Crisis solution (2016)

Since the Delhi Agreement between seven parliamentary parties and the insurgent CPN (Maoist) of 22 November 2005, the people of Nepal have been waiting in vain for the promised realisation of an inclusive democratic system. Although the then putsching monarchy was abolished and a constitution was passed in 2015 after long power struggles between the political parties, even this was the sole work of the exclusively male leaders of the three major parties, predominantly male Bahuns. The appropriate participation of all social groups, as provided for in the interim constitution of January 2007, did not take place. In this respect, the constitution of 2015 even represented in part a step backwards compared to the interim constitution.
Thus, apart from the abolition of the monarchy, not much has changed since the 1990 system. Numerous fundamental human rights continue to be disregarded. There is no inclusion of all social groups. All power and the majority of all state functions are still in the hands of male Tagadharis, especially male Bahuns.  The latter make up only 6 percent of the population, but the identification of the state and its society and culture, in short the nationalist image of the state of Nepal, is still based on the culture and partly narrow-minded, anarchic, patriarchal and socially discriminating view and thinking of this small minority. As long as this state of affairs continues and the failed generation of political leaders of all parties is not replaced by a younger generation that is inclusive, open-minded, receptive and not exclusively oriented towards personal power interests, there will be no end to the crisis situation.

31/12/2016: TRC still faces mountain of work with one month before term ends, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep, Cong, Morcha to push charter amendment bill; Madhes-based parties decide to reject LLRC’s restructuring, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Polls unacceptable before statute amendment: UDMF (ht), Local polls only after amendment: NC tells UDMF (rep), 1 SUV torched, another vandalised in Capital (kp), Kohalpur tense after attack on YAN central member, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), ‘Govt may ask EC to prepare for elections’, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [And what about corresponding laws that are a preconditions for the preparation of elections?], Now or never: As our political parties fight they should be mindful of what happened when the first Constituent Assembly was dissolved in May, 2012, by Bhadra Sharma (rep)

30/12/2016: Dalit community submits 5-point demand to PM (kp), Govt seeks clarification from NRA chief exec: PM’s core team is learnt to have the perception that  Gyewali subtly defied the government’s instructions on the pretext of legal hurdles and donor sensitivity, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Govt seeks clarification from NRA CEO again, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Government seeks clarification from NRA chief over ‘lacklustre’ performance, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Quake victims press for second instalment of aid, by Sudip Kaini (kp), House panel tells govt to receive commission's report and declare poll date (rep), Speaker gives parties 3 days to resolve issues: Warns of finding way out of impasse in Parliament, by Binods Ghimire (kp), Morcha softens stance on polls: Calls for a ‘larger political deal’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UDMF to make its stance clear today (kp), Southern blues: Kathmandu should be cautious about how splinter ideology is spreading in Tarai due to its continuing negligence of the region, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), Federalism is the talk of the town in the Tarai: A year after the blockade, Janakpur seethes silently as Kathmandu debates constitutional amendments, by Kristina Shperlik (nt), Govt drops right to reject provision in elections: Experts describe move as regressive, by Bhadra Sharma (rep), Pandora’s box: If all the old disputes remain and nothing changed over the past 12 months, is there anything at all to look forwards in 2017, by Biswas Baral (rep)

29/12/2016: Still in a fix: Much work is needed before amendment bill passes or elections take place (kp), Commission fixes 716 local units in the new federal system: Yet to fix special, protected or autonomous areas, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Dahal meets LLRC officials, finally: Promises to receive local level restructuring report at a convenient time (kp), ‘Polls without addressing grievances of agitating forces will not end status quo’ (ht), Polls impossible without statute amendment: Madhes leaders (rep), Big III agree on polls by mid-May: CPN-UML rejects govt's plea to end obstruction of house proceedings, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [???], Big Three minded to hold local poll under new setup (rep), Parties one on holding local polls in new set-up: In the three-party  meeting on Wednesday, top leaders from the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre) and the CPN-UML agree to announce the election date immediately (kp) [??], PM hasn’t met EC for four months: Officials say they haven’t got chance to clear confusions over local polls, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘Consequences’ if elections are announced before amendment: Yadav claims NC and UML are trying to end historical achievements like federalism, republicanism and secularism, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Oppn parties obstruct House meeting again (kp) [Lack of political culture and defiance of democratic principles!!], Disruption Of House Proceedings, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Water shortage further punishes quake victims, by Madhusudhan Guragain (rep), BP: Relevant as ever; BP’s old fears about fast-changing geopolitical currents in South Asia and the world have become even more pronounced today, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep)

28/12/2016: The wages of sin: Govt needs to sincerely fight the corrupt practices taking place right under its nose (kp), Row over local polls: Apex court to hear from amicus curiae today (kp), Ruling parties, Morcha to take forward all bills (kp), PM to seek other parties’ consent on LLRC report: Dahal hesitating to receive the report as the NC wants local polls in old structure and Madhesi parties have opposed the commission, by Binod Ghimire (kp), MJF-L seeks revision to amendment bill: Party says the disputed districts in the East and the West should be aligned with the plains provinces for broader acceptability of the constitution amendment bill (kp), Madhesis don’t want to secede, says MJF-Republican Chair Yadav (ht), Local level restructuring row: Kanda locals turn against govt offices, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Extreme Act Of Greed & Graft, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Is Nation Slipping Into Deeper Crisis?, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

27/12/2016: Toothless commissions: The proposed Madhesi, Janajati, Tharu and Muslim commissions have no real power, by Mona Ansari (kp), TRC set to begin investigation ‘soon’: The govt approves a proposal to set up temporary  bases of the TRC in seven provinces, by Dewan Rai (kp), On poll ground, PM pressed from all sides, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Parties make no progress in ending deadlock (rep), NC presents 4-pt roadmap (kp), Second-rung leaders to intensify informal talks to break deadlock, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Parties pin hopes on informal talks, by Prakash Acharya (ht), LLRC writes to PM Dahal to receive report, by Binod Ghimire (kp), LBRC seeks time to submit report: Writes a letter to PM after government's refusal to accept it (ht) [??], TI paints bleak picture of govt services, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), NRA staff agree to return to work (kp), Yearning for reunion, Dahal heaps praise on Bhattarai: Former comrades agree on the need for unity to implement the constitution (kp), No to politicisation: KU’s reputation as an independent and credible educational institution is at stake (kp), A Rightist Revival Attempt, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn)

26/12/2016: Travesty of justice in Nepal: Why has the human rights movement turned its back on relatives of the disappeared in Nepal?, by Iain Guest (kp), Stir announced calling for retaining Tharu cluster: Tharu leaders say the proposed Tharuhat/Tharuwan province is unlikely to make much difference for  the largest indigenous community of the plains (kp) NC brass pressed to put charter revision on hold: Office bearers for announcing date for local elections immediately (kp), NC leadership seeks civic polls in two months (ht) [?], Parliament won’t discuss, endorse proposal, says Oli (kp) [The way the new but not implemented constitution has been decided was also unconstitutional and anti-national, Mr Oli! "National" in Nepal means inclusion, equality of all genders and population groups, abolition of caste system, secularism, extinction of superstitious practices, safeguard of dignity of all human beings, multi-ethnicity, multi-culturalism, multi-lingualism, decentralisation, depoliticisation of all spheres of life, creating jobs inside Nepal, safeguarding of food supply and other essential goods, development of infrastructure and economy, end of corruption and nepotism, end of impunity, respect of human rights, equal social security for all, abolition of male Bahun dominance in all speres of life, end to treat politicians like gods, positive discrimination of disadvantaged sections of society, etc.! Both, the constitution as well as the amendment under discussion are far away from this "nationalism"!], Both ruling, oppn parties shy of voting on amendment, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Against Holding Parliament A Hostage, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Banda in Far West over recent ‘killings’ of cows (kp), House panel directs govt to expedite IBN projects (ht), Donors unhappy with move to raise individual house reconstruction aid (ht), Donors pressing for roll back on Rs 300,000 quake grant: NRA; 'Govt will not back down on decision', by Sangeet Sangroula (rep) [? Nobody can resconstruct a totally damaged house with 300.000 Rs!], Malnutrition claims 17-year old, others on the line, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), Bonds of unity: Much of our debate is focused on whether to dismantle or retain five development-regions set up in federal model, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Only 20 percent of budget spent in five and half months, by Kuvera Chalise (rep)

25/12/2016: Tug-of-war among TRC members delays conflict victims’ reparation guideline, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Second-rung leaders bid to end House row: Ruling, opposition parties in negotiation but no clue of agreement yet, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Yadav’s SSFN has differing take on bill; While Morcha wants constitution amendment with some changes in  the bill, Yadav presses for 10-state federal model (kp), Tharu community protests against Province 5 split plan (kp), House meeting postponed: Speaker's move an attempt to encourage parties to end deadlock in parliament, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), EC to have less time as election laws unlikely before a month: 11-member taskforce will submit its report to State Affairs Committee after sorting contentious issues (kp), Christmas celebrations: Bells, carols; Govt: Public holiday Sunday (kp), Cross in the land of the khukuri: It is unfair to doubt the patriotism of Christians, as they love this country just like other Nepalis, by David Kainee (kp), Girl, 14, quits school to support mother, sister after quake: The 14-year-old says her family did not get housing aid because her uncles took away the papers after her father’s death, by Anish Tiwari (kp)

24/12/2016: Magars press parties to keep their cluster intact (kp), LLRC at a loose end as PM’s got a tight schedule: Yet to get an appointment to submit final report, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), For the people! When our politicians tell us that they will work together, they  only mean they will create more problems for the future, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Federalism Debate In Nepal, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)

23/12/2016: Transitional justice: ‘Victims’ say crucial in reparation policy’; CIEDP Chairman Lokendra Mallick assures to take into account the victims’ needs and concerns while drafting the reparation policy (kp), Make it a crime: The state should do more to end discrimination against Dalits because the people won’t, by Dhana Bahadur Mijar (kp), Gathabandhan: UML’s racist remarks will spread communal disharmony: Says UML’s racist remarks and regressive activities disturb communal harmony, weaken national unity and push the country towards a vicious cycle of civil war (kp), Federal Alliance announces anti-UML campaign (rep), ‘UML response to amendment bill a threat to national unity’ (ht), In a nutshell: Public frustration over zero-sum political games is an ominous signal (kp), Opposition alliance to devise further protest plan (kp), Will file report at PMO if snub continues: LLRC, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Sub-panel formed to finalise threepoll-related bills (kp), Leaders lose temper as deposed king finds tongue: Shah’s remarks should not be taken lightly: Dahal (kp), Return to work within two days, govt tells engineers: Challenged to hand in  individual resignations  at concerned offices (kp), The power of one: Individual Nepalis who have shown through dedication and determination that it is possible to build a better future for this country (nt)

22/12/2016: Local elections: Apex court sets up amicus curiae; Seeks opinion from six experts to decide on whether to hold polls under existing structure or new set-up (kp), Sub-committee(s) to finalise election laws: Three election related bills have been languishing at the State Affairs Committee of Parliament for more than two months (kp), Govt hesitating to receive LBRC report, by Arjun Poudel (ht), Constitution amendment: Voices against bill rise as oppn’s strength in House reaches 201 (kp), Former Congress MPs rally behind Oli (kp), Prolonged stalemate likely in Parliament: Speaker not to allow tabling of constitution amendment bill today amid obstruction by opposition parties, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Political stalemate gets complicated: Parties remain adamant on their stances regarding statute amendment bill (rep), Baram claims NEFIN chair as NC, ruling coalition dominate results: Jagat Baram with 31 votes beats Surya Bhujel from the UML camp by a margin of eight votes (kp) [NEFIN is mo longer an institution working for the interest of the Janajati groups but another power toy of the Tagadhari controlled political parties!], Bar seeks deferral of today’s SC hearings: Apex court is scheduled to hear Lokman Singh Karki’s case (kp), Workshop held to seek feedback on Muslim Commission Bill: Speakers call for revising the bill in order to ensure the rights of Muslims as per the spirit of the statute (kp), Enforce laws to check VAW, say rights activists: Call for bringing guilty to book (kp), Ex-king concerned over current state (kp) [Though your criticism in respect to the current "political leaders" is reasonable, you have finally to admit that the single ethnic identity based Hindu state that has been built up by your Shah ancestors and uphold by yourself has been the main reason for most of the problems Nepal is facing today! Nepali nationalism has not been reflected by the Shah state that denied the country's plurality with respect to ethnicity, culture, society, language and religion and that has made women second class human beings! All this is responsible for Nepal's current state of non-inclusion that is now uphold be the male political leaders! Your critics are not of any value as long as you do not admit the fundamental failures of Shah monarchy!], Let good sense prevail: Moderates of all hues and persuasions should come together to defeat the extremists, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Reconstruction woes: Providing succour to earthquake survivors is a national priority as well as a humanitarian imperative, by Maina Dhital (kp), Quake victims languishing in the cold (ht), It is not easy to federate a country as old as Nepal, interview with Ram Sharan Mahat, Nepali Congress (rep)

21/12/2016: ‘Parties reluctant to approve Rome Statute’: Rights activists say party leaders fear they will be dragged into cases of human rights abuses (kp), Democratising nationalism: Greater the perception of a threat to security, stronger the tendency to push in-group cooperation by excluding others, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Local level restructuring: 725 units suggested in LLRC’s final report; PM Dahal yet to receive the document due to his busy schedule; The LLRC has sought time from the prime minister to submit its report for today, but it was yet to hear  from him till Tuesday night (kp), Construction of quake victims’ houses stops, by Arjun Poudel (ht), Bitter winter looms: Govt’s handling of reconstruction has been slow and irresponsible (kp), NRA engineers, technicians resign en masse, by Pragati Shahi (kp), NC-backers eye NEFIN helm: Janajati organisations close to Congress agree with CPN (Maoist Centre) and Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal to field consensus candidates for office bearer posts (kp) [The infiltration by political parties will make this umbrella organisation meaningless! Wake up Janajatis!!], PM rules out local polls in old set-up (kp), Ruling parties yet to invite CPN-UML for dialogue, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), TMSP Chief Yadav rues UML obstruction (ht), Work For Package Deal, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Petitions against amendment bill on SC cause list (ht), Leaders call for directly elected executive head (kp), National Dalit Commission: Panel starts taking suggestions on bill (kp), Identity-based federalism: Decentralisation is a better option, by Shambhu Deo (ht)

20/12/2016: Oppn parties obstruct House again (kp), Opposition foils discussion on statute amendment, poll bills: Seven parties, led by main opposition CPN-UML, have been obstructing the House since the amendment  bill was registered on November 29, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Package deal to be found to end stalemate: Ruling parties for accord on Karki’s impeachment, poll-related bills and charter amendment altogether, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Big III ready for package deal: Speaker includes amendment billin business schedule of the parliament, by Prakash Acharya (ht), UML, allies plan rally in Capital on Jan 1 (kp), UML to intensify stir against registration of amendment bill: To organise a mass meeting in Kathmandu on January 1 in its bid to press govt to withdraw the bill, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Youth Association Nepal Rupandehi chief shot dead: Durga Tiwari succumbed to bullet injuries while undergoing treatment, by Amrita Anmol (kp), Gulmi banda called off on 20th day (kp 20/12/2016), Post-quake rebuilding: Ministry okays distribution of second tranche of aid, by Pragati Shahi (kp), NC creates uncertainty over NEFIN leadership: Ethnic organisations close to the NC on Monday decided to field their own candidate for the top post breaking ‘gentlemen’s understanding’ (kp) [Such politicisation by parties that are controlled by male Tagadharis aims at the destruction of organisations that are trying to represent the interests of excluded social groups!], Imagine no possessions: This is not the first time that declaration of property has been turned into a big joke, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Promote Culture Of Unity, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), On the brink: One and a half years is a really long time for rebuilding. No wonder earthquake survivors feel like it’s been ages, by Ravi Lochan Paudyal (rep), What CPN-UML Really Wants?, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

19/12/2016: National identity and belonging: Even those who are not at the borders of Nepal are often pushed to the borders of settlements, by David Gellner (kp) [excerpt of his Mahesh Chandra Lecture "The idea of Nepal", als available as audio], Give amendment a chance: No matter how difficult, political parties need to find common ground or risk irrelevance (kp) Ruling coalition, oppn headed for showdown, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Confrontation feared if bill tabled in Parliament: Speaker asks three major parties to meet her today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), House meet adjourned till Thursday after opposition protest (ht), Morcha lends conditional support to amendment (kp), NC turns down UDMF call for bill revision, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), ‘UDMF will support statute amendment bill’ (ht), Protests continue against border delineation of Province 5 (rep), Gulmi considers ‘peaceful’ stir (kp), Stepping Back From Federation?, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), It’s extremely difficult to stabilise Nepal without managing geopolitics properly, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (kp), Ruling parties not to receive local commission's report for now, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Only 3637 quake victims of 94072 in Valley get first tranche, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep)

18/12/2016: Normal life hit as protests continue (kp), Governing parties in bid to allay Morcha concerns: ‘Proposal set to be included in Parliament’s agenda’, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NC, CPN-MC, UDMF to move ahead with process: These three parties have agreed to revise the bill in Parliament itself, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Bill will be tabled tomorrow, says PM (kp), We will block it at any cost: UML chair (kp), House obstruction stalls poll bills, impeachment motion: Due to UML’s protest over the constitution amendment bill, deliberations on impeachment motion against Karki and bills related to local polls have been stalled, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), LBRC seeks time from PM to submit report, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Partisan rift as search for new NEFIN leadership begins, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Valley may land on Heritage in Danger list (kp), ‘The Nation Needs You!’, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Fifty years of partnership: Road to social inclusion in Nepal is long, but there has been marked progress, by Jose Assalino (kp)

17/12/2016: Civic leaders for addressing Madhes issues before elections, by Suresh Yadav, Mithilesh Yadav and Jitendra Jha (rep), Talk about keeping bill inactive rumours: PM; dahal tells Thakur and Bhattarai government will take the proposal to house for discussion before elections, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), 16 hurt as protesters clash with police, by Ghanashaym Gautam (kp), Protests, clashes in Province 5 districts over demarcations (rep), Defeat bill in House, stop obstructing it: PM to UML, by Lal Prasad Sharma (kp), LLRC preparing to submit report to PM by Tuesday: Dahal wants ‘maximum approval’ of the report (kp), Dean Agrawal still barred from office, by Bishnu Prasad Aryal (rep)

16/12/2016: Heads we lose, Tails we lose: Separating hills and plains may lead to violence, keeping hills and plains together may also lead to violence (nt), Political stalemate ‘stalled’ reconstruction process (kp), NRA inaction put quake-hit in dilemma, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), UML for holding parliamentary elections first: Sapkota calls it a ploy to abort all achievements of political parties (ht), UML discussing parliamentary election option: Standing committee  members are of the view that it is already too late for holding local level polls, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), MPs urged to roll back amendment proposal: The decision to send text messages to MPs was made by a meeting of the student unions affiliated to the oppn parties (kp), Coalition partners play up divergent views, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Ruling parties defer amendment bill (rep), Amendment bill won’t be withdrawn: Deuba, by Dipendra Baduwal (kp), ‘Major parties agree on civic polls’ (ht), Populism and polls: The Big Three parties are closer to a consensus to hold local elections, by Om Astha Rai (nt), House meeting put off until Monday (kp), Police, protesters clash in Rolpa, by Kashiram Dangi (kp), Kirati says will boycott polls under old setting (kp), NSN, UDMF to launch joint movement: Warn this will happen if statute amendment bill is not passed, polls are held under the old structure, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Businesses hit hard by districtwide shutdown, by Ghanshyam Gautam (kp), Question of empowerment: Caste or class?, by Atindra Dahal (ht), SC again orders govt to end public transport syndicates, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep)

15/12/2016: Govt registers two poll related bills: Up to three-year jail term, Rs 2 lakh fine proposed for those violating election laws, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Major parties for local polls under existing structure to fill vacuum, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep) [In 2008, the same parties decided not to hold local elections along with the elections to the Constituent Assembly!!], Morcha sees election plans as subterfuge: Objects to three major parties’ agreement on going for local polls; Accuses Maoist Centre-Congress alliance of ignoring its concerns, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UDMF threatens to disrupt civic polls (ht), Bijukchhe says govt election talk a ploy to divert attention: NMKP to support UML in House obstruction (kp), Parties divided over choice of poll modality, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), LBRC’s tech panel to finalise report of Province 2 (ht), LLRC Province 2 coordinator resigns: Commission’s extended deadline to submit its final report ends today (kp), Rajapur Municipality banda affects life (kp), Democratising Democracy, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Backtracking from federalism without a fallback will lead to another conflict, interview with Bhojraj Pokharel (rep)

14/12/2016: Internal dispute, govt apathy hit TRC, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Overdue Local Elections, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Three parties at one about holding polls: Agree to keep charter amendment bill inactive and expedite discussion to declare dates, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Big III agree to announce civic polls dates: Talks to forge consensus on statute amendment to continue, by Prakash Acharya (ht), EC suggests local body polls under existing structure (kp), Oppn parties to continue House obstruction (kp), Pyuthan organises lantern rally against Province 5 split plan (kp), Matehiya clash: Religious leaders call for restraint (kp), Trend of political violence: Women continue to suffer, by Hisila Yami (ht)

13/12/2016: Citizenship provision: Constitution is already discriminatory, but with this amendment, it will also become patriarchal, by Subin Mulmi (kp), Citizenship issue should be resolved soon, says former minister Basnet (ht), Justice delivery difficult under political duress: Chief Justice (ht), Morcha decides to change tack: Open to polls under existing set-up but with caveats (kp), Parties in talks to 'shelve' amendment and hold elections (rep), Parties mulling civic polls under existing structure (ht), UML will assist for the sake of polls: Deuba (kp), Conflict fostering under the guise of identity politics: Oli (kp), Gulmi sees no respite from banda (kp), Local level restructuring: LLRC likely to submit report on Thursday, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rajapur Municipality shut over local restructuring proposal (kp), New bill drafted with ward as unit of service delivery, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), All nine election-related bills still in pipeline, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Lack of election laws puts EC in a fix, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Quake victims request second batch of aid, by Nagendra Adhikari (kp), No amendment: The government should immediately take back the amendment bill which has failed to please anyone, by David Kainee (rep), Redrawing the boundaries: People can reap ecological benefits by including mountains, hills and plains in a province, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Stability & Prosperity: Rare, Unfounded Wish, by Prem Khatry (rn), Meaningless ritual: Those responsible for acting against corruption should do their duty on the basis of the lifestyles of the holders of public offices and the expenses they have made (ht)

12/12/2016: Violence taking its toll on women, girls (ht), Building durable peace: Women’s role is vital, by Sophie Kemkhadze (ht), UML, Madhesi parties doubt polls by constitution deadline, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UML ‘will not’ obstruct House for poll bills (kp), CPN-UML a divided house: Divisions surface in party over obstruction in the parliament (ht), Deuba, Oli to continue bid to end deadlock (ht), Banda, protest continue in Gulmi (kp), Find middle ground: PM should devote all political energy to  reach out to UML and Madhesi parties (kp), President urges PM to prepare for elections (ht), Send Indian envoy home: Student leaders of oppn parties (kp), Federalism is more suited to a country of such diversity like Nepal, interview with Barsha Man Pun, CPN-MC (kp), Justice In Waiting And The HR Day, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Rs 100-bn supplementary budget on cards (ht) [You hardly spend anything of the original budget! Why a supplementary budget?], UNICEF calls for protection of children affected by conflict (ht), Months on, Special Court struggles to serve notices to ex-APF chiefs (rep)

11/12/2016: Constitution amendment: Morcha softens stance, decides to support bill (kp), UDMF to accept bill if it’s revised, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), PM says hopeful of agreement ‘very soon’ (kp), Palpa banda called off after 11 days (kp), Speaker urges PM to help end House obstruction (ht) [Bandhs and obstructions of parliament prove a lack of political culture and failed understanding of democratic principles!], State apathetic towards rights violation cases, says NHRC (ht), Guilty of grave human rights violations will be brought to book: Prime minister (kp) [?], Dahal’s Cabinet to reveal property details ‘soon’ (kp) [?], Quake victims suffering from cold related diseases (kp), Govt aid eludes 416 families displaced by 2014 flood, by Prakash Adhikari (kp) [Wow, speedy help!], Nepal and post-truth: A condition that is ironically being created in America and Europe has become a global phenomenon, by Abhi Subedi (kp)

10/12/2016: UML will come on board: Pun: Says govt won’t push the bill sans consensus among all parties, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), No end in sight to House obstruction (ht), Parliament meeting postponed for a week: Oppn parties obtruct the House despite Speaker Gharti’s repeated request to support the discussion over impeachment motion (kp), RPP: House Obstruction only benefits extremists (kp), Amendment in trouble as more parties oppose it: More than one-third MPs in opposition, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Student, youth to continue protest (kp), Over 445k families received first tranche of housing aid (kp), Human rights national magna meet: ‘Prolonged transition obstacle to safeguarding human rights’ (kp), Human Rights Magna Meet begins (ht), Cong MPs unhappy with LLRC’s meet in Capital: Say commission must go to districts of Province 2 to get public opinion, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), The magical, musical chair: What is in store for our nation that is perpetually in transition, one way or another?, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), INGOs unable to fund Rs 300,000 quake grants for all, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Why federalism is failing: If the conviction and end goal of some is secession, they won’t be satisfied no matter how you draw federal borders, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), A month without power outage: Changes felt in daily life; Businesses and factories report fall in operating costs, by Rudra Pangeni (rep)

09/12/2016: Speaker’s bid to end House deadlock fails: Deuba, Oli stick to their guns; Gharti to hold meeting with PM today (kp), House obstruction to continue till bill to amend constitution not withdrawn: Oli, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), UML for endorsing poll bills: Nembang (kp), SC hearing on amendment set for Dec 20 (kp), SC issues show cause notice to PM Dahal, speaker (ht), UML cadres continue stir, call for PM’s resignation (kp), Human Rights Day: When the guilty remain free and victims continue to suffer, the event is just a farce, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Some are more equal than others: Affront to human dignity and rights poses a challenge to the identity of any person, by Madhab Regmi (kp), Actual budget spending reaches 6.5pc in first four months of FY: House panel criticises  the government for not being able to spend the money set aside for  development projects (kp), Promises to keep: The pledged assistance and the need for reconstruction should receive high priority of the government and the political parties (ht), Election Is Only Way Out, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [But only after all the current so-called leaders retire from politics!], Speaking truth to power: Officials secretly created a deliberate artificial shortage of electricity to enrich themselves while doing untold harm to Nepal's economy, by Shreejana Shrestha, by Shreejana Shrestha (nt), Local polls a must to tackle corruption: Development partners (rep), Commission gives MPs two days to agree on Province 2 local units (rep)

08/12/2016: Govt flouts deal it reached with Dr KC: Starts process to grant affiliation to a medical college in Jhapa; Makes mockery of the pact that calls for halting all affiliations, by Manish Gautam and Binod Ghimire (kp), Fate of bill hangs in balance, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NC leaders smell foul play by CPN-UML, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Statute amendment bill NC’s official proposal, says Nidhi (ht), PM rules out bill withdrawal, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Protests flare in Dang, Dhangadhi during PM's visit, by Devendra Basnet and Dil Bahadur Chhantyal (rep), Protests in Palpa and Gulmi districts continue for eighth straight day (kp), Protests Flaring Over Amendment Bill, by Uttam Maharjan (ht), More local bodies sought for Province 2: Lawmakers want statute amended prior to demarcation of provinces (ht), Scrap constitution, says Baidhya (ht), The choice now between the devil and the deep blue sea, interview with hardliner conservative politician Kamal Thapa, RPP-Nepal (rep), The second amendment: There seems to be a realization in New Delhi that its interests in Nepal will be best protected by taking Kathmandu in confidence, by Biswas Baral (rep), Growing political row concerns diplomatic community, by Anil Giri (kp), Tying polls with amendment could vitiate environment: Diplomats, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), The limits of rhetoric: Oli and his followers have no choice but to negotiate hard with the govt and the Madhesi and Janajati leaders, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Violence against women: Central role of health workers, by Giulia Vallese and Jos Vandelaer (ht), NRA lacks fund to distribute second tranche of housing grant (ht), Conflict victims hand memorandum to NC (rep)

07/12/2016: SLMM drops a hint that it’ll support bill: A senior TMLP leader maintains ‘something is better than nothing’n SSF-N reiterates earlier stance, saying it does not address demands, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Protests continue, banda called off in Butwal (kp), Proposal not in country’s interest, it will fail: Thapa (kp), Constitution amendment bill against public sentiment: Shashanka Koirala (ht), CPN-MC not to hold discusson on amendment bill any further (ht), Experts for bringing UML on board amendment (rep), Maoist Center urges PM to expedite talks with parties (rep), Heed people's concerns, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Make drafting of bill transparent: NHRC; Chairman Sharma urges rights defenders and civil society members to be critical about the government instead of transitional justice bodies, by Dewan Rai (kp), LBRC invites stakeholders for meeting (ht), Divorced women may not get property share in new Code, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Red Cross unhappy with govt's NGO policy on reconstruction (rep), Unstable policies, standards, procedures hindering reconstruction, by Rudra Pangeni (rep)

06/12/2016: Seeing is believing: Govt should remove all doubts among conflict victims about the dispensation of justice (kp), Statute amendment bill deepens political divide, by Roshan Sedhai (kp) UML hardens position, decides to intensify stir: Urges neighbours not to interfere in internal matters of Nepal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), UML tells neighbors not to interfere in Nepal's internal affairs (rep), RPP says amendment bill against national interest (rep) [And national interests are those of the male Tagadhari leaders at the centre?], Protests continue against state split plan (kp), Agitation in western Nepal over proposed change in state boundaries (ht), Protests against amendment continue in west and mid-west regions (rep), Foreign Minister warns of crisis if protests continue (ht), Yadav seeks Indian model of federalism in Madhes, by Laxmi Sah (kp), Khotang locals resort to stir (ht), Faith and politics: Are we going back to times when religion and political power were complementary?, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Together We Stand, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), Always the same: The budget spent on the development projects at the last moment makes no sense as it compromises on the quality of work (ht), Sluggish construction affects reconstruction: In lack of building, a school operates from toilet, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), NRA misses its self-set deadlines again: The NRA has signed grant agreements with only 58,405 of the total 94,072 eligible victims, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Unequal, by law: When a girl or woman is viewed in connection with a male figure, it creates an unequal society, by Anjali Subedi (rep)

05/12/2016: TJ act amendment: Old definition of murder retained in proposed bill; Murder redefined as ‘all kinds of killing’ from ‘act of killing under control’, by Dewan Rai (kp), ‘Political bickering unsafe for Nepal’, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), House obstructed for third day (kp), PM seeks support from BRB, Yadav (kp), Constitution Amendment Bill And Protest, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Amendment bill at behest of India: Oppn MPs; Parliament obstructed for third consecutive day (rep), Life paralyzed in Province 5 districts, by Sher Bahadur KC (rep), A crisis of trust: PM should avoid forcing elections  without settling issues on the table (kp), Prez warns parties of serious consequences if no polls by Jan 2018: Leaders stick to their stances, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Khotang locals protest against restructuring modality (ht), Unlikely Proposal, by S. Binodkumar Singh (SAIR), Nepal can be Brussels of South Asia, interview with Rensje Teerink, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to Nepal (kp), All wrong: South Africa is a poor transitional justice model for Nepal as 65 percent of its applicants for amnesty were already in jail, by Govinda Sharma 'Bandi' (rep)

04/12/2016: Government fails to amend TRC Act to facilitate transitional justice process, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Survivors of quake-hit districts still waiting: Large number of affected households in Dhading, Makawanpur, Nuwakot yet to get housing aid, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Agitating forces should endorse bill even if it fails, says PM: The FA and the UDMF say the government’s proposal is too less (ht), ‘Power centres’ want to squash Maoists, Dahal at HQ meet, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Deuba seeks support for statute amendment (ht), Indian envoy advises Morcha to accept amendment bill (kp) [?], Protests against boundary revision continue (kp), Protest against proposal to split Province 5 continues (ht), Give and take: A practical solution would be to pass  the amendment bill without changing federal boundaries and go for polls, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Private sector gets nervous as protests flare up, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), Chepangs sans citizenship, by Pratap Bista (kp), Seeking another path: If the newly merged RPP decides to support monarchy, it will lose people’s trust, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), An uncertain future: Unfolding events in the country make one doubt that there will be lasting peace, by Binoj Basnyat (kp), Federalism Opens Pandora’s Box, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [?], Parties must unite to avert crisis (ht)

03/12/2016: Madhesi leaders float 3 proposals to end row, by Anil Giri (kp), Amendment bill should be revised, says Thakur: Tarai leader says provinces and autonomous regions should be given full rights (kp), Oppn obstructs House for 2nd straight day (kp), Protests on in dists (kp), Oppn demands withdrawal of amendment bill: Obstructs second successive House meeting (rep), Khanal challenges govt to muster two-thirds majority (kp), Madhes parties against powerful third-tier bodies, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Thousands protest in Butwal against Province 5 split: Leaders, locals vow to foil government amendment bill; Ruling NC, Maoists join hands with main opposition UML, by Sher Bahadur KC (rep), The Amendment Debate, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Quake victims demand inclusion of genuine victims for grants: Only 57 percent victims sign agreement due to obstruction so far; NRA shows indifference about the problem, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep)

02/12/2016: TRC records 295 complaints on sexual assaultRights activists say the real number could be higher: A human rights lawyer Rukmani Maharjan says many victims have not shared their stories with their partners, by Dewan Rai (kp), Power to the people: Contrary to general perceptions, federalism could be a source of stability in Nepal, by Mukesh Jha (kp), Madhes-based parties press PM to revise bill: Reject request for cooperation to hold local level elections in mid-April, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UDMF, FA reject amendment bill (ht), 27 Congress MPs from Tarai want amendment, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), UML obstructs parliament vowing to foil amendment bill: Govt accused of trying to change provincial boundary to "please someone else" against the wish of people from the province (rep), Protests rage against boundary revision plan, clash in Butwal: Rupandehi, Palpa districts shut against the proposal to break Hill districts off Province 5 (kp), Uncertain fate: The government should start fresh talks with the main opposition and the agitating forces to find a solution about the constitution amendment (ht), Trial balloons: India did not welcome Nepal’s constitution and backed Madhesi protesters last year, but has sent positive signals about the amendment, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Kakistocracy: ‘Government by the most incompetent elements of society’ (nt), Early local polls crucial to holding four layers of election in next 14 months: Clouds of uncertainty  hang over elections after the government registered a constitution amendment bill in Parliament, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), 10,600 quake-affected deprived of housing aid (kp) [related to Makwanpur district only], A sick system: Dr KC’s campaign to reform the country’s medical education sector deserves widespread support, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Violence against women: Slippery path to justice, by Wenny Kusuma and Kirti Thapa (ht)

01/12/2016: UDMF not to accept bill in current form (ht), UML prepares to flex muscles: To counter bill  from the streets, House and court; Madhes-based parties refuse to take ownership (kp), CPN-UML to obstruct Parliament, intensify street protest (ht), UML to obstruct House, protest in streets against amendment bill, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Registration of bill sparks protests (kp), Anti-amendment protests erupt in districts (rep), Amendment bill meets with criticism on social media (rep), Doubts linger within NC over House nod (kp), NC’s Legacy Of Moderation: Can It Be Upheld In New Context?, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Shutdown hits Arghakhanchi (ht), A step in right direction, say Indian officials, media: However, India has not given a formal and official statement on the registration of the constitution amendment proposal, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [??], Local level restructuring dispute: 515 people renounce their citizenships in protest, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), PM proposes local polls by mid-April, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [??], PM seeks UML support to hold election (ht), Four parties discuss holding local polls (rep), New state ministers take oath, assume office (ht), We have had enough of deception: Rolpalis, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Regional meet stresses need for gender-friendly DRR policy (ht), Disaster management bill: ‘Govt committed to ensuring women representation’ (kp) [Yes, please include one woman in a minor position, just as in the council of ministers!], Agents of change: Knowing of the sacrifices women rights defenders make every day, let us commit to respect them, by Renu Adhikari Rajbhandari (rep), 'Little progress made against Chhaupadi', by Menuka Dhungana (kp), Caste in doubt: If the struggle is for the rights of everyone, how can that ‘everyone’ not include Dalits?, by Deepak Thapa (kp), The good doctor: Genuine demands should be fulfilled and debatable ones should be discussed further, by Mukesh Kumar Sah (kp), Needs of the poor: Implement findings; The poor families should be provided identity cards that will enable them to receive ‘social security allowance’ and ‘compulsory health insurance’. This allowance can be used by the poor for total health care, by Vikash Raj Satyal (ht), Quake victims yet to recieve house construction grants, by Madhusudhan Guragain (rep)

30/11/2016: SC orders TRC to investigate all complaints: Court scraps standard guidelines for shelving complaints while the TRC regulations remain, by Dewan Rai (kp), Govt registers statute amendment proposal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Govt registers bill to amend constitution: Proposes another province in Tarai, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt registers 7-point constitution amendment bill: Proposes to take all hill districts out of Province 5, by Ashok Dahal and Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Protests in districts as govt moves to split Province 5 (rep), Morcha stands in support (kp), Ruling parties join protests against Province 5 split plan (kp), Morcha obstructs LLRC programme in Rajbiraj: The residents of Kharichandanpur in Baridiya district have enforced an indefinite banda in the VDC (kp), Local body commission extends deadline to mid-December (rep), 40 days on, House still debates Karki impeachment motion (kp), EC working on voter list (kp), NC names 10 state ministers (kp), NC recommends 10 more state ministers (rep), Who is going to relent? Current stalemate is leading to a polarisation of politics, with Madhesi parties at one extreme and UML at another, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Amendment Amid Polarisation, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Tragedy of errors: The restructuring debate is not going to go away soon, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), All the parties want local elections to test the water, interview with Barsha Man Pun, CPN-MC (rep)

29/11/2016: CIEDP publishes 28,000 names of conflict victims, by Dewan Rai (kp), Technical difficulty delaying probe, says Minister Yadav (ht) [??], Bhattarai, Yadav join forces to demand charter amendment (kp), Any amendment that doesn't address key issues meaningless: Bhattarai, Yadav (rep), Gathabandhan’s stance dims bill tabling chance: Declines prime minister’s request to support govt-prepared proposal; But warns of resuming protests if it is not registered at the earliest (kp), Will foil polls, warns TMLP chair Thakur (kp), Citizenship and naturalisation: Madhesis do not want provisions that might compromise their relations with people across the border, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (kp), Pyuthan and Rolpa unite against govt plan to split province (kp), Amendment put on hold: Prez suggests to top 3 leaders to jointly settle dispute, hold elections, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Yes, please continue the non-inclusive way!], No election without political consensus: CEC Yadav (rep), Women leaders demand 50pc representation in Cabinet (kp), Violence against women continues unabated, by Santosh Singh (rep), NHRC appeals for Dr KC’s life (kp), LLRC working on local units in Province 2, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Legal hurdle remains in Nepalis voting from abroad (kp), Can Nepalis think? There are three groups of people in this country—complainers, planners and doers, by Jaya Jung Mahat (kp)

28/11/2016: CIEDP calls for clarity on defintion of disappearance, by Dewan Rai (kp), Efforts On An Amendment To Constitution, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Dahal to talk to Morcha before registering bill: Govt held back by coalition pressure, lack of accord with Madhes-based parties (kp), Govt stays amendment to seek UDMF commitment to polls, by Ashok Dahal (rep), PM ‘not convinced’ amendment will address problems (kp), Govt seeking Madhesi commitment only to delay amendment: Madhes parties (rep), Deuba upbeat on amendment (rep), Congress leaders warn against taking Hill districts off State 5, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), NC, Maoist leaders at odds with own MPs over delineations, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Revise provincial boundaries, says INNM (ht), Maoists started problematic discourse on federalism based on ethnicities, interview with Pradip Gyawali, CPN-UML (kp) [This discourse has been started by the Janajati organisations in the 1990s, not by the Maoists!], UML Should Offer Options, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), LBRC to invite leaders, tech panel members of province 2 (ht), Women working in informal sector: Rights groups call for law to combat internal trafficking; Poor young girls are being forced to work in massage parlours and dance bars in city areas with fake offers of respectable jobs (kp), Many health facilities without buildings, by Nagendra Adhikari (kp), Three years on, flood victims still await relief: Over 500 families living in temporary shelters, by Nagendra Upadhyaya (rep), Ministry to draft federal, provincial laws on local governance (rep), Formulation of laws for three tiers of govt on cards (ht)

27/11/2016: Constitution amendment: Govt likely to register bill today: Nidhi; We can accept the bill only if it addresses key demands, says FSF-N chair Yadav, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt vacillates as Morcha remains non-committal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Numbers game after bill enters Parliament, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Thapa invited to join govt: After the RPP-Nepal and the RPP merged recently, Thapa was elected the chairman of the new Rastriya Prajatantra Party. The united party has 37 lawmakers (kp) [?], Protests against split in Hill districts of Rapti and Lumbini, by Janak Nepal (kp), Dalits demand additional budget (kp), A decade has passed: If the remaining parts of the peace pact are not executed, new conflict may ensue, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), Parties On Collision Course, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

26/11/2016: Game of Thrones leaves quake victims in cold (ht), Citing govt non-cooperation, TRC, CIEDP seek MPs’ help, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep), House committee to quiz PM on TJ mechanism issues (kp), Amendment more political issue than constitutional: Experts, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Govt goes ahead with amendment preparations, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), UML bent on dishing bill, PM in a pickle: Dahal consults legal eagles after opposition dangles Article 274 threat (kp), UML threatens agitation against amendment bill (ht), Article 274 does not pose hurdle to revise provincial boundaries, lawyers tell PM (ht), Govt to make one more bid for consensus, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Rolpa protests state split plan (kp), CK Raut held with 33 supporters: Deputy Superintendent of Police Manoj Yadav says they will be released after detailed investigation (kp), NRA picks BFIs to distribute aid inside Valley (kp), 300 schools without classrooms in Sindhupalchok, by Anish Tiwari (kp), ADB, govt begin construction of quake-hit office buildings (kp), Women suffered more violence at home than outside last year: Worec report, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Rally organised to mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (ht), Smoke and mirrors: Maoist leaders need to work hard to justify their gun-barrel politics against the parliamentary system to the generations to come, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Lawmakers want voting age to be lowered to 16 years (ht), Big and small parties sharply divided over vote threshold (rep), Single mother struggles for cancer treatment: Says providing for leaders' treatment from state coffers is injustice, by Ganesh BK (rep)

