Oli Yet Again Shares Misinformation and Provides No Concrete Plans

WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 91 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 42.2 C 9.8 C Tuesday, May 26, 2020 | 13-02-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla Paddy plantation season is here but there isn’t enough fertiliser Nepal does not have adequate stocks of chemical fertiliser, with imports stuck at Kolkata, India for the last two months due to the lockdown.

SANGAM PRASAIN India border. KATHMANDU, MAY 25 And with Nepal-India relations souring due to border issues, the gov- The good news is that local govern- ernment is unlikely to request India to ments across the country have loos- provide fertiliser directly through a ened the lockdown for farmers follow- government-to-government deal. ing concerns that keeping tens of “Our planning failed due to the thousands away from their fields dur- Covid-19 pandemic,” said Bishnu ing peak plantation season could lead Prasad Pokharel, spokesperson for the to food shortages. Agriculture Inputs Company, the The bad news is that chemical fertil- state-owned fertiliser supplier. “We iser—a vital farm input to increase didn’t know how long this lockdown POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL productivity—is in short supply and would last. Now, it does not look like it Planes sit idle at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu as the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic goes beyond two months. available stocks could run out before is possible to import fertiliser.” paddy plantation begins. The Agriculture Inputs Company As Nepal is completely dependent and Salt Trading Corporation had on imports for chemical fertilisers, issued tenders to import 25,000 tonnes any shortage could lead to food insecu- of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and rity, affect the incomes of farmers, 71,000 tonnes of urea for this year’s and dampen economic growth pros- paddy plantation. Oli yet again shares misinformation pects for the next fiscal year. “But we haven’t even been able to The World Food Programme and the bring 25,000 tonnes of chemical fertil- World Bank have both warned that as isers that have been stuck in Kolkata the coronavirus crisis unfolds, disrup- for the last two months,” said and provides no concrete plans tions to domestic food supply chains Pokharel. and other shocks could affect food According to Pokharel, Nepal’s fer- production and lead to insecurity. tiliser stock will last for at least a In his third address to the nation in two months, the prime minister commended his government’s efforts to handle Nepal, which relies heavily on food month. Nepal requires 120,000 tonnes imports and agricultural input, is of urea and 50,000 tonnes of DAP for the Covid-19 crisis, but provided little of substance even as cases continue to rise. already bracing for shortages. paddy plantation. Currently, the two “This year, Nepal has more mouths companies have a combined stock of ANIL GIRI ago in Bara. government will announce a plan to to feed than ever before, but it doesn’t 35,000 tonnes of DAP and 25,000 tonnes KATHMANDU, MAY 25 Oli, however, did not appear to have bring back Nepali nationals stranded have adequate fertiliser to grow of urea. been updated about the new numbers in various countries, focusing on more,” said Bhola Man Singh Basnet, “Fertiliser will be inadequate Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli took to as he said that three people had died those who have emergencies. a former agricultural scientist from this planting season. We have to man- the podium once again on Monday, for so far, before going on to assure the “I have spoken with the heads of the Nepal Agricultural Research age with the stock we have,” he said. the third time in two months, to nation that Nepalis would beat Covid- government and state of countries Council. “If the stranded fertiliser arrives, it address the nation. And once again, 19. Except for “strong will-power and where a majority of Nepalis work. Thousands of people, including will relieve pressure to some extent. his 21-minute address consisted of immunity,” Oli had few ideas on how Responding to my request to take care migrant workers, are returning home But we don’t have any other alterna- much rhetoric and not enough sub- exactly Nepalis would beat a disease of Nepalis, they have given me assur- as they have lost jobs abroad and the tive.” stance. that has brought much of the world to ances,” said Oli. “I thank them all.” country needs to produce additional In preparation for a crisis like this, In characteristic fashion, Oli made its knees. The Oli administration, however, food to feed them. Nepal and India had signed an agree- a number of unsubstantiated claims Referring to his address last month, has yet to come up with a detailed plan “Importing food from India will also ment in 2009 that allowed India to sell regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and Oli recalled saying that the coming to bring back Nepalis from abroad. be difficult in the immediate future as 100,000 tonnes of chemical fertiliser two months into a lockdown, went on months would be challenging, but at “An order to bring a detailed plan it too may impose restrictions amid (60,000 tonnes of urea and 40,000 to enumerate what his government least the World Health Organization and guidelines to bring back stranded pressure to feed its own population,” tonnes of DAP) to Nepal annually at will now do. had upgraded Nepal from a “high risk Nepalis will be issued very soon,” said said Basnet. international parity prices to avoid a Oli’s address to the nation comes zone” to just “risk zone”. the prime minister. Fertiliser supply is certain to be lengthy tender process. That deal amid criticism for his government’s There is no evidence that the World PM’S SECRETARIAT Oli, like last week in Parliament, affected by the closure of fertiliser expired in December last year and has failure to utilise the lockdown, which Health Organization has ever revised KP Sharma Oli indirectly blamed India for the influx factories, the disruption in transport, not been renewed. entered its 63rd day on Monday, to Nepal’s risk status, according to a fact of migrant workers who are testing and new restrictions along the Nepal- >> Continued on page 5 prepare properly to respond to Covid- check from South Asia Check on April among some countries that are badly positive for Covid-19. He had then said 19. Every day, the number of coronavi- 28, after some media began reporting hit hard by the pandemic,” said Oli. that the Indian virus looks more lethal rus cases in the country continues to the upgrade. “Some early measures, like lockdown, than the Chinese or Italian virus. This rise, with over 600 infections and four Dr Bikash Devkota, spokesperson restriction of international flights, time, he accused India of sending deaths. The Health Ministry, earlier for the Health Ministry, told the Post and closing down the border, have put Nepali migrant workers home with- on Monday, confirmed the presence of that he did not have any idea regard- Nepal in a relatively safer position out testing them at the border. the virus in a man who died nine days ing WHO’s risk classification for compared to some other countries. “As per WHO protocol, those return- Nepal. But it is not enough.” ing home should have been mandato- “I am not in a position to say The Oli administration might have rily tested before they crossed the anything as I have never heard locked down the country and sealed its border, which could have prevented anything regarding WHO down- borders but it is also facing much crit- the virus from spreading to the com- grading Nepal’s risk level,” icism for its poor handling of migrant munity,” Oli said. “Nepalis from India Devkota said when asked about workers who want to return home are entering without following rules the prime minister’s claim. from India. There have been numer- and testing. This too has contributed Oli went on to say that his gov- ous complaints about poorly managed to the further spread of Covid-19.” ernment is well aware of the fact quarantine facilities in various bor- Some believe Oli’s references to that the battle against Covid-19 is der districts, a lack of isolation facili- India, at a time when Kathmandu and going to be long and challenging. ties, and inadequate testing. New Delhi are at loggerheads over “But Nepal’s preparations will Amid growing calls to evacuate Kalapani-Lipulekh-Limipiyadhura, is meet the challenges because Nepalis from abroad as well as India provocative. POST FILE PHOTO Nepal’s result is satisfactory in a proper manner, Oli said that the >> Continued on page 5 Like everywhere else in Nepal, Sindhuli farmers haven’t got enough fertiliser this season.

C M Y K TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 | 02 MEDLEY

Inside the Post Quote of the day

Health Ministry insists Nepal has still not entered National ‘community transmission’ stage, Page 3 The Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown might have put many social activities on hold, but age-old caste-based discrimination has continued. On Saturday, locals from Chaurjahari Municipality in Rukum-West chased away a “We need additional trained wedding party of groom-to-be Navaraj BK Jajarkot, who was to tie the knot with a girl from the town, after they found out that the girl was not from the same caste staffers for contact tracing in as that of BK. the coming days, as more people Opinion are expected to get infected.” The maps published by both sides incorporating the disputed territory can estab- lish, once again, nothing more than the fact that it is disputed territory. They Basudev Pandey, director at Epidemiology and Disease Control certainly serve as the basis for a bargain though. Division, on the need for trained people for contact tracing. Money Work at the construction site of the Mid-Tamor Hydropower Project in Taplejung is continuing smoothly despite the virus lockdown that has grounded the entire Most read online population and paralysed economic activities.

World Indian officials’ snub to envoy Acharya in New Delhi does not India on Monday posted its biggest single-day jump in cases of Covid-19, overtak- bode well for talks ing Iran to become one of the 10 worst-hit nations, even as the government As pressure mounts on both Nepal and India to initiate talks at the diplomatic allowed domestic air travel to restart. level over the recent boundary disputes, Nepal’s Ambassador to India has been having a difficult time getting in touch with any official at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. This could be a sign that India has hardened its position, Culture & Arts following Nepal’s release of a new political and administrative map that Earlier this week, when actor Barsha Raut gave an interview for a YouTube chan- includes all disputed territories, including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and nel, little did she know she’d be lambasted for her views on a political issue. Kalapani.

5 South Indian movies we recommend you watch If there’s one thing that the internet has made certain, it is that the world is News Quiz indeed in your fingertips. And the world of cinema, just a couple of clicks away. As we endure yet another week of the lockdown, let films be your saviour—and POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA your escape. And perhaps, this time, try some movies from South India? 1. Bodies of two Dalit men were A man cleans prayer wheels at a monastery in Ekantakuna, Lalitpur. recovered from which river on Sunday? Ganga Karki died for want of a ventilator a. Bheri River Ganga Karki went into labour a week ago at eight months pregnant. She lost the b. Rapti River child, giving birth to a dead baby. On Friday, after developing postpartum com- c. Gandaki River plications, she was airlifted from her home in Sankhuwasabha to Kathmandu’s d. Narayani River On this day in history Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital.

