While buying a copy of Narayan Wagle’s debut novel Palpasa Cafe and asking him to sign it, I didn’t thought I would be reading the novel within next 12 hours. This is possibly because I rarely read his column ‘coffee guff’ not because I don’t like it but I don’t like to read something serialized in a newspaper. But once I started the novel’s preface out of curiosity, it started gripping me and I couldn’t put the book aside before I finish it. Continue reading…
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It’s hot! Hot!! HOT!!!
Not actually. But, everyday, the Kathmandu Valley is experiencing a new tempature record. It was highest in the year a few days ago, highest in five years two days ago and now highest in 11 years yesterday. And weather forecasters still believe that it’s rising until the Monsoon – around a fortnight later. Would the all time highest record of 36.6 degree celcius will be broken this year? I don’t know but certainly the rise in temperature is causing loads of problem. Continue reading…
June 1 Brings Back Sad Memory
I was eagerly awaiting June 1, 2001 because that was the day when my first computer would have been delivered to me. But unfortunately the day turned out to be one of the saddest day of my life. The news of Royal Massarce was not easy to believe, but it turned out to be true. I went to hopital where they had kept the beloved Royal Family, waited a few hours to participate in the possession leading to their last rites. I shaved my head bald like many other youngsters to mourn the death of Royal Family but the truth was there – We Lost the Beloved King. Continue reading…
Friday was an important day as it saw a few incidents making headlines
King’s Address
The King addressed a ceremony felicitating him organized by Tribhuvan University, to which he is the chancellor. The summary of his speech was, for political interest, was that the parties if they call themselves democratic should come forward to support him to fightagainst terrorism. He said he wanted the parties to be popular and effective engaging themselves in democratic process.
During his early speeches, the King used to criticize parties for failing to understand the country’s situation and not functioning properly. In the latest one, he was neutral – not criticizing them and asking them for reconciliation with him. It looked like he is under a bit pressure, but still stubborn to his intentions.
Seven Parties’ Agitation
The seven big parties of the country jointly staged an agitation rally where the top leaders publicly asked the King to choose between absolute democracy (constitutional monarchy) or a republic. The rally organized by Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress Democratic, Nepal Communist Party – United Marxist Lennist, People’s Front Nepal, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Nepal Sadbhawana Party and United Left Front was participated by thousands of people – it was the biggest rally after Feb 1.
Political leaders heavily criticized the King for his Feb 1 move and asked him to restore dissolved House of Representatives.
Govt Bans Media House
On the same day, the Ministry of Information and Communication ordered Communication Corner, a radio program production house, to close down saying it was being run illegally. Communication Corner produces programs for more than a dozen FM radio stations around the country.
They stopped producing Nepal Khabar a news and current affairs program after Feb 1 while Kayakaran, another similar program used to be broadcasted by 12 FM stations, now is only broadcasted in Hong Kong.
The decision came days after the journalists issued protest programs against the press law ordinance and the FM journalists readying themselves for agitation.
Human Rights Commission
The King nominated all controversial people in the National Human Rights Commission after the tenure of earlier committee expired. Nayan Bahadur Khatri, the 80-year-old chairman, kept his place (probably a reward for him to speaking in favor of the King\’s move in UN\’s Geneva Meeting). Other appointed were all considered the supporters of the King.
They stopped producing Nepal Khabar a news and current affairs program after Feb 1 while Kayakaran, another similar program used to be broadcasted by 12 FM stations, now is only broadcasted in Hong Kong.
The decision came days after the journalists issued protest programs against the press law ordinance and the FM journalists readying themselves for agitation.
Human Rights Commission
The King nominated all controversial people in the National Human Rights Commission after the tenure of earlier committee expired. Nayan Bahadur Khatri, the 80-year-old chairman, kept his place (probably a reward for him to speaking in favor of the King’s move in UN’s Geneva Meeting). Other appointed were all considered the supporters of the King. Continue reading…
The Indirect Media Censorship
King Gyanendra ended the media censorship immediately after his foreign tour to show the world that he is moving towards the direction of restoring press freedom. But it was only a trick – and here comes the unmistakable proof of that. The government has drafted an ordinance that would amend some Nepal laws related to press and anybody can tell that the ordinance is for nothing but to keep the media silent and afraid.
