VIEW POINT #21 15 - 21 December 2000 20 pages Rs 20 Beetlemania

10-11 Under My Hat Kathmandu’s Mating Season 20

EXCLUSIVE SHRIBHAKTA KHANAL ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Just do IT here may be a row brewing between t India and Nepal over bilateral trade, but in the vast underground Indo-Nepal ganja business things couldn’t be smoother. In this narcotic free market, the prices are fixed in advance, officials are properly greased, and the only laws that apply here GANJAcameras. Lalit Bahadur Praja was having a NATION are the laws of supply and demand. chat with the cops who came to his Intrepid Indian traders have begun to homestead. He told them: “Look, I don’t venture deep into Nepal’s midhills have food, I survive on roots, supplying marijuana seeds on credit, I cannot afford rice. Even providing technical know-how, and even God protects the poor.” The agricultural extension to subsistence farmers policemen spared his crop. Nepal finally has an Information to set up plantations. They come back at For subsistence farmers in Technology (IT) strategy. “We’ve harvest time to pay for the ganja crop and Makwanpur, Bara, Parsa and missed the industrial revolution and take it away in trucks, ox-carts or porter Dhading, the marijuana trade is a the green revolution, but we don’t want back. Our investigation shows that Nepal is godsend. They buy marijuana seeds to miss this one,” said Surendra growing 3 million kg of ganja (dried from Indian suppliers at Rs 1000 per Chaudhary, our S&T minister who is a marijuana plants) and charas (concentrated kg on credit, the Indians tell them how self-confessed fan of India’s resin) every year with a street value of Rs 6 to nurture the plant, about weeding, cybercrat, Chandrababu Naidu. billion for “export” to India every year. But irrigation and harvesting techniques. The Chaudhary reckons Nepal can earn don’t look for this data in any official older farmers don’t need to be taught—they Rs10 billion from exporting IT bilateral trade figures because the entire used to grow marijuana before the Nepal products in five years. Nepal wants to industry is illegal. The cultivation and trade government was persuaded to ban model itself after Naidu’s Andhra is going on with the full knowledge (and marijuana in 1973 under pressure from the Pradesh, but the private sector says usually the connivance) of local US government after US aid to Nepal was the government has got one thing government, police, and even Maoist cadre doubled to compensate for the loss of wrong: Indian industry gets duty-free who provide protection to villagers against revenue. hardware and software imports. In official harassment. The peasants plant the seeds and can grow Nepal, we still tax the knowledge Just 20 km south of Kathmandu Valley up to 10 kg of ganja in one kattha Dirt poor Nepali villagers have a new economy. Equipment coming into the in the neglected and roadless regions of (0.3 hectares) of land. In the more suitable proposed IT Park in Banepa will have Makwanpur District, Tamang and Chepang climate and moist sandy soils of Makwanpur cash-crop: they are growing marijuana a one-percent duty for five years. There villagers who never grew enough food to and Dhading, one kattha can yield as much as have been no major investors in feed their families are turning over their 20 kg. When the Indian trader returns, he in illicit plantations that produce Rs 6 Nepal since 1997, and from the look terraces to ganja. Even in the dry season, subtracts the advance he gave for the seeds and of it, the new policy is not going to the well-maintained farms are lush with pays Rs 3000 per kg of ganja in the lean billion worth ganja annually for the change that. Here’s a tip for an mature marijuana plants ready for harvest. season. But the same crop sold to a Nepali amendment: allow duty-free hardware Watchtowers provide a lookout against middleman will not get the farmer more than Indian market.

and software imports and provide police patrols that sometimes carry out half- Rs 1000 during harvesting. “If you can sell ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ incentives to this dollar-earning hearted raids to destroy crops. Villagers told directly to the Indians you earn more,” one ○○○○○○○○○○ industry. us police only destroy the crops of those farmer told us. “But I sell my crop to the After walking five hours from Manahari, for fear of Maoist attacks. The villagers who haven’t paid them off, usually the really village headman so I get less.” Another farmer, 30 km east of Hetauda, you are in the are wary of strangers: anyone who doesn’t Paramilitary poor peasants. But they aren’t complaining, Phulmaya Praja, says middlemen often cheat heart of Makwanpur’s ganja country. At look visibly Indian, Chepang or Tamang since the plants are ready to pluck anyway. her. “They give us only 200 or 300 rupees for a Kalikatar you can already see the green is regarded with suspicion. We pretended Dunai is history. Then came the As one farmer told us with a rueful smile: 10 kg sack,” she says. Farmers in Parsa get marijuana plantations on terraces across we were freelance marijuana traders, but Maoist strike at Kalikot. The Army was “The police do our work for us by cutting better prices: being so close to the border they the river on the other side of the valley. no one believed us. partially deployed in 16 districts, but the ripe plants.” are in direct touch with buyers and boast they Growing ganja here is as good as legal. In every Village Development the palace and the cabinet are playing Another farmer is a Nepali Congress can make as much as IRs 2000 (Rs 3,200) for There is no sign of any police presence Committee we visited there are ripening ping-pong with the proposed worker who grows ganja. He told us the a kg of ganja. since remote posts have all been closed terraces of ganja, vigilantly guarded by ordinance on an Armed Security police raids don’t really affect him much: villagers who know what it is worth. The Force. This week the government “The raids you read about in Kathmandu Ganja crop in a Makwanpur village that the police did not uproot out of pity for the family that grew it. links with Indian buyers goes back to the finally got its way on one point: the papers are all fake. And when there is a 1980s, and the villagers found it much paramilitary will not be governed by ganja haul, you can be sure they are more lucrative to sell this new cash crop the National Security Council. smugglers who didn’t pay off the right than to scour the surrounding forests for people.” One police source told us traders Himalayan herbs to sell in India. From the taking ganja to India pay police posts a fixed terraces carved out of the steep flanks of the Next week in Nepali Times rate of Rs 200 per sack, and there is no Mahabharat hills right down to the inner bargaining. A posse of 65 policemen went tarai villages adjoining the East-West on a showcase ganja raid last month, but it Highway, ganja plots are everywhere. In was clear much of this was being done as a adjoining Parsa District, nearly all the MILLENNIUM public relations exercise. Some villagers village development committees have GETAWAYS begged the police to spare them because sizeable marijuana plantations. they had nothing to eat, and it was obvious the policemen were just doing it for the Going to pot p6 CHANDRA KISHORE JHA ð Why AQUA? Only AQUA has: S REVERSE OSMOSIS, the world’s best known water purification technology. S HYPER OZONATION & OZONATION the only chemical-free process to sterilise jars and water. S Computerized nine-stage jar washing and sanitising system

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EXTRAORDINARY NEPALIS In media schools, they teach you that news is whatever is out of the ordinary. This is the woman-bites-bitch rule of journalism. When positive becomes commonplace, it is negative that makes the news. Thousands of buses travel safely to their destinations every day. That does not make news. It is the bus that falls into the Trisuli that is reported. Having said that, buses are now falling so frequently into the Trisuli that it takes a threshold fatality of at least three passengers before it is even reported by the national news agency. Usually, it needs at least ten dead to be broadcast on Radio Nepal (unless some bigwig is on board), and 15 to make it to the evening television news. Like a tree that topples in the middle of a forest, unless there is someone there to witness the event, it hasn’t happened. It is the same with the Maoist body count. When a schoolteacher is hacked to death in Gorkha, or a VDC chairman is shot in Baglung while jogging, it is for the inside pages. A day after we wrote an editorial on this subject earlier this month, eleven policemen were killed in Kalikot. It was a blip in the media radar screens, and faded away within a day. The surnames of those killed in Kalikot showed they represented castes and communities from Dhankuta to Dadeldhura—sons of poor Nepali families who joined the police because they needed jobs. Only one newspaper knelt to interview the widow of the constable from Dang, and chronicled the tragedy for a far-away family of one life lost. STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL The other thing about news is the pace with which it happens. Sudden events are news, tragedies that unfold slowly are not news. Thousands of babies drying up and dying of diarrhoeal dehydration do not make it to the news. To take notice, media demands that they die suddenly and spectacularly. So, the fact that more Nepali mothers die at Engineer of human souls childbirth than anywhere else in the world is not really newsworthy for us. It is a big dilemma for the Nepali media to cover corruption. When corruption becomes widespread, and even accepted, it is not news There is loneliness all around, but no solitude. anymore. In fact, coverage of corruption is so rare that when it does happen the average reader’s reaction is that the story is motivated and BANGALORE – Silicon Valley is a silly eyed at the Baba’s face as if in a trance. The tap into this spiritual longing, and the channels media itself is corrupt. The nasty Conde Naste Traveller has now name for this city located on the Deccan atmosphere is magical during morning and rake in billions through commercials. Nothing pronounce Nepal “one of the most corrupt countries on earth” Where do Plateau at an altitude of 3,000 feet. Even evening bhajans. That over, you can buy like peddling the opium of the masses to amass you even begin to cover graft when everything is so graft-ridden? How do Indians have forgotten that Bangalore was yourself a cup of coffee or Pepsi from the wealth. you prioritise theft: by magnitude of the money involved, by the misery it once called the Garden City, and one is Ashram shop and walk around observing So, the new rich build their villas with generates, by the sheer injustice, or a blatant disregard of the common reminded of Kathmandu’s lost charms as subcontinentals, orientals, Anglo-Saxons and driveways supported by Corinthian columns good? Which is the bigger evil: a petrol pump owner who openly admits you go around this city recalling that it even Africans mingling in the vast lawns—a and with lavish lavatories. The puja room is an mixing cheaper kerosene in diesel, an international civil servant who really used to be a cool and green garden. rainbow coalition of devotees. afterthought. And as you get on in life, and takes kickbacks on maternity hospitals, a ministry which makes $150 for All that is history now. I was there on Friday, and among the your heart gives its first hiccup, you come to a every hour that a leased jet is in the air? Today there are silicon boys around devotees was a sizeable group from Nepal realisation that someday soon you have to All right, if evil is so rife this is what we will do: we will cover the out-of- who earn obscene salaries as Bill Gate’s including Swami Anand Arun, the Oshoite leave it all and continue on your journey to ordinary. We will profile honest bureaucrats, the immigration officer who cyber coolies, but for everyone else in India who runs South Asia’s most popular eternity. An irony of our times that even in the refuses to be on the take, the MP who walks to the House, the and beyond Bangalore is better known as meditation destination at Nagarjun in most crowded of our cities, the only place that policewoman who will insist that you pass your driving test, VDC the gateway to Sai Baba. A holy man (or, as Kathmandu Valley. The Baba has quite a you can have completely to yourself is inside a chairmen who work tirelessly to ensure the well-being of their the Indian media likes to label them, a following in Nepal, even among the high and toilet. There is so much loneliness all constituents. These Nepalis are news because they are extraordinary. “god-man”) who considers himself an mighty. (Finance and Defence Minister around, but no solitude. And as we incarnation of a Sufi saint from Maharastra, Mahesh Acharya and Rastra Bank governor ruminate there we realise how quickly we BELIEVE IT OR NOT this Sai Baba is 75 years young, has an afro Dipendra Purush Dhakal are devout Sai Baba rot, how transitory it all is. hairdo and commands a following of followers.) There are Sai Baba temples Traditional family structures are We have heard of hotel millions all over the world many of whom sprouting in several Kathmandu crumbling. In our nuclear subcontinent, workers going on strike, make a pilgrimage to his ashram at neighbourhoods. And instead of increasing extended clans are being replaced by nuclear but only in Nepal will you Whitefields, about 25 km outside Bangalore. flights to Bangkok, Royal Nepal Airlines in families. Bangalore has the dubious see hotel owners Sai Baba is of course suddenly in the news October started a new link to Bangalore: it distinction of having a Non-resident throwing guests out into after a rather negative expose of his sexual seems pilgrim traffic is more Indians’ Parents Association (NRIPA). Can the streets as we saw on escapades in a British lucrative than casino traffic. you get any more lonely than that? If you Monday. This must paper, picked up in a Outside Brindavanam are don’t have a straw to hang on to you can MIN BAJRACHARYA belong somewhere in cover story earlier this trinket-shops festooned with easily go mad. But don’t panic, help is at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. month by the mass portraits of Sai Baba invariably hand. There is always a magician-turned- So we are now back to circulation India Today. with an aura, halo or rays of cult guru who will market salvation. Sai square one. If all it took There is obviously more to light emanating from behind Baba at least runs schools and hospitals was the prime minister’s the cult of Sai Baba than his head. The posters sell for from his earnings, and does not ask you to “assurance” to persuade hotel owners to open up for business why didn’t sacred ash materialising out many times more than the burn schools as they do in United States or the prime minister give them that assurance at the beginning of of thin air and actually falling cost of a comparable one of poison subways as they do in Japan. November? If all it took was a meeting with the deputy prime minister to off his photographic portraits Madhuri Dixit. There is no Devotees at Brindavanam have middle- tell the party-controlled unions to get back to work why didn’t he do that and images. The Sai Baba doubt who is god around class frustration writ large over their faces. earlier? Instead, we had this tripartite charade of hotelwallahs, unions phenomenon, like the Falung here. And like in all holy There may be some who have no one else to and the government playing hide-and-seek. For what? To bring us back to Gong or Christian evangelical places in the subcontinent, turn to. There may be others who suffer where we started. Nothing has been resolved: the same cliffhanger sects in North America, is all honesty and fair play has terminal ailments. Here they have found situation is slated for a repeat end-January. about keeping the faith in the not trickled down to the level of the what many of us have lost—innocence. There we have it: hotels may be open for business but there are no times of deep disillusionment: the realisation auto-rickshaw drivers who behave like Even in these hard and cynical times, it is a guests because everyone has gone somewhere else. Tour operators in that consumerism, materialism, and the vultures. My driver was comparatively honest moving experience to see people can find Japan and Europe are not going to be in a hurry to send guests our way. pursuit of wealth does not always bring and offered to throw in a tour of the faith. Walking around, I soon felt like an The Christmas and New Years booking looks bleak. Meanwhile, the happiness. Religion may be the opium of the Technological Park of Silicon Plateau for free if intruder in this assemblage of faithful. Was I country’s economy is suffering losses of up to Rs 265 million a week. masses, but it addresses the emptiness inside. I chartered his vehicle. There are a few the only one who didn’t come here looking Way to go, everyone! Back in 1973, Whitefield was a sleepy pragmatic fellows in Holy Land. for a spiritual placebo? In the autorickshaw, suburb of a backwater town called Bangalore. You do not have to be a devotee of Sai puttering back to the cyberdhabas of Sai Baba was not a rage then as he is now, and Baba to see that he does perform a function in Bangalore I couldn’t help thinking about Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd you could quite easily get close to him. Today, globalised free market world that has lost a what would happen when the Osho Sanchaya Kosh Bldg, Block A-4th Floor, Pulchowk, Lalitpur the inner sanctum is surrounded by a huge wall sense of direction, is suffering ecological departs. Despite his enigmatic epitaph: Mailing address: GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Phones: (01) 543333-7 Fax: (01) 521013 where devotees gather and sing bhajans in meltdown and where spiritual solace is hard to “Never born, never dead” perhaps the Sai Editor: Kunda Dixit praise of the Baba. Brindavanam, as the place is come by. For the same reason that the Baba cult will also fade, just as you don’t Desk editors: Deepak Thapa, Samuel Thomas, Anagha Neelakantan now called, is abuzz with activity. Sai Baba Ramayana and Mahabharata have become see Rajneesh lockets in Kathmandu these Editorial: [email protected], Marketing, circulation and subscriptions: himself sits majestically on a high-backed, popular TV serials, a procession of god-men days. But you can be sure there will be [email protected] www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press (01) 521393 throne-like gilded chair placed on an elevated command large followings. Irony, isn’t it, that another engineer of human souls to take platform. Faithfuls squat in rows, gazing wide- television serials that have the highest ratings his place. t VIEWPOINT 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 3 ANALYSIS Nepal meltdownby BIKASH PANDEY

ark Twain supposedly climate change. An agreement at mmade the famous remark The Hague would have gone a that everyone talks long way to readying the Kyoto about the weather but nobody does Protocol for ratification by both anything about it. Some 20,000 Annex I and non-Annex I participants gathered 13-24 countries. At the end it was the November in the Dutch capital flexibility that turned out to be The Hague to understand how the the most contentious. human species may, inadvertently, The Kyoto Protocol includes be causing global climate change three “Kyoto Mechanisms” and how we might come to grips designed to allow Annex I countries with its consequences. This Sixth considerable flexibility to Conference of Parties to the United supplement domestic actions to Nations Framework Convention on fulfil their reduction commitments: Climate Change (COP-6) Emissions Trading, that concluded unsuccessfully, with the allows a country to trade reductions Americans and the Europeans made beyond its commitment; unable to agree on a plan of action Joint Implementation, where to cut emissions of greenhouse gases investors in one Annex I country (GHGs) that are largely blamed for can get credit for emissions reduced Nepal is not a substantial contributor to climate change and may not suffer global warming. The “G77 and by a clean energy project in China”, as the countries of the another; and, the Clean its worst immediate impact, but it could be seriously affected by melting South are collectively known, had Development Mechanism glaciers like Tsho Rolpa (above).

