FLASHBACK TO THE NRNAs EIGHT-YEAR-LONG JOURNEY
KATHMANDU, OCT 12 -
The eight-year journey of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has been a story of many ups and downs. Networking of Nepalis living abroad, the Nepal government coming up with the NRN Act and regulations, four NRN world conferences and NRNs getting the same status in their homeland as NRIs have in India have been some of its major achievements. Perhaps the biggest contribution of the NRN movement is the emergence of the NRN identity itself.
The NRN movement is now at a decisive stage, and Nepalis from across the globe will be converging on Kathmandu for the Fifth NRN Global Conference which gets underway on Wednesday. They will sit down together to take stock of their achievements and chart a greater role for themselves in the socio-economic transformation of their home country and elect a new leadership for the next two years.
Conceived by a group of Nepalis living abroad at a meeting in London on Aug 31, 2003, the NRN movement has come a long way in the last eight years with a presence in over 57 countries. Presently, to say that the NRN movement has entered its most crucial phase would not be an overstatement. It is high time that the NRNA institutionalized the achievements made so far and moved up to the next level. Hence, the fifth conference will be critical in this regard.
The last eight years saw Nepalis abroad getting legal status in Nepal, the NRN Act and regulations are in place and investments from these Nepalis are flowing into Nepal. Though Nepalis living abroad have reservations over the government’s definition of NRN, the act and regulations have granted them legal status to conduct business in Nepal. The NRN Act promulgated in August 2007 has addressed their demands to a certain degree. It has allowed them to own property and repatriate deposits and assets according to the same rules applied to foreign investors. It also has a provision for a 10-year multiple entry visa for NRNs.
However, NRNs have some reservations about the NRN Act. It defines only those Nepalis who have lived abroad for two years as NRNs while the Nepalis say it should be defined as per global norms, i.e., those who have stayed away from home for 183 days should be treated as NRNs. The act has also excluded students studying abroad from the definition of NRN. “We have been asking the government to redefine the NRN definition,” said Jiba Lamichhane, NRNA vice-president. The NRNA in these eight years has also got increasingly involved in charitable works by helping to establish the Kriyaputri Bhawan in Pashupati, Kathmandu and Bridhhashram in Devghat, Chitwan and supporting Samata School. It has also ventured into the country’s socio-economic development in partnership with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry by establishing Trade Schools and the One Village One Product programme.
With the NRNA differing with the government on the definition of NRN, its registration in Nepal has been delayed. “Once the contradiction over the definition is sorted out, we will register the association,” said Lamichhane. Registration is crucial for the NRNA. It will not only provide it legal status but also facilitate fulfilment of the commitments made in the past.
NRNA President Dev Man Hirachan accepts that issues like dual citizenship for NRNs, institutionalising the NRNA, security for Nepalis’ investments in Nepal and abroad and voting rights for Nepalis residing abroad did not materialise. “Despite our serious efforts, they did not happen during my presidency,” said Hirachan while announcing his candidacy.
Critics say that the NRNA made many commitments but implemented only a few of them, and that the expected NRN investments didn’t materialise. NRNA former spokesperson Jugal Bhurtel said the charge of NRNA making many declarations but implementing a few was partially true. “The declarations are our sentiments that show we want to do something for Nepal,” said Bhurtel.
The much publicised US$ 100 million Nepal Investment Fund, announced at the Second NRN Global Conference, is yet to be established. However, Lamichhane said the NRNA had not backtracked from its commitment to establish the fund. Leaders of Nepalis abroad argue that even without the association being registered in Nepal, NRNs have invested around US$ 350 million in Nepal in the last eight years.
Former finance secretary Rameshwor Khanal said that the NRN movement that concentrated on social networking in its initial years has been talking about investment seriously in the last two years. “In the last two years, I’ve found them to be serious about investing in Nepal,” said Khanal. “On last year’s NRN Day, they had requested the government to provide projects to invest in. Now they themselves are making a list of projects for investment.”
As the NRNA grows bigger, there are fears that it could become a victim of politicization that has plagued many Nepali organisations. “As the NRNA becomes a resourceful organisation, there could be a danger of political influence in it,” said Bhurtel. “It is for the NRNA to decide how much political influence should be allowed, and where to stop it.” The biggest strength of the NRN movement perhaps is its diversity. But it can be a weakness too. Some symptoms of that have become visible during the NRNA election this time. “Regional and ethnic divisions among NRNs should not happen,” said Bhurtel.
