News, Views From Nepal

Yuba Nath Lamsal It is widely believed that foreign policy is strictly the area and prerogative of those people, who work in the Ministry of Foreign affairs or are in the top echelon in the political circle. This belief, rightly or wrongly, is in vogue for years and decades not only in Nepal but also across the globe. This is the reason why the foreign policy issue was kept away from public debate, discourse and scrutiny. People were, thus, kept in dark on foreign policy issues and its debate. A few handful of ruling class elites controlled the foreign policy formulation and its conduct. As a result, foreign policy became the sole domain and prerogative of the elites, aristocrats and the so-called better off populace. The general people are not allowed to participate in the discourse and decision-making of foreign policy and diplomacy. But things are beginning to change and a new concept is evolving in relation to formulation and conduct of foreign policy in tune with the chan...

Yuba Nath Lamsal Nepal’s politics seems to have entered into a new phase—much worse phase than everyone had expected. It looks as though political process in Nepal has backpedaled rather than moving forward. As a result, the state of Nepali politics has gone back to the state of the 1951-60 decade, which marked the height of uncertainty accompanied by fast and frequent change of governments with parties accusing one another of being pro-this and pro-that country or power. Much had been expected earlier from both the old and new political forces especially after the Jana Andolan II. In the Jana Andolan II, there were a mix of forces—both old and new ones. Old ones were the seven parliamentary forces including the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML while the new one was the UCPN-Maoist that had just entered into peaceful politics following the 12-point understanding reached in New Delhi. The 12-point agreement was a basis for Jana Andolan II with the mix of agenda of both the old...

Yuba Nath Lamsal For the first time in the history of Nepal-China relations, never had Beijing so loudly and clearly spoken of its role and intention in the affairs of Nepal as it has done recently. Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yang Haoulan, in an interaction last week in Kathmandu said that China was deeply concerned over Nepal’s current state of politics and Beijing is holding talks with New Delhi to jointly develop a common strategy, perspective and views on Nepal affairs. To look at the surface, one may conclude that Beijing, too, like other western countries especially the United States, has started looking at Nepal from the prism of New Delhi. But it is naïve to analyze the Ambassador Houlan’s views in such a simplistic and straight forward manner as it so appears. Nepal is definitely an area of concern for China because it shares over 1000 km common border with Nepal. But, so far, China has kept itself away from Nepal’s internal politics because China’s set foreign pol...

Yuba Nath Lamsal It has been an avowed practice in China to effect change in the top political leadership once in a decade. China’s leadership change takes place after a long and meticulous homework, which is the prime factor for a smooth transfer of power and greater political stability. This practice has been in place after the rise of Deng Xiaoping to political limelight after Mao’s demise in 1996. Deng’s rise marked a new beginning in the modern history of China. As a continuity to this tradition, leadership change in the highest political level has taken place in China recently. The week-long 18 th National Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), in which more than 2000 delegates took part, was successfully convened in Beijing’s Great Hall of the Peoples, a symbol of victory of Chinese Revolution in 1949. The 18 th National Congress elected a 250 member central committee under XI Jinping as party’s new general secretary and the chairman of the Central Mi...