Ahoy Readers,
According to a recent UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network survey, Nepalis are ranked 82nd happiest country on this planet. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that within South Asia, only Bhutan is happier than us, and we are merrier than Indians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis. Which just made us even happier.
Transparency International also published its annual comparative survey. And guess what, Nepal is the second-most corrupt country in South Asia. Ergo, Nepali are happy because we gladly bribe each other.
Then came the Global Unemployment Ranking. Apparently, Nepal has one of the highest rates of joblessness in Asia. Hahahahaha. Imagine how sad we would be if we actually had to get some work done.
Take any other global ranking like the Global Competitiveness Quotient, the Fragile States Index, the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index, and we are near the bottom of the heap. That makes us delirious with happiness.
So what if Kathmandu’s Air Quality Index was measured to be the equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day? We are happy not to have to buy cigarettes.
However bad we think our country’s state is, this week’s Nepali Times roundup of the region (‘Subcontinental Drift’ on page 6-7) shows that Nepal is the most open society in the region. We carry an analysis by Mahfuz Anam of how the Indian media is poisoning New Delhi’s relations with Dhaka. From Colombo, Sasanka Perera performs an autopsy on a dubious deal with India’s Adani group. And after a recent visit to Kathmandu. Yogendra Yadav writes for the Indian Express about New Delhi’s neighbourhod first policy and why it isn’t working too well.
In his page 2 Guest Editorial (‘The Eastminster Model’), Korean journalist Moontae Jeong writes about how his country’s botched declaration of martial law shows democracy does not come with a warranty period. He says Asian countries are torn between two models: the spectacular economic progress of authoritarian China and poorer democratic nations struggling to develop. Elected autocrats are justifying anti-democratic moves, arguing that individual freedoms have to be sacrificed for the collective good.
In the latest episode of Diaspora Diaries #54 on page 10-11 migrant workers Kumar BK and Deepak Darji take along their flute and shehnai to Qatar to practice so that they can earn a living as performers when they come back (‘Migrating with the Music of Nepal’).
In her fortnightly Labour Mobility column, Upasana Khadka looks at the case study of migrant workers with the Musahar community to show how overseas jobs can be an equalisser in society (‘Migration is Development’, page 10).
On page 1, Ramesh Kumar analyses why Nepal was so reluctant to take more loans under the BRI from China (‘Near-debt Experience’). The country’s mountain of debt is rising and loan-servicing now exceeds the total development budget. Listen to some sage advice from economists.
Tsherin Sherpa has been experimenting with the fusion of traditional thangka motifs with more modern visual elements ever since he returned from the US in 2018. The artist’s latest exhibition of new artwork at the Takpa Gallery in Kathmandu is an attempt to reconnect with his spiritual side. Vishad Raj Onta reviews the show on page 9 (‘Tsherin Sherpa in Body and Spirit’).
Stay warm.
Kunda Dixit