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Ph 4363624 Kathmandu DAO Regd. No. 148/111063164, Postal Regd. No. 3610681069 US UbraryofCongi'IJS$ Catalogue No. 91-905060, ISSN; 2091-0711(Pri nt). ISSN: 2091-0754 (Online) NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE I Sept. 30, 201~ 1 Limited Limited Bank Bank fiilfc11(!5 fiilfc11(!5 Machhapuchchhre Machhapuchchhre ~~ ~~ ~ ~ Analyses Analyses and and om om Views Views : : , , @gmail.c l News tnepa h g i otl llr!~JM Date Date p - s : : to tw.l tw.l - Up Email , , www.spotlightnepal.com www.spotlightnepal.com : : with with .fai.rC~!"~tiM .fai.rC~!"~tiM -4430250 1 - hi" hi" update update 977 Packaged Packaged Tel: Tel: news news for for Magazine Magazine on on SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT Read Read News News Log Log NEWSNOTE British Council Organised A US, Nepal Armies ln Disaste r Workshop Response Exercise British Council Global School The Armies of Nepal and the United Partnership (GSP) Program organized a States were co- hosting the Nepal kS tudenr Workshop" on the Global Disaster Response Exercise and Themes of Susrainahlc Oc,-dopmcnt ;mel Champion I-:ritii Shresrha and a forum Exchange (DREC) September 18-21 at Peace &: Conflict Resolution on thean-e on conllict resolution hy C Ii mate the :\epal Army Club. The DREE is a September 19. Fifty n\'C students from Champion Babu Ram Regmi comprehensi\'e effon focusing on 18 schools participated in the program. Vaishali Pradhan, County t-. lanager, building multilateral interoperability in 1 he students included 12 from GSP said, "ln order to bring a global disaster response between the United 1--..athmandu, 4 lrom Pokhara, one each dimension into our teaching and States and Nepal and identifying areas from Butwal and Bi rarnagar. learning, it i s important to make to increase preparation and risk Along with presentations on the students understand subjects through mitigation. Glohal1 hcmes, the wotk~' hl1p included practical means. This workshop was an T he DREE is part of Pacific a demonstration on briquette making invaluable opportunity for stuclcnts ap;ecl Resilience, the United States Arm y from recycled waste by Sanu l<.aji 13-15 years to understand the concepts Pacific I lumani tarian Assistance and Shrestha, Chairman 1>f Foundation of of Sustainable Development and Conll ict Initiative. The Sustainable Technologies (FoST) and Resol ution through p ractical Disaster Relief British Cou nci I In ternational Climate demonstrations and forum. theatre.'' nverarehing theme of Pacific Resilience is to bring the disaster response ife Beating Ok and other intemationally agreed upon Some Women Find W stakeholders from all echelons of ln Some Instances: NMlCS commitments. government, military, and civilian Forty eight percent of epalcse "The NJ\ llCS 2011 co\'ers topics related agencies together i_n one venue to build women hetween 15 .tnd 49 believe that to nutrition, child health, erl\'ironmcnt, wife beating hy hu'>band is justified in reproductb·e health, education, child working relationships for future relief ~lt least one of the circumstances like she protection, and HIV, AIDS. endea\'ors. Dialogue and practical goes our without telling him, neglects Wom en's Participation In Peace, application form the nucleus of the the children, argues with him, refuses sex Security Stressed training methodology of this wide with him and burns the food. 1 epalesc ''·omen from different',·al ks ranging humanitarian assistance and Similarly, 62 percent of Nepalese of life met \\i.th senior official<: of the disaster relief e\'ent. women thought \'erhal abuse and threat J\ li.nistry of Home Affairs, \tin is try of Partnership Focuses M aize Sector to the daughter in Ia" was okay i_n the Defense and the Resident Coordinatnr improvement of the United Nations i_n Nepal. -,he circumstances lU and Bangladesh, visited Kathmandu to consult with the new rialt!l ~am fC:r. government, political party leaders, and senior government officials on the World Bank's country strategy for Nepal for NEPAL INVESTMENT BANK LTD. the pcriodFY12- FYl3. During her visit, Goldstein met with Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun and discussed the economic and development NIJ:SL gives D percent cash dividend and l '::J priorities of the new government. Sh percent bonus shar e also met with President e of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koi rala, Chairman of the CPN Board of Directors of Nepal Investment Rank Ltd. in its UML and former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, as well meeting held on September 22, 2011 has proposed 25% Cash as Constituent Assembly me mbers and the economic advisors dividend &: 25% bonus share on Bank's paid up Capital from to the main poli tical parties. the Profit of fiscal year 2067/068 subject to the approval of ADB Helps Nepal Boost W ater Supply to Poor Nepal RastraBank,andfonhcorrringAnnual General Meeting. Household in After releasing 25 % bon us share, Nl BL wiJ I be the only s Kathmandu Valley The private commercia I bank in Nepal to have paid up capital over Asian Development Bank (A DB) is extending an $80 3 billion. While NepalRastra Bankrcquirescommercial banks millionloantoNepalforwaterdistrihutionimprovcmentswhich to maintain the paid up capital of 2 billion, this significant will benclit more than 2.72 mill ion people in the densely surge in capital w ill .further reinstate the stability ofNIBL At populated Kathmandu VaHey. the end ofFY 2010/ll NIBL, has achieved the total profit of 1.17 The ADB Board of Directors has approved the Kathmandu billion. Valley Water Supply Improvement Project which will expand piped Nepal Investment Bank Limited, w hich has completed the water access to many more households. Residents of Kathmandu 25 years o( banking operations in Nepal has at present 41 Valley will get better quality water for more hours and branches, one open counter at Kathmandu University ancl67 at higher pressure. The project will reduce water losses in the dis ATM outlets, covering as many district as KaiJai, Jumla in tribution system and also raise the financial and asset west to Solukhumbu andJ hapa in east. management capabilities of agencies overseeing the sector. South Asia needs one million newJ obseachmonth The project will com plcment other ongoing water services work being carried out by A DB and its to Sustain Growth: W orld Bank Report development partners, including thl: eonstrul:tion of the Melamchi runnel w hich, South Asia has seen an accelerated job growth and a when completed, will more than double the current available substantial decrease in poverty over the past three decades, supply of water in the valley. second only to East Asia. The region will be the largest ~The project will priori.tizc unclerserved areas and poor cont:ri butor to the global workforce over the nextt wo decades. sections o.f the population in Kathmandu Val ley," said M information about acri\·ities of the Prime Mi nister and rhe party chairman. Leaders from Baidya faction, Dev Gurung and Hitman Shakya requested government officials last Friday in the capital at a meeting of the party cadres. I ast Sunday on ]undo party palace. l(alimati, all the go\'ernment officials, employees of various organizations and bankers of the valley met. Likewise, other officials held a meeting last Saturday at lumanti. At the meeting, people were trained by Gurung and Shakya. "Arc the people w ho meet \\ith 'Rr\ \ v· revolutionary?" questioned the politburo member, Shakya, at the meeting, "It's only left to declare them as traitors Indian Maoist In Huences ." Al though we made liaburam Prime Mi nister, he betrayed us. he said and he requested the parricipants at the After the keys of t he k>lllii~:W:"'!r meeting: "Gi\'e us the report about \\·hat they (Raburam cantonments were handed over and Prachancla) do. n (lema Aascha) ro t he special committee, About 300 Firm Moh an Haid ya faction h as s Counterfeited V;\. T Bills... reacted to the decisio n by rn t he investigation of fake VAT (value added tax) bill coming out on the streets. scam, around 294 firms-including the big business houses have Pracha nda faction is been found robe engaged in produci ng forged VAT bills a suspecting whether the liaidya nd they have evaded taxes worth 3.2 billion. Out or 518 faction is doing this in the suspected taxpayers, who were brought inco investigation by influence of R.I.