WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 192 | 16 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.5 C 14.2 C Friday, September 04, 2020 | 19-05-2077 Nepalgunj Jomsom Authorities caught unawares of protests despite calls The ruling party is for allowing the Machhindranath chariot festival The local administration has imposed a curfew inside Ring Road of Lalitpur from 4 am to 10 pm on Friday after a clash making a mockery between police and locals who attempted to commence the jatra which has been on hold for months. of democracy, analysts say Nepal Communist Party decides to send Bamdev Gautam, who lost parliamentary polls, to the National Assembly.

BINOD GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, SEPT 3

The ruling Nepal Communist Party’s decision to nominate party vice-chair Bamdev Gautam as National Assembly member has once again raised the question: Have Nepali politicians indeed internalised the concept of bicameral legislature, and the essence POST FILE PHOTO of the Upper House in its truest sense? Bamdev Gautam Constitutional experts say the deci- sion to send Gautam to the Upper be appointed to the National Assembly House is problematic, prima facie, as even after losing parliamentary elec- he lost the 2017 parliamentary elec- tions. In January , Nepal Communist tions. Appointing a person who was Party spokesperson Narayan Kaji rejected by the people to the hallowed Shrestha was appointed to the Upper chambers of the National Assembly is House. While Gautam lost the contest akin to disrespecting the electorate, for the Bardiya constituency during and by extension democracy, they say. the 2017 elections to Sanjay Gautam of Purna Man Shakya, a senior consti- the Nepali Congress, Shrestha tutional lawyer, said the National couldn’t beat Baburam Bhattarai of Assembly, in principle, is envisaged as then Naya Shakti Party for the a place where people from diverse Gorkha-1 seat. groups, marginalised communities, According to a report by the intellectuals, experts and representa- International Institute for Democracy tives of different provinces come and Electoral Assistance, an organisa- together to make laws. tion promoting sustainable democra- “The government must answer and cy, members of the Upper House explain to the people how its decision should be picked in such a way that is in accordance with the spirit of the they represent sub-national govern- constitution and the objectives of the ments, and act as a body of experts to National Assembly,” Shakya told the scrutinise decisions made by the POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA Post. “This is a question of propriety.” Lower House. People defy the Covid-19 prohibitory orders and gather in Pulchowk, Lalitpur, to pull the Rato Machhindranath chariot on Thursday. Clashes between the police and the people ensued and police Gautam is the second politician to >> Continued on page 2 fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds.

SHASHWAT PANT to call anyone. They came here out of euphoric to something that has never LALITPUR, SEPT 3 their own free will,” said Rabi Shakya, been seen before at a major festival in a local from Patan. the Kathmandu Valley. Around 10 am on Thursday, around But things quickly turned ugly. But what happened in Patan on 100 people gathered near the chariot Despite repeated warnings by the Thursday was not just a matter of of Rato Machhindranath to protest police, locals continued to protest, and frustrated locals wanting to celebrate the authorities’ turning a blind eye to pull the chariot. a festival. It was a culmination of a the festival. A clash between the locals and the series of events that started since the But soon, despite prohibitory orders police force ensued, with police using lockdown that prohibited Patan locals being in place, 100 became 200 and tear gas and water cannons to dis- from observing one of their most within a couple of hours, there were perse the crowd. Locals resorted to important festivals. over 500 people assembled in stone pelting. Several people were Chief District Officer of Lalitpur Pulchowk, dime baja and bhusya in injured including the police. Narayan Prasad Bhatta said that they hands, urging people to pull the chari- “Since people had arrived in huge had not imagined that the situation ot of the rain god. numbers, police alone were unable to would escalate as much as it had and “The people you see here came control the crowd,” said Senior put the blame on “irresponsible because of their faith. We didn’t have Superintendent Tek Prasad Rai, chief groups” for causing tension. of Lalitpur Metropolitan Police “We never expected something like Range. “So we sought the help of this would happen,” Bhatta told the the Armed Police Force.” Post. In the aftermath of the clash, Chandra Maharjan, who coordi- the chariot of Karuranamaya lay nates the festival, said there was a in the middle of the road, tilted meeting going on with stakeholders dangerously, less than a 100 when they heard that people were metres from where it was kept pulling the chariot. for nearly two months, surround- “We were not part of what happened ed by Armed Police Force per- earlier today. Today’s incident does not sonnel and the red bricks that involve the main stakeholders and we now lay strewn on the street. don’t recognise those who attempted to Within a few hours, the atmos- pull the chariot,” Maharjan said. phere at Pulchowk turned from >> Continued on page 3 Cluster infections cause Covid-19 cases to soar in Valley despite restrictions Just extending curbs is not helping contain the virus spread as nearly two-thirds of the cases so far were detected during two weeks of prohibitory orders, health experts say.

office [urban health division under the metropolitan city] has asked us to try to contact people by phone.” Public health experts say the health workers’ concerns are understandable but since contact tracing involves so many things, it is not possible just by phone. Contact tracing is the key to break- ing the virus transmission chain and doctors have for long argued that the prohibitory period should have been used to ramp up efforts to ensure effective contact tracing. Even after two weeks of prohibitory orders, the virus spread has shown no signs of slowing. On Thursday, 445 people tested posi- POST PHOTO tive in the Kathmandu Valley–357 in The total number of Covid-19 cases in the Valley has reached 7,038 as of Thursday. Kathmandu, 46 in Lalitpur and 42 in Bhaktapur. The number of new cases ARJUN POUDEL contacts, checking the facilities for the stood at 200 on August 19, when the KATHMANDU, SEPT 3 infected people to stay in home isola- prohibitory orders first came into tion, and taking updates on their health. force in the Valley. Maiya Sainju is the in-charge of urban But with cases rising, Sainju has As of Thursday, the number of health clinic at the office of Ward No. not been going out these days for the cases in the Valley reached 7,038 with 32 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. fear of getting exposed to the virus. 4,540 of them detected after the pro- Amid the coronavirus pandemic, she Like Sainju, most of the health hibitory orders were announced on has been assigned the duty of contact workers deputed for contact tracing August 19 midnight. tracing, which entails informing the are doing their job over the phone. Across the country the tally stands infected people about their infection, “Due to the infection risk, we have at 42,877 with 1,228 reported in the last enquiring about the family members stopped meeting the infected people 24 hours. and others who came in their close and others,” Sainju told the Post. “Our >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Opening shops till 11am in Valley could At least 14 dead, 41 missing in backfire, health officials warn Traffic police booked 600 motorists for violating prohibitory orders while hundreds of flood and landslide in Baglung people descended on the street of Pulchowk for chariot-pulling festival on Thursday. The disaster occurred in Dhorpatan Municipality on Wednesday midnight when Bhuji

