Submit your Article

Nepali nationals living in Kyrgyzstan have been urged to exercise caution, and remain indoors until the situation returns to normal.

The request comes following reports of mob violence targeting foreign students in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of Nepal in Islamabad, Pakistan has stated that around 280 Nepalis living in and around Bishkek are reported to be safe.

For any kind of information and support, the Embassy has requested to contact the Embassy's phone number +92512610321 (including WhatsApp) and email at [email protected].

The Kyrgyz foreign ministry on Saturday assured that the situation was under control. “From the moment information about the incident was received, law enforcement agencies of the Kyrgyz Republic took prompt measures to detain persons involved in the event, both foreign citizens and citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic,” the Kyrgyz foreign ministry said in a statement.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the government has made serious diplomatic efforts for the safe repatriation of students in the captivity of Palestinian rebels to Nepal.

Addressing the Fourth Convocation Ceremony of the Far-West University here today, PM Dahal, who is also the Chancellor of the University, expressed sorrow over the Nepali students who lost their lives in the attacks by Palestinian insurgents in Israel on October 7, 2023.

"I am deeply saddened by the incident in which our students who had gone to Israel as part of the 'Earning while Learning' program of the Far-West University's Institute of Agriculture lost their lives in the attacks by the Palestinian rebels," he said, and extended tribute to those students killed in the incident as well as expressing condolences to their family members.

The Prime Minister stated that the government has been fulfilling with alacrity the responsibility it has to undertake to bring back to Nepal the students who were injured and affected by the incident, and to repatriate the bodies of those killed in the attack. 

"Even now a student is in the captivity of the rebels. Necessary diplomatic initiatives are going on for returning him to Nepal," the PM said.

Bipin's release will also be agenda during Qatari Emir's visit to Nepal, says PM

Speaking in the same program, Prime Minister Dahal said the topic of taking initiatives for securing the release of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student who is under the captivity of Hamas militants, is included in the agenda during the State visit to Nepal.

He said that the role that the Qatari Emir can play in Joshi's release is also included in the agenda of his visit.

"The government is vigorously playing its role in bringing the affected students’ home from Israel. Only this morning in an interview to a Kuwaiti television channel, I spoke on Qatar's role in securing Joshi's release and also requested to take the initiative to that end," PM Dahal said on the occasion.

PM Dahal also on the occasion handed medals to the University students who won various medals.

Minister for Education, Science and Technology and the University Pro-Chancellor, Sumana Shrestha and Professor of the Kumaun University of Uttarakhand State, India, Prof Diwan Singh Rawat also expressed their views.

Three hundred and seventy-six students were graduated in the convocation ceremony, according to the Far-West University.

Ten years ago, Nepali mountain guide Dawa Tashi Sherpa was fighting for his life after being hit by an avalanche on Everest which was then the deadliest disaster on the world’s highest mountain.

The accident, which killed 16 Nepali guides on 18 April 2014, shone a spotlight on the huge dangers they face to let high-paying foreign clients reach their dreams.

Without their critical work to carve out climbing routes, fix ropes, repair ladders and carry heavy gear up the mountain, few foreign visitors could make it to the daunting peak’s top.

A decade ago, a wall of snow barrelled through the Nepali guides as they heaved heavy kit up the treacherous high-altitude Khumbu icefall in the freezing dark.

The force of the avalanche tossed Dawa Tashi about 10 meters down, injuring his rib cage, left shoulder blade and nose.

Dawa Tashi, then aged 22, recalled his friends who died. Three of their bodies were never recovered.

“I was lucky to survive,” he told AFP. “In the hospital, whenever I tried to sleep, they would appear in front of my eyes.”

The disaster led to protests for improved benefits and conditions for the guides, and an unprecedented shutdown on the peak for a season.

‘Tipping point’

It sparked a debate about compensation for the families of injured or killed Nepali guides and mountain workers.

Many are forced to rely on the charity of Western climbers—despite being employed by expedition companies and being fundamental to the multimillion-dollar industry’s success.

