Christopher Sharma

During his six-day official visit, the Nepali prime minister’ will meet his Indian counterpart. This is the first visit since India ended its export embargo. Nepal has set specific guidelines for meetings, especially on its secular state and new Constitution. Four Memoranda of Understanding should be signed on trade.

Yesterday vehicles passed through Raxaul-Birgunj mountain pass without difficulty. It is the thoroughfare for about 70% of all incoming goods. India applied trade bloc since Nepal adopted its first democratic Constitution. The population is at its lowest point. Expert: "People are not interested in political wrangling. They are just trying to survive ".

About one million Nepalese migrants work in Malaysia. A third of them have asked to return home because of problems related to the currency crisis, insecurity and because they suffer torture. Nepal, however, still "suffers from the earthquake and the Indian embargo" and Kathmandu does not know how to re-employ migrants. Kuala Lumpur will not issue regular contracts, while calling for more women workers "who end up in the sex trade."

Sita Basnet’s family converted to Christianity 12 years ago. Before that, she and her husband struggled to maintain their family. The net result was that their children did poorly in school. "After we embraced Catholicism, everything changed.” Now, “When I have a problem I pray, and everything is resolved."

Traffickers move women with false papers between Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, and then send them to the Middle East. Fair-skinned Nepali girls and young women get the highest price. The arrest in New Delhi of Pooja, a young Nepali woman, set of the investigation.

​Snow has covered the villages of Laprak, Barpak and Ghyachchok, in Gorkha district. Residents cannot go out and gather wood to keep warm. Helicopters cannot take off because of thick fog. Survivors complain that since last year’s earthquake reconstruction funds donated by the international community have not yet been spent.

​Since last year’s quake, the government has failed to distribute promptly foreign aid. “There are no official data on displaced persons, deaths or victims of human trafficking,” one activist laments. “I preferred prostitution to suicide,” said one young woman. As AsiaNews shows, she is not alone.

​More than a million, perhaps two million Nepali migrants, many illegal, work in the Gulf monarchies. All are affiliated with Nepali political parties or related groups that organise celebrations as well as cultural and sports events among migrant communities. Human rights groups have been complaining for years about the way Nepali workers are exploited.

Mgr Paul Simick celebrated Christmas Mass at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Kathmandu. Thousands of Catholics and others exchanged greetings across the country where Christmas has been a national holiday since 2007. “May this festival inspire all to implement the Constitution of Nepal for peaceful and prosperous Nepal strengthening the feelings of love and unity among all the Nepali people,” Nepal’s president said.

Bidhya Devi Bhandari was not been able to honor the Hindu festival of Bibaha Mahotsave, celebrating the marriage of the deities Rama and Janaki. The minority madhese protested the president's visit. Her statements about the strikes in the Terai region also blamed. More than 30 people were injured in clashes with police.

Nepal plans to meet minority demands and review the country’s territorial division. A group of experts is set to report back in three months. “India is confident that a return to normalcy in Nepal would create a more secure and predictable climate for unimpeded commerce between our two countries,” India’s External Affairs Ministry said. A Nepali minority leader said he was hopeful, but added, “We shall not drop our protest until we are convinced” of the outcome.

Born into a Hindu family, he was ordained in 1968 as a priest of the Society of Jesus. He taught Nepali kings at a Jesuit school in India, and witnessed the country’s secular revolution. During his tenure, he successfully oversaw the recognition of Nepal’s Catholic Church and founded Caritas Nepal. Hundreds of people, Christians and non-Christians, attended his funeral, despite hardships due to India’s embargo.