(Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Maldives)
May 01–15, 2017

Nepal

Nepal holds Local Polls in 20 Years

The 1st phase of the elections to local bodies were successfully held, for the first time in 20 years, across three provinces on Sunday the 14 May, 2017. Elections were held in 281 of 283 local units of 34 districts in Provinces 3, 4 & 6. An early estimate by the Election Commission put the voters turn out at over 73%.

Despite the contentious political environ in the lead up period, including boycott by the Madhes based parties and some others, voting was peaceful and enthusiastic with high voter participation, though officials had to postpone voting at a few places due to sporadic incidents of violence. Rasuwa saw the highest turnout at 82% whereas Ramachhap saw the lowest participation. Bhaktapur, Gorkha and Dolpaalso saw high percentage of over 80%. The Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said that there will be higher turnout of voters in the next round of polls scheduled for June 14. The election will take place in the local federal units of 41 districts in Provinces 1, 2, 5 & 7.

Social media played commendable role in motivating the people, especially the youth, to participate in the democratic process. Important political leaders called the election as ‘historical success’ and a step towards the implementation of the new Constitution. They urged all the political parties and the government to focus on the second phase of polls after resolving all the contentious issues through dialogue and in a spirit of cooperation. Nanda Bahadur Pun viewed the election as “the pillar to lead the nation towards prosperity and strengthen democracy in the country”. Nepali Congress leader and Health Minister Gagan Thapa claimed that this vote has guaranteed that the second phase will also be successful. Senior CPN (MC) leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha also voiced similar views. NC General Secretary Prakash Man Singh believed that the overwhelming people’s participation would further inspire the people of Tarai to make the second phase of polls a success too. Rashtriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) leader Keshav Jha said that his party would join the June 14 elections even if the parties assure to amend the constitution later.

As per reports, discussion has taken place between Prime Minister Dahal and the RJPN on 15 May on passing the Constitution Amendment Bill and holding of the 2nd phase of elections by forging political consensus. RJPN leaders have demanded to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill before the second phase of local polls. RJPN leaders Mahanta Thakur, Rajendra Mahato, Sharat Singh Bhandari, Mahendra Ray Yadav, Anil Kumar Jha and Raj Kishore Yadav participated in the meeting.

Nepal in Talks with China to Build $ 8 Billion Rail Links under OBOR

Under the One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative, Nepal is in talks with China to build a cross border rail link that may cost up to $ 8 billion. The proposed 550 Km. long rail-line would connect China’s Western Tibet region to Kathmandu. Nepal officially signed an agreement to be a part of President Xi-Jinping’s plan to build a new silk road. Once connected by rail, Nepal expects increase in trade and tourism. The project may take up to 8 years in completion. The railways will travel over 400 Km. in China to Nepal border and then another 150 Km. from Nepal border to Kathmandu. Nepal prioritizes railways followed by hydro-power projects and cross-border transmission lines between the two countries. Last year, China had agreed to build railway line in Nepal in order to lessen her dependence on India.

Bangladesh

War Trial: Supreme Court upholds Life Term Jail for top Jamaat Leader

Revising death sentence, the Appellate Division of Bangladesh Supreme Court reduced the sentence of a war criminal and a Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee to “imprisonment till death” for crime against humanity during the Liberation War. A five member Appellate Division Bench headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha dismissed two separate petitions filed by Sayedee and the government seeking review of its previous order. Pronouncing the verdict, the court said that the Jamaat leader would have to remain imprisoned “for the rest of his natural life”. Sayedee, the Naeb-e-Ameer had been awarded death penalty for two counts of crime against humanity on February, 2013 by a War Crimes Tribunal. Jamaat-e-Islami had called for a country wide shut down on 18 & 21 of May.

World Bank projects Bangladesh Growth at 6.8%

According to the World Bank’s projection, Bangladesh’s gross domestic product (GDP) will be 6.8% in the current 2016-2017 fiscal year. The economy is performing well in the indicators except export, remittance and import of industrial raw material compound when compared to the previous fiscal year. World Bank leading economist Zahid Hussain released the report titled ‘Bangladesh Development Update, May 2017 at the World Bank Dhaka office. According to Bangladesh’s Development Update, May 2017, the economy is likely to grow between 6.4% and 6.8% in 2017 and 2018. However, he also said that the country must not be complacent as it would require dealing with domestic and external risks. The supposed risks on the domestic side includes further deterioration in the financial sector stability, flaws in addressing fiscal reforms and the political slugfest in the run up to the 2019 general elections.

SRI LANKA

Prime Minister Modi’s Lanka Visit on International Vesak Day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid two day (May 12-13) to Sri Lanka to inaugurate UN recognized 14th International Vesak Day that commemorates the birth, enlightenment and passing of Lord Buddha. This was his second visit to Sri Lanka in last 26 months. He reiterated relevance of Buddhist teachings in the present day and time and cited Vesak as an occasion to celebrate the unbroken shared heritage of Buddhism. Among the important takeaways of his visit, PM Modi inaugurated a hospital built with India's assistance of Rs 150 crore. He has earned the distinction of becoming first Indian Prime Minister to address up country Tamils in Central Province of Sri Lanka. The fact that he shared dais with President and Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to commit his support to improve living standards of communities in Sri Lanka’s plantation areas makes his address all the more important. He announced the construction of additional 10,000 houses in upcountry areas. In his address to upcountry Tamils, he admonished “proponent of hate" in the South Asia that is "not open to dialogue and therefore only open to causing death and destruction". He announced direct flights by Air India between Colombo and Varanasi from August this year to boost tourism, people to people contact and promotion of cultural-religious heritage. In Kandy, PM visited Sri Lanka's iconic Buddhist Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic known as an architectural wonder housing shared religious heritage.

