• Kofi Annan's Visit • Sadbhavana 's Rally Ends • Parliament in the Dock • Hotel Ro w Continues Cash out all day and everyday, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, no more holiday created tentions including Saturdays and Sundays nor anyother holidays ...

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Nabil House, p.a. Box: 3729 Kamaladi , Kathmandu, Nepal Cable: NABIL, KATHMANDU Tel: 429546·47, Fax: 429548, Tlx: 2385 NABIL NP, 2430 NABILD NP E-mail: nabil@nabil. com.np Web: www.travel-nepal.com/nabilbank CONTENTS

Page

Lelters 3

News Notes 4

Briefs 6

uote Unquote 7

The Record 8

If accountability and transparency are maintained in their ANN AN'S VISIT : Peace Proposal man~ 9 agemcnt, forests can become a major source of income. Page 16 NEPAL SADBHAWANA PARTY: Mechi To Mahakali 10 • EARTHQUAKES: Tremors Of Concern 12

5th NATIONAL GAMES: Sports Mela 13

CIAA : Emerging Despotiom 14

HOTEL ROW: Legal Tangle 15

ANESE REFUGEES: Finally, We Are Here! 21

: Menacing Turn 24 PARLIAMENT: Strange Bedfellows One whole month has passed since the I 9th session ofparliament convened - without a single day of business GARBAGE DISPOSAL: Down In The Dumps 25 Page 1I

BOOK REVIEW 26

THE BOTTOMLINE 27

HEALTH: loim Venture 28 INTERVIEW: PASTIME RABI BAHADUR BISTA 29 Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation Bisla talk s LEISURE 30 about the issues of managing Nepal's forests. FACE TO FACE: Dr. lan McKendry 32 Page 22

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 SPOTLIGHT EDITOR'S NOTE THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE Vol. 20, No.35, March 16, 2001 (Chaitra3, 2057) I Chi.' Editor And Publish.r Madhav Kumar Rimal

Editor Sarita Rimal ore than a month after the 19th session ofparliament was

Managing Editor convened, the legislative deadlock isfarfrom resolved. It Keshab Poudel doesn't matter now whether Prime Minister Girija Prasad Associate Editor Koirala or the opposition is right. But the costs the Bhagirath Yogi country and its poor people have to pay for a non-performing parliament Senior Reporter are enormous. If these corrupt leaders don't listen to the public senti­ Sanjaya Ohakal ments, the Nepalese people will ultimately pull them down. Ironically, Reporter neither the ruling nor the opposition parties are willing to go to th Akshay Sharma people for afresh mandate. It is obvious that they are well aware of Design and Layout Jyoti Singh the people would response to their grave crimes this time around.

Photographer Nishchal Chapagain As predicted by us, the jaunt by Prime Minister Koirala to France has

Art turned out to be a total fiasco. The visit took place not only at an M.S. Khokna inopportune time, given the domestic political problems, it also failed to

Legal Advisor translate the generous feelings of the French authorities toward Nepal Advocate Lok 8hakta Rana into concrete development assistance. It is all because oflack o.(adequate Marketing/Advertisement homework on part ofthe Nepalese officials. While Koirala 's cronies may Sarit Rimal (USA) have benefited from this trip, the poor Nepalese did not find anything to Marketing cherish from a visit that took place nearly 150 years after Rana Prime Madan Kaji Basnet Navin Kumar Maharjan Minister lung Bahadur visited Paris. Madan Raj Poudel Editorial Office Though it was a brief stopover, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi GPO Box 7256, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Tel: (977-1) 423127, Fax: (977-1) 417845 Annan exhibited his love alld respect to this country and people t Chief Editor's: 435594 E-mail : [email protected] visiting Nepal early this week. Nepal's commitment to world peace Internet Add: http://www.nepalnews.com/ second to nOlle. Though he may not have had enough time to have afie spotlight look at various development projects being carried out by different Cover Design development agencies, he may have felt Nepalese sentiments fl'Om close Wordscape Kamal Pokhan, Ph: 410772, Fax : 432872 quarters. As a peace-loving country, we wallf peace to prevail ill this

Distribution region and the world. We know very well that ill the absence of peace, Bazaar International development can't take place. Hence, Nepal's growing aspirations to 228 Sanchaya Kosh Bldg. Kathmandu G.P.O Box 2480, Ph: 222983 Fax : 229437 contribute to world peace is well justified. As an active member of th e e·mail : [email protected] world body, Nepal needs to play a more proactive role ill global affairs. Printers: Kishor offset Press (P.) Ud. For this, we need a visionary and committed leadership - which is ill short P.O. Box 4665, Galkopakha, Thamel, Kathmandu,Tel: 351 044 (Off), 351172 (Res.), supply these days. • Fax: 977-1-351172, E-mail : [email protected]

C.D.O. Regd. No 151/039-40 I Postal Regd. No 421057158 V.S. Library of Congress Madhav Kumar Rimal Catalogue No. 91·905060 I Chief Editor& Publisher

2 SPOTLI GHT/MARCH 16,2001 LETTERS ______

to the power tactics and games Property Issue of poiltical parties. The youth The issue of equal are the future of the country property rights todaugh­ - don't our politicians real­ ize this fact. Or are they know­ ters is a vel}' tricky one ingly robbing the young of ("Rights Or Wrongs?" their innocence and exploit­ SPOTLIGHT, March 9- ing them? 15). Given the social Moheil/dll Chemjol/g via ema il structure and traditions ofNepal, il would be Iln­ What An Irony? wise to pass any bill 0/1 In the film "Tan ta this issue without con­ .... Badri'· ("Incisive Humor" vincing the people be­ SPOTLIGHT, March 2-8), the actor Bhuwan KC gives a long forehand. Otherwise, lecture to Hari Bansha such laws will end up Acharya about the virtues of being flollted by every­ Slay in g married to single part­ body. Are the Nepalese ner. He links all or Badri's problems to his polygamy. people even aware about While tillS scribe does not giving rights to their intend to offend KC or any­ daughters? Those ill the one. it is interesting to note that KC. in real life, is mar­ womell 's movemem need ried to more than one wife. to ensure this first. Didn ' t the director of the film Jitendra Lalllsal get any other actor to play that Thamel role? KC doesn't look con­ vincing in the ro le, as One is Towards Reform discriminati on against wome n bound lO compare that with up that portrayed the exact his real lire. In thi s twenty-flfSl cen­ as far as propeny rights are cond itions of some of ouredu­ Illlllp B"allarai it is unfortunate Nepalese concerned ("Rights Or ca tiona l in stit utions. It is Iawalakhel still lack laws that give Wrongs ?"SPOTLlGHT, heart-breaking to know that equal rights to ances tral March 9-15). Any unmarried some of our educati onal in sti­ End The Stalemate ("Ri g ht s Or daughter is enti tl ed to her tutions have become ccnte rs The differences between ngsT' SPOTLIGHT, father's property while mar­ of political ac ti vi ties . It is a hOle l employees and owners March 9-15). There can be no ri ed women are entitled to matter o r shame that political are taking a big toll on the justification against giving their share from their hu sband. parties are exploiting st ud ents co untry's tourism sec tor women what they deserve. In So, where is the di scri mina­ who should be studying ror a ("Time T o M end Fences" this male-dominated soc iety, tion? In fact, if the law g iving sec ure future. Youth comes SPOTLIGHT, February 23- there is a clear need to bury daughters the ri ght to ances­ once in a lifetime and is th e March I ). The hotel employ­ some old ideas. Property rights tral property is enacted, they time when people should be ees' demand for co mpul so ry are one o f them. If we really will enjoy dual rights. There­ free to enj oy life, and make tips from tou ri sts is absurd. think we are a democrati c so­ fore, it is unn ecessary to pro­ choices without fa lling vic­ Tips sho uld be vol untary ciety, what is stopping us from long the debate on this sub­ tim to manipulation and power ject. and s ho uld no t be m ad e givin g half the population their games. Our political parties comp ul sory under the guise right? BiT/aya KC are exploiting the young to of serv ice charge or any Bil/ita Thapa Balaju fulfill ulterior moti ves. Isn't ot her name. If th e cu rrent Naya Baneshwor thi s a [arm of academic sla­ stalemate is not ended quickly, Academic Slavery? very? Many young Nepalis No Discrimination it wi ll bleed the country's "Polilicizati on ofEduca­ are fleeing the country be­ economy. Unlike claims made by ca use of lhe sorry stale it is in. ti on" (S POTLIGHT, March Shyam Ba/ladllr KC women activists, there is no 2-8) was an excell ent write- Those who stay back succumb Thapathali

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 3 NEWSNOTES

UML Leaders Differ others were from Pa­ kistan and Myanmar. Over Mid-Term Poll The fishing boat was The top two leaders or the main believed to have left opposition CPN-Unified Marxist Leninist Tammalang in (UML), have voiced diametrically oppo­ Thailand's Satun site views regarding the party's position province and was on the possibility of a mid-term election. heading for Kuala UML standing committeemember Sanglang tn Khadga Prasad Oli, addressing a gather­ Malaysia's Perlis ing of party cadres inmid-western Nepal stale when it cap­ last week, asked them to prepare for a sized. A number of mid-term election. saying it was likely to Dead deer Nepalese youths go overseas in search of Rana, a Royal Nepal Army colonel, ac­ employment every year. Leading cusi ng him of shooting a barking deer report. around the nati onal park area. An anny jeep, binocular, knife and torchlight were NEPSE Recovers also confiscated from the accused. Mean­ whil e, armymen from th e nearby After Last Week's Jolt Pashupati Prasad Battalion took away After falling by 22.71 points in the the colonel and equipment rrom the cus­ previous week (February 28), the Nepal tody orthe DFO. Leadingdai/ies report. Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index seemed to be heading toward a recovery. The Four Nepalis Die In stock exchange gained 4.67 points during the period. This is th e lirst time that the Malaysia Ferry Capsize NEPSE witnessed a sli ght rise in weeldy Four Nepalis died after a boat carry­ index averages after a continued downfall ing illegal immigrants capsized in the in the last couple of months. From the Oli northern sea of Malaysia. Fourteen dead peak or 545 points in mid-November last bodies were recovered afterthe boallurned year, the NEPSE began to sli de head-on to be declared thanks to the continuing upside down. Four of them we re identi­ reach the lowest of375.29 in February 28. sta nd -offbetween the prime minister and lied as being Nepalese nationals while Analysts said that the recent rise in NEPSE opposition parties. UML general secre­ tary Madhav Kumar Nepal quickly re­ futed Oli's views the rollowing day. In a Gupta Resigns separate program organized In Si ndhupalchowk district, Nepal said his TIle woes of Prime MinisterGirija Prasad Koirala party was not prepared for a mid-term seem to be far from over. As the septuagenaria n e lection. While Oli reportedly said a mid­ leader is fi ghling an uphill battle for his political term poll was the best way of so lving the survival both within the party and outside, onc of hi s problems facing the country. Nepal sa id trusted li eutenants. Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta the party was against any such move. ·Anand.· resigned from thecabine! Tuesday. Though Because or the persisting deadlock in Gupta was not immed iately avail able for comment, parliament over the co ntroversial Laud a so urces say he was unhappy with the change in his Airdeal, a section of analysts predict that portrolio-from high profile Inrornlation and Com­ Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala munications to low-profile Agriculture and Coop­ could declare a mid-tern' poll any time. erati ves. In an interview to Himalaya Times daily Compiled from reports. last month, Gupta alleged that some elemen ts close ...... _~ ..... _....J_ ... _--I to Koirala were pressuri zin g him to do some ·un ethicaljob. ' No sooner was Gupta Army Colonel Accused Of shunted out, hi s controversial decision to ca ncel the license of Space Time Network, the largest private cable te levision operator in ~ hec o untry . was renewed. Though hi s Killing A Barking Deer resignation may not have come as a surprise to many, analysts say the timing of the Onicials from the Chit wan District resignation . whcih came fu lllwo-weeks after the STN decision and nearly a week Forest Office (DFO) arrested Dilip SJB after Koirala's return home after Paris, could be significant.

