Showing posts with label Demographics of Nepal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Demographics of Nepal. Show all posts

Monday, September 14, 2015

सुष्मा स्वराज उवाच

India has always supported peace, stability, unity and development of Nepal. In the last two decades, we all have witnessed violence, instability, internal struggle and political discord in Nepal, as well as its negative consequences. Nepal had not yet emerged from this crisis, when a major earthquake in April 2015 wreaked havoc and caused major destruction in the country. Whether the crisis is political or natural, Government of India has always desired prosperity and well-being of Nepal, and considers itself duty-bound to stand by Nepal in any adversity.

For the last few months, the political leadership of Nepal has been intensively engaged in the critically important task of Constitution drafting, through mutual consultations and dialogue.

Encouraging voices were heard from Nepalese leaders from afar that the Constitution will carry along all regions and sections, and will become the focal point of a progressive, modern and united Nepal. Coming from all the political leaders, these voices make all of us in India very happy.

The Nepalese political leadership has shown wisdom and maturity in overcoming several challenges over the last few years, resulting in substantial gains in the peace process and consolidation of inclusive multi-party Constitutional democracy through two successful elections. We laud the achievements that Nepal has made in the peace process.

We welcome and commend the recent progress achieved by the Constituent Assembly in the Constitution-drafting process wherein several contentious issues have been resolved.

India is concerned over the ongoing protests and strife in several parts of Nepal. Horrific violence has once again shaken Nepal’s soul. Whether the victims are Nepali citizens or government officials, the blood spilt in all the incidents was Nepalese. When Nepal is yet to come out of the tragedy of the earthquake, these developments would hurt any humanitarian country in the world.

In this context, we urge continuing flexibility on the part of all the political forces so that any outstanding issues are addressed through dialogue and widest possible agreement, in an atmosphere free from violence. A Constitution, which is fully owned by and accommodates the aspirations of all regions and sections of the Nepalese society, will lay a durable foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Nepal and will become the focal point for Nepal’s bright future.

Nepal’s political parties, organizations and intellectuals have always displayed maturity and foresight in times of crises. It is only with their continued leadership and wisdom that Nepal can overcome its current difficulties. A durable and resilient Constitution is necessary to build a modern Nepal. We hope that Nepal’s leaders will leave no stone unturned in their efforts.

Government of India is committed to further strengthening its close and cordial relations with the Government and people of Nepal and will continue to provide all support and assistance, in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Nepal for peace, stability and socio-economic development.


Sunday, June 28, 2015

भारतको बुहारी अथवा जवाईं नभएको एउटा मधेसी परिवार छैन

मधेसी लाई अनागरिक बनाउने राजनीतिक षड्यंत्र ले गर्दा देश टुट्छ
कि मधेसीले समानता पाउँछ कि देश टुट्छ

जसको घरमा देश बाहिर को न बुहारी न जवाईं छ, त्यस्ताले लेखेर हुन्छ नागरिकता मस्यौदा? भारतको बुहारी अथवा जवाईं नभएको एउटा पनि मधेसी परिवार छैन। We are one people, the political border be damned.

Nepal’s own ‘love jihad’ – the fear of Indians
my children – even if they wish to – cannot become Nepali citizens....... And that is because I married an Indian woman....... citizenship clauses which would have been considered anachronistic even in the last century. ........ The draft clearly states that only those whose father AND mother are Nepali citizens would be eligible to become Nepali citizens by descent. This is a reversal of the clause in Nepal’s interim constitution, promulgated in 2007, that a person whose father OR mother was Nepali could become a citizen by descent. ........ In formal terms, it means I cannot pass on a citizenship that I so cherish to my children........ It also means that a Nepali woman married to a foreign man cannot do so either........ In practical terms though, I may be able to get around this provision. Given the patriarchy entrenched in Nepal’s state apparatus, when I go to the District Administration Office, it is unlikely that the district officials will ask me about my wife’s citizenship – they will probably assume she is Nepali, and provide a stamp of state legitimacy to my child. ....... But when a Nepali woman approaches the same office, given the same prejudices and assumptions inherent in the official machinery, she will be asked to show the identity of her husband. And till she can prove the identity of her husband, or show the father of her child is Nepali, her child will not get citizenship. ........ At the root of these provisions is a fear of Indian men, of Indian ‘demographic aggression’.

Cross-border marriages are an integral feature of the India-Nepal special relationship – this is particularly true for Indian citizens who live in Bihar and UP, and the Madhesis of Nepal who live in the plains.

