Category: Nepal

Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung, the same sex couples who earlier had tried to register their marriage at the Kathmandu District Court were sent back denying registration despite the order from Supreme Court….reports Asian Lite News

A local body in Nepal has officially registered the nation’s first same-sex marriage, making the country the second in Asia to give recognition to same-sex couples.

Following the interim order from the Supreme Court issued on June 28, 2023, the Dordi Village Council in Lamjung District of Nepal officially recorded the marriage between Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung aka Maya Gurung on Wednesday.

“As per the orders from the Supreme Court, this marriage has been recorded temporarily,” reads a comment on the marriage certificate issued on the name Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung aka Maya Gurung.

Surendra Pandey and Ram Bahadur Gurung, the same sex couples who earlier had tried to register their marriage at the Kathmandu District Court were sent back denying registration despite the order from Supreme Court.

Saddened by the denial from the District Court, the same-sex couple continued their fight to get recognition. The same sex couple went to the National Identity Card and Registration Department who further directed for the registration of the marriage.

“Supreme Court’s verdict had really increased hope amongst people of our community but the later verdict eroded the expectations of those waiting to get married. But our hope hasn’t really faded, we have been redirected to high-court from the district court. We have been following the court for a month hoping we will be served justice,” Surendra had earlier told ANI in August while he paraded in capital Kathmandu alongside bride Ram Bahadur Gurung.

“Those couples who want to get legally married despite being LGBTQIA+ need not face hurdles. This is not only for us but for others who want to take same step in future,” Ram Bahadur Gurung also known as Maya Gurung had earlier told ANI on August this year.

But on Wednesday, the same-sex couple became the first same-sex married couple to have their marriage officially recorded.

On June, a single bench of judge Til Prasad Shrestha issued an interim order directing the authorities to make necessary arrangements to register the marriages of sexual minorities.

In the order, the Supreme Court stated the clause 69 (1) of the Civil Code 2074 states that a person has right of marriage and Nepal’s Constitution clause 18 (1) states equality.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court a decade and half back had allowed sexual minorities to marry but the Civil Code of the nation hasn’t approved the same sex marriage.

In the latest round of order, the Supreme Court has further ordered the government to provide a written response regarding the legal framework pertaining to the registration of marriages for the same sex.

The Himalayan nation buffered between two giants China and India has progressive legal provisions regarding sexual minorities than any other countries in the region.

With a progressive constitution to grant rights and recognition to sexual minorities, Nepal, since the last census of 2021, has started collecting data on LGBTQI+ as well. Though the newly promulgated constitution of Nepal in September of 2015 has special provisions for sexual minorities, the group has been demanding for complete its implementation.

The government had promised to provide the group with citizenship on the basis of sexual orientation but the condition isn’t that favourable when it goes into implementation. The minorities have been voicing for same-sex marriage, which they claim would give them a chance to live the life of heterosexuals.

As per the latest census of 2021, there are a total of 2, 928 people who identified themselves as “others” in terms of gender or sexual orientation.

The census of 2021 also set the mark as the first census of the nation to start recording the population of sexual minorities. (ANI)

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The decision of the government of Nepal comes after contents shared over Tik Tok allegedly caused disruption in social harmony and break-ups in societal relations….reports Asian Lite News

Nepal government Minister of Information and Communications, Rekha Sharma, said on Monday that a cabinet meeting of the Nepal government has decided to ban the social media app TikTok and a complete technical ban will come into effect later.

While confirming the development over the phone to ANI, the minister said, “Tik Tok has been banned in Nepal on a policy level from today. The technical aspect of banning would take some time. The Ministry of Information and Communications would facilitate bringing the ban into effect.”

The decision of the government of Nepal comes after contents shared over Tik Tok allegedly caused disruption in social harmony and break-ups in societal relations.

Within the past 4 years and 3 months, a total of 1648 cases of cybercrime were registered in the cyber bureau of the Nepal Police, out of which the majority were regarding the contents of Tik Tok.

Chinese social media Tik Tok does not have any provisions to remove offensive contents. With the latest move, Nepal becomes the most recent country to ban Tik Tok, which is already banned in over 50 countries.

The latest decision has come within days after the government introduced the ‘Directives on the Operation of Social Networking 2023’.

As per the new rule, social media platforms operating in Nepal are required to set up their offices in the country.

On Thursday, the country made it mandatory for social media sites such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok and YouTube, among others, to open their liaison offices in Nepal.

The companies will have to establish either an office or appoint a focal person in Nepal within three months of the enforcement of the directives. They also have been mandated to register their social media platforms with the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, or face a shutdown.

The directives include a 19-point not-to-do list for users of platforms like Facebook, X, TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Meanwhile, in India, the government had in June 2020 banned TikTok along with several other Chinese apps, over national security concerns. Prior to the ban, the app had about 150 million monthly active users in India.