25/11/2016: Amend TRC law: The TRC and CIEDP will not get international recognition if they fail to give justice to the victims (ht), CIEDP receives documents of war-era cases: Tallying complaint details with info from authorities, by Dewan Rai (kp), Govt on way to House, oppn to take to streets: PM Dahal’s one more bid ‘to convince’ Oli to support the proposal fails, by Tika R. Pradhan and Roshan Sedhai (kp), Oli refuses to back amendment bill (ht), KP Oli tells CPN-UML stalwarts to get ready for struggle (ht), UML rebuffs PM appeal for amendment help; Madhes-based parties give green signal for proposal, by Nabin Khatiwada and Ashok Dahal (rep), Big party leaders threaten to protest division of province 5 (rep), Province 5 split plan sparks protests, by Nabin Paudel (kp), Constitution Amendment: Will It Respect People’s Aspirations?, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Demonstrations against LLRC proposals continue (kp), Commission sends reports back to 60 districts for verification (kp), Fringe parties against vote threshold to ensure seat for party in Parliament, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [This was to be expected but the number of parties in parliament has to be reduced dramatically if Nepal shall have a chance for reasonable politics in future!], 17,000 cu ft timber distributed in Sindhupalchok: Few families have started building homes due to ‘insufficient’ fund; Nepal receives around Rs 70 billion every year  in remittances from migrant workers who are based in India, by Anish Tiwari (kp) [!!], RPP puts on hold monarchy restoration demand (rep), A burning issue: Violence against women is detrimental not only to the victim but to the whole community (kp), The impeachment motion: Reflection of our system; The Lok Man case represents the true face of our political system. It is an attitude that has become our social system. His case represents how this country is run by our politicians, bureaucrats and others, by Gyan Basnet (ht), Ashes to ashes: Second-time prime minister Dahal is in a tight spot once again as the country marks the tenth anniversary of the peace accord this week, by Om Astha Rai (nt), 21 January 2018: Nepal’s politics is sliding towards the edge of the cliff, and there isn’t much time left to meet the deadline for an elected Federal Parliament (nt)

24/11/2016: TRC chair threatens to quit: Says govt not supporting him, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Constitutional conundrum: A hard nut to crack, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Avoiding another spiral: With or without constitution amendment, the risk of further polarisation remains (kp), PM hits snag with Madhesi leaders in amendment bid: Talks on Wednesday inconclusive, FSFN clear on no support, others to discuss after bill is in Parliament (rep), Majority of Morcha leaders agree to draft proposal, but tepidly: Say they will extend support to it despite having some reservations; Remain non-committal about taking part in polls once it is tabled, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tharu council warns against Province 5 split, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Amendment bill to be registered by Nov 28: UDMF to respond on contents after bill is registered in the house, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Majority NC leaders against amendment without UML support (rep), RPP takes conciliatory approach: Party chief Kamal Thapa hints at supporting the amendment bill (kp), RPP says it will continue supporting government (ht), Disputes in Mid and Far West over local restructuring (rep), Kavre local bodies’restructuring in limbo (ht), Tussle Over The Amendment Bill, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Form community rebuilding committees, directs govt (kp), Dr. KC ‘s Hunger Strike: Govt Apathy Exposed, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Language Commission begins work (ht), Students demonstrate against MPs’ salary hike (ht), Quake victims in despair as harsh winter looms, by Dhruba Dangal (rep), PM's promise delays second tranche of quake grant: 1,114 victims apply for second tranche, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), One-third of Nepali children age 5-14 put to work: CBS, by Gyanu Sapkota (rep), Trilateralism, RIP: Nowhere and at no time have India and China cooperated and coordinated strategy on third countries. Why would they in Nepal?, by Biswas Baral (rep)

23/11/2016: PM to split Province 5 to woo Madhesi forces: Set to propose incorporating seven Hill districts into Provinces 4 and 6 (kp), Main oppn decides to go on offensive, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), UML supporters stage protests in Banke, Bardiya, Dang districts (kp), NC in bid to forge maximum consensus (ht), Statute Amendment: Govt In Quandary, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Yadav warns of agitation for statute repeal if it’s not amended (ht), Madhes-based parties divided on amendment, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Local-level restructuring sparks conflicts across country (rep), Four Dailekh VDCs protest restructuring proposal (kp), Commission to begin work on local units in Province 2 Sunday, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), LBRC’s final report by Nov-end (ht), TRC gears up for probe into plaints: Begins consultation with professionals for suggestions and support, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC lobbies for extended offices in federal states to probe war-era cases, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Lessons from successful renovation of Bauddha: Bauddhanath becomes the first UNESCO World Heritage Site to complete renovation, by Ram Saran Tamang (rep), Boudhanath Stupa reopens: Iconic Buddhist monument rebuilt without govt support (kp), The renovated Bauddhanath Stupa (photo/video) (rep), Civil society urges government to announce local election date (kp), Let’s raise our voices: Corruption and bad management in every sector is leading this country towards ruin, by Angel Sharma (kp), Leadership crisis in Nepal: Radical change is needed, by Madhukar Shamsher JB Rana (ht), Quake victims left to shiver under temporary tents: How can we construct quake-resistant house with Rs 50,000?: Quake victims, by Narahari Sapkota (rep)

22/11/2016: Waiting in anticipation: Socio-economic change, a key part of the peace process, is still a work in progress, by Binayak Basnyat (kp), Women rights activists in west feel threatened (ht), Conflict victims demand home minister’s resignation (ht), Don’t discriminate against naturalised citizens, says Yadav (ht), UML pours cold water on consensus efforts: Main opposition is dead set against proposal, calls it ‘anti-national’n Coalition partners say they will hold talks with Madhes-based forces, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), UML lacks numbers to block statute revision, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Govt bent on registering amendment, UML to oppose, by Ashok Dahal (rep), PM calls govt secretaries on the carpet: Seeks reports on progress made in various sectors (kp), Prime Minister Dahal issues 26-point directives to secretaries (ht), Protests continue against restructuring proposals (kp), United RPP has 37 lawmakers: The new RPP has Kamal Thapa as chairman and Pashupati Shumsher Rana as national chairman, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rana-led RPP unifies with Thapa-led RPP-N: Unified party to have 37 members in the parliament (ht), RPP, RPP-N unify, raise possibility of stark change in politics, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Timely release of funds crucial to implement projects: NRA; The NRA has estimated a budget of Rs 120.75 billion alone for the housing aid—for the first and second phase of aid distribution to around 7.5m households (kp), Now for action: The NRA has spent a lot of time and energy just in preparing the action plan. Now, it is time to put the plan into action (ht), NRNA to rebuild houses in Laprak (ht) [Why has NRNA not been allowed to do so before?], As winter looms Sankhu quake victims start rebuilding without aid, by Gyan P. Neupane and Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Underworked and overpaid: Nepal’s lawmakers appear dangerously out of touch with the public pulse (kp), Quality Leadership Missing, by Prem Khatry (rn), Unity Among Parties A Must Again, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), Nepali media suffers due to unabated impunity, says study (ht), Diplomats question Prithvi Narayan's role in nation-building (rep), Remove him: Parliamentarians should speed up impeachment process and remove Karki from CIAA before he does more harm, by David Kainee (rep)

21/11/2016: NHRC stresses transitional justice (kp), Justice delayed: It would be in the interest of all to resolve the present state of affairs and make Nepal a prosperous and peaceful country where there is justice for all (ht), Transitional justice still in limbo, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Justice delayed for conflict victims: PM (ht) [... says one of the persons most responsible for delay!], Cost of peace process Rs 148.8b so far, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep), Ten years on, CPA promises largely unmet, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), For Madhesis, CPA promises not kept: ‘State’s unwillingness to follow CPA road map fuelling another conflict’, by Suresh Yadav (rep), Ex-Maoist guerrillas not happy with peace accord as promises remain unfulfilled, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), A decade of peace: Building peace requires inclusion, justice and making strides to Nepal’s development goals, by Valerie Julliand (rep), Unique peace model nears conclusion, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp) [?], War Has Ended, Not The Peace Process, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Towards a transformative justice: Nepal may continue to experience social conflict as long as issues of marginalisation are ignored, by Ram Kumar Bhandari and Simon Robins (kp), UML to reject govt proposal for amendment, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Madhesi leaders threaten to disown amendment bill (kp), Minimum demands of Madhesis, though fringe forces, should be met, interview with Dipendra Jha (kp), Elections can’t be held without addressing Madhes issues: Yadav (ht), NC leaders drumming up support in Tarai (kp), Mutually agreeable: Passing an amendment proposal that will deepen divisions is worse than not passing one (kp), Protests continue against local level restructuring proposals (kp), Rupandehi sends four proposals after parties fail to reach agreement (kp), NRA comes up with a time-bound plan 'to appease' PM, by Sanbgeet Sangroula (rep), NRA to settle complaints by Jan (ht), NRA unveils time-bound action plan: The NRA says it will deploy 100 volunteers to each of the affected VDCs; sign agreements with quake victims in Kathmandu Valley within 10 days (kp), Quake survivors in Gulmi sans housing aid, by Ghanshyam Gautam (kp), New democratic alternative: Facing crisis; A balanced and successful democratic polity in Nepal’s context would be one that has an inclusive federal structure with a strong executive at the centre. And, we need to build a system that can supersede the flaws of both capitalism and socialism, by Baburam Bhattarai (ht)

20/11/2016: Chhaupadi practice: Achham woman’s death concerns PM (kp), PM concerned about death of woman in cow shed (ht), Nepal: Decade After Peace, Scant Progress On Justice; Political Parties Fail to Deliver on Promises (Human Rights Watch), 10 years of peace deal: ICJ reminds Nepal of commitment to justice for conflict victims (kp), Justice still far cry in Nepal after a decade: ICJ (rep), Constitution amendment: As govt prepares to table proposal, key difference surfaces; PM seeks ‘consensual draft’ that can be endorsed, agitating parties want ‘all concerns addressed’ even if the bill fails in Parliament (kp), UML against splitting state 5: Oli, by Amrita Anmol (kp), ‘Naturalised citizens cannot be allowed to hold key constitutional posts’ (ht) [Okay, but then treat children of both Nepali men or Nepali women, who are married to foreigners, equal!!], Govt planning to bring constitution amendment bill next week (ht), Panel fails to send Parbat restructuring report (kp), DTAC’s proposal disappoints locals (ht), Secretary appointment: No word from Office of Prez puzzles Speaker; recommendation lying unaddressed for 3 months (kp), Maoist leaders threaten to desert ‘party on the wane’: Several leaders from Province 7 are said to be  in search of alternative platforms to build their political career, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Wrong move: Declaring a public holiday during Mukherjee’s visit has set a very bad precedent, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Between the lines: Government needs to be able to decode properly the signals sent from Beijing, by Prem Raj Joshi (kp), Politics Reaches A Tipping Point!, by Ritu Raj Subedi (kp)

19/11/2016: Act amendment delay stymies TRC: Term expiring in two months, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), A decade on, legacy of Maoist insurgency stalks Nepal (ht), Displaced Badis yet to return home (ht), Dhading sees complaints galore of fake quake victims: CDO Bishwa Prakash Subedi says the volume of complaints on fake quake victims suggests serious flaw in data collection, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), Constitution amendment: Congress divided over way forward, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Amendment bill by Tuesday, says Pun (kp) [Without discussing the contents with the dissatisfied groups intensively?], Demand to bring local units under province snags restructuring, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), LBRC seeks bigger mandate or govt’s help, by Arjun Poudel (ht), Discussion on impeachment motion lingers: A senior RPP-Nepal leader says major parties may be waiting for the court to decide case against Karki (kp), MPs want impeachment motion wound up speedily (rep), Commoners feel the brunt of clearing hospital bills (rep), Mafiacracy! Our government’s motto is ‘Sharing is Caring!’ Share the  loot with the civil servants, contractors, cadres and con artists but give nothing to the common folks!, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical]

18/11/2016: Where are all the women? An underlying reason for the low representation of women in politics is a patriarchal mindset that permeates political life, by Avasna Pandey (kp), Split Province 5 and break impasse: PM Dahal mulling over creating an eighth province with seven districts (kp), Three major parties to hold issue-wise discussion, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Top posts for naturalized not demand of Madhesi people: Tarai voices (rep), Demonstration in Kalikot against LLRC decision (kp), Recovery is still a far cry in Barpak, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Govt preparing to show NRA chief door? Rift between Dahal, Gyewali has widened of late, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), 6,000 quake victims living around BP Highway not granted permits for house reconstruction (ht), Post-earthquake response: The way forward, by Kedar Neupane (ht), ‘Don’t delist serious insurgency-era crimes’, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Prosecution in serious rights violations, says PM, by Dewan Rai (kp), The Karki case: If the impeachment move is not handled well, the war against corruption may stall, by Dinesh Pant (kp), The charade of impeachment: As Parliament dilly-dallies, the Supreme Court presses ahead against Lokman Singh Karki, by Binita Dahal (nt)

17/11/2016: Stakeholders ignored while framing TRC Act amendment bill, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Morcha seeks firm NC commitment: Congress President Deuba says the party will register draft proposal at Parliament within the set deadline, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), No solution in sight: The argument that naturalized citizens by marriage be treated as ‘special’ is fraught as we are dealing with people of two different countries, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [?? The problem is the continued different treatment of two genders, men and women by the constitution!!], Local level restructuring: Clash in Sankhuwasabha leaves 15 people injured (kp), Restructuring model protested in Khotang (ht), Double-edged words: Exposure to liberal democratic values of the West does not necessarily translate into a similar outlook among Nepali immigrants; The kind of anti-Madhesi  vitriol coming out of Nepalis in the US during last year’s blockade was but one indication of their illiberalism, as was the silence over KP Oli’s repeated denigration of Madhesis over that period, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Bolstering Democratic Legitimacy: Local Institutions Are The Key, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Social stigma related to sexual violence still rampant in society (ht), MPs demand more perks, incentives amid public criticism, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Political parties collect up to 50 percent levy from lawmakers, by Ashok Dahal (rep)

16/11/2016: Dahal faces tough time convincing own party men (kp), 52 parties fail to re-registerTo be barred from upcoming polls if decision is not reviewed, says CEC (kp), Two RPPs announce merger decision, again: Formal unification on Monday; Dahal government to be stronger, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [How can non-inclusive anti-system parties make the government stronger?], Approaching winter concerns quake victims, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Community school students still studying in temporary classrooms, by Pratap Bista (kp), PM dissatisfied with NRA’s work (ht), PM Dahal talks to NRA chair about reconstruction delays: The directive committee of National Reconstruction Authority will discuss a time-bound action plan on Sunday (kp), Local level restrucuring: Villagers threaten to give up citizenships; The people of Kanda VDC in Bajhang are in protest demanding a separate village council status, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), From clout to rout: The question for Prachanda is whether to worship pahunch, the supreme principle that drives Nepali democracy, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Empower it: Under the decentralized federal structure, we need additional human resources at office of Chief Secretary, by Thaneshwar Bhusal (rep)

15/11/2016: Gathabandhan ‘gives’ 15 more days to govt: ‘Ultimatum’ comes as blessing in disguise for Prime Minister Dahal; Upendra Yadav’s ‘unilateral move’ irks some Madhesi leaders; As per PM Dahal’s own deadline, the government must have tabled a statute amendment proposal by today, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), FA serves 15-day ultimatum to govt (ht), UDMF gives govt 15 more days to bring amendment (rep), Protests go on against LLRC proposals (kp), Demonstration held against state restructuring model (ht), DTAC reports sent back for not meeting standards (ht), Medical allowance to Sujata: Minister Thapa becomes target as govt draws flak; Brushes aside resignation call, vows to continue fight (kp), Opposition MPs flay govt for paying Sujata for treatment (kp) [Though in the past it has never been a problem to pay for people like Oli?], How ill are our political leaders?, by Bishnu Prasad Aryal (rep), Ad hoc decision: The best way of taking care of the problem of footing the high medical bills would be to bring a universal medical insurance policy (ht), Look in the mirror: Politicians’ apathy towards public opinion puts our democratic dispensation at risk (kp), Karki impeachment process: CPN-UML demands time frame for endorsing motion (kp), Bill to hike MPs’ pay and perks moved (kp), Housing aid yet to reach needy in remote VDCs, by Kumbha Raj Rai (kp), Laudable but inadequate: National Human Rights Action Plan might not be enough to ensure rights at the local level, by Prakash Budha Magar (kp), ‘More women needed in all sectors for development’ (ht), Amending the Constitution: Time to choose, by Surendra Bahadur Sijapati (ht) [only foreign and security aspects, no important internal aspects]

14/11/2016: ‘Govt apathy’ leaves TRC in a quandary, by Dewan Rai (kp), The road less travelled: Dahal govt has forgotten its early promises to give credible closure to conflict-era cases (kp), Quake victims in Laharepauwa camp brace for another winter under tents, by Nirajan Paudel (rep), The divide within: Invisibility of labourers in Kathmandu is compounded by their inability to negotiate with employers directly; The Madhesi migrant population in Kathmandu, heterogeneous as it is, remains outside the public fabric and does not participate in religious,  communal or political events, by Dan V. Hirslund (kp), Govt registering amendment proposal unilaterally: Morcha (kp), Maoist leaders warn PM not to mess up with ‘trouble-free’ states, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), ‘Don’t link polls with charter amendment’ (kp), Banda affects normal life nationwide (kp), 295 detained for vandalism during banda (rep), Lawmakers push for stronger EC (kp), EC seeks more authority for free, fair polls (ht), Prachanda’s 100 Days: Average Performance, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Bureaucracy 2.0: Nepal is still stuck with the centralized bureaucratic practices ill suited for rapidly changing technological landscape of the hyper globalized digital world, by Subarna Shakya and Bimal Pratap Shah (rep)

13/11/2016: TJ process remains stalled, by Dewan Rai (kp), LLRC report not likely before first week of Dec: District level technical committees in Province 2 yet to start work; Commission to send a team of officials to take stock of situation (kp), 19 districts fail to submit proposals to LBRC within deadline (ht), Constitution amendment: Dahal to sit with Deuba and Oli today to finalise draft, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM, Deuba discuss draft of bill: The two leaders have agreed to take the main opposition CPN-UML into confidence (ht), ‘Hills can’t be separated from Madhes’ (ht), EC updating voters’ list in 21 districts in first phase, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Global Gender Gap Index 2016: Nepal fails to improve on 2015’s place (kp) [see Nepal data in report by World Economic Forum], Prachanda’s last chance: People have high hopes that he will do better during his second stint as prime minister, by Atindra Dahal (kp), Avoid Controversy, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

12/11/2016: Caste discrimination laws have made little difference: Report (kp), Statute amendment proposal ready: Dahal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Madhesi, Janajati lawmakers walk out: 'Protest will continue till-three-pont pact implemented' (ht), Agitating parties boycott House meet (kp), Karki ‘ran safe house’ to spy on people: Multiple sources say police complicit in CIAA chief’s shenanigans (kp), Hordes of complainants flock LBRC office, by Arjun Poudel (ht), A little politics: Over-politicization of society has hindered development initiatives in Nepal’s countryside, by Dinkar Nepal (rep)

11/11/2016: Harsh winter ahead for quake victims living under tents, by Tenzn Tsomo (rep), ‘No discussion in party on statute amendment’ (kp) [related to NC], Oli, Deuba for finding way out through trilateral meet: Dahal and NC President Deuba agree to expedite talks with major parties especially the UML for finding consensus on constitution amendment proposal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Once again talks among male Tagadhari leaders instead of talks with the disenchanted groups!!], UDMF parties plan to walk out from parliament Friday (rep), FA, UDMF parties boycott Parliament meeting (ht), SC set to hear all cases against Karki on Dec 1, by Dewan Rai (kp), Nepal becomes party to anti-biological arms pact: Nepal is the 177th country to ratify the convention, Foreign Ministry says (kp), Guerrillas from the mist: Former Maoist combatants’ grievances should be addressedbefore their nonviolent protest turns into violent action, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Reduced poverty: Much neglected; A progressive distributional policy together with the suitable institutional setups and arrangements at the grassroots for ensuring exclusively the access of poor to social and physical infrastructure as well as financial services is also a necessity, by Dilli Raj Khanal (ht), Tamashas over: Nepal’s rulers still swing from one extreme to another: either needling neighbours needlessly or kowtowing to them (nt)

10/11/2016: Legal hurdle delays probe into TRC cases, by Dewan Rai (kp), ‘Charter amendment proposal by mid-Nov’ (kp), Disgruntlement Of Madhesi Parties, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), All citizens should have equal rights, says TMDP leader Lal (ht), Clinging to creed: A diverse country cannot live in peace and harmony by making one religion constitutionally superior to another, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Breaking Information Monopoly: Key To Democratic Governance, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Nearly all districts submit reports or are in last stages: 8 districts in Province 2 hold out for demarcation changes, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Locals rue govt delay in signing grant agreement (ht), Work delayed: Coordination among all agencies are vital is to complete projects on time. But this coordination in Nepal has always been elusive (ht), Blessed Nepal: Sea of opportunities; The country has adopted a multi-party system allowing different trends to have their representation; But within the political party the leaders are poor managers of different opinions; As a result the parties are rife with factions and splits, by Hisila Yami (ht), Charting our destiny: Let us prepare Nepal for its glorious future by building the 21st century relevant leadership it deserves, by Ujwal Thapa (rep)

09/11/2016: Morcha leaders clear air on naturalised citizenship: Blame major parties for ‘uncalled for controversy’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), ‘Rumours about constitution amendment false’ (rep), Ripples Of Naturalised Citizenship Issue, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), 47 districts submit reports to LBRC (ht), Impeachment Of CIAA Chief, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Court proceeding obstruction: Clarification sought from Karki, aides (kp), Karki summoned over obstruction of SC summons delivery (ht), SC gives Karki 7 days to appear in court for obstruction, by Bhadra Sharma (rep), Impeachment and impunity: Impeachment of CIAA chief would be an important symbolic step, but it must not be used to hide or side-step widespread systemic impunity in Nepal’s body politic, by Kul Chandra Gautam (rep), Final hearing in Adhikary murder case deferred (ht)

08/11/2016: LLRC to fix local units on its own if hurdle stays: In Province 2, discussions remain obstructed, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Two options proposed for formation of local bodies in Kathmandu (ht), Fewer the better: Too small local units would make it difficult to make them sustainable, effective and efficient in their assigned responsibilities (ht), Citizenship issue tough nut to crack: According to the new  constitution, only citizens by descent can hold the constitutional positions (kp), NC not for retaining interim statute provisions: Shekhar; Says a majority of leaders are against naturalised citizens holding key posts, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), A new narrative: Instead of maintaining control, India’s help to extend democratic principles can serve both Indian and Nepali interests, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Elections first step: Democracy in action, by Alaina B. Teplitz, US Ambassador to Nepal (ht), The way we talk: Never before have we been so vocal and articulate. We have dismantled the old regime via the sheer power of talking defiantly, by Dharma Adhikari (rep), It'll take over 3 months to address quake victims' complaints: NRA, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Onward, nasty women! Although we see and recognize casual and subtle sexism around us everyday many of us hesitate to stand up and protest, by Jigyasa Sharma (rep)

07/11/2016: Proposed amendment lets naturalized head key state posts: Leaders of both ruling and oppn parties vent ire in public (rep), Leaked document on amendment not authentic: PM secretariat (rep), Constitution amendment: PM for tabling paper on peace pact anniv, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Madhesi leaders agree with caution (kp), PM continues talks on amending constitution (ht), Trust Deficit: Prolonging the issue of federalism will be detrimental to the nation as a whole (kp), The more India aligns itself with Madhesi issue, the harder it makes its resolution, interview with Narayan Kaji Shrestha (kp), Local bodies’ restructuring process enters final phase: Eight districts posing hurdles, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Commission to ask govt to seek support from Madhes parties, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Chepangs demand separate village assembly (ht), Former child soldiers announce protest plan (kp), Message from Madhesh: A small section of Madheshis have always been in struggle with their government, but they lacked the internal organization and external linkages, by CK Lal (rep)

06/11/2016: Nepalis and nationalism: Nationalism is best demonstrated by our responsibility towards the nation, by Meera Rajbhandari Amatya (kp), Tharuhat supporters stage protest: Demand release of those arrested for alleged involvement in Tikapur incident, by Tekendra Deuba (ht), EC wants power to announce poll dates, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Local level restructuring: 58 districts yet to hand in reports (kp), Morcha leaders refuse to recognise LLRC’s work (kp), Heritage reconstruction yet to gather pace, by Dipesh Khatiwada (kp) [a euphemistic paraphrase!], A temple in the heart of Capital remains in ruins, by Anup Ojha (kp), ‘PM fails to deliver on promises’ (kp) [Yes, just as the two previous governments failed!], ‘Resource crunch affecting probe into conflict-era cases’ (ht)

05/10/2016: Restructuring report submission deadline today: LLRC fails even to hold early  discussions in Province 2, by Binod Ghimire (kp), PM Dahal wary of critics, detractors: Directs party ministers to prepare achievement report of first 100 days, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Oli asks Dahal for charter revision plan (kp), Local bodies’ support sought to update electoral rolls (ht), NIC urges women to be aware of their rights (ht), Women yet to benefit from women-friendly policies, by Tenzin Tsomo (rep), Women hesitant to report cases of sexual harassment, by Gyanu Sapkota (rep), The Controversy, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)

04/11/2016: UNESCO concerned about reconstruction of world heritage sites (ht), Submit periodical reports to UN committee on time, NHRC tells government (ht), Bill proposes greater powers for NWC (ht),

03/11/2016: Curfew-like situation in Kathmandu, by Manish Gautam (kp) [Taking the whole nation hostage beacause of the visit of the ceremonial head of state of a neighbouring country!], Indian prez arrives in Nepal in sign of warming relations, by Anil Giri (kp), Beyond the rhetoric: High-level political visits hopefully set the tone for tangible economic gains (kp), The buck stops here: The time has come to deal with all the outstanding issues between Nepal and India at the top political level, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Morcha leaders set to meet Mukherjee today (kp)

01/11/2016: Constitution amendment: Ruling, Madhesi parties on the same page? (ht), KP Sharma Oli rules out monarchy revival (ht)

31/10/2016: Govt, Morcha begin formal negotiations (kp), Oddly consistent: Major, Madhesi parties need to compromise to cut a deal on provincial boundaries (kp), Commissioners ‘kept in dark’ about CIAA decisions: Anti-graft body spokesman says a collective decision is taken only when the investigation concludes and a case should be filed at the court (kp), PM Dahal stresses on bringing Nepal Sambat into practice (kp), 715 households in Gorkha rebuilt homes on their own, by Sudip Kaini (kp), None of my demands have been addressed in a meaningful way, interview with Govinda KC (kp)

30/10/2016: Govt, Madhesi parties close to a deal: Mahato; Sanghiya Gathabandhan coordinator dismisses claim as rumour, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Govt working to bring bill by next week: Formal talks with Federal Alliance to be held today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Langtang folk step up rebuilding efforts, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), Flip-Flopping NC, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), ‘Muslim commission needs autonomy’ (ht)

29/10/2016: Disappearance cases: CIEDP to start exhumation of burial sites, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Yadav terms PM’s proposal ‘stale’, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NRA aid panel meet to raise recovery funds (kp) [?? You're not even able to distribute the huge amount of money you already have at hand!!], PM Secretariat: Nov 2 holiday decision at Prez suggestion (kp), IRC to publish notice if Karki refuses summons (kp), Festival without lights! It seems that we just have to keep on witnessing the same game where crooks battle other crooks and, either way, we will just have crooks running the show again and again, by Guffadi [satirical], Putting Madhes back on the map: High time for engagement, debates and finding a middle ground, by Shreya Paudel (kp)

28/10/2016: No poll until state restructuring and revision of provincial boundaries completed: FA; The Fedral Alliance suspects that the ruling parties are trying to put the issues of the agitating parties on the back-burner (ht), Package deal: There has been intense behind-the-scenes diplomatic lobbying to seek a ‘package deal’ on impeachment that will include an agreement on contentious amendments to the constitution, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Big 3 on same page but have different readings: Governing parties for package deal, UML seeks separate agreements, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NC in favour of impeachment: Sitaula (kp), C’mon, Congress: We need to get it over and done with impeaching Karki, and move on to more pressing issues, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Commission for the Abuse of Authority: It may be better to scrap the CIAA since it is prone to being hijacked by politicians for vendetta (nt), Indian president’s visit to Nepal: Holiday decision draws criticism; Govt goes on defensive, says it does not want inconvenience to public (kp), Transitional Justice: A Tool For Durable Peace, by Indra Karki (rn), Only three of nine election-related bills arrive in parliament (rep), Chaotic Course: Following the registration of an impeachment motion in Parliament against CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki, the political course is taking a new turn, by Keshab Poudel (sp)

27/10/2016: CIEDP proceeds investigation with no clear law, by Dewan Rai (kp), Off the rails? Had the conflict victims received justice in Nepal, they would not have had to turn to outside powers, by Charan Prasai (kp), Top leaders decide to work in unison: To seek consensus on Karki impeachment, statute amendment, elections (kp) [Another non-inclusive procedure by top leaders? Discussions among top male Tagadhari leaders have nothing to with inclusion!], Big 3 discuss possibility of package deal on amendment, polls, impeachment, by Ashok Dahal (rep), PM says statute amendment, elections top priority: 'Issues of provincial boundaries, language, citizenship, National Assembly need review (ht), Poudel terms Karki’s issue a ‘hype’, by DR Panta (kp), Impeachment of Karki: Important factors, by Narayan Manandhar (ht), ‘More than one reason why impeachment deliberations put off’, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), India exposed, again: Lokman Singh Karki’s impeachment motion has again laid bare limitations of India’s misguided quest for ‘structural guarantee’, by Biswas Baral (rep), The long wait: People displaced by the earthquakes cannot be left in limbo for much longer (kp), PM tells NRA to pick up pace (kp) [Yes, please take govt and parties as example!], Govt committed to amending statute: Lekhak (kp), Frost at the core: One should see the Lokman phenomenon in light of the long-sustained and unscrupulous structure of the Nepali state, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Transitional Period Role Of Civil Society Organisations, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Proposed Electoral Bills: Some Provisions Questioned, by Mukti Rijal (rn)

26/10/2016: Lawmakers make a case for giving CIAA chief the boot, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Parliament begins deliberations on impeachment motion; House deferred till November 10 (ht), In NC, ‘dither and delay’ is the order of the day, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Impeachment Issue, by Bhimsen Thapaliya (rn), Anti-corruption Drive Must Continue, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Anti-torture bill gathers dust in House panel: The bill was registered in the Parliament Secretariat two years ago after the arrest of Nepal Army Col Kumar Lama in the United Kingdom under universal jurisdiction, by Dewan Rai (kp), Big Three holding country hostage, says Gachhadar (kp), Work begins to release housing aid in Valley (kp), Shindhu quake victims wait for 2nd batch of aid, by Anish Tiwari (kp), History stands testament: Earthquakes are not new to Nepal but the indifference to the tragedy displayed by our current crop of leaders is, by Rushali Giri (kp), Food security: Govt must adopt policies to ensure Nepal meets its food requirements (kp), Continuity and change: Nepal-India relationship should move towards a development-centric security policy from the traditional military one, by Baburam Bhattarai (kp), Nepal slips eight positions in WB’s Doing Business index (kp) [see related World Bank report on South Asia]

25/10/2016: SC stays probe into Social Science Baha (kp), Move against CIAA chief ill-timed: SLMM leaders (kp), Impeachment motion against Karki: Congress continues to hem and haw (kp), NC leadership urged to study motion and choose best of four alternatives (ht), The CIAA saga: The task of removing Lokman Singh Karki should not be equated with halting investigation into political corruption, by Bhadra Sharma (rep), Final IRC working procedures today: All decisions will be made on the basis of majority, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Armed outfit chief in net (kp), Local level restructuring: Focus on service and participation, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Faulty tool: What would have happened if there was a referendum in 2007 on whether to accept the peace deal with the Maoist rebels?, by Mukesh Khanal (rep)

24/10/2016: Maoist Centre whip to vote for Karki’s impeachment (kp), Discussion after motion is tabled tomorrow (kp), Will respect public sentiment, Deuba tells student leaders, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), SSFN not informed about impeachment proposal, says Yadav (kp), Appointing Karki to the post of CIAA chief was a mistake, interview with Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal (kp), Impeachment Case And Stance Of Parties, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Central bank releases Rs8b in Ncell profit: Permission for FY2011-12 dividend repatriation at suspended CIAA chief Karki’s behest, sources claim (kp), CIAA releases frozen bank lockers sans NRB consent (kp), Far from it: The regulators themselves are often found to fall far short of their duty, thus rendering legal provisions largely ineffective in many cases (ht), Internal security issues: Ways to address them, by Thakur Mohan Shrestha (ht)

23/10/2016: Madhes-based parties find fault with LLRC’s criteria, term it biased, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), BRB sees threat against secularism, federalism, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Rally in Capital seeking Karki’s ouster (kp), Impact of impeachment: You can take away corruption from politics, but you cannot take away politics from corruption, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Impeachment Against Karki: Parliament Finally Bells The Cat, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Time to get serious: Our leaders should realise the looming danger of a constitutional vacuum, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp)

22/10/2016: Local level restructuring: LLRC fixes a maximum of 744 units, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Impeachment motion against Karki: Congress buys time to decide; To hold talks with Maoist Centre, CPN-UML today; In bid to find a way to make him step down, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Maoist Centre waiting for NC decision, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Suspended CIAA chief ‘working’ from quarters: Application filed at SC seeking to halt state facilities to Karki (kp), Cannot defend Karki in impeachment case: AG (kp), Lokman returns: Lokman should have gone after the sharks after he took office; Then, we would have supported him, but he decided to just bully the small folks and leave the big chors alone, by Guffadi (kp), US envoy: Focus on job creation as era of remittance-led growth is ending: The ambassador says foreign investors want certainty and do not like high opportunity cost of doing business in Nepal, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp)

21/10/2016: House to set ball rolling to impeach Karki from Sunday: At least six weeks required to complete the process, by Binod Ghimire (kp), House meeting deferred: PM had asked the Speaker to give parties time to forge common view on impeachment (ht), Suspended animation: Karki is now suspended from his post, but a two-thirds majority of 397 is required for his impeachment, by Kunda Dixit (nt), The lonely struggle against tyranny: Political parties have finally decided to act against Lokman Singh Karki, but only to save their own skins, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), CIAA chief had gone too far, difficult to save him: Deuba (kp) [There is no justification to save him if he has gone too far, Mr Deuba! The same is true for many political leaders!], Time for atonement: NC should join UML and CPN (MC) in impeachment motion against Karki (kp), Madhesi parties, RPP-N say they were not consulted (ht), UML asks MPs to remain on standby; Maoist Centre meetings dwell on impeachment proposal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Medical fraternity ‘relieved’ at CIAA chief’s suspension: Karki had interfered rampantly in the medical sector, by Manish Gautam (kp), Dr KC welcomes move (kp), EC asks parties to furnish details for re-registration: The notice follows two rounds of talks with the parties about finding a common view on re-registration (kp), Shah against ‘politics of negation’ (kp) [Things are not going well, but the situation of the disadvantaged groups is not as hopeless as under the non-inclusive authoritarian royal system, Mr Shah!], Better get going: Denial of local democracy has resulted in grievous injury to almost every aspect of national life, by Krishna Man Pradhan (kp)

20/10/2016: Constitution amendment: Draft proposal in final stage, PM tells House (kp), Statute amendment bill by Chhath: PM (ht), Madhes-based parties refuse to buy PM’s claim, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Impeachment axe falls on Lokman Singh Karki: CIAA chief faces automatic suspension after 157 UML, Maoist MPs register proposal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), CIAA chief Karki suspended: 157 lawmakers from UML, Maoist Center register impeachment motion, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), 157 lawmakers register impeachment motion against CIAA chief Karki (ht), Basnyat appointed CIAA acting chief (rep), Watching the watchdog: CIAA chief would do well to appear before the Supreme Court within required time (kp), SC show cause to CIAA over Social Science Baha issue (kp), A fine mess: Grandiose rhetoric notwithstanding, there seems to be no seriousness of purpose among our top leaders, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Quake victims in Valley to get first tranche before Tihar: Ministry; Around 100,000 victims in Valley may qualify for house reconstruction grant: NRA, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep) [And what about the victims in the so far untouched rural districts?], The rightward drift: The majority believe that their identity is threatened by the new narratives of those pushing for change, by Pranab Kharel (rep) [The dominant groups of male Bahuns and Chhetris are not a majority but a minority constituting not more than 15 per cent of the population!]

19/10/2016: Morcha for halting local body works: Madhes-based parties ask the government to put off local body restructuring task until boundary revision (kp), Unfulfilled demands may lead to disintegration: Mansoor: Calls for addressing the demands of Madhesis, Muslims and Tharus through constitution amendment (kp), Amendment national need, says Mahato (kp), PM Dahal, Deuba discuss amendment proposal (kp), 350,000 families still without aid (kp), Quake survivors sans land ownership papers left in a lurch, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Ugly repetitions: The cycle of snail’s pace and sloppy work must end, if any government is to improve its performance (ht), Spend timely and wisely: For Nepal, lack of money is not as big problem as is the failure to use it (kp), Apex court notice to CIAA chief delivered: Hearing set to start after a month, by Dewan Rai (kp), SC notice served on Karki, way cleared for hearings, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), MPs accuse govt of bowing down to Karki, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Where is Lokman Singh Karki?, by Anil Giri (kp), Parties, speaker agree to form impeachment committee, by Ashok Dahal (rep), 11-member impeachment recommendation committee formed (rep), When nepotism rules the roost: Maoist ministers’ ‘ghost’ PAs raise spectre of irregularities, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Watchdog fails to walk cantonment probe talk: One month after word to look into ‘misappropriation of funds’ in camps, CIAA divulges no follow-up info (kp), Commissioners divided over local units (rep)

18/10/2016: CIEDP asks complainants to provide further information: The commission, which has received 2,893 complaints so far, has sent letters to all the petitioners across the country, by Dewan Rai (kp), AG proposes new Special Court to try conflict era cases, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), SC summons to Karki: Third attempt to serve notice fails; A group of locals bars officials from delivering letter (kp) [Nepal once again proves to be a banana republic!], SC team pastes court summons at CIAA Chief Karki’s house: Court slaps Rs1,000 fine & 15 days jail to staffers (kp), Ruling parties eye a jumbo Cabinet, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [Another grave violation of article 76 (9) of the constitution!], No serious talks yet on amendment: Madhesi, UML leaders, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Protests after Chhath, Rai warns (kp), Provide Autonomy: Election Commission should be empowered to announce as well as organise elections (kp), Local bodies in limbo: The big parties have been overriding expert panels and deciding issues on their own, by Kamal Devkota and Dil Khatri (kp), Treasury surplus soars to Rs191b as capital spending slacks (kp), Govt expenditure at 12.37pc: Only 3.42 per cent of total allocated budget of Rs 311.95 billion for development works spent in the first quarter of current fiscal year (ht), Ideological Deviation In Politics, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), Former Maoist rebels: Who took the cut from our salary?, by Devendra Basnet (rep)

17/10/2016: Disappearances truth and reconciliation act: Amendment proposal stirs a fresh debate; Proposal to restore the constitutional rights of attorney general to decide whether the perpetrator is to be prosecuted as directed by the Supreme Court, by Dewan Rai (kp), 3 poll bills land in House panel (kp), Poll bill proposals give EC more teeth: Clause 15 of the bill states that a political party should hold intra-party election at least once every five years in line with the statute of the concerned party (kp), NWC bill to be tabled in Cabinet in a week: The law will make Women Commission a constitutional body. It also opens the door for appointing new members to the commission that has a lone member at present (kp), Tea Reception Politics, Polls & Unity, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Mahat unhappy with govt: Calls for locals polls under exisiting setup (rep), Chief secy tells ministry to speed up ilaka info: 'Ministry doesn't even have maps of the ilakas' (rep), Gurung opposes Hindi as official language (rep)

16/10/2016: Local level restructuring: MoFALD yet to provide LLRC with Ilaka details: Delay could cast cloud of uncertainty over elections (kp), LBRC at odds with MoFALD over data, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Madhes agitation: Govt to withdraw cases in 2 phases; Cabinet to wait for final hearing before taking any decision on cases sub judice in courts (kp), Shashank for referendum to decide on Hindu state, by Shiva Puri (kp), A peep into public relations: Politicians should be careful not to undermine their public image, which takes years to build, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), School reconstruction yet to gather pace, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht)

15/10/2016: Madhes crisis: Resolution before Tihar, assures PM; Agitating parties say they will not wait beyond Chhath festival (kp), 18 types of reparation schemes proposed for war-era crimes, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Post-Dashain syndrome! Offices will open but civil servants will not do any work till Tihar is over. They don’t do much during the rest of the year anyway, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Will Xi or won’t Xi? Hysteria over Jinping’s potential visit to Nepal sans preparations, by John Narayan Parakuli (kp), GHI rates Nepal’s hunger as ‘serious’ (kp) [see report findings for Nepal], Nepal faring better than other South Asian countries in fight against hunger (ht), 4,427 suffering from malnutrition after quake (ht), LBRC seeks data on ilakas from MoFALD (ht), Shashanka Koirala demands referendum on Hindu state (ht) [The statement by the NC General Secretary reflects the staunch conservative and anti-inclusive minding of many NC politicians!!], Quake victims yet to receive govt grant (ht)

14/10/2016: ‘If elections are not held on time, constitution will surely fail’, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Country may face shortage of construction materials: Crisis could trigger spike in prices once rebuilding activities start gathering pace, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), Nepal ranks 85th in opportunities for girls (kp), UDMF will withdraw support to govt if statute amendment bill not registered before Tihar: Mahato, by Madan Koirala (rep), Better bedfellows: We need to work to make coalition politics effective as it looks like it is here to stay, by Jeevan Baniya (kp), Not working: Constraints on effective development planning are pretty much the same now as they were in the 1960s, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Dalits deprived of social security allowance (ht)

13/10/2016: Leaders express differing views on holding local polls (kp), No compromise with federalism, secularism and republic: NC Chief Whip Shrestha (rep)

10/10/2016: Eight leftist parties to wage joint protest against Nepal-India communique (ht)

09/10/2016: Federalisation of health sector: Panel to recommend service restructuring; Taskforce will produce a vision paper that details the status of the health sector in federal Nepal (kp), UML stakes claim to PAC chair; Maoists don’t relent (kp) [Fight over power and positions, not constructive politics for people and country is all that counts!], With no roof over heads, Dashain a sad affair for flood victims, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Imminent economic disaster: Rational planners are unable to use their expertise in the face of irrational politicians’ whims, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Doing by knowing: We citizens need to realise that we have as many responsibilities as we have rights, by Kishori Mahat (kp)

08/10/2016: NC, UML register proposals to amend poll-related bills: Say atleast 3pc votes must to get berth in parliament, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), MoFALD issues fresh mandate to commission: As per the new mandate, the LLRC can split or merge Ilakas by taking population and geography into consideration (kp), Government revises LBRC mandate, by Arjun Poudel (ht), Women's shelter demolished: Women’s rights defenders flay govt inaction, press for probe (kp), Impeachment suggestion panel ‘after Dashain’: Says Parliament has begun consultations regarding formation of the IRC and filling vacancies in other parliamentary committees, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Post-quake reconstruction: 100,000 homeless families without aid, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), MoEd to begin reconstruction of 307 schools within this fiscal: Fate of 4,300 quake-hit schools is still uncertain (ht), Get fresh mandate: Leaders have been discredited; the CA-turned-Parliament has outlived its purpose. Let’s elect the House of Representatives to implement the constitution and hold provincial and local elections, by Mohan Guragain (kp) [But not with any of the current so-called leaders! They should never ask for any mandate again!], Battle royal in Nepal: What seems like a fight between Kanak Mani Dixit and Dr Govinda KC and CIAA chief is actually a battle against an entrenched nexus thriving under protection from next door neighbour, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

07/10/2016: Notice to CIAA chief: Court attempt to serve summons fails again; SC official tasked with delivering letter suddenly ‘goes out of contact'; As per the rule, Karki has to present himself before thecourt within 15 days from the date of receiving the notice , by Dewan Rai (kp), Staffer with SC notice for CIAA chief goes out of contact (rep), Rs 9 billion spent on relief for conflict-affected people, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Congress state ministers ‘after Dashain holidays’, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [Take time! Next May you will have to exchange all the ministers. ministers of state, etc. once again either! What a rubbish!], Big III want key provisions of poll bills changed, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Big parties propose differing thresholds: Small parties against any threshold; EC should fix election dates: UML, by Ashok Dahal (rep), NC to discuss EC issue with other parties (kp), Govt relents as commission objects to ilakas as basic units (rep), Perils Of Identity-based Restructuring, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [The structuring that has been introduced into the new constitution by the Tagadhari leaders of the big parties is also identity based as it aims at upholding their own culture and social thinking as basis of national identity! Its continuation is the greatest danger for Nepal's future!], Unreal dream: Perhaps it’s time to form a new regional cooperation group among the smaller countries in South Asia, by Shyam KC (kp), Needs a little tweaking: SAARC has gone through many ups and downs in its history, but it’s still the best hope, by Rishi Raj Adhikari (kp), New bill will render Madhesi Commission toothless: Lawyers (ht), One million kids still out of school: Report (ht), Quake victims still living in tents (ht), Who will look after ‘the living martyr’ after we are gone?, by Raj Kumar Parajuli (ht) [The brutal procedure by the police had been ordered by the putsching king's henchman and home minister Kamal Thapa!], Drama in real life: Dasain feels like someone pressed the pause button just as we were reaching a climax in politics, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Regular breaks: Nepal tops the list of countries with the most public holidays with 36 days a year (nt), Elections on Time, by Tilak Rawal (sp)

06/10/2016: Politics of exclusion: Lack of inclusion in Nepal’s political parties is a reflection of social realities, by Mukesh Jha (kp) Transitional justice: Amendment bill proposes removal of statute of limitations; Move a step towards ensuring justice to victims of the decade-long insurgency, by Dewan Rai (kp), EC against revising draft bills for polls: The commission says key clauses have been either changed or dropped, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Amendment proposals registered (ht), Slow progress: It is still not clear when the NRA will conclude agreements with the development partners for the financial assistance they had pledged (ht), Fair disbursement: Govt needs to make sure quake victims can access aid even without political connections (kp), Landless earthquake victims deprived of grants, by Dhruba Dangal (rep), Nepali constitutions: Transitional provisions; No transitional provisions are found in established democracies; There is no such provision in the constitution of the United States of America, Australia’s constitution, the constitution of French Republic, the Japanese constitution, Israel’s basic Law (no formal constitution), by Birendra Pratap Mishra (ht), SC team returns without pasting court summons on Karki’s house (kp) [Karki obviously thinks to be above the law; he should be suspended immediately!], SC unable to serve notice on CIAA chief Karki (rep), Police story: Initially used to serve the rulers, our policing systems are still militaristic in their approach, by Devendra Jung Subedi (rep)

05/10/2016: Local level restructuring: Difficult to meet mid-November deadline: LLRC, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Local bodies’ restructuring report to be delayed (ht), Debunking political arguments: According to decentralisation experts, the ideal number of local bodies for a country like Nepal is about 300, by Sachchi Ghimire Karki (kp), Govt tables three poll-related bills: The country must hold three levels of elections in the next 16 months, as the incumbent Parliament’s term will expire on January 21, 2018 (kp), ‘Support withdrawn unless PM: seeks statute revision by Tihar’: Dahal criticised for not doing anything to address Madhesi concerns (kp) [Be aware that a two-thirds majority is needed to change the constitution!], Headway on amendment unlikely till after festival season, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), NHRC appeals for Dr KC’s life (kp), Nepal stares at funding gap of Rs 600 billion, by Pragati Shahi (kp), NRA has signed up only Rs 272b so far out of 938b needed: Less than half the signed-up amount received, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Mirage of land reform: The Maoists lost their revolutionary zeal after getting a taste of bourgeois comforts, by Kalpana Jha (kp), Don’t Defile Politics, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Flawed bills: The Election Commission’s proposal allowing two or more political parties to take part in elections jointly under one single election symbol is flawed (ht), The five basics: Reforms proposed in draft bills should be tabled in parliament in their original form and should on no account be mutilated based on whims and fancies of bureaucrats, by Ila Sharma, Election Commissioner (rep), The Nepal saga: That this country has not collapsed thus far is perhaps one of the greatest surprises this world has ever seen, by Devendra Gautam (rep)

04/10/2016: Working to make statute acceptable to all: PM; Says voices of Madhesi, Tharu and Magar communities will be heard (kp) [And why have their voices been disregarded in September 2015? Besides, what about the voices of other Janajatis, Dalits, women?], UDMF tells PM to table bill soon (ht), Local level restructuring: Govt accedes to LLRC call, set to revise ToR; To make area clusters (Ilakas) ‘one of the bases’ instead of ‘main basis’; To extend report submission deadline by a month till mid-November, by Binod Ghimire (kp), LBRC Terms of Reference to be revised, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Big parties drop ilaka as basis for local units: Govt to revise new terms of reference at next cabinet; Commission flexible on number of units, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Govt removes key provisions in poll related bills: Two or more parties can fight an election under the same election symbol after forming an alliance, by Prakash Acharya (ht), NRA gears up to form a panel for aid management (kp), Brand new avatar: The Maoist Centre has changed its ways and now comprises born again democrats, by Janak Raj Joshi (kp), Bill seeks to make parties pay for their cadre's vandalism, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [This has been overdue for long! Besides, the culprits have to be punished!]