ANUP OJHA at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious removed for vehicles.” River, blocked by landslide debris, flooded the settlements along the river banks. KATHMANDU, SEPT 3 Disease Hospital. The government’s data show that On Thursday morning, the Valley 7,098 people have been infected with PRAKASH BARAL The three district administration police had a difficult time managing the coronavirus in the three districts BAGLUNG, SEPT 3 offices of Kathmandu Valley on the people who were out of their of Kathmandu Valley-- 5,622 in Wednesday extended the prohibitory homes. Kathmandu, 877 in Lalitpur and 599 in Nim Bahadur BK, a resident of orders by a week while also deciding Bhaktapur--while 43 people have lost Lankuribot in Dhorpatan to allow shops to open till 11 am. their lives till date. Municipality Ward No. 9, Baglung dis- Before this, shops selling food and Nepal on Thursday On Thursday, the country saw the trict, woke up to find his house shak- other essential items were allowed to highest single-day surge of the coro- ing on Wednesday midnight. The open only till 9 am. saw the highest navirus cases with 1,228 new infec- 45-year-old woke his wife and three The decision to widen the time tions. children up and rushed outside just frame was made considering the con- single-day surge of According to the Ministry of Health before the floodwaters from Bhuji venience of the public. However, some and Population, the total number of River swept his house away. health experts have warned that this coronavirus cases. Covid-19 cases has reached 42,877 with “We spent the night under the open move could backfire as the coronavi- 257 Covid-19 related fatalities. sky in the pouring rain,” said BK. rus cases in Kathmandu Valley have While the Valley authorities have Fourteen people died while at least shown no signs of ebbing, even after Superintendent of Police issued prohibitory orders in a bid to 41 others went missing in Wednesday the prohibitory orders were issued Rameshwor Yadav, spokesperson for lower the infection rates, a large num- night’s flood and landslide in two weeks ago. the Metropolitan Traffic Police ber of people descended on the street Dhorpatan Municipality. The Valley has been witnessing Division, said many people had come of Pulchowk in Lalitpur on Thursday “Three individuals have been record spikes in the coronavirus cases outside on the streets and neighbour- for the Rato Machhindranath chari- injured in the disaster and are cur- POST PHOTO: PRAKASH BARAL in recent days and allowing people hood alleys without valid reasons. ot-pulling festival. rently receiving treatment at The flooded river swept away at least 40 houses in Wards 7, 8 and 9 of Dhorpatan Municipality. more time to be out in the public could “People were out on their cars and When police intervened, the revel- Burtibang Health Post,” said Inspector undermine the efforts to lower the motorcycles. When stopped and lers clashed with the security person- Prakash Singh Bhandari of the Area Municipality. drinking water spouts in the area,” infection numbers, health officials inquired about their purpose of being nel. Police Office in Burtibang. According to Neupane, the flood said Dhan Prasad Pokharel, chief warn. out, they would casually say that they Dr Pun and several other health “The bodies of 14 individuals were also swept away large swathes of culti- administrative officer at Dhorpatan “We are in a very difficult situation. were going to buy milk, to buy vegeta- experts have long been warning the recovered from the landslide site and vable land in the municipality. Municipality. It is also the responsibility of the peo- bles, or to meet their sick relatives at government and the public to avoid by the banks of Bhuji River by late Security personnel with the help of However, locals say that there were ple to bring down the infection rate by the hospital,” Yadav told the Post. large gatherings. Thursday evening,” said Chief locals carried out search and rescue fewer casualties, as most of the hous- staying at their homes. They should “It was hard for the traffic officers “Kathmandu Valley was safe just District Officer Suresh Neupane. “The works on Thursday. es along the Bhuji river banks were stay at home to help the concerned to restrict their movement. Till 11 am, two months ago and now it is turning identities of two of the deceased have “The search for the missing individ- unoccupied when the disaster struck. authorities to minimise the public at least 600 motorists were booked. into a Covid-19 hotspot. If we carry on been established so far.” uals is still on,” said Inspector “Most of the villagers had gone to mobility so the virus does not spread,” Allowing shops to open till 11am does this way, we will have more difficult According to Yam Bahadur Kayat, Bhandari. the upper regions with their cattle said Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, virologist not mean that the restrictions are also times ahead,” said Pun. principal at Gyanodaya Secondary But conducting rescue operations when the monsoons arrived. The casu- School in Dhortapan, a landslide has been difficult given the incessant alties might have been higher if all the triggered by heavy rainfall had rainfall the area has been witnessing villagers had been home on Wednesday occurred at Deurali along the for the past few days. night,” said Fulmaya Pun, a local who Dhorpatan-Saljhandi road section on “We were informed about the inci- survived the incident. Wednesday night. dent on Wednesday night but could Dhorpatan Municipality Mayor Cluster infections cause Covid-19 cases “The landslide debris led to a dam start rescue operations only in the Devkumar Nepali said that the munic- formation, blocking the flow of morning when the rain had turned ipal office is making arrangements to Bhuji River. The dam burst and the into a slight drizzle,” said Neupane. provide relief to the victims of the to soar in Valley despite restrictions flooded river entered the settlements,” Vehicular movement along the disaster. Kayat said. Dhorpatan-Saljhandi road section had “We will move the villagers to a safe >> Continued from page 1 infection could be another reason why new cases are not The incident site is some been affected since the beginning of location and make arrangements for “With prohibitory orders, authorities may have been able to declining. 130km west of Baglung district head- the monsoon season but the recent their food and shelter,” Nepali said. prevent an explosion of infections, but there has been no According to an official at the Epidemiology and Disease quarters. disaster has brought movement along “We will also assess the destruction decline in the number of new cases,” Dr Prabhat Adhikari, Control Division, over 95 percent of the new cases being A preliminary report on the inci- the road section to a complete halt. caused by Wednesday’s flood and land- an infectious disease and critical care expert, told the Post. detected these days are local cases, whose source of infec- dent says the flooded river swept away “The disaster has caused massive slide and will plan on the long-term “There could be several loopholes, which need to be fixed at tion could not be established. at least 40 houses downstream in damage to various road sections, relocation of the victims to safer the earliest.” “When sources cannot be established, contact tracing, Wards 7, 8 and 9 of Dhorpatan hydropower projects, health posts and areas.” Doctors say new cases should have declined by now as two testing and isolation becomes almost impossible,” said an weeks is the upper limit for the incubation period of the official of the division requesting anonymity. coronavirus. The continuing rise in new cases shows that restrictions alone do not help contain the coronavirus spread. Over 95 percent of new cases The ruling party is making a mockery ... According to Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of clinical research unit at the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious detected these days are local >> Continued from page 1 senior constitutional lawyer and for- government to nominate Gautam, but Disease Hospital, the ongoing restrictions may have pre- Constitutional and political experts mer dean at Kathmandu University in politics, morality and propriety vented community transmissions, but they have not stopped cases, whose source of infection say the electorate for the National School of Law. should get equal attention. cluster transmissions. Assembly is different from that of the Even if Khatiwada were nominated, “The question is if our parties have “People have not stopped meeting relatives, acquaintanc- could not be established. House of Representatives to ensure it would have been wrong this time as anything left in them to be judged on es, and visiting one another’s homes,” Pun told the Post. “I that people different from those in the he has already completed his tenure, moral grounds,” said Krishna like to call the ongoing transmission family transmission, Lower House make it to the Upper said Adhikari. Pokharel, a professor of political sci- as entire family members and their relatives are testing At a meeting of officials from the World health House. Experts say the concept of the ence at Tribhuvan University. positive.” Organisation country office in Nepal, the European Union Article 86 of the Constitution of National Assembly is derived from the According to Pokhrel, Nepali politi- According to experts, if a person from a family has visit- and the Health Ministry, the UN health agency stressed for Nepal authorises the President to principles laid out by the House of cians have for long nurtured undemo- ed the disease-hit areas and s/he transmits the infection to coordination and unity among the government bodies fight- nominate three people, including a Lords in the United Kingdom. Though cratic practices. “Madhav Kumar other family members or to the extended family, it is cluster ing against the pandemic. woman, to the 59-member Upper its representation and functions vary Nepal, a Nepal Communist Party lead- infections. Despite the rising number of cases, Kathmandu House. Constitutional and political from country to country its primary er, became prime minister of the Inability to find the source of virus and apathy of the Metropolitan City has a limited number of people for con- experts say that such seats should be role is to conduct informed and intel- country despite losing the Constituent authorities to establish the source and break the chain of tact tracing, according to Hari Kunwar, chief of the Urban reserved for people from underrepre- lectual deliberations on the legisla- Assembly elections in 2008. Gautam Health Division of KMC. sented communities or for those who tion. also became home minister even Health workers deployed for contact tracing only con- have specialisation in various fields. The Upper House, also called the though the people rejected him the tact people, whose number is provided by the infected. The nomination of Yubaraj “House of Elders”, often has to main- same year,” said Pokhrel. “This wrong Sainju said that some infected people do not give informa- Khatiwada, who has faced criticism tain checks and balances on the Lower practice has been going on for years. tion about the people whom they had close contacts with. for his policies as finance minister, House. Gautam’s nomination to the Upper But the number of people who want to be tested escaped censure as he is a technocrat As the Upper House is expected to House is just another instance.” are high. who holds a PhD and has served twice make mature decisions, the age Apart from making laws, the Upper “Dozens of people from the area [where the infected at the National Planning Commission threshold for membership is higher House also checks and challenges the lives] come to us and tell us that they too have met the as its vice-chair and once at the Nepal than that of the Lower House. Article actions of the government, while infected and demand tests,” one health worker said, ask- Rastra Bank as its governor. 87 (b) of the constitution says that cit- offering a platform for independent ing not to be named. “But we cannot recommend tests for The other two people nominated to izens who have completed 25 years of expertise. But when the ruling party all those who demand tests.” the Upper House by the President, age can run for a seat in the House of cherrypicks someone to install them The government has even failed to make people aware along with Khatiwada, are Bimala Representatives. However, that for the in the Upper House, then they will toe about the risk of the infection. Poudel Rai and Ram Narayan Bidari. National Assembly is 35. the government’s line and not ques- “People have either taken the risk too seriously or With the ruling party’s decision to “In essence, the National Assembly’s tion its actions, critics say. ignored the risks,” Dr Radhika Thapaliya, a risk commu- nominate Gautam, the government place is even higher in a federal coun- Chandra Dev Bhatta, a political nication expert, told the Post. “We should change the now has to recommend Gautam’s try like ours where it is recognised as commentator, said the people are con- communication strategy and give tailored messages.” name to the President for the National a Federal House. This House should sidered sovereign in a democracy, but According to Thapaliya, in risk communication tai- Assembly seat. represent all the provinces and local Thursday’s decision of the ruling lored messages mean giving a message as per the belief The presidential nomination in the levels,” said Adhikari. party shows leaders are the ones and circumstances of the people, which can help improve Upper House, however, has become a “Thursday’s decision of the ruling enjoying sovereign authority. behavioral outcomes. On Thursday, hundreds of youths tool to “manage” leaders of the Nepal party [to nominate Gautam as mem- “This is a mockery of democratic defied prohibitory orders and pulled the Machhindranath Communist Party, experts say. ber of the Upper House] is yet another values and the people’s mandate chariot in Lalitpur without heed to the risk of infection. “The National Assembly in Nepal is example of how it [the ruling party] is which clearly says Gautam should “We too are surprised over the rise in new cases even turning into an extension of the undermining the value of the Upper stay away from legislation at least for after two weeks of restrictions,” Dr Roshan Pokhrel, House of Representatives to manage House.” five years,” he told the Post. “When chief specialist at the Health Ministry, told the Post. leaders who either don’t contest the Political analysts say the ruling leaders start undermining the peo- “This shows that restriction only does not help to con- parliamentary polls or those who lose party might argue that there aren’t ple’s mandate, it indicates that our tain the spread of infection. We are working to figure out in the polls,” said Bipin Adhikari, a any constitutional barriers for the democracy is on a slippery slope.” the loopholes.” Delay in release of PCR test report in Baglung

PRAKASH BARAL come, prompting the authorities to samples that were sent to the lab. BAGLUNG, SEPT 3 extend the prohibitory order. “If we lift the order before we get “We have extended the prohibitory the results, we may enable the virus to The District Administration Office in order, which was to be lifted on spread further,” Neupane said. Baglung has been extending the pro- September 3, until September 12,” said According to Jeeban Bhandari of hibitory order it had imposed in Chief District Officer in Baglung Galuwa, many locals in the area have mid-August due to the delay in receiv- Suresh Neupane. “We may have to been exposed to the risk of contract- ing PCR reports of Covid-19 suspects. extend it further if we still don’t ing the virus after they attended a On August 15, swab samples of 72 receive the results by then. We have feast organised by an Army personnel individuals at Galuwa in Baglung tightened security due to the increased on August 15. Municipality Ward No. 10 were sent risk of coronavirus spread.” “The Army man who had organised for PCR test to the Pokhara-based pro- Neupane said his office has yet to the feast has tested positive for the vincial lab but the results have yet to receive the reports of more than 70 virus. Seventy-two individuals had attended the feast,” he said. Meanwhile, the pro- longed lockdown has severely affected business- es in the district, said Yubaraj Raj Bhandari, chairman at the Baglung Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “The majori- ty of businesses in the dis- trict are closed now but they still have to pay rents. Most businesses have now decided to close down for good,” Bhandari said. As of Thursday, 319 indi- viduals tested positive for coronavirus in Baglung.

C M Y K 03 | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 NATIONAL Authorities caught unawares of protests despite calls ...

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POST PHOTOS: DEEPAK KC, HEMANTA SHRESTHA & ANGAD DHAKAL 1) Police fire tear gas at protesters following clashes between police and people who wanted to pull the Machhindranath chariot despite prohibitory orders being in place, on Thursday. 2) A protester takes aim at police with his slingshot. 3) Police use water a canon to disperse people who had gathered to pull the chariot. 4) Police personnel rescue a traffic policeman attacked by protestors. 5) Police personnel huddle for safety under their riot shields while protesters pelt stones at them. 6) Protesters hold signs demanding they be allowed to continue the procession.

>> Continued from page 1 Chiribabu Maharjan decided to resume the ritu- val after the government eased the lockdown of Rato Machindranath beyond the eight day of injured in the clash The exact details of who started the protests als with Chhama puja on Friday. in mid-June. the dark half of Ashwin, the people of “We are investigating the case further and is not known yet. “The chariot is in no position to be moved and “This was an outburst of spiritual and cultur- Bhaktapur have the right to take the idol with have arrested the concerned people. They seem However, according to Rai, nine people were may topple over, “ Maharjan told the Post. al beliefs,” said Thapaliya. “We cannot call it them to Bhaktapur. to have gathered people through their facebook leading the protests and among them were those “Therefore the idol will be carried to the four wrong entirely because this is something to do Keeping such aspects in mind, Thapaliya also page called Hamro Jatra,” said Rai. who beat up a traffic policeman. destinations and on September 7 taken to with people’s faith and belief. However, we do informed that in previously held meetings with Even Patan locals were not happy about what Among those arrested is activist Yaddab Lal Bungmati.” feel this could have been avoided.” authorities, they had talked about how to con- happened today. Sunny Rajbhandari, a Patan Kayastha who can be seen arguing with the As a precautionary measure following clash- A group had even written to the office of duct and conclude the festival. resident, questioned who will be put to blame if police without a mask on videos making the es on Thursday, the Lalitpur district administra- President Bidya Devi Bhandari asking her how Another protest also took place in Gabahal today’s incident sparked an outbreak in Patan. rounds on social media, a protester said. tion office has announced a curfew within the to conduct the festival this year, but they say where locals tore down a police booth, used it as “I can’t believe how stupid people can get at “Those leading the crowd could be jailed for ring road from 4 am to 10 pm on Friday. that they got no response. a shield and started pelting stones at police. such a senstive time. We still don’t know who up to six months as per the Infectious Disease Spokesperson Thapaliya says that what hap- What also caused today’s incident is the sig- Locals were agitated because the chariot wasn’t initiated the chaos today which in itself, to be Act 1964,” said Assistant CDO Lalit Basnet. pened was a result of the public losing patience nificance the festival holds for the people of pulled to Gabahal, which is what is traditionally honest, is appalling,” said Rajbhandari. But as the day unfolded, a meeting between with the government and the district authori- Patan. The locals believe the chariot festival has done on the first day of the procession. Besides the proper process was not followed stakeholders decided that the festival will com- ties and added that the Guthi Sansthan was to be completed before the onset of Malmas, “This could have been avoided had they let in the pulling of the chariot. mence from Friday. “No one present at the meet- unaware about the protest until people started which is considered an inauspicious time to the locals pull it to Gabahal. The way the police “There was no one to hold the khadga, the ing took what happened today positively,” said to pull the chariot. He said that the guthi is conduct any festivals.There is also a belief that acted was not correct,” said Rohan Bajracharya, guruju paltan weren’t present and most impor- spokesperson of the Guthi Sanstan Saroj responsible for conducting the puja and other if the chariot isn’t pulled before the start of the another local of Patan. tantly there was no formal announcement” said Thapaliya. rituals related to the festival while the local malmas which starts in mid-September, the idol The four destinations of the chariot are Rajbhandari. “ I want to ask the people who A meeting in the evening between representa- authority’s role is to assist them with the pull- of Rato Machindranath has to be taken to Gahabahal, Sundhara, Lagankhel and haphazardly started the procession if they tives of the various bodies involved in the festi- ing of the chariot, an issue that has been in Bhaktapur. Jawalakhel where the Bhoto Jatra is held. know what actually goes on during the festival. val, Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad limbo since it was built back in June. The festi- According to John Locke in his book Senior Superintendent Rai told the Post that Or are they just trying to prove a point?” Bhatta and Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City val organisers had decided to organise the festi- Karunamaya, if the chariot still houses the idol four police personnel and dozens of others were (Shuvam Dhungana contributed reporting.) Karnali suffers in absence of senior officials as centre transfers them frequently Two-fifths of the bureaucratic positions remain vacant and with the Federal Civil Servant Act still not in place, the province can’t start appointing civil servants on its own.

