#TweetDebate of the week!
What do girl/women really mean when they say ‘I Love You’ ?

Update on #GirlSaysILoveYou and #WomanSaysILoveYou will be posted next week:

Debate Topic: Can Social Media protest turn into a riot?
Side A – No, it is social awareness
Side B – Yes, we should be prepared

Hashtag – #SMNP (Social Media in Nepal)
Debate room – #SMNp

PDF version of the debate – TweetDebate – #smnp

Background

Social Media like Twitter and Facebook play a great role in disseminating information. These media had been used in Egypt to make the protest successful.

Various Nepali groups in Twitter and Facebook have formed for various social cause and they have done some successful street protests based on online meets. Basically, these protests are done for “good cause”, with “good intentions”.

But, are there any possibility that some organization with huge resources mobilizes the crowd in wrong direction? Can, some governments or people be mis-leaded in social media? If they can, how can the community deal with it?

Egypt Revolution  2011

London Riot – ” the government, police and intelligence services were also looking at whether there should be limits on the use of social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook or services such as BlackBerry Messenger to spread organised disorder, and whether to turn off social networks or stop people texting during times of social unrest.”

Topic – Smoking ban in Nepal (#SmokeBan)

To summarize today’s debate, most of the participants agreed that – Everybody is free to smoke, as long as others’ freedom of not being exposed to smoke is not compromised.

PDF screenshot of the debate – #SmokeBan_1#SmokeBan_2

Points raised by the participants:
@nabinkm The new bill bans smoking in all *enclosed* public places including government offices, schools, hospitals and restaurants.

@Lohsirk – धुम्रपान गर्ने साथीहरु, नगर म भन्दिन, तर भर्खर धुम्रपान गरेर नेपालका सार्वजनिक यातायातमा (कोचम्कोच हुने ठाँउ) यात्रा नगरीदिनु होला
@biso_baral चुरोट खान नपाईने ठाउमा N0 SM0KING को चिन्ह राखियोस
@xKhurapati मलाई सबैको कुरो चित्त बुझो तर सबैले चुरोट खानेले नाकैमा आएर धुवाँ फाल्छन भन्ने बुझ्या रहेछन त्यो कुरो चित्त बुझेन :
@biso_baral smoking in public is illegal but mind it most of the song in your ipod is illegal too
@udayaghi तिम्रो(हाम्रो)तराई तिर नि ब्रो कानुन होइन चेतना को खाचो छ
@meaastha Society acepts dat adults can decid 2 harm demselvs so long as dey dont harm others.Harm urself smokers,we won’t pay for harmin us!
@amritnn आफू खाउ, पिय या चुरोटको गुच्चै खेल तर अरुलाई असर नगर । यही सत्य सही र संयम् निष्कर्ष होला हैन ?
@anupdgn Smoking is your choice. Don’t make others suffer.
Just like you should drink responsibly, you should smoke responsibly too.
@aakarpost गाउँका भट्टि छापा मार्नजाँदा,भट्टिवालहरु उफ्रन्थे,सक्नेभए,वियर फ्याक्ट्रि बन्द गरेर देखा’न,केलाई हाम्रो रक्सि देखि सहँदैनौ!त्यस्तै
@nepaldiary Like other countries govt should Declare Smoking Zone ! so If U want , u can smoke there !
@merobabu I may not agree on banning smoking completely. It could be regulated. There are also other things which are hazardous to health.
@UjjwalAcharya Even if the #smokeban decreases smoking by one percent, it’s good because smokers/non-smokers all agree, smoking is bad.
@meaastha I remember if there was someone smoking in public bus how I used to tell the person off! smoking in public is just intolerable!
@WebJSunil Well done govt! A much needed discipline wrt public smokin.At least now I can question ppl,a private choice sudnt b done in public
@udayaghi के नियम हो बाबै, रौसि जहाँ तह खान पाउने जाबो चुरोट माथि एस्तो दुस्मनी – कि यो नियम दारु को नसा मा बनाको त होइन ?
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UPDATE

The debate pdf – Code of Ethics – #blogCoE

Original post (before debate)

In the #tweetdebate #7 we discussed whether a blogger is a journalist or not.

