Constitutional Dilema

I have been looking for an article of some sort that explains or at least a perspective on the situation in Nepal at the moment. Living in Nepal for the last couple of weeks, it's been really interesting to be a part of the bandhs that have been held and to hear about the issues that are leading to the strikes. Basically, Nepal is finally drawing up a new constitution, and different groups, most of them ethnic, are trying to bid for their own requests to be part of the constitution. The main issue is around dividing up the country into states based on ethnic groups. If not based on ethnic groups, they want the states to be named after ethnic groups. As far as I am concerned it's a primitive way of viewing things, but as this article form The Economists explains, Nepal is a highly segregated country, with a large number of different ethnic groups, casts, and identities who previously have not had the opportunity to have their voices heard. This article does help a bit to explain where the current turmoil is coming from. 

And, I am glad that it highlights that "Ethnic leaders, national politicians and the media have all failed to explain what ethnic federalism will mean", - this is something I've failed to understand, a relief that it's not just me.


Nepal's minorities  Constituting a nationality                                                                                         The Economist  May 24th 2012, 9:23 by T.B. | KATHMANDU

"....This week politicians were due to fulfil a commitment to divide Nepal into ethnic federal states, under a new constitution. This made many Nepalis anxious, as they feared that their country was on the brink of falling apart. The pressure mounted until, amid alleged conspiracies, strikes and street protests threatening to boil over into something worse, the long delayed charter was postponed for another three months.

Is it really a good idea, dividing a country of around 30m people and over 100 different ethnic, caste and linguistic groups into ten or more federal states, each with a designated ethnic identity? Sceptics argue that ethnic federalism makes a poor fit for the country’s social complexity. Opponents predict it will sow communal divisions and aggravate a spiral of hatred and violence where peaceful co-existence was once the norm. None of this, they say, was an issue until the Maoists messed up everything.

Caste discrimination has not had been embodied in the law of Nepal for 50 years and yet, despite assurances of equality that were written into previous constitutions, very little has been done to address entrenched inequalities. The high castes still overwhelmingly dominate national politics as well as the army, bureaucracy, media and business communities. Nepal is one of the most economically unequal countries in Asia and ethnicity and caste status are closely correlated with a person’s likely fortunes. Many if not most citizens consider themselves “excluded” by the state...."

To read the full article on The Economist visit: http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2012/05/nepals-minorities

Majestic

Ever since I first came to Nepal I've wanted to see the infamous view of the Himalayas that you are meant to get on the flight in and out of the country. On all my visits here before I've either ended up on the wrong side of the plane, or the weather hasn't been clear enough, leaving the mountains hiding behind clouds. When you haven't seen the mountains, you look out of the window and don't realize that they are there, blanketed by the clouds - or they just blend in, white against white.


On Tuesday I finally saw them. On my flight down to Mumbai I got spectacular views of these majestic mountains. Just a few minutes after take off, there hey were and for a good 15 minutes we flew along side. At a distance of course, but the mountains tower so high that even from the air they seem be be just there.

They seem to rise out of the clouds, like they had not base, a a snow capped crown sitting in the sky. And down on the ground, several huge rivers flow away from the mountains. The life line if Asia. It was incredibly breath taking, and I couldn't help but sit and smile and finally getting this view. Oddly, no one else seemed that interested to look at them, and instead I got funny looks as I tried to switch seats and move further back in the plane to get a better view.

Pictures from my window don't do it justice...So, if you want to make sure you see them on your flight in to visit me, get a window seat. A on the way in and F on the way home. This took me a while to figure out, but now I know exactly where I'm sitting on my future flights.

A very local eatery

After my first work meeting earlier this week, my British colleague to me and a couple of others from the office to this rather local establishment. Not one I would usually trust without some serious recommendations. But who can resist a plate full of lovely steamed momos? 

I've tried making Momos in the UK in the past. N loves them and there is something particularly fun about making them together. One rolls the dough, the other fills them with the meat and onion filing. I've always found that the one at home, though nice and tasty, then to end up with the meat being on the slightly dry side. Clearly lean mince is not quite the right thing, and what you need is some seriously fatty filing! And some good chili sauce. I didn't get a picture of it, but a mug of chili sauce was being passed between the tables, bright red an clearly nothing but ground up chilly. I decided not to risk it. If the momo's where going to upset me, the spice certainly was! 