KALENDRA SEJUWAL government officials in important Bishnu Prasad Adhikari, the spokes- Environment Directorate though the SURKHET, SEPT 3 positions.” person at the Social Development office should be led by a level eleven The Karnali Province Assembly has Ministry, said, “Junior officers have official. A junior officer, Mukundanath Tek Narayan Pandey, chief secretary already endorsed the provincial been given the responsibility of acting Yogi, is the acting director at Industry of Karnali Province, was transferred Public Service Commission Act. The office chiefs and acting directors in and Consumers Rights Protection to the Ministry of Land Management, formation of this Act has paved the almost all divisions and directorates Directorate. Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation way for the formulation of the provin- in the absence of high-level govern- According to the Office of Chief in Kathmandu on July 20. A day later cial Civil Service Act. The latter Act ment officials in the province.” Minister, 998 of the total 2,555 posts in secretary of the chief minister’s office will allow the province to make deci- Chitra Bahadur Rokaya, a level nine Karnali Province are vacant now. Laxmi Kumar Basnet was deputed as sions on the hiring of officials in the official, is currently the acting direc- Minister KC, the Karnali govern- acting chief secretary of the province. province. tor at the Agriculture Development ment’s spokesperson, said it was hard Barely, a month later, on August 25, But since the federal government is Directorate. The position is of level to execute work in the province since however, the federal government yet to endorse the Federal Civil eleven official. the federal government does not send transferred Basnet to the Ministry of Service Act, the Provincial Civil “In the absence of a senior officer, human resources to fill critical posi- Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Service Act remains to be formulated. our office is facing difficulties to meet tions in the government offices. in Kathmandu, leaving the offices of Constitutionally, the provincial act is its targets. I have to monitor fieldwork “The provincial government does the chief minister and the council of to be enacted as per the spirit of the as well as administrative tasks,” not have the authority to appoint ministers without both the chief sec- federal act. Rokaya said. employees yet and is reliant on the retary and secretary. The State Affairs Committee of the The Infrastructure Development centre to fulfil its human resource The provincial government has federal parliament has endorsed the POST FILE PHOTO Directorate, the only directorate needs in the provincial government requested Basnet to postpone his Federal Civil Servant Bill but the par- While the provinces have been saying that the authority to appoint secretaries in provincial under the Physical Infrastructure offices,” KC said. move to Kathmandu until the arrival liament is yet to approve it. governments should be theirs in the spirit of federalism, the federal bill has given that Development Ministry, is also being The provincial government will of a new chief secretary. While the provinces have been say- authority to the federal government. run by an acting office director. have the authority once its Public “We have requested Basnet to post- ing that the authority to appoint secre- Basudev Paudel, a level ten civil serv- Service Commission Act is imple- pone his transfer but we are yet to get taries in provincial governments ies. None of them stayed for more level ten civil servants (of under sec- ant, is the acting office chief now mented but that again is on hold as the a reply. The federal government did should be theirs in the spirit of feder- than a few months before being trans- retary level) as division chiefs in the although only a level eleven govern- federal parliament is yet to pass the not consult with the provincial gov- alism, the federal bill has given that ferred elsewhere--some sought their ministries while level eleven ones ment official is qualified to take that Federal Civil Servant Act. ernment before making the transfer. authority to the federal government. transfers while others were trans- should be appointed as directors of position. The provincial government had pre- We are in a difficult situation now One of the factors leading to vacant ferred by the federal government,” the provincial directorates. But these “One of the three divisions under sented a total budget of Rs 34.34 bil- since all administrative works of the senior positions in Karnali govern- said KC. “Pandey, who was deputed as offices have been operating with offi- the Infrastructure Development lion in the last fiscal year 2019/20. provincial government have come to a ment is the remoteness of the region. chief secretary of the province in cials in acting positions since the for- Ministry does not even have an acting However, only 35.37 percent of the halt,” said Bimala KC, spokesperson With little to no facilities officials mid-March, was in office for only four mation of the provincial govern- office chief,” Gopal Sharma, the min- budget was spent. of Karnali government, who is also transferred from Kathmandu are used months before he was transferred to ment,” said KC. “This has hindered istry’s spokesperson, said. According to Man Bahadur Bam, the Minister for Land Management, to available in the province, high-level another federal ministry.” the implementation of policies and Similarly, two directorates under chief at the Provincial Financial Agriculture and Cooperatives. government officials the federal gov- Most of the managerial positions of programmes, and development plans the Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Comptroller Office, the development “Karnali has failed to accomplish its ernment appoints ask to be trans- Karnali Province have remained in the province,” Forest and Environment are being run expenditure was merely 24.66 percent development goals since its formation ferred outside Karnali, says KC. vacant since the formation of the pro- In total there are 22 divisions and by acting directors. Shivaram in the last fiscal year. The current fis- two and a half years ago. One of the “In the past two and a half years, vincial government. seven directorates in six different Adhikari, a level nine civil servant, cal year’s budget implementation has main reasons for this is the absence of Karnali has seen four chief secretar- “There should be level nine and ministries of the Karnali government. has been leading the Forest and not even initiated, he added.

C M Y K FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Show me the numbers Custodians of injustice Nepal has a lot to do in terms of fully democratising its institutions.

Not long ago, at the height of the Maoist insurgency, the Bhairavnath Battalion, right in the heart of the Kathmandu Valley, was considered the black hole of injustice—many sus- pected Maoists who were taken through its gates never returned. Some returned as corpses, others as half-dead souls crippled for life, physically and psychologically. The Maoists have now joined mainstream politics, formed or toppled gov- ernments and become custodians of democracy. But they have forgotten that many of their comrades and members of the general public who were taken into police custody and mili- tary barracks and never returned await justice. This rings true for the other major parties in Nepali politics today whose cadre disappeared without a trace in custody even as they fought for democracy. But today, in republican Nepal, impuni- ty remains the bête noire of justice and democracy. The impunity with which security agencies kill or maim the individuals they take into their custody as suspects has seen a repetition in the recent death of Bijay Mahara, a 19-year-old from Garuda Municipality in Rautahat, who came out of police custody as a corpse on August 26 after alleged torture. Bijay was one of the seven youths who were arrested on August 19 as suspects in the murder of Niranjan Ram, a fellow local teenager. While police claim Mahara died of medical complications in the course of treatment for a kidney ailment, his family claims he was tortured in custody. The family sup- ports its claim with a video in which Mahara spoke, just prior POST PHOTO: ANGAD DHAKAL to his death at Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital in Birgunj, month-by-month comparison? Which have not yet internalised the impor- individuals had newsroom resources at about being tortured by plainclothes police and forced to con- Nepali news organisations districts have reported new infections? tance of data-driven reportage a their disposal? fess to killing Niranjan Ram. How many cases in each district? What decade later. This is not to say the media isn’t try- The Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday suspended police have been lacking is our recovery rate? And are we going To me, such neglect is symptomatic ing; there have been a few reports in inspector Nabin Kumar Singh and head constable duo Feroz through a second wave, or is the first of a larger malaise. It is partly social; this newspaper and others that have Miya Dhuniya and Mannu Kumar Singh for their alleged in their approach to wave still ongoing? What sort of statis- we do not value numbers as a society. tried to tackle the numbers. But on the involvement in Mahara’s death. But Mahara is only the latest tical inference can we pull from the Math and the sciences are a pedagogi- whole, the Nepali media’s Covid-19 data analysis. data? And can we tell stories about cal hurdle to overcome, unless one reportage has been lacking in hard data victim of an alleged custodial death. On June 10, Shambhu Nepal’s experience with Covid-19 wishes to become an engineer. Part of it analysis from the very start. As I said, Sada, a 23-year-old truck driver who had turned himself in to through the numbers? is systemic. Our governments have the issue is systemic; our newsrooms the police after he killed a woman in a traffic incident, died in AMISH RAJ MULMI This pandemic is probably one of the always been opaque, and digging into are oriented more towards reportage, police custody in Dhanusha. On June 20 last year, police alleg- most closely watched events by statisti- numbers is the easiest way to pin down and less towards analysis. Both need to edly killed Kumar Paudel, a member of a Maoist splinter cians across the world. After all, rarely governments. It’s therefore much easi- run together. Journalists have to be group, in custody. On July 22, park rangers and soldiers guard- have such volumes of data been gener- er to not release data, and anybody immersed in a daily news cycle while ing Chitwan National Park allegedly killed Raj Kumar ated around a single event which looking into numbers in Nepal knows taking the long view of an event. Here, stretches across time and space. Public how difficult it is to get even basic the publisher is equally responsible; Chepang, a 24-year-old man who had gone to the jungle to col- interest is equally high; numbers mat- information. Part of it is also a weak unless they invest in such journalism, lect snails. Examples abound of incidents of alleged torture ter more than ever. But here in Nepal, it orientation towards data, the lack of it is unlikely the reader will get any. and eventual killing of inmates with complete impunity as As a people, we love rituals, be it Indra is perplexing that little to no analysis ability to absorb the numbers and go Publishers need to hire individuals perpetrators get away without any action while the Jatra rites or the everyday rounds of of the pandemic exists in the public beyond just what a ministry, organisa- who specialise in such analysis to deliv- government shuts the mouths of victims’ families with com- temples in the morning. A new ritual domain. tion or policymaker says, to run the er a clearer picture. The media certain- pensation. has now imprinted itself on our minds. Ideally, every newsroom needs a numbers in one’s mind and imagine ly faces fiduciary pressures, but jour- The unending saga of custodial deaths does not bode well for This one occurs every evening around 4 numbers person, someone who can cut what they mean beyond the surface. nalism has to evolve as well. Reporting pm, when the Health Ministry spokes- through the clutter to deliver precise Publishers have never invested in such verbatim without cross-verifying and a democracy like ours. We must consider that all eyes are person reads out new Covid-19 figures data analysis and interpretation—not specialisations to begin with. And part analysing reduces the media to being watching us. Human Rights Watch recently condemned Nepali for the day. We wait with bated breath, just of Covid-19, but of GDP, maternity of it has to do with society’s outlook megaphones; they may amplify the authorities for failing to conduct credible investigations into keep our fingers crossed, and mentally health indicators, rise in foreign towards data and science which, by information, but it does not achieve allegations of extrajudicial executions and custodial deaths compare the numbers to the previous employment and remittances, number extension, defines how our media inter- much else. resulting from torture. National Human Rights Commission day. of students studying abroad, and tour- nalises and presents evidence-based There have been numerous observa- has said custodial torture remains a problem despite its crim- The Nepali media has latched on to ist arrivals and departures. For reason, or counters false claims made tions about how the Nepali media inalisation in the 2018 Criminal Code. Advocacy Forum has this daily ritual with a finesse. As the example, the Finance Ministry by public figures. remains the most effervescent in numbers are announced by the spokes- expects the GDP to grow by 7 percent Columnists usually hesitate to pres- all of South Asia, especially if one pointed out that a large number of victims of custodial deaths person, I can imagine a reporter dili- this year, but the World Bank projects ent a critique of the media—‘biting the considers its role in fomenting revolu- belong to people from marginalised communities. Having gently filing their copy, repeating the the growth at 1.8 percent. What explains hand that feeds us’ et al. But more than tion and bringing change. But as sailed through the insurgency, authoritarianism and a fragile ministry’s words, but little else. The the disparity? Which figure should we five months into the pandemic, it is erudite the Nepali media and the peace process in the past couple of decades, Nepal has a lot to news reports are all predictable: new trust? extraordinary that one needs to dig commentariat is towards political do in terms of fully democratising its institutions. As the tran- cases, total PCR tests in the last 24 Ten years ago, when I worked in this deep into the ministry’s website to find issues, it is yet to extend the same sitional justice process lingers on even after a decade and a hours, and those who’ve been dis- paper’s newsroom, it was difficult to a simple daily progression chart. vocabulary to other spheres of our soci- half since the peace process began, the least the country can charged. On most news sites, there is a find someone adept with numbers Further, individuals or volunteer ety. This gap in our outlook is visible tally of the total number of cases, fatal- (admittedly, we may not have groups have done a basic analysis of best in the current pandemic, when do is to begin working towards ending impunity in its security ities and global caseload. But what searched hard enough). It’s surprising, the pandemic in Nepal by themselves. reports are filed like a rite, but little apparatuses. about the weekly rise in cases? A however, that Nepali newsrooms Imagine what could happen if these else is offered.

