Nepali Passport Issues

Every year, many Nepalis risk their lives to find work outside of Nepal in countries around the world.  Nepal shares an agreement with India for hiring Nepali workers to shoulder the labor concerns of India's development - it is common to see Nepalis (newly arrived or living in India for a number of generations) building roads and cooking in restaurants, for example.  Nepalis can make good money doing the work that many Indians do not want to do themselves.

A popular out migration destination for Nepalis is the Gulf region where oil money and huge development in places like Dubai have created a job market for low-skilled labor such as drivers, house guards, housekeepers, and nannies.  Nepalis can get work in these regions easily, but job security, safety, and human rights issues surface as a result of the semi - legal nature of the employment.   The Nepali government has been trying to formalize some of these relationships with popular out-migration destinations, but given the dysfunctional nature of political situations in Nepal, not much has been accomplished.

One attempt has been ongoing in relation to official passports for Nepalis traveling out of Nepal for work.  Here's an article describing the current issues with these official passports and efforts to formalize these working relationships with other countries.   Seems that the Maoists have ideas about how they would like things to go and, as usual, are prepared to protest and march to get their side of the story heard.

At least this is a pertinent issue affecting the lives of many Nepalis currently rather than more sensationalist news regarding the ruling elite. 

Three Day Bandh

December 20, 21, 22 in Kathmandu, Unified Communist Party Nepal - Maoist (UCPN-M) held a strike that disrupted the valley for three days.  There were some violent clashes that took place quite near to the school house and my flat.  L and I decided to stay at one of the major hotels in town for the three days (coinciding with my birthday celebration) to stay informed and be sure that she was able to get to the airport this afternoon.  All went well, and the strike was even called off at noon today.

Many say that Maoists have broken the comprehensive peace accord signed in 2006 made with the government and that force must be taken to keep them in line.  Yesterday, L read an article in the Kathmandu Post saying that China and India have publicly given their support to the government of Nepal to contain and pacify the Maoists sending in ammunition if needed.

Al Jazeera article (among others) states that OHCHR says the police used 'excessive force' to deal with the 'peaceful' protesters. The NYT gives an informative perspective here (along with the evocative photo I linked above).  Comments from Democracy Underground about the three day strike.  An Indian paper "The Hindu" reports on the 'peaceful-turned-aggressive' strike here. Dailyindia.com here mentions that the Maoists accuse the government for aggressing first.  Here, and Here, Bloomberg.com insinuates personal tensions between Prachanda and President Nepal are the source of the conflict.  This short article talks about a law recently signed into affect that puts a condition on any aid Nepal recieves from the US - human rights violations must not happen.