Articles
Nepal’s Diplomatic Efforts to Protect the Rights of Nepali Migrant Workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for the Future
Barada Upreti- Biplav Dhakal
Published 2021-03-30
Keywords
- labor migration, migrant workers, diplomacy, diplomatic tools, COVID-19 pandemic, ad hoc tools.
How to Cite
Upreti, B. ., & Dhakal, B. . (2021). Nepal’s Diplomatic Efforts to Protect the Rights of Nepali Migrant Workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for the Future. Kathmandu School of Law Review, 9(1), 126–139. Retrieved from https://kslreview.org/index.php/kslr/article/view/2210
Abstract
Labor migration in Nepal largely consists of ‘blue-collar’ workers traveling to foreign countries, especially the Gulf Region, for employment. In spite of domestic as well as international legal mechanisms guaranteeing their safety, their stay in these countries has met with issues of gross human rights violations. This spectacle escalated further during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among the different ways the Nepal Government approached to deal with this matter, this paper concerns the diplomatic approach. It examines the pre-existing as well as ad hoc diplomatic tools that were at the disposal of and utilized by the Nepali state during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic to make the GCC countries more accountable towards the issues of Nepali migrant workers. It comments on the performance of such tools and concludes by making recommendations for a more proactive diplomacy to address the issues of migrant workers in times of crises.
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References
1 National Human Rights Commission Nepal, ‘NHRC-Nepal on the Rights of the Migrant Workers: An Overview’, October 2012, available at http://www.nhrcnepal.org/nhrc_new/doc/newsletter/Rights%20Migrant%20Workers.pdf, accessed on 3 July 2021.
2 ‘Nepal Labor Migration Report 2020’, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, 2020, Kathmandu, p. 31, available at https://moless.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Migration-Report-2020-English.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid, p. 33.
5 Labor‘Labor Migration for Employment: A Status Report for Nepal: 2015/2016-2016/2017’, Ministry of Labor and Employment, 25 February 2018, p.10, available at https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Nepal-Labor -Migration-status-report-2015-16-to-2016-17.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
6 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 33.
7 Ibid.
8 ‘Personal remittances, received (% of GDP)’, The World Bank, available at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS, accessed on 9 September 2021.
9 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 113.
10 Nepalko Sambidhan (Constitution of Nepal) 2015, art. 5.
11 Constitution (n 10), arts. 16(1), 18(3), 35(1) & 51(i) (5), (6).
12 Baideshik Rojgar Ain 2064 (Foreign Employment Act 2007), Nepal, ss. 75(2), 33(1)(b) & 75(1).
13 Sangkramak Rog Ain 2020 (Infectious Disease Act 1964), Nepal, ss. 2(1) & 2(a)(1).
14 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, UNGA 217 A (III), arts. 1, 2, 9, 13(2), 19 & 25(2).
15 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 3 January 1976, UNTS 993, New York, 16 December
1966, arts. 12(1), 12(2)(c) & 11(1).
16 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 23 March 1976, UNTS 999, New York, 16 December 1966, arts. 12(4), 19(2), 2(1) & 2(3) (b), (c).
17 Keshav Bashyal & Binita Subedi, ‘Labor Diplomacy and Migration Governance in Nepal’, Institute of Foreign
Affairs, Nepal: Journal of Foreign Affairs, volume 1:1, January 2021, p. 107; Gaurav Bhattarai & Jeevan Baniya, ‘Nepali Migrant Workers Amid COVID-19 in Major Destination Countries: A Human Security Approach’, Tribhuvan University Journal COVID-19 Special Issue, volume 34, September 2020, p. 123.
18 ‘Commissions’ initiatives for the protection of the human rights of Migrant workers’, National Human Rights Commission, 2018, Lalitpur, p. 85.
19 ‘IOM and Labor Migration’, International Organisation for Migration, 2008, available at https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/our_work/ICP/IDM/Labor-Migration-Infosheet-2008.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
20 Kishan S. Rana, 21st Century Diplomacy, The Continuum International Publishing Group, New York, 2011.
21 Foreign Employment Act (n 12), s. 68(1).
22 Ibid.
23 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 86.