Grand old conspiracy theorists

efforts to reform Japanese society had stuck to unconditional surrender Today’s Republican Party may could not succeed. because he wanted to use the atomic By late May, they had come to bombs to intimidate the Soviet Union. seem unrecognisable, but the believe that a public modification of By the mid-1990s, this view had US war aims would induce Japan’s become so prevalent in academe that bigots have been waiting in surrender. The most important ‘clari- it was incorporated into the fication’ (the term preferred by con- Smithsonian Institution’s exhibit the wings for 80 years. servatives) was to assure the Japanese commemorating the 50th anniversary that their emperor could remain on of the war’s end. The revisionists pro- the throne. voked howls of protest from defenders MARC GALLICCHIO Time was running out. The of the Greatest Generation and, ironi- Russians were set to join the Pacific cally, from many Republicans. war in August, and US landings in But the conspiracy theory survived Japan were planned for November. on the far right in such locales as the Conservatives hoped that a concession Institute for Historical Review, the on the issue of the emperor would headquarters for Holocaust deniers, prevent a Soviet occupation of and the John Birch Society. In 1995, Northeast Asia and spare the the Birchers added a new wrinkle, In the summer of 1945, the Allied poli- Americans a costly invasion. arguing that conspirators had cy of demanding unconditional sur- The debate intensified, with convinced Truman to oppose conces- render in World War II became the Republicans from both camps lobbying sions and use the atomic bombs subject of intense debate in the United US President Harry Truman to modify because they hoped that, faced with States. In a way, it has remained so the unconditional-surrender policy. the terrifying destructiveness of ever since, tracking with Americans’ But Truman, unmoved, refused to offer nuclear weapons, Americans would changing attitudes about the Cold War the emperor any guarantee. On July 26, surrender their sovereignty to the and post-Cold War interventions in the Allies warned the Japanese that United Nations to prevent a nuclear the Middle East. In fact, the Republican they faced imminent and utter destruc- Armageddon. Party’s own shifting positions on the tion if they continued the war. But the By that point, however, much had issue of unconditional surrender dur- Japanese would not budge. changed since the days when ing WWII offer a revealing glimpse of The end came swiftly. On August 6, Republicans questioned America’s the party’s internal divisions and col- the first atomic bomb was detonated ability to transform a society after lective character. above Hiroshima. On August 8, the regime change. In 2003, President During WWII, the GOP’s hot-and- Soviets declared war on Japan. The George W Bush and his supporters cold relationship with President next day, a second atomic device cited the successful occupation of Franklin D Roosevelt’s war policy instantly killed 39,000 inhabitants of Japan as proof that the US would be reflected a mix of principled opposi- Nagasaki. On August 14, Japan sur- able to democratise Iraq. Two weeks tion, political opportunism, and the rendered, subjecting Emperor into that invasion, Secretary of lack of internal consensus. Hirohito and his people to the author- Defence Donald Rumsfeld announced Announced in January 1943, the ity of the Supreme Commander for SHUTTERSTOCK that the US was seeking Saddam unconditional-surrender policy was the Allied Powers, US General Douglas State Department had prevented allow the Soviets to overrun the use of atomic weapons, which had Hussein’s unconditional surrender. bound to be controversial simply MacArthur. Truman from telling the Japanese Manchuria and aid the Chinese become the foundation of US defence It would be tempting to conclude because it had been conceived by Five days later, the Chicago Tribune, they could keep their emperor. Communists. policy. Marginalised, the anti-inter- that the GOP’s opposition to the WWII- Roosevelt. A quintessentially New the media megaphone of the In May 1951, after a lull of five This conspiracy theory was part of ventionists kept the conspiracy theory era unconditional-surrender policy, Deal programme, its goal was to nur- Republican anti-interventionists, pub- years, this line of speculation received a broader Republican attack on alive within far-right redoubts, pub- forgotten for so long, is of little rele- ture economically broad-based democ- lished an article by one of its report- another boost during a Senate inquiry Democrats for supposedly ‘losing’ lishing jeremiads with titles like vance today. But the GOP of 2020 is no racy in societies that had previously ers, Walter Trohan, claiming that in into Truman’s dismissal of China. Most adherents were isolation- While You Slept, The Enemy at His longer the party of Dwight Eisenhower pursued conquest and subjugation. January 1945, MacArthur had sent MacArthur. Using what have since ist holdovers who had alleged that Back, and ‘Hiroshima: Assault on a or Bush. Once again, it is a hive of To US conservatives, this project Roosevelt a top-secret report showing come to be known as ‘alternative Roosevelt provoked Japan’s attack on Beaten Foe’, an article in National conspiracy theorists, egged on by a was an example of liberal ideology that the Japanese were willing to sur- facts’, some Republican senators Pearl Harbor in December 1941. In this Review by the avowed Roosevelt hater president to whom the party’s voters run amok. Seeing little reason to render. The report had mysteriously claimed that Hirohito had tried to sur- telling, the unconditional-surrender and eventual Holocaust denier Harry have unconditionally surrendered. extend liberalism to imperial Japan, disappeared when it reached render to the Allies as early as policy was the coup de grâce of Elmer Barnes. they demanded changes to the policy Washington, DC, but Trohan assured February 1945—a month after the Roosevelt’s diabolical Pearl Harbour By the mid-1960s, the uncondition- Gallicchio is Professor of History at following Roosevelt’s death in April readers it was genuine. Adding more alleged disappearance of MacArthur’s plot. al-surrender policy was being criti- Villanova University and the author 1945 and Germany’s surrender the fuel to the fire, former Republican report. Hirohito’s efforts were thwart- But during the 1950s, the GOP came cised anew, this time by leftist histori- of Unconditional: The Japanese following month. Most Republicans— President Herbert Hoover, an ardent ed, they insisted, by fellow travellers to be dominated by internationalists ans appraising America’s role in the Surrender in World War II (Oxford East Coast internationalists and pre- supporter of modification, contended in Washington who used uncondition- who had little interest in re-examin- Cold War in light of the escalation in University Press, 2020). war isolationists alike—warned that that communist sympathisers in the al surrender to prolong the war and ing the end of the war or questioning Vietnam. Some argued that Truman —Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 MONEY Airlines ignoring orders not to board With standards in passengers without PCR test report place, online home Carriers violating the rule have to pay the hotel quarantine charges of all passengers, according to a cabinet decision. delivery and takeaway SANGAM PRASAIN KATHMANDU, SEPT 3 On August 25, a charter flight of Air services can resume Arabia landed at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport. Among the 161 passengers on board, Delivery people must have a negative coronavirus test 142 produced a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test report con- result and deliveries will be allowed between 1 and 7 pm. ducted in the last 72 hours as per regu- lations. But 18 passengers provided POST REPORT different sections of the society, rapid diagnostic test (RDT) results, KATHMANDU, SEPT 3 according to authorities. which have not been authorised by the “Today we submitted our report Nepal government, and one passenger The Kathmandu District to the chief district officer and he did not produce any test report at all. Administration Office has developed a issued the standard right away,” said The Sharjah-based carrier arrived standard for online home delivery and Bhatta. “As per the prohibition order in Nepal in violation of the rules four takeaway services of the restaurants extended on Wednesday, people in the days after the cabinet ordered that and hotels which includes negative online home delivery and take airlines should only board passengers coronavirus infection tests for the away businesses can now resume with a negative PCR test report con- delivery people. their services.” ducted in the last 72 hours. “Since the essential services would In the separate notices issued by all Airlines have also been barred from remain open till 11 am throughout three chief district officers of the bringing passengers with and without Kathmandu Valley we have arranged Kathmandu Valley on Wednesday, PCR test reports on the same flight. for online delivery services from 1 pm they had stated that online home A complaint was filed at the Civil to 7 pm,” said Janak Bhatta, who led a delivery and take away services Aviation Ministry as Air Arabia had five-member study team to come up could be resumed once the standard violated the rule, and an investigation with recommendations to allow online was in place. committee was formed. On Wednesday, deliveries. The quality and other protocols of the ministry ordered the Civil According to Bhatta, other require- the delivery service will be monitored Aviation Authority of Nepal to warn ments include that the businesses for by the Department of Commerce and airlines not to make the same mistake the online home delivery must be reg- the district administration offices reg- again. istered, all the details of the delivery ularly, with or without notice. Air Arabia was made to pay the POST FILE PHOTO people and their vehicles must be pre- On Wednesday and Thursday last hotel quarantine charges of the 142 The Nepal Army has been tasked with checking passengers and taking them to holding centres before sending them to their destinations. sented to the respective district week, the police rounded up several passengers carrying negative PCR test administration offices, details of their delivery people after Chief District reports as a penalty. humanitarian grounds as they have Airlines breaking any rule and rule, Tribhuvan International Airport customers—name, phone numbers Officer of Kathmandu Janak Raj Again on August 28, nine of the 148 come to Nepal due to family problems, bringing people without PCR test officials summoned all international and their proper address—must be Dahal said they were not allowed to passengers arriving on a Silk Air according to Nepal Airlines. results will have to bear all quaran- airlines representatives on Thursday presented if asked. operate when the prohibition orders flight from Singapore were found not “The rest were sent to hotel quaran- tine expenses of all passengers, and warned them to abide by the gov- On August 30, the district adminis- were in place. Following the curb on to have a PCR test report. tine,” said Paudel. according to the cabinet decision. ernment decision strictly, said Deo tration office of Kathmandu had their operations, the companies had “As per government directives, we An unnamed airport official told Archana Khadka, spokesperson for Chandra Lal Karna, spokesperson for formed a five-member study team led urged him to allow their business as sent all the passengers to hotel quar- the Post that tensions ran high on Nepal Airlines Corporation, said that the airport. by Assistant Chief District Officer they were ready to follow all necessary antine. They will undergo PCR tests Wednesday evening when all passen- it was a mistake on their part and the “Violation of the rule has worried Janak Bhatta with the representatives health protocols. on Friday, and based on the test gers started to scold the passenger airline will pay all costs. “We know all employees and security officials at of the Health Ministry, Department of But Dahal refused, saying that they reports, they will be allowed to go to with the RDT report. about the government’s decision and the airport.” Commerce, Supplies and Consumer did not have proper standards and their respective destinations,” Nepal “The female passenger carrying the we have circulated it to all airports Although Nepal has implemented a Protection Management, Nepal Police monitoring mechanisms. Army Spokesperson Brigadier RDT report was stressed after being that we fly to. It was a human error on stringent rule to prevent the coronavi- and Traffic Police. With the new provi- The standard will also be imple- General Santosh Ballav Paudel told rebuked by her fellow passengers the Japan flight.” rus from entering the country, sion in place, hotels and restaurants mented in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur the Post. since they all had to stay in a hotel for An airport official said that Nepal some officials said that no mandatory can now sell their packed food prod- districts with or without revisions. The Nepal Army has been tasked more than a week,” the official Airlines had not appointed an airport provisions were set for departing ucts through home delivery. “We have sent its copy to both dis- with checking arriving passengers said. “But actually it was the airline’s manager at Narita International passengers. The online home delivery services tricts. They can implement the same and taking them to holding centres mistake.” Airport in Japan and all responsibili- Recently, a charter flight from Sri were opened citing international prac- or with some revisions if necessary,” before sending them to their destina- That mistake cost Nepal Airlines ty had been entrusted to the local Lanka landed in Kathmandu to pick tice and widespread criticism from said Bhatta. tions. “The airline will pay all costs as nearly Rs1.5 million in hotel and PCR ground handling staff. “As a result, the up its stranded citizens. “There was per the government decision,” he said. test charges. problem appeared.” confusion at the airport as to whether The issue does not end here. On On August 21, the cabinet decided Khadka said PCR tests of the pas- passengers entering the airport and Wednesday, a Nepal Airlines flight that people coming to Nepal must pro- sengers would be conducted and other flying out would require negative from Japan landed in Kathmandu at duce an RT-PCR test report conducted passengers released. But an official at PCR test reports,” said an airport 5:30 pm with 115 passengers on board. in the last 72 hours, proof of advance the Civil Aviation Ministry told the official. “It’s not compulsory in Sri Among them, two had test reports but hotel booking for seven days, and a Post that it was not possible as all pas- Lanka, and the airline did not ask pas- they were in Japanese while another barcode or print copy of the form they sengers had to complete the mandato- sengers to get tested before boarding passenger had brought an RDT report, have to fill up by retrieving it from the ry hotel quarantine. the flight.” according to Paudel. website of the Covid Crisis “There is no excuse at all.” The pas- Karna said that the issue had been One passenger who was attached to Management Centre (ccmc.gov.np). sengers have to spend at least seven communicated to the government. a diplomatic mission was released as The government has also restricted days in the hotel after which their The Nepal government does not POST FILE PHOTO its responsibility, and nine others passengers with and without PCR test PCR tests will be conducted. require passengers flying out of The quality and other protocols of the delivery service will be monitored by the Department of were sent to home quarantine on results from flying on the same flight. As airlines continued to flout the Kathmandu to submit PCR reports. Commerce and the district administration offices regularly, with or without notice.

