<figure><img width="4032" height="3024" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bd9f99c7e80680e08023fjpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Empty Bayi Street of Wuhan on 23rd Jan 2020. </figcaption></figure>It was a spontaneous decision to stay on. Having worked in humanitarian support, I could not leave at a time when a crisis on such a scale was unfolding.The new virus which had brought Wuhan, a city of 11 million, to a halt by 23 January was still a mystery to medical science. Tests were not yet widely available, and hospitals were overwhelmed.The first reports came much earlier in December 2019 of a mysterious virus causing pneumonia which was similar to SARS that had hit China in 2002-3. All the infected were connected with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/the-day-of-pangolins/">a wet market in Wuhan</a>. The market was closed down, disinfecting and tests done.There was no way of knowing whether I carried the virus or not. I did not want to be a vector carrying the virus to Nepal, where there were no cases, and in any case better medical services were available in Wuhan in the event I got sick. <figure><img width="1500" height="1125" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bd9fe9c7e80680e080240jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Jiedaokou street on 7th Feb 2020.</figcaption></figure>On 7 February the danger of the epidemic was raised to the highest level in Wuhan. We were completely confined to our rooms from 8 February and it became obvious the situation was deteriorating. I started an online mental health peer support group for whoever wanted to share their thoughts and feelings.Even before this epidemic, people are <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/a-nepali-in-beijing-during-coronavirus-scare/">generally vigilant about communicable diseases in China</a>. Having dealt with complex epidemics in the past, and considering the high population density, public health messaging is common.The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/why-nepal-must-watch-about-coronavirus-but-not-panic/">city went into a lockdown</a>on 23 January, just one day before Chinese New Year when everyone travels home, just like Dasain in Nepal. All public transport, businesses and markets were shut down indefinitely. Private vehicles could ply the road only with permits given that it was for an emergency or daily necessity. <figure><img width="640" height="853" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda019c7e80680e080241jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Staff on duty at International Students Dormitory during Lockdown on 15th Feb 2020.</figcaption></figure>With this announcement came a wave of panic that spread through international students and expats. The conversations shifted from need to take proper precaution to requesting respective governments for evacuation through diplomatic channels.By 29 January, Japan, South Korea evacuated their citizens while the EU countries announced repatriation plans. Australia and New Zealand followed suit. Until this point, evacuation was being conceived as a measure taken by rich western countries to ensure the safety of their citizens.When India and Bangladesh announced plans to repatriate their citizens, the gravity of situation was realised which triggered anxiety among students from countries like Nepal. <figure><img width="1500" height="1125" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda049c7e80680e080242jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Empty premises of a community on 1st March 2020.</figcaption></figure>On 26 January, the Nepal Embassy in Beijing reached out to students in Hubei province through official notice and Wechat groups. By first week of February many countries had repatriated their citizens, and the dorms started emptying.Students from Nepal started reaching out to the government in Kathmandu through their parents and contacts. Finally on 30 January the embassy in Beijing sent a notice calling for application from those who wished to be evacuated.Despite the efforts that the government was making, it was evident that there was no contingency planning for such a situation. Applicants waited two weeks for news of the evacuation. The reason for the delay was attributed to lack of laws on civilian evacuation to unavailability of