03/10/2016: Dahal pledges to keep Army off war-era cases: Once bitten, PM all praise of NA’s role, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [How can he? He is only the head of the executive! Judgements on crimes of the army have to be passed by the independent judiciary!!], National Army last resort to face challenges: PM Dahal (rep), Hope for justice: Amendment to legislation needs to address key issues for credible transitional justice (kp), PMO prepares to bring parity in disaster relief: The Prime Minister’s Office is preparing to instruct the Home Ministry to provide equal relief amount to the victims of disasters like flood, landslide and earthquake, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [?]

02/10/2016: Constitution amendment: Deal long way off even if talks held in short order, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Constitution amendment bill unlikely before Dashain: Till now no concrete homework has been done and consultation with other parties has been informal, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Constitution amendment: Putting The Cart Before The Horse?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), PM announces aid to landslide, flood victims (kp) [??], Women leaders ask govt to honour 33 percent quotas (kp), MPs to be allowed to pick electoral district for CDP (ht) [Making corruption and nepotism even easier under the non-inclusive party-political system!]

01/10/2016: Transitional justice: Two-tier court to deal with war-era cases, by Dewan Rai (kp), Sitaula calls for broader consensus for elections: The NC leader warns if the political parties are divided they will fail to institutionalise the achievements gained so far (kp) [Are you talking about the continuation of consensus among male Tagadhari political leaders or do you mean the inclusion of the so far excluded majority, i.e. Janajati, Madheshi, Dalits, Muslims, women in general?], The Onus For Creating System, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), SC rejects petition against govt decision (ht) [related to local restructuring], No parliamentary system, we want directly elected prez: PM (ht), Advantage China: With SAARC, a perfect platform for India to establish its preeminence in South Asia, on the brink, all that the Chinese have to do is bide time, by Biswas Baral (rep)

30/09/2016: Leaders face tough balancing act: Govt may have to alter the map of up to four provinces to address grievances of the agitating communities; A section of both the ruling parties and the main opposition UML are, however, unlikely to support such changes given the numerical advantages they hold over the current federal setup and backlash they fear they might face in their constituencies, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), MJF-L calls for inclusive negotation process (kp), Local level restructuring: LLRC decides to seek clarity on govt move: To miss deadline as it has to work from scratch if it follows the new ToR, by Binod Ghimire (kp), LLRC’s move against timely election: Gurung (kp), LBRC member to move SC against govt’s decision, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Guidelines for shelving TRC complaints: Supreme Court show cause to defendants (kp), SC stays TRC guideline for placing cases on hold (rep), Forest land grab row: Taskforce inspects wrecked buildings (kp), Buck the trend: Govt should take immediate steps to increase the level of capital spending (kp), Pitfalls Of Statute Amendment, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Cashing in on politics: For the moment there is only Rs 343 billion in the kitty for reconstruction, by Shreejana Shrestha (nt), Reconstruction grant is Dasain allowance: Earthquake survivors are using the first tranche of their home reconstruction grant for everything but reconstruction, by Shreejana Shrestha (nt)

29/09/2016: Lawmakers set to get 58 percent pay hike: Criticised for low attendance, missing crucial meets (kp), MPs spar over withdrawing Tikapur carnage cases (kp), House witnesses heated exchange on case withdrawals (ht), Five officials transferred from CIEDP: CIEDP Chairman Lokendra Mallick says the decision has upended everything they had planned and been working on until now, by Dewan Rai (kp) [?? Preventing justice in every possible way!!], NRA fails to provide first instalment of grant to quake survivors (ht), Restructing panel officials refuse to recognise Ilakas (kp), Women's shelter demolition: Women’s rights defenders draw PM Dahal’s attention (kp), The language debate: Both Sanskritic conservatism and speech-based vernacular-nationalism fall short of the need of the hour, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Local Government: Fulfill Commitment To Hold Polls, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Talk, Talk And Talk, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Most people unaware of right to information, says Justice Malla (ht)

28/09/2016: Path to de-democratisation: Enlarging constituencies without reforms in parties is likely to weaken political representation of marginalised groups; The current Nepalibureaucracy is set up in such a way that any political party, other than the NC and the UML, cannot extract services from it , by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Transitional justice: Writ against criteria for dropping complaints, by Dewan Rai (kp), Morcha leaders bitter about PM’s unkept promises: Dahal tells Madhesi leaders amendment proposal will be tabled before Dashain; Madhesi parties express concerns over ‘duplicitous’ activities of the government (kp), Redraw local units on ilaka lines: Govt to commissiom: Commission memebers unhappy with 'interference', by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), RPP-N, Madhesi parties against reviving Ilakas (kp), Madhesi leaders tell PM not to test their patience (rep), Govt amends ToR for LLRC (kp), Cabinet gives additional mandate to LBRC: Commission can demarcate local bodies on basis of Ilakas, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Deuba calls for timely local elections (kp), Oli demands poll roadmap (kp), Polls Essential To End Transition, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Govt registering bill denying EC power to set poll dates (rep), Oli accuses PM of inviting Indian interference in constitutional matter (rep), Silent and divided: As things stand, most public intellectuals hesitate to take sides even on issues that do not require any ifs and buts, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Emerging consensus: The silver lining in the murky skies of Nepali politics is the national consensus at common people’s level, by Aditya Man Shrestha and Dwarika Nath Dhungel (rep)

27/09/2016: Conflict victims concerned about TRC Act bill amendment (ht), Local level restructuring: LLRC takes exception to three-party deal; Says such agreement defeats the purpose of forming the commission; Urges parties to be mindful of the jurisdiction of constitutional body, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Inept decision: The political parties’ decision to change the number of local units will put the constitutional body in a precarious position (ht), UDMF not to accept Big three parties’ decision to create local bodies (ht), Change in standards a ploy to delay local polls: Commission member, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Table bills related to polls in original, EC tells PM Dahal; EC wants reforms to create level playing field among parties, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Discussion on forming panel to recommend impeachment starts: There are constitutional provisions that call for an 11-member Parliament committee to recommend impeachment (kp), PM gives NRA until Oct 6 to issue first housing grants (kp), Quake victims of Sindhuli not yet shifted to integrated residence (ht), NRA meeting approves additional housing grant of Rs 100,000, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep), ‘Witch’ accused tortured, fears filing complaint: A single mother from Dada Gaun in Salyan is tied to a post and tortured for hours on witchcraft charge by her relatives, by Pratichya Dulal (kp)

26/09/2016: Proposed provision could further ‘limit women’s citizenship right’, by Dewan Rai (kp) [Unchanged extra-constitutional and legal procedure and thinking by Nepal's male Tagadhari overlord minority!!], Seeking justice: Without a credible transitional justice roadmap, path will be open for specific and personally targeted prosecution, by Hari Phuyal (kp), Ensure justice: Past instances have proved that some of the cases not related to political agitation were withdrawn under political pressure (ht), Hearing on Krishna Prasad Adhikari’s murder starts, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp), Ilakas to be basis for local body formation: Major parties agree to use 927 areas as reference, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [The Ilaka have been part of King Mahendra's politics of cutting ethnic boundaries!!], Big 3 agree in principle to some 900 village units (rep), Implementing new announcements: PM asks secretaries for action plan (kp), NRA may decide on additional grant today, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), PM tells Madhes parties amendment process in a week: TMSP Gen Secy Jha, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Form a panel to iron out differences: Gathabandan (kp),  Dialogue on to find acceptable solution: Mahat (kp) [At the UN, Foreign Minister Mahat (NC) repeats the distorting statements on inclusion on which the promulgation of the constitution has been based! Consequence: The ruling parties do not want necessary changes!], We can create autonomous or protected regions within provinces, interview with DPM Krishna Bahadur Mahara, CPN-MC (kp) [??], Get down to business: Govt should increase the size of capital budget and utilise what is allocated for capital spending (kp)

25/09/2016: Capital expenditure fails to pick up pace: Only 0.9 per cent of Rs 311.9 billion spent so far this fiscal year, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), ACORAB inspects Radio Dhading building (kp), Hope against hope: Nepal’s dream of development may materialise if major parties agree on national goals and priorities, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), A sustainable Nepal: nstead of relying too much on other countries, Nepal should devise policies to foster self-reliance, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Impeachment vs appointment: In contrast to a famous saying, it is not corruption but anti-corruption that is fighting back in Nepal, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Withdrawing cases against agitating forces’ cadres will take time: AG Shrestha (ht), Rai doubts govt-UDMF deal will be honoured (ht), Draft of TRC Act amendment bill being finalised (ht)

24/09/2016: Constitution amendment: Talks on, claims govt; Morcha says ‘no idea’, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Radio Dhading building razed, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp)

23/09/2016: Torture in detention in Dipayal: Army offers mea culpa for barring NHRC from probe; Says not letting investigating officials enter NA barracks a mistake, by Dewan Rai (kp), 2nd death anniv of Nanda Prasad: Rights defenders press for swift justice; Nanda Prasad’s body lies in the morgue of the TU Teaching Hospital as none of his relatives has turned up to claim it (kp), PM calls NRA meet after missed deadline (kp), PM mulls changing NRA staff (rep), WB hails post-quake rebuilding aid distribution (kp) [??], Norwegian ambassador concerned over post-earthquake reconstruction (ht), A Need For Tuning In Priority, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), 1,334: Official list of people who were disappeared by both sides during the conflict from 1996-2006, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Still waiting for the truth: Nearly 15 years after her son was disappeared, Ramkrishni Chaudhary has finally given up hope that he is alive, by Tula Chaudhary (nt), Not playing ball: On the first anniversary of the seventh constitution in seven decades, Nepal is stuck again (nt), Govt to foot Rs 14m bill for treating Madhes agitation injured, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep) [This does not free the state from providing justice!]

22/09/2016: Conflict victims demand justice, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Serious crimes will be prosecuted: PM; Reiterates commitment to conclude remaining tasks of peace process (kp) [?], One year on: Twelve months after constitution’s promulgation, there hasn’t been much progress in negotiations (kp), Post-conflict reconstruction: Govt completes only 28pc of projects, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Housing grant distribution: Local bodies told to distribute first tranche before Dashain; he local bodies have so far signed grant agreements only with 450,032 of house owners (rep), Fringe Morcha forces worried about being overshadowed, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Yadav’s absence may delay deal (kp) [??], NRA concerned over housing aid fraud, misuse: NRA has found several cases of people applying for aid from two places and people using fake papers to receive reconstruction fund (kp), Consolidation or fragmentation: With different practices of defining local government’s size around the world, a plausible model for Nepal should be home-grown, by Khum Raj Punjali, Trilochan Pokharel and Rajendra Adhikari (kp), Implementation Of Constitution Still In Limbo, by Uttam Maharjan (kp), One year on, blockade still fiercely aruged over, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Punish my son’s murderers, says Gangamaya, by Tika Ram Rimal (ht), Local government bodies: Some questions; During the past 14 years without elected representation at local government bodies or local public service providers, although people saw democratic changes take place they never witnessed accountability and service delivery, by Suresh Acharya (ht), Traffic snarls caused by VVIP movements now routine (rep) [Nepal's royals of today!], Girls no brides: Around 37 percent Nepali girls are married before they reach 18 and 10 percent before they reach 15, by David Kainee (rep)

21/09/2016: Constitution amendment: Ruling coalition ‘ready’ to adopt flexibility, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Blasts outside schools cause panic: No injuries, minor damage; Police arrest 2 persons, identify them as Maoist Communist Centre members, by Pratichya Dulal and Manish Gautam (kp), Maoist ex-combatants set off bombs at schools, 2 arrested, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Heinous act: Swift, stern and well-publicised action has to be taken against the perpetrators (kp), Attacks making mockery of ‘zone of peace’ declaration, by Kokila KC (ht), Time to act: The leaflets found close to the scene suggest that the culprits are associated with one or the other political parties who are giving them political protection (ht), Donors seek refund of unspent Peace money, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [!!], Aid distribution: Over Rs18b mobilised for first tranche of cash: NRA; Of an estimated 800,000 homes damaged in 14 districts, NRA listed 533,182 as true beneficiaries (kp), Quake-hit Sindhu people struggle for health care, by Anish Tiwari (kp), CIEDP miffed at transfer of staff: Fears it will hamper probe into dissappearance cases, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Remember the time: One weakness of Nepal’s educated class, civil society and even media is that they do not ask critical questions at critical moments, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Historically most rights violators from conflict era have been granted amnesty, interview with Paul Jackson (rep)

20/09/2016: Statute anniv marked with mixed feelings: Special ceremony organised in Capital, protest rallies in parts of country (kp) [see also video 1, video 2], Celebrating the First Anniversary of People’s Constitution, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Protesting parties observe ‘black day’ (kp), Black Day observed to protest constitution (ht), Agitating parties stage protest against constitution (rep), Govt told not to wait indefinitely for CPN-UML support, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Statute cannot be amended to pacify foreigners: UML Chair Oli (ht) [Madhesis, Janajatis, women, etc. who have been cheated by the male Tagadhari leaders once again are foreigners? What an insane mind!], One year on, polls the priority, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Submission of audit report: Election authority proposes axing defiant parties, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Rebuilding mess: In order to please their vote banks parties are making unrealistic promises to quake victims, by Bhadra Sharma (rep), NRA misses grant deadline, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Over 150k needy yet to get first trance of aid (kp), Doing it right: The NRA should begin the work of relocating vulnerable settlements (kp), SAsia One Billion Rising campaign gets underway: aunched in 2013, One Billion Rising is a global movement calling for action to end violence against women and to protect women’s rights (kp), Dahal in Delhi: The joint statement shows that Nepal-India relations are as they were last September, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp)

19/09/2016: Women representation: A year on, provision of 33pc unimplemented, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Court records Ganga Maya’s statement: It is the fifth time the court has ordered the petitioner to appear before the court to testify (kp), Include 18 more to martyr list: Morcha (kp), No lessons learnt from trade embargo, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), Madhes parties oppose Constitution Day, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), UDMF to protest Constitution Day (ht), Year after new Constitution, Madhes issue still bone of contention, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), The 9/11 in Madhesh: Like all other constitutions of the past, the days of the inert statute of 2015 too are numbered, by C.K. Lal (rep), Constitution: Faith In Delivery, by P. Kharel (rn), Federal Constitution Of Nepal: Let It Evolve Through Practice, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Over 70 per cent quake-hit households get first instalment (ht) [But only in 11 districts and almost one and a half year after the earthquake!], No kidding: According to HRW report, 37 percent Nepali girls marry before 18, while 10 percent marry before 15, by Ishwar Rauniyar (rep)

18/09/2016: Laws to facilitate transitional justice ‘far off’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Govt to review SC verdicts before freeing arrestees (kp), Culture of silence: Common people’s ability to speak out against injustices has qualitatively declined over the years, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), Lack of relocation plan puts victims on a slippery slope: Some families have already started rebuilding on the same spot where their previous houses once stood, by Pragati Shahi (kp), Preparations underway to decommission Nepal Peace Trust Fund (kp), EC consults with leaders on party re-registration, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Morcha to mark Constitution Day as ‘black day’: Political experts in the districts say the Morcha reached a deal with the governing parties as a ‘face-saving’ move, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Trumps of Nepal: Every country has political leaders like Donald Trump and Nepal is no exception, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp)

17/09/2016: Justice delayed is justice denied: All Ganga Maya wanted was a free and fair trial, but she ended up seeing her husband succumb to hunger and perpetrators run scot-free, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp), Apex court dangles the sword of Damocles over CIAA chief Karki: To review his appointment n Censures govt for ‘losing’ documents, by Dewan Rai (kp), SC to review verdict on CIAA Chief Karki's appointment, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Local body restructuring: 38 districts submit recommendations as extra time ends, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Call to use single women’s fund in rebuilding homes: The fund, set up by the Women’s Ministry, has Rs40 million lying unused for the past three years (kp), Emperor's vacation: Let us hope that this time our Emperor can impress Modi with his ‘dandiya dance, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical]

16/09/2016: Constitution amendment: Dahal’s busy schedule likely to delay process; Madhes-based parties say they will wait till Sept-end, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Madhesi intelligentsia doubts PM’s intention (ht), Frozen funds could cost peace project: Rs335 million set aside for the Nepal Peace Trust Fund scheme last fiscal year frozen, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), TRC categorizes over 25,000 complaints (rep), Female feticide rampant in far-west (rep), Victims put off by red tape in grant distribution, by Ramesh Khatiwada (rep)

15/09/2016: CIEDP prepares for detailed probe, by Dewan Rai (kp), Disputed issues of constitution: PM hints at informal pact with Madhesi parties; Madhesi leaders have, however, refused to acknowledge such understanding (kp), Govt’s relevance rests on addressing Madhesis, Janajatis’ concerns: PM (ht), Deaths during tarai protest: Probe panel gets full shape (kp), A reward of geography: This is the most opportune moment for transforming relations with both India and China, by Shambhu Ram Simkhada (kp), Give me a reason: With no substantial bilateral deal in the offing, and Kathmandu inching closer to New Delhi, there was no reason for Chinese president to come, by Biswas Baral (rep), No Rhetoric Of Slogans: Pledge Only What Can Be Implemented, by Mukti Rijal (rn)

14/09/2016: ‘Take up pending projects in Delhi’: Madhesi parties press Prime Minister Dahal to resolve their concerns before he leaves for India tomorrow (kp), Point of departure: Nepal should ideally be in a position to take advantage of the increasing competition between India and China, by Achyut Wagle (kp), First things first: The constitution cannot be an obstacle to finding a progressive solution to political and social problems, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Government liable: The concerned ministries need not wait for the PM’s instruction to carry out regular works (ht)

13/09/2016: MPs seek pay hike amid criticism over paying less attention to House (kp) [Currently, they get Rs 56,228 each month and they demand a rise to Rs 88,925 while most of the earthquake victims living in tents still wait for the first distribution of Rs 50,000 from international aid!], 12,000 quake victims receive first instalment (ht), Campaigners of Save Ganga Maya’ warn of moving ICC (kp), Stop whining: Money alone does not make a nation; it’s about adhering to global standards, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Recipe for failure: The proposed local jurisdictions are too large and they have too many responsibilities, by Bigyan Prasai (kp), A wake-up call: Transforming a unitary state to a federal one will remain a distant dream unless political parties go for elections, by Surya Dhungel (kp), Almost half of national pride projects fail to meet target (kp), Violence, threats against journos down: UNESCO (ht), Art of the conscious: The fundamental role of the press in our society depends on historical, economic, social and political bases of our culture, by Dharma Adhikari (rep)

12/09/2016: Planned amendment denies amnesty for grave crimes: Murder, torture, disappearance to be unpardonable, by Dewan Rai (kp), NEFIN puts up its demands before PM (kp), Commisison warns against too many local units (rep)

11/09/2016: Constitution amendment: Negotiations will revolve around boundary: SLMM; Says everything depends on the kind of proposal the governing parties come up with, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Table bill before PM’s India visit, Mahato urges Deuba (ht), Holding polls: Race against the clock; Election related bills are yet to enter Parliament, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Will there be a comeback? Monarchists should know that their principles go against the basic premise of inclusiveness, by Narayan Manandhar (kp)

10/09/2016: Army bars NHRC from conducting investigation: Eleven Army personnel have been detained since August 5 after some weapons and ammunition went missing, by Dewan Rai (kp) [Not only leading politicians, the army leadership as well thinks to be above the law!], Constitution amendment: Govt preparing to table bill in House (kp), ‘Amendment issue getting more complex by the day’: Govt trying to finalize amendment proposal before PM’s India visit, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), They came, signed in, left: Lawmakers skip Parliament discussion on key bills, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Lack of quorum stalls passage of vital bills (ht), ‘Nepal won’t be able to end malnutrition before 2112’ (kp), Ending malnutrition still a huge challenge (ht), Earthquake survivors still await govt grant (ht)

09/09/2016: Transitional justice: Commissions should be made strong: TRC chair, by Dewan Rai (kp), Narjit Sir: A school teacher whose hand was cut off by Maoists 20 years ago has another generation of students as pupils, by Prabir Dadel (nt), The tears never stop: Nutan Thapa still cannot hold back her tears when she remembers her father, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Hungry ghosts: With former enemies now in the governing coalition, it is up to civil society and the media to remember not to forget wartime atrocities (nt), It’s not over yet: Nepal should hold people accused of torture and other ill-treatment accountable through fair trials in its own courts, by Champa Patel (kp), HRW blames government for child marriage menace (kp) [see report, see also video], State should intervene, says researcher (kp), ‘Govt steps not enough to end child marriage in Nepal’ (rep), Committed to statute amendment, says PM: Stops short of giving timeline amid pressure from agitating parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp) Oli, Khanal, Pokhrel, And Install Statue Of Prithvi, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), VIP treatment: Govt to bring new policy for medical support, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM's address full of promises: Quake victims to get Rs 300,000 as grant, 500,000 as loan (rep), PM offers Rs 700k succour to kins of deceased migrants: Pledges to set up seed fund for blood money and start work permit renewal service from embassies (kp), PM’s extra assistance promise hard to keep: There is a funding gap of Rs488 billion, excluding the Rs80 billion required to provide the additional Rs100,000 per household (kp) [Call it populist propaganda!], Avoiding Quicksand To Converge Ahead, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Language Commission formed, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), SC issues show cause notice to govt (ht), NHRC looking at Nepali Army abuse allegations (ht), Technical errors deprive victims of grant (ht), How decentralised is federalism? The current debate is between power centralised in federal capitals and at the local level, by Kiran Thapa (nt)

08/09/2016: Col Lama’s acquittal: Setback for moment, but ‘victory in long run’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Paying for torture: Col Lama’s acquittal only underscores how difficult closure of war-era cases can be (kp) [Hard to believe that there are no skilful interpreters in London! There are so many!], Drop statute of limitations from anti-torture bill: Rights groups (rep), PM Dahal urged to amend statute before his India visit (kp), Intra-party disputes hinder efforts for talks (kp), Local level restructuring: Fix number of units: Chief whips (kp), Amendment is not possible: Bypassing the constitution through political consensus will not only jeopardise it, but also endanger federalism and democracy, by Budhi Karki (kp) [The new constitution has already been written and passed in a non-constitutional and non-inclusive way, i.e. not by the elected representatives of all sections of society but by a handful of male Tagadhari politicians! So, what is in danger?] [see also Amendment is possible: Conservative interpretation of the constitution that allows room to impose subjective and elitist values should be avoided, by Dipendra Jha (kp 31/08/2016)], Challenges Before The Government, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), MJF-Democratic divided on when to join government (ht), Democracy, Nepali-style: Democracy finds itself in the soup once again in a population with over 70 percent literacy and high political consciousness, by Aditya Man Shrestha (rep), Women of war: Post-conflict, women combatants are viewed as ‘victims’ of war. They should instead be seen as ‘change-makers’, by Ayush Joshi (rep)

07/09/2016: Work firmly to implement federalism: PM to officials, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [Even the foundations of federalism are missing! How will you implement it?], Envoy appointments not before PM’s India visit, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Indian order needed even for this?], Local body restructuring: NC leaders urge Deuba to come up with official stance, by Sarin Ghimire (kp)

06/09/2016: Local level restructuring recommendations: Delayed reports from districts may push mid-Oct submission, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Govt breaching statute provision on purpose, says House committee: Government criticised for
disregarding annual reports of the National Human Rights Commission (kp), Morcha: Forward amendment, care not for CPN-UML (kp), PM’s foreign visits may overshadow domestic priorities, by Anil Giri (kp), Some Tips for Prachanda, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Govt prepares to up housing grant: PM Dahal reiterates government’s commitment to help the quake-affected by increasing the grant by an additional Rs100,000 (kp), Rs 50k cannot build a house: Quake victims, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Rift surfaces in Federal Alliance (ht)

05/09/2016: Doesn’t look good: Nepal’s negative brand value cannot be removed until we correct our systemic flaws; Democracy without the foundation of a system rarely survives, and Nepal is becoming a victim of its demagogic leaders and the constitution made by them, by Aditya Baral (kp), 10 amendments proposed to Bill against torture (kp), Injured former combatants flocking to PMO for support: PM Dahal, after consultation, sends them to Bir Hospital for treatment, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM directs for enlisting of missing rebuilding aid recipients (kp) [This is first of all populist but not the ceeded concept!], Dahal Cabinet snubs reminder to submit details (kp), Walk the talk NC, Maoists were critical of UML’s politicisation of the reconstruction process. Are they better? (kp), Diplomatically Hectic Days Ahead, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), SC vacates stay order, allows govt to recommend new envoys (ht), FA, UDMF protest to mark year after statute promulgation (ht) [Which statute?], Panchthar proposes two municipalities, five village assemblies: Number of bodies proposed exceeds Local Bodies Restructuring Commission's prescription (ht)

04/09/2016: Moving The Goalpost, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), EC should be vested with authority to announce election dates: Sharma, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)

03/09/2016: Process to amend statute after Pm’s foreign trips, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Transitional justice: CIEDP demands legal reforms, logistical help; The commission, which has got over 2,800 complaints from conflict victims, has completed cases to be investigated (kp), A house of cards: Nepal’s citizenship laws, on paper, provide a Nepali mother the same ‘privilege’ as a father when passing on citizenship to their children; But ground realities say otherwise, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), UDMF seeks withdrawal of 491 cases (ht) [This is the task of judiciary and not of politicians!], Nepalgunj tense after removal of Birendra's statue, by Arjun Oli (rep)

02/09/2016: Constitution anniversary: Morcha’s black day, govt’s celebration (kp), Power to women: Male politicians still do not believe women to be as capable and deserving as themselves, by Bineeta Gurung (nt), Patriarchy in the hierarchy: The Tij fast by Nepali women could also be considered a one-day hunger strike against male dominance in our politics and society (nt), Upadhyay, Paudyal named as envoys to New Delhi, Beijing (kp) [Article 282 of the new constitution demands that ambassadors have to be nominated on the basis on inclusion! Long live non-inclusive male Bahunbad!], Parties bicker over appointment of High Court judges: Oppn objects to ruling alliance’s idea of ‘proportional inclusion’ (kp), Politics of restructuring: Increasing the number of local bodies means weakening them while strengthening the province and the centre, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Local body reshaping negotiations after Oli, Deuba return home (kp), So much to do: Madhesi parties have high hopes that this government will address their grievances, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp) [Why?], Now even ex-MPs want state privileges, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [Let's call it corruption in highest political circles!], Mechanism to curb medical trips abroad on cards: Minister Thapa, by Manish Gautam (kp), Nepalgunj tense over statue dispute (kp), Thousands of quake victims lodge complaints in Kavre (ht)

01/09/2016: Govt fails to meet the expectations of new constitution, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Moment of truth: Govt should act in good faith, ensure a credible transitional justice process (kp), ‘Regular courts can’t do justice to conflict-hit’ (ht), Formulate laws for polls pronto: House committee (kp), No headway in resolving political disputes, by Nabin Khatiwada (reo), UML stance may affect statute amendment: The main opposition has warned of taking to the streets if changes are made ‘without justifying the significance’ (kp), PM for delineation report by mid-Oct (rep), PM seeks options to restructure local bodies (ht), Rising above tyranny: Whether in government or in opposition, political parties must facilitate constitution’s implementation, by Janak Raj Joshi (kp), RPP-N chair Thapa revives issue of Hindu state (kp) [Kamal Thapa is sowing the seeds of unrest and another civil war in the multiethnic, multireligious, multicultural, multilingual and secular republic of Nepal and should be prosecuted for this anticonstitutional demand!!], Nepalgunj tense after pro-hindu, pro-monarch supporters put up late King Birendra's statue (kp) [!!], Govt may pick envoys for India, China today, by Anil Giri (kp) [Male Bahuns: The world is in order!], Political Parties: Caught In Contradiction, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Non-political organizations in Jhapa under the grip of politics, by Raju Adhikari (rep), Standoff Between Government And Madhesi Parties, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Inconsistent policy: Providing Rs. 50,000 to those whose houses were not damaged so badly and an additional Rs. 400,000 for purchasing land at safer places on top of Rs. 200,000 is good (ht) [Even more important would be to include the people in all the affected rural districts and not only a few of them including the KTM valley!]

31/08/2016: Reconstruction delays: House committee to summon PM Dahal (kp) [After four weeks in office, there has been no change compared to his two predecessors!], TRC chief Gurung warns of quitting: Rues limited resources, state apathy for streamlining laws to conclude transitional justice process on time, by Dewan Rai (kp), Work on Special Court for conflict-era cases starts, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Rights groups protest in support of Ganga Maya (kp), Ganga Maya's health deteriorating (rep), Parties still at stalemate on local restructuring: NC, UML at odds over numbers; Dahal warns of knock-on effect on election plans, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NC proposes new population criteria for local units (rep),  ‘Govt will topple if constitution isn’t amended’ (kp), Amendment is possible: Conservative interpretation of the constitution that allows room to impose subjective and elitist values should be avoided, by Dipendra Jha (kp) [see also Amendment is not possible: Bypassing the constitution through political consensus will not only jeopardise it, but also endanger federalism and democracy, by Budhi Karki (kp 08/09/2016)], Shut them down: Public transport syndicates have been blamed for the unnerving rise in bus accidents, by Umesh Raj Regmi (kp) [Such syndicates are part of high-level political corruption!], Women trafficking continues unabated (rep)

30/08/2016: ICRC, NRCS make public list of ‘the disappeared’ (ht), Still missing: Families of the disappeared have received no word even 10 years after the conflict, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp) Kin of disappeared demand truth, ache for justice, by Dewan Rai (kp), Probe into fate and whereabouts of the disappeared: NHRC; The rights watchdog says the victims’ families have been going through psycho-social pressure (kp), Survivors of Nepal insurgency fear crimes will go unpunished (ht), TRC rules out any amendment to its working procedure (ht), Denting the state exchequer: Politicians claiming excessive privileges at the expense of taxpayers, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Open Singha Durbar: How can Nepal, which has enacted RTI Act, deny its citizens access to the office of their representatives?, by Yek Raj Pathak (rep)

29/08/2016: Disappeared during war: Half of missing ‘are men aged 16-30’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Morcha miffed at govt for excluding 11 names from martyrs’ list (kp), Disappeared Day: How Long To Observe It?, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Nidhi urged to implement second point of pact with UDMF (ht), ‘Table constitution amendment bill pronto’: Otherwise crisis of confidence between govt, UDMF imminent, says Mahato, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Save Gangamaya: Gangamaya’s health condition is deteriorating. The unwillingness of the new government to address her demand could prove deadly, by Charan Prasai (rep), Sindhuli quake victims complain against NRA (ht), Dahal’s darn diplomacy: Nepal should address its neighbours’ genuine concerns but also counter exaggerated ones, by Achyut Wagle (kp)

28/08/2016: Expanding The Coalition Cabinet, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Constitution amendment: Govt’s ‘lukewarm effort’ concerns Morcha leaders; Say bid to mend Nepal-India ties could overshadow their demands (kp) [Nothing else was to be expected! Caste and gender count in every respect to preserve the interests and advantages of the traditional male party elites!], Constitution amendment: ‘PM committed to tabling bill before he visits India’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), No change in statute at the cost of national interest, UML insists, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp) [... and national interests are those of the male Tagadhari leadership of the political parties!]

27/08/2016: 13 ministers from NC sworn in: Dahal’s Cabinet far from being inclusive with only one woman in govt, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [And 70 percent male Tagadharis! This generation of politicians will never change!], Women's representation in cabinet declining (rep), 13 new ministers from NC take oath of office (ht), Faction distraction! Everybody gets their share and everybody is happy, except us the people, by Guffadi (kp), Debate over local units: LLRC chair makes a bid to clear up parties’ confusion (kp), Report on restructuring of local bodies slammed: Locals threaten to padlock DDC office, obstruct transportation (ht), Revision of TRC guidelines sought (ht)

26/08/2016: Local bodies unlikely to exceed 615: LBRC, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NC’s ministerial berth pangs finally over: Deuba accedes to Poudel-led faction’s demand; Swearing-in of Congress ministers likely today, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Congress finalises ministers’ names, swearing-in today: According to revised pact, NC to get 15 ministries, CPN-MC 10 (ht), A Ride To Political Adventure, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Sanctity of silence: This ‘culture’ of silence manifests both as a result of direct intimidation and the utilisation of a politics of fear, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt)

25/08/2016: Avoiding a fall: Only a spirit of compromise can avert an impending constitutional crisis (kp), Morcha: Dissolve local body restructuring commission (kp), House panel directs govt to amend TRC Act, by Dewan Rai (kp), Housing grant: Govt planning to provide extra Rs 100k, by Pragati Shahi (kp) [Provide grant to all affected people, not only those living in 14 districts! All these people have been hit hard!], Infighting in NC stalls Cabinet expansion, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [A typical Nepali party: factionalism, irresponsible greed for power, extra-constitutional procedures and non-inclusion!], Nepali Congress fails to decide ministers’ names: Deuba, Paudel disagree on number of ministerial berths from each faction, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Constitution Implementation: Composite Unity Is The Key, by Mukti Rijal (rn)

24/08/2016: Implementing federalisation: People want sincere effort from political parties, government and bureaucracy to implement the constitution and end the transition, by Trilochan Pokharel and Rajendra Adhikari (kp), The last chance: The issue of federalism has divided the country ethnically, emotionally and socially before it has been implemented, by Aditya Man Shrestha (rep), Morcha leaders in bid to forge common stance (kp), A year after kailali carnage: Locals want social harmony, justice, by DR Panta and Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), Congress for holding ‘interim local polls’: Sticks to its position that 565 village and municipal councils not enough (kp), Experts also split on local units numbers, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Oppn parties gather to form an alliance (kp), Tikapur victims demand justice from govt (ht), Hills of neglect: Hill folks have suffered despite their unconditional sacrifice for the country since the start of modern Nepali history, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

23/08/2016: A history of exclusion: People are excluded on the basis of language, caste, religion, region and culture, by Krishna Kumar Sah (kp), Conflict victims threaten to move court against TRC: Want a guideline corrected (ht), There’s another way: The standards that have been set for restructuring local bodies are not scientific, by Khimlal Devkota (kp), Missing the forest: Determination of boundaries of local units is not just about geography and population. It is the essence of political and fiscal decentralization, by Anirudra Neupane (rep), PM Dahal directs EC to start poll preparations, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Amend constitution to address its demands before holding elections, says UDMF (ht), UDMF to remind govt about its promises (ht), Local body restructuring: NC makes a pitch for at least 1,000 units; Deuba says elections a must, calls for consensus on statute amendment, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [Mr Deuba, you were the one who dissolved the last elected local bodes for political motives in 2002!!], Local polls imperative by mid-April: Deuba, by Prakash Acharya (ht), UML to go by LBRC proposal, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Kavre quake victims likely to be deprived of reconstruction grant (ht), Murder case of Krishna Prasad Adhikari: Hearing pushed back due to petitioner’s absence, by Dewan Rai (kp)

22/08/2016: 5pc of 2,846 plaints ineligible for second phase of inquest: The commission will probe only those incidents that are directly linked with the armed conflict between 1996 and 2006, by Dewan Rai (kp), Statute flaws must be rectified: Yadav (ht), Constitution amendment: Ruling, agitating parties to form new taskforce; Aim to register proposal in Parliament by mid-Oct (kp), NC open to local polls under existing structure: Senior leaders say statute amendment a must for elections, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Deuba’s volte-face on local elections (rep), NC to nominate ministers by Wednesday, by Prakash Acharya (ht), House gets no business with delay in cabinet expansion, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Thank you NC, you are a really democratic and people-oriented party!], House adjourned for a week (kp) [Please take time: The not coming nomination of non-inclusive NC ministers is far more important than legislative work in parliament!], Oppn MPs say govt ‘undermined Parliament’; Object to Nidhi discussing statute amendment with India, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Why Were The Emissaries Sent?, by Nandalal Tiwari (kp), High-level visits are positive but not enough: Experts, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Failure to implement constitution will have dangerous fallouts, interview with Shekhar Koirala, Nepali Congress (kp), RPP-N chair Thapa bats for Hindu state (ht) [This is as unconstitutional as CK Raut's demand for a separate Madheshi state; Raut has been arrested time and again for this demand!], Allures of respectability: Ambedkar’s call to “educate, agitate and organize” is applicable for all dominated groups everywhere, by CK Lal (rep), Promises and Dilemmas, by S. Binodkumar Singh (SAIR)

21/08/2016: Direct Election To A Chief Executive And Prosperity, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Abusing authorities: Instead of bringing down corruption in the country, the CIAA chief’s impeachment will further aggravate it, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Young force: A silent battle continues among political parties to divert the potency of student unions to their advantage, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Local power: Population size should not be the primary consideration when restructuring local bodies, by Upendra Bahadur BK (kp), Constitution amendment bill: ‘Govt trying to forge consensus before PM Dahal’s India visit’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)

20/08/2016: Disaster victims face multiple challenges; Govt efforts inadequate: Report (kp), Survey in remaining 17 quake-hit districts only after a month (rep) [Better wait for the next big earthquake!], ‘CIEDP needs 10 years to complete task’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NC to finalize new ministers by Monday, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Cabinet expansion likely after Nidhi’s arrival: Since Nidhi has been the mediator between Deuba and Poudel, sources also said Deuba would likely wait for the deputy prime minister to arrive from New Delhi, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Amend constitution to pave way for polls: PM (ht), Cartels, clowns and comedians: This is the new Nepal where our politicians have turned into comedians and our real comedians have turned into social workers, by Guffadi (kp)

19/08/2016: 41 Madhes stir victims are martyrs (kp) [They need justice not martyrdom!], 52 killed in Madhes stir declared martyrs, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Housing aid has reached 70,803 families: NRA (kp) [Wow, after not even 16 months!], Second monsoon in the earthquake zone Survivors have received little help, but no one seems surprised, by Thomas Bell (nt), Humanitarian responses: The country should rethink and revise its strategies to prepare for and deal with disasters, by Prabin Man Singh and Min Bahadur Shahi (kp), Health and dignity kits prepositioned for emergency need, says UNFPA (ht), Between the lines: Geo-political realities and Nepal’s overdependence on India make their ties complex, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), Politcally corect: While the Big Four parties can paralyse the polity, they are also the only ones who can bring the country to a safe landing (nt) [A party that is anticonstitutional in many respects and that has not won a single FPTP seat should not be called a "big" party!], The Madhes message: The people in the plains want to be a part of Nepal, but they feel alienated by Kathmandu, by Chandra Kishor (nt)

18/08/2016: Local body restructuring: Lawmakers find fault with LBRC’s work; Object to 565 local units; Demand dissolution of the commission, by Binod Ghimire (kp), PM Dahal’s promise fails to impress TRC: The TRC estimates it will require 2,500 new staff and Rs500m to complete its task within the stipulated time, by Dewan Rai (kp), Ram Karki’s Choices To Act Or Not To Act, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Rotational Diarchy: A Mockery Of Democracy, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), ‘No joining government till demands are met’ (ht), Together we stand: The Darnal award to Chamar shows the marginalised of the hills and the Madhes have a common agenda to pursue, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Decision to withdraw names of ambassadorial nominees stayed (ht), EC ready to hold elections by January 2018: Yadav (ht), Mockery of martyrdom: Most of those who have been declared martyrs after 2007 are actually the victims of police brutality and angry mobs, by David Kainee (rep)

17/08/2016: A critical civil society: Identity-based politics will continue to intensify and inclusiveness will often be professed but rarely implemented, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Inter, intra-party tussles snag constitution execution, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Schools, colleges shut for second straight day (kp), ANNISU-R strike hits schools for second day (ht), Local body restructuring; Parties in bid to forge consensus in 15 days, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), All parties determined to hold civic polls on time (ht), PM for increasing reconstruction grant to Rs 300,000, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Compensation to former combatants: Writ filed at Supreme Court against govt dole (kp), Let people decide: Direct democracy would have been more suitable for Nepal, by Subhanu Khanal (kp), PM urged to crack the whip over development projects, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), Thousand revolutions: There is a need for sustained engagement from below; For this we need to re-imagine public space in Nepal, by Pranab Kharel and Gaurab KC (rep)

16/08/2016: TRC chairman urges prime minister to amend TRC Act: Dahal rules out amnesty in serious rights violation cases during 10-year insurgency, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), No blanket amnesty, Dahal assures TRC, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Human rights activists stage sit-in outside Singha Durbar (ht),  Housing aid: NRA promises first tranche to all by mid-September (kp) [We already see the third government since the earthquakes! The politicians always get their salaries immediately, even for extremely bad jobs!], Quake-hit to get first tranche of grant by Sept 18, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), 'Special' month-long campaign to distribute quake grant starts (rep), Far from it: The use of parliamentary whips too often makes the vibrant role expected of lawmakers increasingly irrelevant (ht) [Especially the use of such whips while voting on the new constitution was in violation of the interim constitution and the inclusive conception of the constituent assembly!], Certifying journalists: A government screening out poor journalists is incompatible with democratic values and runs against the spirit of the constitution, by Dharma Adhikari (rep)

15/08/2016: Gathabandhan proposes panel to settle thorny issues (kp), NHRC asks govt to address Ganga Maya’s demands (kp), Rights activists arrested, freed (ht), PM appoints five ministers: With 4 state ministers in, Maoist share in Cabinet full; NC yet to name its candidates, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Deep division dampens NSU election: NC leaders say names of ministers only after the conclave, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Dahal inducts five more ministers (ht), Think locally: Parliament is the final authority which will decide whether to fully or partially endorse the report of the Local Bodies Restructuring Commission (ht)

14/08/2016: Yadav presses for charter amendment (kp), PM to expand Cabinet today: Informs President of govt decisions and activities (kp)

13/08/2016: Amendment to transitional justice act: Proposed bill sets new definition of murder; Stakeholders say it specifies crimes of certain nature as pardonable, by Dewan Rai (kp), Madhesi parties turn up heat for cadres’ release (kp), Local body restructuring: Maoist Centre calls for broader consensus, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), One-third ministries sought for women (kp), Towards a kleptocracy? There are worrying signs that interest groups have hijacked our democracy, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), The story of a failed revolution: Our common fate is more a result of corrupt, intransigent politicians than wrong systems in play, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp), Local Democracy In Crisis, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), NC district chiefs suggest interim local polls: Advise electing local representatives under existing structure for now, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Efforts on to ensure Indian president’s visit before China’s, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [Dependancy hierarchy has to be preserved!]

