Nepal's future is one where 75% of the country lives in the Terai. As long as all levels of government are organized around one person one vote, that should be manageable.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Hulaki Rajmarga
Nepal's future is one where 75% of the country lives in the Terai. As long as all levels of government are organized around one person one vote, that should be manageable.
Media Coverage
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| English: Durga, Kathmandu, Nepal Español: Durga, Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Let me make it clear, I have never had issue with any trending topic on Twitter, and #GoHomeIndianMedia was no exception. Free expression is a beautiful thing. I can disagree and celebrate at the same time.
But I have been curious. I have had the disadvantage of not seeing the TV coverage that brought about that Twitter storm. For the most part. I have seen a few minutes here and there on Facebook. But I have yet to come across something I might find offensive.
TV coverage is what brings in the help and the aid. TV coverage gone, most of the incoming help also comes down to a trickle, as it predictably did.
Of course the media is going to report on the extremes and the dramatic. That is how they work everywhere. The Dixit brothers are in the print medium. Maybe they should jump into the online video segment as well. That will help them appreciate.
In fact the first foreign correspondents to parachute in the next morning were surprised on the drive into the city that they didn’t spot a single ruined building. Had they flown into the wrong hotspot by mistake? ....... there is a formula for news and it’s hard to file a story that doesn’t fit it........ Which is why from Haiti to Haiyan, from Nargis to Nepal, it is, quite literally, the same old story. ...... The international media arrives in herds and hunts in packs. Everything has to conform to a preordained script: you parachute in and immediately find good visuals of ‘utter devastation’; recruit an English-speaking local who doesn’t need subtitling; trail the rescue teams with sniffer dogs you flew in with as they pull someone out alive, after 12 hours (the rescuers need their logos on TV as much as you need them in the picture). ....... Then it’s back to the hotel bar to swap stories of derring-do, before calling the desk to plan tomorrow’s story of slow government response, and the day after tomorrow’s account of yet another survivor pulled out alive. After that, get a ride in a rescue helicopter for the out-of-town visual of utter devastation in a remote mountain village.Why is this surprising? Is this Dixit trying to pull a Go Home Western Media?
To my knowledge no foreign correspondent went around shooting streets in which all the buildings were still standing. They didn’t have time to look at farmers harvesting potatoes by the roadside as they rushed to pan across more historic ruins. ...... No-one found it extraordinary or newsworthy that the phones were working, that they could tweet even from the hinterland, or that Kathmandu got back electricity in three days. Such bits of information didn’t fit the script. ...... Because competing TV channels are in the same helicopter, there is a temptation to over-dramatise, embellish and overstate. And countries like Nepal better have their disasters on a slow news day in North America - otherwise they might not make the bulletins.And now the money quote.
But in Kathmandu this month it was the arrival of Indian TV journalists that exposed the worst shortcomings of the international media. It was as if the reporters were selected for their archetypal crudeness and rudeness, and ability to be insensitive to survivors. Nepali villagers who had just lost relatives were treated like hard-of-hearing hillbillies who should have been thankful to be on camera. ..... the most biting criticism came from India’s own public sphere, with many criticising the country’s TV coverage of the Kashmir floods last year as equally crass and overbearing.This always happens, no?
Although many correspondents tried to get more minutes on air, the media had moved on to the UK elections, Syria, Yemen and Iraq. The challenge now is to keep the spotlight on Nepal when another disaster strikes. Not another earthquake, but when the monsoon rains in July-August trigger landslides on mountains destabilised by the tremors.Do that on social media. Become your own media.
