Submit your Article

Fifty years ago, our countries embarked on a journey of friendship, understanding, and collaboration. Today, as we reflect on the past five decades, we can take pride in the progress we have achieved together. The journey of the last 50 years is a story of shared values, mutual respect, and a commitment to building a better future for our people.

The emblem is a symbol of the enduring friendship between our nations as well as collaborative efforts of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Nepal and our Embassy in shaping a meaningful representation of this significant milestone. Today, as we unveil the result of cooperation between the Ministry and the Embassy, we can witness the strong bonds that have flourished over the past five decades. 

This book stands not only as a testament to their individual journeys but also as a powerful symbol of the fruitful outcomes of bilateral employment cooperation. The 26 businessmen featured in this book are living proof that the exchange of skills and experiences can yield personal growth and substantial contribution to the economic landscape of Nepal. These 26 business owners are heroes to create jobs in Nepal and to inspire other returnees to have a dream. Each success of 26 heroes also started from their dream. Their stories exemplify the spirit of bilateral employment cooperation, demonstrating that collaboration between Korea and Nepal can be a powerful catalyst for personal and economic development. Thanks for your contribution for this book and joining today here.

As we celebrate this golden anniversary, we must also look ahead to the future. Our diplomatic ties have weathered the test of time. Now, more than ever, it is crucial for us to strengthen our cooperation for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The global landscape is ever-changing, and by deepening our collaboration, we can navigate together these changes with resilience and solidity.

I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the leaders and people of both Korea and Nepal for reaching this historic milestone. It is a testament to the dedication and commitment of countless individuals who have worked tirelessly to build bridges, foster understanding, and promote cooperation between our nations.

As we stand at the threshold of the next 50 years, let us envision a future where our nations continue to grow and prosper together. May the spirit of friendship and cooperation that has characterized the last five decades guide us in creating a world of shared prosperity, peace, and mutual understanding. May the next 50 years be filled with even greater achievements and closer collaboration between Korea and Nepal. 

Statement delivered at the launching ceremony of commemorative log and book on success stories under EPS program

As we have read an idiom ‘The child is father of the man’ from the poem ‘My Heart Leaps Up’ by William Wordsworth which clearly states that man is the product of habits and behavior developed in youth. Hence, in the formative years of life, parents and family members play a vital role in the life of the child and so, too, does the entire community in which they grow and traditional ecological knowledge as a whole. Generally, knowledge is embodied with the actors and in their practices, tools, and technologies, as well as in institutions. Knowledge is inherently dynamic, involving constant evolution of knowledge-based resources and processes for governing those resources.

The knowledge possessed by communities about the characteristics and management of their local environment are of particular interest for Western ecologists and sociologists. A few onomasticon ‘folk knowledge’, traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) and indigenous knowledge were developed to the aforementioned knowledge. In fact, Huntington defined it in 2000 as the knowledge and insights acquired through extensive observation of an area or a species, which may include knowledge passed down in an oral tradition or shared amongst users of a resource. In contrast to indigenous knowledge systems, TEK focuses on the interrelationships and communications of living entities with one another and their surrounding environment and TEK doesn't mandate for indigenous communities either.

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has identified the five key drivers of biodiversity loss: Changes in land and sea use; direct exploitation of natural resources; climate change; pollution; and invasion of alien species. Changes in land use have been identified as the main driver of “unprecedented” biodiversity and ecosystem change over the past 50 years. Three-quarters of the land-based environment has been altered by human interventions. TEK in diverse conditions may provide remedy in resource management while dealing with these worries for ecological crisis.

According to the World Bank’s ‘Global Economic Prospect Report,’ Nepal was expected to have an estimated growth rate of 5.8 per cent in the fiscal 2021-22. Though the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war led global supply chain disruptions and associated hindered economic activity, Nepal has been slowly experiencing a glimpse of infrastructure development despite soaring inflation, rampant unemployment, hiked interest rates, and the looming fears of a recession have been experienced. For example, the rate of hydropower dam construction on rivers, transmission lines, road construction, and the river diversion multipurpose project is increasing in Nepal. These large infrastructure projects are likely to have many negative consequences on TEK about associated ecosystem, ecosystem services that it provides, but have not yet received much consideration in environmental studies reports (environmental impact assessment/initial environmental examination). Compensation and relocation schemes of such developmental activities disregard the TEK that communities possess. The major reason for not considering TEK is probably due to the lack of robust legal provision or due to compensation and relocation focused approaches. Concomitantly, if these projects provide equal opportunities to document TEK and may provide guiding bases for future.

