Fight For Continuity Of Nepali Citizenship Not Over Yet

Transcription

August 12-August 26, 2016
South Asian American Fortnightly Newspaper
Periodicals Postage paid at Artesia, CA and at additional mailing offices.
VOL.1 XLI No. 7 August 12 - August 26, 2016 (US & Canada Edition) The Himalayan Voice, Nepal 24 Hours INC www.nepal24hours.com $1
AMERICAN JOURNEY
Kanchan Amatya
Bags Big In The
US-Stairway To
Success
Fight For Continuity Of Nepali
Citizenship Not Over Yet
Implementation Aspect Should Be Strong
Laws And Regulations Have To Be Strong As Well
Page 4
By Ram Pratap Thapa
DESTINATION NEPAL
It’s High Time To Go Trekking In Nepal
Page 10
BUSINESS
Financial
Literacy For
Immigrants
Page 14
The article 14 of the newly
promulgated constitution has it
that Non resident Nepalese
residing in other than eight
SAARC member countries
having their fathers’ or mothers’
or grand fathers’ or grand
mothers’ citizenship by descent
or naturalized means and
member of Nepali diaspora who
have taken citizenship of another
country later are entitled to have
Non Resident citizenship of
Nepal vested with, economical,
social and cultural rights in line
with the Federal law.
EXCLUSIVE
The new categorical provision
in the new constitution of Nepal,
is an important development
given the long effort of NRNA
towards acquiring Nepali
citizenship for the diaspora
members since its inception.
“NRNA has been striving for prosperity
of the motherland”
(Cont. on page 19)
"Chinese Prez Xi’s visit depends
on Nepal’s expectations"
- Upendra Mahato, Founding President, NRNA
NRNA Completes
Preparation Of New
Jersey Conference
Chinese Prez Nepal Visit
Is Chinese President Xi Jinping coming to Nepal ?
Will President Xi visit Nepal this year?
KATHMANDU
NEW YORK
The 9th regional conference of the International
Coordination Council of Non-Resident Nepali
Association is taking place in New Jersey of the
United States of America. The conference is going
to be organized on August 27-28 with the slogan
'NRNA Vision 20 and Beyond'. The venue for the
regional conference is Hilton Hotel in the Garden
(Cont. on page 19)
- Ji Zhiye, President, (CICIR)
Nepal’s former Prime
Minister K P Sharma Oli
had met President Xi and
extended a formal
invitation to him to visit
Nepal during their meeting
at the Great Hall of the
People in Beijing in March.
Even before Oli’s visit to
China, Nepali side was
trying its level best to
arrange President Xi visit
to Nepal. At the time of
Indian blockade there was
a strong possibility of
President Xi visiting
Nepal in October this
year.
However, even amidst
rumor of K P Oli’s
ouster from the
government by virtue
of what is described as
Indian intention to
obliterate the visit, Xi’x
visit to Nepal is very
likely to go ahead as
planned. The positive
indication about the
(Cont. on page 19)
2
EDITORIAL
South Asian American Fortnightly Newspaper
18500 Pioneer Blvd., Ste: 207, Artesia , CA 90701
Tel: (323) 717 7445
Fax: (562) 403 1199
Email: [email protected], [email protected]
Web: www.nepal24hours.com
'Integration Thorough Media'
Golden Opportunity
For Nepali Americans
billionaire trio and their role
investment model open the door
of possibility for joint investment
of their hard earned money in the
US.
Purushottam Dhakal
Editor-in-chief
18500 Pioneer Blvd.
Ste: 207, Artesia , CA 90701
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
www.nepal24hours.com
Tel: 323 717 7445
Fax: 562 860 5590
The first generation of Nepalese
migrants in the US are earning
only moderate volume of property
due to their job so far but they are
equally eager to get involved in
the US Nepali business fraternity
for investment in small and
medium scale trade to optimize
the increasing US market.
Patron
Rishi Dhakal
Khagendra GC, Esq
Vice President
Rajinder Kumar Jawa
Dr. Nazeera Dawood
Shantiram Dhakal
Bijaya Ghimire
Editor-at-large
Rameshor Bhandari
Editor
Kishor Panthi
Senior Staff Editor
David Swanson
Guest Editor
Regional Coordinator
Sanjay Thapa
Samir Maharjan
Mitra Kafle
Vishnu Bhandari
Temba N Lama
Lok Tiwari
Bala Ghimire
Uttam Kakri
Bureau Chief
Noted NRN billionaire and
millionaires are keeping
themselves busy in the
program that are being
organised in different US cities
on the eve of New Jersey
Regional conference.
Due to the deteriorting goodwill
of business and social figures of
Nepali Americans, capable small
and medium level investors are
hesitating to invest in business
and social transaction.
The billionaire trio of Binod
Choudhary, NRNA founder
Upendra Mahato and NRN
President Shesh Ghale are in
the US these days not only as
the guest for the New Jersey
Conference but are also trying
to explore new avenues for
more investment in the
Americas.
If the visit of world famous three
NRN billionaires to the US be
exploited to maximum extent for
transforming the unproductive
capital, skills and resources of the
Nepalese Americans in the
possible areas of investment in the
US, it will not only establish the
Nepalese identity, in one hand, it
also injects new wave in the
enhancement of the life style of
NRNs are expecting for the
Let the attention of all be drawn
towards succeeding the New
Jersey conferences for
harnessing the trio’s support
and their meaningful leadership
in the proper investment of the
unutilized capital of the NRNs
in the US market under their
patronage and physical presence
of the Nepalese billionaire.
A Nonviolent Strategy to End War
Anil Adhikari
1709 Summer Field St.
Ridge-wood, NY 11385
Tel: 347 969 6409
suggesting that the task will be easy,
even with a sound analysis and
comprehensive strategy. But it will be
far more likely.
Sunil Bhattarai
Purano Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: 9841380447
Email:[email protected]
Given my own preoccupation with
human violence, of which I see war
as a primary subset, I have spent a
great deal of time researching why
violence occurs in the first place – see
'Why Violence?' Fearless Psychology
and Fearful Psychology: Principles
and Practice' and by taking or teaching
strategic nonviolent action in response
to many of its manifestations.
Specail Correspondent
Bijaya Thapa
Gokul Dhakal
Concept Design & IT
E Kumar Shrestha
Tel:+1 626 679 1860
Manager
Ranjana Dhakal
Los Angeles, California
the Nepalese Americans who
are compelled to work in poor
remuneration and in the other,
products and services from the
motherland would gain access
to the international market
thereby ultimately supporting to
the overall Nepalese economy.
The visit should not only be
taken as their formal attendance
to the New Jersey Conference.
Binod Choudhary, Upendra
Mahato and Shesh Ghale are
heavily regarded as the role
guardian of Non Resident
Nepalese scattered across the
world.
Robert J. Burrowes
There is a long history of anti-war
and peace activism. Much of this
activism has focused on ending a
particular war. Some of this
activism has been directed at ending
a particular aspect of war, such as
the use of a type of weapon. Some
of it has aimed to prevent a type of
war, such as 'aggressive war' or
nuclear war. For those activists who
regard war as the scourge of human
existence, however, 'the holy grail'
has always been much deeper: to
end war.
There is an important reason why
those of us in the last category have
not, so far, succeeded. In essence,
this is because, whatever their
merits, the analyses and strategies
we have been using have been
inadequate. This is, of course, only
a friendly criticism of our efforts,
including my own. I am also not
Moreover, given that I like to succeed
when I work for positive change in
this world, I pay a great deal of
attention to strategy. In fact, I have
written extensively on this subject
after researching the ideas of the
greatest strategic theorists and
strategists in history. If you are really
keen, you can read about this in The
Strategy of Nonviolent Defense: A
Gandhian Approach.
However, because I know that most
people aren't too interested in scholarly
works and that nonviolent activists
have plenty of worthwhile things to
do with their time, I have recently
been putting the essence of the
information in the book onto two
websites so that the strategic thinking
is presented simply and is readily
available.
One of the outcomes I would like to
achieve through these websites is to
involve interested peace and anti-war
activists from around the world in
finalizing the development of a
comprehensive nonviolent strategy to
end war and to then work with them
to implement it.
Consequently, I have been
developing this nonviolent strategy
to end war and I invite you to check
it out and to suggest improvements.
You can see it on the Nonviolent
Campaign Strategy website.
If you are interested in being
involved in what will be a long and
difficult campaign, I would love to
hear from you.
You might also be interested in
signing the online pledge of 'The
People's Charter to Create a
Nonviolent World' where the names
of many nonviolent activists who
will work on this campaign are
already listed.
Ending war is not impossible. But
it is going to take a phenomenal
amount of intelligent strategic effort,
courage and time. Whether we have
that time is the only variable beyond
our control.
Author: Robert J. Burrowes has a
lifetime commitment to
understanding and ending human
violence. He has done extensive
research since 1966 in an effort to
understand why human beings are
violent and has been a nonviolent
activist since 1981. He is the author
of 'Why Violence?' His email
address is [email protected]
3
Article
My Comments On Nepali American And Contemporary Politics In The US
President (1861-1865) and led the
struggle for the abolition of slavery.
As the time went on, it came to be
associated with the champion of free
enterprise, low taxes, minimal
government, low taxes and
conservative policies.
Dr. Shyam Karki
As I had indicated that I will be
writing about the political scene
in the mainstream US , today I
will write about the Republican
party, its Candidate for President
Donald Trump and the coming
Elections.
Historically “the first statewide
convention that formed a platform
and nominated candidates under
the name “Republican” was held
near Jackson, Michigan on July
6. 1854. It declared their new party
opposed to the expansion of
slavery into new territories and
selected statewide slate of
candidates. ”Abraham Lincoln
became the first Republican
In the twentieth century, Barry
Goldwater became the Guru of
orthodoxy conservatism and since
then the Party has been dominated
by the conservatives. The liberal wing
of the party primarily led by North
Eastern leaders like Nelson
Rockefeller has been losing influence
and now is almost nonexistent.
After the disastrous defeat of Barry
Goldwater, the moderate sounding
Nixon resurrected the party and won
the elections in 1968. But the Vietnam
war and the Watergate scandal proved
to be the graveyard for Nixon. In
1980, Reagan became its savior and
put a humanizing face to the party.
Although policy wise he didn’t
change anything substantial. After
the Presidency of the Bushes, father
and son, now Republican party is
again raising its head and Trump is
trying to change its face again.
Before going to the chances of
Trump’s victory, let us see what led
to the most unanticipated victories
of the Trump machine, if there is
any organization associated with
him. Because it’s almost a one man
show. Trump is an extreme
polarizing figure in US politics and
has a significant group of die hard
supporters, Let us see what has
appealed to his supporters.
1.The second term of Obama
presidency has been totally
paralyzed and nothing substantial
has come out of it. The Republican
majorities in both houses blocking
every initiative of the President and
the President vetoing if Republicans
manage to pass any thing, most of
the time undoing his initiatives from
the First four years or executive
orders. Trump blames all this
paralysis on the “do nothing”
politicians and claims that he is not
a politician and will not hesitate
actions in the best interests of the
country.
2. Second all primary election
candidates were raising funds while
Trump was using his won money.
He was saying loudly that these
politicians are in service of their
donors “ major corporations, labor
unions etc and will serve them more
than the country whereas he is using
his won money and does not owe
anything to any one and so will do
only what is best for the country
3. He was pleasing many people who
have lost their jobs particularly in
manufacturing saying that the trade
agreements have exported jobs, that’s
what the democrats Obama and
Clinton did . if elected he will bring
the high paying manufacturing jobs,
Back to the US.
4. He was saying that undocumented
(illegal in his words) are taking many
jobs from Americans and if elected
he will deport all of the “illegals’,
erect a wall all across the US Mexican
border. There will be plenty of jobs
for the American workers
5. He was questioning why does US
need to subsidize rich countries of
Europe and Asia for their own
defense. They need to pay for these
services. He will stop these expenses
and instead invest in US for
reconstruction of decaying
infrastructure by emphasizing
‘”America First” and “Make America
great again”
6. He was declaring everywhere that
he is the best negotiator and will
renegotiate deals with Russia, Iran
and all other countries. He was touting
his experience with his realty TV
show.
7. He will say whatever came to his
mind and it made him look “
nonpolitician” and also not toeing the
“ politically correct” line.
All these characteristics of Trump
campaign made him very popular
among a certain section of the
Republican party. This section
consisted mostly of whites without
college education and out of the labor
market due to the export of
manufacturing jobs overseas and the
shifting of energy resources away
from coal.
A large number of Republican
candidates in the primaries made it
easy for him to win as he had a solid
support in about 30% of primary
voters.
Diabetes Changed My Career!
wondered if that was his will to
transform himself in healthy
lifestyle habits and be
responsible to raise a family. As
years went by, I also wondered
why was it that he had to
transform his lifestyle once he
was diagnosed with diabetes.
Would it have made a change if
he was proactive?
By Nazeera Dawood
Not only did diabetes sneak
in to my family when I was
four years old but was the
culprit in changing my
career path. I remember my
dad then who was hardly
thirty years old came back
one day from his doctor
check up and said that he
had diabetes. My parents
had an extensive
conversation about life
style changes he would
have to abide by. Three
decades later I seem to be
discussing the same
lifestyle changes with the
community members I
interact with.
I had seen the sudden
transformation in my dad
then. He would wake up
early in the morning and
do yoga and take morning
walks. I remember as a
seven year old, I would join
him and do head stands and
breathing exercises. I also
remember how he reduced
the consumption of
carbohydrates such as rice
and sugary products. Thirty
years later, he is in good
health and still practicing
Yoga and the walks. I
Although being referred to as
sugar disease, diabetes causes
sourness from head to toe. That
is exactly what I experienced
treating patients in India with
diabetes complications. It would
frustrate me that they would
have to have amputations. Many
times it brought darkness in to
their lives as they lost their
vision. It brought me pain seeing
such misery and I said to myself
what if they only knew that it
could have been prevented. I
knew there was a broken link in
the health care system where the
prevention message was not
heard loud and clear. I knew then
that my purpose in this world
was to advocate for prevention
rather than clinically treating
complications. So diabetes infact
did transform my career path
from a practicing physician
treating illnesses to a non
practicing public health
practitioner advocating for
wellness.
