind the prime minister, by Anup Ojha (kp), Committed to democracy, claims Oli : 'No one can reverse republican order. Polls will decide who forms govt' (ht) [No, Mr Oli, you commit yourself to a coup against democracy. Only the representatives of the sovereign people elected for five years decide who forms a government! There is no need for new elections and no right of the PM to dissolve parliament prematurely as part of his intra-party power struggles!], Home minister announces ‘third people’s movement’, but many wonder what it means : In a bid to win Oli’s favour, Thapa warns his former comrade Dahal that if his agitation turns violent he, as home minister, will lock up the former rebel leader in the zoo, by Anil Giri (kp) [Sick brain?? This statement alone is a proof!], Professionals, workers organise symbolic protest against HoR dissolution (kh), Government has not procured essential drugs for over 18 months : The essential drugs provided for free are key to preventing deaths by non-communicable diseases, doctors say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Traders say China imposing ‘undeclared blockade’ : Shipments are still being held up at the northern border for over 16 months now on the pretext of Covid-19 pandemic, much to importers’ chagrin, by Krishana Prasain (kp). Polarised Politics Jeopardises Democracy, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn)
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05/02/2021: Tenure of two transitional justice bodies to be extended but it is not enough, conflict victims say : Law that allows amnesty for rights violators must be changed first, victims and activists demand., by Binod Ghimire (kp), Seeking to change narrative, Oli resorts to show of force : Despite leading the government, Oli is holding a mass gathering in front of Narayanahiti, once the seat of kings, raising concerns if the communist prime minister is taking the country on a regressive path, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Confrontational politics could lead  to uncertainty and instability : The way Nepal Communist Party factions are at each other’s throat bodes ill for all, analysts say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), General strike affects life nationwide : Five trucks were vandalised in Chitwan on Thursday; vehicular movement disrupted in many other places, by Ramesh Kumar Poudel (kp) [Since 1991, the cadres of the political parties do not understand what the fundamental right to strike and demonstrate entails. In any case, vandalism and coercive methods against civil society are not part of it!], Banda for what? People are not going to tolerate it when any political group declares shutdowns and restricts their mobility (rep), As citizens bear the brunt of strikes, they ask who politicians are servingSix vehicles were vandalised in the Capital during Thursday’s general strike called by the Dahal-Nepal faction. Their fault—going about their lives to feed their families, by Anup Ojha (kp), Anarchy let loose : Their intent does not seem to be to bring the democratic process back on track (kp), NCP’s Oli-led faction staging a mass gathering in the capital today (rep) [And what is he trying to prove? Does he want to prove the constitutionality of his coup by the mass march of his cadres who blindly obey him, because he cannot find anything in the constitution?], All eyes on Nepali Congress for joint agitation, but it’s not ready to commit : Parties opposed to Oli’s House dissolution move are prodding the Congress  to jointly launch protests, but they are perplexed by Deuba’s reluctance, by Anil Giri (kp) [Sher Bahadur Deuba is keen to become Prime Minister for a fifth time. So cooperating with the coup leader Oli seems to be the quickest and safest way. The unconstitutionality of Oli's actions interests him, as it does Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, only marginally!], Nepali Congress takes undemocratic road : Nepali Congress leaders choose to undercut their own leadership, undermine judicial independence and even hamper party unity, by Kalyan Man Shrestha (ae), Speaker Agni Sapkota files writ petition at Supreme Court against appointments made at constitutional bodies (rep), SC issues show-cause notice over appointments to constitutional bodies (kh), Clear the way for elections : It is important to create broad political consensus on viable election dates and remove the disquieting state of uncertainty (ae), A state of permanent revolution : Democracy today is not threatened by those who oppose a government, but by the government itself, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), The ongoing political chaos may leave serious negative impacts on the country’s economy, by Rajesh Khanal (rep), Healing political hopelessness in Nepal : Healing the mass pessimism requires political forces to adopt policies that provide sustainable solutions to everyday problems of people, by Ambika P Joshi (rep) [Please do not take anything positive from the current political leaders!], Lawmaker Pal advises PM Oli to do away with federalism (kh) [One cannot simply change the fundamentals of the constitution, even if Oli would very much like to do so. Ms Pal should remember : parliamentarians who had previously sided with the coup-plotting king were expelled from parliament in 2005 when the latter was reinstalled!]
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04/02/2021: New appointments yet another Oli bid to wield control over key institutions : Analysts say Oli’s actions are making a mockery of the  rule of law, as agencies meant to keep the government  in check are being hugely compromised, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Appointments to constitutional bodies receive widespread flak : Questions raised over Nepali Congress’ role as party supporters feature on list of appointees, by Anil Giri (kp), Supreme Court moved to quash appointments (ht), Dahal-Nepal faction supporters hold protests in major cities across the country : Five trucks were vandalised in Chitwan on Thursday; vehicular movement disrupted in many other cities, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (kp), Taxi set on fire, vehicles vandalised; over 70 arrested in Kathmandu during Dahal-Nepal faction general strike : The Dahal-Nepal faction is protesting against Wednesday’s appointments and House dissolution (kp) [Demonstrations and strikes against Oli's coup are necessary, but vandalism is a crime for which the organisers must be accountable!], Police arrest 157 strike enforcers, 11 incidents of vandalism reported (rep), Police arrest scores of NCP cadres including Standing Committee member Shakya as they try to enforce general strike (rep), Ex-minister Jha injured in clash between police and agitating Dahal-Nepal faction cadres in Janakpur, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), On the eve of Friday’s mass gathering, youths, students close to Oli-led NCP hold march-past in capital (rep) [The question is not whether Oli can bring followers onto the streets in support of his coup, but whether his actions are covered by the constitution. He still fails to prove the latter!], Nepal-India ties: Expectations and reality; It is imperative that the two sort out their problems to reduce other geo-political tensions, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), National Development Agenda Obscured, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
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03/02/2021: Comedy of errors of communist rule : The very party chief who boasted so much about having two-thirds majority dissolved the parliament and called for next elections, again, to secure the two-thirds majority, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), Police likely to take strong action against “forceful enforcers” of general strike (kh), Attorney general flounders as he defends Oli’s House dissolution move : Legal experts closely following the hearing say Agni Kharel focussed more on political than constitutional grounds to justify why prime minister was right to dissolve the House, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Nepal failed to stand up for democratic values while reacting to military coup in Myanmar, analysts say : It took a whole day for the Foreign Ministry to come up with a statement where it called for immediate release of elected leaders but stopped short of showing concern over the risk of reversal of democratic reforms in the Southeast Asian country, by Anil Giri (kp) [How can the Oli government criticise what is happening in Myanmar when it is taking its own country back to the democratic stone age?], The stable sterility of ‘ethnocratic’ regimes : Ethnonationalism and democracy are incompatible principles, by CK Lal (kp), Misplaced trust in a sovereign : The youngsters have little knowledge and experience of the tyrannical monarchy days, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Is Nepal’s judiciary independent? The influence of political parties is the most common threat Nepali judiciary is facing. When judges are appointed based on political affiliation judiciary will be politically influenced, by Abesh Adhikari (rep), Govt moves ahead with appointments in constitutional bodies despite objection from Speaker Sapkota (rep), CIAA chief Rai among others take oath of office and secrecy (rep), Vice President Pun, Speaker Sapkota boycott swearing-in ceremony of newly-appointed office bearers of constitutional bodies (rep), Writ filed at SC against newly-appointed office bearers of constitutional bodies (kh), Flood, landslide-displaced Baglung villagers still wait for new houses : The displaced families say government authorities and the people’s representatives are indifferent towards their problems, months after they were forced to abandon their homes, by Prakash Baral (kp),
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02/02/2021: Artists, writers and cultural activists announce protest against House dissolution : PM Oli’s ‘regressive move’ undermines the achievements of the 2006 people’s movement and pushes the country towards authoritarianism, they say (kp), How Oli’s actions put heads of two houses at odds : Speaker and National Assembly chairman spar over Constitutional Council’s December 15 recommendations, in a brazen display of their partisan allegiance, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Provinces, Local Levels Are Government's Organs, Minister Says (rn) [Nepal is and remains a centralised state. The citizens have misunderstood the idea of federalism! In general, the constitution is completely overrated!], Dr. Govinda KC announces 20th Satyagraha (kh)
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01/02/2021: Speaker sends back constitutional body recommendations : The Council, headed by prime minister, had appointed office bearers to various constitutional bodies on December 15 after introducing an ordinance, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Assessing constitutionality of parliament dissolution : Dissolution of the House of Representatives is the last resort, only when all options mentioned in Article 76(1), (2), (3) and (5) are exhausted, by Sneha Shrestha (rep), Electoral eyewash : With polls in mind, Prime Minister KP Oli has been crossing the moral boundaries of democratic politics (kp), Don't murder constitution: Pahadi tells PM (ht), PM elected from two-thirds majority can dissolve parliament: Attorney General Kharel (kh) [Apart from the fact that there is nothing about this in the Constitution, a House of Representatives that is 100 per cent elected by the sovereign people cannot be dissolved by a Prime Minister whose power depends solely on this very Parliament!], It may take years to inoculate everyone against Covid-19, experts say : Health Ministry officials say only preparations to start a mass vaccination campaign may require three months, by Arjun Poudel (kp), The electric vehicle tax : The government has taken all the wrong steps in trying to curb air pollution, by Kritagya Shah (kp),
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31/01/2021: Disappearance commission starts issuing ID cards : Kin of victims say cards not associated with any facility from the state are of no use when officials are reluctant to address their concerns, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Writ petitioners’ pleading over, govt side to plead against writ petitions starting Monday (rep), Oli, despite leading caretaker Cabinet, on spree to inaugurate and award projects : Inaugurating them is an attempt to influence elections which the poll body should look into and awarding them risks future governments not owning them, observers say, by Anil Giri (kp) [The minimum punishment for a coup plotter should be that he should never again be allowed to participate in elections or hold public office!], Addressing amnesia in Nepal : In Nepal, political parties are plunging headlong into a culture of post-truth, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Hundreds participate in peaceful protest led by Wagle, KC (ht), Litmus Test Of Constitutional Bodies, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), ‘No parliamentary hearing can be held on political appointments made by Constitutional Council in absence of lower house’ (rep),
