Investigative Reports

The dark side of remittance

The money sent by millions of Nepalis in foreign employment helps their families and also the country’s economy. But there’s another side to it as well—the families haven’t just received money but also misery and tragedy.

Bidhya Rai |CIJ, Nepal

Jajarkot’s ‘comrade village’ is mired in poverty, deprivation and discrimination

Former Maoist combatants waged the 10-year insurgency against ‘feudal’ creditors. Now the same creditors are evicting them from their own village.

Lokendra Bishwakarma |CIJ, Nepal

Gang extorts millions by adding ‘fake schedule’ to report on Bhutanese refugees

  • Names of 875 Nepalis were added to the report, which is yet to be made public
  • Rs 1-5 million extorted from each person
  • Distribution of fake refugee ID cards
  • Two fake lists incorporated into the report commissioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs

Devendra Bhattarai |CIJ, Nepal

Deserted hills, crowded plains

As living in the hills becomes more difficult, people are fleeing in droves abandoning their villages. As a result, while farmlands have been left desolate and abandoned in the hills,  land is increasingly getting fragmented in the lowlands, and population pressure is rising in the cities.

Gopal Dahal |CIJ, Nepal

Hope and despair in Suntala Superzone

Spoilage loss inhibits plan to buttress value chain of mandarin oranges in Syangja.

Dinesh Kafle |CIJ, Nepal

100 Nepalis held hostage by cyber crime gangs in Myanmar 

Several young people from various countries, including Nepal, have reportedly been abducted in Myanmar’s ethnic states under rebel control. These areas are increasingly becoming hotspots for cyber scams. According to reports, Chinese nationals torture these trafficked abductees and force them into cyber crimes.

Jeevan Dangi and Bhadra Sharma |CIJ, Nepal

Ministry distributing donations to community hospitals going against its own directive

While public hospitals are reeling under lack of human and economic resources, the government is donating large amounts of funds to community hospitals, many of which haven’t submitted reports of how they spend the funds.

Sagar Budhathoki |CIJ, Nepal

New list of political prisoners expected to set off discussion on Bhutan’s human rights record

Many Bhutanese refugees have been rehabilitated to third countries but they have not heard from their children languishing in jails. While Bhutan bans ICRC from entering the jails, the list of the prisoners is scheduled to be released from New York this week.

Devendra Bhattarai |CIJ, Nepal

Monkey terror leaves a settlement in ruin

In Baitadi, monkey menace has forced hundreds to migrate to Tarai and India while it has left hundreds of ropanis of land barren.

Basanta Pratap Singh and Lokesh Saud |CIJ, Nepal

Decades since its conception, Pokhara bus park project makes no headway

The Pokhara bus park project, conceived 47 years ago, remains in limbo, with its land embezzled and captured by squatters.

Shyam Rana Magar |CIJ, Nepal

How Nepal’s cooperative are leaving customers high and dry

As the government fails in protecting people’s properties and returning embezzled money, billions of rupees deposited by hundreds of thousands of Nepalis at cooperatives remains at risk.

Ramesh Kumar |CIJ, Nepal

   Domestic sexual violence: Laws not enough to ensure justice

Many countries around the world don’t have laws that criminalise marital rape, but Nepal has already enacted one, classifying forced physical relations within or outside of marriage as rape. Despite this, societal attitudes obstruct victims’ access to justice.

Pratima Silwal |CIJ, Nepal

Lawmakers splurge in the name of controversial Constituency Development Fund

Even as the very significance of the Constituency Development Fund is being questioned, lawmakers continue to spend money in the name of administrative expenses. The Centre for Investigative Journalism analyses the reckless administrative expenses of seven members of parliament representing Siraha and Saptari districts.

Surendra Kumar Kamati  | CIJ, Nepal

Local governments compete to turn agricultural lands into residential zones

Experts warn an agricultural crisis looms large owing to haphazard plotting of arable land.

Seema Tamang | CIJ, Nepal

The politics and lucrative business of Kathmandu’s waste

Why has Kathmandu’s garbage issue not been resolved? A look at the politics of trash and the billions of dollars that are made off of it.

BP Anamol | CIJ, Nepal

Serial deaths in police custody in Terai raise alarm

Young people, mainly from the Madhesi Dalit minority, are dying in police custody because the government isn’t doing enough to prevent torture.

Rohej Khatiwada | CIJ, Nepal

A family ravaged by rhino horn trade

What impact do strict laws and inadequate investigations into wildlife crimes have on the Chepang community in Chitwan? The story of Rajkumar Praja’s family in Korak serves as an example of those seeking an answer.

Tufan Neupane |CIJ, Nepal 

Rape survivors forced to fight a lonely battle for justice

Defendants with strong social clout pressure rape survivors to change their statements, prompting courts to sentence the victims instead. Further, an increasing tendency to engage in “bargaining,” is making the victims’ fight for justice harder and more isolating.

Durgalal KC |CIJ, Nepal

Nursing staff crunch leaves hospitals high and dry

Although the government makes big claims on building hospitals and expanding health services, it is ignoring the need to hire nurses that form the backbone of hospitals.

 Rita Lamsal |CIJ, Nepal

The ‘stateless’ people of Dhakka camp

Politicians visit the Dhakka camp during every election, vowing to end their plight, but the residents have given up all hope. This is the tale of the Kanchanpur “stateless” people who were evicted from their houses in order to create a national park.

Unnati Chaudhary |CIJ, Nepal