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KP Sharma Oli

I start by sharing how honored I feel to address John F Kennedy Jr. Forum at Harvard today. I extend my deepest appreciation to the President of the University, for the generous invitation and excellent arrangements for this event. I feel singularly privileged to stand in this enormous temple of knowledge and wisdom. With all modesty, I stand here to share Nepal’s perspective on transitional justice and climate justice.

First, let me delve into the issue of transitional justice in Nepal.  

As you may know, our country suffered a decade-long armed violence from 1996 to 2006 which resulted in around 17,000 deaths of Nepali people. But we have since come a long way from it, which started with the signing of a Comprehensive Peace Accord between the rebels and the government in 2006. 

Following the Accord, we first held an election to the constituent assembly in 2008 to write a new constitution. However, the disagreements in the assembly resulted in its dissolution without adopting a new constitution. Even then, the first constituent assembly undertook a consequential action--turning Nepal from an autocratic kingdom to a democratic republic by abolishing 240 years long monarchy. The country has also been transformed from unitary to federal state.

The second constituent assembly, elected in 2013, promulgated a new constitution in 2015, solidifying previous gains made in the field of restructuring and democratizing the state. The constitution marks the culmination of our nation’s struggles for democracy that started in the 1950s.  The constitution guarantees a competitive multiparty democratic system of governance, civil liberties, fundamental rights, human rights, full freedom of the press and concept of the rule of law with a view to building an inclusive and prosperous nation. 

In a nutshell, our constitution comprehensively addresses the underlying drivers and catalysts of conflict through substantial social, political and economic reforms. This is a brief scenario of Nepal’s peace process and political transformation. Transitional justice is an integral part of our peace process.

Although transitional justice has remained on the backburner for several years, it was not forgotten. An attempt has been made to resolve this protracted issue of transitional justice. Back in 2015, we established two transitional justice mechanisms, namely, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and Commission on Enforced Disappeared Persons. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission alone collected nearly 67 thousand complaints from all over the country and even settled some of them. 

But due to the frequent changes in the government, the issue of transitional justice was delayed for some 18 years after signing of the peace Accord. Now, my government has been formed in a coalition of major two parties of Nepali politics not only to give stability but also to better deliver to Nepali people. These two political parties have a long history of leading the people for their freedom and prosperity. 

In this context, I am happy to share that immediately after the formation of my government, the Transitional Justice bill was passed by the parliament with near consensus. This time, my government is determined to conclude the issue of transitional justice once and for all.

I want to assure you that the process of transitional justice will protect victims’ rights and interests, including legal remedies. It will involve seeking truth, providing reparation, and bringing perpetrators of serious crimes to justice. No blanket amnesty will be given. 

Nepal’s peace process is a nationally led and nationally owned unique process. Unique in the sense that all political parties from the left and right came together and concluded the ‘Peace Accord’. As we move to the last mile tasks of the peace process, we welcome support and encouragement from the international community including our partners in the process for effective implementation of the TJ Act.

We are determined to conclude TJ process to heal the wounds and scars of the conflict period and help the entire society move forward with a sense of reconciliation, peace and harmony. In fact, Nepal is inherently a non-violent, tolerant and peaceful society as it is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, an apostle of peace.

Now, let me turn to the subject of climate justice.

Our Mother Earth is in the ‘Goldilocks zone’ in terms of Earth’s distance to the Sun.  As the right atmosphere had evolved in the subsequent period, life came to existence on earth. The making of this process took several billion years. Long story short, today, we descendants of ‘Homo sapiens’ rule the surface of the planet earth.

What we know now is that the last two hundred years’ anthropogenic activities have been rendering irreparable damage to the natural ecosystem and atmosphere of our mother earth thereby leading to the destruction of billions of years of evolution in no time.  Axiomatically, it will invite the extinction of life on earth.

Now, the whole world is suffering. But the least developed countries are suffering the most as they do not have resources and technologies to manage adverse impacts of climate change. Moreover, while we have just started to make initial steps for economic development, the problem of global warming and climate change has come our way with increased incidence of disasters. It came to us from the outside world, far from our borders. The cumulative impact of hundreds of years of burning of fossil fuels have largely created these catastrophic problems. 