• Most of the participants agreed that the journalist and bloggers are different creatures.  But, they were worried on the encroachment of online journalism on blogging and vice versa.
• Revival of Bloggers Association of Nepal (BLOGAN) was proposed but possibility of it’s sustainability was questioned and hence no further action was taken.

Now, the issue is raised again with a proposal of a new “Code of Ethics” for bloggers.  It is told that 10 bloggers have signed the document in an event organized by Equal Access. The response to the   ”Code of Ethics” among various bloggers was mixed and hence this debate.

• Topic – Will you sign the Code of Ethics?
  
• Hashtag - #blogCoE
• Date – July 29, 2011 (Friday)
• Time - 10 PM to 12 PM Nepal time.
• Debate procedure – Click here

The previous debates used to be more like a discussion rather than a debate. From this debate onwards we will make it an actual debate.

The participants will need to be on side A or B. But, they are free to change sides at any time during the debate.

Every participants should take the position and will need to say at the end if they change sides.

CODE OF ETHICS FOR BLOGGERS (Signed on July 27, 2011)

As a blogger, I would honestly:

1. Be fair on what I write in my blog
2. Write things that I believe to be truth
3. Specify my source of information – credit to offline sources and link to online sources
4. Specify clearly the use of any unconfirmed fact or information
5. Avoid conflict of interest – clearly disclose my position including job, financial interest, affiliation and relationship if they related to the post OR maintain an detailed About Me page
6. Clearly differentiate between advertisements and blog content
7. Disclose clearly if an entry is posted sponsored or as advertisement or after accepting a payment or goods to write it
8. Admit and correct mistakes as soon as possible but only with strikethrough or editorial notes
9. Allow comments to engage audience, allow different opinions and clearly state my moderation policy if any
10. Show compassion for human being – be sensitive writing about or using photos of victims
11. Promote freedom of speech

As a blogger, I wouldn’t intentionally:

1. Completely rewrite or delete an entry
2. Threaten people and institution using the blog for personal benefits
3. Write anything undermining nationality, national security, religious harmony and social order
4. Give space to pornography, hate speech and crude content
5. Publish personal and confidential information of people collected during their visit to my blog
6. Spam, spread malware and viruses and engage in criminal activities
7. Plagiarize – copy and paste from other sources
8. Disclose the source of primary information without source’s consent

Nepali version of the Code of Ethics : Nepali version is removed as it was an unofficial translation. Please refer link to Hamro Blog in the link list below for the unofficial Nepali version.

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#Tweetdebate is restarted and will be held on every Friday at 10PM Nepali Time.
The topic of today’s July 22nd’s discussion was #NRNworld – Should Nepali in Nepal should be concerned about NRN?

Here is the pdf version of the debate if you have missed: tweetdebat-#nrnworld

Thanking all the participants, here is the summary of the discussion:

Summary

The discussion was focused on:

• Who are the NRNs?
• What role they play in Nepal?
• Should they be given Nepali citizenship?

Who are the NRNs?

NRN website defines:
Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) refers to Nepalis irrespective of their nationality (citizenship) living outside of Nepal. NRNA came into existence at the first Non- Resident Nepali Conference held on 11-14 October 2003.

@anupdgn; As per residential status, NRN is a person if the person doesn’t fulfill both of the condition. 1)He is in Nepal for >=182 days in Previous year. 2) The person is in Nepal for >=60 days in Previous year AND has been in Nepal for >=365 days during 4 PY immed. preceeding relevant PY

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Today, the website tweetchat.com was behaving oddly and hence, some of the users couldn’t participate in the discussion. We have to have more than one such sites

PDF snapshot of the debate (Read bottom Up) – TweetChat – #npFlag

Participant List and Selected Quotes from the debate  (at the end of the post)

*** Original Proposal ***

Debate topic proposed by @swpch, Swapnil Acharya

Was concerned by the use of National flag by the NepalUnites and other ppl (yesterday’s airport protest). it’s wrong.

Let’s discuss: what it wrong and what is right when National flag is concerned ?

• Topic – Do’s and Don’ts of Nepali Flag
• Hash tag – #npFlag
• Discussion room –  http://tweetchat.com/room/npFlag
• Procedure – How To

For example,  can a person say: “As a proud patriotic Nepali, I will fly my flag, wear it or display it in any manner I see fit.” ?