2. A man from which district became the fourth person to die Fresh persecution alleged in Tibet Nepal’s Covid-19 tally reaches 682 with seven new because of Covid-19? cases and one death a. Parsa NEW DELHI - The Dalai Lama’s bureau Thursday accused China of unleashing Nepal’s Covid-19 tally has reached 682 after the confirmation of seven new cases b. Banke POST PHOTO religious persecution in Tibet after rejecting the Tibetan spiritual leader’s recog- including one death on Monday. “A 70-year-old man, who died on May 17 at the c. Bara nition of a new Panchen Lama. National Medical College in Birgunj, tested positive for Covid-19,” said Dr Bikas d. Kapilvastu 5. Which 2014 South Indian film The bureau said in a statement here that the Chinese authorities had banned Devkota, spokesperson for the Health Ministry, at a regular press briefing. “With was also one of the high- public gatherings and public discussions in Tibet over the reincarnation of the this, the number of people who’ve succumbed to the disease has reached four.” 3. The economic task force formed est-grossing Telugu movies Panchen Lama who died in 1989. by which party has suggested a starring Allu Arjun? The statement said Tibetan monks and nuns had been prohibited from entering smaller budget amid the Covid- a. Race Gurram Lhasa fearing public displays of support for the Dalai Lama’s announcement on 19 crisis? b. Velaiyilla Pattathari May 14 naming a six-year-old Tibetan boy as the new Panchen Lama. a. Nepal Community Party c. Ustad Hotel The Panchen Lama is Tibet’s second highest spiritual leader. The bureau quot- b. Nepali Congress d. Premam ed a source in Tibet as saying that Chinese officials had addressed public meet- Corrections c. Sajha Party ings in Lhasa and two other Tibetan cities to say that the recognition of a new d. Bibeksheel Party 6. A ward in which city has adopt- Panchen Lama could only be done by Beijing. Our reporters and editors do their best to make sure our reporting is free from ed relief-for-work programme errors. But when we make mistakes that warrant correction, we will be transparent 4. Who is the Nepali ambassador to check fraud coronavirus The Kathmandu Post and clarify at the bottom of the specific article. to India? relief beneficiaries? May 26, 1995 If you believe we have got something wrong and it requires correction, please a. Bedanand Jha a. Biratnagar email us at [email protected] with “correction” in the subject line. b. Yadunath Khanal b. Pokhara Answers to News Quiz: 1(a), 2(c), 3(b), 4(d), 5(a), 6(c) For the most recent corrections, visit kathmandupost.com/corrections. c. Leela Mani Paudyal c. Kathmandu d. Nilamber Acharya d. Nepalgunj HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) CANCER (June 22-July 22) LIBRA (September 23-October 22) CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** *** *** *** There may have been some positive changes in Your generosity is legendary. You’re going to Despite the fact that you always try to seek The best way to ramp up the romance in your your earning ability, and your wallet could be use it to help lots of people before you even eat equality, you know that the world can be an life right now is to put yourself in more chal- heaving a sigh of relief right about now. Just your lunch! But putting smiles on faces will unfair place. If someone you care about gets the lenging situations! When you make yourself feel make sure that you stay ahead of the curve! make your day. Just be careful how you go about short end of the stick today, you should focus a little uncomfortable, you force yourself to rely Now is not the time to spend all your money just giving the gift of your wisdom. Make sure more on consoling them. You’ll be a better on your wit and bravado to get through, and because having some to spend feels so nice. you’re not making people believe that they need friend for helping them get over the slight than that’s when you positively shine! People won’t Stick to your budget and let the savings accrue. to do exactly what you tell them to do. getting them all riled up about it. be able to resist the energy you bring.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) LEO (July 23-August 22) SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** **** *** *** You’re feeling good this morning, which bodes You’re learning to appreciate the fact that when Some of the people you’ll be dealing with today At first it might look like one of your past mis- well for the entire day. Add a bit more flirtation a goal is too easy to attain, it isn’t as valuable as don’t have your same priorities, so you need to takes is coming back to haunt you, but don’t and flattery to a few serious conversations and something that takes sweat and toil to reach. double-check their work and make sure they worry! This close call will pass you by, and you watch what happens. There will be a lot of Don’t hesitate to take a more difficult route than don’t have too much authority over group should feel free to keep smiling all day. You can’t fun-loving people who want to talk to you today. everyone else is taking. They might get there issues. While you want to get things done, they let your imagination run wild with fears about They like your style so much that they want to more quickly or easily, but they aren’t going to may just want to goof off. Be prepared to deal something that doesn’t exist when you have so be in your social circle. learn as much from the experience. with interruptions from them today. many wonderful things in your reality.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) VIRGO (August 23-September 22) SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) PISCES (February 19-March 20) **** **** *** **** There are some obstacles to overcome before you Your energy is slower today, and you might find Your mind is sharply tuned in to small details, Your creativity is itching for a new way to can get closer to someone you’ve had your eye on it difficult to communicate with people who and you’re extremely focused on work today, express itself, and you might find that new way for a while, but those walls are going to start don’t already know you inside and out. In con- but, unfortunately, that may not be the case for in the kitchen! Cooking is a wonderful blend of tumbling down soon. This means that it’s a great versations with newer acquaintances, you everyone else. Most folks just want to have fun, order and chaos, and it lets you really express time to make your big move and dive into some- might start to feel like you’re waist deep in mud, a fact you’ll have to accept if you don’t want to yourself. Plus, it gives you a great opportunity to thing new! There is a social net there to catch immobile and incapable of any forward pro- have a very frustrating day. Let people do what do something nice for someone you care about you when you take that leap. Don’t worry. gress. Just don’t expect too much. they want while you take care of your work. by feeding them delicious food!

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K 03 | TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 NATIONAL Serious human rights violations against Dalits reported during lockdown At least a dozen cases of caste-based discriminations and rights violations have been reported so far.