pilots.Finally, on 11 February it was announced that Nepal Airlines would fly to Wuhan on 15 February and buses from various universities would be arranged to airport. <figure><img width="1000" height="484" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda089c7e80680e080243jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>The Nepal Airlines Airbus 330 at Wuhan airport on 16 February to bring back 175 Nepali students. All photos: ABIHINAV SHRESTHA</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/from-hubei-to-kharipati/">Embassy of Nepal had pulled it off</a>. However, not everyone could make it. Out of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepalis-from-hubei-quarantined-in-bhaktapur/">180 Nepalis who had applied</a>, six could not board due to body temperature above 37.3 Celsius.For the first two weeks after complete lockdown was imposed, one member of the family could go out and buy daily necessities once every three days. After those first two weeks, the restrictions became stricter and individual buyers were not allowed to enter supermarkets anymore.Community volunteers were mobilised to buy necessities in bulk and were delivered in each community collection centres where households from the respective communities could collect it.Students living in the dormitories were provided three meals a day for free. Masks, thermometers, immunity booster drinks and sanitary pads were provided regularly.Thousands of medical workers from all over China to help in the battle against the the epidemic. The challenges were numerous, but with discipline and collective effort the epidemic was gradually brought under control and the city partially opened on 8 April after  76 days of possibly the strictest lockdown in the world.On 22 May every single person in Wuhan was tested. Even after the restrictions were lifted, people did not flock all at once onto the streets. Distancing was maintained for months after, and to this day people wear masks in all public places, inside buildings and buses, despite the fact that Wuhan has not had any cases for five months now.   <figure><img width="1500" height="1125" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda0b9c7e80680e080244jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Overgrown football ground of Wuhan University.</figcaption></figure>The pandemic then travelled from Wuhan to other parts of the world. Nepal was not spared. The situation in Nepal is far from the tipping point when the number of cases would reach a peak and then start to drop. It requires a massive collective effort, but there are things <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/what-nepal-can-learn-from-china-about-covid-19/">Nepal can learn from China</a>. Neither government nor the public can curb the spread on their own. The inherent philanthropic culture of Nepalis are manifesting themselves, and that is how we have survived through many disasters and epidemics through the centuries. However, this time around the situation in Nepal is unique. The country’s health care system is far from perfect even at the best of times. Hospitals are already overwhelmed. So, the best we can do at the moment is to keep ourselves safe by maintaining public discipline and keeping physical distance from each other. Nepalis are no stranger to difficulties, and are resilient. We have mastered the art of surviving through tough times. But there is no better way to take care of each other than volunteering for support. Organising ourselves at Tole and Ward level and being mindful of those who might be in need of support, will put everyone at a better chance of surviving through this difficulty. Dasain is around the corner, and the best thing we can do for our elders when we seek their blessing is to do it from a distance. The way to keep ourselves safe is to stay away from crowds, and always wear masks outdoors. We can celebrate this festival in years to come only if our relatives make it through this trying times safely. <figure><img width="1210" height="1000" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda0e9c7e80680e080245jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Source: Ministry of Health and Population of Nepal, World Health Organization, Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center</figcaption></figure>Silu Shrestha, PhD Student in Wuhan University, China.

