#608 8 - 14 June 2012 16 pages Rs 30 Hot spot here are two types of carbon that cause Himalayan snows to Tmelt. One is carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning that heats up the atmosphere through the greenhouse- effect. The other is tiny particles of solid carbon given off by smokestacks and diesel exhausts that are deposited on snow and ice and cause them to melt faster. Both contribute to the accelerated meltdown of the Himalaya. Yak herders below Ama Dablam (right) now cross grassy meadows where there used to be a glacier 40 years ago. Nepal’s delegation at the Rio+20 Summit in Brazil later this month will be arguing that the country cannot sacrifi ce economic growth to save the environment. Increasingly, that is looking like an excuse to not address pollution in our own backyard. Full story by Bhrikuti Rai page 12-13 NO WATER? NO POWER? NO PROBLEM How to live without electricity and water page 5 Mother country Federalism and governance were not the only contentious issues in the draft constitution that was not passed on 27 May. Provisions on citizenship were even more regressive than in the interim constitution. There is now time to set it right. EDITORIAL page 2 OP-ED by George Varughese and Pema Abrahams page 3 BIKRAM RAI 2 EDITORIAL 8 - 14 JUNE 2012 #608 MOTHER COUNTRY Only the Taliban treats women worse hen the Constituent Assembly expired two 27 May. Our “progressive” politicians were too busy weeks ago, there was disappointment but haggling over state structure and forms of governance to Walso relief at having put off a decision on notice. ethno-federalism that was sure to leave everyone Far from solving the citizenship crisis, the draft unhappy. constitution would have created more stateless people: But federalism, governance and the proposal of children who can’t prove both parents are Nepali, a constitutional court were not the only contentious children whose either parent fails or refuses to get issues in the draft. There was also the pending problem Nepali citizenship, children who cannot identify of citizenship rights which has now been pushed back either of their parents, children whose fathers refuse to again. sign papers, adopted children. The pain of becoming Ten per cent of Nepal’s population doesn’t have stateless in one’s own country is not limited to the citizenship, and it now looks like they will remain denial of personal identity. Without a citizenship indefinitely stateless. Worse, without the requisite laws certificate, people cannot own property, run businesses, in place, the number of Nepalis deemed not to be Nepali travel abroad, get higher education, or take jobs. will continue to grow. The state can’t bring itself to accept matrilineal lineage to Nepal’s political leaders wanted a “revolutionary also be a basis for citizenship, and therefore punishes its constitution”, and they had no qualms about supporting own people. Our leaders may have been revolutionary, provisions that would have effectively torn the they may have mobilised women to fight and die for country apart. They have also been ultra-progressive in liberation, but it is clear that their notions of gender rights espousing secularism, gay rights, and legislating against are medieval. Only the Taliban treats women worse. caste-based discrimination. But sadly, when it comes Politicians and bureaucrats are opposed to equal to ensuring something as fundamental and universal as citizenship rights mainly because of a fear that millions equal citizenship rights for women, the attitude of our of Indian men will cross the open border to marry our male-dominated politicians has been - to put it mildly - women en masse and become Nepali citizens. While primitive, patriarchal and chauvinistic. such things may have happened and citizenship fraud There are many levels of discrimination entrenched is still rife, the way to control it is by greater vigilance, in Nepali society, but women of all castes and creeds not by barring millions of genuine Nepalis from being face double ostracisation. Our citizenship laws have accepted in their own country. Is our nationalism so always been backward, but the draft provision in the new non-Nepali fathers from becoming Nepali citizens. paranoid, our sense of nationhood so insecure and fickle constitution was even more regressive than the interim A foreigner woman marrying a Nepali man gets that we punish our own children? constitution. Only children of a Nepali mother and a citizenship almost immediately, and their children Given the open border with India and a bureaucracy Nepali father would have been eligible to citizenship. get citizenship by descent. But the process is endlessly not known for honesty, Nepal has to be sensitive about What’s wrong with that, you may ask, because it puts the complicated for a foreigner man marrying a Nepali citizenship procedures. But this can, and should, be done father and mother on an equal footing. But it is clear that woman. Such a blatantly unfair clause was very nearly without including openly discriminatory provisions in these new laws have been proposed to deter children of enshrined in our constitution had it been passed on the new constitution, if it is ever written. ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com WE HAVE A SITUATION models of federalism than the red and start thinking about the structure Kanak Dixit says ‘a national the name of justice. For now, the best All of us (ordinary Nepalis, 601 CA elite’. Is she saying the two proposals and feasibility of future federal states. unity government made up of a few alternative is for ordinary Nepalis to members, leaders, civil society) are drafted by the CA, the most Rita trusted politicians’ is the need of the come out on the streets to support equally responsible for the mess the representative body in Nepal, were moment. But our current leaders are these families. country fi nds itself in today (‘We have not ‘workable’? Not workable for who: Hopefully federalism as an neither trustworthy nor capable and Abhinav a situation here’, editorial, #607). the marginalised groups that make idea is not tarnished from being we have seen their ineptness too People just accepted the lies of the up the majority of the population, dragged through the mud of ethno- many times in the past six years. Impunity, injustice, prejudice and politicians and did not use their power. or for the 320 CA members who federalism. Properly implemented, a Dahal harbours dreams of becoming poverty have become a way of life Civil society also failed to protect the voted against the 11-state model or federal republic composed of strong the next king of Nepal. Bhattarai has in Nepal. I’m afraid Purnimaya and rights of the people. The question is for the Brahmin dominated NC and multi-ethnic states could move lost all credibility and good will by a Arjun’s plea for justice will remain will we let Dahal, Bhattarai and gang UML who can’t stomach the idea of attention and development away from unilateral declaration of elections. unheard. keep lying to us or do we have the reducing high-caste monopoly? Also Kathmandu to rest of the country. So where are we going to fi nd these GG courage to say enough is enough and those campaigning for progressive Ethno-federalism, on the other hand, is trusted politicians, Mr Dixit? fi x what is broken. change know very well that identity- a prescription for Nepal to join the ranks Sanjay Thapa DOOM AND GLOOM Raghav Pandey based federalism is just a crucial of Somalia as a violence-wracked failed By highlighting why pegging the starting point to make Nepal a state. Well argued, Rubeena Mahato. The CA didn’t die, it was Nepali rupee to the Indian currency We cannot go on living with more inclusive society. They have Thomas murdered in cold-blood. The only is detrimental to our economy, the constant disappointment and repeatedly emphasised that ethnic thing we can do right now is to hope writer presents only one side of the must fi nd alternatives to the failed states are not going to solve all the Thank you Rubeena for telling this will be a turning point in our story (‘Not all doom and gloom’, policies of our political parties. But problems and the process is going to it like it is and not swallowing the history and set Nepal in the right Paavan Mathema, #607). Nepal fi rst we need to stop believing the be complex and challenging. Maoist propaganda that the NC and direction. has enjoyed plenty of benefi ts by lies that the leaders keep feeding us. AS UML prevented the constitution from Gita Sherchan pegging its currency like cheaper The last 20 years have shown how being declared. The NC and UML basic commodities (grains, seeds, incompetent, corrupt and unreliable Rubeena Mahato says Nepalis never tried to hide they were against I agree with Kanak Mani Dixit vegetables, fl owers, meat, medicine, Nepal’s political class is. Another have ‘moved on’, but it’s only the ethnic federalism, but they agreed when he says that our only option agricultural products, automobiles, election is not going to change them. Brahmins and Chettris who have on a compromise formula with the is to work towards adopting a draft books, entertainment, oil and gas), Rekha Khatiwada moved on, the rest of the people are Janajatis at 4 pm on Sunday. It was constitution within six months to a travel and transportation fees. still being ignored. The best option at the Maoists who balked, because they year. But I wish he had gone a step Anonymous CONVENIENTLY LEFT the moment is to hold a referendum were worried of losing the Madhesis further and said that any constitution Rubeena Mahato’s writings used to be and let the people vote for what they and scared of what the Baidya faction that our leaders come up with must good, because she could analyse any think is best for them.