TIKA R PRADHAN based discrimination, untouchability, KATHMANDU, MAY 25 rape and murder during the lock- down,” said the committee. POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI The Covid-19 pandemic and the subse- Pointing out specific incidents, A Muslim man prays at a mosque on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr in Kathmandu on Monday. The day, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, was a muted quent lockdown might have put including the gang rape of Dalit girls affair due to the coronavirus lockdown. Most people of Islamic faith observed the day by praying and exchanging greetings at their homes. many social activities on hold, but in Dhankuta and Morang, caste-based age-old caste-based discrimination discrimination in Kapilvastu and has continued. Kaski, murder and enforced disap- On Saturday, locals from pearance in Rukum West, and forced Chaurjahari Municipality in Rukum- abortion in Panchthar, the parliamen- West chased away a wedding party tary committee has told the govern- of groom-to-be Navaraj BK Jajarkot, ment to take necessary action against Health Ministry insists Nepal has still not who was to tie the knot with a girl culprits immediately. from the town, after they found out With at least a dozen cases of caste- that the girl was not from the same based discriminations and human caste as that of BK. rights violations meted out on Dalit A day later, BK and his friend communities ever since the country entered ‘community transmission’ stage Tikaram Sunar, both of them Dalits, imposed a lockdown, the government were found dead on the banks of has not developed any mechanism to Such a claim from the ministry comes when people without travel history have been infected with the coronavirus. the Bheri river. address the woes of people in the low- The Covid-19 pandemic, with its est strata of the society, activists say. ARJUN POUDEL source becomes untraceable, it is social distancing norms, is already KATHMANDU, MAY 25 called the community transmission, reifying age-old discriminatory prac- they said. tices against the so-called ‘lower’ A House panel has A 70-year-old man from Bara became Bara man tests positive for Dr Roshan Pokhrel, chief specialist castes, especially Dalits, long consid- the fourth Nepali to die of Covid-19. at the Ministry of Health concedes ered as “untouchable”. directed the Home The man, admitted to the Birgunj- that the infection has been detected in BK and Sunar’s murder shows how based National Medical College to coronavirus posthumously people who don’t have a travel history deep-rooted caste-based discrimina- Ministry to probe receive treatment for tuberculosis and to the disease-hit countries or dis- tion is in Nepal, says rights activists. pneumonia, died on May 17. POST REPORT results. The samples were then sent to tricts. “Experts have various explana- Several other discriminaton-related all cases related to The death was attributed to corona- KATHMANDU, MAY 25 the National Public Health Laboratory, tions, but detection of disease in cases have been reported around discrimination. virus only on Monday after his nasal which confirmed that the man was patients admitted to general hospitals the country during the lockdown, swabs were re-tested in Kathmandu, An elderly person from Bara who died infected with Covid-19. has made us worried,” Pokhrel added. they say. said Dr Madan Upadhyay, medical last week has posthumously tested According to Madan Upadhyay, But technically, the country has not One of the cases involves Krishna Advocate Prakash Nepali, a legal superintendent at Narayani hospital positive for the coronavirus, taking medical superintendent at Narayani entered into a stage of community Bahadur Thapa, a member of the advisor for Samata Foundation, said in Birgunj. Nepal’s Covid-19 toll to four. Hospital, authorities have sealed the transmission, he said. Gandaki Provincial Assembly. Thapa that in Achham, only people from The first two fatalities in the coun- “A 70-year-old man, who died on intensive care unit of National Meanwhile, the Epidemiology and recently supported a group of people Dalit communities returning home try (the 29-year-old new mother and May 17 at the National Medical College Medical College and all health care Disease Control Division has started who arrested on charge of caste- from abroad were quarantined while the 41-year-old man) had one thing in in Birgunj, tested positive for Covid- personnel who came in close contact training over 2,000 health workers to based discrimination for denying a others were allowed to go home. common with the fourth case. All of 19,” said Dr Bikas Devkota, spokesper- with the deceased, his family mem- conduct contact tracing as health min- Dalit family entry into a public build- He also said members of Dalit com- them were patients admitted to a gen- son for the Health Ministry, at a regu- bers and others who handled the body istry officials expect over 20,000 people ing to perform the last rites of a man. munities were also discriminated eral hospital, and they did not have a lar press briefing. “With this, the num- have been placed in quarantine. to get infected with Covid-19. Many ruling party leaders against during the distribution of history of travelling to disease-hit ber of people who’ve succumbed to the “Tests will be performed on all their “We are training provincial health and rights activists have demanded relief materials in Chapakot, Syangja places outside or inside the country. disease has reached four.” samples,” he said. officials, and they will train health Thapa’s resignation and his district. But nothing has been done to Several others, admitted to various The man had been admitted to the So far, three deaths—a 25-year-old workers serving at local levels,” Dr apology for supporting caste-based take action against the culprits, activ- non-Covid hospitals for treatment of intensive care unit of the Birgunj- man from Banke, a 41-year-old man Basudev Pandey, director at discrimination. ists say. other ailments have also tested posi- based National Medical College for from Gulmi, and a 29-year-old woman Epidemiology and Disease Control However, in his statement, Thapa “The Dalit NGO Federation has tive for the contagious disease, leading tuberculosis and pneumonia. from Sindhupalchok—have been Division, said. “Hoping for a rise in said that the arrest order was issued urged the government to bring about a experts to suspect that the country has According to Devkota, specimens linked to Covid-19. In three cases, the the number of infected cases, we start- to disturb social harmony. special package for victims of dis- entered into the phase of community from the man were collected on May 15 presence of the coronavirus was only ed the training.” Thapa, who is also Nepal crimination by a conducting rapid transmission. and tested at the Narayani Hospital’s confirmed after the patients had died. A team of health workers from all Communist Party’s Kaski district assessment, but to no avail,” said “The disease has spread rapidly in laboratory. The results, however, were As of Monday, 682 people have test- 753 local levels will be trained to con- committee chief, has been ignoring Bhakta Biswokarma, acting President communities of the districts of Tarai doubtful. More samples were collected ed positive for Covid-19 including the duct contact tracing, according to demands for his resignation, and his of DNF. region and sporadically in the hilly on May 16 and examined on May 17, four deaths. him. When asked why the division party has remained silent on the issue. Various right-based organisations districts,” Dr Baburam Marasini, for- which again did not show clear So far 112 people have recovered. started training after so many people Following the reporting of a spate have called on the government to mer director at the Epidemiology and were already infected, Pandey said of cases related to caste-based dis- adopt the principle of fundamental Disease Control Division told the Post. additional human resources were crimination, Parliament’s Law, Justice equality and take special measures to “Due to the government’s failure to be susceptible to the virus, but that Officials at the Ministry of Health, needed to trace contacts as the num- and Human Rights Committee of on provide health care and treatment. trace the contacts of infected people has changed. “Now, people who hav- however, say the country has techni- ber of infected cases are going up Monday directed the Ministry of Different organisations, including and stop people from illegally entering en’t been abroad are getting infected cally not entered into the community every day. Home Affairs to investigate all the DNF have strongly urged the govern- into the country we are in big trou- within the country,” said Lila Bikram transmission stage yet as the infection “We need additional trained staffers incidents of discriminations, rape and ment to announce a special relief ble,” said Marasini. Thapa, senior public health adminis- source in all cases has been con- for contact tracing in the coming days, murder during the lockdown. package for Dalits, who are mostly Until now, only those with a history trator at the Epidemiology and firmed. If the disease were being as more people are expected to get “Serious attention of the committee engaged in the informal service sector of travelling abroad were believed to Disease Control Division. transmitted from the community, the infected,” he added. has been drawn to incidents of caste- and rely on daily wages. Successive governments failed to ensure Hit by Covid-19, recruiting agencies state’s presence in border areas: Report want their guarantee deposits back BINOD GHIMIRE CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL business has been shut for at least two months now, the KATHMANDU, MAY 25 KATHMANDU, MAY 25 minister was positive,” the source told the Post. In mid-March, all major labour destination countries The Nepali citizens residing in the Foreign job recruitment agencies have demanded that the recorded Covid-19 cases and adopted several measures like districts bordering India and China government return their guarantee deposits in light of the sealing their borders and banning outside arrivals. The are facing apathy from the state and at Covid-19 pandemic which has severely hit the labour migra- Nepal government also stopped sending its workers to the same time putting up with the tion sector. Covid-19 hit countries. harassments from the neighbouring It’s been more than two months since the country’s According to Jeevan Baniya, a labour migration expert, countries, particularly India, accord- foreign employment sector came to a complete halt. It is the there should be a detailed study to understand the impact of ing to a report by National Human biggest crisis to hit the country’s foreign employment the pandemic on foreign employment sector, future of for- Rights Commission. sector till date, and recruiting agencies are struggling to eign employment and steps to revive the sector. The report published after a four- survive. “Foreign employment sector has been definitely hit hard year long study in 28 bordering dis- They have demanded the government to return the guar- due to the Covid-19 situation, as they have not been able to tricts, including four with China, says antee amount, deposited while obtaining the operation send workers,” Baniya, also the assistant director at the the successive governments have paid licence, to shore up their business. Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility, told the Post. little attention towards the develop- In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Nepal govern- “The government can provide some kind of concession ment of border towns and villages, ment has banned all international flights as well as stopped for recruiting agencies, like waiving off their loan interests where the people are deprived of basic giving labour permits. as many of them have taken bank loans to manage guaran- services like health and education. POST PHOTO: NABIN PAUDEL “For two months now, our business is completely shut. tee deposits.” Many border villages lack schools Security personnel stand guard at a Nepal-India border point in Nawalparasi. Not a single person has been sent on foreign employment,” Recruiting agencies have been saying that the govern- and, as a result, Nepali children go to Sujit Kumar Shrestha, general secretary of the Nepal ment has options to utilise the money instead of letting schools on the other side of the border. a member of the commission who was ment of Nepal soil, the report states. Association of Foreign Employment Agencies, told the Post. it freeze. In places where there are schools, very also in the study team, told the Post. The study also has found at least “Therefore, we have been demanding that the government “The money can either be invested in productive sectors, few of them provide education in the He said the state has not only con- four-people who have been arrested by temporarily return our guarantee deposits.” for instance, agriculture, which can further create more local mother tongue, according to the tinued to remain apathetic towards the Indian security force in recent All recruiting agencies should deposit guarantee—cash jobs, or the money can be given to existing entrepreneurs to report. the concerns of people living in bor- years have gone missing. and bank guarantee—to get the operation licence. Last year, jointly or individually start other businesses,” said Though it is a constitutional right der towns and villages but it has also Paudyal says inadequate security the government had hiked the guarantee amount and also Shrestha. of the children to get basic education failed to intervene when they are force deployment from Nepal side too categorised the existing recruiting agencies into three in their mother language, it has not being harassed and intimidated by the is responsible for the atrocities meted groups based on the number of workers they would sup- been implemented properly. So far, neighbouring countries. out by the Indian border force on the ply in a year. textbooks on only 24 different lan- The report points out that thou- Nepalis living in border towns and With the new groups, the government also set new guages have been prepared by the sands of people suffer every year due villages. guarantee amounts which reached a minimum of Rs20 Curriculum Development Centre. to the inundation caused by the dams The study shows on an average million to Rs60 million maximum. A many-fold hike in More than 100 languages are spoken in and embankments constructed unilat- Nepal has one security post after the guarantee amount had reduced the number of recruit- the country. erally by the Indian authorities. India every 50km along the border it shares ing agencies from 1,323 to 853. According to the report, in the lack has constructed 21 dams and embank- with India; along the Nepal-China bor- According to Shrestha, the cash deposit amount has of bridges the people of Susta in ments along its border with Nepal. der, security posts have been estab- totalled to Rs4.31billion. Nawalparasi district and Darchula The southern neighbour is also devel- lished at the interval of 53km. “There is no guarantee of when the business will district in western Nepal have to trav- oping a highway, parts of which pass Meanwhile, India has set up border bounce back. All these agencies have managed the deposit el through Indian territory to reach through the no man’s land. security posts at every 5km interval. amount from somewhere else. They have bank interests to their villages. Floodings caused by the embank- The report has pointed out that Nepal pay and other expenses to bear even though the business Similarly, the people of Mechipari ments built by India have so far have and India have major border disputes is close,” Shrestha said. in Jhapa, Sri-Lanka Tapu in Sunsari killed at least 89 people and displaced in Susta of Nawalparasi district and “The government can at least return the cash deposit so and Gobargadha in Saptari, among more than 60,000 others, according to Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani that they can pay interests or start some other business other border districts, have been the report. area in Darchula district. Similarly, jointly or individually. That’s a huge amount and should risking their lives while crossing riv- The report has also mentioned that Nepal and China have a dispute over not stay unused.” ers to get to the other parts of the dis- several Nepali citizens have lost their pillar 57 in Bigu Rural Municipality in The association has taken the matter formally with the tricts during the rainy season, the lives at the hands of the Indian border Dolakha district. Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security. report says. security force, Seema Suraksha Bal. The Nepal government has already Shrestha said the ministry is positive about the concerns “The people living in the bordering Basu Dev Sah from Morang, Mukul endorsed a new administrative of recruiting agencies. areas are the frontline protectors of Raya from Rautahat, Govinda Gautam map incorporating Limpiyadhura, A source at the ministry said Labour Minster the borders. They are the pride of the from Kanchanpur and Man Bahadur Lipulekh and Kalapani area and has Rameshwar Ray Yadav has responded positively to the country. However, the successive gov- Tamang and Gopal Kaphle were killed registered a constitution amendment demand of recruiting agencies. ernments till date have failed to look by the Indian force following disputes bill to adjust the map in the national “There has been some discussion regarding the impacts after them,” Govinda Sharma Paudyal, over border incursion and encroach- emblem. of Covid-19 on recruiting agencies. Considering their