24 Bashyal & Subedi (n 17), p. 111.
25 ‘Labor Migration for Employment A Status Report for Nepal: 2014/2015’ Ministry of Labor and Employment,
p.44, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---Ilo Kathmandu/
documents/publication/wcms_500311.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
26 Based on interviews with Nepali Embassy officials who were deployed in the Embassies during the Pandemic.
27 Ibid.
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 Nepal and Saudi Arabia had exchanged a draft labor agreement and its protocol with a view to promoting labor relations between the two countries. See ‘Report on Nepal’s Foreign Affairs (2017-2018)’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 2018, Kathmandu, p. 72.
32 ‘Amid coronavirus outbreak, PM Oli holds telephone conversation with his Bahrain counterpart on safety of Nepali migrant workers’, Republica, Kathmandu, 2 September 2020, available at https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/pm-oli-holds-telephone-conversation-with-his-bahrain-counterpart-regarding-security-of-nepali-migrant-laborers-there/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
33 ‘PM Oli Holds Telephone Conversation with UAE’s Crown Prince on Nepalese Migrant Workers’, New Spotlight Online, Kathmandu, 7 April 2020, available at
https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2020/04/07/pm-oli-holds-telephone-conversation-with-uaes-crown-prince-on-nepalese-migrant-workers/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
34 MoFA Bulletin, ‘Current Affairs: 13 February-15 July 2020’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2020, p.2, available at https://mofa.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Bulletin-Final_-Website-Update.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
35 Ibid.
36 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Government considers bringing back Nepali migrant workers from COVID-19-affected countries’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 5 May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.
com/national/2020/05/05/government-considers-bringing-back-nepali-migrant-workers-
from-COVID-19-affected-countries, accessed on 9 September 2021.
37 Rudra Khadka, ‘Sarkarko Vanda Dutawasko Byabasthapanma Vada Sasto (Embassy manages air fee cheaper than the government)’, Nagarik, Kathmandu, June 2020, available at https://nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com/politics/241401-1592099857.html, accessed on 9 September 2021.
38 ‘The Rights of Nepali Migrant Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: A study report by National Human Rights Commission’, National Human Rights Commission, 2020, Lalitpur, pp. 34, 36.
39 Sameer Hashmi, ‘Coronavirus leaves Gulf migrant workers stranded’, BBC, 16 May 2020, available at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52655131, accessed on 12 July 2021; Upasana Khadka, ‘UAE Warning to Send Back workers, Including Nepalis’, Nepali Times, 13 April 2020, available at https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/uae-threat-to-send-back-workers-including-nepalis, accessed on 9 September 2021.
40 NHRC (n 38), p. 28.
41 Ibid, pp. xi-1.
42 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
43 NHRC (n 38), p. 22.
44 Based on an interview with a human rights researcher focusing on migrant workers’ rights, Mr. Rameshwar Nepal.
45 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
46 Mandal (n 36).
47 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
48 NHRC (n 38), p. 20.
49 Ibid.
50 Rima Kalush, ‘In the Gulf, migrant workers bear the brunt of the pandemic’, Aljajeera, 1 June 2020, available at https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/6/1/in-the-gulf-migrant-workers-bear-the-brunt-of-the-pandemic/, accessed on 12 July 2021.
51 ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Nepali Migrant Workers: Protecting Nepali Migrant Workers during the Health and Economic Crisis’, International Labor Organisation, 2020, p.4, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-kathmandu/documents/briefingnote/wcms_748917.pdf, accessed on 7 August 2021.
52 Ibid, p. 5; ‘ILO warns of COVID-19 migrant ‘crisis within a crisis’, International Labor Organisation, 24 June 2020, available at https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_748992/lang--en/index.htm, accessed on 9 September 2021.
53 NHRC (n 38), p. 21.
54 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p.6.
55 NHRC (n 38), p. 24.
56 ‘Qatar: Migrant workers illegally expelled during COVID-19 pandemic’, Amnesty International, 15 April 2020, available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/04/qatar-migrant-workers-illegally-expelled-during-COVID19-pandemic/, accessed on 12 July 2021; NHRC (n), pp. 32-33.
