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Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Thursday, January 19, 2012
News
News
On Wen’s hug-and-fly visit, China draws Nepal closer
By B Raman
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who had cancelled a scheduled visit to Nepal in December for unexplained reasons, stopped over in Kathmandu for a little more than four hours late last week on his way from Beijing to Saudi Arabia for an official visit.
This is the first time a Chinese Premier has visited Nepal since 2001, when the then Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji went over. There have been a number of high-level visits of political and military figures from Nepal to China since the Nepalese Maoists came overground, suspended their insurgency and joined the power structure in Nepal, but there were few reciprocal visits from the Chinese side to Nepal.
The Chinese have stepped up assistance to the Nepalese since the end of the monarchy in 2008; in 2009, they even established a “comprehensive and cooperative partnership” with Nepal.
China has strong security concerns in Nepal due to the presence of about 20,000 Tibetan refugees in Nepalese territory and their support to the Dalai Lama and the radical Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC).
These concerns have been magnified by fresh indicators of unrest in the Tibetan community of China, particularly in western Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai regions. There have been 16 self-immolation attempts since the beginning of last year by pro-Dalai Lama monks and others. Twelve of them were reported last year and four in the first 15 days of this year. Fourteen of these attempts were in western Sichuan and one each in Tibet and Qinghai.
The large-scale round-up and detention in a special military camp of suspected pro-Dalai Lama monks of the Kirti monastery in Sichuan last year aggravated the situation, leading to frequent public demonstrations in support of those attempting self-immolation. The public demonstrations remained largely non-violent last year, but since the beginning of this year there have been two violent attacks on police stations by enraged Tibetans.
In the latest such attack reported on 14 January, a crowd of about 1,000 Tibetans, who were demanding the body of a Tibetan who had committed self-immolation earlier in the day, attacked a police station where they suspected the body was kept. The police reportedly opened fire to disperse the protesters killing two of them, one of them a woman.
News
News
On Wen’s hug-and-fly visit, China draws Nepal closer
By B Raman
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who had cancelled a scheduled visit to Nepal in December for unexplained reasons, stopped over in Kathmandu for a little more than four hours late last week on his way from Beijing to Saudi Arabia for an official visit.
This is the first time a Chinese Premier has visited Nepal since 2001, when the then Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji went over. There have been a number of high-level visits of political and military figures from Nepal to China since the Nepalese Maoists came overground, suspended their insurgency and joined the power structure in Nepal, but there were few reciprocal visits from the Chinese side to Nepal.
The Chinese have stepped up assistance to the Nepalese since the end of the monarchy in 2008; in 2009, they even established a “comprehensive and cooperative partnership” with Nepal.
China has strong security concerns in Nepal due to the presence of about 20,000 Tibetan refugees in Nepalese territory and their support to the Dalai Lama and the radical Tibetan Youth Congress (TYC).
These concerns have been magnified by fresh indicators of unrest in the Tibetan community of China, particularly in western Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai regions. There have been 16 self-immolation attempts since the beginning of last year by pro-Dalai Lama monks and others. Twelve of them were reported last year and four in the first 15 days of this year. Fourteen of these attempts were in western Sichuan and one each in Tibet and Qinghai.
The large-scale round-up and detention in a special military camp of suspected pro-Dalai Lama monks of the Kirti monastery in Sichuan last year aggravated the situation, leading to frequent public demonstrations in support of those attempting self-immolation. The public demonstrations remained largely non-violent last year, but since the beginning of this year there have been two violent attacks on police stations by enraged Tibetans.
In the latest such attack reported on 14 January, a crowd of about 1,000 Tibetans, who were demanding the body of a Tibetan who had committed self-immolation earlier in the day, attacked a police station where they suspected the body was kept. The police reportedly opened fire to disperse the protesters killing two of them, one of them a woman.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
News
News
Tibetan Railway closer to Mt. Everest Base camp
The foothill of Mt. Everest in Chinese side will have a railway link by 2015. According to The extension of a landmark railway from Tibet's capital, Lhasa, to its second-largest city, Xigaze, is in full swing and will be completed by 2015, Xinhua new agency reported citing officials.
Xigaze City is the administrative center of the Tibetan prefecture of the same name, which covers 182,000 square km bordering India, Nepal and Bhutan and includes Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest).
The 253-km new line will pass through five counties and the 90-km-long Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon. Construction began in September 2010, with a budget of 13.3 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars).
The railway, the first extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway that opened in July 2006, is one of the plateau region's key construction projects during the 2011-2015 period.
According to Xinhua, it is designed to have a transport capacity of 8.3 million tonnes of freight annually and will allow trains to travel at a minimum speed of 120 km per hour.
Jin said the new rail link will play a vital role in boosting tourism and accelerating the transport of natural resources.
Tibet will start building another extension of the plateau railway, from Lhasa to Nyingchi, in the next five years, according to the region's plan for economic and social development in the 2011-2015 period.