This is a gross injustice meted out by the advanced industrialized economies with their centuries of exploitation of nature and emissions of greenhouse gas that are largely responsible for the global ecological harms, endangering our very existence. Against this fact, it is entirely rational to call for climate justice. And for us, climate justice is plain and simple: those who pollute the environment have to pay proportionately. Developed countries and major economies must take proportionate responsibility to support developing nations for climate actions, through adequate resources and technology transfer. The major emitters must lead from the front in healing and rehabilitating Mother Nature, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. The establishment of a “Loss and Damage” fund in the recent UN Climate Change conference was a positive step in recognizing the principle of climate justice, whereby those most responsible for emissions should cover the damages.

If we truly believe in democracy and justice at a global level, then wealthy nations who are responsible for climate damage must compensate for the loss and damage of essential infrastructures and livelihoods of people in vulnerable countries.

The stakes are nothing less than our collective existence. The world cannot continue with a wrong model of carbon intensive development. We must take proportionate actions to limit global warming and climate change, preserve nature, transition to greener economies and embrace a sustainable path forward. We are in the same boat. If we don’t work together to keep it afloat, we will sink together. 

My country Nepal has set an ambitious goal of reaching net zero by 2045, five years ahead of the global target.

Despite being one of the lowest emitters of greenhouse gasses, Nepal is one of the most climate vulnerable countries. We have become a barometer of climate change.

Nepal has hugely been contributing to the health of our planet through its forests, mountains and rivers. Yet, despite these efforts, we continue to bear the brunt of climate change, created largely by the actions of industrialized nations.

Our mountains play a crucial role in regulating the climate and ecosystem of oceans and mountains, with their snow-fed rivers flowing down to the oceans. Nepal’s Himalayas, as a natural climate stabilizer, help maintain a cooling system in a region situated in the hottest zone of the planet between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.

But our Himalayas are losing their ice at an alarming rate endangering the lives and livelihood of billions of people based on the river system originated from the Himalayas. 

Neither the heat of the hottest regions nor the ice of the cold poles caused this destruction. It is humanity that has harmed nature, and in turn, nature is contributing to the climate crisis. Therefore, it is our responsibility to protect nature, and in doing so, we must preserve our mountains and forests.

I conclude by stating the obvious: the climate crisis is an unprecedented crisis that engulfs the entire planet. Therefore, it requires commitments, solidarity and collective action on an unprecedented scale.

Thank you for your attention.

Remarks by the Prime Minister Oli in John F Kennedy Jr Forum at Harvard University

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has directed its subordinate agencies to resume the roads blocked and disrupted by the landslides and river erosions following the downpour.

Spokesperson at the Ministry, Sunil Babu Dhakal, shared that they were making all-out efforts to re-operate 41 roads in different districts. These roadways witnessed disruptions in 64 places with damages caused by rain-triggered landslides and floods on Saturday.

Dhakal said they had directed the agencies to repair roads with minor damages so as to bring the halted traffic movement into operation by the late-night Sunday.

The Ministry, according to him, had emphasized removal of debris and other obstructions on the roads including major highways. The subordinate bodies were asked to submit reports outlining an action-plan for prompt repair of the flood and landslide-damaged road projects with alternative solutions to consider if immediate repairs were not feasible, he mentioned.

Similarly, DSP Rabin Karki at the Metropolitan Traffic Police, Kathmandu noted that problems persisted in operation of traffic on the roads having many defects at Nagpokhari along with river corridors in the Kathmandu Valley itself.

Removal of soil and sand from the roads on the corridors is underway, he said, adding that all checkpoints entering into the Kathmandu Valley were currently closed.

He reported that the road in Kavrebhangyang road section under the BP Highway sustained damages while the road towards Dolalghat is not operational yet.

Wiping out landslide debris on the road along the Prithivi Highway is ongoing, according to him. Initially, roads were disrupted in around 100 places but by now roads at 40 places have been reopened, according to the Ministry.