“It was very difficult back then,” said Nima Doma Sherpa, who lost her husband Tsering Onchu, 33, in the avalanche.

“What can you do when the main pillar of your house is not there? The children were small, and I was worried how I will educate them and how we will sustain ourselves.”

The government reaps hefty revenues from the lucrative climbing industry—in the last season in 2023, it earned more than $5m from Everest fees alone.

Soon after the 2014 accident, it pledged a meager $400 to the families of those killed to cover funeral expenses.

The offer was rejected by angry Nepalis, whose families received only $10,000 then in life insurance.

The resulting furious dispute, with Nepalis clamoring for better death and injury benefits from the government, saw days of tension at the base camp.

Sherpa guides, grief-stricken over the deaths of their colleagues, threatened to boycott climbing, throwing mountaineers’ plans into disarray and canceling the season.

“It was a tipping point for young Sherpas who were frustrated,” said Sumit Joshi of expedition operator Himalayan Ascent, who lost three guides from his team in the avalanche that year.

Since then, his Everest teams have not climbed on the anniversary date.

“Ten years on, there is an improvement in their working conditions and the respect that they command,” he said.

Safety standards needed

In 2014, the protesters at Everest base camp made several demands.

They included an improvement in insurance payouts and a relief fund from mountain royalties.

“We were advocating for the Nepali climbers, ensuring they can get as much benefit as possible,” said Ang Tshering Sherpa who headed the Nepal Mountaineering Association at the time.

“But not all demands could be met as there were limitations.”

The insurance payout was increased by 50 percent to Rs 1.5m ($11,250) if someone is killed.

Helicopters are now allowed to fly in supplies to higher camps, decreasing the number of trips Nepalis make across the treacherous Khumbu icefall.

Nepali companies have displaced foreign operators to bring in the majority of climbers, and pay and conditions have improved for guides at larger firms.

But, guide Mingma G Sherpa said, little else has changed.

“They protested, but it was limited to the base camp,” he said. “The main thing is that the government policies are still not good... we really need to set a standard for climbers to make the mountains safer.”

‘Wives don’t agree’

In 2015, a powerful earthquake triggered an avalanche that killed 18 people at Everest’s base camp before the climbing season began.

Last year’s season started with the death of three Nepali climbers carrying expedition supplies, after they were hit by glacial ice fall and swept into a crevasse.

Mingma G Sherpa said many local guides have quit the industry.

“The number of Sherpas has gone down significantly. Now companies have to go look for Sherpas. In the past, Sherpas would have to go around looking for work,” he said.

“We want to go to climb because we know the environment there, but the family members don’t want to send. The mothers and wives don’t agree.”

Survivor Dawa Tashi, who began trekking when he was just 11, still guides climbers and returned to Everest in 2021.

He is preparing to guide six Americans up the 6,461-meter-tall central Mera peak.

“There were improvements after the disaster, but it is not enough,” he said, pointing to the $11,000 fee each foreigner pays to the government to climb Everest.

“The government... should make a fund to safeguard the manpower,” he said.

“The clients would also happily pay it, knowing that it will be used to take care of their team.” 

AFP

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called upon the Nepali speakers and the people of Nepali origin residing in various countries of the world to invest the skills, knowledge and capital they have earned for Nepal.

PM Dahal made this call in a meeting with a delegation of the Association of Nepali Origin (ANO) at his official residence in Baluwatar today.

Stating that although of different nationalities, the campaign of linking all the Nepali-speaking and Nepali-origin people throughout the world is positive, he urged bringing the Nepali speakers throughout the world together through this campaign, as the mother or the fatherland is the same.

The PM said the ANO's campaign of connecting the Nepalis spread across the globe by means of language and culture is positive, pledging the necessary support on behalf of the government for the success of the campaign.

A gathering, on March 19, of Nepali speaking people from various countries around the world held in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, constituted the ANO with the goal of uniting the Nepali race and preserving the Nepali language and culture.

Thanking the ANO for running the campaign of connecting the Nepali speakers by means of art and culture, Prime Minister Dahal expressed his best wishes for a new campaign.