original

674x448

610x380

500x500

400x266

400x240

400x203

301x200

1250x600

1084x550

Letter from Wuhan to Kathmandu

<figure><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Wuhan-coronavirus-spread-worldwide-in-map-NT.jpg" data-elementor-open-lightbox="yes"></a></figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101120/636b71a89c7e80680e0600e2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1456" height="793"/><figcaption>The worldwide spread of the Wuhan coronavirus as of 31 January 2020.</figcaption>The ongoing outbreak of the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/a-nepali-in-beijing-during-coronavirus-scare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2019 novel coronavirus in China</a>, also called the Wuhan coronavirus, has now affected at least 17 countries. Approximately 6,000 cases have been reported with the majority being diagnosed in China.The total fatalities have crossed 130, a majority of them in the Hubei Province in which Wuhan is located. Nepal has reported its first confirmed case: of a student studying in China who had been visiting Nepal when diagnosed.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/a-nepali-in-beijing-during-coronavirus-scare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Nepali in Beijing during coronavirus scare</a>, Rastraraj BhandariViruses of the coronavirus family have historically caused diseases of the respiratory tract in human populations worldwide. Recent outbreaks included the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=2664#.XjFpRjIzaUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002</a> and the Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012. Both affected thousands of people and were fatal in some cases.SARS killed 10% of infected individuals while MERS was fatal in 37% of the infected population. The current fatality rate due to the Wuhan Coronavirus is 2.2%. If we are to describe this statistic in reverse, about 98 percent of those infected with this virus do not die.The question then is, why is there so much concern regarding this outbreak, given the relatively low mortality rate in comparison to previous coronavirus outbreaks?The first reason is that the <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wuhan coronavirus is ‘novel’.</a> This term is used in viral epidemiology to indicate a new strain, one which has not been detected previously in the population. Scientists therefore do not have adequate information regarding the characteristics of the virus to provide evidence-informed public health instructions on containment and treatment.Second, unlike SARS and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MERS</a>, this virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days and asymptomatic infected individuals can transmit the disease to others during that time. Even infected individuals who show improvement can continue to transmit the virus.The R0 (pronounced ‘r naught’) value of this virus is estimated at 3, meaning that an infected person on average will transmit to three other persons. This is considered a high infectivity number, but still lower than that of SARS or MERS.The Chinese authorities have put in place <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-51236450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strict measures in Wuhan</a> to try to contain the spread of the virus. However, this may not be enough as many infected individuals might have already traveled out of town by the time the measures were put in.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101120/636b71ab9c7e80680e0600e3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101120/636b71ae9c7e80680e0600e4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101124/636b71b29c7e80680e0600e5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101124/636b71b69c7e80680e0600e6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427">                                              Photos: BIKRAM RAIWuhan has a population of 10 million, and many had begun to travel in advance of the Chinese New Year this week. Experts at Imperial College London have estimated infected population numbers to be already at around at 100,000.We can therefore expect more cases around the world as infected individuals travel and transmit the disease. However, once again, the question emerges of what the reported fatalities so far are among this large number of infected individuals. Could it be that the virus is spreading but not causing too many deaths?Nepal has seen regular outbreaks of respiratory diseases including seasonal influenza, ‘avian influenza’ and ‘swine flu’. The Nepali media often reports cases of ‘unknown viral disease’. The Nepal government had established screening centres for the coronavirus at airport and border checkpoints even before the first infected person was diagnosed in Tibet on Monday.The National Public Health Laboratory is working with private hospitals and laboratories to provide timely and accurate diagnostics of the Wuhan coronavirus with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO).Cases are being referred to Sukraraj Tropical Infectious Diseases Hospital as the focal center and the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division is monitoring signs of possible outbreaks in country. The Ministry of Health and Population has directed all private hospitals around country to have ventilator supported ICUs to be on standby should those be required.The state mechanism appears to have learnt from weaknesses is showed during the SARS and H1N1 (swine flu) outbreaks of the past. However, accurate clinical diagnosis of this disease is going to be a challenge given the likelihood of infected individuals arriving at checkpoints showing no symptoms and because individuals infected with other viruses like influenza or other weaker strains may show similar symptoms as those infected by the Wuhan coronavirus.Screening is the only way of identifying the maximum number of cases entering the country and preventing those from infecting the population. There have been no further coronavirus infection cases reported in Nepal since 25 January. The first case, reported on that day, is so far the only one.Global media reporting of this outbreak has focused on fatality rather than recovery, and appears to have failed to notice that the WHO, with its expertise and access to data, has not yet declared the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency.The experience of having made the ‘premature and hasty’ decision to term the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) – or swine flu – outbreak a pandemic still being fresh, this time WHO has decided to monitor the situation closely before making any decision in this regard.The WHO has focused on China as a priority for action while observing rest of the world. This does not mean we can be complacent, as the threat of the virus mutating into a more severe form is real. However, it also does not help to panic. We need to look at the numbers, listen to experts in the field and move ahead accordingly.Sameer M Dixit is a public health research scientist at the <a href="http://www.cmdn.org.np/">Centre for Molecular Dynamics Nepal</a>.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101124/636b71b99c7e80680e0600e7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="126" height="145">

