Op-ed editors of broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Thursday have given space to a wide range of issues including the meeting of BIMISTEC foreign ministers in Kathmandu, the Indo-China standoff in Doklam and its implications on South Asia and the rise of the ‘UML’ brand of nationalism. Similarly, Nagarik and Republica have published an interview with former Chief Justice Sushila Karki who claims that one of the reasons an impeachment motion was filed against her was an imminent hearing on the Fewa land encroachment case.
How Nepal can use BIMSTEC?
Nepal is the current chair of the regional grouping BIMSTEC, which has Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and Myanmar as its members. As Nepal prepares to host the Summit meeting of the grouping later this year, foreign ministers of member countries are coming to Kathmandu today to set the agenda for the event. In his piece for The Himalayan Times, former special advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Madhukar SJB Rana says Nepal needs to raise issues related to Law of the Sea and transit rights in the forum. He says that Nepal should also raise the issue of water linkages as most of the water from the Himalayas flows into the Bay of Bengal.
Similarly, Dwaipayan Regmi in his op-ed for the Kathmandu Post argues that Nepal should chart its own development course and not depend on SAARC or BIMSTEC.
India, China and the Maldives
As India and China continue to exchange barbs over the dispute in Doklam, the effect of the rivalry between the two neighbours has been felt across South Asia. In his piece for Republica, Biswas Baral says that the Maldives is starting to believe it is best served by maintaining safe distance from India and inching progressively closer towards China. He says this is a result of the India’s failed approach to dealing with its South Asian neighbours; the approach has been shortsighted and ad hoc.
In his piece for Annapurna Post, Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan says that smaller countries in South Asia such as Nepal need to stay quiet on the issue. He argues that China is making inroads into South Asia because countries in the sub-continent have failed to maintain ties based on mutual respect.
Sushila Karki interview
In her interview with Republica, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki says one of the reasons an impeachment motion was filed against her was that she was about to conduct hearing on the Fewa lake encroachment case. In the interview, Karki claims that politicians in Nepal have set a dangerous precedent whereby any judge or chief justice not doing their bidding can be removed. She says that by allowing corruption to go on, all organs of the government have stripped each other naked and done great disservice to the society. On the Dr Govinda KC issue, she asks the interviewer, “You expect me to keep quiet when the human rights of Dr KC and the people he is fighting for are violated?”
‘UML, be careful what you wish for’
Deepak Thapa in his lead article for The Kathmandu Post says the UML has been saying that it was the biggest winner in the local elections so far. It claims that it will repeat the feat in Province 2 as well. But the party, which has positioned itself against ‘pro-identity’ politics should be careful what it wishes for as local UML leaders are pushing agenda at odds with the UML’s stated position on a number of issues. He gives the examples of Kirtipur and Kathmandu where UML mayors have decided to include Nepal Bhasa as another language of business.