Stating that there was no discomfort in traffic management within the Valley at present, Spokesperson Dhakal said that necessary arrangements were put in place for swift resumption of traffic movements on all roads across the country in view of approaching festivals.

Landslides and floods triggered by incessant rains in the past two days damaged various 16 hydropower projects.

According to the Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN), floods inflicted damages on powerhouses, transmission lines, and other structures.

The details of the loss are being collected and it may go up.

The dam site and a pond to filter sand of the Upper Tamakoshi Project have been damaged. The Project is being developed by the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project Limited, an auxiliary company of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

Four people, including security personnel and two workers, have gone missing in the landslide that struck the Project structure on Saturday late morning, according to Company CEO Mohan Prasad Gautam.

The production from a 456-megawatt project has been disrupted, causing issues in the overall power supply system. 

The NEA said that it has been trying to fix issues in the power distribution due to the damage to power production centers. It said it has disrupted the power supplies of 980 megawatts per hour due to the disaster's impacts.

According to IPPAN, the powerhouse of the 22-megawatt-capacity Bagmati Small Hydropower Project is completely submerged. This project is promoted by Mandu Hydropower. Kahnikhola Hydropower, Mandu Hydropower and other hydropower projects have informed about the halt in their production to Nepal Stock Exchange as well. 

Similarly, power production of the 22.1-megawatt-capacity Lower Hewakhola Hydropower Project promoted by Mountain Hydro Nepal has been closed due to flooding. This project was also affected due to flooding last year. The production of the 14.9 megawatts capacity Hewakhola Hydropower Project promoted by Panchthar Power has also been halted due to flooding. The reconstruction of this project was about to be completed after it was damaged by flooding last year and it is again damaged.

Power production of the 86-megawatt-capacity Solu Dudhkoshi Hydropower Project promoted by Sahas Energy has also been halted as the dam of the project suffered damage.

The dam and other structures of the three-megawatt-capacity Maikhola Cascade Hydropower Project have been damaged. This project is promoted by the Sagarmatha Hydropower Company.

IPPAN said that the dam and transmission line of the 9.6-megawatt-capacity Maikhola Hydropower Project have suffered damage. This project is also promoted by Sagarmatha Hydroelectricity Company.

Power production has also halted at Pheme Khola Hydropower Project as the Sutrikhola rivulet damaged the power production structures.

The access road and safety wall of the Suparnyadi hydropower project with a total capacity of 40 MW have been damaged due to flooding. The Elep River Tatopani hydropower project has also been damaged by the flood, while the camp house and access road of the 216 megawatts Upper Trishuli-1, constructed with a Korean investment, have also been damaged.

Likewise, three containers loaded with construction materials have been washed away. The crusher of the Hewakhola hydropower Project has been buried and the access road has been damaged.

Similarly, due to the flood, the tower of the transmission line collapsed and the equipment brought to connect the power house were washed away.

A problem has arisen due to a landslide in the access road of Sabhakhola-B hydropower project. Likewise, the powerhouse has been buried and the dam has been damaged.

According to IPPAN, the access road of Sabhakhola-C Hydroelectric Project has been damaged and the road infrastructure of Landruk Modi Hydroelectric Project has also been washed away. The flood has swept away the construction equipment of the Super Trishuli Hydropower Project.

The project with a total capacity of 100 MW is under construction. Two excavator loaders and three tippers of the project have been swept away.

Similarly, the Bailey bridge has been washed away, the power house which was under construction has been buried, according to IPPAN. When the power generation from the affected project was stopped due to floods, the pressure was placed on the NEA's system. Because of this, the NEA had to import an additional 300 megawatts of electricity from India on Saturday alone.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has requested the airline companies to sell air tickets at a discounted price or at the same rate as before.

Due to the increase in the number of air passengers, the airline companies were heavily criticized by the public when they charged higher fares than before without any genuine reason.

"At a time of such a disaster, we request the airlines to help the passengers by taking fares from passengers at a discounted price or at the same rate as before," Prime Minister Oli wrote on social media. "We all have to together face the natural disaster that has befallen us."

