Political Adaptation and its brief account in Nepal

It brings me to smile, when I think about Nepal’s politics and the kind of mentality that we Nepalese people have towards surfacing or addressing our political expectation. Politics the so called expectation of people certainly highlights a proper system to address the issues of public interest that should be flexible and selfish toward the social welfare. Now let’s talk about Nepal’s elite parties, Nepali congress or UML or any other party why are all in the same league, why don’t they have a standing regarding political responsibility toward people’s aspiration. All of them they say they are working for the public but why they cannot come to a common point in the name of a country is something always makes me think. Why none of the political parties are ideal to define their political practices or why they are in question of morale and ethics ….? What about the constitution? what about giving public a standard of life. These are the utmost priorities of the public sentiment that are broadly being neglected.

Now looking at the other side of the corner we have the Maoist, from the day of the Maoist revolt to their commitment of joining the main stream politics, it seems negligible in proportionate of the decisions and agreements, they made. Their establishment and struggle has been testimonial to the mentality that revolted against the past practice of politics that was more inclined to Power sharing, Nepotism, corruption, Favoritism, manipulation etc. Their contribution has been limited to the pending situation of being the largest party of the constitution assembly and to prioritize their importance in showcasing there power and politics. Their ideology evolved from people’s aspirations where today it’s limited to their party and their people. Their struggle and existence highlights the sacrifices of thousands who willing gave their lives for their country but today it’s more like the other way round where the definitions their ideologies are changing.

I strongly believed in people and their ideologies. I always stood by the fact that none of the parties stand in Nepal is wrong in fact their leadership and their visions might have been wrong but not the party itself. Political parties are the free way of people’s voice that keeps public know and change accordingly to fulfill and direct the social welfare in regards to full social obligation as defined and needed.

Reality is the growing popularity stunts and media attention of Nepal’s politics is infested with a new adaptation and mutation of a new popularity contest that has certainly taken Nepal’s politics to new a newer heights.

One thing I always thought about was the so called out of proportion blow out publicity that has adapted Nepal’s politics. For instant Dr Baburam Bhattrai using the mustang car designed and contributed by the Golcha group of industry. He was an instant HERO as soon as the news came out. May be people were sick and tired of monotonous image of the show off attitude of politicians but it certainly brought him to news and he certainly enjoyed the popularity but for what is my question. Reality is Golcha Group is enlisted as one of the VAT defaulters of the country. A question that says may be we are hurrying too much in giving him a Hero image, without doing anything.

Myrepublica one of the foremost newspapers reports, " The Baburam Bhattarai-led government, which earned popularity for introducing austerity measures, will now have to spend approximately 4.5 million rupees every month on salary, allowances, hospitality expenses, quarter and security of the 46-member cabinet -- the second largest in the political history of the country."

Similarly, Ekantipur reports, "Prime Minsiter Baburam Bhattarai made a surprise visit and inspection of the hotel and restaurants in Muglin of Chitwan today. During the inspection, he checked kitchen and toilets of the hotels. After inspection, he directed the owners to put the price list and to pay the attention on cleanliness of hotel and hygienic service for the customers."

Another example is the Prime Minister talking on phone to the normal public live in the nationwide national TV station Nepal Television. It’s a good initiation for a Prime Minister’s side to know his people and their problems but why publicize, it publically? It’s done in so much out of proportion way and for what?

He is there to work not to en-cash popularity. After all may be he is also another politician who believes in making thing work from his own way but his position certainly gives the power and responsibility to be credible then to en-cash his own popularity. The question is where did we lack or what are we searching for? We outcaste the king, we declared the country as secular state, we have better laws and regulation from exploitation to racialism and still we have no political stability, still there are issue that hinders the life of a normal layman. I believe our country is facing the problem due to bad politics practices or wrong political adaptation. It is a question to all where we need to do a reality check to search for answers as in future you will be asked the question by your coming generation , then and there I believe we all need to have an answer to say we believe in this…………………………………

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US Lawmaker Threatens Nepal government to ease on the Tibetan refugee issue

Kathmandu Nepal: In a recent out cry of struggle of the Tibetan refugee issue, Nepal’s government has been threatened by a US lawmaker to strip Nepal off its share of US aid, unless it permits refugees fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet to transit through the country, states the Agence France Presse (AFP) on Thursday .