C M Y K TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Return to the dialogue table Dirty mop When governments fail to While changing the laws governing the CIAA is a good thing, address contemporary problems, the current amendment under discussion falls below par. they resort to provocative nationalistic demagogy. Lawmakers are again discussing a bill in Parliament that has little to do with managing the Covid-19 crisis. Last week, the ACHYUT WAGLE Upper House passed a highly controversial bill—the Nepal Special Service Bill—that allows for the state’s security appa- ratus to eavesdrop on private conversations, without even needing a warrant. Now, with the all-important budget speech—which will hopefully address job creation and shore up resources to battle the economic slowdown—only a few days away, Parliament seems to have moved on to another Several international studies have pre- controversial set of laws. The ones now in question relate to dicted precariously dire health and eco- the ambit of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse nomic consequences looming large over of Authority. South Asia due to the novel coronavi- To be sure, the amendments being discussed, which relate rus-induced pandemic. Political impervi- to expanding the anti-corruption watchdog’s jurisdiction to ousness and chronic bad governance are likely to further complicate the problem. cover the private sector, would ideally stem graft coming This is the time the region’s political from the private sector, something that has been a problem leaders must work together with undi- for long. Most recently, the local agent of a swiss security vided focus on the Covid-19 crisis, rising printing firm allegedly leaked conversations he had with above all outstanding differences and then Communication Minister Gokul Baskota. In that case, putting aside contentious issues that the watchdog’s scope of powers prevented it from investigat- warrant a long-term horizon to resolve. ing the private sector player’s role in agreeing to the ‘com- Unfortunately, even in these difficult mission’ Baskota had asked for. In another recent controver- times, the political leadership in India and Nepal are engaged in the most sy, the defence and health ministers were lambasted by the anachronistic, undiplomatic and rab- public for allegedly allowing a private company, Omni Group, ble-rousing border dispute that has to overcharge the government for equipment essential in remained as an outstanding issue for controlling the spread of SARS-CoV-2. centuries. This is absolutely uncharac- Given the strong nexus between industrialists, traders, teristic of the neighbours that boast his- bankers, bureaucrats and politicians, it would make sense torically and culturally close ties with a that the private sector too is covered by the Commission for uniquely open and unregulated 1,880-km-long international border, SHUTTERSTOCK the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. Yet, the lawmakers, incomparable anywhere else in the that when the approval rating of the ending the prolonged lockdown. through due diplomatic process and by using vague language in the proposed changes, have curi- world. The latest round of controversy United States president begins to fall, In both countries, millions have lost agreement. In the virtual jungle of rab- ously chosen to shield one very important section of Nepali was triggered after the inauguration of a tensions in the Gulf, or now in their jobs and livelihoods. Millions of ble-rousing rants, there is no space left society—political parties. According to Transparency motorable track by Indian Defence Afghanistan, escalate. When the Indian enterprises, particularly small business- for sane voices that want to dwell on International’s Corruption Perception Index, the political Minister Rajnath Singh on May 8. The government is pressed hard against its es, are on the verge of going bust. There nuanced, result-oriented and dia- sector is the most corrupt in Nepal, followed by the bureau- track leads to a very popular multi-faith performance on the domestic front, it is an impending danger of the masses logue-led diplomacy. cracy. pilgrimage site surrounding generally chooses to revive the Kashmir that are clustered right above the pover- By not explicitly mentioning political parties, the proposed Manasarovar lake in Tibet and passes issue. This time around, in a similar ty line falling back into the absolute What next? through disputed territory in the far pressing situation, it has chosen the poverty trap. A mass exodus of migrant The maps published by both sides incor- amendment is weakened before it has even been implement- west of Nepal. frontier facing Nepal. Continued Indian workers from the cities to the villages porating the disputed territory can ed. Moreover, with the language specifying ‘institutions reg- Public pressure had begun to build up excesses on issues related to Nepal, like without health checks, transportation establish, once again, nothing more than istered as per the law’, it might give the anti-corruption against the government of Nepal to the economic blockade in 2015, publica- facilities and food only exposed the poor the fact that it is disputed territory. They watchdog too much power to read the provisions selectively, counter the Indian violation ever since tion of the new map in 2019 and now the governance. Acutely inadequate health certainly serve as the basis for a bargain so as to support the vested interests of political masters. It India unilaterally published its new construction of a road on disputed terri- services are already overwhelmed by the though. Also, border disputes between was not long ago that the Commission for the Investigation of political map in November last year, tory, has also provided Nepal’s Prime flow of Covid-19 patients. Poorly man- any neighbouring countries are Abuse of Authority, during the tenure of Lokman Singh including areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh Minister KP Oli with an ultra-nationalis- aged so-called quarantine centres are commonplace phenomena everywhere. It and Limpiyadhura claimed by Nepal as tic plank to exploit the patriotic senti- proving to be new epicentres for mass is equally sensitive too. Therefore, there Karki, was found to have selectively targeted those that the its own territory. Besides, New Delhi ments of the people of Nepal. In fact, transmission. Bringing back millions of is no alternative to meaningful dialogue commissioner had a vendetta against. Therefore, it is imper- allegedly did not heed to Kathmandu’s India’s road inauguration has come as a migrant workers languishing due to to resolve this issue on the basis of his- ative to change the amendment to specify the exact types of request, sent in November itself, to hold panacea to Oli, at a time when he was Covid-19-induced layoffs in the Gulf torical facts, treaties, evidences and entities the watchdog can investigate, and this list must con- immediate talks on the issue. It is an severely cornered even by his own Nepal countries, Malaysia and other places existing ground realities. The concerned tain political parties as much as they should cover for-profit unresolved issue between the two Communist Party to the extent of his pose a common challenge for govern- parties, at the same time, should be cau- organisations. nations, also recognised as ‘outstanding’ possible removal from the prime minis- ments in both countries. tious that the entire agenda is not But leaving the scope of the watchdog vague also creates by the unpublicised report of the Nepal- terial berth. Now, Oli has not only been Extremely poor awareness among the hijacked by callous and misinformed other issues. In its investigations surrounding the Lalita India joint Eminent Persons’ Group successful in saving his seat but has also masses about both hand and respiratory public opinion which in the process (formed for a comprehensive study of dragged opposition parties onto his hygiene that is considered key to con- leaves no room for flexibility for official Niwas land graft, the anti-corruption institution was found issues of bilateral relations). The Nepal- nationalistic bandwagon. But his actions taining the spread of the coronavirus is negotiators. to have selectively charged only those individuals who are India-China tri-junction still remains are less likely to constructively contrib- presenting a new danger to add to virus There are already signs of optimism out of favour politically. For instance, while Nepali Congress undecided which is also a testimony to ute to a resolution of the disputes and transmission at the community level. as both sides have officially kept the party member Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, who was minister for the fact that it is indeed an unresolved serve the national interest in the long The mass media that is instrumental in doors for constructive dialogue open in physical infrastructure and works when the fraud took place, border issue. Amid these raging contro- run. both correcting government inefficien- their ‘official’ statements. That is exactly was implicated and charged, then prime minister Madhav versies, the Nepal government published It cannot be mere coincidence that two cies at every level and helping raise the way to go about. There are historical Kumar Nepal—a member of the Nepal Communist Party— a new map of Nepal, incorporating these days before Singh inaugurated the road, awareness among the masses is largely precedents in the region as well. Five areas, on May 20. an international rating agency, Moody’s dancing to the tune of the ruler’s nation- years ago, Indian Prime Minister was not. There are no provisions in the amendment to Investors Service, had slashed India’s alistic eulogy. Narendra Modi, immediately after rid- strengthen the independence of the Commission for the The timing economic growth prospects for 2020 to a The Indian media is incessantly harp- ing to power during his first tenure, Investigation of Abuse of Authority. Instead, the vague ambit World history has it that whenever gov- figure close to zero, from its one-month- ing on about the completely unfounded constructively helped to resolve a com- might further create more opportunities for bias. ernments of an ultranationalist and des- old estimate of 2.5 percent. For the gov- idea of ‘China’s hand in Nepal’s bid to plex border issue with Bangladesh that The overhauling of the scope, ambit and working of the potic tilt fall short of people’s expecta- ernments on both sides of the border, the publish a new map’ while the Nepali involved the transfer of 162 enclaves. Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority is tions and fail to address pressing con- controversy has served for them to divert media generally seems to have fallen There is no reason why a similar pattern long overdue. However, the current provisions being dis- temporary problems in their respective the attention of the people, media and prey to Oli’s essentially unnecessary tan- of goodwill and magnanimity would not cussed will not lead to much progress. If the lawmakers are countries, they more often than not intelligentsia away from their compara- trums of amending the constitution and be forthcoming from a regional super- resort to provocative nationalistic dema- ble but blatant failure to take effective altering the ‘coat of arms’ of Nepal. The power like India while dealing with bent on amending the Prevention of Corruption Act in the gogy to take away people’s attention from steps to contain the spread of the virus reality is that the map and the territorial Nepal, which Modi himself calls the land midst of a crisis, the least they can do is sincerely work out these problems. and adequately undertake measures to claim can be established only after the of deities and the place of his own provisions for positive change. For example, it is generally believed revive economic activities by smoothly borderline is resolved once and for all spiritual upliftment.

Modi’s performance and the tragedy of India’s poor

The problem is that the best Dhan bank accounts. call ‘Modi’s fear of Moody’s’). But not even a Then, after seven excruciating weeks, Modi high credit rating will stop—let alone reverse— policies would have been much announced with great fanfare on May 12 that the capital flight currently gripping India; a his government would adopt a rescue package fiscal chastity belt at a time of economic more politically difficult than worth 10 percent of GDP. But while this sounds collapse and widespread destitution is unlikely much better than what came before, a closer to help. putting on a show of bravery. examination reveals that the amount of imme- Of course, in the medium term, the bill for a diate relief for the poor remains minimal. That larger rescue programme must be paid. This ‘10 percent of GDP’ includes all the liquidity would be painful—but not impossible—with PRANAB BARDHAN enhancements announced over the previous the help of public borrowing, a drastic reduc- three months by the Reserve Bank of India. tion in subsidies currently benefiting the bet- Worse, most of these funds remain unused, ter off, and a significant increase in taxation. because commercial banks have been unwill- Given that India, a country of extreme wealth ing to lend them on to private-sector firms. inequality, taxes neither wealth nor inher- The banking sector’s stance is understanda- itance, and under-taxes capital gains and real ble. It has been obvious for years that India’s property, plenty of untapped revenue sources economy suffers from deficient demand, which are available. A ‘corona levy’ toward an over- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pen- is why it was in a prolonged slowdown before haul of the country’s public health system chant for theatrics has had deadly consequenc- the pandemic arrived. Now that the lockdown would also be timely. Needless to say, vested es for India’s poor. That was certainly the case is inflicting deep economic losses, an increase interests will vehemently oppose any new with his disastrous demonetisation policy in in bank lending would most likely do little taxes. But there is no better time than a crisis 2016 and his government’s rushed implementa- more than add to the stock of bad loans. to overcome such resistance. tion of a national Goods and Services Tax, To be sure, the latest rescue package includes The great political paradox of contemporary which resulted in widespread harassment of a credit guarantee (not actual loans) for 4.5 India is that despite all the hardships that small businesses. million microenterprises and small and medi- Modi has visited upon the poor, he retains con- But these flubs were merely the opening act. um-sized businesses (out of a total of 63.4 mil- siderable popularity among them. A signifi- By imposing one of the world’s harshest Covid- lion across the country). It also includes work- cant portion of the electorate seems to have 19 lockdowns before preparing adequately or ing-capital assistance for farmers (though bought into his fiery rhetoric of muscular consulting with lower levels of government, many do not have the Kisan credit cards Hindu nationalism. (And he certainly hasn’t Modi has inflicted unprecedented damage on required to receive it) and street vendors MANOEJ PAATEEL/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM been hurt by the opposition’s fecklessness.) India’s economy and on the poor, who live (though only for about half the 10 million in people—with or without bank accounts— health system, the immediate priority should Hardly anyone now remembers that in hand-to-mouth at the best of times. According urban India), and a budget increase for rural would have gone a long way toward boosting have been to invest in a massive public-health February and March—crucial weeks for pan- to some estimates, more than 120 million peo- public works. But, again, while these measures aggregate demand. Likewise, the government programme, particularly at the primary-care demic preparation—Modi’s party was busy ple lost their jobs and incomes immediately could help to restart disrupted production and could have done more to discourage major non- level. A government focusing on what really spewing hatred against minorities and dissent- after the lockdown was ordered on March 24. supply chains, they will not solve the stagger- farm employers from shedding their work- matters would have launched a decentralised ers, even as the virus was raging in a neigh- And about half of the country’s population of ing demand problem (except possibly from the force, such as by offering a significant wage programme for testing, contact tracing, and bouring country. 1.38 billion is likely to have been impoverished, rural works programme). subsidy for workers on their payrolls (as many quarantines, while providing special protec- It is hard to accept that Modi’s popularity with many approaching starvation levels. After weeks of callous disregard for the other countries, both rich and poor, have done). tions for vulnerable populations, such as those will remain untarnished by the problems aris- Shortly after the lockdown started, India’s plight of tens of millions of migrant workers, The Modi government has also ignored the over the age of 65 (a mere six percent of the ing from his clumsy mismanagement of the finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, the government has now announced two pressing need for a large-scale transfer of cen- population). This would have allowed for a Covid-19 crisis. But if the past is a reliable announced a relief package amounting to months of grain rations. These workers have tral funds to near-bankrupt state governments cautious early relaxation of the lockdown for guide, his hammy bravery against the virus under 0.5 percent of GDP. The programme con- been hungry and homeless since suddenly los- that have been covering most of the spending the rest of the population, who could return to and other elusive enemies may continue to sists primarily of extra food rations, and mere- ing their jobs, and, with public transportation on health care, agriculture, and social protec- earning a living. work for him politically, even as it leaves tens ly frontloads pre-existing small income grants locked down, many had no choice but to walk tions, and have little capacity to borrow at low Weighed against the scale of the looming of millions of Indians worse off. for farmers, while offering a pittance in cash hundreds of miles with luggage and children cost. Instead, the government’s decision-mak- disaster, the government’s fiscal response has assistance for women with bank accounts tied to their villages. Hundreds died on the way. ing remains over-centralised, with little partic- been pitiably small, still amounting to a mere Bardhan is a professor at the University of to the government’s financial inclusion pro- In general, the government’s response has ipation by local governments and communi- one percent of GDP or so. Modi and his California, Berkeley, and author, most recently, gramme, known as Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan largely excluded hundreds of millions of daily ties, resulting in confusing and conflicting advisers are probably worried about the of Globalisation, Democracy and Corruption: Yojana. And survey data suggest that only wage labourers and urban workers. A substan- administrative rules . government’s perceived fiscal rectitude in the An Indian Perspective. about half of India’s poor women have Jan tial increase in cash assistance to all these In a country with a chronically underfunded eyes of the credit-rating agencies (what some —Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 NATIONAL One more body recovered from Poor border security arrangement fails to Bheri River on Monday control cross-border movement in Morang The entry of people through proxy border routes still continues risking spread of Covid-19. The third victim was among the 18 who had accompanied Nabaraj BK to Soti in Rukum (West). Nabaraj, a Dalit man, was killed in his pursuit of a girl from the ‘upper caste’.