4 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 NEWSNOTES

index was not sus tainable because it was struction materials to the remote districts. fueled by speculations that the commer­ Leadillg dailies report. cial banks, which cover almost 90 percent of the trading at the bourse, were about to Fire Guts 61 Houses iss ue bonus shares and rights iss ues. Com­ A sudden outbreak of fire gutted 61 piled from reports. houses and cattle-sheds at Harasapani Prachanda Rejects settlement of Khairtwa Village Develop­ ment committee in Nawalparasi district Govt. Overtures Sunday ni ght. Early estimates put the loss of property at around Rs. 1. 8 million I n what is seen as a blow to the . No injuries or deaLhs have been government" s effort to make peace witp reponed. Compiled/rom reports. the Maoist rebels, the c hainnan of Nepal Communist Party (Maoists) Prachanda accused the government of trying to divert FNCCI Delegation altcntion from the controversial In France Airdeal by Ooating the idea of peace He was reacti ng to the government's A s ix- member delegation of the Fed­ eration of Nepalese ChamberofCommer ision to make public the names o f 294 ce and Industry (FNCCI) led by its Pres aoists held in custody. Prachanda, in a ident Pradeep Kumar Shrestha press release issued on Wednesday, cri ti­ accompanied Prime Minister Oirija Prasad K cized the government for making public oirala on a visit to France. During the four-day Shrestha the names of only three rebels from the list official visit. Koirala addressed that they had given. He asked the govern­ the French I nsti­ tute of International Relations and Federa­ ties between the ment to furni sh details o rthase rebels who two countries by increas­ tion of French bus have disappeared in custody a nd those inessmen - MEDEF in g French investment in Nepal in various Internati onal. The Nepalese areas and attracting against whom the authorities have not ini­ business del­ more French tourists. egati on expects the visit to boost Leadillg tiated legal proceedings. He cited the for­ economic dailies report. • mation of AIll1ed Police Force and the appointment of regional adm in istrators as Annual SUBSCRIPTION Rate new government moves to suppress the Maoist in surgency. Prachanda, however. Individual called upon the government to create a in!> litulion Indhidual In ... lilutilln i\epill NR ... R... 1400.00 NR~ R~ . 1500.01J Ncpnl NR congenial atmosphere ... R... I·wn 00 NR, R, 2~ oO . ()(I fortal ks. Meanwhile, India IC R .... 1400.00 le R s. 3200.00 India le R,. I-HX' f)(} le R... 1200 I/O Prime Minister Ram Chandra Pou- Othe r SAARC OthcrSAARC Countric ... us S 75.00 . denied knowledgeofmissing rebels. US S 150.00 Countrie .. us S 75.00 L'S ) 15n 00 Japan US S tOO.OO reports. US $ 200.00 Japan US S I()().O(] l iS ) 2 (l()OU A <,c an Countries US S90.00 US S 180.00 Asc;Jn Countnc!> CS 590.0(] L 'SS I ~oon ChIna/Korea US S 100.00 US S 20(].()() China/Korea US S IOO.no \ 1$ .;; 200 00 ood Corporation To SUBSCRIBE NOW (Send a GIFT subscriplion 10 friends they K'il/love ,------it) - - - - , Supply Food I Plc" ... c I md enclosed hercwllh my annual Via Tibet ~ ub s cnpllon for ...... ": 0 ['11<: -' 1 I Amid the growin g food scarcity in I Cal> hlDD/Chcquc No ... I forR;;/£/uSS ...... O;Jtc .. I the northern remote districts, the govern­ IN;Jmc...... ment-owned Nepal Food Corporation 1 I I Addn.. " .. 1 (NFC) has for the firs ...... t time decided t o I I supply food to Dolpa via I ...... I the road in Tibet...... PmCodc .. I Earlier, the NFC had I supplied food t o I Lomangthang region of I Mustang via Ti­ I _____ I bet. As the Karnali zone I of the country is I Si~nature yello L ______Telt: phon___c ______Fa, I be connected by any terrestrial road. ~ the peop le there depend on aerial route for DO NOT Send CASH in MAIL eve n the basic commodities like food. Plc..I!>e send your rcmilWnce by DruftlChcquc 10 Supplying food via air is quite a costl y SPOTLIGHT affair and experts have bee n pointing to THE NATIONAL NEWS~1AGAZINE the po G.P. ssibility of making use of roads in Box : 7256. Baluwatar. Ph : 971·1-423127. 435594. Fax 977- 1-417845 Tibetan side to transport food and con- E-mail cdll o r ~. ~pol.mos. com . np

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 5 BRIEFS

vide a grant assistance of Rs 294.7 million for the implementa­ tion of an air quality management program in Kathmandu valley as the fiflh component of Environment Sector Program Support (ESPS). according la the Ministry of Financc.:. The assistance is aimed at improving the air quality in the valley by reducing pollution caused by vehicular emissioll. Under the agreement, the grant will be use to strengthen institutional ~upporllOelcclric vehicles, establish cleaner promotion fund. seL up efficient vehicle emission control and enforcement procedure and moni­ tor other methods la check air pollution.

THE DEATH TOLL FOLLOWING A MEASLES OUT­ break in various parls of Kailali district rose to 40 until Tuesday. According to the Kailali District Development Committee Presi~ dent Deep Bahadur Shahi. Ihe disease thal broke out from Chilkhiya Village Development Committee has now spread t many more villages. Shahi said measles together with gastro~ PRIME MINISTER GIRlJA PRASAD KOIRALA HAS enteritis has affected 4000 people in the district. The absenc requested his French counterpart Lionel Jospin to include Nepal doctors at the district hospital has worsened the situation. in the list of French aid-recipient countries. which the latter agreed to consider. during fonnal talks between the two held at ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE BY THE BRITISH Matignon Palace, Paris. While Koirala said the lalks were Embassy, Kathmandu, British Gurkha ex~servicemen are to satisfactory. officials of his entourage conceded that Nepal failed bcnelit from another substantial pension risc. building on the to conv ince French orricials to include the country in the lisl. increases of over lOO percent introduced in April 2000. From Before he embarked on the France visit, Koirala had said he April I. all ex-British Gurkha service pensioners and their would try to include Nepal in the list. Following the talks with widows wi ll receive an increase of 10.9 percent. This increase, Jospin, Koirala addressed the French Institute of International the press release states, ensu res their pension keeps pace with Relations where he spokeaboullhecause of landlocked and least Nepal's cost of li ving and once again demonstrates the continu~ developed countries. ing commitment of the British government to the welfare of th eir ex-servicemen. This commitment is not only rellected in the MINISTER OF STATE FOR WOMEN AND SOCIAL excellent pensions that British Gurkhas enjoy but also in many Welfare Kamala Panla said the government has draned legisla­ other areas, including the Gurkha Welfare Scheme (GWS). tion to curb domestic violence and girl trafficking. Speaking on Medical and Key Hospital Scheme, the press release adds. • the eve of the 91st international women's day. Mjnister of StalC Panta said the government was positively considcring the con­ cept of a family tribunal, which could speedily sellle cases Nepal Participates In ITB j arising from conllicts and disputes within the family. The family Nepal participated 111 the IntemalionalToul"lsm ExchanA tribunal would be responsible for dealing with issues of marital (ITB) held from March 3 to 7, 2001 at Berllll. Germany.ITB"!PI' relations. divorce, maintenance, dowry-gifts, adopted children the world's largest travel trade fair held annually. T'lking into and guardianship of minors. conSideration the importance of GCllllany as one of the major FOLLOWING WARNINGS OF A STRIKE BY HOTEL markets for Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) led a delega­ workers beginning next week. the government is making a fresh tion of 23 lravel~trade entrepreneurs at the fair this year. The bid to bring hotel owners and workers to the negotiating table. visitorsapprecialcd Nepal'sstand. Renowned mountaineer Kaji The workers have demanded a compulsory 10 percent service Shcrpa and two Lama monks were lhe ~tar attractions at me charge. A couple of months ago, hotel owners had closed down Nepal stand. Another big drnw at the stand was the natIOnal the star hotels across the country for one day refusing to accede award-winning "potter" who mesmerized the audience with his to the workers' demand. The government had fornlCd a panel spinning wheel. The NTB distributed varinus pnH~ollonal ma­ headed by Prilhvi Raj Ligal, ehainnan of the National Planning terials in Gennan and other languages and gave away gifts like Commission (NPC), 10 recommend ways to settle the dispute. Nepalcse hats. wallets, pots and bags to Vi\1I0rs. A special Minister for Tourism. Culture and Civil Aviation Omkar Prasad reception was held with typical Nepalese cuiSine allhe sland for Shrestha released Ihe panel's report Wednesday. The report has trade and media invitees 011 March 5. ITB is growing in size and not made any spec ifi c recommendations on the imposition of prominence every year. Tnis year. the fair had 10,149 exhibitors tcn~ percent service charge. from 179 countries and terntorie,. More than 60.000 trade visitors, 65,000 general visitors and 6,500 media representa­ THE DANISH GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO PRO- ti es from 190 countries visited ITB 2001.

6 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 QUOTE UNQUOTE

"I will resign immediately if the ClAA or the Supreme Court implicates me in the [Lauda Air] case." Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, talking to reporters. * * *

'Did they ihi"1~ I "Given the problems facing the coun­ Co.'"'J'f escape 1Itrough try. a mid-tenn poll would be the best w irndow alternative." !' Khadga Prasad Oli, sellior leader of main opposition CPN-UML, urging party cadres to prepare fo/fresh elec­ tions, ill all address to a gathering ill mid-western Nepal. • • * ~ur party is against any such 1I10ve." , Madhav Ktlmar Nepal, leader ofthe , • mai" opposition and general Sec re- 1 tary of the CPN-UML, reflllillg Oli's ~ camel/lioll that rite part)' was ready for a mid-term poll, speaking at a ~ ... program in Sil1dhupa/cllOH'k, ill Kan- tipur. Blwrat Mohall Adhikary, leader of * * * "T he prime minister will not resign CPN-UML. in Bimarsha. "Quite like the Hrithik Roshan epI­ based on (opposition's) noi se." * * * Baldev Sharma Majgaiya, Millister take sati sfaction in having been part sode, there are baseless allegations nying for WaterResotlrces, ill Gorkhapatra. "I around about the Lauda Air deal, lOO."' * * * of the team that safely landed the 1990 OmkllT Prasad Shrestira, Minister People" s Movement." for Tourism. Culture Gild Civil A via­ Pashllpati SJB RanG, former minis­ ,iol1, il1 Himalaya Times. "We are ready to allow the prime min­ ter and leader of RPP, asked abollt * * * ister to speak in parliament." his major achievements in pO/ilics, ill Bimarsha. * * * "We didn't believe that even the gov­ ? ernme nt intervention would solve the prob­ lem now. That's why wc have knocked O~ the court's doaL" o Narendra Bajracharya, presidelll of Hotel Associatioll of Nepal (HAN), jl/sli/yil/g the hote/iers' move to file a COllrt case againsT lI 'orkers threatell­ ing to close dowll hotels unless th eir demGnd of a reil percellt service charge is mer, ill Gorkhapatra. * * * "For name, fame and money," Samita Rai, lip lInd coming actress, 011 why she decided to joill the film illdustry, il/ Ghalana Ra Bichar. * * * SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 7 OFF THE RECORD

Distant Dwelling constructed a two-storey house within theconfinesofhis fam­ at her own expense. ily (no pun intended). Nepali Congress leaders seem to be tired of receiving History's Man Shaha's Century party workers at their houses. As noted by the leader of Renowned Nepalese film This seems to be one of the the main oppositi on pany, producer, director and actor reasons why Congress lead­ Madhav Kumar Nepal. Prime Nir Shaha recently marked the ers are physically distancing MinislerGirijaPrasad Koirala lOath-day screening of his his­ themselves from party work­ has again shown thal he is torical saga Basanri. Shaha has ers. Following in the footsteps Nepal's second lung Bahadur. produced a couple of art films of former prime minister Although he has not mentioned in hi s career and achieved rea­ Krishna Prasad Bhaltarai. the name of his predecessor in sonable success. His co-pro­ Sher Bahadur Deuba has any public pronouncements, duction Caravan was nomi- moved his residence from the Koirala'ssupporters city center to the edges of the are busy describing valley. Although Deuba has the prime minister's reaffinned that he would con­ days, Koirala is said to direct visitlo France as his­ tinue to maintain contact with his aides to scan the following torically significant ------.... day·s newspapers. as lung Bahadues From the power of mc­ visit was a century dia tycoons to the and a hal I' ago. sources of go-getting re­ Krishna Prasad porters. Koirala seems Bhatlarai made ev­ to have been sparing a ery effort to claim lot of thought on the that reat last year Shah: Century man slate of nalian' s news when he was prime business. minister. In the eyes of his­ nated for an Oscar for best tory, however, Koirala seemed foreign film last year. With Spouse House moresuilcd loclaim the mantle Basanti. he has brought a criti­ There are different of the man who brought the cal juncture of Nepalese his­ ways of projecting a position of prime minister tory in to popular focus. • 'clean' image of a po- ••!'J"'~ liticalleader. All politi­ • cal parties are in vari­ ous stages o[perfecting this an. Former prime minister Krishna Prasad Deuba : Escape from crowd Bhattarai has been liv- ing at a house in supporters at his Baneshwar Bhainsepati owned by loyalist Since the 17 th Century. of rice. many worry that it Manakarnana tern.ple has and former minister Saral might be difficult for him to been vvidely venerated Singh Bhandari. The leader of attend his offiee regularly becaue of the belief that the opposition. Madhav Kumar Manakernana Devi Fu1filIs from his outpost. Nepal, has been living in a all vvishes. Today. instead of the rented house. If a repon pub­ 4 to 5 hour arduous trek. Pressing Matter lished in a vernacular weekly ManskB'Qlana is no'W Prime Minister Girija is true, former prime minister accessible in just 10 Prasad Koirala is worried about and Congress leader Sher Ba­ Dlinutes by ManakamsDB Cable Car. people who appear to manage hadur Deuba has taken refuge to listen to his one-to-one con­ in the house of his wife, social versations wi 1h party colleague activist Dr. Arju Deuba Rana. Every ~88Scnger Insured Upto Discount Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and According to the report, leak the contents to the press. Deuba's spouse - a grand ~1lfT'lIfiJ V