\1. and Inland Revenue Department, it wasfOLmcl that294 busine<;smen Mohan Baidya have evaded taxe-. worth 3.20 billion. COMPO&\. Although< mtrosAhas .. Out of 3.2 billion determined by not yet given the o fficial reaction abou t the new coali tion theckpartbm ent, 1.5 ilLion has been counterfei ted in th government. the 'hrorher' organi=ation of Indian Maoists, e VAT, 1.38 bill ion in income Lax and 0.29 billion in orhcrsbilis. l'\a;xalite~ and t.. [aoisr communist center :--.tanipur ha\'e taken Businessmen have alread) paid 0.81 billionfinesslappedonthem the side of the Mohan Baid>'a and strongly critici:::ed by the department. Twemy einht businessmen who have not Prat hancla rb.rough an email over the decision of handing the b been satisfied by the fi ne keys to the special committee. determined as by the tax offi cer have approached the department and submitted their application In the email, the)' ha\'e also asked Prachanda to make details . Under the existing about his recent secret fndia visit public. Qcma Aastlw) Ia w, finns can approach the director of the department 'RAW' Accusation if they are not convinced with the decision of tax officer. The department has not yet finished investigation on the From the support of party chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal VAT bills although it has started the investigation from the Prachanda and \'ice-chairman \lohan Baidya-Kiran, Dr. pre\ious year. Finance lvlinister Barsha Man Pun said the Baburam Bhattarai was appointed the Pri me :Vlinister. But now investigation on the 518 business men will be concluded till the Baidya faction has accused PM Bbanarai of betraying Ashoj and will be kept as top priority. "Against those who have them and taking decisions at the behest of India's foreign forged the VAT bi 11s and evaded taxes, stringent action will intelligence agency - the Research and Analysis Wing be taken by the end of Ashor said the Finance ?\ linister fRA WI· i:\ow it's onJy left to declare Baburam and Prachanda during a press confere nce at the fj nance ministry, "I have been as traitOrs, said the leaders from the Baidya raction. They have working to make environment on which tax evaders won't be e\'en requested government offic.:ials to provide them w ith rhc able flee to at any cost.n (Naya Patrifw) • SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE Available at the following stands 1. Bhatbhateni Supermar1 NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE IS ept. 30, 201~ 5 OPINION Unravelling Of A Revolution -By DIPAK GYAWALI Dussain, ''hen the en lire country shuts do"·n for rwo weeks proves the poinr. It describes \\ ith breathless excitement ho\\' of family reunion and ga"Lronomic orgy. is also when the Chin,1's deputy mini'>tcr talked \\'ith Bihar's chief minister incubation of nC\\' political ideaoo; takes place. It sets the agenda !'\irish "-umar (" ithout Nepal's im·oh·emenr!) during the for rhe coming 'political year' with the pressure rising after hmer's \isit to China about developing Nepal's hydropower. Tihar and peaking around Chaite Oussain in i\larch. Those The reason the e\'Cr pragmatic Chinese did something so \\'orking in the capit.d and cities abroad return to the ''illages umhinkable (they or tl1c Indians would ne,·er allow another w describe what is happening in Kathmandu, and in turn country LO do so regarding their resource development) is pick up the mood and feelings in the village hinterlands. \Nhar because they have seen how the new Loktantrick politicians of might be rhe stories t hey will exchange this Dussain that will Nepal surrendered the clri\'ing scat to their southern impact on events in Novem bcr? benefactors who assured them a seat in the cabinet bus! Despite At the top undmd1tedly wi ll be the Vaidya faction of the Nepal's calami tous power deficit, all licenses fo r imporcant Maoist s deno unc ing Prachanda a nd Ra huram as "Indian hydro development sites ha ve been given to lnd iru1 companies stooges out ro 'Sikkimi fy' Nepal". ln Lellinism's fatherland, or t heir proxi.cs for ex port ro meet India's demand. one or the other sel of comrades wou ld long have seen the The looming electrical winter of discontent, with p0\0\"Cr Gulag or even the hereafter for much mi lder charges. In a feat cuts of fourteen or more hour~ per day, will no doubt also be similar to Delhi hrinp,ing t he the subject of heated Dussain Seven Parries together with discussions. 'vVhat will come the ~ laoists lor the 12 point under scrutiny along with thh; Delhi deal in "Jlwcmbcr 2005, \\'ill be the politics of rhe 'llncooked spooks" haw populi._m, both of Baburam brought together the highly Bhattarai's ~l\lustang limo~ rracriou!:. and e<.SC:Ill ia II)' and of erstwhile energy anti -t-- laoisr t\ ladhcsi parties minister Gokarna Rista's unJer Bahuram'o;; c,·cn more ~energetic ministership", fractious, politic NEW SPOTUGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ISept. 30, 201~ 6 NATIONAL official act paying obeisance only to the founder of the communist p arty; the Nepal-Russia censorship by mccl ia barons of news about alternative poli tics; and of course t he perennial skyrocketing political Searching Opportunities torruption. One issue that needs pointing out as it will be discussed onl)' in limited intellectual circles, but one The diplomatic relationship between D r w hich goes to the heart of a rapidly Nepal and t he Sen iet Union was Scrgey V. lai ling revolution, is chat of the "three established l1ack onj uly 20, 1956. From Velic hk.in pillar economic development pol icy" t hen, Russia has g i vc n continuous a 1 s o and the ca ,·ing in of the revolutionary support to Nepal. The wmrades on this front. support came pointed The insightful political economist mainly in the fidds of economy, tourism, out the 1\arl Polan)'i made a di!.tinction between inftastrucn•re and education. Howe,·er, importance ~ocict ie s that usc markets as a valuable in the current ti mcs there has been a gap 0 f wol as opposed ro those that place in l he relationship between t he l wo journalists everything on the aucLion block lt is only nations. and value the former that prosper, while the latter Russian Ambassador Dr. At an inter,t<.:tilm program organized NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE J Sept. 30, 201~ 7 POLITICS party- the \'aidya faction. 'With Prachanda only tactically backing Bhattarai in the PM's chair and a major faction opening a battle front of its own, the prime minister finds himself in a tight spot. A~ the peace process and the con~titution arc increasingly looking unlikely before the extended deadline of Non-:mber 30, the prime minister may wam to look beyond. He may be popular at home and abroad. But that alone is not sufficient tncnahlc him todeliverthegoocls. He is not mo strong within the party and rclies heavily on chairman Prachanda for organisational support. Unti l and unless Pracbancla makes it sure that the party is firmly and Nepal's PM Dr. Bhattarai and Indian PM Dr. Singh genui nely conunitted to the universally accepted form of democracy and peace POLITICS process, Bhattarai's solo commitment will not much ice. The :\epali Congress and the UML Peace In PieCes? arc not ready now to trustthe !\ laoists on boiTowcd corumionent. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai may have been different from his The Maoist leaders do realise this. predecessors i.n style, but not in substance They said that informal talks with the two big opposition parties will be intensified during the Dasain festival By SAROJ DAHAL holidays to win their trust and build a credihlc hase fo r completing the peace resh rrom the fi rst foreign alleged attempt at 'Sikkimisation' of process and preparing a draft of the new tour that included a hancl t epal. constitution. shakewith PresidentObama Bhattaraimay have hoped to bolster Said the Prime Minister Bhattarai's F and face-to-face meeting his position by direct meetings with principal political advisor, Devendra with Prime Minister Man Obama and Man Mohan Singh on the Poucld, "A lot of things vvi.ll move forward Mohan Singh, Baburam sidelines of the UN general assembly. after the prime minister returns from New Bhattara [aces the same old challenge: But his detractors inside the party York" completing the peace process and would see the same as adding up to his But this is just a hope. There is no preparing a draft of the new constitution. liability. guarantee that the hopes will not dashed, There has been no substantive Chairman Prachanda, currently seen given the deep murual1nistrust among progress on either front since he left for to be aligned with Bhattarai, has vowed the parties. New York a week ago. or was there any to carry the peace process forward even Prime ~linister Bhattarai and expectation. unilaterally if other parties did not chairman Prachanda are said to be As he gets down to the business on cooperate. Said a pro-Prachancla party mulling alternatives too. return from Ne\\ York, the challenge has secretary and a senior minister, Po~>t According to sources, ~they want to only got stiffer. Bahadur Bogati, "the peace process wil l put pressure on the Nepali Congress and The so-called hardliner factio n of the not stop due to the Maoists." the UML by portraying the two party led bysenion~cechairman, Mohan This vvill please the opposition opposition parties to the international Vaidya 'Kiran' has openly declared a war Nepali Congress and the UMI.. But community as the vi llain of the piece, in against the Bhauarai government over the antagonise the opposition within the case they did not on board of the Maoists' roadmap of peace."• NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ISept. 30, 201~ 8 VIEWPOINT Integration And Rehabilitation Discourse Transformation from violent conflict to peacefu1 competition for power By DR. SHAMBHU RAM SIMKHADA Among the many problems facing (AMMAA) of 8 December, 2006, end of Madhav Kumar Nepal's Prime ~cpal roday, taking the peace process complimentary ro the CPA signed on 2J lvlinisrership a proposal for integration to a meaningful conclusion is the most November, both parts of the Interim of an agreed number of MA Cs in a imrortant one. Management oF rebel Constitution, stipulates "Only those separate Directorate of the NA became combatants is a lwavs a difficult side of MaoistArmyCombatantswhohavebeen public. The directorate vvou ld be any post-conflic~ peace building. properly registered at cantonmcm sires composed of 35% from the NA, 35% from Integration and Rehabilitation (1 & R) will be eligible for pot.siblc integration the 1vtACs and I5% each from the Armed of the Maoist Army Combatants inco the secmity forces fulfilling the Police Force (APF) and the Nepal Police (MACs) is at the root of the problem in standard norms". Disagreement on (NP). lt would be headed by a Major '\epal roo. At what stage is the 1 & R norms revolves around the UCPNI\1 General of the 1\A. Its role focuses on debate in Ne pal? What ;uc the real demand of new integration norms while disaster rel ief, development work, forest iss ues and cli£ficulties? What is the way the others insist on the establ is heel and industrial security. forward? !:>tandard norms o( recruitment. This proposal credited to the 'A, The I&: R Discourse : Initially the I Consensus around Ocxibility on highlight1> its readiness to assist the & R discourse centered around education, age and ll1 otrital status is political leadership in taking the peace Disarmament, Dem obilization and slowly emerging. process forward dispelling any confusion Reintegration (DDR) of the ~ l ACs Modality: The debate on modality that 1\A is opposed to the integration of stressed by the non - ~t aoists and the Mt\Cs. Acceptance of U MIN Security Sector Reform (SSR) record of elate of entry could also Linking it 'i'.ith "Demo cratization of ...... "'"'''., ,.. ·~~---• facilitate rank determination. While the Tcpal Armyn (NA) by the E"r-""-'-'~~"t'ill~~~~t.""' these arc positi,·e ~ides, some people Maoists. Both are em-isaged in the argue that such a proposal should Comprehensive Peace Agreement have come from the Special (CPA). Commiucc (SC), the body with both The DDR/SSR mantras de,•e.lopcd political and constitutional mandate in the context of conflicts in Africa and it's ·1echnical CommiLLee (TC), and changes in Easte rn F.u rope do now Secretariat r enhancement: for employment voluntary exit and rehab packages can forward while the secretariat leadership, Enrrcprencurship development mnvc the process forward. happy with its new realm , waits for foreign employment Supervision and Monitoring: Until insrrunions. Any wonder, deadlock on Special packages for pregnant l & R is complete t he cantomnenrs need the core issues identified so long ago women, lactating mothers, disabled and ro he managed. The CPA, AMMAA and continues. wounded t>.lACs the Interim Constitution clearly assign Conclusions: 1\lanagemem, T&: R of t>.lany rehabilitation packages arc the role of rhe management, integration the 1\LACs is the indicator of conflict under discussion. But pre occupation and rehabilitation of the ~lACs to the transformation from 'inlcnt to peaceful with integration has overshadowed focus SC. As there was no progress, ~ the comper.ition for power, foundation of all on rehabilitation with no agreement on understanding heLwecn t he political agreements and the goal of the peace amounts and methods of disbursement. parties to facilitate Constitution process. That is what makes the Tn stitutional Arrangement: ln the Amendment and Peace Process" of June resolution of thls pmblem so crucial. presenr scheme of things, 1\IACs opting 25, :wos clarified: 1 here is no definite pattern of (or integration go to the respective In clause 2.2..-1 ~The combatants of sequencing: which comes first. numbers sccurit)' forces. Rehabilitation will be the~ laoist Army and any \\'eapons within or norms, which is more important 1 orR? taken care of by the ~ linisrry of Peace or outside the cantonments shall be These concepts can be used to move the and Reconst ruction (MOPR). But, who under the supen-ision, control and process forward wilh ncxjbiliry or hlock will oversee the bridging naining and cl ireetion of the SC u nri I t he task of l &: R progress with rigid positions. evaluation? \Nith the fiasco of the is completed" Should integration take place into verified minors and late recruits The composition of the SC was the security forces or in the much talked discharged from the cantonments, changed to make it inclusi,·e of about NA directorate? There is no experts feel the need of better ~rcpresentati\'e-. of the major political agreement on the core issues. institutional arrangement for effecti\e panics having representation in theCA". Rehabilitation i-. in the back burner. implementation of rhe rehab of the The prmision of the TC was added \ 'leanwhile the UCPNM leadership MACs. ln thjs context three options arc A new urgency was aclclecl by wants to go ahead with regrouping amidst s uggested: s trengthen the concerned declaring "The stare shall not bear any objections in thci r own party and doubts division of the MOPR, establish an responsihil ity for the verih eel combatants from OLhers on gbow rc rouping can start independent Rehabilitation Board or who have not heen integrated and without agreement in the SC on some erc.tte a task force within the SC rehabilitated after six months". fundan1enrals of I & R. Secretariat. \ Vhiche,·cr option is chosen, fi\'e years on, the !>tate c;pends a lot \Vhy is there so much confusion? it should be inclush·e with ability to while the l\lACs !>ttffer the inclignities \Vars may be fought by and among re-.olve problems at the politicalle,-el of life in temporary camps and uncertain arm ies. but war and reacc arc essentially and omreach to implement programs [uture. Ilanclover of cantonments and political decisions. For sustainah!t: and monitor progress in the field. keys of the weapons containers make peace in war-torn societies, mindsets Resources: tvlana~emenc, I &: R is headline~ but there is no clarity on the need to change first from war to peace, complex and costly. the state already command and reporting. Thank God hullers tO books ;uld bread, rebellion to .,pt·nds. a lor. \Vithout agreement more nothing untoward ha!> happened after reconciliation reconstruction s.carcc rer,ources will ha,·c to he spent as U~\ll t left and SC Secretariat started rehabilitation. \Vithout this mental the prospect of renewed conflict is e,·en the monitoring \\·ork l3ut the SC-S has transformation, debate on 1 &: R can be more pai11ful 1\'epal is forLU nate that the been unable to fulfill ils core TOR, murlq, discussions on numbers, norms, international community is willing to ascertain the number of MACs now in modalit:y al1d rank confusing. lt takes hel p. An ambassador o[ a friendly thl' camps, verify the rl'corcls leFt by leadership of wisdom and courage to lead country recently comphtined "l have U~t\IIN and prepare profiles for l & R. society out of the quagmire of confusion. ... million ... I can spend on l & R but you Discussion on \\Tapons has nor e,·en chaos and conflict. dn not seem to he ahle to usc it". If we st;uted. Politicians C\pcct input from Dr. Simkhada, s<[email protected], is can agree on a Yiablc phm resources arc security experts to moYe rhe process a member of the SC- Secretariat available. Howe,·cr we should be prepared I 0 implcment parts of l he rlan ourseh-es and meet some donor concerns if we want f4\Tilll ;;:n+fl rrw their help. l &; R plans should he consistent "ith uw ~qlq NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 2011 1 10 AVIATION around 15 kilometers south of the Tribhuvan I ntcrnational Airport. Eighteen dead hod i.el> were recovered from the site and one died iu the hospiml while unclcrgoi ng treatment, according ro SP Bhog Bahadur Thapa, who is m·erseeiug rescue operations. In alL there were 19 people ten Tndian, t\YO American, a J apancsc, three Nepalese and three not identified on board the Buddha Ai r beach craft, Buddha Air confirmed. The ill [;ned aircraft was appro,tching Kathmandu airport in a cloudy