Stories about Nepal from January, 2007
Nepal: Madhesh Is Burning
Madhesh is the southern plains of Nepal where half of the country lives. Madhesi are the people of Nepal, roughly half of the country. The Madhesi have been discriminated against for centuries. Now they are in a revolt that feels like the second part of the world shaking April Revolution....
Nepal: A commune for the masses
Our Dream – A Prosperous Nepal doesn't take too kindly to the Maoist vision of communes and property. “Holy cow!!! A communist ‘commune’ ? Am I in a dream? We have all the evidences from the history to prove that this system failed in almost all the places and it...
South Asia: Forced marriages in the UK
A House of Lords discussion in the UK on forced marriages covered at Pickled Politics. “Lord Lester said that on the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery, it was scandalous that we were turning a blind eye to the sexual and domestic slavery of women; he said is was fully...
South Asia: Human rights, blogosphere, traditions, democracy, discrimination, travel and festivals
Picks from different blogs from the following South Asian Countries: Bangladesh: After 5 years detention in Guantanamo, one Bangladeshi (Mobarak) was recently released by the US authorities. However he was arrested again by Bangladesh Airport police for interrogation as soon as he arrived in Dhaka. Naeem of Drishtipat blog is...
Nepal: Strikes and Traffic
Traffic comes to a sluggish halt because of a strike called in Nepal. United We Blog! on the situation and with a video. “The National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs have called an indefinite traffic strike (chakka jam) today to protest the torching of public vehicles in Lahan on Friday...
Nepal: Tiananmen Square Being Staged in Lahan
Madhesh.com has concerns about violence against citizens. “In Lahan, more than hundred innocent peaceful Madheshi protestors have been seriously injured from the brutal attack by government's armed forces to suppress their voices and peaceful protests.”
Nepal: Maoists and Mainstream
Nepali Netbook on the Maoist way of arms and doing things and how it's impacted the mainstream parties and politics. “By the end of 1976, when B.P. Koirala finally fused nationalism and democracy into a plea for reconciliation, it was pretty clear that the Nepali Congress’ principal foreign sponsor had...
Nepal: Predictions for the blogosphere
Nepali Voices has predictions for the Nepali Blogosphere in 2007. “The biggest catalyst in the increasing number of blogs will be the traditional media. It will be difficult to leave out the buzz of blogs. They will covering blogs and blogging thus promoting the ‘blog literacy’.
Nepal: Inheritance of Loss
Deepak Adhikari on Kiran Desai's Inheritance of Loss. “It was nice to read the story of Gorkhaland movement at a time when the demand is resurfacing. …I was in this small hill station Kalimpong in mid 1990s. A religious group called Krishna Pranami from Itahari organized a tour to Kalimpong...
Nepal: Blogging in Nepal
Deepak Adhikari talks about blogging in Nepal – the changes over the last few years, the challenges and the presence of journalists who blog. “In the past few years, some of us in Nepal have made some visible strides in blogging thanks to King Gyanendra's clampdown on mainstream media in...
Nepal: Racism and India as a bully
Looking beyond the Indian blogs, Wagle Street Journal from Nepal comments on the racism and Shilpa Shetty in the Big Brother show issue with the insight of living next door to a country that maybe seen as a bully – India. “When an Indian goes to an English television channel...
Nepal: Arms Management
United We Blog! has a great photo post on the First Day of Arms Management. “Photographs of the first day of registration and storage of weapons and registration of Maoist combatants, at the Maoist 3rd Divisional cantonment site in Chitwan, Nepal on 17 January 2006.”
Nepal: Arms And the Government
Nepal Monitor on the interim constitution and messages to Nepal from the world. “Foreign nations congratulate Nepal on the promulgation of a new interim constitution. Both the United States of America and India emphasize arms management before forming an interim government.”
Nepal: On Western Media and more
Blogdai is a little annoyed with the portrayal of Nepal in the western media. “he lazy Western media has never once waivered from their “we don't care what happens in Nepal, as long as they call it democracy” stance.”
Caught On Camera: Human Rights Videos on GV
You'd be forgiven for thinking it's been Saddam, Saddam, Saddam, in recent weeks, but GV has covered other human rights videos that deserve a bit of limelight – so, in this regular new feature, I'm going to round up the best of those recent stories. Something for WITNESS's Amazon Wishlist...
Nepal: Maoists in the Parliament
United We Blog! on the Maoists inside the parliament. “Putting behind their weapons in UN monitored cantonment sites (the process has started today) Maoists in Nepal have entered inside the parliament building in Kathmandu to attend the first meeting of the interim legislature.”
Nepal: Film festivals
Wagle Street Journal on the sudden spurt in film festivals. “I was talking about the waves of foreign film festivals in Nepal. I recently attended French film festival and, before that, Spanish film festival. Kathmandu also sees Chinese film festival.”
Nepal: Dialogue and Peace
Democracy For Nepal on why dialogue is crucial for Nepal. “These breakaway Maoist factions are seeking political space, and we have to give it to them. Dialogue should be considered a very happy price to pay for peace.”
Nepal: Wireless in Nepal
Wagle Street Journal celebrates wireless in Nepal. “Laptop owners lined up since yesterday in front of the Nepal Telecom stall as the Kathmandu Post had carried news about the card on front page.”
Nepal: Eyes on Nepal
International eyes on developments in Nepal. More at Nepal Monitor. “The newly-appointed UN General Secretary BAN KI-MOON proposes a 12-month UN Mission in Nepal to monitor the peace process and the Constituent Assembly elections. The UNSC is expected to ratify his report soon.”
Nepal: Blogs and Democracy
Two years of Blogdai sees some congratulatory notes that reflect on blogs and democracy. “Nepali blogs are talking about bloggers daily lives, politics, society and what not. Voices are necessary in democracy. They are more important in a transitional situation like in today's Nepal. “
About our Nepal coverage
The earthquake that shook Nepal on April 25 claimed more than 8,000 lives and injured twice as many people. Around 8 million people have been affected with at least 2 million displaced. 1.4 million are in need of food assistance. Reaching remote areas presents a special challenge.