FOREX World food price index India’s services activity falls for sixth US Dollar 117.86

Euro 139.24 Pound Sterling 156.20 rises for third month month in August, job losses mount Japanese Yen 11.06 REUTERS emas, restaurants and hotels. Chinese Yuan 17.23 running in August BENGALURU, SEPT 3 Expectations for A Reuters poll showed the Indian economy is likely to suffer its worst Qatari Riyal 32.37 Activity in India’s crippled services future business 12-month performance since 1979 for Australian Dollar 85.86 REUTERS crop damage in Iowa. industry fell for a sixth straight month the fiscal year that ends March 2021, ROME, SEPT 3 The vegetable oil price index in August as coronavirus restrictions activity gave contracting 6.0 percent, pushing mil- Malaysian Ringit 28.42 climbed 5.9 percent month-on-month, continued to hurt business operations lions more into poverty. World food prices rose for a third returning to around the levels regis- and demand, causing the longest little hope for a Although improved from July, Saudi Arab Riyal 31.43 month running in August, led by tered when the coronavirus crisis hit streak of job losses on record, an sub-indexes tracking domestic and Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank coarse grains, vegetable oils and the world at the start of the year. industry survey showed. turnaround soon. foreign demand remained firmly in sugar, the United Nations food agency Palm oil was buoyed by expected Thursday’s survey adds to the contraction territory, leading firms to Shares said on Thursday. output slowdowns in major producing gloom in the service sector, an engine reduce their workforce for the sixth The Food and Agriculture countries, which, combined with firm of economic growth and jobs, suggest- of closure and ongoing lockdown straight month, the longest streak on Nepse 1,510.42pts -0.01% Organization’s food price index, which global import demand, were expected ing a long and painful road to recovery restrictions in both domestic and for- record. Expectations for future busi- measures monthly changes for a bas- to result in lower inventory levels. after the economy shrank nearly a eign markets have weighed heavily on ness activity gave little hope for an HIGHEST LOSERS ket of cereals, oilseeds, dairy prod- Average sugar prices rose 6.7 per- quarter in April-June. the health of the industry.” imminent turnaround as service PPCL HPPL NGPL HIDCL SHPC KPCL -6.99% -6.21% -5.59% -5.19% -4.76% -4.76% ucts, meat and sugar, averaged 96.1 cent from July, reflecting forecasts of Although the Nikkei/IHS Markit Hoping to avert more serious firms gave a neutral outlook for the points last month versus 94.3 in July. a reduction in production due to unfa- Services Purchasing Managers’ Index economic damage, the government next 12 months. MODERATE LOSERS The Rome-based FAO also said in a vourable weather conditions in the increased to 41.8 in August from July’s has said it planned to reopen under- A composite index, which measures RRHP BPCL SJCL API HURJA NHPC -4.31% -4.01% -3.85% -3.79% -3.74% -3.28% statement that worldwide cereal har- European Union and Thailand. Strong 34.2, it remained well below the ground train networks and allow both services and factory activity, vests remained on course to hit an import demand in China also helped 50-mark separating growth from con- sports and religious events in a improved to 46.0 in August from July’s MODERATE GAINERS annual record in 2020. push prices higher. By contrast, the traction. limited manner despite coronavirus 37.2, cushioned by a better manufac- BARUN SIFC NBF2 PMHPL NTC MPFL 3.77% 3.9% 3.98% 4.3% 4.79% 5.77% The agency’s cereal price index rose dairy index was little changed on the August was the sixth straight month cases growing at the fastest rate turing performance, but remained

HIGHEST GAINERS 1.9 percent in August from the month month, with falls in cheese and whole the index was sub-50, the longest in the world’s second-most populous well below the neutral 50.0 level. ALBSL GHL JOSHI NRN AKPL USLB before and 7 percent above its value a milk powder offset by stronger butter such stretch since a 10-month run to country. On the price front, both input costs 6.18% 7.46% 9.09% 9.82% 9.87% 9.92% year earlier. and skim milk quotations. April 2014. Amid the raging pandemic, even if and prices charged rose in August, Among the major cereals, sorghum, The meat index was also largely “August highlights another month restrictions are eased, economic activ- suggesting Asia’s third-largest barley and rice prices rose the most, steady, with bovine and poultry prices of challenging operating conditions in ity is unlikely to quickly return to economy could enter a period of stag- FAO said. Maize also climbed strongly, in retreat while pig meat prices rose the Indian services sector,” Shreeya pre-Covid-19 levels as fear of getting flation—a phase with lofty inflation, PRICE PER TOLA BULLION pushed up by concerns over US pro- after four consecutive months of Patel, an economist at IHS Markit, infected will keep millions of people high unemployment and stagnant duction prospects following recent declines, as Chinese imports jumped. said in a release. “Sustained periods indoors, avoiding shopping malls, cin- demand. Fine Gold Rs 96,500 Silver Rs 1,345 SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA Thai Airways opens diner for customers craving in-flights meals GASOLINE WATCH REUTERS mation about the parts. Diner Kanta BANGKOK, SEPT 3 Akanitprachai, 50, liked the idea of a It is decorated with plane meal without having to buy a More than 100 diners craving in-flight flight ticket. meals after months of travel restric- airplane parts “I like the in-flight meals on Thai tions flocked to Thai Airways and seats to lend Airways, but we only get to have it International Pcl’s offices on Thursday when we fly,” said Kanta. “Today we to try a new pop-up restaurant and get it an authentic get to have it here, that’s good because a reminder of the forgotten flavors of we want to eat.” on-board dining. aircraft feel. Varangkana said the restaurant, The national carrier, which has for which serves about 2,000 meals months grounded most of its planes, per day, was a way to recoup has transformed the cafeteria of its meet cabin crew, who greet them in some lost revenue during the Bangkok headquarters into an air- full uniform as they enter the restau- coronavirus pandemic, and there line-themed restaurant and opened it rant. It is decorated with airplane are plans to turn other Thai to the public. parts and seats to lend it an authentic Airways offices into similar dining “I ate a lot,” said Pirachat aircraft feel. experiences. Pengthongworrapetch, 36, who heard “Spare parts from engines, windows Chefs and cabin crew from the air- about the restaurant online. “It’s bet- and fan blades were used as furni- line, which filed for bankruptcy pro- ter here than in the air because it’s ture,” Thai Airways Catering tection in May, appeared in good spir- cooked to order.” Managing Director Varangkana REUTERS its. Japanese chef Jun Uenishi said Thailand has halted commercial Luerojvong told Reuters. Customers sit in a first class raw set for taking pictures only inside a Thai Airways pop-up the experience was different because flights to try to prevent coronavirus Each decoration has a QR code airplane-themed restaurant at the airlines headquarters with onboard meals prepared by their it was his first time interacting with infections. But diners can still get to attached so visitors can look up infor- chefs in Bangkok, Thailand on Thursday. customers.