Why Nepal must watch Coronavirus, but not panic

<figure><img width="640" height="427" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25649c7e80680e0439c7jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Pan fried salmon in Teriyaki sauce </figcaption></figure>With the Chinese New Year, the Chinese Spring Festival has arrived in Nepal as well. This is the year of the pig: myth has it that the animal was the last to arrive at the Jade Emperor’s party, hence became the twelfth of all zodiac animals. He might have overslept then, but here in Kathmandu, this is one party that no one should miss.<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.facebook.com/Soaltee-Crowne-Plaza-Kathmandu-141774425949665/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soaltee Crowne Plaza</a> is hosting a grand food festival to welcome the new year at its specialty Chinese restaurant, <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/business/the-real-taste-of-china-in-soaltee,4116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bao Xuan</a>. Chef Dan wants the eatery to be a one-stop destination for the most thrilling flavours of Pan Asian cuisine. The tables are all set and the waiters are standing by to serve guests a hearty feast.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25679c7e80680e0439c8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667">     Thai Corn fritters with sweet chili dip<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a256f9c7e80680e0439c9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667">         Japanese Yakitori karageThe course starts with appetizers like Thai corn fritters with sweet chili dip, Japanese Yakitori Karage and Pork bun—all favourites of children—hence not spicy and hot. The Asian soup, which has double mushroom, water chestnut and chicken, is a creamy delight with flavours of coconut and lemon grass.For the main course, there are special dishes like pan-fried salmon in teriyaki sauce from Japan, Pad Thai Kung, Mandarin-style steamed fish served with Korean Black bean noodle, Jasmine rice, or vegetable fried rice. According to Chef Dan, Chinese do not normally have desserts. Yet to end the celebration on a sweet note he has honey noodle with vanilla ice cream—also known as Darsaan, date pancake and Chocolate spring roll. If that has made you drool, time to head off to Soaltee.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25729c7e80680e0439cajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667">                 Asian chicken soup<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25759c7e80680e0439cbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667">       Mandarin style steamed fishChef Dan is strict about the ingredients to be used in any dish, no matter how small the dish is. For most authentic flavours, ingredients except for fresh vegetables, meat and seafood are sourced from abroad.“Asian food’s diversity and evolution has made a profound impact over the years. We want our guests to be enchanted by the taste which our experienced chef and his team have worked hard to produce,”says Kedar Pandey, Soaltee’s F&amp;B man.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/business/the-real-taste-of-china-in-soaltee,4116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A real taste of China</a>, Ziyu Lin <figure><img width="640" height="427" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a25779c7e80680e0439ccjpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Soaltee Crowne Plaza makes use of the New Year festivity to bring together regional diversities in a non-contradicting manner. Every dish has its own identity, but the many dishes complement each other. The Pan Asian Food Promotion as a whole is a pleasant culinary journey that represents not just the region’s most popular cuisine but its most treasured jewels.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/indo-french-american-with-nepali-twist/">Indo-French-American with Nepali twist</a>, Sikuma Rai <img width="640" height="470" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108101144/636a257a9c7e80680e0439cdjpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/2017438068363828/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pan Asian Food Promotion</a>4-15 February, Bao Xuan- Flavors of China, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Soaltee-Crowne-Plaza-Kathmandu-141774425949665/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Soaltee Crowne Plaza</a>, Tahachal, 9801067222Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/happy-singh-da-dhaba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Happy Singh Da Dhaba</a>, Sikuma Rai<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/business/the-oriental-indulgence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The oriental indulgence</a>

