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Last modified: 2023-06-03 by zachary harden
Keywords: nepal | limbuwan |
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Since the overthrow of the royal family (2007) and the first seating of the Constitutional Assembly (May 2008), Nepal has debated the fate of its national flag. Below are some comments gleaned from reports from Nepal, presented chronologically.
![[Nepal flag proposal]](../images/n/np!chg.gif)
image by Ivan Sache, 4 March 2007
On the "United
We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal" blog, Prakash Bom explains that the
national flag of Nepal should be changed for the design proposed by Shree
Shreshta. The main idea supporting the change is the need to remove the
connotations with the Hindu nationalism and the royal values. Accordingly, the
proposed flag is rectangular, red with the 12-pointed star of the present flag
in canton.
The comments left by the blog's readers do not really support the change. Gus
Tracchia and Peter Ansoff have added vexillologically oriented comments, whereas
most other comments are politically based. Anyway, it seems from that limited
sample that the Nepalese do enjoy their national flag and do not want to change
it.
Ivan Sache, 4 March 2007
Two major Nepali newspapers -
Gorkhapatra and Nepali
Times - report today that on May 28 (2008), at the first seating of the
Constitutional Assembly, the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal would be
officially declared, before any other business on the agenda. Also, the royal
flag would be removed from atop the Narayanthiti Palace and replaced with the
national flag, presumably unchanged yet.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 23 May 2008
May 29 2008: The flag of Nepal's 240-year-old Shah dynasty has been taken
down from the palace in Kathmandu, after legislators abolished the world's last
Hindu monarchy.
Kathmandu - The flag of Nepal's 240-year-old Shah dynasty was taken down from
the main palace in Kathmandu on Thursday after legislators abolished the world's
last Hindu monarchy, officials said. "The royal flag was replaced by Nepal's
national flag inside the palace on Thursday morning," a palace official said on
condition of anonymity. Thursday and Friday were declared public holidays in the
new republic. The king has been given 15 days to vacate the sprawling pink
palace at the heart of Kathmandu, which will now be turned into a national
museum. "The flag has been changed as part of the government decision to
implement a republic," the palace official said.
Source:
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2331007,00.html
Bruce Berry, 29 May 2008
The new proposal for the constitution envisions the retention of the current
flag, makes the cow the national animal and divides the country into 7
autonomous provinces, among other things. Scanning other Nepali newspapers it
seems the proposed division of the country will be hotly debated, especially
among the Madheshis. The proposed autonomous provinces are Sagarmatha (Nepali
name for Mt.Everest), East Terai, Bagmati, Annapurna, West Terai, Karnali, and
Mahakali. It abandons the divisions declared during the "revolutionary" period
leading to the formation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal but, at
least, it preserves the beautiful and unique national flag.
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=195481
Chrystian
Kretowicz, 22 May 2009
From from the
Kathmandu Post:
"Kathmandu, September 17 - The UCPN (Maoist) and two
other parties on Wednesday proposed to change the country’s national flag.
During a meeting of the sub-committee to prepare the concept paper of the
Constitutional Committee, lawmakers of UCPN (Maoist), Rastriya Janamorcha and
Dalit Janajati Party demanded that the national flag be changed.
The present
triangular flag with the sun and moon is based on the principles of monarchy, so
the new constitution should give a new national flag to the country, they
argued. On the other hand, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Nepal Majdoor Kisan
Party opposed the proposal and expressed their commitment to continue with the
national flag. “The flag of our country is based on the principles of
Chandrabansi and Suryabansi kings,” Maoist lawmaker Dev Gurung said. “It will be
best if we change it.” He said the Nepali national flag should depict
inclusiveness and proportional representation. The Maoists say the new flag
ought to symbolize the number of federal units that will be determined by the
new statute.
Rastriya Janamorcha lawmaker Chitra Bahadur K.C. said the new
national flag should represent the restructuring of the state. “The present
flag, which is based on the principles of monarchy should not be continued in
the new system that we are going to introduce,” added K.C.
However, UML
lawmaker Agni Kharel said it is meaningless to argue for changing the present
national flag. “Our national flag is unique. It has its own identity and
recognition,” Kharel told the Post. “We can’t make a new Nepal by changing the
flag.” Kharel debunked the analogy drawn between the present national flag and
monarchy. “The meaning of those symbols is that the country will remain eternal
till there is the sun and the moon,” he added.
Madhes-based parties did not
present their opinion at the meeting of the subcommittee on the proposal to
change the national flag."
Chrystian Kretowicz, 19 September 2009
The
Kathmandu Post reports today (October 15, 2009):
Flag debate flares up
KATHMANDU, OCT 15 - The Constitutional Committee (CC) saw deep schism on
Wednesday over the proposal to change the national flag.
