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Time running out for Nepal
By Sudeshna Sarkar, www.reliefweb.int
March 23, 2007

Kathmandu (23/03/07) - It was a solemn occasion on Friday at Kathmandu’s Tundikhel park, one of the foremost venues in the Nepalese capital for political meetings and cultural events.

Only last week, the ground had seen a colorful display of horsemanship and daredevil stunts by soldiers of the Nepal army. But now, instead of the usual air of festivity, there was grief, anger and shock as 28 bodies - brought to the site for mourners to pay their respects - lay on the platform in a grim reminder that things …

People Drag Leaders to Democracy
Analysis by Parbati Nepali, Feb 18 2007
www.ipsnews.net

KATHMANDU, Feb 18 (IPS) - Many residents of Nepal’s capital spent their weekend holiday in their vehicles in hours-long queues for petrol, fearing a flare-up of a general strike that closed the main highway in this landlocked country earlier this month, leading to fuel rationing.

For nearly three weeks the shutdown blocked supplies of fuel, food and other essentials from reaching the Kathmandu Valley and other points north of ‘madhesh’, the plains region bordering India, stranding travellers and forcing businesses big and small to close. The strike was ignited by …

From Peace Journalism - The Nepalese Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN) says it has decided to sit for talks with the government to discuss their issues and demands.

The Federation held a meeting on Saturday which decided to form a team to hold talks with the government.

The government had recently invited the leaders of indigenous communities formally to sit together for dialogue to address their issues.

President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, Pasang Sherpa, however, said that the talks and protest programs would be carried out side by side.

The Federation has announced a series of protest programs till February 28. …

By Dr Bal Gopal Shrestha - Ending a long uncertainty, Nepal received its interim constitution and a new parliament with the Maoist rebels on 15 January 2007. The old parliament that King Gyanendra was forced to revive on April 2006 has been dissolved. This was a big leap forward in Nepal’s history because it completely denies any power to the king, which signals a virtual end of the 239 year old feudal Shah dynastic rule in Nepal. Most importantly the preamble of the constitution states, the sovereign people of Nepal has promulgated this constitution but not by any single person …

Nepal : Madhesi independence and neighbors
By Dr. Upendra Gautam
January 22, 2007

The political forces, which look splinter and peripheral from Kathmandu, have raised arms for independence of Madhes, the middle flat territory, from the unified Nepal. The most immediate cause of Madhesi (people of the middle flat territory) uprising seems to be the grand geo-political success of armed insurgency of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M). The long term historical cause of the political uprising nevertheless is rooted in the failure of the majority of the oligarchy rules in Nepal. These oligarchy rules instead of introducing visionary pro-people reform and development …

Kantipur Report, KATHMANDU, Aug 10 - While World Indigenous Day was being marked around the globe Wednesday, the indigenous people of Nepal have agreed on a democratic republic for bringing about reform in the country.

Thousands of indigenous people from around the country gathered in Kathmandu, took out a cultural possession along city thoroughfares and chanted the slogan “Democratic Republic, Election for Constituent Assembly and State Reforms, the desire of indigenous people.”

Reading out the 24-point Kathmandu Declaration 2006 issued by a meeting of the indigenous people, Dr. Om Gurung, general secretary of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Peoples (NEFIN), said the constituent …

Human rights in decline in Asia
By Kathleen Hwang
www.upi.com

HONG KONG, Jan. 18 — Respect for human rights is deteriorating in many Asian countries; security forces are abusing suspects with impunity, and people are living in greater fear of those in authority, the Asian Human Rights Commission said in a report released Tuesday in Hong Kong.

The report documents state-sponsored violence, including kidnappings, torture and murder. It cites Cambodia, Myanmar and Nepal as countries of special concern, and includes reports on Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Basil Fernando, executive director of the AHRC, said there …