57 NHRC (n 38), pp. 26-27.
58 Ibid, p. 23.
59 Ibid, p. 27.
60 Ibid, p. 31.
61 Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice & Paurakhi Nepal v. Government of Nepal, Writ no. 073-WO-0916, 2074 Karthik 30; Act (n 12), s. 68(2)(e).
62 NHRC (n 38), p. 61.
63 Ibid, p. 62.
64 ‘About Air Transport Bubbles’, Ministry of Civil Aviation, India, available at https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/en/about-air-transport-bubbles, accessed on 25 August 2021.
65 Special Correspondent, ‘Government to expand air bubble option with more countries: Jaishankar’, The Hindu, New Delhi, March 15, 2021, available at https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-proceedings-45-million-indians-brought-back-home-during-pandemic-jaishankar/article34074940.ece, accessed on 25 August 2021.
66 Based on an interview with a human rights lawyer focusing on migration governance with Adv. Anurag Devkota.
67 Ibid; Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
68 Nepal (n 44).
69 Ibid.
70 NHRC (n 38), p. 72; Owing to the absence of public dissemination of MoUs and BLAs, the analysis of NHRC had to be relied upon.
71 Ibid, p. 39.
72 Embassy officials’ interview(n 26).
73 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Rights watchdog comes down on government over migrant repatriation’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 14 August 2020, available at https://tkpo.st/3kHt9yC, accessed on 9 September 2021.
74 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Thousands of Nepali migrant workers from Persian Gulf and Malaysia expected to return home soon’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 9 May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/05/09/thousands-of-nepali-migrant-workers-from-persian-gulf-and-malaysia-expected-to-return-home-soon, accessed on 9 September 2021.
75 Kathmandu Post (n 73).
76 Based on an interview with an embassy official who was deployed in Nepali embassy of Saudi Arabia during the Pandemic.
77 Nepal (n 44).
78 Ibid.
79 See generally, Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Vintage, 2011.
80 Pramod Mishra, ‘Kutnitima Avibyakti Kala’ (The art of communication in diplomacy), Kantipur, 2020, available at https://ekantipur.com/opinion/2020/06/23/159288439832915462.html?author=1, accessed on 18 August 2021.
81 Ibid.
82 There can be found historical instances where communication with the global community in major languages
have contributed to the success of movements of independence. See generally Katie Trumpener, Bardic Nationalism, Princeton University Press, 1997.
83 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
84 Ibid.85 Ibid.
86 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 138; Henri Abenis-Macahilo, ‘The plight of Nepali migrant workers amid the coronavirus pandemic’, Rights Corridor, available at https://rightscorridor.com/the-plight-of-nepali-migrant-workers-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR0unXnZCyTzNFCJZuwXA7yxB36PFHoaBtr3MCZ0HtSL00mOpGngXga2PUc, accessed on 6 September 2021.
87 NHRC (n 38), p. 54.
88 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 138.
89 ‘About the Colombo Process’, Colombo Process, available at https://www.colomboprocess.org/about-the-colombo-process/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
90 ‘Colombo Process’, International Organisation for Migration, available at https://nepal.iom.int/colombo-process,
accessed on 9 September 2021.
91 Kathmandu Declaration, 27 November 2014, 18th SAARC Summit, Kathmandu, art. 21.
92 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Qatar used coronavirus pandemic as a ruse to expel Nepali migrant workers, Amnesty International says’, The Kathmandu Post, 16 April 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/04/16/qatar-used-coronavirus-pandemic-as-a-ruse-to-expel-nepali-migrant-workers-amnesty-international-says, accessed on 6 September 2021.
93 Devkota (n 66).
94 Nepal (n 44).
95 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 113.96 Bryan A. Garner (ed.), Black’s Law Dictionary, available at https://thelawdictionary.org/diplomacy/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
97 Rana (n 20).
98 Himalayan News Service, ‘Gyawali, Lavrov stress high-level visits’, The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, 26 November 2019, available at https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/gyawali-lavrov-stress-high-level-visits, accessed on 7 September 2021; ‘Mongolian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers emphasize the significance of high-level visits’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Official Website, available at http://www.mfa.gov.mn/?p=36293&lang=en, accessed on 20 March 2020.