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30/01/2021: Nepal Communist Party dispute risks further delay in justice for war victims : As Oli is wooing former Maoist combatants for his political gains, Dahal is warning that the peace process could be derailed because of the House dissolution move, by Binod Ghimire (kp), It’s time for parties to register for polls but Oli-Dahal’s legitimacy row remains : Election Commission this week decided not to give legitimacy to either faction of Nepal Communist Party. But with elections nearing, it will have to make a choice, experts say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Wouldn't it be time for an interim order by the Supreme Court to halt election preparations pending a final decision on the constitutionality of the dissolution of parliament? Nepal is facing irreparable damage!], CJ Rana asks lawyers' organizations to help safeguard independence of judiciary (rep), Amid political uncertainty, Congress seems to have forgotten about its general convention : Deuba faces charges within the party of putting excessive focus on power games rather than holding the convention which must be held by September if the House is restored, by Anil Giri (kp) [Deuba, who has failed several times as prime minister, is eager to become prime minister again. He does not need a party convention that might elect a new party president. In this context, it must be remembered that Deuba's internal power struggles in 2002 made Gyanendra's subsequent coup and the demolition of the 1990 constitution possible at all. Deuba acted in 2002 in a similar way to Oli today!], Shortcomings Of Patrimonial Regime, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
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29/01/2021: House dissolution: A step towards the constitution’s failure in Nepal?, by Ashok Dahal (ae) [Nepal's seventh constitution in 70 years also has numerous shortcomings. Every time there are idiots who exploit them mercilessly for their personal interests. The multi-ethnic state of Nepal needs a secular constitution that gives equal rights and participation to all genders, ethnicities, castes, religions and social classes without restrictions!], Civil society activists stage protest near statue of martyr Shukraraj Shastri (rep), Back in the streets (nt), Court orders Oli to be present with written reply on contempt charge : The bench has given the prime minister seven days to furnish clarification why he should not be punished for making disparaging remarks against the judiciary, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), PM Oli suffers from ‘parliament phobia’: Senior advocate Bidari (rep), The fate of elections is up in the air, but Oli already seems to be in campaign mode : Analysts say Oli’s gatherings targeting polls need scrutiny given the chances of misuse of state resources as his House dissolution move is still being tested by the court of law, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Article 93 of constitution : Flouted clause in HoR dissolution, by Pushpa R Joshi (ht), Lack of probe into deaths at hands of police concern for UN : Four special rapporteurs on human rights remind Nepal of its obligation to look into such cases, punish perpetrators. Officials say they are unaware of such correspondence, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Pork barrel politics : Spend the Rs6.56 billion on vaccines, not some dubious partnership programme (kp), Forced labour, bonded labour and child labour prevalent in country’s brick kilns sector, new report says : Organisations call for concerted efforts by all key stakeholders–government, industry employers and workers–to work for a decent work agenda in the country’s brick production industry (kp) [see UNICEF report], KP Oli goes to Pashupati : Nepal has had its share of conflicts of late. The last thing it now needs is a religious strife (ae), Nepal’s geopolitical nightmares : During such heightened uncertainty in the region, Nepal does not even have a permanent government, by Biswas Baral (ae),
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28/01/2021: Threat to Nepal’s hard-fought democratic ideals : The civil society movement not only must insist on punishing Oli, but also push for a new political culture, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Political turbulence amidst the coronavirus pandemic : Nepal is facing growing humanitarian losses and serious socio-economic consequences, by Ram Sharan Mahat (kp), Supreme Court summons Prime Minister Oli within seven days with written response in contempt of court case : The court has also summoned former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana and four former chief justices for speaking up on the House dissolution case which is being heard by the Constitutional Bench (kp), Advocates continue pleading against PM's move (ht), Poor HR record : Making amendments to the TRC Act and NHRC Act are a must to gain support from the international community (ht), Clarification on alleged extrajudicial killing sought (ht), Four UN special rapporteurs on human rights seek details on investigations into deaths in custody and police actions : In a correspondence addressed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the four special rapporteurs have said that non-investigation into such deaths is against international conventions Nepal is party to (kp), Despite concerns, government releases budget for projects chosen by lawmakers : Rs6.56 billion has been released for Local Infrastructure Programme even as House has been dissolved and polls announced, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Taxpayers' money to former MPs of a parliament now dissolved by the PM, who were once handpicked as candidates by the party leadership in a non-inclusive manner : Corruption cannot be practised any better!], Civil Service, Politics And Politicians, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Public perception of corruption rises further in Nepal; the country becomes fourth most corrupt country in South Asia (rep),
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27/01/2021: Do not suppress dissent : The attack on citizens’ peaceful protests is unacceptable in a democracy (kp), Assault on civil liberties : Monday's use of force against civil society activists and intellectuals is a fresh reminder of how the Oli government is inching toward an authoritarian rule (rep), Justice Malla asks writ petitioners: How long should this case go? (kh), Nepal Communist Party legal dispute may invite more political chaos : With poll body’s lukewarm approach to the two factions’ legitimacy claims, elections, even if court clears way, may be pushed back creating political and constitutional vacuum, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Can the Hindu movement become an alternative political force? : The appeal of monarchy and Hindu forces can backfire, as they disavow principles of inclusion and democracy, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Contempt of court case filed against four former chief justices (rep) [If anyone deserves a contempt of court charge, it is KP Sharma Oli. His daily declarations alone that his actions are constitutional and that the elections will take place as scheduled clearly violate the ongoing court case!!], PM Oli vows to roll out COVID-19 vaccine for free to all Nepali nationals within three months (kp) [What a lucky country Nepal is. They have a putschist as prime minister who guarantees that all 30 million Nepalis will be vaccinated within the next 3 months. The Europeans should take a leaf out of their book. To give just one example: In Germany, they say that another 14 weeks are needed to vaccinate the over-80s alone. Oli is simply a brilliant loudmouth!!], Is this the time for election? Government’s effort should have been centered on reviving the economy and protecting people from the huge financial and mental loss. Nepal cannot afford costly elections at this moment, by Bikram Thapa (rep),
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26/01/2021: Contempt of court case against Oli filed at Supreme Court : Two advocates have filed separate petitions, saying the prime minister disparaged the court and legal practitioners (kp), Nepal has made little progress on transitional justice, Amnesty International Nepal says : The rights group says despite making numerous commitments at international forums, the country achieved little in terms of real delivery (kp), Campaigners decry use of force by police on peaceful civic protest against the House dissolution move : Unwarned, protesters were hit by water cannons and  beaten up as they marched towards Baluwatar. Earlier in the day, rights activists were rounded up from same area, by Anup Ojha (kp), [The police action as now ordered by the Oli government is criminal and a serious violation of basic human rights. The behaviour of the police has not changed since the end of the authoritarian royal Panchayat system!], Rights activists protesting HoR dissolution arrested from Baluwatar (ht), Police use water canons, baton charge citizen protesters in Baluwatar (ht), Oli’s temple visit carries an underlying political message, leaders and observers say : Prime minister’s puja at Pashupati comes at a time when calls are growing for restoration of a Hindu state with monarchy and the country has been pushed towards uncertainty, by Anil Giri (kp) [After destroying the constitution and democracy, Oli is also trying to eradicate the remnants of social harmony in the multi-ethnic state of Nepal by once again proving himself to be a Hindu fundamentalist!], Arguments against prime minister’s move continue, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), How India is using vaccine diplomacy to recalibrate its neighbourhood first policy : Foreign policy watchers and experts say the jabs could prove for Delhi, which is in a bid to win over its neighbours, a shot in the arm, by Anil Giri (kp), For a few dollars more : We must begin to ask ourselves if the foreign labour market is worth dying for (kp), Leaders, mind your language : Nepali political leaders have stooped so low in accusing the opponents by using uncivil, socially offensive and rude language, by Chiranjibi Paudyal (rep),
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25/01/2021: Decoding controversies surrounding writ petitions, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), In mocking lawyers and judiciary, Oli is making a mockery of rule of law : Legal experts say ever since he dissolved the House, the prime minister has been making attempts to justify his move and in doing so he has turned the whole situation into a farce, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Former presidents of NBA condemn PM’s remarks (ht), Ethical question raised against Attorney General Agni Kharel (ht), Oli, Nembang and Kharel might have a different version of constitution: Senior advocate Thapa (rep), Several protesters injured as police use force on participants of Baluwatar March : Writers, poets, artists, intellectuals and members of the public were participating in the rally (kp) [Even more than the protests of the parties, these intellectuals endanger Oli's ambitions for power and must be silenced, he thinks!], Rights activists protesting HoR dissolution arrested from Baluwatar (ht), Baluwatar wears tense look as police obstruct march by civil society members (with photos), by Monika Malla (rep), Slowly recovering economy could be stalled again by political instability : As Nepal marks a year since the first Covid-19 case, latest indicators have been encouraging but as far as tourism is concerned, it will take years to get to pre-pandemic levels, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Sangam Prasain (kp), Poll body refuses to give legitimacy to either faction of Nepal Communist Party : Factions led by Oli, and Dahal and Nepal have failed to follow procedures, officials say, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘मांसाहारी’ राजनीति : दाहाल र उनको गुटका कसैले पनि बहुदलीय लोकतन्त्रप्रति इमानदार चिन्ता प्रकट गरेको कतै सुनिएको छैन । उनीहरूले सडकमा गर्ने भाषणमा ओली लोकतन्त्रवादी नभएको होइन, कम्युनिस्ट नभएको र पार्टीको आदेश नमानेको आरोप बढी लाग्ने गरेको छ । ['Non-vegetarian' politics : No one from Dahal or his faction has been heard expressing sincere concern for multi-party democracy. In his street speeches, Oli has been accused of not being a democrat, not a communist and disobeying the party's orders], by Achyut Wagle (ka),
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24/01/2021: Govt urged to implement NHRC recommendations (ht), Our troubled democracy : Unless the bleeding of democracy stops, the resto-ration of the House alone is not going to save it, by Naresh Koirala (kp), NC, JSP-N not keen on joint struggle : NC says it’s protesting, JSP-N blames NCP of betrayal (ht), Petition filed at Constitutional Bench seeking examination of authenticity of House dissolution notice published in Nepal Gazette (rep), SC will not be influenced by external factors: CJ Rana (kh) [Nobody tries to influence the SC's decision like KP Oli. The SC must finally silence him and stop his unjustified election preparations! The rule of law and democracy are on the brink of extinction in Nepal!], Former Nepal Bar Association chairs condemn Oli’s ‘shameful attack’ on legal profession : They say the prime minister should apologise for slandering the country’s most senior lawyer and the legal profession (kp), Covid-19: The year of living dangerously : One year since Nepal reported its first case, government response has been dismal. Vaccines are likely to be available sooner or later, but the path to inoculate all is not clear, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Poverty and lack of awareness and access forcing many to resort to unsafe abortion : Even 19 years after legalisation, women’s struggle for safe abortion continues. As a result, they put their health at risk and are unable to exercise their rights, experts say, by Samiksha Baral (kp), Health workers deprived of risk allowance warn of halting serviceAs many as 53 frontline health workers at Dolakha District Hospital in Jiri have been  deprived of the Covid-19 risk allowance for months, by Anish Tiwari (kp), With political instability, market prices soar : When elections approach, market monitoring gets lax and prices remain high, activists and experts say, by Krishana Prasain (kp), Dr KC objects to recommendation for increasing medical education fee (kh),