Issues:

• What types of restrictions are required for National Flag, if any?
• Who should regulate such use – in country and out of the country. [An, issue of using Nepali Flag as table cover in Belgium(?) - can't find it- somebody please suggest the link]
• Responsibility of Nepali citizen
• How to react when somebody makes fun of our flag?

(photo source)

Refer :

• Susti says - Let everybody use National Flag on their vehicles
• Hemlata in Nepali Times article (2002)
• Stephen Colbert made fun of Nepali Flag – Bhumika says to ignore him

Flag policies in other countries:

• US Flag Policy – http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette-display.shtml
• India Flag Policy -http://www.indiaflag.info/india-flag-display-on-vehical.htm

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Today is the last day of the Constitution Assembly(CA). The 601 member team hadn’t been able to prepare constitution of  Nepal in time and hence was extended for one year.  That one year is ending today at 12:00AM.

The constitution document is not prepared yet – in the extended 1 year, there were only 7 meetings of the CA, spending some one and half hours in 365 days (95 minutes to be exact).

The constitution is not prepared and it is not likely to be prepared in some hours so the CA will be extended for sure. Let’s discuss on what should be the future strategy of Nepali people and the internet youths in Facebook and Twitter.

Let’s talk about TODAY!

• Current situation
• What to do in future?
• A solution

Debate details:

• Topic – CA and Jestha 14
• Hash tag – #jest14 #CA28Ma
• Discussion room – http://tweetchat.com/room/jest14- > http://tweetchat.com/room/CA28May
• Procedure – How To

A discussion with hash tag #CA28Ma was going on for the whole day. So, today’s debate was shifted to the CA28May room.

Topic of today’s tweetdebate is a revisit to the changes after the 1990s.

Topic proposed by @ushaft to discuss on the positive and negative aspects of changes in Nepal after 1990s.

• Hashtag – #np90
• Debate room – http://tweetchat.com/room/np90

Update after debate

Today’s debate was more of a discussion than a debate. The two-hour discussion is a window to see Nepal through the youth in Twitter.

The transcript of the debate in  pdf format (read from bottom up) tweetdebate – #np90

Although the air was full of pessimism, many of the youth were optimistic on the future of Nepal.

Some of the positive development after 1990 (BS 2046)

• टेलीकम्युनीकेसन बिकास
• मिडिया (सञ्चार क्षेत्र) – गाउँ गाउँमा एफ एम खुलेका छन्, private newspapers and media, online media
• शिक्षण क्षेत्रमा आएको परिबर्तन
• जनतामा शिक्षा र राजनैतिक चेतना बढेकोले भ्रष्ट्रचार गुनासो बढेको  (सकारात्मक)
• बैंकिङ क्षेत्र (गाउँ गाउँ मा सहकारी र बैँकहरुको प्रभाब बढ्दो क्रममा छ)
• सबै कुरामा व्यवसायीकता को बृद्धि हुँदै गएको छ
• प्रबिधीका क्षेत्रमा युवाहरुले गरेको प्रयास  (But, सम्बन्धित निकायले मन खोलेर सहयोग नगरेको यथार्थ)। फेसबुक र टुइटर को प्रयोग कर्ता
• मोटरबाटो लाई पनि सकारत्मक रुपमै लिनु पर्छ (तर जथाभावी बनाइएका मोटरबाटो ले कसैको जिविकामा नै असर गर्ने पनि सम्भावना छ । भुक्षय र पहिरोको डर बढेको छ ।)
• बिकास त नेपाली जनता को दिमागमा भको छ। जे होस् धेरै सचेत भको छ उनिहरु। नत्र त एसरी twitter मा debate गर्दै बस्थेन।
• ठुला महल , सपिङ मल , ठुल् ठुला स्कुल , हस्पितल (But, the people haven’t changed)
• entrepreneurship in youth

Some of the negative developments after 1990 (BS 2046)