ANO President Dilliram Adhikari expressed gratitude to the government for the cooperation and best wishes received so far from the government, and expected the same in the days to come. "We will take ahead this campaign as the ambassador of the Nepali language, art and culture throughout the world. At the same time, the campaign will further contribute to the nation's development, preserving and publicizing the 'Nepaliness', connecting the future generation to Nepal," he asserted.

The organization will likewise encourage the Nepali investors living abroad to put investment in Nepal's education, health and other sectors and to carry out social works in the country where their ancestors' identity is linked.

The ANO delegation consisted of its vice-president Sushil Kumar Panta, general-secretary Chudamani Bhattarai among other office-bearers.

The Bangkok gathering representing the Nepali origin social campaigners from 27 countries of the world was transformed into the ANO's First Convention and a 54-member working committee was formed under Dilli Adhikari, a Nepali origin social worker born in Bhutan and currently living in the USA.

A demonstration was staged in Kathmandu on Monday demanding to rescue the Nepalis ‘trapped’ in the Russian army.

The family members and relatives of those serving in the Russian army staged the demonstration demanding rescue, relief and information about the situation of the missing.

Police have arrested 12 people who were staging the demonstration demanding rescue of their relatives from the southern gate of Singha Durbar.

They have also demanded that the government make efforts to repatriate the missing and provide compensation to the families of the deceased.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb 2022, Nepal joined the chorus of widespread international condemnation against Putin’s Russia. 

Nepal went so far as to vote in the emergency special session of the United Nations General Assembly against  Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Russia immediately withdraw its forces and abide by international law. 

At the time, many foreign policy watchers said Nepal’s voting in the UN went against the country’s long-standing non-alignment policy. In the subsequent voting process concerning the Russia-Ukraine war, Nepal decided to maintain a neutral position.  The reverberations of the war was felt in Nepal’s economy too, although not as much in many parts of the world. Interestingly, soon after the war, Moscow came up with a new proposal to advance bilateral cooperation with Kathmandu.

Amidst the war with Ukraine, Russia invited Nepali politicians for an official visit. Chairman of National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timalsina paid an official visit to Moscow last year.  The Russian Embassy in Kathmandu also submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressing willingness to contribute to Nepal’s connectivity and other areas.

At one point, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal even declared that he was interested in visiting Moscow or hosting Putin in Kathmandu. With its reputation taking a major slide, Russia wanted to create a favorable public opinion, and it had succeeded with the Dahal government. 

But two years after the war broke out, Nepal faces an unpleasant moment with Russia. Lured by good earning prospects, Nepali youths are flying to Russia through unscrupulous agents to join the Russian Armed Forces. The horrors of war have visited Nepal in the form of Nepali youths either dying or missing in the war.    

The official government figure says that 13 youths serving in the Russian army have been killed so far. But it cannot be trusted, since Russia does not give out the casualty numbers of its own soldiers, let alone the foreign soldiers who have joined its army. 

Russia has been recruiting foreign nationals including from Nepal to fight its war with Ukraine. Nepal’s request to Russia to stop the recruitment of Nepali youths has so far gone unheard. The Nepal government has also asked Russia to repatriate the Nepali youths who have joined the Russian Armed Forces and provide compensation to the families of those who have been killed in the war. 

Though Kathmandu and Russia are in constant communication, Russia is yet to respond to Nepal's request. It is not certain how many Nepali youths are currently serving in the Russian army. The government estimates the number around 200 but those who have escaped from Russia say that the number could be in the thousands.

Till now, 13 Nepalis have been confirmed killed, 50 have returned from Russia and approximately 150 families have submitted an application at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs requesting for safe return of their family members.

Security agencies in Nepal have nabbed a group involved in sending Nepali youths to Russia. Similarly, the authorities have tightened the provision of visit visa after it was found that most of the youths were able to reach Moscow using visit visas. Similarly, the provision of no-objection letters has been extended to 10 countries. Work permits to Russia and Ukraine have also been barred.

But many Nepalis continue to reach Russia to join the army. It is said most of the new Nepali recruits joining the war are migrant workers based in the Middle East and other labor destinations.  