The draft constitution’s underlying logic is to keep out Indian men who would marry Nepali women and have children who could then become Nepalis. This, the Kathmandu establishment fears, could be a step to enhance Indian influence in Nepal. ......... a fear that reminds one of the manufactured ‘love jihad’ conspiracy theories in India where Hindutva activists have played up the threat of Muslim ‘demographic takeover’; Nepali ultra-nationalist activists have framed citizenship laws based on a similar fear of the Indian ‘takeover’. ....... Inequality is formally institutionalised in another category – citizenship by naturalization. ....... The draft constitution says that if a foreign woman is married to a Nepali man, she can get immediate citizenship as long as she gives up the citizenship of the country to which she originally belonged and is a resident in Nepal. But if a foreign man is married to a Nepali woman, he has to wait 15 years before he can become a Nepali citizen. ....... There was an earlier proposal to have both foreign men and women married to Nepali spouses wait for seven years before they could get citizenship. This sparked a major backlash from the Tarai based parties – they argued that given the extent of cross border marriages, and the fact that women usually moved to the homes of their husband, such a provision would make millions of Indian women married to Madhesi men stateless. ......... The proposal was withdrawn, but the provision of the 15 year waiting period in the case of the men stayed. This was deeply unfair to Nepali women. But it was again was driven by the same fear – that Indian men would marry Nepali women, would infiltrate Nepali politics and economy, and thus Nepal needed rigid citizenship laws which made naturalized citizenship difficult. ...... Nepal’s citizenship provisions are a product of chauvinistic nationalism and patriarchy. It will affect not just Nepalis but Indians with deep family links across the border; it is not just a ‘national’ matter but is directly linked to universal human rights and international conventions. And that is why it deserves far greater attention from the Indian civil society and intelligentsia since it has so far received.


Madhav Bhatta: his policy would not only affect the "Terai" population but also people in the Far-west (especially in Darchula, Baitadi, Kanchanpur) where cross-boarder marriages are common with Kumaoni folks in Utterakhand state in India. We (people from Mahakali and Seti) share social, cultural, and linguistic ties with Kumaonis in India similar to the people in Far-east Nepal share ties with those in Darjeeling and surrounding areas in India. We have Nepalis who have immigrated to Utterkhand but have ancestral ties to Nepal and marriages cross boarders happen everyday. I can think of many examples people who would be affected by this policy! I am sure the situation is similar for the far eastern hills as well? Where are Deuba and other political leaders from the far-west and what is their position on this issue and what are they doing about it? It affects the people they are supposed to be representing! Or have they been in Kathmandu for so long that they have forgotten the about the issues that matter to the people? ...... Someone please help me to reconcile this: how can a country be "progressive" enough recognize the third gender and at the same time deny citizenship rights to a child born to a Nepali mother?

Sunday, June 14, 2015

हिपत महानगर: परिमार्जित आईडिया

के बनाउने? महानगर 
  • २० किलोमीटर बाइ १० किलोमीटर जग्गा अधिग्रहण 
  • प्रत्येक १०० मीटर मा चार लेन को वन वे सड़क, ट्राफिक बत्ती सहित, एक एक किलोमीटर सम्म बत्ती एकै रंग को हुने र एकै पटक परिवर्तन हुने गरी --- त्यो सड़कमा २४ घंटा गुड्ने इलेक्ट्रिक बस 
  • सड़क सड़क बीच ब्लॉक long केंद्र मा गार्डेन हुने बिल्डिंग हरु, एक नासले दश तले, छानामा सोलर हीटर, जसको विद्युतले शहर लाई पुग्ने 
  • Citywide फ्री WiFi --- शहर को केंद्र मा आइफल जस्तो टावर 
  • शहरको केन्द्रमा ठुलो पार्क ----- साना तिना पार्क मनग्ये 
  • शहरको केन्द्रमा ५-१० ब्लॉक बिज़नेस डिस्ट्रिक्ट --- २० तल्ले घर हरु 
  • त्यहीँ नजिकै गवर्नमेंट डिस्ट्रिक्ट ----- केंद्र सरकारका सबै मंत्रालय एकै ठाउँमा ---- २० तल्ले घर हरु 
  • शहर को Outer Ring मा लसकरै Textile Factory हरु --- रोजगारी का लागि 
Reconstruction In The Aftermath Of The Nepal Earthquake



