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On Nov 3, Nepal was struck by a devastating 6.4-magnitude earthquake, centered in Jajarkot within the remote Karnali province. This natural disaster left the nation in urgent need of assistance to rescue victims and provide essential relief materials and shelter. The government swiftly undertook rescue efforts at the epicenter and other severely affected areas by deploying the Nepal Army and other security forces. However, a significant gap emerged in providing essential aid to those most affected, leaving many stranded without proper shelter.

The earthquake claimed the lives of at least 157 people, with nearly 400 individuals sustaining injuries across Nepal and parts of India. The dire situation worsened due to the government’s involvement in petty politics when it came to distributing relief materials. Instead of focusing on impartial aid distribution, the ruling parties showed favoritism by prioritizing their own supporters and cadres. This division in aid allocation further exacerbated the suffering of those already grappling with the aftermath of the disaster.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, Nepal’s immediate neighbors, India and China, stepped up to provide crucial support to the affected areas. Additionally, ambassadors from various nations expressed deep condolences for the lives lost in the earthquake and offered readiness to extend support to Nepal during this challenging time. Collaborative efforts of the neighboring countries and the international community played a pivotal role in assisting Nepal’s relief and recovery endeavors after the disaster struck.

Swift response

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to extend assistance to Nepal in the wake of the earthquake. Expressing deep sorrow for the loss of lives and damage caused, Modi tweeted his condolences and pledged India’s unwavering support. “India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is prepared to provide all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery.”

India promptly fulfilled Prime Minister Modi’s commitment by delivering the initial phase of relief materials to Nepal on Nov 5. From the Nepalgunj Airport, two truck-loads of essential supplies, accompanied with a security team, were dispatched to Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim. India’s Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, handed over the relief to Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka. The aid package comprised 625 units of plastic tarpaulin and tents, 1,000 sleeping bags, 1,000 blankets, 70 large-size tents, 35 packets of tent accessories, medicines and 48 other assorted articles, among other essentials.

On Nov 6, India continued its support by delivering a second consignment of relief materials for the disaster-affected families. The Deputy Chief of Mission, Prasanna Shrivastava, presented the second consignment to Nepal as part of the ongoing aid efforts. 

In the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake, India had been the first country to swiftly provide vital support to Nepal. Maintaining this commitment, India remained steadfast in extending comprehensive assistance to Nepal in the wake of the Jajarkot earthquake. Prime Minister Modi reiterated Indian support to Nepal, emphasizing the significance of assisting neighboring countries during times of crisis and how India continues to stand by its neighbors in times of need. 

China, the northern neighbor, also supported Nepal. On Nov 9, two Chinese cargo planes arrived at the airport carrying 600 cotton tents and 4,600 blankets. 

China’s Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, handed over the relief package to Nepal’s Home Minister, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who acknowledged China’s consistent support for Nepal’s economic development and emphasized their assistance during critical times, such as the 2015 earthquakes and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ambassador Chen highlighted the significance of the relief materials, portraying a strong connection between China and Nepal, characterized by shared mountains and rivers, and a bond of mutual assistance. These supplies symbolize China’s commitment to fostering a community with a shared future for all mankind, he said. This crucial support entered Nepal via the Kerung-Rasuwagadhi border point, facilitated by the Chinese Embassy in Nepal. Additionally, the China International Development Cooperation Agency announced a supplementary batch of emergency humanitarian assistance for Nepal. Furthermore, the Red Cross Society of China offered emergency cash assistance to aid Nepal’s rescue and relief endeavors in the earthquake-affected areas.

During an official visit to Nepal, Communist Party of China’s Tibet secretary Wang Junzheng announced further support for Nepal while paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Puspha Kamal Dahal. Also, CPC’s International Department (CPCID) extended support to Nepal through party channels. Leaders from Nepal’s major four parties facilitated the distribution of the materials received thus to the affected regions.

Genuine friendship

India and China, as emerging powers and our neighbors, have demonstrated their unwavering support for Nepal in times of crisis. The immediate assistance provided after the earthquake showcased their genuine friendship and solidarity with Nepal in times of need. The border disputes and conflicts between India and China are bilateral issues that Nepal regards as internal matters of the neighbors. How they navigate and develop their relations with the US is their prerogative, and Nepal can only urge both nations to peacefully resolve their disputes through diplomatic channels.