Moreover, concerning the security issues with the TikTok app, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Afghanistan, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway have imposed partial or complete bans respectively on the video sharing app. (ANI)

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Though the government started focusing on the relief operation from Sunday, women, children, and the elderly are still facing the threat of the cold….reports Asian Lite News

Kaushila Khadka, who has been living in a relief camp along with her husband after her house was damaged in the earthquake on Friday night, is trying to keep her two-month-old infant warm to protect him from the cold.

“The condition has worsened in comparison to the day after the earthquake. The house where we were staying got damaged and we had to get out. A rented room where we lived hasn’t sustained that damage,” Khadka told ANI.

Khadka has been relying on the blankets given to her by their relatives and cousins as the relief from the authorities has failed to reach her.

“The baby has just turned two months; earlier two days were feeling cold but since last night we got some extra blankets which has helped to keep us warm. Sister brought on some clothes for the baby because of which the cold decreased,” the newborn child’s mother said.

Though the government started focusing on the relief operation from Sunday, women, children, and the elderly are still facing the threat of the cold.

Inadequate distribution of relief materials which focus on the urban areas of the impoverished district has increased fear of health risks to the vulnerable population.

The 2,230 square kilometre district has a population of 1,89, 360. It has a women population of 50.3 per cent while the male population stands at 49.7 per cent as per the census of 2021.

The district also has high mortality of children and elderly people in the latest earthquake which so far has claimed 105 lives.

The epicentre of the November 3 earthquake, Jajarkot so far has recorded damage to 937 houses while the authorities are still conducting surveys to assess the true extent of the damage.

Those displaced now are sheltering under a tarpaulin which has now become a new home for them and for the time being, is shielding them from cold, however, the worst is yet to come.

“Problems are slowly rising, due to the chilling cold we have stomach aches, and we don’t have proper clothes to wear as all our clothes are buried under the rubble. Also, there is no proper bed to sleep on and blankets to use,” Laxmi Giri one of the displaced living in a makeshift relief camp told ANI.

The elder sister who has to look after her elderly parents and younger siblings is worried about the upcoming days as her house was flattened and her old parents are prone to the impact of the cold.

“Obviously there is a feeling of fear as we don’t have any house to live in but aunt’s house has given us some hope,” Giri added.

In relief camps set in open places across the district, covered only by sheets of tarpaulin with temperatures 10 degrees Celsius and below at nighttime, the displaced scramble together in the camp to keep warm and surround the elderly and those prone to the cold in order to shield them.

Hari Bahadur Basnet, President of Nepal Red Cross Society, Jajarkot Branch told ANI, said, “Now the elderly, children and pregnant-post-partum women have big problems. During the ongoing relief operation blankets and tarpaulins have been given utmost preference in distribution to protect them from cold. But many of the families have permanently lost their residence and their clothes buried beneath the rubble. In that case, they should be provided with warm clothes and nutritious food. We have seen some children, elderly and post-partum women not having sufficient food to eat. So the relief operation should focus firstly on protecting them and the focus should be shifted to warm clothes.” (By Binod Prasad Adhikari/ANI)

Dalai Lama Writes to Nepal PM Condoling Deaths

Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama has written to the Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, to express his sadness at the devastating earthquake that recently struck western Nepal leading to the loss of 157 human lives and many injuries, the office of the Dalai Lama said in a statement.

“I offer my condolences to the families of those who have lost loved ones,” he wrote, adding, “and pray for all those affected by this tragedy.”

“I understand that everything is being done by your government, as well as related agencies, to provide necessary help and support to the people affected by this calamity,” said Dalai Lama.

“As a token of my solidarity with the people of Nepal, I hope to be able to make a donation towards the rescue and relief efforts,” he added.

The epicentre of the November 3 earthquake, Jajarkot so far has recorded damage to 937 houses while the authorities are still conducting surveys to assess the true extent of the damage.

Those displaced now are sheltering under a tarpaulin which has now become a new home for them and for the time being, is shielding them from cold, however, the worst is yet to come.

India on Sunday sent an emergency aid package, comprising medical equipment, relief materials and more, for people affected by the magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Nepal.

The strong temblor, which even jolted the national capital and parts of north India, left 157 dead and scores injured.

Serving as the first responder, India shipped essential medicines and relief materials to assist the earthquake-affected communities.

This rapid response aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Neighbourhood First Policy,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, emphasising India’s commitment to supporting its neighbouring nations in times of crisis.

“Providing emergency relief assistance to earthquake-affected areas of Nepal. As a first responder, India delivers medicines and relief material. PM Narendra Modi’s Neighbourhood First policy in action,” EAM Jaishankar posted from his official handle on X. (ANI)

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