very little say. (CDM) allowing for joint ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The global community reached implementation of projects in non- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ a historic agreement on a Protocol Annex I developing countries. CDM change and may not suffer its worst Bangladesh is expected to lose as cheaper to cook with kerosene and the environment. Countries for reducing atmospheric GHGs in projects have the additional immediate impacts, it is still very much as 17 percent of its land to LPG than with electricity. By giving would then be able to trade the December 1997 at Kyoto, Japan. requirement of also meeting important for us to fully engage inundation by 2100 if it cannot credit for the saved carbon to the portion of their entitlements that The Kyoto Protocol contains sustainable development needs of with the issues for a number of build dikes—this translates to a loss investor, who can then use it they did not use. The Kyoto emission reduction targets for each the host country. reasons. Every impact makes the of as much as half of its rice- towards meeting his country’s negotiations in contrast started industrialised country to meet and a Going into COP-6, the United already difficult task of sustainable growing areas. Kyoto targets, the CDM encourages with countries’ 1990 levels of timetable for doing so. As a group, States favoured complete flexibility development that much harder. Nepal needs to substantially Annex I investment in Nepali emissions and negotiated the industrialised “Annex I” in the extent to which sinks and the Agricultural productivity and increase its capability to adapt to projects that use clean energy even reductions using that as a countries, have agreed to reduce Kyoto Mechanisms could be used forests are expected to decline in the effects of climate change. We if they may be more capital baseline. emissions by a total of 5.2 percent to meet committed reduction tropical and sub-tropical regions need to be able to forecast the expensive. It has recently been reported below 1990 levels within the first targets in the interests of pursuing throughout the world as a result of weather, including El Nino effects, Developing countries, as a that the Americans and commitment period of 2008-12. least-cost compliance options. The global warming due to varying and inform our farmers better, whole, were largely sidelined at Europeans have worked to resolve Non-Annex I countries do not have members of the European Union precipitation, pest outbreaks, and manage floods more effectively, COP-6. They remain concerned, their differences since The Hague binding obligations at present. and many environmental groups, exacerbation of El Nino effects. install systems to provide early however, that the richer countries and that an agreement might be COP-6 was meant to resolve however, wanted strict limits on the This will negatively affect farmers warning of GLOFs, and strengthen have not left them sufficient hammered out before Christmas. how much flexibility Annex I use of sinks and Mechanisms so both in the tarai and the middle public health. ‘environmental space’ for their If this happens, the Kyoto countries would be allowed in that countries would be forced to hills of Nepal. Vector-borne Nepal can also attract own future economic growth. Protocol may indeed move fairly meeting their individual Kyoto take substantial domestic action to infectious diseases, like malaria and investment into clean energy Since it is expected that quickly towards ratification. targets without directly reducing reduce emissions. The main encephalitis, will likely be more projects in the transportation, developing country emissions Nepal needs to build up its ability their emissions, including setting argument was that greater flexibility widespread and move north into the industrial, and domestic sectors by could surpass that of Annex I to manage the impacts of climate rules on crediting countries for would allow for large loopholes and population centres of the middle making use of the Clean countries in as little as 10 years, change by participating in removing carbon from the result in postponement of crucial hills. Accelerated melting of glaciers Development Mechanisms. The it is clear that there will very technology transfer and accessing atmosphere through planting trees investments needed to make will result in increased frequency of country is naturally suited to use its soon have to be negotiations to the Adaptation Fund. It also (sinks). Other goals of the renewable energy systems Glacial Lake Outburst Floods own renewable sources like reduce emissions beyond the first needs to attract investments into Conference were to agree on how to competitive with fossil fuels—the (GLOFs), washing away roads, hydropower and solar energy to commitment period that will also clean energy and infrastructure monitor countries’ compliance with only realistic way global emissions bridges, hydropower plants, and meet its energy needs in place of include all countries. One projects under the CDM. In the their commitments and to set up can contract to 50 percent of farms and settlements along glacier- fossil fuels, like coal and petroleum suggestion, initially made by interests of global equity, Nepal accounting methods for national current levels by the end of the fed rivers. Intense rainfall events are that need to be imported and which environmentalists from India 10 should support per capita emissions and emissions reductions. century. The negotiations fell apart expected to be more frequent, cause serious local air pollution. years ago, gained a lot of currency entitlements as the basis for Agreement was also expected on the because the Americans and the increasing flood damage. While the However, even with the high at COP-6 (not in the official negotiating emission reductions in creation of an Adaptation Fund as Europeans were not able to expected 15-95 cm sea level rise by petroleum prices today, it is still plenary sessions but in the well- future commitment periods. t well as capacity building and sufficiently narrow the differences in the end of the century will not cheaper to drive cars and trucks attended side events)—that transfer of technology to help their positions. directly affect Nepal, the pressures than to run electric vehicles, trolley future negotiations be based on Bikash Pandey is an energy vulnerable developing countries Even though Nepal is not a put on our neighbours will also buses, ropeways, and electric trains the premise that every human expert and director at cope with the adverse impacts of substantial contributor to climate result in stress on our borders. powered by hydropower. It is should have equal entitlement to Winrock-REPSO Nepal. LETTERS OIL AND CORRUPTION balance. You in the media may “immense human dignity” or VOLUNTEERS Much as I would like to, it is highlight these issues, but corruption and Maoists who Paul Pena one told by “New Orientalists”. I couldn’t help but notice that becoming more and more what use is it if the institutions are causing chaos in the (Here and There, #20) White your #20 was a particularly difficult to find something to that are supposed to act on it villages. boys in Mongolia: I was wary stunning issue. I thought that feel good about Nepal. (the legislature, judiciary, Max Mali from the start. My Orientalist the feature on page 6 Reading your page one piece consumer groups and Pune radar did beep several times “Goodwill ambassadors” “Nepal oil corruption” (#19) government) don’t care? during the film, but I was so was especially well was for me the final straw. Thank you for your front page won over by Paul Pena that I researched, and written with Something as open and Sam Shrestha on petroleum adulteration eventually threw away that just the right sense of direct as adulteration cannot via Internet (#19). Through your paper I, radar. Pena never arms empathy, analysis and be stopped even when the as a Nepali consumer, want to himself against his unfamiliar appreciation. culprits are mixing kerosene tell this to the government, I milieu; he opens his heart to with petrol in broad daylight. Why are our party leaders don’t care about rising prices. viewers, exposing his inmost Simon Forrester And boasting about it! It such a bunch of jokers? In fact, double the price of joys and anguishes, and Officer,UNV Programme points to failure of Madhav Nepal with his fuel—but make sure we get offering us the gift of his governance and a failure of supporters protested in front what we pay for. And I have humanity. That the rest of us CORRECTION of Singha Durbar (#12) but another message for the might remain equally open civil society. When a middle The credit for the two instead of protesting about the opposition: stop shouting when we travel...or even class becomes so apathetic HERE AND THERE pictures illustrating the story that it cannot be outraged by hike in petrol prices they about fuel price hike, do when we see travel Daniel Lak: you’ll have to start “One step forward, two steps something as glaring as this should first think about the something about adulteration documentaries. practicing throatsinging in my back” (page 4, #19) should it has a sinister implication— real problems our country is and the corruption that feeds it. garden. Having seen Genghis have gone to Nick Dawson it means democracy is not going through like J Alders Manjushree Thapa Blues, I too couldn’t tell if it instead of what inadvertently working as a check and unemployment, education, Pokhara Kathmandu was a tale of, as you say, appeared. – Ed. 4NATION 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES Nepal’s ISP e-conomics

BINOD BHATTARAI

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Should we struggle to prop up an t’s been ten years since the inefficient government monopoly whose i World Wide Web hit the world. real costs are unknown? Or should we And in this short time, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nepal prepare ourselves to become cost-effective have demonstrated how competi- netizens by formulating the right policies tion can benefit customers. Computing power has increased early in the game? thousand-fold, the price of connec- tivity has come down and there are Telecommunications Authority I get a faulty connection on a Friday more services to choose from. began licensing V-SAT users, ISPs evening, at NTC’s pace it will be But the industry could also be relied on the NTC for their repaired next week.” stagnating—thanks to high communications needs. This When it began Internet telephone costs, courtesy the Nepal included everything from getting services, the NTC tried wholesaling Telecommunications Corporation telephone connections to relying on connectivity, spending six months (NTC). NTC’s network to get through to trying to convince service providers Five years ago an average servers upstream in the web, to purchase its connections for minute of Internet connectivity cost MIN BAJRACHARYA Singapore, India or the US. That is resale to retail buyers. None of the Rs 12. Today, it’s just about Rs 1. no longer the case, even though ISPs—who had already been burnt Some service providers even go NTC’s connectivity has improved doing business with the below the rupee barrier, especially and is certainly cheaper than what corporation—were interested. start-ups trying to get a foothold in ISPs pay V-SAT service providers. Eventually, the NTC decided to the booming market. Nepal is said After five years of exponential growth, Nepal’s Internet V-SAT stands for Very Small move into end-user sales, which its to have 20,000 email/Internet Aperture Terminal, and it’s a cost officials bragged would “teach ISPs

account holders, which in real market is stifled by the high local phone tariffs. effective satellite solution for users a lesson”. Its only aim was to enter

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ terms works out to about 100,000 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ seeking an independent the market cheaply and fast. It users. The market is said to be communications network didn’t take into account that it growing by about 30 percent each about 10 paisa per connection or manager of NTC. in the cost for those using phones connecting a large number of would have to provide installation year, but at existing telephone less.” The NTC used to thrive on for data communication,” says geographically dispersed sites. and follow-up services. It offered tariffs and in light of the fierce Life for ISPs may soon get unusually high international tariffs Sanjib Rajbhandari of Mercantile “We’re paying more for total the cheapest connections, and this competition, it may not be long harder. Nepal Telecommunications which accounted for almost 55-60 Communications. “The reliability,” says an ISP source. forced prices down. But customers before many of the smaller Corporation (NTC), our monopoly percent of its revenue. This, it says, competition in the market would “NTC rates are cheaper, but there soon found out that cheap also companies begin to fold up. telephone network owner, is was used to subsidise local force ISPs to transfer the reduced are too many unseen costs.” In meant erratic and unreliable service “The cost of a phone call is the considering a hike in local phone telephone rates. “Revenue data over costs to customers, and everyone plain English, the “unseen costs” and maintenance. This is why the biggest roadblock obstructing the tariffs. The NTC says use of its the last year shows that we’re losing would benefit.” are bribes and favours ISPs have to service provider with the lowest growth of Internet users,” says international services is down, and more money than we’d anticipated. Generally, ISP economics is offer to get even routine official rates has just 2,000 email and Rajesh Lal Shrestha, Managing the proposed hike will help bolster We could be in trouble if we straightforward. The more people tasks done. Many ISPs have begun Internet subscribers. We called the Director of Infocom, one of a new diminishing revenues. It blames cannot raise local tariffs,” Shrestha online, the more the benefits to be using radio modems for even local NTC asking how we could get an added. derived from the emerging connections to bypass the NTC, internet connection. “Come to ISPs find this hard to knowledge economy. There’s even a especially for corporate clients. Pulchowk and fill out a form. Then “The cost of a phone call is the biggest swallow—public perception is that law, attributed to Robert Metcalfe, Customer service and industry go to Jawalakhel to get your roadblock obstructing the growth of the NTC makes a killing on local a pioneer of computer networking. relations are the weakest links in account.” We then asked if the and international calls. There’s “Metcalfe’s Law” says that the the NTC’s Internet backbone. The corporation would help us with Internet users,” says Rajesh Lal been a sharp increase in local calls value of a network grows in line NTC’s poor service record is old installation and provide training on Shrestha, Managing Director of Infocom. as more people have gone online. with the square of the number of hat—about 40 percent of all how to use the service. The person ISPs argue that the NTC would users. The truth could be complaints take more than 24 hours at the other end sounded irritated benefit if it made telephony somewhere in between, but the to fix. Unreliability on this scale is by this unreasonable demand. He generation of ISPs. “At today’s international calls through the cheaper, not more expensive. They NTC doesn’t seem too inclined to unacceptable in an industry rife said: “We’ll give you a catalogue market growth rate and telephone Internet for some of that revenue even have a proposal which they say discuss it. with competition and growing and you can do everything charges, about half of the ISPs we loss . “Only pricing to reflect the could result in a win-win situation There are 15 ISPs in Nepal, and exponentially. “You cannot blame yourself.” have may shut down in about a costs of providing the service can for all parties. “We’re proposing a most have bitter stories to tell us for trying to provide reliable With this kind of service, even year. You cannot stay in business keep us afloat over the long run,” revenue sharing mechanism between about working with the NTC. Until services,” says another ISP source. the 2,000 subscribers the NTC has long with earnings that average says Raghubar Lal Shrestha, general NTC and the ISPs, or a reduction this May, when the Nepal “We rely on speed and accuracy. If seems too many. But this total itself HERE AND THERE Talk to my lawyerby DANIEL LAK

he debacle that followed the American election is being blamed Lawyers dominate democratic of the two gentlemen who’ve asked the courts to appoint them as t on the most despised class of non-criminal human beings on the governments—the political equivalent of President Clinton’s successor has worked in a law office. But ask planet—the lawyers. In the most litigious society on earth, the them how many lawyers they have hired in their lives, and they United States, legal eagles soar high, and now they’ve hijacked the letting the fox baby-sit the chickens. won’t be able to tell you. They have long since lost count. The democratic process. That’s probably one of the least of their sins in problem, of course, is that the modern task of the lawyer involves the overall scheme of things. constant reinterpretation of the intentions of people long dead, or Yes, lawyers are essential if there is to be law, the presumption of out of the political loop. That’s a license to bend rules, and to innocence and protection of fundamental rights. Courtroom drama is create new ones where the existing structure doesn’t serve the an honoured genre in film and pulp fiction, and I confess to being clients’ purpose. If the law were simple and straightforward, if courts rather fond of the novels of one John Grisham, a lawyer by dispensed true justice, if all people and organisations acted with profession. Check out the films “Twelve Angry Men” with Henry good will and if truth were ever-present, then who would need Fonda, and “Inherit the Wind” featuring Spencer Tracy as the great lawyers? They exist because we are so gravely imperfect. Clarence Darrow—as close to a lawyer-hero as America has ever had. There are many lawyers who do good. One of the best is Asma Those stirring movies show the legal process at its theoretical best, Jehangir, a lawyer from Pakistan, who has done more to enforce with reason and good will triumphant after a tussle of immense the badly tattered standards of decency and human rights in intellectual proportions. But these days, an American television that country than any politician, general or businessperson. In channel is as likely to show you commercials featuring “personal fact, it’s clear that lawyers in countries like Pakistan, Nepal injury specialists” who will sue anyone and charge their client and India are crucial because they do the opposite of many of nothing in hopes of a massive jury settlement. Slipped and fallen their counterparts in developed lands. They uphold the on your neighbour’s walk? No problem, just hire Sue, Grabbit spirit and letter of the law by highlighting misuse of legal and Runn, and settle out of court for a couple of million. Never process by elites. Long live Asma Jehangir and her ilk. mind that you were drunk when you fell, or running to make a Shakespeare’s famous line from Henry VI “the first thing we late appointment, or ignored the signs warning you to be do, let’s kill all the lawyers” was actually spoken by an anarchist careful. It’s Not Your Fault! plotting revolution, so it’s clear the bard was actually praising the Lawyers dominate democratic governments in many developed making the rules. Hello! Anyone home? The outgoing president of the legal profession in a roundabout way. Most likely, judging from countries—the political equivalent of letting the fox baby-sit the United States is a lawyer, a law professor actually. He met his wife, also many other jibes at lawyers in his plays, Shakespeare saw them— chickens. People who make money from manipulating the rules are an advocate, in law school. I take some heart from the fact that neither wisely—as the necessary evil that they most assuredly are. t NATION 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 5

Five-star fracas

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Just to recap: • Two hotel unions decided to go on indefinite strike from 11 December demanding a 10 percent service charge on top of their salaries. • Hotel owners said no way, and threatened a lockout. • The government belatedly intervened and on the eve of the strike convinced the unions to agree to a two-month

MIN BAJRACHARYA moratorium. • Sulking hotel owners said we’ve lost business anyway so we will remain closed, and started evicting guests from their own hotels. • Prime minister met MIN BAJRACHARYA hotel owners and may be misleading. No one will say Clockwise from left: Worldlink’s coaxed them to reopen, how many of those accounts are V-SAT antenna in Jawalakhel, which they did. free—either service connections or Sanjib Rajbhandari of Mercantile A rift between like those made available to MPs Communications in his server room tourism entrepreneurs earlier this year. The NTC’s cheap on Durbar Marg, Shyam Agarwal prompted owners to unlimited internet connectivity of Worldlink Communications, reluctantly lift the does benefit people who need no and the computer room of Infocom lockout “in the interest help figuring out the difference at Hatisar. of the economy”. But between an IP address and an ISP travel trade sources tell MIN BAJRACHARYA us much of the damage or setting up and using a applications for fixed line connec- MIN BAJRACHARYA connection. But there aren’t too tions. “Even today we have not has already been done. Many Christmas and Guests leaving hotel in Kathmandu many such users. been able to get all the high speed on Monday during the 24-hour lockout. “We should be working to digital lines we would like to have Millenium bookings create a situation where NTC’s and here you have NTC retailing have been cancelled, returns would grow with the growth Internet connections rather than airlines have curtailed flights and hotels are nearly empty. of our businesses,” says Shyam helping us meet the need,” an ISP increased use of telephones is due being allowed to undertake telecom “The situation is murky,” said one hotel owner. “Since there is Agarwal, Managing Director, source said. more to the addition of new lines services. That will not only change no business for the next few months it would have been Worldlink Communications P. Ltd. NTC’s revenue per line, and other services that rely on the monopoly profits it has been better to remain closed and force the issue once and for all.” “It is scary to have such a large including international calls, is telephony such as pagers, mobile thriving upon but also force it to do Some HAN members are angry that after all this heartbreak, phones and, yes, the Internet. It cost/profit centre accounting to the issue has not been resolved, only postponed. In two also says that the Rs 0.40 we pay reflect its real costs—minus the months, the tourism industry will have to go through the “We’re thinking about special rates for per local call per minute is among corruption that takes place all the whole bitter experience again. A high-level government data communications, but it’s only a the lowest in the world. Further, it way up to the ministry. Its revenue mediation panel is looking into the union demand for service blames ISPs for the reduction of its structure—55-60 percent from charge and is supposed to come up with a recommendation proposal,” says Raghubar Lal Shrestha, revenues from international calls, international communications, 14- in two months. general manager of the NTC. especially after the advent of 16 percent from domestic trunk