At the day’s
CC meeting in Singhadurbar, the UCPN (Maoist), CPN (United), Rastriya Janamorcha,
Dalit Janajati Party, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) and lawmakers Pasang
Sherpa and Sadrul Miya Haq made pitched calls for changing the flag, while the
Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML said there was no need for it. Parties that
favoured change of flag argued that the sun and moon in the existing flag
symbolised monarchy, while those for retaining the flag proposed redefining the
two symbols and the red and blue colours to suit the changed political context.
“The existing flag embodies one-caste and one-culture system. Since our
constitution will endorse the multi-nation concept, we should go for a new flag
with symbols representing the federal structure or inclusiveness, not monarchy.
Redefining the symbols won’t reflect political transformation,” Maoist lawmaker
Dev Gurung argued.
For Bishwendra Paswan of Dalit Janajati
Party, the flag was representative of Hinduism. He proposed a green-bordered
rectangular flag with a picture of Gautam Buddha. Sadbhavana lawmaker Sarita
Giri was all for a flag that sported blue and yellow colours to suggest peace
and liberty. Sherpa spoke for a clearly visible rectangular flag, while Haq
proposed a green-bordered flag. Some lawmakers even proposed competition for
designing the new flag.
“The national flag is unique, so let’s
not look at it from materialistic and religious perspectives. Let’s redefine it
and address the row,” proposed NC lawmaker Bimalendra Nidhi. “The sun and the
moon are not just Hindu symbols, other religions also revere them.” Kings have
had separate flags, so the charge that this flag symbolises monarchy is
baseless. UML lawmaker Chhabi Lal Bishowkarma said chan-ging a “unique and
popular national flag” was not a good idea.
There was also
debate on national emblems. Gurung maintained there should not be any national
emblem and objected to recognition of the cow as national animal. Some lawmakers
opined that the one-horned rhino as the national animal would embody secularism,
while Nidhi said the national animal cow, national colour crimson, national bird
danphe and national flower rhododendron should be preserved. Giri said retaining
the cow as national animal would not hurt secularism."
Chrystian Kretowicz,
15 October 2009
Kathmandu Post reports (25 December 2009):
The Constitutional Committee
(CC) on Friday rejected the Maoist proposal for changing the national flag by
voice majority. The CC also declined to take up the terminology ‘People’s War’
in the preamble of the constitution in the making, while it endorsed the Tarai-based
parties’ proposal to use “Madhes Andolan” in it.
In voting on Friday
night, the Maoist proposal for recognition of People’s War in the new statute
received 20 yeas and 30 nays. The proposal for mentioning “Madhes Andolan” in
the preamble garnered 29 votes, while 21 members did not support it. Fifty-five
out of 63 CC members took part in the voting on more than 85 disputed issues in
the concept paper. Bishwendra Paswan of Dalit Janajati Party walked out while
voting was under way. The CC opted for voting on contentious issues after the
major parties failed to reach understanding. The voting process started at the
CC Office in Singhadurbar at 4 p.m, and is underway. The parties differ over
naming the new constitution, its preamble, defining the nation and states, and
the national flag.
Top leaders of the three major parties--UCPN (Maoist)
Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and Nepali Congress
President Girija Prasad Koirala--did not vote. Dahal and Khanal came to the CC
meeting and informed CC Chair Nilamber Acharya that they would not take part in
the voting. The proposal receiving majority votes will be taken as draft report,
while the others will be incorporated as differing opinions. Nepal Sadbhavana
Party-Giri (NSP-G) leader Sarita Giri walked out of the meeting writing a note
of dissent on the list of issues readied for voting.
Chrystian Kretowicz,
26 December 2009
Republica reports (26 December 2009):
THIRA L BHUSAL
KATHMANDU, Dec 26:
The Constitutional Committee (CC) of the Constituent Assembly decided by vote
Friday on 98 provisions, to be enshrined in the new constitution, that had
remained contentious among the political parties. In the voting, a majority of
the agenda items supported by the largest party UCPN (Maoist) were defeated by
the alliance of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML among other political parties.
The Maoist proposal to change the national flag failed as it could not
garner majority support in the committee. But the vote against the proposal was
in minority also. The Maoist proposal to change the national flag got 27 votes
from the 58 members present in the committee while 24 votes were cast against.
The NC, UML and Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Democratic) were in favor of
giving continuity to the present flag.
The number of members present and
voting in the 64-member committee was 58 as the heads of the UCPN (Maoist), NC
(NC) and CPN-UML -- Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Girija Prasad Koirala and Jhala Nath
Khanal respectively -- agreed to abstain in the voting. Suprabha Ghimire of NC
is abroad while another member, Ek Nath Dhakal, could not cast his vote as he
has already used his ballot in another thematic committee. And the chairman of
the committee can use his vote only in case two sides get an equal number of
votes.
The proposal to change the color of the present flag proposed by
Madhes-based political parties was also defeated.
More at:
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=13284.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 26 December 2009
It appears the players in Nepal's political scene have agreed to keep the
National Flag as it is:
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=All-party+mechanism+okays+national+flag+deal&NewsID=273416
Dave Martucci, 17 January 2011
