Stories about Nepal from May, 2006
Nepal: Hinduism and the Throne
Samudaya.org comments on the close relationship of the throne and Hinduism. “The Shah Kings in Nepal have exploited Hinduism for more than 236 years. Since the majority of the population is Hindu, as a god of 80% of the citizens, the throne was unchallengeable.”
Nepal: Writing on the wall
Blogdai has some serious words of advice. “Get rid of these old reprobate politicians and sweep aside your romanticizing, stone-throwing children, Nepal, and let's get busy with saving the country before these fools plunge us into civil war.”
Nepal: Sujata Koirla
Nepali Netbook profiles a daring woman Sujata Koirla and her role in Nepali politics – “Perhaps the most controversial woman during Nepal’s 1990-2002 brush with democracy, she went on to become one of the fiercest critics of King Gyanendra’s direct rule. Her daring escape from Kathmandu after the Feb. 1,...
Nepal Moving Towards Peace Talks
After the victory of the April Revolution, and a major House Proclamation that has seriously curbed the powers of the king and renamed the army from Royal Nepal Army to Nepal Army, and a phase one talk with the Maoists, the seven party alliance government still has a lot of unresolved issues. The pace is felt to have been too slow.
Nepal: Quotes from the streets
Blogdai reports from Nepal – quotes and photographs from the street. An observation on grafitti – “Their political grafitti–often in phrases that span over hundreds of meteres–admonishes any and all to “keep going” and to “continue the struggle” as though some final hidden Maoist plan has yet to be fully...
Nepal: Secularism and Religion
With Nepal deciding to go secular – what does it mean in terms of intersecting interests of religion and politics? Further, what role does India play in all this at Nepali Netbook.
Nepal: Peace Talks
Consultations, negotiation and a code of conduct may show the way forward for peace in Nepal says Bahas. “Members of the government and Maoist negotiation teams have agreed to a 25-point code of conduct late Friday to be observed by both the sides during the period of ceasefire.The talks ended...
Nepal: What now for the Maoists?
What are the Maoists upto in Nepal? What outcomes do they desire? United We Blog! comments “While the country is readying itself for the first round of peace talks with the Maoists, the rebels are continuing the activities, some say, they are best known for: extortion, intimidation and abductions.”
Nepal: Maoists and Monarchy
Nepali Netbook comments on the seeming tough times for the Maoists and their stand on Monarchy. “The thing to measure in the days and weeks ahead, therefore, will be Prachanda’s malleability in his references to the monarchy.”
Images from South Asia
For my first post on Global Voices I decided to look beyond words and instead look at the subcontinent through the lens of another. Photoblogs in South Asia are abuzz with the chatter of cameras and flickering of the flash; the result is an amazing array of images from Kerala...
South Asia: Men and Women Online
Do men and women argue in different ways in online forums? Pickled Politics on gender, the way we argue and the differences. The comment space is especially interesting.
Nepal: Parliament Declaration
A historic Parliament Declaration in Nepal announces the revival of democracy. It's a complete turn-around from where the country was about two months back. United We Blog! covers the day.
Nepal: When the Maoists said Cheese
A brilliant set of photographs by rangi changi chha profiling a group of Maoists he met in Nepal. He says “about an hour outside of janakpur in the south east of nepal, i was invited to meet a group of maoists. they were on their way back from kathmandu where...
Nepal: Democrats, Maoists Gearing For Peace Talks
After the spectacular success of the April Revolution, the seven party alliance has not moved fast enough for some, but it sure has been moving steady.
Nepal: Parliament And Elections
More ideas on the future of Nepal. Paramendra says “But I think the parliament should only be dissolved two months before the election date. This is to limit possibilities of regression. And this is also to keep the pressure on the Maoists during the peace talks. The sooner the talks...
Nepal: The Counter Revolution
Nepali Netbook on the (Counter)Revolution – “It must be a testimony to our twisted times that, in a matter of a fortnight, Nepalis have graduated from discussing a nebulous “total democracy” to deliberating on the threat of a “counterrevolution.””
Nepal: On The Democracy Fast Track
As they try and undo the damage done by the Monarchy, Legal News From Nepal reports “months after the controversy and protests, the King in October last year, had promulgated an ordinance to amend some laws related to the media, imposing severe restrictions on the free press.”
Nepal: Agenda for change and justice
United We Blog! presents an “agenda for change and transitional justice” as Nepal makes the transition to democracy.
Nepal: What really is democratic?
Blogdai on the culture of democracy, the place of youth and younger citizens and taking to the streets – “These protests represented the interests of the 7-party alliance, not the majority. In fact, without elections, how does one know exactly where the majority opinion lies? Majorities are keepers of the...