BHIM BAHADUR SINGH IN JAJARKOT the incident. Soti some three months ago but was & HARI GAUTAM IN RUKUM (WEST) Nabaraj’s mother, Urmila BK, said detained on attempted charge of MAY 25 his son was to join the Nepal Police as marrying an underage girl. The Area a constable but was unable to partici- Police Office in Chaurjahari Police on Monday recovered the body pate in the police training due to the released him on condition that he of one more person from the Bheri ongoing nationwide lockdown. marry her after she attains the legal river in Rukum (West). “He was our only son and his life age for marriage. On Sunday, the bodies of two Dalit had just begun. He wanted to get mar- “The girl had come to our house men—Nabaraj BK of Ward No. 4 in ried and settle down and have a job,” twice in January. However, the girl’s Bheri Municipality and Tikaram she said. “But it’s all over now.” family was against their relationship Sunar of Chaurajahari Municipality— According to the police and and wanted to separate them,” she were recovered from the river banks. Nabaraj’s mother, the girl’s family was said. Nabaraj had gone to Soti, accompa- against the union for they belonged to Saroj Bhadel, one of the 18 friends nied by 18 other friends, to bring home the so-called ‘upper-caste’ and Nabaraj who had accompanied Nabaraj, said a a 19-year-old girl as his bride when the came from a Dalit family. group of around 50 people pelted locals allegedly attacked them and stones and chased them towards the chased them towards the Bheri River. Bheri River on Saturday. He claimed “We found the body of one of Twelve of the men that the villagers bludgeoned Nabaraj Nabaraj BK’s friends in Dhalla along to death and threw his body into the the Bheri river on Monday. He was were injured in river. among the 18 people who had accom- “Some police personnel reached the panied Nabaraj to Soti in Chaurjahari Saturday’s incident, incident site while we were being Municipality of Rukum (West) on attacked but they did not take any Saturday,” said Kabiraj Rokaya, while three are still action,” claimed Bhadel. inspector at the District Police Office missing. All three bodies recovered so far in Rukum (West). have been kept in Jajarkot District Twelve of the men were injured in Hospital for postmortem. Saturday’s incident, while three are “I had asked him not to go to the However, the deceased’s families still missing. Search for the missing girl’s village. Her family had beaten have not allowed postmortem to be persons is underway, police said. him twice in the past. They always conducted on the bodies, accusing the Of the injured, two are undergoing mistreated him because he was a authorities of attempting to protect POST PHOTO: JITENDRA SAH treatment at Chaurjahari Hospital Dalit, an untouchable,” Urmila said. the perpetrators. Over 700 people from various districts in Province 1 entered Nepal from several border points in the past week, according to police. whereas the remaining have returned Nabaraj had been in a relationship “We are working in coordination home after receiving treatment for with the 19-year-old girl from Soti for with Rukum (West) Police to investi- MADHAV GHIMIRE the past week. They are currently kept are lush cornfields in various places their injuries, police said. the past three years. gate the incident,” said Kishwor BIRATNAGAR, MAY 25 in various quarantine facilities across along the bordering area which has “Security personnel from the Nepal “We tried to convince him not to Kumar Shrestha, DSP of Jajarkot. the province. become an ideal border crossing for Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police marry the girl because we knew they According to him, twelve people, The Nepal-India border has been Earlier, 27 people had crossed the those entering the country at night. Force are searching for the missing would never accept us. But he loved including the girl’s parents, have been sealed for two months amid fear of border on April 9 and 15 others on May Jiban Ghimire, Social Development ones,” said Rokaya. her and wanted to marry her,” said detained for questioning. Covid-19 spread. Major border points 12 through the Jogbani border point Minister of Province 1, said that the The Rukum (West) District Police Urmila. “Search to detain the other people in Morang now wear a deserted look of Morang. But the police do not have government is preparing to manage the Office has formed an investigation This was Nabaraj’s second effort to involved in the incident is underway,” due to the border seal and the nation- any records of those entering the possible influx of returnees from India. committee led by Rokaya to look into bring the girl home. He had gone to he added. wide lockdown enforced in both the country from various bordering vil- “We are preparing to set up quaran- countries. However, the entry of peo- lages through proxy routes. tine facilities in many places and keep ple through proxy border points still Shriprasad Yadav of Ward No. 18 is the returnees there,” he added. continues, risking the spread of the worried about the possible outbreak Meanwhile, three local bodies that virus. of the coronavirus in his community. border with India—Rangeli, “People are still entering Nepal “The people who recently returned Sunbarshi and Ratuwamai municipal- almost every day from the bordering from India are walking freely around ities—have decided to appoint tempo- villages. Although there are security the settlement. They are neither kept rary police to keep a check on border forces deployed at the border, the flow in quarantine facilities nor have they movement. The local units have of people through proxy routes goes undergone any tests,” said Yadav. “If recruited interested locals to join the unchecked,” said Bimal Basnet, a resi- even one of them is infected, s/he temporary police force according to dent of ward No. 12 of Biratnagar risks transmitting the virus to the the constitutional provision. Metropolitan City. According to him, entire local population.” “Cross border movement of people the risk of an outbreak of coronavirus The health ministry on May 17 had continues due to a shortage of securi- is very high in the district, as such confirmed three positive cases in ty personnel. So we decided to appoint returnees do not approach authorities Province 1, among them two were temporary police,” said Rabin Rai, to reveal their travel plans or stay in from Biratnagar. One of the infected mayor of Ratuwamai. Each local unit quarantine facilities. persons is a sanitation worker. will appoint 23 temporary policemen The locals in the bordering villages Another had just returned from her for a period of three months. claim that a large number of people maternal home in India a few days According to Province 1 Police have entered Nepal despite the lock- ago. Morang has a total of six positive Office in Biratnagar, around 1,100 down. But the authorities do not have cases so far. security personnel of the Nepal Police any record of those returnees. The Superintendent of Police Bishwa and 2,944 Armed Police Force person- locals say that the efforts made by the Adhikari said that security personnel nel have been deployed along the bor- authorities to keep a check on border have been deployed every 500 metres der in the province. But a security movement have been ineffective so far. along the Nepal-India border. He, how- source said the number is not enough According to the data available at ever, admitted to security challenges to maintain security in the border in the Province 1 Police Office in in controlling cross border movement the present situation. Biratnagar, 718 people from various due to the open border between the districts of the province entered two countries. The Nepal-India border (Binod Bhandari and Deonarayan Sah Nepal from several border points in is around 62 km long in Morang. There contributed reporting.)

POST PHOTO: BHIM BAHADUR SINGH Family members of Nabaraj BK mourn at his home in Bheri Municipality Ward No 4, Jajarkot. Oli yet again shares misinformation ...

>> Continued from page 1 “But we are not in a situation to be complacent.” Constantino Xavier, a fellow at Brookings India, a think Oli said that testing will be expanded and that the govern- tank in New Delhi, who closely follows South Asia and ment is planning to conduct tests of at least 2 percent of the Nepal-India relations, said on Twitter that Oli’s reference country’s population. might be “probably correct”, but was “escalatory” in the So far four deaths have been linked to Covid-19 but reports current context. from around the country tell of more deaths that can be Oli also commended the fact that the fatality rate in Nepal blamed on the lockdown and the government’s failure to is low compared to other South Asian countries. provide for the most vulnerable. From daily wage workers to “To be able to help people recover, from a two-month-old new mothers, more people have died due to government infant to an 81-year-old woman, is an achievement,” said Oli. incompetence than the coronavirus. Paddy plantation season is here but ... >> Continued from page 1 conducted by the Agriculture Inputs year’s record harvest. The ministry The government, this fiscal year, Company and Salt Trading. attributed the better-than-expected had increased the budget for the Economists warn that a lack of fer- yield to increased productivity, which distribution of subsidised chemical tilisers could aggravate food insecuri- stood at 3.8 tonnes per hectare. fertiliser from Rs5 billion to Rs9 bil- ty and impact the country’s economic According to Sapkota, food insecu- lion to ensure timely supply and growth. rity looms large next fiscal year. sufficient quantity, but the Covid-19 “Imported chemical fertiliser is a “This will also exert inflationary pandemic and lockdown took away major agricultural input that deter- pressure as food and beverages some of those funds and placed addi- mines output and productivity,” said account for about 44 percent weight on tional obstacles on the availability of economist Chandan Sapkota. the overall consumer price index,” he fertiliser. “Agricultural output has declined said. Much fertiliser, however, does not whenever there was a shortage of As the agricultural sector is the key come into Nepal through formal chan- chemical fertiliser.” contributor to Nepal’s economy, even nels. According to the Agriculture In the upcoming 2020-21 fiscal year, with the normal monsoon projected Ministry, the annual demand for given the continued lockdown, short- this year, the country is unlikely to chemical fertiliser currently stands at age of chemical fertilisers, and other benefit. more than 700,000 tonnes while key agricultural inputs like labour, Farmers in the Tarai region have imports are just around 300,000 tonnes. credit and transportation, agricultur- started preparing paddy seed beds, Subsidised fertiliser covers 40 percent al output is likely to be lower than this which are usually prepared three of the country’s total need while the fiscal year, said Sapkota. weeks before transplantation. In the rest is met by informal imports or Nepali farmers gathered the second hills, paddy transplantation begins shipments smuggled across the open largest paddy harvest in history this next week. The plantation season lasts border. fiscal year, despite a series of misfor- until the end of July under normal A study conducted by the Finance tunes ranging from a delayed mon- monsoon conditions. Ministry in 2006 put the share of soon and fertiliser shortages to a sup- The 16th session of the South Asian informal fertiliser imports at 71 per- ply of fake seeds and an armyworm Climate Outlook Forum, a consortium cent of total supplies. Private compa- invasion. of meteorologists and hydrological nies in Nepal are reluctant to trade in As per the Agriculture Ministry, experts from South Asia, has predict- fertilisers due to high costs and risks, paddy output totalled 5.55 million ed a normal monsoon over the region and all imports and distribution are tonnes, only 1.1 percent less than last this summer.