C M Y K FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 | 06 WORLD

BRIEFING India steps up scrutiny of Chinese Court acquits media tycoon HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court declared media tycoon and pro-de- influence group mocracy activist Jimmy Lai not guilty of criminal intimidation on REUTERS Thursday, ending one several cases NEW DELHI, SEPT 3 against him after his high-profile arrest last month under a new nation- India has ordered tougher scrutiny of al security law. Thursday’s verdict visa requests by a Chinese non-profit was for a case that dates back to 2017 headed by a senior official of the rul- and was unrelated to his arrest. Lai, ing communist party, designating it as who is a key critic of Beijing, had an entity of concern in a broader used foul language when confronting security sweep, sources involved in a reporter from Oriental Daily News, the matter say. a major competitor to Lai’s tabloid The closer monitoring of the Apple Daily. Police however only Chinese Association for International charged him in February this year. Understanding (CAIFU) comes at a The mainland-born media magnate time when India and China are locked had pleaded not guilty. in their most serious border dispute in more than half a century. This week India expanded a ban on Typhoon hits South Korea China’s mobile apps in a new move to SEOUL: A powerful typhoon ripped counter its dominant position in inter- through South Korea’s southern and net services, following tighter approv- eastern coasts with tree-snapping al norms for investment by its firms, winds and flooding rains Thursday, and tougher rules for companies join- knocking out power to more than ing in government tenders. 270,000 homes and leaving at least Its latest step also follows tougher one person dead. Typhoon Maysak scrutiny of Chinese cultural and lan- had weakened to a tropical storm guage institutions such as Confucius that was east of North Korea around Institutes in the United States and midday, South Korea’s weather agen- partnerships in Australia. cy said. North Korean state TV showed flooding along the eastern coast but didn’t immediately report The move comes as any casualties. Japan’s coast guard was searching for a livestock ship India and China are carrying 42 crew members and AP/RSS 5,800 cows that made a distress call A Palestinian fisherman fixes a fishing net after a night fishing trip, in the Gaza Seaport, on Thursday. Israel reopened a 25-km fishing zone off Gaza’s coast after an locked in the most off a southern Japanese island in agreement through international mediators to end the latest round of cross-border violence between Hamas and Israel. seas roughened by the typhoon serious border early Wednesday. dispute in decades. Blaze reined in on supertanker COLOMBO/NEW DELHI: A fire that broke Indian officials say the well-re- Beijing resumes international flights as sourced Beijing-based group is tied to out on a fully loaded supertanker off the east coast of Sri Lanka has been the Communist Party Central brought under control, spokesmen for Committee’s United Front Work the navy of the Indian Ocean nation Department, which runs influence said on Thursday, adding that one of India sets single-day spike record again operations outside China by cultivat- its 23 crew was missing and another ing leaders, members of think tanks injured. The New Diamond, a very and the media. large crude carrier (VLCC) chartered China has gone weeks without new cases of local infection and the 11 new cases recorded Thursday were all imported. In an internal memo, the Indian by Indian Oil Corp (IOC), was carry- government has listed the body as an ing the equivalent of about 2 million cases recorded Thursday were all part in the city’s mass testing pro- entity of concern, signalling that its barrels of oil, Refinitiv data showed. imported. gram that began Tuesday. Four of the activities could run counter to nation- “Our personnel on the scene are Meanwhile, India registered a six people were previous coronavirus al interests, said two officials aware of reporting that the fire on board the record single-day spike of 83,883 new patients who were discharged last the matter. New Diamond is under control,” a cases, driving the country overall tally month and still carried traces of the The new category means that the navy spokesman, Captain Indika de to 3.85 million. The Health Ministry virus when they were tested. As of body’s representatives, or groups it Silva, told Reuters. “There is no dam- on Thursday also reported 1,043 Thursday, 850,000 people in the city of backs, will face a security clearance age to the cargo area, only the engine deaths in the past 24 hours, taking 7.5 million have registered to take procedure before visas can be issued, room and some areas around it. total fatalities up to 67,376. India has part in the weeklong free testing pro- said the officials, who sought anonym- There were 23 crew on board. We been reporting the highest daily gram aimed at identifying silent carri- ity because they were not authorised are bringing one injured crew increases for more than three weeks. ers of the virus. The low number of to speak in public. member to Sri Lanka on board one of The ministry said the country’s fatali- positive cases has drawn criticism “Visa requests will be looked at very our vessels.” (AGENCIES) ty rate had declined to 1.76 percent that the testing program is not cost-ef- closely, whether it is think-tankers, and its deaths per million population fective, amid privacy concerns and businessmen,” one of them added. was “one of the lowest in the world.” fears that DNA data could be sent to China’s Foreign Ministry said the Experts say deaths could be substan- mainland China. association, headed by Ji Bingxuan, tially undercounted in several states. Coronavirus infections surged in vice chair of China’s largely rubber South Korea reported its first drop Hong Kong in early July. At its peak, stamp parliament, the National Kremlin tells West below 200 new coronavirus cases in the territory recorded more than 100 People’s Congress, was a non-profit more than two weeks, but the coun- locally transmitted cases a day, after engaged in friendly interaction with not to rush to judge try’s strained hospitals were treating going weeks without any in June. social bodies from all countries. more seriously ill patients after the Tough restrictions were imposed, “It aims to promote mutual under- AP/RSS prolonged recent surge in infections. including limiting restaurant din- standing and friendship between the it on Navalny as Workers sanitise a metro coach in New Delhi, India, on Thursday. Delhi Metro will open its Thursday’s increase of 195 new ing-in hours and shuttering bars and Chinese people and people from all services in a phased manner from Sept 7 even as India has been reporting the highest cases, the first daily increase below karaoke lounges, and cases have stead- over the world, including India,” a single-day caseload in the world every day for more than three weeks. 200 in 17 days, indicated the country ily dwindled. ministry representative said in sanctions talk starts was beginning to see the effects of Apart from the six people who test- response to a Reuters query. ASSOCIATED PRESS roughly 500 per day during a trial peri- stringent social distancing restric- ed positive in the mass testing pro- “It also strives to promote the REUTERS BEIJING, SEPT 3 od and all will need to undergo addi- tions recently imposed in the greater gram, Hong Kong reported eight other exchange between cultures and civili- MOSCOW/BERLIN, SEPT 3 tional testing for the virus on arrival, capital area. coronavirus infections on Thursday. It sations.” Organisations such as the Beijing’s main international airport followed by two weeks of quarantine. However, the number of patients in has confirmed a total of 4,839 cases, India-China Economic and Cultural Russia said on Thursday the West on Thursday began receiving interna- The first flight under the arrange- serious or critical condition with including 93 deaths. Council based in Beijing that have should not rush to judge it over the tional flights again from a limited ment, Air China Flight 746, arrived active Covid-19 increased to 154, com- Australia’s hot spot Victoria state been sponsoring visas for CAIFU will poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei number of countries considered at from Pnom Penh, Cambodia, just pared to 14 on Aug. 14 when the coun- on Thursday recorded its second con- also be subject to security clearances. Navalny and said there were no low risk of coronavirus infection. before 7 am. try began what’s now a 21-day run in secutive day of increased Covid-19 India’s home and the foreign minis- grounds to accuse it of the crime, as Passengers flying in from Cambodia, Beginning in March, all interna- triple-digit daily jumps in infections. cases. The state health department try did not respond to a request from talk in the West of punishing Moscow Greece, Denmark, Thailand, Pakistan, tional flights to Beijing had been redi- The country has added more than said there had been 113 new infections Reuters for comment. intensified. Austria, Canada and Sweden must rected to a dozen other cities where 5,800 newly ill people to its caseload and 15 deaths in the latest 24-hour “We do know that the government is Moscow was speaking a day after have first shown a negative coronavi- passengers were tested and processed during the streak, raising fears about period. There were 90 new infections looking at various China-related out- German Chancellor Angela Merkel rus test before boarding, city govern- before being allowed to travel on to the overwhelmed hospitals. and six deaths recorded on Wednesday. fits operating in India,” said Jayadeva said Navalny had been poisoned with ment spokesperson Xu Hejian told Chinese capital. Hong Kong says just six people have There were only 70 new Covid-19 Ranade, a China specialist formerly a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent in reporters. China has gone weeks without new tested positive for the coronavirus out cases on Tuesday, the lowest tally with the Research and Analysis Wing, an attempt to murder him and that she Passenger arrivals will be limited to cases of local infection and the 11 new of 128,000 residents who have taken since June. India’s external intelligence service. would consult NATO allies about how to respond. Navalny, 44, is an outspoken oppo- nent of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has specialised in high-im- pact investigations into official cor- Pakistan’s online agony aunt is tearing down taboos ruption. He was airlifted to Germany last month after collapsing on a domestic Russian flight after drinking AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE the real world. One of the most dis- mus, which helped others identify a cup of tea that his allies said was LAHOR, SEPT 3 cussed topics is domestic violence, their own symptoms. poisoned. Berlin’s Charite hospital, which is common in the patriarchal Ahmed says she lost a family friend which is treating Navalny, has said he “Women in Pakistan are really, really country. to breast cancer after the disease went remains in a serious condition in an strong. We have a voice. We just don’t Data from the Human Rights undiagnosed and untreated for too intensive care unit connected to an have enough spaces to use that voice,” Commission of Pakistan and the long because she was “too ashamed to artificial lung ventilator even though says Kanwal Ahmed, an agony aunt to Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences talk about her body with anyone.” some of his symptoms are receding. some 260,000, determined to change suggests 90 percent of women in “This isn’t a new story. This is some- Novichok is the same substance the situation. Pakistan have experienced some form thing that happens to a lot of women,” that Britain said was used against a Her female-only online hub sees tra- of domestic abuse. Ahmed insists. Russian double agent and his daugh- ditionally taboo topics such as sex, Ahmed says many people do not The group provides a welcome res- ter in an attack in England in 2018. divorce, and domestic violence dis- take the problem seriously—even pite for its members, who frequently The deadly group of nerve agents was cussed freely in a conservative coun- when wives confide in other family face online abuse when they post pub- developed by the Soviet military in the try where there are few avenues for members about abuse. licly, and encourages women to share 1970s and 1980s. women to discuss personal problems. “It is very common for them to be success stories as well as problems. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov “I wanted it to be the kind of place told that they are being too sensitive But the diverse narratives have also said Moscow rejected any suggestion where women really opened up with- or to compromise. They aren’t given brought a range of criticism. that Russia had been behind the attack out the fear of being attacked or har- other options,” Ahmed explains, add- Ahmed has been accused of promot- on Navalny and warned other coun- assed or judged,” Ahmed, explains of ing that women should not have to ing divorce and “wild” behaviour, tries against jumping to conclusions her Soul Sisters Pakistan network on bear abuse for any reason. even as more progressive voices have without knowing the full facts. Facebook. According to the UN, Pakistan has a slammed the group for allowing con- “There are no grounds to accuse the The former make-up artist spotted lack of access to affordable services in servative views to be shared. Russian state. And we are not inclined the need for a safe space after spend- “sectors such as health, police, justice Her work is challenged from to accept any accusations in this ing time soothing nervous brides as and social support” to ensure female “almost every angle”, Ahmed says, respect,” Peskov told reporters. they confided in her from the salon safety and protection. pointing to an element of internalised “Of course we would not want our chair. Soul Sisters offers informal help to misogyny among some members. partners in Germany and other The 31-year-old says her group is users, ranging from legal advice to But she says her aim is not to “serve AFP/RSS European countries to hurry with somewhere women can “talk about emotional support from other mem- a small niche”, rather to shatter stere- Kanwal Ahmed founded a female-only online hub where traditionally taboo topics such as sex, their assessments.” things that they weren’t supposed to bers, who call themselves Soulies. A otypes and break norms. divorce, and domestic violence are discussed freely in Pakistan. Russian prosecutors have said they talk about in society” because they are recent thread, #MyBodyIsNotASecret, “If people were already well aware, see no reason to launch a criminal deemed inappropriate or shameful. underlines the changing norms of a we wouldn’t need spaces like this. It’s seen membership swell. win a wider audience—with each investigation into the Navalny case In 2018, Facebook selected Ahmed generation that has seen the global exhausting, frustrating and takes We “just try to tell the women to be episode getting hundreds of thou- because they say they have found no as one of 115 “Community Leaders” impact of the #MeToo movement, pro- every drop of my strength to keep who they are, to not be ashamed of sands of viewers. sign a crime was committed against using the social network to help oth- gress in body positivity, and a back- continuing. being themselves, to speak their The coronavirus pandemic has halt- him, though preliminary checks are ers. Chosen from a pool of 6,000 appli- lash against traditional beauty stand- “But every time someone changes minds,” she says. ed production and Ahmed recently continuing. cants, she received a grant to further ards and colourism. their mind or we get success stories— Splinter groups have struggled to moved to Canada so the programme is “We must pursue hard politics, we develop her project. “There is a lot of shame associated instant gratification!” she tweeted achieve a fraction of Soul Sisters on hiatus. But she is committed to must respond with the only language Soul Sisters Pakistan members say with a woman’s body, with the general recently. Pakistan’s success or reach—she says challenging a society “scared of Putin understands - that is gas sales,” they can speak openly about issues— bodily functions even. They are not Ahmed and her team try to handle there are three to six million conversa- women with a voice”. Norbert Roettgen, head of Germany’s such as maternal and mental health, talked about,” Ahmed says. conflicts sensitively—allowing a tions on the site each month. She adds: “The lack of acknowl- parliamentary foreign affairs commit- body image and reproductive rights— One member shared her struggle wide range of views to foster dialogue Ahmed used her Facebook grant to edgement about issues women face in tee, told German radio. with a candour that is impossible in with the medical condition vaginis- and debate—an approach that has launch an online talk show in a bid to society is horrific.”