Nepal perceives India and China not as challenges but as opportunities. Their swift aid during this crisis underscores the importance of regional cooperation and mutual assistance in times of adversities. It's crucial for Nepali leaders to recognize that while Nepal benefits from neighborly support, it’s equally important to ensure respect for genuine interests of the neighbors. 

Shared borders and cultural ties mean disputes can crop up because of close proximity. Prime Minister Modi’s ‘neighborhood first’ policy has consistently supported Nepal, just as President Xi Jinping’s ‘peripheral diplomacy’ has guided China’s support to Nepal within this framework.

Nepal must uphold its national interests and sovereignty while engaging with its neighbors. It’s essential not to display bias in dealings with them. Nepal should adopt a pragmatic approach and openly discuss issues. If there are discrepancies or missteps from either neighbor, Nepal should seek rectification in a transparent manner. Nepal’s stance, whether in protest or support toward India and China, should be guided by specific issues and remain issue-centric.

The Social Media Management Guidelines 2080 is part of government efforts to regulate online space and social media through administrative measures. The guidelines and the ban on TikTok undermine the right to freedom of expression enshrined in the Constitution and limitations outlined in the Electronic Transaction Act. The guidelines covers diverse issues like fake ID and trolling without defining them, apart from defining ‘hate speech’ loosely, though the onus is on the Parliament to define the term. It bars social media users from creating and sharing contents through anonymous/fake IDs or commenting on shared contents. The right to be a part of cybersphere is key to safeguarding constitutionally-guaranteed digital rights also enshrined in international human rights instruments. Such a provision will violate people’s right to use social media for causes dear to them. Instead of opting for administrative measures to regulate the cybersphere, government should go for legislative regulation. 

The author is Executive Director at Digital Rights Nepal 

Case 1

Revati Thapa, 29, and her nine-month-old daughter Ritu were burnt alive in their house at Thapa Tol in Triveni-2 of Salyan on September 16. Police later arrested Revati’s ex-boyfriend, Karna Bahadur Basnet, for investigation. Police suspect that Karna was seeing Revati even after her marriage, and that he might have committed the crime out of jealousy. 

Case 2 

Bhavana BK, 28, of Saankha in Rukum West was found murdered in a hotel room in Musikot on Oct 17. Police arrested Lok Bahadur BK, 30, of Simli in Rukum West in connection to the crime. Investigation revealed that Bhavana was in a relationship with Lok Bahadur while her husband was in a foreign country for employment. Police say Lok Bahadur had borrowed Rs 500,000 from Bhavana, and that he murdered her after she pressed him to return the money. Prior to his arrest, Lok Bahadur was in jail for polygamy and had just got out after President Ram Chandra Poudel pardoned him on the Constitution Day. 

Case 3 

Rupesh Swarnakar, a school headmaster from Madrasa Tol in Kalaiya-6 of Bara, was fatally shot on October 30. He died while receiving treatment in Birgunj. Police later found out that Rupesh’s lover and school accountant Radha Gupta had hired gunmen from India to have him murdered. Radha resorted to the crime after Rupesh, a father of two, reportedly refused to marry her.

***

The above tales are but a glimpse into the crimes that are taking place every other day due to extramarital affairs. Such relationships are causing families to disintegrate, leaving innocent children helpless. 

Sociologist and professor Dambar Chemjong reflects on the evolution of extramarital affairs and the rise in crimes of passion in modern Nepali society. He attributes the increase in the number of extramarital affairs and crimes relating to such a relationship to technology.

“There used to be fewer cases in the past. But with the age of technology, people now have gained freedom, and the means of meeting different individuals. There is a growing tendency to share things with others under the pretext of alleviating tension.”

Chemjong adds: “Couples are also spending more time away from each other because one of them is working away from home. When a couple has not met for an extended period, they become suspicious of each other, and extramarital affairs tend to flourish. Foreign employment is also a significant factor contributing to the rise in extramarital affairs.”

Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, believes that the combination of unemployment opportunities at home and heavy social media use is causing the rise in cases of infidelity and crimes as a result of such illicit affairs.  

“Casual relationships are being formed on social media just to pass the time and in some cases these relationships evolve into something more. Even married individuals are falling in this trap,” says Mainali. “We have observed that lovers commit crimes like murder and assault when they are unable to manage their extramarital affairs.”

Former deputy inspector general (DIG) of Nepal Police, Hemanta Malla Thakuri, expresses concern that the increasing prevalence of extramarital affairs is not good news for society. 

“If a relationship is not healthy, it can lead to criminal activities,” he says. “This applies not only to extramarital affairs but to every relationship. Any relationship that is uncomfortable and strained can be fatal.”