weather after completing its mountain flight. The identities of rhe Indians killed BUDDHA AIR CRASH are Pankaj Mehra. Chhya Mehta, S. Nagraj, l. Nagraj, l.. 1 agraj, HD Nagraj, D. Talosubrisum, DP Talosubrisum, P. 1 alosubrisum and Nagaraja Dangerous Sky Talosubrisum. All of them hailed from India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. Buddha Air's plane crash has again raised the question ofaviation safety in The names of the other foreigners arc Nepal Jcgi na Toshinoru of .Japan, and Andre Wade and Natalie t einan of US. By KESHAB POUDEL The Nepali casualties included Niranjan Karmacharya, Sarada Kannacharya and Jagajan Kannacharya, he reason behind Buddha recorded at all," said senior official of all of whom arc helie,·ed to be from Air plane crash is yet to he CAA Rajendra Shrcstha. According to Jawalakhel, Lalit pur and from the same known for sure. The Shrestha, the visibility at the crash site family. Thi rty six year-old Niranjan was T controllcclnightimo terrain wasminimumbccauseofheavyfogand rescued a li ve but succumbed to his (CFIT), according to rain. }-fe said that the crash could have injuries while being rushed to B & B preliminary estimates. been averred if a proper reading was taken Hospital, Gwarko, for rrcannent. Captain seems to be the reason on time. JB Tarnrakar, Captain Padma Adhikari behind the accident as the plane hit a CFIT shows an accident in which an and Air Hostess Asmita Shrestha were mountain in the process of landing. airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, is the crew members. Budha Air's ])each craft, vvhich was unintentionally nown into the ground, a Chronology of accident rcrurning after completing mountain mountain. water, nr an obstacle. The Last yea r, in a crash involving ill fated flights, crashed in a hill south of termwascoincdbycngi neersatBocjng AgniAir'sDornicraircraft, l4peoplcon Kathmandu Airport early on Sunday, in the late 1970s. The pilots are generally hoard were ki lled, including six killing alll9 on board, including three unaware of the danger until it is too late. foreigners-four Americans. one Briton ere\\' members. Some locals said the uThe nature of the accident showed and one Japanese. Last year, all 22, plane fle\Y lower than its usual course that it is the result of pilots' failure to including three crew members. were before it crashed on a foggy morning. maintain height due to bad weather," killed in a Tara Air Twin Otter that The cause of the crash is believed to said an aviation expert on condition of crashed in l.amidanda in December. be rhe adverse weather condition. The anonymity. "Since the plane conditions Nepal Airlines [)J tC-6 Twin Otter 300 aircraft, -which lost its communication were reportedly good and it was returning met an accident in Aprill9 at Kangle at7:30withthecontrolroomatTribhuvan after completing the hour-long flight, Danda,buttherewasnocasualty. International Airport, Kathmandu, thcrernaybenoorhcrreasonthanCFll.~ A helicopter O\\'ned by Fishtail Air crashed~vhilereturningfromamountain BuddhaAircrashwas rhefirstinthc has crashed on Ama Dahlam while flight. year 2011 but the third in the last n rescuing two Japanese climbers ahm·e Meteorological ForecastiugDivision months.ln August last year Agni Alr's J.6,000,accord ingtomulciplcAsian news on Sunday said that bad weather could Fl ight crashed ncar Makawanpur while reports. have been a majnr cause of the plane it was returning from Lukla to The Ncpaliskiessaw65 air mishaps crash. Civil A,·iation Authority (CAA) Kathmandu. in the last rwn decades, 65 percent of also said that it had not registered the Rescue operation themin\'oh·ing fixed wing aircraft. This weather forecast for that fateful day. Buddha Air accident site, Kotdanda, was revealed b) the Tourism i\ linist ry's ~vvealwaysnotifyabouttl1eweather lies between Lamatar and High Level Taskforce on Compliance forecast. but today the forecast was not Bisankhunarayan VDCs in Lali tpur, Status of Safety Recommendation.• NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 2011 1 11 FACE TO FACE Four-point Deal Is Anti-National By CP. GAJUREL 0Ltr par ry waged the People's War bear national ch NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~e pt. 30, 20111 12 FACE TO FACE Opposing 4 --- Point Deal Is Against Wishes OfMadheshis ByJAYA PRAKASH GUPTA It is "cry unfortunate thar UCPJ'\ t he new government. The parties threw roinr pact signed between Samyukta Maoist leader ;'vlohan Baidhya and some U[' venomo u:, labels ~ u c: h as Loktanuik Macl hl·si Morcha (SLM M) of his party associates arc making "S Lkkimisation" and "anti national" our a nd UCP N (i'vlaoist) bdo rc r he proYocati\'C remarks regarding rhe four of desperation I'M having ro stay out of fo rmation of t he new government is t he poinr agreement between l he UCP · the goYernment. The four~ point pact \\'as de-;tiny and it "ill be basic for ,my nc\\ \laoist and Samyukta \ladheshi endorsed hy the !\ taoist Standing dcal in rhe future. I am confident that Loktamrik Front (S~I LF). It was signed Committee meeting and was signed in t hi~ agreem ent will giYe just ice a nd in the p n:sencc of Moh an ' l3 aicl yaji'. I the presence of Baiclya. MaoisL General equality ro aJl Madheshis. dorl't undcn;tand why he hat: ked out from Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, who is 'vlaoist leaders who are opposed ro the agreement, '' hich initially considered close to Baidya, echoed him the deal are hypocrites. \Vhcn they originated from his party. fhere is on the issue. Serious charges h,l\'c been signed the agreement on army nothing \\ rong about it. The four-point lc'-clcd against the four-point agreement integration and compensation, that was agreement is basicall y related to due to the fai lure on the M aoi~ts' part to rcga rc.l ccl as nat ionalisr. \Alhen we signed cstahlbhing t he rig hts o r t he people o f scLtle their internal differences. a similar deal, they term t his as a th reat 1vladhesh. One of the ohjn:t ions raised The NC and the U:\11 . had agreed or Sikkimisation. These kinds of by \laoht dissident'> i ~> on the recruitment of IO,OO(l \ladhe shis in I want to challenge vice chairman Mohan Baidya camp of the UCPN (Maoist) Nepal Army en masse. F\'eryone knows to prove that the four-point agreement was anti-national. The four-point pact that, compared ro the current population, signed between Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) and UCPN t he propo rti on of JVladhcshis in Nepal (Maoist) before the formation of the new government is the destiny and it Army is ''ery negligible. II' lh ic.lyaji sees will be basic for any new deal in the future. it justified to include mer 10,000 ideoJogically indoctrinatnl \ laoists in on the· four point pact bur we signed it statcmcnrs wiU create further mistrust 'Jcpal Arn1}. what is \\'rong ro include " ith rhe J\laoist!. because the peace anti distrust. I would like to question: J\ f acU1esh i ~ in rhe Army? Unlike Baidyaji, process could not be comrlett:d in rhe wi ll Nepal u nite witho ut bringing we have nnt demanded that our party leaucrs hip of the forme r l wo. The Madhcsis in the mainstream? The act of cadres should be recruited in the army. dissenting faction of the t-. laoists had marginali:::ing the \lacl hesh, which is I don't understand their objection to also supported the agreement "hile the home to half the population, is not going the compensation for tho~e "ho attained pact was inked. to sen-e :--Jepal's national interest and martyrdom .md were injured Juring t he The allcg,u ions against the four nat ionaHry. Although the agreement was great Madhesh Andolan. If the injured poi nt pact \\'er-e against pol itic al s upported a nd hacked by 'Vlaoist anclki lleclofvarious othcrap,itationswerc discipline. This is nothing otha t han a St anding Committ ee meeting, the compen.,atcd hy the sratc ,ts a just clung politically orchestrated rrnpagancla fa ilure on the :'\htoi~> t s' parr ro settle their to do, what is wrong with this? lr is the against us. internal differences resulted in this mindset of some section'> of the people, \\'c arc neil her discouraged nor posture. who al\\',t}'s quest ion the loyalty of h,trasscd by 'iUCh irrational comments tI expected hat -.,omc Maoist leaders \ laclhcshi people towards Ne pal, that is o l' va rious pnli t ic:tl forces. Vl/e were w i ll q uestion the ag reement but I never at work hcre.vVhetherit concemedtheir ex pecting this kino of react ion from reali:::ed that t he kadcrs like LJC PN dress. language or inclusion in security po\\'cr hungry political parties. l am (\l,wist) ~lohan Ra idya and R,tm forces. t\ladheshi's loyalty " 'as happy to say that the allegations ha'-e Bahauur Tbapa Badal \\'Ould term the questioned. 