Transhumance practice of animal husbandry, harvesting of valuable non-timber forest products (NTFPs), sky burial of corpse management in the Mountain region; Slash and Burn Agriculture, sedentary and shifting cultivation practices and hedgerow practices in the Hill region; and the stall-fed system in the Tarai region are the most common examples of traditional ecological knowledge for resource management in Nepal that we have come across. During my childhood days in Kathmandu, Parma, may be due to sparse farm hands to work in the agriculture field, or may be limited working days in the rain fed fields due to lack of irrigation facilities is one of the practices that I had first experienced. Availability of immigrants from rural sectors in the time of civil war and associated livelihood diversification ceases these practices in my community.  Successors of these practices in Kathmandu and other practices in the previous localities of immigrants have compounding impacts in the loss of TEK. Now, their way of linking, adapting and adjusting in the dynamic environment and compromising human livelihoods with people who have cherished cultural, traditional, environmental, economic, social, and political views may now become diverse among modern lifestyles. TEK is dependent on the communication of man with nature, which helped them thrive over thousands and millions of years.

In June 1992, five years after the Brundtland Report, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in its Rio Declaration stated that indigenous peoples have a vital role in environmental management and development, that their knowledge and traditional practices clearly established the relevance of indigenous peoples and the importance of protecting their rights in order to attain sustainable development.

Nepal is rich in biological resources and cultural resources and it is imperative that the country should take active legislative steps to protect the valuable TEK of the country. Concomitantly, Nepal signed two contradictory agreements i.e. TRIPS and CBD without absolute and concrete homework. Intellectual property rights (IPRs) applied on biodiversity are protected by the WTO TRIPs agreement (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights), and biodiversity objectives that are covered by the Convention on Biological Diversity, contradict each other on most accounts. Article 8(j) of CBD requires that the traditional knowledge of indigenous and local communities be respected, preserved and maintained; that the use of such knowledge should be promoted for wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge; and that they should equitably share in the benefits which arise from the use of their knowledge. CBD also requires, in Article 10(c), that customary uses of biological resources in accordance with traditional cultural practices should be protected and encouraged.

Article 27.3(b) of TRIPs provides that members may exclude animals and plants from patentability, though microorganisms for products, and microbiological and non biological processes for plant and animal production, must be subject to patenting. For instance, patent on the use of turmeric in wound healing granted to the US was revoked as its use was already known and used in South Asia for centuries. India proved an absence of novelty via scientific literature through a costly and time-consuming legal process against this sort of probable biopiracy. Under the mandate of TRIPS, all the members have to either patent or legislate an “effective sui generis system” for the protection of plant varieties. By virtue of this compliance requirement, Nepal framed document like Nepal Biodiversity Strategy 2002, which identifies biodiversity registration that aims at documenting the rich traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples, sharing local knowledge of bioresources with other communities in the country and abroad for mutual benefit, and conserving local traditional knowledge for sustainable utilization and equitable sharing of the benefits of natural resources through active support and participation of local communities and recognizes the need to protect farmer’s rights. However, the document falls short as there has been no strategy to effectively implement its provisions. 

Yet a substantial chunk of TEK of Nepali communities at grassroots level in the local community is not felt, hence prioritizing TEK has not been realized and such huge treasures of such knowledge remain unreported and hence are on the verge of being lost. The search for a sustainable economy is a global endeavor; for achieving these, as the need to conserve existing biodiversity and ecological processes becomes ever more pressing.

In the light of this, the government of Nepal, conservation partners and concerned stakeholders need to harp the importance of Nepal’s biological diversity and associated TEK and the concept of susceptibility toward bio-piracy and the biological resources. This scenario also calls for attention to the shortcomings of the legislation, or the lack thereof. TEK in the form of intergenerational learning and knowledge transfer may be particularly useful in situations where a community has co-existed for an extended period of time with one or more endangered species with the purpose to avoid the “knowledge crash.” The recent country’s priority species conservation action plan even failed to prioritize TEK as an important objective. So, it might be an opportunity to include TEK as an important component of any species conservation plan. Concomitantly, Sub-section 11(j) of Section 102 of the Local Government Operation Act, 2018 has the provision of formulating, implementing, and monitoring the local-level policy, and plan, related to biodiversity conservation in municipal jurisdiction as duty, responsibility, and rights of the rural municipality. This might add another brick in the wall for the conservation of TEK.

As we celebrate this week as martyr’s week, it’s crucial to reflect on the forgotten heroes and their families. Historically, a martyr is someone who sacrifices their life for a sacred cause. Martyrs are our heroes. As Benjamin Disraeli eloquently stated, “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.”

Deserving more than words

On 21 Sept 2023, during a program organized by the Martyrs’ and Disappeared Warriors Children’s Foundation in Sindhuli, I encountered the families of martyrs—vulnerable, elderly, illiterate, with no income, deprived of information, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and grappling with medical conditions. Despite these challenges, the children displayed exceptional natural intellect, particularly in the fields of law, engineering, agriculture and journalism—key positions that hold the potential to reform the country. It is crucial for the government to recognize and harness their potential through placements or further grooming, ensuring they contribute meaningfully to society.

In 2020, BMC International Health and Human Rights published a journal on the quality of life (QOL) of women from families of martyred individuals in Iraq. The study underscored the significance of QOL for the conflict-affected. The families of martyrs may carry an inner sense of pride for the supreme sacrifices made by their sons, husbands, and parents, but their QOL remains below par. They deserve more.

