Not too late
“There is a spirit of solidarity and shared objectives.”
I made a short visit home to Gulmi over Dasain. The message from Gulmi could very well be a message from any of the other 74 districts of Nepal.
Despite the conflict and suspension of many development activities, there has been steady progress in basic education. Enrolment in primary and secondary schools is increasing constantly. There is growing enrolment of girls in schools.
As more children complete primary education, parents are anxious to see them continue to secondary. Many communities have applied for upgrading of their schools to lower-secondary and secondary plus schools, and as they wait, they’ve mobilised local resources to hire additional teachers and build more classrooms.
But, to the considerable frustration of local officials and parents, even after many years the government has not approved the upgrading, accreditation, and funding of a large number of public schools.
At health centres and sub-health posts, government-supplied essential medicines meet less than half a year’s requirements for most communities. This annual allocation needs to be doubled.
The people of Gulmi welcomed the budget announcement that annual block grants for VDCs will be doubled to Rs 1 million. But no directives for the use of these funds have been issued yet. One hopes the Maoists will not seek to take advantage of these additional resources, and that they will be used for effective delivery of basic social services at the community level.
The absence of elected local bodies is a major constraint in the smooth functioning of development activities. But there is a spirit of solidarity and shared objectives. There is heightened awareness of their rights among women and dalits, and acceptance by local communities of their increased participation in development activities.
In part this is thanks to Maoist awareness-raising. Had the Maoists not resorted to extortion, violence, and high-handed behaviour, some of their progressive ideas and actions would have won them genuine, lasting popular support. It is not too late for them to change their ways, focus on their positive, progressive social agenda, and abandon violence, intimidation, and extortion to regain genuine public support and retain it, even if that means a temporary loss of power and influence.
I had not visited my ancestral village for the past six years, and was afraid that Gulmi would be politically polarised. But I was pleasantly surprised to find people continuing to behave cordially as good neighbours. The Maoists and army, who came from outside the village, brought fear and distrust to the community.
People are still afraid of the Maoists. They deeply resent, but tolerate, their extortion. A small number of unarmed Maoists can intimidate large numbers of villagers because of the lurking threat of arms. Minus that threat, people seemed confident that they can work things out among themselves in a democratic, participatory manner.
This has important and hopeful lessons. It is to be assumed that the Nepal Army will remain in the barracks during peace time. The Maoists could stop appointing outsiders and rely on local cadre, who have to live in peace and harmony with their neighbours.
Beyond peace and democracy—as a result of them—people expect rapid improvements in their lives. Nepal must urgently begin to prepare an ambitious post-conflict reconstruction and development plan that can galvanise broad national consensus and international support.
In The News
Summit meeting adjourned, will resume on Tuesday morning NepalNews
Baluwatar meeting continues, leaders claim they are narrowing down differences leaders of seven parties and the Maoists engaged in series of bilateral, trilateral and multilateral consultations. ..... the issue of arms management has been 'almost settled' as per the understanding to have single lock system in the Maoist cantonment with UN technology installed to monitor it ....... interim constitution, interim legislature and interim government.
Prachanda meets with Koirala, others; discusses political package Maoist supremo Prachanda met with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in the presence of UN secretary general’s personal representative to Nepal, Ian Martin, at Koirala’s official residence in Baluwatar ...... The Maoists would keep some weapons with them for the security of the weapons storage ...... On monarchy, Prachanda said the first meeting of the constituent assembly would settle this issue.
Today’s summit meeting will be decisive: Ananta
DPM Oli meets with Indian PM, foreign minister
Parliamentary sub-committee recommends to nationalise King's excess land in excess of the ceiling fixed by the law. ..... also asked the government to nationalise and set up a trust to take care of the land late King Birendra and his family members owned. ..... The Act Regarding Land, 1977, states that a person can own 25 ropanis in Kathmandu, 10 bighas in Terai and 70 ropanis in hilly districts. Moreover, one can own five ropanis in Kathmandu valley, one bigha in Terai and five ropanis in hilly districts for housing purpose. ..... also recommended that the government scrap the name of the royal family members as tenants from the Guthi land held by the royalty. ..... Gyanendra and his kin have been occupying 50,926 ropanis of land in 14 districts. ...... the royal family members have encroached public lands. ..... also suggested that some forest areas owned by the royal family should be converted into national parks and reserves and rest should be handed over to the local communities in the form of community forests.