Source: Kantipur
The eight-year journey of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has been a story of many ups and downs. Networking of Nepalis living abroad, the Nepal government coming up with the NRN Act and regulations, four NRN world conferences and NRNs getting the same status in their homeland as NRIs have in India have been some of its major achievements. Perhaps the biggest contribution of the NRN movement is the emergence of the NRN identity itself.
The NRN movement is now at a decisive stage, and Nepalis from across the globe will be converging on Kathmandu for the Fifth NRN Global Conference which gets underway on Wednesday. They will sit down together to take stock of their achievements and chart a greater role for themselves in the socio-economic transformation of their home country and elect a new leadership for the next two years.
Conceived by a group of Nepalis living abroad at a meeting in London on Aug 31, 2003, the NRN movement has come a long way in the last eight years with a presence in over 57 countries. Presently, to say that the NRN movement has entered its most crucial phase would not be an overstatement. It is high time that the NRNA institutionalized the achievements made so far and moved up to the next level. Hence, the fifth conference will be critical in this regard.
The last eight years saw Nepalis abroad getting legal status in Nepal, the NRN Act and regulations are in place and investments from these Nepalis are flowing into Nepal. Though Nepalis living abroad have reservations over the government’s definition of NRN, the act and regulations have granted them legal status to conduct business in Nepal. The NRN Act promulgated in August 2007 has addressed their demands to a certain degree. It has allowed them to own property and repatriate deposits and assets according to the same rules applied to foreign investors. It also has a provision for a 10-year multiple entry visa for NRNs.
However, NRNs have some reservations about the NRN Act. It defines only those Nepalis who have lived abroad for two years as NRNs while the Nepalis say it should be defined as per global norms, i.e., those who have stayed away from home for 183 days should be treated as NRNs. The act has also excluded students studying abroad from the definition of NRN. “We have been asking the government to redefine the NRN definition,” said Jiba Lamichhane, NRNA vice-president. The NRNA in these eight years has also got increasingly involved in charitable works by helping to establish the Kriyaputri Bhawan in Pashupati, Kathmandu and Bridhhashram in Devghat, Chitwan and supporting Samata School. It has also ventured into the country’s socio-economic development in partnership with the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry by establishing Trade Schools and the One Village One Product programme.
With the NRNA differing with the government on the definition of NRN, its registration in Nepal has been delayed. “Once the contradiction over the definition is sorted out, we will register the association,” said Lamichhane. Registration is crucial for the NRNA. It will not only provide it legal status but also facilitate fulfilment of the commitments made in the past.
NRNA President Dev Man Hirachan accepts that issues like dual citizenship for NRNs, institutionalising the NRNA, security for Nepalis’ investments in Nepal and abroad and voting rights for Nepalis residing abroad did not materialise. “Despite our serious efforts, they did not happen during my presidency,” said Hirachan while announcing his candidacy.
Critics say that the NRNA made many commitments but implemented only a few of them, and that the expected NRN investments didn’t materialise. NRNA former spokesperson Jugal Bhurtel said the charge of NRNA making many declarations but implementing a few was partially true. “The declarations are our sentiments that show we want to do something for Nepal,” said Bhurtel.
The much publicised US$ 100 million Nepal Investment Fund, announced at the Second NRN Global Conference, is yet to be established. However, Lamichhane said the NRNA had not backtracked from its commitment to establish the fund. Leaders of Nepalis abroad argue that even without the association being registered in Nepal, NRNs have invested around US$ 350 million in Nepal in the last eight years.
Former finance secretary Rameshwor Khanal said that the NRN movement that concentrated on social networking in its initial years has been talking about investment seriously in the last two years. “In the last two years, I’ve found them to be serious about investing in Nepal,” said Khanal. “On last year’s NRN Day, they had requested the government to provide projects to invest in. Now they themselves are making a list of projects for investment.”
As the NRNA grows bigger, there are fears that it could become a victim of politicization that has plagued many Nepali organisations. “As the NRNA becomes a resourceful organisation, there could be a danger of political influence in it,” said Bhurtel. “It is for the NRNA to decide how much political influence should be allowed, and where to stop it.” The biggest strength of the NRN movement perhaps is its diversity. But it can be a weakness too. Some symptoms of that have become visible during the NRNA election this time. “Regional and ethnic divisions among NRNs should not happen,” said Bhurtel.
Source: Kantipur
