Nepali Times Has Learnt That Flight Two Weeks, and Since the Maoists Are Far Maoist Fighting Force Is Intact

#107 16 - 22 August 2002 16 pages Rs 20 Shrinking Tundikhel 8

the polls. The UML, for its part, seems so EXCLUSIVE tantalised by an impending victory that it doesn’t want to entertain any doubts at least five of their central committee Crowded sky about polls. members have been arrested or killed and that one of every five people killed by Two near-miss incidents within half-an- Narahari Acharya of the Girija faction hour early morning on Monday, 12 told us: “I see two major obstacles to security forces is a party worker. The August, have raised concerns again holding free elections: the state of government has arrested hundreds of rebel about aviation safety in the crowded sky emergency and the Maoist problem.” Thesupporters, some of whom have provided over the capital. emergency is due for another extension in valuable intelligence. Still, the hardcore Nepali Times has learnt that flight two weeks, and since the Maoists are far Maoist fighting force is intact. And they RA225 to Bangalore had taken off in from defeated, the army would prefer are quite capable, if the talk of truce driving rain and was about to set courseThe government and Maoists both need renewal. doesn’t get anywhere, to resume attacks in to Simra after a wide climbing turn over the build-up to next month’s strike. Kathmandu when its anti-collission elections, but for different reasons. Maoist Chairman Prachanda in his TCAS warning came on. The Royal extra-conciliatory 9 August statement Nepal 757 was converging with a Qatar appealed for “dialogue to end the emer- Airways Airbus 320 from Doha whichBINOD BHATTARAI see p6 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ an adversary unshackled by civilian control. had just aborted landing because of gency and find a positive political resolu- poor visibility, and was also climbing outt could be war-weariness, it could be For the Nepali people, November couldtion”. But he followed that up with a over the airport. Sources told us that the monsoon lull, they could just be be an opportunity to show not so much warning that this flexibility shouldn’t be the 757 pilot had to take extreme evasiveIcatching their breath, or there could which party they prefer, but to vote in a seen as a weakness, and therefore action. be genuine indecision about what to do virtual referendum on democracy. Since theforce his group to “attack those next. One or all these factors seem to be turnout would be a key indicator, it would who support elections”. The egging both the Maoists and the govern- be in the interest of the Maoists (and threat to agree-or-else couldn’t ment to seek a face-saving formula that anyone else who doesn’t believe in parlia- have been more explicit. will pave the way for relatively free mentary democracy) to keep voting low The convergence of interests of elections in November. through violence. both the Maoists and the govern- Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba The Maoists call the shots: they have ment to let elections go through was forced to call early elections to propelled themsleves into the position of presents a window of opportunity to outmanoeuvre his rival, Girija Prasad being able to determine whether elections agree at least on a truce. So far, the The Airbus then went around to tryKoirala. But having staked all on are held or not. This is a strong bargaining government has publicly demanded to land one more time, but had to climbelections, he loses big if they are called chip. If elections can’t be held, then the that the Maoists first give up their out again because of clouds on finals.off, postponed, or if campaigning is ensuing constitutional crisis will allow the weapons. But secretly, emissaries have The pilot was westbound over the marred by serious violence. king to invoke Article 127 and use his been going back and forth to see if there airport when it found itself directly in the The Maoists, despite all their macho power to find a way out of the impasse. can be a compromise. path of a Buddha Air mountain flight that had just taken off. Kathamandu radar talk, have also decided that this is not Many see that as taking the country If they genuinely desire a truce (even controllers realised the emergency andgoing to be the quick revolution they hadback to square one, circa 1990. But the if it is to just regroup and re-arm), the and asked the Buddha Air Beech 1900Dplanned for. Their casualties are heavy, uncertainty is rooted much more in the Maoists need to do more to prove that to “descend immediately” while the supply lines are disrupted, and the Maoists’ next move. they will not double cross the govern- Qatari pilot had to put his plane on a Indians are cracking down across the As the manifestos are prepared and the ment this time. The Maoists admit