A diverse and delightful feast

<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/waiting-for-bipin-joshi" target="_blank">Nepali student Bipin Joshi</a>, who was taken captive by Hamas on 7 October 2023, was not on the list of those freed following the end of the bombardment and fighting in Gaza.&nbsp; On Monday morning, the Israeli military notified Bipin's family and Nepal’s ambassador to Israel Dhan Prasad Pandit, that there is no evidence of him still being alive. However, Nepal's Foreign Ministry is yet to be notified by Israel's government of Bipin's status. The news came three days after a US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, and hostage and prisoner exchanges by the two sides started Monday morning.&nbsp; Almost 2,000 Palestinians held in Israeli prisions are expected to be released by Israel in exchange for the hostages during the next phase of the peace deal between the two parties, and the bodies of deceased hostages remaining in Gaza are also expected to be returned.&nbsp; Bipin Joshi was among a group of Nepalis who had arrived in Israel in 2023 just weeks before 7 October 2023 as part of a ‘learn and earn’ program to work and earn in kibbutz farms there.&nbsp; Along with other students Joshi had been working on a farm in Kibbutz Alumim in southern Israel near Gaza. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/war-in-israel-earthquake-and-grief-in-nepal">Ten Nepali students were killed </a>while taking cover in shelters near their farms in two separate attacks by Hamas fighters.&nbsp; Joshi’s colleagues, fellow Nepalis who survived the attack, recall gunmen lobbing two grenades into the bunker that they had taken cover in. Bipin hurled one of the grenades out, they say, but the other one exploded, killing and injuring Nepalis inside. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Shortly after, Bipin was captured by Hamas along with a Thai national and led away into Gaza. CCTV footage showed Bipin alive and at a hospital in Gaza on the day of the attack itself after he was taken hostage.&nbsp; Thirty-one Thai citizens, who like Nepalis worked in farms in Israel, were taken hostage during the Hamas attack, the highest number of foreign captives in October 2023.&nbsp; <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/deft-diplomacy-freed-thai-hostages">Deft Thai diplomatic engagement</a> with officials from Iran, Egypt, and Qatar brought about the release of 23 of its nationals in 2023. Five more Thai nationals were released earlier this year.&nbsp; In August, Joshi’s family visited Israel at the invitation of the government and urged the international community to push for his return. Bipin’s mother Padma and sister Pushpa have been at the United Nations to lobby for his release.&nbsp; His family last week also released a video clip of Bipin briefly speaking on camera, reportedly obtained by Israel and said to be filmed in November 2023, around a month after he was taken captive. Joshi looks healthy in that video.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251013091028_d551c7f88204c52217152fb5db655bb5a5f8bf2cff1e6a055326ebf64453ff9f.png" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20251013091028_d551c7f88204c52217152fb5db655bb5a5f8bf2cff1e6a055326ebf64453ff9f" data-rendition-name="original" width="2848" height="1528" loading="lazy" alt="Bipin Joshi NT"> </figure>  More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed during the last two years of the genocide in Gaza. About 1,200 people were killed during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023, while more than 251, including Bipin Joshi, were taken as captives.&nbsp; This is the third ceasefire implemented in Gaza since 7 October 2023 after previous ones in November 2023 and January 2025. This 20-point deal facilitated by intermediaries US, Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt included terms for Hamas to give up its arms, and for a devastated Gaza to be governed by a Palestinian body of independent technocrats, while Israeli troops will withdraw in stages from Gaza.&nbsp; Hamas has agreed to relinquish control of Gaza, but has rejected the demand for disarmament, saying the group will demobilise but is prepared to resume fighting if Israel breaches the ceasefire.&nbsp; Following the ceasefire, Palestinians in Gaza have begun long journeys back to homes reduced to rubble by Israel’s two-year assault on the strip. The flow of humanitarian aid in the city has also increased following the peace deal.&nbsp; Israel's closure of humanitarian corridors in the past months had blocked the entry of food and medicine into Gaza, causing widespread famine. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has said that the restriction of aid into the beseiged city has left as many as <a href="https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/news-releases/gaza-unrwa%E2%80%99s-lancet-study-reveals-alarming-surge-child-malnutrition">54,600 children acutely malnourished</a>.&nbsp; Meanwhile, US president Donald Trump landed in Israel on Monday as hostages were being released, and world leaders are expected to head to Egypt for an international summit to discuss the next steps in Gaza, Israel, and West Asia.&nbsp;