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23/01/2021: Nepal yet to ensure transitional justice: Officials have been repeating same commitments at international fora, but have done little to implement them, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [The statement read out by the foreign minister sounded in part like a fairy tale story! Promises made for years, but not kept, were presented as if they would be implemented!], NHRC urges govt to ensure implementation of its past recommendations (rep), Urge to implement NHRC recommendations (kh), PM Oli assures ex-Maoists commanders of finding solution to their problems (kh) [And what about the problems of the victims of the insurgency and their families, Mr Oli??], Kalikot teens run successful campaign against Chhaupadi : Campaign inspires girls and women to abandon period sheds, by Tularam Pandey (kp), When will Dalit lives matter? Despite voices being raised in the Capital and across the country against the injustices inflicted on Dalit people, their plight remains the same.  The Post takes a look at the events that took shape last year and why they were not enough, by Srizu Bajracharya (kp), A scrambling Oligovernment produces gazette before court, but it’s backdated : Hiding information and distorting it have been the hallmark of the Oli government and not publishing the House dissolution notice is a major procedural lapse, experts say, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Confusion and dilemma in Nepali Congress continues, now with eyes on leading government in provinces : Views differed in the party over House dissolution. Now there are questions whether it should join hands with Oli or Dahal-Nepal faction in Bagmati and Province 1, by Anil Giri (kp) [It is becoming clear that the feigned outrage over the dissolution of parliament is sheer mockery. Oli's coup is gladly accepted if it means that one can regain power oneself. What rotten politicians!], Protest against Oli’s decision draws huge response in capital (ht) [The term "decision" trivializes Oli's constitutional breach!], A motley crew of people and political talk at Capital protest : Thousands attended Friday’s rally called by Dahal-Nepal faction of Nepal Communist Party against Oli’s House dissolution move. But not everyone was there to protest, by Anup Ojha (kp), Civil society group to stage protest outside PM's residence in Baluwatar against parliament dissolution (rep), Dr KC staging protest against HoR dissolution today (kh), Lawyers spell out flaws in PM’s move, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), PM Oli makes mockery of legendary lawyer whom judicial sector respects as ‘Guru’ : ‘Calling hearing a spectacle contempt of court’ (kh) [!!!???], Nepali women migrants repatriated from Beirut : Migrant workers, mostly women, have been hit hard in the West Asian country reeling under multiple crises, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Is foreign employment a choice or a compulsion? Labor migration is not safe for innocent Nepali migrant workers. The government should ensure that every single Nepali worker in foreign land is paid decent salary and treated with dignity, by Bipana Thapa (rep), The Alchemy Of A New Class, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Pressure cooker bomb planted by Biplab-led group defused in Banepa (rep), Biplav outfit torches Bolero van in Makwanpur (kh), BP Highway disrupted following explosion; bomb planted on Arniko Highway defused (kh), Three cadres of Biplav outfit arrested in Tikapur (kh), Joint meeting of Dahal, Dr Bhattarai with Vice Prez sparks speculations in political circle (rep),
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22/01/2021: Universal Periodic Review: Nepal quizzed on transitional justice, rights, Tibetan refugee issue : Foreign Minister Gyawali reiterates Nepal’s commitment to human rights, deflects US queries on Nepal-China agreements as a bilateral matter, by Anil Giri (kp), United Nations urged to tell Nepal government to protect civic freedom : Physical attacks on journalists, rights activists continue to undermine civic space (ht), Why KP Sharma Oli is behaving as though he is the state : Ever since Oli dissolved the House of Representatives, all his statements have revolved around ‘I, me and myself’, as he has shown utter disregard for the checks and balances enshrined in the constitution, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rs 100 billion: The cost of Nepal’s next parliamentary election, by Ashok Dahal (ae), Nepal to rely mostly on foreign aid to buy Covid-19 vaccines for its people, officials say : Rs48 billion has been estimated for vaccines. Government, however, says it won’t have a resource crunch for midterm elections, which will cost it as much as Rs 20 billion, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Who gets to write our history? The nationalist narrative conveniently sets aside other histories that don’t see Nepal as a great nation, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Sugarcane farmers  to resume protest  to get paid in full : Both the government and the sugar mills are refusing  to disclose the details of the payments made so far, by Krishana Prasain (kp), NHRC urges govt to save Ganga Maya’s life (ht), Failure of Nepali communism : The most understated reason for the failure of Nepali communism is their new penchant for central planning and development without the capability to deliver on them, by Bishal Thapa (ae), Messing up the system : When a government elected with an overwhelming majority dissolves the House due to the failure and inability to manage intra party wrangling and discord, it could become a bane for democracy, by Rajaram Bartaula (rep), Polluted politics : If driver exhalation is checked for alcohol, why not vehicle exhaust for pollutants? Governance failure. Corruption (nt), Breathing is hazardous to health : Only public pressure on politicians will clean up Kathmandu’s hazardous air pollution (nt)
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21/01/2021: Oli’s legacy of shame : KP Oli put Nepal’s young democracy to the test, and the political class helped him do it, by Deepak Thapa (kp), All’s not well inside Janata Samajbadi Party : While Bhattarai and Yadav want to protest against the dissolution of the House, Thakur and Mahato have other plans, by Anil Giri (kp), After House dissolution, questions raised over local infrastructure programme, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), CJ fixes 30 minutes for lawyers to plead their case (ht), Relief for the returnees : There should be no delay in the disbursement of financial relief to migrant workers (kp), NHRC urges govt to pay sugarcane farmers pronto (ht), Way to address the concerns of sugarcane farmers, by Ayushma Maharjan (rep), Politics, Polls And Power, by Mukti Rijal (rn), President should roll back govt's decision to dissolve parliament: Advocate Aryal (rep),
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20/01/2021: Inoculating the masses against  demagogic populism : The challenge for  Nepali society is to work  for a relatively peaceful transition, by CK Lal (kp) [The best way would be to replace the entire patriarchal old Tagadhari leadership of all political parties with a younger, open-minded and socially inclusive generation!], ‘Constitution gives prime minister no right to dissolve HoR’ (ht), Advocates demand SC to curb PM Oli’s statement that the parliament cannot be reconstituted (kh), In attacking Oli, Dahal ratchets up incendiary rhetoric, only to draw flak : Civil society members say Dahal’s inciting of violence is more abhorrent and could put the country on slippery slope, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Nepal set to get Covid-19 vaccine from India within days, officials say : Health Ministry and Indian Embassy in Kathmandu are expected to jointly announce the details of the supply of vaccines, including the number of doses, to Nepal today, by Arjun Poudel and Anil Giri (kp), One million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to arrive in Nepal from India on Thursday : The announcement was made at a joint press conference by the Health Ministry and Indian Embassy in Kathmandu (kp), Five signatories withdraw from no-confidence motion against Rai, by Deonarayan Sah (kp), Having returned empty-handed, workers seek compensation for losses : A large number of migrant workers have returned home with hefty loans after losing their overseas jobs. Migrant rights activists say they should receive compensation for their ordeal, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp),
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19/01/2021: What is legislative intent and why lawyers want the Constitutional Bench to look to it : Advocates bring an interview and video clip of Subas Nembang to justices’ notice to argue the point that constitutional provisions be followed not only in letter but in spirit too, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Arguments put forth against House dissolution (ht), Has Oli captured the state? Whether the Constitutional Bench upholds House  dissolution or not, Oli has his tentacles all over, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Amid political uncertainty, Dahal-Nepal faction seems to be completely lost : While Oli’s party appears confident about polls and forces like Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party are weighing their options, the Dahal-Nepal camp is groping in the dark, by Anil Giri (kp) [This is due to the fact that the Dahal/Nepal faction is primarily concerned with taking power from Oli, both within the party and nationally. Oli's coup is merely a means of argumentation to an end.], As Nepal prepares for Covid-19 vaccination drive, challenges are huge, experts say : From transportation to chain of command issues, from training of health workers to surveillance of the population as each needs two doses, much has to be considered, by Arjun Poudel (kp),
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18/01/2021: At House dissolution hearing, advocates prod bench to look to legislative intentStating that constitution does not provide room for the prime minister to dissolve Parliament, lawyers demand debate transcripts and records of charter drafting process, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Was poll body consulted on midterm elections, Dahal-Nepal faction asks : The law states that government must take the Election Commission into confidence before announcing poll dates. But an official says there is no written record of consultation between the two sides, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Oli should be banned from politics : The prime minister’s hunger for power is likely to push the country into political chaos, by Jagadish Prasad Bist (kp), PM has no right to dissolve House, SC told : ‘Lawmakers even supported the prime minister’s absurd claims’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [And the President has to protect the constitution even if the PM wants to smash it to preserve his power!], CA Chairman Nembang’s statement that “PM cannot dissolve parliament” recited during hearing at Supreme Court (rep), Hearing on writs against HoR dissolution likely to be protracted : Only six out of 188 advocates debate till Monday (kh), Media fails to uphold its role as watchdog : The government tried to stop criticism by  threatening and spreading fear among journalists, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), ‘Govt working to end discrimination against women’ (ht) [This claim is a farce as long as the political patriarchy that dominates all parties is not willing to treat women as equal to men in every way, that is, in the constitution, laws, citizenship, and any kind of inclusion and participation. And none of the autocratic male Tagadhari politicians are willing to do that!], 90pc VAW cases settled thru reconciliation (ht) [This cannot be called justice. It overwhelmingly proves the unequal legal position of women. VAW is a serious crime and must be dealt with and punished by public courts. In case of legal loopholes, the courts must bindingly oblige the legislator to adjust the laws immediately!], Nepal likely to get COVAX vaccine after four months, by Pabitra Sunar (rep), Nepal is falling into a trap of India, China and the US : America might use its weight to obligate Nepal to honor TPSA and get the MCC endorsed. India might stand behind. China might warn Nepal against doing that, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep),
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17/01/2021: Has Oli accepted the constitution has flaws and it needs amendments? In his House dissolution recommendation, Oli has said snap polls are required to revise the charter. But analysts wonder if he has any other sinister motive, as there’s no  certainty that elections, if they happen, will give him such a majority , by Binod Ghimire and Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Oli is constantly talking only about his critics being against elections. Yet elections are not the issue to begin with. At the beginning, there is the question of Oli's constitutional legitimacy to dissolve parliament prematurely. No such legitimacy is apparent. The Supreme Court should finally decide to redeem Nepal from this superfluous crisis!], Hearing on writs against HoR dissolution to continue on Monday (kh), Gyawali’s overhyped Delhi visit turns out to be a damp squib : There were no concrete outcomes from the visit on the border row or vaccine procurement. It just marked a resumption of bilateral engagements between Nepal and India, by Anil Giri (kp), More than 50 different items are needed for polls, Election Commission says as preparations begin Even if Supreme Court decides Oli’s dissolution was constitutional, dispute in Nepal Communist Party has to be settled before polls are possible, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [And what about the voting rights of expatriate Nepalis, especially the millions of migrant workers? The Supreme Court's ruling in this regard is binding law, but the incompetent Oli government has done nothing so far!!], Clash of dreams in politics : There are silent communities in Nepal whose dreams are ignored in the hegemonic structure of power, by Abhi Subedi (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