DIG Kuber Kadayat, spokesperson for Nepal Police, says that individuals involved in extramarital affairs often refrain from reporting incidents of violence with the police. 

“Many opt to keep such matters private out of fear of being exposed for having extramarital affairs. This, in turn, can escalate into heinous crimes,” he adds.

Psychiatrist Karuna Kunwar says people normally resort to crime when they are unable to control their anger and passion. She says if one is careful about keeping their emotions in check, illicit love affairs and crimes relating to extramarital relationships could be lowered.

“In most cases, misunderstandings and ego between partners are the main reasons behind extramarital affairs. When the emotion and intimacy between a couple start to disappear, they seek outside relationships for mental happiness,” says Kunwar. “Not appreciating each other’s desires, not listening to each other, not speaking your mind, and not having time for each other can cause a rift in the relationship.”

Advocate Priya Hari Bhandari says that being involved in a romantic relationship with other individuals while being married is illegal and has a far-reaching impact on families and society. 

“Extramarital affairs have repercussions on the family, children, and society at large. In case of disagreements between the couple, efforts should be made to resolve the issues,” says Bhadari. “If the relationship is not working, the couple can always opt for legal separation.”

Foreign policy is a set of goals, policies and strategies aimed at promoting national interest through effective conduct of external relations. Most importantly, it has permanent and changeable features. According to Frederick H Hartmann, it is a ‘Systematic statement of deliberately selected national policies’. George Modelski defines foreign policy as the system of activities evolved by communities for changing the behavior of other states and for adjusting their own activities to the international environment. Hence, it is generally designed to protect and promote a country’s national interest, security, economic prosperity and independent international image.

Nepal aims to protect its core national interest and secure these interests through its foreign policy (Foreign Policy 2077). The policy, an attempt at clarifying Nepal’s policy to the internal and external audiences, highlights the country’s constitutional provisions, including directive principles, and tries to incorporate its fundamental objectives. Apart from guiding internal affairs of Nepal, the policy also helps development partners, neighboring countries, academicians, foreign policy experts, researchers and others get a clear picture of its objectives and goals.

Nepal’s foreign policy is characterized by continuity and change because it is guided not only by constitutional provisions but also by ages-old principles of peaceful co-existence (Panchasheel), non-alignment, world peace and international law.

For the promotion and protection of national interest, a foreign policy has to adjust to the changing political and economic contexts as well as the unexpected exigencies relating to new emergencies issues of health, ecology and technology, among others, by keeping the above-mentioned characteristics at the core. Foreign policy 2077 emphasizes soft power, multidimensional connections with other countries, revision of bilateral treaties, Nepali diaspora, resolution of border disputes, labor diplomacy, public diplomacy, track II diplomacy and climate change issues, making it a bit different from previous foreign policies.

Given contemporary international politics and our geostrategic location, the policy demands widespread and multidimensional cooperation involving government-to-government, people-to-people and business-to-business engagements with the international community. 

Our foreign policy also emphasizes multidimensional connectivity networks in this globalized world, including transnational roadways, railways, waterways, airways, optical fibers and electricity transmission lines. Such international networks can play a crucial role in the transformation of least developed countries (LDCs) to developing ones.

Although foreign policy 2077 is much more detailed than previous foreign policies, challenges remain when it comes to getting desired results through this instrument. Nepal needs to identify new areas of collaboration driven by shared interests to get benefits from technology transfers and strengthen diplomatic missions further.

Our unique geostrategic location between two Asian giants India and China means we need to maintain cordial, balanced, friendly and cooperative relations with both the neighbors to achieve the desired and set goals of foreign policy. 

We also need to know that conduct of foreign policy is not the exclusive domain of Foreign Ministry as the private sector, civil society, non-government organizations, professionals and state as well as non-state actors all have important roles to play. 

Most of the time, our foreign policy is punctuated by hyper-populism and often not dictated by principles due to political influence. This calls for an effective mechanism for the execution of foreign policy. Our political parties often pick individuals lacking even minimum standards and knowledge of diplomacy as ‘diplomats’, so the focus should be on improving professional skills and efficiencies of diplomats and officials working in Nepali missions abroad.

Nepal has struggled with many ups and downs and undergone various political translations. Time has come for the country to use economic diplomacy as a major aspect of foreign policy to achieve national prosperity and make every Nepali happy.

Formulation of a national consensus-based foreign policy and its full implementation is a must to realize this goal.