Internet phones or the Voice Over calls and 16-18 percent from local No school ○○○○○○○○○○○ Internet Packets (VOIP) services. calls—is also bound to change. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ player in the market, especially one thrice as much as it was two years There is some truth in NTC’s All this is reason enough to With the government unable to provide security to schools that has total control of the ago—up from about Rs 750 per line grouse, but why should people pay discuss the ISP proposal, especially that wanted to defy a 8-14 December closure called by a pro- telephone network.” The NTC, to about Rs 2,000 in Kathmandu, its absurdly high monopoly tariffs because we’re already talking about Maoist student union, most schools all over Nepal (even which sells everything from where telephone density is highest. when a phone call is just the e-commerce and the need to base international schools in Kathmandu) remained closed this international telephony to Internet ISPs say it is the services they Internet away. Privately many NTC our growth on the knowledge week. Talks between the student union, parent reps, school connectivity, also has the space to provide that have helped increase top brass admit they themselves use economy. Internet access sale is not teachers and the government failed to find a way out. Not cross-subsidise different services and the revenue and they want NTC to Dial Pad to make personal phone the NTC’s main line of business, so surprising given the nature of the 15 demands put forward by distort the market. “People are share that with them, as is being calls abroad. it is unlikely that it would the students’ group scared to put in too much money to done in many countries. Providing Internet connectivity concentrate on propagating which included return upgrade their businesses, thinking Alternatively, the NTC should be isn’t all that profitable. One reason connectivity as much as private of Nepali territory that NTC is in a position to make thinking about lowering dial-up ISPs are in the business is to try and ISPs would. That is the reality that occupied by “foreign connectivity free,” says Agarwal. On rates, they add. NTC’s numbers -*build large networks by faces the government’s recent powers”, free average it costs Rs 5 million to set show that local calls have increased popularising the Internet. When pronouncement that we should secondary education, MIN BAJRACHARYA up an ISP making use of the NTC’s revenue by as much as Rs 60 that happens, they’ll be better work towards drawing benefits from nationalisation of phone network. Those willing to million in the last year, but it is positioned to add other services and the knowledge economy. Should we private schools, set up their own V-SAT gateways unwilling to accept that the charge for content. Both number of struggle to prop up an inefficient banning the national would need another Rs 2.5 million increase is a result of the growth accounts and usage need to be government monopoly whose real anthem and the for the license and Rs 4 million for brought about by ISPs. The NTC diversified for them to make real costs are unknown? Or should we teaching of Sanskrit. the system. But the relatively low doesn’t have the technology to money. And then, with size of prepare ourselves to become cost- The Private and Boarding School Organisation, Nepal start-up cost (minus the gateway) is monitor usage and there’s no way networks providing economies of effective netizens by formulating (PABSON) says it’s had enough. It will not abide by future misleading: the investment increases for them to realistically confirm or scale, ISPs could think about the right policies early in the threats to close schools. It is seeking support of all parents, fast because companies must make deny the suggestion. “We’re providing free connectivity. game? It is telling enough teachers, students and school authorities to ensure educa- frequent technological upgrades and thinking about special rates for data The NTC is also headed for that most ISPs will not go on tion is not disrupted. It has also called upon national and pay for replacements due to high communications, but it’s only a change. The plan is to break the record saying most of this. They international human rights agencies to monitor such threats. depreciation rates in the business. proposal,” says the NTC’s Shrestha. huge corporation down into say it’s because the NTC has Among the Maoist demand is nationalisation of private ISPs say the NTC should focus Nothing is said about revenue- separate companies providing enough muscle to create problems schools, which presently accounts for the education of about on more important things. It has a sharing. different services to level the playing for troublemakers and loud 1.5 million students and employment for over 75,000 backlog of over 260,000 The NTC believes that the field for private companies that are mouths. t teachers and administrative staff.

js tyres 6NATION Going to15 - 21 DECEMBERpot 2000 NEPALI TIMES ð from p 1 But just how much marijuana cultivation benefits villagers is an open question. Here in the dusty trails of Makwanpur district, it is difficult to see any visible sign of improved living standards after ten years of harvests. The ganja mafia has of course made money, and the middlemen and officials along the way have been paid off. But for people like Thulimaya Tamang of Kol village, it is still a hand-to-mouth existence. “I have a loan of Rs 20,000 to repay. Other crops I grow don’t produce enough to feed the family, let alone pay back the loan.” Ganja may not have improved the lives of farmers like Thulimaya Tamang, the middlemen may be exploiting her, but it is clear that without this cash crop their lives would be even more difficult. A young man in Kol is also rather desperate: “I want a job, and to get a job I need to pay a bribe. How can I make enough money to bribe unless my family grows ganja? If you water vegetables, you have a meal, if you water ganja plants, you can grow money.” The cash has also given the farmers of Makwanpur a new status among the moneylenders and shopkeepers in the bazaar. Once they see the cash, they will let them buy on credit. In the tarai people plant marijuana in about five katthas and grow a row of maize or sugarcane along the side to conceal it from law enforcers. In the Parsa villages adjoining the Indian border where it is difficult for outsiders to visit, the crop is grown openly. “Indian presence is here from the very beginning,” a schoolteacher and former ganja grower from Nijgadh told us. The Indians also provide crop specialists as “consultants” who can guarantee a 100 percent yield from the seedlings for a price—10 percent of the harvest. These “mistris” as they are known, also help to press the ganja into 5 kg bricks and the charas into pellets for easy transportation. t

Woman farmer weeps after police destroy her family’s ganja plantation in Ratnapuri in Bara district last week. ALL PHOTOS: CHANDRA KISHORE JHA Maoists At Hetauda we looked into the regional police office. The resident chief denied another member of the Nepali Congress party have formed a “Ganja there was any marijuana growing in Makwanpur. But junior constables said Protection Committee” to hold talks with the administration to leave ganja and ganja was so widespread that there was no way they could destroy the crops with farmers alone. marijuana their present manpower. At the Manahari police post, Surya Prasad Upadhyaya When a reporter comes snooping around, there is a ping pong of blame: the told us: “We have information that Indian buyers provide armed protection to police say ganja growers have political protection, and politicians say the police in people transporting marijuana to the border.” A local Nepali Congress leader and the district administration are colluding with Indian ganja interests. The agreed. Indian criminals protect farmers who cannot protect their own crops truth is probably that they are all up to their necks in it. And why not? Some Makwanpur from police raids, he said. We asked the Chief District Officer of Parsa, Dolakh have convinced themselves that the trade is good for the country, it brings Villagers mill around after police destroy their marijuana plantation in Makwanpur. Replace cocaine with Bahadur Gurung, if all we had been told was true. He hedged the question: “We income to poor peasants who have no other income, and it spreads the wealth cannabis, Colombia with don’t have a budget to destroy ganja. I have no information of Indians coming around. Nepal and you have it: leftist guerrillas involved in protecting an illegal here and doing marijuana cultivation.” Also, political parties have to look the other way—such is the power of narcotic crop. Since the farmers growing ganja are mostly poor peasants, Local politicians will tell you privately that everyone gets a cut from the “ganja vote”. Their constituents depend so heavily on the crop and its local Maoist cells in Makwanpur have got a cause they can fight for. And this well-greased trade, and that is why it runs so smoothly. All local organs trade that any politician seen to be destroying this livelihood will not last both have a common enemy: the police patrols who regularly raid ganja of political parties get something long. In Makwanpur’s Sarikhet village local farmers have begun to raise Rs plantations. Two months ago Maoists attacked the Makawanpur police out of the ganja economy. Some 500 per kattha to pay off the district administration to leave them alone. post to warn them not to harass ganja farmers in northern Makwanpur. like the UML sometimes take The locals will tell you in hushed tones the names of all the ganja barons in The Assistant Sub-Inspector of Kalikatar police post told us it would be action—the party expelled a local Manahari and Hetauda. Even some pragmatic national-level politicians impossible for him to send patrols anymore to the ganja region for fear cadre Triloki Chaudhary because know which side to be on: they say use of marijuana should be banned, but of Maoist ambushes. The police have even withdrawn from posts in of his involvement in the business. not its cultivation because the people depend on it. And so, it seems, do Dandakharka and Kandarang because of Maoist activity, according to Makwanpur’s Superintendent of Police Narendra Khaling. Local But other locally elected officials politicians. In Parsa, Indians not only provide seeds but they lease land residents spread scare stories to police patrols, telling them Maoists have actually got together to from farmer/politicians paying Rs 2000 per kattha and they grow the ganja have booby-trapped the trail. The Maoists are not actually growing protect marijuana farmers. VDC themselves. Many local politicians own the land, and benefit from the lease. marijuana themselves, but they have told farmers not to payoff police Nepal’s open border through which chairman Buddhi Bahadur Lama Deep in the jungles of the char kose jhari are marijuana plantations that since they will provide them protection. of Ratnapuri in Bara District and the ganja enters India. can only be seen from the air, but the locals will tell you about them. BARBS ‘All the king’s horses and all the king’sby BARBARAmen’ ADAMS he common wisdom in t Kathmandu is that there will Every time talks with the Maoists seem to be getting somewhere, be no dialogue with the Maoists. And there will be no a monkey wrench flies in from nowhere and destroys all trust. attention paid to what the government keeps calling “the couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty Pokhara, this may actually be one parties in a failing marriage or Maoist problem,” until after the together again”. In the aftermath of way out. Provided both sides are parties to a deadly conflict, can be Congress Party tamasha in Pokhara the failed fiasco of the tête-à-tête serious about talks, these quite desirable. But a pre-requisite in January. I don’t think it would between the deputy prime minister negotiations could be held in a far- is serious commitment to finding a be considered “too political” to and the Maoist’s Kathmandu chief away neutral venue such as Geneva negotiated solution on both sides. reiterate that the Nepali people in November, and the closing down with capable and experienced You can’t go into this in a half-

crave peace and security, and that of schools, rumours are running rife negotiators. hearted way, as a strategy to buy MIKU the longer the country and the again. One is that the status quo It might actually be useful for time, or to follow a two-track, people have neither, the harder it classes are selling off property and both parties to confront their carrot-and-stick approach. Up until will be to reinstall both. Positions investing in gold. And are our police disagreements from a comfortable now, every time we thought the will harden further, more people getting a “strike force” trained by distance, and far away from media talks might be getting somewhere, a will either be dislocated from their some foreign “special forces” unit? glare and domestic posturing. monkey wrench flies in from homes, jobs and schools, or join the Internationalising this insurgency Physical and mental detachment nowhere and destroys all trust. be averse to talking with the army. put aside their political differences, Maoists, and the chaos and may have some dangerous and a neutral venue could cool There are professionals specialising After all, the Maoists consider and temporarily unite to work for corruption in the capital will be ramifications for Nepal. passions and hardline positions on in negotiating ceasefires and themselves at war, so negotiating with the good of this rapidly even less controllable than at One area in which there should both sides, and create a better compromise solutions to representatives of the military deteriorating country, they might present. be no qualms about internationali- atmosphere for compromise. The insurgencies. Why don’t we make apparatus would make sense to them. actually have a good chance to If we wait much longer to talk, sing the issue would be in finding cost would be negligible compared use of them? Since the Congress Party is so succeed. Were they to unite to compromise, and give the people reputable international institutions to the money looted by Maoists If that sounds far-fetched, fragmented that it seems unable to make peace with the Maoists, and the kind of government they long specialising in conflict resolution. from provincial banks, and by another place to start would be to agree on anything, one can only, agree on changing the Constitution, for, it may be too late. We could Because the situation is getting so defaulting businessmen from the big look at a negotiator from the Army to very tentatively, put one’s last they could prove a real and positive get to that point immortalised in serious and the present government banks in Kathmandu. talk on behalf of the government and extant hope in the good patriotic force. How about it comrades? nursery rhyme where “all the king’s seems to be focussing more on A neutral observer and the people. The Maobadis have sense of the group of ten parties of How about cobbling together a horses and all the kings men, factional quarrels in the run-up to mediator, whether counselling hinted in the past that they would not the moderate left. If they could only United Front for peace? t NATION 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 7 Voices with vision The Bhutanese refugee children’s photography project The Rose Class The Rose Class was a participatory photography project that ran during the summer of 1998 in Beldangi II Extension camp, which houses 10,000 Bhutanese refugees. The project worked with 13 Bhutanese refugee students, aged between 15 and 17, teaching them photography and providing them with a medium through which to document and write about their lives. The group called themselves the Rose Class because the beautiful rose was their favourite flower. During the project, through photographs, writing and painting the group recorded day to day life in the camp and their hopes, fears and frustrations. The Rose Class became a platform from which the students could tell outsiders their stories and their dream that they might one day be able to return to Bhutan. The Rose Class put together an exhibition of their work in the refugee camp and this was followed by a collaborative exhibition with Street Vision in London. The students of the Rose Class have spent nearly half of their lives living in the camps. The Rose Class was organised by Photo Voice, a London-based group dedicated to raising awareness and providing means of creative empowerment to displaced persons around the world.

The refugee Through study every individual can be led onto a brighter path. children It is consolation to the old, ornament to the rich and wealth to the poor. Being refugees we do not have anything to do and we photographed, do not have property, only our education is with us. Picture by Bishnu Maya Rai wrote and Caption by Aite Maya Rai painted, recording their hopes, fears and frustrations.

This is a 97 year-old man who lives in the camp. He thinks life is like smoke that a puff of wind can disperse. He is a pessimist. He says in Bhutan he was very rich and that he came to Nepal with only the clothes that he was wearing. Now he is poor: his clothes, plates and pots are from UHNCR. He complains that he will die without seeing his country again. We tell him that is not the way Because we do not have much work to do we joke with each other to to think, that our problems will soon be solved. pass time. Our huts in camp are so close that we often meet with our Picture by Yethi Raj Siwakoti friends. Whenever there is a group of people they will talk about Bhutan. Picture by Mon Maya Thapa

If real tears are an indisputable sign of grief, then glass tears could possibly be the mark of insincerity. From looking at our faces you see no tears but our internal hearts are crying. Picture by Bishnu Maya Rai Caption by Yethi Raj Siwakoti

His name is Hari Khrishna Rai. He is about 42 years old. It is one year since he became blind. It started with a headache and in a few months he was blind. He took many medicines provided by SCF, but his health did not improve. We are often ill because we have no fresh fruit and vegetables to eat. Hari Khrishna Rai is blind, but he talks like a healthy person. Though these little children live in small huts they are happy with their lives. He spends his life in sorrow because he cannot see the things They have no concept of Bhutan. Small children born in the camp do not know that are happening in our society and the world. He says that anything because we are not able to show and teach them practical things. If we ask them, “Where do we get milk from,” they will say we get milk from a bicycle. if we go on sitting in this refugee camp, the coming Picture by Yethi Raj Siwakoti generation will be blind because our rations do not give us any vitamins to keep us healthy. Caption by Aite Maya Rai Picture by Aite Maya Rai Picture by Bishnu Maya Rai 8NEPALI ECONOMY 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

Way out

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Japanese consulting firm Nippon Koei has nearly finalised a study on an alternative road leading out of Kathmandu Valley which would avoid the Thankot bottleneck and cut commuting time by half. Historical blunderers The proposed road will link Sitapaila in the Valley with Dharke in Dhading district, avoiding the Naubise-Thankot stretch, one of Nepal’s busiest roadways. The Naubise-Thankot road We have never learnt to deal with our problems. was upgraded three years ago to support 3,000 vehicles daily, but over 2,800 cars, buses and trucks already use it every day, and the number is growing by 7.5 percent each year. s the hotel strike drama think twice before visiting. The vote bank and like to keep them Another study by the Department of Roads says that the annual average daily traffic at aunfolded, one thing was impact on Western tourists happy. The business segment Thankot and Kalanki points was as high as 5,990 and 14,300 vehicles per day. The 25.4 km very clear— we Nepalis do forced to change plans or Indian making the most money doesn’t link from Sitpaila will take 34 months to complete, cost Rs 4 billion to build and another Rs not require a foreign hand to tourist here on honeymoon is the have to deal with unions, as their 654 million to compensate landowners along the alignment. make matters worse in our same. Why should they come to businesses are trade-oriented. This country. Nepal again? has left a handful of entrepreneurs

Duty drawback Historically, when we look at The government’s to bear the brunt of labour ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the progress made, we have been lackadaisical attitude and unions’ tactics. Hotels, being an The government’s inability to make duty drawback payments on rather efficient at self-destruction. indecisiveness kept the problem industry and not a trading time has frustrated exporters, mainly three major Indian joint The Malla kings left us with empty simmering until the damage was enterprise, have been affected ventures: Nepal Lever, Dabur Nepal and Colgate-Palmolive, the coffers, and the Rana regime done. The Prime Minister gave most. They have bowed to largest sellers of Nepal-made goods in India. Nepal Lever alone followed it up by building palatial verbal assurances to the business pressure from unions and has Rs 163 million blocked in the form of duty drawback, about 14 percent of its total exports, neo-classical structures during a community that he’d look into conceded a lot in the past decade the company says. The money payable to the three companies is over Rs 400 million. crippling famine. Thirty years of the matter, but everyone knows without being able to push issues The Department of Industries and the Ministry of Finance arrange the payments. Lever one-party democracy ensured the what that means. The trade linked to productivity and officials say that of the claims submitted so far, only Rs 17 million has been settled. Some of creation of an economic class at the sector cannot see how this efficiency. the claims date back to 1997-98. The government introduced the new duty drawback system to cost of a backward mass. We’ve problem won’t recur after two The past week should be a remedy a situation where exporters could import goods after paying 50 percent customs duty never needed the services of a months. On the other hand the billion-dollar lesson for the and claim refunds after exporting finished goods. Genghis Khan or a colonial government has asked labour country. The issue is not the superpower to cause economic unions to defer the stir by two service charge. It is the state of

Hukam certified imbalance, we have done it well months. The government cannot the nation. It is a state of anarchy ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ourselves. What else could explain keep both commitments and only where anyone, anytime, can undo The International Organisation for Standardization has awarded Hukam Pharmaceuticals the mess in the tourism industry in time will reveal all the what others have built over years. Private Limited (PHPL) ISO9002 certification, the first for a pharmaceutical company in Nepal. the past month? We obviously love complications. Politicians here exist for their own The certification means Hukam’s products are of international standards, and paves the way to remain a $200 per capita country After the restoration of petty agendas, not for the country for the company to aim at international sales. ISO is a federation of bodies that sets production ranked first or second from the democracy, the labour force and or enterprise. There would be no standards in 130 countries. bottom, and we have politicians the media are two sections of labour without enterprise. The who believe this is the future. society that have grown. The government should know how to