According to government officials, Russia has agreed to provide compensation to the family members of those who have been killed in the Russian army, but the two sides are yet to agree on the modality of how the compensation will be distributed. Nepal has requested Russia to send the cash incentives to the families in Nepal, but Russia is saying that family members should travel to Moscow to claim the compensation. 

Nepal has also requested Russia to send the bodies of Nepali citizens who have been identified and kept in the hospitals, but the issue of who will pay the money to repatriate the dead remains uncertain.

It is said the government is also in talks with Ukraine to free five Nepali prisoners of war. But officials say Ukraine has set some conditions to free those hostages. Some of the conditions include legal punishment for freed hostages once they have returned to Nepal and a guarantee that no Nepali shall join the Russian army again.

As more families are coming out claiming that their loved ones are missing in the Russia-Ukraine war, the Nepal government is facing increasing pressure to hold talks with Russia as well as Ukraine to secure the safer return of its citizens.

At the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit recently, Foreign Minister NP Saud met Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Vershinin and asked to stop the recruitment of Nepali nationals and send back those who have already been recruited. The latter assured to communicate Nepal’s concern to the Kremlin, but nothing came of it. Saud has recently expressed his willingness to travel to Russia to talk on the same issue, but Russia has not agreed so far.  

This week families of those who are in the Russian army organized a press conference to air their concerns. Suman Rai, who escaped the Russian army and returned to Nepal said more than 500 Nepali nationals have already died in the war and thousands are still serving in the Russian army. He added that most of the Nepali youths, who do not understand Russian language, have been deployed in the frontline.

According to some media reports, Russia has been providing around Rs 300,000 to Nepali youths. To attract foreign nationals to join the Russian army, the Kremlin has also pledged to provide them with Russian citizenship.  

Nepali youths who reach Russia are said to be paying up to Rs 1m to agents and brokers. The promise of lucrative salary has driven many Nepalis to risk their lives and join the Russia-Ukraine war. Even those people who were holding permanent jobs in Nepal’s security agencies are joining the Russian army. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who landed in Kampala of Uganda on Thursday evening leading a Nepali delegation to attend the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held a meeting with Nepali diaspora community in Uganda.

After meeting the Nepali diaspora community, PM Dahal said that he was delighted to meet and interact with the Nepalis there, the PM's secretariat said.

On the occasion, the PM said the country cannot progress without addressing the issues of Nepalis living abroad. "I got an opportunity to know the sufferings of Nepalis living in African countries," the PM stated.

During the meeting, Minister for Foreign Affairs NP Saud urged the Nepali citizens residing in Uganda to work to uplift the nation's dignity adding that Nepalis in Uganda are serving themselves as the non-residential ambassadors of Nepal.

Chairman of Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) Uganda chapter, Rama Aryal, said the Nepalis community in Uganda was elated to receive the PM there and experienced the PM's guardianship.

According to the patron of NRNA Uganda chapter Ramesh Kandel, around 350 Nepalis are working and residing in Uganda and contributing to the nation's development, construction and trade communities.  

PM Dahal's daughter Ganga Dahal, Foreign Affairs Minister Saud, PM's foreign affairs advisor Dr Rupak Sapkota, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and senior officials of the Nepal government were present on the occasion.

The NAM Summit is being held in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda, from today. PM Dahal is scheduled to address the Summit today itself that is being held under the theme, 'deepening global cooperation for shared global affluence'.

It is said the 19th Nam Summit is to dwell on the ministerial report, review implementation status of the 18th NAM Summit and pass Kampala Declaration.

Nepal is a founding member of the NAM and has been attending the NAM Summit actively since its establishment in 1961. Non-alignment is one of the fundamental foreign principles of Nepal.

Three more Nepalis serving in the Russian army have died.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of three more Nepalis serving in the Russian army.

With this, the number of Nepalis killed in the Russia-Ukraine war has reached 10.