Nepal has also raised its plan lO ANNAN'S VISIT physically position the office of the di­ rector of the UN Regional Center for Peace and Disarmament for the Asia­ Peace Proposal Pacific region. That office currently op­ erates out of UN headquarters in New Nepal expresses its willingness to open a regional peace­ York. "Annan held talks on a broad spec­ keeping training center with UN Secretary-General KofiAnnan lrum of issues ranging from Bhutanese refugees lO peace-keeping and disarma­ By BHAGIRATH YOGI protection of human rights, promotion of ment," Foreign Minister Bastola said. the interests of Least Developed Coun­ As one of the largest contributors of 4. t a time when Nepal is lobbying tries (LDCs) along with the issue of UN contingents for UN peace-keeping, fthard with the international com­ peace-keeping operations. Annan's visit to Nepal was very signifi­ munity to seck support for its efforts to Nepal is demanding an increase in cant as the internati onal environment is stablish a regional peace-keeping train- the number of Royal Nepalese Army building for more extensive involvement 19 center in Paanchkhal, Kavre . ...-_--______visit by UN Secretary-Gen­ Kofi Annan has injected fresh enthusiasm among policy­ makers. "Nepal plays very important role in the international peace­ keeping operations," said Annan, talking to reporters upon his ar­ rival. The UN chief praised Nepal for providing outstanding peace­ keepers in inlernalionalmissions. These words are clearly seen as a boost to Nepal's effort to establish the regional training center for the blue-helmets, es­ pecially in view of Annan's as­ sociation with the UN Depart­ .Ant for Peace-keeping Opera­ . ns before he assumed his CUT- t position in 1997. Although sec retary-general Annan paid a brief two-day trip, it was significant for a small ------country like Nepal. The visit gave the officials who go for peace-keeping du­ of the UN in peace-keeping and confiict country an opportunity lO highlight its ties around the world. prevention. problems and concerns first-hand to the In the last four decades of involve­ Initially, Annan's South Asian itin­ head of the world's primary global body. ment in UN peace-keeping operati ons. erary did not include Nepal. But after UN Secretary-General Annan held Nepal has already sent more than 40,000 some constructive lobbying from talks with several Nepalese officials and soldiers. According to the UN statistics, Nepalese diplomats, the secretary-gen­ also called on Prime Minister Girija Nepal has altogether 1,030 personnel on eral landed in the Himalayan kingdom. Prasad Koi rala . King Birendra also peace-keeping missions abroad, compris­ He is the fourth UN secretary-general granted audience to the UN chier. ing 22 observers, 24 policemen and 884 after U Thant, Kurt Waldheim and Javier During his talks with Prime Minister troops. Perez de Cuellar, lO have come to Nepal. Koirala and Foreign Minister Chakra Nepalese blue-helmets are currently Fresh from his visit to Paki stan, Prasad BaslOla, UN Secretary-General deployed in East Timor and Lebanon and Annan arrived here in March 12 and after Annan discussed a whole gamut of is­ there is a plan to send them to Sierra a 24-hour stay. he left the country for sues, including the impasse surrounding Leone and the Democratic Republic of Bangladesh. He is expected to wind up the Bhutanese refugees in eastern Nepal. Congo soon. his South Asian tour after visiting India .•

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16, 200 I 9 to the parliament. This volume of repre­ sentatiun has left every political party sali ­ vating at the prospect of being close to the voters there. That could be one reason why the NSP jumped into th e chariot im­ mediately after the Hrilhikepisode slightl y disturbed the ethnic harmony among the hill s-plains people. Mahato, however. clarified that the rall y wa, not targeted against any race or community. "We want thal the Nepali nalionalism should accomodale fee lings of all the people within the country." he added. For a full 18 days. the party look out th e chariot procession in different cities. In a typical Terai-style. the party org. NSP's chariot rally: Raising issues close to its heart nized colorful rallie ~ attracting hu ndrc ~ of people to its programs at the distr' I headquarters. Its tour in adecoratedcha NEPAL SADBHAVANA PARTY was a new idea to hit the Nepalese politi­ cal parlies- though not original ifloo ked at political parties from India. Mechi To Mahakali "Our rally was a grand success," said Hridayesh Tripalhy, general secretary of The terai-based party organizes a nation-wide rally to NSP. HWe managed to promote the cause of Madhesiya community." expand its base The unilateral characteri stic of the state has been apathetic to a huge commu­ By SANJAYA DHAKAL Maintaining th at th ere have been dis­ nity, which has resulted in social tensions, crimination against Madhesiya commu­ he said asking for the creati on of a bal­ nity since the unification of Nepal more anced state. s its opposition coll eagues were than 200 years ago, the NSP has been The NSP claims 10 be the only politi­ A busy in stalling the parliament, the demanding for the equal treatment and th e cal parly th at genuinely takes up th e issues Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) chose to in clusion of the community in the national ofterai people. "NSP is always commiltcd organize a nation-widechariOl rall y along mainstream. Amongothers,the party criti­ to the unity among Madhesiyas," said the southern belt of th e country. cizes the provisions for ci ti zenship in the Tripalhy. In the aftermath of the HrithikRoshan present constitution. It call s for the consti­ Coinciding with the National Demo - episode last December. which evoked a tutional amendment to provide citi zen­ racy Day un February 18, the party kic surge in the hills-plains sentiment among ship to millions of Terai people who, it off its rally from Bhadrapur in Me the Nepalese, the terai-based NSP had claims, currentl y do not have citizenship. zo ne. It made many stop-overs in major announced a seri es of programs to cash in "The so-call ed nationalism nared up citi es like Rajbiraj, Biratnagar and Lahan on theconf1ict. The pany found the oppor­ by major political parties in the aftermath where the party leaders addressed the pub­ tunity too good 10 resist and began to drum of th e Hrithik epi sode must be con­ li c. up for the support of the people of terai. demned," said Rajendra Mahato, an NS P While mostly Ihe leaders talked about popularly known as Madhcsis. lawmaker and spokesman of th e party. uplifting Madhesiya community and Interestingly, th e on ly remai ning ally "How can you strengthen the national unity amending the constitution to make it easier of th e G. P. Koirala government in the when nearl y half of the country' s popula­ for the people from the community to get House, NSP was busy in a nation-wide ti on is totally cut off and is treated like a citizenship, its chairman Gajendra~arayan chariot rally as the parliament remained foreigner in their own countryT Singhdid give Prime MinislerGirijaPrasad stalled for more than a month. The party currently has six members Koirala some respite by terming the cur­ Led by pany's national chai rman in the parliament. Its chairman Singh is rent opposition move of stalling the par­ Gajendra Narayan Singh, lOp NSP leaders the member of Ihe Upper House. Although liament as unconstitutional. lOured the southern belt of the country­ NSP claim s to be the sole savior of the At a time when there is a clear short ' from Bhadrapur la Mahendranagar - Madhesiyas, its votebank among the Terai supply of Koirala supporters, Singh's whipping up the Madhesiya sentiment and electorates has not been improving in the soothing words must have brought some calling for greater participation of the com­ recent elections. The 17 Terai di st ri cts relaxation to the beleaguered prime min­ munity in the national affairs. send around 40 percent ofrepresentati ves ister. •

10 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16. 2001 NATIONAL

OPPOSITION POLITICS their demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Nepal is going through a very diffi­ Strange Bedfellows cult transition from the party less Pan­ chayat regime to a parliamentary system of government under majority rule. The A month after the 19th session of parliament was convened, role of the opposition parties and the ten­ there are few signs of an end to the legislative gridlock dencies of a section of the ruling party show that Ncpal is still unprepared to follow a political system that puts a high By KESHAB POUDEL lution, the deadlock in the House of Rep­ premium on rule of law and adherence to resenlatives shows no sign of abating, es tabli shed conve nti ons. with the opposition refusing to budgefrom "We will not allow parliament to epal's parliamentary experience is .------, proceed until Prime facing onc of its most crucial tes ts N Minister Koirala hands , Jegislati ve proceedings are being stalled in his resignation," said y an alliance of opposition parties whose Bharat Mohan 're'''''Panchayat system and leaders who arestill -"",,,,,,.ut The Nepali Con­ ideologically wedded to the principles of gress holds a comfort­ onc-party rule-are desperate to establish able majority in parlia­ their own political conventions bycontinu­ ment. but that fact has ally hitting at the undcrlying tenets of the not deterred the oppo­ present multi-parlY system. sition. "If nobody is in Moreover. the silence of key Con­ a mood to abide by par­ gress leaders. including former prime min­ li amentary procedures, isters Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Sher there is no reason [Q Bahadu!" Dcuba. makes it look like the continue with this sys­ dissidents in the governing party are will­ tem of governance," ing accomplices in the opposllion's strat­ said senior advocate egy. Mukunda Regmi. Strangely, the task of defending the As the opposition multiparty systcm appears to have fallen and ruling parties COIl­ Iy On the shoulders of the leader orthe tinue to lock horns, the ai-based Nepal Sadbhavana Party, system will ultimately Gajendra Narayan Singh, who has been House of Representatives: Stalled" become the greatest consiste ntly describing the opposition's loser. • activit ies as who ll y unconstitutional. "If the opposit ion panies are indeed committed to the political process. they A Tale Of Two Democracies have no reason 10 hold parliamcnt to ran­ Although he made the following remarks On the current situation in Indonesia. som for such a long time ," said a polilicaJ Singapore's senior minister Lee Kuan Yew's observations are equally relevant to the analyst. Nepalese cOntext. In an interview published in the February 26 issue of Newsweek The alliance of four factions of com­ magazine. the architect of modern Singapore said: munisl.> - the CPN-UML. Nepal Com­ Indonesia is going through a very difficult transition from Onc-man rule by munist Party (Masal). Nepal Workers and president Suharto to a form of government as yet unsettled. The media is open and free. Peasants Party and United People Forum Anything you can say is immediately published. The result is that anny officers' - and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party - reputations have been tarnished, former leaders have been damaged. And now attacks dominated by former panchas - seems to are going on against all leaders in the governmeot and in the legislature. [Moreover,] have become too strong for the govern­ the executjvc and legislature are boisterously uninhibited In their attacks on each other. mem to break. It's a vast and complex country. There are demonstrations going on every other day. rn Despite repeated efforts to find a so- the midst of all this , they are supposed to run a democratic government. How?