99 Bashyal & Subedi (n 17), p. 115.
100 Anil Giri, ‘In address to nation, Oli repeats misinformation and provides no concrete plans’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/05/25/in-address-to-nation-oli-repeats-misinformation-and-provides-no-concrete-plans, accessed on 12 August 2021.
101 Devkota (n 66); Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 134.
2 ‘Nepal Labor Migration Report 2020’, Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, 2020, Kathmandu, p. 31, available at https://moless.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Migration-Report-2020-English.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
3 Ibid.
4 Ibid, p. 33.
5 Labor‘Labor Migration for Employment: A Status Report for Nepal: 2015/2016-2016/2017’, Ministry of Labor and Employment, 25 February 2018, p.10, available at https://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Nepal-Labor -Migration-status-report-2015-16-to-2016-17.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
6 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 33.
7 Ibid.
8 ‘Personal remittances, received (% of GDP)’, The World Bank, available at https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/BX.TRF.PWKR.DT.GD.ZS, accessed on 9 September 2021.
9 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 113.
10 Nepalko Sambidhan (Constitution of Nepal) 2015, art. 5.
11 Constitution (n 10), arts. 16(1), 18(3), 35(1) & 51(i) (5), (6).
12 Baideshik Rojgar Ain 2064 (Foreign Employment Act 2007), Nepal, ss. 75(2), 33(1)(b) & 75(1).
13 Sangkramak Rog Ain 2020 (Infectious Disease Act 1964), Nepal, ss. 2(1) & 2(a)(1).
14 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 10 December 1948, UNGA 217 A (III), arts. 1, 2, 9, 13(2), 19 & 25(2).
15 International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 3 January 1976, UNTS 993, New York, 16 December
1966, arts. 12(1), 12(2)(c) & 11(1).
16 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 23 March 1976, UNTS 999, New York, 16 December 1966, arts. 12(4), 19(2), 2(1) & 2(3) (b), (c).
17 Keshav Bashyal & Binita Subedi, ‘Labor Diplomacy and Migration Governance in Nepal’, Institute of Foreign
Affairs, Nepal: Journal of Foreign Affairs, volume 1:1, January 2021, p. 107; Gaurav Bhattarai & Jeevan Baniya, ‘Nepali Migrant Workers Amid COVID-19 in Major Destination Countries: A Human Security Approach’, Tribhuvan University Journal COVID-19 Special Issue, volume 34, September 2020, p. 123.
18 ‘Commissions’ initiatives for the protection of the human rights of Migrant workers’, National Human Rights Commission, 2018, Lalitpur, p. 85.
19 ‘IOM and Labor Migration’, International Organisation for Migration, 2008, available at https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/our_work/ICP/IDM/Labor-Migration-Infosheet-2008.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
20 Kishan S. Rana, 21st Century Diplomacy, The Continuum International Publishing Group, New York, 2011.
21 Foreign Employment Act (n 12), s. 68(1).
22 Ibid.
23 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 86.
24 Bashyal & Subedi (n 17), p. 111.
25 ‘Labor Migration for Employment A Status Report for Nepal: 2014/2015’ Ministry of Labor and Employment,
p.44, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---Ilo Kathmandu/
documents/publication/wcms_500311.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
26 Based on interviews with Nepali Embassy officials who were deployed in the Embassies during the Pandemic.
27 Ibid.
28 Ibid.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 Nepal and Saudi Arabia had exchanged a draft labor agreement and its protocol with a view to promoting labor relations between the two countries. See ‘Report on Nepal’s Foreign Affairs (2017-2018)’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, August 2018, Kathmandu, p. 72.
