OCHA Nepal Situation Overview
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Asian Centre for Human Rights
Asian Centre For Human Rights BRIEFING PAPERS ON NEPAL ISSUE No. 3 Embargoed for : 1 September, 2009 Madhes: The challenges and opportunities for a stable Nepal 1. Introduction dispensation. The Sadbhavana Party continues to occupy one ministerial portfolio. One of the least reported, but most significant changes in Nepali politics since the 2006 People’s Movement is the These three Madhesi parties were critical in helping Madhav emergence of the ‘Madhes’ as a political force. With the Nepal form a majority government. Even now, if two of opening of the democratic space, the Madhesis, who largely these parties withdraw support, the coalition runs the risk but not exclusively live in the southern plains and constitute of losing the confidence vote on the floor of the house.6 33 percent of the population1, asserted themselves. The Madhes speak languages like Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi, All these parties have come together on an anti-Maoist Hindi and Urdu2 and have extensive cross-border ties with plank, sharing the belief that the Maoists must be stopped India3. They challenged the hill-centric notion of Nepali in their quest for ‘total state capture’. They have termed the nationalism and staked claim for greater representation in alliance as a broader democratic alliance. But it is riddled the state structure.4 with internal contradictions. After a period of two and a half volatile years which IN THIS ISSUE has seen the repeated formation and fragmentation 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................... 1 of Madhesi parties, the proliferation of militant armed groups in the Tarai, and reluctant measures by 2. THE ISSUES IN MAHDES ..................................... -
Chronology of Major Political Events in Contemporary Nepal
Chronology of major political events in contemporary Nepal 1846–1951 1962 Nepal is ruled by hereditary prime ministers from the Rana clan Mahendra introduces the Partyless Panchayat System under with Shah kings as figureheads. Prime Minister Padma Shamsher a new constitution which places the monarch at the apex of power. promulgates the country’s first constitution, the Government of Nepal The CPN separates into pro-Moscow and pro-Beijing factions, Act, in 1948 but it is never implemented. beginning the pattern of splits and mergers that has continued to the present. 1951 1963 An armed movement led by the Nepali Congress (NC) party, founded in India, ends Rana rule and restores the primacy of the Shah The 1854 Muluki Ain (Law of the Land) is replaced by the new monarchy. King Tribhuvan announces the election to a constituent Muluki Ain. The old Muluki Ain had stratified the society into a rigid assembly and introduces the Interim Government of Nepal Act 1951. caste hierarchy and regulated all social interactions. The most notable feature was in punishment – the lower one’s position in the hierarchy 1951–59 the higher the punishment for the same crime. Governments form and fall as political parties tussle among 1972 themselves and with an increasingly assertive palace. Tribhuvan’s son, Mahendra, ascends to the throne in 1955 and begins Following Mahendra’s death, Birendra becomes king. consolidating power. 1974 1959 A faction of the CPN announces the formation The first parliamentary election is held under the new Constitution of CPN–Fourth Congress. of the Kingdom of Nepal, drafted by the palace. -
Youth Experiences of Conflict, Violence and Peacebuilding in Nepal
CASE STUDY ‘Aaba Hamro Paalo’ (It’s Our Time Now): Youth experiences of conflict, violence and peacebuilding in Nepal. Informing the Progress Study on Youth, Peace and Security and the Implementation of Security Council Resolution 2250. SEPTEMBER 30, 2017 Dr. Bhola Prasad Dahal Niresh Chapagain Country Director DMEA Manager Search for Common Ground, Nepal Search for Common Ground, Nepal Phone: +977 9851191666 Phone: +977 9801024762 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Case Study: Youth Consultations on Peace & Security in Nepal Table of Contents Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 3 Acronyms ...................................................................................................................................................... 4 1. Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. 5 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 9 3. Methodology and Description of Research Activities ............................................................................ 10 3.1 Objectives, Population of the Study and Key Research Questions .................................................. -
European Bulletin of Himalayan Research (EBHR)