Sick mill The effects of the past week empowerment of labour through regulate enterprises but not hinder ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ on tourism in Nepal will be felt in legislation and active inter- them. Yes, enterprises too should Lack of working capital and raw material forced closure of the Hetauda Textile Industry last the long run. Other Asian national intervention has given act well in time to understand a week. The mill, with an annual capacity of 11 million metres of textiles, had been operating only destinations competing with this country a lop-sided socialistic problem rather than wait till the for a few hours each day since early November until raw materials finally ran out last week. Nepal today, like Vietnam and model. end. But no one listens in this This is not the first time the factory has stopped weaving, and every time the operations halted, Laos, could not cash in on Though the transformation country. t the government has restarted the looms by injecting more money. This has cost the tourism due to perceived from government owned government over Rs 85 million till date. Factory sources say they need Rs 130 million to get problems of security and enterprise to private enterprises Readers can post their views and working, after paying overdue salaries and making provident fund deposits. uncertainty. Now they’ve has taken place, the labour model discuss issues at overcome these problems and are remains the same. A powerful [email protected]

Orthodox tea marketing their countries well, pro-labour media has backed this. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ while Nepal is saddled with such Politicians have also recognised Ilam Tea Producers Pvt Ltd (ITPPL) has begun marketing high quality orthodox tea in 150 and disrupt ion that tourists will the labour class as a powerful 200gram sachets aimed at promoting the brand in international markets. At present, Nepali orthodox tea finds its way to Germany and Japan. Grindlays Gazette Nepal produces some of the world’s best orthodox leaf in the eastern hills and many farmers sell the leaf to processors in India’s Darjeeling district. Growers say Ilam produces INTEREST RATE UPDATE CURRENCY UPDATE better quality leaf because the plants are younger, though climatic conditions are similar across the border. Nepal now annually produces 700,000 thousand kg of orthodox tea and 7 NEPALI RUPEE CURRENT% PREVIOUS% AG/USD CURRENT * WK/AGO %CHG million kg of CTC tea, the most widely available form in the market. The government also has Call Money Avg. 5.25 5.50 OIL(Barrel ) 28.44 32.29 - 11.92 ambitious plans to bring 30,000 hectares of land under tea cultivation in the next few years. 70 Days t/bill 4.86 - GOLD(Ounce) 272.50 269.80 + 1.00 91 Days t/bill 5.26 5.29 GOLD ( NPR *) 7200 7110 + 1.27 364 Days t/bill 5.73 6.18 EUR 0.8832 0.8763 + 0.79 0.74 0.37 0.40 0.22 0.37 0.04 53.75 Repo. rate 5.76 5.79 GBP 1.4443 1.4383 + 1.37 0.68 0.36 0.58 0.36 0.21 0.02 46.75 JPY 110.79 110.96 - 0.15 Average rate of 91 days and 364 days T/Bill dipped lower 0.64 0.36 0.57 0.28 0.13 0.05 46.76 on aggressive bidding by some of the commercial banks. HF 1.7077 1.7277 - 1.16 0.25 0.28 0.40 0.30 0.42 0.21 11.82 The average rate of 91 days T. Bill is expected to remain under pressure in the coming weeks unless the liquid AUD 0.5438 0.5386 + 0.97 0.41 0.43 0.52 0.22 0.12 0.03 57.91 banks park their surplus liquidity in the secondary INR 46.75 46.83 - 0.17 market. Expected range for next week 4.20 to 4.30 %. 0.73 0.36 0.61 0.23 0.19 0.03 82.42 *Currency bid prices at 12.30 p.m. on 11/12 - Source Reuters 0.65 0.38 0.63 0.36 0.30 0.09 74.30 FOREIGN CURRENCY : Interest rates Oil : Strong selling pressure in the wake of expectations of Iraq All prices are in US dollars, collected from informal sources, and are only indicative. USD EUR GBP JPY CHF resuming its oil exports in the next few days sent crude oil prices LENDING 9.50 6.50 6.00 1.50 5.13 sliding down last week. Suspension of Iraq’s exports has already cut oil flow by some 25 million barrels, as Iraq exports about 2.3 LIBOR (1M) 6.71 4.96 5.99 0.82 3.44 million barrels per day, a fifth of world oil trade. Currencies : The U.S dollar has been under pressure against BANK RATES (DEPO/LENDING) Mkt Hi/Lo Mkt Avg the Euro and other European currencies over the past two weeks amid mounting evidence of a slowdown of the U.S S/A NPR 6.0/3.5 5.23 economy. The dollar was locked in tight range against the Yen with the market on tenterhooks as it awaited a U.S Supreme EXCLUSIVE LEATHER F/D 1 YR 7.5/6.0 6.73 Court ruling to decide who would be the next president. BOUTIQUE OVERDRAFT 15.5/12.5 13.54 INDIAN RUPEE OUTLOOK : The Indian rupee firmed slightly TERM LOAN 14.5/13.0 13.37 Designer made Suede and Nappa Leather Garments & Bags as sentiments were buoyed by a drop in global crude oil IMPORT LN 13.0/10.5 11.52 prices and a surge in foreign exchange reserves to a new high. Reserves rose by $4.28 billion over the past month, With experience we understand that leather is a “Transformist” Par EXPORT LN 13.0/10.0 10.63 driven by inflows from State Banks. Data on Saturday excellence, and our garments are the perfect example of how the creative showed foreign exchange reserves up by $730 million to a MISC LOAN 17.5/13.5 15.03 record high of $39.021 billion in the week ending December 1. talent of our workers transforms and coaxes leather in to a beautiful piece of art. We also provide custom tailoring.

Visit Us For Quality, Durability & Total Satisfaction INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES FOR NEPALI TIMES

6 months 1 year

(Behind Bluebird Supermarket) SAARC countries US$25 US$48 Hotel Radisson Road, Lazimpat. Other countries US$40 US$75 PO Box: 2492, Kathmandu, Nepal, Phone: 428497 [email protected] NEPALI ECONOMY orbidden15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 9 Kathmandu has a new, irresistible

Fruit aroma. The smell of Mustang apples.

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but wholesalers like PFC claim there’s most other locally available apples. Mustange syau hit the market in no difference in taste. The “Our target was sales of 100 tons Kathmandu in mid-October to tap supermarkets have their own suppliers this year,” Baniya says. But that looks into Tihar spending. At the Kirtipur in Mustang, supposedly funded by impossible. Snow has already stopped Horticulture Centre’s apple exhibition

ALL PHOTOS MIN BAJRACHARYA ALL PHOTOS Japanese businesses exploring the apple-picking in Mustang. “With then a whopping four metric tons were possibility of an international better transportation facilities in peak bought. (Exhibitions like these are market. season, the apples would’ve arrived in trade shows and attract farmers, The capital’s apple-lovers Kathmandu easily,” says Ram KC, distributors, and scientists .) The unethical,” says aren’t complaining about these proprietor of Himali Agro Centre. government, sensing a good thing, Amar Baniya, shenanigans, though. Since the How do the apples get to the announced annual subsidies of Rs SALIL SUBEDI proprietor of PFC. season started in October, 15 tons valley from Mustang? At Jomsom they 9,00,000 to help cover the packaging,

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and conducts research at the Rhetoric aside, it is of Mustang apples have been board a flight down to Pokhara. A transportation and storage costs of any ou don’t need to go to Jomsom Agriculture Ministry’s Directorate of a strategic move on the part of PFC consumed here. Outlets at the Kalimati chartered helicopter costs US$ 2,200 business that brought apples from yanymore, or rely on the Fruit Development. and HAC to keep their prices low this Fruits and Vegetable Development per hour, so if the helicopter is filled Mustang to Kathmandu. For this year, generosity of travelling friends to The apples are brought in by year and encourage more people to Board Market and at Kuleshwor to maximum capacity—4 metric the subsidies have come too late and savour Mustang’s juicy golden and Pokhara Fruits Centre (PFC) in buy. It’s a new market, and they’re Wholesale Fruit Market say that they tons—transport costs for this phase remain on paper except for the Rs red apples. Mustange syau (Mustang collaboration with Himali Agro Centre looking to cement their first-mover sell 60 crates—1200 kg—of average out to Rs 38/kg . 2,00,000 packaging subsidy. The apples), dried apples, apple jam and (HAC). Three varieties of Mustang advantage before more people get into Mustang’s pride a day. All manner of Transportation on mules to Pokhara Ministry of Agriculture offered a test brandy are now in Kathmandu and apples are available in Kathmandu and the act. Large-scale domestic apple people buy Mustange syau, from costs under Rs 10/kg, but almost 60 flight this year, but it was at the end of Pokhara. Pokhara, priced according to flavour trading began last year when PFC took middle class families to the largest percent of each load is damaged, and it the season and few logistical issues Kashmiri, Chinese and Simla and aroma. There’s Royal Delicious (Rs 50 tons of Jumla apples to Kathmandu hotels in the Valley. Hotels buy over takes too long anyway. In Pokhara the could be worked out to ensure the apples are cheaper, but Mustange syau 70/kg), Golden Delicious (Rs 70/kg) and Pokhara. Only 30 tons were sold, 70kg of apples daily from wholesale fruit is loaded on to trucks and sent to system works next year. are the Alphonso of apples. and Red Delicious (Rs 60/kg). Dried the rest rotted. “But we saw demand outlets. A vendor says: “First-time Kathmandu overnight at Rs 2 per kg The other factor contributing to Connoisseurs say the appeal of the Mustang apples are popular among the for good apples, and looked for retail buyers purchase around 3 with a maximum load of eight metric risk and high prices in the apple lies in its superb flavour, elderly for “timepass”. alternatives,” says Baniya. kg.When they come next, it’s up to 7 tons per truck. If all goes smoothly, undertaking is lack of appropriate enhanced by the aromatic presence of The apples are cheap in Mustang at This year they decided on kg .” The season ends in mid- the apples reach Kathmandu five days storage space. The 35-odd apple high Himalayan water. “The Jumla Rs 28/kg. But in Kathmandu’s Mustange syau, and are now December, but the fruit is available after they’ve been picked. This is storehouses in villages like Marpha, syau is as tasty but the appearance of supermarkets you could pay up to Rs competing for the retail market with longer. Mustang is a rain shadow expensive, but it works better than the Tukuche, Kowang, Kunjo and Lete in Mustange syau bypasses all others. 120 for a kilogram of the heavenly supermarkets. The fruit at the stores region, so the apples aren’t exposed to Jumla apples entrepreneurs tried to Mustang help stock some of the annual They are number one in South Asia,” fruit. “Some supermarkets have looks glossier and is supposed to be of high levels of humidity. The resulting bring to the Valley last year. Regular yield of three thousand metric tons of says pomologist Gopal Prasad complained about our low prices. But the highest grade. No one says how the compactness makes them easy to chartered helicopters are available from apples indoors, but more space is Shrestha, who trains apple farmers we don’t need such a big margin. It is fruit is graded or what this indicates, transport and they keep longer than Jomsom, while air transport from needed that provides optimal Jumla is problematic. conditions for apple storage. Fresh or Apple farming was properly stored fruit is more profitable Marpha commercialised in Mustang and than the brandy, cider and jam that Mustang’s apple brandy Distillery—which produce the 25 proof apple and apricot brandy. Dolpo by Pasang Khampache Sherpa farmers’ co-operatives in the region are brandy may not be as famous as its When you drink Mustang apple brandy, you’re not only treating and Buddhi Ratna Sherchan in the forced to turn much of their produce Normandy counterpart, yourself to a truly fine drink, you’re also opening a bottle that has early 70s. Pasang Sherpa headed into. If the subsidies work out, Calvados—nothing is ever advocates of energy-efficient recycling nodding enthusiastically. Instead Marpha’s Horticulture Research wholesale prices of Mustang apples in as famous as its French version—but it is a fine drink, of using new bottles, distilleries seal their brandy in the beer bottles you Station, a state-run organisation, when Kathmandu could drop as low as Rs and deserves to be enjoyed even off the trekking see piled up like installation art outside Lakeside restaurants in Pokhara. he saw the potential of growing apples 45/ kg. The Agro Enterprise Centre, The khali sisi—empty bottle—collectors, mostly from the Terai, buy trails. commercially. The sticking point for an agricultural wing of the Federation Although the 162 acres of orchards in Mustang bottles from the restaurants and bars at three rupees each. They sell them to larger consolidators for a profit of around two rupees a bottle. The people who wanted to bring Mustang of Nepali Chambers of Commerce and are very productive, apples never go to waste here. apples to the Valley was high transport Industry believe there’s something They are either dried into sukuti, or turned into jam, bottles, now worth five rupees, are cursorily washed and sent up by mule or jelly, cider and brandy. Especially brandy. air to Marpha, Tuckuche and Jomsom. costs. Now there might be a way good here. They provide farmers The village of Marpha in Mustang is almost All the distilleries have cleaning facilities where the bottles are around that. Last year’s experiment technical training, help market their synonymous with apple brandy among tourists doing treated scientifically and readied to receive the nectar of the Himalayas. didn’t work out, but this year products, and lobby on their behalf. the Annapurna circuit and Nepali wine connoisseurs. Apple or apricot brandy in, metal cap crimped on, label attached, and “There is immense export potential for The first brandy factory was set up here in the mid- the bottles are good to go. In Mustang, good apple brandy costs Rs 125 cash crops like the Mustang apple. But 80s to see what else could be done with the large for 750 ml, apricot brandy around Rs 70. In Kathmandu, the wholesale there has to be proper infrastructure apple and apricot yield. Currently, there are five price for a beer bottle of apple brandy is Rs 170. Retail price varies on —storehouses, better transport and distilleries in Mustang—the Marfa distillery at the where you buy, but can go as high as Rs 350 in some supermarkets. Hole- in-the-wall wholesalers, supermarkets, orchards, back-alleys: where you buy international grading standards,” says Horticulture Centre Mustang, Muktinath Distillery, Vijay Shrestha, programme manager of Tukuche Distillery, Nilgiri Distillery and Himsikhar the stuff is your call. Just make sure you have yourself a moment or two of solitary communion with the divine drink. the Centre. Last year Chinese and Kashmiri apples ruled. Next year it might be the pricier, but rather more delicious Mustange syau. The impact of a sharp rise in demand for domestic and possibly international markets is anyone’s guess. For now, the prospect of biting into a large, red, crisp, fragrant, sinfully delicious Mustang apple is fomenting seditious tendencies. t

Golden delicious, Rs 70 per kilo

nepal dist Royal delicious, Rs 70 per kilo

Red delicious, Rs 70 per kilo 10 VINTAGE 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

Suddenly there were Bugs everywhere.

ALL PHOTOS: MIKU DIXIT BEETLEMANIABEETLEMANIA

A NEPALI TIMES CAREEN The Great Himalayan Volkswagen Beetle Rally last weekend raised ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ at the parking lot of the Yak and uddenly, there were bugs Yeti ran something like this: enough money for 60 hare and cleft lip operations for Nepalis. s everywhere on the Arniko “Which one is yours?” Highway. A large new “The blue 1974 over there.” four-wheel drive was overtaken by “Ah, nice one. Is it a boy or a wildly careening powder-blue girl?” 1964 Beetle. Minutes later, a “It’s a boy, his name is yellow 1974 Bug zoomed by the Harvey.” 4WD as haughtily as it is possible Sharad and Bernice are in for a car that belongs, rightfully, Nepal to get married. Sharad is in a Noddy illustration. The serving in the British army’s occupants of the big car looked Gurkha regiment, and both share on in surprise as the rear- a passion for Beetles. They propelled bugs disappeared in a showed up Saturday morning— cloud of yellow dust. the day after their wedding—in a Thirty-one of Kathmandu’s 1967 Beetle festooned with lovingly maintained Beetles, the balloons, a Nepali flag and a oldest 37 years, and the youngest discreet but legible Just Married and personal mechanics, the tow- 25,000 till 1987,” says Satyal. after all: T-shirts proclaiming or another, and Susan Fowlds is 25, drove in procession from the sign. Said Bernice: “Sharad had truck driven by two bankers, The Beetle rally was organised participation in the Great very pleased with the results: “We Yak and Yeti hotel to the talked so much about his beloved Richard Vokes of the Asian by Susan Fowlds who came to Himalayan Beetle Cleft Lip Rally, raised enough money for one Himalayan Shangri-la Resort in Beetle in England. And when we Development Bank and Jeffrey Nepal in 1996. She soon met Dr stickers from a Bug-parts shop all operation a week for more than a Dhulikhel last Saturday to raise read in Nepali Times there was to Cox of Grindlays in their “Vokes Narayan Thapa, former director of the way in Calgary, Canada, and year,” says the New Zealander. The money for the Ganesh Foundation be a rally the day after our Wagon”, and the first-aid vehicle Kanti Children’s Hospital and a best of all, a shining red and black Ganesh Foundation is so named that supports corrective surgery wedding—also my father’s piloted by Chameli director Ravi paediatric surgeon. Susan had a model Bug, complete with opening because many boys born with cleft- for Nepalis with cleft lips. birthday—we thought it would be Baral, all had a lazy morning. But white Volkswagen Beetle, and doors, a retractable sunroof and lips in Nepal are called Ganesh. Supporting a good cause was a really nice celebration.” They things did get a little rough on found that Dr Thapa owned a functional steering wheel. Many Which was the name of many of the incentive enough, certainly, but didn’t just participate, the the road. The Volksy bright blue- black one. They realised their people supported the rally one way boy-Beetles at the rally. t there was an equal measure of the newlyweds also found the time to and-white paint job on a certain shared passion for this strange- fanatical clan pride of Bug owners get together a basket of paper bug was seductive enough to looking car could lead to Clockwise from top left: Beetles line up before the rally at the Yak & Yeti Hotel , the in evidence. The Cult of the products (including a 2001 Beetle make more than a few drivers give interesting things. They decided oldest entry (#18) 1962 convertible, # 16 a yellow 1974 model zooms past Bhaktapur, a Beetle remains a mystery to the Calendar) to sell to participants chase. The oldest car in the rally, to gather Kathmandu’s Beetle- straggler 1974 model # 16 crosses the finishing line at Dhulikhel, and the fastest driver, Satindra Bajracharya receives his T-shirt prize from Susan Fowlds. uninitiated, but the love of Beetle to raise more money for the Sambhu Rana’s 1962 Beetle with owners together for a rally. But, owners towards their Bugs is Ganesh Foundation. They had sliding roof, dressed in mature they needed a cause for what almost filial. It is also cross- such faith in their Bug that they maroon, navy and black, took on would certainly be a fund-raiser, generational, and there were were confident they’d make it to the challenge only to have a little to draw on the inexhaustible many enthusiastic participants at Dhulikhel even though the car trouble with its hydraulics goodwill of the clan when given a the rally who were surely born lies unused when Sharad is away, system. But the old Bug reached chance to show off their cars. Dr after production of the Bug had but they took along an old Dhulikhel all right, and despite Thapa used to do about 120 cleft- ceased. A typical conversation trusted mechanic just in case. the smoke it sputtered on arrival, lip operations a year at minimal between two complete strangers Every car made it, though, was fit for its age. cost. So they decided to dedicate A 1964 Beetle that was the rally to raise money for brought into Nepal by King Nepalis who can’t raise the Rs Mahendra for his personal use 6,000 it costs for an operation. also participated in the rally, Says Susan: “Dr Thapa was my although it had changed hands inspiration, and together we made many times and looked its age. this rally happen. It is a rally with Satindra Siddhi Bajracharya a purpose.” There are an clocked the fastest time to estimated 40,000 Nepalis with Dhulikhel in his aquamarine blue cleft lip and palate. The real bug with a sporty white stripe reason it is more visible in Nepal running down the middle. compared to other countries— Satindra maintains his car with there are even 60 year-olds with spare parts bought from Bangkok the condition—is not that there is and locally. “I go to Chitwan and a higher incidence here, but Lumbini all the time, and I simply that many families are too