As a public health practitioner
providing the public health
perspective on a public health
epidemic, I try to shine the light
on diabetes everyday. You may
ask how bad the diabetic
epidemic is. Globally, China
ranks number 1 with 90 million
people living with diabetes next
to India and USA with 61 and
26 million people. Zeroing in
on to Georgia, 703,289 adults
have diabetes and in Metro
Atlanta, there are 60, 761
adults living with diabetes. It
is estimated that 1 out of 3
people with diabetes don’t
know that they have Type 2
Diabetes. On top of that to
debunk the myth of type 2
diabetes, we have started
seeing young people having
diabetes.
Diabetes is not an epidemic
but infact a Tsunami. I am not
going to sit here and beat
around the bush but call it as
it is. Who has to take charge,
what can we do working
together in this battleground.
We need to join forces, plan,
and move away from our silo
environment or being
territorial. We never know
when or where diabetes will
strike. For that we have to see
a common vision, a vision we
all agree upon. We need to
wage a war on diabetes and
it is all about being prepared.
We need to wake up, we need
to change the way people
think and act when it comes
to diabetes. We need to take
this disease seriously.
Time has elapsed for talkers
and at this time we are
looking for walkers who can
walk the talk. Americans are
well informed about the risks,
dangers, and signs of diabetes
-- but that knowledge do not
appear to translate into actions
to prevent or control the
disease in to positive
behavioral changes.
Activating patients,
consumers & decision makers
once they have learned the
facts is perhaps the greater
challenge to our
communication efforts.
Diabetes has been
accelerated by social forces
that are associated with
modern urbanizations,
processed food, how we
make food, transportation,
entertainment and
marketing industries that
promote energy-dense
foods characterized by high
sugar and fat contents.
Diabetes is sometimes less
about blood sugar control
and more about quitting
smoking, controlling Blood
Pressure, and lowering your
cholesterol. We know that
lifestyle modifications,
including intensive monthly
coaching, and weight loss
of 8% of body weight,
reduced the incidence
diabetes over the next 5-7
yrs by over 50 %.
What can you do to bring
the diabetes trend down?
Empower individuals with
knowledge. It runs in my
family should not be an
excuse to let diabetes sneak
up on us. No money, no
worries. We can get youth
involved in our diabetes
prevention campaign to
make them realize that this
is a disease no more of
grandmas but brothers and
uncles. Not just individual
behavioral change but also
societal, environmental
change to make behavioral
change easier. Changing the
food economy, composition
of our foods away from
high fructose corn syrup,
soda and soft drinks is
important. Soft drinks seem
to be the choice for millions
of Americans. It has almost
replaced water. As much as
they are tasty, available
everywhere,
and
inexpensive, they are also a
prime source of weight gain.
Promoting water instead of
soft drinks such as soda and
juice might help us decrease
obesity and diabetes.
Education on healthy
nutrition should start in early
childhood. Our direct
involvement in the built
environment, the built
environment is where we
work, go to school, where
we live and play. Advocating
for healthy vending machine
policies in schools and
workplaces, school
community gardens and take
the steps initiative. Early
screening and diagnosis are
critical to successful
treatment and delaying or
preventing some of diabetes
complications.
What if we figure out a city
to change first right from the
cradle? We have all the
resources, how we get it to
the targeted community and
beyond by speaking their
language. How do we start
with gaining the city first
and then county by county?
We have to be smarter than
diabetes. But we know we
cannot do it alone, but
together we can. Let us join
forces and win this battle.
4
American Journey
Kanchan Amatya Bags Big
In The US-Stairway To Success
Bijaya Thapa, WASHINGTON DC
Kanchan to advocate on behalf of
Nepalese youth and children at the
US House of Representatives and the
US Congress.
Born in Nepal’s medieval city of
Patan, Kanchan Amatya has been
s e l e c t e d a s N e p a l ’s Yo u t h
Representative to the United States.
She will be advocating on behalf of
Nepalese youth and children at the
US House of Representatives and the
US congress.
Having so many success stories
behind her, Kanchan got school
education from St Marys School in
Jawalakhel, Lalitpur and later earned
a prestigious scholarship to represent
Nepal at the United World College of
Norway.
This was an opportunity for her to be
intellectually trained for two years
with the selected future youth leaders
of more than 100 nationalities.
She is an alumna of the United World
College, Norway and as a meritorious
student Kanchan is currently pursuing
her studies in the United States as a
Davis Scholar.
Kanchan is doing her under graduation
at the university of Oklahoma
Khanchan says she will leave no
stones unturned in working toward
humanitarian causes if opportunities
are there for her in national as well
as International organizations.
She says that she is keenly interested
in re-defining capacity enhancement
and development in Asia.
Kanchan further states that she is
overwhelmed having got the
opportunity to work in the better
interest of human and human
community in the world.
When asked about the precious
opportunity she got to work in the US
House of Representatives and US
Congress for the welfare of Nepali
youths and children, the young social
entrepreneur describes it as a huge
inspiration for Nepalese youths to
heighten the country’s glory.
She says she has always been
interested in working toward
humanitarian causes.
Kanchan says her objective is to To
help build upon successful U.S. efforts
and policies to ensure equal access
to quality education worldwide and
address youth faced issues in
developing countries.
opinion on science and technology
Policy at the white House and also
spoke at the UN Headquarters as the
y o u n g e s t N e p a l ’ s Yo u t h
Representative to the United Nations.
Kanchan-the harbinger for education
for all- read out a gloomy data that
says tens of millions of children and
youth are unable to go to
school.
She calls on all concerned
to ensure inclusive and
equitable quality
education and promote
lifelong learning
opportunities for all.
She says we all should
launch all out effort to get
the Education for All Bill
HR 4481 and Refugee
Education Bill get
endorsed from the US
Congress.
Kanchan is a young women and girl's
advocate, social entrepreneur and a
UN Women's Global Champion for
Earlier She had also got an opportunity
to address the UN General Assembly
representing some 3.5 million people.
awareness regarding women
trafficking in Nepal.
She also worked in the capacity of
gender and Social Development
Adviser, Nepal Peace Agent
More recently she attended the Special
Olympics World Games in LA to
attend the genuine Social Impact
Summit to receive support for her
project for Nepali young people with
learning difficulties, and had also
worked in earlier projects of Special
Last year, she channeled
the umpteen energy to get
the Girls Count Act 2015
endorsed from the US
congress which has now
become a law.
The law will ensure
countries like Nepal.
She is the Co-founder and
Executive Director of Sustainable
Fish Farming Initiative (SFFI), a
social enterprise that is revolutionizing
the solution for hunger and poverty
in Western Nepal and South Asia.
Amatya’s work has been recognized
by Former US President Bill Clinton
and with awards like the Resolution
Fellowship Award, presented to
socially responsible leaders.
Kanchan has also presented her
Economic Empowerment, and served
as International Director of the United
N a t i o n s Yo u t h a n d S t u d e n t
Association of Nepal, Resolution
Fellow of the Resolution Project,.
She currently works as the President
of Nepalese Student Association in
Oklahoma University and an
ambassador to WPPC Nepal for
Oklahoma State et Friends Nepal
where she works towards the welfare
of international students and raises
Olympics.
Through her works, she has
successfully led many national and
international delegations and projects;
working with the world leaders and
organizations in addressing pressing
issues as a Nepal Representative.
Born to Jagadish Amatya and Krishna
Amatya family, their Youngest
Daughter Kanchan Amatya has just
completed her juvenile age.
5
Business
These Brothers Are Shorting Nepal Citing
Nepal's Negative Investment And Unfriendly Business Climate
By Krishna R Pandey
Deal makers, investors and entrepreneurs Shrivastav Brothers are betting that Nepal will likely remain an
unattractive country for foreign investments unless the government and private sector both change the way
they have been used to do business.
suspected that the director wasn’t
following the general deal negotiation
practices, Ash put his theory of bad faith
negotiation to test. He convinced his
senior partners to agree on whatever the
company was asking for. That should
have sealed the deal. That did not happen
though. He proved that his theory of
bad faith negotiation was correct when
he did not get the signed agreement for
8
Pankaj Shrivatav and Ash Shrivastav
have advised and invested in many
companies in different geographies of
the world. They say that Nepal has a
very unique problem. Nepal’s private
sector is extremely weak. Established
businesses are very unfriendly to new
businesses. There is no culture of
established businessmen to mentor or
offer support to new entrepreneurs.
executive. In order to save time and
subsequent frustration, it would be wise
to check whether the person you are
negotiating a contract with is indeed
the person with authority to sign those
papers.
Broken chain of command
“There is no chain of command. The
Then there were a few days of silence.
The GM asked his lower level
operational executives to make the deal
happen. Emails rotated between several
other employees. Many did not even
understand the basics of what the
partnership was about and how it would
benefit their business. “One of their
teammates sent a discounted hotel rates
which was not even the matter of our
partnership discussion. We had to send
the agreement again so that she knew
what the partnership discussion was
about. It clearly shows a lack of
communication.” Pankaj added.
They all wanted to know some terms
of the deal but they failed to understand
the full deal. Then the brothers realized
that if the GM were the decision maker
who had already agreed, the email
rotations with operational team wouldn’t
have happened. It became pretty
apparent that there was no decision
maker.
Because of the lack of understanding
Even a good deal for partnerships
between new business and an
established business that in fact would
help more the established business is
less likely to happen. “Nepal is an
extremely difficult place to start or
operate a new business”, say the
brothers.
Government is known to move very
slowly. It is not known for solving
problems. It’s understandable. However,
when the private sector is not vibrant,
economy is in peril. Around the world,
when the governments have not done
enough to create a business friendly
atmosphere, great businessmen and
companies have demonstrated a
leadership in changing the way a nation
functions. Unfortunately, no one has or
is willing to take that lead in Nepal.
The country needs to become
entrepreneur friendly
People usually tend to blame the
government for unhealthy economic
situations but in Nepal's case private
sector is an equal problem. Government
is not a solution to economy or job
problems. “It's appalling to see that
Nepal's public and private sector both
think and behave the same way which
prevents investors from making even a
seed round investment in this country
thereby affecting the overall economy.
It’s not surprising that Nepal has 50%
unemployment. The unemployment
problem could be reduced to a much
lower percentage only if the private
sector becomes more efficient”, says
Pankaj.
Business negotiation in bad faith
Ash also says that several top level
management negotiate in bad faith. For
example, in one of the mergers and
acquisition deals, Ash was negotiating
with one of the largest conglomerates
in Nepal. The chairman asked his M&A
team to negotiate the deal. Their
company’s M&A director went for days
to negotiate the contract. When Ash
several days. As expected, the
company’s M&A director kept on
stating that he would get it signed the
following week. That went on for
months. The deal was never signed.
Lack of defined ownership of work
Ash says that the individual he was
negotiating with had in fact no authority
to get a deal signed. He may have been
working under vague instructions of the
management. In this case, they might
not have a strategy at all. “When one
party agrees to all terms of a contract,
the other party should have no issues
signing the papers. When they don’t,
it’s clear they don’t know what they are
doing. It’s like going for street shopping
in Nepal, negotiating the price you want
for the potato and when the shop owner
agrees with your price, you just walk
away. It’s lack of integrity.”
In Nepal, the Board is often the same
as Executive Team. If it’s not all, still
CEO of a bank receives a request for
partnership. The CEO thinks it’s
valuable and asks his COO to handle
the talks. However, the COO ignores
his CEO’s email”, says Ash. It’s not
just the ignoring part; even the CEO
doesn’t bother to inquire whether his
email was followed though. They just
forget. He says that it’s not just one
time he has seen this. The lower level
management constantly ignores the
instruction and direction of their
executives. Several times, he says, even
one executive ignores another
executive’s instructions. The leadership
is weak and most often company lacks
a clear strategy.
Moreover, almost every business houses
or financial institutions in Nepal need
professional training. Most never check
their emails. Some read the emails but
misunderstand so they forward to
someone else who adds further
confusion and some do not understand
at all.
and a decision making authority, they
could not fully understand the benefits
of partnership and backed out. “It is not
uncommon in Nepal”, Pankaj says.
There is really no concept of partnership
development in Nepal. First, they lack
the understanding that their business
can grow because of a good partnership.
Second, they don’t want another
business to grow more than they can
grow. In such a case, they wouldn’t
partner with you if they think that they
will grow less than you will. In some
cases, they prefer others loss than their
gain.
Businessmen have no experience
building their business ground up
“Many businessmen are not competent
because they didn’t build a business
from ground up”, says Pankaj adding
that most of the large business houses
were inherited or acquired through
political means. That’s the reason they
lack the fundamentals”.
there is a good chance that there is a
significant overlap between the Board
and Executive Team. Majority of the
decisions are centralized. Even the
smallest level of operational decision
is usually made by the chief executive
himself. This makes the overall process
slow or the deal falls apart. The terms
you may have agreed with the head of
operations remains no longer valid when
he presents those terms to the chief
Lack of leadership and strategy
In one partnership deal negotiation, one
of the brother’s portfolio companies
was offering an additional stream of
revenue and free marketing to a large
hotel in Nepal. The General Manager
of the hotel agreed within a day to the
terms offered by his company. That
fueled the excitement.
There are so called Industrial families
who talk about philanthropy and say
t h a t t h e i r c o m p a n y ’s s o c i a l
responsibilities are helping the Nepalese
economy. Contrary to that, when
aspiring entrepreneurs or outsiders try
to partner with them to help fuel the
private sector with boost the economy
of the country with jobs, they become
silent. Some have also become just the
“Yes Men” of the politicians so that they
could preserve the empire that they
inherited.
