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~~= iii !~j • Deadlock in Parliament L-__--=-~------~ ______~ • Transport Strike • Nepal - China Road \

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THE KHUKRI IS THE FAMOUS NATIONAL WEAPON OF THE GORKHA SOLDIERS OF NEPAL. KHUKRI RUM IS THEIR FAMOUS NATIONAL DRINK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, IN A BATTLE OR IN A BOTTLE, YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT YOUR TRUST IN A KHUKRI

THE NEPAL DISTILLERIES PVT. LTD. BALAJU,KATHMANDU PH. : 350988, 35072.5, FAX : 350971 CONTENTS

Page

Letters 3

Ncws Notcs 4

Briefs 6

uote Unquote 7

Off The Record 8 COVER STORY: Fifty Years of Democracy: Trial And Error After fifty years. the majo r challenge of Ncpa li democracy sti ll l'ARLlAMENT : Games They Play 9 rema ins maintaining the people's raith in Ihe dcmocratic process Page 16 HEALTH: Nutrition Education II

TRANSPORT STR[KE : Public Hazard [2

NEPAL-CH[NA ROAD: Another Way to Chin a 13

NEPAL-INDIA TRADE: Car Row 14

.O[ST VIOLENCE: Inn ocen t Victims IS

OI3lTUARY : End Of An Era 21 PURNAG[RI : Dam Of Controversy As UML ac tiv ists all ege the lndian government of tryin g to ENCOUNTER: SanlOsh Panta 24 conSlruct a dam at Purnagiri unilaterall y. the Mahakali treat y fall s into cOnlroversy once again. BOOK REV[EW 26 Page 10

THE BOTTOMLlNE 27

VIEW POINT : Koli Annan 28

PASTfME 29 INTERVIEW: LEISURE 30 [ngrid OfsI ad Norwegian Ambassador Ofstad talks on issues of bilateral il1lercst. FORUM: Or. Dibya Deo Bhall 32 Page 22

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 SPOTLIGHT EDITOR'S NOTE THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE : Vol. 20, No.31, February 16,2001 (Falgun 5, 2057) I Chief Editor And Publisher Madhav Kumar Rimal ituated at the confluence of Ihelum and Neelum rivers Muzaffarabad is a peaceful and beautiful city. Except a few scattered refugee colonies, there Editor Santa Rimal was nothing to suggest in Muzaffarabad that a few miles away a few precious human lives were being lost everyday. February 5 which is Managing Editor Keshab Poudet celebrated in Pakistan as Kashmir Solidarity Day, provided this scribe an Sopportunity to study the Kashmir problem on the spot. Visits to Muzaffarabad, the Associate Editor refugee camps and a few miles further to the actual Line of Control have only Bhagirath Yogi accentuated the utter necessity of resolving the Kashmir problem as earl y as possible. Senior Reporter Even though the refugees have been well looked after their miseries at being sel,ar'al< Sanjaya Ohakal from their loved ones, at being deprived of their homes and hearths and their Reporter surviving on generosity were harrowing. But their detem1inalion to return to Akshay Sharma homeland was quite remarkable. This arranged tour of the international visitors to all

Design and Layout those areas reflects Pakistan's seri ousness in reducing tensions and paving the way for Jyoti Singh a peaceful setllement of the nagging problem. The All Panies Hurriet Conference leaders also met with the team of international visitors and briefed them about their Photographer Nishchal Chapagain future strategies. Asked whether they would agree to the Line ofConlrol being declared the international border, th ey alm ost exploded that they could not even think of such a Art proposition and were prepared to fight anOlher few decades. if necessary. Because of M.S. Khokna the unilateral cease fire announced by India. even the Chakhoti Village, just a few Legal Advisor kilometcrs from the Line of Control looked quite normal. But the smoldering fires Advocate Lok Bhakta Rana burning in the hearts of the men living there could be easily felt if one talked to them. Marketing/Advertisement The few days spenl there have strengthened the belief that the people living on either Sari1 Rimal (USA) side of the Line of Control would never accept anything less than a plebiscite at the earliest possible opportunity. (For a detail story on Kashmir Solidarity Day, read our Marketing Madan Kaji Basnet next issue.) Navin Kumar Maharjan Madan Raj Poudel * * * Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is in serious predicament. Even though his party Editorial Office commands a majority in th e Parliament the opposition parties have restricted it fro ~ GPO Box 7256, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, functioning normally for two successive days. In itself, it should have been taken 1 Tel: (977-1) 423127, Fax: (977-1) 417845 Chief Edi10rs : 435594 only as a big humiliation but almost a voteofnoconf,dence. But, Koirala is a hard boiled E·mail : [email protected] egg. He will not relinquish power that easily. Since morality and patriotism arc quite Internet Add: http://www.nepalnews.com/ strange words for him, he will never be swayed by anybody to give lip eating the easy spotlight coming goodies of the office. That he is not working in the interest orthe country have Cover Design been proved by the anti-national citizenship amendment bill which he had the temerity Wordscape Karnal Pokhari, Ph : 410772, Fax: 432872 of Jabeling 'finance bill ' and the ordinance that he made the king to promulgate when th e session of the parliament was imminent. We have, time and again, exhorted the king Distribution to act emphasizing the fac t that the people and country are more important than abiding Bazaar International 228 Sanchaya Kosh Bldg. Kathmandu by the constitution. Procrastination always lands men in peril. It is time all patriotic G.P.O Box 2480, Ph; 222983 Fax: 229437 forces have to join hands and save the country from going to the dogs. The urgency of e-mail: [email protected] the situation dcmands that even th c rebel Nepali Congress members of Parliament must Printers: Kishor offset Press (P.) Ltd. join hands with the opposition and teach their arrogant leader a lesson. • P.O. Box 4665, Galkopakha, Thamel, Kathmandu,Tel ;351044(Off},351 172(Res.}, Fax: 977-1-351172, E-mail: [email protected]

C.O.O_ Regd. No \51/039-40 Postal Regd. No 42/057/58 U.S. Library of Congress Madhav Kumar Rimal Calaloguc No. 91·905060 Chief Editor& Publisher

2 SPOTUGHTIFEBRUARY 16.2001 LETTERS ______

Good For Artistes Brightening The growth in the film industry will mean we ll to Image Nepalese arr istes. Both in The cover story "Pic­ term s of recognition as we ll ture Of Heallh" (SPOT­ as financial return. film arti sle s will now ha ve re aso ns LIGHT, February 9) pro­ to be co ntent in their profes­ vided detailed illfonlla­ sion. Hopefull y. this satisfac­ tioll 011 the Nepalese film tion will trans late into hence illduslry. It is rare that performance in the days lO the maillstream media co mc. Kama/ Sigde/ gives /Iluciz allen/ioll to Harihar Bhawan the illl'estmellt and del'el­ opmel1l in the enlertaill­ Natural Outcome melll seClor. This is one When yo u can not hope to of lhe fe\\' areas where earn enough through sports to tizousands of people are get by the obstacles oflifc. you gettillg employment. defi nitely would want to ex­ pl ore other aJternalivcs (" In Givell lhe right atmo­ Search Of Greener Paslures", sphere, lhiscollld be more SPOTLIGHT. February 2). It productil'e to the is, therefore. natural that many counlry's economy as Nepalese players have left the well. country fo r jobs overseas. There is no reason to crili ctle Bikas Shrestha lhem. Had the sports sector Baltisputali been lucrative. none of them would have gone abroad. Ir is Unscientific Move the co rrupt practice. The tice. The clear case is the suc­ beller to develop professional­ There arc many items in Volkswagen Beetle is a cessof'Darpan Chhaya' which ism in th e co untry so lhat tal ­ vour February 9 issue that I co llector 's item. and so are is based on Nepalese values. ented athletes will stay here. ould like la co mment on. but Illany other models. What harm Strange enough, the producers Pramesh AmatyQ I think it importanr to draw is there to let th e old cars in are yet to shed off the old story lawa lakhel atte ntion to the banning of ve­ good condilion pl y the streets? lin es. hicles older than twenty years The aUlhorities spread the un ­ Chailallya Bisla Quake Concerns because it affects a large sec­ scienti lie rumour thallhe LPG Chabahil The arti cle "Convul sions lion or the masses ('"Age Is engi nes arc pollution-rree, In Kathmandu" (S POT­ The Bar' SPOTLIGHT ). In ­ forcing the microbus an d Build Technology LIGHT. February 2) aptl y stead of condu cting the emis­ tempo to conve rt ; now we are There is a stark need to pointed Out th e vulnerability sion tes ts stri ctl y. the govern­ depri ved of our coo kin g gas impro ve th e techn olog ical in ­ of the capital vall ey. Experts ment has rak en the easy way even. frastructure to make quality arc expectin g a big quake to out. It is like killing the patient Sill/kra Raj Acilarya films in the country. In the rock the co untry. but th e au­ ral her than curing the di sease. Naya Bazar, Kirtipur absence of technological ex ­ thorities see m to be blissfully Th ere is no compul sion to pro­ perti se. domestic ti Im s are no ignorant. It gives me ni ght­ vide unadulterat ed fuel. That Growing Gory match to Boll ywood products. marc sj usllhinking about what the inaugural emission check Most ofthe Nepalese films Big studi os, stat-of-the-art would happe n to failed to clear th e prime are a cheap copy of Indian equipment are pre-requisitcs Kalhmanduiles in case a minister" s gleam ing Mercedes movies that extol sex and vio­ if Nepalese producers want Gujarat-like qu ake we re to hil Bcnz, while th e subsequent lence. But thankfully, the their film s to become fam ous them . May lord Pashupatinath chec ks o f Vikram tempos Nepalese aud ience have more across the border. save Kat hm andu. gralllcd them green stickers for often than not rejected these Binit Maharjall Har; DhulJge/ a long tim e. clearl y highlights type of movies at the box of- Kusul1ti Bansbari

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16,2001 3 NEWSNOTES

Policemen And A Chinese Govt. Forms National Injured Probe Commission At least 11 people, including seven The government has constituted a policemen and a Chinese national , were three-member judicial commission 10- injured when suspected Maoist rebels day to probe into the deaths of more than ambushed a vehicle carrying explosives half a dozen people in police firing in to be used in the under-construction differe nt parts ofthecollntry two mOlHhs Indrawati hydropower project Saturday, ago. Thecommission, headed by Govinda a spokesman for the Home Ministry said Kllmar Shrestha. judge at the Lalitpur Sunday. Therebels exploded a pipe bomb Appellate Coun, will submit its repon m Sauteni Khola in Jyamire Village De­ within 45 days. The opposition Nepal velopment Committee in Sindhupalchok Sadbhavana Party announced it had with­ distri c l, to the north of Kathmandu bor­ drawn its protest programs, including dering the Tibet autonomous region of blocking the parliament rostrum, as China. The rebels were believed to have government had fulfilled its demandt. intended to loot lhe".cxplosives being constituting the judicial probe commis­ carried to the constl;uction silL by Na­ sion. ti onal HydropowerCompany (NHC). The Earlier. a government-formed COm­ rebels fled from the sile after a nearly mission headed by a former secretary o ne-and-a-half-hour gun battle with pa­ Bhattarai had failed to identify people responsible l ice. No casualt y was reported on the part for street violence in December last year of the rebels. order si tuation in the country and the that led 10 the killing of five people, Police were able to protect the ex­ Lauda Air scam would make th e days including minors. in the capital. plosives and recover eight pieces of sock et ahead difficult for Koirala. Prime M ini s­ Kalhmandu. Two more people were bombs, a IOO-mcler long e lectric wire ter Koirala had reshuffled and expanded killed in police firing in Saptari district. and a pressure cooker from the site. This hi s I O-month-old cabinet to 37 members eastern Nepal. The violence had erupted was perhaps the first time that a foreign on Wednesday. Compiled from reports in the wake of alleged re marks by national had fallen victim to Maoist at­ Feb. 9. an Indian movie actor. Hrithik Roshan, tacks. A NHC vehicle was destroyed in against Nepal and the Nepalese people. the explosion and three people. includ­ Locals Demand Development Roshan denied making any suc h remarks. ing former Royal Nepalese Army per­ son ne l. were cri ti call y injured. Nine Of Arun III Project Special Court people. including seven policemen, were While the government and a foreign airlifted to Kathmandu for medical treat­ company remain deadlocked over the Rejects Plea ment. TheChinese national and four other issueofsubmitring a 'performance bond' The Special Court has rej ected the persons were being treated locall y. Com­ to get the survey license of the much­ demand forjudicial custody for ANNFSU• piled from reporlS. talked about 402 MW Arun 1II project, (Revolutionary) general secretary Puma local people in the Arun vall ey in eastern Prasad Poudel and rour of his associates Bhattarai Criticizes Nepal have urged the government to im­ Tuesday. The accused are in police cus­ mediately expedite the process to de­ tody fo r their failure to submit individual Cabinet Expansion velop the project. Tn a discussion pro­ bail amountsorRs 10,000 (approximately Senior Nepali Congress leader and gram organ ized in the capital Saturday. 150 US dollars) as demanded by the former prime minister Krishna Prasad local people from Sankhuwasabha dis­ Kathmandu Districl Administration Of­ Bhattarai has expressed hi s reservations trict also formed the 'Arun Water Utili­ fice (DAO). to the newly expanded cabinet by Prime zation Committee' to pressure the gov­ The bench comprising judges Mo­ Minister G. P. Kojrala. In a statement e rnment on the matter. The government han Prasad Sitaula. Gyanendra Bahadur issued Thursday, Bhattarai said Koirala has refused to award the survey li cense to Karki and Jagannath Pathak ordered that had not consulted him or shown him the EurOriem, a US-company, for failing to a fresh demand be made for their judicial list of proposed names before making the deposit Rs 42 Illillion in 'performance custody once the DAO repeals the case. announcement. Saying that Koirala guaranty.' The 20 I MW Arun III project A case was filed against 15 members of would not be able to do justice to both of was shelved in 1995 after the World ANNFSU (Revolutionary) underthe pub­ his responsibilities as prime minister and Bank refused 10 finance it. citi ng protests lic offence (c rime and offence) act 1990 president of the party at the same time, from environmental groups. Compiled in the Special Coun, Monday. Compiled Bhaltarai said the delerioraling law and from reporls Feb. 11. from reports Feb. 8.

