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In recent months, there has been a notable surge in foreign travels by ministers, parliamentarians, heads of constitutional bodies, security agencies and senior government officials for bilateral visits, and for participation in multilateral forums. These activities, which were restricted for three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, have resumed, both from Nepal to other nations and vice-versa. While bilateral visits and international engagements are inherent to diplomatic practices, the level of transparency surrounding these visits has become a growing concern.

One key aspect to address is the lack of transparency in communicating the details of these visits. When ministers, heads of security agencies and constitutional bodies embark on foreign visits, there should be transparency regarding their agendas, meetings and discussions with foreign counterparts. 

The current practice of issuing brief and vague press releases just before the visits, without providing adequate information on the purpose and agenda, is insufficient. Since major powers seek to influence the state for their own interests, it becomes imperative to ensure transparency in these interactions. Sometimes, even the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nepali embassies abroad remain uninformed about high-level visits.

There is a considerable influx of visits from major countries to Nepal, but many of these visits are not disclosed to the public, and even when they are, the agendas remain undisclosed. The foreign ministry is often bypassed in such meetings. While the government had previously introduced a policy requiring high-level officials to submit reports to the Prime Minister's Office after foreign visits, this policy is often disregarded. It is now essential to revisit and reinforce such provisions to guarantee adherence.

There have been instances where high-level officials have entered agreements with foreign countries without informing relevant agencies, raising concerns about the potential compromise of Nepal's national interests. To safeguard against such risks, it is imperative to establish a comprehensive policy ensuring transparency in all high-level official visits.

Seven years after the first Constituent Assembly election, Nepal promulgated a new constitution in 2015, formally transitioning the nation into a republican federal state. This significant milestone could be achieved only by reaching a compromise among major political actors. The major political parties demonstrated considerable flexibility in their party positions to reach a consensus on contentious issues of the constitution. While all parties had reservations about the constitution, there was a sort of realization that a constitution dominated by a single party was untenable within the existing political landscape. Nevertheless, Madhes-based parties initially refrained from taking ownership of the constitution stating that their demands were not addressed. 

Later, after the first amendment in the constitution, Madhes-based parties too, in a way, took the ownership by participating in elections under the new constitutional framework and also joined the government. Despite some shortcomings, the international community has commended Nepal's constitution, hailing it as one of the most progressive in South Asia. Notably, in terms of securing the inclusion of women and marginalized communities, the 2015 constitution surpasses those of many advanced democratic nations.Of late, the constitution is facing increasing attacks,  primarily from royalist and Hindu fundamentalist forces. These forces, who are unhappy with the removal of monarchy, want to revive the constitution of 1990. Despite the promulgation of a good constitution, major political parties have faltered in delivering good governance and initiating the long-awaited journey toward economic prosperity. Similarly, the major parties have failed to ensure government stability and they seem reluctant to mend their ways. This has created a deep frustration among the populace toward these parties. And some regressive forces are trying to exploit this discontent to advance their agenda, trying to portray the 2015 constitution in a bad light.

It is imperative for major political parties to rectify their course. The emergence of new political entities in national elections and the increasing public dissent should serve as a wake-up call for the political parties. Any flaws in the 2015 constitution can be addressed by reaching consensus among political parties. However, its fundamental tenets such as secularism, federalism, and inclusion should remain intact, at least for now. Attempts to alter these foundational principles  would be like opening Pandora's Box and pushing the country into another cycle of conflict and instability. All parties that played pivotal roles in drafting the 2015 constitution must unite once again to protect the constitution. If the 2015 constitution is dismantled, it is not sure the new constitution will be drafted and that it will be a better replacement. Therefore, now is the time to stand up in favor of the 2015 constitution. Reversing the current course is not a solution to our current ills.

In the far-flung districts of Jajarkot and West Rukum, the Nepali state is virtually non-existent. 

What used to be houses and sheds have turned into rubble, thanks to the 6.4-magnitude earthquake that struck at midnight on Nov 3, killing around 160 people (more than half of them children) in the immediate aftermath, leaving thousands injured and destroying vital physical infrastructure like school buildings and local government facilities.

Three weeks into the disaster, more deaths have occurred even as the survivors, with foodstucks, warm clothing, utensils and medicine buried under the rubble, continue to brave a cruel winter without vital supplies.

What is the ruling elite in Kathmandu doing for the survivors other than providing token relief? Rather than rushing supplies essential for sustaining life after an early ‘completion’ of the search and rescue operation, the VIPs and the VVIPs seemed interested in chopper flights to the affected areas where they made generous promises to the survivors. 

Despite those lofty promises, aid is barely trickling among the survivors. Media reports, including those published in this daily, suggest that various factors continue to affect relief distribution, particularly in far-flung areas of the affected districts. Worryingly, dirty politics is playing spoilsport, together with unwillingness on the part of representatives of relevant organizations to visit remote areas and local authorities’ undeclared policy of distributing relief only to house-owners and not to the renters.

While the post-quake scenarios at Jajarkot and West Rukum deepen fears of an evolving humanitarian disaster, a divided Center continues to act as if nothing has happened. Its immediate priority is on reining in the anarchy reigning supreme on the streets of a more or less curfewed Kathmandu where rival political forces continue to ‘display’ their strength, throwing life out of gears.  

Even in a crisis situation like this, our top political leaders continue to act like warlords instead of working together to deal with fresh crises facing a country already reeling under malgovernance, corruption, nepotism, inflation, instability and the breakdown of law and order. 

Sooner than later, the top brass should mend ways and act together to bring stability back to this trembling republic instead of fighting like the kilkenny cats if they want history to be merciful to them. 

The 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Jajarkot and Rukum West last Friday has left behind a trail of death and devastation. Around 160 people have died (more than half of the dead are children), hundreds have suffered injuries, lakhs have become shelterless and lost the means of livelihood. 

In the immediate aftermath of the quake, the United Nations said in its report that around 1.3m people have been exposed to the quake, and about 0.25m may need humanitarian assistance within 72 hours of the disaster.  

After announcing the completion of search and rescue operations, the government is ‘focusing’ on the distribution of relief materials. 

But media reports from the ground are not that encouraging. This daily and a number of other media outlets have pointed out that the government has largely failed to provide for the needy in times of a crisis. 

With their possessions under the rubble, the survivors are in need of food, shelter, warm clothing and medicine. But even the tarps have become a luxury for most of the people, forcing them to live in the open without food and warm clothing in freezing temperatures. 

A report published in this daily, for example, quotes relevant officials as saying that one has to be a house-owner to get a tarp from the government. Another ApEx report states that the representatives of organizations involved in relief distribution are not bothering to visit the backwaters for relief distribution. 

What does it all mean? That the lives of those living on rent or on temporary shelters like sheds do not count? That the people hailing from remote corners are expendable? 

In the aftermath of the disaster, a series of chopper-borne high-profile visits to the affected areas have taken place like on previous such occasions, with promises of all possible help to the survivors. 

Promises aside, relief materials like food, drinking water, shelter and basic medicine are really hard to come by for most of the survivors, leave alone specialized care for the traumatized ones, including children. 

The quake and several jolts aside, the survivors have also been grappling with a cumbersome governance system that has largely failed to provide for the people in dire need. Leave alone the disasters from a distant past, government authorities do not seem to have learnt lessons even from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake that killed around 10000 people, rendered lakhs homeless and destroyed infrastructure worth billions of rupees even as a dilapidated Singhadurbar looked on. 

The government should get its acts together and rush relief to the needy, in close coordination with political parties across the aisle, defense-security agencies, donor agencies, civil society and the public to save lives.