Dear All,
I think this report published in Nepalese newspaper shows how local conflicts can sometimes have an international or even global impact. I think this report demonstrates the link between suppression in the community (because of hierarchy, cast system), internal conflicts, ethnic conflicts, regional conflicts, relationship between neighbouring countries and globalisation (migration, resource utilisation) from Nepalese perspectives.
May be I'm nuts but ............
Komal Raj Aryal
Research Associate
Disaster and Development Centre
Northumbria University
India begins serious homework on new Nepal policy, solicits experts' suggestions
By Gopal Khanal
New Delhi, Oct 13 - India, which has shown a keen interest in resolving the political crisis that emerged in Nepal following the cancellation of the Constituent Assembly elections, has started a serious homework to make an overall change in its foreign and strategic policies vis-à-vis Nepal.
Following critical comments from opposition parties that the government has failed in its policies towards smaller neighbouring countries including Nepal, India's foreign ministry, most commonly referred to as the South Block, has started a review of its policies towards these countries.
According to sources, the Indian government has asked its "Nepal experts" to prepare policy papers on long-term issues affecting both countries including the relevance of the Nepal-India Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950 among dozens other.
After the opposition Bharatiya Janta Party, Samajwaadi Party and Janata Dal United strongly criticized India's role in the latest political developments in Nepal, the Indian government has initiated the homework taking the matters more seriously, sources added.
The experts have been given a set of three dozen questions on Nepal-India issues and asked to give their opinions. The questions given to the experts include wide-ranging issues, from the relevance of the 1950 Nepal-India Treaty to the implications of closing the open Nepal-India border, Indian influence in the ongoing problems in Terai, Nepal's equi-distance policy vis-à-vis its two giant neighbours, the roles of the USA and the UK in Nepal, to the possibility of harnessing Nepal's hydropower potential jointly with India in the same way as Bhutan, to may other crucial issues.
India which has already expressed "serious disappointment" over the cancellation of the CA polls, has sought suggestions from its Nepal experts with special concern on the Maoists. "What are the likely major deviations in Nepal's traditional approach to India, if the CPN (Maoist) is voted into power in Nepal?" the experts have been asked.
The list of questions given to "Nepal experts" is as follows:
1) Given the changing circumstances in both India and Nepal how relevant is the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty? Is there any need to examine the Treaty?
2) If yes what are the aspects that need to be changed?
3) Can India and Nepal ever think of a closed border system? What are the implications of closing the border and making it a normal international border regime?
4) What role can India play in making the theme of New Nepal more robust and inclusive?
5) How does the changing Nepal look at India and its 'special relations' with Nepal?
6) Which are the areas that need India's extensive support in the reconstruction of Nepal?
7) Does Nepal find any models from India worth replicating in meeting the challenges triggered by rising ethnic aspirations in the former?
8) Does Nepal feel and see any kind of Indian influence in the ongoing problems in Terai?
9) What should be the Indian role in addressing the problems in Terai areas of Nepal?
10) Will the newer political alignments impact upon the India-Nepal relations? What are the major aspects that are going to be affected?
11) "India as an opportunity", is a prolific proposal floated by the policy makers in India. What are the ways Nepal could harness this opportunity?
12) What are the conditions that would bind/divide India and Nepal together for years to come?
13) Is the policy of equi-distance as practiced by Nepal more relevant today?
14) Where does the US figure in the schematic of New Nepal?
15) What is the most desirable role for the US and UK in Nepal?
16) How much of Indian federalism and federal practices are relevant for the New Nepal?
17) What is the likely fall out of the Maoist proposal to stop recruitment of Gurkha soldiers from Nepal in the Indian army?
18) Has India lost its traditionally built constituency in Nepal, if yes why? What are the ways to rebuild the same?
19) Should India change its traditional diplomatic approach to Nepal including the much talked about 'interventionist role'? In what way?
20) What are the strengths and weaknesses of Indian trade with, aid to and investment in Nepal? Are there any specific means to make these instruments more effective and gainful to both these countries?