4 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 NEWS NOTES

Addressing a program organized by Re­ to rece ive reports of expenditure China To Assist In Rasuwa porters' Club of Nepal here Tuesday, made under the program during the Road Construction Acharya said the government had de­ last fiscal year. OUI of Rs 33 million cided to set up the Armed Po li ce Force to allocated under the program last year. The Chinese government has agreed deal with the situati on of organized armed only six VDCs had received a total of to expedite the proces~ of building the violence. He said the government would Rs 4.8 million. Compiled from reports Syaprubesi-Rasuwa road. During A meet­ train and equipsccurily personnel in view Feb. 08. tng of the consultation mechanism be­ of new security thrcals. tween the foreign ministries of Nepal and The minister described the Maoist 'It's Wrong to Seek PM's China in Kathmandu early this week, the movement as ';aimless and dircclionicss" Chinc!:>c sid e also agreed to award fifth and sai d a Nepali killing anolher Nepali Resignation': Singh freedom right from Shanghai to Osaka can ne vcr help in resolving the problems The chairman of the Nepal Hnd multiple dcsignmiolls of the Nepalese ofpovcrty, unemployment and ..._____ ...., ... _ airlines on the Kathmundu-Lhasa route. corruption. Acharya said the the Foreign Ministry said. During the government had always kept ceting. the C hinese officials appreci­ open the doors of dialogue ed Nepal government' ~ one·China policy with Ihe rebels. He did not and ib sttmc.:c On the questions of Taiwan give details. Compilel/ frolll and Tibet. The Nepalese government wel­ report Feb. 7. comed the Chinese govcrnment's dcci­ :-ion to extend consular jurisdiction of Poverty Reduction Royal Nepalese Consulate General in Hong Kong to Macao also. RSS reports, Program In Limbo Feb. 8. The much-talked about . Poverty Reduction Program 'Govt. To Review Security (PRP)' has failed to kick off even six months uftcr it was Situation': Acharya passed by parliament. The Milli:-.ter for Defence Mahesh government had allocated Rs Acharya has said the government would 10 million to set up a Poverty review the management of the security Reduction Fund. The Nalional apparatu~ in the country in the aftermath Planning Commission (NPC) of fatal attacks aimed at Chief lustice had identified 119 village de­ Ke~hav Prasud Upadhyay and members velopmcnt committces in 65 hi s team in western Nepal last week. out of 75 districts of tile Coun· Singh try to launch _--'C______the poverty reduction pro­ Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Gajendra grams. "We have been rc· Nnrayan Singh ha~ said to demand the peatcdly asking the Fi­ resignation of the prime minister, who nance Ministry to release e njoys majority support in parliament. the fund for thi s priority was undemocratic and against parliamen. program butlhe budgel has tary norms and values. Saying that not been released as yet," there would he no moral pressure on the said Mahcndra Pandey. prime minister from the resignation joint secrctary at the NPC. demand. Singh said the main opposition, Under Secrctary at the Fi­ UML. and Raslriya Prajatantra Pany nance Ministry, Lal Baha­ were only engaged in an electoral durChhetri. however said l strategy by a~king for Koirala's resigna­ there had been delay in tion. Five opposition parties had submit­ releasing the budget as the ted a memorandum to Prime Minister NPC could not furni sh sat­ Koirala Monday seeking his resignation. isfactory detai Is regarding They have accused thc Koirala govern. the expenditure and audit­ ll1~nt of failing to maintain law and ing o f the programs order and indulging in corruption, Acharya launched under the PRP. among other things. Compilet! from ------The ministry said it is yct reports Feb. 7. •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 5 BRIEFS

helpless antl th e destitute under different organizations kn own as ' Paropkar.' Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koiral a, seni or govern­ ment and opposition Icuders and peoplc from all walk s of life paid tributes to Kansakar.

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE OF PARLIAMENT has urged the governm ent to form a cO lllmi ssion to provide immediate reli ef to forme r ' Kamaiyas' (bonded laborers). At a press mee t 0 11 Wednesuay. chairman orlhc commill ee Ji van Prcm ShreSlh a said the commi ssion shoul d be given ~ p ec ial powe rs to prov ide basic ameniti es to former Kumai yns. A seven-member team comprising la wmakers from th e Social Justi ce Commillce hud in spected lempornry camps of Kamai yas . who we re freed seven months ago. The problem of il11 l1letl iate rehabilitation still has not bee n ~o l ve d . said Shresth a. Queen Aishwarya observing paintings of Ragini Upadhyaya .at. an exhibition NEARLY 2,000 PUBLIC TRANSPORT VEHICLES HA VE gone on an ind efinite stri ke begi nning Saturday in prolest against THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAW NEPALESE CITIZENS a student organi zati on's demand for a 50 percent reducti oll in the \\ere killed III UIl earthquake that ~ tru c k the wc~ t ern lndioll state fare fu r slUde nt s. The Nepal National Tram.. p0r\ Entrepreneurs' of Guj arat 0 11 Janu ary 26. The min iMfY di d n()1 give detail s. The Federati on und Nepal Transport Ent re preneurs' Federati on. whi ch quake. Ill c a ~ l1 rin g TYJ on th e Ri cht er ~c al c. devastated severa l arc alren dy launching an oth er agitat ion again st th e government 's towns and se ttl ement s in G ujar;lI . ki Iling lll orC th an 20.000 peopl e. uCl.: ision to ban vehi cles oltl er than 20 years from nex t year. call ctl the stri ke in th e capital vn ll ey. They said th ey would conti nue th e THE NEPAL DEVELOPMENT BANK Lld. (NDBL) AND strike unl ess the governm ent interve ned and fou nd an ami cable the Indwarial Develo pment Bank or India ( lOBI) have signed an soluti on. On the other hand . ANNFSU. the stude nt organi/ali on agreeme nt under whi ch the lalter has ag reed to pick up 10 percent of th e CPN (ML). has sai d it is also re ady to sit for tri parti te equity in th e NDBL. According to the agr('cmcnt , a represent ati ve negotiati ons if th e governm ent in vit ed th elll . Officials ha ve de­ or lOBI will he appoin ted to the management of NOBL and the cl ined to int erve ne. tlescribing th e controversy as a "bilateral In dian hank will proviLl c technical a!-.sis lall(;c 10 it s Nepalese malt cr·' pJrlncr. The fi r ~ t dcvclopmc nl ba nk of Nepal. NDBL was set up v. ith an auth o ri /~ d capit al of Rs 320 mill ion a11d iss lIed capital of TlmFEDERATIONOFNEPALESE C HA~IBERSOI'CO~I· Rs 160 million. The hank . whic h slflrt cd opcr,:lI io ns six months mcrce and Industry (FNCCI) and Confe tl cratlon of Dani sh Indus­ hac k. has al rea Ll y rcgislcrcLl an operational profit of R ~ 18.6 trie s (COD l) signed a me moran tlulll of unuerslanui ng 111 mill ion. said bank chairman Ullam PUll. Copen hagen recentl y to promote trade and invest ment th e two countries. In the memorandulll . hoth pan ics ha\c THE SEVENTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE 10 promote bilateral trade and in vcstlll clll. trnllsfer tcc hn ology. SAA RC Chamher of Collll1len;c and Industry (SCC I) has decitl ctl in t: rcase cooperati on in service and c0Il1I111·n.:iu l areas, exc hange tn in itiat e various st udies 10 jointly move forward IQ th e World informat ion and organiLc trade fai rs in hoth the co untries peri otli ­ Tnule Orga ll inll ion (\VTO). T he meeti ng. whidl concl uded in ca ll y. The Dani sh busin ess comm uni ty h.b l!xprcssed int ere!:.t in K:u hm anuu Monday, also decidl!d 10 organi le a SAA RC Eco­ imponing<.: hemi cal-rree agro-ba~cd prouuctS fro m Nepal. FNCCI n(lInic Mect, advilm:c th e st ud y or small and cottage ind ustries of Presid ent Pradi p Kum ar Shreslha saiu. upon his rt.:lUrtl from Illc mbcr coun tri es and study th e infrastructu re development of Copenhage ll . t ra nsportation ~cctnr in th e reg ion. Accurdi ng to th e Fctl erati on of Nc pakse Chambers of Com merce and Inu u!:>t ry. the meeting al!:>o THE FINANCE ~IINISTRY HAS BROUGHT OUT A NEW okayed a Pah ist3n i proposal 10 organi ze SAA RC Trade Fa ir in budget preparati on man ual (BPM) repl acing tht.:one i!)s ueu in 1997. Pa "'i ~ tan in Apri l lhis year. The meeting also decided IQ forward A seni or official at the mini stry said wo r'" ull preparing the budget th t.: process or forming SAARC Mediatory Coum:il and ha!) fo r the fonhcomin g fi ~ca l year has begun :-. ilH.:e the third wee k or auth ori zed th e SAA RC Tuurb m Coun cil to urgani ze ,1 SAA RC January. and th at the ncw manual would guiu e the next budget. Th e Touri sm Mart. mini st ry i ~ preparin g to preselll nex t year's an nual budget e~ tilllat es tlu ring the thi rd week of May. The prim e objecti ve of the new THE LAST RITES OF PIONEER SOCIAL WORKER man llal i!) to create effec ti ve improve ment ill hudgelary expendi ­ Dayabir Sin gh Kan ~a kar we re pe rform ed at Shobha Bhagv at i in tures by ac hi eving the targelthrough climillmion ofshonco mings Ih ~c apit a l Tuesda y. Kan sa knrdicd al th e agc 0 1' 90 aI hi s rcs id l! nce seen in the past. officials saitl. Ac conJing to th e new rmmuaL in Katlllllanuu Monday eve nin g. Late Kan ~a knr had establi shed governm ent ministries will have to an swer three questi ons while Paropakar. Nepal's first social se rvice organization, du rin g th c demanu ing fund s: th e major ohjective of the program. revenue Rana regi me. He sel fl ess ly devoted hi s life in the se rvice or the likely to be generated. and the cost of the program. •

6 SPOTLI GHT/FEBRUA RY 16.2001 QUOTE UNQUOTE

"W hen Dr. Mahat came to my office after other ministers had already taken the ir oaths. he wcnt to th e toilet thrice. Then, I knew for sure he was reall y not feeling well." Prime Millisler Girija Prasad Koirala. revealing Ihal Dr. Ralll Shamn Ma/wr. II'holll he appoillled as rhefillalle, minister, could 1101 attend th e oath-taking ceremony becallse of ill health. talkillg 10 reporrers, ill Kantipur. * * *

I "At that lim, e my name .In tI le party was

Ranjan. It bCl:~l1lle Ramcsh during the mar­ riage. Even Gayatri (Nepalfs wife) was not tuld about my real nallle and address:' IV[adhav Kunulr Nepal, gene ral sec­ retal), and the leader or lhe main oppo­ sitio n. remini scing his I ire during Pall ­ chayat days. in Chhal fal. * * * "The nghts' ac {J.. Vl sts s hau Id crclltea S.itu - ation that would compel the governm ent and the Maoist to come for the dialogue." Sher Ballat/ar Deuba, former prime millister, ill Space Time daily. * '" * "Going by the expe riences we gained in moral grou nd s," can not be easily di s lodg~d force 1992 and 1995. Ollr actions this tiJ;le will be by using Chiralljibi Wagie,jo17l1erlllillisterQlld in the parliamcnt and ~treel." more rcspon~ible and mature," Bharal Mohan Atlhikary, chief whip oj Congress dissident leader, ill Gajelldra Naroyan Singh, president Vilified Mal:rist Lellil/is" when asked if Ncpalipatra. of Nepal Sadbl/{/vQI/C/ Parr y, ill Ihe OpposiTion pc/I'ty was plal/ning 10 be * * * Bimarsha. * * • as aggressi\'e as in 1992, ill I3udhabar. "N cpal csc p~opl e gave the mancime to * * * Nepali Congress to rule the country for "T he government ~CC IllS benL on more e didn't j oin the govern ment on live yea rs. Such a majority governmcnt bloodshed than holding a dialogue with the Maoists ." JIlal Nalll Klll/llal, celllm/lellder of Vilified Man-is1 Lellillis', ill lanadcsh. * * * "T he 1<1s1 ten years has been th c de- cadc or formal dcmocracy. There is a certain rormat hut it is followed withou t the spiril." Jcevan Lal Satyal. former general secretary at the ParI iam cnt SccrclariJt, in Dcshantcr. * * * "I am a lady. How can 1propose at lirstT Saris/lIlla Amatya. pop singer, who recently lIIarried her bo.,jrient! alln reputed pop singer SC/J/jeev Pradltall, 011 wllo proposedjirsl, ill Ghatana Ra Bi char. * * *