12/08/2016: Beyond symbolism: Indigenous nationalities need substantive support, not tokenistic public holidays (kp), 20/10 anniversary: Ten years after the conflict, two women are fighting against powerful men, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Remembering the Battle of Beni: Returning to the photograph of the mother and daughter that brought home the horror of war, by Ghanshyam Khadka (nt), TRC may shelve hundreds of war-era complaints , by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [This makes the whole process a farce!], Ganga Maya resumes fast (kp), Ex-PLA No 2 chosen as PM’s adviser Requirements relaxed to appoint party cadres to advise ministers, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), NC to handle 12 ministries, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Cabinet directive to control black-marketing; PM determines portfolios of three new ministers (ht), DPMs to visit Delhi, Beijing: Government sending Nidhi to India and Mahara to China as its special representatives (kp), PM’s India trip likely in Sept second week, by Anil Giri (kp), Money and federalism: How the central, state and local governments are going to share revenue is the issue, by Bigyan Prasai (kp), Minimal expectations (rep), Order! order! The problem is not the democratic system, but the people who abuse it (nt), Government vs GDP: Big cabinets create a big mess, and perpetuate an ad hoc system, by Manish Jha (nt)

11/08/2016: EC for mandatory one-third women representatives (rep), Forces For And Against Enforcement Of Constitution, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), TRC, CIEDP have a lot on their plate: Have six months to look into over 60,000 complaints, by Dewan Rai (kp), Housing aid distribution: PM asks authorities to release first tranche by mid-Sept (kp), ‘Sindhu survivors to get aid in a month’ (kp), Local bodies restructuring: ‘Parties to find middle path in a week’, by Anil Giri (kp), Local Bodies’ Restructuring Commission obstructed: Madhesi parties halted the committee’s meeting held to solicit suggestions on work conditions (ht), Discussions on modality intensify in Bajura (kp), Uproar over bid to free criminals: Leaders in Parsa demand exoneration of persons involved in serious crimes during Madhes protest (kp), The cross they bear: Those concerned about religious conversion in Nepal should analyse properly why it is happening, by Uddhab Pyakurel (kp), New Coalition Government: Challenge Of Populism, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Challenge Upon Challenge, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

10/08/2016: Dahal tasked with picking ministers: Maoist Centre, Nepali Congress to discuss Cabinet expansion tomorrow, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Dahal likely to expand Cabinet in a day or two (ht), Sharing Of Portfolios Brews Trouble, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Will meet demands of indigenous people: PM (kp), ‘National consensus must to address national issues’ (kp) [National consensus must not mean consensus among the male Tagadhari elites of the different parties but consensus among all the different social groups of the country of which the male Tagadharis are only a small minority!!], New govt sets easy targets: Postings in three months: Only 20 of the 205 PHCCs are without doctors, by Manish Gautam (kp), EC proposes 1.5 pc threshold for PR system: Also wants to bar candidates from contesting more than one constituency under FPTP, by Sangeet Sangrouls (ht) [!!], Can’t work on polls sans local body report: EC (kp), Politics and the young: The stereotypical image of youth politicians as violent goons needs to change, by Sarin Ghimire (kp)

09/08/2016: ‘No pardon for war-era cases’: Newly appointed attorney general says there should be no double standard for dealing with insurgency-era cases, by Dewan Rai (kp), Transition cycle: Transition will remain until constitution is amended to address demands of Madheshi forces and remaining tasks of peace process are completed, by Birendra P. Mishra (rep), Ruling parties mull taskforce for statute amendment (rpp), PM appoints three more ministers (kp) [How can you include an anti-constitutional and anti-inclusive party??], PM inducts three ministers in Cabinet (ht), PM appoints three new ministers (rpp), RPP, RPP-N differ on joining govt (ht), PM advised to focus on implementing statute: Lawmakers want work of the local bodies’ reconstruction commission reorganised (ht), Lack of clarity regarding Rukum district split fuels disputes, by Adarsha KC (ht), No business: House postponed by week, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Writ against proposal in House not registered (ht) [??], Rule bars handing out Rs150,000 in one go, says NRA CEO (kp), Political priority: Ordinary Madhesis should be made to feel that the government is doing its bit in addressing their demands, by Shreya Paudel (kp), A fresh start: This is probably Prachanda’s last opportunity to redefine his leadership and lead Nepal to prosperity, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp), Language poses barrier to learning, by Anita Shrestha (ht) [!! On the other side do politicians, administrators, journalists, etc. hardly have any knowledge of ethnic languages and cultures even though they prepresent the majority of Nepal's population!]

08/08/2016: PM urges ‘forgive and forget’ approach to conflict-era cases, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep) [The top profiteer of the bloody and brutal insurgency will never want to understand the importance of justice for the victims of his reckless procedure and similarly reckless answer of government and security forces!], Break your silence: That we have been reduced to adopting fast-unto-death and relay hunger strikes for anything indicates something is wrong with us, by Hitesh Karki (kp), PM unlikely to have bigger Cabinet soon, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Early dividends: Putting together an inclusive Cabinet early will help expedite governance issues (kp), RPP, RPP-Nepal announce merger: Two right-wing parties to unite to revive Hindu state: Following their unification scheduled for Tuesday, the new party will have a combined 37 seats in Parliament (kp) [Reviving the arch reason of many of Nepal's social and political problems is in the same way anti-constitutional as the demand for a Madheshi or Janajati state would be! This Hindu monarchical fanatic minority obviously wants to destroy the future of Nepal's multiethnic and multicultural society!!], Parties now see victims as main stakeholders in settling war-era cases, interview with TRC chairman Surya Kiran Gurung (kp), Prachanda’s Second Innings And The Daunting Tasks, by Nanda Lal Tiwari (rn), Power games, by CK Lal (rep)

07/08/2016: Single women present charter of demands (kp), Unwarranted regression: Broad consensus on federalism is unlikely because if the main issue is settled, what will be left to fight about?, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Table amendment bill soon: UDMF, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Morcha pressed not to rush for joining govt: While Madhesi leaders who are members of Parliament support the idea of joining government, many others whohave no representation in the House oppose the plan  (kp), Cabinet expansion stalled for few days: Cabinet expansion before the NSU vote could affect internal power balance in the NC, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Cong yet to agree on ministers: Deuba tells Dahal NC will send names after NSU convention (kp) [The selection of ministers is the most important event after the election of a new Nepali PM! After that, the efforts to overthrow this government already start!], Compensation to victims: Has govt erred in taking decision? (kp), A lot on his plate: Prime Minister Dahal will need to focus on multiple fronts with a sincere intent, by Madan Shahi (kp), Prachanda’s Return To Power: Beset More With Questions Than Answers, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Political Appointments (rn), CIEDP unveils work plan beyond its two-year tenure, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht)

06/08/2016: PM takes initiative to honour 3-point deal: Govt decides to provide Rs 1m each to those killed during Tarai protests, by Tika R, Pradhan (kp), Cabinet withdraws Oli govt’s envoy nominees (kp), Govt withdraws 14 envoy nominees chosen under political quota, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep) [Stop political nominations of ambassadors forever!], Gangamaya’s 5-day ultimatum to govt (kp), No end in sight to conflict victims’ plight (ht), Women Commission in care of lone member (kp)

05/08/2016: Never-ending transition: No government has worked on developing a national policy to deal effectively with the past, by Ram Kumar Bhandari and Erik B. Wilson (kp), Party time: Nepali politics today is run by a cartel of top leaders who shuffle the deck every once in a while so the same King, Queen, Jack and Joker land on top (nt), Joint panel to draft proposal to amend the constitution: Madhes-based parties said to join the government once a new amendment proposal is registered in Parliament (kp), Implementing deal with Madhesi parties top task, says Nidhi (kp), Prachanda Became A New Prime Minister, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Dahal sworn in as 39th prime minister, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM issues four directives in first decision (kp), NC, Maoists struggle to finalise list of ministers, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), NC leaders KC, Koirala refuse to join Cabinet: Koirala told Deuba that he would not join the Cabinet if not given the foreign ministry (kp), Naya Shakti hails former leader’s feat (kp) [It's critical demands are more important!], Yam between rocks: Dahal has been trying to remake himself as a pragmatic politician, but has come across as a flip-flopper, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Awesome again: Let’s see if Comrade Prachanda has learnt lessons for his second term as prime minister, by Kunda Dixit (nt), US, Japan wish PM; to co-work on democracy (kp), Close to 300k families sign housing aid deal (kp), Into The Labyrinth Of Political Probabilities, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Human trafficking cases increase by seven per cent (ht), Conflict era victims ask when they will get the promised relief (ht)

04/08/2016: Dahal returns to power: Maoist Centre chairman elected 39th prime minster with 363 votes, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Gathabandan backs Dahal after 3-pt deal, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Positive vote: Flexibility on both sides can translate the three-point agreement into constitution amendment (kp), Tread with caution: Prime Minister-elect Dahal faces daunting tasks given the political bitterness surrounding months of efforts leading to the change of guard (kp), Oath and small Cabinet today (kp), Once foes, now friends: Observers say time to follow politics of conviction, not convenience, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Consensus in transition: Peace process, by Umesh Kumar Bhattarai (ht), Enter Prachanda As PM: The Stakes Are High, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Protean Government: A Setback To Development, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Experts recommend fewer ministers, by Siromani Dhungana (rep), Rolpa locals sceptical about Dahal as PM, by Hira Bahadur Gharti Magar (rep), India, China congratulate (kp), Women participation: 33pc representation sought in Cabinet (kp) [Hardly any woman has been participated in the consultations that led to this government!], The Oli syndrome: It’s a tendency to disguise one’s group interest as nationalism and use external fears to weaken internal demands for justice, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Political interest dominates local body restructuring debate (rep), Democracy on the edge: UML leaders, including outgoing PM, wanted to create constitutional complexities to prolong their stay in power, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep)

03/08/2016: Gathabandhan presses for quid pro quo deal: New alliance agrees, in principal, to find political solution to Tarai crisis (kp), Congress, CPN-MC fail to strike deal with FA: Top leaders of the three forces to meet today for final decision (ht), Dahal poised to enter Baluwatar, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Dahal’s redemption: Here’s a five-point roadmap for Prachanda to redeem his legacy, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), New Ruling Coalition: Its Challenges, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Cart Before The Horse, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Transitional justice bodies: House committee directs govt to provide resources (kp), Shadows from the past: It is in the national interest to conclude the peace process soon (kp)

02/08/2016: More than 18,000 households face landslide threat (kp), Govt sits on Rs 22m fund as victims suffer, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Road blocks hinder relief transportation in Pyuthan (kp), Distribution of housing aid halted in Gorkha as FY ends (kp), Parliament set to vote to elect new PM tomorrow (kp), Support to CPN-MC-led govt conditional: Mahato (ht), Political Parties: Hijacking democracy, by Subarna Chhetri (ht)

01/08/2016: In a first, apex court to have 3 female justices: Representation in top state bodies cheered, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), PHSC confirms 11 justice nominees (rep), PM election likely on Wed (kp), Parliament to elect new PM on Wednesday, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Process begins to elect new PM by majority vote, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Local level restructuring: Morang, Ruphandehi to have most numbers of local bodies (kp), Views that Maoists are afraid of transitional justice are flawed, interview with Pushpa Kamal Dahal (kp [??], CPN-MC ready to face conflict-era cases, says AG (ht), Prachanda’s burdens: There is now unanimous consensus in Nepal that the recent government change was actually orchestrated by New Delhi, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [?], Nepal’s political mess: Unconstrained horse-trading and backstabbing in the ‘game of possibilities’ is likely to continue for a long time, by Naresh Koirala (kp)

31/07/2016: The waiting game: As long as the state indulges in fleecing its people, the country remains in transition forever, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), NC, CPN-MC and UDMF agree to form joint task force, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), New alliance to form nine-member panel: Nepali Congress, Maoist Centre in bid to bring agitating parties into govt (kp), Sorry about that: Madhesi social activists have started a campaign apologising for past discrimination; Some in the Madhes are afraid that their grip on power will be loosened if Dalits are empowered, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp)

30/07/2017: Nepal should address TJ issues on its own: Pradhan (kp), Countries might use universal jurisdiction in conflict-era cases (rep), Government formation: Deuba braces for internal pressure; Has to deal with at least 3 camps when it comes to dividing ministries, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [Positions and power is all NC politicians are interested in, among them one a convicted criminal! But Maoist are not different!], Madhesi leaders softer on joining new govt (kp), Amend constitution to meet Madhesis’ demands: Mahato (ht), UDMF for halting LBRC’s functioning, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Rescue, relief and rehabilitation: When netas talk about reconciliation, they are not talking about making it work; They mean working with whoever can partner with you to topple the government, by Guffadi (kp), Challenges Before New Government, by Govinda Bahadur Tumbahang (rn)

29/07/2016: World Bank reminds govt of original deal on housing aid: Reiterates its call to release grant in three tranches, by Pragati Shahi (kp), UNESCO committee gives Nepal a year to restore Valley’s world heritage sites, by Anup Ojha (kp), Protect children in flood-hit areas, calls CCWB (ht), Landslide, flood victims awaiting relief in dire state (rep), Gathabandhan asks panel on local body restructuring to stop work (kp), Justice in transition: War victims lose hope as two former enemies accused of war atrocities are in power together, by Om Astha Rai (kp), Spirit of national reconciliation will be hallmark of new govt: Dahal; Will take up the proposed visit of Chinese prez with the urgency that it requires, by Akhilesh Upadhyay and Tika R. Pradhan (kp), No hard feelings: Dahal’s time is limited, as he must step down in nine months to make way for the NC’s Sher Bahadur Deuba, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Second Coming: Pushpa Kamal Dahal will have to outperform KP Oli in all departments if he wants to resurrect his country and party (nt), NC, Maoists yet to do up portfolio-sharing: Both the parties are staking claim to a few of the so-called lucrative ministries, by Sarin Ghimire (kp) [This is all they are interested in!], Madhes-based parties not to join govt (rep), Complex challenges ahead: The hope is that Nepal gets a truly nationalist government that can lay the foundation of its progress, by Avinash Gupta (kp) [But not with these failed politicians who will never change!], Between The Devil And The Deep Sea, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), 22 governments in 26 years: The economic cost to Nepal of decades of political disarray, by Manish Jha (nt) [It has not been better before: 46 governments since 1951!!]

28/07/2016: Plain inefficiency: Earthquake victims languish in their tents while relief materials rot in warehouses, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Quake victims facing debt, trafficking fears (ht), 60pc of total plaints screened: CIEDP (kp), NC, Maoist Centre for holding local elections in Feb-March, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Resolve boundary row first: Madhesi, Janajati leaders: Madhesi and Janajati leaders have warned of protests if polls are conducted without finding a resolution to Tarai crisis (kp), Madhesi parties advised to focus on Tarai agendas (ht), Senior citizens demand hike in allowance: Say they should be provided Rs 5,000 a month (kp), Lost and found in translation: No one would think of Prachanda as being illustrious but that is one meaning of the word, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Backtracking On Executive Presidency: Parties Made A Mistake, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Political Instability: A Bane For The Country, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

27/07/2016: Disaster management: Seven years on, govt puts essential bill on hold, by Pragati Shahi (kp) [Nothing to comment!!], Lawmakers flay govt for ill-preparedness (ht), Up to their necks: Better preparedness is imperative to minimise impacts of annual flooding (kp), Speed it up: It is over a year and still many earthquake victims are without shelters. The grant should be provided without delay so that the homeless people can build permanent houses (ht), Constitutional difficulties removed: Parliament endorses President’s decision, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Old wine in old bottles: Neither Pushpa Kamal Dahal nor Sher Bahadur Deuba has anything in his records to enthuse Nepalis, by Ramesh Khatry (kp), Morcha puts caveat to join govt: Says NC-Maoist alliance should register statute amendment proposal, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Government formation: NC in discussion for choosing candidates, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Dahal zeroes in on names from his party (kp), Engineers decry lack of pay and work in Dolakha: Engineers deployed to the district say that they have been without work and pay from the day they arrived two months ago (kp), Let’s stop blaming: Start building, by Atindra Dahal (ht), Three ministries yet to submit project roll-out plan to NPC (ht)

26/07/2016: Make efforts to implement statute: Prez (kp), Parties given 7 days to form consensus govt (kp), NC, Maoist leaders rev up negotiations: CPN-UML likely to be the main opposition for the first time in a decade, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), 14 other parties may join Maoist-NC coalition govt, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Madhesi parties seek ‘concrete’ assurances (kp), Shutdown affects public (kp), Bandh cripples life nationwide (ht) [Every bandh is a fundamental crime! Its organisers should be punished severely!], MCCN sister wings warn of indefinite school closure (kp) [The closure of schools is criminal and idiotic!], Mixed legacy: PM Oli tried to redefine our geopolitics but left us deeply divided internally (kp), The next decade: The country’s future will be full of uncertainties if we do not act prudently now, by Binoj Basnyat (kp), Fair decentralisation: Any forced effort to impose centralisation of power should be shunned and resisted, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Diplomatic nominations based on political affiliation, says chief secy (ht), Housing grant distribution on hold since July 16, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Tribute To Outgoing PM KP Oli, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

25/07/2016: Prime Minister Oli resigns, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prez to remove difficulties (kp), House rejects finance bill: FinMin says govt can still raise taxes, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), New government likely in 10 days (ht), Difficult Days Ahead, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Dr KC to call off fast after govt agrees to meet some demands, by Manish Gautam (kp), People power: Dr KC’s call for reform in medical sector has resonated most with youth for a good reason (kp), 513 conflict-era cases filed with Kavre peace committee (ht), It is not the NHRC’s job to please the government, interview with Anup Raj Sharma, chairman of NHRC (kp), No tents for Bajura landslide victims (ht), Role of civil society: Revitalization need, by Dipendra Gautam (ht), A year on: The Indians first appropriated Madhesh Uprising III and then dumped it the moment they thought it had outlived its utility, by CK Lal (rep), Reality Check Of Outgoing PM Oli’s Speech In Parliament, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Estranged Partners, by S. Binodkumar Singh (SAIR)

24/07/2016: NHRC calls for laws to deal with cases of rights abuse (ht), NHRC reminds govt to prosecute Godar massacre: The state security force killed five Dhanusha youths on suspicion of helping the insurgency in 2003, by Dewan Rai (kp), Earthquake survivors still await govt grant (ht), Thousands rally behind Dr KC, by Manish Gautam (kp), In House, MPs trade charges: No-trust vote scheduled for today (kp), Oli draws flak for his take on the constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Politics and principles: When a prime minister loses support of Parliament that elected him, he should quit the office immediately, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), No-confidence Motion: A Slippery Slope, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

23/07/2016: Budget bills fail to get House nod, by Sarin Ghimire and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘Rejection of the three budget bills won’t hit public financial system’, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), No-trust motion moved against prime minister, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Dahal fires salvo at Oli as discussion on no-confidence motion starts: Accuses prime minister of failing on multiple fronts, by Binod Ghimire (kp), NC, maoists urge SLMM to join new govt (kp), Let it go! The players have changed but the greed remains the same, by Guffadi (kp), All hail the number gameAt a time when the country is struggling with implementing the new constitution, the present political vacuum is highly unfortunate, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Game of thrones: Nepali Congress had a role in convincing New Delhi that there was no option to making Dahal prime minister again, by Biswas Baral (rep)

22/07/2016: Same as before: Discriminatory provisions in the constitution have led to endless agitation and unrest, by Amar Kant Jha (kp), TRC comes up with criteria for shelving plaints (kp), Poudel floats 4-point plan to end stalemate: n House meet postponed until 2pm today n Parties to try to find a way out (kp), Morcha orders its MPs to remain in Capital (kp), Deepening Battle Lines Over Constitutional Ambiguity, by Narad Bharadwaj (kp), Kleptocracy kills The lethal politics of an ailing nation (nt)

21/07/2016: TRC decides to extend deadline for filing plaints (kp), NHRC proposes amendments to law (kp), A year later: It’s in everyone’s long-term interest to take serious lessons from the killings in Tikapur (kp), Govt likely to take 16 months to reach out to all quake-affected households, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht) [Better say 16 years!], Perils of questioning federalism: The way forward is not to turn away from the storm of federalism, but to weather its biting winds in anticipation of sunnier skies, by Waris Husain (kp), Speaker meets Deuba, Dahal to find consensus (kp), UML to obstruct House if bills put on back burner (kp), TMDP sets rider (ht), Vision 2030: The generation that will lead Nepal in 2030 will be driven by pragmatism rather than ideologies of the bygone era that consumed their parents, by Kul Chandra Gautam (rep)

20/07/2016: AI report shows police torturing detainees: Report claims police arrested villagers arbitrarily, tortured  and coerced them into  signing confessions (kp) [see AI report: Nepal - Torture and Coerced Confessions], Bhatta demands answer from TRC chair (ht), UML for ‘larger deal’ among major parties: Decides to face House n Wants to ensure smooth ‘political exit’ for PM, by Anil Giri (kp), Oli urges Speaker to play ‘balanced role’ (kp), NC leaders ask PM to clear way for new govt, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), MJF-L to vote in favour of ruling coalition: Party has no immediate plan to withdraw support to the government, says Gen Secy Chaudhary (kp), Where are we headed? Prachanda and Deuba do not appear to have a plan or the resources to resolve new challenges, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), No-trust Motion And Political Showdown, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), 18pc lost regular income source after quakes (ht), In northern Dhading, elderly face daunting task of rebuilding, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), Oli-led Government-40: Is Oli A Patriot?, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

19/07/2016: CIEDP gets down to investigation: Screens over 1,600 of 2,780 complaints registered; Cases related to war-era disappearances are looked  into at three levels (kp), TRC draws flak for delegating work to CDOs, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Human wrongs: A failed transitional justice process will make families of conflict victims more disenchanted (kp), LLRC for drastic cut in number of local bodies: The commission is mulling over forming 565 local bodies, including townships and municipalities, down from the existing 3,374 VDCs and municipalities across country (kp), Local Bodies Commission fixes number of units at 565 (ht), PM Oli urges Deuba, Dahal to avoid path of confrontation: Sticks to his guns, says there is no provision to elect new prime minister (kp), Deuba, Dahal urge PM Oli to follow Parliament’s norms, by Prakash Acharya (ht), No-confidence motion: Debate continues over discussion in House, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Gathabandhan decides to vote for Oli’s ouster (kp), FA to vote in favour of no-trust motion (ht), Nepal 2030: It’s possible for the country to become a $100 billion economy and graduate to a middle-income country by 2030; In villages, people who buy motorcycles, smartphones and lots of alcohol with their own money, wait for the assistance of some government  body or NGO to build a toilet  in their house, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Financing infrastructure: Being ambitious about it is okay, but it should not be used  to score political points founded on misplaced nationalism, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Nepal: Shaky Everywhere, Shaky All The Way, by Prem Khatry (rn), Politics of deception: Anyone who succeeded Sushil Koirala as prime minister would have had only two real choices: Stand up to India or surrender, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

18/07/2016: Complaint registration ends: TRC has over 52k cases to decide in 7 months (kp), Ganga Maya’s wait for justice continues (ht), Post-earthquake reconstruction: Directive to promote local participation (kp), Lawyers sharply divided over provisions on govt formation (ht), Lawyers suggest 3 options to pave ways for new govt, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Gathabandhan asks for package deal (kp), Price of transition: The NC feels UML has deeply politicised state institutions, but it needs to find a balance too (kp), Straws in the wind: Nepali political parties, their leaders and high-ranking Nepali officials must accept a significant part of the blame too (ht), Power Greed Damaging Leaders’ Stature, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn) [There's nothing left to damage!], Ruling parties may obstruct House on July 21, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Madhesi conundrum: Will it end soon?, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

17/07/2016: Justice for single women: Govt urged not to grant amnesty to war-era criminals (kp), NC, Maoists speed up legal consultations: Experts say constitutional provisions pose no obstacles at all, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), No ambiguity at all on formation of new govt, say legal experts: ‘I broke the alliance after sensing the political course could crash if the coalition continued’, by Prakash Acharya (ht), PHSC puts off hearing of SC justice nominees: Hearing scheduled to start Sunday had to be postponed sine die after committee chairman ‘called in sick’ (kp), Predicted nosedive: A political change at this stage means we will forget we have been bullied by India, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Citizenship and violence: Learn from experiences elsewhere but bring the learning back to your own context, by Ajapa Sharma (kp), Incentives denied to TRC, CIEDP staffers, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht)

16/07/2016: CIEDP deadline up; 2,775 cases lodged: TRC to wrap up plaint registration in two days: Seven months remain for investigation, by Dewan Rai (kp), Transitional justice bodies: Rights group concerned about independence (kp), TRC's Bhatta decries decision to receive complaints thru CDOs (rep), Experts divided on constitutional complexities in forming new govt (rep), NC, Maoist Centre block budget endorsement: The NC and Maoist Centre say budget passage only after the House decides on no-confidence motion against PM Oli, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli throws PM cards in desperation: NC leaders read incumbent’s dangling premier post before three leaders as bid to defuse no-confidence vote, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Government decides to face no-trust motion (kp), Frenemies: What has Oli done for the country in the past nine months as our Prime Monster? Nothing!  And what has the state given Oli in the past nine months? Everything!, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Words won’t suffice: As long as privileges are not equitably and judiciously distributed among all members of society, those at the top will remain where they are, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp), Peace and friendship treaty: No change in fundamentals, say Indian stakeholders, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp)

15/07/2016: Won’t resign, will face House: Oli to his MPs, by Anil Giri (kp), SLMM not to join govt unless its 26-point demand is met: It, however, has agreed to extend ‘tactical support’ to the new alliance, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), NC, Maoists ask govt not to take vital decisions: The joint statement of the Maoist Centre and the Nepali Congress asking the government not to take any  important decisions has come just days before the  scheduled hearing of the 11 Supreme Court justice  nominees and 22 ambassadorial nominations, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Fate of proposed envoys uncertain, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Hearing of SC justice nominees from Sunday (kp), Insulate the budget: There is no dignity in holding budget hostage to political point-scoring (kp), Bhattarai’s ideological shift:We do not necessarily need wider roads; what we need is affordable and efficient mobility for all, by Prashanta Khanal (kp), A Marriage Of Convenience, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Stuck with these three: The new-found friendship between these former foes could prove costly, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Lost in transition: Unstable politics, frequent ruptures of political parties, and the all-too-frequent change of government have plagued Nepal since the 1990 political changes, by Cilla Khatry (rep), Stable instability: With the third prime minister in two and half years of the current parliament soon to be elected, the old debate of government has been reignited, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep)

14/07/2016: Oli Government In Crisis, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), No-confidence motion filed against PM Oli: 280 MPs from NC, Maoist Centre, CPN (Samyukta) register the proposal (kp), No-trust motion tabled against Oli, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Maoist ministers resign en masse (ht), Ball now in Speaker’s court (ht), Dahal set to make comeback as 39th prime minister: Appears confident about proving majority in 595-member Parliament, by Roshan Sedhai (kp) [A person who has been accused at the TRC of having committed fundamental crimes should not be made PM! So neither Dahal nor Deuba are qualified as long as they are not proved innocent!], NC preparing to stake claim to 12 ministries: Either Nidhi or Sitaula to lead Congress team, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), A fresh start: It is important that the Madhesi parties are represented in the new government (kp), Strange bedfellows: Politics will become more interesting once it expands from the streets into the realm of ideas, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Political row put on hold 3 key bills on budget, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Delay in ratification of budget bills won’t affect gov (ht), Freedoms And Rights: Citizens Need To Exercise Them Diligently, by Mukti Rijal (kp), Nearly 100,000 households claim to be excluded from NRA’s beneficiary list (ht) [not to talk about the completely excluded districts like Solukhumbu!]

13/07/2016: Maoist Centre pulls out of govt: Eyes new alignment with NC, Madhes-based forces, other parties nuncertainty over next scenario remains, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), An account of dramatic turn of events, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), UML to ‘follow constitutional provisions’ (kp), NC likely to support Dahal-led majority govt, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Transitional justice at risk: On May 5, two parties agreed to begin process to amend laws and other pro-cedures within 15 days with a time-bound work plan (kp), Uncertainty surrounds budget implementation, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Stock market sheds 30 pts, by Prahlad Rijal (kp), Ominous Political Twists And Turns, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Power play begins: Oli government reduced to minority, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Power play is a never-ending process in Nepal! The politicians are interested in nothing else!!], Dahal set to return to power (ht), Constitutional provision on new government confusing (ht), Complaints collection likely to be hit (ht), NRA distributes 1st instalment to over 30k families: The updated NRA list NRA has put the number of total ‘beneficiaries’ eligible to receive rebuilding aid at 533,155 (kp)

12/07/2016: Power and discourse: Lack of an inclusive education system makes Nepalis ignorant of each other’s cultures and ways of life, by Abhishek Mallik (kp), Over 50,000 plaints filed at TRC so far: Expects the number to reach 60,000 by Saturday when the extended deadline to file war-era cases (kp), Call for investing in teenage girls (kp), UML, Maoists agree ‘to strengthen coalition’ (kp), Deuba rejects Dahal’s consensus govt idea, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), CPN Maoist Centre pulls out of Oli-led coalition government (ht), CPN (Maoist Center) withdraws support to Oli govt (rep), PM not to resign, to face no-confidence motion (rep), Up to 15 pc social security funds misused, by Siromani Dhungana (rep), We are sorry: Political movement has failed to address the rampant social discrimination in Madhesh, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep)

11/07/2016: Nepal misses extended deadline to submit CEDAW report to UN (kp), Missing roadmap: Kathmandu is still not listening to protestors even after they have changed their extreme form of protest, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Karki endorsed as first female chief justice, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Maoist party gives more time to PM Oli to implement deal (kp), Welcome first step: A timely budget is only the first step in boosting the govt’s spending capacity (kp)

10/07/2016: Parliament passes Appropriation Bill: For the first time in 15 years, govt has timely authority to spend; Raises hopes that development spending would be expedited (kp), Col extradition may be affected: Experts say criminalising torture and setting up a competent court equivalent to the UK court to continue Col Lama’s trial are fundamental bases on which the extradition process can be negotiated, by Dewan Rai (kp), Semantics of calamity: The best way to fight calamity is not to become more calamity savvy but simple and optimistic, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Consensus Government: A Political Chimera, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Bhote Koshi flood adds to the woes of Tatopani earthquake victims, by Raj Kumar Parajuli (ht), Nepal ranked 11th in skewed child sex ratio (ht)

09/07/2016: Rain brings pain: Our government does not think that it is important to provide relief and rescue works for the people displaced by the floods and landslides as soon as possible, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical, but so true!], Lengthy grants process a big hassle for quake victims, by Dhruba Dangal (rep), Quake-displaced locals in a lurch, by Santosh Pokhrel and Narahari Sapkota (rep), Secy-level meet dwells on admin restructuring: ‘Federalism may be reconsidered’ (kp) [To refrain from federalism would mean another putsch by male Tagadhari politicians!!], Not keen to join this govt: Cong, by Sarin  Ghimire (kp), Dahal asks Oli about 9-pt deal (kp) [But interested in power deal only! No person shall get a public position as long as accusations at TRC are not cleared!], Maoist ministers miss Cabinet meeting (kp), Another Maoist MP under scanner, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), NRA wants more staff to expedite rebuilding: The NRA has so far signed housing aid agreements with 223,830 families (kp)

08/07/2016: Transitional justice body a victim of rift among its members, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [This body has to be absolutely independent from political parties since leaders of all big parties are among the accused!], Janakpur appellate court orders probe into Tarai protest death: Rambibek Yadav was allegedly gunned down by security personnel during a protest in Jaleshwor, Mahottari (kp), Oli proposes fresh deal on power sharing, urges NC to join govt (kp), Maoist Centre  for consensus govt (ht), Odds Of Overthrowing Oli Government, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), The post-ideology era: Nepali politics has left ideology behind creating space for the development agenda, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Electing to govern: Nepal’s political parties believe they have to be in power to be elected to power (nt)

07/07/2016: Flood sweeps away 25 houses: Villagers living downstream Bhotekoshi river move to safer locations after timely alert, by Pragati Shahi and Anish Tiwari (kp), Landslide sends people fleeing from homes (kp), Probe sought into MPs’ alleged role in forgery, human trafficking (kp)

06/07/2016: Local body restructuring: Commission unlikely to finish task on time; Delay could hit local body poll plan, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Preparing for the polls: The many and varied complexities of restructuring local bodies should be understood, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), ‘Define use of children in war as human rights violation’ (ht), Symbolic protest of silence at ‘zero hour’ (kp), Lawmakers flay govt for failing to resolve problems (ht), Housing reconstruction grant: Victims changing property titles for aid, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), The ten-to-five world: The civil service has been politicised resulting in blatant inefficiency and corruption, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp)

05/06/2016: Extreme apathy: Govt’s inaction shows that either officials are out of touch with reality or they do not care (kp) Landslide risks: SAC directs govt to act pronto; As many as 32 people killed in water-induced disasters since April 13 (kp), NRA’s new list of quake victims shorter by 16 per cent (ht) [??], Grant distribution for quake survivors moving at snail’s pace (ht) [And what about the people in other affected districts that are not on the list? In our village in Solukhumbu, 20 percent of the houses are uninhabitable; almost all other houses are damaged! This is a denial of assistance!], Still in the Middle Ages: Torture has yet to be criminalised and it is seen as a legitimate method of investigation, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), Rights abuse case in TRC against rights defenders, by Dewan Rai (kp), UML floats rotational govt leadership idea: Three major parties proposed to take turns to hold one election each, by Roshan Sedhai (kp) [This will make govt politics even more ineffective but it will help to fulfil the power ambitions of the already failed 'leader'!]