that steep climb. border. But more than all of that, they Civil aviation authorities have Election Commission hears the Congress now see that disrupting the coming factions fight it out over the tree symbol refused to comment, but at least one elections may end up pitting them against near miss incident report is expected to and party flag, many remain uncertain about be filed. Aviation experts say proce- dures for missed approach inside French passports. The eldest and youngest daughters, who were on one passport, Kathmandu Valley in bad weather need went through Kathmandu airport departure immigration, that morning a year-and-half to be urgently revamped. ago. But Lilliah and her three other children were caught. They posted a Rs 180,000 bail for one year while the case was under investigation. But now they could be taken to court and, if convicted for travelling on forged documents, face jail sentences of a maximum of five years. It would be possible to convince the judge that deportation, rather than sentencing, would be better for all concerned. The United Nations refugee agency in Kathmandu, UNHCR, is trying to help, but Axis of despaircan’t give them refugee status until the case is tried. Even then, the UNHCR says that it can only return them to northern Iraq. Liliah would prefer to go to Jordan, where she KUNDA DIXIT ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ thinks it will be safer for her family, and from where will be more chance of reuniting he enemy of an enemy should be a friend. But it doesn’t seem to workwith quite her that husband and two other daughters. way in geopolitics. A divided Iraqi Christian refugee family in KathmanduLast is week, Liliah wrote a petition requesting King Gyanendra for a royal pardon, testimony to how humanitarian concerns don’t figure in the present sabre-rattling T and to be allowed to leave the country on humanitarian grounds. against Iraq and the “axis of evil”. Two years ago the Kandal family fled Iraq to escape persecution by Saddam Hussein. But while the father and two daughters are in a refugee camp in Germany, the mother and three other children are waiting in Kathmandu for someone to help re-unite them. They are trapped between unfeeling embassies, Nepal’s own rigid laws that make no humanitarian exceptions, and a United Nations that has its own rules on refugee status. Liliah Kandal is a petite 47-year-old woman with a radiant face who could easily While America prepares to bomb be mistaken for a kindergarten teacher. In a cramped flat in Kathmandu, Liliah, her two daughters Dina and Dayana, and her son, Sargon, are trying their best not to give up Iraq again, one Iraqi refugee family hope. “All we can do is pray and trust that our family will be one again,” Liliah says, showing us family photographs stuck to the wall of her tiny room (right). is in limbo in Nepal. Governments and relief agencies haven’t been of much help, but a fellow refugee from Iraq’s erstwhile enemy Iran came to the rescue. An American good samaritan then assisted with living expenses. Still, local missionary schools don’t want to take the children because they do not have any documents. Then there is the stress and boredom of living in alien surroundings, and an overwhelming sense of uncertainty about the future. After her husband sought political asylum in Germany two years ago, Liliah took their five children and travelled via Jordan and Thailand to try to join him. In Bangkok, a human smuggling ring organised to take them to Germany via Kathmandu with fake 222 EDITORIAL 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES NATION 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES 333 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor:Kunda Dixit Editor:Anagha Neelakantan COMMENTARY by PUSKAR GAUTAM Design:Kiran Maharjan OPINION by ALOK BOHARA [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription:Anil Karki [email protected] Sales:Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 An end to the means Nothing to talk about “If you act like there is no possibility of change, you The Maoist offer of talks is a ploy to ARTICLE 127 guarantee that there will be no change.” - Noam Chomsky ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ e must have elections, but we can’t have elections. That is the dilemma of distract the security forces while the our democracy. ecent news about a possible dialogue with Maoists is a welcome(10), bringing the army under the civilian authority (12). Who gets the tree symbol is not really that important. What is more criticalsign. isBut the government’s repeated, single-minded response, comrades prepare for more offensives. W Policy tools: what happens if elections can't be held as scheduled. Now that he has Rbroughtasking us the Maoists to lay down arms first, is an example of the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ so far, it is up to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to show that he cangullibility hold of the establishment. Macro economic policy: pegging of workers’ salary to inflation (and credible polls and guarantee free and normal campaigning. For this, he needs to lift guaranteed inflationary adjustment) (36), increased custom duties; arrangement that has support of all parliamen- SUBHAS RAI the state of emergency two weeks from now. But he can’t do that until he hasWithout a compromising on law and order, the political leadership Closed economy and protectionism: restriction on flow of foreign tary parties? Also, who has the authority to truce with the Maoists. The Maoists are offering to talk, but once-bitten Deubamust be isprepared to be pro-active and offer a set of far-reaching devolu- make such an understanding? The parliamen- twice shy. And he’s under pressure from his hardline mentors not to buckle.tionary It reformis a measures to break this impasse—decentralised regionalcapital (6), higher import tariffs and restriction on imports (7), (goal: precarious time to be prime minister. protection for cottage industry); tary political forces are not yet ready for that. governments and electoral reform replacing the Westminster system of Which is why it may be wishful thinking that The Maoists are also in a fix. Despite threats about disrupting the campaign, a election in favour of (mixed) proportional representation. Documentation of foreign workers:requiring work permit for non- the Maoists are seriously seeking an exit. scuttled election and the ensuing constitutional crisis will not be to their strategicThere are two schools of thought. One argument is that the extremeNepalis (5); advantage. The Maoists have now realised that their fast-forward revolution went From published statements, it is clear that segment of society, unable to find a forum to form any viable coalition to Devolution of central authority:autonomy to mobilise resources and the Maoist plenum is in no mood for any out of control and resurrected the ultra-right. This wasn’t how it was supposedengage in anyto policy debate to make a difference, has resorted to undemo- happen, it was supposed to be an easy victory over a corrupt and fractious bunch decentralisation, local autonomy (26); compromise. The leadership doesn’t see any of reactionary puppets. cratic norms and practices. An alternate explanation that the current Impose occupational discrimination: confiscation of the property need to talk yet, and the military pressure has extremism is totally ideologically driven and offers no room for compro- In their plenum the Maoist leadership decided to call off their “decisive forward of commission agents and brokers, targeted nationalisation of certain curtailed Maoist activities and supply lines, mise seems equally valid as well. leap” and concentrate on long-term political work. For this they need public opinion sectors (28). though the rebels still control the hinterland of on their side and they can’t afford to Let’s take a look at the original 40-point demands of the Maoists and Without legitimising the path of violence espoused by the insur- the midwest. The Indians may be cracking antagonise other political forces. The classify them: gents, many of these demands may actually come under the purview of down but there are plenty of secret routes across leadership will therefore need to keep Socio-economic goals: our parties, groups, and ethnic and political minorities with varying the open border, and enlistment and training up its hardline rhetoric in public, mostly degrees of support and opposition. Many of these issues can easily be of the “people’s army” is on schedule. In fact, to assuage the rank and file who Economic issue and safety net: setting minimum the truce offer could very well be a diversionary worry that they might have sold out. framed within the context of policy debates. But having broken the truce once, the wage (30), providing unemployment compensation Every democracy has these policy polarisations. We may desire manoeuvre to lull the army into a false sense of onus is on the Maoists to prove their (29), free health care and education (35), subsidiescertain common goals and welfare, but the tools to achieve them may be security while they plan attacks in the coming months. good faith this time. And to egg them for farmers (33), guaranteed work (29), guaranteeddifferent across different political parties. Forcing others to adopt a set of they are held. This therefore calls for the along in that direction, there is military low inflation (36), effective disaster relief mechanismpolicy tools is ridiculous and autocratic. Some tools are theoretically So far, every decision Prime Minister Sher and political pressure. services of a higher, more permanent, national (34), protection for cottage industry (38), protectionsound (eg, regional level decentralised government, see demand number Bahadur Deuba has made in the past few institution capable of carrying out negotiations Escalating the violence and of the domestic trucking industry by restricting 26), and yet others are highly counter-productive (eg, macro-economic months has indirectly benefited the Maoists. needs—is the arrest of the main leadership, full- fledged attacks by Indian security forces on Maoistwith a strategic vision rather than as just provoking the government to call off Indian trucks (3); policy, anti-trade policy, and the nationalisation of the brokerage sector). The dissolution of parliament and the another exercise that could determine the elections will force a constitutional cadre, stricter regulation of the border, and the More importantly, why did the Maoists take the path of violence? extension of an unpopular emergency worked electoral outcome. crisis, requiring the king to use the Infrastructure: building roads, water and to their advantage. The Maoists real competi- weakening of the Maoist militia. Hoping that they provisions of Article 127 of the electricity facilities in rural areas (37); Or do they have some other agenda that we are not seeing in the 40- will change suddenly—become moderate and give And despite everything that New Delhi has point demands? If they do, then why would they want to come to the tion for the hearts and minds at the grassroots constitution to “remove obstacles that Ethnic and social issues: ethnic languages and up their ideological thinking—is a dangerous done, like the banning of the Nepali Ekta Samaj prevent the enforce- negotiation table now? In any case, many of the policy-related items on he Maoist statement hinting at a people would be forgiven if they wanted to askwere elected local leaders. By postponing local their status and bilingualism in (middle) schools polls and dissolving the local elected bodies, assumption and only shows gross misjudgement for example, the Maoists’ cross border traffic has ment of constitu- the 40-point list have been the focus of public policy debates in western willingness to “participate in the electionhim: “All that for this?” and underestimation of what drives revolutionarynot been hampered a great deal. tional provisions”. (22), property rights for daughters (19), land the government did exactly as the Maoists have democracies. Tprocess that is agreed upon” has The conclusion can only be that the party struggles. It is best not to be too optimistic about the The king is entitled to reforms (27), solving problems pertaining to wanted all along. In the absence of MPs, and Socio-economic goals cannot be demanded, but proper policy tools triggered fresh debate and interpretation. Whatplenum has not given the Maoist leadership the The Maoists justified their unilateral breakingMaoists’ overtures for talks. Much as we would give executive homelessness, orphans, and the elderly (31, 40), is the Maoist strategy dictating this “flexible” village and district councils, the standing of the orders to parliament to overcome the can take us to those goals. Many of the goals in the 40-point demand are authority to initiate talks for the interim of the truce in November with the devastating like to believe that they are genuine, for the debt relief for farmers (32), corruption control (39), work plan? What is it they want to achieve by Maoist “people’s governments” has in crisis. But what if there is no similar to those enjoyed, for instance, by Americans (eg, minimum government and constituent assembly, but attack the army at Ghorahi by saying that the moment it looks like a ploy to camouflage their ending caste discrimination (20, making public a position which could mean a fact gone up. parliament, like now? The constitu- wage, free school education, welfare support for minorities and the poor, directs it to instigate a fresh uprising or a government had refused to agree to their demand “decisive forward leap”. But suppose, just 21); “softening” of their prior positions? Before any In other words, many of the things that tional monarch has a slew of options, homeless shelters, low inflation, disaster management, farm subsidies, movement. But what is the type of offensive the for a constituent assembly. To date, the comrades suppose, the Maoists this time are serious about and if it comes to Article 127, the new negotiations get underway, it is necessary the Maoists would have wanted to achieve Human rights and press: community oversight of police activities, anti-discrimination laws). The Maoists are talking about? Typically, they don’t have not provided any other justification for goingpeace. The only reason would be because part of motivation for any move he makes to understand what may have motivated the through the talks have been carried out by controlling police brutality (15), Maoists