Representative Frank Wolf, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee that determines US funding, said he would try to block funding to Nepal unless it grants exit visas to Tibetans who seek refuge in the United States. We're not just going to cut them, we're going to zero them out," said Wolf, a Republican from Virginia and outspoken critic of China. "If they're not willing to do it, then they don't share our values and if they don't share our values, we do not want to share our dollars," he told a congressional hearing on Tibet. Wolf said he would propose the aid cutoff if Nepal's record does not improve by the time the United States looks at foreign aid funding next year.

The report further highlights Representative Frank Wolf, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee that determines US funding, said he would try to block funding to Nepal unless it grants exit visas to Tibetans who seek refuge in the United States. According to sources the US Agency for International Development poured in $57.7 million for Nepal in the 2010 fiscal year.

In the past few years Nepal has been pretty fixed upon Tibetan refugees issue and has been strict in focusing more towards illegal migration process. Nepal has been the main route for exile for the Tibetans who having been rebelling against the Chinese government over Tibet who believe in the autonomous and free Tibet concept. The cases of illegal migration has been an immense issue where at times Tibetan refugees have been arrested with fake documents and fake passport with legal VISA and support from the US embassy. The controversy has not only challenged the US government’s role in refugees issue but it also shows the local interference that US embassy does at times of helping these illegal immigrants.

A question of legality has been raised against the US government and it s role regarding the foreign policy and its operation in the third world country.

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Climate change problem and its ground reality in Nepal

Climate change has been a topic of discussion since past few years, its relevancy and awareness has spread with the confusion among the different stake holders regarding its work methodology and its practices. With high priority and concern, large amount of international funds has been poured-in in regards to the climate change activities and campaigns where the awareness spread in the field has not only created a trend of awareness but to a level has created a confusion among the different entities to work together for the cause. The basic entities in the field of climate change in Nepal have been working individually in regards to their sectors and work practices. In Nepal the work entities have been basically divided in these categories
1. Donor
2. Line agencies
3. The government4. Local organization
5. Consumer

The different categories of organization work at different levels of action and awareness strategy where the government and line agencies work in policy and strategy level. The government role is immense in respect to the services that it provides through its different organizations but due to lack of infrastructure and mobility in the rural areas the human resources are limited within the urban area where the rural people lack the services which they are in dire need of. The Donor organization works in providing funds and receiving the feedbacks only. Local organization works in collaboration of the line agencies and government in following the strategies in action. At consumer level they work toward the adaptation and adaptability of the problem where lack of coordination and planning has been hindering the prospect of investment and research.

Especially in a country like Nepal where the education rate is very low, People know that changes are happening and they are adapting to it but they lack the technical knowhow of what, where and how?
Looking at the scenario and economic condition of Nepal and its pollution rates, Nepal stand nowhere to talk about its contribution in Green house gases emission rates but consequently it faces a huge price of global warming and climate change in retrospect to its adaptability and consequences.

The world Wild Life Nepal in its website says, “Communities in the target area are facing the natural hazards such as landslides, earthquakes and forest fires. Serious drought, temperature increases, and flash flooding are causing serious detrimental impacts on community livelihoods – causing food insecurity; lack of access to freshwater for irrigation and household needs; soil erosion; damage to infrastructure (including irrigation systems, land, property and roads); increase in pests and diseases, and changes to ecosystems (including NTFPs). These hazards are in part as a result of non-climate drivers (such as land use changes, unsustainable use of natural resources, governance, tourism) but are exacerbated by climatic variability. Communities in the target area do not have adequate access to information on climate data and local planning structures (including Village Development Committee Plans, and Buffer Zone Management Plans) have not taken into account risks as a result of climate change. WWF will play a crucial role in working with communities to ensure risks to ecosystem integrity (and therefore ecosystem services) are minimized; thereby building on existing or developing new relationships with other NGOs, private sector organizations, government agencies or research institutions to ensure all vulnerabilities facing people and the natural environment are addressed.”