Tibetan Railway closer to Mt. Everest Base camp
The foothill of Mt. Everest in Chinese side will have a railway link by 2015. According to The extension of a landmark railway from Tibet's capital, Lhasa, to its second-largest city, Xigaze, is in full swing and will be completed by 2015, Xinhua new agency reported citing officials.
Xigaze City is the administrative center of the Tibetan prefecture of the same name, which covers 182,000 square km bordering India, Nepal and Bhutan and includes Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest).
The 253-km new line will pass through five counties and the 90-km-long Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon. Construction began in September 2010, with a budget of 13.3 billion yuan (2.1 billion U.S. dollars).
The railway, the first extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway that opened in July 2006, is one of the plateau region's key construction projects during the 2011-2015 period.
According to Xinhua, it is designed to have a transport capacity of 8.3 million tonnes of freight annually and will allow trains to travel at a minimum speed of 120 km per hour.
Jin said the new rail link will play a vital role in boosting tourism and accelerating the transport of natural resources.
Tibet will start building another extension of the plateau railway, from Lhasa to Nyingchi, in the next five years, according to the region's plan for economic and social development in the 2011-2015 period.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Nepal's peace process heading towards conflict
Interview
Nepal's Peace Process is Heading towards conflict
DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA
Former speaker of the House of Representatives DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA, who played a role of moderator in a series of failed Maoist and government talks before 2006, was a member of Nepali Congress. He remains as an active member of the civil society. At a time when there is uncertainty about the peace process and constitution writing, Dhungana spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues. Excerpts:
Political parties are arguing over the numbers, ranks and integration process, how do you foresee the future of the process?
We celebrated peace day on November 21. However, the government and political parties did not remember it at all. Prime minister Dr.Baburam Bhattarai attended our celebration. I suggested to him that he had twin responsibilities to promulgate the new constitution and conclusion of peace process by May 27. The prime minister also agreed with me.
As the leaders of major political parties are condemning the recent verdict of Supreme Court, how do you look at this?
There is nothing negative in the court’s verdict. Actually, the recent court verdict helps to make progress in constitution writing process. The court is confident that the CA will promulgate the constitution by May 27. Even CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has been saying that they can write the constitution within five months as they had completed such tasks in less than three months in 1990.
The Government and Constituent Assembly Secretariat are preparing to register a review petition. How do you look at it?
Political parties should concentrate on constitution writing rather than moving petition for review. They don’t need to go for court to file petition. As a senior constitutional lawyer, I would like to suggest them that their right to petition will not expire. Court will give them another time if they go to court with progress in their work. I think the court is always in favor of writing the constitution. This is not a legal issue but the question related to work. Court is also part of our movement and I don’t think it will create any hurdle in constitution writing process.
How do you see CA’s decision to go for review?
They need to do their own review not the review of the verdict of Supreme Court. If parties work sincerely in the coming five months and even then they fail to complete the process, we will request the court to give some extensions. Court has never closed its doors. When Nepali Congress is saying that it cannot support the writing of the constitution without completion of peace process and Maoists have been saying they will not reintegrate their combatants till the promulgation of the new constitution, you are locking horns on this issue. There is no way out.
As political parties have already extended the tenure of CA by about two years, why do they fail to promulgate the new constitution?
Nepalese political parties are yet to have a consensus on the form of government even six years after Janandolan II, five years after signing the comprehensive peace agreement and four years after the elections of CA. It is strange to see debates among political parties over presidential or parliamentary system.
How do you see the peace process given the growing conflict?
Our peace process is heading towards conflict. Our political leaders are debating on numbers, ranks and modality for integration. Our peace process seems to be creating enough spaces for conflict mongers. If they cannot take a minor administrative decision to integration of Maoist combatants, it is foolishness to believe that they will settle the constitutional disputes. Integration is just an issue of administrative nature. It should not have taken five years to settle the issue of integration of combatants. It is just a matter of a day. If you can hold the elections of CA, abolish the monarchy and make the country inclusive, why did not you integrate 6000 combatants. The way political parties are working amounts to a treason.
http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/Interview.aspx?ArticleID=2569
Nepal's Peace Process is Heading towards conflict
DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA
Former speaker of the House of Representatives DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA, who played a role of moderator in a series of failed Maoist and government talks before 2006, was a member of Nepali Congress. He remains as an active member of the civil society. At a time when there is uncertainty about the peace process and constitution writing, Dhungana spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues. Excerpts:
Political parties are arguing over the numbers, ranks and integration process, how do you foresee the future of the process?
We celebrated peace day on November 21. However, the government and political parties did not remember it at all. Prime minister Dr.Baburam Bhattarai attended our celebration. I suggested to him that he had twin responsibilities to promulgate the new constitution and conclusion of peace process by May 27. The prime minister also agreed with me.
As the leaders of major political parties are condemning the recent verdict of Supreme Court, how do you look at this?
There is nothing negative in the court’s verdict. Actually, the recent court verdict helps to make progress in constitution writing process. The court is confident that the CA will promulgate the constitution by May 27. Even CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has been saying that they can write the constitution within five months as they had completed such tasks in less than three months in 1990.