Entrepreneurial problems
Young entrepreneurs have a lot of
energy. We have seen some great
entrepreneurs building amazing
products. It’s unfortunate that they
don’t become much successful
because they don’t get any support.
There is no shortage of talent in Nepal.
Great entrepreneurs and businesses
are born because of a supportive
environment. They have “Heroes”
they follow. It’s really unfortunate that
Nepal doesn’t offer these. Many
foreign investors have analyzed
several great companies in Nepal but
they shy away from doing deals
because of various hurdles the private
sector poses. Regulatory uncertainties
also make it difficult to do a deal but
they are secondary to the people
problem in the private sector.
Uncertainties are not good.
Words of thought
Pankaj says that if you are building a
business from ground up; think how
you could avoid dealing with the
government and the private sector
both. In developed world, regulated
businesses are not very attractive. In
Nepal’s case, add private sector
dependency or control in that deal.
You might very well have to put same
amount of effort in making a deal with
the private sector as much as you
would while making a deal with the
government.
Finally, when asked what their outlook
on Nepal is, they say they have to
Short Nepal for now.
_______________
Krishna Raj Pandey is a Central
Committee Executive member of
Nepal Journalist Association and
General Secretary of Nepal India
Journalists Friendship Association.
Previously, Mr. Pandey was the
publisher and editor-in-chief of three
newspapers published from Nepal Lumbini Doot, Saptahik Sambad,
Parivartan Dainik. He was one of
the members of the "People's Service
Follow Up and Investigation Team"
formed by King Gyanendra of Nepal
to investigate government corruption
and hear public grievances. Mr.
Pandey headed Gandaki and
Dhaulagiri Zones. He has traveled
to many countries covering the
official trips of Nepal Monarch's to
foreign nations. Mr. Pandey lives in
the United States.
6
7
Off The Beat
Delisi Kicks Off Sur Sudha Musical Tour In The US
Former US Envoy to Nepal DeLisi kicks off Empower Nepal Tour with Sur Sudha
DeLisi reverberates Sur Sudha music in US cities
LOS ANGELES
Do you believe that a Retired US
Ambassador to Nepal is working
like brand ambassador of Nepali
Music to the United States ? Yes
.........Scott H. DeLisi is now
leading Nepal’s incredible musical
group Sur Sudha in the US.
Sur Sudha is visiting different
cities in the US these days on an
Empower Nepal Tour sponsored
by the Soarway Foundation of
which Mr DeLisi is the executive
Director. DeLisi is extremely busy
in publicizing SurSudha’s Musical
tour to the US-he interacts to
communities, engages himself in
managing electrifying musical
atmosphere. He himself reaches
to the airport to receive Nepali Sur
Sudha Artists and take them to
hotels where they have been
booked.Sur Sudha an instrumental
band of Nepal’s Eastern classical
and folk music is now
reverberating its music and sounds
of instruments in the US cities-in
line convened by DeLisi and the
Soarway Foundation.The Soarway
Foundation is also the sponsor of
Sur Sudha’s musical journey.The
objective of the campaign is to
harness financial support for Nepal
quake victims and to disaster risk
reduction and recovery in Nepal
launched by DeLisi and his
foundation.The musical journey
of SurSudha to the US is a part of
the Soarway Foundation’s
campaign of Keeping Nepal safe
from disaster as its mantra and
helping the people of Nepal restore
lives shattered last year ’s
devastating earthquakes while also
helping them to prepare for the
quakes yet to come.But DeLisi
does not confine himself on this
only and says his foundation is
offering Nepali Culture in the
United states and will reverberate
Nepal’s cultural diversity across
America..Fund raising is not the
Primary agenda for DeLisi
however.He further says they will
be happy from any amount of fund
raised as the campaign will
strengthen the cordial and
harmonical relation so happily
subsisting between Nepal and
Nepali diaspora and the United
States. Sur Sudha has performed
in Dallas and Austin and is ready
to give its profound presentation
in New York,Philadelphia,
Pittsburgh, Washington DC,
N o r t h e r n Vi r g i n i a , a n d
Baltimore.Sur Sudha is dedicated
to creating music that disseminates
a universal message of peace and
harmony. DeLisi believes that
working in partnership with the
people of Nepal they can help
create a more resilient nation,
preserve a culture that is a treasure
for the world, and help make
Nepal’s inspiring natural beauty
once again accessible to all. DeLisi
was the Ambassador to Uganda
when the massive quake struck
Nepal last year.The career diplomat
with 34 years of experience, DeLisi
was about to retire form the career
at the time of Nepal quake.H.
DeLisi, who served as the United
States Ambassador to Nepal from
March 2010 to June 2012 recalled
the Nepal quake and told the
Kantipur Daily that it was nine in
the morning in Uganda and the
news of quake stunned him....there
were flash-back of his Nepal stay
in his mind. It was a great
coincidence that the Soarway
Foundation was created in April
of 2015 with the intent to focus on
disaster risk reduction and
preparedness in Nepal just days
before the massive quake struck
Nepal.
Utilizing the retired Life
The retired U.S. diplomat is not
satisfied with a relaxed
retirement.Born in the Midwestern
state of Minnesota, DeLisi
remembered Nepal.The Soarway
Foundation was created with the
proactive involvement of Michael
Kobold who undertook two
successful expeditions to the Mt
Everest peak.The foundation in
collaboration with the DC based
Nepalese Embassy launched relief
collection measures immediately
after the quake and distributed
relief supplies to some quake hit
villages, especially for the elderly
people and senior citizens.The
foundation is planning to develop
a building of a state-of-the-art fire
and medical emergency center in
the heart of Kathmandu and
construct a family union center as
symbol of Humanitarian
sentiment.This new facility will
house up to eight pieces of fire
apparatus along with crew quarters
and training space. The design also
includes a configurable medical
clinic where first responders can
triage and provide initial treatment
to members of the community. The
building incorporates sustainable
design principles including the use
of solar power and rain water
collection.Fire Station Project is
an effort in conjunction with the
Soarway Foundation and Michael
Kobold and fund collection
campaign is underway.
Why DeLisi loves Nepal much
in South Asia?
Fortunately, we now have a
wonderful opportunity to spread
the word about Nepal through the
Empower Nepal Tour featuring
concerts by the incredibly talented
Nepali music group, Sur Sudha.’
DeLisi says Nepal is very special
to him in the world and further
says he never got the intimacy,
cordiality and hospitality anywhere
in the world like in Nepal. He says
his sentiments are Nepalese though
he never looked like a Nepali.
8
Newsline
NRNA Canada Approves
Future Plans And Policies In Its 9th AGM
MONTREAL
NRNA Canada held its 9th General
Assembly in the City of Montreal on
August 6, 2016. Nepalese
Ambassador to Canada and Cuba Kali
Prasad Pokharel inaugurated the
assembly. President of NRN Canada
Tulasi Sapkota welcomed the guests.
All guests were accommodated in the
homes of Nepalese languishing in
Montreal. Delegates strongly
advocated for Right people at the right
place policy.
NRN Canada Advisor Muga
Rajbhandari made mockery of the
personnel who do nothing but
continue occupying the position. Most
of the delegates called on the
concerned to materialize their
respective responsibilities with utmost
honesty and said they are available
for support if need be on call any
time.
President of local organisation
Association of Nepalese in Quebec
ANQ Yubaraj Bhanadari also spoke
on the occasion. Delivering his key
note speech, Honorary Consul
General of Nepal for Canada Dr.
Kunjar Mani Sharma urged all
Nepalese to embrace the Montreal
Nepalese culture of hospitality.
Another Guest speaker NRNA
Advisor and Past President of NRN
Canada Nawaraj Gurung invited all
Nepalese there to actively
participate in the upcoming NRN
Regional Regional Conference in
New Jersey. He spoke on the state
of post quake reconstruction work
in quake Epicenter village of Laprak
in Central Nepal and shed light on
Open University policy.
Chief Guest Nepalese Ambassador
Kali Prasad Pokharel informed the
delegates that once the NRNA
members acquire NRN identity cards,
they do not necessarily have to take
Visa for eight years to stay in Nepal.
Pokharel said NRNs have now got
the right to acquire or sell the fixed
area of land in different parts of the
country. He said NRNs can now enjoy
several privilege adding NRNs do not
have to pay tax for up to 1.5 million
rupees they send or bring to Nepal.
The Nepalese envoy further stated
that such sum would help a lot if
NRNs in Canada request lawmakers
of their respective areas for
development activities. The envoy
said the embassy has requested the
Manitoba Hydro and other companies
to invest in Nepal. Manitoba Hydro
is the electric power and natural gas
utility in the province of Manitoba,
Canada founded in 1961. He was of
the view that Nepali language can be
internationalized if NRNA works
twards this.
Renowned NRNA activist Mitra
Kafle insisted that unity of NRNA is
the current requirement to increase
the bargaining power for
continuatioon of Nepali citizenship.
He also addded to unite the Global
Nepali Diaspora to ink the Nepalese
identity in the globe.
At the program , Coordinator, Women
and Children Committee of NRNCanada Women's Forum Pramila
Basnet presented the alarming picture
of Uterine prolapse cases in Nepal.
Uterine prolapse is a major
reproductive health issue in Nepal.
For that Basnet said one dollar
campaign is already in progress and
The First Ever Credit Union Of
Nepalese Diaspora In America
it has so far collected 1500 dollar.
Basnet’s information prompted several
delegates and guests to deposit their
support to the move in cash. Vice
President of NRN Canada and
coordinator
of
Nepali
Language,Literature and Publication
committee Suren Upreti said
extinction of any language describes
the ultimate loss of all intellectual
property. He further said language is
the bridge that transfers the property
from one generation to another. Upreti
told the programme that his committee
is working on introducing Nepali
books and syllabus for Nepali
language classes all across Canada.
He added a committee comprising of
22 Nepalese experts are working on
it.
Delegate Madhav Gajurel said
villagers felt the presence of NRNs
when schools in some villages were
provided with Sanitary Aid packages.
NRN Canada general Secretary
Suman Lamsal updated on NRN
activities and its futue plans.
Coordinator of the 9th AGM Deepak
Shrestha read out the names and
amount of the donors for the
successful conclusion of the annual
meeting. Representatives of different
organisations Gopi Krishna Kafley,
Anup Subedi, Bhwai Neupane and
others congratulated the leadership
for the successful meeting and spoke
on the objectives of their respective
organisations.
Spokesperson Kismat Bhandari read
out the amendment proposals for NRN
statute.
The amendment proposal states the
following:
NRN President vying for the second
term should contest the election from
the very grass root.
Separate Post of International
Coordinator be cancelled as the ICC
members themselves will be
coordinating with the International
agencies.
General membership fee be increased
to 15$. Provision of having Women
and youth Coordinators. Bhandari also
conducted question answer session
and read out the Montreal declaration.
NRN Canada President Tulasi Sapkota
thanked all well-wishers and
organisations for taking the NRN
Canada to this height.
He called on media persons to
disseminate only the truth based news
not any vested ones.
Stating that there is no option left in
the foreign land for all the Nepalese
to do away with all forms of prejudice
and work together in unison.
Gokarna Lamichhaney of
Canadakhabar.com had aired the event
Live. The AGM was held in three
sessions with Reshma Dahal and Lata
Khanal duo conducting the first one
while the rest two sessions were
conducted by Suman Lamsal. Nepali
Artists from Toronto and Montreal
came outwith their dance items that
brought all the participants in the
podium.
Bala Ghimire Appointed
As Honorary Public
Relations Representative
as well.
He has been holding key positions in
organizations such as Association of
Nepalese in Midwest America.
Nepalese Association in South East
America, Asian American Advisory
Council and many others and is also
holding the position of Advisor in
various social institutions.He says he
will spread the message that Nepal is
a peaceful, safe and attractive tourist
destination.
Bala is a restaurateur in Chicago and
a famous Community worker. He
owns Nepal House and Chicago Curry
House and is in the US for over 15
years now. His support after Nepal
quake victom was well recognized.
CHICAGO
NEW YORK
The Federal government has chartered
the Everest Federal Credit Union in
America. This is the first Cooperatives
Bank targeting the Nepalese diaspora
in the US and in New York. The bank,
first of its kind in the US by the
Nepalese Diaspora, it steps its pace
up trying to provide for the members
by offering variety of products and
excellent customer service. Attorney
Dilli Bhatta says it targets the
Nepalese community in New York
and also avails Credit Card service.
to come.
Mortgaging Nepal Property and Loan
financing is available for House
construction loan and study loan, said
advocate Bhatta who is also the legal
advisor of the Everest Federal Credit
Union. It is believed that there are at
least 400 thousand Nepalese in the
United States and the Credit Union
has also lending programs offering
real estate and personal business loans
and sometimes offer simple loans.
The Credit Union plans to expand its
service all across America in the days
Coordinator of the Cooperatives Bank
Mohan Raj Gyawali says properties
earned by the Nepalese can be
deposited directly in the Nepalese
Bank in hassle-free manner and the
depositors can easily avail several
loan facilities and Credit card offer.
The Credit Union is going to accept
all depositors as its share-holders.
Gyawali further says it will be
developed as the Bank of the Nepalese
by the Nepalese in America.
Nepal Tourism Board has appointed
Bala Ghimire as Honorary Public
Relations Representative. Bala is a
social worker and philanthropist from
Chicago who will be working to give
a boost to Nepal’s tourism sector. Bala
said he will be fulfilling the given
responsibilities of Nepal tourism board
by conducting variety of promotional
programs in Chicago and its suburbs.
He has received American Advisory
Council’s community service award
and volunteer award duly signed by
the US President Barack Obama for
his pro-active role in Social service.