C M Y K TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 | 06 MONEY

FOREX Lufthansa, German US Dollar 121.83 Construction work at Mid-Tamor Euro 132.76 government agree on Pound Sterling 148.33 Japanese Yen 11.31 project goes on despite lockdown $9.8 billion rescue Chinese Yuan 17.07 package: Sources Qatari Riyal 33.21 The 73 megawatt hydropower plant in Taplejung is slated to be completed next year. Australian Dollar 79.67 REUTERS ANANDA GAUTAM 11-metre-high dam will be built, and FRANKFURT/BERLIN, MAY 25 Malaysian Ringit 27.92 TAPLEJUNG, MAY 25 water will be sent into the dumping area through a side intake. The German government and the Saudi Arab Riyal 32.41 Work at the construction site of the Three underground chambers, each management of flagship carrier Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Mid-Tamor Hydropower Project in 100 metres long and 13 metres wide, Lufthansa, which has been hit hard by Taplejung is continuing smoothly will be constructed for sand traps. the coronavirus pandemic, have despite the virus lockdown that has Sand and silt will be dumped in the reached a preliminary deal on a 9 bil- PRICE PER TOLA grounded the entire population and Tamor River. lion euro ($9.8 billion) bailout, two BULLION paralysed economic activities. The plant will have four turbines, people close to the matter said. Project chief Mani Kumar Pokhrel each with a capacity of 18.25 mega- The agreement is still pending Fine Gold Rs 77,000 said that construction work on the watts. The powerhouse will be built in approval by the German coronavirus tunnel and other components of the 73 Khakling of Miklakhola rural munici- rescue fund’s steering committee, Silver Rs 720 megawatt plant had not stopped. pality. The tail water will be dis- which is expected to meet on Monday, According to Pokhrel, the Chinese charged into the Tamor River through as well as Lufthansa’s boards and the SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA company that has been contracted a 75-metre canal. EU commission. with the construction work is carry- Lufthansa declined to comment. ing out its assignment. He said that 56 The German economy ministry said GASOLINE WATCH percent of the tunnel construction Around 200 Chinese that negotiations were in their last work had been completed so far. phase but have not yet formally con- Similar progress has been achieved at workers are working cluded. The carrier said last week it other sections of the project. was in advanced talks on a deal that Some of the Chinese workers had at the construction would involve the government taking already returned to their homes to two seats on its supervisory board, but celebrate the Chinese New Year when site alongside only exercising full voting rights in the coronavirus outbreak began PHOTO COURTESY: SANIMA MIDDLE TAMOR HYDROPOWER exceptional circumstances, such as to spreading in Wuhan, China. Others Workers are seen at the construction site of the project in Taplejung. local manpower. protect the firm against a takeover. were preparing to leave for the holi- Lufthansa has been in talks with days but were prevented from doing so and evenings. We isolate those who administration. The contractor has Berlin for weeks over aid to help it after lockdowns were imposed in come from outside,” he said. The pro- made separate arrangements for the The Sanima Middle Tamor cope with what is expected to be a pro- China and subsequently in Nepal. ject has taken the help of the ward supply of vegetables. Meat, vegetables Hydropower Project upgraded the tracted travel slump, but has been Those who returned to work via chairperson and the police after not and food items are being provided by generation capacity from the initial 54 wrangling over how much control to Kathmandu were kept in quarantine being able to completely stop people local trader Hem KC. He obtains megawatts to 73 megawatts. The yield in return for support. for 14 days. According to the project, coming from outside, he added. food items from the district and also capacity was increased with a rise in Lufthansa has said it expected con- those who did not go to China for a Arrangements have been made for other places if there is no adequate the height of the lake. ditions of the deal to include the waiv- month, and those who came later were the truck drivers and their helpers to supply locally. According to Abindra Shrestha, an er of future dividend payments and issued different helmets. have their meals outside the project The hydropower project is slated to environment expert at the company, limits on management pay. According to Pokhrel, around 200 premises, and there is no problem in be completed by 2021. It is estimated to the headbox has been shifted 1,200 The plan includes Germany taking Chinese workers are currently work- bringing construction materials. cost Rs12 billion, 75 percent of which metres upstream, and the powerhouse a 20 percent stake in Lufthansa. ing at the construction site. Local Pokhrel said that the construction is borrowed capital and the rest has been shifted 1,000 metres down- Germany will buy the new shares at manpower has also been hired. was progressing without problems equity capital. stream to Thumbabesi. The river’s the nominal value of 2.56 euros apiece, “The temperature of the workers is due to the fine support provided The project has constructed a 3,367- flow has been estimated at 73.71 cubic for about $327 million, a person close checked every day in the mornings by local representatives and the metre tunnel. A 50-metre-long and metres per second. to the matter said. Top German court grants buybacks for Volkswagen diesel car owners

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Both VW and Gilbert had appealed BERLIN, MAY 25 to the BGH, with the company disputing the grounds for reimburs- A top German court ruled on Monday ing the pensioner while the plaintiff that Volkswagen must buy back a die- said he should be paid the full pur- sel car it modified to appear less pol- chase price. luting, a decision that could influence If extended to the thousands of sim- the outcome of tens of thousands of ilar cases, such discounts on the value other “dieselgate” cases. of returned vehicles will limit the Judges at the Federal Court of potential financial blow to VW. Justice (BGH) in Karlsruhe “effective- The end of April also brought the ly upheld” a lower court’s ruling that closure of a mass lawsuit against the plaintiff Herbert Gilbert can return carmaker by hundreds of thousands his car to VW for reimbursement, but of plaintiffs, the first of its kind and he must also accept a discount from one of the biggest legal risks stem- the original purchase price for the ming from “dieselgate”. time he used it. REUTERS VW will pay out at least 750 million Almost five years after Volkswagen’s A view of Volkswagen’s headquarters in euros to 235,000 drivers under an out- admission to cheating on emissions Wolfsburg, Germany. of-court settlement reached with con- tests involving millions of diesel sumer representatives, well below the engined cars, the ruling is the first Judges said the mere fact of selling amounts paid out in the United States. real legal setback for VW in its home the modified car to the plaintiff Buybacks, fines and compensation country. harmed him—even though VW has payments in the US alone account for “Volkswagen now aims to soon always argued the vehicles were “usa- most of the more than 30-billion-euro bring these cases to a close in agree- ble” for their intended purpose. cost of the scandal to the manufactur- ment with the plaintiffs,” the compa- Monday’s hearing specifically con- er so far. ny said in a statement, promising cerned a case brought by 65-year-old Around 60,000 individual German “appropriate offers” to affected Gilbert who bought a diesel-powered VW owners’ cases remain open, and owners. Volkswagen Sharan minivan in 2014— lawyer Goldenstein said Monday’s rul- “This judgement means legal cer- just one of the 11 million cars world- ing was “a precedent for all German tainty for millions of consumers and wide fitted with emissions cheating diesel car owners”. shows once again that even a huge software by the carmaker. VW said it would offer one-off pay- corporation isn’t above the law,” The judges in Karlsruhe largely ments even to those who want to keep Gilbert’s lawyer Claus Goldenstein confirmed a lower court’s finding in their cars, and added that some details said in a statement. favour of Gilbert, ordering VW to pay remained to be cleared up, like wheth- Lead judge Stephan Seiters revisit- around 25,600 euros ($27,887) and er those who bought vehicles after the ed the familiar story of how VW “for accept his return of the car. diesel scandal came to light in many years systematically brought That payout, however, is almost September 2015 were eligible. vehicles onto the market whose soft- 6,000 euros below the original “We are convinced that plaintiffs ware was programmed so that they purchase price, as the judges took have no claim if they ought to have POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC only met (emissions) limits under into account depreciation of the known about the (cheating software),” Workers unload sacks from a delivery truck at Sanepa, Lalitpur. test conditions”. vehicle’s value. the company said. ‘It’s kind of glum’: US farmers worry as crop prices dip