GANESH FOUNDATION overtake all the new model cars poor to afford corrective surgery. This woman from Chitwan recovers from corrective surgery for a cleft without problems. The road The city’s Beetlemaniacs lip. When the bandage came off, her child didn’t recognise her. handling and power of this vehicle acquitted themselves well. Once There are over 40,000 Nepalis with cleft lip or palate. They’re very are unsurpassed,” he says proudly. they got to Dhulikhel, uncurled visible here because many don’t have Rs 6000, the minimum fee for Another Beetle fan is Ujjwal Satyal, their lips—after all, they were with corrective surgery. Dr Narayan Thapa performs three to five operations a a teacher at the Tourism Training The Family now—and got the dust week, and the Ganesh Foundation is now raising money so operation Centre, who has a hand in giving of the Arniko Highway out of their costs can be covered for more people. old Beetles a new lease on life. “I hair, they rolled up their sleeves to used to buy Beetles for Rs 6,000, begin another sort of game. There renovate them and sell them for Rs was Bug memorabilia to be bid for, VINTAGEVolks populi 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 11

n 1924, Adolf Hitler was in Porsche back in 1931. The body These were variously suited to “It should look like a Beetle, you have to look to nature to i prison for an unsuccessful styling itself dates back to 1931, off-road use, carrying three men,

putsch on the Federal German to a car called the Wanderer ammunition and a machine gun, find out what streamlining is.” – Adolf Hitler

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ capital. Having time on his hands, which never reached production. travelling in water.) ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the future Führer devised an However, Beetle-fiends who insist After the war, KdF Stadt was ingenious plan to solve Germany’s on the car’s superiority, design- renamed Wolfsburg by the Allies, production of the car stopped in hippie Bug was still endearing twin air-bags, power steering, front unemployment problem. The wise, at least, to every other and the family of KdF cars, 1980. However, VW factories in enough to star in those silly suspension, large wheels, automatic government would build special passenger vehicle in history, will Volkswagen, and the factory came places as far afield as Brazil Disney movies, playing Herbie. transmission, side-impact door roads—autobahns—for motor be pleased to learn that the only under the jurisdiction of the continued to produce the car As for the so-called New beams, front and rear crumple zones, vehicles. It would also mass- prototype built was used by British Military Police. In the into the mid-1980s. In its Beetle, its similarity to the old air-con, and a compound crank rear produce a car that the man on the Ferdinand Porsche for his summer of 1945, after British heyday, the Beetle had been Bug is only skin deep. It is a axle, whatever that is, go drive a street could afford. These were personal transport. Hitler had his motor manufacturers had produced in South Africa, thoroughly modern, rather Golf. Like we said, the similarity the humble beginnings of the own reasons for approving the gracefully—and foolishly, as it Nigeria, Malaysia, Philippines, soulless car. If you want a front between the ageing Bugs and the People’s Car, the Volkswagen. Bug’s design. He is supposed to turned out—declined the offer to and Singapore. Today, 52 years wheel drive, water-cooled engine, pretender is skin deep. Of course, it Nearly a decade later, in have briefed produce and market the Beetle, after it started production, is a rather nice skin, but Porsche, “It production of the Kubelwagen Mexico still makes the Beetle even so—they just don’t should look restarted with spares that were the old-fashioned way. make ’em like they like a Beetle, lying around the factory. The Despite its waning used to. t you have to factory was sold to a man called popularity, the look to Heinz Nordhoff in 1947. The nature to new management decided to keep find out the Bug’s unique design, by now what code-named Type 1, and less than streamlining five years after the war, the is.” factory was producing close to 20,000 cars annually. By 1949, in fact, there was even an export model. By 1955, Bug production had reached February 1933, the a million. Various Nazis swept to changes were made to power and at the the Beetle over the years, first cabinet and the car was steadily meeting Hitler laid growing in popularity. out his cunning Most of the changes were plan. Work on the to do with increasing The business end of a 1964 model Beetle autobahns began engine size and exterior in September, and specifications. The Beetle a Stuttgart design firm working reached its highest ever with Daimler-Benz, headed by The car went into production in 1969 (almost one Ferdinand Porsche, was production in 1939, and Hitler 1.1 million bugs). In1970, VW commissioned to design the announced its new name, the KdF tried to improve on a good thing people’s car within ten months. Wagen, short for Kraft-durch- and produced a markedly However, it wasn’t until 1938 Freude Wagen, which doesn’t different Beetle which tried to that the design for the exactly trip off the tongue. Not, overcome criticism of the car’s Volkswagen was finalised. of course, that KdF Wagen small under-bonnet capacity. The Hitler specified certain sounds like anything other than most visible changes were a criteria the car must meet: it what it is, an genocidal slightly curved windscreen and a must have a top speed of 62 mph ideologue’s dream car. more bulbous bonnet. Production and achieve 42 miles per gallon; it Unofficially, the car was still fell every year after this, although must have an air-cooled engine called the Kubelwagen, or the by 1973 the Beetle was officially and be able to transport two beetle-car. The Nazis even built a the most popular car ever in the adults and three children. And township for the factory workers world, with over 16 million most importantly, it should who’d produce the car. It was having been produced. The final market at no more than £86. It called KdF Stadt, or KdF City. model of the Beetle as we know it was for reasons of economy that (Kraft durch Freude, which means (more later on what purists call Ferdinand Porsche decided on a ‘power through joy’ was also what the travesty that is the New rear-engine car, the car was then the leisure section of the Nazi Beetle) was launched in 1973. known as the Type 60. He party was called.) The factory was The creature had slid into experimented with various engine the largest motor factory in ugliness, some insisted, with its designs: flat four, vertical four Europe, capable of producing very curved windscreen, shorter cylinder, two cylinder, but none 150,000 cars per year, with plans bonnet, plastic-padded dashboard of them proved adequate. In 1935 for expansion. By 1942 the and wider rear wings that framed a new Austrian engineer at the production rate potential was the new football-like rear lights. firm came up with a design for a projected to be1.5 million cars Whether it was the new, un- flat four engine in two days. per year. Unfortunately, that improved design, or a sadly Accountants and other stodgy, pesky WW II broke out, and the changing world with no place for careful people checked it out and factory was handed over to the a comic-book car, in 1974, VW it proved to be the most German Air Force when just over announced massive losses, the financially viable option. The 600 cars had been built. first ever in the history of the same engine design has driven the (Interestingly, variations of the company. The upshot: the Beetle Volkswagen Beetle for the last 60 KdF did see military action. would have to die. German years. Ferdinand Porsche had been working on other cars for various manufacturers before the Volkswagen and he incorporated some older designs within this new project. The backbone chassis and the idea of independent front and rear suspension came from one car, and the torsion bar front suspension had been patented by The prototype “people’s car” 12 MULTIMEDIA 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES Samba de Amigo where the player While seasoned Quake fanatics will connects a pair of maracas to the choke on their pizza, it’s likely that Dreamcast before shaking away to women, whom the mass-market Dancing titles Ricky Martin and the rest. needs if these videogames are ever Finally, Konami is releasing to become truly mainstream, will Dancing Stage, which is best be keen. GREG HOWSON IN TOKYO ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ There is now an exciting and experienced using its 1 metre However, there are problems for t is a busy arcade in downtown viable alternative to video games: squared dance pad. So, rather companies wishing to import this i Tokyo, but rather than the crackle than embarrassing yourself in Japanese musical phenomenon into of virtual gunfire, this one is alive computer karaoke! public, you can learn your the UK. A combination of cultural with the sound of music. Two steps in private. differences and peripheral expense gyrating teenagers step swiftly around ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Another significant factor in has made it hard for the genre to a dance pad, matching their feet to keyboard or physically stepping on a Konami introduced the first the success of music games has been gain more than a niche foothold. onscreen commands, while nearby a specific part of a dance pad. machines into UK arcades in 1998 the genre’s wider appeal. The UK While an average PlayStation game middle-aged couple rhythmically Emily Britt, product assistant of but the games are now coming to a far release of Dancing Stage has been costs £30 ($42.90) in the UK, a shake maracas in time to the Konami, the official manufacturer, more culturally significant space (at bolstered by the inclusion of musical controller can double the electronic samba. says: “These games are phenomenally least in the UK anyhow)—the home. western-friendly tracks by pop cost, making it less attractive than, Welcome to the world of music popular in Japan and have sold about The PlayStation and Dreamcast are group Boyzone and Gloria say, the latest football game. videogames, which like Karaoke, are three million units altogether.” And the main emissaries, with each Gaynor, which Britt sees as Still, Britt is confident that set to become the next big Japanese Britt feels it’s more than just a trivial console sporting a varied important. “We’re hoping there is a market in this country. export. Known as Bemani in their pastime: “These games are popular musical catalogue. But, that Dancing Stage will “We have great expectations for native country, the games all work in because they take their fun seriously while the last 18 months has seen the This summer saw the release of have a universal appeal as it’s certainly Dancing Stage. It has wide appeal, a similar way: as a song starts, the over there, they practise at home, then beginnings of an invasion, with games Beatmania, an accurate conversion of a far cry from your traditional shoot the tracks are well known and player must match moving arrows they go and show off in the arcades. like Parappa the Rappa, Bust-a- the arcade game, which actually came ’em up or a racing game,” she says. popular. We’re hoping it will with those at the top of the screen. There are huge tournaments where Groove and the recent Space Channel bundled with a plasticated all-in-one The game even includes a appeal to peoples’ sense of fun and Depending on the title this could competitors dance in front of packed 5, these games have all been mini keyboard and turntable. This calorie counter, making it possibly humour, as well as their competi- involve strumming a guitar, playing a auditoriums.” controlled by the standard joy pad. month sees the release of Sega’s the first to ever to help you get fit. tive streak.” t (The Guardian)

intellectual property of the artist. It The deal with BMG gives the The ultimate music portal? just became time for this obscure little Germans an option for an equity stake engine which existed somewhere out in Napster. In return, the Internet Bertelsmann Music Group (BMG) will rave about the piracy and secretly there in cyberspace to be given the company not only gets a much-needed will turn up the pressure on the other yearn for a return to the anarchy which legal seal of approval. infusion of cash but also a free ride out four of the big five music concerns— permitted any song anyone could Both the recording industry and of the court room, soon. Sony, EMI, Warner Music and imagine (and put a name to) to be Napster stand to profit from this A whole host of further deals Universal—to finally make peace with spun from one hard disk to the next— kind of cooperation. Shawn Fanning between traditional companies and the new technologies. The cooperation without a single cent, penny or and Co. would then wave goodbye websites could now open up with between Napster and BMG is by no pfennig changing hands. However, to the last whiff of illegality clinging those offering free services, such as means exclusive—the party has begun, they will no doubt feel obliged to to them and stride confidently into a Gnutella, Freenet and Imesh, follow- and everyone is invited. One piece of mention one or two of the catches future where the company can live ing in Napster’s footsteps. This advice: get there early because involved—there is no such thing as a on—risk capital flows like wine, would move the battle from the field Napster’s 38 million registered users free lunch; never has been, never will everyone can make money and the of music to the silver screen and the are already inside and partying hard. be. The whole venture was not without whole thing ends up as a success on world of literature. And what’s more, the idea of having to its drawbacks. the stock market. This could be the Critics say that industry in the pay a little at the door is not going to For one thing, as far as a large start of something seriously big— three-dimensional world has already put them off coming back for more. number of US record companies and the ultimate music portal. And the lost the battle against the web pirates. The future of the rock, rap, an even larger number of musicians recording industry would have The deal between BMG and Napster rhythm and roots business lies on the were concerned, the whole deal was found a way, finally, of closing the has more than symbolic significance: it Internet. Ten years ago, the world of illegal. It represented a hideous breach book on the chaos of uncontrolled may have stoppered the largest music revolved around good old vinyl of copyright, an attack upon the musical piracy. loophole in web history. t (dpa) The Bertelsmann takeover of Napster and there was not a cloud in the sky. may end the days of free downloads. Now it looks as if the CD risks suffering the same fate over the next few years. Large music shops in

MARTIN HALUSA IN NEW YORK ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ and gave people the means to party. downtown shopping malls could soon irst, there was good news for Instead, this teenager and his cohorts become a thing of the past, as f friends of contemporary music: are cult figures. customers choose instead to order the Napster and its champion, Shawn David and Goliath, however, have music they want as a small bundle of Fanning (19), have been saved. No finally decided to make up. Instead of data over the Internet. It saves time judge would dare to close down the music systems around the globe falling and money, quality is ensured and all music website after the surprise deal silent, woofers and tweeters everywhere thanks to the MP3 digital standard— which it has just secured with are hard at it pumping out some and the German laboratories which Bertelsmann. And as far as the software serious sounds. came up with it in the first place. goes—the fastest-travelling computer Now, for the bad news. The days Music historians will look back at programme of all time—no judge of the free download may well be Napster in a hundred years and would now even consider banning it. numbered. The talk is of a monthly fee mutter the word pioneer. They will Napster almost became the digital of around five dollars. A pittance? talk about a period of two years when revolution’s first martyr, a kind of Possibly. A pity? Definitely. The music was available to anyone and Robin Hood who stole from the rich agreement reached with the everyone for free on the Internet. They Now