For CNN and the Times, the concept of ‘heroes’ might vary—they declare heroes annually. However, for Nepalis, our heroes are the families who continue to walk with pride, fully aware that their loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice for the country. Yet, their QOL needs improvement; some are oblivious to a government led by the ‘Maoist’ party. A prevailing concern is that these families do not sense a connection to government ministers led by the same leaders for whom their children and parents gave their lives.

International practices

International practices provide noteworthy examples. India not only compensates them financially but also offers jobs for their next of kin. On 26 July 2023, “The Times of India” reported that the next of kin of 19 martyrs were appointed to different government jobs on the grounds of compassion.  Azerbaijan went further, providing separate housing for about 9,200 families of martyrs and distributing more than 7,200 cars to war-disabled individuals.  Even conflict-torn countries like Afghanistan and Libya have passed bills honoring the martyrs and their family members. Afghanistan has a dedicated ministry overseeing the welfare of the martyrs’ families.

Nepal’s peace process

The recent visit of the UN Secretary-General to Nepal accentuates the urgency of bringing the peace process to a logical conclusion, an outcome incomplete without acknowledging the martyrs’ contributions. All leaders and dignitaries pledged support during his visit, and the time is now to translate those commitments into tangible action.

Article 42 (5) of Nepal’s Constitution guarantees the families of martyrs essential rights in education, health, employment, housing, and social security, accompanied by justice and respect. While martyrs receive commendable recognition at remembrance events, such as shawls and certificates, the focus must shift from being a platform for political speeches. These families, who are more than just affiliated with any political party, represent the nation’s heroes. Their sacrifices have granted us the freedom of expression and the ability to openly critique authorities. It is crucial that their status remains a national issue rather than being exploited for political gain.

The government must guarantee that the next of kin are not only honored as national martyrs but also provided benefits such as tax exemption, housing, placement in public services, employment, and, most importantly, free access to health and education. This is the minimum the nation can do to honor those martyrs who sacrificed their lives, bequeathing us the freedom and democracy we cherish today.

Political and constitutional changes have been a long-drawn-out affair, in the case of Nepal. 

For instance, the Constituent Assembly (CA) materialized 55 long years (in 2008) after its germination as an idea in 1951 following the advent of democracy. This delay can be attributed to manipulation on the part of our political parties.

One school of thought, though, assumes that the historic charter (the Constitution of 2015) promulgated through a CA does not have much to do with popular aspirations of Nepali citizens, whereas the other argues that it does. 

Sovereign Nepali citizens and their representatives—leaders of political parties—presumably have a central role in determining the kind of political systems they want and the roadmap for the future, with the Constitution acting as a point of reference. 

But our political parties are not acting in line with their very own manifestos and ideologies, giving rise to a state of impunity. First and foremost, these forces need to become clean, clear and accountable toward their political manifestos and ideologies. If this happens, we will have a drastic transformation in our views and visions. 

The derivatives

We encounter a lot of confusion while trying to trace the roots of our parliamentary democracy. Discourses tend to show that external diplomatic influences played a pivotal role in the establishment of democracy in Nepal rather than the domestic forces. This couriers a miserable deal with our preamble of sovereign state and somehow paves a depraved way out. 

What shall we do in such a scenario? Opt for a diplomatic transformation?

Amid all this, the to and fro of the former king has political parties, the old guard in particular, panicked along with the Hindutva factor. However, the new forces are quite upbeat and have already begun preparing for 2027, when general elections will take place. 

Hindutva does not necessarily mean an absolute religious rule. Rather, it can lay the foundation for good governance. Caught in a crossroads, Nepal has a gigantic opportunity to put its development agenda on the front-burner by going for collective bargaining with external forces like India, China, the US and the UK instead of focusing on the trivial issues.  

Parliamentary democracy constitutes a robust foundation in the countries with a laissez-faire governing system, where power is vested in the public or citizens. However, laissez-faire may result in despotism in the long run. This very idea of political shift may lead to an imbalance of power between the government bodies as seen now in Nepal between federal and local governments. A clear example of this imbalance is the relation between Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the federal government of Nepal. Potential tyranny, lack of trust between coalition partners and tyranny by majority can also be a clumsy manner for political derivation maintained through parliamentary democracy.

The way forward

The literacy rate has gone up in Nepal, as indicated by the 2021 census, possibly pointing toward rising public awareness, among others. Thanks to growing factionalism within their ranks, political forces are losing their cadres and followers, prompting new generations to seek alternatives of the old guard. 

All this is likely to deal the status-quoists a huge blow in the next general elections, with the scholar and well-versed political marcher possibly fielding their candidacies. 

To minimize the damage, the old guard needs to minimize social, developmental and inclusive gaps via politically collaborative foundations. Their focus should be on maintaining the rule of law, ending impunity, striving for economic reforms through diplomatic dialogues, and development of politically collaborative environments.