Very simple but delicious place of lovely momos

So this restaurant was seriously simple. Just two tables that got shared around between customers. And the owner is a Nepali woman married to a Tibetan man who runs the cafe with her son. Like anywhere else, if the place is filled with locals happily eating, then it must be good. When we arrived we got one of the tables to ourselves. The other was being shared, an old Tibetan woman, a chupa roughly put on, layers upon layers even in this heat and old grey hair platted and wound round her head, a mala round her neck and a few pieces of old Tibetan jewelry; a young mother and her daughter, out for her school lunch break, the girl said she was five but really that means she was four, Tibetans say they are 1 from the time they are born, eat up, eat up - a plate of momos and bowl of weak momo soup; and a Nepali man who spoke perfect Tibetan who was introduced to me as one of the drivers for a local hospital, a bit smile and friendly face. The same hospital where oddly my offices have the top floor. 

 A restaurant like this is a real experience. A lot to see and take in. I dare not think what meat it is hanging on the line across the kitchen. Not what was in my momos I hope. Though saying that, they were delicious and I have not had any tummy repercussions so it must have been clean enough. There were bowls of boiled noodles ready to make soup, or turn into chowmein, plates of herbs and vegetables and a big momo steamer on the stove. 

Himalayan Produce

I was rather excited to come across this Himalayan Extra Virgin Olive Oil when I was last in Bhat-Batini. Certified as being Extra Virgin, it's apparently the only olive oil made in this part of the world, and certainly the only one made in the Himalayan region. At NRS 1150 it feels like it's a tad on the steep side, by really, when translated it's only about £8 and so, just for because of novelty of it, and in order to support local businesses over her, it's definitely worth it! 

I wonder how many I'll be able to get in my luggage! 

"Himalayan Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from hand-picked, green-ripe Olives which grow in the crystal clear mountain air of hills in Nepal, at close to 2000m. They are cold-pressed immediately after harvesting. The oil is low in acidity and high in natural antioxidants. To retain its superb qualities, this oil should be kept closed after use, in a cool and dark place. Below approx 8 *C it becomes cloudy which does not influence the quality. It regenerates quickly at room Temperature" 

www.himalaya-plantations.com

Fashion!

So it didn't take me long to catch onto some real Nepali fashion :D Don't I look great.

It's rather dusty here at the moment. A lot of illegal buildings have been torn down along the side of the roads (a future post), the roads haven't been re-made for years, and it hasn't properly rained yet to dampen down the dust. This brilliant fashion pieces does kind of keep the dust out of my noes, mouth and lungs though. everyone is wearing them, where ever you look and there are some brilliantly ornate ones available too! Fancy some nice brocade fabric? It does get a rather hot with it on and some how manages to steam up my sun glasses! I have to hasten to add that I didn't quite realize that my mas was going to be quite so candy pink, it's white on the inside, and I had my sunglasses on when buying it. Having said that, the choice wasn't exactly huge where I was looking, I might go for the one with cartoon bunny rabbits on next time :D

Bandh, power cuts and dry taps

It's been a rather interesting first week in Kathmandu with a lot of getting used to.

So where to being? The temperature, the dust, the endless dogs barking at night...the bandh's, power cuts, and running out of water. Think I might have to cover these one by one.

I was meant to start work on Thursday and go into the office, meet my colleagues and start having meetings. Up I got, rather nervous and out to the road to meet my ride. By lo and behold, I was going to experience one of Kathmandu's many joys, a Bandh. A Bandh is a strike which is generally called by a political party or active group (student group for example) in protest against something. It's a form of social disobedience, and Nepal has become famous for it! Apparently there had hardly been any bandh's for months before I arrived, but I seem to have landed right in the middle of a rather sensitive political situation. The current issue is around the new constitution of Nepal, which having missed deadlines, been pushed back and delayed several times has now been given a final deadline of the 27th of May to be published. And when I say it's been delayed, I don't mean by just a short while, the interim constitution has been extended for two years now, since May 2010 because of failed negotiations between all the involved parties!