थप के बनाउने: Supporting Regional Infrastructure

  • निजगढ़ अंतर्राष्ट्रीय विमानस्थल 
  • काठमाण्डु-हेटौडा टनल फ़ास्ट ट्रैक 
  • नारायणी नदी बाट खाने पानी को लागि कनाल 
  • चुरिया मा चितवन देखि झापा सम्म व्यापक वृक्षारोपण 
  • मध्य तराई बुद्ध रेल मार्ग (पुर्वी तराई बाट शुरू) 
  • दक्षिण तराई जानकी राजमार्ग (पुर्वी तराई बाट शुरू)
  • महानगर-जनकपुर-पटना-कोलकाता Industrial Corridor 

बनाउन पैसा कसले दिने? 

  • ठुलो infrastructure project का लागि पैसा देखि बनाउने सबै दाता सरकारले गर्छ, स्थानीय भ्रष्टाचार को संभावना रहन्न, अनि त्यो नरहेकोले दाता देश हरु मदत गर्न इच्छुक पनि हुन्छन् 
  • ठुलो regional infrastructure project हरु का लागि ठुला र धनी देश हरु लाई approach गर्ने -- भारत, चीन, जापान, अमेरिका, ब्रिटेन, जर्मनी, फ्रांस, रूस, ब्राज़ील, कनाडा, ऑस्ट्रेलिया आदि 
  • महानगर का ३०० सड़क संसारको प्रत्येक देश लाई बनाई दे भन्ने --- जस्ले बनाउँछ सड़क त्यसै देशको नाममा 
  • ५०० इलेक्ट्रिक बस पनि त्यसरी माग्ने 
  • एक भन्दा बढ़ी सड़क बनाउने देश ले पहिलो पछि सड़क आफ्नो शहर हरुको नाममा राख्न पाउने 
  • १०० गुणे २०० --- अर्थात २०,००० बिल्डिंग का लागि नेपाल, भारत, बंगलादेश, चीन, पाकिस्तान, जापान र अरु जहाँ सुकै को प्राइवेट रियल इस्टेट कंपनी हरु लाई आह्वान गर्ने ---- (१) एक वर्ष भित्र बनाउनु पर्ने (२) जग्गा पाउने मुफ्तमा (३) त्यस को बदलामा प्रत्येक बिल्डिंग को ग्राउंड फ्लोर र १० मध्ये अर्को random चार तला नेपाल सरकार ले पाउने ---- बाँकी बनाउने कंपनी को 

महानगर मा बस्ने को?

  • बिल्डिंग का ग्राउंड फ्लोर मा पसल/बिजनेस हरु हुन्छन् --- तिनले बाल तिरछन -- त्यो महानगर सरकार, जिल्ला सरकार, प्रदेश सरकार, केंद्र सरकार सबै ले एउटा फोर्मुला को आधारमा पाउने ---- ३०% महानगर, २०% जिल्ला, २५% प्रदेश, २५% केंद्र 
  • बाँकी का चार तलामा (१) भुमि अधिग्रहण मा परेका हरु र (२) भुकम्प विस्थापित 
  • जग्गा अधिग्रहण गर्दा को जग्गाको नया शहर को मार्केट रेट मा ती जग्गा धनी ले आ आफ्नो जग्गा को मुल्य बराबरको अपार्टमेंट हरु पाउने 
  • भुकम्प विस्थापित ले अपार्टमेंट पाउने बस्न का लागि --- पहिलो दुई वर्ष केही तिर्न नपर्ने --- गोरखा, सिंधु जस्ता जिल्ला का ले आ आफ्नो घर जग्गा सरकार लाई मार्केट रेट मा दिने ---- त्यस बराबरको पैसा नया अपार्टमेंट मा गयो --- त्यसले नभ्याएको पैसा ३० वर्ष सम्म लगाएर महिना महिना मा तिर्नु पर्ने -- सहुलियत ब्याज पनि लाग्ने -- शायद १०% 
  • काठमाण्डु को घर जग्गा अति महँगो हुने भएको ले, काठमाण्डु का भूकम्प बिस्थापित ले त्यहाँ जति ठाउँ छोड्यो --- मोटामोटी त्यति स्पेस को अपार्टमेंट पाउने। 
  • Then it gets interesting. गोरखा, सिंधु जस्ता जिल्ला का विस्थापित को जग्गामा वृक्षारोपण हुन्छ --- तर घर प्राइवेट tourism कंपनी लाई दिइन्छ -- त्यसले retrofit गर्दै ट्रेडिशनल स्टाइल मैं घर पुनर्निर्माण गर्छ -- टुरिस्ट हरु बस्ने बनाउँछ ---- त्यस आम्दानी को केही अंश घर को मुल धनीले पाउने। काठमाण्डु मा पनि त्यस्तै 
  • १० तल्ला मध्ये ५ तल्ला घर बनाउने प्राइवेट कंपनी ले मार्केट रेट मा जसलाई बेचे भो बाल दिए भो 
महानगर का ले काम चाहिं के गर्ने?