16/01/2021: Constitutional Bench to continue hearing petitions against House dissolution : The five-member bench led by chief justice rejects calls for sending the writ petitions to an extended full bench, saying the issue warrants serious constitutional interpretation, by Binod Ghimire (kp), With a different letter than one sent by  the Cabinet, Oli adds to the confusion : While the House dissolution decision signed by the chief secretary does not cite articles, the one undersigned by Oli includes those, thereby creating grounds to suspect foul play, by Tika R Pradhan and Binod Ghimire (kp), Oxford-AstraZeneca jab gets emergency use nod : Government should fulfil its promise to inoculate all eligible citizens, only allow private players to import if authorities can’t do so, experts say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Building Resilience At Critical Moment, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), People will take to the streets against court if it uploads House dissolution: Dr. KC (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

15/01/2021: Lost and never found: Hundreds of children, more girls than boys, go missing every year The majority of children who go missing are eventually found but stakeholders  fear all those who go missing are vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), Vaccine for allThe government cannot evade its primary obligation to the citizens (kp), Are we poised for Jana Andolan III? The bigger the political void and uncertainty, the greater the chances for a people’s movement, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Nepal approves ‘Covishield’ for emergency use (kp), Constitutional Bench to continue hearing writs against HoR dissolution : Continuous hearing from Sunday (kh), PM Oli recommended House dissolution “without mentioning article of the Constitution” : Petitioner questions alleged meeting between PM and Justices (kh) [???], Whose Nepal Communist Party is it anyway?, by Ashok Dahal (ae), NCP's race to the bottom (ae),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