He had also been honored with Asian
Exemplary Service Award by Asian
Chronicle USA . Bala had served for
nearly five years in Human Relation
commission (Volunteer council
member in human relation) in the
Chicago City and has long been
actively involved in Nepal’s tourism
promotion and Democratic movement
Commitments
After being appointed as tourism
goodwill ambassador, Ghimire said
he is committed to serving in the better
interest of Nepal and the Nepalese
people and continue working for the
promotion of Nepal tourism in
Chicago and nearby areas. He said
time can change our responsibility,
our identity but truth remains the same
for ever and the truth is that success
of we all hinges on the cohesion and
coordination among ourselves.
Ghimire has expected all possible
support from all to materialize his
responsibilities duly awarded by Nepal
Tourism Board. Expressing gratitude
to the Tourism Board and its team for
the huge responsibility, Ghimire said
he will work without any prejudice
on political faith, affiliation and
inclination and put Nepal and the
Nepalese in the focal point of his duty
and responsibility.
9
Beauty With Brain
Bimla Crowned Miss Bhutan USA 2016
Bimla Siwakoti Thinks Of Assuming Greater Responsibility After Having Won
The Title Of Miss Bhutan USA 2016
Tilak Niroula, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Bimla Siwakoti won the title of Miss
Bhutan US 2016 defeating nine
other contestants at the beauty
pageant’s grand finale held in
Cleveland, Ohio last Saturday.
for winning the title of Miss Bhutan
USA 2016. She also Personality and
Best Skin subtitle. Sunita Gurung
won Miss Photogenic subtitle and
a first runners up whereas Sita Rai
won Miss Talent subtitle with
second runners up respectively.
The winner was also awarded a cash
prize of $ 1200 with gift hampers
from Bless Threading and Beauty
Spa and AAHA production, Texas.
First runner up and second runner
up were awarded with cash $ 800
and $500 respectively with gift
hampers.
Sumeet Sigdel, Arjun Subedi, Aastha
Raut, Aaryan Adhikari, and Kali
Prasad Baskota served as panel of
judge.
Priyanka Karki, a versatile Nepali
actress, did choreography and
trained the contestant of Miss
Bhutan USA. Numa Limbu, Miss
Bhutan USA 2015 crowned Bimla
Meanwhile, Bimla Siwakoti
responded to our questions in an
email interview about her winning
the title.
The pageant was organized by The
Himalayan Festival USA at Crowne
Plaza Hotel in Cleveland.
Miss Bhutan USA 2016 Speaks Of Responsibility: Interview
Bhutan media society congratulates
you for Miss Bhutan USA 2016. Can
you tell about yourself?
Namaste, and Thank you all. My
name is Bimla Siwakoti, initially from
Goldhap. Right now I reside in
beautiful Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
with my amazing family. I am just a
girl who is passionate about helping
others and bringing positive changes
in our community. I am very
ambitious and a go-getter. But just
like everyone else I am not perfect
by any means. So right now I am
working on being a better person than
what I was yesterday, while juggling
school, work, and the responsibilities
that comes with the crown.
How do you feel about winning this
title?
I am very grateful to have won the
title. It would have been impossible
without the support of my friends,
family and mentors. It’s an exciting
new adventure for me. Like they say,
” With great power comes great
responsibility.” So it is a little over
whelming at times due to the level of
expectations people have from me.
But I intend to make the best out of
the opportunity and exceed people’s
expectations.
Is this just a beauty show or you value
the inner talents for being Miss
Bhutan USA?
I personally believe that what makes
a person beautiful is not only what’s
on the outside but what’s inside their
heart and their brain. I would be lying
if I said the show wasn’t about what
you looked like on the outside because
part of it most definitely was. But I
am speaking for the participants, the
beautiful crowd and myself when I
say that we were given equal
opportunity to showcase our talents,
and share our insights on various
topics. So of course, I extremely value
the talent required to hold the title.
How you want to promote the values
of community you belong to after
having this title?
Every community has their own
personal sets of values. But I believe
that my values lie in being kind,
generous, caring, and thoughtful and
loving each other. I believe in not
judging people, I believe in not having
a caste system to divide people, I
believe in everyone being equal. My
values might be a little non traditional
but I hope I can relay the message to
our community to be more open
minded and accepting of everyone
and moving forward as a team. This
will teach our future generations about
“unity”. My main focus will be
promoting equality among all.
Are you hopeful about the future of
others who want to this showbiz?
Absolutely, I believe that the showbiz
has a lot of potential, because we have
so many tremendously talented
people. And so many other people
who are dedicated to provide those
talented people a platform to prosper.
And for those who want to pursue
anything in this showbiz, I say go for
it and chase your dreams!! No one
can stop you!!
Why Bhutan USA? Why not Miss
Nepali Harrisburg?
What are the best personal qualities
to have at hand for coming to this
competition?
Why not Miss Bhutan USA? Why
Miss Nepali Harrisburg? What’s so
wrong with wanting to achieve a
bigger goal? Why settle for a city’s
tittle when I could represent my city
in a country’s title? Why settle for
less? Would you settle for less?
This competition requires a lot out of
a person. I believe Confidence comes
first. There is something so powerful
about owning what you say, how you
walk, how you dress, just owning
everything about yourself and your
surrounding! Confidence makes you
fierce and it creates a bridge of trust
between you and others. The next big
quality I would say is humbleness.
You could be the most famous person
on earth but if you’re not humble,
you’re no good. Third quality,
Intelligence. They say, “beauty might
be dangerous but intelligence is
lethal.” And that speaks volume.
Lastly, I would say you must be a
good team player! It might be a
competition but it’s not possible
without team effort.
What difference are you making in
the community?
Let’s see! I am just getting started but
I believe that a lot of young girls look
up to me as a strong role model
because even with all the odd against
me, I fought hard to pursue my
dreams. I am all about empowering
people and inspiring them to be the
best version of themselves. I am
hoping I’ve touched a few people. I
am also changing the standards of
what “beauty” means in our
community. I think a lot of people
believe that a beauty queen needs to
be tall, lean, and perfect. Look at me;
I am short, chubby and flawed. But I
wouldn’t be anyone else but myself
at the end of the day. Our women are
expected to be perfect and I want to
make sure the community knows that
there is no such thing as a perfect
woman! Anyways I have a lot of plans
to bring positive changes in our
community. I have an amazing team
of support from HMFUSA. We will
be doing a lot of charity work and I
can’t give you all the details just yet
but we have big plans for sure.
participate in this competition were
these two ladies. I want to follow their
footsteps. Us three and all the ladies
from Miss Bhutan USA 2014,2015,
and 2016 have a lot of plans together
but it’s not possible to bring a change
in the community if the community
is not helping us. My question for you
is, did you guys offer these ladies any
help this past two years to do anything
for the community? How is one person
supposed to change the world? How’s
that even possible. Change requires
baby steps! And we are all working
very hard to make things happen and
we need your support not
discouragement. So, I humbly request
everyone in our community to be
active members and help us make
things happen.
Previous Miss were found so inactive
in community. What program are
you bringing to value the title?
Any comment regarding organizing
of the event?
Inactive? Are you sure? As for my
knowledge both the girls were actively
involved with many programs. I know
Prakriti and Numa both helped raise
a lot of money for Nepal’s earthquake
victims. Prakriti Rai has partnered up
with NGO and has been an active
member for two years. She recently
visited Nepal and went back to the
camps and volunteered there. Just
because everything they do is not on
the newspaper doesn’t mean they are
not doing anything. Most of the good
deeds go unnoticed while a small
humanely mistake is flashed for the
world to see. I think that’s the same
case here. My sole motivations to
The event was a huge success. Each
and every person was dedicated to the
max. We all brought our A game to
the event. Everyone had fun and there
was not a single glitch. We all came
together as a community and made
the best out of the time we had
together. It was very emotional for
me to see how happy everyone was.
I am so very proud of everyone!! It
would take me days to mention names
so I won’t do that, but shout out to
everyone who was there at Himalayan
Festival USA 2016. And a special
thanks to Priyanka Karki Dee for
going above and beyond to make sure
everything was taken care of.
And I want to thank you for allowing
me to share my thoughts. It’s such a
pleasure.
10
Destination Nepal
It’s High Time To Go Trekking In Nepal
Nepal has fueled hiker dreams for more than four decades. It’s time for hikers to return
the favor—but be prepared for an experience that goes beyond great treks.
By Stephanie Pearson
(Manaslu Peak looms over the monastery in Lho. The two-week Manaslu Circuit is open to trekkers. Photo by: Leon Werdinger)
In April 2015, a magnitude 7.8
earthquake devastated Nepal. In May,
a second quake of magnitude 7.3 hit.
No one knows how many lives were
lost in the most remote villages. The
official tally, however, came to 9,000
deaths, 23,000 injuries, and $5 billion
in damages. Maybe you made a
donation to relief efforts. The outdoor
community—trekkers, manufacturers,
retailers—gave generously. But it
wasn’t enough. Six months after the
devastation, Nepalis in need had yet to
see any of the $4.1 billion in total
promised aid from foreign countries.
And even areas undamaged by the
quake were suffering. Close to a million
Nepalis depend on the tourism
economy, and tourism plummeted by
more than 40 percent last year. Many
concerned parties, from the Nepali
government to this magazine, said the
best thing you could do to help was go
to Nepal. Go for that dream trek now,
when the need is greatest. But still,
many people, including me, were
fearful. Reports of extensive damage
were understandably troubling. The
U.S. State Department’s Travel
Warning remained in place for months
after the quake. Would it be safe?
Would getting around in Nepal be
logistically possible? Would it be fun?
Should it be fun? With mixed feelings,
I took a 16-day trip there last fall to
find out. And I learned that we were
asking the wrong questions. The
fundamental question isn’t whether
Nepal is ready for travelers. The
question is whether travelers are ready
for Nepal. If you go, be prepared to
navigate an emotional journey as
profound and varied as the country
itself.
Elation My reservations about having
fun were quickly put to rest by a day
of paragliding. Six months after the
earthquake, with Nepal still in the midst
of rebuilding, I’m soaring over
Pokhara, a laid-back lakeside resort
city at the base of the Annapurna range.
Pokhara lies 50 miles from the
earthquake’s epicenter, but there’s not
much visible damage. Because the city
is surrounded by diverse terrain, has
consistent thermals, and sits next to a
massive lake that makes for a nice
emergency landing pad, it has earned
a reputation among paragliders as an
Asian Chamonix. Before the
earthquake, more than 5,000 annual
tourists would go airborne with expert
pilots like Bijay Gautam, my guide
today. Post-quake, that number plunged
to 500, and it’s evident Bijay is excited
to show this tourist what everyone has
been missing. It’s a disembodied sort
of peace up here, hundreds of feet in
the air. As we spiral higher in the
updrafts, the view distracts me from
my nerves. Machapuchare’s 22,943foot peak pokes through the clouds like
a shark’s fin. We follow a ridgeline
over green fields cut into
mountainsides. Bijay catches another
thermal and we corkscrew higher.
“Ready for a wingover?” he asks.
“Yeah!” I reply with false bravado. I
have no idea what a wingover is. Bijay
shifts his weight and brakes to the right,
building up speed that throws us into
an inverted spin. I feel like I’m hurtling
on a roller coaster that’s gone off the
rails. We float inverted just long enough
to see shimmering Phewa Lake far
below. The line between exhilaration
and terror is often razor thin, and I’ve
crossed it. When Bijay pulls us out of
our spin and lands us near the shoreline,
I realize that I’m relying on him for
safety, just as he’s relying on me for
business. That two-way relationship is
one of the things that separates
adventure travel from mere sightseeing.
Another is the heightened awareness I
feel after redlining my adrenaline. I
feel every life-giving thump in my
chest, see the abundance of rice growing
in thick green paddies, and hear the
flutter of the wing as Bijay tackles it
to the ground. But what I feel an hour
the Alpine Lodge in Namche Bazaar,
the ragged edges of 21,729-foot
Thamserku are backlit by the moon. I
throw off the covers, pull on my parka,
descend the narrow wooden stairway,
and break out into the dawn. The lodge
puppy, Gelu, a black ball of fluff, is
there to greet me. He reminds me that
it’s OK to find joy in simple pleasures,
even in the midst of disaster. I set off
for higher ground, Gelu at my heels, to
watch the sunrise. If the earthquake
hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be alone
right now. Namche would be buzzing,
with every teahouse at capacity and
trekkers crowding patios. On average,
pre-quake, 45,000 trekkers and
mountaineers passed through the
Khumbu region annually, on their way
to Mt. Everest, Ama Dablam, or other
Himalayan giants. But this morning,
save for a few crowing roosters and
construction workers (less than 10
percent of Namche was damaged in the
earthquake), the town feels empty. Last
night, I shared the 15-bedroom lodge
with two French couples who hiked the
9 miles from Lukla yesterday. “The
trail is perfect!” one of the men told
me as they played a board game in the
(Nepal’s trails, like this one near Annapurna, are used by trekkers and locals alike. Photo by: Napon Thiphayamontol)
more. That hasn’t changed. Guilt What
has changed is the way I feel about
this quest for a recreational rush. I
trekked to Everest Base Camp in the
spring of 2010, one of the few climbing
seasons in recent history that suffered
(Kathmandu’s spiritual center, Durbar Square, was decimated by the earthquake. A
Nepali woman prays amid the rubble. Photo by 500PX)
later is more than a thrill-seeker’s high.
Call it elation—an emotion that never
really goes away during my time in
Nepal. It comes with immersing myself
in a new adventure, a feeling many
Westerners are chasing here while
trekking, mountaineering, rafting, and
the world’s highest peaks. Since the
earthquakes last May, however, 2.8
million displaced Nepalis have been
struggling with basic needs, like food
and shelter. That makes my thrill ride
through the sky feel uncomfortably
self-indulgent, no matter how much it
fuels the tourist economy. Before
arriving in Pokhara, I spent a few days
in Kathmandu and the surrounding
valley, witnessing the earthquake’s
swath of destruction. In Durbar Square,
the city’s spiritual center, the Shiva
temple pagoda was obliterated, as was
its 17th-century sister, the Narayan
temple pagoda, among others. At
Boudhanath, the fifth-century Tibetan
Buddhist temple in the center of
Kathmandu, the cracked spire had been
taken down for repair, leaving behind
a white mound that reminded me of a
headless ghost. I also visited “Camp
Hope,” a tent village built on a former
soccer field in the middle of the city.