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In your writings and lectures on the Israeli-Palestinian “Arafat could have the impression, or give himself the conflict, you constantly refer to the centrality of 1948. Why? impression, that he’s the leader, but in fact the colonial occupier I don’t think you can understand what’s happening today and the pulls the strings behind the scenes,” situation of the Palestinians unless you understand what happened in 1948. says the writer Edward Said in this interview. A society made up principally of Arabs in Palestine was uprooted and destroyed. Two-thirds of the Arab population of 870,000 was driven out by The catechism recited by the likes of Elie Wiesel is pretty design. The Zionist archives are quite clear about this, and several Israeli much like this: Camp David collapsed because of Arafat’s historians have written about it. Of course the Arabs have said it all along. intransigence and his failure to seize a unique opportunity. By the end of the conflict in 1948, Palestinians were a minority in their It’s simply factually untrue. Before he went, Barak made it absolutely own country. Two-thirds of them had become refugees and the rest clear that he had no intention of returning to the 1967 borders. Second, he became subjects of Israeli military occupation in 1967, made it absolutely clear that there would be no return of refugees. Third, he when the West Bank and Gaza, along with East made it absolutely clear that there would be no return of Jerusalem to Jerusalem, were occupied. So the festering wound of Palestinian sovereignty at all. Fourth, he made it also absolutely clear that 1948 has remained. he had no intention of uprooting any of the settlements. These are the positions on which his whole subsequent negotiation was based. It didn’t Talk about the framework of the public discourse. Start with depart from them. It simply consolidated them. He didn’t concede “the peace process.” anything. He simply said, We will allow you a form of sovereignty in the The peace process began in 1993, with a secretive agreement between holy places. We will keep the Christian and Armenian sections. You can the PLO and the Israeli government that was to give the Palestinians and have a little bit of sovereignty over some of the Muslim holy places, but the the Palestine Liberation Organisation under Yasir Arafat some territory and real substantive sovereignty over East Jerusalem will remain in Israeli hands. authority in the West Bank and Gaza. However, given the tremendous That was supposed to be a “forward-looking” position. So far from it being disparity in power between the Israelis and the Palestinians, in effect the an opportunity for Arafat to take advantage of Israeli generosity, it was an peace process has simply been a repackaging of Israeli occupation. Israel opportunity for Arafat effectively to commit suicide and to give Israel the still controls 60 percent of the West Bank and 40 percent of Gaza...a last prize, which was everything they wanted in addition to what Arafat had military occupation that is the second longest in the twentieth and twenty- already conceded, which was 78 percent of what they had in 1948. first century, the longest being the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Another theme echoed by the pundits is the image of Palestinians as losers. Barak in his Knesset speech revived “Defence.” the Abba Eban comment that the Palestinians never miss an Of course, the Israeli army is called the Israeli Defence Forces. The Palestinian protestor, injured in a previous opportunity to miss an opportunity. media has, very misleadingly, presented it as if they are defending Israel demonstration, hurls a slingshot at Israeli The basis of their politics is that the only argument the Arabs from Palestinians, who are basically throwing stones. This has an almost troops in the Gaza strip last week. understand is violence. The occupation is a form of violence, against which Orwellian quality to it. The Palestinians have no arms to speak of except throwing of rocks and the occasional terrorist outrage, horrible though they for some small arms among the police. It’s been a population of stone- Palestinians areas, which are small and divided, are centres of Palestinian may be, is nothing in comparison to the collective punishment of three million throwing youths against Israeli missiles, helicopter gunships, tanks and population, but they are the equivalent of homelands where somebody like people which has been going on for the last thirty-three years. Israel was the only rockets. So to use the word “defence” here is a grotesque misnomer. The Arafat could have the impression, or give himself the impression, that he’s country in the world where torture was permitted. Twenty percent of the Palestinians are resisting military occupation and the Israelis are prolonging the leader, but in fact the colonial occupier pulls the strings behind the population of the Israeli citizens of Israel, who happen not to be Jews, the occupation, and making, as all colonial troops have done, whether in scenes. Palestinians, are treated essentially as blacks were in South Africa. They are Algeria, Vietnam or India, the civilian population pay the price of denied rights, not allowed to own, rent or buy land. Their lands are regularly resistance. The visit by Ariel Sharon to Harem El-Sharif, the Dome of the confiscated. Twenty percent of the population gets one percent of the budget. Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque is cited as the match that ignited This is a policy of violence and discrimination of the most appalling kind. The Economist observed that “the new Palestinian intifada is the new intifada. What does Sharon represent to Palestinians? rapidly assuming the form of a serious anti-colonial revolt.” This What does it say about Barak in allowing Sharon to make the In light of the 2000 intifada, what does that mean for your might be the first use of that term. visit? proposal of a couple of years ago for a binational state where This is certainly that. The occupation of the West Bank and Gaza with Sharon, in Israeli popular mythology, is something of a hero. His Palestinians and Israelis would live in one country? settlers and settlements and roads and the constant expropriation of Palestinian exploits began in the fifties. Thereafter he went from one exploit of this sort I think now the preeminent thing is the end of military occupation. lands, the redesigning of the geography of the West Bank to permit its greater to another. He’s basically a bully who specialises in the oppression of Palestinians and Israelis are so integrated; the territory is so small that you can’t control, have followed the line of all classical colonialism—to make sure that an civilians and enemies who are far less well equipped than he is. So by any have a situation in which one population has imposed itself militarily upon oppressed and subordinate people are captive in their subordination for the standards at all Ariel Sharon is a war criminal. He has said the solution of another. I’m very much against evictions and driving people off. I do think, profit and in some cases the leisure of the occupiers. So what has happened in Palestine is what he calls the Jordanian option, to turn Jordan, which is a however, that the settlements have to be dismantled and the populations have to the recent past has been an attempt to overthrow this. sovereign country, into a Palestinian state. His appearance at the Al-Aqsa face each other as not only neighbours but in fact in coexistence, in one basically mosque, with a thousand policemen supplied to him by Barak, was a homogenous state which we call historical Palestine, whether you call it Israel or Noam Chomsky, Alexander Cockburn, Robert Fisk and other provocation. It’s quite clear that Barak was behind, or at least approved of a Palestinian state. The economies and the histories are so intertwined that I still critics of Israeli settlement policy have used the term “Bantustan” the move. I don’t know if it was meant to be a provocation to bring forth think that in the end a binational state is the only long-term solution. I suppose in describing it. the horrors that ensued. I don’t think his limited brains could foresee this. in the interim, as a kind of transition, one would have to have two states in There’s a kind of repeatable quality to this. It comes from the history of But I think it was a way of asserting Israeli sovereignty on a sacred Muslim which one is free of military occupation and then is able out of that freedom to nineteenth-century colonialism. The French did this in Algeria. They would site. It was designed not so much to be provocative as to be offensive, to pursue policies that integrate it not just with Israel but with Jordan, Lebanon, find areas where docile natives could be put in their villages with native show that an Israeli military figure who has a long history of brutality and the other small countries that make up this very densely populated and highly chiefs. In West Africa the British did it under what was called “indirect war crimes can appear in one of the holiest places of Islam with impunity. integrated part of the world. The point is that partition, separation, has not rule”. In South Africa, the idea was to put the blacks on reservations or That was the Jew, representative of the Jewish state, trampling all over worked. t homelands where they could have some of the attributes of sovereignty but Muslim places and the Muslim religion and in effect saying, We are the none of the real ones. They couldn’t control the land and water, and whites military occupier, we can do with you what we wish. And yet none of this (Interviewed by David Barsamian in New York on 9 Nov controlled entrances and exits. This is exactly the pattern here. These little was ever reflected in the media. They kept talking about it as a provocation. 2000. Printed with permission from Alternative Radio, Boulder.)

more than two decades to developing an agriculture based on perennial crops that is both highly productive and truly ecologically sustainable”. The alternative Nobel Together the award winners receive about $200,000. An international jury that lawyer has worked to encourage authoritarian rule, we were told by Gebre Egziabher was awarded for includes Jakob von Uexkull, founder- respect for due process of law and Suharto’s Western friends that ‘’for his exemplary work in chairman of the Award, chooses the promote reconciliation. He is a different rules, rights and values representing the Like-Minded Group awardees. Those honoured in the last member of the Commission to applied in Indonesia. Add to this the of developing countries at the two decades include Norway’s Johann Investigate Human Rights Violations rise of fundamentalism, the search for Biosafety negotiations in Cartagena Galtung, known as the founder-father in Timor and of the drafting scapegoats, the unwillingness of the and Montreal, and achieving an of research, and Vandana Shiva of committee for a law on human rights military to step back and accept the outcome that safeguards bio-diversity India, for placing women and ecology courts. Kontras, which stands for primacy of democracy—and you have and the traditional rights of farmers at the heart of modern development Commission for Disappearance and an idea of the challenges facing and communities to their genetic discourse. Victims of Violence, focuses on Munir.” Uexkull is a Swedish-German resources’’. In 1994, Ken Saro-Wiwa, fighting political and military violence, philatelic expert, who sold his valuable Turkish environmentalist Birsel founder of the MOSOP (Movement supporting victims of violence and postage stamps to provide the original Lemke was recognised “for her long- for the Survival of the Ogoni People) Birsel Lemke Munir promoting reconciliation and peace. endowment for the awards. He had standing struggle to protect her in Ogoniland, Nigeria, was decorated The Award was founded in 1980 felt that Nobel Prizes tended to ignore country from the devastation of for exemplary courage in striving non- STOCKHOLM - Indonesian labour Swedish parliament last week. Munir to ‘’honour and support those offering much work and knowledge vital for cyanide-based gold mining and her violently for the rights of the Ogoni lawyer and human rights activist has been one of the most devoted practical and exemplary answers to the survival of humankind. key role in the international people. In 1998, the award went to Munir is among four recipients of the fighters for civilian control of the the most urgent challenges facing us Besides Munir, this year’s awards campaign to ban this disastrous the International Baby Food Action 2000 Right Livelihood Awards, also powerful Indonesian army. today’’. Founder-chairman of the were given to activists from Ethiopia, technology”. The US plant geneticist Network (IBFAN), for its campaign referred to as the Alternative Nobel As founder of the human rights award, Jakob von Uexkull, said at the Turkey and the United States. Wes Jackson was honoured “for his for the right of mothers to breastfeed Prize, presented at a ceremony in the organisation Kontras, the Indonesian ceremony: “During the decades of Ethiopian scientist Tewolde Berhan single-minded commitment over their babies. t (IPS) 14 ASIA 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES To dump or not to dump

exceptions to this rule, such as “Even if one agrees that Indian The controversy over Chinese balance of payments (BoP) industry must become goods raises questions about difficulties. competitive, it would be ruined India’s BoP situation was quite thanks to China’s limitless India’s commitment to unstable until 1993. In 1995, some capacity for undercutting.” WTO members disputed India’s Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha trade liberalisation. justification for imposing non-tariff says: “It is not the multinationals barriers for balance of payments but the Chinese goods that are

DK JOSHI IN NEW DELHI ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ anti-dumping action,” he said. reasons. India began phasing them bothering us.” And commerce hirty-eight years after Chinese China’s ambassador to India, out, deciding to remove all by 1 minister Murasoli Maran assured t troops crossed their common Zhon Gang, dismisses dumping April 2001. Commerce ministry Indian industrialists: “I will not Himalayan border endangering charges as “completely groundless”, spokesperson Shipra Biswas says sit on the ash hill of the domestic India’s security, Beijing poses adding that imports of Chinese the WTO provides ways to meet industry wearing the crown of another threat to its Asian goods account for only 2.4 per cent with “abnormal situations causing globalisation.” neighbour. But today’s foot soldiers of India’s total imports. India’s domestic concerns.” The Nevertheless, consumers are China’s manufacturers and their exports to China grew much faster Agreement on Safeguards permits welcome Chinese imports. The weapons, cheap consumer goods. (60 percent) than China’s exports restrictions on imports for a Economic Times pleaded: “The Indian trade bodies are to India (32 percent) in the first temporary period by either state should always support our protesting that China is dumping its nine months of 2000. increasing tariffs or imposing non- consuming interest—it is through low-cost and high-quality consumer A World Trade Organization tariff barriers. trade that this region will become goods, destroying the country’s (WTO) spokesman said member- Safeguard action can only safe.” Ambassador Zhon said, industrial base. With small-scale countries can rightfully “make use be taken after an official “Boycotting Chinese goods will industries like hosiery and batteries of WTO regulations to protect investigation. According to prove detrimental to both sides. already shut down, Indian business local industries”. A member- Omar Abdullah, junior minister There is great potential for Indo- is demanding the government adopt country must prove that imports for commerce, an investigation has Chinese bilateral trade and it anti-dumping measures against cost well below the normal selling been launched under WTO norms. won’t be long before we join goods that sell at 60 to 70 percent price of the product in the home The government has adopted a the WTO.” the price of locally manufactured market, and that local industries four-pronged strategy—hiked Populist rhetoric aside, New products. producing similar goods are import duty on edible oil, launched Delhi is handling the situation The Directorate-General of threatened. India joined the WTO an anti-dumping investigation into cautiously, and with good reason. Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties in 1995, but China isn’t yet a select imports from China, India-China relations are has initiated investigations on member. A 60-member WTO announced standards for imported improving and the two countries imports of dry batteries, shoes and working group is still preparing for goods, and made licensing are on the verge of striking an toys from China. Prime Minister Beijing’s entry, calling for firmer compulsory for all imports. But agreement on a part of their Atal Behari Vajpayee recently told assurances from China on Amit Mitra, secretary-general of the mutual border after decades of the government-organised Council commitments it has made. Federation of Indian Chambers of dispute. For the first time, they on Trade and Industry, which Although countries can take Commerce and Industry (FICCI), have exchanged maps on the 545- includes businessmen, that anti- action against dumping, Vajpayee says the controversy isn’t about km Line of Actual Control in the dumping measures would be told Indian industry to adapt to regular Chinese imports, but about so-called Middle Sector between strengthened in coming months. face competition, as an over- “massive smuggling, rampant under- the two countries. Equally “We have taken some steps. These protective approach would foster invoicing of official imports”. importantly, protectionism runs include a wide range of measures inefficiency and stagnation. “The All this has Indian politicians contrary to India’s commitment such as ensuring transparency in dismantling of Qualitative obliged to honour,” he said. India is this agreement, imports can be getting hot under the collar. to second-generation economic invoice value, tariff measures, Restrictions (QRs) forms part of party to the General Agreement on controlled only through tariffs or Madan Lal Khurana, ruling reforms. New Delhi has assured adherence to standards and the international management, Tariff and Trade (GATT), customs duties, not through QRs— Bharatiya Janata Party MP and Beijing that its measures are only specifications, and institution of which we have accepted and are predecessor to the WTO. Under or non-tariff barriers. There are anti-dumping campaigner, fumes: temporary. t (Gemini)

The great betrayal ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Cat catastrophe ISLAMABAD - Nawaz Sharif’s exile to Saudi Arabia last weekend discredited Pakistan’s military-led government in the public eye,

In Indonesia, tiger poaching is treated the same way as stealing a chicken. but its rulers see it as a way to secure power. Reports said that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ under the agreement Sharif would no longer serve time but of the Sumatran tigers—which live to its habitat, fragmented by human Much of the kill is destined for would stay away from politics for 21 years. mainly in five reserves on Sumatra settlement, expansion of resource the Chinese medicine market. Officials deny any underhand deal. An official spokesman island—are illegally exported to Hong extraction activities, and poor laws. Additionally, tiger parts like claws and said Sharif was pardoned on purely humanitarian grounds. Kong, Korea, Japan and Taiwan with The skill of tiger poachers also aids bones are utilised as ornaments or in Sharif, 51, had been complaining of heart problems and is countries like Singapore as the transit the illegal trade—some shamans’ amulets, and the tiger’s penis expected to report to hospital after arriving in Jeddah. “The point. The three main exporting cities tiger poachers are taxidermists who is considered an aphrodisiac. In government only turned imprisonment of the Sharifs into exile, for Sumatran tiger parts are Jakarta, provide ‘quality’ skins for sale. Indonesia, some homes have whole while the rest of the punishments would stay,” the spokesman Pekanbaru, and Medan. More than Indonesia’s conservation law sets tigers mounted as decorations or kept added. Officials say that Sharif would forfeit some PRs 500 200 kg of tiger bones was exported to maximum punishment for offenders of as pets. Tiger parts and skins are sold million ($8.8 million) in property. South Korea alone in 1993. The five years’ imprisonment and a fine of openly in malls and airports. The acceptance of mercy appeals is unprecedented in forestry ministry says that means 200 million rupiah ($25,500). Sumatra’s damaged Pakistan. In 1979, ousted PM Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged by around 15 tigers were killed. However, many prosecutors and environment provides ample proof Gen Zia ul Haq’s military regime after similar appeals were

RICHEL DURSIN IN JAKARTA ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ The Indonesian government, judges are unfamiliar with that tigers and other animals are rejected. Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Sajjad Ali Shah ising demand for the body parts together with conservation groups conservation laws. “What is applied in under threat. “The rapidly opined that Pakistan’s president cannot pardon Sharif without r and skins of Sumatran tigers is such as the Minnesota Zoo Indonesia are common criminal laws. diminishing population of the the consent of the court. The situation has only encouraged threatening to drive the Foundation, has set up anti-poaching That’s why tiger slaughter is treated Sumatran tigers is indicated by the erstwhile discredited politicians to demand “the early restoration endangered species to extinction. units in national parks like Way the same way as stealing a chicken,” increasing number of pigs and wild of democracy”. Last week, the parties of former prime ministers There used to be thousands of tigers Kambas, Bukit Barisan Selatan, and Foead says. Once, a tiger poacher was boars in West Sumatra, which are Benazir Bhutto and Sharif—the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the jungles of Sumatra, but due to Kerinci Seblat in South Sumatra, arrested in Way Kambas National often a nuisance to farmers,” and the Muslim League (ML)—joined hands with 10 others to widespread poaching only about 400 north-east of the capital Jakarta. Still, Park in Lampung, South Sumatra but Hariady says. Indonesia’s total form the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD). A PPP Sumatran tigers are left in national the patrol units do not often arrest sentenced to only six months in jail. forested area has fallen to 58.5 spokesman said: “It is clear that accountability has little to do parks and 100 outside protected areas tiger poachers for fear of retaliation. “If only the law was being enforced, it million hectares from 64 million with corruption, and everything has to do with achieving political such as logging concessions. Every year “What the patrol units do is drive the is a good deterrent to poachers,” hectares over the last six years due ends by fair means or foul for a certain political agenda.” ML some 36 Sumatran tigers are illegally poachers out of the forests, but not Samedi says. to illegal logging and conversion of workers, who stood by the Sharif family through the ordeal, are at removed from the wild, but the actual arrest them. It is hard to get Sumatran tigers are classified forests to palm oil plantations. a loss on what they see as betrayal by Sharif. number may be much higher. evidence,” explains Nazir Foead, under Appendix 1 of the Convention In Sumatra itself, lowland forests Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and United Arab “It is difficult to stop because the deputy director of species on Trade in Endangered Species, have been shrinking. At least 25 Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Zayd Bin Sultan Al Nahyan poachers are clever and have strong conservation, WWF Indonesia. The which means they are “very percent of the Mount Leuser National reportedly orchestrated Sharif’s release. Bill Clinton too is said to networks,” says Samedi, head of the anti-poaching units, consisting of endangered” and should not be Park in northern Sumatra has been have influenced the deal, by expressing sympathy for Sharif sub-directorate of wildlife trade and three forestry police officers and one traded. But, Sugeng Hariady, head of damaged by rampant deforestation. during his visit to Pakistan. traffic control of the Ministry of villager, are tasked to arrest tiger the West Sumatra wildlife Says Foead, “Now with poaching However the exile may be seen outside, at home it is “the Forestry. The trade in Sumatran poachers and remove snares, and to preservation office, says, “Poachers decimating their population and great betrayal”. The News said Sharif was the prototype politician tigers—known in West Sumatran record the habitat and population of can sell just about every single piece of extensive logging destroying their engineered by the previous generation of military rulers and one mythology as kind-hearted beasts—is one of the world’s most endangered the tiger’s anatomy. Practically all habitat, it is feared that the Sumatran whom a big chunk of population took for real. “His departure from flourishing partly due to the economic animals. parts of the tigers, including the tigers will suffer the same fate as the the scene would have been considered a welcome end to a crisis in Indonesia. The decline of the Sumatra tiger skeleton, are traditionally believed to Balinese and Javan tigers, both long failed experiment in political engineering,” it added. t (IPS) WWF Indonesia says body parts population is also due to the damage have medical benefits.” declared extinct.” t (IPS) CULTURE 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 15

SAVING FAITH by DESMOND DOIG BOOK REVIEW by WENDY KING Tales from Tengboche Was there a yeti in the Treat yourself to a fireside chat with the Abbot of the Tengboche Gompa.

