Two leading donors– Department for International Development (DFID) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)– have launched the Rights Democracy and Inclusion Fund (RDIF) to contribute to “stable democratic future for Nepal.”
Head of the DFID in Nepal Mark Mallalieu
Head of the DFID in Nepal Mark Mallalieu
(Photo source: DFID)
Addressing the launching ceremony at Lalitpur on Wednesday, Mark Mallalieu, head of the DFID—British government’s aid arm—in Nepal quoted His Majesty the King, opposition leaders Madhav K Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba and Maoist chairman Prachanda underlining their professed commitment to democracy, human rights and multi-party competition.
Mr. Mallalieu said the new initiative by leading development agencies like DFID and SDC was a legitimate initiative as their support will not be biased and that they will not be providing direct finance to political parties.
“It is legitimate because effective, capable and accountable state and non-state institutions are vital to development and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Without such institutions, surely progress will continue to be slow and Nepal risks trailing far behind its South Asian neighbours,” said Mallalieu. “RDIF provides a new way for donors to promote such effective and accountable government by supporting creative ideas generated by Nepali organisations and people—not by outsiders,” he added.
Country director of the SDC in Nepal, Jorg Frieden (File Photo)
Country director of the SDC in Nepal, Jorg Frieden (File Photo)
Country director of the SDC—the international aid arm of the Swiss government—in Nepal, Jorg Frieden, said development in Nepal had been halted by weak political institutions. He said many citizens of this country wondered if they still could identify themselves with the Nepali state and questioned, in different forms, its legitimacy.
“The suspension of parliament in 2002 and the autocratic rule introduced by the February 1 declaration in 2005 have just aggravated these historical deficits. Arguably the lack of an effective inclusive democracy, ensuring a fair sharing of power and resources among regions, ethnic groups and social classes is at the origin of the present deep political crisis,” said Frieden. “Peace will be attained and development will resume only if those historical grievances are addressed and overcome,” he added.
Frieden further said 12 years of imperfect but real democracy (1990-2002) have allowed hundreds of civil initiatives to blossom, from the FM radio movement to the proliferation of local newspapers, from the organisation of the most discriminated group in society to the creation of large movements of local groups, created for instance around the maintenance and use of community forests. “Our intention is to support with this fund the more original and promising attempts emerging from a maturing civil society,” he added.
Guest speaker, former minister and political thinker Nilamber Acharya expressed hope that the Fund would be an important contribution to the cause of democracy in Nepal and said it was an expression of confidence that Nepal will return to democracy. “Building democracy is a multifaceted task. Extremism—both right and left—is hostile to democracy. Democracy is both a goal in itself and a means to solve other problems,” he added.
Acharya recalled that international community too had failed to support democratic movement of Nepal in the past. “But it was not always the case. We are happy and satisfied this time at the stand taken by the international community after the February 1 royal takeover,” Acharya said. “Anti-democratic elements don’t make democracy. Democratic initiatives, democratic process and institutions as well as democratic forces need to be strengthened,” he added.
The DFID and SDC officials said as much as 2.8 million pounds (approx. Rs 350 million) will be available under the RDIF for a period of next three years. “Support within RDIF is available to all constitutional forces trying to work cooperatively for the achievement of a democratic process that is agreed and durable. Project proposals can be submitted by organisations legally operating in Nepal, both national and international,” said a statement issued by the DFID. “Small but respected Nepali civil society organisations and academic institutions are seen as credible and appropriate partners for promoting reform. It is also recognized that initiatives must reach out to all parts of the constitutional spectrum. Activities would, therefore, be in support of the declared HMG/Nepal’s policy of democratization,” the statement added.
Interestingly, no government officials were present at the launching ceremony attended by senior opposition leaders, human rights and women activists and dalit community leaders. The organisers said they had also invited senior officials for the launching ceremony.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has made public the condition of nine involuntarily-disappeared persons – out of 30 reported cases – of Sindhupalchowk district.
Organising a press conference in Sindhupalchowk on Wednesday, NHRC officials said security forces have been found responsible for five disappearance cases while four persons were held by the Maoists, reports said.
NHRC officials, who had gone to Sindhupalchowk four days ago to investigate into the cases of involuntary disappearances, said that four local residents – Pradeep Tamang, Chiranjivi Gajurel, Chin Bahadur Tamang and Top Bahadur were freed from security detention while Dil Bahadur Tamang of Phulping Danda, Sindhupalchowk, was killed in ‘encounter’ with the security forces.