Nine Years On: The 1999 eLection and Nepalese politics since the 1990 janandoLan' John Whelpton Introduction In May 1999 Nepal held its th ird general election since the re-establishment of parliamentary democracy through the 'People's Movement' (janandolan) of spring 1990. it was in one way a return to the start ing point si nce, as in the first (1991) electio n, the Nepali Congress achieved an absolute majority, whilst the party's choice in 1999 for Prime Minister, Krishna Prasad Bhat tami, had led the \990-9\ interim government and would have conti nued in otTi ce had it not been for his personal defeat in Kathmandu-i constituency. Whilst the leading figu re was the same, the circumstances and expectations we re, of course, ve ry different. Set against the high hopes of 1990, the nine years of democracy in praclice had been a disill us ioning ex perience for mosl Ne palese, as cynical manoeuvring for power seemed to have replaced any attempt 10 solve the deep economic and social problems bequeathed by the Panchayat regime. This essay is an allempt to summarize developments up to the recent election, looking at wha t has apparently go ne wrong but also trying to identify some positive ac hievements.l The political kaleidoscope The interim government, which presided over the drafting of the 1990 I I am grateful 10 Krishna Hachhelhu for comments on an earlier draft oflhis paper and for help in collecting materials. 1 The main political developments up to late 1995 are covered in Brown (1996) and Hoftun et al. -
Observing the 2008 Nepal Constituent Assembly Election
Observing the 2008 Nepal Constituent Assembly Election April 2008 Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope. The Carter Center strives to relieve suffering by advancing peace and health worldwide; it seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts, enhance freedom and democracy, and protect and promote human rights worldwide. Observing the 2008 Nepal Constituent Assembly Election April 2008 One Copenhill 453 Freedom Parkway Atlanta, GA 30307 (404) 420-5188 Fax (404) 420-5196 www.cartercenter.org May 2009 The Carter Center Contents Foreword, by Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter . 3 Carter Center Observation Delegation and Staff............................................ 5 Terms and Abbreviations............................................................. 8 Acknowledgments . 9 Executive Summary ................................................................ 11 Facts About Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Election . 15 Nepal’s Path to Peace and Democracy . 16 Timeline of Events................................................................. 21 Observation Methodology . 23 The Pre-election Period ............................................................. 27 Election Day and Postelection Period................................................... 41 The Constituent Assembly and New Governing Coalition . 54 Conclusion and Recommendations ..................................................... 55 Appendices A: The Electoral Framework and Method of Voting......................................... 63 B: Letters of Invitation . 66 C: Selected Press Releases -
Nepal: Identity Politics and Federalism
NEPAL: IDENTITY POLITICS AND FEDERALISM Asia Report N°199 – 13 January 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................... i I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 1 II. IDENTITY POLITICS IN NEPAL ................................................................................. 3 A. ETHNIC ACTIVISM: PAST AND PRESENT ....................................................................................... 3 1. Before 1990 .................................................................................................................................. 3 2. After 1990 .................................................................................................................................... 4 B. ETHNIC DEMANDS AND THE “PEOPLE’S WAR” ............................................................................. 5 C. FEDERALISM AFTER THE PEACE DEAL .......................................................................................... 7 III. THE POLITICS OF FEDERALISM .............................................................................. 9 A. THE MAOISTS .............................................................................................................................. 9 B. THE MAINSTREAM PARTIES ....................................................................................................... 10 1. The UML: if you can’t convince them, -
F OCHA Nepal - Fortnightly Situation Overview
F OCHA Nepal - Fortnightly Situation Overview Issue No. 27, covering the period 13 -28 May 2008 Kathmandu, 28 May 2008 Highlights: • Constituent Assembly convenes on 28 May, declares Nepal a democratic republic; king Gyanendra to leave the palace • Food crisis hits remote areas in hills and mountains and fuel shortages adversely affect population • Operational space restricted in some areas by security concerns, including a second attack on an IOM transport • Armed Terai groups increase level of violence, with frequent IEDs, abductions and killings • Negotiations on forming a new government face major hurdles • Bandh in Kathmandu Valley and protests following PLA killing of a Kathmandu businessman • Due to the lack of textbooks and related protests, schools close down for two weeks CONTEXT ceremonial president after the abolition of monarchy, and