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 II NATIONAL

"I remember seeing the older EARTHQUAKES Dharahara crumble from lhe window," OOlhale remembers. "My mOlher and family were s illing around lhe lable and Tremors Of Concern all the people in lhe neighborhood had debris Sl rewn all over lheir faces. Bhugol Park, situated at the heart of the city, was built to commemo­ We didn't go inside the house fearing thal anolher eanhquake might occur. rate that moment in 1934 when nature took its deadly toll We slept all nighl under a lable ealing bealen rice (ehiyura) and curd [dhai). By AKSHAY SHARMA Soulh Asia wilhin 2006. We broke up pans oflhe lable la lighl a The Bhugol Park siluated al the fire to keep us warm outside our house, hean of lhe eily al New Road was built We were too scared 1O gu inside the e were all shocked when a to commemorate the moment when the house." W weekly carr ied a story and pic­ eanh shook violentl y in 1990 BS (1934). "The earthquake deslroyed lhe lures of lhe devastalion caused by lhe That was the first biggest recorded and Durbar High School where 1 sludie eanhquake lhal struck in 1990 BS best-remembered earthquake in Nepal. Classes were held on lhe grllunds ofTfI­ (1934 AD). Then lelevision channels Today you can see many people C ha ndra College. The Ohanlag around the world began showing basking in the lovely summer sun, gos­ (Clock Tower) had crumbled and live pictures of devastation wrought siping. eating peanuts. reading newspa­ road was being cleared." by lhe eanhquakes in Oujaral. India. pers some even managing to ca tch some Inscribed on the Bhugol Park monu­ and Seaule. Uniled Slates. The calam­ sleep. In his famous work Kopila. ment are the words of the rulers and the ity nature is capable of innicting on the Oovinda Malla OOlhale writes: "I still money lhey donated. The landmark lells world came into sharp focus, remember how lhe eanh shook. Allhal us that the British. Japanese and Indians "Whal are we supposed 10 do'! lime. we kids used 10 go la sludy al wilh donaled Rs 2.303.714. Rs 544,489 was Wait and bite our nails for the next a teacher during our winter vacation distributed to the victims of the earth­ earthquake to strike?" asks Pravin near Bag Durbar. A sudden loud noise quake. Shrestha, But we arc left biting our erupted and there was debris and du st The total amount of money spcnt on nails li stening (0 chilling prediction s flying all around. I barely escaped from relief was Rs 38.422 and lhe govern­ from experts that a big quake wi ll hit a brick lhal nearly fell on my feel." ment provided Rs 560,956 in illlcrcst­ free loans to \ictims and their ",...-..,.,.....", familie:--. The money that was lent during the four-year pro­ gram was Rs 2,982.216. as in­ scribed in the ll1L":morial. • This means the coun try 11' a debl of Rs 2.982.316. A 560,945 was rai sed in lhe f~ of an eanhquake fund ~lOd an Rs 2.421.360 was wrillen off. Some reople were allowed to pay lhell" debls laler. The ferocity nature showcd that day has been cxphlined to the younger generati on through ...~ word of mouth ... , remember the stories my grandmother lold • mc about the earthquake, She .... said that our house in Ason crumbled 10 pieces." said 26- year-old Anish Man loshi. .... Are we prepared for an­ other big earthquake? Even the '-_.....,,.,..__ ..,...... ,_,,-_,-,,- ______...J question sends shivers down the

______A rural house: Shaky~ ______foundalion spine. •

12 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 SPORTS

5TH NATIONAL GAMES like karate and taekwondo. Nepal also ended up as the first runner-up in football. This time . lOO. the governmen t is giv­ Sports Mela ing special emphasis on sports like karate, taekwondo, boxing, football and weight­ The fifth lining in which Nepaliscxpcct to win med­ national games are announced amid the contro­ als at the regionalleve!. versy over the existence of two football associations 11,e 14diseiplines included in the fi fth national gamcs are athletics. boxing. taekwondo, karate. weight-lifting, By SANJAYA DHAKAL men's ANFA is legitimate. has tarnished the im­ volleyball, wornen·s volleyball. table-ten­ age of the country. Nepal was deprived of nis, football. men 's kabaddi. swimming. ven as the tug-of-war between the the unprecedented chance to host the World wrestling, shooting, badminton and squash. two football associations E in Lh e Cup qualifying match in March after FIFA The NSC estimates that holding the co untry continues, the government is pre­ rescheduled the venue following the con­ national games will cost around Rs 46 paring to organize the fifth national games troversy. The quali fying match will now be million. The games will be attended by 283 in Kathmandu in the first week of May. held in April in Iraq and Kazakhstan. trainers, 256 umpires and 45 repre senta­ scheduled to be held in the In fact, lhe persisting controversy is tives from various sports associations. Nepalese lOwn ofDhangadhi, the now even threatening the very partiCipa­ Before the holding of the national games were later switched to Kathmandu. tion of Nepal in these qualifying tourna- games. tournament s \Vi I1 be held at di strict While the government has been ac­ cused of instigating the division in the football association by openly backing ~,e ad hoc committee headed by Geeta Rana against the FIFA-recognized Ganesh Thapa-Ied All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), it has now decided to hold the national games without resolving the pre­ vai lingdispute first. According lOMinisler ofiate for Education and Sports Dilendra Prasad Badu. the games will be a prelude to the upcoming Ninth South Asian Federa­ ti on Games (SAFG) slated to be held in Pakistan later this year. 111e disciplines included in the fifth alionai games are ta1lied with the ones . eluded in the Pakistan games. National ~orts Cpuncil (NSC) officials say 1.425 athletes (male and female) representing seven teams - five development region s, Nepal Police and Royal Nepalese Army - Football players: Waiting for the row to cnd will compete in 14 spons di scipiines. There arc 771 medals (goJd, silver and bronze) up ment. As football is the most loved of all and regional levels to select the partici­ for grabs. sports in the country, the dispute is certain pants for 14 disciplines at the national ·'The fifth national games wi ll pro­ to overshadow the preparations for the fifth leve l. Though the govcrnment's decision vide a good opportunity to the Nepalese national games, t oo. to hold the national games has been wel· athletes to hone their skills as they prepare Meanwhile, ath letes have we lcomed comed by all, there is still a worry that is to take part in the regional games later thi s the announcement of the national games, nagging ~,e Nepalese sports sector - will year," said Sanu Bhai Thapa, a football saying they wo uld bolster their motivation the government be able to settle the di spute player of Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC), and chances during the Ninth SAF Games. in the football an sector or will it allow this to A-division club. "But it would have The Eighth SAF Games were held in spill over and affect other sport s, lOO? been bener had the government first re­ October 1999 in Kathmandu where Nepal Sports-lovers around solved the crisis the country are of two ANFAs." managed to position itsel f in second place keeping their fingers crossed ~,at the gov­ Other sports observers, too, believe after India by winning 31 gold medals. ernment that the will resolve the ANFA dispute protracted dispute over which Most of its medals came from martial arts before the national games begins. •

SPOTLlGHTIMARCH 16,2001 13 NATIONAL

tion Regulations, more than 60,000 name, CIAA were added to the list of contenders for the post of 10,000 teachers. Teachers are left wondering who might be advising Emerging Despotism the CIAA on important questions of law and the constitution? The Commission ofInvestigation of Abuse of Author­ Although the decision was taken five years ago, the CIAA started investigat­ ity (CIAA) emerges as a despotic institution ing the matter when the Supreme Court also issued a mandamus ordering the By KESHAB POUDEL the CIAA seems to be turning itself into a completion of the interview of all the despotic inst itution, intervening in the day­ candidates. to-day activities of the executive, instead "We have issued a directive to the hen an institution that is sup­ of finding cases of abuse of authority and government after finding something W posed to guard against the mis­ corruption and pursuing legitimate legal wrong in lhe process and involvement of use of authority Itself is accused of en­ remedies. the minister. Now it is up to the prime croaching upon the authority of others, Already facing a case in the apex minister 10 decide." said a senior official the consequences can hardly be propi­ court over whether it can question the at the CIAA. tious. Moreover. when that institution is opinion and decision given by the attor­ It seems that the CIAA COll1ll1i,,;iol not accountable to anybody - not even ney-general -the chief lawyer of the ers are more interested in grabbing news­ itself - the recipe for serious institu­ state - the CIAA has now become in­ paper headlines than in curbing corrup­ tionalturmoil is complete. volved in another comroversy: Its rec­ tion and misuse of authority. In a situation where the whims and ommendation to the prime minister to Because of its immature decision to ..-______=,.... ____., take action against then-minister summon then-minister of culture, tour­ of education and current Minister ism and civil aviation Tarini Dutla of Local DevelopmcntGovinda Raj Chataut and recommend the suspension loshi for his purported malafide­ of executive chairman of RNAC Hari intention in amending the Educa­ Bhakta Shrestha. the CIAA also paved tion Regulation. the way for the deadlock in parliament If the CIAA starts functioning that has continued for over a month. arbitrarily and avoids adherence to Continuous political instability has the constitutional framework. ilonly resulted in anarchism and terrorism. The helps to damage its own credibility despotism of CIAA has emerged as the and capability. loshi has already latest threat. Every constitutional organ filed a case in the apex court de­ should function within the limJls fix manding the declaration of the by the constitution. CIAAdirective null and void. "The After questioning on the rationale . CIAA has no legal and constitu­ the opinion given by the attorney-ge tional rights to direct the govern­ era!' the ClAA has set a new precedent in ment la punish a minister on the threatcllIng the ve ry basis of the IIldepen­ basis of a decision made by the denee of lawyers. cabinet.'· said advocate Upendra If the CIAA is allowed to question I '------.... Keshari Ncupane. a lawyer for Joshi. the opinion or lawyers. every lawyer can Minister Joshi : Feeling the heat The CIAA last week directed be questioned for his or her opinion on Prime Mini ster Girija Prasad cases involving corporations and gov­ caprice of an official dictates the deci­ Koirala to take action against 10shi for ernment institutions. How aware are [he sion making process in institutions like his misuse of authority in amending the lawyers on this strong encroachment upon the CIAA, the institution as well as whole Education Regulations. The CIAA also their independence? constitutional edifice is bound to suffer. ordered the Ministry of Education to re­ Future commissioners of the CIAA, This is exactly what is happening in the fund fees it collected from candidates for too, can bequestioned for decisions given case of the CIAA. As soon as the CIAA teachers who wanted a re-totalingoftheir by the present sel of commissioners. If started exceeding its constitutional lim­ marks. The CIAA even canceled the re­ the independence and opinions of the its, the institution itself has plun ged into sults of the written examination declared attorney-general can be questioned, ev­ a sea of controversy. five years back. ery law yer's decision can be subjected 10 Terrorizing a whole state machinery, After the amendmenl to the Educa- questioning. •

14 SPOTLIG HT/MARCH 16.2001 TOURISM

HOTELROW Legal Tangle And the battle goes on at the cost of the hospitality industry

By A CORRESPONDENT employees and their dependants under fi­ nancial crisis. the s both sides arc sticking I~ their Association said . A guns, the tcn percen! service lax Backed by the row between the hotel owners and work­ powerful trade ers threatens 10 snowball into a major unIons affiliated to 'rike. The Informal meeting between major political par­ le two bickering parties broke red ties in the country, by Tourism Mini~ter Omkar Prasad the hotel workers Shrestha last week failed to resolve the have not refuted L..------______-.J deadlock. While the hotel workers are these figures. But as Tourists in Kathmandu: Disturbed by the deadlock demanding the imposition of compul­ they remain adamant sory 10 percent service charge on all the to their decade-old one-point demand, guish through a phase of uncertainty and services offered by the hOtels la the tOUT­ the hospitality industry continues to lan- I instability. • ists. owners arc vehemently opposed la the idea. The workers have warned that they would close down the hotels begin­ RADISSON HOTEL ning March 15 if' their demands are not met. The months-long row look a new With New Award turn as hotclier~ filed a case al the Patan Appellate court last week demanding a Two years after it began operations in Nepal, Radisson ruling to declare the proposed strike as has won a top award egal. "We don 't helieve that the prob­ cm will be resolved even with the By A CORRESPONDENT ~v ernment's mediation. That's why we

ecidcd lO knock the court's door." said Although 1I came into operation two years agu. Radisson Hotel has proved Its ability 10 Narendra Bajracharya, President of Ho­ stand as a unique hotel in Kathmandu. tel Association of Nepal (HAN). Thts is what Radisson Hotels & Resorts, which annually honors the lop-perfonning According to HAN. during each day hotels and resorts around the world, also recognized by confelTing on Radisson or :::.trike the number of average tourist Kathmandu the president's award, arrival of 1500 per day.will come From a ilst of 400-plus hotels. Radisson Kathmandu was chosen for the lop honor. down to zero; tourism receipts of By achieving the award. it has demonstrated its commitment 10 guest service and around 460.000 dollars per day will genuine hospitality in Nepal. be lost and the nation will lose about The recipIents of the president's awnrd are judged on the quality or food and bar Rs 5 million being coll ected daily from and for the delivery of genuine hospitality service experiences. As only the fourth the tourism sector as value added tax winner in the Asia\Pacific region. Radisson Kathmandu is now perceived as onc Lhe (VAT). Similarly. the daily transaction market leaders in the region. of around Rs 55 million in the tourism "We are proud to say that it is the hard labar and team work of the staff to qualify industry will come to a halt as 350 us to get the award," said Ian Barrow. general manager of Rauisson Hotel. travel agencies. 846 hotels. 400 trekking Along with quality rooms. Radisson HOlel also offers a wide choice of food and agents, 70 rafling companies and beverages, 600 restaurants will be closed. The "Wc have heen offering various types offood and beverages 10 our customers.,. said strike will put around 1.5 million hotel Nirmal Biswas. F&B Manager of the hotel. •

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 15 COVER STORY TERAI'S FOREST

Challenge , 1 For Management

Forest management in the terai has always lacked accountability and transparency, often sparking controversy. Encouraged by the successful experiment of community forestry programs in the hills, donors are pressing for the introduction of a similar concept in the terai forests. Unlike in the hills, however, users groups in the terai are so large that it is virtually impossible to conduct affairs in an open way. For its part, the government is drafting a Forest Act Amendment Bill that would give greater authority to the District Forest Office to manage national forest in the terai. Whether policy makers can find a way of harnessing Nepal economically valuable forests without hurting the interests of users groups remains to be see,