Likewise, of the four persons taken into control by the Maoists, Ram Bahadur Khadka and Ram Saran Giri, both residents of Sagachowk, were killed by the rebels while Pararuram Sapkota was sent to ‘labour camp’ for two years while another missing person, Bhadra Kaji Gurung, was released some time back.
The commission had sent a probe team to the district on the basis of complaints registered by the families and relatives of involuntarily-disappeared persons.
Their Majesties King Gyanendra and Queen Komal visited Sarangakot, a famous tourist destination in Pokhara, and offered worship at Rastriya Birat Gyan Maha Yagya on Wednesday morning.
Their Majesties offer prayers at the ‘Rashtriya Birat Maha Yagya’ at Sarangakot, Kaski district, Wednesday, Feb 22 06. Photo courtesy: Baikuntha Krishna Shrestha.
The Sarangakot religious area development committee head Lok Bahadur Thapa along with officials of the committee, the western regional administrator and regional security chiefs welcomed Their Majesties at the Maha Yagya venue upon their arrival.
While in Sarangakot, His Majesty the King also interacted with the local people and keenly listened to their grievances.
According to reports, their Majesties also inquired about the master plan of the development of the Sarangakot religious area.
Their Majesties are currently in Pokhara for an unofficial visit of the western region.
Maoists have killed a civilian in Kalyanpur area of Nuwakot district.
According to a statement issued Wednesday by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the rebels killed Surya Bahadur Tamang, a resident of Kalyanpur, using sharp weapons, after abducting him from the area.
Tamang’s body was found near the village on Monday, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Maoists have cut drinking water pipelines in Chourjahari in the mid-western district of Jajarkot. Residents of Chourjahari and the mission hospital in the area have been deprived of supply of drinking water from Sunday, according to the ministry.
Expressing serious concern over the prolonged house arrest and detention of political leaders, human rights activists and civil society leaders, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday asked the government to release the detainees.
“The commission maintains that the act of the government to keep anybody under house arrest and detention in the present-day situation is violation of the international commitment of the government towards rule of law. The commission urges the government to respect rule of law of by releasing those kept under house arrest or detention arbitrarily or without sufficient grounds,” a press release issued by the NHRC stated.
The rights watchdog further said that it was “seriously concerned” over the house arrest of CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and detention of other political and civil society leaders and human rights activists.
The commission also pointed out that peaceful assembly and use of freedom of expression and free movement were some of the rights guaranteed by the constitution as well as the international accord on political rights.
The rights body’s call comes following extension of the house arrest of the UML general secretary and arrest of Nepali Congress spokesman KP Sitaula while hundreds of other opposition leaders, human rights and civil society activists are still languishing in security custodies around the country.
By Krishna P. Adhikari
The recent remarks by James F. Moriarty, the US Ambassador to Nepal, are disturbing—to say the least.
Even though many people in Nepal who love peace and democracy have praised the American stance against the direct rule of the king, the state of confusion surfacing repeatedly in the statements of the US diplomats have given rise to the suspicion about the real intentions of the US in helping resolve Nepal crisis.
It is clear that like India and Britain, the American policy on Nepal is based on so called twin pillar theory: the institution of monarchy and parliamentary parties should work together in order for the supremacy of parliamentary democracy. At a time when these policies are legitimately being questioned not only by the Maoist insurgents but also by those who believed on constitutional monarchy in the nation, the American stance is marked by confusion and controversies.
Nepalese people are not still assured about America’s Nepal policy that the Bush administration would not at any time make an excuse of Maoist-phobia to lend its support to the royal regime. This is likely to be so because of the American tendency observed in other international arena that its vested interests have often overridden rhetoric of safeguarding democracies. Thanks to the extreme absolute trajectory exerted by the royal regime, it is increasingly making it difficult for US to lend its direct support.
Despite the earlier illusion about the monarch, both centrist and centre-left parliamentary political parties have now learnt a firm lesson that the ever-ambitious monarchy at present is not only a formidable institution, but also an obstacle to the democracy and peace process. However, the US still seems to be in a state of confusion on what to do on Nepal’s crisis. This confusion has been expressed repeatedly through statements that not supporting the king is to strengthen the Maoists, whereas supporting it is to strengthen the absolutism.