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 7 OFF THE RECORD

Bhattarai's Man IU:VELATlON In his formal reaction to the new cabinet, former prime minister Kri sh na Prasad "I Reserve The Right To Resign Bhallarai publicly disowned At Any Time" Omkar Prasad Shrcstha, who jOined the Koirala team as min­ - PALTEN GURUNG ister of cu lLure, tourism and civil aviation. After the new PALTEN GURUNG, ''''10 had refused to be parI ,,{ Ihe "eIV cahi net line-up was an­ cahinet, clianged liis mind Il'illiill hours (llId joined th e olher nounced. the Koirala camp lIew faces ill takillg the oath of office Cl I/he Narayanhity Royal wastl!d no efTon 10 emphasize Palace. GlInmg, who was \\'i,1I fhe dissidelll Dellba group for long, stullned lIIany ofhis own parry colleagueJ by bolting to the Koirala camp. The 1IeH' millisler/or labor and transport spoke to SPOTLIGHT after th e oatlHaking ceremony all the reasOI thecoumry is facing many cri­ for Ms U-tlt111. £r:cerpls: ses. Nepal focused on irregu­ larities in the appo intment ofa What led you to change your mind barely hours after teacher. It looked like the head issuing such a hard-hitting statement'? of the shadow government was 1 changed my mind after Prime Minister Girija Prasad reading a shadow statement Koi rala made a renewed call for party unity. I decided IOjoin Ih~ prepared by a shadow col­ government in the larger interest of party unit y. league. At a time wben such a large number ofl\olPs are against the way the prime minister reshumed the cabinet, how do Strategy you believe your joining it would unite the party? Girijababu has assured me that he would take necessary Shrcstha : 'Disowned by Bhattami' For Survival steps to bring unity in the party.lfhe fails to full;1 his panofthe While reshuffling hi s pledge, L reserve my right to resign al any lime. that Shreslha was appointed cabinet. Prime Minister Girija Butsome of your colleagues sce your decision as oppor­ on Bhattarai's "quota". Forhis Prasad Koirala has used a new tunistic. What do you say? part, Shrestha still considers tool for political survival: plac­ If you look at the faces of some of the people who arc himselflO be Bhallarai's man. in g henchmen as ministers of accusing me of opportunism. you can easily see the kind ot The new minister knows that it stale in key ministries. Take reputalion they have. As a member or (ile Ncpali Congress. was Puma Bahadur Khadka, the in stances of Finance Min­ cannol defy the order of pany leader without giving adequat Dr. Narayan Khadka and oth­ ister Or. Ram Sharan Mahat, reasons. ers who are conspiring tQ poi­ Culture. Tourism and Civil After your decision to join the government. have you son his ties wiLhhisdear leader. Aviation Minister Omkar switched your loyalties? Will Bhaltarai reciprocate Prasad Shrcslha Forest and I am a luyal Nepali Congress worker. r don't have group or Shrestha's warm sentiments? Soil Conservation Minister sub-group loyalties. • Prakash Koirala. All have die­ Shadow Statements hard Koirala loyali sts - Gopal Rai. Mahadev Gurung, and bing their leader. it secms thc Film Formula poli tics panylessncss has CPN-UM L leader Shiva Kumar Basnet - as sub­ or Nepalese film producers come back into prom inem:e. Madhav Kumar Nepal is ordinates. After one minister seem to be convinced that a known for his long and wind­ Barely hours ancr he issued a declined to take the oath, no­ fi lm cannot be considered com­ statemen t with Khum Bahadur ing speeches. The leader of the body knows whether - or how plete without a potent mix of opposition spoke for over an Khadka aga in st the manncr in long - Koirala '5 formula might sex and violence. This is prob­ hour at the inaugural session which the cabinet was fanncd. work. BUI you have to com­ ab ly why H aribansha of the I 9th session of the House Minister o f Labor Pal ten mend Koiral a's strategy of Acharya's nc w comcdy ''Tan of Representatives. There was Gurung took a U·turn to take keepi ng rivals on a leash. Ta Saraini Bigris Badri", too, nothing new or construct ive in the oath of office. Another new contains the two in gred ients in hi s speech. Nepal seemed to cabinet appointee Dr. Ram Sha­ fu ll measure. Whatever the believe he was add ressing a Partyless Politics ran Mahat suddenly felt sick. It product ion ban ner or story I i ne, special parliamentary session From thewaysome Nepal i really looks like the indi vidual the cellul oid fOlmula seems to on corrupti on. At a time when Congress members are snub- takes precedence overlhe party. be the same. •

8 SPOTLIGHT/FEB RUARY 16,200] NATIONAL

PARLIAMENT As the opposition parties have joined their hands in secking resignation of the Prime Minister. the i S~ lIe has turned into a hot political issue. "Our fight is not against Nepali Games They Play Congress. All we want is to remove a taintcd Prime Minister." said fanner Finance Minis­ As the opposition members continue their demand for ter and UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari. Analysts say the main opposition UML PM's resignation, deadlock seems inevitable wants to take bencrlt out of the simmering discontent within Ihe mling pal1y. They also want lo exert pre By BHAGIRATH ssure upon the government YOGI Culture Tarini Dulta Chataut, they said now at a time when it has failed to fulfill it s basic it was the turn of the Prime Mini stcr. "The dUIY-to provide law and ordcrto the people. Publi c Accounts Committee (PAC) or the Oppositi on lawmaker he !,) laughed away when third day of the winter ses~ion of Parliament has found the deal as an irregular Prime Minister Koirala reiterated hi s the parliament on Tuc~day was no onc and against the interes T ts of the RNAC govemment's commitment on the opening lercnt. Opposition lawmakers after came investigation," said Lilamani Pokhrel, a day of the parliament ea" la~t week (Feb. 8). ily upon the government :lIld continued United P eople's Front lawmaker. "As the Amid attacks from ultra-left groups like the demanding re:" ignation of Prime Miniilter Council of Ministers is also involved in the Maoists and its splinterCPN (ML). the UML Girija Prasad Koirala for hb alleged involve­ deal. as the head of the cabinet the Prime badly needs some issue ment to rally its pal1y ill corruption in tht: controversial Lauda Minister has no way out than to resign in workcrs around and draw popular attention. Air deal. As l'rpo~ition lawmakers started order to facilitate the investigation." A!. the ruling and opposition parties find <:hilllt ing !) Iogans ghcraoing his rost rum, themselves in a deadlock. importalll bills like Speaker Taranalh Ranahhat adjourned the Armed Police Force Ordinance and Amend­ meeting till Wt;dncsday morning. "We will ment bill in the ci"ilcode hang in balance. not allow thc running of regular business of UM L and other oppo~lI ion parties hav.e reg­ the House until the issue or Lauda con1ro­ istered a notification at the Parliament sa) ing vas.y is resolved:' declared UML spokes­ that they will not support the ordinance. The mall and lcgiillator Pradip Nepal. government wallts the bill to be passed as Ruling party lawmakers looked ill-pre­ early as possible in orcit:r to mobilize the parl.':d to counter massi ve attat.:ks I1lQunted by force to contain th e fi\ c-ycar-old Maoist th l! opposition. rormer a):,sistant minister ror rebellion. civil J.viation. Narayan 5ingh PUI1- rererred Known as the "bill ~essio n. " the winter to as a 're~cuc MP' by thl! opposilion- de­ ses!;ion of the parliamcnt was supposed to fended the state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines spend its time in d i :-.cus~i ng th e bills. Unfor­ Corporation IS dedsioll to lease a wide-body tunately. no political party seems to be :-.eri ­ . craft rrom Lauda Air, an Austrian COIll­ ous over it. ''The role of the opposition is to • ly. RNAC had iea!)cd the plane fora period work as a represcntCltive of the people and of 18 month~ beginning December last year. hold the government accountablc to the par­ "In the hiMory ofRNAC. the said deal isone liament." said Puma Man Shakya. acting orthc 1110st compeliti vc and transparent onc." chainnan o r the Society ror Constitutional said Pun. "There is no roolll for irregularity in PM Koirala : Feeling the heat and Parliamcntary E,xercise the entire deat." (SCOPE). "But the opposition doe The snit look serious in this ruling lawmakc.rs defended the Prime Minister Koirala had told the is~ueas it is pressing for the. resignati on orthc government's decision and said it was wrong PACa fcw weeks back that they should wait Prime Minister to demand instead of discussing the is· the Prime Minister's re~ ignation at unt il the CIAA comes up with its conelu· sue or nationwide corruption in a compre­ a lime when the Commission ror In vestiga­ sinn. "The government will help in booking he nsivc way and tion of find a way OUL" Abuseof Authority (CIAA) is probing the guilty if there had been any irregularity In its det.:ad e-old parliamentary hi story. into the deal and is yet to come up with its in the deal." there have been a numbe r of impasse in the findings. Prime Mi ni ster Koirala, too, hili shed In Ihe entire controversy. the opposition parliament over aside the allegalions the i ss ue ~ including ratilica­ ;lOd said he would not lawmakers have railed to establish that the tion of Mahakali treaty and allcged irregu­ resign undl.': rpressure. ''Theopposition should Primc Minister or somebody else on hi s be­ lariti es in th e 1999 general come in a con~titut elections. All i onal way:' Koirala told half have received kickbacks. They have those controversies were rc solved through rcponers in hi s hometown. Biratnagar, early been alleging the government or di sobeying dialogue between this week. the government and oppo­ the directives of a parli amentary committee. sition parties. "Th i ~ issue. too. can be re­ Opposition members seem to be in no "We did not wanltodisrcgard th e parliament. solved through dialog m('lod to li ste n to Koirala. ue in a similar way." Referring to the The RNAC was compelled to enter into the said Shakya. "For this. both the ruling and suspension of executive chairman of RNAC. deal through negotiations as there was no oppo Hari Bhakta sition should work honestly and stop Shrestha. and the resignation by rcsponse to four global tendered," said romler staging a political drama like this." Minister for Tourism. Civil Aviation and Minister Chataut. Will the legislators li sten? •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 9 NATIONAL

ever of one party to a bilateral agreement PURNAGIRI taking unilateral stcps for any in vesti ga­ ti on or constructi on." said the Indian em­ bassy .. , Lt is hoped that the joint investiga­ Dam Of Controversy ti ons which will proyide the data neces­ sary for the Iinalilation of the Detailed Is the main opposition party serious to the issue that it Project Report. and hence the imple men­ tation or the Mahakali Treaty, would be is raising? pemlillcd to be carried out without hin­ drance." By BHAGIRATH YOGI treaty was ratified by two countries in Looking at the sensiti vity of the is­ 1997 and the in struments o f ratification sue. Ministry of Water Resources, in a were exchanged during the then Indian statcment. explained in detail the provi­ s lawmakers and aCliv):,ts belong­ prime minister's visi t to Nepal in June sions of the Treaty and the investigations A ing to the main opposition Unified 1997. According to the treaty. the investi­ being carried out for re-regulating dam ... Marxisl-Lenini st party. marched to fa r­ gations ami the preparation of the De­ possible si tes Rupaligad a nd Purnagi" western Nepal laIc last year. ' nationalists tail ed Project Report (DPR) was to be " It is wrong lO say that India is unilate rally ~CJ1{il11en l s' were sure to be whipped lip. undertaken jointl y by Nepal and Ind ia. constructing a dam at Purnagiri. All we " India is trying to construct a dam at For this purpose. a loint Project or­ are doing is to conduct a joint survey to Purnagiri at:ross the border in a unilateral fice - Pancheshwar In vestigation was set determine the location of a proposed rc­ way.'" claimed Dc. Mangal Siddhi up in Kathmandu in December, 1999. The regulating dam," said Mahesh Man Manandh ar, a geographer and UML law­ Joint Project Office responsible for carry­ Shrestha. spokesman of the ministry. Of­ maker. "If constructed. the dam will sub­ ingout the investigations is jointly headed ficials blamed the opposition of spreading merge several villages on Nepalese side by two senior water resource engineers rumors. anu displace at least 30.000 ,..------,IH..... ""lI ...... -- .....-"'!II!"""::"'!'..-,O;-:;-""'l'=! SO. besides the history people." • "ofdc!.!p rooted mistrust a nd The acti vists, coordi- misconception regarding the naiad by Democratic Nation- ~-.; - -,.,-' issue of sharing of water re- alist Youth Organization sources between Nepal and (DNYO) ~ the youth wing India. what could be the rea- of the UML - threw survey sonoflatest UML 'acti vism''! equipment in Nepalese terri- Interestin gly, the present lory into a ri ver. They did not UML leadership had actively bother to think that the supported the ratification .. Nepalese government would the Mahakali treaty by pa I have to com pensate for the ~ liament a nd even wi th stood loss of the equipment. "We the pain or vert ical split in will leave no stone unturned th eir party over the issue. LO stop India from construc[- ''The controversy ovcr ing thc dam." said Gokarna Purnagiri is purely a political B istu. chairm an of the Mahakali river demarcating Kaubeni & Purnagiri : Site of controversy onc," said Rameswor Man DNYO. Amatya, a water rcsources Both the Nepalese governmen t as fr om Nepal a nd India. ''The in vestiga­ expert. "Will they now admit that they had well as the Indian cmbassy in Kathmandu ti ons at the Purnagiri Dam site arc bein g made mistake by e ndorsi ng the Mahakali have refuted the all egations. In a stare­ carried out under a contract awarded by treaty?" he asked .., Critics say as local mcnt issued last week.. the Embassy of the l oint Project Orlice," said the Indian elections approach, UML needs some India noted with surprise the persistent embassy. agenda to retain it s hold in the local campaign agai nst. what it said. in vesti ga­ During the visit of Prime Minister bodies in the region. Moreso, as all 19 tions regarding the Pancheshwar Muhi­ Girija Prasad Koirala to India in August parliamentary seatS in the region have Purpose Project and the Treaty between last year, it was jointly agreed that studies been swept away by the ruling Nepali Nepal and India concerning the integrated would be expedited so as to finalize the Congress party. development or the Mahakali River in ­ Pancheswore DPR by December 200 I. "In dia's priority is water. not electric­ cluding Sarada Barrage. Tanakpur B ar­ The treaty had a provision to complete the ity. India could take water to Delhi by rage and Pancheshwar Project. DPR within a period of six months. buildingadam alPurnagiri," said Amatya. Concluded on February 12. 1996, the "The.re can be no question whatso- But it may be premature to j ump to a conclu sion before the survey is over. •