Nepali hostage in Gaza not alive: Israel

Already trying to balance youth demands with legal provisions in the Constitution, Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s interim government faced yet another challenge over Dasain: a receding monsoon dumped unseasonal rain unleashing floods and landslides that killed at least 60, mostly in eastern Nepal.&nbsp; The government was rated positively for its early warning and the ‘visibility’ of its disaster response, with many comparing it to the inaction of the NC-UML coalition during last year’s floods.&nbsp; Government agencies and police proactively closed off hazardous sections of highways as Kathmandu was marooned from the rest of the country in the peak holiday season. Stranded passengers were taken care of, with police, army and local governments in Ilam coordinating rescue and relief efforts. Many of the problems were structural and inherited from decades of neglect and corruption in highway contracts. Shoddy bridges and encroachment of settlements along river banks have increased risk from more frequent extreme weather caused by climate breakdown. With Dasain over Tihar around the corner and the worst of the disaster behind, the Karki administration is trying to balance the separate demands of GenZ movers and shakers who installed her in office with constitutional provisions. It has not helped that the badly-mauled political parties are spoiling for a fight, and the three top leaders show little signs of stepping down. “Nepal’s movement did not happen in a democratic vacuum, so this government walks a very fine line in political legitimacy," says Bidushi Dhungel of the National Democratic Institute in Nepal. "In this fragile space, whatever the work done — or not done— by the interim government within its limited mandate, it may open up avenues for further dissent from old and new actors. They are &nbsp;caught between a rock and a hard place.” Civil society activists issued a statement on Wednesday calling on the main political parties to heed the writing on the wall and reform themselves. Signed by professor Krishna Khanal and former ambassador Keshab Mathema, the statement said: 'The main leaders of the main parties should say sorry, and voluntarily resign ... they must respect public sentiments and work to reform and transform their parties to be more accountable to the public, or risk being irrelevant.'&nbsp; Complicating matters further are the sometimes contradictory demands of various GenZ factions on punishing those responsible for the carnage and rampage of 8-9 September, Constitution and elections. Karki faces calls to immediately detain former PM KP Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak for their involvement in the massacre outside Parliament. Under pressure from GenZ delegates, Home Minister Om Aryal fired off a letter to the police to arrest Oli and Lekhak. But later at a confrontational midnight meeting at the prime minister’s residence in Baluwatar, all four security chiefs advised Karki that arresting the UML and NC ex-ministers could unleash violent confrontation on the streets. The interim government is in a bind. It has formed a committee headed by Gauri Bahadur Karki to investigate the killings last month as well as the arson and vandalism that followed. The question is: should it wait for the committee to submit its report before punishing perpetrators, or let police arrest those who can easily be identified in social media posts setting fire to Singha Darbar, the Supreme Court and other sites.&nbsp; GenZ’s Sudan Gurung faction has gone beyond its original demand to submit an 8-point ultimatum that includes the sacking of the Chief Justice and officials of the anti-corruption bureau.&nbsp; The Prime Minister is caught in the crossfire between managing the expectations of a movement that appointed her, and working within the framework of her interim government’s mandate and Constitution. But it is not just the government that faces challenges. The lack of clear consensus among youth factions and their outspoken collectives is surfacing.&nbsp; &nbsp;“This has been a leaderless and decentralised movement, and the traditional variables typically seen in a political revolt seem missing here," notes political scientist Sucheta Pyakuryal. “There is no organised structure, nor any ideological pull factor, therefore a big question is how much bargaining power does a movement like this have, and how sustainable will it be.” GenZ leaders seem to be in two main camps. Demands like the one for a directly elected prime minister, and the constitutional processes that can make for such an outcome, have emerged as a major point dividing the movement.&nbsp; Nepalis both within and outside the youth movement are watching Hami Nepal’s Sudan Gurung closely — especially after his recent interview with Al-Jazeera during which he expressed his interest to run for Prime Minister and seemed to not accept a win by political parties in the March elections.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20251009201044_fcba7e92bb9a8812fd0ad4e9770d6f4d4189972de5229f91e9a832a26e388901.