just have a different way of trying to attain those goals. say. What Prachanda has up his sleeve, back to violence. the leadership finally realises that preserving the will be to get the country back Maoists to talk about talks again. therefore, is essentially a strategy to create unilateral government decisions. So, if the press autonomy (23), intellectual With some exceptions, many of these same issues are common to Even now, despite the lull, the main gains of the 1990 movement could led them to on track. Few have missed the glaring contradiction confusion in the enemy ranks. Maoists are getting what they have freedom (24), repealing the Security Act (13), citizens around the world. But political forces and civil society have agenda of the Maoist war is destruction, their ultimate goal of a communist republic. For the moment, going by the past between the seemingly conciliatory statements Chief party ideologue, Baburam Bhattarai,wanted all along, then they have no reason to solved these problems through debate and participation, using the ideals irrespective of the cost to human life and And perpetuating the current spiral of record, the only thing we can be freedom for political detainees (14,16), civil oversight of Maoist Chairman Prachanda where he has talk now. of democracy, compromise and respecting each other’s views. The is equally hardline in his most-recent writings infrastructure. Whether we like it or not, the violence would mean that there won’t be a absolutely sure about is that even if of police activity (12); expressed a desire to talk, and the decision of The argument of some Kathmandu-based elections are held, and even if they question is about priority and compromises: no one group or ideology and published in a samizdat edition of Maoists still have the means to pick targets andrepublic left to take over. Social conformity and cultural policing, less the party plenum in early July. The plenum leftist intellectuals that the Maoists are now are relatively fair, the old familiar should have complete domination over the entire population. Attempts Pragyik wreak havoc and terror on the populace. A personal liberty: restriction on personal freedom resolution is uncompromising and hardline. It ready to lay down their arms and return to the faces will be back. However, it can’t to socially engineer societies in China, Cambodia and the Soviet Union Sansar by revolutionary students. The article is largely non-performing government is a big be politics as usual. The country to enjoy certain kinds of music and movies (8), all failed miserably. That is why it is important to understand what is is brimming with familiar jargon and rhetoric, negotiating table is hard to swallow. And even believed to have been written after the party if the Maoists may have fine-tuned their tactics,help to the Maoists. cannot—will not—endure another 12 restriction on personal choice to get private the real motive behind violence. and says: “The country and the people do not plenum, and Bhattarai still blames the Royal years of this. there is no reason to believe that they have Deuba’s partyless government is blowing education, restriction on development of civil Can a form of mixed proportional representation in elections and have an alternative but to rise up against, and Nepal Army and the monarchy for being “the instigate another historical movement against abandoned their one strategic objective: setting uphot and cold about talks. But it lacks the society like NGOs (9); the elected regional governments, embracing a score of ethnic and main obstacles to full democracy”, and a people’s republic. legitimacy to initiate serious dialogue for the political minorities into public policy debates, offer a way out? the election drama, to press for an interim concludes that that goal cannot be reached The only situation which may compel the present. The talks could be meaningless, even if Ideological and institutional goals: government and constituent assembly.” without “an end to both forces”. Maoists to return to dialogue with the govern- Nationalist issues: removing unfair clauses in the What is going on? Why is Prachanda This is why it is difficult to take this context, he noted that ment—aside from their short-term strategic 1950 Treaty (1), nullification of the Tanakpur Treaty seemingly departing from the letter and spirit Prachanda’s overtures for talks, and his Australia has important (2), closing Gorkha recruitment camps requiring(4), of the party plenum to appear so soft, that one unrealistically soft approach, seriously. How relationships all around the work Nepal.permits for Moaning non-Nepalis about (5); it may (Alok K Bohara is professor of economics at the University of is forced to wonder why his group mired the can there be the minimum understanding world and especially in the Asia-Pacific region. The Constitutionalbe