uch has been written and said about the Sherpas of mKhumbu. There has been every kind of work— Royal Zoo? academic, touristy guidebook, oversized coffee table glossy and the ubiquitous dharma book. n a corner of Bhaktapur’s Durbar There’s a different Square, standing prominently flavour though, to i Fireside Chat with below the old palace, is a small shikara type temple to Bhagwati, Tengboche Rinpoche: Stories and Customs significant because it boasts some of the Sherpas. amazing sculpture. Images of the It does have this goddess are particularly fine, but fireside appeal to it, with eclipsed by a double row of stone its orange cover. You statues that flank the temple almost feel the stairway. Tengboche Rinpoche’s At the base are two strong presence, telling stories of men, perhaps watchmen or royal Sherpas, Mt Everest, guards. They restrain savage mastiffs Sherpa Buddhism and the with heavy chains, and in their free famousTengboche hand clutch what have been monastery, as you sat described variously to me as around and sipped tea. children or criminals. I favour The Abbot of the Tengboche Monastery explains that he children because the nude figures “wanted to make a book about the Sherpa’s heritage” for visitors clutch what look like balls or fruit coming to Khumbu to see Chomolongma. But also for Sherpas in their hands. On the other hand, themselves, since their way of life is changing so rapidly. And it the firmness with which they are effectively tells stories in true oral tradition. held suggests evil doers of some Ngawang Tenzin Zangbu, the Abbot of Tengboche Monastery, sort, their small size perhaps has met trekkers and climbers in Khumbu for decades, and reflecting the old artistic device of anticipates their questions. In this book, he shares his special making lesser characters smaller perspective on the stories, the myths and lives of Sherpas. He than important ones. Whatever, the illuminates the Sherpa world and their origins: the ‘people from the dress of the larger figures is east’. He tells the story of Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, and how he founded the Khumbu Valley and extraordinary. To me they look like established it as a spiritual sanctuary. The Rinpoche then delves Venetian Doges, but obviously they into Sherpa religion, explaining, “The purpose of religion is to wear the costume of the court. Very perfect our minds… Our own minds cause happiness and grand headdresses wound around unhappiness.” His pithy explanation of Buddhism provides a basic with figured turbans and secured foundation for newcomers and renewed inspiration to followers. with jewelled clasps. Carefully He follows the annual cycle of prayers for the crops, the pleated robes, handsome belts in animals, a new house, marriage, living and dying. The ceremonies which are tucked daggers, Tibetan are primarily religious, but the celebrations, like all good type boots and a wealth of jewellery celebrations, also unite the community and strengthen bonds around their necks and cascading within and between villages. The Rinpoche tells the story of Lama from their ears. Sangwa Dorje of Pangboche village who started the Dumje I asked passers-by as I sketched festival to celebrate the anniversary of Guru Rinpoche’s birth. It if they knew who these figures now also commemorates Lama Sangwa Dorje’s enlightenment. represented and the answers were Eight families take their turn each year to sponsor the Dumje, fascinating. Wrestlers. Policemen. feeding the entire village. The Rinpoche explains: “Dumje-type Royal ayahs. Gods. Zoo keepers prayers are done in Tibet, but the feeding is only done in Khumbu, Executioners. Noblemen. The child The ascending humans, beasts and divinities are each ten times where it is possible because the communities here are small.” was being punished, dragged for a stronger than the other so that the accumulative strength Focusing on everyday life, Rinpoche portrays Sherpa walk, going to be killed, fed to the occupations, food, architecture, dress and jewellery. In

protecting the temple image is enormous. describing monk’s clothing, he explains the importance of religious

○○○○○○○○○ dog. Since the child, or criminal, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ wears a sort of cornet on its head, objects like prayer flags and holds that these “help create guessing becomes difficult. They look spirited without a trace they exhibits in his zoo? That they the Bhagwati temple, that camels harmony between our actions, body and mind”. Above the men are two horses, of devilment. wear rich saddle cloths seems to have inspired sculptors and After setting the scene in Khumbu and the local culture, Rinpoche Talks about the Tengboche Monastery “which has richly caparisoned, hung with bells, With the two one-horned rhino suggest that they may have been carvers. Could it be they echo the been the heart of Sherpa culture since 1916”. It was partially bejewelled, and even their hooves above the horses, we are into tame and used especially for camel caravans that crossed the rebuilt after the 1934 earthquake, and then totally rebuilt after a appear to be carved, perhaps conjecture again. Were these processions. The anonymous high Gobi desert on their way to fire in 1991. In the reconstruction, the Rinpoche established a painted with bold designs. These primordial beasts brought from the sculptor, however, has captured a Tibet and Nepal? Or do they school in the monastery for higher Buddhist education to maintain surely were royal mounts, or more tarai in the heavy chains they wear meanness in their eyes that together recall the camels of the Rajputana Sherpa culture in this changing world. The book culminates with a important, mounts fit for the gods. to fight before the king, or were with their heavy chains makes me desert that the early Rajput description of the annual Mani Rimdu festival with its colourful believe they belonged either to a immigrants remembered? masked dances celebrating Phakpa Chenrizig, the god of royal menagerie or were watched in I have been unable to discover compassion. duels, distinguished by the colours the purpose of these delightful Jim Fisher, an anthropologist who did his field work on they wore. sculptures other than that they Sherpas in the 1960’s, returned again in the 70’s and 80’s to look Sitting above the rhino are protect the deity in the temple. at the impact of decades of tourism. Fisher found that the respect the most intriguing of all the Many of the great temples of and admiration the tourists bestow upon Sherpas—for their sculptures. Undoubtedly they Bhaktapur have their entrances culture, their prowess as climbers, and simply as personable portray wild-men, jungle-men, guarded by legendary wrestlers of individuals—has actually reinforced and strengthened Sherpa ape-man, or could they possibly superhuman strength. One traditions and culture. be yetis? They have human faces memorable example has the This book was first published in 1985 through the Sherpa with beards, manes and ascending humans, beasts and Cultural Centre project. This updated fourth edition is a product of moustaches. But their ears are divinities each ten times stronger the long friendship and collaboration between the Tengboche pointed, like animals, their bodies than the other so that the Rinpoche and Frances Klatzel, the editor. It is a short, informative, are as much animal as they are accumulative strength protecting and personal book, creatively illustrated on every page with a muscular human. The way in the temple image is enormous. fine collection of over 60 black and white photos (including some which they crouch rather than sit This Durga temple was raised 1950’s photos from Christoph von Fürer-Haimendorf’s collection) points to the wild. And they wear in the seventeenth century, in all and a dozen sketches. Though there is a general map of Nepal, I wish the book included a local map of the Khumbu area, head chains of captivity. Is it probability by the master builder highlighting places mentioned in the text. possible that a Malla king had of Bhaktapur, King Bhupatindra Stories and Customs of the Sherpas is a privileged insight ape-men in his zoo, or had the Malla. His love of the beautiful into the Tengboche Rinpoche’s perspective on Sherpa heritage. sculptor either himself seen or and bizarre may well make him Treat yourself and your friends to a fireside chat with the Abbot heard the tales of wild men of the responsible for this temple and its of Tengboche Gompa. snows? unique sculpture. If only he had Lastly are a pair of camels, kept a diary. I’d love to know Fireside Chat with Tengboche Rinpoche: Stories and the only two stone sculpted about that ape-man. That yeti. t Customs of the Sherpas; as told by Ngawang Tenzin camels in the Kathmandu valley. Zangbu, Abbot of Tengboche Monastery In fact, it is only in Bhaktapur, (Excerpted with permission from In Edited by Frances Klatzel, Mera Publications 2000 carved into an ornate wooden the Kingdom of the Gods, The Bhagwati temple in Bhaktapur today. HarperCollins, 1999)

MIN BAJRACHARYA window and here on the steps of 16 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

‘Maoists don’t our directives have not been carried 50 years for democracy—one is out. (Krishna Prasad) Bhattarai and the Uncaring government want dialogue’ Q. Does it mean that you can other is (Girija Prasad) Koirala. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ disregard PAC directives? Bhattarai has stated that he will not Saptahik Bimarsa, 8 December Prakash Weekly, 8 December A. When parliament is not in contest. Therefore there is only one session then PAC itself becomes a person who has the political courage Most of the ministers are not carrying out their duties in the manner that is expected of them. The highly miniature parliament. Therefore there to tackle problems, has a clean image, objectionable and irresponsible behaviour of some is raising questions about the entire government is no question of not following its is wanted by the party workers and performance. Ministers are making no effort to tackle the grave issues we are facing and one can only guess as directives. A decision made by it is has political stature, and that is to what problems these issues will lead to in future. No one has been able to gauge correctly the magnitude similar to a decision made by Koirala. of problems that the nation is likely to face in the future, but one thing is for sure—the situation is slowly parliament. By not heeding the Q. How do you assess the turning catastrophic. directives, the government is not candidacy of Deuba? Everyone thinks a disaster is following the directives of parliament. A. To vie for leadership through unlikely, but now one of the main Q. What can PAC now do on the bargaining and not by contesting is a Lauda Air issue? pillars of our economy, the tourism joke. He was president of the Nepal sector, is being completely shut down. A. We are slowly reacting to what has Student Union for eight years and The government has made no effort to taken place. The PAC has listened to during that time he went abroad solve the crisis. The government was the minister’s statement on the issue. many a time. Now he claims to have a He said that disregard of PAC’s informed both verbally and through a formula for correcting everything in directive was unintentional. this country and stands in the name written notice that hotel employees Excerpts of an Interview with R.K. Q. Are you satisfied with the

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN of the youth. This is not going to were to go on strike from 26 November Mainali, Politburo Member, CPN response? benefit him. and that hotel owners were going to (ML) A. The PAC is meeting again. We Q. There are also talks that a no- Q. Is the left parties’ agitation pull down their shutters. The tourism will discuss his response. As far as I confidence motion against Koirala leaderless? minister was not prepared to listen and am concerned, he could not give us a is coming? try to foresee where the problem could A. To be frank, there is no leader satisfactory answer. We asked him only A. It is a rumour. There is no truth lead. Since he had to contest an A deserted Kathmandu hotel reception. that can understand the desire of the one question, ‘can parliament’s in it. I cannot imagine any friends election in his village, he asked the law people to be able to carry the Left directives be disobeyed under any moving a no-confidence motion ministry to handle the situation and left the capital. The problem just got worse. The employees wanted the movement forward, someone who can during these tough times. A no- government to take a decision, but that did not happen. The situation has now taken such a turn that bring all the communists together. confidence motion is not in the employers are prepared to keep the shutters down rather than pay the 10 percent service charge demanded Today’s movement cannot be carried interests of the party, country, by unions, and employees are not prepared to work unless they get the 10 percent service charge. forward with a mode of operation that democracy and people. It will add to dates back to the 1960s. This has led employers to notify their international agents and clients that they may not be able to Q. That’s how the Maoists are problems. Such an action will make provide services for some time in the near future. Hotel owners even informed clients who were using their fiunctioning, isn’t it? the Congress weak and will destroy services that from 11 December there may be disruptions in facilities and services being provided. If no democracy. A. There has been some change in Q. Will the Congress break up? agreement is reached, all hotels are going to be shut for an unlimited period. the thinking of the Maoists in these A. The Congress will not break In this very week, teachers working in 18 remote districts have stopped work. They are agitating because four years. In spite of difficulties being allowances for working in remote places have been slashed. The government has not taken any steps to up—it did not break up yesterday created by their violent means, some nor will it break up today or resolve the issue. The agitation started by temporarily TU teachers is also on. The government is undecided change has taken place in the past few on this front too. The health sector too has been in turmoil for the past 10 days. People working in X-ray tomorrow. In spite of all the rumours days. They have started talking about it will in fact unite and move ahead. It units, clinical labs and other basic but important departments are agitating because the allowances they were competition. They still kill people who is a specialty of the Congress, unity in being provided have been reduced. The concerned ministry remains silent over the issue. Earlier teachers in do not agree with their politics, but circumstances?’ He did not reply. diversity and togetherness amidst government schools went on strike for five days. No decision has been taken concerning their demands. The have also realised that is wrong. They Q. What about summoning the disunity. teachers state that their agitation will enter phase two now. say different things about starting a PM for questioning? Q. Has the government failed to The price of kerosene was reduced by Rs 4, but this was done only after the opposition threatened to dialogue, but have realised that a A. The PAC is going to discuss this. resolve the Maoist problem? shut down the whole country for two days. It seems that only the mention of shutting down the country dialogue could be held with the King If the PAC is not satisfied with the A. The government has not been activates the concerned ministry and then it tries to resolve the crisis, never realising how that could lead even while they remain underground. minister’s answer, then we might go unsuccessful. It has kept the doors people to lose confidence in the government. For a political party to realise and ahead. By ahead, we mean that the open for negotiations. The In the last few days, it seems that the PM himself has been unable to control his cabinet members. accept that a dialogue with anyone is council of ministers and the PM can government is using all means Ministers have realised that it makes no difference whether they carry out their duties or not. Eight months for the benefit of the party and people be called in for questioning. The PAC available to resolve the problem. is an achievement in itself. ago, when this government was formed, the cabinet passed a decision stating that a monthly press conference Q. The dialogue between the can call him. Right now I cannot say would be held by each ministry to evaluate progress and make public what work had been done. Only the whether this is going to happen or not. Maoists and the government is in Q. Can parliament function Local Development Ministry held a press conference after the decision was taken, but only once. Other limbo. What effect will this have ministries have not even bothered to do the same. Ministers remain silent even when publicly questioned and properly if its directives are on the country? disobeyed? criticised by junior officials in their organisations. A recent example of this was when the chief secretary A. Both the government and the stopped a minister from carrying out any discussion in the cabinet about a secretary of his ministry. A. Our constitution places Maoists are dishonest. They have made responsibility on the council of It is also said that none of the ministers have been able to control their respective ministries and agencies. dialogue a medium for politicking. Ministers have publicly accused some chairmen of public corporations of taking wrong decisions or not ministers and the head of this council Various factions in the Congress are who is an elected representative. acting in the best interest of the people. But they have not been able to take action against the concerned opposing each other and have made Therefore parliamentarians are chairmen. Some chairmen are rumoured to have taken decisions that have caused high financial losses, but all the issue of dialogue a means of compelled to follow the decisions and the ministers have done is to set up investigation commissions, received the recommendations of the carrying further their own political function responsibly. A parliament Q. Is the monarchy safe when commissions and then let the issue pass. No one has been able to comprehend why the PM and his cabinet agendas. The UML leaders have been cannot function without this practice. have become so inefficient. stating that they can be mediators, but the Maoists seem be growing more Therefore we are arguing that powerful? the truth is that no political party can disregarding our directive on Lauda A. If this problem continues then a be a medium for such a dialogue. If Air has become a question of concern civil war will break out. It will destroy QUOTE OF THE WEEK the Maoists are honest, then they to parliament. This must stop the monarchy. The monarchy is not should work through a human rights otherwise parliament will not be able safe with Maoists around. If the “At any point of time our party may take to armed revolution depending on the situation and circumstances in activist. The Maoists do not want a to function properly. the country.” solution through dialogue, because if nation does not survive, monarchy General Secretary Bamdev Gautam in his inaugural address to the first National Convention of his you hold a dialogue then you must ‘Maoists threat to will not survive and the people too Communist Party of Nepal-Marxist Leninist—in Gatibidhi Saptahik, 9 December. reach a conclusion and also lay down will not survive.

arms. The Maoists are not prepared to monarchy’ ○○○○○○○○○○○

give up their weapons. On the other ○○○○○ Phone fees double? ○○○○○○○○○○ hand the Congress wants to finish off Lok Dristi National Weekly, 9 ○○○○○○ the Maoists through dialogue. December Deshanter Saptahik, 10 December Q. You have raised the issue Excerpts from an interview with Sushil After the increase in the prices of about the need for direct elections of Koirala, General Secretary, Nepali electricity, diesel and kerosene, it now the PM. Congress seems that telephones charges are going A. Our general secretary raised the Q. Does the PM’s candidacy for to be raised. It is said that decrease in the issue. Actually this will prove party president mean the defeat of revenue from international calls is detrimental for the country. If direct the second generation? forcing an increase in charges for local elections are held for a PM, it is bound A. In politics there is nothing about calls. This will benefit a very small to create problems—influencing 11.5 generations. Reaching middle age, number of people and hurt the million people is not a small issue. having grey hair or beard is no majority. Even during elections to parlia-ment, qualification for becoming a leader. According to the general manager of foreign forces are active. Think about Therefore there is no first or second NTC the increase is not slated for now how active they will be when direct generation, we are all the present but sometime in the future. He said that elections are held to elect a PM. generation. On the other hand, just the ministry is studying the proposal announcing the candidacy of one and it is not yet clear if the government ‘PAC can summon person does not mean the other has will approve the hike. A decision will be the PM’ been defeated. Koirala (PM) has an made in a month.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ opportunity to win, Deuba also has Last year the corporation gave the Lokpatra Weekly, 8 December the chance to do so. The so-called government its proposal for raising Excerpts of an interview with Subash second generation should be able to charges. It presented four alternatives. Newang, Chairman, Public Accounts prove themselves in the forthcoming The government and parliament at that Committee (PAC) party election. time did not want to further burden the Q. Do you feel that PAC directives Q. What is the basis for Koirala to people as it had just increased the are not being followed? be elected again? electricity tariffs and prices of petroleum Hey, principal, dont worry, we have ensured full security, you can open your school. A. Till now the results were good, A. In South Asia, there are only two products and did not have the courage —Spacetime , 10 December but in the Lauda Air case we feel that people alive who have fought for over to raise telecom rates.