There, 330 displaced people from
Sindhupalchowk, a region that lost 90
percent of its homes, are living until
they can return to their villages. Camp
Hope is peaceful and clean and the 150
no major disasters. During my threeweek stay at Base Camp, the economic
disparity between Sherpas and Western
climbers was evident, but it didn’t
make me question being there. It was
exhilarating to be among mountainloving people—local and foreign—in
kids who live there can walk to a school
five minutes away. But it’s tight
quarters: There are four families, or 15
to 21 people, per 12-by-18-foot tent.
Most families will likely be there for
the next three years as Engineers
Without Borders, a U.S.-based nonprofit, works to design and build
earthquake-resistant villages. While
they wait, the displaced residents are
learning skills like masonry and
carpentry. But still, it’s “very difficult
to pass the day,” as Sonam Sherpa, a
chef who had been working at a
restaurant in Dubai, tells me. After the
earthquake, he returned to Nepal to
locate his family, then stayed to help
run Camp Hope. As a result, he lost his
job in Dubai, the primary source of
income for his family. “How does it
feel to live here?” I ask. “Outside, we
may seem happy, but inside we’re not
really happy,” he tells me. “We don’t
have anything but our bodies.” Sonam
says this with no self-pity and asks for
nothing. It’s simply the state of his life.
Camp Hope makes me wonder: Is it
appropriate for me to breeze into the
country and throw around as many
rupees as I can afford, then jet out
again? Or should I have just stayed
home and sent my travel money to relief
efforts instead?
Awe It’s 4:40 a.m. Out my window at
lodge dining room. “We thought about
changing our plan, but it’s the best
season to be here. We’re surprised at
how little damage there is, and it’s not
crowded at all.” All true. The Everest
Base Camp trek north of Namche has
been called the world’s best hike, and
having done it on a previous trip, I can’t
argue. The clear fall air brings a sharp
focus to the legendary scenery. The
white mountains dwarf the mani stones
(inscribed with mantras) and the neat
houses trimmed in blue. There are small
signs of destruction, like a distinct wave
in the formerly smooth gravel helipad,
but Namche’s stone stairways and
surrounding paths and bridges remain
intact. After the sunrise, I ascend from
Namche to Thame, about a half-day’s
walk west. I’m not alone on the hike—
Mingma Dorji Sherpa, his 18-year-old
great-grand-niece Tshering Wongmu
Sherpa, and our guide, Lokendra Rai,
accompany me. Their presence is
comforting in the vast solitude; we see
few locals and only two foreign groups
over a tough six and a half miles.
Mingma grew up in Namche and his
father was a porter on Sir Edmund
Hillary’s legendary 1953 expedition.
Mingma has offered to show me around
Thame, which sits at 12,467 feet, along
the original salt trade caravan from
Tibet to India. Unlike Namche, it was
11
Destination Nepal
decimated by the earthquake—more
than 90 percent of the houses were
destroyed, including Mingma’s aunt’s
and uncle’s house. Mingma, 57, now
lives on the outskirts of Kathmandu
where he and his sons operate a lodge,
a coffee farm, and the trekking
company Last Frontiers. For 30 years,
Mingma has also been REI Adventures’
Nepal operations manager. He’s a man
of many resources, all of which he
leveraged after the earthquake to help
his neighbors. In the hard-hit district
of Nuwakot, directly north of
Kathmandu, Mingma opened the doors
of his coffee farm, providing food and
shelter to 35 families. In conjunction
with REI’s U.S. headquarters, he
arranged to pay his staff lost wages
and tips when the season’s treks were
canceled. On the final push to Thame,
we hike under 20,299-foot Kongde Ri
and cross a footbridge over the
thundering Bhote Koshi River. The
town’s restoration efforts are
remarkably far along. A few Red Cross
tents still linger, as well as some piles
of bricks, but a scattering of tightly
constructed new houses with blue tin
roofs also proves that much has been
accomplished, despite the trickle of
external aid. Absent direct government
help, the resourceful Nepalis have taken
recovery efforts into their own hands.
They’ve rebuilt their own homes, then
helped neighbors rebuild theirs.
Mingma capitalized on his relationships
with REI, Sagarmatha National Park
officials, and locals who oversee
environmental issues to create a disaster
relief center in Namche—the first of
its kind—that’s stocked with supplies
like sleeping bags, climbing ropes,
water filters, and fire management
equipment. (It opened in spring 2016.)
Natural disasters always seem to bring
out the best in people. But in some
places it’s more evident than others.
Up here in the Khumbu, there’s no
margin for selfish disregard when
winter is coming. As Namche’s Police
Inspector Ramkaji Thami tells me one
evening, “The people want to help each
other here. This is the tradition of the
Sherpa community. If we can manage
it properly, this will be the best place
in the world because it’s so beautiful.”
Sadness “There were women with torn
clothes and their whole bodies were
deformed. One child’s hand was caught
in the wall. We tried to release it but
we couldn’t. It was a situation of panic.
We could still feel the aftershocks, but
we were trying to rescue people and
many were buried.” I’m sipping tea
with Jitendra Manandhar, my 31-yearold guide from Kathmandu-based
Dharma Adventures, at a roadside
restaurant on our way from Pokhara to
Chitwan National Park. I’ve been
traveling with him for almost a week
and it’s only now that I’m learning the
details of his rescue attempts on April
25, 2015. When the earthquake hit,
Jitendra happened to be near
Kathmandu’s Dharahara, the nine-story,
184-year-old tower that collapsed and
killed 180 people. “We were able to
rescue three people [the trapped boy
lived], but many people were buried
and I don’t want to speak anymore of
the casualties I saw.” Months after the
quake, many of the Nepalis I meet are
still processing the trauma they’ve
experienced and often living far away
from family members who are
struggling to survive. But as I’ve
learned from my time with Mingma
and other hosts, this is a culture that
prioritizes “guest as God.” Nepalis
rarely show their sadness to strangers.
Jitendra has masked his trauma behind
a quick smile throughout the week, and
it’s only now, when I’ve asked directly,
that he tells me some of what he’s seen.
His reluctance makes me realize that
my inquiry may alleviate my curiosity,
but it doesn’t change his pain.
Inspiration Governments big and small
struggle to protect endangered wildlife
from habitat destruction and poaching.
This makes Chitwan National Park one
of the most unlikely success stories
you’ll find anywhere. Despite the
government’s alleged corruption and
lack of resources, this 360-square-mile
oasis of subtropical broadleaf forests
and grasslands in Nepal’s southern
Terai region is the only place in the
world where rhino poaching has
stopped altogether. Last May, right
after the earthquake, the government
(Annapurna Base Camp. Photo by: Ethan Welty)
released figures that the country’s onehorned rhino population in Chitwan
and the surrounding buffer zone had
steadily grown to 645, up from 372 in
2005. Why care about this wildlife
victory amid so much human tragedy?
The locals here depend on rhino tourism
just as much as the mountain-dwellers
depend on trekkers. They’re both part
of a sustainable tourist economy which,
I realize now, is more valuable in the
long run than any one-time donation.
And while it would have been easy to
relax safeguards for these rare animals
after the earthquakes, not a single one
had died or been poached six months
after the disaster. The effective
campaign combines tough antipoaching laws (five to 15 years in jail)
and incentives for villagers who live
in the park’s 295-mile buffer zone.
Local communities get 50 percent of
park revenues if they police themselves
so that no one is tempted to kill the
rhinos, leopards, sambar deer, wild
boars, and even Bengal tigers that
wander through and trample crops.
“The buffer zone idea lets people
continue with daily life and contributes
to conservation,” Bim Bahadur Kumal,
the chairman of the Rapti Control
Community Forum, one of the local
buffer zone authorities, tells me. And
these rhinos aren’t just research-driven
numbers that appear in official
government reports. On a dawn safari,
I see four in Baghmara Community
Forest, which borders the park. One
crashes through the forest underbrush,
another wallows in the mud along the
Rapti River, and two more graze in the
tall grasses. Their giant, weathered
bodies look like prehistoric coats of
armor. They gaze up at me with beady,
tortoise eyes. “If we have animals, we
have tourists,” Kumal says. “If we have
tourists we can sell fruits and vegetables
and work as guides. I can’t think of
any downsides. It’s been three years
since an animal has been poached.” If
they can do it here, it can be done
anywhere.
Peace On one of my last days in Nepal,
I hike through the dense pines of
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, a
61-square-mile wilderness abutting the
northern edge of Kathmandu’s sprawl.
In three hours I’ve seen just one
Austrian tourist, a line of six uniformed
Nepalese Army on foot patrol, and eight
village women who silently plod past
us on the narrow trail, their massive
loads of firewood dwarfing their sturdy
frames. By lunchtime, I reach the stone
steps leading to Nagi Gumba Buddhist
nunnery, which sits at 6,500 feet in a
garden of marigolds overlooking
Kathmandu. Before I see the crumbled
façade of the lower temple, which was
destroyed by the earthquake, I hear the
clash of cymbals and banging of drums
from inside the still-intact upper temple.
I sit down on the bench outside the
temple, listen to the puja ceremony,
and let the last few weeks of whipsaw
emotions seep into my consciousness.
All the feelings I’ve experienced wash
over me and I start to cry. I’m finally,
fully overwhelmed by the kindness
I’ve experienced, the beauty I’ve seen,
the sadness I’ve felt, and the
helplessness I fear. As I reflect on the
past two weeks, I recall dozens of
conversations I’ve had about the state
of Nepal. One in particular stands out.
It was with Norbu Tenzing Norgay, the
son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, Sir
Edmund Hillary’s climbing partner.
“What do you think will happen to
Nepal?” I asked him during our
conversation in Namche Bazaar.
“Nepal is very resilient,” he told me.
“After the earthquake, people came
together in a way they never have
before. If the government can’t do it
for us, we’ll just do it ourselves.” Even
as I sit crying, I see laborers hauling
wheelbarrows of dirt from a massive
pit, working to rebuild surrounding
structures. It dawns on me that I’m the
only one crying. In my entire visit I
haven’t seen any Nepalis weeping for
themselves. They’re too busy building
their future, creating a stronger
infrastructure that will keep them safe
and tempt tourists back. The best thing
I or anyone else can do is show up and
lend a hand. That is, a foot, if you’re a
hiker.
(Author Stephanie Pearson’s writing
has been anthologized in The Best
American Travel Writing)
TRIP PLANNER Trails For fewer
crowds, this is the best time in decades
to trek iconic routes like the Everest
Base Camp Trek. Want something
new? Check out the local Trek, an one
week spur off the classic Annapurna
trek. At press time, Langtang National
Park was the only major trekking area
that was still rebuilding (ready in fall
2016 or spring 2017).
Guides Nepali officials want all foreign
trekkers to be accompanied by a guide
or porter in the interest of safety (a
law requiring it has been discussed).
But you should hire local help
regardless—it’s good for the economy.
The Trekking Agencies’ Association
of Nepal has a comprehensive list.
Season Mid-September to midDecember is the best high-altitude
trekking season in Nepal, with
moderate temperatures, little rain, and
good visibility. Fall is also the best
time for spotting rhinos and tigers in
Chitwan National Park, when
vegetation is less dense.
12
US Election 2016
Trumped
By David Swanson
Why would it be that 8 years ago you
couldn't win a Democratic
presidential primary if you'd voted
for a war on Iraq after pushing all the
Bush White House lies about it, and
yet now you can? Back then the war
looked closer to ending, the death
count was lower, and ISIS was only
in the planning stages. Reports on the
fraud, criminality, and knowingly
self-destructive nature of the war
launch -- reports like the Chilcot
report -- hadn't yet been produced.
How can you drag this albatross
across the finish line at this late date
in 2016?
lesser evil figures reversed.
Well, you can't, in fact. Claiming that
Hillary Clinton won the 2016 primary
is like claiming Bush won the 2000
election. It's one of those things that
everyone will say, using it as
shorthand, and repeating it until
everyone forgets that the thing was
stolen. So, let me rephrase: How can
you get people to pretend en masse
that you won the 2016 Democratic
presidential primary despite lugging
around the same baggage as 8 years
before only now stuffed with putrid
rotting flesh?
For decades we've heard the tired old
refrain "We need leaders." I'm afraid
we won't survive many more leaders.
I think what we actually need is
democracy. Single payer healthcare
should get an up or down vote
regardless of whether single-payer
healthcare once insulted someone or
has been married three times or
giggled when it killed Gadaffi.
Policies don't have those problems.
And not only that, but how can you
pull loved ones of people you sent to
kill and kill and kill and die in that
criminal calamity onto the stage of
your coronation convention and get
people to cheer for it?
How can you get your supporters to
scream "U - S - A! U - S - A!" at
anyone who shouts "No more war"?
How can you get people to the point
of believing that, should the ongoing
war on Iraq make big news in
October, that will actually benefit,
rather than hurt, you?
How can you, in fact, get liberals to
All of which is not an argument for
only letting the smart people vote. On
the contrary, this is all good material
for building a case for direct
democracy. People are entirely
capable of voting No on banning all
Muslims while voting Yes on
abolishing NATO. When it comes to
policies, the majority of the U.S.
public will get many more right than
wrong. Its when policies are
associated with personalities that
people choose to reverse their
positions for no good reason.
start saying that ending the overthrow
of governments would be
irresponsible? After Afghanistan, Iraq,
Libya, Yemen, Honduras, Ukraine,
and Brazil, how can you get all the
bleeding hearts to rally behind your
intention to overthrow the Syrian and
possibly the Iranian governments?
How can you get them to go even
further and support world-risking
hostility and threats toward Russia?