04/07/2016: Quake-hit abandon shelters, return to whence they came, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp), Redressal guideline: It is necessary to strengthen the institutional capacity of the VDCs so that no genuine quake victims are left out from the beneficiary list (ht), Joshi-led Newar community backs Gathabandhan (kp), Government doesn’t walk the election talk, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Once laws are put in place, EC needs 120-day period to hold elections, interview with Election Commissioner Ila Sharma (kp), Attorney General for addressing concerns about transitional justice: ‘Maoist Centre leaders and security agencies agree that there cannot be amnesty for serious offences', by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Delay in implementing deal riles CPN-MC (ht) [This deal in part has criminal intentions and is against the rule of law!!], New guard: If Maoists, NC wish to form new govt, they have to offer their roadmap to the people (kp) [But please not under the old failed leaders! Those being accused of being responsible for crimes in the past are definitely not qualified before they are acwuitted by a law court!!], Much Talk, Little Work, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

03/07/2016: Where are we heading? Formation of the federal states is essential to keep the constitution alive, by Khagendra N Sharma (kp), NBA to facilitate dialogue with disgruntled parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Gathabandhan begins hunger strike in Rajbiraj: Bid to intensify Madhes agitation again, says a leader (kp), Maoist Centre opens up to majority govt idea: CC meet asks Dahal to hold decisive talks with UML, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), The corruption conundrum: Following a wrong process to remove the CIAA chief will complicate matters, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Dahal to take initiative to form consensus govt: Fate of government hangs in balance  (ht)

02/07/2016: MPs tell govt to act immediately (kp), Govt told to send rescue teams to landslide-hit areas (ht), Kerauja VDC at high risk of landslides (ht), Govt unlikely to raise size of first grant instalment: Donors remind about promise made in the past to prevent cases of moral hazard, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Dr KC is crazy! We should all be ashamed that one man alone is crazy enough to fight the system, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], ‘Quake-hit people at higher risk of trafficking’: Traffickers using media and mobile technology to exploit the victims (ht), New statute puts restrictions on religious conversion, report says (ht)

01/07/2016: 45,000 cases registered at TRC so far (kp), TRC directive to be finalised soon (ht), WB brings housing aid deal home to govt: Reiterates grant in three tranches after achieving ‘defined milestones’ (kp) [?? Nobody can start reconstruction of sustainable houses with 415€, not even in rural areas of Nepal! Even 1660€ are only an assist-starting for families that have lost everything!], World Bank objects to change in quake grant modality, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), Govt urged to reminisce past deal before raising grant instalment, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Congress calls for holding talks with donors, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Precious little done to save quake-hit villages: as many as 113 earthquake-affected households forced to flee after debris started falling, by Pragati Shahi (kp), MPs worry about relief, resettlement: On Saturday, landslide  buried about 20 temporary huts in Gorkha, forcing about 50 families to  abandon their huts (kp), Govt asks restructuring commission to speed up work (rep), Landslides displace over 200 families in quake-hit districts (kp), 200 households leave Karauja VDC out of landslide fears, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Gorkha villages reel under food shortage, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Turf war between SWC, NRA hits reconstruction work, by Siromani Dhungana (rep), Speaker urged to pay heed to Madhesi concerns (kp), Dahal ‘willing’ to accept Oli as leader of unity govt, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp) [Neither Oli nor Dahal nor Deuba are qualified!!], Yes, Prime Minister: The capital is suddenly agog again with talk of a new government to replace the current coalition led by Prime Minister Oli, by Kunda Dixit (nt), CPN-Maoist Centre may block budget, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Reply on DPMs’ ‘anti-statute’ activities demanded: CPN-Maoist Centre lawmakers want parliamentary panel to resolve Madhes problems (ht)

30/06/2016: Fragile states index 2016: Nepal on par with Yemen, Somalia; Among the 12 indicators, Nepal has scored a very high  9.5 out of 10 for Group Grievances (kp), House convenes after deal on housing grant: Govt agrees to release Rs 200,000 aid to quake victims in two tranches, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Earthquake victims to get Rs 150,000 in first tranche: NC ends House obstruction (rep), New agreement could further delay grant distribution, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Temporary relief: Govt, opposition have agreed on releasing reconstruction money but that’s a small step (kp), Donors warn of pulling plug on support programme: Express serious concerns about quality of construction, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), NRA signs aid deal with over 180k families (kp), Government has not prepared environment for talks yet: Yadav (ht), Baidya Maoists for ‘new people’s revolt’ (kp), Foreign lives, Nepali bodies: It is a shame that Nepal has not signed any of the treaties relevant to migrant workers, by Deepak Thapa (kp)

29/06/2016: Madhes parties serve mid-July ultimatum (kp), Parties unable to break Parliament deadlock (kp), TJ bills will be tabled soon, says law minister (kp), Rana vows to implement gender rights in Nepal (kp), Elections Will Ensure Statute’s Merit, by Narayan Upadhyay (kp), Floodwater enters quake-hit school, disrupts classes (ht) [Many thanks to this irresponsible and incompetent government and adminstration!], Quake relief likely in two instalments: Victim families likely to receive Rs 1.5 lakh followed by Rs 50,000, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Few takers for subsidized quake loans to rebuild homes, by Sagar Ghimire (rep), State funding for elections: Money and muscle, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

28/06/2016: Transitional justice: The notion that a process that excludes  victims will address their needs is a fantasy, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Transitional justice: At least 15 plaints registered against Col Kumar Lama, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp), Laws must be in place first to hold polls: EC; PM Oli visits commission office to enquire about its preparedness, by Pratichya Dulal (kp) [Govt and politicians think they can run the state by declarations and statements!], India says ready to supply more electricity to Nepal: Calls on Nepali side to construct sub-station at Dhalkebar at the earliest, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Housing grant distribution: Panel formed to end deadlock (kp), Parties form task force to help end House disruption, by Prakash Acharya (ht), TMLP chairman hints at unification of Madhesi parties to boost protest (kp), ‘Govt bent on splitting alliance’ (kp), Domino effect: Brexit vote need not be taken as an inspiration for referendum in Nepal (kp)

27/06/2016: NC rallies over payment mode for housing grant (kp), NRA says lump sum not possible, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Govt ‘ill-prepared’ to tackle landslide disaster in quake-affected districts (kp), Clarion call for endorsing pending anti-torture bill, by Dewan Rai (kp), Dr KC to protest against anti-graft body chief Karki (kp), Beyond mandate: There has been a growing tendency among  national institutions to exceed their bounds (kp), CIAA condemns Dr KC's demand seeking impeachment motion against Karki: Suggests mental health treatment to Dr KC (kp), SSFN awaits invite for dialogue (kp), No talks on rewriting statute, says Minister Rai (ht), House obstructed yet again, NC accuses PM of being indifferent (kp), Three’s a crowd: Nepal’s dream of becoming a bridge between China and India may remain elusive; India’s presumptive yet perennial  allegation that Nepal often played the ‘China card’ ultimately proved self- fulfilling, albeit with the script  a bit altered, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Rule Of Anarchy, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

26/06/2016: House likely to be deferred again over rebuilding delay: Nepali Congress adamant on getting its concerns addressed before Parliament resumes business, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), After unity govt refrain, Maoists changing tune: Leaders say party exploring possibilities of major political realignment (kp), Budhigandaki project-displaced eligible for rebuilding grant (kp) [??], Security tight after Chand Maoist threat (kp), Not so new: Bhattarai’s initiative has shown some promising signs, but it is beset by significant challenges, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), Misplaced priorities: Prime Minister Oli would do well to reflect upon his tenure and set his priorities accordingly, by Mukesh Jha (kp), Emotionally Unified Nepal Is Here!, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [??], ‘Lasting peace not possible without ending inequalities’, by Prakash Acharya (ht)

25/06/2016: Parliament session put off until tomorrow after NC obstruction (kp), , Housing aid distribution to speed up (kp), Rethinking Nepal’s Foreign Employment Policy, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Brexit may bolster radical elements in Nepal (ht), Talks if government prepares environment, says Mahato (ht)

24/06/2016: Some men never changeTop male politicians are trying to undo the rights given to women by the constitution, by Asmita Verma (kp), Widows demand economic empowerment (ht), Women still waiting to rebuild homes and lives: Women survivors of the earthquake struggle to cope with grief, loneliness and government neglect, by Shreejana Shrestha (nt), Engendering relief: After the earthquake we need to rebuild better, not just houses but also lives, by Sangita Theba Limbu (nt), Kabul incident a grim reminder: At least 10,000 Nepali migrants have died on foreign soil since 2000, over 5,000 in the last five years, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Kabul incident: It is not only the Nepali state but a host of stakeholders that are responsible for the tragedy, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Remittances Don’t Come Without Bloodshed, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), PHSC starts its work, finally (kp), NC demands specifics on reconstruction delay, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This may sound reasonable but the question remains why this party as well did nothing when it was leading the government!!], ‘Arrest fear’ cited for cancelled tour: Maoist Centre chief Dahal cancels Australia trip at the last moment, by Dewan Rai (kp) [Obviously, he feels guilty!], Party cadres abusing electoral constituency development programme (ht) [This is deliberate corruption parties and politicians!!]

23/06/2016: Critics question CIEDP approach, by Dewan Rai (kp), Victim wrongs: Secrecy shrouding sexual assault cases has prevented understanding of 10-year conflict (kp), NRA flooded with 73,187 complaints, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Monsoon adds to earthquake victims’ woes (ht), Glimmers of hope: Bhattarai’s party alone can forge a common front with the Janajatis and Madhesis to unite the country, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Out-Oliing Oli!, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), NC’s Kul Bahadur Gurung elected PHSC chairman (kp), Dahal, Deuba dwell on ‘consensus govt’ (kp), EC moots public funding for parties, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Widow woes: Widows are discounted in statistics, neglected by authorities and lost within the homogeneous women population, by Sumeera Shrestha (kp)

22/06/2016: Sexual violence victims wary of case, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), House meeting: Ministers flayed for ‘anti-charter’ acts (kp), House panel lists bases for local body restructuring (kp), Bases for new local administrative units suggested (ht), Govt forms team to review online media directive: Govt agrees to form review team after journalists flay the clauses contradicting the constitution (kp), Dream of a golden future: Fundamental reforms of the political parties are necessary if we are to ensure democracy and development, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp)

21/06/2016: PHSC to elect chairperson tomorrow (kp), Security, facilities for former VIPs unjustifiable: House panel, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Govt rapped for delayed reconstruction: Parliamentary debate on the appropriation bill commences (ht), Complaint against BRB at TRC (ht), Madhesh blues: What to expect; The Constitution of Nepal has ensured reservation to deprived groups, women, Madhesis, indigenous people and the needy ones. How many Chepangs, Rautes, Muslims, Musahars, Rajbanshis have benefited?, by Dipendra Gautam (ht)

20/06/2016: House rules passed, finally: Hearing committee formation opens door for endorsement of judge, ambassador nominees, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Parliament forms 15-member PHSC, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Govt spells plan to implement statute (ht), Govt tables Charter plan in House (kp), What Nepalese Newspapers Write, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), NC files war crime plaint against Dahal (kp), MJF-L refutes withdraw claims: Senior leaders say the party will continue its support to Oli-led govt (kp), ‘Amend statute to resolve Madhes issues’ (ht), Bid to restrain online media draws flak (kp), Pressing the freedom: New online media directive could seriously endanger press freedom (kp)

19/06/2016: War era atrocities: Victims implicate top Maoist, govt leaders, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), 33 percent women in parliament: Fears of representation turning into tokenism, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Help reaches very few survivors even as 2nd monsoon begins (kp), Maoist Centre in bid to take a leaf out of CPN-UML book?, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Ruling coalition, NC agree to pass parliament regulations (ht), NBA to facilitate talks between government and Madhesi parties (ht), Realigning justice: Implementing the constitution and consolidating democracy are not possible without a functional judiciary, by Krishna Man Pradhan (kp), Corruption vs anti-corruption: Both bribe takers and givers may benefit from a transaction but it is society that suffers, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Bhattarai’s new challenges: You can do a lot of things on paper but when it comes to people, it is always trust that matters, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp)

18/06/2016: Govt treasury surplus reaches all-time high: Sluggish capital expenditure leaves over Rs 200 billion in state coffers, by Mukul Humagain and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Against the background of the people's sufferings and urgend needs, this is a fundamental humanitarian crime for which the irresponsible politicians and administrators should stand trial!], House reconstruction programme: Guthi land dwellers could miss out on aid; The National Reconstruction Authority has announced  to distribute house reconstruction aid to only those quake survivors who have land deeds (kp), Morcha preconditions may affect poll plans (kp), Elections not possible without consensus: NC, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Old wine in a new bottle: An appealing prospect that is hollow from within,  how long will people believe in Naya Shakti?, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, by Guffadi (kp)

17/06/2016: TRC extends deadline for filing complaints: Chairman Gurung says they considered conflict victims’ requests and feedback from districts for the decision (kp), Cabinet approves roadmap to hold 3 elections in 18 months: Experts say polls difficult without getting political and legal basis right, by Anil Giri (kp), Driven to despair, by Anup Ojha (kp)

16/06/2016: Over 700 war crimes reported in Banke: The deadline for registering complaints on war-era crimes ends today (kp), TRC may give more time to file plaints: To finalise directives in up to 10 days (ht), Earthquake victims: Lawmakers fight over verification process (kp), Misplaced charity: NC’s criticism of government irregularities in reconstruction needs serious attention (kp), Gorkha construction company under scrutiny (ht), Give migrants their due: The least the government could do is make migration a pleasant experience, at least while departing and arriving, by Deepak Thapa (kp), UDMF, Federal Alliance vie for ownership of safe landing, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Implementation Of The Constitution, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Civil Society In Nepal: Role In Democratisation Of The State, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Billions for local roads in home districts of bigwigs, by Rudra Pangeni (rep)

15/06/2016: Plaint filed against sitting minister at TRC, by Dewan Rai (kp), Book Muktinath’s killers, say kin, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Family of murdered teacher Muktinath Adhikari files complaint at TRC (rep), Quake victims to be hit hard again this monsoon, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Main oppn to ratchet up pressure on govt: Says UML has over-politicised reconstruction work, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), NC for providing reconstruction grant immediately in lump sum (rep), NC set to obstruct House proceedings: Party lawmakers to seek govt’s assurance in relief and reconstruction for quake victims, by Prakash Acharya (ht), "Demarcations on the basis of first CA report", political understandings (rep), 73 children, women rescued from Birgunj in 3 months: Most of the victims are from quake-affected districts: Police, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Still talking: Caste-based discrimination and untouchability persist in different parts of Nepal despite efforts to promote equality, by Kirpa Ram Bishwakarma (kp), Dr. Bhattarai And New Party, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Is tolerance of corruption increasing in Nepali society?, by Siromani Dhungana (rep)

14/06/2016: Too scared to talk: Conflict victims face a number challenges and receive threats when giving testimony, by Suman Adhikari (kp), Procedural ambiguity halts TRC probe, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Dad of disappeared seeks action against Bhairavnath: Also implicates ex-king, top political leaders (rep), Reconstruction aid list: 14,000 quake-displaced in Dolakha lodge complaints, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), 15 months after killer quake, Bungamati still in ruins: Let down by govt apathy, victims move back into damaged houses, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Paltry compensation leaves drought-hit locals aghast, by Krishna Oli (rep), Constitution not progressive enough: Women rights activists (ht), Free the kids: By looking the other way, government bodies have abetted child exploitation (kp), Agitating parties dismiss govt call to hold dialogue: Gathabandhan puts forth 3 preconditions for talks (kp), Police restructuring proposal could create conflict: Experts, by Manish Gautam (kp), 7 Chand Maoist cadres held on arson charge (kp), Constituency dev grants spent on many projects, by Khagendra Awasthi (kp), Put System In Place, by Prem Khatry (kp), Local elections must to speed up reconstruction work, say experts (ht), Powerholders seek excessive facilities: Ex-dignitaries preventing House panel intervention with regard to perks, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Financial inclusion: Way forward, by Binod Atreya (ht)

13/06/2016: CIEDP extends time for filing cases: Two-month deadline seems to be inadequate, says commission, by Dewan Rai (kp), CIEDP extends complaints deadline: Receives 589 more complaints than data on disappeared, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Many earthquake survivors not on housing aid list, by Anish Tiwari (kp), New force here to face challenges, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), After the party: Bhattarai’s new party Naya Shakti Nepal is an intriguing experiment (kp), Naya Shakti And The Old Legacy, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Baburam’s Naya Shakti Nepal launched, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Birth Of A New Party, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

12/06/2016: Stalled negotiation: Government, agitating Federal Alliance engaged in blaming each other (kp), Chand Maoists torch 10 Ncell base towers: Telecom company says about 250k customers hit (kp), Properties of Ncell under attack in six districts (ht), MJF-L eyes way out of govt: Dev (kp), Nuwakot quake survivors seek land to build homes, by Krishna Thapa (kp), How new is Naya Shakti Nepal? Constitution should be neither celebrated nor condemned; we need to implement it, but simultaneously make it more inclusive, by Hisila Yami (kp), Mellowed Maoists: Headed in all directions, will the former rebels find a clear ideological path for the masses to follow?, by Mohan Guragain (kp), Disgraceful deviation: Despite historical changes in the country, people have sensed no change in their everyday lives, by Atindra Dahal (kp), Wives may not get partition share of hubby’s property, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [??], Unity govt figures as major parties’ agenda (ht)

11/06/2016: Transitional justice: Plaints against 2 Valley district police chiefs (kp), Conflict victims demand extension of deadline (ht), Parties say national unity govt a must, disagree on way forward (kp), The waiting game: At Siru Bari, a quaint hamlet in Nuwakot ravaged by last year’s quakes, patience is wearing thin, by Dibesh Karmacharya (kp), Supreme Court warns against politicians’ comments on prioritisation of cases (ht), NC quizzes NRA CEO as it receives complaints of discrimination (ht)

10/06/2016: Doramba victims move TRC against ex-king, security officials, by Nabin Khatiwada (ht), Transitional justice: Plaint against former king, DPM Thapa, by Dewan Rai (kp), Victims call for time extension (kp), Morcha mulling over starting separate stir: Dispute creeps into Sanghiya Gathabandhan (kp), Violent cases across country: Taxi torched at Tinkune n Two Sajha buses vandalised; 99 persons rounded up in total (kp), 192 strikers arrested for engaging in arson, vandalism (rep), Govt in no hurry to implement statute!, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Formation of commissions delayed, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Playing for time: Eight months into his term, Prime Minister Oli seems to have settled for just one objective: not being overthrown (nt), What about whataboutery? Identity politics is a divisive ideology that has outlived its usefulness, by Bineeta Gurung (nt), Fear and loathing: A parallel power centre is pushing the country towards a finish line that will finish us, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt)

09/06/2016: Decade-long civil war: Victims against amnesty for sex abusers (kp), Conflict victims not hopeful of justice from CIEDP, by Kokila KC (ht), WB slashes Nepal’s 2016 economy forecast to 4.7pc: Revised projection is 1.8 percentage points less than what the government has projected (kp), Maoist Centre in dilemma: Will quitting left coalition be a right decision? (kp), Child labour rife in absence of strict law: There are 1.6 million child labour in the country  out of which around 20 percent are involved in hazardous works, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Road to nowhere: The violent attack on an INGO office this week is based on a now-defunct ideology (kp), NC reminds PM delaying statute implementation (ht), Airy-fairy Announcements Won’t Work, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Nation building: Disgraceful deviation, by Atindra Dahal (ht)

08/06/2016: Transitional justice act: ‘Amendment bill to be tabled soon’; Phuyal says amendment to Transitional Justice Act will be in line with court verdicts and international practices and norms (kp), Conflict victims say they didn't file complaints out of fear, by Govinda KC (rep), Krishna Sen's wife files complaint at TRC (rep), Always pushed around: It seems the political parties, both ruling and agitating, see the Nepali people as just stepping stones to power, by Dharani Kumar Sharma (kp), Tamuwan Protest Committee starts hunger strike (ht), Agitating leaders go on relay fast (kp), Federal Alliance starts relay hunger strike (rep), Friends Turn Foes, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), The battle continues: Nation should introspect and change its attitude towards educating girls (kp), Reconstructed structures of poor quality: House panel, by Prakash Acharya (kp) [related to conflict era destructions]

07/06/2016: TRC, CIEDP upbeat over high number of complaints filed: Utterances by politicians creating dilemma for victims (rep), Honouring the code of honour: Not-so-gentlemanly agreements!, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), 5 years on, no leader, official cares for diplomatic code: Incumbent government said to be revising rules set by Khanal Cabinet before enforcement, by Anil Giri (kp), Initiate the investigation: The state should probe the killings that took place during the Tarai unrest, all of them, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), Krishna Prasad's murder: Ganga Maya says her fast won’t stop, by Dewan Rai (kp), FA to start month-long hunger strike from today (ht), Housepooling plan catches city dwellers in two minds (kp), Hold feet to the fire: Government inaction on dangers posed by rain-induced disasters is criminally negligent (kp) [!!], Thinking global: People judge the success of politicians based on how their consumption patterns changed after coming into power; It is always interesting to hear former finance ministers who did not deliver on budgetary promises criticise the same mistakes the present incumbent makes , by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Lawmakers’ pay and perks set to be hiked: To draw Rs 55,225 in salary, Rs 33,700 in allowance (kp), Nation First, Or Else..., by Prem Khatry (rn), Civil Servants Vs Party Activists, by Bishnu Gautam (rn), CPN-MC against recalling its ministers: Make defiant ministers fall in line: CPN-UML, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Hindu state identity for Nepal, says RPP-N chief (ht) [Such anticonstitutional demands violate against the sentiments of Nepal's multiethnic, multireligious and multicultural society and threaten social harmony!], Docs leave as monsoon epidemics loom in quake districts: All medical doctors deployed in the quake-hit districts have now returned, by Arjun Paudel (rep), Quake victims disappointed over delay in grant distribution, by Narahari Sapkota (rep)

06/06/2016: Seven wasted months: Oli's government neither talks with Madheshi parties nor is it keen on improving Nepal's strained relations with India, by David Kainee (rep) [This has been predictable from the moment when he became PM! But the other so-called leaders are not one iota better!!], Registered cases outnumber Peace Ministry’s count: TRC chair says he won’t disappoint conflict victims, by Dewan Rai (kp), New names spring up in govt talks (kp) [None of the failed so-called leaders is of any use!!], One year later: If an historic disaster failed to drive progress in fundamental areas, one is bound to wonder if there will ever be hope for Nepal, by Asit K. Biswas and Kris Hartley (kp), Insecure Leftist Coalition, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Madhes movement made businesses go bust, by Mithilesh Yadav (kp)

05/06/2016: No amnesty for serious war crimes: TRC chief (ht) Pun calls for polls in package (kp), Divided we are falling: Whether politicians will tolerate unity among the civil servants remains to be seen, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Men, women and corruption: Is it women’s participation in politics that is reducing corruption or is higher corruption deterring women from entering politics?, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Maoist Centre Heading For Brinkmanship?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Let’s join hands for consensus, says CPN-UML (ht), ‘We need to be cautious of clash of big powers’ interests in Nepal’, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (ht)

04/06/2016: Cases of caste-based discrimination rarely reach court: Report; Only 45 registered in the last four years (kp), Rift rearing its ugly head in CPN-UML? PM Oli censures own party leaders for making statements against govt (kp), ‘UML ready for consensus govt’: Pokhrel says he is unaware of any any deal with CPN-MC (ht), Chand-led CPN Maoist banda affects life in 3 districts (kp), Won’t accept PM’s post without nat’l consensus: Dahal (kp) [Those who are against justice for victims are not qualified either!], How to spend a trillion rupees? How to spend a trillion rupees? The dough will be shared by everybody except the common folks; After all, isn’t that why we have a government in the first place?, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], The ‘foreign’ scarecrow, by Our political leaders are taking a leaf from the rulebook of their predecessors to hold people on a tight leash, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp)

03/06/2016: Govt pushing for pre-emptive amnesty for war crime accused: The government seems to be pushing for general amnesty even before facts are established and due process is met, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC, CIEDP may skip live testimony of top leaders for audio-visual recording, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Search for the lost trace: Even after 13 years, victims find themselvestangles in the ugly web of bureaucracy and power, by Priyanka Gurung (rep), Ex-PLA accuse govt, Maoists for misusing them during insurgency: Altogether 4009 youths who were staying inside various Maoist cantonments were termed "disqualified" on various grounds, by Gyan P, Neupane (rep), The game goes on: The Madhesi parties want to keep agitation in slow boil until the Oli coalition falls, by Navin Jha (nt), Ties between ruling partners turning sour: PM harping on ultra-nationalism to avoid consensus govt, says Dahal, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Periodic blues, by Ayushma Basnyat (rep)

02/06/2016: Victims’ plaints at CIEDP top 1,500, by Dewan Rai (kp), 96 complaints in Tanahun (kp), Girls file case at TRC against father’s killing (ht), ‘Over 230,000 Nepalis living in modern day slavery’ (kp), NC to play it by ear as Oli, Dahal bicker: UML and Maoist Centre in bid to garner Cong support to lead unity govt (kp), Irrational practice: Many women in rural Nepal are forced to live like animals due to rigid cultural and social traditions, by Shree Prasad Devkota and Dikendra Lal Dhakal (kp), NRA fails to include all affected households: Lawmakers point out discrepancies in the beneficiary survey conducted by the authority (ht), NRA survey left out many quake victims: Lawmakers, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Lamjung quake victims start building homes, by Kishan Sangeet Nepali (rep), Lawmakers misusing constituency development funds, by Upendra Yadav (rep)

01/06/2016: Study says quake-affected children undergoing various problems, by Gyan P, Neupane (rep), Empty VDC secretary posts in quake districts slow grant pay outs, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Oli, Dahal have different take on ‘gentleman’s agreement’ (kp) [This has nothing to do with gentlemen! Both are failed politicians who are greedy for power!], Oli in no hurry as coalition partners talk govt change (rep), Most ex-PLA could retake arms: Study (kp), Call for law to realise integrated settlement plan: Disaster Management Bill has been in the making for five years (kp), Repositioning Nepal: Nepal has to believe that it is no longer the proverbial yam but an important regional player, by Mahendra P. Lama (kp)

31/05/2016: Number of complaints of disappearances exceed official data, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), UML, Maoists for narrowing down list of offences of serious nature; Crimes to come down from nine to four: rape, torture, disappearance and cold-blooded murder, by Dewan Rai (kp), Equal but unequal: Prez Bhandari, Speaker Magar should clearly state support for women’s citizenship rights (kp), Federal Alliance announces new protests (rep), Madhesis, Janajatis to stage hunger strike (kp), Federal Alliance to hold relay hunger strike for over a month (ht), Upendra Yadav warns FA will issue new statute (ht), From the opposition benches: The Madhesis are also Nepalis; the lens being used to look at the Madhes from Kathmandu must be changed, by Shekhar Koirala, Nepali Congress (kp), The forgotten fighters: Former Maoist combatants must be politically integrated so that they see the Nepali state as theirs as much any other citizen does, by Ram Kumar Bhandari and Simon Robins (kp), Maoist Centre ratchets up pressure on CPN-UML, by Roshan Sedhai (kp)

30/05/2016: Sanghiya gathabandhan contemplates further protests (kp), NC seeks FinMin’s resignation over ‘leak’ (kp), Rs 1.2t school plan announced with little cash: Only Rs3b secured of Rs240b expected from donors, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Health Ministry taken all by surprise: Establishing kidney centre in Bhaktapur, increasing insurance coverage were not discussed, by Manish Gautam (kp), Bloated budget: Size of the annual budget is not an indicator of a successful government plan of action (kp), Fiscal budget unsustainable, populist: NC; Party to expose govt intention behind bringing such a budget (ht), Budget is on right track: PM Oli (kp) [??], CPNMC dissatisfied with budget: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli directs CPN-UML lawmakers to defend the fiscal policy against opposition parties, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Budget's inflation target leaves NRB in fix, by Safar Ghimire (rep), Budget to push more Nepalis into poverty: Pyakuryal, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), ‘Implementation challenging given govt’s poor track record’ (kp), Letting the Madhesi crisis fester will be against the national interest, interview with Mahesh Acharya, Nepali Congress (kp) [The Madhes movement originated at the time of the NC-led government, Mr Acharya, but it has not been in the interest of your party to prevent this movement!!]

29/05/2016: Bloated budget raises inflation fear: Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel tables Rs 1048.92 billion financial outlay, exceeding the initial ceiling of Rs 909 billion, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Distributive budget of Rs 1,048.9 bn launched, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Govt in bid to please all, says Nepali Congress: Argues budget fails to focus on economic progress, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Fiscal budget expansionary, populist: Leaders, by Prakash Acharya (ht 29/05/2016), Gathabandhan boycotts budget (kp), Oli the dreamer: Excited and carried away by the flattery of his blind followers, Oli keeps generating fresh controversies, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), Something is rotten, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Harnessing people’s power: Nepal could have a National Volunteering Week to remind ourselves what citizens can do if they unite, by Simone Galimberti (kp)

28/05/2016: Breach of confidentiality emerging as ‘a worrisome trend’: Stakeholders express concern about information entering public domain about the complainants and against whom complaints have been registered, by Dewan Rai (kp), Baitadi conflict victims still deprived of compensation, by Bira Gadal (rep), Govt to gather details of foreigners living in Nepal (kp) [Give us all your money, but do not ask what we waste it for! Nepal turning into a network of informers?], Talks with govt only if invited formally, says Federal Alliance: The PM’s press adviser says nobody has informed the government about the alliance’s existence (ht) [??], What about class? It appears that Nepali political ideology has already arrived at its Fukuyamian ‘end of history’ when it comes to the economy, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Uproar over holiday for govt staff to conduct trade union elections, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Tarai as wellspring of republicanism, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep)

27/05/2016: Deliver timely justice on rights violation cases: Sharma to govt (rep), Disaster relief: Govt’s slow response draws flak (kp), Quake victims still await state grant (ht), Post-quake reconstruction: Engineers idle for want of rebuilding aid agreement; National Reconstruction Authority says the agreement will be completed by June end (kp), Nepal submits report to CERD after 12 years: States, signatory to the CERD, must report initially one year after acceding to the convention and then every two years (kp), 9 months after violence rocked Kailali, fresh protest set to begin, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Economic survey:92 km road blacktopped, 18.49 MW energy generated (rep), Economy, development on slippery slope: Survey; Tarai unrest, blockade, earthquake and energy crisis blamed for country facing setback, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Tarai unrest, embargo, supply disruptions batter economy, by Bibek Subedi (kp), Bracing for the budget: The budget, instead of directing investments in the right direction, might contain a lot of unproductive populist plans, by Yoga Nath Poudel (kp), New govt to implement budget: Dahal, by Shiva Puri (kp) [a new round of power games on!], Dahal claims gentleman’s agreement with UML for letting him lead govt (ht), Govt fails to enforce law to ensure urgent service: In violation of Essential Services Act, transport entrepreneurs go on a strike to protest hike in traffic rule violation fines, by Manish Gautam (kp)

26/05/2016: 9-point deal cannot override SC: NHRC chief (rep), Respect HR principles at all times: Int’l community (kp), International community concerned about 9-point pact: Urges stakeholders to meet national, global rights obligations (ht), Court moved against arrest of activist, journo: Duo held for splashing red colour on Singha Durbar wall, taking pic (kp), Gathabandhan to dwell on PM letter (kp), Who should hold talks with govt, FA or UDMF?, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) [To hold talks with only one group of the protestors would follow the traditional Hindu law idea of bheda (splitting, breeding of discord) as one of the four main upaya of rajaniti, in other words typical royal Hindu politics! Late King Mahendra has been an expert in this!], A third people’s movement: The Oli regime has begun to show signs similar to those of the waning days of Panchayat, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Madhesi Protests: Immediate Resolution A Must, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Flawed category: Can the state have two definitions of family, one for imposing tax and another for providing compensation?, by Lokranjan Parajuli (kp), Constitution Implementation: Commitment From Leadership Needed, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Capital spending low as only 7pc civil servants perform duties well, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Parties not sending reconstruction volunteers as promised, by Gyan P, Neupane (rep)

25/05/2016: Gathabandhan seeks ‘proper letter’ for talks (kp), UDMF boycotts PM’s all-party meeting (ht), Agitating parties turn down PM's talks invite (rep), Cong objects to PM Oli’s ‘provocative statements’ (kp) [The NC should mention that the demands and grievances of Madhesi and Janajati are the result of bad constitution writing politics under a government that has been led by the NC!!], Govt directs local bodies to take lead: Local development officers, chief and executive officers of municipalities and VDC secretaries of 14 districts to take lead in data collection, identification of victims, expert coordination and information dissemination, by Gaurav Thapa (kp) [Why only 14 districts? Solukhumbu, for example, has been heavily affected by the earthquakes with many houses being uninhabitable as officially recognised by the government!], No end in sight to plight of Barpak earthquake victims (ht), Waiting, waiting, by Drishan Dahal (kp), Supreme Court summons Dahal (ht), Successive failures: People have been promised prosperity by at least a dozen governments but development has been as elusive as ever, by Mohan Guragain (kp), Panel calls for regulating security of former VIPs (ht) [Why must persons who predominantly hold an office for a very short period be treated als VIPs for the rest of their lives??], Ex-dignitaries misusing facitilies provided by govt: House panel, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Right to a fair trial: No compromise, by Roshan Kumar Jha (ht) [Some Nepali laws offend against international law!], Local UDMF leaders arrested for showing black flag to parliamentarians, by Madan Thakur (rep) [??], Populist pandering: When leaders see the democratic process as a threat to their functioning and self interest, they embrace populist measures, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep)

24/05/2016: Nationalism vs human rights: Nepal wants aid from the international community, but not criticism of its rights record, by Subin Mulmi (kp), TRC, CIEDP launch probe into victims’ complaints (ht), Lost childhood: The state should also provide compensation to those children who lost their childhood and quit school for fear of their life after their parents were killed (ht), PM Oli calls all-party meeting (ht), Govt fails to implement key proposal of 9-pt deal (ht), Gathabandhan aims broader stir (kp), Government looks set to promote pork barrel politics, by Ruoak D. Sharma (ht), Who’s Responsible?, by Shyam KC (rn), AHRC, THRD Alliance release report on Tarai protests (rep) [see report]

23/05/2016: Documenting torture: In the current institutional practices of documentation, the poor and the marginalized can't even report their human right violation, by Jeevan R. Sharma (rep), Conflict victims doubtful over justice in 'lack' of laws, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Original owners reclaim Maoist-seized lands, by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal and Ganesh BK (rep), Protest ‘strengthening’ nat’l unity (kp), For some, Valley stir safe landing for Madhes feud, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), We’ll replace statute if it’s not rewritten, says Yadav (ht), Stung by delays, survivors press for time-bound recovery works; Disaster management bill, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), SC refuses stay order in Penner case (kp), Unspent budget: Political instability and interference both at the planning and operational levels hinder timely completion of projects, by Chandan Sapkota (kp)

22/05/2016: ‘Archaic laws leading to miscarriage of justice’: Experts claim loopholes in laws have often been misused by police and criminals on many an occasion, by Manish Gautam (kp), Baidhya-led CPN-RM to join Federal Alliance’s agitation (ht), Risk of implosion as discord surfaces in Madhesi Morcha: Differences in Morcha allies started to surface after Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav appointed himself as the coordinator of the Sanghiya Gathabandhan, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Biratnagar locals againts Tarai protests, by Lila Ballav Ghimire (kp), Land of meddling instability: I have not been able to stop being amused by the ‘conspiracy theories’ found in Nepal, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), UML not to compromise on PHC strength (ht), Quake victims rue negligence (ht)

21/05/2016: Govt renews offer for talks to FA: Federal Alliance leaders say conditions for parleys not met, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt again urges talks but agitating parties want top leaders at table (rep), A political jolt: After a few months of quiet, some major turmoil is brewing once more in Nepal’s political corridors, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), UK warns brits not to involve in political activities in Nepal (kp) [Nepal gets famous in the negative sense!], Badarmudhe incident unnecessarily publicized: TRC member, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (rep) [??], Funding corruption: Opponents of CDF argue that it breaches the democratic principle of separation of powers by conferring executive functions on legislature, by David Kainee (rep)

20/05/2016: Transitional justice: Prioritise our livelihood issues: Conflict victims (kp), Conflict victims sceptical justice will be served (ht), Wages of sin: The 9-point Agreement proves just how much the Maoists, especially its leader Comrade Prachanda, are still haunted by the ghosts of their victims (nt), Rights closure: Political parties need to face their fears and let the transitional justice process go ahead (kp), Visitors held for politics might face 10-year ban, by Manish Gautam (kp), Interrogation of tourists: Intolerant Government? Given the recent actions, the coalition government led by K.P. Sharma Oli is heading to become intolerant to the rights of foreigners , by Keshab Poudel (sp), Recognition and Respect: Failure by Kathmandu to address Madhesi demands of self-rule will lead to a prolonged agitation, by Navin Jha (nt), Listen to us: The protests may not be powerful enough to force a rewrite of the Constitution, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Maoists unite to form CPN Maoist Centre: Pushpa Kamal Dahal to lead the new force that comprises 10 parties, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Several Maoist parties unite to form CPN Maoist Centre, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Maoists unite to form Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center), by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), No laughing matter: Some of Prime Minister Oli’s ideas may seem far-fetched now but they might come to fruition in the future, by Shyam KC (kp), Thoughts on security: Nepal needs a strategy to ensure the survival of the state as an independent physical entity, by Binoj Basnyat (kp)

19/05/2016: Transitional justice: Preliminary investigation starts, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC starts preliminary investigations: 7789 complaints received so far (rep), Madhesi, Janajati parties to continue stir in Capital: Say solidarity shown by civil society, media and international community encouraging (kp), FA to protest in capital for 10 more days (ht), Federal Alliance announces new protests (rep), Leaders condemn nine-point agreement (ht), Buddha, Buddhism and int’l conference: Oli admin seeks to assert claims, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Badis upset by rehab delay: Warn of protest to stir the government into action to implement the eight-year-old plan; In 2008, the government had decided to provide land and teach income-makingskills to Badi people (kp), Everything Is Fair In Politics!, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Fooling us: It sounds like a cruel  joke when Congress or any other party promises to address people's livelihood issues and to improve governance, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), No pipe dreams: Oli govt should spell out concrete plans for reconstruction and communicate them too (kp), Broken links: Material rebuilding after a disaster needs to go hand in hand with the revamping of social and political arrangements, by Bicram Rijal (kp), Dispute Resolution At Local Level: Constitution Lends Impetus To It, by Mukti Rijal (rn), 40 bills gather dust in House, by Prakash Acharya (ht)

18/05/2016: Victims’ response spurs on CIEDP, by Dewan Rai (kp), Free the speech: We the citizens have to make sure laws of Nepal do not end up like draconian laws of totalitarian states like North Korea and Syria, by Bimal Pratap Shah (rep), Encouraged, protesters to keep stir flame alive (kp), House rebuilding aid delayed in Dolakha district, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), ‘Vulnerable groups at exclusion risk’ (kp), Nationalism and its discontents: Challenge of national integration grows as political power becomes centralised and decision-making opaque, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Grinding on: People are fed up with the frequent changes in government without any purpose, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Proposed hike in grants to lawmakers: Govt urged to scrap controversial plan (kp) [This would open the doors for corruption and nepotism even wider!], Consensual Politics, A Victim Now?, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

17/05/2016: Travel warning: The way Pushpa Kamal Dahal exploded at the possibility of prosecution suggests that neither will justice be done nor will it seen to be done, by Aditya Man Shrestha (rep), Protest largely peaceful: Gathbandhan decides to picket prime minister’s official residence in Baluwatar today, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Protesters find Thankot inspections harassing: Security checks reminiscent of insurgency period, says TMLP leader, by Manish Gautam (kp), British caught during protest (kp) [What is the crime he has committed? Peaceful demonstrations are part of the right of opinion that is respected by all democratic states! The current demonstrations of Janajati and Madhesi are very necessary and should be supported by all foreigners who understand the continued non-inclusive politics of Nepal's political elite!], ‘Briton’ arrested for taking part in Singha Darbar picketing (kp), Briton arrested for participating in Singha Durbar protest released, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Federal Alliance tp protest outside PM’s house today (ht), Minority report: Goverment should respect sentiments of minority groups in deciding national holidays, by Ramesh Khatry (kp) [Another proof of the continued single ethnic identity based thinking of Nepal's leading party politicians!!], Parliamentary regulations: Five parties register six amendment proposals; Size of hearing committee major bone of contention, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Proposals on PHSC strength registered (ht), Parties register differing amendment proposals on parliamentary hearings committee size (rep), 4 shortlisted for IBN CEO, by Bibek Subedi (kp) [This non-inclusive list once again violates the constitution!!], Rs 11b aid for 11 districts (kp), Irate quake victims threaten social mobilisers (ht), Capital spending at 22 percent till mid-May: Govt spending on development work equal to  about 50% of what it spent on its employees' salary, by Rudra Pangeni (rep) [!!], NIC fiat to open Singha Durbar to public (ht) [!!]