• बन्द, तोडफोड र हडताल फस्टाएको छ ।
• पोलिसी निर्माण सबभन्दा महत्वपूर्ण बिषय हो।हामीले अहिले सम्म कुनै कुराको पोलिसी बनाउन सकेका छैन
• मानिसहरु शिक्षित भए अनुपातमा चेतनशील भएनन्
• भ्रष्ट्रचार – कर मार ब्यापारी बढे – रियल जुस काण्ड, UTL कर काण्ड : इंडिया को हस्तछेप
• नकारात्मक बिकाश चाही राजनीति म भयो – राजनिती र कर्मचारीतन्त्रमा बुढापुरानाकै नेतृत्व
• वनक्षेत्र, खोलानाला र खानीहरुको दुरुपयोगले देशलाइ दिर्घकालीन असर गर्छ ।
• विकास कम भएको छ र जति भएको छ त्यो पनि केन्द्रमा मात्रै । दुर्गमका जनताले न विकास पाएका छन् न अधिकार ।
• बैदेशिक रोजगार‍‍- देशको युबा शक्ती बाहिरिदै छ। (सकारात्मक: देशको कठिन घडिमा पनी देश रिमिटेन्समा निर्भर हुन सकेको छ)
• हरियो वन तस्करको धन
• बिना सोच बनाइएका infrastructure ऊन्नति भन्दा अबोन्नति तिर धकेलेको छ
• आफ्नो अधिकार को ग्यान बढे पनि अरुको अधिकार को ग्यान को कमि देखिएको छ
• परिश्रम गर्ने हरु घर खेत बेचेर बिदेसिन पुगे – ठग हरु तेही घर खेत को दलाली गरेर करोडपति भए
• युद्ध ले ल्याएको ठुलो बिकृति ! हात-हात मा बन्दुक
• TB infectio rate 45% bata ghatna sakya hoina.. still we have epicemics and endemics of infectious diseases
• Lack of peace , clean air, drinking water , fuel, electricity, easy and safe transportation
• lack of clear vision or strategy, political instability & brain-drain
• The GDP per capita has increased from US $ 227 in 1998/99 to US $ 237 in 2002/03 – only $16 increase – might be less than the inflation rate. The average annual growth during 1990-2000 was 2.4 percent
• The national health policy was adopted in 1991 (FY 2048 BS) to bring about improvement in the health conditions of the people of Nepal. Nepal’s labour force increased from 8.8 million in 1990 to 11.7 million in 2003. In Nepal, 24.1 percent of the population earn less than an American dollar per day.
• १९९० देखि आज सम्म देशले धेरै राजनैतिक परिवर्तन देखेको छ! पटक पटक आन्दोलन गरेका जनताले ति आन्दोलनको फल भने अहिले सम्म पाएका छैनन्

Some other thoughts expressed during the discussion (unedited) :

• राजनीतिमा धेरै बिकृति देखिए पनि, कुराहरु धेरै नलुक्ने अहिलेको समाज अनि नया पिढीमा बढदै गएको चेतनाले त्यो पनि धेरै टिक्छ जस्तो लाग्दैन|
• बैदेशिक रोजगार‍‍- देशको युबा शक्ती बाहिरिदै छ। सकारात्मक: देशको कठिन घडिमा पनी देश रिमिटेन्समा निर्भर हुन सकेको छ)|
• ठुला महल , सपिङ मल , ठुल् ठुला स्कुल , हस्पितल बन्दैमा बाटो बन्दै मा बिकास हुने होइन – बिकास दिमाग को हुनु पर्छ |
• जस्ले जती खोके पनि जती चिच्याए पनि तितो सत्य के हो भने नेपाल १९९० मा जहाँ थियो त्यही छ – एक इन्च अघी बढेको छैन |
• १९९० मा ईन्टरनेट , बोर्दिङस्कुल, वाइफाइ थिएन – नेपालमा नि थिएन – संसारको स्वाभाबिक बिकासमा जे भए (आफै हुने ) नेपालनिभए -बाँकी सुन्य |

Shared link – http://theweek.myrepublica.com/details.php?news_id=31484Reference

Today’s topic was selected in a haste as there were not any suggestion (except for a

Today’s hash tag was #npbraindrain

The transcript of the debate TweetChat – #npbraindrain (pdf, read from the last page towards the top)

The debate was done in – http://tweetchat.com/room/npbraindrain

@friendycalls suggested to shorten the hash-tag in future debates. (#npbraindrain was 13 character long – causing toll in 140 character allowed in each tweet)