How can you get popular support for
maintaining and expanding NATO
and for committing to being dragged
into any new wars that any of NATO's
mushrooming list of members might
get themselves into or claim to have
gotten themselves into?
There is only one answer to all of
these questions: partisan perversion
in the form of Trump. If Trump
occasionally and inconsistently says
he might abolish NATO, then
abolishing NATO must be bad. If
Trump says the war on Iraq was a
horrible idea (even though he
supported it at the time) it must have
been a wonderful idea. If Trump
suggests that demonizing Russia is
stupid, then it must be genius, and
Trump must be a commie-loving
pinko. If Trump badmouths loved ones
of someone who died making war on
Iraq, then making war on Iraq must
be heroic and noble.
Of course this way of thinking is on
Trump's intellectual level, which
means that with a slight twist or two
here and there, Trump propaganda
could replace Hillary propaganda in
the hearts of some of Trump's most
passionate opponents. And the two
camps' lesser-evilist doctrines are
identical, only with the greater and
Get rid of the super-delegates, the
delegates, the representatives, the
senators, and the president, and let
people set the policies. Any
bureaucrats needed could be randomly
appointed with darts and a phone
book, guaranteeing better results than
the present system.
(Author: David Swanson is an author,
activist, journalist, and radio host. He
is director of WorldBeyondWar.org
and campaign coordinator for
RootsAction.org. Swanson's books
include War Is A Lie. He blogs at
DavidSwanson.org
and
WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk
Nation Radio. He is a 2015 and 2016
Nobel Peace Prize Nominee)
13
Nepal
Nepal Quake Impact On Single Women Underlines Need For
Equal Land Rights: Activist
By Rina Chandran
KATHMANDU
numbers are illiterate, Thapa said.
Last year's twin earthquakes in Nepal
disproportionately affected single
women, underlining the need for equal
land ownership to increase their
resilience in disasters, a women's
rights activist has said.
After the quakes, these challenges
were thrown into sharp relief as single
women had to repair or rebuild their
homes and care for the family. Many
were unable to seek assistance.
When WHR surveyed women several
months after the quakes, more femaleheaded households than male-headed
households were still in camps, Thapa
said.
Of the more than 900,000 homes
damaged and destroyed, about a
quarter belonged to female-headed
households. More than 500,000
women and girls were displaced and
about 2,000 women were widowed,
according to official data.
"Women who were widowed in the
quakes, for example, had to observe
the mourning rituals for a year staying indoors, not going into crowds.
How could they go get relief or get
new papers?" Thapa said.
"The deep gender inequality in Nepal
meant that women, and single women
in particular, suffered most in the
aftermath of the earthquakes," said
Lily Thapa, founder of Women for
Human Rights (WHR), a group
campaigning for single women's
rights with about 100,000 members.
"There is a lot of social pressure on
widows, on single women to observe
rituals, to stay at home, to remain
dependent on men," said Thapa, a
widow herself.
"They could not make themselves
heard and they received the least
assistance, which left many vulnerable
to abuse, trafficking and harassment,"
she told the Thomson Reuters
Foundation in Kathmandu.
While the 2015 constitution prohibits
discrimination on the basis of gender
and established equal property rights,
a deep-rooted patriarchy still denies
these rights to women, and to single
women in particular.
Nepal's categorization of single
women - estimated by the charity to
number 500,000 - includes those who
are widowed, those who are
unmarried above the age of 35, and
those who are divorced.
Early marriage, with 37 percent of
(A woman and a child walk past the remains of collapsed houses damaged during the April 2015 earthquake, in Bhaktapur, Nepal
on March 18, 2016. Photo: Reuters-Navesh Chitrakar)
Nepali women married before the age
of 18, increases their vulnerability,
Thapa said.
The migration of millions of young
Nepali men overseas to find jobs has
also led to an increase in femaleheaded households to 26 percent in
2011 from 15 percent in 2001,
according to census data.
While women's ownership of land
and property has improved in recent
years, women are still much less likely
to inherit land, to have land registered
in their name, or possess
documentation that supports their
claim, Thapa said.
Female ownership of land and/or
property stood at 20 percent in 2011
compared with 12 percent in 2001.
In rural areas, it is 18 percent
compared with 27 percent in urban
areas.
T E M P O R A RY
S H E LT E R S
The quakes that struck last April and
May killed 9,000 people and injured
at least 22,000 in the Himalayan
nation.
Nearly a quarter of the 495 single
women-headed households surveyed
by WHR and Oxfam after the disaster
said they had lost their property papers,
and nearly half had lost their
citizenship certificates.
Many women have never had
citizenship papers, marriage
certificates or even birth certificates.
Getting documentation can be
daunting for single women, as large
Nepal appointed its first female
president last year and its first female
chief justice earlier this year, in signs
that the country is becoming
increasingly inclusive, following the
end of 10 years of civil war in 2006.
WHR is lobbying the government to
include single women in the planning
and implementation of disaster
preparedness, response and recovery
programs and resettlement plans.
It is also asking the government to
ensure that joint land ownership
registration is made mandatory for
married couples, and to promote
women's registration on other forms
of land documentation.
"Strengthening single women's asset
ownership is key to reducing their
vulnerability to disasters and boosting
their resilience," Thapa said.
(Source: Reuters)
14
Business
Financial Literacy For Immigrants
The CFPB’s research on financial
well-being suggests that to be
effective, financial education should
address the particular situation, goals,
and needs of each consumer.
As with most consumers, for many
immigrants, their families and friends
serve as the primary source of
information about financial products
and providers, even though they may
not have complete information
themselves. Those immigrants who
lack documentation may not trust
offers of help coming from outside
their social networks.
Immigrants may bring with them a
distrust of financial institutions based
on experiences in their countries of
origin.
Consumer interviews conducted for
the CFPB research on financial wellbeing suggest that people get most of
their factual and normative knowledge
about financial topics from their
family, friends, and community.
Financial Professionals can be a
trusted resource within the
community. However, reaching
immigrants can be challenging.
Recent immigrants may be unfamiliar
with financial products and fees in
the United States. In addition, the
U.S. tax system can be a major
challenge, because taxes in their
country of origin may have been very
different. In terms of financial
products, even if immigrants find
products that suit their immediate
needs for managing money, it may
take longer for them to take advantage
of the full scope of financial products
and services – insurance, credit
products and credit counseling
services, Individual Development
Accounts (IDAs), credit reports and
scores, down payment assistance,
mortgages, retirement accounts, and
more.
Many immigrant households do not
trust financial institutions due to
previous experiences with financial
institutions in the U.S. In particular,
instances in which consumers were
not aware of, or did not understand
the full set of potential fees or where
consumers felt that fees were not
adequately explained led some
immigrants to express frustration
about their experiences with Financial
Institutions.
Many institutions change and the laws
also change. After many years the
institutions are more stable than ever
and they have gone through many
restrictions and disaster recovery
process to learn from the mistakes
and have tighten the laws accordingly.
As technology changes, so does laws
and regulations.
Several organizations use awareness
campaigns and mass media to bring
unbanked and underbanked
immigrant consumers into the
financial mainstream by raising
awareness about the landscape of U.S.
financial institutions, trustworthy
sources of financial education, and
other topics relevant to navigating the
U.S. financial system. These
campaigns typically create
partnerships between financial
institutions, such as banks and credit
unions, and community-based
organizations and nonprofits.
Financial Professionals have found
several different pathways to
delivering financial education to
immigrants.
Many community-based organizations
offer financial education, among other
services. Financial education can be
o ff e r e d t h r o u g h c l a s s e s o r
individualized coaching, or integrated
into the organization’s other services.
These organizations often tailor their
financial education to the unique needs
of their immigrant clients.
Immigrant consumers make up an
important and growing share of
consumers in this country. Many
immigrants face particular challenges
when it comes to accessing,
understanding, and thriving in the
consumer financial services
marketplace. These challenges vary
from person to person, depending on
many factors including socioeconomic
status, language, and financial
experiences from their country and
culture of origin.
Financial Professionals have a
valuable role to play in helping to
meet these diverse challenges. The
results of the CFPB’s research and
field scan suggest that Financial
Professionals and service providers
have many promising strategies to
use to help immigrants improve their
financial well-being. However, few
of these strategies are widespread and
immigrants still face many challenges
in navigating the U.S. financial
system.
The CFPB, along with policymakers,
Financial Professionals, and others
concerned with consumer financial
well-being, can use these research
findings to develop, spread, and scale
targeted approaches to help
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services to immigrants can use the
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15
Press Release
Guru Arjan Dev Institute of Development Studies popularly known as IDSAsr has planned its7th annual
seminar in the month of November 2016 (Nov 25-26, 2016) on the theme Recycling of Waste Water
and Reuse System. This time to create awareness about this valuable natural resource (WATER) among
the up growing generation, paper writing and presentation contest has been also planned.
The theme of the contest is Recycling of Waste Water and Reuse System. It will consist of two parts
– writing and presentation. Students can contribute original paper in any of the language English/Punjabi/Hindi. Student should be in the age group of 14 to 17 yrs and enrolled in any of the
school of Punjab – government, aided or private/self financed. The word count of the paper should be
between 3000 to 5000 words. Paper may contains figures/charts/Table etc. Last date of submitting the
paper is September 30, 2016.
Paper should be submitted through the Head of the school under Government registered/speed post
only along with a token participating fee of Rs fifty per paper. Head of the school will forward all the
papers of his/her school along with token fee as a single demand draft in favour of The Director, G A
D Institute of Development Studies payable at Amritsar.
Best ten paper writers will be invited to present their papers at the seminar. Two Best papers will be
selected from the ten paper writers and presented at the seminar. Non presentation of the selected papers
will amount to disqualification and have no claim to the award/participation. Certificate of participation
will be awarded to all the participants. No award can be awarded depending upon the quality of the
paper if the juries decide.
There will be a Special Award for government school student’s paper writers. Three best government
school paper writers will be invited to present their papers at the seminar. Best Supporting teacher will
be suitably rewarded. Decision of the jury will be final and cannot be challenged. Institute will not be
responsible for any postal delay. For more detail/clarification or any query; please contact the institute
at 9914703461
Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth
Director
Guru Arjan Dev Institute of Development Studies
14-Preet Avenue, Majitha Road
PO Naushera, Amritsar 143008
M No 91- 9914703461
Tel. No 91-183-2426045
website: www.idsasr.org
16
World
After 50 Years, Tibetans Recall The Cultural Revolution
By Dan Southerland
olds”--old ideas, old culture, old
customs, and old habits.
In 1969, the PLA disarmed the Red
Guards across China.
Then, with Mao’s death in 1976, the
Cultural Revolution officially came
to an end.
Taboo subject
Fifty years after the launch of the
Cultural Revolution, public discussion
of Mao’s role in unleashing a violent
chain of events is banned.
In 1981, the Communist Party issued
an official resolution concluding that
the Cultural Revolution was a
catastrophe and that Mao had made
mistakes during those years.
But the Party has suppressed
discussion ever since, apparently
because of a fear that any public debate
over that dark decade might
irrevocably damage the reputation of
Mao Zedong, the founder of China’s
communist state.
Fortunately, although many would
prefer to forget, the memory of what
happened during those years has been
kept alive by elderly survivors and a
number of Tibetan scholars, such as
Tsering Shakya.
Tibetans carrying Mao Zedong's portrait march in a mass rally in Lhasa, in photo believed to have been taken in 1967.
Photo courtesy of Tsering Woeser
Tsering Woeser, a Tibetan activist and
blogger, who was born in 1966 when
the Cultural Revolution began, has
little direct personal of the events that
tore Tibetan society apart.
The 50th anniversary of China’s
disastrous Cultural Revolution this
year received considerable media
attention, but little of that attention
focused on what a catastrophe it was
for Tibet.
They and other radicals advocated the
destruction of Tibetan prayer flags,
religious art, incense burners and
sacred texts along with all photographs
of the revered Dalai Lama and
Panchen Lama.
But she has kept others’ memories
alive, partly through interviews with
survivors, intensive research, and
finally through black-and-white photos
taken by her father, who was a highranking PLA officer during the period.
Following Mao Zedong’s unleashing
of the Cultural Revolution in the
spring of 1966, Tibet became the
target of a Chinese campaign “to
create the new by smashing the old.”
On Aug. 25, 1966, Red Guards called
on schools to take part in the
destruction of Tibet’s holiest shrine,
the Jokhang Temple located in the
center of Lhasa, the Tibetan capital.
Most of Tibet’s monasteries had
already been destroyed prior to the
Cultural Revolution. Now what was
left was ransacked and looted. Red
Guards broke into homes to search
for religious objects.
“The Red Guards went into the temple
and started ransacking sacred ritual
objects and ranting against
‘superstition,’ recalls Drikhung
Chetsang Rinpoche, whose account
appears in a biography focused on his
life story titled From the Heart of
Tibet.
The first Red Guards to emerge in
Tibet included Tibetan students who
had been educated, indoctrinated, and
radicalized at “nationalities
universities” in China. They then
returned to Tibet as devout Maoists
determined to help launch the Cultural
Revolution.
The Red Guards at a teacher training
college in Lhasa put up posters
demanding “the eradication of feudal
culture.”
Then children rushed in to dismantle
shrines and dragged sacred statues
with ropes through the streets.
'Theater of cruelty'
Historian Tsering Shakya explains
that many Tibetans were swept up “in
the fervor of the times, just like the
rest of China” and went on to
denounce friends, relatives, and
teachers as “reactionaries” or
“capitalists.”
“The brave few who refused to
participate in the madness paid the
price of being branded as enemies of
the people and subjected to mass
struggle sessions,” he said.
Tibet became a “Theater of Cruelty,”
according to Drikung Chetsang
Rinpoche.
From May until the end of 1967, two
armed rival factions in Tibet, each
claiming to include true followers of
Mao Zedong, fought numerous battles
in the streets of Lhasa.