32 ‘Amid coronavirus outbreak, PM Oli holds telephone conversation with his Bahrain counterpart on safety of Nepali migrant workers’, Republica, Kathmandu, 2 September 2020, available at https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/pm-oli-holds-telephone-conversation-with-his-bahrain-counterpart-regarding-security-of-nepali-migrant-laborers-there/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
33 ‘PM Oli Holds Telephone Conversation with UAE’s Crown Prince on Nepalese Migrant Workers’, New Spotlight Online, Kathmandu, 7 April 2020, available at
https://www.spotlightnepal.com/2020/04/07/pm-oli-holds-telephone-conversation-with-uaes-crown-prince-on-nepalese-migrant-workers/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
34 MoFA Bulletin, ‘Current Affairs: 13 February-15 July 2020’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2020, p.2, available at https://mofa.gov.np/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Bulletin-Final_-Website-Update.pdf, accessed on 9 September 2021.
35 Ibid.
36 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Government considers bringing back Nepali migrant workers from COVID-19-affected countries’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 5 May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.
com/national/2020/05/05/government-considers-bringing-back-nepali-migrant-workers-
from-COVID-19-affected-countries, accessed on 9 September 2021.
37 Rudra Khadka, ‘Sarkarko Vanda Dutawasko Byabasthapanma Vada Sasto (Embassy manages air fee cheaper than the government)’, Nagarik, Kathmandu, June 2020, available at https://nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com/politics/241401-1592099857.html, accessed on 9 September 2021.
38 ‘The Rights of Nepali Migrant Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: A study report by National Human Rights Commission’, National Human Rights Commission, 2020, Lalitpur, pp. 34, 36.
39 Sameer Hashmi, ‘Coronavirus leaves Gulf migrant workers stranded’, BBC, 16 May 2020, available at https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52655131, accessed on 12 July 2021; Upasana Khadka, ‘UAE Warning to Send Back workers, Including Nepalis’, Nepali Times, 13 April 2020, available at https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/uae-threat-to-send-back-workers-including-nepalis, accessed on 9 September 2021.
40 NHRC (n 38), p. 28.
41 Ibid, pp. xi-1.
42 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
43 NHRC (n 38), p. 22.
44 Based on an interview with a human rights researcher focusing on migrant workers’ rights, Mr. Rameshwar Nepal.
45 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
46 Mandal (n 36).
47 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
48 NHRC (n 38), p. 20.
49 Ibid.
50 Rima Kalush, ‘In the Gulf, migrant workers bear the brunt of the pandemic’, Aljajeera, 1 June 2020, available at https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/6/1/in-the-gulf-migrant-workers-bear-the-brunt-of-the-pandemic/, accessed on 12 July 2021.
51 ‘Impact of COVID-19 on Nepali Migrant Workers: Protecting Nepali Migrant Workers during the Health and Economic Crisis’, International Labor Organisation, 2020, p.4, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---asia/---ro-bangkok/---ilo-kathmandu/documents/briefingnote/wcms_748917.pdf, accessed on 7 August 2021.
52 Ibid, p. 5; ‘ILO warns of COVID-19 migrant ‘crisis within a crisis’, International Labor Organisation, 24 June 2020, available at https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_748992/lang--en/index.htm, accessed on 9 September 2021.
53 NHRC (n 38), p. 21.
54 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p.6.
55 NHRC (n 38), p. 24.
56 ‘Qatar: Migrant workers illegally expelled during COVID-19 pandemic’, Amnesty International, 15 April 2020, available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/04/qatar-migrant-workers-illegally-expelled-during-COVID19-pandemic/, accessed on 12 July 2021; NHRC (n), pp. 32-33.
57 NHRC (n 38), pp. 26-27.
58 Ibid, p. 23.
59 Ibid, p. 27.
60 Ibid, p. 31.
61 Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice & Paurakhi Nepal v. Government of Nepal, Writ no. 073-WO-0916, 2074 Karthik 30; Act (n 12), s. 68(2)(e).
62 NHRC (n 38), p. 61.
63 Ibid, p. 62.
64 ‘About Air Transport Bubbles’, Ministry of Civil Aviation, India, available at https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/en/about-air-transport-bubbles, accessed on 25 August 2021.
65 Special Correspondent, ‘Government to expand air bubble option with more countries: Jaishankar’, The Hindu, New Delhi, March 15, 2021, available at https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/parliament-proceedings-45-million-indians-brought-back-home-during-pandemic-jaishankar/article34074940.ece, accessed on 25 August 2021.