14/01/2021: Constitutional Bench still unsure which bench will hear House dissolution case : While government wants Constitutional Bench to hear the case, petitioners say full bench must look into it, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Govt claims it’s working to address woes of conflict victims (ht) [Measured against the government's inaction for years, this statement sounds like a mockery!], Money should be no issue for government to procure Covid-19 vaccines, experts say : Public health experts react after government publishes  a notice seeking contributions to vaccinate Nepalis saying saving lives is its legal and moral responsibility, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Why national unification day and Prithvi Narayan Shah should not be celebrated, by Binayak Sundas (rep),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

13/01/2021: Parliament dissolution is constitutionally wrong, politically illegitimate : If a majority government does not wish to run the government only sensible way out is to resign and pave the way for others to form the government, by Narayan Manandhar (rep), Sapana Pradhan Malla replaces Hari Krishna Karki, as Constitutional Bench is set to hear House dissolution case : Karki had recused himself from the bench on January 6 after questions that his presence constituted a conflict of interest (kp), Petitioners to press for grand full bench, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Attorney General At Odds With Demand On Extended Full Bench On HoR Dissolution Case (rn), Hearing On HoR Dissolution Writ Petition Goes Short Of Time; Next Hearing On Friday (rn) [With the state and democracy at stake, clarification by the Supreme Court must be a top priority and much faster!], SC keeps HoR dissolution case in ‘on-hearing’ status : Next hearing on Friday (kh), All democratic forces urged to unite to protect federalism (ht), Political instability as usual : The best among the worst choices is to seek a fresh mandate by holding an election, by Ajay Das (kp) [Presumably, new elections will hardly be avoided if there is to be a majority government without opportunists again. First, however, the Supreme Court must uphold the constitutional violation by Oli and Bhandari. Coup plotters must answer to the courts and never again be allowed to run for state office!], Has Oli killed two birds with one stone - or two interviews for that matter : He has earned praise for a nationalist stance, but some say he managed to distract Nepalis from ongoing crisis while sending a message to Delhi he is ready to play along, by Anil Giri (kp) [Like his great inner-party rival Dahal, the Hindu fundamentalist Oli loves to fly his flag according to the wind. He takes the truth just as seriously as his role model in the White House!], Despite rhetoric of nationalism, Oli more dependent on foreign forces : When political leaders  lack concrete ideology, they often take recourse to ideas of stability, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Nepal Communist Party has been cleaved in two, but a formal—legal—split seems to be heading to stalemate : The Election Commission says neither the Oli faction nor the Dahal-Nepal camp has presented the necessary  paperwork for it to be recognised as the legitimate party. And neither seems to want to take the blame for split, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Heed their plight : It is not easy catering to tens of thousands of applicants, representing different sectors of the economy, all at once (ht),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