NC for nationalizing traditional properties of the King The meeting of Central Working Committee (CWC) of Nepali Congress has decided to nationalize "all traditional properties except personal assets" of the King. ...... Koirala reiterated that his party favored letting the ceremonial monarchy continue until the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA) decides its fate
Terathum businessmen protest Maoist 'extortion'
Home Ministry directs police, CDO to check Maoists' disruptive activities
Govt, UNHCR to conduct census of Bhutanese refugees
Prachanda meets PM Koirala; claims breakthrough on arms management
Nepal Janatrantik Party starts donation drive in far western Nepal the Nepal Janatrantik Party, which recently announced to raise arms to protect monarchy, has started collecting donations in the far western region. ....... A few days ago, the NJP sent letters to 27 businessmen of Banbas in India, demanding Rs 50,000 from each of them.
RPP factions fight over party name and flag
Belgian FM meets PM Koirala; ‘Belgium is ready to assist Nepal’
Summit level talks to be held soon: DPM Sherchan
Parliamentary democracy system can include all, says PM Koirala
Pancheshwar project: India, Nepal to hold talks NDTV.com, India 6000 MW Mahakali-Pancheshwar hydel power project ...... The project has seen very little progress since an agreement on it was signed by the two countries nine years ago. .... Besides generating large amount of power, the project will also help irrigate about 10 lakh hectares of land in India and one lakh hectares of land in Nepal. ..... storage-cum-hydro power project on Rapti river called Nau Mure
Nepal arms deal with rebels ready-leader Reuters AlertNet, UK
Canadian architects to micro-finance low-income housing in Nepal Canadian Architect, Canada
No reduction in corruption: TI report Kantipur As last year, Finland, Iceland and Switzerland bagged the top spots as the countries with the least corruption. Meanwhile, Haiti brought up the rear in the corruption index as the world's most corrupt country. In the subcontinent, Bhutan came out cleanest while Bangladesh was declared the most corrupt. According to the index, Pakistan and Bangladesh have more corruption than Nepal.
Prachanda to make his first public address in 25 years
Businessmen protest Maoist diktat, shut down Myaglung bazaar
Locals rendered homeless due to army camp
US offer ‘not in favor of refugees’
ँराजनीतिक मुद्दा सुल्भिmयो’ सहमतिमा लकअपमा रहेका दुवै पक्ष्ाको हतियार संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघले अनुगमन गर्ने र त्यसको साँचो कसैले छोए संघको अनुगमन टोलीसमक्ष घन्टी बज्ने व्यवस्था गरिएको उनले बताए । 'अन्तमा हामीले बनाएको कोठामा हतियार राखी एकल ताल्चा लगाउने, त्यसको साँचो जनमुक्ति सेनाको कमान्डरले राखी संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघले अनुगमन गर्ने र साँचो खोल्न खोजे राष्ट्रसंघको 'मोनिटरिङ टोली' समक्ष घन्टी बज्ने प्रणालीमा हामी सैद्धान्तिक सहमतिमा पुग्यौं ।' दुवै पक्ष अन्तरिम विधानमा राजालाई अधिकार र स्रोतविहीन बनाएर राख्ने र राजतन्त्रको भविष्य संविधानसभा पहिलो बैठकबाटै गर्ने सहमति भएको प्रचण्डले बताए । प्रचण्डले 'जनमतसंग्रहको कुराले जनतामाझ अन्योल आउने अवस्था देखेकाले' संविधानसभा पहिलो बैठकबाटै राजतन्त्रको टुंगो लगाउनेमा सहमति भएको बताए । उनले अन्तरिम संसद्मा प्रतिगमनमा लागेका बाहेक वर्तमान संसदका सबै सदस्यलाई राख्ने र माओवादीलाई पनि कांग्रेस र एमाले बराबरै सिट संख्या दिने सहमति भएको पनि बताए । 'हतियारमा ताला लगाउँदा' शत्रुले आक्रमण गरे भने के गर्ने भन्ने कार्यकर्ताको जिज्ञासामा उनले 'चाबी अरूलाई नबुझाई आफैंसँग रहने भएकाले यस्तो अवस्था आए हतियार झिकेर लड्ने' बताए ।
जनआन्दोलनका घाइतेलाई २५ लाख
माओवादी गतिविधिमा कडाइ गर्न निर्देशन
आत्मदाहको चेतावनी
गैंडा संरक्षणमा माओवादी खट्ने
नेपाल र मोरिआर्टीको पुतला जलाइयो
सैनिक ऐनका बुँदामा आपत्ति’
तामाकोशी बेच्ने षड्यन्त्र
राज्य पुनर्संरचना र पहिचानको प्रश्न
गैरआवासीय नेपाली र दोहोरो नागरिकता