By KESHAB POUDEL all the terai districts are goin g on without trees with support from their political any problem and generating forest prod­ masters. The recent incidents in Morang ucts in keeping with the demand of the and Banke districts have exposed the vul­ ommunity-managed forests at local community. The illegal felling of nerabilityorgovernment forests. Whether the Chula Chuli region in nam trees in the community forests oftlle tcrai they are national or community based, and lhapa districts are on the is understandable. Compared to the hills, rorests are not rree from controversy and verge of ruin as some members forest products in the terai have economi­ mismanagement. of local users group are alleg­ cal potential because of the easy access to The forests in the terai are facing Cedly hobnobbing with timber smugglers. markets across the border and within the greater threats in recent times, with many There is a similar situation in parts of country. dense forests vanishing fast. The thick Rupande hi, Bara, Rautahat, and This does not mean that all is well rorests in the northern parts of Bara dis­ Kapilvastu districts, as some members of with government-controlled forests in the trict, which were recognized as commer- ' users groups are allegedly involved in the terai. The illegal felling of trees and en­ cially viable a few years back, have now felling of trees in the national forests and croachment of forestland are rampant in turned into bushes. Almost all biologi­ selling them. areas managed by the government. Senior cally mature trees have either been Interestingly, community forestry officials at the District Forest Office are smuggled out or are in various stages of programs in the interior hills that border allegedly involved in the illegal cutting of decay. Although young saplings are corn-

16 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 COVER STORY

ing up and the process ol"natu­ r------., will not tolerate any effort ral regeneration continues, the that restricts the rights of the use 01" this patch of forest for community," says Neupane. commercial purposes has now "Some things may be wrong become impossible. with some users groups, but At a time when the na- 1" ...=- .- the same holds true with the lional forest in the tcrai is be- District Forest Office offi­ ing successfuJlymanaged nei­ cials." ther by the community nor by What is the Problem" the government, an effective One of the major prob­ solution needs to be found. By lems in forest-sector man­ amending existing laws, the agement is lack of transpar­ government claims it can pave >_, :-h. ency and sense of account- the way for national forest 1X2::t>.Tj'~rd ability among officials and management with the partici- user groups. Although these alian of the local commu­ groups are elected from nity. Moreover officials say, among the users. many do national treasury would not follow a proper election 1ave access to a share from process. In the terai. forest products. the us­ ers groups are so big that ;'We don' t want to dis­ holding elections is akin to turb the community forestry holding elections for local programs. What we want is bodies. In many areas. the the participation of the com­ general assembly cannot be munity as well as a participa­ convened because of the tory forest development pro­ sheer size of the users group. gram in the terai:' says K.B. Even asmall users group has Shrestha, divisional chief of at least 3,000 members and thccommunity forest division encompasses a large swath o f Department of Forest. of land from north to south. "Natural resources need to be The situation is differ· managed and harnessed prop­ ent in the hills, where com­ erly in the terai." munity users groups are Users groups based in small and homogeneous. so hmandu valley are against people can easily convene n kind of government "- inter~ meetings lion in forest to take vital deci- management. Awoman felling the branch: Reaching out for fodder sions. However, as the users hey stress the need to hand 1 groups are not accountable over the entire forests of the country to ernment. Because of the dilemmas in to anyone after the elections, they take local communities. "We will oppose any policymaking. the forests in the lerai are decisions on their own. amendment that r would pave the way for neilher used for commercial purposes nor Transparency is virtually non~exis­ greater intervention by the government," managed in keeping with lhcobjecli ves of [cnt, as there is no one to monitor the says Hari Prasad Neupane, president of conservation. Even the government does activities of the USers groups and their the Federation of Community Forestry not know how much forestland it wants to income. In most cases, the users groups Users Group Nepal (FECOFON). hand over to the local communities and are composed of members of all nalional Because of sheer lack of resources how much it wants to retain in its control. political parties. It seems that there is a and poor implementation of well-planned "The government wants to manage nalional consensus on the policies. Nepal's misuse of re­ valuable national for­ the forests in the terai with the support sources. ests in the terai are either decaying or from the community to distribute the re­ Dislrict Forest Officials are beset with being deslroycd by smugglers. Hundreds sources equally among the users group of similar problems. They are not held ac­ of cubic feet of timber are being smuggled the north and south," says Shrestha. "Wc countable I"or the work they do and often across the border every day. While forest will also hand over forests to the commu­ do not act in a transparent manner. In the resources worth bi 11 ions of rupees are nity, but they have to harvest them them- terai, District Forest Officials are changed being lost, the Ministry of Forest has to selves." as soon as a new minister takes charge. surviveon annual subsidies from the gov- User groups oppose the move. We There is said 10 be hectic competition

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 17 COVER STORY among DFOs la seek positions in the teraL Forests are a major natural resource agricultural purposes saw a rapid increase, As their tenure is uncertain. few care of Nepal. providing 81 percenL of total causing a major decline in the forest cover. abouLLheir roles. Worse, LIley don't have fuel consumption and more than 50 per­ Forest Management Policy to face the consequences for having made cent of livestock fodder. For several in­ Forest management practices in Nepal wrong decisions. No one can question dustries in the country, forest products have change from being exploitative - how a DFO decides to clear the forest or provide vital raw materials. with major forest products being sold to how he decides to manage it. Making Until 1970, Nepal generated more India - to becoming protective under a forest officials accountable and transpar­ than 30 percent of its annual revenue from program introduced in 1987. At the same entshould be the primary goal of an effec­ forest products. Today that figure has lime, exportofforest products was tightly tive forestry plan. declined to less than two percent. restricted and a feIJing ban was imposed. The government needs to establish For many years, the forest of the terai The ban hampered the development of clear-cut duties and responsibilities for was a major contributor to the national good forest management practices, and the users groups and District Forest Offi­ exchequer. After the indiscriminate fell­ LIle oscilJation between exploitation and cials in an effort to make them account­ ing of trees during the national referen­ protection has resulted in a lack of expe­ able to the people. If such a system were dum of 1979. LIle government declared rience in practical fore:::.l management. developed, the possibility of forest mis­ illegal the cutting of green trees. Utiliza­ The government developed 18 Fore management would be reduced to a con­ tion of forest products was totally stopped. Managementand Utilization DevelopmenC-" siderable extent. projects for the terai. Because of w Debate On Amendment implementation, however. thcy never' As the government seemsdctcnnined achieved their goals. The rcsult: continu­ to amend the Forest Act of 1994, users ous depiction orthe ex..isting resource ba.... e. groups are making an all-out effort to During the exploitation period. less block the move. According lO the attention was paid to regeneration, as the FECOFON. the amendment would place major purpose was to clear land for seule­ more restrictions on the mobilization of ment. Forest management responSibili­ resources by the community and provide ties Jay with the DFOs. The harvesting morc rights to forest officials. and transportation was normally carried "ThIS amendment will completely out by Ihe Timbcr Corporation of Nepal nlln the system of community forestry (TCN). which was operating under the management. If the bill is passed. it will Ministry of Supplies. brlOg a situation similar to that of the Even after the restoration of Panchayat days." says Neupane. muluparty democracy. Lhe TCN's mo­ The Ministry afForest and Soil Con­ nopoly in this sector continues. The For­ servation rejects such charges. saying that est Development Board is operating plan­ the proposed amendment would further tation areas under separate rules~ strengthen the20-ycarexperienceof com­ Sagarnath and NepalgunJ. This effort has munity forestry in NepaL "The govern­ Following the restoration of multiparty turned out to be the best alternative fr\. ment does not want to Intervene in com­ democracy in 1990. the government be­ among those tried during the 19905. How­ munity forestry. We arc still committed to gan using forest products. ever, the DFOs are unable to perform well community forestry:' says Dr. Udaya Raj Forest products did not come free for because they have to face political pres­ Shanna, the ministry's spokesman. the community even during the Rana re­ sure. Ministry officials argue that the new gime, although for sume time the forest The timber is sold tu middlemen much act would seek greater participation from sector was left without any governing below the markel prices and somellme the community in forest management. It laws. Traditionally. villagers had to ob­ under political pressure. The Auditor­ contains a clause that would allow the tain the revenue collectors' pennission General's Report for 2000 noted how sharing of forest resources among user before collecting fodder. feed or thatch­ mismanagement resulted in the loss of groups. village development committees. ing material or felling trees for timber. wood worth millions of rupees. In many district development committees and the With the faIJ of Rana regime in 1951, the cases. TCN officials sell the timber at governmcnt. The governmenl also intends revolutionaries started clearing the terai throwaway prices. According to a study, to spend 60 pcrcem of the revenue col­ forcsts recklessly. The government en­ the prices of the TCN arc up to 50 percent lected from the forests in the terai and acted the Forest Nationali.lation Act in lower than the prevailing markel prices.' Chure on local development projects. The 1957, which placed forest management The TCN supplies 40 to 50 percent of the bill comains similar oLhcr beneficial pro­ under the government's control. Follow­ logs saw mills use. visions. officials say. ing the eradication of malaria in the lerai, The remainder originates from pri­ Major Resources the rate of deforestation for shelter and vate sources. including the illegal felling

18 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 COVER STORY

of the national forest. The tOlal value of cstry in the hills is immense in tenns of Ncpa!", foresl IS estimaled al Rs. 879 protecting the environment and supplying billion. of which fuelwood fonns Rs 230 fuel wood and fodder. Some users groups billion. are even spending the resources on the Forests supply 90pereenl offuelwood welfare of their communities. In the hills, needs and abouI 40 percenl of fodder there is no need for additional rcsoun.::es requiremenls. In 1994195 aboul 12 mil­ for the plantation and protection of trees. lion lOns of fuel wood was consumed, or "Some users groups are even self­ which 96 percent went for housl:hold con­ reliant and generate a huge amount of sumption. resources to run their community work in Soulh Vs North A major argumenl of hills. BUll don'llhink a similar trend can the Ministry of Forests is that there are be secn in the terai," says Amrit Lal Joshi, growingdispantie s between the north and a community forestry expc11. south in the use of forest products. As Unlike fareS!, in the hills, ex pens ar­ most of the traditional users live in the gue, the national forest in the tcrai cannot oUlh. the forest is accessible 10 the north­ be managed in Cl simple way bccause the ern residents. "We need 10 manage the situation is di ffercnt. The forests in the lerai csLs because the people of the southern need intensive management. Experience Shre.!!lha : Committed to community forestry cas do not ha ve access to the forests 111 has shown the need (0 hand over forests to nonh." said Shreslha. "Ifalllhe foresls In the commu nity in ordcr to support and grams in lhe hills. But lhey have nol the terai arc handed over 10 the commu­ manage them properly. However, the com­ shown similar mterest in the terai. Al­ nity, who will supply fuel wood 10 lhe munily does nOl have lhe capability la though Amcrican and German donors are southern population?" manage national forests in the tera!. As the involved in managing forests In some Al:cording 10 a study. dung and agri­ area is densely populated and lhe users tcrai districts, the results have fallen short cultural residucs form the principal source groups are fairly big. it bccomcs an impos­ of expectations. of household energy in the southern lerai, sible task. The terai' s forests need a strat­ Accoruing la the FareS! Resources wilh only 43 perccnl of Ihe peoplc using egy that wou ld encourage equitable dislri­ Utilization Strategy wood. Project-Final Report. This Indicates gremcr fuel wood bution, community participation as well as every year 10.000-15,000 Ions of non­ scarcity in the lerai. Siraha and Saptari resource mobilization. wood forest products arc harvested from districts hav~ the lowest per capita forest Donors have played an important role the mid-hills and coyer among high mounlains. The the term districts of the east­ III supporting community forestry pro- terai areas harvest much more than lhat. ern region. The Strategic GUIdelines for The forests in the Icrai are commerci<1l1y Forest Uti! ilation repon prepared with valuable especially because there is a big Finland's support <1lso shows growing market just across the border. However. \. aritics in the use of forest resources. SIllCC they arc away from human settle­ ~~ording to the report. terai households mcnts, terai forests arc not accessible ,~" er to the forest!>. lO use fuel wood for all. ~ king at twice the rate of households The Forest Resourcc:s UtilIzation living farther away. Households with less Stralegy Projeel found in 1998 lhal Nepal than lwO hectares of land are reported lO had 4.2 million hectares of forest repre­ supplement their income through the sale senting 29 percent of Iota I land area, com­ of fuel wood collected primarily from gov­ pared la lhe 37 percenl ernment forests. ligure Slmed in lhe MJstcr Plan for th e Forestry Sector of It is eSllmaled lhat 68 percenl of lhe 1988. The annual rale of loss is about 0.5 peoplccollect fuel wood from government percent in the terai and plains. Tht! annual forests and 13 percent from community deforestation rate i~ 1.3 percent. Accord­ foresLS. Sixteen percent harvest fuel wood ing to the Forest Resources Information from their own land and the remaining Project, reachable forest in the eastern three percent use kerosene and gas, ac­ dt!velopmentrcgion is I 12.8cubic meters. cording to lhe CBS. In the mid hills. about The result shows that stocks per hectare 77 percenl of poor households rely more , arc much higher than previous estimates. on government forests compared to the Th(; tOlal available saw log volume is 59 morc well-off who depend on on-farm milUon cubic meters. The sal forest of the trces and community forestry. ~wV;;o~m~e~n~;;;;~;';:fi;:;':;;;;;;:~:Important lerai is vanishing faS! because The contributi on of communi ty for- energy Source of high market demand.