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20251009201044_fcba7e92bb9a8812fd0ad4e9770d6f4d4189972de5229f91e9a832a26e388901" data-rendition-name="original" width="2916" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="One month on NT"> <figcaption>GROUND ZERO: The destroyed centre of Nepal's government with Singha Darbar (in green scaffolding), the Attorney General's Office, Supreme Court, and in the distance, Parliament building. Also seen are the nearly finished new Parliament Complex and the new Supreme Court buildings. Drone shot taken on Thursday morning. Photo: SUMAN NEPALI</figcaption> </figure>  Gurung’s participation in the NDRRMA’s disaster management meeting and manner of his interaction with officials at the event was met with both bouquets and brickbats. Interestingly, some of the criticism was youth activists themselves. &nbsp;“There's a lot of self-involvement and self-importance that seems to be guiding a fragmented young leadership, as opposed to constructively engaging in how to concretise reforms,” says Dhungel. “There seems to be very little stocktaking of what's happened in the past, and what's happened in other countries to try identify where lapses could be before they occur."&nbsp; In the absence of unified positions and level-headed leadership, the youth who spearheaded post-protest negotiations, as well as the GenZ movement in general, risk losing public goodwill already dented by the destruction of state property on 9 September. This also leaves an opening for political parties which are on the defensive and licking their wounds to capitalise on youth discord.&nbsp; Says Pyakuryal: “Post revolution, the political landscape becomes extremely unpredictable and therefore there is a risk of co-optation from several Machiavellian political actors including political parties, monarchists, as well as other forces, and that is concerning.” The immediate and visible transformation that Nepal’s youth expect will not manifest right away, and while there is a need for long-term political planning, the caretaker government must also undertake measures that have a palpable impact on the daily life of citizens. &nbsp;&nbsp; “While youth frustrations must be addressed urgently, statecraft isn’t just about fulfilling short-term goals,”says Pyakuryal. &nbsp; Many, including the youth themselves, now see the need for GenZ to have a more united stance and to move beyond making demands that the interim government cannot fulfil and start mobilising for elections — even by forming its own party.&nbsp; A strong showing in elections can enable them to enact the changes they want to strengthen Nepal’s democracy, and make future governments more accountable.&nbsp; This week, the Election Commission announced 16 November as the deadline to register new parties for the 5 March polls.&nbsp; Youth representatives have said that they want to be active participants in the political process, particularly in national-level politics. The Constitution defines ‘youth’ as being between the ages of 16-40. In the 2022 elections, the Election Commission stated that over 41% of locally-elected representatives were from ages 21-40 years.&nbsp; If young Nepalis are to contest the election outside the banner of mainstream parties, this leaves electoral aspirants little more than a month to decide whether to form a loose coalition with existing parties, a separate political party, or to contest elections independently. “This is first of a kind movement, where political language is digital, not ideological, where organising is done through online platforms and where there is no one leader spearheading the movement,”says Pyakuryal. “I don’t know if ‘anti-corruption’ or ‘political reform’ have a strong enough ideological pull to band people together in the long run.” Indeed, the RSP was formed only four months before the 2022 elections and cashed in on anti-incumbent and anti-corruption sentiments of voters — mainly driven by social media. But controversy and strife within their party means it has largely lost its public trust.&nbsp; Nepal’s September Uprising and its aftermath have shown that a majority of young people are entirely disillusioned with establishment parties and politicians, even using ‘ex-political parties’ as a phrase of reference. Any new young political figures that emerge from this movement and this election will have to work with mainstream parties in a multiparty democracy.&nbsp; &nbsp;“The reality of politics is that change is not possible without engaging with existing political institutions and actors,” says Dhungel. “To say that they do not want to engage, negotiate, or identify allies or proactively seek out input from at least the reform-minded individuals within each of those outfits is political naivety, and may lead to a lack of institutionalised reform.” However, Dhungel notes that the youth leadership would have more agency if they are clear not just on what they want to change, but about whether they are interested in active politics or civic engagement. “The window of opportunity that is fast closing is to really negotiate hard and push for internal reforms within political parties and across the electoral system,” she adds. Pyakurel also adds: “GenZ are smart and politically mature, I hope they see these loopholes. I am optimistic about the direction they take.”