to amending the interim constitution so that a government can be Political situation formed and removed through a simple majority in the CA. The Terai Madhesh Democratic Party (TMDP) was also expected to Constituent Assembly convenes, republic declared join this agreement. Following a swearing in ceremony of newly elected members On 22 May Senior NC leader and former prime minister Sher on 27 May and under tight security arrangements, and after Bahadur Deuba ruled out his party's involvement in the to-be- more hours of delay, the first session of the Constituent formed government and the possibility of a working alliance Assembly (CA) convened at the Birendra International with Maoists if the latter failed to address the NC‘s seven-point Convention Centre (BICC), Naya Baneshwor, in Kathmandu in demands issued earlier. -
Nepal: Political Developments and Bilateral Relations with the United States
Nepal: Political Developments and Bilateral Relations with the United States Bruce Vaughn Specialist in Asian Affairs April 7, 2011 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL34731 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Nepal: Political Developments and Bilateral Relations with the United States Summary Nepal has undergone a radical political transformation since 2006, when a 10-year armed struggle by Maoist insurgents, which claimed at least 13,000 lives, officially came to an end. The country’s king stepped down in 2006, and two years later Nepal declared itself a republic, electing a Constituent Assembly in 2008 to write a new constitution, which is currently being drafted. Though the process of democratization has had setbacks and been marked by violence at times, Nepal has conducted reasonably peaceful elections, brought former insurgents into the political system, and in a broad sense, taken several large steps towards entrenching a functioning democracy. This still-unfolding democratization process makes Nepal of interest to Congress and to U.S. foreign policymakers. A Congressional Nepal caucus has been newly formed, which should help further strengthen relations between the two countries, which have traditionally been friendly. U.S. policy objectives toward Nepal include supporting democratic institutions and economic liberalization, promoting peace and stability in South Asia, supporting Nepalese territorial integrity, and alleviating poverty and promoting development. Nepal’s status as a small, landlocked state situated between India and China also makes it important to foreign policymakers. Nepal’s reliance on these two giant neighbors leads it to seek amicable relations with both, though ties with India have historically been closer. -
Explaining Political Transitions in Nepal Prakash Adhikari
University of New Mexico UNM Digital Repository Himalayan Research Papers Archive Nepal Study Center 10-9-2007 Pursuing Democracy: Explaining Political Transitions in Nepal Prakash Adhikari James D. Timberlake Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nsc_research Recommended Citation Adhikari, Prakash and James D. Timberlake. "Pursuing Democracy: Explaining Political Transitions in Nepal." (2007). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nsc_research/15 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Nepal Study Center at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Himalayan Research Papers Archive by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pursuing Democracy: Explaining Political Transitions in Nepal Prakash Adhikari and James D. Timberlake University of New Mexico Paper prepared for presentation at the Second Annual Himalayan Policy Research Conference 36th South Asian Conference, University of Wisconsin-Madison, (October 11, 2007). This is a working paper; please do not cite or quote. Pursuing Democracy: Explaining Political Transitions in Nepal Prakash Adhikari and James D. Timberlake University of New Mexico Nepal has been struggling to consolidate a democratic political system for more than a half-century yet still does not have a working constitution. This paper is the first step in a larger research project examining regime transitions in Nepal. We review the existent comparative literature on democratization and authoritarian reversals in order to isolate some potential explanatory variables. We also focus on making valid descriptive inferences along these conceptual lines. What caused the failure of democracy in Nepal in the past? What are the future prospects for democratic consolidation? The literature has been divided along two lines, which we label as the Weberian and Neo-Marxist research programs. -
OCHA Nepal Situation Overview