1 here is no ground to say further strengthened the Samyukla four point agrccmenr as again'it the that the agreement is anti national This Loktantrik Mac.l hesi Morcba. Our fi ve 'national sovereignty'. I like to chal lenge kind of charge will hurt t he sentiments pa rLy alliance ol' Macl hes-basecl parties Nepali Congress, CPN UML and 13aiclya of the Madhc~ hi people. I woul d W NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 20111 13 COMMENTARY I, Me And My By YUBARA] CHIM IRE Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has the distinction of being the Manmohan Singh w ho not only promised aU help for first Ph.D to hold the office of the Prime M inistetin NepaL He com pIetio n of the peace process and constitution writing, but may have many other qualities and qualification as wcll. Yct, also hoped that the rwin task w ill be completed under the he has proved that he utterly lacks team spirit, suffers from lcaclcrsh ip of Bhattarai. megalomaniac arrogance, believes in one up-manship, and 1nd ia perhaps may have to say that for several reasons. and has uner contempt for the rest. He may ha,·e proved he is the loss of image it has suffered in Nepal, especially during different, but not a good leader ,,;th \ision and ability to the past fi\'e years. :\or only hcc.wse it mediated and implcmem rhat. substantially influenced 0:cpal's political course from the day ,\U rhese qualities appeared starkly when he stood at the 12 poinr agreement was signed until now, bm it also has to podium of the United .1\ations General Assembly hall, and discoYer the last ' .:\epali actor' on "hose shoulucr the entire made his maiden atldress. To the world communit y, and responsibility for the inevitable fa il me could be fixed Tndia especially t he big and rich powers, his message \Nas "we kill , is heing held responsible in the esteem of average ao.d ordinary and you heal." He reeled out from the books and reports that a[JOi itical Ncpali-even those who would never thin]{ iJ Jof the expose t he disparity between t he amounr spent on deFe nse Sout h-for rhc mess and uncertainry thha t Nepal as been and arms by the ri.ch countties and the amount spent on poverty pu~o h ed into since the 2006 change. alleviation. But in the next A weak Bhattarai who breath, he literally sai.d ~we docs not command support ha,·c killed, and now you e,·cn in his own part)'\\ill not must heaV. lie asked for be able to institutionali::e generous help in the the changes that political reconstruction in the post parties, mainly the Maoists, conflict Nepal with a Communist Party of Nepal warning t hat 'lip service U nHied Marxis t Leninist alone w ill not do'. (C Pt UML) a nd d 1e 11 ut nowhere d id he Nepali Congress express any remorse for the announced at a time w hen death, destruction and they were p ursuing the dc\'aslation that the politics poliC) of competitive and policies he authored radicalism. Bhattarai. knows anti implemented during it, and therefore, has now thl: years of insurgency resorted to the politics of during his address. The U S populism that has assistam Secretary of State d iscredited him more than for A:; ia unci Pacific Robert a ny other leader in the 0 Blake gave a dear m essage to Bhartarai that under the contemporary politics. People's anger and lack of trust on him current situation , the Unified Commun ist Party of Nepai is soaring rast. He w ill havconly to options to address that: one Maoists (UCPN-M) continued to remain in the terrorist list by using force against them, and the other by succumbing to of rbc U S gO\·ernmcnt. That leaves Bhanurai with no option their \\'i ll and accepting failure. \Viii his lust for pov,:cr and than prove by his action and conduct that he believes in and being a superior human allow bim lO take the second course? adheres ro democracy. lie had the taste of the anger of the Ncpalis in Ne'' York 1 o the world body, he assured that 'my go\'ernment' \\ill be who wa,·ed black flag at him. Bh,narai's deliberate disregard completing the unique peace process in epal. \Vhcn he for epali dress, his disrespect for a section of the )lepali said that, he had already consumed two third of the 45 days populace-Brahman, Dalits, Chhetris, Newars and a large deadli ne he had set for the purpose. While he sought the section of ethnic groups -by denying any space to the first s upport and generous assistance from the international three in deciding federal p rovince, antl all of t hem by communi ty, he made no comm itment that be w ou ld be discarding w hat they consider t heir nntional or formal dress, implementi ng the comprehensive peace agreement and its a nd hy challenging t he u ni fication o( Nepal under the provi~o i ons. He simply sought that the \vorld community m ust leadership of Prithvinarayan Shah, and of late not being rcwgni::c the insurgency as the 'people\ war', and that bis sensiti\'C towards the earthquake \'iccims, and by promoting real .tgenda was the implementation of the 4· point agenda hi<, family -has all gone against him> lle is no more a leader that Prachanda signed \\ith heads o( five\ ladhesh groups on percci\'ecl as the man who could retrieve the country at the August 28. time of crisis. Instead, he is .t suspect in the eyes of the people \\'hat the Prime~ linister said naturally amounts to com·ey a!-. a man with a hidden agenda. to the world community that 'it is me, and my agenda, and not He is back from ew York, but that means nothing for the \\'hat the CPA might have said· \\ill be the course that Bhattarai country, mai nly because he did not have the counrry's intere<;t gm·crnmcm will follow. Only saving grace for him was the uppcrmost in his mind. Ifposing lora photograph withObama assu ra nce from I ndia's beleaguered Prime Mi nister means anything for him, he must consider himself lucky.• NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE !Sept. 30, 20111 14 COVER STORY WORLD TOURISM DAY 2011 Near Goal Post The World Tourism Day 2011 carries a special meaning at a time when Nepal is celebrating the Nepal Tourism Year with an aim ofbringing a million tourists. Thanks to the efforts of Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Tourism Year Committee, more ~ tourists are pouring in Nepal this year than in the past. So the World ! ourism Day 2011 celebrations will be an occasion to express this high hope with the slogan Tourism Linking Cultures By DEBESH ADHIKARI f the last nine months of tourist up. Local hoteliers in Pokhara have epal witnessed an encouraging rise arrivals by air are any indicat ion, raised the rate of J Iot cl rooms by 40 in tourism after the ci \'il war came to an they sho,,· that Nepal's tourism is percent for this season. end and effects ,,·ere felt immediately. I in the stage of a high growth. After "Our rooms are stiJI cheapcnhan that Some 526,705 tourists visited Ncpa] on a lull over decades of constraints of ocher countries around the world," said 2007, 37.2 percent more than the previou~ in rourist i nfr~tructure, the hotel Bharat Raj Parajuli, \'ice president of year 2006. industry has also found a time to put the Western Regional Hotel Association ll m;.,rever, in 2008, the total num ber of money in to expanding and improv ing and a hotel owner. tourists that arrived in Nepal [ell by 5 infrastructure. Be it clue to the effects of c;ustained percent. Some 500,000' isited that year. Asthc numbcroftouristarr iving in peace in the country or the Nepal Now,rhat decrcasingtrendlookslikea Nepahncreases, the hotel rates haw also Tourism Yca r campaign, tourism is on a distant history. gone up. ~1ore international airlines are rising trend. rrom 2009 the number of tourists connecting l\epahvith clillercntcapitals ~This is the dividend of peace. If visiting t epa I has proliferated. Tn 2009, of the worl d. Had Nepal got its own politicalpartiessuprortfullyinhelping thenumberincreaseclslightlyto509,956 airlines and aircraft; the arri\'al would rna i ntain Ia w and order and peace, with annual gtO\\·th rate of 1.9 percent. certainly have increased fu rthe r. Nepal's arrivals will increase by many In 2010, figures reached new heights Despite the lack of aircra ft wit h folds ," said Pasiddha Bahadur Pandey, and exceeded 6lakhs for the first time epal Airlines. the country's national chairman of llotd Association of Nepal. in the histor)' of ~epal: 602,867 arrived flag carrier, more than ninety percent of "Nepal has enough prospects to bri ng that year with annual growth rate ofl8.2 ho tels have already been booked for more tourists. Compared to the last few percent. September and October. According m )'ear~. the hotel business is in a better Against the backdrop of such Hotel Association o[ Nepa l, tourist shape this rime." p romising and encouraging figures, arrivalsincreaseclclrastically. Onlyabout4.4mLUiontourists,·isitcd Nepal entered Nepal Tourism Year As tourists increase, the room rates "Jcpal during the \taoist insurgency (".:TY) 2011 with a target to bring about I at hotels