Climate change has been an effective sector of funding where different Non government organizations are mushrooming in. According to a report from the Centre District Office there are thousands of organizations registered or that have the work capability to work in the field of climate change. Though different NGOs are operational but most of them are limited within bring funds and lack real operational skills where the government lack of monitoring mechanism has boosted their confidence.

Like such Saurav Dhakal, British Council International Climate Champion 2010/11 recently shared his experience of the ground reality of the climate change and its adaptation problems that he encountered during his visit to far rural villages of Dailekh and Terahthum. He shared some key points in his study report of “Adaptation learning highways” which are given below.

Community perception on climate change:

• Delay and reduced snowfall
• Delay in erratic rainfall
• Prolonged dry spells
• Water stress
• Increased pest incident
• Early maturing of crops and new crop opportunities

Dhakal further highlighted the issues and gaps of climate change in following key points.

• Lack of mechanism or existing mechanism is not actively functioning to discuss on farmers problem and technical backstopping on problem
• Lack of technical backstopping for farmers to solve the problem in field level from line agencies. Most of the technical service providers agencies are centered in district headquarters
• Less information on adaptation of farming techniques and seed methodology
• Less knowledge on responsibilities of line agencies toward farmers
• Lack of effective information flow system
• Lack of introduction of new technology in adaptation of farming techniques
• Lack of effective human resource in the field

He said, “People in rural parts of Nepal they majorly lack knowledge sharing and most importantly they are unaware of the resources that are available to reduces the effective of climate change. It’s a worrying situation especially in rural villages where prominent changes are happening and people have no idea of what’s happening. The awareness program of line agencies has reached places but they are inconclusive way limited to center and cities where people in rural areas are confused. The government needs to collaborate in a proper mechanism in dealing with such scenario where the gaps in between the line agencies, and the people should be overcome. The ultimate goal is to provide relief to the public where a reality check needs to be done from all sides and proper efforts have to be done in dealing with the situation.”

Ministry of Environment (MoE) in its portal states, “The Government of Nepal, Ministry of Environment (MoE) has received support from the Embassy of Denmark in Nepal to implement climate change activities. The MoE prepared, through this support, the status report while participating the 15th session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC and 5th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties (CMP) to the KP. In addition, this funding was also used to prepare and publish the Status of Climate Change in Nepal. The MoE has felt an urgent need for preparing Strategy for Climate Change Strategy and Framework for Climate Change Fund from this support within the broader framework of the Climate Change Policy, 2011. This strategy is expected to streamline all climate change activities in Nepal and include negotiation approaches and will contribute to future climate change negotiations as well. Similarly, the framework for climate change fund will provide a basis to channelize funding on climate change activities received from different sources in the country. The Ministry of Environment intends to prepare the Climate Change Strategy and Framework for Climate Change Fund by procuring consulting services. The key output of this study will be the final reports on: (i) Climate Change Strategy; and (ii) Framework for Climate Change Fund.”

With stakeholders of climate change being more focused in managing the funds and other operational issues climate change industry in Nepal has been a booming industry. The reality of the rural villages and lack of effective human resource in addressing the issue has evolved as a serious problem. Lack of monitoring from the government side and effective mechanism to upgrade the human resource and to outreach the people seems to be the problem at large. Climate change in Nepal has been an issue of concern to all where lack of coordination among the stakeholder hiders the process of awareness and adaptation.

Further climate change strategy and adaptation perspective can be gained from the following link
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24367688/Research-Paper-Nepal-s-Position-Paper-for-the-en-Negotiations-COP15-by-Shreedeep-Rayamajhi

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