C M Y K 07 | FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Djokovic through as women’s top seed Pliskova crashes out Neymar among three PSG stars to test Covid-19 positive Serb extended his undefeated run to 25 matches in the year while world number 3 Czech Pliskova was stunned in straight sets by French world number 50 Caroline Garcia. PARIS: Neymar is one of three Paris AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE explaining a footwear change during Saint-Germain stars to have contract- NEW YORK, SEPT 3 the match. “I needed to go from the ed the coronavirus, a well-placed dry tires to the wet tires a little bit.” source told AFP on Wednesday, after Novak Djokovic overcame an early Belgian seventh seed David Goffin the Champions League runners-up scare to move into the third round of also progressed as the top seeds con- announced several positive tests. the US Open on Wednesday but top tinue to dominate at the Billie Jean “Three Paris Saint-Germain players women’s seed Karolina Pliskova King National Tennis Center. have confirmed positive Sars CoV2 crashed out in the tournament’s first In the women’s draw, 2018 champion tests and are subject to the appropri- shock. Naomi Osaka sailed into the third ate health protocol,” PSG said in a Djokovic extended an undefeated round, dismantling Italy’s Camila statement. “All of the players and run in 2020 to 25 matches as Pliskova Giorgi 6-1, 6-2 in just 1 hour 9 minute. coaching staff will continue to under- was stunned in straight sets by Sixth seed Petra Kvitova vanquished go tests in the coming days.” When France’s Caroline Garcia, the world Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine 7-6 (7/3), contacted by AFP, the club declined to number 50. World number one 6-2 while Germany’s Angelique Kerber confirm the identity of the players in Djokovic dropped the first against beat compatriot Anna-Lena Friedsam question. But the source replied “yes” Britain’s Kyle Edmund but rallied to in straight sets. The 17th seed won 6-3, when asked if Neymar was one of progress 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 inside a 7-6 (8/6) in one hour 40 minutes inside those to test positive, along with subdued, spectator-free Arthur Ashe Louis Armstrong Stadium. teammates Angel Di Maria and Stadium at Flushing Meadows. Also in the women’s event, unseed- Leandro Paredes, as had earlier been “I’m really glad having an early ed Russian Varvara Gracheva dumped reported by French sports daily kind of tough match because it kind out French 30th seed Kristina L’Equipe. of serves me better I think for the rest Mladenovic 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-0. of the tournament,” said Djokovic. Mladenovic’s exit came after a remark- The Serbian superstar is looking to able collapse. The Frenchwoman led Brazil announces equal pay for close the gap on Roger Federer and 6-1, 5-1 and failed to convert four match men’s and women’s teams Rafael Nadal, both absent from points as Gracheva came roaring back LONDON: The Brazilian Football Flushing Meadows, in the race for the to win. “I just collapsed,” a gloomy Confederation (CBF) said on all-time men’s Slam singles title Mladenovic said afterwards. “I had Wednesday that its men’s and record. The 33-year-old—who won an nothing left in the tank.” women’s national football teams eighth Australian Open title in The US Open is taking place in a will receive equal pay and prize February—is on 17, with Nadal on 19 spectator-free bubble, resulting in a money. “There is no more gender and Federer on 20. staid atmosphere in contrast with the difference, the CBF is treating men Pliskova—the 28-year-old world usual frenetic energy that pervades and women equally,” CBF chief number three from the Czech the grounds of the tennis center dur- Rogerio Caboclo said in statement. Republic—suffered a miserable 1-6, 6-7 ing Open week. The CBF said that it had also exit to a confident Garcia who rushed Game-winning points are being met appointed two women’s football to a 5-0 lead in the first set. Pliskova AP/RSS with the odd clap from coaches and coordinators, Duda Luizelli and said her defeat was nothing to do with Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic returns to Caroline Garcia of France in the US Open tennis championships in New York on Wednesday. admiring glances from rival players Aline Pellegrino. Pay disparity being elevated to the top of the draw watching from their own personal between men’s and women’s profes- after a host of high-ranking withdraw- Wednesday, fourth seed Stefanos is was great for me,” he said. ble faults against a player ranked 223 suites in Arthur Ashes. sional football players has been in als over coronavirus fears. “No, zero Tsitsipas of Greece defeated American Earlier fifth seed Alexander Zverev inside an empty but and humid Louis Crowd noise is piped-in between the spotlight since the United States pressure from this for me. This is Maxime Cressy 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 6-4 in his defeated American wildcard Brandon Armstrong Stadium to move into sets while images of spectators cheer- women’s team sued the governing nothing to do with my loss today,” she first runout on the famous Ashe court. Nakashima in a far from smooth 7-5, round three. ing from their sofas at home are body US Soccer last year alleging sniffed. “It would have been even better with 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, 6-1 win. The world num- “I was sweating through my shoes, shown on “fan cams” around the gender discrimination in earnings Elsewhere in the men’s draw fans but getting a first taste of what it ber seven traded 24 aces with 10 dou- which is unusual,” said Zverev, Arthur Ashe court. and working conditions. The team’s claims were dismissed by a court in May and a bid to immediately appeal the decision was denied. The Brazil women’s team reached the World No agreement between Messi Cup final in 2007 and Olympic Vacancy for cricket coach announced finals in 2004 and 2008. SPORTS BUREAU Thailand in February and March on a between CAN and Rajput was not suc- and Barcelona, says reports KATHMANDU, SEPT 3 temporary basis. cessful. Manchester United sign Patwa was hired by National Sports According to CAN insiders, the REUTERS Messi, unhappy at his team’s failure to National cricket governing body Council in coordination with cricket governing body is expecting Dutch midfielder Van de Beek BARCELONA, SEPT 3 win any silverware last season and Cricket Association of Nepal International Cricket Council for a foreign coach for the job. MANCHESTER: Manchester United have humiliated by an 8-2 Champions has announced vacancies for five year in June 2019 as CAN had been As per the vacancy announcement, signed Netherlands midfielder Donny Lionel Messi’s father and agent met League thrashing by Bayern Munich, different positions on Thursday suspended by the world cricket gov- the applicant for a coach must be male van de Beek from Ajax Amsterdam Barcelona club president Josep Maria told the club last week that he wanted including national men’s team head erning body since April 2016 owing to and below 60-year age, have at least on a five-year contract, the Premier Bartomeu on Wednesday to discuss to leave. coach. government interference and exist- England and Wales Cricket Board’s or League club said on Wednesday. the player’s wish to leave the club but The Argentine insists he has a In a vacancy announced Thursday ence of dual cricket governing bodies Cricket Australia’s Level 3 coaching Financial details of the deal were not the talks ended in stalemate, Spanish clause in his contract that allows him CAN has called for applications for in the country. certificate, which is the highest level, disclosed but British media reported media reported. to leave on a free transfer - a claim the posts of its general manager, The suspension was partially lifted or equivalent. that United paid an initial fee of 35 Earlier, Jorge Messi said it would be disputed by Barcelona and La Liga, chief finance officer, cricket manager by the ICC in October last year follow- The applicant also must have million pounds ($47 million) for the “difficult” for his son to remain with who say he can only leave if a rival and seven local coaches – one each for ing the election at CAN under the at least three years of coaching 23-year-old. Having joined Ajax at the Barcelona, the only club he has ever club is willing to pay a 700 million the seven provinces. The vacancies international governing body’s experience coaching ICC full member, age of 11, Van de Beek scored 41 goals played for professionally. The meeting euro buyout clause. will be open until September 23. supervision. first-class team, ICC associate and provided 34 assists in 175 appear- lasted one-and-a-half hours and was “I don’t know, I know nothing,” The position of the national men’s The latest vacancies announcement member, national team or internation- ances in all competitions and helped held in a cordial atmosphere, accord- Messi’s father told Spanish TV chan- cricket team had been vacant since after approval from ICC. al league and have understanding them win the Dutch league title in ing to media reports including sports nel Cuatro after flying in on a private Indian coach Umesh Patwal resigned According to the CAN, the vacan- of cricketing culture, pathway 2018-19. United have also been linked dailies Marca and Mundo Deportivo. jet. Pressed if it would be hard for him in February after Nepal’s home match- cies will also be placed at the ICC’s and ODI cycle of associate member with Borussia Dortmund winger They said Bartomeu sees Messi as a to remain, he said “yes”, and asked es against USA and Oman played in and Asian Cricket Council’s websites. team. Jadon Sancho but the German club key part of Barca’s plans to rebuild how he sees Messi’s future at Kirtipur. Since Patwalleft another Indian While the applicants for the other have ruled out the possibility of the under new coach Ronald Koeman. Barcelona, he replied “difficult, diffi- After Patwal’s departure Jagat national, Lalchand Rajput, was widely positions must be Nepali citizens, 20-year-old England international There was no comment from the club. cult”. Messi missed Barcelona’s medi- Tamata led Nepali team to ACC expected to take over the job of the there is no nationality bar for the posi- leaving. (AGENCIES) Six-times world player of the year cal on Sunday. Eastern Region T20 Qualifiers in head coach. But the negotiation tion of head coach. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) *** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** Why are you doubting other people’s truthfulness Money issues could be swirling around you all You have a bit too much on your plate right now. Try You might need to make a big decision right now, right now? When they say they will be there to help day, and it won’t be clear until late in the day to let go of some of it today. Part of the stress you are whether you’re ready or not. The universe has given you, they will be! You cannot doubt that you will get whether you’re over or under your target. Just in going through is self-inflicted. If you can get your- you little tests and ideas along the way. Have you all of the support you need, because if you do, then case, try to curb all spending unless it is absolutely self to see things in a more carefree way, you will been paying attention? There’s a difference between you might create a self-fulfilling prophecy. necessary. start to feel more carefree overall. talking about things and taking action.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) **** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** If you have been struggling to find a way to address Now is a good time to think about renewal in your In a delicate negotiation today, there may be an unex- Sometimes your brilliance is the product of hard a sensitive issue with a powerful person, today you life. A few old relationships that you think are over pected sticking point that involves some humorous work and exhaustive thinking. But sometimes, like could get the kick in the pants you need. Someone actually still have plenty of life left in them. Take a issues. Let your sense of humor guide the discussion today, it comes seemingly out of nowhere! Your you don’t know very well could serve as inspiration, chance and send out a feeler or two today, either in in your favour. Isn’t it great that you have a sharper insights are unlike any others today, so don’t be shy so follow their actions and do as they do. the form of an e-mail or a phone call. wit than most people? about sharing them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) *** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) **** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Your gift for gab is legendary. Conversations about Getting organised doesn’t have to be an excruciating Today your ideas are so plentiful and fast-forming If you feel frustrated that someone isn’t saying what anything from the weather to your deepest hopes and chore, and it doesn’t have to take a long time either. that it could be difficult to communicate clearly. If you want to hear, the problem could be you. Why are dreams are going to keep you interested, intrigued, Just find one of your more methodical friends and you really want to convey meaning, you’ll have to you putting so many expectations on this thing? and popular. This is a great day to talk to anyone you ask them to show you their tricks and techniques for play the part of a slang interpreter to help people Don’t push further with this agenda, because it’s not can, and don’t just limit yourself keeping the chaos of life at bay. understand the shorthand you’re using. based on anything real. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 The thin line between artistic homage and cultural appropriation When it comes to exercising creative freedom on digital platforms, what are the limitations—particularly when it comes to cultural references?

