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