During the visit, Indian PM interacted with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa (MR) and Former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa in a meeting held at MR’s request. Focus of the meeting was on economic and development projects. MR suggested that New Delhi must encourage Indian investment in Sri Lanka to benefit the people.

Overall, PM’s visit was mainly aimed at reinforcing the traditional connect between India and Sri Lanka and rethinking India- Lanka relations beyond cultural ties to cultural-religious ties. His ‘feel good’ speech for upcountry Tamils is a subtle hint for Northern and Eastern Provinces based Tamil Political Parties and intelligentsia to look beyond their boundaries and take all Tamils on board, including the plantation (up country Tamils), who had hitherto been marginalized by them. A few groups in Sri Lanka, namely National University Teachers Association (NUTA) and National Joint Committee (NJC) have expressed their concerns while citing that PM Modi’s address to upcountry Tamils as ‘Indian Diaspora’ can lead to cultivation of a different mentality in them, which might be detrimental to Sri Lanka’s unity. But barring this, the visit was seen as a success as it struck a lot of chord among politico-religious fraternity and common Lankan citizens. Since past two years, governments on both the sides have been making continuous efforts to take relations to new levels, which is evident from high level visits seen on regular basis. This time around, India has intensified engagement putting Buddhism and culture at the centre of her policy. Thus the visit was good on optics and on conveying Lankans that India is there for a lot more than just balancing regional interests.

Sri Lanka Border Stone Kept in Adam’s Bridge Area

A border stone with the words 'Sri Lanka' inscribed on it and with the Island-government's official emblem on top has been found to have been installed on the seventh of the chain of limestone shoals (islets) in the 'Adams Bridge' area in the shallow seas off Dhansuhkodi, to apparently indicate Sri Lanka's maritime border with India.

Tamil Nadu fishermen often run into trouble in the ocean waters close to Katchatheevu islet, with the Sri Lankan Navy charging them with poaching into their territorial waters as the maritime boundary line cannot be clearly demarcated in full. While India has installed its territorial sign board on the fifth of these chain of islets off Dhanushkodi, some fishermen of Rameswaram found that Sri Lanka has put up its border stone on the seventh islet. They returned home and reported the matter to the authorities here.

Lankan PM Attends OBOR Conclave

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was one of the 29 heads of the states to attend a meeting called the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in Beijing. Chinese President Xi Jinping told visiting Prime Minister Wickremesinghe that the Chinese government was hoping to provide two billion Chinese Yuan for development activities in Sri Lanka from 2018 to 2020, in addition to some of 400 million (Chinese Yuan) aid to Sri Lanka.

During a meeting between the two leaders, the Chinese President extended full support for Sri Lanka’s reconciliation and economic development programmes. PM Wickremesinghe thanked the Chinese leader for the support given by China for several sectors such as development and investment in Sri Lanka. Reports suggest that Sri Lanka has backed India's concern over the Kashmir issue saying it is difficult for New Delhi to accept the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it goes through the "heart of Indian interests," the Economic Times reported on Wednesday.

Special Assignment Minister Sarath Amanugama has said India, which skipped the high-profile meeting, would have joined "very happily" in the OBOR initiative but unfortunately the issue is going through the heart of Indian interests. If it is some uncontested region, India would have negotiated its way out. Here especially the Kashmir issue getting dragged into it, makes it difficult for India to be flexible," He further added that, “You cannot think of a belt and road without going over and close to India.”

Maldives

Petition for Credible Investigation of Yameen’s Murder

Hundreds of people have been signing a petition calling for a credible investigation into the murder of liberal blogger, 29-year-old writer and IT professional Yameen Rasheed and the abduction of journalist Ahmed Rilwan. Deceased Yameen’s friends and family began gathering signatures for the petition. It is believed that about 800 people have signed the petition.

After claiming to have identified two suspects from security camera footage, the police informed Yameen’s family that their identity remains unknown because they were in disguise, sparking outrage on social media yesterday.

Earlier last month, Yameen’s father, Mr. Hussain Rasheed sought help from diplomats and international organisations in Sri Lanka to pressure the Maldivian government to carry out an independent investigation with foreign involvement. He told reporters in Colombo that the police had acted suspiciously after the murder by washing the crime scene, repainting the blood-spattered wall, and preventing anyone from taking photographs. The police also failed to seriously investigate several complaints Yameen had lodged about receiving death threats. Yameen’s family previously said in a statement that “the police investigation will only be deemed credible if it includes investigators from reputable international organisations.”

Two days after Yameen’s murder, a Facebook page called Qafila (meaning caravan in Arabic) threatened more killings against those it accused of campaigning for secularism. It spoke of a hit list and announced that there would be no rest until all apostates are beheaded. Qafila’s first post was a blood-spattered image of Yameen, his best friend Ahmed Rilwan, the Maldives Independent journalist who disappeared in 2014, and a third blank space with the words “loading next”.