10 SPOTLI GHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 NATIONAL

country. HEALTH Gautam asks the audience 10 clap and dance and hums another tune, "Don't survive only on dal and bhat because your child will Nutrition Education curse you for not feeding you with green veg­ etables and fruits." Ram Kumar Shrcstha. director of the Na­ The government conducts National Vitamin A Program with the tional Vitamin A program. speaking to SPOT­ LIGHT on February 8. said. "Respect and social view to reduce mortality status. educati on and learning, leadership. social work. 0pjX>rtunityand achievement. trust. among BY AKSHAY SHARMA In Tatopani in the future. say experts at the organiz.ation. others, are the clemenb which FCHVs use to Chinimaya Poudel, 48. from Ward No. 3 motivate the people. If the community becomes , 'A child had drowned, but because I Talopani, says: "I want the upcoming genera~ rcsjX>nsibJe, the program can be successful." ft was pregnant,l was not able 10 give tion to benefit. I do this because I believe it's my The Objectives of the program are to pro­ the necessary moutlHo-mouth respiration. I dhall1la. People sti ll believe in witches. People vide all chi Idren from 6to 60 months high doses 'ked another person to do it. I was so scared still marry young. We need to create awareness of Vitamin A twice a year. The program also and I told the villagers that he needed to be taken among the general public." treats Xerophthalmia, measles, prolonged diar­ to the hospital. But lhcythought he had died and Speaking on February 7 to an audience rhea and severe malnutrition with Vitamin A heeventuall ydicd. '. says Pem8 Poudel ofPulping comprising mostly of women, Yam Prasad capsules and supplement high dose of Vitamin Kathi VOc. Talopani. describing the scariest Gautam uses various techniques to create aware­ A capsules to postpartum mother within six moment she has faced. ness. He sings in a catchy tune, "Don't lel a months of de livery and to improve food habits Pema. a Female Community Health Vol­ pregnant woman die. give her Vitamin A cap· and to ensure that Vitamin A is consumed unteer (FCI-IV) participating in a three-day sule in six weeks:' And the audience hums through foods that are rich in it. workshop organized by the National Vitamin A along. MC Sorcar. the magiCian working for the Program (NV AP). said: "I have trained here for program. was the sensation of the event. As his thrc~ days and I'll leach others at my village practiced fingers produced milk. eggs. veg­ what. L' ve learnt. We are focusing on telling etables that was definitely a new approach to­ people that things like milk. vegetables. eggs wards awareness. "We need to spread this mes­ they that they sell. they need it for themselves." sage from Mechi to Mahakali.'· Sorkar says. Research studies conducted in Nepal show "We know everything. but if we see some­ that supplementation of a high dose of Vitamin thing that cannot be explained. it leaves an A capsule could reduce child mortality by 28 imprint on one's mind," Sorkar says. percent. His Majesty'sGovemment initiated the "The economic conditions in rural areas NVAP in 1993. which has been designed to are very poor. Supervision is nol good enough. virtually eliminate Vitamin A deficiency in We need to boost the morale of the community. Nepal. We haveobservcd some positive aspects, though. " I was interested in medical treatment as a Training villagers: For a healthy tomorrow We need a good suppon syslem. Why not give child." Pema told SPOTLIGHT. iToday we get the female workers some facilities 10 encourage Rs 150 for our work. During the Panchayat era. "Vitamin A IS essential in rural areas be­ them in other works like this?" asks Shrestha. we used to gel Rs I OOduring programs like this. cause of inadequate amou nt of Vitamin A in the By the end of October 2000 the program Even though my family does not support what peopleis diet." says GaUlam. Stressing that had covered 69 out of 75 districts in Nepal. I am doing, we have managed to create awarc~ Vitamin A causes night-blindness. he breaks according to figures provided by the program. ness." Pema says. A member of the part of the into another chant. "Don't survive only on rice And has managed to reach 89 percent of the Ama Samuha. Pema pledges to work to make and pulses (dal) because a child's life can be jX>pulation. Under the program. 62,202 multi­ life in the village better. 'There are 12 volun­ ruined by nOl eating fruits and vegetables." And sectoral people and 38,801 FCHVs have been teers in my ward and we desperately need the audience pledges 10 teach what they have (rained, over 2.90 million children have been primary health care. SUI VDC members ignore learned during the three-day training program. provided with Vitamin A capsules. Over 25.000 thi s issue. A sick person has to go to Kathmandu Gaulam calls an elderl y woman to explain chi ld deaths have been averted each year. say for treatmentS she says. to the audience what she's learnt. She can't ex pens. iMy mother in law doesn't like me doing read. Asked how she would preach the new "The program has placed FCHVs in con­ ~ocial work. Nevertheless. teachers teach us message she said, "A pregnant woman needs tact with millions of mothers and their family and we go to teach other people at other places. Vitamin A because it affects the child in the members. This activity is oriented toward de· Wc get R 25 per day and we distribute pam­ womb. We need to plant vegetables and fruits in "eloping the ski ll s of FCHVs 10 mobilize their phlets:' our backyards. Pumpkins, Karkalo, Sisnhu arc community for health and nutrition facilities," The program. initiated by the Ministry of a big source of Vitamin A. [( effects all the says Shrestha. Health, uses a campaign to provide high-dose village and it is up to all of us to strengthen this Bytheendof2002, the NVAPwili imple­ supplements to children from 6 to 60 months national program." ment programs in all the 75 districts of twice yearly. The program is initiated in new Among the major national programs of the the country. The objective is to train 40,000 districts each year. The program is scheduled to Ministry of Health are distribution of polio FCHV s and build a infrastructure and net­ operate in Jajarkot. Salyan, Rukum. and Rolpa drops and Vitamin A capsule throughout the working system. •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16,2001 11 NATIONAL

S tudent's Uni o n (ANNFSU-Marxist­ TRANSPORT STRIKE Leninist). He points to si milar fac iljti e~ provid ed to students in Delhi, Beijing, Colombo and other places. Public Hazard The Marxist-Leninist student union has been acti vely pursuing this demand People are stranded as transporters keep their vehicles off the streets sin ce February 5 . Other student unions, too, have lent their moral s upport to this in protest against the government's decision and students' demand demand. This sudde n spurt o f campaigns from the stude nt unions could be scen as By SANJAYA DHAKAL The lransporte rs have categori call y interesting especia ll y si nce all govcrn ­ stated their inability to abide by both the ment campuses in the country a rc going • undreds of commuters. especially government's decision as well as the to elect new stude nt representa ti ves two H those who have to come to work student's demand. "The transport e ntre­ weeks latcr. "Our de mand has no relation from outside the r in g~road. were left preneurs wi ll be badly hurt if the decision with the campus election. We should stranded for days as transporters kept their to remove their vehi cles is implemented. e ngaged in our organization-building a J1l inibuscs and tempos off th e streets afteT Besides, we are also not capable of giv­ tivities at thi s juncture but we chose to left· leaning student organi zat ion de­ ing discounts lO students," said Sarad pursue the overall inte rest of Nepalese manded they give students fifty percent Upre ti . President of Federa tion of students because it has been long since (;oncession even as they were already Nepa lese Transport Entrep reneurs th e authorities and t:o ncerned agencies sweatin g at the government's decision to (FNTE). The entrepreneurs, however. turned deaf ears to our various mcmoran­ dum about the demand:'

In facl l Manandhar accused the trans­ port entrepre neurs of flaring up the issue a nd givi ng them violent toncs. "Every­ body knows tha t we do not shy away from using force to make o ur dcmands fulfilled. But at this particular incident. wc have not engaged in any violent ac· tivities or throwing stones to vehicles in streets. Rather it is Ih e e ntrepreneurs themselvcs who have engaged in violent activities to link up our Jcmanu with th eir earlier protes t agains t I1 I governmc nt" s decisi on to ban the ve­ hicles o lder than twenty year!)." Manandhar said the ANNFSU­ Marxist-Ieninist was willing to give com­ pensation if it was proved that their cad­ res were in volved in violence. The stu­ dent organil3110n's demand lI1c1ude stu­ dent concession in not only the transport but also in hospitals, cntenuinmc11l places Commuters travel by tractor: Strike stricken and research/study organilations. Even as the Com muters were hit hard ban all vehicles o lder than twenty years maintain that they arc wi lling la provide by the tTansport strike. the government from the valley from Novembernext year. discounts to students if the government showed little inte rest 10 resolve the dead­ Although the present strike did not agrees to bear the cost. lock. Negotiati ons between the transport affect electric vehicles. micro buses and O n the other hand, the students seem entreprene urs a nd the governme nt were taxis, they, too, were seen plying only in bent on having their way. "Our demand going on till Tuesday (February 13). limited numbers. "For people like us who for concession is perfectly justifiable. It Although both sides appeared hope­ do not have private vehicles and who have does not matter who bears this d iscount. ful of an carly settlement. the transport­ tocome from peripheral regions. this strike but stude nt s have to be given this faci l­ ers have threatened to expand their s trike has reall y hurt," said Shi romani KC, who it y," said Basanta Manandhar, general from February 16 if the talks fail to yield ha~ to come to work from BalkoL secretary of All Nepal National Free =ul~. •

12 SPOTLtGHTIFEBR UARY 16.2001 NATIONAL

....------, lion. the construction of the road will be completed within three years. "If the Chinese side wants to, the road can be completed even before thm," said a senior official at the Department of Roads. The Kerung Pass was tra­ ditionally a major trading point between Nepal and Tibet. It was virtually closed • down following the opening of Kathmandu-Kodari highway , thc only road linking the Tibet Autono­ mOllS Region of China with Nepal. After nearly 40 years. Nepal and China have realized the need la open alternative roads to expand their trade re­ . ' ...... lations. The length of the pro­ - posed road is about 135 km. It : Difficult 10 access PI'IOIO : Sandesh Manadhar will pass through the all- weather Trishuli road and Trishuli-Rasuwamadhi gravel road. SYAPRUBESI-RASUWAMADHIROAD Although the proposed road will be longer than the I 13-km Kathmandu­ Kodari road, it will provide easy access Another Way To China to the Tibet market. During the visit of Chinese Assis­ As the volume of Nepal-China trade increases, the two countries tant Foreign Minister Wang Vi, the agree to construct another road through Rasuwamadhi Chinese government agreed to Nepal's proposal to build the road linking Rasuwamadhi and Syaprubesi. The By KESHAB POUDEL between Nepal and China is increasing Chinese will construct the 22 km portion manifold. policy makers have realized between Syaprubesi and Rasuwamadhi. the need to open another road la According to the Department of epal and China have agreed to Tibet. Before the inauguration of the Road's official. the Chinese will have to N build a road linking Syaprubesi Kodari highway, the Kerung Pass was build a 26-km portion within Iheir coun­ of Ra suwa district and the Kerung Pass the busiest point on lhe Nepal-China try 10 connect wilh the closest road in of the Tibet AULOnomous Rcgion of border. China. The road will be built under a China. After the completion of proposed turn-key project and the Chinese will Unlike in 1962. when all the major Kathmandu-Rasuwamadhi road, il will bear the entire cost. powers opposed Nepal's move 10 build be the first road in Nepal which will link The road will also help Nepal to th e strategic Kathmandu-Kodari Tibel Autonomous Region lhrough a road supply food grain to the remole northern highway, no foreign government has buill by India. It will be the first time a districts of Ihe country. directly opposed the move thi s time Chinese road would connect with an In­ The Chinese side has already around. dian-built road through a portion con­ submitted a detail survey of the projecl But building Ihe road along lhe strucled by Nepal. to the Department of Roads. According rugged mountain pass - which is de­ Before connecting la the Trishuli, to the survey report, the Chinese have scribed as onc of the mOSt difficult parts the Rasuwamadhi Road will have lOeross also emphasized that the construction of of Ihe world - is nol going to be any the 62 km Trishuli-Syaprubesi road con­ the road would help expand bilateral re­ easier. structed by the Royal Nepalese Army. lations. Whether it will be easy 10 materi­ At a lime when the trade volume If work proceeds without interrup- alize remains to be seen •

SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 16.2001 13 ECONOMY

sion standards, Nepal stopped importing NEPAL-INDIA TRADE some models of Indian cars. Only ancr the letter of understanding signed between two countries on A ugust 3. 2000 did Nepal Car Row agree to accept self-ccl1ification of Indian cars. The dilly dallying over allowing the entry of self-certified Car dealers complain that the present policy on self-certifcation discriminates Indian cars into Nepal sparks a fresh trade row against Indian cars. "IT self-certification is wrong for Indian car manufactures. than it is By KESHAB POUDEL facturc. Euro I legislation mandates a clJas­ wrong for all car manufacturers." said an sis dynamomcter test for vehicles weighing fndian car dealer. s Indian cars are being SlOpped at the under 2.5 tons and carrying fewer than six As the row over the import of Indian A Raxaul custom poim on the Nepal­ people. Nepal's standard mandates such a cars on the basis of self-certification contin­ Indiu border on the ground of their non­ test for vehi cles weighing under 3.5 tons. ues, there are fears that Nepalese exports t compliance with Nepal's emission Slan­ Because of the non-recogn i ti on of sel f­ India may fa ce a similar fate in that count dards. bilateral trade relations haveplungcd certificalion of the Indian manufacturers. " [f the Nepalese government does not pro­ inlo renewed COnl fovcrsy. some vehicle imports under this category vide equal treatment to Indian cars and does The row over the imporl or self-ccrti­ came {Q a standstill for few weeks. After not respect the joint communique, lndia lied Indian cars worsened following an in­ requests from Japan and Korea, the gov­ L:ou ld take retaliatory measures," said a terim order issued by the Supreme Court ernment allowed the import of vehicles diplomat in Indian Embassy requesting nOI Ia~l l11omh. In its decision, the court asked L:usl(J l1l s and other orfidals not to allow the entry or Indian cars on the basis of self­ certifiL:31ion without seeking furtherclariti­ cations. [n a public litigation filed by advocate Prakash Mani Shamla on behalr of Pro Public, the petitioners argued thm self-ecr­ tilled Indian vehicles do not meet the cmis­ ~ i on standard sel under the Nepal Emission Standard 1999 and urged the court to de­ clare null and void the agreement signed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIrala dur­ ing: his visil to India 10 allow the imporl of Indian cars on the basis of self-certificati on. Car dealers complain that their side of the story was not heard before the coun issued thl! interim order. from th ose countries on the basis of self­ IQ be identified. His Majesty'sGovernmcnl introduced certification. The joim communique issued aftcr the Nepal Motor Vehicle Emission Stan­ But in Ihecaseoflndia.aresumptionof Prime Minister Koirala's visit to India spe­ dard which became effecti ve from Deccm­ imports of such cars was possible only after cificall y points out the need to allow im­ bel' 1999. The laws and procedures tricd to the visit of Prime Minister Koirala. Last ports of Indian vehicles 0 11 the basis of sclf­ replicate the Euro 1 standard. However. the week, the government again issued instruc­ certification. According 10 the agreement, nonns deviated so substantially from the ti ons not to allow vehicle imports from imports of Indian vehicles into Nepal under Euro I standard that no vchicle manufac­ India on the basis of self-certification. As a Nepal's new emission norms would be per­ turer in the world could comply and export result, most dealers are holding large nUIll­ milled on the basis of self-certification by vehi cles to Nepal. ber of vehicles in Raxaul. Indian vehicle manufat:tures based on type Primarily, the deviation arose from the The car dealers have suggested that approval. In a reciprocal move. India also facl that the govemment demanded Type Indian cars manufactured after April 1,2000 agreed to withdraw additional taxes on Approval (TA) and Conformity or Produc­ should be allowed to entcr Nepal. Therc Nepalese goods. tion (COP) certification to be presented at argument is that Indian manufaclurers are As the prime minister is weak no min­ the time of import from the government­ Icgallyobliged to maintain Euro I standards istry seems to be in a position to execute the authorized testing agency. The Euro 1 legis­ on ve hicles produced from that dale on­ decisions of another agency. Meanwhile, lation clearly states the submission of COP wards. Indian cars are sitting idly at a Raxaul lot, should be 12 months from the date of manu- After the announcement of new emis- wailing for their tUJl1 to cross the border . •

