Dr. Pratyush Nath Upreti

As Nepal begins to re-build after its Maoist insurgency, Pratyush N. Upreti comments on the efforts of the ex-combatants to re-integrate into society. ♦ On February 13th, 1996, Maoists launched an insurgency by attacking rural police posts across the mid-western and central regions of Nepal. Before then, who had ever thought that Nepal would turn into a secular republic country? Did anyone ever imagine the easy demise of the monarchy? At the time many people did not believe in the Maoist ideology, and the few that did believed in the ideology but not the approach. There was also a group of people who may or may not had believed in Maoist ideology but wanted to change in Nepalese society by uprooting the monarchy and feudalism. With a vision to bring in a New Nepal, they followed the footsteps of Maoist leader’s. These groups of people are known as ex-combatants, who stayed away from home, family and friends, compromising study, pleasure, and accepting wounds, blood and bullets.

MIND GAINS Pratyush Nath Upreti Speaking at a memorial service for Nelson Mandela on Dec 10, 2013, South African President Jacob Zuma said, “There is no one like Madiba. He was one of a kind.” Indeed the South African president’s statement about the world’s greatest liberator who contributed so much to strengthening the values of human rights is very significant. Mandela is an inspiration for all mankind. Unfortunately, a controversy has arisen over the ownership and unauthorised use of the name Mandela since his death. Nelson Mandela’s image, name and quotations have been registered under the proprietorship of the Nelson Mandela Foundation as per South African trademark laws. They are registered under several classes including jewellery, clothing, books and other products. Furthermore, other proprietors of the Mandela brand include the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital Trust, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. Infringement and unauthor

CRIMINAL LOVE Pratyush Nath Upreti Recently, I received an email from an Indian friend saying, “I just became a criminal". This incident happened a day after International Human Rights Day, when the Supreme Court (SC) of India, in Suresh Kumar vs Naz Foundation, upheld a law dating back to the colonial era that criminalised homosexuality. In 2009, the Delhi High Court declared Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which criminalised consensual homosexual acts between adults, to be in violation of constitutional provisions. It opined that criminalisation “of homosexuality condemns in perpetuity a sizable section of society and force them to live their lives in the shadow of harassment, exploitation, humiliation, cruel and degrading treatments at the hands of the law enforcement machinery." Society and morality The judgment was overwhelmingly welcomed. However, the said decision was challenged at the SC, prompting the recent decision that upheld the illegality of