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 19 COVER STORY

Donors in Terai As donors are not economically and environmentally valu­ groups in the terai arc qucstionable. They heav ily involved in supporti ng forest man­ able forests in the terai are vanishing at an have not shown new ways of regenerating agement in the terai. the primary responsi­ alarming rate. forests but continue to enjoy exploiting bility rests with thegovernmenl. Five years Values of Terai's Forest the natural cover that exists. ago, Finland proposed to develop a model The terai's forests are valuable for FECOFON claims it is the sole body project for forest resources management timber production and cultivation. In the set up to safeguard the interests of forest and showed a willingness to start it from middle hills, the forests are growing very users groups. But others question its in­ Bara district. Afler opposition from fast because they are attached to house­ tentions. There are all egations that FECOFON and other environmental orga­ holds. There they are valuable for grazing, FECOFON often ignores the larger inter­ nizations, Finland pulled out of the project. inler-cropping and fuel wood. The moun­ ests of the country while standing up for The World Bank, too. later withdrew from tain forests are vaJuable in terms of tour­ the cause of users groups. Some argue that community forestry in the tCTai because ism, bio-diversity and herbal products. users groups should not be allowed to government officials opposed some condi­ The terai's forests are diverse in temlS manage the forests in the terai because tions set in the program. One of thecondi­ of vegetation and species and have easy they have almost become political organi­ tions put forth by the World Bank was to accessibility. In the terai, forest and settle­ zations. end the monopoly of the TCN and begin ments are not closely linked. The people of "We are purely representatives of us log sales based on market competition. It the northern terai are relatively new set­ ers groups." says Neupane. Officials ar~ also proposed to generate resources through tlers, whereas those in the sou th are older. using the political label to discredit us. T" Lhe utilization of forest products. Some experts argue that the govern­ is the only organization that has a natio.i Stung by the bitter experiences of ment shou ld not depend on donor-driven wide network of supporters," he claims. past. when politicians encouraged settle­ forestry policies, maintaining that those In the terai, 226 forest users groups ments in government forest areas, offi­ who provide the money often impose their are managing 35 ,539 hectares of forests. cials did not agree to cut green trees and ideas. "Resources are always considered According to forest ofliclals, many of the leave forest areas to regenerate. "Ac­ =~ ______.., users groups are misusing the re- tually, it was a major mistake on our sources. Officials even accuse users pan not to accept the limited condi­ groups ofselling trees from national tions set by the World Bank. Had we forest areas. accepted the proposal. the country's In one users group in lIam. all forest resources would have started members arc accused of corruption. to contribute to 'the national Since the group has members repre­ economy:' Since the withdrawal of senting all major panics, no one can donors, forest management efforts in take action against them. the lerill have faced a resource crunch. "We want to introduce two Although the government has models in the terai - collaborative forest management programs for all forest management and commur the districts in the lerai, it simply forest management. The coli aboilk' doesn't have tbe money to imple- ~~;~~~~~~~~~C§~~~~;~~ tive effort will be directed by ment them. Other donors have been ~ government. whereas the corn I talking about the need for sustainable for­ in tenns of economic va lue not in lenns of nity forestry will be placed under the est management but have not shown an physical existence," says Keshav Kandel, community," said Shreslha of the com­ interest to support such programs in the a forest resources economist. "Nepal has munity forest division. Solution terai. "We have altogether 18 plans for not made any effort to cash in on th e The solution to the problem of forest forest management in the terai. When economic value of its forests. The country management in Nepal can be found not in there is no money, how can we implement is losing about Rs II billion a year from identifying who will control and manage them" In the current budget each district the forests because of lack of institutional forests but in ensuring accountabil ity and has been gi ven Rs.200,OOO for forest man­ support and distributi on. If we view this in transparency in the institutions involved. agement, but that is too little to start any terms of market value, the cost will be Even the Auditor-General's Annual Re­ task." between Rs 22 billion and Rs 44 billion." port 200 I points out the need for a proper "Frankly speaking. we have adequate FECOFUN's Role mechanism for accountability in forest expertise for community forestry but we Although users groups claims that management. Even wday. timber worth don't ha ve manpower for forest manage­ they can manage forests more efficiently of billions of rupees is decaying in (orest ment," says Joshi. who has worked for than the government, they, too, do not areas and in lhe yards of the TCN. In such more than two decades in the Ministry of have the kind of manpower and resources a situation, simply amending the law to Forest and Soil Conservation. Because of needed for the job. Like government offi­ provide more authority to the community lack of money and technical expertise, cials, the tendencies of some forest users or the government would not work. •

20 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 NATIONAL

BHUTANESE REFUGEES differences between the two sides as seen during the protracted negotiations in the past. So, what could be done? Finally, We Are Here! Four human rights and aid organi­ zations have demanded that the UNHCR As Nepalese and Bhutanese officials start (United Nations High Commissioner their work, for Refugees) be also involved in the rights organizations seek UN mediation verification process of the Bhutanese refugees. In a memorandum submitted to Foreign MinisterChakra Bastola and By A CORRESPONDENT step forward in resolving the more than Bhutanese Foreign Minister Jigme Y. a decade-old impasse. Thinley separately. Human Rights Despite these developments, skep- Watch, Lutheran World Foundation, Tt was but natural for nearly 100,000 tics are not very hopeful. They suspect Women's Commission for Refugee hhumnese refugees to pin their hopes that the entire process could come to an Women and Children. and Refugee In- as the Joint Verification Team (JVT) abrupt end one fine morning due to ternational have expressed apprehen- 'QI'mally staned their job from si on about the process and pro- e of the seven refugee camps cedures for the joint verifica- in eastern Nepal early this week. tion, These groups have ques- Though it's a long process that tionedabout whatthey said lack might take up to one and half . of clarity regarding the docu- years, officials said they would ments required for the verifi- try their best to cut shon the cation, absence of any inde- time period as much as pos- pendent appeal sible. process and absence of provisions for refu- The JVT was fanned as gees to be accompanied to their per an agreement during the verification interview. if any. ministerial level meeting be- The JVT visited seven refugee tween Nepali and Bhutanese camps in eastern Nepal in late offic ials in Kathmandu late last January but is yet to agree upon year. Dubbed as a breakthrough, L::""" ___.___ - .=------~.d...;;;;..;.i:d=::::,..----1 a mechan i srn to kick-start the the decision was seen as a ri ght Refugee family: Hoping to return home verification process. •

the prices of food and beverage group. In the external front. a robust growth of exports accompanied by a comparatively slower growth of imports helped narrow down the trade deficit. The total exports The latest NRB report confirms declining growth rate have grown by 22,8 percent to Rs 28.76 of development billion during this period whereas total expenditure imports have grown marginally by 8.4 By percent to Rs 56.12 billion. The total A CORRESPONDENT a report published by Nepal Rastra Bank trade deficit stood at Rs 27.37 billion. (NRB) last month . During the review The foreign exchange holdings of the period re source mobilization grew by banking system increased substantially hanks to the ensuing political in ­ 18.2 due to a surplus in the balance of pay­ T stability, in the nrst half of the percent as a result of higher growth ments emanating from current the growth in of­ fiscal year 200010 1.lOtal govern­ in both revenue receipts and foreign cash ficial and miscellaneous capital inl1ow ~ ment expenditure has decelerated, says a grants. However, because of high gov­ and decline in the trade deficit. The re­ latest official report. It is due mainly to ernment spending, budgetary defic it su lting foreign exchange reserves was the deceleration in development as well widened. The rate of inflation, on sufficient to cover merchandise imports as rreeze expenditures despite a signifi­ point-to-point basis, was recorded at 2 of more then eleven months, the central cant growth in regular expenditure, said percent, mainly because of the decline in bank said. •

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16. 200 1 21 INTERVIEW 'The People Will Continue To Be Part Of Forest Management' - RABI BAHADUR BISTA

RABI BAHADUR BISTA, secretary allhe Min· difficult to identify the users. The forests are only istry of Forest and Soil Conservation, has had a in the north and settlements are on the south. The /ollg innings ill the area of nature conservation. forests of the terai are important for other reasons Bisla spoke /0 KESHAB POUDEL 011 various - for regulating the water discharge from the issues related to the ongoing cOlllroversy over Shiwalik as well as protecting the land of south. community joreslIy. Excerpts: We have to protect valuable wildlife like tigers, rhinos and the entire bio-diversity. In the terai, How do you assess the ongoing community commercial forestry is possible so its utilization forestry program? needs to be looked from the national perspectiv Community forestry is going on very well How do you see the scope for community and the ministry is whole-heatedly commitred to forestry in the terai? implementing the national community forestry There is scope for community forestry, but it program. Wc have already said that we want to is not in the manner and style we have envisaged hand over roughly 3 miJlion hectares of Nepal's in the hills. In the lerai, the community forestry is rarest to local communities by forming users little modified in the sense that people would groups. The whole program is going on very continue to receive their requirements, including smoothly with the commitment of the government the income from the forest. We cannot say, as we and the people's participation. can in the hills, who the users would be because But some NGOs are accusing the ministry the resources need to go all the way to the southern of trying to interfere in forestry programs. areas. That is why the government, through its How do you see the accusation? decision. explicitly spelled out how to manage the That is not true. Our forestry policy explicitly forests. First of all, the forest needs to be catego­ says, with regard to the community forestry in the rized and the best way to protect and manage it hills, that all accessible hill forests will be handed scientifically must be found. over to the users groups to the extent they are able Will the people still be part of forest mar> to use. The policy does not say anything about the agement? low-land forests. The people will be made part and parcel pr Then what prompted this outcry? forest management. This means the people w~....I' Community The government has recently outlined the continue to receive fuel wood, fodder and small forestry is policy statement regarding community forestry in timber. In addition to all this, we are in the process the terai. In the terai, there are many community of distributing the income we get from the forest going on very forestry. Community forestry has been stream­ equally to the VDCs, DDCs and forest manage­ well and the lined in the case of low-land forests as well. It has ment committees. They are better off. We want to been doing well. Not only that. the whole forest of implement collaborative forest management in ministry is Nepal at present is one of the resources managed terai. whole-heat­ through a participatory approach. So whether we \Vhat was the concept of community for· edly commit­ talk of national parks or national forests, Shiwalik estry when it was introduced two decades ago? forest and community forest. where we have a The philosophy of community forestry was ted to imple­ strong involvement of the people. developed when there was an influx of people menting the What is your experience in the terai in from the hills to the terai. With an aim to stop the comparison with the hills? migration to terai, policy-makers introduced com­ national com­ In the hills, forest and settlements are inter­ munity forestry to make possible a modest liveli- ' munityfor­ mingled. So you can rightly say who forms the hood in hills. So the terai forests were left alone. estry pro­ users group of a particular forest. With regard to That is the reason the policy does not say anything rhe lerai, where all forests are accessible and that about the terai. gram. people arc depending on the forest, it is very Do you mean users groups will not be