around the country have gone from 1996 to 2006. mi Won tourists- 700,000 tourists >ia air NEW SPOTUGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~e pt. 30, 2011 1 15 COVER STORY Tourist At Trekking and 300,000 touri sts ''ia la nd routes. sustained in che country despite Current Scenario Given the rise in w u ri~> m after the civil political uncertainties. So, due to the all ,\ s of Septem her 201 I, the total war, the goal all hut looked achievable. round d fort, Nepal is close to achie,ring number of tourists that have arrived in Ru t, there were unccrrai nties and doubts its goal, w hich at one t ime lool< ccl Nepal has exceeded seven lal Dr. GANESH RAJJOS HI Dr. GAt ISll R \j JOSHI. '-'ccretary and snow melting due to rise of at the 1\ lini:.tl) ofTounsm, ('i,;l ,\viarion temperature are going ro affect our and Culture, is a'' eU known agriculture Himalayas. IJow is the government economist. Dr. Jnshi a Ph. D in agro responding to this? economy, also served as .1 secretary at the Tourism is one of rhe major Ii ve Ii hood t\linisrry of lmimnmenl. As Nepal is opportunities of the people in the cdcbraring the \Vorldl ourism Day on mountains of Nepal. The studies .m el September 27, Dr. Jnshi spoke to ~e\V researches undertaken in the Himal.tyas SpL1tUght on varinus issues regarding the (in Nepal and elsewhere) have shmvn the erfccts of d irnare change in the tourism rise in temperatun.: in the mountains sector. compared to other ecological regions. As Nepal is celebrating the World This will lead to rapid rare of s nnw Tourism Day on Scplcmber 27 by melting, receding of ghtcicrs and rclatt.::c.l organizing various programs, what do events. Nepal has already prepared the you say about the prospects of Nepal's 0!ational Adaptation Progr:.nn of Action touris m? (NAPA) for cl imate change, " hi ch has 1\Jepal is rich in nantral, cultural am] identified priorities and immediate historical resl1UrLc..,, "·hich are actions for intervention. The dfons should be geared wwarcls its considered to be the foundation for a I las your ministry ever done any sustainable touri'>m development. This implementation through garnerin11; study on the effect of climate change ) car'-.; -.;logan ~Tourism - Linking technical and financial support. in tourism sector? i' for the Culture" i'> ,·c ry appropnatc for us gh·cn , \daptation is the sun al strategy The \linistry, and the instinttions our cnormou-. culrural di,·crsity. \ \ 'e can mountain people. affiliated\\ithit. haYe not carried out any Don't you think Nepal's tourism mah Nepal an important tourist studies related to the impact of climate rise? destination '' ithin 10 15 years by will be hit by the temperature change in the tourism sector. It has been consolidating Lhc efforts of all the Yes, climate change (due to rise in g rossly missed in 1'\APA gh·en its many important srakehnldcrs concerned. tempcranrre) willimpacr i m porta nee to lh·elihood and sectors including tourism. rhis is e\' ident As Nepal has been celebrating contrihution co national economy. We Nepal Tourism Year 2011 with an aim from the findings of the s tudies and ha,·e proposed a few studies in the FY scale) to bring a million tourisLs in the research (although in limired 7068/69 which will be administered by country, what promise does the undertaken in i\lepal. Nepal rou rism Board. for present trend hold for this? What options do you suggest What is your impression about t he change? Nepal Tourism Year 201 1 is a tourism to cope w ith climate role of Nepal Tourism Board to seU is balance campaign and the Gnvcrnmcnt of Nepal How do you make sure there Nepal abroad? s m in its p<1llcy and program has announced between climate change and touri Nepal Tourism Board has tn gi\·e it a continuity. This has created response? representation from botl1 public and awarcne-,s uhout tourbm potential in \Vc should orient our )1\1l k)' and pri,·,ttc sector. lt has been giYen a '\cpal and abroad and has ,llso created a programs to make the moutH,tin mandate of promoting Nepal's tourism solid base fnr tourism promotion in the ecosystem resilient. Howe\'er, to cope through different acti,;oes abroad. It has ch.tnp,e, future. The- rnurbt arri\ a] in '\epa) is \\"ith the impact of climate hccn able to translate its mandate into adaptation is the option left hcforc us. cncounging. I here ha-. bec:n a growth of .1ction to some extent in this regard. e\'Ct) to ~.mit llm abom25'\' in tourist :1rnval in th~: first 8 \ \'e should make effort I Io,,-c,·er. additional efforts are needed months of 2011 cnmp:1red m the last year. carhon from tourism related actinttes Sl' in a coordinated '' ay (\Yith relc\·ant tourism based on that we can regard it .ts .l rc'>pnnsiblc Nepal's is stakeholders) so as to make ~epal knmm mountains. Bur t he rcccdingofg.la.ciers and sustainable tourism.] ahroad in real sense. or \\'Or\... lO bring a millton tourists. The level of peace in the country, we don't arena during pt-e\·ious years and ewn recent trend of arrival <> hL1\\'s that the need to \\'OCt) about the number t'f early months of this year affected the target to bring a mi ll ion tourists is tourists. toml tourist arri\'als which could h;wc possible," said Yogcndra Shakya, Budget Effects gone up further by at least a fc\\ percent. coordi nacor or '\Jcpal l"olll·ism y car 2011. Lack in promotional acth·irics ahnut The promotional campaign kicked off "If we arc :tblc lO maintain the present the 1'\epal Tomism Year in international quite lmc clue to delay in promulgation NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE !Sept. 30, 20111 17 COVER STORY of budget. At the same time, the government has increased the budget in this sector by 25 percent for the Fiscal Year (FY) 20ll~ 12 compared to FY 2010 ~ 11. Promotional Activities Al though promotional activities were stalled during the early month::; of the year, aFter the budget was p romulgated, the campaign took off at a rapid pace. A few months back, Nepal Tourism Board stated that NRs 130 million out of NRs 230 million (for tourism) announced in this year's budget will be used foe promotional activities. NRs 30 million was planned to h e spent on promotional activities in China, NRs 60 million in india and the remaining N Rs 40 million in other countries, which Patan Durbar Square included advertising in CN N and BBC. Officials of Nepal Tourism Year reduced to NRs 23.43 billion i.n 2010. sector and rein Forces our call to consider (NTY) 2011 Implementation Committee Tourism entrepreneurs complain that tourism as a priority in national policies. said that over till:ee dozen promotional the problem has continued even this year, Tourism can play a key role in terms of activities were successfully completedi n as the total earning from tourism has economic growth and development, international markets over the first six declined· by 12.5 percen t during this particularly at a moment when many months oF20ll . Since the outset of NTY p eriod . The average length of stay of economies, for the most part in Europe 2011 , Nepal has taken part in 25 tourists in Nepal has increased but the and Nord1 America, struggle For recovery international tourism fairs- seven in revenue has been on the vveaker side. and job creation," said Ur WTO Europe, two in America, six in India and Although there has been a rise ill the Sec retary ~ General, Taleb Rifai. ten in Asia. number of tmui sts this year, the majority W ith a growth •6 p ercent, the Promotional programs were also oF them are Chinese and indian tourists. Americas were slightly above the vvorld organized in Melbourn e, London, Tl1e number of high-profile European average, with remarkably strong results Munich, Bonn, Paris and other ci.t.i es il1 and American tourists coming to the for South America ( + 15 percent). Asia coordination witl1 Nepali diplomatic country has decreased. This is one of the and the Pacific grew at a comparatively missions and Non ~ r eside nt Nepalis reasons for the decrease in revenues, slower pace of 5%, but this more than Associatio,n. despite increase in the number or consolidates its 130/o bumper growth of International TV channels will start tourists. 