16/05/2016: Complaints of insurgency-era crimes: 9-pt deal sees sharp drop in cases, by Dewan Rai (kp), Daily number of plaints falls drastically in Rolpa, by Kashiram Dangi (kp) [Politics of intimidation by reactionary politicians and army obviously works!], Madhesis, Janajatis unite to picket Singha Durbar: First protest since the end of border blockade; Partners at odds over stepping up agitation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Federal Alliance capital-centric protest mostlly peaceful, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), FA cadres picket outside Singha Durbar: Vow to continue agitation tilldemands met; Claim protesters stopped from entering capital (ht), FA rally throws traffic out of gear (ht), Great divide: New round of protests highlights deep differences between UML and Tarai parties (kp), Parliamentary regulations: Consensus chance ‘slim’; Parties likely to settle the stalemate through voting in House (kp), Govt decides to observe National Day on Sept 20, by Anil Giri (kp) [Celebrating the non-inclusive and shortcoming constitution of a handful of male Tagadharis??], Excessive UML-isation of Nepali state institutions is underway, interview with Ram Sharan Mahat, Nepali Congress (kp), Signing of grant agreement halted in Kavre villages (ht), Yo Nepal ho! Beijing has begun to practice what can perhaps be termed the "Offer Diplomacy" even with its neighboring countries: Buy one, get one free; and buy now, pay later, by CK Lal (rep), Survival vs sovereignty: In many ways sovereignty of weak states is directly linked to the security of their regimes, by Rohit Karki (rep)

15/05/2016: Madhesi, Janajati parties protest in Capital (kp), Tight security in place ahead of FA agitation (ht), House rules hard for parties to pass: Six months on, political parties are still debating the size of the parliamentary hearing committee (kp), Major parties fail to forge consensus on PHC strength, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Filling a vacuum: After 26 years of democracy, Nepal looks set to have a comprehensive national security strategy, by Narendra Rawal (kp), Genuine issues: Unless Madhesi leaders address the real problems in the Tarai, people’s faith in them will not be restored, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Health inequality: Constitutional provisions do not mean much if they are not implemented, by Kahar Singh Khadka (kp)

14/05/2016: International rights groups slam 9-pt deal: Say agreement undermines transitional justice (kp), International bodies slam nine-point deal: Undermines transitional justice, say ICJ, HRW and Amnesty (ht), Drag me to court, Dahal challenges (kp), Have investments in ICT generated growth?, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep) [Such things have to be decided by a law court, not be politicians, Mr Dahal! Don't interfere into the rule of law!], SC quashes writ petition against 9-pt deal (rep), Writ quashed (kp) [??], TRC monitoring costly but victims unaware of complaints option, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Quake survivors still await relief (ht), Federal alliance announces stir (kp), FA warns govt against using force (ht), Federal Alliance warns against use of force in protests (rep), House votes to endorse policies and programmes, by Binod Ghimire (kp), House endorses policy, programme, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Fool us always! Dear Nepal Government, please stop promising us stuff that you cannot or know very well that you will not fulfill, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical but true], Comments On Polices And Program Of Government For FY 2016 (2073), by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

13/05/2016: Victims say nine-point deal robbed them of justice hope, by Agandhar Tiwari (kp) Community-based temporary shelters: District bodies ordered to take urgent steps; Around three million people are still living under dire condition (kp), EU, TI Nepal to promote integrity in post-quake reconstruction (kp), Govt wants more donor funds for quake reconstruction, by Gyan P. Neupane , Post-disaster recovery framework: Rs 838b five-yr reconstruction plan unveiled; ‘Private houses to be constructed within two years’; According to the Post-Disaster Recovery Framework, 500,000 households, 7,000 educational institutions, 446 health posts, 2,900 heritage sites were damaged by last year’s quakes (kp), Post-quake reconstruction cost escalates by 25 pc, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Reconstructing human capital: It is apparent that people opted out of the building regulations and placed themselves in harm’s way, by Ajita Atreya (kp), UDMF responds to govt talks offer: Tells government to first of all create a conducive environment for negotiations (ht), Madhesi parties blame govt for absence of talks (kp), Sitting for talks useless until preconditions met: UDMF to govt (rep), All hail Madam President: After becoming the first female president of Nepal, she also became the first person for whom we stop walking and pay our respects, by Isha Bista (rep) [!!!], Hollow nationalism: Not everything is hunky dory in the ruling coalition, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Decay of democracy: History keeps coming full circle, and is repeated as a farce (nt), It’s about us: … it’s not about Ansari, Dixit or Penner, by Puru Shah (nt), Kakistocracy, by Foreign Hand (nt)

12/05/2016: Nepal: 9-Point Deal Undermines Transitional Justice: Annul Clemency for Grave Crimes (HRW), Victims outraged at 9-point deal (kp), Conflict victims hold sit-in near PM's residence against 9-pt deal rep), Two ex-Army chiefs accused of war crimes, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), TRC receiving fewer complaints post 9-point deal (rep), EC officials skeptical of govt poll plan: Point out lack of related acts, consultations as reason, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Coalition partner flays policies, programmes (kp), Dahal tears apart policy, programme (kp), Policy and Program indifferent to Madhesi, Tharu: Dahal (rep), All is well, PM Oli tells int’l community, by Anil Giri (kp) [You're late for April Fools' Day, Mr Oli!!], Understand Nepal's exact situation, policies, efforts: PM, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), PM claims govt not in crisis: Seeks foreign support to implement statute and expedite post-earthquake reconstruction works, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Treasury surplus at all-time high as govt fails to spend, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Non-completion of projects a matter of concern, says deputy chief of Indian Embassy (ht), Lonely and lost: Increasingly, ‘nationalist’ UCPN (Maoist) is indistinguishable from the CPN-UML (kp), Shortage of forms halts aid agreement process (kp), Ministry unimpressed by NRA's community shelters plan, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep), A fool's paradise: Discord awaits us if the educated public miss the big picture and voice personal prejudices as arguments, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Chepangs denied basic rights just because they lack documents, by Ramesh Kumar Poudel (rep), Convergence point: It is vital that our parties have common understanding of national interests despite their other differences, by Geja Sharma Wagle (rep)

11/05/2016: Ruling on transitional justice act: Govt to seek judicial review of court order, by Dewan Rai (kp), Conflict victims take exception to nine-point agreement, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Conflicts intensify over land transactions from insurgency era, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Local polls by December? Leaders say there’s a catch: Call for resolving political and technical complexities before elections, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), NC, UCPN-M rule out possibility of civic polls (ht), Cong criticises govt’s policies, programmes (kp), NC opposes local election plans (rep), Hold local polls: As the largest party in parliament, Nepali Congress should have welcomed the plan of holding the local polls (ht) [It has been NC chairman Deuba who dissolved the local bodies in 2002 for base motives! Obviously, he still wants to have them being dissolved forever!!], Push for local body election to derail federalism: Yadav, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Where the money goes: Political leaders’ main concern is about their constituencies, which leads to a disproportionate distribution of budget, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Dialogue with government irrelevant, says Upendra Yadav (ht), ‘UML taking Nepal towards totalitarianism’ (ht), Baidya’s lieutenants set to rejoin Dahal: Maoist ideologue braces for major setback with another split on cards, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Baidya-led Maoist on verge of split, Thapa faction to unite with UCPN (Maoist) (rep), Unqualified hacks: Foreign Ministry has been reduced to a mere tool to be used at the discretion of powerful political masters, by Gopal Thapa (kp), What Goes Around, Comes Around, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Long hibernation: Many things to do, by Dipendra Gautam (ht), Subtle art: Our security agencies continue to carry out their duties under the organizational structures and mandates they had during the conflict, by Shobhakar Budhathoki (rep)

10/05/2016: Too scared to complain: The shadow of the perpetrators has fallen on the transitional justice commissions, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), UML-Maoist 9-point deal: Victims, rights groups protest against pact (kp), Conflict victims demand revocation of 3 points in 9-pt deal, by Gyan P. Neupane (rep), Writ petition against 9-pt agreement (kp), SC moved against nine-point pact (ht), INSEC opposes deal (ht), UCPN-M working to amend laws as per nine-point agreement, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [a well-planned putsch against the rule of law!!], Devil in the details: In the absence of details, govt policy and programme document is a mere wish list (kp), Second tier reforms discontinued in policies and programs, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), PM directs UML lawmakers to defend government’s programmes (ht), NC against civic polls under existing structures: UDMF also demands election to local bodies only after restructuring federal units, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Cong objects to plan to hold local polls by Dec, by Binod Ghimre (kp), Conditions must be met for local polls, says Election Commission (ht), NC set to give govt tough time in budget session (kp), Futile Attempts To Disturb Development Process, by Prem Khatry (rn), Mass media issues don’t figure in govt policies: FNJ (ht), Cracks surface in Federal Alliance due to rivalries: The rift surfaced when FSFN Chairman Upendra Yadav was declared coordinator of the alliance of 25 agitating parties at a recent meeting (rep), Yadav says no to talks (ht), Quake victims to be able to get grant from Class B and C institutions (ht) [??], Discouraging participation of women in construction projects, by Yogesh Rawal (rep), Meritorious, not inclusive: The argument that a former member of one branch of the state is automatically disqualified from serving another branch is faulty, by Sheri Meyerhoffer and Adil Ali Khan (rep)

09/05/2016: Govt invites Morcha for talks: Asks agitating Tarai parties to join DPM Thapa-led dialogue committee; Madhesi leaders say they are not much hopeful about apositive outcome due to the government’s ‘rigid’ position  (kp) [A dialogue committee leader who is against federalism and republicanism? This must be a joke!!], Govt formally invites UDMF for talks: Mahato says state still not serious about dialogue (ht), Handle with care: The issue of provincial boundaries should be resolved first before calling local polls, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Govt to diversify supply sources, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Federalising, production pillars of annual policies; Government announces to hold elections at the local bodies, after a gap of 14 years, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prez presents government’s policy and programme (ht), Local Restructuring Commission in consultations (kp), Fast and furious: Govt went far in cancelling President’s Delhi visit and recalling Nepal envoy (kp), Political Heat Wave From The South, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), ‘CPN-UML,UCPN-M had power handover deal’ (ht), The citizenship debate: Nepal's citizenship debate is stuck in whether it should be guided by an overarching global norm or if certain people deserve special treatment, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

08/05/2016: Locals unhappy over delineation of State 6, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), UDMF role an issue in Federal Alliance (ht), Regime change negotiations: UML ‘has agreed’ to let Maoists lead govt; Leaders say UML, UCPN (Maoist) have reached ‘gentleman’s agreement’, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Govt set to invite Morcha for talks (kp), Prez India visit cancelled for ‘lack of preparations’ (kp), Cancellation not linked to envoy’s recall: Thapa, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), NC irked at govt move to recall Upadhyay, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), CEDAW: Govt ‘blocks’ civil society’s report (kp), Local body elections in Nov: PM (kp), Democracy in peril: Nepal is witnessing a systematic erosion of democratic values at the hands of the leaders who are democratically elected, by Dinesh Bhattarai (kp), Putting into practice: Disputes over federalism show that the people are still struggling to understand it, by Yogendra P. Paneru (kp), Rainbow country: Promoting cultural diversity is important as it will lead to sustainable development, by Anita Yadav (kp), Prachanda’s U-turn: Diabolic Design Foiled, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Poverty increases in quake-hit districts (ht), A Consensus Government For Enforcing Constitution, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

07/05/2016: 9-point deal a threat to rule of law: Experts, victims, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), ‘Maoist-UML accord violates SC ruling, CPA: Conflict victims, rights defenders seek annulment, by Dewan Rai (kp), CVCP concerned about nine-point deal: Says there can be no amnesty for heinous crimes (ht), Conflict victims dismayed by Oli, Dahal deal, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Madhesi, Janajati forces boycott House meeting (kp), Prez visit to southern neighbour put off (kp), President’s visit to India ‘cancelled’ (ht), Prez’s India visit cancelled as govt fails to endorse it, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Govt to recall envoy to India, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt recalls Ambassador Upadhyay: Action follows after he condemns cancellation of prez trip, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), UCPN (Maoist), UML agree on new govt leadership but not timeline (rep), Dahal will lead new govt in 3 months: Gachhadar (kp)

06/05/2016: Where are the rights? Representatives from the marginalised communities are under pressure to conform to the norms, by Mukesh Jha (kp), Transitional justice: Surveillance making conflict victims wary, by Prakash Adhikari (kp) [?!], Not Silenced: What do you do when an Executive agency set up to stem the rot is itself rotten? Fall back on the Judiciary and Parliament (nt), Nepal urged to act speedily on Tarai abuses (kp), Constitution can be amended but not rewritten: PM (rep) [The necessary amnedments are so numerous that it will look like a rewriting!!], Oli govt gets new lease of life, by Ashok Dahal (rep), UML manages to keep coalition intact: Oli offers Maoist Chairman Dahal govt leadership after budget, agrees to address concerns related to war-era cases, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Oli, Dahal sign 9-pt deal (rep), What forced UCPN (Maoist) to backtrack on its earlier decision?: Flurry of meetings and pressure from leaders played crucial role, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), UCPN-M does a volte-face (ht), ‘Betrayed’ by Maoists, Congress to turn up heat on government, by Anil Giri (kp), PM calls on NC, Madhesis to join dialogue panel (kp) [These are only power oriented games! None of these guys ever makes politics in the interest of people and nation!!], Correcting Course To Save Coalition, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Oli defends govt, rejects allegations: Saysnever thought of dissolving house, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Pulling the rug: This week’s high drama for regime change appears to have fizzled out as the UML beat the Nepali Congress in its competition to woo the UCPN(M), by Kunda Dixit (nt), Commitments of New Force Nepal: It’s a political movement that will build on the latest achievements in the realms of knowledge and science, by Baburam Bhattarai (kp), A downward trend: People like you and me who try to ape the lifestyle of developed countries are also to blame for the present economic situation, by Shyam KC (kp), Reconstruction authority uses mere 9.34pc of allocated funds (ht), Federalizing Nepal: Nepal is currently confronting a big challenge of streamlining both social and constitutional transformation even after seven months of promulgation of the federal Constitution, by Surya Dhungel (sp)

05/05/2016: Over 50 discriminatory clauses in constitution, interview with Ashok Rai (rep), Maoist move makes UML stare at crisis: Could take a decision to withdraw its support to Oli government today; New alliance on cards with Nepali Congress taking the centre stage (kp), Morcha ‘ready to support’ NC to topple govt (kp), UDMF vows support for toppling Oli govt: NC must give written commitment to Madhes agenda, by Madan Koirala (rep), NC, UCPN-M, UDMF join hands to topple govt, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Call for keeping coalition intact (kp), Cong collects MPs’ signatures (kp) [A no-confidence motion is not allowed according to article 100 (4) of the constitution! How stupid are these politicians?], Ruling coalition partner miffed at PM: Oli likely to resign today after an address to nation (ht), Oli likely to lose majority as Maoists set to withdraw support, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Dahal keen to head new government (ht), Govt leadership under fire for under performance (ht), ‘Govt conspiring to send Maoist leaders to jail’ (kp) [Only law courts can send persons to jail, and this only if they are convicted of crimes!!], Khumbu locals build houses on their owns, by Kumbharaj Rai (kp), Nepal has Rs 965.81 billion at disposal: Country’s gross national savings of 42.95pc of the GDP is one of the highest in the world, by Rupak D. Sharma ([!?] (ht), Treasury surplus at all-time high of Rs 180bn: Govt had spent only 39.53pc of total annual budget as of Tuesday (ht), Govt sitting on Rs 100 billion, unable to spend: 21 national pride projects and 326 under priority one suffer, by Laxman Biyogi (rep), Still trapped: Around 16,500 Nepalis, mostly women and children, have been trafficked from Nepal in the last two years alone, by David Kainee (kp), Modus Operandi Of Government, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

04/05/2016: Transitional justice: Police seek details of conflict victims’ complaints, denied, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Tharus to launch protests from Friday (kp), Quake damaged trails in disrepair (kp), Dhading water scarcity hits displaced families most, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), A test of will: Working hand in hand and rebuilding this country for the better will slowly heal our wounds, by Sakun Gajurel (kp), Economic growth slumps to 14-year low at 0.77 pc: CBS data shows per capita income grew by Rs 3,842 this fiscal against Rs 4,666 last year, by Bibek Subedi (kp), Economy to grow by 0.77 per cent, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Economic growth at 13-year low of 0.77 percent, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), Speak your mind: Hallmark of a democracy should be the ease with which it allows proliferation of ideas, however unpalatable, by Pranaya SJB Rana (kp), Canadian man asked to leave Nepal in 2 days (kp), Canadian ordered to leave Nepal over tweets (ht), No one can curb press freedom, says Prez (kp) [???], Storm brewing in ruling coalition?: UCPN (Maoist) ‘not happy’ with govt’s working style, warns of quitting (kp), Congress MPs even ready for new govt under Dahal, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Opposition Ups Ante Against Government, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Prime minister urges UML MPs to stay put in capital (ht), Patchy and leaky: While the earthquakes devastated the country, corruption greatly hampered relief efforts, by Maximillian Morch (rep)

03/05/2016: It’s high time Oli govt unseated: Cong MPs; Lawmakers press party leadership to initiate no-confidence motion, by Anil Giri (kp) [A no-confidence motion shall not be presented up to first two years of appointment of the Prime Minister according to article 100 (4) of the constitution! It is unbelievable that the MPs don't know the constitution they have just decided!! Oli, Deuba and all the other top leaders have failed time and again! Nepal needs a new generation of political leaders!!], Congress MPs call for moves to change govt, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Dispute on hearings committee forwarded to full House (rep), Some amendment in constitution must to meet Madhesi demand: Dahal, by Ajit Tiwari (rep), 'Address Madhes demands to avoid adverse consequences', by Santosh Singh, Not so free: Although Nepal recognises the right to information, journalists are not able to investigate issues properly, by Laxman Datt Pant (kp)

02/05/2016: Rebuilding yet to get on ministries’ agenda: Rebuilding authority has received information on reconstruction programmes only from six ministries so far (kp), Leaders eye middle path on House rules: Parties under pressure to find a solution before budget session begins, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Big III fail to iron out differences (ht 02/05/2016), Thapa offers to step down as dialogue panel chief (kp) [Someone who is against the federal state is not qualified to talk about federal boundaries, either!!], Reshuffling the deck: PM Oli and top leaders of three major parties need to join the boundary panel (kp) [??], Top NC leaders call for alternative to Oli govt: Bimalendra Nidhi and Dr Shekhar Koirala bat for a new govt in upcoming Parliament session (kp), Current Situation of Nepalese Political Parties, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

01/05/2016: PM gets an earful for keeping half an eye on pressing issues: Leaders censure govt for failing to address Madhes issue and speed up reconstruction, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Govt under fire for delayed reconstruction work: Prime Minister Oli tells an all-party meet that Madhes issues will be resolved through talks, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Madhes-based parties snub meeting (kp), Moment of reckoning: Political parties are not particularly known for their wisdom of moderation and mediation, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Signing of grant
agreements yet to pick momentum (ht), Peace committee receives tepid response (ht)

30/04/2016: Govt fails to buck spending trend, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Unity government to be the refrain, again: Leaders say the upcoming political consultations will be directed towards seeking consensus on unity government (kp) [This is useless since the top leaders of all political parties are avsolutely incompetent!!], First draft of local body restructuring by August: The draft will be put under deliberation before the final report is prepared , by Gaurav Thapa (kp)

29/04/2016: Security forces' interest in war-era cases: Conflict victims caught in a catch-22 situation; Fear retribution if they file plaints, worry about no justice if they don't, by Dewan Rai and Nagendra Adhikari (kp) Fading hopes: Families of some conflict-era victims tell why the two transitional justice bodies cannot deliver them justice, by Nagendra Adhikari (kp), Parties ask cadres to help in house reconstruction (kp) [Without any money from reconstruction funds??], At landslide risk, quake survivors want relocation, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp)

28/04/2016: The rights approach: It’s best to allow Truth and Reconciliation Commission process complete autonomy (kp), Madhesi-Janajati alliance submits memorandum (kp), FA submits memorandum to PM through CDOs: Federal Alliance demands identity-based provinces (kp), Quake survivors urge govt to rope in development partners, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Govt in dark about work of most aid agencies in quake-hit districts, by Narhari Sapkota, Nirajan Paudel, Ramesh Khatiwada and Dhruba Dangal (rep) [The government is in the dark because it left the suffering people alone for one year! NGOs do the work that should have been done by government agencies!], Will Reconstruction Pick Up Momentum?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Vox populi: Our cities will never go green until and unless we revamp the country’s deeply flawed ‘representative democracy’, by Manish Pokharel and Bimal Pratap Shah (kp), Prosecution versus persecution: Dixit’s arrest has gladdened some, angered others, and confused many, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Community Mediation Directives Should Take Effect Soon, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Leave parliamentary hearing to existing PHC: PRDC chair, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), EC proposes bill to fund parties, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Nepal in 2045: Contrary to Indian expectations, Nepal is likely, when pushed to the wall, to turn to China and even have a military pact with it, by Aditya Man Shrestha (rep), First Anniversary Of Devastating Quakes, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

27/04/2016: They are sufferers too: Women victims of sexual violence during the Maoist conflict must get due priority, by Neetu Pokharel and Som Niroula (kp), Guilty will be punished: TRC Commissioner Subedi, by Arun Bam (rep), Convicted, prosecuted Maoists form protest group (rep), None of battered Sindhu rebuilt in a year, by Rishiram Paudyal (kp), Post-quake housing aid: Congress MPs ask PM to cut through red tape, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Opposition MPs submit memo to PM alleging inaction (ht), BFIs slow in extending home loan schemes to quake victims: Only 10 individual households have benefited from central bank’s refinancing facility, which was introduced on May 27 (ht), What Led To Delay In Reconstruction?, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), ICC move ‘bails out’ Nepali cricket of sticky wicket: International Cricket Council hints at its direct supervision of the game in Nepal, by Adarsha Dhakal (kp), Mired In Controversy, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Govt, NC ‘reluctant’ to hold talks with FA: Federal Alliance to submit memo to PM today before spearheading stir, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Lack of parliamentary hearings has chain effect across govt (rep), Delay in constitution implementation derails hopes for prosperity, peace, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Baby steps: A government notice during the shortage of cooking gas illustrates the failure of all parties committed to open data, RTI and good governance, by Adarsha Tuladhar (rep)

26/04/2016: 16,500 Nepalis trafficked in last two years: NHRC; Rights body’s report says majority of the victims were children and unmarried women (kp) [see report by NHRC], Women and child trafficking increased after temblor: NHRC (ht), NHRC report shows many faces of human trafficking: Females migrating to Korea through marriage living like slaves, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Agents prey on female migrants as govt bans domestics outflow, by Shreejana Shrestha (rep), Khara conflict victims demand justice (ht) [The NA will demand their names and addresses immediately!?], 40 health facilities rebuilt so far, says Health ministry: The ministry struggles to reconstruct 270 health posts that were housed in rooms made available by the local government (kp), Parbat survivors unsure about rebuilding aid, by Agandhar Tiwari (kp), Quake-affected languishing in temporary shelters, by Keshav Adhikari (ht), Communities that survived quake now face landslide risk (kp), Quake victims obstruct reconstruction (ht), Victims still don't feel reassured about receiving relief soon, by Narhari Sapkota and Dhruba Dangal (rep), INGOs pressing govt to change NRA guidelines: INGOs want to work independently, select beneficiaries on their own, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Scores trek to Langtang to mourn quake victims, by Keshav Koirala (ht), Scale up emergency preparedness: WHO (ht), Civic polls not on govt priority list, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [!!], ICC suspends membership of CAN, by Mahesh Acharya [because of government interference!!], The difficult choice: Success of Federal Alliance will largely depend on how well it will push and establish broader national agendas, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

25/04/2016: Nation remembers quake victims (kp), Nepal earthquake: Patience wearing thin one year on, by Justin Rowlatt (BBC), Reconstruction project in 11 districts, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Mega reconstruction campaign kicks off, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), A year on, shelter still remains top priority (ht), ‘Marginalised folk missed out on aid’ (kp), Many from marginalized communities missed out on quake aid: Report (rep), Annus horribilis: Government, bureaucracy should stop their legitimacy from eroding further (kp) [!!], NHRC urges government to expedite post-disaster reconstruction works (ht), NHRC: Govt quake response too slow, NGOs non-transparent; Suggests permanence for local govt bodies, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Bibeksheel Nepali protests against govt (ht), Khotang temblor victims yet to receive relief (ht), Quake-affected children still in need of safe learning environment: UNICEF (ht), Frustration mounts over slow recovery (ht), Conflict-hit children yet to get relief (ht), Govt launches house reconstructions (rep), Donor community renews support to reconstruction (kp), EU pledges €105m grant (kp), Aid through govt channel down, by Prithvi Man Shresta (kp) [No wonder since this would be wasted aid!], There are possibilities of Nepal becoming another Haiti, interview with Govinda Raj Pokhrel (kp), Curbs on press freedom: Constitution drafters seriously misunderstood idea of press freedom, which differs from right to communication, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp)

24/04/2016: NA seeks details of complainants: Transitional justice commissions turn down request, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [Unbelievable demand by the army!!], File complaints without fear, TRC member tells conflict victims (ht) [??], Year of tragedy, of hope deferred and wait, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), Year on, disaster preparedness still a far cry: Nation mourns death of thousands, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Less than one in a thousand have received housing grants so far: Only 700 of 770,000 families have got first installment of Rs 200,000, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Millions of quake victims still remain homeless (ht), Dismayed donors: The outpouring of support a year ago has unfortunately been matched by disappointment a year later, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Rebuilding slow but on course, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Survivors first: Living in makeshift tents for the past one year has been exasperating for the quake victims, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Water shortage adds to hardship of quake survivors (kp), A year after: Lessons not learned; A number of international experts visited Nepal after last year’s earthquake and presented their findings to the Nepali government,but the government has shown little interest in learning from their observations , by Naresh Koirala and Bishnu Pandey (kp), The great divide: Why were discussions about relief and rebuilding being conducted in a language that was so removed from the lived experience of the most affected people?, by Shradha Ghale (kp)

23/04/2016: SC issues show cause on ambassador nominations (kp), Madhesi-Janajati alliance unveils stir programme (kp), Federal ALliance announces fresh protest programmes (ht), Ministry says meeting with diplomats violates code (kp) [???], Year of inaction: The performance of National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), which was established with much fan-fare, has been disappointing, by David Kainee (rep), Virtually no gov’t rebuilding a year after Nepal quake, by Binaj Gurubacharya (kp), Forget them not: On first anniversary quake victims are waiting for government support and donors are frustrated, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep), NRA fails to introduce PDRF on time (ht), Landless quake victims missing out as Nepal rebuilds: Oxfam (ht), Dolakha locals reconstruct quake-damaged houses with locally-available resources, by Ramesh Khatiwada (rep), 319,912 households ‘real beneficiaries’: Rebuilding authority to start signing aid agreements from tomorrow (kp), Quake survivors take loans to build homes, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), Barpak, a year later, by Prakash Timalsena (kp), Parliament session likely in 20 days (ht), Ball in major parties’ court on Parliamentary Regulations (ht)

22/04/2016: Barpak, the epicentre, still in ruins: What worries the earthquake survivors the most is monsoon rains, by Sudip Kaini (kp), NRA announces 2-day commemoration (kp) [The people don't need commemoration and political performances but help!!], Waiting for 200,000: In Singati, people may not be able to read and write, but they know exactly what is causing the delay, by Shankar Dahal (nt), Don't forget those who were wounded: Disabled survivors from last year’s earthquake are slowly getting back on their feet, by Smriti Basnet (nt), WFP to support livelihood recovery of quake vicitms (ht), Nutrition and disaster risk reduction (kp), Federal Alliance protest to be peaceful, democratic (ht), Gathabandhan briefs foreign diplomats on statute issues (kp), Conflict victims from Rolpa silent?: TRC, CIEDP have received the least number of complaints from the epicentre of Maoist insurgency, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Disqualified Maoist combatants turn to TRC for justice: Seek action against govt, UNMIN for turning blind eye, by Nabin Khatiwada (ht), Scrap conflict-era cases: Maoists, New Force (ht) [?? Crimes have to be punished!], Recommendation of envoys challenged (ht), ‘Don’t doubt inclusiveness of the new constitution’ (ht) [Bhim Rawal takes the people for a fool!!], Anyone else in my place could have staged a coup: Ex-prez Dr Yadav (rep) [??!!], An unforgettable year: The year will be remembered not just for the miseries but  also for the opportunities that the government squadered, by Shyam KC (kp), Time stands still, by Priyanka Gurung (rep), Bringing Nepali Congress On Board, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Devil and deep blue sea: Nepalis learnt long ago they cannot rely on their government, and recent events have  taught us we cannot rely on outsiders either, by Rubeena Mahato (nt), Just govern: A border blockade and failure to get relief to earthquake survivors highlight Nepal’s sorry state, by George Varughese (nt)

21/04/2016: Madhesis, Janajatis put protest on hold (kp), Federal Alliance to intensify stir in 21 days: To brief diplomatic corps on its 22-point common concept paper today (ht), Maoists against courts handling war-era cases (kp) [Under the rule of law, defendants cannot decide if their cases are handled by law courts or not! By the way, the same is true for the crimes of security forces and politicians who protected these crimes!!], Maoist parties for bringing war-era sub judice cases under TRC jurisdiction (rep), Widow files complaint at TRC 12 years after her husband was gunned down, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Conflict victims optimistic, by Adarsha KC (ht), Parliament regulations: Plan to finalise rules set to hit snag again, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Undiplomatic move: Much delayed ambassadorial appointments leave more room for concern than celebration (kp), Envoys sans criteria: Though delayed for very long the naming of the envoys is expected to enhance the image of Nepal abroad (ht), A journey of a thousand miles: We can only hope that the government will now adopt a more confident approach to reconstruction, by Deepak Thapa (kp), I don’t care about attempts to unseat me: Prime Minister Olim (ht) [You should better try to learn your own constitution: A no-confidence motion in parliament is not possible within the first two years of appointment of a Prime Minister according to article 100 (4)! So, you either have to resign or ask for a vote of confidence and you will be out of job soon!!], Victims unhappy with sluggish pace of reconstruction process: Survey (rep), Irregularities In State Expenditures And Loss To The Nation, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

20/04/2016: Agitating parties ask PM to choose between protest, talks (kp), FA to announce struggle plan today (ht), Cabinet recommends envoys for 21 missions: 13 picked under political quota, eight from among career diplomats, by Anil Giri (kp), Envoys to 21 countries named, Oman post vacant (ht), Govt names ambassadors to 21 countries (rep), PM’s prison mate among the nominees (ht), Bracing up: Govt committee reviews preparedness plans (kp), Langtang locals unhappy with NRA, by Krishna Thapa (kp), Triangular connectivity: Nepal should try to gain the trust of both India and China by resolving domestic issues, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), One year on: We must protect the dignity of women and girls and focus on empowering them to play a role in rebuilding their lives, by Giulia Vallese (rep), Delay in allocation of resources to rehab fund frustrates private sector (rep)

19/04/2016: Madhesis, Janajatis announce tactical alliance for struggle: The parties, which plan to start a nationwide protest under the banner of Sanghiya Samabesi Gathabandhan later this month, have put a long list of demands before the government (kp), Madhesi, Janajati leaders vow intensified movement (ht), Madhesi leaders urge yet another nationwide protest (rep), UDMF stir not possible now: Home Minister (ht) [?? It was also only a non-inclusive handful of people that drafted the non-inclusiv constitution, Mr Basnet! This is the very reason for stir!], Army took her little girl away, claims one mother in Baglung, by Prakash Baral (kp), Rolpa yet to begin registration, by Kashiram Dangi (kp), Kin of disappeared file complaints, rue delayed justice, by Santosh Pokharel and Devendra Basnet (rep), 85 injured named in deceased list (kp) [??], Coming clean: Parties need to show that they are willing and able to prosecute war-era cases (kp), Wounds of war (ht), Far too common: Reports from human rights organisations suggest that Nepali police and armed forces regularly practice torture, by Jeevan Raj Sharma (rep), CEDAW convention: Civil society to send alternate report (kp), NGOs plan to submit alternative report to CEDAW (ht), Govt set to call House session from mid-May, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Times are different: Nepal’s political stability and national security are of international significance; Political will to amend the constitution to address the legitimate demands of the Madhes-based political parties is required, by Binoj Basnyat (kp), New directions: India does not mind connecting with China, but Nepal’s linkages with the Chinese have always been a matter of concern for it, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (kp), Restructuring of local bodies slowly picking up pace, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Constitution of Nepal: Implementation main task, by Shiba Datta Gnawali (ht), Go local: The NRA has proposed 17 different residential building models for post-quake rebuilding. Most of these models are defective, by Keshab Sharma (rep)

18/04/2016: Triumph of trickery: Ruling Oli-garchy is a continuation of socio-political reality of Nepal where Khas-Arya considers itself to be rightful owner and ultimate defender of purity of nation, by CK Lal (rep), Country sans leaders: We have had too many position holders but not a single person who used the position as a platform to exercise leadership, by Hitesh Karki (rep), Over 31,000 families rebuild on their own: One year since disaster, survivors are frustrated at slow govt response, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Now, NRA and government have a new job: Controll of NGOs and private persons who try to help the victims!! The inaction of the state fulfils the criminal offence of failure to render assistance!!], Now TRC starts registering cases: 125 complaints received in the first day, by Binod Ghimire (kp), TRC receives complaints; wants relevant laws amended, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), TRC members divided over ‘induction of ex-rebels’ (ht), Give talks a chance: Though frustrated, the Madhesi Morcha should continue to push for negotiation (kp), HLPCC Chair Dahal to hold talks with agitating UDMF, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Deuba heading for New Delhi, meets Madhesi leaders (kp), Oli inducts RPP’s Chand into cabinet (kp), Oli govt's council of ministers grows to 41 members (rep) [And Oli is absolutely unaware that the constitution only allows upt to 25 members within the council of ministers!?], Who will do what: A clear division of responsibilities among different levels of government is essential, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Govt unveils ambitious plan to build roads, railways: Spending platform for transport infrastructure (rep 18/04/2016) [Dream, dream, dream... Ten years ago, they also promised an inclusive federal republic within 2 or 3 years; ten years later they have reiterated the non-inclusive state!!], Prime Minister’s Address To Nation, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

17/04/2016: As talks fail to resume, blame game continues: PM, his party’s calls to return to negotiating table cut no ice with Morcha, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tough going: Women politicians find themselves caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Listen to the people: Any political transition without broad-based agreement will be counterproductive, by Suresh Sharma (kp), Condition of IDPs worsening after quakes: Report (ht), ‘Consensus govt could be formed under another leader’ (ht) [But nobody from among the current failed leaders!!]

16/04/2016: Int’l rights bodies rap govt for intimidating NHRC: Urge PM Oli to respect commission’s independence in line with international standards (kp) [see common statement by AI, HRW and ICJ], Rights bodies accuse PM Oli of harassing NHRC (ht), NRA allows NGOs, INGOs to extend grants to earthquake survivors (ht) [Govt and NRA are still trying to make help for last year's earthquake victims as complicated as possible instead of finally distributing the international aid money to the suffering people and hindering NGO#s to fill the gap!!], UML gives olive branch to SLMM (kp), Fresh movement only option left: SP Chair Mahato (ht), Myopic vision led to failure of Madhes agitation, says Bhattarai (ht), Agencies told to step up security (kp), Govt yet to pay medical bills, says UDMF: Claims it spent Rs 4.4 million for the treatment 24 people injured during the Madhes agitation (ht), A city divided: Last year’s earthquake—that forced most Kathmandu’s residents to live in tents and makeshift tarp shelters—has not helped the city empathise with the deplorable conditions of its squatter communities, by Alisha Sijapati (kp), Why is the dominant ethnicity preserving the status quo? I wish the marginalised communities started to speak about economic class in the same breath as ethnicity, by Shreya Paudel (kp)

15/04/2016: CIEDP takes plaints amid questions about process: 15 registered on the first day as rights defenders call for law criminalising disappearances, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Victims can now file complaints to CIEDP, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), State of Impunity: Letting war criminals go free erodes the rule of law, sends the message that violence is the answer and no one has to pay for crimes (nt), “How many times do we need to share our story?”: From the human rights perspective, Nepal’s peace process has been a failure, by Seulki Lee (nt), The torturous road to peace: The conflict ended ten years ago, but the physical and mental scars of torture victims has not, by Yuvaraj Shrestha (nt), Just waiting: Twenty years of war to peace has brought Nepalis back full circle, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Nepal: End Intimidation of Human Rights Commission (AI, HRW, ICJ), PM Gave us a lecture: NHRC; The NHRC is looked upon as an enemy, they have to understand that we are partners, by Seulki Lee (nt), Helter Shelter: Survivors suffer due to weak regulation and delay in relief, by Smriti Basnet (nt), Housing aid too little, too late? Gorkha tremor survivors say Rs 200,000 not enough to build homes, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Victims allege irregularities: Even those who are not quake victims have received fund for reconstruction of houses because of pressure from political parties (ht) [Political parties stand for continued criminal and corrupt practices!], Damage survey in 11 districts to be complete in 2 weeks: CBS, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), UNESCO director general to monitor post-quake recovery (ht), Excessive force used against Tarai protesters (ht) [see report by US Department of State], Madhesi, Janajati leaders to make agitation larger: To take on board groups leading identity movements (kp), Order please: As the Madhesi parties plan their next movement, here is an appeal not to resort to violent tactics again, by Mohan Guragain (kp), Constitution can be amended to address Madhes-based parties’ concerns, says Deuba (ht), Cong chief for constitution amendment (kp), Look both ways: First turning towards the south and then the north during the crisis has harmed Nepal, by Aditya Baral (kp)

14/04/2016: Occupying border again is sheer folly: Rajendra Mahato, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), PM lacks sincerity for talks: UDMF (ht), House session delay hits law formulation, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), NRA to get budget of around Rs 150bn next fiscal year: Authority unlikely to introduce post-disaster recovery framework for reconstruction within April 24 deadline, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Civil society calls on govt to expedite reconstruction works (ht), New-year resolution: Getting the larger population on board the constitution, Reconstruction are priorities (kp), Fight the power: If independent institutions assert the way the NHRC has done, thorny issues will find an early resolution, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Nepal: End Intimidation of Human Rights Commission; Interference by Prime Minister Deliberate Attempt to Stifle Independence (Human Rights Watch), Cabinet delays endorsement of NTIS 2015, projects stalled (ht), Economics over politics: As far as the memory serves, the economy has always been sacrificed at the altar of politics; The result is here for all to see, by Shyam Dahal (rep)

13/04/2016: Morcha doubts govt sincerity on Madhes issues (kp), Madhesis, Congress Unite Against Government, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), ‘Constitution must be rewritten’ (ht), Politically possessed: Political instability and excessive politicisation are taking a toll on Nepal’s development, by Ram Sharan Mahat (kp), OAG report lays bare govt’s failure: Stresses need to incorporate disaster risk issues into development planning (ht), Delayed budget hampers work (ht), Rebuilding of quake-damaged private houses from April 24: PM (rep) [Empty promisses!], Neglect of duty: The responsible leaders must attend all the meetings to make all the committees more functional and make the parliamentary system as a whole accountable (ht)

12/04/2016: Human wrongs: The national human rights institution is being criticised for raising the issues of human rights violations, by Mohna Ansari (kp), Govt starts releasing aid to rebuild homes: 641 individuals in Dolakha receive Rs 50,000 each as first installment, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Quake-hit Keraunja at risk from landslide also, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Transitional justice: Build trust for filing plaints, say victims, by Dewan Rai (kp), Peace and justice: It took a decade for transitional justice bodies to come into existence; This was a deliberate delay, by Swagat Raj Pandey (rep), NC displeased at formation of high-level panel: Congress leaders say party President Deuba will take up the issue with PM Oli (kp), Top leaders neglecting House panel meetings: Good Governance and Monitoring Committee draws attention of 21 members regarding absence from five consecutive gatherings, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [Please stop to call such persons 'leaders'!!], Auditor General's report: Opacity, irregularities in public spending continue (rep), Unsettled accounts at security agencies on rise, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Madhesi parties' talks ultimatum ends today: No preparations in sight (rep)

11/04/2016: NRA to allow NGOs in rebuilding homes: Extra rules for mobilisation via one door; 3-side deal for reconstruction, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Post-quake reconstruction: Aid agreement begins in Dhading, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), ‘Statement delivered at UN was official’: NHRC Chairman Anup Raj Sharma makes it clear that the statement were not Ansari’s personal remark, by Dewan Rai (kp), NHRC chair defends Ansari’s statement (ht), Prime Minister Oli violates norms of Human Rights (The Voice of Madhesh), Karki picked for chief justice job (kp), Constitutional Council recommends Sushila Karki for chief justice: She will be Nepal's first female CJ, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Differences between govt, oppn spill out:  Key appointments held up n Nepali Congress demands Parliament session to discuss issues, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Police beat up journo (kp), Morcha, some Janajati groups agree to launch joint protests: Leaders from both sides say there has been an understanding to collaborate on issues of common interest (kp), Ultimatum And Uncertainty, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), We are seeking our rights within Nepal: Thakur (ht), International alert: The countries which are dissatisfied with the new constitution in Nepal face far graver crises than those facing Nepal, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [This can only be claimed by a male Bahun who never faced exclusion and hardships!]

10/04/2016: CIEDP’s ability to deliver restorative justice questioned, by Janak Nepal (kp), Lessons from Pakistan: A theocratic monolithic system drove a wedge between the state and the people, by Kalpana Jha (kp), Not really secular: In Nepal, no religion can claim to have its followers ‘from time immemorial’, by Ramesh Khatry (kp), DPM Thapa says Hindu state, monarchy can make comeback (kp) [Such anti-constitutional and anti-people politicians shpuld not be part of a republican government!], NC on same page with Madhes-based parties: Writes DPM Kamal Thapa-led political mechanism off, demands new one, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [The problem is that the wrong decisions on federalism were taken at the time of the NC led government under PM Sushil Koirala! Has the NC really changed its mind?], Fresh protests on Morcha cards: Meeting to draft blueprint for stir likely from April-end (kp), UDMF, Federal Alliance to launch fresh stir (ht), PM urges NC to join govt (kp) [Offer to extend tenure of government?], Too young to marry: Political leaders must move to end child marriage by considering it a national issue, by Asmita Verma (kp)

09/04/2016: High-level commiittee formed under PM to implement federalism: DPM Thapa unhappy over exclusion, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep) [By the way, Janajati, Madhesi, Dalits and women extremely unhappy over exclusion! And: Thapa is one of the greatest opponents of federalism in the county!], 2 panels set up for state restructuring (kp) [The non-inclusive male political elite (only one female Bahun is participated) procedes on its way to create a federal setup in its interests!], PM to lead federalism implementation panel (ht), Transitional justice: In call for cases, Doramba folk see chance for justice, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp), Bhatta decries induction of ex-Maoist combatants in TRC sub-committee, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Parliamentary panel visits Ganga Maya (rep) [Watch and wait until she dies and let the murderers live in peace!], NHRC statement row: Prime Minister Oli should not overstep his jurisdiction: AHRC (kp), Committee to implement deals with neighbours: Nepal signed seven deals with India and 10 with China during Oli’s visits to the neighbouring countries in February and March, by Anil Giri (kp), Rs7.94 b in 22 yrs committed for investment by British Virgin Islands: NRB and DoI point to each other for investment records, by Rudra Pangeni (rep)

08/04/2016: State restructuring: Local body commission begins work (kp), NRA instructs MoGA to fill vacant posts: Grant distribution to survivors affected as 125 VDCs of quake-hit districts don’t have secretaries (ht), Village secretaries throw spanner in rebuilding works (kp), A rising Nepal: Heritage sites in Kathmandu Valley destroyed in the earthquake are being rebuilt faster than homes, by Smriti Basnet (nt), It ain’t interference: Nepali leaders welcome the support of the world community when it is in their interest, by Dipendra Jha (kp), PM faces criticism for ‘summoning’ NHRC: Accused of crossing constitutional line for ‘reprimanding’ rights body, by Dewan Rai (kp), Another movement a compulsion: UDMF (ht), The restless Tarai: If Kathmandu doesn’t listen, public anger in the Tarai is going to grow once more to boiling point, by Navin Jha (nt), Challenges in Nepal ties persist: India (ht), 21 foreign missions to be without chiefs in a month: Posting delayed as parties stake claim to berths, by Anil Giri (kp), Level playing field: It is critical that equal treatment for women start with constitutional provisions (kp), Coping and hoping: It is a glaring indictment of the state, that it gives citizens no reason to expect much from their elected representatives (nt), The roving bandits: When those in power feel their tenure is short, the tendency is to make hay while the sun shines, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (kp), Court tells police to file case in Ganesh murder by 4 months: Second murder case against Bal Krishna Dhungel , by Nabin Khatiwada (rep) [Nepal's leading politicians continuously surround themselves with criminals!], Costly connections: Neither of the two—India and China—should ever be given the monopoly of trade in this country, by Shyam KC (kp)

07/04/2016: Maintain security, confidentiality: CVCP, by Dewan Rai (kp), Tent Life: A Case Of Heightened State Negligence, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), NRA: Grant distribution through banks difficult in remote areas, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Morcha, Janajati parties in bid to form alliance: Want to exert pressure on govt to address demands (kp), New Madhes protest to be Singha Durbar-centric: Mahato, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep=, Oli for all 3-level polls under his leadership: Local, provincial, parliamentary elections need to be held by Jan 2018 (kp), Suspended lawmaker Sah masterminded the murder: Police, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), Govt wakes up to UK paper claims after three days: The Sun on Monday reported that child survivors of last year’s earthquake ‘being sold’ to rich Brit families (kp), US envoy urges PM Oli to restore essential supplies (ht) [Another intervention into internal Nepali affairs according to Nepali politicians?], International interest: When we seem happy to operate in a foreign policy vacuum, why feign surprise when foreign powers set the agenda for us?, by Biswas Baral (rep), Nepal’s statute progressive: French envoy (ht) [Not much knowledge of Nepal's realities and history??], PM under fire within party for poor governance, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep)

06/04/2016: ICG urges govt, Madhesi parties to build trust (kp), Nepal risks fresh turmoil over ‘flawed’ constitution (ht), Still pending: Local elections can institutionalise democratic processes or they can be a political tool, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Harmful Knee-jerk Reaction?, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Post-quake reconstruction: Capacity building, resilience must, by Dipendra Gautam (ht), Is democracy indispensible? Representation and other rights that in our context are abstract ideals can wait; Rule of law and good governance cannot, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (rep)

05/04/2016: Quake survivor children ‘being sold’ in Britain (kp), Report on kid-selling racket shocks govt: Sun reveals Nepali children being sold to UK families (ht), UK paper exposes slave trade in post Nepal-quake children: Indian dealer demands NRs 800,000 per child (ht), A Different Kind Of Aftershock For Nepali Girls, by Azera Parveen Rahman (kp), Caste of characters: In Hindu society, many of the problems are a result of caste and not merely class, by Ratna BK (kp), Sweet and sour: Oli’s visit to China has been praised as historic and decried as mere showing off, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp), UCPN-M’s seeks reversal of Supreme Court verdict (kp) [??], Hearing on murder case to be recorded (ht)

04/04/2016: Nepal’s Divisive New Constitution: An Existential Crisis, by International Crisis Group (ICG) [PM oli and other Nepali politicians not amused!!], Mind your own business: Nepali politicians have managed to constantly block long-term socio-economic development of the country, by Ramesh Shrestha (kp), NRA eschews its decision on aid distribution (kp), Rasuwa VDC secys go on protest, could hit reconstruction works, by Krishna Thapa (kp) [Which reconstruction works??], Cooperative scams Nalang quake victims: Earthquake victims say the cooperative deducted Rs 500 each from the relief amount as a fee for share membership, by Harihar Singh Rathour (kp), RPP-N to file motion for a Hindu state (kp), Oli-garchy: The UML’s current factional struggle is more about power than ideology (kp)

03/04/2016: Reconstruction delay: Quake survivors in Gorkha start building houses on their own, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Don’t suppress Madhes stir: Former Prez (kp), RPP-N will still bat for Hindu state: Thapa (kp) [This is an unconstitutional demand, Mr DPM! The non-inclusive Hindu state over centuries has been the very basis of Nepal's current problems!!], Big country, small country: Nepal’s political crisis has to be resolved internally, not by leaders in Delhi or Patna, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Govt likely to skip House session: Government could go for budget session directly, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Nepal at crossroads: A roadmap to prosperity, by Lokman Singh Karki (ht)

02/04/2016: TRC must build trust first: Conflict victims, by Dewan Rai (kp), Earthquake victims face tough times ahead (ht), Govt decries EU-India statement, calls it ‘altogether inappropriate’, by Anil Giri (kp), EU-India remarks on Nepal’s statute inappropriate: Govt; Claims the new constitution was promulgated in keeping with universal democratic norms (ht) [The leading politicians not even followed the prescriptions of the interim constitution and disregarded the ruling of the Supreme Court!], Warnings galore! The bideshis want political stability and economic growth in our land whereas our politicians want never-ending chaos, so that they get to share power and loot the state treasury, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical truth], Cabinet for amending Local Body Election Procedure Act (ht), Local poll law moves forward: Cabinet decides to submit draft to Bill Committee under Prime Minister’s Office for final look before tabling it in Parliament, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Unrest rumours spark fear into biz community, by Binod Bhandari (kp)