Red Guards, meanwhile, ousted Party
cadres and took over their positions.
Chaos ruled.
In early 1968, Mao dispatched
People’s Liberation Army (PLA)
troops into Tibet to contain the
fighting and establish control. The
troops took over the schools and
began a series of public executions.
But Tibetan culture itself, in all of its
manifestations, continued to be the
target of a battle to destroy the “four
family do today? What did they say?’”
“They wanted us to spy on our
families.”
“I often had to apologize because I
hadn’t watched all of my family’s
activities on that day. I told them that
I would be careful to do so the next
day.”
His family lived on the Barkhor, the
street circling the sacred Jokhang
Temple in the center of Lhasa. It was
a goal of pilgrims coming from outside
Lhasa to prostrate themselves on the
Barkhor as they followed the circuit
around the temple.
One day the boy encountered an
astonishing sight.
“I was playing with the other children.
Then I saw my grandfather dressed
in a kind of costume…He held heavy
metal in his hands.”
These were irons used to restrain
horses’ legs so that they wouldn’t
stray.
“My grandfather was a businessman
and a trader. He used horses for his
travels,” he said.
“He was wearing a paper hat. I was
excited, because I thought he had
become an actor.”
But this was no play.
Some people in the crowd claimed
that he had used the irons he was
holding to restrain serfs, or slaves.
“They spat on him and hit him with
their fists,” the grandson said.
“He survived the beating, but his
health was never the same.”
Although five decades have now
passed, Tibetans of a certain age can
still recall the beatings, public
denunciations, and “struggle sessions”
which their friends and relatives
endured through during the Cultural
Revolution.
The Tibetan scholar who recalls these
events cannot be identified because
he fears that his relatives in Tibet may
suffer retaliation if he makes his
identity known.
A scholar ’s personal story
Following the Cultural Revolution,
many Tibetan monasteries were
rebuilt, but police controls over them
have increased in recent years.
A Tibetan scholar in exile told RFA
of his experience as a child during the
period from 1966 until 1976, when
members of his entire family were
designated as “class enemies” or as a
part of a “black class.”
In 1968, he was 13 years old.
The children along with everyone else
in his family had to be “re-educated.”
“Every evening we had to go to
meetings and read Mao’s writings and
slogans,” he said.
“We were asked, ‘what did your
Tibetan Buddhism Today
Tibetan monks and nuns have also
been forced to denounce the Dalai
Lama, a painful ordeal for many
Tibetans, who regard him as their
spiritual leader.
And in 1995, rather than respect
Tibetan tradition, China chose its own
Panchen Lama, a religious leader long
recognized in Tibet as second in
stature only to the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama had selected another
Tibetan boy as Panchen Lama. That
boy quickly disappeared and is
believed to be under a kind of house
arrest somewhere inside China.
Chinese spokesmen say that he is
leading a normal life but that he and
his family do not want to be disturbed.
Another cause for Tibetan distress
today was a Chinese government
decision in 2007 that China would
begin to oversee the recognition of all
reincarnate Tibetan lamas, or “Living
Buddhas,” as the government calls
them.
This is presumed to include the next
incarnation of the Dalai Lama himself.
(Source; RFA, Dan Southerland is
RFA’s executive editor)
17
Horoscope
August 2016 Horoscope
By Bejan Daruwalla
Ganesha says both Hindus and Parsees worship Mother Nature, especially the Sun. Astrophysicists tell us that the Sun is the engine of the entire cosmos.The Sun is the planetary ruler of you Leos.
In practical terms, it means you have a sunny side, a penchant for leadership, and you are made for love, laughter, and sunshine. From October 2016 to October 2017, you can spread the light of
hope for humanity.You dare not fail in your mission.Your mantra is most certainly: Om Hram Hreem Hrom Seh Suryaye Namah.
As the Americans say, “O baby you have a
good thing coming.”This good thing will be
love, life, laughter and luck.Your planetary
ruler Mars makes you adventurous and
exceptionally spiritual. In a distant place you
may touch the border line of salvation
itself.Children,hobbies, romance, lottery (10
per cent mine!), creative juices are the other
benefits for you.
Wimbledon is just over and Federer the Leo
exemplifies sportsmanship. Federer the
allrounder has a superb backhand,forehand,
service, drop shot, overhead smash. Like
Federer, you too can be an all-rounder in
the real game of life itself. Spirituality is
your birth right.
The sail fish is the fastest fish in the
world.Sagittarians are the fastest on the
draw. Sports and Sagittarians are not blended
but melded. In August, the Sun in your ninth
angle of fame, fortune, achievements and
innate spirituality will help you to widen
the horizon of the entire world.You are truly
big.Try to be great.
The three key elements for spiritual renewal
are mindfulness, hope and compassionate
understanding.You Taureans are certainly
capable of it. In August, home, house,
property, renovation and decoration,
installation of idols as well as machinery
are possible. Health of parents and in-laws
could worry you.
Virgo Narendra Modi will now pull all the
strings secretly, surreptitiously because the
Sun will be in his hidden angle or 12th
angle. The 12th angle stands for welfare of
humanity, nursing the sick and the wounded,
facing the onslaughts of the opposition and
the enemies.There are tears in the eyes of
this old fool.The 12th angle stands for
salvation itself.
“Life is too short for those who need it. But
those who love,live forever.”Powerful
words.But remember India’s greatest ever
captain Kapil Dev is a Capricorn. In
August,health problems,difficulties, mood
swings are possible. Therefore,I am giving
you an example as a hope.Tantra and mantra
and prayers will certainly help.
The Bible says you will enter the zone,
“where the wicked cease to trouble and the
weary are at rest”. Beautiful words.You will
find peace. In addition, you will be readying
yourself for ventures and adventures. Peace
will help you to go into action with all
systems alive and kicking.You will score a
goal.
The Hindu Sanatana Dharma of ‘eternal order
woven into the entire fabric of
existence’applies to you very specially. Why?
You are the balance wheel of the entire
zodiac. Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur
Shastri are the perfect examples of it. I, a
Parsee, actually see the tremor and vibrations
of this eternal law.This eternal law is beyond
comprehension.
If the heart is strong enough, your soul will
be reborn. In August, opposition and
friendship will go together. So will love and
hate.Good and bad matters, legal
complications,travel with a mid-stop are
possible.You might even come face to face
with the God you worship. If so, tell him to
bless us all.
In Parsee spirituality, Zurvane is the eternity
of time in the making of the universe. This
applies especially to you Cancerians, because
creation of a home is your speciality.August
is a splendid month for food, family, finance,
money, oratory, education and, above all,
reaching out to one and all.
Astrophysicists Mathew and Hakim speak
of asteroids made of rock and minerals
finally destroying our Earth.Only you
Scorpios have the ability to be dead and
again come to life by sheer intrinsic force
of natural energy. Of all the signs you will
be the last to be destroyed, if at all. Help
the world.
Take care of your health and everything else
will be given unto you. Music and the arts
are the finest ladders to spirituality. So great
are the arts that they will slaughter gravity
which astrophysicists say holds life
together.Colleagues, servants, pets will play
a dominant role. Best to be simple and just
go for devotional songs. Simplicity is the
highest spirituality. Believe it.
18
Voice
URGENT ATTENTION
Rt. Honorable Prime Minister of Nepal
Mr Pushpa Kamal Dahal
PM Secretariat, Singha Durbar
Kathmandu, Nepal.
12th August 2016
Geneva, Switzerland
AND
Rt. Honorable Former Prime Minster and President of Nepali Congress
Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba
Nepali Congress Central Office
BP Smriti Bhawan, BP Nager
Lalitpur, Nepal.
I take this opportunity to congratulate honorable Pushpa Kamal
Dahal for your election to the post of Prime Minister of Nepal
and express our desire that your government, in partnership
with Nepali Congress, will accord its highest priority attention
to the plight of survivors of last year’s earthquake and devastating
flood of recent past. There may be a long list of political tasks
your government would want to accomplish you will nevertheless
agree with me that there is nothing else more important than
the plight of the citizens who had endured unabated miseries
and difficulties for such a long duration due to the lack of
government’s proper attention. We hope to see, in your
leadership, driven by compassion and better judgement,
restoration of good governance while being accountable to the
citizens and assisting those who are still sufferings due to natural
calamities. This noble objective is attainable in close partnerships
with the leadership of Nepali Congress and other stakeholders.
I sincerely urge you to take this responsibility as your leadership’s
number one priority. This nation is going through national
humanitarian tragedies and the people of Nepal and the world
community expect that political parties in Nepal will rise above
their political differences and speed up the reconstruction efforts
in providing while basic needs (food, shelter, health, education
and means of livelihood ) to the fellow citizens. Humanitarian
issue is not a partisan issue. Government must tackle this issue
without further delay.
This may be odd for you and the President of Nepali Congress
receiving this unsolicited letter for reasons that we, Nepalese
living around the world, have been disappointed and become
very concerned by government’s lackluster approach to assisting
citizens who are in desperate need for support in sustaining
daily life who are equally valued and respectable citizens of
this democratic republic nation. It appears no one in the
government seems to care for the people except for political
and bureaucratic haggling over unrelated and often mundane
issues. With no effective time bound actions for addressing
problems of earthquake survivors (who are languishing in tented
camp and/or dilapidated shelters) for over one winter and two
monsoons, it is unimaginable that fellow citizens had to continue
to die in hunger, malnutrition, disease and wraths of natural
calamities; and government seems to be unconcerned over the
sufferings of the fellow country men, women and children
essentially due to political inaction. I urge you and the leader
of Nepali Congress to break down all political barriers and
mount effective rehabilitation and reconstruction program to
urgently ameliorate the suffering of fellow citizens.
I humbly request your government’s forward looking decisions
and moving forward with accelerated action program aimed at
speeding up the post-disaster management efforts. Continuing
with the status-quo situation is morally unacceptable in a
civilized democratic republic nation. I believe elected
government (of the people by the people for the people) has a
unquestionable duty to uphold full responsibility under the
constitutional provisions of Section 2, Articles 35 through 39
and 41 and 42 and under Section 3 Articles 16(1) and 18. We,
all concerned Nepalese, are dismayed by the continuing
unsatisfactory situation and government’s reluctance to mount
any meaningful Marshal Plan for rehabilitation and
reconstruction of devastated areas which would restore lives
and dignity of people and community in the affected areas.
Without robust program and mechanism, necessary authority,
relevant expertise, skilled human resources and technical knowhow National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) has become a
white elephant of government bureaucracy. It is unable to
strategize speedy processes that would accelerate rehabilitation
of affected communities and reconstruction of devastated areas.
NRA is focused on creation of process-oriented bureaucratic
jumbles and layers rendering it an ineffective institution saddled
also with delays and inefficiency. My previous work experience
in similar situation, in other parts of the globe, emboldens me
to suggest that an effective post-disaster-management institution
which organized with built-in focus towards delivery-orientated
results-focused processes is the only way forward.
Government of Nepal should be guided by the goal of deliveryorientated results-focused processes for effective program
implementation. Delayed action, ineffective response and poor
handling of post disaster situation have now created an extraordinary situation. This has compounded miseries of the
survivors. It is an extraordinary situation requiring bold initiatives
and exceptional measures. Government of Nepal must therefore
mobilize both internal and external resources, develop a plan
of action and move on with implementation in partnerships
with relevant actors in multiple fronts. In challenging situation
like this, response mechanisms and activities should be carefully
analyzed, planned, prioritized and managed so as to not to lose
focus, more time, resources and lives of the people. In so doing,
basic requirements of the survivors and rehabilitation activities
are uploaded up-front while planning for reconstruction and
rebuilding people’s livelihood could continue in parallel. This
calls for a results-oriented response mechanism. Bureaucratic
process-oriented response to post disaster situation will be a
failure and have not succeeded anywhere.
There is still time for your government to resuscitate the
situation. Government must, however, come out of ‘silothinking mind-set’ and seriously consider following;
(1) Immediately reorganize National Reconstruction Authority
and renergize the organization by appointing a new CEO,
preferably with an experienced senior retired civil servant
(no less than at the Secretary level), with proven management
and coordination and who commands respect from all
stakeholders and who can instill much needed confidence,
energy and determination;
(2) Create a small Policy Advisory and Implementation
Coordination Group with a maximum of seven to nine persons
comprising government departments (housing and
infrastructure, health, local government (Home Ministry),
and one (Nepali) disaster management expert with international
work experience, one from Planning Commission, one from
donor representative and one from consortium of international
organizations (United Nations System and Multi-later
organizations). This group should be co-chaired by CEO of
NRA and Chief Secretary. Coordination is critical involving
multiple players (government, donors, NGOs) to remain
focused and to avoid overlaps and unnecessary loss of
resources;
(3) Abolish jumbo Advisory Council and Steering Committee
headed by Prime Minister with large number of members
from political parties and parliamentarians. National
Reconstruction Authority is not a political institution. It is a
technical body for the post-disaster management.
It does not require a jamboree of politicians. Reconstruction
and rebuilding program of NRA should be guided by the
findings of the disaster assessment report presented at the
donor conference in Kathmandu;
(4) Declare NRA as the main government institution for
post-disaster response and for management and coordination.