21) Why Nepal does not follow the Bhutanese model in the harnessing of water resources jointly with India?
22) What are the models available for India and Nepal to harness the hydel power in the best possible manner?
23) Do the perceived threats from India have undergone any change in the last 3-4 decades? If yes why and how?
24) What are the non-traditional threats (including environmental security) that have emerged in Nepal and in what way it can engage India to address these threats?
25) What are the specific ways of making people to people contact more effective between India and Nepal?
26) How does Nepal look at India's proposals of spreading and strengthening physical connectivity between India and Nepal?
27) How does Nepal look at China's proposal to have more intensive economic exchanges including in the services and hydel power sector?
28) How does Nepal look at India's role in Bhutanese refugee problems?
29) What are the institutions in Nepal that need India's support for both establishing it firmly and sustaining it?
30) What can change the "anti-Indianism" as the primary basis of "Nepali nationalism"?
31) NGOs: what role they can play in strengthening India-Nepal relations?
32) Do you foresee any formal strategic pact of Nepal with its neighbouring countries?
33) What are the likely major deviations in Nepal's traditional approach to India, if the CPN (Maoist) is voted into power in Nepal?
34) What are the issues and ways on which India and Nepal can effectively work together in the international forum?
35) Could India and Nepal work together in managing the migrants working abroad?
36) We are fast moving into a situation where there is a possibility of trade in services like communications, banking, insurance, IT taking place in a bid way between India and Nepal? What are your views on this?
-----Original Message-----
From: Natural hazards and disasters [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of ian davis
Sent: 28 November 2006 14:25
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Indicators of community-level disaster risk reduction
For John Twigg
Dear John
Zubair Mushed and I have worked on Indicators for CBDRM and these were
further worked on in a workshop of practitioners held in Bangkok in Jan 2006
You can find the document on the ADPC website: www.adpc.net The title of
the document you need is 'Community Based Disaster Risk Management-
Critical Guidelines' see Process Indicators pp 28-44 and Outcome Indicators
pp 46-55
Good wishes
Ian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ali Asgary" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 3:06 PM
Subject: Re: Indicators of community-level disaster risk reduction
Hello John,
This might be useful for your project:
http://www.dmrg.org/resources/Henstra-Evaluating%20and%20explaining.pdf
Thanks
Ali
Quoting John Twigg <[log in to unmask]>:
> I am leading a small team of researchers who have been commissioned by a
> group of international NGOs to develop a set of indicators that show both
> the level of achievement and the scale of impact of DRR activities at the
> community level. This will complement work being done within the UN
> system to look at higher-level DRR indicators within the Hyogo Framework
> of Action.
>
> We would be grateful for any information you may have on this subject and
> any experiences you wish to share. This information could include
> conceptual frameworks or hypothetical indicators, case studies, examples
> of community-level (and community-based) DRR evaluations, names and
> addresses of expert informants - and anything else that you think might be
> relevant.
>
> All contributions will be acknowledged. The project will create a web page
> in the near future (www.benfieldhrc.org/disaster_studies) where interim
> and final outputs will be posted.
>
> John Twigg, Benfield UCL Hazard Research Centre ([log in to unmask]). Thank
> you in advance for your help.
>
>
--
Ali Asgary Ph.D.
Emergency Management Program
School of Administrative Studies
Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies
York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3J 1P3
Tel 416 736 2100 Ext. 22879
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
--
This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous
content by the NorMAN MailScanner Service and is believed
to be clean.
The NorMAN MailScanner Service is operated by Information
Systems and Services, Newcastle University.
This e-mail is intended solely for the addressee. It may contain private and confidential information. If you are not the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor show a copy to anyone. Please reply to this e-mail to highlight the error. You should also be aware that all electronic mail from, to, or within Northumbria University may be the subject of a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related legislation, and therefore may be required to be disclosed to third parties.
This e-mail and attachments have been scanned for viruses prior to leaving Northumbria University. Northumbria University will not be liable for any losses as a result of any viruses being passed on.
|