The Government and Constituent Assembly Secretariat are preparing to register a review petition. How do you look at it?
Political parties should concentrate on constitution writing rather than moving petition for review. They don’t need to go for court to file petition. As a senior constitutional lawyer, I would like to suggest them that their right to petition will not expire. Court will give them another time if they go to court with progress in their work. I think the court is always in favor of writing the constitution. This is not a legal issue but the question related to work. Court is also part of our movement and I don’t think it will create any hurdle in constitution writing process.
How do you see CA’s decision to go for review?
They need to do their own review not the review of the verdict of Supreme Court. If parties work sincerely in the coming five months and even then they fail to complete the process, we will request the court to give some extensions. Court has never closed its doors. When Nepali Congress is saying that it cannot support the writing of the constitution without completion of peace process and Maoists have been saying they will not reintegrate their combatants till the promulgation of the new constitution, you are locking horns on this issue. There is no way out.
As political parties have already extended the tenure of CA by about two years, why do they fail to promulgate the new constitution?
Nepalese political parties are yet to have a consensus on the form of government even six years after Janandolan II, five years after signing the comprehensive peace agreement and four years after the elections of CA. It is strange to see debates among political parties over presidential or parliamentary system.
How do you see the peace process given the growing conflict?
Our peace process is heading towards conflict. Our political leaders are debating on numbers, ranks and modality for integration. Our peace process seems to be creating enough spaces for conflict mongers. If they cannot take a minor administrative decision to integration of Maoist combatants, it is foolishness to believe that they will settle the constitutional disputes. Integration is just an issue of administrative nature. It should not have taken five years to settle the issue of integration of combatants. It is just a matter of a day. If you can hold the elections of CA, abolish the monarchy and make the country inclusive, why did not you integrate 6000 combatants. The way political parties are working amounts to a treason.
http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/Interview.aspx?ArticleID=2569
Sunday, January 15, 2012
News
News
India must kick China out of Sri Lanka: William Avery
New York: There are few more knowledgeable observers of US-India relations than William H Avery, a former US diplomat, who served at the US Consulate in Chennai in the 1990s, a time when India’s relations with the US soured after New Delhi’s nuclear tests. In his new book, China’s Nightmare, America’s Dream: India as the Next Global Power, Avery offers a detailed anatomy of the growing ties between the world’s largest and wealthiest democracies.
Avery’s book also delivers a broadside against China and says India must respond to how China has advanced its influence in the region, with allies like Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. China has established itself as a growing, and sometimes bullying, power in India’s neighbourhood.
India and most of the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have festering territorial disputes with China. Avery says India must respond to the Chinese challenge by spending even more on defence and using economic persuasion to influence its neighbours.
“India must now concentrate on the Finlandization of Sri Lanka,” Avery writes, while referring to Finland’s subjugation by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. “In the short term this will mean preventing any further non-Indian involvement in Sri Lanka’s affairs.”
Avery described how China invested millions to turn the sleepy fishing hamlet of Hambantota in Sri Lanka into a booming new port, just off India’s southeast coast, furthering an ambitious trading strategy in South Asia that is reshaping the region and forcing India to rethink relations with its neighbours.
China has been developing port facilities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and it is planning to build railroad lines in Nepal. These projects, analysts like Avery argue, are irksome to India; there are worries that China is expanding its sphere of regional influence by surrounding India with a “string of pearls” that could eventually undermine India’s pre-eminence and potentially rise to an economic and security threat.
http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/News.aspx?ArticleID=2583
India must kick China out of Sri Lanka: William Avery
New York: There are few more knowledgeable observers of US-India relations than William H Avery, a former US diplomat, who served at the US Consulate in Chennai in the 1990s, a time when India’s relations with the US soured after New Delhi’s nuclear tests. In his new book, China’s Nightmare, America’s Dream: India as the Next Global Power, Avery offers a detailed anatomy of the growing ties between the world’s largest and wealthiest democracies.
Avery’s book also delivers a broadside against China and says India must respond to how China has advanced its influence in the region, with allies like Pakistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. China has established itself as a growing, and sometimes bullying, power in India’s neighbourhood.
India and most of the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have festering territorial disputes with China. Avery says India must respond to the Chinese challenge by spending even more on defence and using economic persuasion to influence its neighbours.
“India must now concentrate on the Finlandization of Sri Lanka,” Avery writes, while referring to Finland’s subjugation by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. “In the short term this will mean preventing any further non-Indian involvement in Sri Lanka’s affairs.”
Avery described how China invested millions to turn the sleepy fishing hamlet of Hambantota in Sri Lanka into a booming new port, just off India’s southeast coast, furthering an ambitious trading strategy in South Asia that is reshaping the region and forcing India to rethink relations with its neighbours.
China has been developing port facilities in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar, and it is planning to build railroad lines in Nepal. These projects, analysts like Avery argue, are irksome to India; there are worries that China is expanding its sphere of regional influence by surrounding India with a “string of pearls” that could eventually undermine India’s pre-eminence and potentially rise to an economic and security threat.
http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/News.aspx?ArticleID=2583
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