12/01/2021: Why the Congress is hemming and hawing, failing to make a firm stance : The party that had been licking its wounds after the 2017 electoral defeat is suddenly licking its lips at the thought of returning to power whichever way the situation unfolds, by Anil Giri (kp) [The answer is quite simple: Just like the top politicians of the NCP, those of the NC are only concerned with personal power and access to coffers, not with the state and the people, and certainly not with the rule of law!], Vaccine diplomacy and Nepal : Leaders are busy negotiating when they should be focusing on public health issues, by Bikram Timilsina (kp), Govt agencies directed to stay alert over possible second wave of COVID-19 (rep), Three strikes on democracy : If President Bhandari had downplayed her party affiliation, revisited the list of her duties as a President and sought counsel, instead of rushing to satisfy Oli, she could have reached a different conclusion, by Mukesh Baral (rep), Civil society holding protest rally against HoR dissolution today (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

11/01/2021: Oli resorting to vituperation turns the conversation ugly and nasty : The prime minister lately has launched acerbic attacks on his opponents and all those who criticise him, overstepping the bounds of propriety and decency, observers say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), House dissolution a political issue: PM, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [Any "political" action by the government must be based on the Constitution, Mr Oli! How stupid do you think the people of Nepal are?], Civil society members call for HoR reinstatement (ht), With upper house prorogued, two  key aviation bills left in the lurch : Experts say it may now take another four to five years to get Nepal  removed from the European Union air safety list, by Sangam Prasain (kp) [Thanks be to PM Oli, the greatest democrat in the world, who truly selflessly does everything only for the good and in the interest of his country!], Supporters of monarchy and police clash in front of Singha Durbar : Hundreds of people had gathered to garland the statue of the late king on the occasion of Prithvi Jayanti when clashes erupted (kp) [Oli is not the only one trying to destroy the state and democracy!], Beyond the death penalty : Anti-rape activism needs to expand, by Meghna Adhikari (ht), Army chief inaugurates Prithvi Narayan Shah Study Center at army HQ (rep) [Is the army still royal or is it now loyal to the sovereign people?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

10/01/2021: Observers call Oli’s bid to woo Madhes with ‘dhoti rally’ a farce : If Oli, whose scorn for Madhesis is no secret, is thinking about winning over some constituencies in the plains, he has completely lost the plot, leaders and analysts say, by Anil Giri (kp) [A putschist must never run for public office again!], PM Asks Former Justices To Respect Judiciary (rn) [Only I, the godlike PM has every right to break the Constitution and give opinions on ongoing Supreme Court litigation, but not the extremely concerned constitutional experts of the country!], Chief justice mandatorily chairing Constitutional Bench exposes a major oversight by charter drafters : Recommendations of Constitutional Council meeting attended by Rana have been challenged at the Constitutional Bench. Can he sit on the bench which has to decide on a case which has his involvement?, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Binod Ghimire (kp), Half of Covid-infected not maintaining social distancing at home, study finds : Public health experts say the findings are alarming as the second wave of infections may start soon in the country, by Arjun Poudel (kp), For the region and beyond : Nepal’s institutions have a historic opportunity to make Nepali democracy a model, by Dnyanesh Kamat (kp), Clearing Fallacies About PN Shah, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [This article is a prime example of the view of the elite that has dominated and controlled Nepal since Prithvinarayan's conquests: What about experiences of those sections of the population who have since been marginalised and excluded? Deprived of their traditional culture, languages and way of life? Who have been imposed laws, ways of thinking and living based on Hindu state thinking? Who do not find themselves included at all in Nepal's national identity? Yes, Prithvinarayan Shah unified Nepal and thus secured its place in history, but that does not change the fact that his action was a conquest that primarily served to satisfy his own power and economic interests. No conquest in the history of mankind has been done with the noble foresight in the exclusive interest of his "subjects" to which Prithvinarayan has been so fondly attributed!], How the country can be kept safe is my biggest worry at present: Former King (rep) [Tell the confused followers of monarchy and Hindu state that they are clinging to failed and outdated aspects of Nepali history. After that, you had best leave the country and never return. Oli and the other so-called top politicians are well on their way to destroying the country. But they are only completing what the monarchy could not complete before. Only a younger charismatic generation of politicians from among Nepali citizens with a commitment to inclusion, democracy and secularism and an aversion to theocracy and overrated political ideologies can save the country!], Winter session of National Assembly concludes (rep), PM Oli draws flak for spitting inside NA (kh) [This illustrates Oli's disrespect for institutions of democracy such as the National Assembly. Why was it convened for only one week in the first place? Of course, the all-powerful PM can regulate laws much better by ordinance, which are then signed by the president. Democracy works in Nepal, doesn't it?],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

09/01/2021: Seven held from Oli’s event for wearing t-shirts with slogans demanding justice for Nirmala Pant : People who attended the function say they were not allowed to wear anything black, even caps or masks, by Mohan Budhaair (kp) [Many authoritarian politicians are prone to such misbehaviour. Moreover, he must once again put up with the question of whether he personally is deliberately trying to prevent the crime against Nirmala Pant from being solved!], Oli throws caution to the wind as he addresses a mass gathering : Once again ignoring the fact that his December 20 move  is sub judice in court, Oli says the House cannot be restored and urges all to prepare for elections, by Anil Giri (kp), Former chief justices speak out against dissolution of House (kp), Congress in driver’s seat as power play begins in provinces : Both factions of Nepal Communist Party need backing of opposition party to further their cause in the provinces, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [This means a redistribution of power among politicians without charisma and morals who have long since failed repeatedly and who have no interest in the country and its citizens!], Women hit by pandemic, domestic violence at high risk of traffickingTraffickers have been using the Jamunaha border in Banke to smuggle girls and women to India on the pretext of sending them abroad for jobs, anti-trafficking officials say, by Madhu Shahi (kp), Performing Intricate Balancing Act, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

08/01/2021: Four former Chief Justices term HoR dissolution unconstitutional (kh), With their tactical plans, parties reluctant to join hands against Oli in upper house : Though they had agreed to jointly table a resolution motion against the ‘unconstitutional’ lower house dissolution, they now seem to be taking possible polls into consideration, by Binod Ghimre (kp) [The interests of the top politicians of all parties are similar: personal power and direct access to state privileges and coffers. The course must now be set for this. The criticism of the destruction of democracy and the state now initiated by Oli serves at best as a means to an end!], Nepal keeps mum as world leaders condemn attack on US democracy : Foreign Ministry chose to remain silent, with officials  saying they have received no orders from ‘higher political authority’—whether to say something or not say anything, by Anil Giri (kp) [Oli's attitude and self-aggrandising way of thinking resembles that of his great role model in the White House. So what is he supposed to criticise?], No permanent friends, only permanent interests : How does Oli’s dissolution of Parliament affect our neighbours and other powers like the US?, by Amish Raj Mulmi (kp), Families displaced by Bheri-Babai diversion project deprived of compensation, by Chandani Kathayat (kp), Don’t rely on one country for Covid-19 vaccines, experts say : Nepal and India are likely to sign an agreement on procurement of vaccines during Minister Predeep Gyawali’s visit to New Delhi next week, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Dirty politics = Dirty air, by Sonia Awale (nt), Drawing a line in the sand : A year after Dilip Mahato was killed by the sand mafia, his family still seeks justice, and illegal mining continues unabated, by Bhrikuti Rai (nt), Youths demanding justice to Nirmala Pant arrested from PM Oli’s mass assembly (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