सबै कुराको ठेक्का मैले थोड़े लिया छ?

Saturday, May 02, 2015

The Perfect Time

English: Kathmandu.
English: Kathmandu. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
When the tragedy hit, I was too far away - 10,000 miles - to be able to claim trauma. But I was in shock for a few days. I could not believe. The Dharahara toppling was too powerful a metaphor for all the damage that might have happened before the reports came in.

One of the decisions I took was I was not going to make political statements for a few weeks. But very soon I realized the Corruption And Criminal Complex (CCC) on the ground was in no mood for a timeout. Quite the opposite, it was gearing to go on a hyperdrive. And I have come to the conclusion that this actually is the perfect time to be talking politics. Because the CCC is hellbent on messing up the relief work. And if that happens, the world is not going to pour in money for the reconstruction work. And so now is the time. Nepal should not see a Haiti repeat. There also one of the first local moves was to collect all the incoming money into one account. After that the local elite went on a looting spree. That messed up the reconstruction possibilities.

And so now is the time for all concerned Nepalis to step in and hold the local political class accountable. Money will not be a problem. Money will come in, if not from governments then from ordinary citizens across the world. But that faucet will turn itself off if 100% online transparency is not ensured for all the money coming in.






















Relief supplies left stranded at the airport: that also has a parallel in Haiti. The local elites there did that to send a message to the international donors. Don't send us stuff. Send us cash. It worked. They started sending cash. Cash is much easier to loot. There's all sorts of creative accounting you can engage in.

The one bank account all money is supposed to go to: that also has a parallel in Haiti.

Foreign governments are not above the 100% online transparency idea. When they pledge $10 million, what they mean is $5 million will go to their own nationals they need to hire, another $3 million will go to buy stuff in their own country. Of the remaining $2 million, the local elites will gobble up about $1.5 million. 500K is no pocket change, would you say?


















Sushil Koirala is not that innocent. He might have walked into the Prime Minister's Office with only three cell phones to his name. (Why three?) But the PMO stinks. There is a large coterie of people who need Sushil to stay PM and come back as party president, because otherwise their wells start running dry.

Bamdev Gautam is the epitome of the Corruption Criminal Complex (CCC). The guy stinks through and through. If you want the worst for the Bahuns of Nepal, you would wish for them to have Bame as their leader forever. This guy vandalizes the entire administration. His underlings can't get promotions unless they show up at his residence with suitcases. His ties to the mafia are open, when he is in power, and when he is not in power. He wants the Home Ministry each time because that is where he is the most useful to the mafia.

KP Oli is uneducated and corrupt and verbose. That is an amazing cocktail of stink. His house is bigger than the Prime Minister's residence. And he won his first election only recently. He sure is no businessman.

Ram Sharan Mahat might be an economist, but he is a corrupt economist. He bought a new car for the Finance Minister, a very expensive one, only a few months back. It was not because the Finance Minister did not have a car. On the books it might look legitimate, but that is only the tip of the iceberg. When in New York last time, he organized a gathering of Bahuns to tell them, "We should corner the Madhesis and the Janajatis to the max!" This guy is not only corrupt, he is also a racist. Those are not two separate character flaws. They go hand in hand.

The list goes on and on.

They are already messing up relief work. They will thoroughly mess up the reconstruction work unless something is done by the concerned Nepalis across the world.

This is not only the perfect time to be talking politics, this is also the perfect time to be talking corruption. This also is the perfect time to be talking federalism. Precisely because Sindhupalchok is a Tamang (Janajati) stronghold did help took forever to get there. In a federal setup, there would have been lesser need to look to Kathmandu for help.

A commitment to 100% online transparency put in place by a bill passed by the national parliament will also make sure Nepal stays hot news through social media, because it is only a matter of days before some idiot blows up some cafe somewhere and global media moves on, and Nepal is forgotten by the world.