good demands:for cocktail declaring parties, Nepal a New Mexico, USA, and earned his PhD at the University of country in bloodshed for six years. The NepaliPrachanda talks about in a situation where the but to get things done bribes Colorado in Boulder. See also: “Devolution, not revolution”, purpose of foreign and trade and the diesel lobby is highly secular state (18), removing monarchical privileges monarchy is a constitutionally mandated policy is to maximise Austral- are the norm: whether directly Nepali Times #97.) terous and wrong-headed”. commendable. Your paper (11), constituent assembly for a new constitutiondistricts have often been ia’s interests in each one of or indirectly through agents or He stressed that Australia and investigative journalism overshadowed by news these relationships. An as consultation fees. This is would continue to place an can go further and compile a reports from the west, and it advance in any one relation- the way everything else is extremely high priority on its list of the people in the mafiavehicles not taking off is is high time that the dire ship does not have to be at done—from buying planes to continued and expanded involved in this racket so thatquite simple: lack of bribes. situation in this region is the expense of the others. LETTERSbuilding hospitals—why engagement in Asia. He they can be roasted on a Officials and decision- recognised as well. Dixit’s people living abroad go FOSSIL ECONOMY should electric vehicles be Sara ShneidermanI would like to comment on noted, however, that Austral- Indeed, Australia’s close server problems. slow-burning kerosene firemakers are not moved by description of local attitudes insane if they don’t get their any different? “Australia’s new friend” ian foreign policy was not relations with the United The fundamental mistakewhen a real government pious claims of betterment of confirms our own assess- and Mark Turin weekly fix ofNepali Times in Kabindra Pradhan, (#106). The article purportsaboiut choosing between States and with Asia are Hats off to Kunda Dixit for Adam Friedensohn makesbegins to rule the country. the environment, or a ment that although many Cornell University, New to analyse the Australian regions but about maximis-mutually reinforcing and notgeneral and Under My Hat in“Gods must be crazy” (#106). in his beautiful article healthier atmosphere, or Butwal Dolakha villagers were R Khadga, Kathmandu York government’s new White ing our strengths. mutually exclusive. We do notparticular? Don’t you Loved reading every bit of it. (“Fossil economy”, #106) is replacement of foreign fuel initially sympathetic Paper on foreign and trade have to choose between the*&^%$#$@ people realise to assume that there is a by locally produced electricity, towards the Maoist The article also refers to Rajendra Shrestha, policy (which has yet to be two, and to sugest otherwisethat we are hardcore addicts government in Nepal. The or even creation of jobs. If movement, recent Maoist In his piece “What do the the Australian Foreign Kathmandu released publicly) and claims would be as simplistic as itand, yes, that *&*&^% in- Nepali people know that a enough bribes are offered, attacks on local, non- Maoists want this time?” Affairs and Trade Depart- that Australian foreign policy would be ill-informed. cludes me. Where the mob of crooks are running all diesel vehicles will be governmental targets (#104) Shyam Shrestha ment’s (DFAT, which is is shifting focus from Asia to &%$#@ is this week’s the country, and holding the banned. If there are kick- may have eroded much remains silent on one issue responsible for drafting the Crispin Conroy, the United States. First, the Internet editionNepali of country and everything in it backs in importing electric of their remaining local which I am sure no party White Paper) response to Australian Ambassador United States is hardly a Times? You still have the old to ransom for their vested vehicles, they will be allowed support. Dixit is to be would want to happen. How the Australian Financial “new friend” to Australia. On interests. What in. And there is no reason for commended for a can the Maoists come into Review commentary. The issue and it is not updated as the contrary, the United Friedensohn said is our officials to answer letters nuanced and sensitive mainstream politics and go Secretary of DFAT, Dr of today (8 August), and that’s States has been—and will absolutely true: Nepal can from foreign countries. They report from an often- to elections with their arms Calvert, has commented driving me *&*&^%$#@ nuts. Despite years of experi- continue to be—one of our save billions in fuel costs, did not elect our ministers or forgotten theatre of the and men still in the jungle? that this commentary totally What happened to the Mon- most important strategic and fund development of ence in Nepal it seems thathire