Author: Siromani Dhungana
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Deconstructing Baburam Bhattarai: Conflicts and Contradictions
On Friday (9 August), Kathmandu Post published a piece by Suman Khadka (a PhD candidate at Monash University, Australia) that critically analyzed Baburam Bhattarai’s contradictory personality with focus on his bourgeois education that the Maoist leader stopped many Nepali youths from pursuing. (His party forced many students in rural Nepal out of schools to join the Maoist ‘militia’ reasoning that they…
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Nepal Needs More Transparency in Political Finance
By Siromani Dhungana UWB Political parties in Nepal should recognize the value of transparency in the political process and the importance of providing citizens with information on funds raised and spent in the election to influence their votes. It is clear that money counts in elections where there are needy voters and greedy politicians. Politicians…
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Elections: Repeating History of Violence?
When leaders or parties lose their confidence to woo people through their policies and programmes, they resort to wielding violence to bring the election results to their favour. By Sagar Ghimire As November 19, the slated date for the Constituent Assembly election, draws closer, poll fever gradually grips the government, the Election Commission (EC) as…
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Elections 2013: Challenges Ahead for Nepal
The government has finally announced dates for the CA polls (19 November). This has raised hopes of Nepal getting a new elected body. Not yet time to celebrate hoping that Nepal will have a government that is accountable to people and its acts transparent. Similarly, there will not be a competition among political parties based on issues…
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A Conversation with Departing Nepal Chief of the UK Aid Agency
By Siromani Dhungana UWB At one point on his last day in office as head of DFID Nepal, Dominic O’ Neill was waiting for reporters. And a photographer. “So, you guys want to take a picture?” He said as he fixed his tie. “This will probably be the last meeting with journalist in my nearly two…
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Auditor General’s Report: a Mere Formality or an Effort to Maintain Accountability?
A brief look at Nepali peoples’ perception of the Office of the Auditor General and its annual reports. The Office of the Auditor General (OAG) can and should play the role of watchdog to control irregularities in the government entities. The OAG should make its auditing system more effective so that it can reveal all…
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Election Government or Elected One?
Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke. -Will Rogers By Siromani Dhungana UWB I don’t support the idea of a government that bureaucrats or technocrats lead. Do you support a military-led government led? If not there is no reason you will support a government led by bureaucrats?…
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