01/04/2016: Impossible task: The scars of the conflict will remain unhealed unless the law relating to both the commissions is amended to meet internationalstandards  (ht), TRC's demand of documents from NHRC sparks debate: Some of the conflict victims and rights activists  hasve reportedly expressed doubts that the evidences and wirnesses will be safe in TRC hands, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), EU-India statement on charter irks govt: MoFA calls it ‘uncalled for’, says interference in internal affairs of a country (kp) [The new constitution has been written by the non-inclusive leaders of the big parties! They disregarded the interim constitution, the decision of the Supreme Court and the interests of the not included majority of society! They disallowed the latter's representatives in the CA to vote in the interests of their social groups, etc. How can you call this democratic?], Tarai examinees return dejected (kp) [Highest responsibility goes to the top politicians' way to push the constitution through!], Nepali government objects to reference to Nepal’s statute (ht), Nepal strongly objects to EU-India statement on constitution (rep), Joint Statement Of EU Officials And Modi, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Holding hostage: Stalling Parliament over petty politics belittles democracy (kp), NC warns govt over ordinance to rejig judiciary: Deuba calls PM to warn against bypassing Parliament, by Anil Giri (kp), Madhes-based parties gear up for general conventions: For many born after 2007 Madhes stir, this will be 1st leadership reshuffle (kp), Strong protests from mid-April: Mahato, by Abdhaesh Kumar Jha (kp), UDMF secretariat told to prepare blueprint of movement (ht), Post-quake reconstruction: Over half a million damaged houses surveyed so far, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Re-verification delays timber distribution (kp), Political understanding urged on number of ministries (rep) [The constitution leaves no doubts: not more than 25 persons! And Oli knew this very well! It's not a question of political understanding!], OPMCM draws flak over Cabinet size (ht), A jungle out there: Will Oli still be around to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping?, by Om Astha Rai (nt)

31/03/2016: ADB report projects Nepal’s GDP growth lowest in South Asia: Country tops the list in the region with inflation projected at 10.5 percent (kp), 49 Supreme Court orders yet to be implemented: Court’s JED records suggest some of the rulings date back to 2006, by Manish Gautam (kp), Transitional justice: Govt asked to provide necessary resources pronto, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC aims to settle conflict-era cases within a year: Many view its plan of action as ‘unrealistic’ given the enormity and complexity of the task, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), TRC chief wants Act amended for int'l acceptance (rep), Freudian slip: PM Oli blaming NRA for tardiness is acknowledgement of his own failure (kp), NRA to seek clarification from CBS, NPC over survey delay (rep), Slow reconstruction taking toll on economy, says ADB (rep), Congress should join UML-led govt, says PM (ht), Decisive innings: Deuba, for now, should refrain from succumbing to the dirty politics of toppling the government, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Campaigners seek information from EC (ht), China seeks more Nepal Army support against 'Free Tibet' activities, by Purna Basnet (rep), Symbiotic relation: The onus is on the government of the day to reform its institutions to ensure participatory, transparent and accountable decision-making, by Madhab Regmi (rep)

30/03/2016: Conflict victims want firm commitment from TJ bodies: They also warn of withdrawing support to Truth and Reconciliation Commission unless it will make the process victim-centric (kp), ‘Ensure HR during post-quake recovery’ (kp), Rights-based reconstruction: The National Reconstruction Authority should treat the earthquake victims as rights holders and empower them, by Madhab Regmi (kp), PM censures NRA, and by extension, own govt: NC leader Mahat accuses government of viewing reconstruction through partisan lense, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Oli forgot to mention himself and the other so-called leaders as the most responsible persons!!], Markhu survivors take out loans for rebuilding, by Pratap Bista (kp), Quake-hit SLC students have difficulty preparing for finals, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), Plan to make PMO model institute lost in the shuffle, by Anil Giri (kp) [?!], Morcha leaders meet today to decide next move (kp), CC fails to recommend name for new CJ (kp)

29/03/2016: NHRC staffer remembered: Pariyar, an assistant human rights officer at NHRC office in Biratnagar, was shot dead by Nepal Police (kp), SLMM reaching out to int’l community (kp), Embargo fears set off gasoline panic buying: Rumours about a possible embargo started flying from Sunday, leading nervous motorists to besiege gasoline stations almost immediately, by Rajesh Khanal (kp)

28/03/2016: Ruined reconstruction: Works held hostage by disputes, red tape, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), TRC says it will collaborate with victims’ platform: The TRC expedites its effort to reach out to the victims to make transitional justice credible and successful, by Dewan Rai (kp), Six months on, parties spar over House rules: Size of the Hearing Committee appears to be the bone of contention, by Binod Ghimire (kp), No comparing of two neighbours, says PM: High-level meets increased understanding at political level, claims Oli (kp)

27/03/2016: 10 more rebuilding resource centres to be established (kp), Pace of post-quake reconstruction too slow, say German MPs (ht), UCPN (Maoist) warns over aid delay (kp), UCPN-Maoist may quit govt, says Sharma (ht), UDMF enforces Birgunj shutdown (ht), Nepal may revert to Hindu state: Bhattarai (ht) [He can already start to bury his new party if he should really have spoken out such nonsense!!], Parties at a crossroads: With a phase of revolution over, political parties need to address new national needs, by Mohan Guragain (kp), Legal experts seek structural reforms in Judicial Council (ht)

26/03/2016: Victims initiate unofficial truth-telling activities_ The victims as well as international bodies have voiceed doubts over the credibility of the transitional justice mechanisms (rep), Stakeholders: Ratify UN convention on refugees (kp), Some 40,000 refugees languishing in Nepal (rep), Genuine demands of Madhes will be addressed, says Dahal (kp) [And what are genuine Madhesi demands in the view of male Bahun leaders, Mr Dahal?], UDMF cadres protest Dahal's Birgunj visit, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Call to fight against patriarchal structures (kp), NRA seeks documents on quake-related loan disbursement from NRB (ht), Govt has to spend Rs 1.66b daily to use up development budget, by Kuvera Chalise (rep)

25/03/2016: Forcing us to forget: As a society we have failed the victims of conflict in more ways than one, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), A lost decade for conflict victims: The kin of those who suffered during the armed insurgency say they have been grossly ignored by the state, by Dewan Rai (kp), Police intervene Baluwatar protest, arrest rights activists, conflict victims (kp) [??], Police intervene in protest staged by conflict victims (rep), Triangular relationship: Madhesi leaders believe PM Oli has no intention of following through on his commitments, by Navin Jha (nt), Talks between agitating Madhesi front and major parties in limbo, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Madhesi leaders warn of stringent protests after mid-April (rep), Morcha leaders meet Rae (kp), MoF not reporting on spending by development projects, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), Unintended Trans-Himalayan Consequences: Did New Delhi ever imagine that its coercive strategy would backfire this badly?, by Kanak Mani Dixit (nt)

24/03/2016: We want to know: The families of conflict victims are still waiting for information a decade after peace, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Storm adds to woes of earthquake-hit families, by Sudip Kaini and Krishna Thapa (kp), Bad men and bad laws: It has become commonplace for every government to take office promising to root out corruption, by Deepak Thapa (kp)

23/03/2016: Victims not sure of due justice: Constraints: Inapt plans, short tenure, structure of peace committees, by Dewan Rai (kp), CIEDP to start detailed investigations from June 15 (rep), Morcha leaders ‘desperate’ to find solution to Tarai crisis: Poor public support has prevented the Morcha leadership from bringing out concrete protest programmes (kp), Uphill task for NRA: to put together team: Some argue mobilising civil servants will be easier than hiring new staff, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Girls are the future: It is time to unlock the potential of girls in Nepal and support their empowerment, by Gail Marzetti (kp), Old enough: In a 21st century democracy, as a voter, no one should be restricted from our opportunity to lead simply because we are "not old enough", by Ujwal Thapa (rep)

22/03/2016: One year after: The TRC and the CIEDP have not laid the groundwork for ensuring truth and justice, by Suman Shdikari (kp), TRC to receive complaints from April 17: War-era crimes probe to start June 15 (rep), An open letter to the PM: Your outlandish declarations show you have no clue what it takes to translate a dream into reality, by Naresh Koirala (kp), Election Commission wary of missing out on poll window (kp), Parliament regulations: Drafting panel members want party leaders to bury the hatchet; Nepali Congress MPs ‘boycott’ meeting (kp), Parliamentary regulations delay affects key hearings: Regulation yet to finalize after 5 months of committee formation, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Prepare for joint people’s movement: FA (ht), Madhesi struggle will continue, says Mahato (ht), UDMF decides not to celebrate Holi (ht)

21/03/2016: NRA chief under CIAA Scanner (kp), ‘Govt change hinges on new NC leadership’ (kp), Finalisation of house regulations:NC-UML tussle delays rules; Regulation Drafting Committee fails to convene a meeting on Sunday after only 13 out of 61committee members turned out (kp), Mingma receives citizenship after her mother’s name, by Aash Gurung (kp) [Even though this should be taken for granted it still sounds like a sensation in patriarchal Nepal!], Quake-displaced blind couple gets help to rebuild home, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp) [But only from foreign donors? What about the Nepali state?], JC’s decision to nominate SC justices upheld (ht), Fighting discrimination: Dalits are deprived from exercising their human rights, by Bharat Nepali (rep)

20/03/2016: Government show gets Maoist thumbs down (kp), Morcha insists govt drop charges against its leaders, by Roshan Sedhai (kp) [??], Three friends: Fear of Chinese influence has placed Nepal at the receiving end of many reactions by New Delhi, by Saugat Bikram Karki (kp), Federal Alliance holds protest rally (ht), ‘Govt performance not satisfactory, post-quake reconstruction too slow’, interview with Sherr Bahadur Deuba (ht) [This has also been true for the previous NC-led government!]

19/03/2016: CIEDP to start taking plaints from mid-April: Case registration through Local Peace Committees; The regulations have been finalised, but an Act to criminalise acts of disappearance is yet tos be brought (kp), Regulations not as per expectations, claims CIEDP (ht), Complaints on forced disappearances from April 14 (rep), Maoists against courts dealing with war-era cases (kp) [Neither politicians nor parties nor security forces stand above the law!!], Violence takes centre stage in HRC: India assures support to Nepal for UPR recommendation adoption, by Dewan Rai (kp), Reconstruction and its elusive grand narrative: The government has boxed itself into an impossible situation of trying to control everything, something it doesn’t have the required resources or capabilities to do, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Tarai forces draw China’s attention to their agendas (kp), Cong ‘to take lead’ to end political standoff, by Binod Ghimire (kp)

18/03/2016: Cart before the horse: The lack of foresight in planning the reconstruction has been staggering (kp), More problems likely to rain down on quake survivors this monsoon: NRA mulling ‘transitional shelters’ as rebuilding work fails to take off, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Complaints outnumber aid deals (kp), Building back better: Some key aspects, by Hari Darshan Shrestha (ht), Noble ends through noble means: The blockade might have been lifted, but we are nowhere close to addressing real Madhesi grievances, by Rubeena Mahato (nt), Madhes crisis: Swaraj enquires about progress; Geneva, Indian mission calls for ‘definite timeframe’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), No oil for Oli: “Beijing can take advantage of Nepal’s increased distance from India, but is unlikely to help us at the cost of angering New Delhi”, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Panel head Karna enjoying facilities 18 months after tenure end, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Hoodwinking for ever?, by Hemang Dixit (sp)

17/03/2016: Morcha to draw Beijing’s attention to its cause: Decides to submit memo to Chinese embassy today (kp), Lead from the front: Deuba should stay firm on commitment to federalism, republicanism, secularism (kp), Trials and errors: Hopefully Nepal will adopt best practices of other democracies to produce less flawed election results, by Pramod Mishra (kp), I will rule for two years, says PM Oli (ht), Hearings for 11 new justices unlikely soon (rep), Strength And Weakness Of Maoists, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

16/03/2016: SC quashes 2 petitions related to war-era cases: Paves way to arrest Maoist cadres accused of murder; the move allows district court to proceed with its arrest warrant, probe and prosecution as per criminal justice process, by Dewan Rai (kp) [Hopefully, this procedure will now be applied to all such cases, including those those crimes that were committed by army personal and partly protected by politicians!!], SC allows arrest, prosecution of Maoist ex-lawmaker Rai, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), The state doesn’t see: An independent inquiry into violence must be formed to establish peace in the Tarai, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Justice names sent back to parliament (kp), JC re-sends list of SC justices for hearing in Parliament (ht), NC in no hurry to form or join govt: Deuba (ht), New test: Bhattarai has named his party Naya Shakti but most members are former Maoist leaders and retired civil servants, by David Kainee (rep)

15/03/2016: Congress puts marginalised communities on the margins, by Dewan Rai (kp) [NC has missed the chance to turn into a progressive and inclusive party with clean and non-corrupt politicians as it is needed by the country and that is no longer dominated by male Tagadharis!], Madhesi women in politics: Grooming at the grassroots urged (kp), Madhes still viewed as Kathmandu’s colony: Thakur, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), ‘Speaker’s decision prima facie wrong’, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), SC issues interim order to conduct hearings for justices, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Speaker defends sending back justice names: Says she’s ready to take hearing ahead if nominations are sent again, by Binod Ghimire (kp), 78 Singati families receive letters for housing grant, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp) [??], Plan distributed substandard zinc sheets: Quake victims, by Ramesh Khatiwada (rep), A looming crisis: There is a real concern that TB would be transmitted to the healthy population residing in the temporary settlements, by Raz Mohammad Wali (kp), Next on the agenda: Now that the constitution has been proclaimed, we should turn towards the economy, by Shyamal Krishna Shrestha (kp) [The proclamation of the deficient constitution means nothing without necessary corrections and implementation! But you are right, the economy is also waiting!], Dampen the dependency: Diversification of supply routes is a must for the survival and dignity of Nepali people, by Surendra Regmi (kp)

14/03/2016: JC picks Karki as first female chief justice: Nominee will take charge when President appoints her after CC approval, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Housing aid distribution from Singati deferred: Leaders of some parties demand cash for all at once (kp), Local protests mar quake grant distribution: NRA accused of mobilizing NGOs only, bypassing local leaders, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Distribution of reconstruction relief kicks off in charikot (ht), TRC talks of oversight mechanism: The TRC discusses with conflict victims on setting up an oversight body to avoid possible interference from power centres (kp), Dahal shown black flag in Siraha, 5 held (kp), Professional inclusiveness is as necessary as ethnic inclusiveness, interview with Bipin Adhikari (kp), Stand-up for women: Men and women should be seen as two wheels of the same cart, by Kajol Shah (kp)

13/03/2016: Caste away: Untouchability and discrimination cannot be ended without strong state intervention, by Ratna BK (kp), Judiciary-legislature blame game: UCPN (M) says ball in prime minister’s court (kp) [What about independence of judiciary? The political parties are only a part, not the owners of the state!], Quake victims get winter relief as summer begins, by Raj Kumar Parajuli (ht), First grants to be issued from Singati centre: Two banks are  scheduled to sign grant contracts with displaced families today, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Please not mere show but effective relief and reconstruction aid for quake effected families without further delay!!], Banks find few takers for loans to rebuild quake-hit houses: Bankers attribute the low demand for  the credit to ‘complicated procedure’ (kp), TRC officials hear plight of Bandarmude victims, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp), A new roadmap: The NC cannot enjoy the luxury of sitting in the opposition and needs to help the govt to implement the constitution, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Mahato threatens decisive stir in Madhes (ht)

12/03/2016: Probe into Tarai violence: UN; Expresses concern over Nepal’s piecemeal progress in transition to peace, by Dewan Rai (kp), Minister Kharel, Karna tasked to study forming judicial probe, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), TRC commissioners at Badarmudhe to hear plight of victims: Victims protest Maoists’ presence, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (rep), Bandarmude victims doubt TRC’s fairness (ht), Madhes issues: Panel formed to suggest ways out (kp), UDMF leaders hold talks with PM, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Madhesis set deadline to meet demands (ht), 2 petitions filed for and against Speaker’s move, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), CDP funds being misused to build party building, by Labdev Dhungana (kp) [Such corrupt practices were to be expected!!], From right to left and back: Conservatism seems to have become a major force of our times and Nepal is not immune to it, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp), ‘Nepali media still not gender-friendly’ (ht), Quake survivors exposed to health risks (ht), 325 water sources of quake-hit 14 districts dried up, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Civil servants refuse to work at NRA, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), No more instability in the name of government change, interview with Shashank Koirala, newly elected General Secretary of Nepali Congress and youngest son of B.P. Koirala (rep)

11/03/2016: Morcha to submit memo to PM today: To launch strikes if demands not met (kp), What next in the Madhes? Madhesi protesters are ready to go back to the streets again, but only if their leaders behave, by Jiyalal Sah (nt), Time’s a-wasting If Madhesi and Tharu grievances are not addressed soon, radical forces will move in, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), A glass half-full: The NC, the oldest democratic party of our country, is most undemocratic in its practices, by Amma Raj Joshi (kp), Anti-federal, pro-Hindu could surround Deuba in NC nucleus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [including corrupt elements like Khum Bahadur Khadka], Chief: Congress’ll take lead in constitution implementation (kp) [anti-federal and anti-secular??], DPM Mainali ‘handicaps’ National Disabled Fund: Move to block funds affecting people with disabilities, by Manish Gautam (kp), Deconstruction authority: The government should stop trying to be a control freak, and open up the space for earthquake survivors to easily rebuild their homes (nt), Rules in place to supply timber for quake-hit (kp) [11 months after the earthquake!!], No relief: 2.5 million earthquake survivors have waited one year for help while the Reconstruction Authority discusses procedures and guidelines, by Sahina Shrestha (nt), NRA delegates agencies for aid distribution: More than Rs 260 million has been released to be distributed to the quake-hit people in Singati, Dolakha (kp), Quake victims rebuilding on their own worry about reconstruction grant, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Misplaced notions: Government seems to spare no effort in indulging in extravaganza in all its activities to foolishly charm and attract the simple and innocent, by Shyam KC (kp), Tussle between UML, UCPN-M fuels conflict between judiciary, legislature, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Speaker sends back CC recommendation of Yadav for EC chief (rep), Money mind: The parties work hand-in-glove with the bureaucracy and business elite to plunder and loot in our kleptocratic state, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Deuba, Delhi and Oli: Something is brewing again in Kathmandu’s political cauldron after the Nepali Congress convention, by Navin Jha (nt)

10/03/2016: Talk of quick survey for aid hollow: House assessment aimed to be completed by mid-April but, as of yesterday, only 46 percent work over: NRA, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Call to involve women in rebuilding process (kp), Morcha meet to gauge situation (kp), UDMF to give ultimatum to PM (ht), Shashanka terms Madhes citadel of democracy: Says grievances and concerns can be addressed through dialogue (ht), Are talks in the cards for change of guard: With Cong jamboree over, discussions on new govt gaining traction, Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Yes, to exchange the government every 6-12 months is normal for Nepal, but it's not as easy as before under the new constitution...], Consensus government under my leadership: Oli (ht) [Nepal does not need a consensus government! Democracy requires an able and activ government and a strong and constructive opposition! Nepal is lacking both!!], NC CWC election: Majority of old faces; Deuba supporters have the upper hand so far (kp) [Including a corrupt criminal in top position! And predominantly male persons! Obviously, this party will never change!], Back again: There are many reasons why Deuba will be much more than a footnote in Nepal’s political history, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Minister weighs case against EC: Prem Bahadur Singh says he will challenge Election Commission’s decision to scrap his Samajbadi Janata Party at Supreme Court (kp)

09/03/2016: Reconstruction body preparing framework (kp), Two monsoons: The govt should stop making excuses and accord highest priority to reconstruction (kp), With will and strong backs, a quake-hit village rebuilds without waiting for govt: What kept them from giving up was a decision that the village has capacity to recover (ht), SC justice appointment: Speaker’s decision on nominees sparks uproar; Some legal experts have questioned the Speaker’s move, saying it is likely to spark dispute between Parliament and judiciary, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Karnali blues: The government interventions in Karnali are mostly of a palliative nature with short-term benefits, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Group of Eminent Persons: More questions than answers, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Blue-collar women find international day meaningless, by Sanskriti Acharya and Isha Pandey (rep), Checkered history: Those who benefit from foreign aid and its patronage networks have an incentive to continue with the status quo, by Jeevan R. Sharma (rep)

08/03/2016: Homes for earthquake victims unlikely before monsoon: NRA (kp), Quake victims in Bhojpur still awaiting aid, by Shahiman Rai (kp), Quake victims struggling for drinking water, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Winds blow away roof of earthquake shelter, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Morcha drums up support for fresh protest (kp), Constitution should be rewritten, says Yadav (ht), Shaking off violence: The constitution has told women that they should compromise on citizenship because they are women and their lineage cannot be as 'pure' as men's, by Anjali Subedi (rep), Equality in true sense: Removing traditional barriers to achieving gender parity needs greater priority in Nepal (kp), For the women: The mainstream women movement has a long way to go before it can claim to represent ‘all Nepali women’, by Subha Ghale (kp), Nepal still needs to give women wider roles: UN; The UN suggests the upcoming local elections need to be shaped by women as both equal voters and as candidates (kp), UN vows support in effort to attain gender equality (ht), Disappearing ink: Short supply of textbooks is a problem that arises every  year, yet the government has done little to address it, by Shak Bahadur Budhathoki (kp), National Pride Projects: Only 8 percent of budget utilised (kp), Money Played A Significant Role In Politics, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

07/03/2016: NRA shifts goalpost as victims wait: While the Post Disaster Needs Assessment has put the number  of earthquake-affected houses at 498,852, the Nepal Reconstruction Authority  has surveyed only 150,000 households so far, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), NAR to distribute first installment of grant: The authority will soon provide 25pc of total amount to quake-affected households (ht) [???], Broken lines: International response to natural disasters continue to fail to address the needs of affected communities, by Maximillian Morch (rep), Election Commission scraps registration of 15 political parties (ht), Appointment of SC justices: Parliament Sectt refuses to act on JC advice; The parliamentary hearing could not be conducted, as new Parliamentary Regulations have not been enacted (kp), Proportional representation of women must in all spheres of life, says Speaker (ht) [The NC is just demonstrating that it does not work!], Male chauvinistic patriots, by CK Lal (rep), Force for good: Does Nepal need an army of 97,000 when economic development is the state priority?, by Shrijan Bahadur Malla (rep)

06/03/2016: Bardiya victims ask govt to ensure justice: Formed 13 months ago, the two transitional justice  bodies have not formally started their tasks due  to lack of legal framework and infrastructure (kp), Dolakha victims in dilemma over ‘low’ aid amount, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Top Morcha leaders to go to new Delhi (kp) [??], Solve the cube: Candidates for major government posts should take a test to prove their common sense, by Pramod Raj Pokharel (kp) [!!], Gujarat in the making: It is important for Nepal to tell its own  story before someone narrates it for us, by Moksheda Thapa (kp)

05/03/2016: Citizenship to dominate CSW agenda; Govt claim: Row ends  with constitution saying children of Nepali father  or mother are eligible for citizenship by descent (kp), OHCHR stance no different from our own: TRC Chair Gurung, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), IRC team searching for bodies in Rolpa, by Kashiram Dangi (kp), Committing Suicide An Option For Nepalese Politicians?, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), The Con(g)-race!: It really doesn’t  matter who becomes the next NC President; All the three  candidates will do nothing to transform the party, nor will they find middle ground and bring all the Kangaroos together, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical but very true!], Madhesh and India: The Madhesh issue cast a long shadow over almost all programs Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli attended while in India, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

04/03/2016: 1,300 get accounts as NRA gears up for rebuilding aid: Cash distribution to be delayed due to NC convention (kp), Parties to report progress towards inclusion (kp) [There will be hardly something to report!], TRC to meet Bandarmudhe blast victims, by Dewan Rai (kp), Morcha leaders talk Madhes issues with Bihar chief minister: Leaders of regional  parties say some of their demands had been addressed through the first constitution amendment (kp), Gorkha CDO transferred for ‘failing to extend hospitality’ to Dahal: Baldev Gautam, who was posted to Gorkha  only recently, is transferred to Saptari for his ‘discourtesy’, by Sudip Kaini (kp) [??], Food for thought: NC plenum has seen an astonishing lack of ideas to keep nation hopeful (kp), Migration and development: Migrants are individuals with rights, not ‘agents’ or ‘tools’ for economic growth or poverty reduction, by Bandita Sijapati (kp), Judicial match-fixing: By giving in to political pressure Chief Justice Kalyan Shrestha has failed to uphold the integrity of the Judiciary, by Binita Dahal (nt), Young and curious, by Biswas Baral (rep), Oli Ko Boli, Ke Garne Bholi?, by Hemang Dixit (sp)

03/03/2016: UN may not support Nepal’s TJ process: Reminds Kathmandu to formulate act, procedures for the TJ bodies in line with international standards; It has also reminded the government of the Supreme Court verdict, which has struck down a dozen provisions as well as suggested amendments to the Act, by Dewan Rai (kp) Madhes-based parties in wait and watch mode: Next move hinges on NC General Convention outcome, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Appointment SC justices: Legislative hurdle set to cause delays (kp), Govt mandates NRA to disburse rebuilding aid: Families rendered  homeless will get  Rs 200,000 each and house loan of up to  Rs 2.5 million (kp), Money for nothing: Instead of demanding more money, govt needs to imporove its capacity for aid utilisation (kp), Riling the juggernaut: We should understand that the historical paranoia of the angry Hindu elite is real in India, by Pramod Mishra (kp)

02/03/2016: Show cause against police for refusing insurgency-era cases (kp), Chepangs left in lurch: Several Chepang families in Chitwan have neither received the earthquake victim’s identity cards  nor any relief so far, by Bimal Khatiwada (kp), Aid plan from Singati set to get delayed (kp), India cuts annual grant to Nepal by 40 percent, by Bibek Subedi (kp), New govt after NC convention: Dahal (kp) [It's doubtful if Dahal knows that in this case Oli would have to resign by himself! According to article 100 of the new constitution, a motion of no confidence is only possible two years after the election of a PM at the earliest! But none of the top male leaders who have written this constitution will be aware of this! This statement does not deny that Oli is a complete failure as PM!], Dicing with death: The government needs to investigate the killings that took place during the Madhes agitation, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Below the line: Poverty line of $1.90 per day, set by the World Bank last October, is not pertinent to the assessment of urban poverty, by Ashika Sharma and Samyam Shrestha (kp)

01/03/2016: NRA fails to set up regional offices: Staff shortage blamed; Planned reconstruction from Singati, Dolakha uncertain; No decision on hiring , by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Women at work: KP Oli could have made significant strides in making the NRA gender-inclusive, by Basundhara Bhattarai (kp), Nepal rejects UN suggestions on TJ-related cases: Govt tells UN Human Rights Council it is yet to be prepared to enact  conventions ratified earlier, by Dewan Rai (kp), NC likely to squander opportunity to evolve, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Courting cash: The state has not been able to utilise the inflow of remittance productively, by Rudra Prasad Dahal (kp), Two disasters and Nepal: The economic slide, by Sandesh Paudyal and Smriti Rai (ht), Govt apathy renders White Paper redundant: More than two thirds of the 52 immediate measures laid out in the White Paper have not been implemented yet, by Sagar Ghimire and Kuvera Chalise (rep), Secularism in context: True freedom of religion is not neutrality to religions but equal treatment of all religions, by Robin Sharma (rep)

29/02/2016: At least 4,000 security personnel drawn back: As protests grew violent in early September, over 12,000 Nepal Police personnel  were deployed in nine ‘highly sensitive’ districts in the eastern and central Tarai, by Manish Gautam (kp), Rawal brushes off blockade reports (kp), UDMF preparing for a decisive battle, says Mahato: If government does not address the Madhes movement by utilising current lull, UDMF will fight (ht), Unclear roadmap: Oli’s intransigence means onus lies on NC to offer long-term solution to Madhes standoff (kp), NC-led govt in the offing, claim ruling parties (ht) [??], Madhav Kumar Nepal says UML will lead next govt also (ht) [Isn't he a leading memeber of one of the ruling parties??], NRA tightens noose around I/NGOs: Nonprofits barred from engaging in reconstruction work without prior approval (rep) [?? This reminds of the government statements shortly after the earthquakes! The affected people are still waiting in vain!!], Victims remain in dark about govt reconstruction program, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), NC not adopting federal structure in party for now, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Is this a hint that the NC is going to distance itself from the idea of federal state?], Dahal vs Bhattarai: Dahal needed Bhattarai more than Bhattarai needed Dahal; But Dahal was also insecure and scared of Bhattarai, by Hisila Yami, wife of Baburam Bhattarai (rep), Unequal Nepal: In an example of extreme inequality, the richest 20 percent people in Nepal hold 56 percent of its wealth, by Kamal Raj Dhungel (rep), Govt needs to spend Rs 1.39 billion development expenditure every day, by Kuvera Chalise (rep)

28/02/2016: Parties not ensuring full representation to be crossed off EC list: Political parties need to ensure inclusive representation of women, Dalits and marginalised groups in their working committees and those of their sister organisations (kp), Ready to quit as Political Committee coordinator to please UDMF: Thapa (ht) [You have been one of the most disqualified persons for this job either!], Meet non-political demands: SLMM; Calls for dropping charges against its cadres who are behind bars (kp), PM’s visit to India a fiasco: UDMF (ht), Less of a hero: Prithvi Narayan Shah and his successors were only interested in expanding their empire, by Bal Gopal Shrestha (kp), Illusive local governance: Government has made local elections its top priority, but no preparations are to be seen, by Khagendra N. Singh (kp), Half of the sky: The quota system is being misused to nominate wives, daughters and close relatives of political leaders, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Policing the police: The police must obey the law while enforcing the law, by Dipendra Adhikari (kp), Nepal-India Relations: The Coast Is Not Still Clear, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

27/02/2016: Campaign for ensuring conflict victims’ rights: The drive aims to provide the floor to the victims’  stories, highlighting their fight for truth and justice (kp), House panel asks TRC not to bring disputes out in media, by Nabin Khatiwata (rep) [The people have a right to information on institutions nominated by political parties!!], 30 pc children involved in hazardous works: Report (kp), Quake victims still awaiting relief, by Raj Kumar Parajuli (ht), National unity govt under NC soon: Sharma (kp) [Irrespected of which party leads the government, the current generation of so-called leaders is not qualified!!], PM Oli invites Madhesi parties to join Cabinet, by Madhav Dhungana (kp) [Obviously, he does not understand anything! This offer proves his mind: Symbolic power sharing but no change in contents of policy!], Agents refuse to release cargo until dues paid, by Rajesh Khanal (kp) [Another proof of Oli's failed state visit to India!], Prime Minister Oli terms India visit sucessful (ht) [??], Four legs good, two legs bad: Hindu nationalism and its dangers for Nepal, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Why Naya Shakti: Those involved in Naya Shakti have proven their commitment and dedication to serve the people at the grassroots for many years, by Pradeep Man Tulachan (rep)

26/02/2016: Viral diseases stalk northern Gorkha: People mostly in the quake-hit settlements down with viral fever, diarrhoea and common cold, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Quake-maimed children discontinue education: In Ghumtang village alone there are 15 children who lost their limbs in the quake, by Anish Tiwari (kp), Up to Rs 2.5m loan for rebuilding homes: NRA: NRA to provide subsidised loan of up to Rs 2.5 for  reubilding in cities and  Rs 1.5 in rural areas (kp), Transitional justice: Local peace committees to be used for collecting complaints, by Dewan Rai (kp), A collective crusade: There can be no justice for recent atrocities so long as past atrocities remain shrouded in a cloud of impunity, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Real Rights Now: A new campaign to highlight the need for justice against human rights violations is being launched, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), EC to scrap registration of 21 political parties (kp), Juggling act: The way that the offers from the north and the south play out can shape Nepal’s future, by Navin Singh Khadka (kp), The fight for inclusiveness, by Priyanka Gurung (rep), Restless radicals: There are too many groups dissatisfied with the way the agitation in the Madhes has been called off, by Navin Jha (nt), Yadav threatens fresh agitation in Madhes (ht)

25/02/2016: Transitional justice delayed: NHRC continues to seek action in war-era cases, by Dewan Rai (kp), AI presses for independent probe into Tarai atrocities (kp) [see AI report 2015/16 on Nepal], Madhesi leaders being framed: AHRC (ht) [see report by AHRC], CIAA files graft charges over relief procurements: Seeks recovery of Rs 27.1 million, by Rudrfa Pangeni (rep), Democracy In Nepal: Political Leadership Has Failed The Test, by Mukti Rijal (rn), ‘No joint communiqué’ as PM Oli wraps up India visit, by Anil Giri (kp), PM Oli returns from India visit: Officials of two countries fail to issue a joint communiqué, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [sounds extremely successful!], PM returns home, says visit completely successful, by Ashok Dahal and Sangeet Sangroula (rep) [??], More women leaders sought in politics (kp), The feminist mystique: There is little recognition of the great diversity of Nepali women even in this day of identity politics, by Deepak Thapa (kp), ‘New forms of violence emerging in society’ (ht), Dissecting The Causes of Sufferings, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

24/02/2016: Protests on cards, but doors for dialogue open: Morcha; Preparations are ‘in full swing’ to resume protests from mid-March, SLMM leaders warn, saying that they are planning to taking all disgruntled groups including Tharu, Muslim and Janajati communities (kp), Tongues under threat: State needs to show greater sensitivity to the language diversity of the country (kp), Political Committee formed to fool India, claims Mahato (ht), Other parties in UDMF failed to pressure govt: Sadbhavana (rep), So near, yet so far: The question of Madhes lies at the heart of PM Oli’s visit to India; India is still sceptical of Oli, and it would be difficult to overcome this scepticism, given  the fact that Oli’s political strength comes from “nationalistic” people who will find it difficult to become friends with India, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Rice meant for relief rotting in food corporation godown (ht), Food crisis hits Mugu as NFC fails to lower price, by Suman Malla (rep), Laprak locals unite to ease water crisis, by Narhari Sapkota (rep) [Obviously, the government has not heard about the epicentre of last year's first big earthquake, yet!], Pathak's email to UN chief was unnecessary, says Minister Dhakal (rep)

23/02/2016: TJ bodies draw flak from victims over inefficiency: Conflict victims say the commissions have done nothing of note to win their confidence (kp), CIEDP commissioner questions UN role in transitional justice: Emailed complaint to Ban Ki-Moon, by Durga Dulal and Nabin Khatiwada (rep), ‘Food insecurity persists’: there remains a pressing need for assistance in mountain and hill areas, according to a UN report (kp), Post quake vulnerability still persists in 11 districts (ht), The Reconstruction Bid: Challenges On All Fronts, by Prem Khatry (rn), NRA calls for Nepal-India mechanism: Seeks to ensure smooth supply of construction materials during post-quake reconstruction phase (ht), Depoliticise sports, by Shyam K.C. (rn) [Depoliticisation is urgent as well in far more important sectors like education, health, general administration, judicial servise, etc.!!], No misunderstanding with India persists: PM Oli (rep) [Yes, more than four months of blockade did not happen!!], Prime Mnister Oli In India, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), New constitution inclusive, claims Prime Minister Oli: Says he himself is not fully satisfied with all the provisions of the statute, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht) [??], Promotion of all mother languages underscored (ht), Election commission seeks mandate to fix election dates (rep)

22/02/2016: TRC commissioners in row, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC member Bhatta complains of threat to her security: Accuses Gurung of not assigning her any role (ht), Ministry's delay hampers reconstruction works: NRA, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Gorkha schools run under tents, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Morcha sets riders to join political mechanism (kp), Oli: Visit successful in clearing the air: India calls for addressing grievances in Nepal in line with assurances (kp) [???], Not so easy: PM Oli’s visit has been able to restore ties that were on dangerous free fall (kp), A twist in the pipeline: Nepal’s energy dependence on India will continue to constrain its ability to negotiate bilateral issues, by Bibek Raj Kandel (kp), Underground outfit JTJP army commander, two others arrested (ht), Revisiting Mahatonomics: Economic liberalization sans strong regulatory institutions meant that growth in private sector was at the expense of public sector, by Bhagirath Yogi and Jeevan R. Sharma (rep)

21/02/2016: Post-quake reconstruction: NRA seeks detailed plan from ministries (kp), Thakur warns of renewed protest (kp), If govt attitude doesn’t change, we’ll reimpose blockade: Thakur (ht), Careful reservations please: Reservation is but a small step to correct the  wrong that has been done to the marginalised, by Sanjeev Dahal (kp), Civil society demands proportional representation of Dalit community (ht), Date-expired food sent for earthquake victims (ht)

20/02/2016: SLMM spurns political mechanism (kp), UDMF rejects political mechanism; says it will now resort to agitation once again (ht), UDMF denies recognizing new committee (rep), Major parties have failed to resolve crisis: Bhattarai (ht), INSEC: Rights violation cases escalate (kp) [see INSEC yearbook 2016], HR situation deteriorated in 2015: INSEC (rep), Oli goes to India: It’s been almost 10 months since we got hit by the Big One, but our incompetent government has yet to carry out any reconstruction works in the country, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Messenger to Delhi: Our prime minister should be able to impress on the Indians that Nepal is competent enough to address its own issues, by Dinesh Bhattarai (rep), Oli’s business: The prime minister for a change should not be guided by 'regime insecurity' and not try to appease the Indians, by Rohit Karki (rep), India supplying just 60pc of LPG demand, says NOC (kp), 12 rights defenders arrested, released (ht) [??]

19/02/2016: Govt forms political committee on boundary disputes, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Mechanism formed to fix boundary row: Morcha refuses to own it up (kp), Thapa-led political committee formed: Members to be finalised through political consensus, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [How can such committee be formed under the lead of a person who is against the federal republic and, instead, stands for the revival of the unitary monarchical state??], Madhesi parties oppose committee formation without ToR, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Deal on ToR of political mechanism elusive (ht), SLMM obstructs minister’s programme in Rautahat, by Shiva Puri (kp), UDMF cadres gherao NC lawmakers (ht), NHRC to govt: Ratify Rome Statute: Commission’s suggestion is timed with  the government’s preparation of response to the United Nations Human Rights Council (kp), Ganga Maya transferred to Gangalal (rep), It’s inclusion, stupid! On Democracy Day, we must reflect on the past and plan for the future (kp), Post Truth Politics: The TRC’s first report expresses deep frustration at the lack of cooperation from those in power, by Foreign Hand (nt) [!!], Bhatta removed as TRC spokesperson (ht) [??], Remaining an open society: The shrinking liberal space in the region and erosion of political freedoms should ring alarm bells for us in Nepal, especially with political extremism taking root in the country once again, by Rubeena Mahato (nt)

18/02/2016: Maina Sunar's memorial: ‘Transitional justice faces threat’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Krishna Prasad murder: Ganga Maya’s condition ‘critical’ (kp), Negotiators struggle to reach agreement: Parties have only two days left to reach a deal before Oli leaves for India (kp), Two task forces fail to agree on ToR of political mechanism, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Taskforce meet on ToR inconclusive: UDMF sticks to 2 provinces (rep), Slow and steady: The Madhes movement has succeeded by failing—by not achieving its declared objectives, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Far from over: What happens next in Madhesh will be clear after PM's India visit and General Convention of Nepali Congress, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), Days Of Scarcity Are Not Over Yet, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

17/02/2016: Govt endorses regulations for TJ bodies: Committee removes  key provisions arguing  that they are inconsistent with the Transitional Justice Act, by Dewan Rai (kp), Political mechanism before India visit: PM (kp), Morcha ‘cautiously optimistic’ (kp), UDMF stages sit-in protest (ht), Madhesh speaks: It's not demarcation that is fuelling agitation but a sense among Madheshis that the state treats them as second-class citizens, by David Kainee (rep), Battered lives, at brick kilns: Earthquake-displaced find no better place to work, live in (kp)

16/02/2016: Chand-led Maoists hinder data collection of quake victims in Kavre (ht), Morcha exerts pressure on govt to address non-political demands (kp), UDMF objects to arrest, indictment of its cadres (ht), Ministers seen in plains after six months (ht) [!!], Missed opportunity: KP Oli and other leaders in Nepal have frustrated their own people and frittered away Modi's goodwill, by Jaya Raj Acharya (kp), Make it inclusive: Reconstruction that does not deal with land justice and existing social inequalities would be cosmetic, by Jagat Deuja (rep)

15/02/2016: Ruling parties delay Madhes taskforce meet (kp), Govt not serious about talks: UDMF; All issues to be resolved before PM’s India visit, says Oli’s press adviser (ht), Important last step: PM Oli and Madhesi parties should find common ground for a lasting solution (kp), PM Oli's India Visit And Our Sufferings, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Democracy In Delivery, by P. Kharel (rn), Language barrier causing hassles in quake data collection, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Why governments fail: Politicians take issues of governance lightly as they do not have to suffer what other ordinary people suffer, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

14/02/2016: Show some empathy: It’s wrong to mock marginalised groups engaged in social justice movements, by Tirtha Raj Bhatta (kp), Political affinity reflected in TRC members’ work, by Lekhanathn Pandey (ht), Mechanism on boundary delineation: Clear framework, ToR key to deal: Morcha; There are considerable  differences over Terms and References of the  political mechanism and framework of agreement (kp), Mahato threatens to whip up stir (ht), New ministries for ministers’ sake: Recently created ministries face dearth of staff, budget, office space, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Oli's irresponsible and unconstitutional procedure is a grave and special kind of corruption to rob the state coffers for the sake of power!], Weary new power: Bhattarai is still accountable for what happened during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp) [This is true, just as other Maoist leaders, the then army leadership, leading politicians of NC, UML and RPP as well as, especially, the monarchy and its henchmen still have to bear responsibility!!], The days ahead: The opportunity to gain from effective implementation of the constitution should not be missed, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp)

13/02/2016: Mechanism to sort out boundary row: Big 3, Morcha claim deal likely tomorrow, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Mechanism to be formed by tomorrow (ht), UDMF inducts three more Madhesi parties (ht), Warm welcome awaits Oli in Delhi, by Anil Giri (kp) [Yes, Indian preparations took four months of blockade!!], Taskforce asked to draft political body ToR by Sunday: Cross-party leaders suggest PM not to sign any controversial deal with India (rep), Don’t sign anti-national deals, PM told (ht), Senior citizens press demands for facilities: Social Welfare Ministry pledges to introduce benefit schemes (kp), Quake-displaced brace for rains as hope for help ‘fades’, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Incongruous country: Earthquakes followed by promulgation of constitution followed by blockade have helped us spot contradictions, by Hitesh Karki (rep)

12/02/2016: Sitting on hands awaiting financial leg-up: TRC and CIEDP have received only token budget from government; Conflict victims voice frustration at slow pace of work, by Dewan Rai (kp), A tale of quakes: With supply easing and NRA in place, it’s time to deliver goods to survivors (kp), Saptari govt offices resume operations: CDO Narayan Prasad Bhatta says the offices resumed operations after SLMM withdrew the banda and halted protest, by Jitendra Khadga (kp), New Force awakens: Society and the country should give Baburam Bhattarai a chance to change if he wants to, by Janak Raj Joshi (kp), What the people think about the ‘People’s War’: Two decades on, there is mostly disappointment in the cradle of the Maoist revolution, by Seulki Lee (nt), Bad timing: The Congress should have read the mood in Madhes before scheduling its convention, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), The blockade that benefitted no one except smugglers: ... but the damage it caused will stay on, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Autopsy of a blockade: The most important lesson for Nepal from this crisis is to massage Big Brother’s ego and keep him happy (nt), NMSP, NSP, MJF-R to be inducted into UDMF; Gupta-led TMNC left out, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Three more Madhes-centric parties to join UDMF, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), Deal with agitating parties likely before India visit: Taskforce meeting summoned Friday, by Ashok Dahal (rep), What’s next in the Madhes? Unrest will grow again in the plains unless Kathmandu initiates confidence building measures, by Navin Jha (nt), Out with the old: Nepal’s civil society is now more of a hurdle than a contributor to creating an accountable and just society, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Prime Minister’s Visit To India, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

11/02/2016: Mahato’s Sadbhawana Party plans new alliance, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), CPN (M) announces fresh stir (kp), UDMF betrayed Madhes, says Matrika (ht), Making politics work: Lack of locally elected bodies has led to serious dysfunctions in governance (kp), Madhes Agitation: A Scourge For The People, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), The struggle continues: The loss of credibility of moderate Madheshi Morcha forces will create a vacuum in Tarai, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep), Copping on: A blanket ban cannot be the answer to isolated incidents that call for a very different approach, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Task Allocation In Federal Set-up: Finance, Functionaries Vital, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Rule of thumb: Prime Minister Oli knows his limits; If he was really keen on diversifying Nepal's trade relations he would have lapped up China's recent overtures, by Biswas Baral (rep), Population first: It is not too late to revise province demarcations by taking population size into consideration, by Yagya Bahadur Karki (rep)

10/02/2016: Truth and disappearance: The transitional justice commissions seem to have failed to meet the expectations of the peace accord, by Govinda Sharma 'Bandi' (kp), Homage to Koirala: If leaders benefit from his virtues and become wiser from his mistakes and weaknesses, it will be the best homage they will be paying to their departed leader (ht), Congress after Koirala: Leadership void feared, by Anil Giri (kp) [Ideal occasion to hand leadership over to a younger and more inclusive generation! Else, the decline of the party will continue 39 percent of the votes in 1991, only 25 percent in 2013!!]

