Stories about Nepal from March, 2007
Nepal: On Monarchy and Monarchs
Khatmandu Speaks responds to a comment made at Global Voices Online on the issue of monarchy in Nepal. “You don't know how he runs his businesses. He manipulates the state mechanism to avoid taxes among other things. Stories of vehicles lost in the country of manufacture- to being sold to...
Nepal: Gaur Massacre
The unthinkable happened on March 21 in Gaur in the central Terai plains. Two political groups clashed, and violence followed. 29 were dead, more than 40 injured. This incident has shaken Nepal. Democracy For Nepal condemns the violence but it also takes the Maoists to task for disrupting the MPRF...
Nepal: A public mourning
A photo essay at United We Blog! capturing the Maoist public mourning for those who lost their lives in the Gaur massacre. “It was a day for mourning not only for the Maoists of Nepal but also for those who are praying for the success of the peace process. And...
Nepal: Roar against Internet Shutdown
The decision of the Internet Service Providers Association of Nepal (ISPAN) to shut down internet services for two hours – one each in morning and evening – didn’t have good effect on bloggers. The shutdown was a part of the protest program announced by the Nepal’s industrialists against the Maoists’...
Nepal: An impulsive nation
Nepal Monitor on Nepal as an impulsive nation. “All sorts of crazy stories develop in Kathmandu. If it suits your agenda, you don’t have to verify them. You don’t have to second-guess them. They help in news media’s feeding frenzy. You don’t have to explain them. They help create a...
Nepal: Art and Truth
Deepak's Diary on an artist – Laxman Shrestha. “He says he embarked on the journey searching for the answer for his question of truth. “I found it in art,” he says, “therefore painting for me is a penance.”
South Asia: Brown people in the UK
Pickled Politics on brown people and the government in UK. “Although I’ve frequently explained the process and the reasoning behind which the Labour government has engaged with brown people in the UK, especially Muslims, I haven’t explained it properly in one article.”
South Asia: On culture and belonging
Sepia Mutiny has a moving post on belonging to various cultures – by birth, accident, choice and necessity. “No one has the right to be the arbiter of who does and does not get to participate in their culture. Such judgmental “guardians” had the genetic fortune or fate to be...
Nepal: On blogging and bloggers
Deepak's Diary on the third blogmeet in Nepal. “We are young, modern generation of urbanites who have left our backwater heritage behind. But, there are so many obstacles. One crucial among them is our own tendency: we don't want to take initiatives. Yet, when someone takes the risk and the...
South Asia: Cricket Victories and Upsets
The Cricket World Cup 2007 appeared to have thrown quite a few surprises up for grabs over the weekend. Ireland won the match against Pakistan, and Bangladesh won the match against India. These outcomes were rather unexpected, especially the former one. The blogosphere has been buzzing with commentary and reflection...
Nepal: Nepalis in New York City
Democracy For Nepal on empowering Nepalis in New York City. “I don't know how many Nepalis there are in New York City. 35,000? 40,000? Nobody really knows for sure. But we have got to earn voting rights in the city elections. The idea is not new. Those with green cards...
Nepal: Abdication talks and the provocative CD
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s suggestion that King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras should abdicate created the loudest buzz in Nepal. Amid talks of going into republic after the king assumed the executive powers in Feb 1, 2005 and then lost it due to April 2006 Uprising – a people’s...
South Asia: Inter Immigrant Solidarity
Sepia Mutiny on inter-immigrant solidarity in the US. “There are many layers of solidarity here: Islam, immigration, and a lot of professional overlap, particularly in the taxi and livery cab sector. Choudhury told me that Islam teaches that whenever there is tragedy in the community, anyone who is in a...
Nepal: Blogger threatened
Nepali Voices reports on a blogger being threatened. ” Umesh Shrestha, the blogger behind hugely popular MySansar.com, has been threatened of ‘action within 24 hours if he publishes anything that directly or indirectly supports Maoists or terrorists’. An email with subject line reading ‘last information’ by Maoists Defense Group, not...
Nepal: On Maoists and Voluntary contributions
United We Blog! on attending a Maoist meeting. “They said that the Maoists didn’t threaten but it was unwise to cause problems with them. This is becoming a constant theme. The Maoists are probably being honest when they claim that donations are voluntary. What they don’t realize (or at least...
Nepal: The costs of politics
Our Dream takes a harsh look at the political tactics in Nepal. “If one of their demands are not met, they will go for a “bandh” no matter how much the costs be. To be simple, these people aren’t aware of the actual costs. They are so narrow-minded that they...
Nepal: Adoption and trafficking
Deepak's Diary on the adoption racket in Nepal. “In a poverty-stricken country like Nepal, parents may well be ready to sale their kids. One: hoping for the well-being of their kids; that they will get quality education and thereby quality life in a Western country. Second: they may have been...
South Asia: The UK army and racism
Pickled Politics on racism, the army and the government. “It is a disgusting stereotyping and an insult to any ethnic minorities who join the armed forces. If he wasn’t racist he’d be trying to stop using racially derogatory terms, not perpetuate them further by saying they are acceptable and used...
Nepal: Madhesi Strike & Interim Government
The issue of Madheshi – the people living in the southern plains of Nepal – hasn’t ended. The Madheshi Peoples’ Right Forum, which led the biggest protest in southern Terai demanding the equal opportunity and inclusiveness, have resumed the strikes once again. Parmendra Bhagat of Democracy for Nepal believed the...
Nepal: The Iron Regime
Madhesh Blog on the iron regime and its ways to suppress opinions. “Dozens of Madheshis have been injured from the attacks of armed police forces, in Duhabi, Nepalgunj and other areas of Madhesh; and now the curfew has been imposed and the government continues its old strategy of ruling the...
South Asia: Holi, Wedding excess, Bollywood, Snow, Bus etiquette, ordination of children
Happy Holi to our readers. The Hindu Spring festival of colors is one of the most popular traditional festivals in India and Nepal. South Asia Biz reports that the Indian Cricket team, now in the Caribbean for the Cricket world cup celebrated Holi with the local Indian communities. We also...
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.