2010. broadcasting Nepali promotional ads Growth in International Tourism Conclusion after mid-September. likewise, Nepal International tourism also saw a rise Amidst skepticisms about the goal Tou rism Board has also p laced in the first half of 2011, as tourism grew o( NTY 2011 being achievable, tourism promotional posters oft\lTY 2011 in metro by al most 5 percent, totaling a new year is quietly reaching towards its goal buses in DC metro, USA record of 440 mi ll ion arrival,s which is 19 In the upcoming months - i.n which the Revenue woes million more than in the same period of tourist ani val is maximum - Nepal is Average income has been recorded 2010. expected to land more than 3 lakhs as high as $79.1 per tourist per day in Growth in advanced economies ( +4 .3 tourists, which is enough to surpass the 2003. However, From 2003, revenu e percent) has maintained strength and is tourism year goaL But, still loads of hard generation is aU dov,rnhiJL In 2004, it closing the gap with emerging work are needed to tumtheexpectationinto declined to $45.1 . Despite a little rise, economies ( +4.8 percent), which have reality. II Nepal could reach the 1 million the decreasing trend continued in the beenclrivinginternationaltourismgrowth mark, itwoul d be themomentforcelebration succeeding years at $58.5 and $55. in recent years. This ttend reflects the and could mark a new beginning in the The average incomefrom each tourist decreases registered in the Middle East Nepalese Totuismhistory. was $45 and $73 in 2007 and 2008 and North Africa, as well as a slight Industrialists should follow the respectively. On an average, a tourist slowdow[l in the growth of some Asian determination that they have shown in spent $65.3in 2009. In 2010, it ch·opped destinations following a very strong 2010. this year and carry this momentum to to $43.2. "The sustained grO\•vth registered in the upcoming years and establish Nepal earned nearly NRs 29 billion tourism demand in such challenging tourism as the backbone of the economy through tourism in 2009 which was times clearly makes the case For the of the nation. • NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept 30, 2011 1 18 ECONOMY fh·epercent of its nearly 600 worl NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept 30, 20111 20 DISASTER Great Himalayan Quake WakeUp Call Along with awareness and preparedness level, the timing ofthe recent quake reduced the casualty this time. By KESHAB POUDEL Sajan Shre!:.tha, his daughter Anisha a couple of days despite Lhe rain." .md Bir Bahadur ~lajhi \\'Crc killed \\'hen Current reports from Nepal Red C ross the dilapidated wall on the southern Society (r\RCS) district chapLers reveal premises Df the l3ritish [mbassy feU on that t here \-vere nine people dead and 89 them. They were among the nine killed injured and over 12,000 pcopJc affected A demolished house in Nep NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~e pt. 30, 20111 21 DEVELOPMENT Valley's apartment buildings t hat MDGs c.lid not follm' the building codes arc the most vulnerable. In cao;e of another quake, no tall building will survh•e. Pride &: Progress E..-..perts argue that all the taU buildings constructed in the valley arc unsak to As Millennium Development Goals Needs Assessment for Nepal 2010 revealed live. that Nepal achieved some goa.ls, development partners have hailed che progress "There arc regulations hut they are not fol l owed,~ says Surc~h Prakash By A CORRESSPO~DENT Acharya, a high ranking official, at the }.linistry of Physical Planning and \Vorks, in charge of urban development. s there arc gaps i n the Kathmandu, which sprawl-. O\'e r the resources in certain scctoroo; soft sediment of an ancient lal NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~e pt. 30, 2011 1 22 PROALE DR ANJ ANI KUMAR SHARMA help and ended up losing her hle.l don't think anyone should die in the absence of medical help," said Sharma. 'WayToGo' Health care problems are ''aried and enormous in 'epaL The health care Known for his perfect hands to perform a surgery, Dr. Anjani Kum;1r Sh:1rma holds the vision th:tt everybody should get the medical facility facilities are considerably poor. The majority of people here li,·e in mass pon;:rty while the nation's small wealth Ry SHRADHA GYAWALI is concentrated in the hands of the few. On those clays when there were a physicians were responsi blc ro find our Poor nutrition and sanitation, few surgeons in the country, almost t he cause of pain or disease. inadequate housing for most families everyone aspired tl) geL an appointment Dr. Sharma, therefore, is not a new and rhe general absence of modern [rom Dr. Anjani Kumar Sharma. T hey name in Nepal's health sector. He is medical care and other services, waited for quite a longtime to see him. among a few surgeons to lead the especially in t he rural areas, have been Many people sti II bel ievc this surgeon's surgery department of Bir llospital. the major issues of the health sector hands had a precision others rarely had. Sharma wanted to be a doctor ever In those days. polio and typhoid were .... Ti II a decade or two ago, there were since his mother died in the absence of also common. And most importantly, a no medical faci lities like today to doctors. large n umber of people reJiecl on diagnose the disease. Surgeons and "Mymotherclid not get any medical 'j hakri", a t raditional spirit healer. Dr. Anjani Kumar Sharma shares Then I approached with Shradha <~ya" ali how he saw :'-lcpal's the locals in Bhakrapur ro health system C\'OI\'e over time. Experts: develop a cancer H ow do you describe your first hospital. In the surgery? beginning, ''e had nine \.I} first surgery was a big challenge bed<; there. Now we have for me. I <.tiU remember my first patient sixty and we are aiming was a \ \ I P. \\ ho \\ J<. paraly=ed. I was to take it up ro hundred asked to help her out and I tried. The in the near future. \\'e surgery wa<. successful and she started ha\·e all the neccssar} walking again. This succes-., gave me a facilities available. If lot of satisfaction. I wa1-. then appointed cancer is detected early, as the 'Royal Surgeon'. it's curable. l have also How do you view the advancement published a book of medical faci lities in Nepa l? (Cancer Chetana) to It is improving but there is a long make people a\..Var<.' or Lhis way tt) go in order to mee t the deadly disease. inlcrnarinmd srandarus. I know a t ime Do you think the when \ve onJy had a few people, hut today. health system in the we have a lot of people \\'orking in this country has improved? ficlc..l. 1 hings arc surely improving anc..l Nor really. I am sure try to help people vv ith physical the day isn't far when w~: will meet up to there arc a lot of people 1ike me who want disabilities so that they can compete tbc international level. to de\'elOp and improve the health system with the rest. I haYe aJso established a You h ave been an activist in here, but a man can do only so much school in my ,·illage. I feel great pride cancer awareness in '\epal. HO\v do alone. \Vc rarely get hcl p (monetary when I '>ec '>tuclents from the school you describe that role? help) from rhe gmcrnmcnt. The hdpin~ the village as a health assistant. A-, a surgeon, I came anoss a lot of Bharatpur hospital is a gift fwm China What do you think has been your cancer patients I felt a need oE and the best highw;l}' in the cotmtr} b greatest achievement? developing a cancer center 111 the the gift from the gm·ernmenr o( Japan. The fact that the health seniccs in counrr}. Ten years b;Kk, all the cancer You have also been invoiYed wiLh the country ha\T somchO\\ improwd gh·es patients had to he ~cnl to \lumbai. But the Lion's Club. vVhat is it that me immense plea.,ure. I am also proud no\\ thing., arc dtffcrent. Prime t-.Linistcr motivates you at this age of 78? of the fact that Nepali doctors arc no\\ lale G.P. Koirala <>aid we shnuld have a In 1972. I felt the need d imprm·in~ representing their country in cancer ho'>pital in Bharatpur. Then tbe the society. Social uplift was an issue. International forums. This doesn't menn Bharatpur hnspit<\1 wa.., made. \ Ve han' There are a lor of people who can afford a we stop here. There is a long way ro go in all Lhc Ltci litics. hut [c,\ pcllple <~ r c decent education but the nL1mher ol order to improve the health c;ystem in the using it well. All the doctor<. arc using people who cannoc afford education is w unlt}'- Only ir we havediligenrdocrors, the hospital as a '>LCppinR stone to come much higher in our country. Lion's cl uh I am sure we will soon be competing in to Karhmanclu. wanted toimprlWC the quality of life. \Vc rite international lc\'d. • NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 20111 23 I FOCUS 'Americans Stress Institutions, Nepalese Individuals' KRISHNAMAN PRADHAN KRISHNA MAN PRADHAN, II ow are they relevant to us? don't have to face political instability. exccurivedirectorofNepal Law Society, We learned about the election l hi s helps American people to ha1' been working for reform in politics, process, decision mal the justice. The judges of Supreme Court arc What did you learn? institutions. The United States has one appointed by the president and Thcfocus of my program was politics of the shortest constitutions, which has governors appoint the judges in states. and political parties. I visited a number been functioning wel l for over 200 years. Similarly, the local judges are appointed o[ instillltions and got the opportunity llowcver, we have al ready changed the by chiefs oflocal bodies. In