The deceased have been identified as Raj Kumar Giri of Dhading, Hari Prasad Aryal of Syangja and Bharat Bahadur Shah of Kailali, according to Amrit Bahadur Rai, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The government has urged the Russian government to send the bodies to Nepalis who lost their lives in the war.

Rai said that the government has urged the Russian government not to recruit Nepali citizens and to return the Nepali citizens who have joined the Russian army.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud has said that approximately 100 Nepalis who are serving in the Russian army remain missing and some have been injured. Speaking at a programe in the Capital, the foreign minister said the ministry is receiving complaints from the family members of the missing.

Saud said approximately 200 Nepalis who went to Russia on student, working and visit visas have joined the Russian army. However, the number could be bigger given the growing number of complaints.

According to him, the ministry has already summoned the Russian ambassador and conveyed Nepal’s concern to Moscow. The government has also ordered the Nepali Embassy in Moscow to reach out to Russian authorities. 

Foreign Minister Saud also said that the government was in constant touch with Ukraine to free the Nepalis being held hostage by the Ukrainian army. The government has also requested the International Committee of Red Cross to help to rescue Nepalis in Ukraine.

To date, seven Nepalis have been confirmed dead and four are under captivity in Ukraine. According to the ministry, four Nepalis are under Ukraine’s captivity. They have been identified as Bibek Khatri, Sidhartha Dhakal, Bikas Rai and Pratik Pun. Nepal has communicated with the Ukraine government about the matter.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Nepal has told the Russian side to provide compensation to those who were killed in war with Ukraine and facilitate the process of repatriating the bodies.

In order to stop the recruitment process, Nepal has made the provision of no objection letter mandatory. The provision also applies to those flying to Russia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

Nepal has intensified diplomatic efforts with Russia to address the key concerns surrounding Nepali youths joining the Russian army. Speaking with ApEx, Foreign Minister NP Saud said the number of Nepali youths in the Russian army could be higher than the government estimates. 

“The number of casualties and missing could also be higher,” said Saud. Given the situation in Russia, the minister said that the government has taken a series of measures to stop Nepalis traveling to Russia as well as Ukraine through various transit countries. 

Russia has been enlisting Nepali men in its army and sending them to fight the war with Ukraine without the knowledge of Nepal. The presence of Nepalis in the Russian army was made known by the enlistees through their social media posts.

The government view is that the Kremlin should have stopped Nepalis from joining the Russian Army in the first place. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said recently that approximately 200 Nepalis were serving in the Russian army, but other independent observers who have returned from the country say the number could be much higher. Till date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death of six Nepalis. 

Nepal Police recently busted a gang involved in the smuggling of people to Russia, leading to the suspicion that many Nepali youths are currently serving in the Russian army. Minister Saud said the Nepal government will ask Russia to ascertain the number of Nepalis in its army, as well as the number of dead, injured and prisoners of war.

“We are in the process of taking up these issues with the concerned authorities,” he told ApEx.

In recent weeks, there have been increasing reports about the death and hostage taking of Nepalis serving in the Russian army. Videos of some Nepali hostages asking for help have also been released.  

As Nepal and Russia enjoy a cordial relationship and both countries have their residential embassies in each other’s capital, Nepal may not need support of a third country to repatriate its citizens.

 Even in the war-time, Nepali politicians have been visiting Russia. Prime Minister Dahal recently expressed his wish to visit Moscow and to host Russian President Vladamir Putin in Kathmandu.

In April, Chairman of National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timalsina had also visited Russia. Soon after his visit, Russia handed over a paper to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs identifying the areas that Russia wants to engage with Nepal. There have been other high-level exchanges between the two countries as well.  According to some observers, as the two countries have been in constant communication and hosting each other’s delegations, nothing should stop them from talking about the Nepalis joining the Russian army.

Besides issuing a press statement on December 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not said anything about the death, injury or captivity of Nepali youths in the Russia-Ukraine war.On December 7, the National Human Rights Commission urged the government to rescue the Nepalis from Russia and Ukraine. But the response from the government agencies, including the Nepali Embassy in Moscow, has remained slow.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin too seems reluctant to address the issue. In response to BBC Nepali Service’s question, Putin’s office recently said that it was unaware about the recruitment of Nepalis in the Russian army.  “Foreign nationals cannot serve in the Russian army,” BBC quoted a senior Russian official as saying. With Russia clearly unwilling to engage, observers say the government should not hesitate to dispatch a high-level team to Moscow to investigate and resolve the matter.