The ordinance has introduced strict measures against media ownership and broadcasting of news related programs.
The ordinance asks any individual or organization owning all newspaper, radio and television to choose any two within a year. It says no single organization will now after granted license to operate more than two media. In other time this could have looked good but at the present situation it only looks like a measure to weaken Kantipur – the largest publication and broadcasting house in the country and the most vibrant one in demanding democracy.
And I think the ordinance would not likely to effect the government that owns all three types of media too because there is nothing about it in the ordinance. Continue reading…
Beholding the Beauties
Last night, I was at the Regal Hall of Hotel Yak & Yeti to watch the proceedings of the Miss Tourism International Nepal 2005 contest. I wouldn’t have gone if my beloved wife hadn’t designed a piece of dress of one among 13 contestants. Cecilia Gurung won the title, congratulations for her, but the proceeding gave me, an amateur in the field, pretty wrong feelings about the beauty contests. Continue reading…
State Vandalism in Nepal
King Gyanendra would call his foreign tour that included his participation in the Asian-African Summit 2005 a successful one – mainly because the Indian Government did the U-turn about the military aid. At the summit, he reiterated his commitment to democracy and put forward some points supporting his February 1 coup that had definitely earned him some good fame.
But saying and doing are two different things and that can be entirely different: the King proved it.
On April 25, plain-cloth policemen vandalized the central office of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) or CPN (UML) – the second largest political party of the nation, when the party was mourning death of a leader – Sadhana Pradhan – the wife of first elected communist prime minister of the world Man Mohan Adhikari.
If you think this a party propaganda, read the statement from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), whose chairman supported the King’s move in the international forum which drew much criticism. According to reports, Nayan Bahadur Khatri said after the inspection: “This is foolish act and we will take necessary action.” Continue reading…
Municipal Election: For Covering Up the Death of Democracy
The King has announced that there would be municipal election in the country within a year. The Election Commission said they had already started updating voters’ list to fulfill the ‘wish of the King’. The political parties said they would not participate in the election unless there is democracy and freedom in the country.
So what’s next? I believe there will be municipal election soon – no problem if the parties choose to stay out (that will be even better for the King and there will be small parties willing to participate to benefit from the opportunity), no problem if the turnout is low, no problem whatsoever with the results. The King wants to show the world that he believes in the democracy and thus using the election (considered worldwide as a mean of exercising democratic power by the people) as a tool to deceive the international communities.
The result of municipal election is going to have no problem for the King because a) the elected body will have no power in the high level, and b) even if they try to do something like that the King has already implemented a plan to stop that by appointing his men as zonal-chiefs in 14 zones and regional chiefs in five development regions (Politically Nepal is divided into 5 Development Regions, 14 Zones and 75 districts).
So there can be nothing better for the King to show the world his ‘democratic commitment’ than by holding election. You will see how the authority will try to show the municipal election as a democratic process and the international media will be tried to utilize by feeding such information that this election is a first step to show the King’s commitment towards democracy.
And, since he has said the election within one year, the international communities would be forced to wait and see it for a year. And after election, the King would try to persuade them for continue stopped support for Nepal. But I believe the international communities should understand the situation – and believe that unless the King steps down and give away the executive powers to the people’s representatives, there will be no democracy in Nepal. Continue reading…
AFC President’s Cup Football: For Nepal’s Pride
AFC President’s Cup is a football tournament that would be participated by national champion clubs of eight Asian nations that falls under category C of AFC’s classification. What eludes the clubs most is the prize money – US$ 50,000 for the winner and US $ 25,000 for the runners-up. The tournament originally planned in Nepal was nearly lost due to security and flood-light problems but a team of AFC after inspection okayed Nepal as the venue and Nepali football fans are eagerly awaiting for the event. Continue reading…
Remembering 2 0 4 6 – C H A I T R A – 2 6
I was 11-year-old, studying in standard six. Since one of my uncles, Jagnath Acharya, was the Nepali Congress activist, I had heard about the meeting at Ganesh Man Singh’s residence and the announcement of People’s Movement. I didn’t know what it all meant – when I asked my father he told me with his childhood experience of 2007 that the political activists would take out rallies for democracy. “What will happen with democracy?” “You can vote, you can chose the prime minister and you can speak anything.” Continue reading…