14 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 NATIONAL

MAOIST VIOLENCE FAR WESTERN REGION Innocent Victims Bridges Of Two children die on the day the Maoist rebellion enters the sixth year. Will the violence come to an end? Friendship With the completion of the 22 By A CORRESPONDENT "We call upon all the parties concerned bridges, the rest of Nepal now to avoid such mishaps." has unhindered link to the far s the underground Maoist rebels According to official figures. morc A were celebrating completion of than 1500 people have lost their li ves western development region years of their armed rebellion, two during the Maoist rebellion, nearly 60 of boys fell victim to the violence. them are childre n below the age of 16 . Prakash Dhungana, 11. and Khem Raj Whilc officials blame the Maoists for the The (";onslruclion of the 22 bridges Dhungana. 14, died immediately after a unfortunate incident. the underground along the East-West highway 111 the far­ bomb exploded near their house at Maoist party has not commen ted on the western development region has finally Mangalsen VDC. ward no. 6, in far­ mishap as yet. A source close 10 the been (,'ompleted. Indian and Nepalese western district of Achham early Mon­ Maoist said the rebels were laking cau­ ex pens jointly carried out the field in­ day. Eight others. including six minors, lion 10 avoid civilian casuailies after the spection of the Kohalpur-Mahakali Sec­ from the same family got injured in the Panchkatiya incident last year. tion of the highway early this month. incidenl. As the rebellion enters into the sixth Funded by the Indian government. the Nobody has ,------, year, morc and more total grant assistance for the project was claimed responsibility As the government civilian are falling RS. 1088 million. for the mi shap as yel.. kO victim to the insen­ These bridges ha ve been constructed Chief District or- IS wor Ing on to equip sible violence. Hu ­ in some of the most difficult terrain in ficerof Achham. Khum the newly established man rights activists western Nepal. In the past. effons of Raj Punjali, told SPOT- Armed Police Force have attempted to other agencies to construct the bridges in LIGHT over telephone bring the govern­ this sector had not heen successful. Some that the bomb exploded and rebels strength- ment and rebels to of the problems, such as the artesian near a public tap at • hO, th e table of negotia­ conditions. were so peculiar in nature angalsen village on enlng t elr base ar- tions but without that it was difficult to find a solution even eb.12whenpeoplehad eas' in the mid-west- success. in engineering lext books. Therefore. the garhcred to collect wa- h011 0 I . As the govern - construction of these bridges was a daunt­ VIO ler. All len people be- ern I S, ence IS ment is working 011 ing task. Special de~igns had to be longed to the same likely to escalate fur- to equip the newly evolved to take into account the severe Dhungana family. Orri- thero established Armed artesian conditions prevailjng at some cials later airlifted all '---______--.J Police Force and sites. said officials. injured persons, includ- rebels strengthen- Begun in 1996. despite many ouds • inga 15-month-old girl child, to Nepalgunj ing their 'base areas' in the mid-western posed by the peculiar geographical con­ in mid-western Nepal for treatment. hills. violence is likely to escalate f"ur- dition of thc terrain. the last of the 22 Authorities say the bomb may have ther. "The government should nOl vio- bridges in the projct.:t was completed in been left unattended when a group of late human rights under any circum- May last year. suspected Maoist rebels had attacked the stances while the rebels should not do With the construction of these prison at the dis trict headquarters at anything to hurt people who are not ac- bridges. the Mahendra highway in far Mangalsen the rrevious nighl. No casu- ti vely engaged in the conflict," said western Nepal has become operational al l) was reported during the attack. Po- Pahadi.·' In order to cnd the on-going even during monsoons and opened up lice diffused two more bombs al a dis- violence. there should be an extensive new possibilities in trade. investment and tance of 200 meters from the si te of initiatives from all quarters including the economic growth in this pan of the coun­ incident. " We condemn the use of lethal civil society and the government shou ld try. weapons near human settlements," said guaranty the good governance:' he added. These bridges stand as an important Krishlla Pahadi, chairman of Human Unfortunately, both these are in short landmark of the ongoing cooperation and Rights and Peace Society (HURPES). supply in the present day Nepal. • friendship between Inclia and Nepal. •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 15 COVER STORY 50YEARSOFDEMOCRACY

Experiments ')

) And Turmoil In the last five decades of democratic experiments, Nepal has seen many highs and lows - and has committed many mistakes. Despite political instability and turmoil, the country has achieved remarkable progress in the area of political, social and economi transformation. But the overriding challenge still remains .the maintenance of the people's faith in the democratic process and fulfilling their growing aspirations I By KE SHAB POU DEL institution~. T he democratit; process. is always under When a sizeable secti on of the ruling threat in Nepal by democratic deficits repre­ / ife is at a standstill in urban areas part y has joined opposition part ies and pro­ sented by the unelected and the unaccount­ because of a strike called by the fessional groups in deviating frolll the normal ab le. Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Fed­ constitutional process, th e very existence of " Success in constructi ng a democratic eratio n, The winter session of par­ democratic gove rnance comes un der ques­ civil society depends on the commitment of liament is stall ed by an alliance of lion. Moreover. popularl y unaccountable bod­ the populatio n at large to th e de mocratic ies like the Commi ssion of In vesti gati on of ideal. o n its act i vc i nvol vemenl in all aspects Loppositio n parties led by theCPN-UML. Life Abuse of Authority (CIAA) areauacking the of po l it ical , social and cultu ral I i fe. o n tole r­ in the rural part s of the country has been basic spirit of the constitution by demanding ance of differences combined with respect severely hi l by a M aoist insurgency that has morc powers. In this faceta concentrate power. for majority opinion. as well as on the exist­ entered its sixt h year. these organizati ons are willrull y ignori ng the e nce of democratic institu tions and wise As Nepal celebrates 50 years of democ­ eternal wisdom that authority without popu­ politi cal leadership," says Fede ri co Mayor, racy. endemic po litical turmo il is cha llenging lar accountability o nly b reeds former d irector-general of UNESCO , in the the very futu re of the country ' s democratic authori tarianism. pre face to " Democracy -An Analytical

16 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 COVER STORY

years has been the victim ofpolili calturmoil. FolJowing the overthrow of the Rana regime. no prime minister - wheth er under absolute monarchy or democratic despotism - has completed his full term in office. The first thing those in the opposition are desperate about is 10 replace the prime minister of the day. This goes on to show that Nepalis are unable to distinguish between the failure of the system itself and the failure of the leader­ ship and particular individuals. In the decade following the introduc­ tion of democracy. Nepal had almost half a dozen prime mini s ter~ . Mohan Sumsher Rana, Matrika Prasad Koirala, Tanka Prasad Acharya, K.I. Singh and BishweshworPrasad Koirala held office between 1951 and 1960. Even under the Panchayat system. which presupposed the active leadershIp of the monarch. no government could complete its full term. Surya Bahadur Thapa, Kirtinidhi Bista. Nagendra Prasad Rijal. Tulsi Giri. Lokendra Bahadur Chand and Marichman Demonstrators: Energizi ng Singh Shrestha were replaced one after an­ other, some being pnmary characters in the Survey" by Jean Baechler. resign. a group of rebels in the ruling party. political version of musical chairs. The I n the last Ii ve decades. Nepal has passed led by former prime ministers Krishna Prasad charges against all of them were corruption, through various stages in transfonning itself Bhatlarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba. sees this ineffiCiency and nepotism. Whether the sys­ from a backward nation to a modern stale as an opportune time to oust him. Democracy tem is based on the principles of a sovereign with a democratic constitution and system of is a system governed bYlhe rule of law. There parliament or the centralized structure of an governance as ,,"cll as firm development in­ are constitutional provisions on changing the absolute monarchy. politi cal instability and fra structure. prime minister and running political institu­ turmoil have remained a bitter reality oflife. The history of Nepal's modernization tions. Unfortunately, Nt!palese politicians are Are we culturally predisposed to political has been full of political instability and tur­ so desperate for political change that few instability? moil but th e country has made long strides have patience for the rule of law. Even after a " If we evaluate the political course be­ from being one of the most remote places of 50-year experience, Nepalis have yet to de­ tween 195 1-1960, we find that political lead­ lhe world to one of the most accessible. The velop democratic habits. ers were verycommilled to the stability of the

1 in c hallenge sti ll remains the slabilization " If we wish to maintain democracy not political system. Today's political leaders are

• , th e political process ancl achieving eco­ merely in form but also in fact, what must we more concerned with acquiring power than nomic progress. do? This first thing in my judgment we must strengthening democracy and nationalism," Although politicallurmoil always shakes do is to hold fast to constitutional methods of said historian Or. Rajcsh Gautam, who has the political process. the country has achieved achieving our methods of achieving our so­ published several books on the evolution of some notable progress in the areas of building cial and economic Objectives. It means that modern Nepalese pOliticS. political institutions and economic and social we mUSt abandon the bloody methods of As Nepal's political leaders have to spend transformation, Whatever the scale of the revolution. It means that we must abandon most of their time and energy to hold on to hostile situation Ilourishing in the institu­ the method of civil disobedience. non·coop­ their position. the country's development has tions, the country wday has solid infrastruc­ erati on and saryagraha. Where there was no always suffered. "If you are always con· ture. lI1c1uding schools, health posts, admin­ way left for constitutional methods for achiev­ cerned about your pOlitical position, when Istrative branches in all the4.000 villages and ing social and econornicobjecli ves.lhere was will you stan working for the country?" asked highways that link the country's east 10 the a great deal of justification for unconstitu­ an economist. west and north to the south, tional methods, But where constitutional Nepal seems to be one of those few Importantl y. a new breed of leadership methods are open. there can be no justifica­ countries which has spent all of their time in is coming up through competitive politics at tion for these unconstitutional methods. These searchofa workable political system, Nepalis the grass-roots level. methods are nothing but the Grammar of have experimented with all kinds of systems Ongoing Political Turmoil Anarchy and sooner they are abandoned. the and are still struggling for an answer. If the present political scenario inside better for us." said B.R. Ambedkar. the re­ Many other countries in the region have parliament and on the street provide any mes­ nowned Indian constitutionalist. long chosen the political mechanism thatlhey sage. it is that instability seems to be the rule Unstable Governments think could best attain their people's aspira­ of Nepalese politics. As virtu ally all opposi­ Efforts to change governments in ShOfl tions. Nepalese leaders have wasted precious \lOll parties are united in their objective to intervals is not a new phenomenon in Nepalese time in upholding the interests of a particular fo rce Prime MinisterGirija Prasad Koirala to politics. Every prime minister in the last 50 political system rather than the interests of

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16. 2001 17 COVER STORY the country, In economic and social sectors. Nepal several hundrced years ago .... The adminis­ Insurgencies In Nepal has made some significant progre:ss. Although tratio n in the co untry~ id e . in our sense of hllcrestingly. all political systems and the pace has been too slow. Nepal has also word. is simply non-existent. Out of the 10 governments in Nepal have fa ced vmious gained success in the process o r institution wireless stations which were established some kind~ of political insurgencies. except during building. The extent of the turmoil and ex­ years ago. eight arc OUI of order now," the first five years after the reslOration or periments is evident from the fa ct that the There have been remarkable changes in ImLltiparty democracy in 1990. country has seen four constituti ons under two the transport sector. Roads link 62 of the 75 Many of today's leading political plny­ political systems. distri cts of the country. More than 400 MWor ers were once battle-hardened insurgclHs. When democracy was introduced live hydropower is generated wit hin the country. Ne pali Congress workers have tri ed every­ decades ago following the ovenhrow or the over 10 millio n people are literate and four thing from seeking to li berate Solukhumbu Rana regime. Nepal did nO( have any kind of llni versities have produced 200.000 gradu­ through armed action to making an aucmpt insti tution to sllstain the power of the people. ates. There arc 37.397 schools with more than on the life of th e king. The CPN-ML and The literacy rate wm, under two percent and 5.2 mill ion students. Basic health services are Nepal Janbadi Mo rcha launched violcnl in­ only 376 kilol1lelers or rough vehi cle tracks available in all the Village Development Com­ surgencies against the Panc hayat system. The c:xisted in th e valley and the Terai. El ectricity llllttees. Communist Pany of Nepal-Maoisl is in the was vinually non-existent and food su pply ·There has been economic transforma­ midst of a 'people's war"

18 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16, 200J COVER STORY successful in accelerating i1S economic faced years of delays amid political uncer­ ing (he insti tuti ons and improving the eco­ growth. the situation obviously would have tainlY and controversy. The constitution of nomic conditions. been much better. 1958 was promulgated under a Royal procla­ The constitution promu lgated to estab­ Helpless prime minister mation and the model was based upon the lish a parryl~ss democracy failed to bring poli­ One key reason for the flaws in the Westminster style of parliamentary democ­ ticians of opposite cOllvictions into ils fold. So ~yslem is that over the last 10 years.lhe prime racy. Sir Ivor Jennings. an outstanding con­ the constitution always remained in an abnor­ minbtcr' 5 authority has been curtailed through ~titutional expert of his time. was the archi­ mal adjustmcnt~ wi th heterogenous forces. court decisions. C011lrolling corruption i s a tect of the consti tution behllld the scenes. In a very diflicllll sit uation of balancing prime duty of the pri me minister. but he does Considering the institution of the mon­ Nepal's relat ions between Indi a and China and not hjvc the authority \0 keep his own minis· archy and the unitary form of government, it between two emcrgll1g forces of the Cold War lers and pany MPs in check because of the was most suitable to lepal's condi tion and - the United Stales and the Soviet Uni on­ l'lIr1ailmcnt of hi s prerogative to dIssolve situation. Mo re than a yea r and a half of the political changes of 1990 took place. parliament and call fresh elections. practi ce introduced th e people to constitu­ DecadeS-long con frontation of the mon­ Powerful slogans support the devclop­ tional practices and methodologies. archy with democratic forces came to an end ment of a healthy political process. BUI when The king. the pri IIlI! minister and pari ia­ by this change and a new ern of constitutional slogans remain restricted to rhetoric. peoplc ment performed their roles in keeping with monarchy and Pi.lrl131l1Cntary democracy be­ al ienat ed from the process. Opportunities Ihe core provisions of tile constitution. gan. But the coullIry. handicapped by its size aye been missed bcc:allse the country has Recent publications of two very impor- and location. could not run the process ~pent time and resources in a ritual of sloganecring while politics has rcprc~ented lit tle more thnn trial and error. CoulltJics that started out wi th greater disadvantages than t\'cpal' s have left u~ far behind in Ihe develop­ ment racc. ThcclIrrent natlonJI mood of gloom also ITlmOJ"s the fact Ihat Nepalis have not been ahle 10 reconcile with the polity of thc coun­ try. SI/cable group:;. on the lell and the right arCMil1 sean:hing fo r alternatives to tllc present :.YQC1l1. "Nu onl' pretends that democr.:1cy IS per­ fert or all-wis.e. Indeed. it has been ~ald that I.Icmocracy I!. the worst form of government. except all those other forms that have been tried from tIme to time." WinstOn S. Churchill once Said. A:;. il i!. a phiio!.ophy as well as a colic!.> 01 practices accumulated through time a d experience. democracy I.:annot he achIeved rapidly. This is particularly so in countrie~ that are emerging from decades of totalitarian or authoritarian rule. Changes in human attitudes arc.! less eas­ Bhalt.rai (left) and : Lat:k or reconciliation ily accomplished than the remodelling of the poltucal stru cture. lant biographical book~ - by B.? Koirala smoothly. Once again. the "'ystem i~ under a Democ.:racy is an extremely slow proct!ss and by K.? Bhattarai - testify to the genius threat almost everyone call pcrl.:cive but few whereas development in economic as well as oflhe politicians of that time. But Some mys· call cxact ly dc!ine. technocratic terms can be achieved very fast. taious political devclopment put enormous The constilution :\nd all insti(Utions A capahle leadership cm bring out tremen­ powers into the hand of the king and put the within it seem to be facing a new kind of dous results in a very short period but that prime minister in prison. challenges lO their surviv:1!. Thcjudici:1ry is miracle is not possible in democrati c process. The experience of the last five decades becoming more assertive and press freedom Had there been mature political institu­ has shown th~H the introduction of tlcmocrncy is now a strong feature of c,ociety. lions. things would have worked almost in is a complex proces~ which involve!. more Critics of previous system have over­ automation . Had there been very capable and than mere political transformation. looked the democratic foundations that were uedicated leadership. the situation. too. would The two major forces - the traditional laid lhen. Behind what is described as a tlark have different. Despite lacunas in institutions. monarchy and modemizingdemocratic forces patch in the I.:ountry's democratic history lie things cou ld have been much better. Bul. un­ - have always remain suspicious of one some of Ihe seeds of democratic behavior. fortunately. Nepal lacks both. another. and the country has faced unpredict­ The growth of leadership from the Hard Road Ahead able si tu ations. grassroots was started during the Pan chayat The road has not been an easy one. The Confrontation between the two forces system. More than 4.000 local bodies units or making of the I1rst democratic constitution had seriously hampered the process of build- self-governance we re institutionalized du r-