James F. Moriarty, the US Ambassador to Nepal
(File photo)
The recent remarks by Moriarty urging the so-called twin institutional pillars to work together in order to weaken the Maoists is fraught with the miscalculation of present complexities. It is very irresponsible advice that only makes things more complex. Despite competing roadmaps to return to democracy among different forces of national polity, one very welcoming and genuine gesture inching towards the peace process is the common understanding among the parliamentary parities that without resolving the Maoist problem there is no other way to a return to peace. Without return to peace, there is no way to have full-fledged democracy. In addition, peace is only possible through negotiations and understanding, not the war. Nepal has already tested all sorts of political equations, including the one Moriarty has emphasised. The bitter reality is that none of them have succeeded to resolve the crisis.
Fortunately, the history has brought us an excellent opportunity to be seized for making peace to happen in the country. This is an excellent opportunity because the Maoists are hinting at taking a pragmatic approach to come to the mainstream. This seems very imperative that they have made commitment to multiparty system. We have never had as opportune moment as this. This is not the time to suspect and play the blame game, it is rather a time to capitalise the opportunity. We should not entice the Maoists, who still have strong military base as well as spirit to fight, to perpetuate civil war, we rather should encourage them on their way to returning to the peace process. Thanks to the pact between the parliamentary parties and the rebels, peace is becoming increasingly possible. If genuine efforts are made, there are chances of an amicable deal that can give us an opportunity to transform and modernise Nepal in a genuine democratic line where ‘all pillars’ may still coexist.
The reiteration by the US envoy for reconciliation between the king and parties in order to form a consolidated force against Maoists is flawed right from the beginning since such pact that works against the Maoist will do nothing but prolong the war. It is also unrealistic not to accept Maoists as a legitimate political force. Any advice of alienating the Maoists runs the risk of leading the country to the state of anarchy mired by ethnic violence. At a time when the Maoists are inching towards pragmatic process of peace- making such advice only add to the suspicion that the US does not want peace to happen in Nepal.
Unfortunately, the monarchy– which is increasingly seen as the source of feudalism and ultra rightist nationalism, protector of aristocratic elitism, creator of neo-Panchayat absolutism with centralist dictatorial governance system, and the source of politicisation of national army against democracy and people– has shown no interest to resolve the crisis. When it is as clear as the broad daylight that Nepal’s problems cannot be solved militarily, the sheer negligence of the royal government towards peace process shows that it does not want the war to end.
If the US is genuinely wishing to help Nepal return to democracy, it should take even serious measures to pressurise the king to initiate the peace process and restore democracy, and encourage the rebels to come to mainstream through non-violent means. This is a real chance to resolve the problem politically which once gone out of hand is sure to be a missed opportunity. Before getting another opportunity like this, we will have to pay too much cost. We want it happen now so that we can start rebuilding our nation before it is too late and completely ruined.
(Adhikari is pursuing Ph. D. at the University of Reading, UK. Please send your comments to [email protected] or [email protected])
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to [email protected])
The Fare Review Committee has recommended the government to hike the fares of public transport, including buses, minibuses and taxis, operating throughout the country by 25 to 28 percent following the rise in prices of petroleum products.
Monday’s meeting of Public Transport Fare Review and Recommendation Committee, headed by Director General of Department of Transport Management (DoTM), made the recommendation.
Representatives of various transport federations and consumer forums had also participated in the meeting.
The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) on Friday announced increase in the fuel price according to which price of diesel has been fixed at Rs 55 per litre—a hike of Rs 7, price of kerosene has been fixed at 46 per litre—a hike of Rs 6 while retail price of petrol has gone up by one rupee per litre.
The Kathmandu Post daily quoted Yogendra Nath Karmacharya, president of National Transport Entrepreneurs Federation Nepal as saying that the new fares would come into effect soon after Minister of State for Labor and Transport Management, Rabindra Khanal, endorses it.
Once the decision is enforced, fares of public vehicles operating on long routes will go up by 25 percent and fares of vehicles operating on medium and short routes will increase by 28 percent.
The government has determined long routes as distances of over 250 kilometers, medium routes between 100 to 250 kms and short route as distances between 25 to 100 km.
As per the recommendation, fares of vehicles operating on distance of 0-5 kilometers should not exceed Rs 9. Similarly, fares of vehicles plying on distance between 5-10 kilometers, 10-15 kilometers, 15-20 kilometers and 20-25 kilometers should not exceed Rs 10, Rs 12, Rs 14 and Rs 15, respectively.