SHASHWAT PANT but from people who claim to be. An KATHMANDU example he says can be seen on the trailer of his animated movie Majipa:Lakhey. n May, Utsav Dev Manandhar, a “They’ve been targeting me too with computer engineering student, cur- some baseless accusations. But I don’t rently studying at Southern Illinois care about such comments,” says University in the US, started a pro- Sanyukta. ject. He decided to create a game Developing a game related to Nepali that would pay homage to culture isn’t something new. In fact, there IKathmandu’s culture and heritage. And are games, like Sanyukta’s Save Your as Yenya:, more commonly known as Yomari, which he has been developing for Indra Jatra, is one of the grandest festi- the past two years, that can be used as a vals of the Newa people of Kathmandu medium to teach young people about cul- and was just around the corner, he decid- ture. For instance, Sanyukta’s game ed to use two of the festival’s most iconic teaches children the history of Yomari (a motifs—Majipa Lakhey and Pulukisi—to sweet dish made with rice flour and make an endless runner game, similar to molasses), how it’s made and its the popular Temple Run. significance in Newa homes. Every year, Manandhar set himself a four-month hundreds of children play the game and deadline and during that time worked after playing the game, actually make around 600 hours researching and learn- yomaris along with their parents, says ing how to use different software in order Sanyukta. to complete the game on time. He regular- Coming to Manandhar’s game, Sanyukta ly posted updates on his Instagram page says that the Lakhey culture is as much Mandhu Studios, to keep people more theirs as it is his or even any other Nepali engaged about the game and was getting a outside the Newa community. He says that lot of positive comments. it is a world heritage and not a single indi- But on the eve of the launch, vidual or team’s copyright. Manandhar decided against launching But Sanyukta says that despite the pop- his game. A few weeks prior, he had start- ularity his game has received, he still has ed getting many negative comments on gotten repeated comments on social social media, passively threatening him media telling him that they have to seek for using cultural elements in a game. permission from the guthi to host any “I got messages stating that I was event in the UK. wrong to use Lakhey and Pulukisi in a “People I don’t know or who they are game,” says the 21-year-old. “But my associated with send messages and com- intentions were not to disrespect our cul- ments on the issue. One even wrote that ture. It was to promote it in a different they’ll file a copyright lawsuit because we manner.” observed Indra Jatra in London,” says Not wanting to hurt the sentiments of Sakyukta. the people who had been involved in the “As an artist, writer and free thinker, I preservation of the Majipa Lakhey for always encourage all other youth not to over a century, he decided to take a step be influenced by such pressures and back with the game. carry on with all honesty and conviction “It was obviously disappointing. I’d in what they believe in.” spent four months doing this and when it Historian Sudarshan Raj Tiwari says was time for release I had to call it off. I that it’s better to keep away from things realised there was no point releasing it if that affect religious sentiments, especial- people didn’t like it,” says Manadhar. “I ly during a time when people are understand their perspective too and playing the identity politics card. But he respect their point of view on the issue.” says that if the motifs that are being used While this issue has been absolved with don’t paint a bad picture, it should be Manandhar choosing not to launch his allowed. game, it does raise a critical question: “If it does not affect the originality of when it comes to exercising creative free- the festival or misrepresent it, it shouldn’t dom, what are the limitations—particu- matter,” says Tiwari. “Because things like larly when it comes to cultural these can actually create mass awareness, references? PHOTOS COURTESY: UTSAV DEV MANANDHAR as it puts content out there for thousands The guthis associated with the Majipa Screenshots of the game Lakhe Rush developed by Utsav Dev Manandhar. The game developer decided against launching his game after he started to see. It can be a good education tool—if Lakhey and the Pulukisi, who Manandhar receiving dissauding messages on social media. done correctly.” contacted after receiving negative com- He further adds that some people can ments to get an understanding of their someone created about the Kumari a few they are neither the authority nor the see harm in some of the simplest things. perspective, believe the use of cultural months ago. Even that guy’s intention experts to decide what is good for crea- But he argues that people should point motifs should not have a place in games. was not bad. But a few people did misuse Earlier this year, an tive, digital platforms including the inter- out what mistakes were made or how it “They acknowledged my efforts, but the filter,” said Ranjit, pointing out to an pretations of the Lakhey culture,” says would be bad for the community or cul- they said that doing such things will only Instagram filter created by designer and Instagram filter Sanyukta. ture in general. cause problems in the future. They said comedian Ayush Shrestha. created by comedian But Ranjit does not agree with “Yes, they are stakeholders and that there were chances that it might be Ranjit further said that a game could be Sanyukta. “We’ve not said don’t make a have the right to take ownership, misused,” says Manandhar. developed with any character, then why Ayush Shrestha had game, just don’t put our god on it. If you but they need to be a bit open about They further told him that culture use one associated with a culture. “Our want to make something by putting a it too. Times have changed now,” says should not be promoted with the help of faith is very strong. And we strongly come under fire. Lakhey on it, come to us, talk about it and Tiwari. the game and a god shouldn’t be part of a believe that it should not be played with,” then make it. We don’t want factually But Manandhar has made his mind up. game. The head of the Majipa Lakhey says Ranjit. incorrect things to be put out there. You He says he doesn’t want to release the Guthi, Rajib Ranjit, appreciating But not all are on the same page. can make an animated video or a comic. game if people don’t like it. “I’ll make Manandhar’s work said that even though Sanyukta Shrestha, a game developer with his skills. We’ve never stopped people from doing some changes and try to launch it differ- his intentions might have been good, based in the United Kingdom, says that he “In my view, this is clearly an act of that,” says Ranjit. ently,” says Manandhar. “What this whole there were chances that people would was saddened by the news of a young bullying. Of course, the stakeholders of Sanyukta says that he says he too has issue has taught me is to stay away from misuse it. innovator like Manandhar dropping a Lakhey dance and Indra Jarta can have a been a victim of such comments in the cultural references when doing things “We saw what happened to the filter project for reasons that had little to do say on anything related to the culture but past, not directly from the Lakhey guthi like these.”

BTS on gaining respect in the US: ‘We definitely feel that’ Dynamite, the group’s first all-English song, debuted at No. 1 on the US music charts this week, making BTS the first Korean pop act to top the chart.

MESFIN FEKADU will be announced later this year. The show NEW YORK doesn’t have a K-pop category, and while there is a best world music album award, oud and happy screams erupt there isn’t a song category for world and in unison from the seven-mem- international music. Those songs, then, ber pop stars BTS when they would compete for best pop duo/group per- hear they have notched their formance—a highly competitive award first No. 1 hit on the all-genre reserved for big hits or collaborations fea- Billboard Hot 100 chart. turing uber-popular performers. L“DREAM,” yells band member RM. “It But the success of Dynamite could still doesn’t feel real,” adds SUGA, speak- explode into a Grammy nomination for ing in Korean through a translator. “We’re BTS. “The sheer thought of a nomination really happy.” is thrilling,” said j-hope. Dynamite, the group’s first all-English “I mean, we hope. We hope so,” said song, debuted at No. 1 on the US music RM. “No one knows about the Grammys charts this week, making BTS the first ... but we’re just doing our best.” Korean pop act to top the chart. The Though Dynamite has charted new ter- upbeat song even supplanted WAP, the ritory for BTS, the song wasn’t even sup- raunchy smash hit by Cardi B and Megan posed to be released, RM explained. BTS Thee Stallion, to claim the No. 1 position. had plans to tour but that changed due to “Never expected it,” RM tells The the coronavirus: “The pandemic blew Associated Press of beating WAP for the everything away.” top spot. “Never! It’s like the song of the So they recorded Dynamite to give year.” their die-hard fans, the BTS Army, “hope, But getting their first chart-topping positive energy,” RM said. track seemed inevitable for the K-pop boy “And we think that it really touched band, who have continued to find major their hearts.” success in the US in the last few years. The group, which includes Jin, V, They’ve had four albums top Billboard’s Jimin, and Jung Kook, says they’re busy 200 albums chart, they’ve achieved Top 10 recording a new album. They feel they successes on the Hot 100 with Boy With AP/RSS have grown in the seven years they’ve Luv, On and Fake Love, and in just min- Members of South Korean K-Pop group BTS appear during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, in 2019. been a musical group. utes they’ve sold out US football stadiums “We’ve matured musically, as well as in that some pop stars need to join forces to “I think in the perspective of culture, I It could also be time for BTS’ first the way we think. We’ve also developed a perform at. think it’s really important to be familiar. Grammy nomination. higher sense of responsibility. This has And even at US awards shows, they’ve So first, we think ... that for many “When we see (Western) artists ... get refined us and these developments are gone from winning honors like “top social Americans (they were) not familiar with At Sunday’s MTV nominated for Grammys, they would go: really being reflected in our artist” to being named best group and (us)—we look different, we (sing) differ- ‘Yeah! Yeah!’” said j-hope, standing up music and our dance,” j-hope said. best pop act, beating out Maroon 5, ent, we got some different choreography, Video Music Awards, from his chair and throwing a small The band members range from ages 23 Imagine Dragons, twenty one pilots, music videos, like everything, even life- punch in the air. to 27, and the youngest of clan, Jung Jonas Brothers and others. At Sunday’s style. But I think as time goes by, we’re the Korean band won “Like Travis Scott,” he continued. “The Kook, celebrated his birthday this week MTV Video Music Awards, they won all doing these shows and songs and concerts nomination is meaningful to even with some special news. four prizes they were nominated for. and awards, I think quite a lot of people all four prizes they (famous) people like that and to imagine “I received the news of our No. 1 on the When asked if BTS—who released in the American music market is getting, were nominated for. that we could be nominated for Grammy, Hot 100 chart on the day of my birthday, their debut single in 2013—felt like like, kind of close (to us),” he said. “I again, it would be such an honor and a so it was really one celebration over they’ve begun to earn more respect from think it’s very good and that’s what we great feeling.” another,” he said. “It was incredible.” the US, RM said: “We definitely feel that.” wanted actually.” Nominees for the 2021 Grammy Awards —Associated Press

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