Summary: I am surprised Kunda Dixit is surprised the global media was interested in fallen temples and houses and not those intact and standing. That is how TV works. Of all people, he should know.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
बाढ़ी, आगलागी, पहिरो, कोशी र महाभुकम्प
महाभुकम्प अगाडि नै नेपालमा एउटा निकम्मा, असहिष्णु, भ्रष्ट, माफिया को चुंगलमा फँसेको सरकार थियो। महाभुकम्प को कारणले त्यो सरकार रातारात सक्षम भैजाने होइन, रातारात चोखिने होइन। विपत्ति को बेलामा बरु गलत मान्छे हरु का लागि बाटाहरु प्रशस्त भएर जान्छन्।
नेपाल लोकतंत्र हो। Watchdog रोल को आवश्यकता झन ठुलो छ। अहिले को अवस्थामा। केही मंत्री ले भन्दैछन्, यस्तो विपत परेको बेला सरकारको आलोचना गरेर सरकार लाई कमजोर पार्ने काम नगर्नोस। गलत बोल्यो। चोरको खुट्टा काट भन्दा कसले खुट्टा झिक्यो भनेर हेर्ने बेला हो यो बरु।
नेपालका चेली विदेशमा बेचने माफिया गैंग हरु का लागि fishing season आए जस्तो भै राख्या छ।
२००८ मा कोशी प्रकोप मा राहत बाँड्नु पर्ने ले मधेसी हरुसँग नागरिकता देखा भनेर भनेकै हो। कति घटिया व्यव्हार! अहिले, कसलाई के सुर्ता कसलाई के सुर्ता घर जवाईं लाई खानै को सुर्ता भने जस्तो, बामे लाई महोत्तरी को सदरमुकाम जलेश्वर बाट बर्दीबांस सार्न हतार भै राख्या छ। एमाले भनेको नेपालमा riot politics गर्न खोजेको पार्टी हो। पानी धमिलो गर्ने अनि माछा मार्ने। मतदाता हरु लाई polarize गर्ने। जातीय आधारमा। टुंडीखेल मा जस्तो तराई का विभिन्न ठाउँ मा पाल गाड़ने अवस्था आएको छ भने आएको छ -- के गर्ने? मरता क्या न करता। तर त्यो मधेसी हरुको जग्गा खोस्ने किसिमले गर्न मिल्दैन। सार्वजनिक भुमि शहर शहर मा छ। महाभुकम्प प्राकृतिक प्रकोप माथि अन्याय को राजनीतिक प्रकोप थप्ने काम नगर्ने।
वर्षेनी नेपाल मा तराई मा बाढ़ी र आगलागी का समाचार आउँछन्। त्यही बेला पहाड़मा पहिरो को समाचार आउँछ। तर २००८ को कोशी प्रकोप अर्कै लेवल को कुरा हो। र यो महाभुकम्प त unprecedented हो। नेपालको इतिहासमा यति ठुलो विपद आएकै छैन। तराई-पहाड़, मधेसी-पहाड़ी पछि गरौंला। राजनीति आफ्नो ठाउँमा चल्दै गर्छ। अहिले सबै पक्षले राहत र पुनर्स्थापना बारे सोँच। पुराना घाउ कोट्याउने अहिले होइन। त्यसको समय आउँछ। सत्ता पक्ष ले पनि सोंचने, प्रतिपक्षले पनि सोंचने।
यो भुकम्प सकियो भन्ने पनि छैन। वैज्ञानिक हरुले ठोकुवा का साथ भन्न सक्दैनन्। आगामी ३-४ महिना नेपालको इतिहासमा नआएको पहिरो हरु आउने संभावना छ। त्यो फेरि आफैमा भुकम्प हो। तराईमा मधेसी-पहाड़ी सम्बन्ध बिगार्ने काम गर्नु हुँदैन, नत्र नचाहिएको बेलामा राजनीतिक भुकम्प आइदिन्छ।
नेपाल लोकतंत्र हो। Watchdog रोल को आवश्यकता झन ठुलो छ। अहिले को अवस्थामा। केही मंत्री ले भन्दैछन्, यस्तो विपत परेको बेला सरकारको आलोचना गरेर सरकार लाई कमजोर पार्ने काम नगर्नोस। गलत बोल्यो। चोरको खुट्टा काट भन्दा कसले खुट्टा झिक्यो भनेर हेर्ने बेला हो यो बरु।
नेपालका चेली विदेशमा बेचने माफिया गैंग हरु का लागि fishing season आए जस्तो भै राख्या छ।
२००८ मा कोशी प्रकोप मा राहत बाँड्नु पर्ने ले मधेसी हरुसँग नागरिकता देखा भनेर भनेकै हो। कति घटिया व्यव्हार! अहिले, कसलाई के सुर्ता कसलाई के सुर्ता घर जवाईं लाई खानै को सुर्ता भने जस्तो, बामे लाई महोत्तरी को सदरमुकाम जलेश्वर बाट बर्दीबांस सार्न हतार भै राख्या छ। एमाले भनेको नेपालमा riot politics गर्न खोजेको पार्टी हो। पानी धमिलो गर्ने अनि माछा मार्ने। मतदाता हरु लाई polarize गर्ने। जातीय आधारमा। टुंडीखेल मा जस्तो तराई का विभिन्न ठाउँ मा पाल गाड़ने अवस्था आएको छ भने आएको छ -- के गर्ने? मरता क्या न करता। तर त्यो मधेसी हरुको जग्गा खोस्ने किसिमले गर्न मिल्दैन। सार्वजनिक भुमि शहर शहर मा छ। महाभुकम्प प्राकृतिक प्रकोप माथि अन्याय को राजनीतिक प्रकोप थप्ने काम नगर्ने।