Similarly, fares of metered taxi have will also increase by around 16 percent. “Although the ‘initial money drop’ on meter taxis has been fixed at Rs 8 as before, the-per-200 meter-fare has been increased from Rs 3 to Rs 3.50,” the source said.
The government had earlier increased the prices of public transport on Jan 12, 2004.
Meanwhile a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday challenging the government’s recent decision to authorise private sector in fixing price of petroleum products.
The NOC allowed private dealers to fix the price of petroleum products sold from outlets.
Lawyers Jyoti Baniya and Anuttam Uprety filed the petition on behalf of the Consumer Protection Forum.
They also sought the apex court order to the authorities to make public the agreement signed between the Indian Oil Corporation and the Nepal Oil Corporation and to maintain transparency while taking decision on the issue.
Leaders of major opposition parties have said that the King must be ready to discuss all political issues raised by the seven agitating parties and the Maoists if he wanted to resolve the problem through dialogue.
Speaking at an interaction in the capital on Monday, they dubbed the King’s message on the occasion of the 56th Democracy Day as “ambiguous”.
Central committee member of the CPN-UML, Pradip Gyawali, said the King must be ready to restore the pre-October 4, 2002 situation and hold election to a constituent assembly if he is indeed keen on a dialogue.
“The King’s message has nothing new to offer to the political parties who have been fighting for the restoration of democracy,” Gyawali added.
He said the parties would not be ready to talk with the King unless he accepted the 12-point agenda signed by the parties and the Maoists in a bid to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Leader of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Dr Narayan Khadka, said, “The King’s message hints that he has accepted the fact that he has been politically defeated. The manner in which he has called “interested” parties for talks shows he is not whole-heartedly interested in resolving the crisis through a dialogue.”
Spokesperson of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Parsu Ram Khapung, urged the King to create an environment positive for dialogue with the seven-party alliance and his party.
Former minister Kuber Sharma said the King’s message was intended to reactivate the 1990 constitution. The King has also called on the Maoists to give up violence and join the competitive multi-party democracy, he said.
However speaking at another programme, member of Raj Parisad Standing Committee, Satchit Shumsher JB Rana, stated that only talks between the King and political parties would resolve the current crisis and appealed to the parties to respond to the King’s appeal for dialogue.
“The parties should talk to the King and form an interim government for holding the parliamentary elections,” said Rana.
Speaking at the same programme, Padma Sundar Lawati of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party led by Kamal Thapa and Rameshwar Rai Yadav of Nepal Sadbhavana Party also said that only talks between the King and parties would resolve the current crisis.
A Chinese delegation led by Xu Huijuan, director, Wuxi City Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation met with a Nepali delegation led by Chandi Raj Dhakal, chairman of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and discussed the issue of expansion of trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.
Speaking at the programme, Dhakal said that Nepal-China Non-Governmental Cooperation Forum has been successful in increasing contacts between the business communities of the two friendly countries and identifying new avenues for cooperation, according to reports.
He also urged China to accord preferential treatment to Nepali products.
Agro-business, hydropower, pharmaceutical products, light industries, mineral-based products, infrastructure development and tourism are some of the sectors Chinese entrepreneurs might invest in, he said.
Speaking on the occasion, Huijuan said that the main objective of the delegation is to explore more investment opportunities in Nepal, which could yield in mutual benefits.
The Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed two separate cases against five persons on charges of corruption by registering public land with mal-intention at the Special Court on Monday.
The CIAA charge sheeted two former land revenue government officers of the Kawaseti Land Revenue Office Chiranjivilal Rajbhandary and Basudev Poudel along with three other people.
They have been charged of misusing public land worth Rs.10.08 million.
The CIAA has charged them of registering valuable public land located near Narayani River of Gaidakot VDC in the district by creating fake documents.
Likewise, Kirtinath Chalise, Laxmi Prasad Paudel, Lok Nath Sapkota of Nawalparasi district were charged of owning public land through illegal means.
The Commission has found that 40 ropanis of public land has been registered in the name Kirtinath Chalise, 26 ropanis in the name of Laxmi Prasad Paudel, 27 ropanis in the name of Lok Nath Sapkota, the CIAA sources said.
According to the Land Revenue Office, the minimum rate of the illegally occupied land was Rs 10.08 million but the maximum price of the land is worth more than 100 million rupees according to the ratio of day to day purchasing transaction of the area.
Meanwhile, the CIAA said that it had initiated investigation into many cases of irregularities related to public land encroachment.