SPOTLlGHTfFEBRUARY 16.2001 19 "-- -

COVER STORY

effect in its result. It has to beevolved ing that period of party less politics. infrastructure. Nepal has made tremen­ by step-by-step practice and experi­ system which In terms of It was that 'undemocratic' Nepal the dous improvements. ence enriched by that. In the basic rights of voting to the com­ laught 2001 people at present think that the mere them to choose 1951 mon citizens and encouraged brings the I. Literacy 2 percent 40 percent declaration of democracy their own leaders. like s dispensaries 5 80+ full-fledged result but it is not Nep,ll has committed many mistakes in 2. Hospital expectancy 26 56.1 that. Iht! past 50 years while learning the values 3. Life 2MW 400 MW The current parliament is made s of a modern political system. 4. Electricity and ideal of all kinds of political leaders some 5. Road 321 KM 7000 lip The inherent tendencies of de­ institutions x 4000 who have played a role in the sections are not compatible with modern 6. Political mocr:.uization process of the coun­ a political 7. Graduate x 200.000 political systems. Whenever Prasad schools 33~ 37.500 try. Prime Minister Girija system tries 10 evolve. intellectuals promote 8. Number or 20 Koirala and former prime ministcr different forms and pave the 9. Technical College ana rchy in Bhauarai represents x Not available Krishna Prasad way for the emergence of an authoritarian ..J an older generation of modernizers. '--______ruler. have vastly im­ Main opposition IC3derMadhav KumarNe al In recent years. the question of corrup­ The Nepalese people the second generati on. Then I major bancs of proved (heir health care options, their educa­ embodies tion has become one of the a lumI­ literacy services and the contribu­ are people like Surya BahadurThapa, public life in Nepal. It is necessary to take tional and to their communities nary of the previous system. means \0 deal wilh this grow­ lions of Nepal's women more effective of multiparty de­ their nation. Despite the challenges of­ Afler the restoration ing l1l~nace. At the same time. leaders have to and villages. and a rugged and mocracy. power was shifted from aristocrats guard against the emergence of anti-demo­ fered by remote Nepal's accompli sh­ to the people. Somewhere along the road. cratic or totalitarian Mructures. di ver!o.e topography. things took a differenllurn somewhere and a In our warped vision of empowering mcnt!, have been remarkable. minister S.P. Koirala new aristocracy is emerging. institution!<. - as in the case of the CIAA­ As formar prime The experiment of the first 50 years was the abuse a concentra­ during the Panchayat period as a dissenter was we are lOSing sight of sn' t of negotiating for national painful and full of turmoil. But that doe lion of power without accountability can fos­ in a hard process that it was a heart breakingly detract from the challenge 10 stabilize the ter. If people start thinking that a police state reconciliation said is the case with the demo­ democratic process to fulfill the growing as­ can curb corruption, then what is the role of slow process. So is not a switch-button pi rations of the people over the next 50 years .• an evolutionary pOlitical process. cratic process. There "Everybody wants 10 be a son of lung Bahadur in N~pal whenever he or she is in Annual SUBSCRIPTION Rate position to exercise authority," said advocate Bharat Raj Upreli in an article 'Suru Na In .. titution Anta·. Indi\'idual Institution Indhidual NRs R,. t400 ()() NR .. R ... .:!.'iO(j()t"' C halle.nges Galore Nepal NR" R~. 1400.00 NRs Rs. 2500.Uu Nepal le Rs. 14011 ()() le R .. 3:'.(11).1.111 It is wrong to say that everything is green India le Rs. 1400.00 le Rs. 3200.00 India that situation ultimately Olher SAARC ant..! fertile because Glher SAARC LS S IS{ $ 75.00 us S 150.00 Coumries us S 75.00 I LO formulate negative pictures about Countric~ us helps J:lpan US $ 100.00 US S 200 ion with other Japan US S too.oo US $ 200.00 Nepal. Comparing the situat Countries LIS S90(X) USS IXIlOO A .. ean Countries US $90.00 US S 180.00 Asean South Asia. Nepal is yet peaceful and US S 100.00 US S 2(1000 parts of China/Korea US $ 100.00 US $ 100.00 China/Korea hClrmonious and congenial to the success of (Send a GIFT subscription to friends Ilrey willlo])e ;1) democracy as well as economic development. SUBSCRIBE NOW bit of sympathy and understanding is ,------, If a liulc lion for .... I I P[ ea.~c find enclosed herewith my annual s ub~ rip given to these realities by its two neighbors, I 1 03IC .. Nepal has Ihe pOlentiality 10 speed up devel­ I C;l .. h100/Cheque No ... forRs/£lUSS ...... 1 opmcm

SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 16.2001 20 NATIONAL

OBITUARY SMARIKA End Of An Era With A Day?bir Singh Kansakar leaves behind a legacy of Noble Cause social service The proceeds from a new album By A CORRESPONDENT go for handi capped children ~'UC to his name. Dayahir Singh ..I. reflected (';oll1passion and streng th In what is seen as Cl pioneering attempt. >ughOUI his lire. \Vhen he silently singer Situ Kharcl handeJ over proceeds from sales of her first CD!casseltc album • sed away on February 5 al the age of 90. he left behind the exemplary legacy "5 Illarika" (In Mcmoriul11) for a noblccausc. Siw of Paropakar social movement. Kharel's daughtcr. Smarika. handed over::t cheque of Rs 51,00 I tc) Principal of Bo rn in 1968 BS in Keltu1c, Navjyoti Center. Si stcr Annc Mari c. for the KnthmJlldu, Kansakar was th e pioneer welfare of the mentally handicapped chil­ social activist of the country. He started dre n attending tile ccllter last week. The social scrvit:c at a lime when the authori ­ SL: hool intends 10 de ve lop a toy library 1'01' tarian Rana regime would suppress ev­ Ihe children wilh Ihi s Jonation. ery thing that could undermine its dicli:!­ torial rule in the country. The first Nepalese to have donated Dayabir: Exemplary social activist hi s hlood, Dayablr Singh opened a se ries of Paropakm ~oc ial in~lilulions 10 help th e underprivileged. Froll1 orphanage lO work. Dayahir was decorated with vari­ ambulance se rvi ce and from tlnining ous award:-.likc the Gorkha Dakshin BallU Ilursc~ tn buildIng h o~ pital. he devoted (TllIrd and Fourth) and the Tri Shakti hIS whoh! life to th e improvement or Patt[l. hi~ s()~le t y . At the fag cnd of illustrious A man of the Gandhian mould. career, Dayabir Singh was bed-ridden • yahir wa~ also acti\'c in promoting the due [0 ill ne ss, The pri me ll1i nistcr, deputy ... mall and cOllagc industries in the CO Ull ­ prime I11lni ster, ministers, opposition lry. He alway~ el1lphasiLcd the role or party leaders. bu siness mcn. social small industries in the economic devel­ workers, intellectuals and man y others opment of the t.:nunlry. 1'1' 0111 different walks of life came to There is hardl y any social SCCLOr that pay their last respects to hi 111 on Tuesday. \I as len untouched by Dayabir. The fo­ Hc wa::-. crematcd in accordance L: u.... of his attention rcmained 011 educa­ wi th Buddhist traditions. He is sur­ ti on. health and human servicc. Some of vived by his wife. five sons and two The money wa~ collected from the the major institutions he set up in clude daughters. advance sa le of the album in the U.K. The Paropakar Indra Rajya Laxmi Malernity \Vi th hi s passing away. the social album "S marik a" int.:iudC's ten modcrn Hospital. Paropakar Orphanage. se rvice sct.: tor of Nepal has had la bear an songs by di ffercllllyricists. including Kiran Paropakar Ambulance Service. Paropakar irreparable loss. This loss will be more Kharc l. The albulll , produced by Smarika Highcr Second ary School. closely rclt by all those underprivileged Media Service, i ~ marketed by Music He was also the foundi ng member of people who had enjoyed his warm guard­ Nepal. The ~o n gs were recorded at Sym­ ianship. Nepal Red Cross Society and Sajha Co­ phony Studio. While the leaders present to pay their operative beside leading a number of The debut alb um by Situ Kharcl is an last respects stressed the need lO emulate Buddhist committees. He also repre­ indication of her si nging ta lent , it is a matter his principles. they would be paying true sentcd Nepal in a various social confer­ of joy for mu sic lovers that a meloJious ences abroad. tribute if they took over the torch passed voice has emcrged in thl.! markctlooking for Recognizing his devoti on to social by Dayabir Singh Ka nsakar. • some creativity. •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 2 1 INTERVIEW 'Political Commitment Is Necessary To Curb Corruption' - INORID OFSTAD

INGRID OFSTAD is Nomav's alllbassador to prepared to handle the large private investment. Nepal. Norway opened ifS embassy ill KarhmQndll Both parties had la learn along the way. For the last year and Ojsrad was appointed ambassador Norwegian hydropowcr sector. it was a new expe­ Ihree 1II01llhs ago. She spoke 10 KESHAB POU· rience to work outside Norway. There was lots of DEL alld SANJAYA DHAKAL 011 variolls isslles learning along the way. afbilateral cOl/cem. E.rcerprs: Based on yourexpcriencl' with Khirnti, W measures do you suggest Nepal should take to The Norwegian government is involved in attract greater foreign investment in developing the Basic and Primary Education Project in hydro power? Nepal. What are your impressions of the project? I believe there is still a lot to be done to make There are still SOIlle diHicuh parts when it Nepal become morc investment-friendly. The de­ We believe comes to really decentralizing the planning and cisions from the government' s side may be the that we will implementation arlhe program. I hope there will be major problem, as they are inconsistent. II is not more activity in the field soon. morc concerned easy 10 be a foreign investor in Nepal. Onc is not provide a total children and parents can build all iances with local completely sure whether there is an agreement in assistance of school teachers. and graduall y power moves from Nepalese society that you want foreign investors. US$32 million thcccntral ministry 10 the district and school levels. There is a need for a broader consensus in society High quality education can only be achieved when on how Nepal shall deal with foreign investors. - $25 million there is demand for educati on from lhe local level ""hat are the major areas of cooperation for the con­ between Nepal and Norway'! How did the Norwegian government decide The major areas of cooperation are basic and struction of to become involved in the project? primary education. hydropowcr development. the tunnel and We think providing education LO children in­ mainly by private inves!Ors, and lhe Melamchi $7 million for cludin g girls is the 1110st important area for the Water Supply Project for Kathmandu vall ey. Th "q development oflhe country. The level of education has been support through NODs al so. the planning. here is very low. We believe that when children gel The trade volume between Nepal and Nor­ education, they wi ll have greater access to partici­ way is insignificant. 'Vhat can be done to in· pate in development. Education is also onc of the crease bilateral trade'? basic rights. I lhink this is an area that we need to explore. How do you assess the overall development Norway is a very small country wi th very few assistance of Norway to Nepal? people. I am nO{ so sure it could be a large market Assistance through the government is very for Nepal. Nevertheless. there are possibilities for new. Nepal became a main partner for Norwegian expansion. I think we have to sit down with the cooperation on ly in late 1996. Therefore. we are Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce still building the government support program. and Industry (FNCCI) and others to find ways to Traditionally, our support has been through NCOs increase exports from Nepal. - which we believe has been quite successful - and What is your position on the Melamchi Norwegian companies. As for government-ta-gov­ project? How much support are you willing to ernment cooperation, it is a bit earl y to measure th e provide to the project? effects. The NORAD board is going to meet on Febru· What is your experience in the Khimti hy. ary 20 lO make a final decision. We believe that we dropower project? will provideatotal assistanceofUS$32 million· $25 Khimti is the first big foreign private invest­ million for the construction of the tunnel and $7 ment in Nepal. The Norwegian company that was million fortheplanning. We hope that all the donors, responsible for the project had its problems. Being including the World Bank, come along. This is an the first one, the government was not properly extremely complex and huge project. People in