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE could have picked up the slack. billion in US farm products. But with MARYLAND (UNITED STATES), MAY 25 “It’s kind of glum,” said Dave’s wife Trump accusing China of covering up Linda Burrier, a soybean farmer the origins of the coronavirus, fears Dave Burrier steered his tractor who serves on the United Soybean are rising that the deal will fall victim through a field, following a GPS map Board, the crop’s governing body in to the acrimony. as he tried to plant as much corn as the US. Yet she remains guardedly “Agriculture in America is very vul- possible amid the yellow and green optimistic. nerable right now, but if we have a rye covering the ground. “Farmers are one of the most faith- good growing season we should be Striving to get a massive yield out ful people there are,” she said. “You able to get through this year,” said of his crops in rural Maryland is how put a seed in the ground, you expect to Arlan Suderman, chief commodities Burrier hopes to make it through yet get a crop out of it.” economist at INTL FCStone. another uncertain year, beset by mar- Facing a supply glut, the US Danielle Bauer, executive director ket disruptions caused by the Covid-19 Department of Agriculture projects of both the Delaware and Maryland pandemic and renewed trade tensions the average farm price for corn will to soybean boards, said farmers in her between the United States and China. drop to its lowest level in 14 years in area have stepped up exports to “We’ve had so much price erosion the 2020-2021 growing season. Soybean Taiwan and are expecting increased that we’re basically at below the cost prices also are expected to fall. demand for high oleic soybean oil, a of production. We’ve got to figure out And a study from the University of variety grown exclusively in the US. how to manage and turn a profit,” Illinois and Ohio State University ear- “There is a lot of uncertainty. The Burrier told AFP. lier this month predicted that even farmers are bracing for a really hard “That’s harder than planting this with payments from government safe- year all around,” she said. corn.” ty net programmes, corn and soybean The Burriers also plant wheat American farmers growing corn farmers are facing total revenue loss- and make good money selling hay and soy—the biggest crops in the es of $8.5 billion to $10.2 billion amid to a nearby racetrack, and Dave’s world’s largest economy—were hop- the pandemic. corn yield last year was double the ing for a turnaround this year after President Donald Trump’s adminis- REUTERS county average. Washington and Beijing reached a tration spent $28 billion in 2018 and A farmer harvests his field at his farm in Pecatonica, Illinois, US. But 60-year-old Linda admits the truce in their months-long trade war, 2019 to help farmers hurt by the setbacks of recent years plus the pan- which included a pledge to buy more trade war, and pledged another $16 grain embargo against the Soviet display detailed metrics to track his tariffs on US soy and pork that drove a demic mean the couple probably will US agricultural goods. billion this year to offset the market Union ruined American farmers. planting, replacing the pen and note- steep drop in total US agricultural have to delay retirement. But the coronavirus hit before the disruptions. “It gives me a chill to talk about it,” book his father relied on. exports to $9.2 billion in 2018, less than “We’re going to have to wait, I don’t benefits of that deal could be felt, dis- Dave Burrier said the current con- he said. The Soviet Union is gone, but US half the 2017 amount, according to know, another five or 10 years, if we rupting transportation and operations ditions are a grim echo of the 1980s—a Plenty has changed in the more farmers once again are partly at the government data. Exports recovered can, physically,” she said. “My hus- at slaughterhouses, sapping demand, decade he would prefer to forget— than four decades Burrier, 67, has whim of a foreign power. to nearly $14 billion last year. band’s worked really hard. I don’t while the global oil price crash closed when a combination of low commodi- been farming. China retaliated for Washington’s In the “phase one” deal reached in know how much longer he’s going to the ethanol and biofuel plants that ty prices, heavy debt burdens and a Computer monitors in his tractor unilateral trade actions with crippling January, Beijing agreed buy up to $50 want to keep at it.”

C M Y K 07 | TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 WORLD India among ‘Own goals’ cost 10 worst-hit Europe keeps easing as United States Abe support even Covid-19 nations bans travellers from Brazil as coronavirus as cases jump Rocketing infection rates in South America push worldwide caseload to nearly 5.4 million as deaths approach 350,000. emergency lifted

REUTERS rally outside the presidential palace in REUTERS MUMBAI, MAY 25 Brasilia to greet a cheering rally, TOKYO, MAY 25 ditching his face mask, shaking hands India on Monday posted its biggest and embracing supporters—even A string of controversial missteps has single-day jump in cases of Covid-19, hoisting a young boy onto his shoul- slashed public approval ratings for overtaking Iran to become one of the ders at one point. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe 10 worst-hit nations, even as the gov- The leader grinned as flag-waving to levels that could threaten to end his ernment allowed domestic air travel supporters shouted “Legend!” and term early, even as he lifted a state of to restart. “The people support you, Bolsonaro!” emergency after the rate of coronavi- India reported another 6,977 But despite the strong support from rus infections declined. cases, taking its total to 138,845, his political base, he has faced scath- The slide in ratings, now below 30 according to government data, ing criticism for his handling of the percent, may erode Abe’s clout in his despite the world’s longest lockdown outbreak as experts warn Brazil’s Liberal Democratic Party and has imposed in March by Prime Minister healthcare system is overwhelmed. sparked speculation that he might Narendra Modi. Total deaths have And while his government has step down before the end of his term passed 4,000. imposed a Brazil travel ban over the as ruling party leader, and hence pre- The rise in new cases came as some virus, Trump remains frustrated with mier, in September 2021. businesses and travel reopened under lockdown measures at home, and— His response to the pandemic, a new phase of the national coronavi- with 40 million jobs lost this year—is which critics call clumsy and tone rus lockdown. aggressively pushing a US reopening deaf, had already eaten into Abe’s Some passengers and crew mem- despite the national death toll support. bers scheduled to board a flight on approaching 100,000. Then came a furore over his attempt Monday at New Delhi airport said the Again trying to project confidence, to keep Tokyo’s top prosecutor in his mood at the terminal was sombre as Trump played golf for a second job after retirement age and to enact a security forces implemented strict straight day on Sunday, after avoiding bill extending prosecutors’ retirement social distancing norms and passen- the fairways since March 8. age, which critics say would erode gers donned masks. The polarised opinion on lockdowns judicial independence. While the federal government has in America was on display after video The prosecutor, Hiromu Kurokawa, not insisted that passengers be quar- footage emerged of a jam-packed resigned on Thursday after admitting antined after their flights, some states swimming pool in Missouri over the he played mahjong for money during have implemented their own quaran- AFP/RSS weekend, despite orders mandating the state of emergency, when citizens tine measures, creating confusion Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro greets supporters upon arrival at Planalto Palace in Brasilia. social distancing measures. were asked to stay home. among travellers. “Scenes such as this one... are “Flying to meet my family almost AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE its gates Monday for the first time in pen. In Asia, Japan lifted its state of inconceivable during the pandemic. feels like I am entering a war zone, it’s BARCELONA, MAY 25 10 weeks. emergency on Monday as new cases Do they all have death wishes?” one the mask and gloves that add to the “The reopening of Retiro brings me slowed to a crawl in the world’s woman tweeted. stress,” said Subham Dey, an engineer Europe inched up its coronavirus a feeling of serenity, gives me com- third-biggest economy. Another countered: “Just travelling to the north-eastern state shutters a little further on Monday fort,” said Rosa San Jose, a 50-year-old But in less wealthy parts of the Americans being free and making of Assam. as nightclubs, museums and swim- schoolteacher who had come to the planet, the news was not so good. their own decisions and enjoying life.” Indian Railways also said it would ming pools re-opened in parts of the park to walk, wearing a white mask. Brazil—the world’s sixth-largest Despite experts warning against run an additional 2,600 special trains continent. Meanwhile, restaurants, bars and country—has been declared the latest reopening too soon, and recommend- in the next 10 days to help nearly 3.5 While a post-pandemic life was swimming pools were among several hotspot with more than 360,000 report- ing some form of confinement meas- million stranded migrant workers get gradually taking shape in what was types of businesses set to reopen in ed cases, second only to the United ures until a vaccine or treatment is to their homes. formerly one of the worst-hit regions, the Czech Republic, which has report- States, even as its leader, the far-right developed, governments are feeling The sudden lockdown announced the virus continued its rampage ed nearly 9,000 cases. President Jair Bolsonaro, plays down immense pressure to ease lockdowns. on March 24 left millions of migrant across Latin America, sparking The nation will even allow events the threat from the virus. Adding to the mix of economic tur- labourers in the lurch with little a US travel ban for people coming with up to 300 people, and Czechs are In a sign of global concern about moil and public anger, a scandal was other option but to walk to reach from Brazil. no longer obliged to wear face masks the outbreak in Brazil, where more brewing in Britain where Prime REUTERS home, sometimes more than 1,000 Rocketing infection rates in South in public except in shops and on pub- than 22,000 have died of Covid-19, the Minister Boris Johnson was on Shinzo Abe kilometres. America have pushed the worldwide lic transport. White House said on Sunday it would Sunday forced to defend his top aide Tens of thousands daily wage caseload to nearly 5.4 million, with Elsewhere in Europe, cafes and res- bar entry into the US of non-Ameri- Dominic Cummings, who has been “Perhaps Abe will be able to stop labourers have lost their jobs in cities, deaths approaching 350,000, but with taurants in Greece were gearing up to cans who have been in the South accused of having breached the gov- the decline if the coronavirus situa- or left because they were scared to live the global economy battered, reopen on Monday—but only those American nation in the 14 days before. ernment’s own lockdown rules in tion doesn’t worsen and as the in urban slum districts that have governments are scrambling to pro- with outdoor service. Despite the crisis engulfing Brazil, March and April. Kurokawa scandal fades,” said reported high rates of infections in vide relief however they can to busi- Nightclubs and bars were set to Bolsonaro—an ally of US President “He has acted responsibly and legal- Columbia University emeritus profes- the last two months. nesses and citizens wearying of mass resume business in Iceland’s capital Donald Trump—has repeatedly ly and with integrity,” Johnson said of sor Gerry Curtis. “But I can’t see him More than 100 of them have confinement. Reykjavik, while zoos and museums argued that lockdown measures are Cummings. regaining much ground. He is a lame also died—either in accidents or Hard-hit Spain eased restrictions in will welcome visitors again in unnecessary and harmful to the But Tory MP Craig Whittaker tweet- duck at best and if the numbers go through sheer exhaustion on their Madrid and Barcelona, with the Copenhagen, and Rome’s swimming economy. He flouted social distancing ed: “You cannot advise the nation one down any further a dead one.” way back home. capital’s popular Retiro Park opening pools and sports centres will also reo- rules again on Sunday, attending a thing then do the opposite.” Japan has not suffered the explosive surge of coronavirus infections seen elsewhere, and Abe on Monday lifted a state of emergency for Tokyo and four other prefectures, the only areas where the measures had remained BRIEFING in place. A weekend opinion poll by the Asahi newspaper, however, showed his support rate had slid to 29 percent, China space programme echoing a fall to 27 percent posted in a targets July for Mars mission Mainichi newspaper survey published on Saturday. BEIJING: China is targeting a July Nearly 70 percent of voters in the launch for its ambitious plans for a Asahi poll said Abe had “big responsi- Mars mission which will include bility” for trying to retain Kurokawa. landing a remote-controlled robot on Fifty-seven percent disapproved of the surface of the red planet, the com- how he handled the coronavirus out- pany in charge of the project has break. A costly programme to send said. Beijing has invested billions of two protective cloth masks to each dollars in its space programme in an household was marred by complaints. effort to catch up with its rival the Abe also had to ditch a plan for cash United States and affirm its status as payments of 300,000 yen ($2,786) for a major world power. The Mars mis- hard-hit households and replace it sion is among a number of new space with 100,000 yen payouts for every citi- projects China is pursuing, including zen. But the new program was criti- putting Chinese astronauts on the cised for hurdles and delays. moon and having a space station At a news conference, Abe lauded by 2022. Beijing had been planning his government’s handling of the out- the Mars mission for sometime this break as a “Japan model” that year, but China Aerospace Science achieved good results, while acknowl- and Technology Corporation edging some problems and delays. He (CASC) has confirmed it could come said he’d “humbly” accept criticism as early as July. over the Kurokawa affair while focus- ing on containing the virus and reviv- ing the economy. New Zealand PM unruffled as Japan’s economy is on track for its quake hits mid-interview deepest slump in postwar history, an WELLINGTON: A moderate 5.6-magni- outlook that could make it hard for tude earthquake rattled New Abe - who has survived rough patches Zealand’s North Island early on before - to regain his footing. Monday but failed to crack Prime Several names have been floated as Minister Jacinda Ardern’s trademark possible successors, including former composure as she conducted a live AP/RSS foreign minister Fumio Kishida and television interview. The quake Debris falls from a row of damaged shops in Perth, Australia, on Monday. There are reports of damage to buildings, homes, fences, electricity infrastructure and trees across ex-defence minister Shigeru Ishiba, a struck just off the coast before 8:00 Perth as a severe storm hit the coast and brought wind gusts of more than 100 kilometres per hour, officials said. rare LDP critic of the premier. am local time (2000 Sunday GMT) at a depth of about 52 kilometres (32 miles) near Levin, about 90 kilo- metres north of Wellington, the US Geological Survey said. St John Ambulance and New Zealand Police Hong Kong and Beijing officials defend security laws both said there were no initial reports of injuries or damage. There was no tsunami warning. But there HONG KONG At a briefing for diplomats, foreign Police Commissioner Chris Tang was sustained shaking in Wellington, REUTERS, MAY 25 business chambers and correspond- cited 14 cases involving explosives where Ardern was being interviewed ents, China’s Foreign Commissioner which he said were commonly used in on breakfast television from parlia- China’s foreign ministry office in in Hong Kong, Xie Feng, said the laws terrorist attacks overseas, and five ment’s Beehive building, which is Hong Kong and the city’s security would only target a minority of “trou- seizures of firearms and ammunition designed to absorb seismic forces by chief on Monday defended proposed blemakers” who had posed “imminent since protests began. swaying slightly on its foundations. national security laws by describing danger” to China’s national security. Secretary for Security John Lee some acts in mass pro-democracy pro- “The legislation will alleviate the said “terrorism is growing” and harm- tests last year as terrorism. grave concerns among local and ful activities such as calling for Hong Myanmar updates UN court Several government departments foreign business communities about Kong’s independence were becoming issued statements in defence of the the violent and terrorist forces,” more rampant. In scenes evoking on Rohingya measures proposal after the biggest protest in Xie said. memories of last year’s protests, AMSTERDAM: Myanmar has filed a the city since the coronavirus lock- He declined to clarify specifics of crowds thronged city streets on report on its adherence to measures down on Sunday. the proposed laws that have stoked Sunday, many chanting “Hong Kong to protect its Rohingya Muslim The security legislation, some concerns, including when the full leg- independence, the only way out.” minority imposed by the United details of which were announced last islation would be enacted, what specif- Police said they arrested more than Nations’ highest court, but details of week, aims to tackle secession, sub- ic acts would be outlawed, and wheth- 180 people, firing tear gas and water the document have not been pub- version and terrorist activities and er it would have retroactive effect. cannon for the first time in months. lished. Mainly-Muslim Gambia could see Chinese intelligence agen- Asked whether the security agen- Calls for independence are anathe- REUTERS filed a suit against Myanmar in cies set up bases in semi-autonomous cies to be set up in Hong Kong would ma to Beijing, which considers Hong The Chinese and Hong Kong flags flutter at the office of the Government of the Hong Kong November at the International Court Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading have law enforcement powers, Xie Kong an inalienable part of the Special Administrative Region in Beijing, China, on Monday. of Justice (ICJ), accusing it of “ongo- financial hubs. said: “Concerning the details, they are country. The proposed framework ing genocide” against the Rohingya Pro-democracy activists and politi- still being deliberated so I’m not in a stresses Beijing’s intent to crack down wrote on his blog that the national tion, widely seen as a potential turn- after expelling more than 730,000. cians say the legislation could erode position to tell you right now.” on such acts. security law itself does not affect ing point for China’s freest city. Pending a final ruling, ICJ judges Hong Kong’s freedoms, guaranteed Hong Kong and mainland Chinese Protests are expected to flare again investor confidence, only the “misun- Washington is considering whether imposed provisional measures under the “one country, two systems” officials have come out in recent days on Wednesday, with the city’s legisla- derstanding” of it does. to maintain Hong Kong’s special sta- obliging Myanmar to protect any agreement under which former colo- seeking to reassure investors their ture set to debate a bill to criminalise The United States, Australia, tus in US law, which has helped it evidence of crimes and prevent acts nial power Britain returned the terri- interests would not be harmed and abuse of China’s national anthem. Britain, Canada and others have maintain its position as a global finan- of violence. (AGENCIES) tory to China in 1997. criticising protesters. Financial Secretary Paul Chan expressed concerns about the legisla- cial centre.