09/02/2016: Govt employees reluctant to join truth commissions: Govt had sanctioned 100 positions for the TRC and 70 for the CIEDP, by Dewan Rai (kp), Assist TRC: Even after the formation of the commissions they have not been able to perform as per expectations and discharge their duties (ht), SLMM calls off banda, border sit-ins formally: Says its other programmes, including Capital-centric ones, will continue (kp), UDMF relents at last, formally ends Birgunj blockade (rep), UDMF lifts border blockade, defers strike (ht), Mahato hauled over the coals (kp), Mahato told not to speak against agitation (ht), UDMF weakened Tarai movement: FIMA (ht), Raxaul depot begins refilling NOC tankers, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), 17 oil tankers enter through Birgunj point (kp), Birgunj Customs collects Rs65.5m in single day (kp), PM holds consultations for maiden India visit: Former prime ministers, ministers and diplomats advise PM Oli to revisit ties with the southern neighbour rather than signing any new deal (kp), India urges Nepal to finalise reconstruction programme (ht)

08/02/2016: Words beyond Oliology: Oliology captures the essence of social tendencies that equates Nepali nationality with Khas-Arya communalism, by CK Lal (rep), One year on, transitional justice bodies yet to sharpen their focus, by Dewan Rai (kp), Support us in time or lose control of Maoist war-era cases: TRC; Transitional justice bodies alert govt, political leaders against transitional cases coming under international action, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), TRC urges govt to solve war-era cases, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Mahato’s remark riles UDMF constituents (kp), Transportation resumes in Siraha: Local transport workers’ association decides to resume service after their repeated requests to the Morcha to lift the ban went unheeded (kp), Import through Birgunj picks up, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Raxaul depot likely to supply petrol, diesel, LPG from today: To take 15-30 days to normalise fuel, cooking gas availability, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Undeclared Blockade Opens Silently, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Stalled bilateral ties ‘moving forward’: In preparation for PM’s Delhi visit, FinMin Poudel meets Indian ministers, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Dispute on hearings committee delays EC chief appointment, by Ashok Dahal (rep), A time for caution: Nepal should not make hasty decisions when it comes to revaluating the 1950 treaty, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), ‘Constitution will create jobs for politicians, but won’t contribute to sustainable development’, interview with Bhairaja Panday (ht)

07/02/2016: Morcha bid to obstruct Birgunj border foiled: Four gas bullets and around hundred freight carriers have entered Nepal in last 24 hours; Fuel tankers to cross into Nepal from Monday after process to reroute them cancelled, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Agitators chased from sit-in site: Three LPG bullets, one diesel tanker enter via Birgunj entry point (ht), 5 tankers enter through Birgunj (kp), SLMM in quandary over next move, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UDMF leaders engaged in hectic internal consultations (ht), Way down south: Internal divisions in Madhes are being used as a propaganda tool to dismiss its demands, by Kalpana Jha (kp), A web of lies: Politicians should be held accountable for the promises they make to the people, by Surendra Regmi (kp), Government endorses Truth and Reconciliation regulations (ht)

06/02/2016: Birgunj blockade broken by locals after 134 days, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Over 60 cargo carriers roll into Birgunj after 135 days: Border sees brisk vehicular movement after locals remove roadblocks, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Birgunj border opens after five months, by Ram Sarraf (ht), Sadbhavana Party to propose ending border protests (rep), UDMF to review mode of agitation (ht), Mahato talks to Oli, flies to Capital (kp), PM, Dahal urge Mahato to find negotiated solution to issues related to Tarai (ht), With no sight of govt fund, Laprak quake victims unite to rebuild homes, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Quake-hit school runs classes under open sky: Tents received from organisations after the earthquake have torn up, by Aash Gurung (kp), Nepal quake survivors fight freezing temperatures (ht), Reconstruction delay endangers forests, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Fringe parties not for vote threshold (kp), No party for young men: With the 13th General Convention of Nepali Congress around the bend, youth leaders are hoping to break the glass ceiling, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), Teaching Lessons Backfired, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Madhesh agitation: No End In Sight (sp), Thought for Future Action, by Hemang Dixit (sp)

05/02/2016: Big 3, SLMM set to resume talks today: Say focus will be on political mechanism to settle boundary dispute (kp), Morcha discusses end to banda, border sit-ins: Either all border points should be obstructed or the Birgunj route should be opened immediately, says Rajendra Mahato, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Birgunj border blockade not enough to pressure govt, claims Mahato: Says it is only encouraging black-marketing and making ordinary people’s lives miserable (ht), Saturday’s UDMF meet to lift border blockade, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), NHRC: Honour democratic spirit (kp) [This demand is justified but it should be directed towards the government and the big parties as well!!], NHRC urges UDMF, govt to exercise restraint (ht), UDMF closes markets (ht), Frequent clashes at sit-in site (ht), Rastriya Janamorcha student wing vandalizes DEO, by Rajendra Bhatta (rep), Southern unrest: If peaceful movements are not managed well, frustration will give rise to violence, by Krishna Kumar Sah (kp), Stale political system: Successive prime ministers have not understood that creating  robust systems and hiring competent teams is key to success, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Towards The Junkyard Of History, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), The stifling burden of hierarchy: Instead of having one king, Nepal is now burdened with a dozen petty rajas each jealously guarding their party throne, by Foreign Hand (nt)

04/02/2016: Govt deals a blow to transitional justice: Draft regulations of TRC and CIEDP are gathering dust, by Dewan Rai (kp), Obstructions remain until demands are met: Thakur (kp), Border blockade hits Birgunj hard, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), NC leader Nidhi tries to calm tempers in Janakpur (kp), Single women left in lurch after quake, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Pacifying The Madhesi Parties Is No Picnic, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

03/02/2016: A lost opportunity: Nepal’s transitional justice mechanisms have failed to involve victims in their activities, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Conflict victims warn TRC of zero support (kp), EC for state funds to parties: Aims to ensure financial transparency n Proposes 1.5 pc vote threshold, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Tired of bandas, Tarai locals urge Morcha to revise protest (kp), NC warns of retaliation if SLmm ‘attack’ continues, by Shyamsundar Shashi (kp) [Retaliation of crime by crime?? What about rule of law?], Rival Madhesi alliance critical of Morcha-Lalu meeting (kp), Govt objects to Indian leaders’ statements (kp), CoAS Chettri meets senior figures in India: Indian president will decorate CoAS Chhetri amid a special programme on Wednesday (kp) [??], Campaign in UML againstPM Oli's 'monopoly': Rival faction meets in Capital (kp), Thapa hits out at coalition leaders (kp), Greater Alliance And Politics Of Negation, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

02/02/2016: CIEDP bill will criminalise disappearances, by Dewan Rai (kp), FIMA to intensify Madhes stir (ht), UDMF urged to form grand alliance of Madhesi forces (ht), Reinforcement sought to ramp up agitation (ht), Big 3, SLMM to revive taskforce: Four-party panel to work to settle boundary dispute (kp), Parties resume slow-paced talks with front: UDMF revives task force, by Prakash Acharya (ht), SLMM cadres attack NC leaders’ homes, by Shyamsundar Shashi (kp), UDMF demonstrators turn unruly, resort to vandalism in Janakpur, by Suresh Yadav (rep), Morcha leaders meet politicians in Bihar: SSFN Chairman Yadav, Sadbhawana Chair Mahato and TMSP chief Mahendra R Yadav in Bihar ‘seeking help for Tarai agitation’, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Bihar leaders highly concerned on Nepal's internal issues, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Govt gears up for citizenship law draft (kp), National govt need of the hour: Dahal; Says it may be formed even before the Nepali Congress general convention and that he is not keen to head it, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [Such government would only make sense if none of the old and failed leaders plays any role in it!!], Ex-EC commissioners suggest 1.5 pc threshold for PR seats (ht), Making it click: Survivors lack information on what kind of support is available, by Saugat Gautam (rep)

01/02/2016: Transitional justice: Lack of progress adds to victims’ sufferings; The commissions have so far been limited to setting up office and holding interactions with the victims groups, by Dewan Rai (kp), Rights priorities: Security agencies, Maoist party should offer war-era dossiers to the TRC bodies (kp), Grand alliance to revitalise protests (kp), 10 hurt as SLMM cadres and police clash in Janakpur: The clash erupted after the SLMM supporters started hurling Molotov cocktail targeting the house of a Nepali Congress lawmaker, by Shyamsundar Shashi (kp), Resolve Madhes crisis thru talks: HLPCC, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), PM ‘under pressure’ to visit china first if blockade stays (kp), India wants to keep Nepal confined to 1950 treaty, interview with Bhekh, Bahadur Thapa (kp), Laws for lawmakers: There should be a code barring MPs from House business if a conflict of interest exists, by Dinesh Raj Shivakoti (kp)

31/01/2016: System upgrade: Nepali citizens are tired of fake democracy that does not benefit the common people, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp), We will review border protests, says Thakur (kp), UDMF yet to decide on lifting border blockade: Thakur (ht), UDMF to seek Bihar’s support (ht), Regulator mess hampers I/NGOs’ quake rehab bid: Minister Mainali’s cadres have padlocked Social Welfare Council member secy’s office while incum-bent has been recalled (kp) [??], PM, Dahal discuss agendas for HLPCC meet, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Comedy of political errors: Every drop of China’s ‘free oil’ will prove to be ‘doses of opium’ for tiny Nepal, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), First 100 daze: If the people had to grade the government’s performance, they would give it 30 percent, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp)

30/01/2016: CIEDP demands war-era dossiers: Around 77 percent of 1,400 disappeared cases were committed by the state and 10 percent by the rebel Maoists, by Dewan Rai (kp) [!!], Three-decade long wait for disappeared son (ht), Birgunj-Raxaul sees cargo movement in 4 months, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), NC, UCPN-M blame UML for stalemate, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Local body restructuring commission soon: Thapa: The new constitution states that the state will be restructured into three levels--federal, provincial and local (kp) [??], Legal hurdle for local poll preps: Electoral law amendment proposal gathers dust at Home Ministry (kp), Of Naya Shakti and ‘halal’ revolutions, by Biswas Baral (rep), Story of failure: Government heads in Nepal fail in such a way in such a short span of time that every PM proves to be worse than his immediate predecessor, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

29/01/2016: Agitating forces keen to form grand alliance, as standoff with Big III continues, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) Rangeli police firing: No plan to form probe panel: Home Minister (kp), Frosty relations headed for thaw after 4 months, by Anil Giri (kp), Border control: What is blocking the blockade from being lifted in Birganj? (nt), Govt not cooperating with TRC: Spokesperson; Bhatta warns of internationalising cases of rights violations if there was no environment for commission to perform its duties, by Nagendra Adhikari (kp), ‘Govt under control of fuel mafia’ (kp), Dahal for ‘serious’ talk with PM on governance issues (kp), UCPN-M concerned about govt’s poor show, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), UCPN (Maoist) brass accuse PM, ministers of poor performance (rep), Hold local polls, House panel tells govt (kp), Prez Bhandari stresses on holding polls at all levels (ht), Corrupt to the core: Nepal’s endemic corruption will be checked through public ombudsmen (kp), Corruption scores: The most shameful practice is that the cabinet doles out millions of rupees to any leader or any influential person, including those convicted by court on corruption charges (ht), Flawed agency relationship: Increase in remittance has for now partly solved the issues of employment and balance of payment, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (kp), All eyes on the NRA: The Reconstruction Authority has slid back into oblivion after the CEO’s appointment, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp), Not their battle: Cadre, voters and supporters of the Big Three are turning against them in the Tarai, by Navin Jha (nt), Wanted: Prime Minister (1) (nt) [satirical]

28/01/2016: Charter fails to address concerns: Rights watchdog; HRW reports says parties used distraction of humanitarian crisis to pass a constitution which has ended up deeply hurting many of its citizens (kp) [see Nepal chapter of HRW World Report 2016], Quake victims yet to benefit from international aid: HRW; Political leadership left citizens without critical assistance and fought over petty politics (ht), Ban welcomes charter amendment (kp) [?], PM unhappy with Indian response after amendment (rep) [What did he expect after this second unilateral step?], Major and Madhesi parties, and Delhi should avoid politics of brinkmanship (kp), SLMM intensifies talks, aims to step up protests (kp), Madhesi front leaders divided on withdrawing border blockade (ht), Nepal slips 4 places in TI’s graft listing: Country’s image as one of most corrupt countries takes further beating; Abuse of authority by public servants behind bleak integrity standing, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Nepal slips four ranks in graft perception index: Poor score is a sign of prevalent bribery in the country and lack of punishment for corruption (ht), Nepal third most corrupt country in S Asia, 15th globally, by Kuvera Chalise (kp), UCPN (Maoist) dissatisfied with ministers’ performances (kp), 13,000 quake victims still without funds for warm clothes, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Quake victims picket Dhading admin office, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), Counting heads: Fixed boundaries do not necessarily create fixed citizenships, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Government’s Showing: Leaves Much To Be Desired, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

27/01/2016: SLMM mulling ‘mega alliance’ to up the ante: Likely to join hands with other Madhes-based parties to step up protests (kp), UDMF may review border-centric protests: Leaders (ht), Tarai protesters mull over  marching on Kathmandu (ht), PM hopeful of blockade ending in 2-3 days: Defends constitution, amendment and his grand plans (kp) [How stupid can a PM be? And how stupid does he think the people are?], Birgunj-Raxaul point shut for 2 hrs, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Communication gap: It is unfortunate that ties between the best of friends Nepal and India have soured, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Govt functioning draws flak in Parliament: NC lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak calls Prime Minister Oli-led government a bunch of jokers, by Prakash Acharya (kp), NHRC to name names: Says recommendations for action against rights violators were unheeded, by Dewan Rai (kp), TRC, CIEDP remain idle for lack of regulations: Transitional justice bodies rendered defunct as Maoists oppose some provisions, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Prime Minister Oli concerned about rights violations in Tarai (ht), Statute Amendment Praiseworthy Move, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

26/01/2016: Court reopens Maina murder case: She was tortured to death by NA officials during the Maoist insurgency (ht), Too little, too late: Madheshi parties had given a nod to Nidhi's proposal but the government rejected his proposed amendments, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), SLMM: Will change tack, won’t fall back: Morcha announces ‘soft protests’; Divided over future strategy (kp), UDMF to continue its agitation (ht), Tharuhat-Tharuwan to continue protest (ht), Obstruction continues at Birgunj-Raxaul point: Vehicles entering Nepal through other crossings, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Misunderstanding with India has cleared: DPM (kp) [?], Outstanding issues should be addressed: Rae (ht), Kin receive bodies of Rangeli victims, hold final rites (kp), PM in bid to override PAC fiat (kp), Lost spirit of 2036: Intersectionality of class and ethnicity is the need of the day for the Nepali left, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Just 4 percent of foreign aid spent so far this year, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), MPs say govt protecting black-marketeers, ignoring quake victims (ht), Landslide victims demand identity cards (ht), Lessons To Be Learned, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

25/01/2016: Tarai leaders plan change in agitation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Madhesi parties to intensify stir (ht), FSFN for capital-centric agitations, sparing general public, by Ashok Dahal (rep), SLMM objects to amendment, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), Constitution amendment was again endorsed unilaterally, interview with Upendra Yadav (kp), Hail Comrade Premier: The Pahadi Rights Defenders protesting against the so-called Indian Blockade failed to contemplate over absurdities of their own action, by CK Lal (rep), First Amendment To New Constitution And Target, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Hope for the better: The political parties in the country and none of the interest groups, whether in the name of gender, ethnicity, religion, or some other thing, are fully satisfied with the Constitution (ht), Whither Madhesi civil society? A redefinition of our democratic polity in a manner that empowers all the communities is required, by Bihari Krishna Shrestha (kp), Inching closer: Major parties now need to back amendments  with  political  symbolism (kp), UDMF to accept bodies of protesters (ht), Bereaved families left in lurch, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Martyrdom for victims perpetuates impunity, by Dewan Rai (kp), Kin of Doramba massacre victims hopeful of justice, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp), Call for wider reservation (kp), Reconstruction authority working at snail’s pace, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Building construction work: Blockade, fuel crisis hit permit applications, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), India says amendment a positive development (rep), Birgunj-Raxaul entry point partially relaxed, by Ritesh Tripathi (ht), Birgunj border reopens: Carts loaded with goods entering Nepal from India during night (ht), Nepali vehicles crossing the border: India makes entry permits mandatory, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Selling patriotism: King Mahendra started the patriotism game to enrich his henchmen; PM Oli is using the same to benefit his coterie, by Kuvera Chalise (rep)

24/01/2016: House endorses bill amid the din: 461 lawmakers vote in favour, seven against; Agitating Madhes-based parties boycott voting, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Binod Ghimire and Roshan Sedhai (kp), First amendment of constitution effected amid protest from Madhes parties, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Progressive but incomplete, says Morcha (kp), UDMF accuses Big III of suppressing Tarai stir:  Decides to bar major parties from holding public programmes in Bara and Parsa districts (ht), SLMM not to receive bodies before demands addressed (kp), FSF-N central members for launching Valley-centric protest (ht), Busy dreaming: There are far more serious matters for the PM to address than cracking jokes, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), US urges govt to take concrete steps to resolve crisis (ht), Running out of patience: Political leaders have always exploited the resilience and diligence of the Nepali people, by David Kainee (kp)

23/01/2016: Fear, uncertainty grip Rangeli: Deaths in Rangeli first in eastern Tarai in protests that have raged for more than five months, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Sense of calm and order in Tarai shattered by killings, by Bhusan Yadav, Laxmi Sah and Aman Koirala (kp), Protests erupt in Tarai (kp), UDMF intensifies agitation in Tarai (ht), Protests across Tarai following Rangeli deaths, by Ritesh Tripathi, by Upendra Yadav and Ajit Tiwari (rep), Government accused of committing genocide (ht), NHRC seeks probe into Morang incident (kp), AHRC, NHRC condemn killings in Morang (ht), Stop the bullets! Why on earth is Nepal Police acting like private security guards for our political parties?, by Guffadi (kp), UDMF, UML blame each other for Rangeli (ht), YAN blames Morcha for clash deaths (kp), Madhes liberation not possible without armed revolt: Matrika (ht) [Nothing learnt from Maoist insurgency?], Constitution amendment: Deliberations end, bill to be put to vote today (kp), NC, UML to ‘try until the final hour’ to forge agreement (kp), Amendment bill in trouble again as NC, UML lock horns, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Change language of amendment bill, NC tells prime minister (ht), ‘Conflict victims feel justice denied’, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Irate earthquake survivors padlock VDC office demanding cash relief (ht), Commentary: Welcome to Comrade Oli’s paradise!, by Subhash Ghimire (rep) [Neither is Oli a communist nor was the former government of Sushil Koirala any better!]

22/01/2016: 3 killed, 9 injured in Morang police firing, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), 3 die in Morang at Youth Force function clashes; Fifteen others injured, by Binod Subedi (rep), Woman among three killed in police firing (ht), Tarai parties condemn Rangeli incident (ht), Top leaders’ meeting falls apart after PM Oli snaps: Rules out chances of incorporating all SLMM demands (kp), Five parties’ bid for pact with UDMF on, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Much-awaited 'decisive talks' get nowhere (rep), PM not serious to solve Madhes crisis: Thakur, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), DPM Thapa scoffs at Madhes stir (ht), Stop, think, then ink: Protests about the shape and modality of federal provinces can go on, but not at the cost of further ruining the country (nt), Failure of agitation will plunge country into violence, warns SP Chair Rajendra Mahato (ht), Utilise amendment proposals to address Madhesi concerns: MPs; Amendment proposals of lawmakers of Nepali Congress and Unified CPN-Maoist are close to the concerns of the agitating parties, by Prakash Acharya (ht), MPs deliberate amendment bill, morcha boycotts (kp), No clue for staff supply at NRA (kp), UCPN-M urges SC to reverse order (ht) [Long live impunity and glorification of murderers!!], Agitating parties plan to disturb NC village, municipal conference (ht), Black market flourishes as state mechanism ceases to function (ht), Down, down, down: Four months into the Indian blockade, prices are soaring, the currency is depreciating and the economy is in the hands of black marketeers, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Better days to come: Nepalis are suffering because political bickering about the constitution has rendered everything else irrelevant, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Loktantra’s Pants on Fire, by Dipak Gyawali (sp), Response Architecture, by Prabin Manandhar (sp)

21/01/2016: Deal or no deal, major forces set to vote for bill: Lawmakers ordered to be present in House on Saturday, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [This procedure reminds of the way the top male Tagadhari leaders forced the promulgation of the non-inclusive constitution last September! When will they start to learn?], Amendment bill to be revised: Top level talks with agitating parties today, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Major parties call top  level talks with UDMF, by Prakash Acharya (ht), NGO ‘recovers’ loan from relief amount of quake-hit Chepangs, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), Public bus service resumes in Janakpur: Agitating Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha is yet to respond to the decision of transport entrepreneurs, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), Morcha enforces Rangeli banda (kp), Lingering Embargo: The Whys And The Wherefores, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Local Democratic Institutions: Key To Political Democratisation, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Making it work: Nepali people desire to forge strong national unity above ethnic interests, by Anjita Parajuli (kp), Nepal in crisis: For amicable solution, by Shobhakar Parajuli (ht), Food crisis looms over Sindhupalchowk quake victims, by Dhruba Dangal (rep)

20/01/2016: After weeks of talks, it’s back to square one: SLMM says taskforce has outlived its usefulnessn Contentious issues again in top leadership’s lap (kp), Task force level talks over: UDMF (ht), Constitution amendment: Major parties agree to endorse bill Saturday, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Amendment delayed yet again as big parties remain divided, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Constitution amendment bill deliberations put off till tomorrow: Big III to pass the bill even without consensus on Saturday, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Protests pick up with talks stalled, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Deuba: Tharus can be given autonomous state (kp) [??], Tarai agitation hits transporters hard (ht), Major parties working to take federal shape: Top three parties are preparing to adapt to the three-tier government structure: federal, provincial and local, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Quake-hit struggle to shake off cold (kp), Earthquake victim with no citizenship struggles for relief, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Govt opened, then shut rehab centers: Provided only balloon blowing training to health workers concerned, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Enforce court verdicts: Conflict victims: NHRC pressed to ensure the implementation of court verdicts against rights violators, by Dewan Rai (kp)

19/01/2016: Govt aid may be too little, too late for earthquake survivors, by Pragati Shahi (kp), A victim looking for aid to rebuild her world, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Redefining nationality: It is necessary to change the notion of nationality as per people’s aspirations, by Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar (kp), Talks come a cropper as blame game starts (kp), Deal eludes parties (rep), Stalemate on UDMF’s demands continues, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Yadav warns of Singha Durbar-centric protest: ‘Ready for deal if Big Three agree on border revision’ (kp), ‘Govt spreading rumours’ (ht), Raw deal bad for all sides, says Mahato (ht), Madhes agitation injured left in a lurch (ht), Parliament to meet today: To proceed with bill on constitutional amendment (ht), Statute amendment: House meeting likely to form Special Committee (kp), CEDAW: Govt runs six months past report submission deadline (kp), Sixth shadow report to be presented to CEDAW committee (ht), NHRC: Don’t sell food received as donation (kp), In 100 days, Oli Cabinet has little to boast about, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Coalition partners unhappy as Oli government completes 100 days (ht), We are here: Nepal needs brand ambassadors who can help it gain fame and improve its future, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Time for referendum? If ongoing talks between government and Madheshi leaders are also fruitless referendum in disputed districts would be advised, by Prakash A Raj (rep)

18/01/2016: Morcha seeks statutory note of dealmaker body: Morcha interlocutors say agreement not remote if major parties specify in the ToR that the federal restructuring would keep Tharu and Madhesi clusters intact (kp), UDMF suggests ways to resolve Tarai crisis (ht), Parties agree to give legal validity to political body’s decisions, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Resolve Tarai stir through talks: NHRC (ht), Bad beginning: Starting symbolic reconstruction from Kathmandu makes govt look myopic (kp), Delayed campaign: The quake victims will have to spendyet another rainy season in makeshift shelters already damaged by the previous monsoon and the snowfall in Gorkha district (ht), Some in Barpak start building home without govt aid, by Ramesh Kumar Paudel (rep) [What a crime! Shall they wait in their tents some more years??], Sindhupalchowk villagers cut off from the outer world (rep), Senior govt officials reluctant to join NRA; Factors: Working with ‘untested’ boss, career concerns (kp), NRA entrusts NGO to recruit 3,000 engineers for damage survey, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Female quake victims deprived of identity cards: Manu Humagain of National Women Council says the government must reassess the number of earthquake victims (kp), Build back better: Govts have moral obligation and social responsibility to protect civilians during natural disasters, by Sumesh Shiwakoty (kp), Rights defenders seek revision to transitional justice Acts (kp), Dispute over panel size delays House hearing: Opposition backs incumbent 73-member hearing committee while the ruling parties want it reduced to the constitutional size (kp) [Just as the government size has been reduced to the constitutional size?? Nepali politicians are not reliable!], Dahal bats for national unity govt; Maoist chairman: After broad agreement on issues, there can be discussion whether this Cabinet should continue as unity government or a new one be formed (kp), Oli Behaving As A Despotic Ruler, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

17/01/2016: Much-delayed  rebuilding  campaign inaugurated: NRA aims to start building ravaged homes from April 24, on the eve of quake anniversary, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Reconstruction mega campaign kicks off, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Former US president Carter concerned about delayed post-quake reconstruction in Nepal (ht), Major parties, UDMF inch closer to pact, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Big 3 make offer in gesture of conciliation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Madhesi Morcha takes out baton rally in Tarai: Protests were organised in Sarlahi, Saptari, Bara, Morang and Bardiya, among other Tarai districts (kp), UDMF stages stick rally in Birgunj (ht), NC leadership urged to connect with Tarai: Youth leaders say stands taken by Prime Minister KP Oli and Sadbhawana Party Chair Rajendra Mahato on Madhes are inappropriate (kp), Report on Tarai stir submitted (ht), Heed Madhesi issues: Dhungana (ht), Big III ready to give parliamentary legitimacy to political mechanism, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Demand accountability: Politicians seem to think that governance means ensuring benefits for themselves, by Lal Rapacha (kp), Crisis to cure: If people do not raise their voices, Nepal will be a hopeless place to live in, by Nav Raj Simkhada (kp), A test of will: It is time for the political parties to advance economic agendas, by Purushottam Ojha (kp)

16/01/2016: Rebuilding campaign set to kick-start today: Actual work will begin on April 24, on the eve of the first anniversary of the quake (kp), Govt urged to ramp up capital expenditure (ht), Chepangs yet to receive relief amount for warm winter-wear (ht), Task forces to hold talks daily: Big III have not been able to come up with concrete stance on revision of provincial boundaries, says UDMF (ht), Big 3-UDMF talks making headway (rep), The beginning of an end: Madhes Aandolan is a mere representative of the larger problem ailing the country, by Abhinawa Devkota (kp), Constitution a flop, says Gurung (ht), Emirs of Nepal: Those who have been in power have never thought about their legacies. They seem to live in the present and enjoy it, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Cost of obduracy: When flames of the revolution start to die down Madhesi Morcha leaders will have hard time justifying their actions, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [The failed leaders of the big parties will have even harder time!], Direct president is key agenda of Naya Shakti, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (rep)

15/01/2016: Big 3 taskforce asked to draft ‘final deal text’ (kp), Big parties for accord by Jan 19 but UDMF still unhappy (rep), UDMF demands to be met in four days (ht) [?], Reason for hope, by Biswas Baral (rep), Near a deal: Fearful of anarchy and criminalisation, the Madhesi parties and Kathmandu are coming close to a deal, but will it last?, by Navin Jha (nt), With us, or against us: Those blindly supporting the tactics of the Madhesi Front are the ones who have harmed the Madhesi people the most, by Rubeena Mahato (nt), Transport yet to resume despite agreement (ht), Injured agitator in dire need of monetary support (ht), Meetings with international community: 2 briefings little too many? PM talks to diplomats after DPM’s discussions on Tuesday, laying bare lack of coordination, by Anil Giri (kp), Agitation will end soon, assures PM Oli (ht), Trade eased but market still facing shortages, by Binod Bhandari and Parbat Portel (kp), SC quashes govt’s decision to withdraw criminal cases against 227 individuals, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), SC tells govt not to scrap criminal cases at political party behest (rep), Fuel shortage unlikely to ease till supply from Raxaul normalises (ht), Supply returning to normal along Eastern border points (ht), Exorcising the Indian ghost: The lesson from this blockade is that we must develop alternatives in sourcing and managing our energy supplies, by Bishal Thapa (nt), Quake victims of Gorkha still waiting for government aid, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Ex-minor ex-Maoists: Ten years after the conflict ended, former Maoist child soldiers are now fighting for survival and against social stigma, by Om Astha Rai (nt)

14/01/2016: Quake-hit in remote areas yet to buy warm clothes, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), Thousands of quake victims awaiting relief (ht), Health budget slashed but risk of post-earthquake epidemics lingers, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Reconstruction body unveils action plan (kp), NAR unveils four-phase reconstruction plan (ht), Reconstruction Authority unveils action plan (rep), 23pc funding pledges secured (ht), Crude measure: Govt’s call to channel reconstruction aid through it lacks public legitimacy (kp), Constituency budget allegedly distributed among lawmakers' favorites, by Jagat Khadja (rep) [This had to be expected!!], Court: reopen Maina Sunar murder case (kp), Kavre District Court reopens Maina Sunar murder case, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Policing the police: A better-educated police force does not necessarily translate into a more community-friendly one, by Deepak Thapa (kp), New Constitution of Nepal: Issues In Intergovernmental Relations, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Energy Crisis: Government’s Listlessness Largely To Blame, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Tarai talks: Is a win-win solution feasible in today’s talks? (ht)

13/01/2016: SLMM calls for ‘some sincerity’ from govt side, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Statute amendment on hold, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Parliament to meet on Jan 19 (ht), Tomorrow’s talks could be decisive, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Tharus not to invite govt officials forMaghi celebrations in Capital (ht), Int’l community briefed on crisis (kp), Thapa seeks foreign support to implement new constitution (ht), Demanding accountability: It is shameful if our fellow citizens die from cold due to the absence of some urgent but rather simple measures, by Avinash Gupta (kp) [Make politicians and administrators personally responsible!!], High and dry: Citizens should stage more coordinated protests to pressure the government (kp), Cabinet expansion need of hour, says PM (ht) [unbelievable statement!], Unwarranted Expansion, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Serious warning: It seems that the real conflict victims have not come forward to both the commissions due to their distrust of the commissions formed under a political compromise (ht), Let Nepal be Nepal: Explore all avenues, by Subarna Chhetri (ht), Nepal crisis: solution likely but concerns remain, by Pratim Ranjan Bose (Hindu)

12/01/2016: Talks stalled as govt side fails to show up (kp), Pledge to keep Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari intact (ht), Banda continues depriving public of basic amenities, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), Set priorities for India visit, says PM Oli, by Anil Giri (kp) [Nothing to discuss with India?], China connection: Deeper economic integration with China is a key to build a prosperous and strong Nepal, by Ram C. Acharya (kp), Promise of peace: It is important to understand that transitional justice and traditional justice systems are two different things, by Yogendra P. Paneru (kp), Address conflict-era cases urgently: TRC; Transitional justice mechanism’s chief warns of UN intervention if Nepal fails to do the needful, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), State of denial: If elites were committed to a just Nepal, state demarcation  would not assume the significance it has today, by Nirabh Koirala (kp), Govt to sell rice received in grant for quake survivors, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Elite-scape: The class of neo-elites and their traditional counterparts are now at the center stage of Nepal’s political economy, by Pranab Kharel and Gaurab KC (rep)

11/01/2016: Parties inch closer to deal on demarcation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Major parties on verge of breakthrough with UDMF?, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Statute amendment will address most Madhes issues, says NC leader Acharya (ht), Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari residents don’t want to be part of province 2: Gachhadar (ht), 2 provinces not possible in Tarai, says Gachhadar (kp), Grave offence: The authorities should own up for inordinate delay and they owe an explanation for the tragedy which could have been averted had the works been completed timely (ht), Post-quake reconstruction: Survivors likely to get grant for rebuilding only after April (kp), Reconstruction to begin only after mid-April: National action plan for reconstruction not possible without detailed assessment: Gyewali, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Frost-bitten quake victims of Gorkha demand housing (rep), Govt bodies dillydallying over our directives: House panel (rep), Govt tells Army to get into action in Gorkha (kp), PM tells security agencies to dispatch essentials to Gorkha (ht), Winter relief puts quake victims in dilemma, by Dhruba Dangal and Praveen Dhakal (rep), No salt to season, no oil to cook, by Sudip Kaini (kp), I haven’t given up my responsibility: Gyanendra (kp) [You have given up your responsibility when you putched against the state!!], Nepal’s unity hinges on the outcome of the Madhes movement, interview with Hridayesh Tripathi (kp), Ongoing Agitation And Insensitive Leadership, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Country seeks India’s support for waiver of demurrage charges (ht), Kolkata port halts loading of Nepal-bound cargoes, by Shankar Acharya (kp) Nepal: Troubled Peace, by S. Binodkumar Singh (SAIR), Federalising the Nepal Police: A way out, by Madhukar SJB Rana (ht), A dysfunctional state, by C.K. Lal (rep), What’s different?, by Krishna Hachhethu (rep)

10/01/2016: Feltman worried politics pushing lives to the brink (kp), Resolve Tarai crisis without delay: Feltman (kp), Oli to Oli: A letter to nepal’s prime minister, by Oli Dischoe (kp), Irrational Rulers Of Nepal, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), State demarcation row: ‘Morcha to accept proposal if Big 3 offer clear framework’ (kp) [A high level political mechanism will never bring a solution because it will be predominantly composed by the traditional male elite that does not want any changes that affect their own interests and ambitions!!], Deal on boundary must to end ongoing deadlock, say leaders, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), UDMF announces fresh agitation programmes in Tarai: Accuses government of not being serious about negotiated resolution to the unrest (ht), SLMM protests to continue (kp), Protesters quit border sit-ins (kp), ‘Rights activists discriminating against Tharus’ (ht), Quake survivors shiver as freezing cold bites (kp), Snowfall in Gorkha adds to earthquake survivors’ woes (ht), Winter relief package yet to reach the needy (kp), Govt asked for timely relief distribution (kp), Quake displaced left in lurch: Local authorities order them to vacate forest land, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Reconstruction to begin, at last: Delay has been blamed for more than a dozen deaths (ht)

09/01/2016: Fuel shortage takes toll on forests: Deforestation on rise both in Hills and the Tarai as families, businesses rely heavily on firewood, by Bedraj Paudel, Bharat Jarghamagar and Chandra Karki (kp), Rebuilding on drawing board amid staff lack, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Citizenship provision leaves out street kids (kp), UN urges talks to sort out statute differences: Pledges support to political leadership in constitution implementation, by Anil Giri (kp), ‘Three parties are against the demands of Madhes’, interview with Rajendra Mahato (kp), TRC plans to set up its own local offices: Sceptical about plaints recorded by peace committees, by Dewan Rai (kp) [??], SLMM enforces Janakpur banda, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp)

08/01/2016: Morcha seeks pledge on state demarcation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), 103 lawmakers register 24 revision proposals: Most of them in line with Madhesi Morcha demands, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Mahato ‘okay’ with govt-Morcha joint taskforce, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Local businessmen hit back at protesters: Madhesi Morcha announces school closure after motorcycles used by its cadres were set on fire, by Shyamsundar Shashi (kp), Apex court denies clemency to murder convict Dhungel: Issues mandamus order to send Maoist leader to prison for life, by Dewan Rai (kp), EC urges prime minister to fix local election date (kp), What A Country Nepal, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), Living in truth: PM Oli should stop telling people that he is serious about good governance, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (kp), Shades of Sikkim: Our political stalwarts have played a role similar to that of Kazi Lhendup Dorjee, by Chiranjibi Kafle (kp), Defending the nation: The new government needs to draft and implement a national security policy to safeguard national interests, by Geja Sharma Wagle (kp), Why Anti-Indian Sentiment Grows In Nepal?, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn)

07/01/2016: Tharu parties seek to revise 2 Articles: To register revisions today; Hope to get support to their move, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Win-win solution: Allow moderate Madhesi parties a semblance of victory to defuse power of radical groups (kp), Winter onslaught hits quake-displaced, by Anup Ojha (kp), Victims return to damaged homes, by Madhav Aryal (kp), So near, yet so far: Although Nanglebhare is in Kathmandu, the plights of its people are similar to those of the remotest areas, by Shreeram KC (kp), Same old paradigm: Existing political parties have become structurally incapable of reinvigorating ideas, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Visiting The Sins Of The Government On The People, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Fiscal Federalism In Nepal: Many Issues At Stake, by Mukti Rijal (rn)

06/01/2016: Morcha forms panel to hold consultations (kp), Envoy appointment: Many jockeying for coveted posts; Offices of prime minister, deputy prime minister and ministers are inundated with CVs of those seeking to secure plum positions, by Anil Giri (kp), Quake victims deprived of services, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Chepangs pay back loans with relief amount, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), No hollow promises: People should express outrage at 86 hours of load shedding a week (kp), Mostly bad news: The year just ended was marked by setbacks for press freedom, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), UDMF At Receiving End Now, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

05/01/2016: Hope of deal withers as trust deficit grows, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Major parties stand firm with minor divergence: Say provincial boundaries cannot be redrawn now (kp), Constitution amendment: Clause-wise discussion deferred, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Know Your Constitution campaign ‘ineffective’ (kp), Project Hindutva: The blockade shows Indian displeasure at Nepal not being declared a Hindu state, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Time to change tune: 2016 will need great efforts if we are to change Nepal for the better, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Leadership and leaders: What the nation needs, by Meera Rajbhandari Amatya (ht)

04/01/2016: Major parties fail to appease agitating front: Delay in resolving crisis will strengthen secessionists: Thakur, by Tika R. Prahan (ht) Panel to narrow down differences (kp), Big 3 propose taskforce, UDMF to discuss it internally (rep), Amendment bill proceedings paused (ht), Deliberations on statute amendment bill over, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Vexed UDMF coordinator quits (ht), CPN M declares autonomous province (ht), Matrika calls for parallel army to fight government (ht), Govt seeks info from I/NGOs working in quake-hit areas: Home Ministry asks agencies to wrap up relief programmes within 10 days (kp) [??], Distribution of winter cash relief to quake victims on (ht), Over Rs 3 billion spent on winter relief programme: Home Ministry (kp) [??], Relief distribution expedited only after materials start to rot, by Narahari Sapkota (rep), Call to save senior citizens from cold (kp), Legal ambiguity puts  widow’s life in despair: Prabha’s husband, Nawaraj, an NA soldier, died of wounds  suffered in an attack of Maoist rebels; She didn’t receive compensation as Nawaraj died four years later, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Government told to limit ministries to 18 (kp), Political parties told to respect RTI laws (ht), Protester injured in Gaur clash dies, by Shiva Puri (kp), Untimely Talks Of Government Change, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Triple whammy: 2015 was a notably bad year for the economy on three fronts, by Chandan Sapkota (kp), Total Management: Present need of the country, by Arun Kumar Thakur (ht), All about education: The fight for people's rights continues after 10 years of abolition of monarchy, two Constituent Assemblies and five proletariat PMs, by Ghanshyam Bhatt (rep)

03/01/2016: SLMM drops a hint of deal on 4-pt plan, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Sadbhawana Party move catches allies by surprise: Decides to change forms of protest in Tarai-Madhes, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Consensus on Tarai crisis still elusive (ht), Resolve issue of boundary first: Bhattarai (ht), Less than half of quake-hit households have received aid (kp), Quake-hit await permanent shelter, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Pre-departure checklist: PM Oli could meet his predecessors and seek their counsel before going to Delhi, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Madhes Agitation: Dispel Deepening Distrust, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

02/01/2016: Govt registers bill to amend existing laws contravening the new constitution (rep), UDMF to boycott debate on amendment bill, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht) Damage Control Move, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), 7 children killed in protests in 5 mths: Central Child Welfare Board condemns use of children in protests and tells parties to respect children’s rights, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Relief amount for quake-hit in 10 days (ht) [??], Squatter victims of quake yet to receive govt aid, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Children in quake-hit Sindhuli falling ill due to cold, by Anil Bhandari (rep), ‘No cold-related deaths in quake-hit Dolakha (kp), Mahato airlifted to Delhi for treatment (ht), Six state ministers sworn in (kp), Six state ministers sworn in amid criticism (ht), TRC team meets conflict victims in Rukum: Locals demand probe into killings and torture by State and Maoist rebels (ht), The Janakpur fiasco: As locals of Janakpur are generous in welcoming guests there has never in the past been opposition to anyone visiting Janaki temple, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

Timetable
(as of 6 March 2022)