22 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16,2001 INTERVIEW

Kathmandu valley need water, that's why we want 10 about the violent forces in this ..... -:----~ , upport ' lhe projecl. In facl. lhe people are quile society. I hope to see more desperate for water. Extra supply of water is how­ demands for peace and more ever not enough, it is also important to have an demands for reconciliation. cnicienl di stributi on system working so that you do Thal is also important in temlS not lose the costly water on its way to theconsul11crs. o f anracting foreign in vest­ How will Norway's involvement in the hy­ menl. I wish lhat the people dropower sector change if the Norwegian com­ were more active in demand­ pany bags the Butwal Power Project (BPC)? ing peace. This is up to the private sector. A private How about problems of Norwegian company is bidding for lhc BPC. As 1 good governance and cor· understand it. a Nepalese-Norwegian consortium ruption? i:-; interested in developing the electri cit y distribu­ I agree wi th those de­ tIOn system linked to hydropowcr development 10 manding stronger anti-corrup­ t abl e more use of eleclricilY locall y 10 develop ti on measures in socicty and ustries. As I understand it. th ey arc keen on lhe slrenglhening of the Com­ evelopin g hydropowcr together with electri cit y mission for Investigation of distribution. That is why they are interested in BPC. Abuse of AUlhorilY (CIAA) As Norway has a long experience in hydro­ and parliamenl's Public Ac­ power development, how do you think Nepal counls Commillee (PAC). A needs to manage its water resources? corruption-free society can Our country was developed lhrough hydro­ also auraet ma rc foreign aid power. That was not so long ago. Hydropower plants and in vestment. I think you were linked to development ofinduslrY and the rural have done a lot Butstill there society around the plant. Now Norway does not have is much more to bc done. The marc hydropuwcr resources to develop. The poten­ stale will have to change, be more transparent and tial of the hydropower development in Nepal, is aecoutible, and the civil society, local government great. But you need LO work on how to use hydro­ and private sector will have to play a greater role. power - nOl only how to develop il . I hope you can When the Nepal Developmenl Forum mellaslApril You have a use it for your own development. Of course, there is in Paris. the issue of governance was brought up in parliament also the possibilityofcxporting powerto India if you a major way because it is seen as the major obstacle wam to make big money. But I think you can use it for poverty allevialion in the country. and you have more directly for your own development. Which is the bigger challenge for Nepal­ elections, But Frcquentchangesin the government's policy corruption or poverty? democracy is • hydropower are said to have discouraged It is poverty. But you cannOl fi ghl poverty potential investors. \tVhat do you say? successfull y if you have corruption in society. much more I do nOl lhink it is the hyd ropowcr policy lh at Scandinavian countries, including Norway, than that. stops in vestment. lL may be that the general climate have an impressive record in good governance for foreign investors is difficult. \Vhen it comes La and discouraging corruption. What is the reason? a policy, you have a policy wantin g to attract I think it has a lot to do wilh equality in the fo reign investors. Therefore. th e stumbling block society and thc participation of the people who can may be the implementati on, not the policy. conlrol whallhe governmenl does. A high level of How do you assess the process of democra­ education. strong participation of people, both mcn tization in Nepal? and women. are some of the reasons. I feel democracy here is nOl yel very slab le. There is a lot of confusion in Nepal over There are many challenges in building a demo­ whether it is the role of the government or of cratic society from the bottom. You have a parlia­ constitutional bodies to curb corruption. Can ment and you have elections. But democracy is constitutional bodies like the CIAA alone curb much more than that. Democratic institutions. in­ corruption, or do we also need strong political cluding an independent media. are vital parts. So is commitment? the participalion of peopl e in general. Slilllhere are Of course, political commitment is necessary many exclusions based on caste, ethnicity and to curb corruption. Only when you have finn politi­ gender. if you want to build a true democratic cal commitment can you have strung institutions socielY , you have lO have everybody on board. And lhat can fighl eorruplion. that is still a long way from here. I:tm worried •

SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 16,2001 23 ENCOUNTER 'My Program Has Become Part Of Viewers' Daily Life' - SANTOSH PANTA

SANTOSH PANTA is the illimitable them into programs that will be loved by gam. too. TV comedian whose weekly soda-sa­ the audience. Journalists like you see This is said to be the age of satel­ tirical serial " Hija Aajaka K/lra " en­ news in an incident while I see stories in lite and cable TV_ Most people in ur­ joys a cult-like /ollowing among them. That's how I am going on. ban areas prefer foreign channels to Nepalese \';elVers culling across age Qnd How do you find the state of hu­ Nepal Television. Still your program commul/ity lilies. The dh'ectorlaclOr of mor-satire in Nepal? How viable has is one of the very few on NTV that is llle most watched program 011 Nepal the sector become in terms of finan­ watched by many, including the Television, Panla is Olle of the best cial gain? ban youth. Why is that so? kllou'lJ faces ill the cOllntry. The fabu­ It has improved a lot compared to I don' t make programs that are ex­ /0115 entertainer recently completed the the past. it has come a long way. clusi vc for any onc group of audience. 1 300111 episode of his weekly program - Nepalese artists are now able to survi ve va ry my stories so that I can cater to all tllefirst sl/chleat achieved by anyone;lI people possible. I always receive com­ the history of Nepalese television - and ments from members of the older gen­ is stiff going strong. H e spoke to eration that [should focus more on socio­ SANJA YA DHAKAL last lI'eek at his political aspccts while youths tell me to re sidellce ill Dhapasi about h,.s \I'ork show their side of stories. too. So. [Lry and SIlccess. Excerpts: to strike a balance. I divide my pro­ grams among women, the elderly. work­ Many comedy-based programs ing class and the you th . On some weeks, have been shown on Nepal Television. the program caters to the taste of women; But only you have managed to come on others. 1 focus on the concerns of up with them so consistently. What is employees and so on. the reason behind your success? Your programs have been praised My programs do not undermine the for their incisive display of social ills. audience. 1 do not engage in cheap hu­ What do you think of the present po­ mor. You can make people laugh by litical and social problems of the co , painting your nose red, too. However, try? Where is the country going? that does not last long. What I do in my I am confused whether there is a programs is show the realities of our government or not here. The situation is lives. Current affairs and things like so chaoti c that if the leaders try to say politics and culture, which affect the thi s is how democracy looks like. then, li ves of middle-class people - that is on their creative profession alone. They 1 am afraid. the people will misunder­ what I focus on. There is not merely are gelling the chance to show their stand democracy. While democracy is laughter in it but also some me ssage. tal ent s abroad, too. Even if you are a the system for the people, by the people The reason my program could run so littl e-known face, you have the chance and of the people, the situati on here is well is that it has become a part of the to go overseas for shows and so on. such that onc is forced to say the system day-ta-day life of my viewers. There is also the chance to make money is for the leader, by the leader and of the You have been faithfully coming from overseas programs. There are many leader. In Lhe last decade, the people up with your programs every Friday. Nepalese living outside the country who have witnessed nothing more than cor­ How do you find fresh story ideas invite Nepalese artistes from time to ruption, economic decline and political week after week? time. The number of Nepalese films is in sLab ility. How are the people under­ There are many events and issues also growing. Though the remuneration sLa nding democracy? Imagine a 10-year­ coming up every day. When even daily from acting in Nepalese film s is still old boy in 1990 who has grown up into newspapers are finding enough issues poor, the artistes can expect to earn a 20-year-old now. How has he per­ to go on, mine is just a weekly program. more by becoming involved in many of ceived th e democracy in the country? If The only thing is that you have to have them at a time. So, this sector has be­ you ask this question to him, the answer the ability to grasp th ese issues and turn come very good in terms of financial will probably be "chakka jam", "Nepal

24 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 ENCOUNTER

Bandhs", strikes, corruption, scandals, Makin g films demands hu ge invcstments, menl, including th e camera, of Nepal inllation, infighting and so on. This could which I don' l havc at my di sposal. I am Television. They are quite costl y to buy. be onc mai n reason why the youth are happy and salisfied with l11y TV profes· What about your earnings? goi ng away from thecountry. They don ' t sio n now. Maybe after some years when Well , l earn 10 my salisraclion. Whal sce a future here. Only those pro fi cient I decide 10 take rest from TV, I might I earn is eno ugh to support my li v ing in the arts of decepti o n and cunning can become in volved in films. But I am not slandard. Overall. i I is good . expect to ri se here. But for those who Ihe kind or person who wi ll mortgage his How did you become involved in wish la walk in the right direction, there house to invest in films. In my view. if this sector? is no track. The anistes run after money. th eir talent will In fact, 1 have been invo lved in this si tuation, there fore. is a ve ry sad surrer. sector since I was seven years o f age. At onc. If this kino o f situatio n persists for There is a charge that you pick seven, I had already earned two medals some years. then the time will have people from your own close circle to fr om the King and the Queen. [ started come to rethink. work in your serial and do not give as chi ld dancer. You have complained that while chance to others. What do you say? Do you want to work in private were not recognized for your TV Th"t is a baseless allegati on. You channels, too? s• als, the media associated your can see fo r yourself. Rama Thapaliya, Being a media person, I have no name with a certain controversial who frequentl y plays as my wife in the objecti on to working in private channels. program in Kathmandu. Besides, you seri al. is not related 10 mc. In fact. my BUllhen, I would like IQ have the kind of ha\'c also criticized the lack of respect own wife has not pl ayed in a sin gle TV viewcrship I am currently have through for artistcs here. What do you say? serial so far. Nitcsh Raj Panl3. m y mv. which ai rs my program o n prime Look. there is a strange way o r re· nephew, who is the chief assistant dif(~C­ lime. spectin g anistes in thi s country. They tor of Hijo Aajaka Kura is himself a How do you find the public re­ respect artistes by dividing the awards. talented arti stc. Even lh en, I only give sponse? The practi ce o f giving awards is such that him a chance once in a coupl e o f months. Very, vcry warm and respectFul. r they give o nc ho nor to a particular artiste If you come to my house on Mondays, find people genuine ly apprecialing my one year and g ive that to another artiste you can find a long queue of aspirin g efforts. Ir you look al people respecling the rollowing year. They divide awards anislcs. I have to give them a chance turn po litic ians and ministers, it is o ut of fear to ensure ever) body gets it , but not nec­ by lurn . and other things. BUI 10 people like us, essari ly ba:-.ed on meril. In my case, 1 was How d o you play different char­ the people give genuine respecl. T am given Ih e Gorkha Dakshin Bahu in 199 1. acters so well'~ Do you study the char­ very salisfied by Ih a t. • Allhallime. l hadn'l even slarted my TV acters beforehand? :.oc rial. But aft er so many years o r produc· I do. SlUd Y of charac- r::-=--:-:::-::--:-:::-::--:-::=-=~=~-C:::-AB=-=:-L"""'E:::-;::~:';:-: Ill.!; the serial. 1 have not received any Icrs is important. You can­ Ards so ra r. So. in a way it is strange not portray characters un· ..yo u are not rccogn i zed when you are less you study them in real active in he lping the society. It makes no li fe. For example, if I have se nse recognizing me 20 years after I IQ play Ihe role or a doclor, contributed to society. I need to kn ow how doctors Your program is aired through speak, what kind of termi- state-owned NTV, Do you find any nology they use and so on. Since the 17 th Century,. .,l:::-..iV'vl.l' l ~ ManakaIDans te:r:n.ple has ..,.... 'i!.... difficulties such as censorship, as you H OW Iong does it take be- vvidely venerated ::;- 9 ~() ' I .-.... often make fun of the government'! you to produce an epi- becaue-- of the belief that ~""21:. g-~J!!J' ;0'"- It happens at times. However. hav· sode? II\1:a.n.ilkm:~IDl~Dcvi Fulfi.lls '-1.~~.!;, all vvishes. Disa.bled ing gained so much experience in pro­ Three days. Two days Today. instead of the Discoun.t: Q duci ng s uch seri als. I know where their for shooling and one ror 4 to 5 hour arduous tre" u ...... ,. ~ 1\.\A.-Vl.t., 1""1 :-. hoc pinches. I know how much of the editing Three people MAnaksD]AnA is no'W z: . - -- ~ ~OIN ~ sa tire wi ll go uncensored and which myselr. Nilesh and Pramod accessible injust 10 ~ ;;!.\IT,'!). ~ lDinutes by -. =" ones have to be re fin ed to gel through Shanna - sit down and ~""/'I"", ... f"..~ '\ MAnakAmAnA Cable Car. ~vV" without compromis ing o n the message. prepare Ih e subjeel of Ihe Chidren Under Do you plan to get involved on the episode, drawing il from 3 & Half Feet big screen, especially after your vast Ihe major even IS of Ihe l ~~~~~~~5~~EfU~P:to~i§e. Discount experience in working on the small week, an d then shoot it. r one? Do you have your The o nl y difference betwecn the own equipment'! small and big screen is in technology. No, I use the eq ui P_I::====_F~_' '_H_"_._"_"_"_~_'_~: ___· _~ ""_·_-_":.p, _s ._",,_,,,,_-_.__ .J

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 25 f

REVIEW

BOOK Col/£'cfioll of Histoneal Documellts Vol. Wrilltn by DI'.Surelldra K.C PI/vlislll'd by Paim};i Pllblicatioll Price: Rs. 125 Understanding Autonomy Pages: 2/0 Experts expand on the theoretical underpinnings of decentralization Communist