07/01/2021: What’s stopping joint political movement against Oli’s move? Observers and parties say the nature of split in the Nepal Communist Party is still unclear. Should the two factions decide to unite, the movement will be a dud, they say, Anil Giri (kp) [First of all, the dissolution of parliament is a legal issue. It is incomprehensible why the Supreme Court does not come to a decision as soon as possible. On the political side, the party leaders' power ambitions are always in the foreground, cleverly exploiting the ambiguity of the legal question!], Karki recuses himself after lawyers question why he was on bench : Next hearing on writs against House dissolution on January 13 will focus on whether the  five-member Constitutional Bench should hear them or send them to extended full  bench, by Binod Ghimire (kp), SC justices advise CJ to send House dissolution case to extended full bench, by Shova Sharma (Setopati), Why is everyone talking about Subas Nembang? Nembang, who led Constituent Assembly, is heard in a 2019 video clip saying constitution does not allow House dissolution. But he hasn’t called Oli’s move unconstitutional, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Hard life for the disabled : Nepal is failing to adequately protect persons with disabilities from discrimination and marginalisation, by Dev Datta Joshi (kp), COVID pandemic worsens citizens’ right to employment (ht), Polluted air likely to worsen COVID situation (ht), Air pollution more dangerous than coronavirus (rep), Clear the air : Unlike other cities of the world with poor air quality, Kathmandu’s pollution is caused largely by emissions from vehicles (ht), FNJ flays journalists’ arrest in Kathmandu (ht), House Dissolution Triggers Debate, by Mukti Rijal (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

06/01/2021: House dissolution: Final hearing begins today with arguments in favour of writs : The supremacy of the constitution is at stake and it is up to the five-member Constitutional Bench to safeguard constitutionalism and set a good precedent, experts say, by Binod Ghimire (kp). All eyes on the Supreme Court : The role of the Supreme Court now is to provide a fair interpretation which must protect the spirit of the current constitution, by Abesh Adhikari (rep), Petitioners seek full bench of Supreme Court in the hearing of house dissolution case (rep), Advocates, Justices fall out over modus operandi of hearing writs (kh), Justice Karki announces exiting Constitutional Bench (kh), SC to conduct next hearing on HoR dissolution on Jan 13 (kh) [The SC should wait with its decision until the power-addicted politicians have finally destroyed the democratic state!], NC leader Thapa raps Nembang for keeping mum on HoR dissolution (kh), Gandaki chief minister says assembly can’t be dissolved : Gurung, however, defends prime minister’s move to dissolve House of Representatives, by Pratiksha Kafle (kp), Winter of despairEven as Nepal faces another wave of infections, leaders continue to slug it out (kp), Worsening air quality raises public health concerns amid pandemic : As air pollution soars to a record high level, making Kathmandu the most polluted city in the world, doctors and government urge members of the public to exercise caution, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Despite quotas, hill Brahmins disproportionately land civil service jobs : In fiscal year 2019-20, 28 percent of applications for civil service jobs were from the community but 45 percent of those recruited were from it. This has been a trend for past few years, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [If one also takes gender into account, the disproportionality in favour of male Bahuns is even much greater!], Torments of an ideological vacuum : Doctrinal vacuity could have survived political scrutiny had Oli been able to deliver development, by CK Lal (kp), EC amends rules to recognise NCP split : Will decide which faction of the party should use original party’s name, flag, and election symbol during polls (ht), Families of flood victims still living in tents (ht), Capital Budget Spending Stuck At 12.2%, by Modnath Dhakal (rn), Democracy is the defense of Nepali sovereignty, by Robert A Portada and Uttam Paudel (rep), Regular power outage raises fear among Kathmanduites : Former NEA MD Ghising says it’s not the time for power cuts, by Amrit Raj Kafle (kh), May such day never come again!, by Madhu Paudel (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

05/01/2021: Save Ganga Maya, ensure justice for her, says NHRC (ht), Worries grow as NCP rival factions issue veiled threats to influence Supreme Court verdict on parliament dissolution (rep) [The judgement should be made quickly and it must be based on the constitution and be binding! Every day that goes by unused will be used by the irrational squabblers to further inflame emotions!], Oli’s claims House can’t be restored objectionable, analysts say : Since dissolving Parliament, Oli has in almost all his public appearances said it cannot be revived, even though the Supreme Court is hearing the matter, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [Oli continues to play little Trump!], Letting provinces hold grade 10 exams is just delegation of administrative task, experts say : Until provincial governments are allowed to prepare their own curricula, there is no devolution of powers as per a federal dispensation, they argue, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Bhandari removed as NCP chief whip in Province 1 : The Dahal-Nepal faction of the Nepal Communist Party also relieved Shankar Pokharel and Prithvi Subba Gurung as the party’s in-charge of Lumbini and Gandaki provinces, by Deo Narayan Shah (kp), Lift restrictions in all sectors, says COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (ht), Experts warn reopening cinemas and schools now is inviting second virus wave : Prime minister and ministers have been attending  meetings and gathering crowds ignoring the risks, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Government mute as Kathmandu air deteriorates to ‘hazardous’ levels : Air Quality Index crosses the 600 mark, raising public health concerns amid the Covid-19 pandemic, by Chandan Kumar Mandal (kp), China’s foreign aid agency is all set to make foray into Nepal’s northern region : China International Development Cooperation Agency to fund 15 pilot projects in 13 of the 15 districts that border Tibet, by Anil Giri (kp), Why Indo-US policies failed in Nepal : The two powers have often bet on the wrong side, attempting to fulfil short term interests, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Eschew Demeaning Language, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), When women are not paid : Until and unless Nepali women are relieved of their burden of unpaid domestic works, gender equality in workforce will remain a mirage and the goal of women empowerment elusive, by Roshani Giri (rn),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

04/01/2021: SC issues show-cause notice against Cabinet expansion (kh), Oli argues House dissolution a political move, not a matter of judicial review : Constitutional experts say the prime minister either doesn’t understand the constitution or he is twisting facts and constitutional provisions to defend his action, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Incidents of sexual assault rampant in camps for flood displaced in Surkhet : A few cases get reported but a majority of them are settled within camps, families displaced by the 2014 floods say, by Chandani Kathayat (kp) [Further proof of the Oli government's lack of sense of responsibility! Oli always speaks only of his rights, not of his duties!], New variant of coronavirus is travelling but authorities are watching arrivals only from UKNepal had directed all airlines not to bring passengers from the UK or those transiting through the country but people are still arriving in the country through transit flights, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Just transition : Policymakers seem unaware that their decisions  are capable of causing  indescribable suffering, by Madhukar Upadhya (kp), Nepal : Politically Volatile, by S. Binodkumar Singh (SAIR), Provincial assemblies, too, can be dissolved: Minister Tumbahangphe (rep) [In other words, the supposedly best constitution in the world is not even worth the paper it is printed on and only serves to maintain the power of the once elected executive!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