All government institutions and ministries should mobilize
internal resources and provide support when it is requested
by NRA. Reinforce that NRA is a non-partisan independent
authority with limited duration and clear mandate;
(5) NRA should have decision-making legal power. NRA
will plan program, hire competent personnel and select
implementing partners (including domestic and international)
and it will have full administrative authority, management
responsibility and accountability with appropriate power to
discharge end-to-end responsibilities without interference;
(6) Create a separate Post-Disaster Reconstruction Fund,
managed by NRA. All post-disaster donations should be
channeled into this. The fund should not be linked to national
budget cycle. It should be managed “outside-regular budget”
with International Public Sector Accounting System for high
level of transparency and accountability demonstrating
financial credibility. This is also to ensure rapid disbursement
for implementation of program. Separate budget planning
cycle is required for accelerated implementation matching
with the needs of large-scale operations. This can only be
done with “outside-regular budget” mechanism. Requiring
rapid decisions and disbursements will not be feasible if
financing is tied up with government budget and finance
cycle because government structure is not designed for rapid
response and action. Reconstruction needs speed, flexibility
and multiple actors. Given the government’s past record in
project implementation and poor response to post-disaster
tragedy front-loading of funds cannot be expected. Government
must demonstrate it is serious about its credibility and
accountability, and demonstrate resolve to do business in
openness and transparency (transparency is not limited only
to creating web-site);
(7) Induct consultative services of experts with relevant
work background (national and international) to strengthen
NRA capability. This should enable NRA to quickly set-up
effective program, budgeting, financial planning and
management of operations planning. In parallel, it must
establish a credible monitoring and evaluation system.
Government should involve stakeholders, remain open and
seek voluntary services of expert Nepalese individuals (retired
from UN Agencies, international and multi-lateral
organizations) who are available in Nepal;
(8) Appoint competent people (doers) with relevant work
experience for efficient functioning of NRA. Hiring and
firing powers should be with NRA. National
Reconstruction Authority (NRA), with legal power, is
best suited in managing rehabilitation and reconstruction
operations only with substantial independence and
financial flexibility. Individuals should be hired with job
descriptions for each position without ambiguity of
responsibilities and with defined level of authority and
accountability;
(9) To speed up the field work, seriously consider
assigning significant areas of operations responsibility
to a single donor country for program implementation
together with funding of sector activities. This is doable.
For example; assign construction and upgrade of schools
and hospitals (including equipment, supplies and materials)
to India; construction of roads, bridges and relevant
infrastructure to China; means of livelihood and incomegeneration to Japan and Switzerland; energy and water
and sanitation to South Korea and Nordic countries. Or,
assign individual donor with one or more districts or
areas for integrated development of all sector activities.
This should be immediately possible based on the Needs
Assessment Report. This approach to management of
post disaster is now crucial given the government and
bureaucracy’s failure to deliver already promised material
and cash assistance. This new approach is practical for
it assigns full responsibility to one single development
partner or in cluster approach;
(10) Reconstruction needs significant scaling-up of
speedy actions in areas where government agencies have
no adequate presence and do not have relevant experience
because government units are set-up only for normal
business of the government. Therefore, invite friendly
donors and competent International NGOs with matching
resources and technical expertise to work in collaboration
with NRA and in partnerships with others;
(11) Declare Post-Disaster Emergency in earthquake
affected-areas and co-opt Nepal Army to secure disasteraffected areas for program implementation and to backup operations. Nepal Army should assist NRA and it
should facilitate field works of NRA between district
offices, community and local bodies. Nepal Army should
be given legal authority to deal with unauthorized political
demonstrations, obstructions, vandalism and any other
misconduct which are likely to impede and delay program
implementation. The objective is also to restore safety
and dignity of the survivors of the disaster and instill
sense of security in communities in areas of operations.
It is crucial to maintain harmony and social order for
unhindered implementation of program and timely
completion of NRA’s mandate.
These are a list of some actions government should
consider seriously with renewed determination to deal
with post-disaster management. Decisions and actions
should be aimed at instilling much desired credibility in
the community of nations and build on citizens’ trust –
which seems to have been rapidly fading away with
ambivalent actions of the past.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter of
concern to all Nepalese and , again, urge you and the
President of Nepali Congress to take steps forthwith,
which would redress the situation and alleviate the plight
of fellow survivors. Thank you.
I remain
Sincerely yours
(Kedar Neupane)
President
We for Nepal
Geneva, Switzerland
(Retired UNHCR International Staff)
[email protected]
19
Fight For Nepali
Citizenship
Contunity
Is Not Over Yet
[Cont. page from 1 ]
The NRN community will remain
solidly and forever emotionally
and legally bonded to Nepal by
virtue of being Nepali citizens.
But the full NRN expectations
have not been met yet however
the NRNs have now been
recognized by the constitution
itself not only by law and its
importance has taken a new height
qualitatively.
NRNs’ right have been ensured
in the new constitution and they
can now avail and exercise
economical, social and cultural
rights in accordance with the
proposed federal law.
With the new citizenship
provision, NRN and Nepal can
now enter into a more robust
relationship, no matter where
Nepali live.
Acquiring the country’s citizenship
where they have been migrated
is a compulsion for any NRNs.
Until they obtain the new country’s
citizenship, any NRNs can not
enjoy facilities of pesnion, elder
citizen status and their children
remain deprived of equal
education and equal opportunities.
NRNA had long been battling to
amend the then existing
constitutional provision to
relinquish the citizenship of
motherland once they obtain the
citizenship of another country.
The issue of NRN citizenship
came to formal limelight after
2003 London meeting.
Since then the NRNA has been
raising the agenda.
NRNA formed a task force in 2008
to materialize the struggle for
citizenship. The task force
remained forgetful in every
possible way, formal and informal
both to give continuity to their
earlier homeland citizenship
Luckily this columnist is working
as coordinator of the task force
since the beginning and
responsibility is yet to be fully
achieved because the proposed
citizenship law should enshrine
NRN friendly provision to
practically implement the
constitutional provision regarding
NRN citizenship.
NRN in New Constitution
On behalf of the task force several
efforts were put forth with the
concerned officials, high officials
and CA members to be serious on
the issue of NRN citizenship, be
it in sitting constituent Assembly
1 or in constituent Assembly 2.
The issue of NRN citizenship went
to wire till the last minute of
making a final draft of the
proposed new constitution and it
was like painstaking moment.
Repeated meetings with the CA
chairman and his positive response
used to relieve the task force a bit.
But rigoruous attempts and
initiatives had to be made to
convince the apex leaders of the
major political parties.
The task force continued to
advocate the NRN citizenship
issue with continued consultations
with the Nepalese Attorneys and
advocates and judges.
The task force used to remain alert
to avoid the possible negative
publicity (stunt?) on the issue and
is still maintaining the same
position as we still have to
continue consultation with legal
entrepreneurs.
The task force not only held
regular consultation with legal
experts outside the CA, but
prepared all necessary documents
to retaliate with any questions and
legal concerns to be raised by any
side during discussion.
It is a regular practice here in Nepal
that the major party brass used to
consult with legal experts and CA
members coming from legal
background.
A special team of the NRNA and
the task force visited Nepal and
held formal and informal
discussion with all sides and
stakeholders concerned at the time
of decisive discussion on the final
draft of the new constitution.
The effort yielded meaningful
results as the proposed constitution
enshrined the provision of NRN
citizenship on the very day of
September 20, 2015.
The day of September 20, 2015
remains a historic and glorious one
to all the Non-Resident Nepalese.
Suggestions and support of all
NRNs in the world especially that
of Founding President Upendra
Mahato, Chief Patron Jiba
Lamichhaney and Current
President Shesh Ghale were great
and influential.
High officials from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of
Law and Justices in Nepal and
leaders of different political parties
and members of parliament and
Constituent Assembly members
do certainly deserve vote of thanks.
NRNs always remain committed
to transforming Nepal into a
peaceful and prosperous country
and NRNs strongly believe that
Nepal will remain victorious by
capturing the resources and energy
of its dynamic citizens who have
moved to the new lands for
opportunity, knowledge and
resources.
It is not that taking the citizenship
of the adopted countries meaning
doing away with the motherland,
as the NRN strongly and
practically believes that, “Once a
Nepali, always a Nepali”.
NRNs across the world has been
open supporting the motherland
open-heartedly by one way or the
other as the NRNs and Nepali
diaspora community are genuinely
committed to Nepal’s progress
The demand of continuation of
Nepali Citizenship for the NRNs
was just to save their Identity as
Nepali.
In this context, the availability of
NRN Citizenship for the Nepali
Diaspora is an important step for
the NRN’s to feel more closely
and emotionally attached to the
motherland.
NRNs have played important
catalytic roles in bringing
democracy in Nepal, and in its
development efforts. Many of
them are also important connectors
for foreign investment and
international aid that supports
developmental efforts in Nepal.
As per the norms of globalization
and after the implementation of
Nepal Citizenship Act and because
of the limited economic and
educational opportunities at home,
tens of millions of Nepalis have
immigrated to other parts of the
world.
Many Nepalese migrants who
became eligible to obtain
citizenship of another country,
specially the Gurkhas and their
family were compelled to sell their
ancestral properties at home and
invest in foreign land.
But with the new NRN citizenship
provision in the new constitution
and after acquiring NRN
citizenship one does not need to
face similar problems.
This is very important for the
hundreds of thousands of Non
Residential Nepali who have taken
up foreign citizenship for a
number of reasons. Allowing dual
citizenship will encourage NRNs
to participate more actively in the
nation building exercise.
The new constitution recognizes
foreigners of Nepali origin as its
own, and acknowledges their
importance and potential
contribution to the development
of Nepal.
Many works still to do
NRNs have been successful in
enshrining the NRN provision in
the new constitution i.e. the New
constitution of Nepal now
recognizes NRNs.
Now NRNs have to work
relentlessly to draft NRN friendly
legislation to practically
implement the new constitution.
It needs robust initiatives like the
ones taken earlier while charting
out the NRN issue.
The task force is closely watching
the drafting of legislation and
discussions at the government
level and make its move as
necessary.
There has been some progress on
it due to proactive move of the
task force.
NRNs should remain cautious on
legislation making, use of
terminologies as per constitutional
norms as it is the legislation that
would fully secure the given rights
and procedure to acquire NRN
citizenship for migrated Nepalese
globally.
For this parliament should make
the necessary legislation-the draft
of which should be chartered by
the government.
The government entities
concerned are working on the draft
of important legislation and the
NRNA task force is in close
contact and consultations with
officials concerned.
The reason to press on the officials
concerned from the very beginning
of drafting of the legislation is to
attest the NRN gains in it.
The task force has forged ahead
with the given responsibility by
nominating a focal person and a
team of legal entrepreneurs and is
keenly watching every steps of the
proceedings.
It is clearly understood that NRN
leadership is playing proactive role
on the move as usual.
The NRN Leadership should now
be attentive that implementation
aspect of any law and legislation
should be strong, since every law
in paper sounds strong.
Certainly, Nepal and NRNs will
both benefit from the proper
implementation of the new NRN
citizenship opportunity.
It should be noted that here were
many complications while
activating the law designed for the
Non Resident Nepalese back in
the year 2007.
Hence practical aspect of any law
and legislation should be kept
under due attention from the very
beginning and for that the NRN
task force would act like before
and role of all NRNs is inevitable
NRN believes the day to acquire
NRN Citizenship for all the
migrant Nepalese will come soon.
(Ram Pratap Thapa-founding
member of NRNA is the
coordintor of the task force
destined for Nepali citizenship
continuity )
NRNA
Completes
Preparation
Of New Jersey
Conference
State of New Jersey.
Convener of the 9th NRNA
Regional Conference & RCAmericas Sonam Lama informed
us about completion of the
preparation at a press conference
organised at a Nepali Restaurant in
Jackson Height in New York on
Sunday.
Lama said the United States NRNA
committee got the opportunity to
host the Regional Conference of
NRNA- the International
Coordination Council. He called
upon all concerned to make the
conference a grand success.
Senior Vice President of NRNA
America Krishna Pokharel and
General Secretary Tilak Shrestha
responded to the queries floored by
the journalists.
The convener said that owing to the
changed political scenario in Nepal
and uncertainty over the Foreign
Ministry portfolio, Foreign
Minister’s presence is uncertain.
But the convener reaffirmed that
Former Speaker Subash Nembang
is confirmed to participate.
In the press conference it was told
that correspondence is going on
with US Congressman and senators
for the official representation of
the US government at the New
Jersey conference. Registration fee
has been fixed at 200$ for the
participants coming from outside
America while it is 10$ for the
ones coming from within the US
while for the participating
journalists and reporters the
registration fee has been fixed at
50$. A 14-member organizing
committee under the leadership of
NRNA Regional Coordinator –
Americas Mr. Sonam Lama and
other 20 sub committees are
working for the past two months
to make the success of the
conference.
The general practice is that NRNA
holds its global conference in Nepal
and the regional conference outside
Nepal. Earlier the regional
conference was held in Japan.
Representatives from 73 NRNA
across the globe are expected to
take part in the conference. Such
conference provides opportunity
to NRNs and concerned authority
of Nepal government and
representatives of local government
of particular region to come
together and discuss the issues and
challenges faced by Nepalese and
find resolutions. The conference
is a platform to promote Nepal, its
culture, tradition and tourism in
the international level.
Chinese
Prez Nepal
Visit
President Xi’s visit came when a
delegation the China Institute of
Contemporary International
Relations (CICIR) met with Prime
Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Tuesday evening.
The so-far possible visit of the
Chinese President is widely-seen
as key to China’s outreach in South
Asia as it battles for influence in
the region. After Oli’s ouster, his
party UML has been claiming that
the developing political scenario
in Nepal will lead to the
cancellation of Xi’s visit. At the
meeting Prime Minister Dahal
reportedly told the CICIR
delegates that he is very keen to
welcome the Chinese President Xi
in Nepal. Prime Minister Dahal
told the delegates that such a
high–level visit would contribute
to strengthen the bilateral ties.
Baluwatar sources quoted the
CICIR delegation as saying that
President Xi’s visit to Nepal has
not been cancelled.
Ever since then-Prime Minister
KP Oli’s visit to Beijing in March,
there had been much speculation
about the President Xi’s visit
however speculations are more rife
and high this time around when
the CICIR delegates met with the
Prime Minister.The CICIR think
tank members comes under
China’s State Council. But it is
said that the southern neighbor is
hell bent and weaving a plan to
cancelling the high profile visit
angered by the increasing Chinese
presence and influence. The
visiting Chinese delegation told
Prime Minister Dahal that China
20

Fight For Continuity Of Nepali Citizenship Not Over Yet

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