By A COR RESPONDENT decentralization. Almost every issue faced during the implementation of the prinR Evolution cipJes of decentralization have been cov· ven ancr five decades of decentrali­ ered in these papers. However. very few E zation efforts, the officials and lead­ peoplc have acccss to them. This book Few publishcd bouks have bcen " , ers of local bodies in Nepal do not under­ comcsasa useful tool in broadening under­ to highlight the different phases 01 stand its importance. The local bodies con­ standing of the theoretical approaches of development of the Communist Party 0 sider decemralization a way of salvation decentralization. Nepal. Dr. Surendra K.C.'s ncw work fromcenlraJ authority. Central bodies view 1n his article "Local Governance and bridges this gap by providing a lucid over­ the process as the transfer of authority from Decentralization Programs: A Compara­ view of the variou~ phases communbt to the local bodies. li vc Analysis in Legal Perspecti ve", decen­ panies have gone through. Following the restoration of democ­ trali zation expert Tulsi Narayan Shreslha Dr. K.C. whose Ph.D. dissertation racy, millions of rupees have been spent on explains thecore iss ues of local self-gover­ focused on the evolUlion of communism seminars on decentralization. democracy, nance in Nepalis context Shrestha also in Nepal, includes some very valuable rule of law and violations of human rights. provides a wide hi storical perspective in documents as well as declarations of the However, countries li ke Nepal have not analyzing the role of local bodies. party. Theauthenticity of Dr. K.C's book benefi ted much from such exercises. Hun­ Ram Kumar Dahalfs article, "Pros­ is confirmed by the respe~l he commands dreds of books and articles have analyzed pects of Good Governance", emphasizes as an independent scholar. and evaluated the process and practice of the importance of good governance in rUll­ Or. K.C. has included almostalldocu­ ning local bod ies. Dahal argues in favour ments, hand-wri ttcn notes and correspon­ of measuring the perfomlance of local bod­ dence exchanged by leaders during vari­ DECENTRALIZATION AND ies in keeping with the parameters of good ous pt'riods of Nepal's communist move­ GOOD GOVERNANCE IN governance. ment. This has given a sound basis for NEPAL Ganga Bahadur Thapa, who edited understanding how NcpaJesecommu . thi s volume, holds the view that the transi­ have struggled to establish themselve s tional nature of Nepal IS democratic system a formidable power in the country. is responsible for the present problems. The au thor also has compiled new~­ The local bodiesf quest to become paper repons and texts published in the more powerful and asserti ve and the strong mOllthpiece 0(' the Communist Party. The tendency of central units to hold on to documents and relatcd mattcrs help read­ ,~., .. authority create problems in the process of ers understand the di~tance Nepal's com­ devolving authority. Over the past few munist movement has traveled to reach years, several positive efforts have been where it is today. • made 3llhe legislative, economic and po­ litical levels to realize the provisions of book that deal with the internal viabil ity local self-governance in Nepal. However, and autonomy of local bodies and their thecssential question remains: are the Dis­ initiative to strengthen local self-gover­ 'OI,.lTICJI,1. $(IINU ASSOCIATION or NI'AL trict Development Committees, Village nance. They also evaluate the mechanisms fRIIPIUCH·181Iln.STlnUNO, GU:MAHY ,.9" Development Committees and M unicipali­ of the res pan si veness of authorities and ties able to exercise the powers envisaged? their transparency and accountability as Decelltrali:.atioll and Good Gm'e mance ill Nepal Although a new act on the local gov­ well as issues of coordination between Published by the Political Sciellce Associa- ernance is in the process of implementa­ different bodies. tioll of Nepal and tion, the country is yet to find answers to At a time of confusion over the scope Friedrich Ebert StijiUlIg, Germany problems related to the allocation of power and range of decentralization, the articles Edited by Gallga Ballad"r Tlwpa and the role and duties of local bodies. in this book try to simplify the core issues Price: Rs. 200/US$5. Pages: 123 There are very importam anicles in the for the general reader. •

26 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16,2001 THE BOTTOM LINE

By M.S.KHOKNA

porliO'l'YletJlt I PJ1 f?esign.l (/ \////

Nho 1.5 the Y/exf

ration, to the Tribhuvan Uni­ judge at the Appellate COllrt, Upadhyaya, as the vice-presi­ TRANSITION versity Teaching Hospital, af­ Patan. to investigate the riots dent and Dr. Arun Sayami. ter suffering from stomach ail­ and communal clashe s that as the general secretary of the HONORED: Swami ments. gripped some parts orthe coun­ Cardiac Society of Nepal. by Prapannacharya, by Puma try last December. (he society's general assem­ Chandra Dhungel, vice-chan­ Madhav Prasad Ghimire, se­ bly. cellor at the Mahendra niorpoet, lo theTribhuvan Uni­ A WARDED: Narayan Sanskrit University, for con­ versity Teaching Hospital. af­ Dhakal, with the Mainali Story Rajesh Khadka, as the presi­ ducting various research on ter suffering from high blood Award. by the Association of dent and Umesh Shrestha, as Vedas. pressure. Literary Journalists. the senior vice-president of the Public and Boarding Schools HOSPITALIZED: Keshav CONSTITUTED: A judicial ELECTED: Dr. Mrigendra Association of Nepal, by the Sthapit, ma yor of the probe committee. headed by Raj Pandey , as the presi­ association's six th general as­ Kathmandu Municipal Corpo- Gobinda Kumar Shrestha. dent, Dr. Awani Bhusan sembly. •

SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 16.2001 27 VIEW POINT Building Pillars Of Peace From The Ground Up By KOFI ANNAN

Peace-building in the broadest sense is about helping a country to put different from those of a stable society. hack in place the rudiments of normal life aftcr a period of connict. This requires a reordering of normal developmental, humani tarian Peace-building is about the resumption of economic activity. the and other activities, so thar their first objective is 10 contribute to the rejuvenation of institutions. the restoration of basic services. the recon­ paramount goal of preventing the outbreak or recurrence of conflict. struction of clinics and schools, the revamping of publi c administration. Some have described this as looking at developmental and hu­ and the resolution of differences through dialogue. not violence. The manitarian work through a "conflict prevention lens". Others have over-arching challenge is to move societies towards sustainable peace. spoken of"peace-friendly" adjustment programs, with the flexibility to Peace-building done well is a powerful deterrent to violent COIl­ take account of the exceptional needs of countries emerging from, or on lliCL But it is not powerful in the way an army call be powerful; rather the verge of. conflict. il is the ~um of many initiutives. projects. activities and sensitivities. Indeed. at times. peace-building may mean giving preferential Peace-building is not tile dramatic imposition ora grand plan. Rather, treatment to some groups in a society, in order to redress pre-cxisting it is the process of building the pillars of peace from the ground up. bit inequalities that may have bred explosive tensions. And in turn. h~ by bit. may involve allocations of resources that might not be optimal fr The instruments of peace-building are as varied as the United purely economic point of view. Nations system itself. Indeed. virtually every pari of the United Nations During th(' last decade. both the General Assembly and the Secu­ system, including the Bretton Woods institutions, is currently engaged rity Council have recognized the importance o f peace· building, and the in onc fo rm of peace-building or another. need to work with a range of partners, including non-governmental Disarmament. demobilization and reintegration of fo rmer combat­ organizations and the private sector. ants: human rights education: the repatriation of refugees: the promo­ The Council has rightly recognized that peace-building can be a tion of connict resolution and reconciliation techniques - this is just a vital component of peacekeeping missions, and that it needs 10 include short list of activities. We are also promoting cul tural exchanges such preventive tools as early warning, diplomacy. preventive deploy­ designed lO link states in networks of enterprise and opportunity. nO{ in ment and disarmament. webs of mutual antagonism. In countries as diverse as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, El And to ensure the coherence of these efforts. we are also trying to Salvador, Guatemala, Liberia and Mozambique, peace-building has improve our own internal arrangements, so that petIte-building is not helped to smooth the implementation and prevent the breakdown of only comprehensive, but done in an in tegrated way. peace agreements. In countries like Haiti. Guinca-Bissau or the Central With an increasing number of UN entities establishing peJce­ African Republic. peace-building activities have contributed to the bui lding units and funds. we will need a major effort of coordination if maintenance of fragile st:.lb ility. we are to reinforce one another's efforts and avoid duplication and In response to growing demand, the Unitt!d Nations has opened, cnnfusion. on a pilot basis. Peace-Building Support Offices in the Cent ral African We tend to think of peace-building as taking place primarily in Republic. Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Tajikistan. post-connict sc{{ings. Here the goals are 10 consolidate peace, 10 Although these outposts are relati vely new, and arc constrained by reinforce an orten hard-won and fragile stability. and above all to limi ted resources. they have helped Governments to destroy weapons, prcvcm a slide back inlO conllict. build institutions and mobilize international support for their soci~~'I;.' But I also see peace-building as a preventive instrument. which can needs. As YOll know, we are now exploring the possibility of establ~ address the underlying. root causes of connict and which can also be ing a peace-building presence in Somalia. u~ed before the actual outbreak of war. A society on the brink of T his Counc il has a prime role to play. Among the major chal­ hreakdown is as much in need ofthcm as one where disaster has already lenges of peace-building is the mobilization of sustained political will !) tnlck. Their limely deploymenl althat stage could save many lives and and resources on the part of the international community. A number of ~lVoid much misery. The political. economic and human logic of such good ideas have been put fo rward in key areas ~uch as the implementa­ an approach is impeccable. The problem is that we don', practice tion of peace agreements and the design of peacekeeping operations, prevention as often as we could or should. which the Council could incorporate into its future mandates. Further Whether started before. after or during the eruption of conllic!. contributions can be expected from our meeting with regional organi­ peace-building: must be seen as a long-term exercise. At the same time. zations. there is an unmistakeable element of urgency - a need to achieve Peace-building presents complex a nd d iverse challenges. I will do tangible progress on a number of fronts in a short period of time. my utmost operationally -10 improve tile peace-building projects in Peace-building must be. above all , the work of the society which which we engage, and exploit to the best possible effect the expertise is threatened by connict o r has succumbed to it. International efforts to that exists in the UN system and among our many partners. promote peacc or development must support - and not supplant­ But I will also ask the members to do more politicall y - to give national ones. peace-building a hi gher plioriry and a higher profile, by bringing it Peace-building is an extremely difticuh undert aking. All too closer to the forefront of your awareness. Often, countries emerging from prolonged connicts are starting almost Peace-building must nOl be seen as an add-on or afterthought. from ground zero, under clouds of bitterness and loss. It requires something to save for later when cond itions or resources o r polit ics persistence and vision. as wel l as the courage to pursue reconciliation in permit. It is a central tool of proven worth. Let us together pledge to societies still fractured by suspicion and mistrust. develop and improve il. and then let us use it in good time. • Here I would like 10 say a word about the fundamentally political character of peace-buil ding. which makes it disti nct from normal This anide is adapted from UN Secreral:\,-Gelleral Kofi All/wll's development activities in non-crisis si tu ations. When a country is stalement to the Security Coullcil 0 11 Peace-Building 0 11 February 5, slidi ng into conflict. or emerging from war, its needs are quali tatively 2001

28 SPOTLl GHTIFEBRUA RY 16.2001 PASTIME

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SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUA RY 16.2001 3J FORUM Floriculture Development In Nepal By DR. DIBYA DEOBHATT

Floriculture is a neat industry. It is also a hi gh value added In order to develop floriculture in Nepal. the government product whose mark et is growing. In order lO be a successfu l has to play an active role. especiall y through providing subsi­ floriculturisl. one should have trained and hi gh ly motivated dies forthe establ ishment of green houses, controlled tempera­ manpower and equipment: above all. a new entrant should be tu re faci lities at the airport s, an efficient plan t quaran tin e able to correctl y assess the requirements for becoming a service and encouraging more research and development in successful Iloricu Iturisl. Then comes the question of selectin g this li eld. The ro le of the cooperative societ ies in promoting suitable Ilowers that would grow in the localit y. Roses are rlori cult ure is considerable; in countri es such as the Nether­ always popular. as are gladio lu s, carnati on, lily. eh rysanthe­ lands and Israel, which lead in exportin g seeds. bu lbs and oth er IllUIll. aster. dahlia, orchids etc. planting nowering materials, the government provides all In the Nepalese cl imate. European summer !lowers can be facilities for this. grown successfull y. whi ch would be profitable also. Many of Training facil ities shou ld be creatcd for trainin g peopl th e flowering plant species that now adorn gardens in Europe thi s field. At present nearly 70 percent of the need for cut remain neglected in Nepal. Among these arc poppy. primula, nowcrs is being fulfill ed through import from India: the lilies, gentian, potentilla, rhododendrons, Cypripedium, fl owers wh ich are in great demand. sllch as rose and carnation Acridcs, Gastrochilusand orchids. Majntenance of green house. are not available locall y in required quontity. Atthe same time hand ling equipment. and post-harvest treatment is nece~sary. most of the nurseri es in the Kathmandu Valley import nursery Some European florists provide train ing also and these could plants from Indi a without any cont rol over its quality. espe­ be availed. A train in g program would cost about US$ 1.000, ciall y in regard to diseases. An open bord er makes the task 0 which would be good investment for a large company. Trai ned quarantine diffi cult but it is one which has not received enough manpower and other rac il ities are lacking in the country. 311 cntion thu s far. However. entreprene urs have started cultivating fl owers for Nothing is more importanl for the development of floricul­ whi ch th ere is great demand loca ll y, ror example. flowers like ture in Nepal than develop proper facilities. such as green ca rn ati on. roses and chrysa nthemum . which consti tute 60 houses, land, transponation. essen ti all y air freight , research and percent of the trade. development (biotechnology) and regulatory laws. There is a Nepal being th e home of some 350 spccies of orchids growin g demand all over the world for nowers. The world which belong (Q 90 genera, there is a hi gh expo rt potential for market for cut nowers, bulbs and seeds is over $35 billion. to orchids. Some of the orchids are: Cymbidium, Dendrobium. whi ch the Indian market contributes $60 million. The demand Cala nthe, Coelogyne, Vanda, Cypripedi um. Phajus, for cut flowers, bulbs. seeds and li ve plant material is mostl ;1 Paphiopedilum, Bulbophyllum etc. Europe, North America, Japan, Hong Kong and Sin gapor The rich plant life of Nepal and existence of different bio­ case of Nepal. internal production meets only 40 percenl of the climatic lones allows growth of different floweri ng species. market demand. Some effort is now being made to introduce many o f these being fou nd in the Alpine zones. Thus far. about fl oricuhureascrop subslitute. Thereare20 to 25 nurseries which 6000 species of fl owering plants have been catalogued by the are involved in this business. Onc of the complaints whi ch the British Museum (Natural Hi stOJY). There is an urgent need to nurserymen have is about the unavailability of storage facility at preserve this rich biodiversity but unfortunately many plants the Tribhuvan International Airport and cargo space. because of over exp loitati on. in cluding those which have been There is also shortage of trained manpower in thi s field. declared as endangered by the CITES and li sted as protected This need can be fulfilled by the Royal Botanical Garden at arc smuggled ou t of the country. This is especiall y the case of Godavari which wo uld give practical training in gardenin g, those which have hi gh medicinal value. There is thus an urgent including garden lay-out , cultivation of plants and other horti­ need to conserve suc h species and use new technologies cultural mallers. (biotechnology) for their propagation. A conifer (Yew. Taws The Botanic?1 Gardens have an important role to play in baccala) which is found in East Nepal has been subjected to the development of plant industry. Besides undertaking re­ intense destructi on as it s leaves yield a drug which has been search on plants suitable for garden. they should be able to found hi ghly useful in the treatment of certain types of cancer. fulfillthe needs for plants. seeds and other material. Interest in Hcnce , th erc is all the more need to make available plants fl owers. both for home garden s and commercial purposes is raised by tissue culture method. The Plant Research Di vision now growin g and the national Garden should be able to fulfil at Godavari has been successful in raising many plants, herba­ the needs of the growers, as well as home gardeners. • ceous as well as woody, in the laboratory through tissue culture. There is a compelling need to intensify thi s work. Dr. Bhatf is ajormer senior bureaucrat..

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