New Spotlightnepal

New Spotlightnepal

Nepal's Debate: Federalization would only wreak havoc by Bihari Krishna Shrestha.

While the relative deprivation of non-caste Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups, now generically known as janajati groups, vis-à-vis the Hindu high caste groups, mainly Brahmins and Chhetris, is increasingly being used as a political agenda at the hands of the “ethnic” leaders, it has since been adopted as such by various political parties too particularly after Jana Andolan II of 2006. Ethnicity as the basis for federalization of the country along with the provision of so-called “preferential rights” for specific Tibeto-Burman ethnic groups has now become the ever too intractable subject of political debate in the Constituent Assembly and outside with no unity of view in sight even as the latter’s extended tenure is drawing to a close. Those in favour generally maintain that ethnic groups, both the janajati and Madhesi, have long been disadvantaged due to Hill Bahun Chhetri political, social and economic hegemony even as the Janajati people in particular have been the ones indigenous to Nepal with many regions in Nepal historically named after them such as Magrat where Magars live. They argue that a time-bound provision of preferential rights is necessary to enable them to come at par with the Bahun Chhetri combine. Those against retort that given the immense ethnic diversity (100 plus caste ethnic groups) and ethnically mixed communities countrywide, ethnicity-based division of the country would be chaotic and would result in inter-ethnic animosities, including its possible disintegration. It is further argued that deprivation is not limited to ethnic groups alone. While it is quite widespread among Bahun and Chhetri too, the dalits are by far the most deprived, although no specific region can be allocated to the latter due to their countrywide geographical spread that also deprives them of the power that otherwise comes with numbers. Besides, Hindu caste groups, generically being referred to as Khas more recently, predominate numerically in western regions, but the proposal does not name any province after them, thus suggesting that the exercise is inherently biased against caste Hindus. http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/Others.aspx?ArticleID=1003&IssueID=21

Politics

Politics CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY Constitutional Conundrum As May 28 draws closer, concerns over whether the new constitution will be promulgated by that deadline are naturally growing. The activities going on inside and outside the Constituent Assembly indicate that the new constitution, even if it is promulgated, will not give a long term solution to the long running political instability. Nepal’s hard geostrategic realities are its two giant neighbours. Within home, the many voices of differences and dissents coming from a range of political and ethnic organisations compound the problems. Disagreements pervade from the top to the bottom of the constitution making process. Even at the best scenario at the moment, the new constitution looks likely to face a similar fate as the six constitutions that Nepal experimented with before: http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/Politics.aspx?ArticleID=883

New Spotlightnepal

New Spotlightnepal curent issue among others higlights the implications of failure of Nepal's political parties to forge a consensus on various issues. The issue highlights Japan's earthquke, elections of Nepal's apex industrial body.

New Spotlightnepal

New Spotlightnepal

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New Spotlight Magazine

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Nepal's World AIDS Day On Right Track

Others
Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise “Universal Access and Human Rights”
WORLD AIDS DAY On Right Track
Given a guarantee to basic human rights and regular availability of medicines for people living with HIV, it is possible to stabilize the HIV epidemic. This is what the recently released UNAIDS Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic reveals. The report shows that the total number of people living with HIV is stabilizing worldwide. Despite continuous political instability and frequent changes in the governments, Nepal has also achieved a major progress in stabilizing HIV infections. Interestingly, Nepal has also succeeded in decreasing new HIV infections by more than 25% over the last one decade. As the World’s AIDS Day was celebrated on December 1, fundamental rights of people living with HIV and their access to medicines remain a challenge for Nepal towards meeting UNAIDS’ vision: Zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS-related deaths. With the slogan of Stop AIDS: Keep the Promises, Universal Access and Human Rights, the World AIDS day has celebrated in Nepal.
By By KESHAB POUDEL and YOGESH GYAWALI in Kathmandu and Umid Bagchand and Sita Mademba reporting from Dhangadhi and Dharan

http://spotlightnepal.com/sln/Others.aspx?ArticleID=532