Five persons from Ilam, who went out of contact following flash floods and landslides, in Sikkim, India have come into contact with their families.

It has been learnt that they have recently made contact with their families by phone and social media. The families of Sen Bahadur Karki, Kumar Basnet, Naramaya Basnet, Khusi Karki and Lhakpa Lama of Ilam Municipality-9 are happy and felt a great sense of relief after they contacted home 11 days after the disaster.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Ilam Dhruba Prasad Koirala said they have been informed by the families of the five persons that they have contacted home. He said the five persons were on their way back home, according to their family sources.

Power supply to places where the Nepalis were residing and surrounding areas was cut off after the flooding. It is said that these people could not call back home as the means of communication were also dysfunctional for lack of electricity.

The five people had gone missing after the flooding in the Teesta River on October 3.

A cloud burst over Lhonak Lake in north Sikkim resulted in a flash flood in the Teesta River in Lachen Valley on 4 October.

At least 14 people died and 102 went missing. The floods in Sikkim that started around 1.30 am was made worse by the release of water from Chungthang dam. Several towns, including Dikchu, Singtam, and Rangpo located in the Teesta basin, were affected by the floods.

The government has said that the bodies of Nepalis, who lost their lives in the Hamas attack, are under the protection of the Israeli government.

Organizing a press conference on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry said that the bodies of 10 Nepalis are under the protection of the Israeli government.

Sewa Lamsal, spokesperson at the Foreign Ministry, said that the bodies of Nepalis will be brought to Nepal soon after the Israeli government handed them over to the Embassy of Nepal in Israel.

She said that search has been intensified to find Bipin Joshi who has been missing following the attacks by Hamas on Israel.

Over 350 Nepali people eager to return home have so far registered their names at Nepali Embassy.

An aircraft for Nepal Airlines is leaving for Israel at 11 pm today to rescue the Nepalis stranded in the war-torn country.

Nepali Congress has urged the government for the prompt treatment and rescue of Nepalis injured in Israel.

Speaking at the Parliament meeting on Sunday, Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak said that the government should act wisely to rescue and treat the Nepali injured in Israel.

“Nepali citizens living in Israel are in trouble. I on behalf of the party urged the government to act wisely to rescue and treat the Nepalis injured in Israel,” he said.

Saying that the conflict between Israel and Hamas could be prolonged, he urged the government to pay attention to the safety of all the Nepalis in Israel.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that three Nepali were injured in the attack between Israel and Hamas and 12 have gone out of contact.

Foreign Minister NP Saud has said that the government is fully committed to help, coordinate and facilitate the Nepalis living in Israel.

While informing the Parliament about the situation of Nepalis in Israel on Sunday, he said that the government is committed to provide necessary support and rescue to the Nepalis in Israel saying that Israel's security environment will remain complex for some time.

He said that the Embassy of Nepal in Israel is coordinating with the government of Israel for the safety, rescue and support of Nepalis.

According to the Nepali Embassy in Israel, 4, 500 Nepalis are working as caregivers in Israel, Foreign Minister Saud said.

He said that 265 Nepali students had gone to Israel through the Learn and Earn Program of the Israeli government.

According to Minister Saud, 119 students from Agricultural University, 97 from Tribhuvan University and 49 from Far-Western University went to Israel through the program.

Among them, 17 students, who had gone to Israel from Far-Western University, were studying in Kibbutz Alumim, Israel.

According to the Embassy, among the students, who had gone to Israel from Far-Western University, three were injured in the attack and two are safe, Minister Saud said.

The injured are undergoing treatment at a local hospital. Remaining 12 persons have not come into contact, he said.

At least 232 people have been killed and 1,600 wounded in the attack by Hamas forces into Israel.