Some random points from the debate:

• @krishol बौद्धिक जनशक्ती बाहिरीनुको कारण नेपालमा अबसरको कमी र ब्यबसायीले कामदारको सिपको कदर नगर्नु हो….म ६ बर्ष नेपालमा कही जादिन भनेर स्ट्रगल गर्दा पनी केहि लछारपाटो लगाउन नसकेर बाहिरिएको छु…
• @ushaft कुनै अविकशित वा विकासोन्मुख देशले ब्रेन-ड्रेन रोक्न सकेको छैन, नेपालले पनि सक्दैन- रोक्ने प्रयासै गलत हो।उपयोग,सुधार गर्नुपर्छ
• @friendycalls We have enough scopes here to stop #npbraindrain but the real problem is government’s withered policies which demoralize the real patriots
• @leemboo 1 of many solutions could be discarding nepotism and embracing merit basis job opportunity.
• @bibek I think we shouldn’t worry much about #npbraindrain – we should try to convert it into brain-circulation (to and from).
• @AnandNepal 1. Is there any opp. if I want to do something for country? I am not investing (it’s insecure) anything else ?
• @seasonsgk यूरोप अमेरिका ऑस्ट्रेलिया को पि आर नभएकालाई अजभोली छोरी नै दिदैनन !! समाजले हेर्ने दृष्टी नै परिवर्तन गर्नु पर्छ !!
• @prajinm “My friend or one of relatives is abroad, so I also must go abroad” mentality among many of us. Recently 40,000 Nepalese ppls filled the form to go to South Korea as labors is one example of current situation of Nepal.
• @manojpokharel @AnandNepal That’s a good question? And I would also like to add is there any resource where can I find these information?
• @friendycalls: हामी सबैले प्रण गरौँ, हामी शिक्षित हुनविदेश जाऔँ तर जसरि सम्भव हुन्छ, जीवनपद्दतीको गन्तब्य भनेको चाहिँ नेपाली भुमिलाई नै बनाऔँ
• @gpoudel #npbraindrain आफैमा धेरै नराम्रो कुरा हो जस्तो लाग्दैन मलाई, पहिले देश भित्रका “Brains” को सम्मान होस्,फर्कने क्रम पनि बढ्छ -… मैले बाहिर बसेका नेपालीहरु पनि समस्याको एउटा कारण ठानेको छु! पैसा कमाउने अनि नेपाल म घरजग्गा किन्ने, तेस्ले देश लाई केहि दिन्न बरु नेपालमा महंगी मात्र बढाऊन्छ, अनि अरु पनि बिदेशिन बाध्य हुन्छन
• @aichswap I’ve lived and earned in my country like a tiger. I have a respectable job, people call me “Sir” – would I get it had I flown?
• @seasonsgk k antarik rup ma chai brain drain 6ena ra??kina sabai man6e ktm ma thupriyeka
• @baruncompany सम्भाबाना टन्नै छन, म आउन त पाम! देखाइदिन्छु ! ल जा!
• @yowlanku 99% brain-drain from Nepal converts to muscle-drain by the time they reach their destination. #npbraindrain or #npmuscledrain correctly … calling the phenomenon braindrain is overoptimistic celebration of poor skills we have. braindrain is myth, at least for Nepal
• @friendycalls: बिदेशिनुलाई गलत मान्नुहुँदैन,दिक्षित भएर देशको सेवामा जुट्न हामी अग्रसरहुनुपर्यो, मुटुमा नेपालहुनुपर्छ … विकास रातारात सम्भव छैन, तर हामी जे छौँ, जति गर्न सक्छौँ ~त्यसको मात्रा बिस्तारै बढाउने हो भने हरेश मान्नु पर्दैन

Suggestion by @prajinm to reduce brain drain in Nepal:

1. Counter measures sud be placed to slow down the outflow of brains.
2. Creating favorable working environment
3. Political stability
4. Reformed national policies
5. No politics in school/colleges

Another school of thoughts (it is no brain drain)

It is natural for people to migrate from one place to another – since ancient times. Modern world is quite different and more accessible making it easier to transform the world into a small place where cities or countries does not matter much.

Confining talents, skills and knowledge within a geographic boundary doesn’t have a future.