The major sticking point at the moment, as far as I understand (and I am not a political person) is around how to construct a new federal Nepal which represents the country's diverse ethnic groups. There are certain groups who are calling for Nepal to be divided into states along ethnic lines, and some say even by caste and there are those who are think the states should be based more on economic viability and diversity. While the congress seems to have decided against ethnic divisions, very wisely I'd say, they still haven't come up with how many federal states there will be - somewhere between 7 and 11 is the current figure, and how to name them. Trying to satisfy all the differnt parties involved, and all the fractions within the parties is clearly not easy, and this is why there have been all the strikes.

During the bandhs people are not meant to go out and are forced to keep shops and businesses closed. Taxi's are scared of driving, because if they break the bandh the car will likely be threatened and damaged. If you need to get somewhere, you have to either walk, or leave before the bandh begins at about 6am or after it finishes at about 5. Only emergency vehicle are allowed out, and apparently you can hire a fake ambulance or police car to get you to the airport or out of the city during a bandh.

The bandh must be incredibly damaging to the country's economy. Tourists can't get out to sites, taxi's don't get their rides and shops have to keep their door shut. How the groups who call these bandhs think it will have a positive out come I am yet to understand. So, within my first week in Kathmandu I already experienced two days of bhand, and am getting to grips with the precarious political situation around me.

Power cuts and dry taps will follow...

Tax

Tax in Nepal us huge, I guess It's import tax. I've been told that a new car is subject to 2-300% tax, (and yes, I mean Hundred!).
The taxi driver I had this morning was telling me that he'd never been to India, but that he and people from his village, close to the boarder would often buy bicycles from across the boarder. Being rather unchecked they could get away would it, but to make sure not to get hit up for tax he'd scuff the new bike, drop it on the floor a few times so it looked a but warn and old.

Money exchange

In Nepal money get a totally different level of respect than anywhere else in the world that I've been to. Notes and coins don't just get chucked around there is a particular way of handling money. When you are handing money over or receiving it you can only ever use your right hand. And as you hand it over, you touch your left hand to your right forearm or elbow. It's hard to explain without seeing it done, but immediately  there is a sense that the money has a bit more meaning. It's a habit I really like and remember noticing the last time I was here.  

Arrival

Trying to start this blog has been harder than I expected. I've been quite occupied since leaving England with rushing around cities getting stuff done. And the day in Delhi was an adventure in it's self, but that's for another post. There is almost too much too see and too much going on around me for me to take in to be able to write down.

Durbhar Marg, one of the main streets in the city, should really be called Purple Avenue with all the Jakaranda trees in bloom along it. Note, KFC and Pizza Hut have come to town!

My task list on arriving in Kathmandu included getting my phone set up and getting 3G working, an internet dongle and money changed. All of which require copies of my passport and visa and finger prints. I had blue thumbs for the first day here which I failed to keep away from my face. Then there is the basic buying of stuff. Bits of food, toiletries and a towel! Kathmandu now has a super market chain Bhat-Bhateni which has aisle and aisles of all sorts of stuff, imported and local. The one near Boudha that I went to was four floors high and sold absolutely anything you could need. Three aisles of just pasta - four if you add in all the instant noodles!

Bhat-Bhateni Super Market full of local and imported food and anything else you could want!

This is my third evening in Kathmandu and I am beginning to get the hang of things. The power situation here is something I had been dreading but I've managed ok so far. Nepal has serious electricity shortages and until the rains come and fill up the dams the whole of Kathmandu has scheduled power outages (I've just discovered this link - very useful). I am in Group 1 and every day we have 12 hours or more without power. It's actually surprisingly easy to function especially when I have back up batteries for my laptop, an internet dongle and a wind-up lantern. Tonight though the power hasn't gone out when it should have done (three hours ago) and I think that's because it's been raining heavily all day. I don't quite understand the logic but if it rains they don't turn the power off because it fills up the rivers/dams enough. But when the power does go off most places have a back up generator or inverter (battery) that give at least enough power for a couple of lights and appliances to work. But the one in the place I am staying has died. 

The inverter - or massive battery