F OCHA Nepal Situation Overview Issue No. 19, covering the period 09 November -31 December 2007 Kathmandu, 31 December 2007 Highlights: • Consultations between the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) breaks political deadlock • Terai based Legislators pull out of government, Parliament • Political re-alignment in Terai underway • Security concerns in the Terai persist with new reports of extortion, threats and abductions • CPN-Maoist steps up extortion drive countrywide • The second phase of registration of CPN-Maoist combatants completed • Resignations by VDC Secretaries continue to affect the ‘reach of state’ • Humanitarian and Development actors continue to face access challenges • Displacements reported in Eastern Nepal • IASC 2008 Appeal completed CONTEXT Constituent Assembly. Consensus also started to emerge on the issue of electoral system to be used during the CA election. Politics and Major Developments On 19 November, the winter session of Interim parliament met Consultations were finalized on 23 December when the Seven but adjourned to 29 November to give time for more Party Alliance signed a 23-point agreement. The agreement negotiations and consensus on constitutional and political provided for the declaration of a republic subject to issues. implementation by the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly, a mixed electoral system with 60% of the members Citing failure of the government to address issues affecting of the CA to be elected through proportional system and 40% their community, four members of parliament from the through first-past-the-post system, and an increase in number Madhesi Community, including a cabinet minister affiliated of seats in the Constituent Assembly (CA) from the current 497 with different political parties resigned from their positions. -
Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal in Accountability Political and Impunity
Aditya Adhikari and Bhaskar Gautam and Bhaskar Adhikari Aditya Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal Aditya Adhikari and Bhaskar Gautam with Surabhi Pudasaini and Bhadra Sharma G.P.O. Box 935 Bhat Bhateni Kathmandu, Nepal www.asiafoundation.org Technical and financial support for this publication has been provided by The Asia Foundation, with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of Australia. Views and opinions expressed in this publication are of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of The Asia Foundation or of the Government of Australia. The Politics of Impunity i Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal ii Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal The Politics of Impunity iii Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal By Aditya Adhikari and Bhaskar Gautam with Surabhi Pudasaini and Bhadra Sharma iv Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal The Politics of Impunity v Contents Preface ix Chapter 1: The Politics of Impunity 1 Chapter 2: The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction 20 Chapter 3: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority 29 Chapter 4: Politics and Criminality in Biratnagar 40 Chapter 5: Transitional Justice 57 Conclusion 79 Annex 84 References 97 vi Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal The Politics of Impunity vii Foreword “Impunity and Political Accountability in Nepal” is the fourth of a series of reports published by The Asia Foundation since 1999 that document impunity in Nepal. Prior reports provided analyses of the causes and scale of impunity in the context of conflict and political instability during the late 1990s; political corruption and violation of human rights during 2004 - 2006; and the state of impunity prior to and immediately after Jana Anadolan II during 2006 -2010. -
Mass Revolution and End of the Cultural Institution In
RESEARCHER I II JULY- DECEMBER 2013 11 MASS REVOLUTION AND END OF THE CULTURAL INSTITUTION IN NEPAL Apar Kumar Lamsal Tribhuvan University [email protected] Abstract From 6th April to 24th April of 2006, parliamentary political parties along with the ten years long strafing underground Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) stage a mass revolution against the Royal takeover of 2002 AD for the establishment of republican state. This mass movement gained much impetus then trailed by various organizations, trade unions, students, professional employees and the general mass throughout the kingdom of Nepal. Ultimately, the age-long monarchical institution was finished from the political and cultural scenario of Nepal. This article outlines the main events and outcomes of this revolution and analyzes it. This article is based on secondary sources along with event observation. Key words: mass revolution, monarchy, political parties Background of the Mass Revolution After the restablishment of parliamentary democracy system in 1990AD, the people of Nepal had a hope and trust in peoples participation and more freedom. The also had hoped that the people's representatives government would give freedom, relief, peace, development and security but due to political instability, corruption, lack of understanding among major political parties, failure to maintain law and order and security, the political parties failed to secure the trust and support of the people. At this crucial moment, the Royal massacre of Birendra's family and enthronement of a king RESEARCHER I II JULY- DECEMBER 2013 12 Gyanendra abruptly dismissed the people's elected „House of Representative‟ on May 22, 2002 and the Government on Oct 4, 2002 and took the country's rule by appointing the council of minister according to his own will.