some places, toscethedevelopmcnrofvarioussectors. sixth constitution in just over five judges are elected. The judges arc For three weeks, I attended a course at decades. Instead of strengthening the appointed on the basis of party's line and the t-.Iassachusetts Unh'ersiry, where I i nstirution, ~epa lese leaders always the appointed judges are trusted persons learned how political evolution and tried to change the constitution whcne,·er of the go\'ernment at the time. I heard a i nst irurionalization took place in there is a fault in their behavior. I am not lot of negative thingsahout the judiciary Ametiea. W c in teractcd with various certain that even the new constitution wiJJ including political hiasness. However, I un ivcrsiry professors d u rb1g the program. work for another hu nclrcd years. fi ncl the situation is d iffcr ent. Once t hc Wclearned theevolutionaryproccssof What impressed you the most judges are appointed, they deliver American politics and constitutional about American system? impartial justice and nobody questions de' clopmem and functioning of federal When I was ''isitingclifferentplaces, the neutrality of judgment. \Vhen it strucrure since 1789 in the context of the I was reminded of the experiences shared comes to performing its duty, American contribution of war of independence, by Alexis de Tocqucvillc in his famous judiciary is able to protect the individual constitution writing process anddv:il war. book Democracy in America. America has rrccclom and increase the public trust in We were taught the principles of gone through a history of turbulence judiciary and state's institution. lt was government, origins of American such as during Ci\' il war. However, vcrystrangeformetoscethattherewcre government, the division of power in Americandemocralic instinttionscoped no fixed tenure for the judges and they federal structure:;, the role of Supreme well \\'ith all the situations. There were arc appointed for lire. One of the judges Court in protecting the constitution as many ups and downs in American history even announced his retirement at the age well as civil rights and liberties of the over 200 years. As American people of 88. But, they perform their duty as per people, role o£ political parties and continue to express their fa ith in rhc the constimtion and law. In the context interest groups and their in l1 uence. constitution and political system, they or 'cpa!, our judges retire at the age of I NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 2011 J 24 FOCUS 65 and judges arc appointed by judicial concerned about p ublic Council NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ep t. 30, 2011 1 25 NATIONAL a head in politics in terms of 15 YEARS OF AIN participation. In terms of inclusion, i'\epalese political sy<;tcm is more inclusi"e than the American. \ Vhen I As Development Platform visited a Halio city council of Boston, J of INGOs in epa/ (A IN) has been was told rhar only one woman was elected For the last 15 years, the Association to as a mayor of the ciry and that also from supporting Nepal's development efforts as an important platform bring \\'rute community. In its t\\'O hundred the development partners together years of history, no African American or Hispanic has bees elected as a mayor By ACORRESSPO DENT there. \.Yhcn I asked the tn NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 301 20111 26 NATIONAL grow from a \'Cry small, a handful of World Development Report 1.'\GOs, to its present size with such significant capacit)' for ad\'ocacy and 2012 Shows Advances service pro,·ision to its mcmhers. Tt may The Vvorld De,•dopment Report continue to grow in the quality and 2012: Gemlcr Equ:tlity and Den:.lopmcnt strengthofitsscrviccswhichwiUenable details big advances in narrmving members to conni hute even more to gender gaps hut shows that inequalities Nepal," said Scott f"alla," country still persist in many areas. The report representativeofOxf::un. notes that de,·clopment has clo!>cd "Congratulation AIN on 15 years of gender gaps mainly in educational cooperationfonhe betterment o(:\epal," enrollment, life e:\.-pectancy and labor Out of 200 I\IGOs registered in said ~Iichad frank country director forceparticiparion. cpa], 97 I:\GOs haYe secured the \Vorld \'ision International 1 epal. AccordinglOthereport,gender~jap membership of All'\ and many more INGO's In Nepal in prinutry school bas been dosed in all members arc joining it. ~AI N, a unique Founded in 1954, the Utlitcd Mission thecountrks.Girls now outnumber boys organization in many ways, is a symbol to Nepal, an international in secondary schools in 45 countries. of soli darity among almost 100 JNGOs interdenomi national Christian Mission, Similarly, since 1980, women are living working towards the common goal of isthefirstlNGOto comcroNepal.Fora longcrthanmcninallpartsoftheworkl. poverty reduction, sustainable long period after t hat, o nly a few And, in low income countries, women dc,'Clopmenr, protection NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE ~ept. 30, 20111 27 SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT ON UKRAINE INDEPENDENCE DAY Ukraine. 20 Years oflndepcndcnce. I-I.E. Mr. Viktor Yanukovych President of Ukraine OnAugust24, 1991 Ukraine emerged Communist terror, repressions and a key rriority of U kraine's foreign on the vvorld map as an independent arrificial Famines aimed t o suppress economic strategy. The DCfTA would nation, followed by S'i'.i.ft international national aspirations. ln the heroic enable Ukraine's economic integration recognition from more than 170 counnies. pursuit to defeatfascism during\\'oriel into the Common European '\larket, \Vithin the next 5-10 years L'kraine \Var II, Ukrainians paid a toll of 7 prmiding mutual market access based esrabhshed diplomatic relations \\rithllS mi llions of lives, stri ving to defeat on the free movement of goods, ser\'icCS, countries and orened II9 d iplomatic Fascism. labor and capital. missions abroad. At the same rime, 102 13ut the history was not blind lO the Relations with the Russian roreign diplomatic missions were sufferings of the nation and in 1991 it Federation are also among the strategic established in Ukraine. peacefully embraced its historic chance priorities of ukraine. Roth countries Since then the country has undergone Fori ndependencc. Ukraine began a new possess significant potential for complex transformation asserting itself life, having strong growth potential deepening mutuall y benefic ial as a democracy. 21 priority econom.ic •md inherited from the dissolution of rhe cooperation in transport, aerospace social reforms are underway or being Soviet "Cnion. The young country industry, energy and many other launched, \\'ith focus on imrro\'ing experienced internal transformation and economic sectors, as \\'ell for admirristrative, judicial, military, subsequent integration into the global strengthening their cultural tics. r cnsion, education, financial, health economy, bounding its development to Relations between Ul NEW SPOTLIGHT NEWSMAGAZINE 30, 20111 29 HEALTH Diabetic Complications ,By BUDDllA BASNYAT, MD In South Asia diabetes is becoming parlance these arc called strokes and heart attacks independent the new scourge. The incidence of "microvascular" complications. of their blood glucose control. diabetes is indeed incrca<;ing Unfortunately.in medicine what may The "take home message" for worldwide, hut it will ha,·e a greater seem to beanobvious cause (high blo<.x.l diabetics is that it is important to keep impact in this region because of a lack sugar) and effect (complications) docs both the blood pressure and blood of faciHL ics and health insurance that not always pan our. glucose under proper controlso that is generally prcvalem in South Asia. lndeed, as revealed in the same the important organs( including the Diabetes is nor a stand alone disease because it afrccrs all the other organs Hypertension or high blood pressure usually in the body. W it h infectious diseases, goes hand in hand with diabetes. Hypertension you can rake effective drug:-; for usually a finite period of ti me and you may be is an important risk factor for both heart attacks cured of the disease. For example from and strokes. typhoid to cube rculosis (both very common diseases in South UKPDStrial what the tighter control heart, brain, eyes, kidneys) t hat Asia), antibiotics if taken for a certain ofb lood sugar did not do was decrease diabetes affect s are protected. period of time will do the job. "macrovascular" complications in other furthermore, unJil that even "nuances" in the treatment Hypertension or high b 1 oocl emphasized. have become important. Some years ago pressure usua ll y goes hand in hand Finally also important for the a robusttrial ( United Kingdom with diabetes. 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