वर्षेनी नेपाल मा तराई मा बाढ़ी र आगलागी का समाचार आउँछन्। त्यही बेला पहाड़मा पहिरो को समाचार आउँछ। तर २००८ को कोशी प्रकोप अर्कै लेवल को कुरा हो। र यो महाभुकम्प त unprecedented हो। नेपालको इतिहासमा यति ठुलो विपद आएकै छैन। तराई-पहाड़, मधेसी-पहाड़ी पछि गरौंला। राजनीति आफ्नो ठाउँमा चल्दै गर्छ। अहिले सबै पक्षले राहत र पुनर्स्थापना बारे सोँच। पुराना घाउ कोट्याउने अहिले होइन। त्यसको समय आउँछ। सत्ता पक्ष ले पनि सोंचने, प्रतिपक्षले पनि सोंचने।
यो भुकम्प सकियो भन्ने पनि छैन। वैज्ञानिक हरुले ठोकुवा का साथ भन्न सक्दैनन्। आगामी ३-४ महिना नेपालको इतिहासमा नआएको पहिरो हरु आउने संभावना छ। त्यो फेरि आफैमा भुकम्प हो। तराईमा मधेसी-पहाड़ी सम्बन्ध बिगार्ने काम गर्नु हुँदैन, नत्र नचाहिएको बेलामा राजनीतिक भुकम्प आइदिन्छ।
Friday, May 22, 2015
The Chinook Mistake Was An Impeachable Offense
And if the Nepal Army had anything to do with it, I think that criminal act negates 50% of the good work they have done in the aftermath of the earthquake. The Chinook was so badly needed. This is not a time to emphasize the chain of command. This was and is the time to take relief supplies from the Kathmandu airport straight to the villages. The Chinook deliberate mistake is enough reason for Sushil Koirala to resign. How dare the Nepal Army play asinine politics with the best relief helicopters money can buy at this time of tragedy?
In a town called Dhap, so many animal carcasses were trapped in wrecked buildings that the whole stretch of road reeked of decay, and people jogged by with handkerchiefs clamped over their mouths. ...... The families from Dhap were huddled in a schoolhouse, their eyes wide: If they even approached the rock piles that had been their homes, flies swarmed around them in such numbers that they turned back. Here I saw, for the first time in Nepal, something like despair. As we passed that town, I saw a woman sitting on a hillside, staring into empty space, as if part of her had already left this earth.
Whiskey In The Time Of Tragedy
As I worked, filing reports every night from a hotel room, the details nagged at me. Her mother, Japa Tamang, was living in an open-sided shed once used to store grain, in hills still shuddering from aftershocks. My husband had the idea of giving her a ride back to Kathmandu and a plane ticket to Delhi, and this idea cheered me up greatly. But when this offer was conveyed to her, she said no, thank you. She did make one request: Could I bring her a bottle of whiskey?
Truth And Reconciliation Commission Above The Supreme Court
The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights is above Nepal's constitution, or the constitution of any country, for that matter. The parliament in Nepal could not curtail any element of human rights through a majority vote, or a two thirds majority vote, or even with a 100% vote.