Prime Minister Oli has also informed that the Ministry of Tourism of the Government of Nepal has made a special decision for air passengers and rescue flights.

The Nepali Congress' federal lawmakers have pledged to provide 15 days' salary for relief operations for the victims of natural calamities.

The meeting of the NC Parliamentarian Party expressed sorrow over the unimaginable loss of lives and properties due to landslides, floods and inundation caused by torrential rains on September 27 and 28 in different districts.

The attendees of the meeting extended condolences to the bereaved families and wished speedy recovery of those injured in the natural disasters.

The meeting decided to provide financial support through the government, it was shared.

It may be noted that the death toll from the recent rainfall and subsequent disasters have claimed 148 lives till date. While 55 have gone missing, and 100 others injured, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated.

NC President and Parliamentary Party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba presided over the meeting at his personal residence, Budhanilakantha.

Deuba, also the former Prime Minister, urged the incumbent government to accelerate the reconstruction process of important public infrastructures such as roads, bridges, school buildings, health posts and police posts among others which sustained damages from the recent rain-triggered flood, landslide and inundation.

Additionally, the parliamentarians highlighted the need for immediate rehabilitation of those rendered homeless by disasters, informed Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire. 

They also appealed to all members of the federal parliament to contribute to this cause from their respective roles.

The death toll in the floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall has reached 148 while the number of people gone missing stands at 55.

As the rains lashed out various districts including the Kathmandu Valley itself, incidents of landslide, flood and inundation took such a number of lives and damaged huge property.

It has been learnt that 100 people were injured in the recent catastrophes.

Categorically, Dhading district witnessed 38 deaths, Lalitpur 22, Kathmandu 16, Kavre 29, Makawanpur seven, Sindhpalchowk six, and Solukhumbu, Panchthar and Bhaktapur five each, according to Rishiram Tiwari, Spokesperson at Home Ministry.

Similarly, Dolakha had three casualties, Sindhuli, Dhankuta, Jhapa, Ramchhap and Mahottari two each, and Udayapur, Ilam, Saptari, and Nuwakot one each.

A total of 9,983 security persons were mobilized for search and rescue operations in the disaster-hit areas, while 3,662 people have been rescued so far.

The floods and landslides pulled down 322 houses and 16 bridges, according to data provided by the Armed Police Force.

Nepal Students Union (NSU) at Nepal Law Campus is organizing a free screening of the critically acclaimed Nepali drama film Shambhala, followed by a panel discussion featuring members of the movie's crew. Shambhala, a 2024 release directed by Min Bahadur Bham and starring Thinley Lhamo, Tenzin Dalha, and Sonam Topden, gained international recognition as the first Nepali film to compete at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival for the prestigious Golden Bear.

The event is scheduled for Sept 30 (Monday) at 6:30 am at Vishwajyoti Cineplex, Jamal. The panel discussion will feature director Min Bahadur Bham, lead actors Thinley Lhamo and Karma Shakya, who will engage with students and attendees. The discussion is expected to explore themes such as women’s empowerment and the portrayal of northern Nepalese society through the lens of cinema.

"This event will play a key role in reflecting the reality of northern Nepal through the medium of cinema and will highlight women's empowerment issues across the country," said MD Mazid Parwez, President of NSU Nepal Law Campus.

While entry to the screening is free, only 150 participants will be allowed, and they must register via a Google Form provided by NSU NLC. The event will be hosted by Ashis Sapkota and aims to foster a connection between law students, the legal fraternity, and Nepal's often-overlooked northern culture.

Ten more bodies have been recovered from a micro bus buried in a landslide at Jhayple Khola in Dhunbesi Municipality-9, Dhading.

It has been learnt that the bus was heading towards Kathmandu from Chitwan.

With this, the number of bodies recovered from Jhyaple Khola has reached 13 on Sunday alone.

Information Officer at the District Police Office Dhading Prahlad Silwal informed that the bodies of eight men and two women have been found since this morning.

Fourteen bodies were recovered on Saturday.