66 Based on an interview with a human rights lawyer focusing on migration governance with Adv. Anurag Devkota.
67 Ibid; Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
68 Nepal (n 44).
69 Ibid.
70 NHRC (n 38), p. 72; Owing to the absence of public dissemination of MoUs and BLAs, the analysis of NHRC had to be relied upon.
71 Ibid, p. 39.
72 Embassy officials’ interview(n 26).
73 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Rights watchdog comes down on government over migrant repatriation’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 14 August 2020, available at https://tkpo.st/3kHt9yC, accessed on 9 September 2021.
74 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Thousands of Nepali migrant workers from Persian Gulf and Malaysia expected to return home soon’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, 9 May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/05/09/thousands-of-nepali-migrant-workers-from-persian-gulf-and-malaysia-expected-to-return-home-soon, accessed on 9 September 2021.
75 Kathmandu Post (n 73).
76 Based on an interview with an embassy official who was deployed in Nepali embassy of Saudi Arabia during the Pandemic.
77 Nepal (n 44).
78 Ibid.
79 See generally, Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Vintage, 2011.
80 Pramod Mishra, ‘Kutnitima Avibyakti Kala’ (The art of communication in diplomacy), Kantipur, 2020, available at https://ekantipur.com/opinion/2020/06/23/159288439832915462.html?author=1, accessed on 18 August 2021.
81 Ibid.
82 There can be found historical instances where communication with the global community in major languages
have contributed to the success of movements of independence. See generally Katie Trumpener, Bardic Nationalism, Princeton University Press, 1997.
83 Embassy officials’ interview (n 26).
84 Ibid.85 Ibid.
86 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 138; Henri Abenis-Macahilo, ‘The plight of Nepali migrant workers amid the coronavirus pandemic’, Rights Corridor, available at https://rightscorridor.com/the-plight-of-nepali-migrant-workers-amid-the-coronavirus-pandemic/?fbclid=IwAR0unXnZCyTzNFCJZuwXA7yxB36PFHoaBtr3MCZ0HtSL00mOpGngXga2PUc, accessed on 6 September 2021.
87 NHRC (n 38), p. 54.
88 Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 138.
89 ‘About the Colombo Process’, Colombo Process, available at https://www.colomboprocess.org/about-the-colombo-process/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
90 ‘Colombo Process’, International Organisation for Migration, available at https://nepal.iom.int/colombo-process,
accessed on 9 September 2021.
91 Kathmandu Declaration, 27 November 2014, 18th SAARC Summit, Kathmandu, art. 21.
92 Chandan Kumar Mandal, ‘Qatar used coronavirus pandemic as a ruse to expel Nepali migrant workers, Amnesty International says’, The Kathmandu Post, 16 April 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/04/16/qatar-used-coronavirus-pandemic-as-a-ruse-to-expel-nepali-migrant-workers-amnesty-international-says, accessed on 6 September 2021.
93 Devkota (n 66).
94 Nepal (n 44).
95 Labor Report 2020 (n 2), p. 113.96 Bryan A. Garner (ed.), Black’s Law Dictionary, available at https://thelawdictionary.org/diplomacy/, accessed on 9 September 2021.
97 Rana (n 20).
98 Himalayan News Service, ‘Gyawali, Lavrov stress high-level visits’, The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, 26 November 2019, available at https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/gyawali-lavrov-stress-high-level-visits, accessed on 7 September 2021; ‘Mongolian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers emphasize the significance of high-level visits’, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mongolia Official Website, available at http://www.mfa.gov.mn/?p=36293&lang=en, accessed on 20 March 2020.
99 Bashyal & Subedi (n 17), p. 115.
100 Anil Giri, ‘In address to nation, Oli repeats misinformation and provides no concrete plans’, The Kathmandu Post, Kathmandu, May 2020, available at https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/05/25/in-address-to-nation-oli-repeats-misinformation-and-provides-no-concrete-plans, accessed on 12 August 2021.
101 Devkota (n 66); Bhattarai & Baniya (n 17), p. 134.