One month on

The meeting called by Prime Minister Sushila Karki at Baluwatar on 4 October was supposed to be about completing the interim cabinet with GenZ representatives. But it ended with factions putting up rival demands.
It is ironic that a movement that voted for Karki on Discord is itself marred by discord.
But such jostling was to be expected. This was an amorphous and leaderless group of young Nepalis that was suddenly elevated to fill a national power vacuum, and is now expected to redesign the country from scratch. &nbsp;
At least two camps have emerged within the youth groups. One is led by Sudan Gurung of Hami Nepal with Barsa Raut, Anil Baniya, Purshotam Yadav and Ojaswi Raj Thapa, while the second under Rakshya Bam has Pradeep Gyawali, Aditya Karn, Yujan Rajbhandari and Dheeraj Joshi.
Just like it was at Nepal Army Headquarters on 10 September, there is distrust and dissent within these disparate group. For the sake of stability, and in memory of the 72 who lost their lives last month, Nepalis want these groups to be more united in their stances. &nbsp;
Prime Minister Karki did not attend the Baluwatar meeting last week, wanting the GenZs to first work out their differences. Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal and Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal were present, and entreated the young delegates to cooperate.
Sudan Gurung has demanded the resignation of the Chief Justice and the head of the anti-graft body, the CIAA. However, some even within Gurung’s camp are said to want constitutional provisions to be respected, and do not agree with some of his eight demands.
Rakshya Bam accuses Gurung of trying to do away with the Constitution and issuing arbitrary statements on governance. Her group also issued a statement warning against any attempt to deviate from the values of democratic change.
The conflict between various GenZ groups has exposed the nature and limitations of street revolt, proving that it is always easier to destroy than to rebuild. A revolution can bring rapid and transformative change, but then comes the task of agreeing on new structures and processes — while dealing with the ego and ambition of the protagonists.
TIGHT-ROPE WALK
One year after a similar student-led uprising, Bangladesh is struggling to stabilise the system and preparing for elections while dealing with extremism and geopolitical fallout. Sri Lanka held elections and brought in a new youthful leader, but it has not been smooth sailing.
Prime Minister Karki’s caretaker government is on a tight-rope walk. Moving too fast on arresting the previous prime minister and investigating others for corruption risks igniting renewed street violence, but delaying justice will anger the impatient youth, who want immediate results.&nbsp;
The longer the uncertainty and instability lasts, the more likely it will be for radical forces to take advantage of the fluidity. The communal clashes in Birganj and Janakpur over Dasain, inspired by what is happening across the border, should be a wakeup call. Hate speech and ethnic slurs on social media could be incendiary if left unregulated.
The Prime Minister has said her foremost priority is to ensure free, fair and inclusive elections on 5 March — mindful that various forces are out to sabotage it for their own interests.
Amending the Constitution to meet GenZ demands may have to wait for polls next year, and real change that improves lives, creates jobs and makes the bureaucracy cleaner and more efficient will take longer.
But till then, the interim administration could deliver tangible benefits to people with do-able improvements like speeding up the driving license process, removing middlemen from all levels of the bureaucracy, expeditiously completing highway repairs, controlling food prices.
The youth want immediate course correction, given how the old political parties, politicians and bureaucracy had plundered the state for years. But idealism alone cannot make a state machinery function. Every decision during this sensitive transition must be taken without undermining previous gains.
Factional friction within the GenZ will allow the old leaders in the old parties to regroup and plot revenge. Meanwhile, the three main parties, which fuelled the youth and class rage with their corruption and reckless disregard for the public good for the past three decades, do not seem to have learnt their lessons.&nbsp;
Despite being disgraced, K P Oli of UML, Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress and Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Maoist Centre, are still not willing to retire. The tragic loss of life and the mayhem that followed does not seem to have opened their eyes to the writing on the wall. They are intent on blaming everyone but themselves.
The Election Commission has already set a deadline for party registration by 16 November. Some in the GenZs want provisions to vote for a directly elected executive head of the country by even changing the Constitution.
There is a lot of confusion about what exactly the mandate of the interim government is, what it can and cannot do. With the dissolution of Parliament, the interim government cannot amend the Constitution, its only mandate is to conduct elections to form a new government that would then work on amendments.&nbsp;
At most, it can pass ordinances but only for the peace and good governance of the country or when there is an immediate need to enact a law.
To make things murkier, Sudan Gurung in a widely-shared interview on Al Jazeera said that he would run for prime minister, and that he would not accept the old parties and their leaders even if they win the elections unless they completely reform their political stance. He is also willing to work with pro-monarchists if they are for the betterment of the country.
Dharan Mayor Harka Sampang has already registered a new party called Shram Sanskriti Party while the likes of Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising and for RSP Sumana Shrestha are expected to follow another corporate backer for a new party.
All parties, including any new ones representing the youth, must learn from the failures of the newer alternatives such as Sajha, Bibeksheel and more recently RSP. Parties go nowhere without a clear ideology, organisation and a vision and pathway post-elections.
The interim government is made of most capable technocrats and a Prime Minister with zero tolerance for incompetence and who says she has no intention of continuing in the position a minute longer than necessary.&nbsp;
We now have to move beyond destruction to rebuilding, and not be distracted by discord.
Sonia Awale

chinese-new-year

Letter from Wuhan to Kathmandu

Why Nepal must watch Coronavirus, but not panic

A diverse and delightful feast

Nepali hostage in Gaza not alive: Israel

One month on

Discordant Democracy

National interest vs community needs