03/01/2021: Deuba eyes leading government as Oli hints at an understanding : After holding one round of protest against House dissolution, the Congress party has decided not to go for joint agitation amid talks of a power-sharing deal between Deuba and Oli, by Anil Giri (kp) [The two most incompetent prime ministers in recent history among the numerous power-hungry and self-serving politicians at the helm of political parties are poised to deal a death blow to democracy, the Constitution, their parties, indeed the entire state! Deuba must take note that Oli will never give up his personal claim to power. For this he is ready for everything!], NC announces nation-wide protest against house dissolution (rep), New Year with a bang : Lust for power will govern the ways of the politicians and the passion of Statism in the years to come, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Dahal and Nepal on receiving end of PM Oli’s satire (ht) [To resolve power issues within his party, Oli gives himself the right to break the constitution and abolish democracy! How sick is this person? Even if the power ambitions of Dahal and Nepal are equally reprehensible, sovereignty lies with the people, whose representative is the elected parliament, not the PM!], Home Minister Warns Of Action Against Those Speaking Indecent On President (rn) [The President is not above the law! Politely presented factual criticism is allowed if she does not fulfil her constitutional obligations!], Defendants furnishing reply to SC over HoR dissolution (kh), Non-cooperation to the government led to dissolution of HoR: PM Oli tells SC (kh) [A democratic PM resigns if he has no longer the majority support in party and parliament! At least he asks for a vote of confidence!!],
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

02/01/2021: Religious minorities, marginalised people more vulnerable to humanitarian crisis (ht), Hearings on Constitutional Council ordinance, appointments get deferred : The deferral comes when questions are being raised over the alleged influence of the executive over the judiciary, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Large number of people could be disenfranchised if polls are held as planned : The government has announced midterm elections on April 30 and May 10 but experts say there isn’t enough time for new voters to get registered, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), National Assembly session begins but experts worry it could end soon : With no lower house, upper house is the only legislative body to hold the government to account, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prime minister draws flak in Upper House (ht), Nepali Congress’ refusal to join protests raises eyebrows : Dahal-Nepal faction reached out to it but Deuba wants to wait for verdict on House dissolution before deciding on protest, by Anil Giri (kp) [In the hope of coming to power again as soon as possible, Deuba, who has failed four times as PM, willingly accepts the destruction of democracy and the constitution by KP Oli!], Protests called for release of eight people convicted in 2015 Tikapur incident : The individuals who have been jailed for life are ‘political’ prisoners, struggle committee says, by Tika R Pradhan (kp), Supreme Court orders sugar mills to pay farmers within a month (kp), Reckoning Stability Of Regime, by Dev Raj Dahal (rn), Nirmala Panta's Case Revisited : Apathy delays justice (rep), Human rights matter : Recent events show how important it is for the countries in the world to uphold human rights, by Simone Galimberti (rep), Coronavirus-effect all over, by Narayan Pangeni (kh), Stooping too low!, by Ishwar Dev Khanal (kh),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)

01/01/2021: With no House, amendment to transitional justice law, as per court order, remains uncertain : The government is preparing to extend the terms of the commissioners assigned to look into conflict-era cases once again. Why not bring an ordinance to amend the law as ordered by the Supreme Court in 2015 instead, victims say, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Ruling party’s split continues to fuel conflict in provinces : Province 1 Chief Minister Rai suspends 15 party members  after they file a no-confidence motion against him, by Tika R Pradhan (kp) [The members of the provincial parliament are the democratically elected representatives of the sovereign people. The Chief Minister has been elected by these MPs and is responsible to them. Since none of the reasons mentioned in Article 180 are applicable, which, by the way, is not for the Chief Minister to decide, his action is to be judged as similarly criminal as the dissolution of parliament by Oli and Bhandari at the central level!], Plea For Accommodative Leadership, by Mukti Rijal (rn) [This problem affects all major parties and their factions. The failed old politicians should leave the political stage immediately and make way for a younger, hopefully charismatic generation. Only then would new elections really make sense!], All positive samples of people returning from UK to be sent for whole-genome sequencing : So far at least seven have tested positive and their samples will be handed over to  the World Health Organization to send them to a laboratory abroad for testing.  Despite arrival ban from the UK, people are still coming in, officials say, by Arjun Poudel (kp), Unfilled local government vacancies affect service delivery in KarnaliAs many as 81 posts of people’s representatives are currently vacant in eight districts of Karnali Province. Dolpa district has the highest number of vacancies; By-elections have not been held to fill vacancies caused by death or resignation, by Chandani Khatayat (kp), Cane farmers complain about delayed payment from mills : The government made a deal on Monday and said their payments were being processed, by Krishana Prasain (kp),
see also news programmes of Kantipur TV : morning (English), evening (Nepali)


Youth Anxiety, Aspiration, and Activism: Survey Report, by Niti Foundation and ILO, April 2021

Nepal Child Labour Report 2021, by International Labour Organisation and Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal

Nepal 2020. Excerpt from Amnesty International Report 2020/21 (07/04/021)

Annual Report 2020, by NHRC. Lalitpur, February 2020

Nepal: Human Rights Commission’s Integrity in Jeopardy : Lack of Transparency in Appointments Undermine Effectiveness, Public Confidence, common statement by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Commission of Jurists, 1 March 2021

World Report 2021 : Nepal - Events of 2020, by Human Rights Watch, January 2021

Putsch at the top of the state, 60 years after Mahendra's coup d'état, by Karl-Heinz Krämer. Nepal Oberver 62, December 25, 2020

Nepal Human Development Report 2020, UNDP and NPC, 13/12/2020

The Government of Nepal has been using the Covid-19 Pandemic to Exercise Control, to Commit Human Rights Violations and to Deny Justice to Victims of Human Rights Abuses, by AHRC, 09/12/2020

राष्ट्रिय मानव अधिकार आयोगको वार्षिक प्रतिवेदन (२०७६–२०७७), National Human Rights Commission, 07/12/2020

No Law, No Justice, No State for Victims : The Culture of Impunity in Post-Conflict Nepal. Report by Human Rights Watch. 20/11/2020

Nepal : Justice stalled for conflict victims. Amnesty International submission for the UN universal periodic review, 37th session of the UPR working group, January 2021 (Amnesty International, 23/10/2020)

आयोगको २० वर्ष आयोगका सिफारिशहरु र कार्यान्वयन अवस्था (२०५७ जेठ–२०७७ असार), National Human Rights Commission, 15/10/2020

The NHRI Nepal Joint Submission for The Third Cycle Universal Periodic Review of Nepal, 2020. Submitted by National Human Rights Commission, National Women Commission and National Dalit Commission, March 24, 2020 (revised 07/09/2020)

Human Rights and the Rule of Law in a Federal Nepal: Recommendations from an ICJ High-Level Mission, by ICJ: Geneva, July 2020

Nepal’s Universal Periodic Review: Human Rights Review Should Address Broken Commitments, Impunity, by Human Rights Watch, 16/07/2020), see submission report by HRW (15/07/2020)

Lawyers at risk: Law Society submits joint UPR report on Nepal, by The Law Society of England and Wales, 13 July 2020 (see also factsheet and submission)

2019 Trafficking in Persons Report: Nepal, by US Department of State

2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, by US Department of State, 11 March 2020

Rule of Law Index Nepal 2020, by World Justice Project, 11 March 2020

Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2020, by INSEC, Kathmandu 2020

Annual Report: Synopsis 2018/2019, by NHRC. Kathmandu: January 2020

Nepal 2019. In: Human Rights in Asia-Pacific. Review of 2019. Amnesty International, 29 January 2020

Nepal: Recent Steps Undermine Transitional Justice, by ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International, 25 January 2020

Nepal: Events of 2019, by Human Rights Watch, January 2020, pp. 418-422

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 (Nepal Gazette 20 September 2015)

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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