22 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH J6. 2001 INTERVIEW

allowed to cut trees for commerciaJ purposes? Our job is j ust 10 en­ The underl yin g principle of community for­ co urage that every­ es try is that it provid es basic forest products as per body obeys thelawand the need of the household. It is not the aim of maintains ord er. For· community forestry locu! green lrees from nati onal ests need to be man­ forests and sellthcm in the markel. When the forest aged and cut so that is managed in a sustainable way, the co mmunity they fulfill domestic can get the products they need and they may have demand. If possible the some surplus. When onc group has some surplu s. it products can be ex­ can definitely go to the market. The market is not parted. We are work­ considered the primary focus of communit y for­ in g to improve th e estry. In many areas in the terai. commercial mo­ quality o f the forests tl ves have taken precedence. So much so that of Nepal as well as to cx tcn si ve areas are handed over to the community. manage Il accordingly Misguided principles have created some confu­ and to co nse rve the sion. We want to bring some con trol in the terai. bio-diversity. We The whole philosophy is not to go commercial. know the basic de­ What is the mode of decision making? mands. The decision of community forestry should The forest is said he based on consensus, In the hills, every house· to be one of the pre­ hold gets an eq ual share, The use rs group se lects cious resources of the the user community that undertakes day-la-day country. How can activities and decides on the co ntinuation of com­ you prove this when munity forestry. The effol1 is to ensure that the your ministry is it­ task is performed in best democratic traditi ons. self surviving on a This should also apply to the terai . There is no subsidy budget? contlict when it co mes to community fore sts. The It is not true that our ministry is surviving on oth er aim is la encourage the community to pro­ asubsidy budget. We areoneofthe most organized duce more forests W red uce dependency on gov· sectors. If there were no forests, land would be ernmenl forests, washed away in the hills and terai . They are al so It is said that frequent changes of forest needed for internal security. There will be no water officers in the terai discourages accountability resources if there are no fore st. Talk of tourism, we among the officers. After being transferred absorb 60 percent of tourists. We support agricul­ they do not have to bear any responsibility even ture and we provide 75 perce nt of the energy the case of mismanagement. How do you requirement of the country. If you look at these in ok at this complaint? terms of their value, it will be much higher. If it is 'A On the whole, the job of any fore st officer is stoc k f ore st, we are unable to harness the re­ 'lfficult because even if a tree is cut in the middle sources. First we have to see that our forest is best orlhe night, he is blamed. Forest official s are only conserved and preserved. II means they are well custodians but the re so urce belongs w th e people. used. It is under certain regulawfY mechanisms and What is required to utilize forests for the certain legi slation that di strict forest officers are benefit of the country? Due to uncer­ managing the forests and co ntrolling illegal ac­ We need to improve the quality and intensity tainty and tivities. I was told that one forest officer has to of the forest as well. To that extent, you have to look at the forest of th e whole VDCs. deteriorating It is beyond wait another five years. We have 29 percent forest hi s meanS. It is impossible to manage the forest and 10 percent is sub-land or degraded forest. Put law-and­ without the cooperation of the people. On the together in five years, we can reach 40 percent whole, most forest officers are order situa­ working 12-18 forest cover with the quality of Europe. Productiv­ hours. They have their own limitation tion, . ity will be four times that of Europe. But now we most of Why has the government-controlled na­ need a moratorium. So are forbidding the CUlling ourarmeq tional forest continued to shrink? of green trees. We have about 2.8 million cubic Due 10 uncertainty and deteriorating guards are law·and­ feet in leftover of logs .We want to use. In five order situation, most of our armed guards are not years time, when the forests will be full of stock, not actively actively employed and engaged. Basically, we have we can talk of utilization of forests. For the time people that does not know employed and what is right and wrong. being. a moratorium is the best way. • engaged

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16, 2001 23 FESTIVAL.

HOLI GURKHA ISSUE Menacing Turn The Fight The traditional festival of color takes a dangerous turn as Goes On young men use it as an opportunity to harass young women With the objective of pressing for their By SANJAYA DHAKAL age girls. Even small boys are seen demand of pay parity and equal treat­ mimicking seniors and throwing these ment, Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's 'Iolas' at beleaguered girl s scurrying for Organization (GAESO) organized an hen she left home in the morn­ safety. internatjonalconfcrcnce in KaLhmandu. ing to take pan in a march More often than not, these lolas W According to Or. Om Gurung, coordi­ to mark the 91 st [nternational Women's physically hurt the victims. Doctors say natoro[the three-day international meetl' Day (on March 8). little did Sangita that if these water-filled missile land that ended on March I I. the conrerenc,..L Poudel know what was in store for with force on the head or the eyes, they decide on a definit"e plan to approac_t her. can cause pennanent injuries. the UN Human Rights Court as well as A resident of Dhading district, 18- Besides, there is no guarantee that the European Court to resolve the year-old Poudel had arrived at the dis­ these lolas are filled with clean water. In pension and welfare issues. At the con­ trict headquarters, Dhadingbesi. to cel­ a water-scarce city, people are found to ference, GAESO President Padam Ba­ ebrate the day along with her friends. make use of dirty water, mud and haz­ hadur Gurung came down heavily But she ended up railing unconscious ardous eolors. against both the British and Nepalese ror hours in the local hospital. What is more disturbing is the fact government for fai ling to cnd 'discrimi­ On the day women around the world that, with each passing year, the festival natory trcatment of British Gurkha sol­ marked their movement for liberation, a is gaining more notoriety. So is the diers'. teen-age girl in Nepal's village became rrequency of harassment. This year the "Our movemenl is not against Brit­ the victim of an enduring rOm) of sex ual festival was celebrated on March 9 (in ain or any British national. Wc arc for harassment. hill s, including Kathmandu Valley) and equal rights and respect of the Gurkha Poudel was the victim of th e ugly on March 10 (in the terai). However, the soldiers. Wc only want 10 point out the' turn that the Holi festival has been tak­ lolas staned nying around more than a mlsta. k 'cs made by both governments," •, ing in recent years. A misguided youth week earlier. said Gurung. Ac~ording to GAESO of­ hit her hard with a water-filled balloon. Although the authorities promise ficials. at least 1000 foreign delegar [t hit her chest with enough force to strict act ion against such wayward be­ from more than a dOlen countries 1 knock her unconscious for hours. havior, they have failed to stop thi s 3._ tended the conference. Also attendi':../: This is but an example how the disturbing development. Apart from the conference were around 500Gurkha you th , specially teen-age boys, are de­ publishing a public notice, the Home war veterans. stroying the essence of Holi festival. In Ministry has not done anything. The organizer> said that the confer­ their perverse view, Holi gives them the The increasing sense of lawless­ ence was held in preparation for the li cense to throw balloons at girl s and ness is morc pronounced during the 57th session of UN Commission on young women. Holi season. when gi rl s and young Human Rights 10 be held in Geneva in What was once a festival of build­ women fear to walk around the streets. the end of March and the World Con fer­ ing rriendship has now taken an often­ Holi has been celebrated since time enceAgainst Racism to he held in South sive turn. The traditional festival of immemorial. In [ndi a, the festival is Africa in August, 200 I. colors has now become single most­ celebrated more vigorously. The festi­ Just a day before the conference feared festival among women. val marks the killing of demoness Holika opened in Kathmandu. British govern­ A week before Holi actually ar­ by Lord Vishnu to save hi s devotee ment announced 10.9 percent rise in the r;ved, girls and young women deserted Prahlad. pension of the British Gurkha ex-ser­ Kathmandu's streets for fear of being Sociologists say unless society vicemen, building on the last years hit with that dreaded ballooo. Road s id~ checks such disturbing tendencies in increase of over 100 percent. But the hoodlums use balloons filled with wa­ time. people will slowly begin to disso­ GAESO officials say the present incre­ ler and other sub stances as missiles IQ ciate themselves from the festival. And ment is not sufficient. • hit innocent passers- by - in variably teen- that would be another real tragedy . •

24 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH t6. 2001 NATIONAL

GARBAGE DISPOSAL Non-municipal waste is recycled by the pri­ vate sector. The waste is generated in huge quantities and sometimes contains contami­ Down nants, according to experts. The municipali­ In The Dumps ties manage pan of it because it is either placed in contai ners or dumped in public With the monsoon just around the corner, expert worry places, Babu Kaji Shrestha, who coll ects about the added garbage for Kathmandu municipality says, hazards of garbage mismanagement "We collect garbage from pubLic dumps 2 or 3 limes a week." By AKSHAY SHARMA cause the nature and scale of waste genera­ An efficient system of solid waste man­ tions changes quickly. This makes it all the agement is vital, especially because farm­ s the monsoon approaches. experts more difficult for municipal officials to ana­ land around the city is decreasin g. experts are bracing for the added scale Iyze the garbage si A tuation and to take reme­ say. Agricultural waste is recycled by Kathmandu's endemic garbage disposal the dial action. fanners themselves and roblcm is certain poses a less serious to take. "Solving the gar­ The nature of waste varies according to threat. age problem will be a hard task indeed," the living standards of the community. The The main sources of commercial waste, says Ashok Shah of the Local Development waste in Kathmandu can be characterized as ex pens say. are restaurants. vegetable and nistry's Department of Solid Waste Man­ being highly organic, of high density and fruit markets, slaughterhouses. carpet facto­ crnent. high in moisture content. Past studies indi­ riesandgarmenl industries. Restaurant waste Rapid population growth and changing cate that 60 percent of the waste is organic. In is usually fed to pigs. Bones from slaughter­ consumption habits have made the officials' 1978, experts estimated the density of houses usually end up in containers task marc difficult. Kathmandu's or are dumped on riverbanks. population is estimated to be grow- F;;::".. ----:::'r:7t:11 "Waste from fruit and vegetable ing by about 5.9 percent a year. markets is usually dumped into Lalitpur's population growth rate is con­ tainers. Waste from the Kuleshwor about 3.8 percent. Those are trou­ fruit and vegetable market bling figures. especially in view of is 'corn posted." says Ashok the fact thal Ihe entire Kathmandu Shah. Some ohhe waste from garmcm and Valley - which includes the cities carpet factories is recycled. ofBhaktapur, Lalitpur, Kathmandu, whileotherS'are '. '~-""" dumped into rivers or containers Thimi, Kirtipurand surrounding vil­ . Medical waste from hospitals lages - is already believed to be is a major over 1.2 million. source of concern because of its hazardousnaturc. Expertssay about "It is common to see pede~tri­ 700 kg of hospital waste is generated ans covering their noses they pass in Kathmandu and Lalitpureach rotting mounds of garbage thm day. Teaching Hospilal, Norvic are on almost every street corner in Hospital and Patan Hospital ~lITlandu ," says lawalakhel resi- A heap of garbage: Sti nking sight have indneration plants. Few nursing homes Bimal Khaui. Bonfires of gar­ burn their waste in crude incinerators and 1110St bage smolder in many pans of Kathmandu Kathmandu's waste to be 600 kg/m 3. of the other hospitals and nursing h and most people find it convenient to haul omes Another survey conducted by the Solid dump their waste in municipal garbage in the capital's rivers contai ners or and ponds. waste Management and Resource Mobiliza­ on riverbanks. The average anllual waste generation of tion Center (SWMRMC) in May 1988 found Prabin Shrcstha. a studcnt of microbiol­ in Kathmandu is around 178 IOns, and ex­ that the density varied from 300 and 430 kg/ ogy, says: "The monsoon is around the cor­ perts predict that figure to go up 10 350 tons m 3. Theaveragedensity taken from samples ner and the riskofdiscase i~ growing because by next year. Lalitpur generates 68 tons of from six location s were found to be 390 kg/ different harmfulmicro-organisl11s grow in waste. These numbers make clear the dire ms. The SWMRMC' s s urvey also measured these site. We have already heard of in­ need for a central waste processing facility in the moisture content of the waste from six stances of cholera and dysentery." the valley. locations, which varied from 38 to 58.7 per­ Residents' normally deposit waste at The Kathmandu Metropolitan City ce nt. The average moisture content was 45.8 designated areas along the roadside (KMC) has a plan for recycling waste with or in percent. This may be because the samples public containers. Workers technical support from Bombay-based from the muni ci­ Ex­ were taken in May during which precipita­ palities cel Industries. pick thcgarbagc from these contain­ The facility is expected to tion probably did not have an effect on the recycle ers. Some people just throwaway garbage at a minimum of300 tons of so li d waste measurements. according to ex pens. vacant plots and public areas, Icaving the each day and a total of 22.000 tons a year. Kathmandu also generales large muni cipaJ ity to manage il. With Few studies have been done on the scale of proper amounts of non-municipal waste, such as the problem so lid waste manage ment growing by the day. offi cials Th e few findings agric ultural water, commercial waste. hospi ­ that have will have to devise a more safe and efficient come out become irrelevant be- tal waste, industrial waste and dead animals. system of waste disposal. • SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16.2001 25 REVIEW