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 17 SPORTS 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 2005 and I still think my two best When it became clear that the Who is the best? years are ahead of me. If there is one owner of the “Hand of God” had rench midfield star Zinedine thing I miss, it is a Champions League surprisingly picked up the original Zidane as expected won FIFA’s trophy. I have been on the losing side internet poll open to the general public, f Zidane is world player of the year. Maradona and twice.” world player of the year award in FIFA farcically introduced a separate

Rome this week but his coronation Pele both think they were the best ever. Zidane’s success could not disguise “football family vote” conducted by its ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ was overshadowed by the continuing ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the fact that most of the attention own officials and was won by a landslide spat between Pele and Diego Manchester United’s David Beckham displays rather than on this season’s focussed on Maradona and Pele who by Pele with his rival back in third Maradona over which of the two most was the top British player in sixth European stage where he has been arrived at the glitzy gala at a Rome place. As an attempt at diplomacy, it deserved to be crowned player of the place despite Franz Beckenbauer’s sent off twice while playing for television studio within seconds of bordered on the pathetic. century. recent assessment that he was the best Juventus, said he still had at least two each other and were mobbed by Just before entering the invitation- Zidane took the prestige award on the planet. Beckham gained four years left at the peak of his career. But cameramen. Earlier, Maradona had only ceremony, Pele could not disguise for the second time in three years in first-placed votes, one of them the World Cup and European answered a personal plea from FIFA his feelings for the controversial the poll of 150 national coaches from significantly from Dutch coach, Louis Championship-winning star said they president Sepp Blatter by flying into Argentinean, who was dressed to the across the globe. The 28-year-old van Gaal. Only two other British and would not be spent in the Premiership Rome with his entire family to receive hilt for the occasion including silver Juventus midfielder won 370 votes, Irish players featured in the list—Roy where so many of his compatriots one of the two ‘player of the century’ earrings in both ears. “It’s true we are ahead of Real Madrid’s Luis Figo— Keane and Andy Cole—who only play. accolades. Maradona and Pele have not good friends,” said Pele. “He was a the world’s costliest player at 37 managed to collect one third-placed “The English league is excellent been at loggerheads ever since good player when he was at Napoli and million pounds—who polled 327. vote each. with many high-quality players but it becoming embroiled in a war of words I have great respect for him. But if he Third was Brazilian ace Rivaldo, last Zidane, who won the prize on the is not one of my priorities,” he said. “I over which of the two was more thinks he was a better player than me, “My two best years are ahead of me.” year’s winner, who took 263 votes. back of his European Championship have a contract with Juventus until deserving to win the award. that’s his problem.” t (sdc) 18 CITY 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES ABOUT TOWN QUICKWORD 11 by CROSS EYES ART EXHIBITION Across Down v Spiritual Expression. Solo exhibition 1. Supplicant holding (3) 1. Plotter clique (5) 4. Spirited places (6) Terms and conditions by Indian artist Mona Ghosh, works varying 2. Flap in screamer’s 1 The contest is open to everyone, except from mixed media to oil and acrylic. 10. Pigeon, or spoonbill (3) throat (5) employees of Himalmedia Pvt Ltd and NAFA Hall, Naxal. Closing 15 December, 11. Attack the ant (6) 3. Troublesome fly (5) Infocom Pvt Ltd. Friday. 411821. 12. Sajha cart (3) 4. Drag the seizure (4) 2 In case of more than one correct entry, v Watercolour Exhibition. An exhibition 13. Anterior perhaps (6) 5. Meat jelly (5) the winner will be decided by lucky draw. 14. Base solution (6) 3 Entries have to reach Himalmedia, by 5 of watercolours by artist Raju Chitrakar 6. American paper pm, Tuesday. reflecting cultural and social aspects of 16. Flashy diode (3) boats (3) 4 The winner will be announced in the Nepal. Nepal Art Council, Babar Mahal. 17. Poultry preoccupation 7. Tension chewy (4) coming issue. Closing 17 December. 10.30 am–5.30 (4) 8. Lunar pull (4) 5 The prize has to be collected from 18. Message the other as Himalmedia within a week of the pm. 9. Toboggan (4) announcement. Please come with an ID. v A diary of portraits (1975-99). A series of studies in mixed well (2) 15. Remains of the grey (3) media of the colourful people of Kathmandu by Carolyn Boch, 20. Time for the 19. Gearwheel canine (3) QUICKWORD ANSWER 10 long term resident of Nepal and art teacher at the Himalayan personnel (2) 21. False start (5) Buddhist Meditation Centre. The New Restaurant, Summit Hotel, 22. Look out in Norway (4) 23. Splash the drunk (5) Kupondole. Opening 3 pm, Friday 15 December. 26. Tap the school body (3) 24. Grant for a while (5) v Reflections of Nature. Exhibition of paintings by German artist 29. Fledgling raptor (6) 25. Freshwater mammal (5) Dagmar Mathes depicting impressions gathered during her six-year 100 31. Deep blue cruisers (6) 26. Positive advantage (4) 33. Foal breakfast (3) stay in Nepal, mostly from treks to Dolpo, Mustang, Manang, Solu WIN A 27. Trace or a hint (4) Khumbu, Nubri and Tsum. The artist uses watercolours, acrylics and 34. Inaccurate swinger (6) 28. Before the poker HOUR INFOCOM pigments from turmeric, saffron, cinnamon and nutmeg in paintings MILLENNIUM 35. Singapore from here (3) game (4) and collages made on Nepali handmade paper. Closing 17 CD WORTH 36. Uncompromising 30. Dropped out of south- RS 3600/- December. 9 am–5 pm. GTZ, Neer Bhawan, Sanepa. 470584 breastbone (6) east trade group (4) 37. Not him certainly (3) 32. Stray, it’s human (3) FAIRS The most convenient and economic way to surf the internet Out of 5 correct entries the lucky v The Summit Hotel Xmas Night Market. A grand Christmas winner is Sulochan Acharya Night Market. More than 25 stalls will display an array of Nepali products, gifts and much more. Friday 15 December, 4 pm–8 pm, Summit Hotel Garden. Entry Free. To send in your entries, please fill in the details below and fax to 977-1-521013, or email to [email protected]. Entries can be v St. Xavier’s School Annual Mela. Annual funfair with lots of dropped off at Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. game stalls, the city’s popular food joints, as well as some business Name...... stalls. Raffle ticket holders need not pay the Rs 25 entry fee. 16 Ph...... email...... December, 11 am–5 pm, St Xavier’s School, Jawalakhel. PHOTOGRAPHY v Revolutions: Rhythms of Humla. Exhibition by Prasant NEPALI WEATHER Shrestha, upcoming Nepali photographer, and Kimberly McClinch, American photographer and anthropology student. Closing 18 Corrupted oil in Nepal December, Monday. 11 am-5 pm. 220735, Nepal Art Council ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Gallery. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has v Angkor: Black and white photography exhibition by Jaro Poncar named a three-member team to probe adulteration of of Prague. The focus of the exhibition is the Hindu/Buddhist petroleum products. The team is headed by a joint secretary temple complex Angkor, regarded as one of the of the ministry and has chiefs of the commerce department

architectural wonders of the world. Indigo Gallery, Naxal. DSES- 13-12-2000 0900 GMT and the Department of Standards as members. The 20 December through 20 Jan 2001. 8 am-6 pm. ministry says the probe was formed to address “recent public outcry” over adulteration and to present the facts to MUSIC the public. Recent issues of Himal Khabarpatrika and v Jazz Sessions. Live jazz at The Jazz Bar, Hotel Nepali Times (#19) published investigative reports on Shangrila. A unique jazz bar where Michael Feinstein widespread and open adulteration of petrol and diesel and played Gershwin & Porter. Featuring this month a host of jazz bands the involvement of Nepal Oil Corporation officials in the including Elaine McInnes & Chris Masand with the Jazz Commis- racket. The Ministry’s probe team does not include anyone sion, the Swingtones, the Latin Lovers and others playing Cole Moisture from the west has finally started filtering across to us here in Porter, Gershwin, Brubeck and Coltrane. Enjoy drinks from a the Central Himalaya, but not in sufficient quantities to lead to any from NOC. bottomless cellar, gourmet food, coffee, cognac and cigars and major cloud buildup. Look for some cloud cover and thick fog in hear… interpret Ella, Sarah, and Louis. 412999. Kathmandu and other midhill valleys. The southwesterly jet stream is Chhinalata passes away

v now active. The system still does not possess sufficient water vapour for

○○○○ Maha Yantra Live: Hotel Yak & Yeti presents a classical music ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ concert by the acoustic trio, Maha Yantra. Get ready for a trip from any substantial rain or snow, although a drizzle or flurries in the high Noted lyricist and promoter of Nepali East to West on the vibes of bamboo basuri, tabla and guitar. 7 pm, mountains is a possibility. A high-pressure system prevailing over the literature Ramola Devi Shah ‘Chhinalata’, Saturday 16 December, Durbar Hall, Rs 500. Gangetic plain is preventing the westerly front from further advancing 77, passed away on 4 December. into Nepal. All this resulted in a drop of daytime temperature but no MARTIN CHAUTARI change in night temperature. The very low temperatures in December Chhinnalata was married to the late Prince Basundhara Shah, King Status of the Women’s Right Bill and other legal challenges for are due to heat loss on clear nights, this may change in the coming women’s rights. Sapana Pradhan Malla and Gopal Siwakoti week with sporadic cloud cover. Mahendra’s youngest brother. A self- taught writer, she established the Chintan will lead the discussion. Participation open to all. 19 KATHMANDU Chhinalata Puraskar Guthi literary trust in December. Unless otherwise noted, presentations are in Nepali. Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Write or call for directions: [email protected]/246065 1983, which honours personalities involved in the field of Nepali music. Her four books are noted for their lucid expression. For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] 19-04 18-03 19-02 19-03 20-02

A whole nation’s future is dimmed when schools are forced to close. Let not the flame die.

Private and Boarding School Organisation Nepal (PABSON) 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 19 After taking 2.5 million steps across the Nepal Himalaya, Japanese photographer Tadao Nomura has published a book to show that every mountain has a distinctive personality. affection for mountains and his and the right weather to capture a meticulous attention to photographic frame. He would have lingered even detail have produced a book longer, but as he puts it: “On a (unfortunately only in Japanese for the trek in the mountains of Nepal you

BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ moment, although there are plans for cannot wait more, there are other adao Nomura’s 11th trip to a translation) that gives information schedules to be met.” t Nepal this month was for what on equipment, exposure, lens used, Mountains have fascinated he called an “easy trek.” Instead speed and film for every photograph Nomura since he was a school boy of lugging 20 kg of photographic printed in the book. in Nagoya, and even before he equipment to take pictures of Nepali When Nomura was not lugging started shooting professionally for mountains in different moods, this his cameras up the mountains before television at the Tokai Broadcas- time he was guiding his son and a dawn or at midnight (to capture an ting Company. Nomura uses three group of photographers to revisit intriguing long-exposure shot of cameras including Horseman 6X9, some of the best spots from his earlier North Star above Gangapurna), he Fuji 6X5, and Mamiya 6X7. expeditions during which he traversed was shooting life in the villages and Nomura is worried about the Nepal from east to west. homes. Dawa Wangchu Sherpa of greenhouse effect and its impact on With the help of a device Karnali Trekking, his guide on the trip mountains. Nepal will feel the strapped to his legs, he even counted says: “He was tireless, he walked all after-effects of pollution caused the number of steps he took over two day, and stopped when he came across mainly by industrialized countries, years: 2.5 million. Other statistics: a good spot.” Asked to name his best he says. Nomura practices what he Photo genius Nomura took 3,000 picutres, walked photograph, Nomura chooses the preaches: during his treks in Nepal for 150 days on four separate portrait of Manaslu on the cover (top, he has walked even where there expeditions, and he traversed ten left) . “I like mountains best in the have been roads, as between Jiri high Himalayan passes above 5,500 light of the morning,” he told us and Kathmandu or between Trisuli m like Tashi Labtsa, Thorung La, through an interpreter. In fact and Gorkha. Pilgrimage in the in a photogenic land Tilman Col. Between 1997-99, Nomura seems to have a fascination Himalaya has a print run of 2,000 Noruma made his way from for the interplay of oblique light on copies and is priced at $25. t Kangchendzonga to Dhaulagiri the mountains. Most of the pictures are in hard way: up and down valleys and the pinks and pastels of sunrise or passes along the main spine of the sunset with the natural filters of the Nepal Himalaya. atmosphere giving the pictures their Nomura chose 95 of the distinctive hues. thousands of pictures and packed “I like the mountains, especially them into a beautiful glossy 85-page Mt Everest in the morning red book, the title of which translates because during those times they as Pilgrimage in the Himalaya. The look really holy.” He prefers still mountains here are at their photography because that is about photogenic best: eight-thousanders being there to capture the pictures like Cho-Oyu, Mt Everest, at the right moment. “The moment Kanchendzonga, Dhaulagiri, for hitting the shutter is very Lhotse, Makalu in various moods important,” he says. “Sometimes ranging from the ferocious reds of you may stay at a spot forever but sunsets to the pale grey of sunrise. never get the right picture.” Then there are unconventional Nomura has a lot of patience: he shots of Gang Chhenpo, Kangtega has sometimes waited two days for and Machha-puchhare. Nomura’s the right moment, the right light HAPPENINGS

VICTORY SMILES: Gyanodaya School pose after coming first in the Women’s Open Basketball Championship organised by the NBA on 9 December. sharp KUNDA DIXIT YAK AND YETI IN VIENNA: A new Nepali restaurant was inaugurated earlier this month in Vienna called (what else?) Yak and Yeti. Go there for fine momos.

FREE FLIGHT: Bombardier Aerospace of Canada showed off its super-quiet commuter turboprop, the Dash 8 Q-300 with a demonstration flight on 6 December. 20 LAST WORD 15 - 21 DECEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

underage readers peering over your shoulders even as we Under My Hat speak. But the end result of all this fooling around is that fragrance from darjeeling two months later there are millions of genitally modified by Kunda Dixit puppies all over our landlocked Himalayan kingdom. back to school forbidden fruit Canine street fornication may all be very good for hot spots o sooner had Kathmandu’s dogs wrapped up their our country’s budding sex tourism industry, but what is eating out/hang out nbi-annual mating season (which this year was it doing to the morals of our children? As responsible accompanied by an unprecedented orgy of street parents, we have a right to be concerned that in the peak kripa - hope for the hopeless violence) than it was the turn of humans to launch their season we cannot drive 100 metres without seeing dogs own mass weddings. engaged in various stages of congress. Recent pushkar's journey skin deep I must say that the dogs put on quite a show, and the conversation inside car: wavemag.com.np regular features whole exercise had the atmosphere of a street carnival. At Little Phanindra in the back seat: “Dad, why the Patan Durbar Square, tourists paid Rs 250 each for the are those dogs stuck?” privilege of watching interesting intercourses at You: “What? Where? Oh…um…ahem…maybe intersections. The Great Himalayan Mating Season is they ate too much garbage.” emerging as a major tourist attraction, and the Nepal LP: “But why would eating garbage make them Tourism Bored (NTB), which is always in hot pursuit of stuck?” bright ideas, is said to be working on a brochure entitled You: “Oh, I don’t know, maybe someone threw “Carnivorous Carnivals of Nepal” to distribute at the away a perfectly good tube of superglue.” International Travel Bourse in Berlin next year. The LP: “I don’t think so. I think they are copulating, I booklet will contain detailed information on the best time think it is the physical union of male and female genitalia to see dogs going all the way, the best places to watch in the act of procreation.” from, and information for photography buffs including I don’t know what filth they teach kids most suitable film, shutter speeds, and in school these days, but it was not like aperture. It will point out hotels located at that in my time. Be that as it may, it is time strategic vantage points from the comfort to turn our attention to human nuptials. of which you can watch the drama There is a national census coming up next unfold in the street below—there is a year, and it is the duty of all Nepalis premium rate for a room at the to do their bit to make this Hotel de la Patan du Pagoda Pvt country great, following our Ltd from where the forthcoming Founding Father’s four-part special on National instructions to “go forth Geographic Channel called and multiply”. That is why “How Dogs Do It in the Royal Astrologer Kathmandu” was shot. Mangal Raj Joshi has As you determined know, dog that December mating almost and January always begins Mating Season are the months on a full-moon that humans night with a yodelling contest at three in the morning. All should also get on with the job of, um, procreating. this howling may seem pretty pointless to us humans, but Since men are from Mars and women are from Venus, it serves as an important audition for choosy female dogs Mr Mangal (who, as his name suggests, hails from Mars) so they can start working on a shortlist of prospective has calculated that the heavenly bodies are in right

mates. The tenor and timbre of the yowl, as National alignment with the Space Station Mir so it is quite safe WAVE in Geographic tells us, is an indication of strong genes. Well, to tie the nuptial knot. Just don’t forget to block all

I don’t have to go into the graphic details of what happens traffic with your marriage processions, and make total DECEMBER next since I have it on good authority that there are drunken asses of yourselves. t

NEPALI SOCIETY The Tengboche Rinpoche

of study and he came back in 1956 saddened by the way to be the abbot, or Rinpoche, of the Kathmanduites are dealing with Monastery. their environment, culture and What’s remarkable about the religion. “They are throwing stones monk is his broad vision. From the on their own head. Look at all the needs of the 50 lamas at his pollution and waste. In Gompa, to the state of nature, the Kathmandu I found people MAYOS village, the nation and the whole listening to radio a lot. I also do. planet, the Rinpoche believes in But how can you be informed “doing things right and not only about developments and crises in talk”. And his efforts have borne the world listening to only songs?” fruit. The preservation of forests in The world could do with the Tengboche area is a growing improvements, but Rinpoche has success. “There’s still a lot to be time for jokes. “I don’t know done. We’re asking for government English. That’s my biggest forests to be handed to us so the advantage. If I did, I’d be busy Monastery can take care of them,” explaining about the Monastery to he says. “The park people are visitors,” laughs the 66 year-old planting trees. That’s okay. But they monk. But he welcomes visitors to only plant in areas that are visible his Monastery. to passers-by. More than good work, The Rinpoche is proud of the sometimes I feel it’s a hoax. There’s work of the Tengboche Sacred no planting deep in the forest or Land Eco Centre. “We are not FRANCES KLATZEL along the riverbanks,” says the lamas to sit indoors and chant and he Venerable Ngawang Venerable. “This year we have talk only about philosophy. We are t Tenzing Zangpo Rinpoche, decided to plant new saplings at our aware of the changes in the world,” abbot of Tengboche own cost in barren areas.” he says. In his speech at the WWF Monastery in Khumbu, is still in The Rinpoche strongly believes event he said: “In my Monastery, Kathmandu after his in community-based action. “If there we have been making a great participation in WWF’s “Sacred are basic facilities in the villages— effort to promote conservation, Gifts for a Living Planet” electricity, water supply, school and reduce pollution and waste, programme last month. In a roads—people will definitely come and raise awareness of the sunny room in his small dera in back and look for new ways to relationship between spirituality Boudha, the Nepali Rinpoche develop their villages.” He is and nature.” t sits contemplative, meditating, listening to the news on the radio and telling fellow lamas what needs to be done to bring peace in the world. The Rinpoche was recognised as Tulku or a reincarnate of the late Lama Gulu, the founder of the FRANCES KLATZEL TengbocheM monastery, by Ngawang Tenzin Norbu a high lama in Rongbuk. He was then sent off to Tibet for many years Regd No: 65/045-46 Lalitpur