Similarly, the Truth And Reconciliation Commission, the way it should be, stands above the country's judicial system. The courts only get to look into specific cases a-f-t-e-r the Truth And Reconciliation Commission recommends. And there will be some cases. The TRC is not a total amnesty tool. But the Supreme Court does not get to order around the TRC: it is the other way round.
But some judges in Nepal are hell bent on trying to put the cart before the horse.
Similarly, the Truth And Reconciliation Commission, the way it should be, stands above the country's judicial system. The courts only get to look into specific cases a-f-t-e-r the Truth And Reconciliation Commission recommends. And there will be some cases. The TRC is not a total amnesty tool. But the Supreme Court does not get to order around the TRC: it is the other way round.
But some judges in Nepal are hell bent on trying to put the cart before the horse.
Urbanization Is A Good Thing
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| List of Prime Ministers of Nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The Next Chief Minister Of Bihar?
But unless Baburam Bhattarai leads the national unity government, this massive tragedy will get turned into yet another farce in the long list of farces in Nepali politics. He is the only one with the vision. And I am basing my comments based on his publicly shared thoughts since the tragedy hit.
Bamdev Gautam is PC Sorcar. His idea of relief work is to create a major distraction in the Terai to hide his incompetence, gross corruption, and open mafia links. That guy is beyond cynical, he is criminal.
A national unity government has to be a response to the national tragedy. It can not be ruled by logics like (1) maybe it is KP Oli's turn now, or (2) let's see how the political arithmetic works out. I respect the logic of political arithmetic, and that is why I am proposing one berth also to Kamal Thapa's party, even though the only feeling I have for him and his party is utter, total disgust. I worked full time for the 2006 April revolution. I respect the logic of political arithmetic, and that is why I am saying, if Baburam Bhattarai is to lead the new national unity government, his party should get less than the number of berths it otherwise might get, to even it out. I am even suggesting his party should give up on the idea of states with ethnic names and a directly elected president as the price for his leadership in this current time of unprecedented national tragedy.
Continuing with Sushil Koirala is better than bringing KP Oli in. And no, I am not letting my bitterness towards his anti-Madhesi racist sentiments rule my logic. Time for that will come later. I just don't think KP Oli can do good for the relief and reconstruction work. Baburam, on the other hand, will bring the kind of zeal and vision that he brought to the politically complex task of widening the roads in Kathmandu.
Forming a national unity government in Sushil Koirala's leadership is out of question. It is better to continue with the current formation than to do that.
You bring KP Oli in, and that will be a cocktail of Sushil Koirala's incompetence ("deer in the headlights") and Bamdev Gautam's mafia ways. You can accuse Sushil of many things, incompetence and ethnic prejudice among them, but mafia links are not one of them.
There is a reason why Bijay Gachhedar is rooting for KP Oli, that is another joker who believes in open mafia links. That was a guy sent into the Forum by the Nepali Congress to destroy the afterglow of the Madhesi Kranti. And now he has been working to successfully destroy whatever little aura Prachanda has left in him.
Political criticism has to be taken to new heights at this moment of tragedy because so much is at stake.
Baburam should be brought in at the helm, and he should be allowed to bring in some non political people into his cabinet, as he might see fit.
राष्ट्रिय सरकारको आवश्यकता त छ तर
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संघीयता पछि के?
Talking about big cities, this earthquake has given Nepal an opportunity to attempt a new wave of urbanization. New cities should be built along the Arniko Highway, along the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway, along the Kathmandu-Nijgadh route, in Chitwan, and several Terai districts. I don't see how anyone in the three parties except Baburam can even grasp the concept of it.
A true need of the hour is to have the guts to see the national capital needs to be shifted, and to imagine a megacity in Chitwan that might go on to be home to fully one third of the Nepali population down the line. Kathmandu does not need to shrink. But Chitwan can grow massively. A city of 10 million residents in 10 years. It is easier to provide for infrastructure when people are amassed like that. It can also help ease people from the agriculture sector to the non-agricultural sector.
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