menllo the current jet-engine era, the au­ BOOK thor tries to cover the difficulties and chal­ lenges faced by the aviation sector in Nepal. Shrestha also discusses the role or aviation Aviation Analysis in promoting tourism in ill fferent parts to the country. The author clearly makes the An exhaustive first-hand account of the evolution of case that it is aviarion that has been promot­ ing Nepal' s tourism industry. tourism and aviation in Nepal One of the important aspects of the book is that it succeeds in discussing a ll By A CORRESPONDENT valuable reference text on the area. "J critical aspects in the areas of tourism have tried to cover all important aspects of promotion and aviation sector. Shrestha ourism and aviation have revolu­ Nepalese aviation and tourism from the also points to how forward-looking poli­ T tionized the entire service sector in perspective of visitors, professionals. re­ cies can make a difference by describing Nepal over the last five decades. Follow­ searchers and present relevant facts and the surge in the number of private airlines ing the restoration of democracy, both figures in a precise tabulated format, leav­ following the adoption o f an open-sk areas have witnessed enormous invest­ ing, in most cases, the interpretation oflhe policy. ments from the private sector. Countless facts to the readers," the author says. The book provides a descriptive hooks on tourism have chronicled Nepal's The book is divided into four ehap­ count of the annual in come from tourism emergence from isolation la a popular terscoveringgeneral information on avia­ and its contribution to the national destination for visitors from around the ti on, tourism and some issues related to economy. As an aviation management world . Despite its major contribution to airline management. As one of the first expert, Shrestha's evaluation is based on the national economy, few scholars have professional consultants on aviation and existing trends and infonnation of the made an effort to look at the evolution of tourism in Nepal, the opinions Shrestha tourism sector. Along with discussing facts the aviation sector in Nepal. expresses in the book are interesting and and figures, he paints a wider canvas that Aviation has proved itself as one of valuable. includes such areas as Nepal's culture, the most important components of the From the early phases of its develop- landscape and bio-diversity. • modern tourism industry as well as a basic infrastructure for national develop­ mcncln the last five decades. the country Himalayan Travel & Tours (P) Ltd. has laid great emphasis on developing aviation through appropriate policy mea~ sures. In hi s quest to explore the hi story We are one of Nepal's Most and present challenges of aviation and reliable, efficient and profes­ tourism. Maheswor Bhakta Shrestha has al cargo handlers, Our dedi­ come out with a book based on his exten­ professionals can offer sive experience in both fields. Shrestha, who served for more than best service in town , 25 years with the Royal Nepal Airlines I IA,IW,:\VS remember us for your ti'1'ff!.~'Jt~~~~~iliiil~MI Corporation (RNAC), has facilitated an rldwide cargo handling enriched understanding o f the country 's service. e::~::::=~~..;.,.;:...... :.;...... aviation and tourism sectors through de­ tailed - and often rare - information. For more information contact: As chief of the Planning, Marketing, Sales and Corporate Department at the RNAC, Shrestha has seen many changes in both fields. In his book, Shrestha in­ cludes many valuable suggestions on the imponant issues related to the develop~ Himalayan Travel & Tours (P) Ltd. ment orthe tourism by integrating it with aviation. Durbar Marg, P. O. Box 324 Kathmandu, Nepal Through its portrayal of analytical Tel : 223045 ( 10 lines), Fax: 977-1-224001, SlTA: KTMHlTG data covering the aviation and tourism e-mail: [email protected]. industry, Shrestha's book has come as a URL : HTrP :lIwww.eatmando.com/comfhll/hllindex.htm

26 SPOTLlGHT/MARCH 16, 2001 THE BOTTOM LINE

By M.S.KHOKNA

I, !Jon'f lJorrJ' Co ahead

tJith your progrom9 till he res/."J'I1.s.

cultural Research Council with the Basu Shashi Award. ELECTED: Dr. Yadav TRANSITION (NARC), wi th the award for Prasad Pant, unopposed. as scientific partnership for the Women lillcralcurs Dev president of the Nepal-Japan FELICITATED: Hem Raj year 2000. by the International Kumari Thapa, Shanta Friendship and Cultural As­ GyawaJi, chairman of Kan­ Agricultu re Research Consul­ Shrestha, Chandra Kala sociation. tipur Publications, by the tative Group, For its FruitFul Newar, Hiranya Kumari Gyawali Trust, For his con­ partnership with international Pathak, Bhuwan Dr. Praveen Mishra, presi­ tributions 10 literature, jour­ and regional agriculture re­ Dhungana (Koirala), Anita dent of the Nepal Dental As­ nalism and social service. search in stitution s. Tuladhar and Vsha sociation. as vice-president Sherchan, with the Lokpriya of the South Asian Dental AWARDED: Nepal Agri- Binod Ashrumali, a poet, Award. Federation. •

SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16, 200 1 27 NATIONAL

HEALTH LONGMAN DICTIONARY Joint Venture New Book Regional experts discuss cross-border initiatives in tackling HIV / In Town AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and kala-azar at aconference in Kathmandu Longman enters the

By AKSHAY SHARMA full commitment." Nepalese market with a new Or lha said integration and decen­ series of dictionaries four day SAARC-WHO meeting tralization are vital ror cooperation and A on "Cross border initiatives in HIV. coordinati on in the battle against these Nepalese readers now have a wider choice AIDS, TB, malaria and kala-azar was diseases. ''Today, in thi s changing demo­ of language hooks anu ulctionaries with organized last week by the SAARC Tu­ graphic situation, no country can remain the entry of the Longman series. berculosis Cc mer, Kathmandu and the aloof." Along with dictionaries and olhe World Health Organization (WHO). Or Shanta Bahadur Pande of the NTC series, Essential Activator seems to t ... , More than a hundred years have said: "The private practitioners welcome one of the helpful materials for readU passed since Robert Knock identified tu­ Lhe National Tuberculosis Program (NTP) and learners of the English language. berculosis in 1882. Moreover, nearly 50 to develop links between the private and First published tn 1993, the book is years have passed since drugs forTB were the public sector. Private practjtioners are another revolutionary product ofLongrnan developed. "Di sease, information, diag­ willing to provide TB patients quality - the first production dictionary which nostic method, drugs have been available care and servi ce that is easily accessible. provides a solutIOn to advanced students for a long time now. but they have not The referral from the private sector was who do not know how tCl choose their managed locontrollhisdreadful disease," 10 percent in the first year and has in­ words in essay writing. said Or KK lha of the National Tubercu­ creased to 18 percent in the second year." Releasing the book in the Nepalese losis Center (NTC) in Thimi, Bhaktapur. Or. B.Shrestha of the NTC observed: market. Longmnn also released the "Discussions from eminent experts ''The problem of drug resistance has been Longman Dictionary of Contemporary in tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and a challenge to the revised National Tuber­ English with the CD-ROM. kala-azar from Bangladesh, Bhutan. In­ culosis Program (NTP) and DOTS (Di­ "Our dictionary and other series will dia. Nepal, WHO Headquarters (Geneva) rectly Observed Treatment Short Course) provide learners of rhe English language South East Asia Regional Office New strategy all over the world. High preva­ to find the .exact meaning of the word." Delhi, UNICEF, UNDP and SAARC na­ lence of drug resistance may lead to the said Della Summers, director of dictio­ tions provides us with fruitful incentives." failure orthe DOTS strategy." naries. "Ourdictionarics have many cht said Dr. D.S. Barn, director of SAARC The NTC and the German-Nepal TB acteristics that will help new learners Tl Tuberculosis Center. Project carried Qu t drug re sistance sur­ enhance their skills." , Delegates fr olll other pioneer institu­ vei llance all over the country in 1999. "Our whole set of language bool tions from the SAARC region also took Or Shrestha added: "This was the will be available in the market very soon," part in the conference. The burden of TB I first nationwide survey on TB drug resis­ said Manoranjan Snod, manager, sales HIV in the 21 st century will certainly be tance in Nepal. In 1996, initial sentinel and marketing, ELT and schools. "Our bigger than in the 19505 if proper inter­ site surveillance was carried out. The re­ products arc helpful for new learners of ventions are not applied, according to the ports are not alarming but they cannot be English language." • pal1icipants. ignored. NTP should try to decrease the 'The objectives of the meeting were trend of drug re sistance by properly imple­ institutions has been cOIlvenienlto the pa­ to review cross-border issues related to menting the DOTS strategy. Every effort tients. The experience we have learnt from HlV/AIDS, TB, malaria and kala-azar in must be made toward the prevention of Patan should encourage us to involve the the participating countries, and to ex­ the drug-resistance problem." private sector. The private sector is willing change experiences and lessons learned Or. P. Malla,directorofNTP,said: "In to provide free servi ces to TB patients if the on interventions to reduce the spread of Patan, more than 90 percent of the treaL­ public sector is willing 10 provide recogni­ these diseases across the border and to ment for TB cases has been achieved. The tion and guidance." prepare a plan of action," Dr Barn said. nurnberofTB-related cases in private nurs­ Experts emphasized that these dis­ "Every TB patient has Lhe human ing homes has increased and the patients eases are preventable through better hy­ right to get free treatment. The govern­ are gelling better quality of service. The giene, food habits and proper sanitation ment a,ld the community have given their longer opening hours of these healthcare facilities. •

28 SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 PASTIME

A Leafin a Begging Bowl: Modern Nepali Stories Ramesh Vikal Now In Town BOOK Translated by Manjushree Thapa 12000 Rs. 200.00

Ashwatthama : A Lyrical Play Muna Madan : A Play in the Jhyaure Folk Tradition M. P. Ghimire 11998 Lax mi Prasad Dcvkota Translmed by P. P. Devkota Rs. 44.00 Translated by Anando P. Shrestha 12000 Rs. 136.00

Contemporary Nepali Poems My Wish & Olher Poems Editor: Toya Gurung I 2000 Rs. 150.00 Vijaya Malla Translated by Tritha Raj Tuladhar I 1994 Rs. 250.00 Echoes of the Himalayas A Novel B. G. Gurung I 2000 Rs.320.00 Shakuntala : Epic Laxmi Prasad Devkota I 1991 Rs. 60.00 From The Lake, Love: Poems Banira Giri Edited with an Introduction : Wayne Amtzis Rs.300.00 Selected epali Poems Translated & Edited by Tara Nath Sharma / 1999 Rs. 500.00 The Girl with A Meaningless Name : A Collection of Essays & Gems Twists and Turns: Poems sar Lal I 2000 Rs. 152.00 Durga lal Shrestha Translated by Tirtha Raj Tuladhar 12000 Rs.250.00 dred and O'1e Poems for New Millennium • . Rajbll andari 12000 Rs. 100.00 Voices from Nepal: The First Major Anthology of Poems Originally Written in English by Nepalese Poets Rs.275.00 La~shmi Prasud Devkota : Selected Poems An English Rendering: M. M. Thakur 11998 Rs. 150.00 (Source: Himalayall Book Cell1er, Bagh Ba:ar. Kathnumdu. Ph: 242085)

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SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 29 LEISURE

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.10 SPOTLlGHT/.vIARCH 16.2001 LEISURE

CROSSWORD Por 06jective News, Views ana flnaEysis • 1?J!ad •ACROSS DOWN SPOTLIGHT I. Course picked up by detective (7,4) I. Devised series of games (3) 7. Reported excessive speed (3) 2. Star group performing outside port (5) THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE 9. Catch fish moving in a small stream (9) 3. Date extract (4,3) 10. Propose to offer accommodation (3,2) 4. Deal, perhaps. going nowhere in par- 11. After study order companion (7) ticular (9) 12. I record going in to hear aseries of Greek 5. Mewi (nol lead) obtained in thi s form? tragedies (7) (5) 13. Was dependent. having thin time (5) 6. Very funny first line replaced by quiet r£,very Priaay IS . Where lO put plaster, having la use ex· poet (7) cessive stock? (9) 7. Tricky si tuation, breaking a top tooth- 17. Poet is to drop round when president might it have been chipped? (3.6) receives king (9) 8. Goldsmith's teacher was certainly not so 19. Worry over issue (5) frivolous (5-6) 20. Take away place I book in small coach 11. Little consolation for Flora on this farm (7) (4.7 ) Poorly caoft help out ii indigestion rem· 14. Di ed away from place in Yorkshire n in edy needed (7) American cemetery (9) • Gallant gentleman onc implicated in 16. Nobleness shown by architectfs plan (9) conspiracy (5) 18. Singer formally dressed! (7) 25. Expression of opinion to [he left of our 19. Arrange to marry one March - il'S • correspondents (9) nonsense la intervene (7) 27. Cure for effect of mild sunburn (3) 21. Farm animal sticking hard in ooze (5) "Praise the Name of the 28. Horribly behind with tricky input, but 23. Gel up taking care at first with leg (5) finish off early (3,2,3,3) 26. Form of illumination provided guidance Lord, the most High who (3) hath created and com­ pletely formed His crea­ tures and who determineth them to vari­

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SPOTLIGHT/MARCH 16,2001 31 FACE TO FACE 'Donors Are Moving For More Local Participation' -lAN McKENDRY

IAN McKENDRl', Governance Adviser ojrlle JUSt about to be held. poor people here. British government's Deparllll£1Il for Imerna­ Do you mean a fresh start in terms of But they should tional Development (DF/D), is leaving Nepal pro-poor policies? also not forget after comp/eling (l Mo-year tenure. He spoke to Yes. In 1999, the country could easily about the impor­ KESHAB POUDEL 011 various issues related to attribute its policy failures up to that time to the tance of "ideas foreign assistance. Excel]Jts: paralysis which years of minority government aid". about helping can cause. Once there was a new government to get the policy You are leaving Nepal soon, after two with

32 SPOTLIGHTIMARCH 16,2001

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