C M Y K TUESDAY, MAY 26, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & ARTS (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 In this world of woke, where do Nepali celebrities stand? Nepali celebrities are speaking up on political and social issues more than ever before, but their views come at a price—of being bullied, threatened, even slut-shamed.

ANKIT KHADGI media has served as a catalyst in bringing KATHMANDU in this woke celebrity culture in Nepal, as it proved to be an effective platform for arlier this week, when actor celebrities to put their views out for pub- Barsha Raut gave an interview lic discourse. “In the end they [celebri- for a YouTube channel, little ties] are also social beings and are affect- did she know she’d be lambast- ed by social issues. Their voices can mir- ed for her views on a political ror the realities of society. The only dif- issue. The conversation had ference is that their voices will be heard Ebeen casual until it steered into a discus- by many because of their popularity and sion on the current Kalapani border con- the influence they hold in society,” says flict. When asked about her view on the Gyawali. matter, Raut said that rather than the But actor Reecha Sharma believes this public fighting with each other on social change has come late in Nepal. It should media, it would be wiser if the govern- have happened ten years back, she says, ments of the two countries solve the as it’s an important step towards inform- issues through dialogue. ing the masses. “When public figures Her sentiments did not go well with the speak about or share their opinions on public. They were deemed inappropriate important issues, it can motivate people and anti-national by many on social to come out and voice their opinions as media, which was followed by a flurry of well, ” says Sharma. hate comments, some went so far as to Having said that, space for constructive body shame and slut-shame her. feedback and meaningful discussions is a Last week, popular Bollywood actor rare sight here, she says. Even within the Manisha Koirala too was similarly criti- industry celebrities are often met with cised, by the Indian media, for tweeting hatred, bullying, and personal attack if her views that leaned towards supporting they speak or write something that dif- Nepal on the border issue. fers from the common narrative. Take Celebrities have often refrained from Barsha Raut’s episode for example, many being overtly political. But in recent celebrities were seen making comments times, this culture has drastically been and giving interviews demanding Raut to changing in Nepal, with more and more apologise for her comments, which she celebrities and influencers using their later did. voice and position to speak on issues Sharma too has faced backlash. In a beyond the entertainment business, voic- panel discussion in 2017 where Sharma ing opinions pertaining to politics and had shared her dissatisfaction with the social injustices. representation of a female character But voicing opinions as a public figure in a blockbuster movie, the whole comes at a price. Along with inviting SHUTTERSTOCK cast of the said movie launched a backlash, it also calls on the danger of from the ruling Nepal Communist Party’s discussions,” says Rai. smear campaign against her. “We are con- provoking authorities that has increas- youth wing. Yet, Nepali celebrities are But for singer Nabin K Bhattarai, voic- stantly called names if we voice out our ingly become intolerant of public dissent. being more vocal than ever, which accord- Even within the ing opinions on social issues as a celebri- opinions. For female celebrities the Although artists and people getting ing to sociologists should happen in a ty is much more than partaking in a repercussions of being vocal are more arrested during the Panchayat regime healthy democracy. industry, celebrities social discussion. It is a social and civic severe,” says Sharma. “It hits people was not surprising, given the government “Celebrities hold a unique position in are often met with responsibility, he says. “We are not politi- harder when they see a woman sharing back then was intolerant of criticism, our society. People listen and follow cians, but we have fans who look up to us. her views openly.” even today, despite the right to freedom of them,” says Bimala Gyawali, a sociologist hate, bullying, and It’s our responsibility to speak the truth,” Yet, regardless of the repercussions expression guaranteed, people are getting and a lecturer at the Department of he says. they face for sharing or putting out their arrested for expressing this right. Only Sociology, Patan Multiple Campus. personal attacks. But not everyone who has influence has opinions, celebrities continue to voice last month, a former government employ- “People [especially the youth] rather than to speak on current affairs, especially their opinion. “We are constantly judged ee and two youths were arrested on the reading the news or doing their own when they don’t hold much authority on even if we do something, or we don’t,” charges of cybercrime, for criticising the research, rely on celebrities for informa- Bhattarai and actors Reecha Sharma and the subject, says Rai. “Not everyone has says Sharma, who adds that whenever current government. tion, as for them whatever they [celebri- Rekha Thapa are some who are actively to say something just because they have a she posts something related to harass- In the entertainment sector too, last ties] speak is the truth,” says Gyawali. In seen using various social media plat- huge following, as sometimes people may ment, bullying, or other pertinent issues, year, comedian Pranesh Gautam, rapper fact, there are volumes of research that forms to raise social and political issues. not have grasped the gravity of the situa- her inboxes are flooded with her followers VTEN and singer Durgesh Thapa were state that people of influence, particular- Samriddhi Rai, who is often seen voic- tion.” sharing their similar experiences or arrested for their views and contents. ly celebrities, have immense power to ing her views on social issues on her Questions can also be raised regarding views, she says. Similarly, folk singer Pashupati Sharma influence people. social media accounts, says she does so to the intent of these views: whether celeb- “But our voice can influence as well as had to delete a song from his YouTube Celebrities such as former Miss Nepal give her opinions on matters and to invite rities are genuinely concerned or it’s all motivate people to come out and share channel after succumbing to the building Shrinkhala Khatiwada, singer/songwrit- positive discussion. “I love learning new part of a ‘being woke’ gimmick. Gyawali their views and problems as well,” says pressure and threats that he received er Samriddhi Rai, singer Nabin K perspectives when being a part of those believes in the former and says that social Sharma.

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