our government officials. People’s War, and we Can the election ever be held distorted the briefing given day upload schedule? economic partners. Second, electricity and other facili-Adam Friedensohn has no Our ministers and govern- hope to see more in such a situation? No to journalists on the draft Nirmal Niroula, Kentucky, ties through this saving, idea about the workings of matter how inefficient the this claim of shift in focus is ment officials are answer- DOLAKHA rural reports from White Paper. Dr Calvert USA generate employment for our country. He talks about able only to those people government has been, and simplyit untrue. We want to thank you for diverse regions highlighted that some millions, save billions in the diesel lobby in Nepal andwho look after their personal sadly will continue to be, it The article relies to a publishing Kunda Dixit’s pieceaffected by the Peo- commentators needed to medical costs, make itselfthe government working benefits, nobody else, not should not hold any negotia- Editor’s note: The online on the current state of affairsple’s War in theNepali large extent on a commentarytake a more mature view of a prime tourist destinationtogether to prevent the entryeven the local citizens. This tions with the Maoist until edition of theNepali Times in Dolakha district (“Dolakha’sTimes in the future. written in theAustralian Australia’s external policy. In etc etc, if it gave up fossil of electric vehicles in order mayto be cynical, but that is the they surrender. This, despite eerie quiet”, #105). Having Financial Review that con- can be read free of cost, and fuel and switched to protect their long-term way the cookie crumbles in the government’s many content is progressively lived as researchers in tained a similar thesis. In electricity. This switch willinterest, and the Ministry of shortcomings, should be the uploaded from Monday CORRECTION not happen now. What thePopulation and Environment Dolakha from 1998-2000, it government’s stand. response to that article, the onwards after the hardcopy In “Unfriendly fire” (#106) the Nepali Times is doing to being in the palm of the hand was clear to us early on that Australian Foreign Minister Dipak R Tulachan, edition comes out Fridays. caption for the page one picture of the diesel transportation the district was emerging as a Alexander Downer said that highlight fuel adulteration San Francisco, USA Last week's update was should have read: Syani and lobby. Nothing could be Maoist stronghold in the east. such a thresis was “prepos- However, events in Dolakha, YOU’RE LATE delayed due to temporary Kaman Maya Praja are widows further from the truth. The at 15. Kumle Praja is the name of actual reason for electric Sindhupalchok, and other What do you &*^$#@ people heavily-affected eastern Syani’s husband who died in in theNepali Times think you Kalikot. We regret the error.–Ed. are doing? Do you *&^%$# know that some *&^%$#@ BOTH AUSTRALIA’S FRIENDS 444 NATION 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES NATION 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES 555

DOMESTIC BRIEFS needs like bathing and washing. By “Predator of press freedom” way of a gutter and plastic pipes, ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dixit also taps rain to feed it The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) underground to recharge named four new “predators of press freedom” in Asia this week: Islamic groundwater in his locality. militants, the Prime Minister of Nepal, the Home Minister of Bangladesh whole system can come down to Rs As a means to replenish and the security forces in southern Philippines. Raindrops550,000. This may sound like a lot keep falling on ourDeuba nowroofs joins an illustrious list of other RSF “press freedom decreasing groundwater tables, rainwater goes like this: of money, but imagine the peace of predators” which include North Korea’s Kim Il-Sung, Iraq’s Saddam organisations along with NEWAH RAMYATA LIMBU Suppose you have a 100 sq m mind for the rest of your life (and RAINWATER COLLECTION SYSTEMS Hussein, Libya’s Moammer Gadhafi, Than Shwe of Burma, Chechnya’s ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the lives of your children and grand ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ have begun to rehabilitate old kidnapping mafia and China’s Jiang Zemin. athmandu Valley has Therain harvesting solution systems today will toroof or Kathmandu’sterrace area. Kathmandu water shortage lies in collecting rain. ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ children) of never having to worry ponds around the Valley to trap RSF says about Deuba: “When he imposed a state of emergency in exceeded the limits of have solved the water needs of theirgets a little more than 1,000 mm of rainwater and recharge the water rain every year. If you could collect about water. Can be of various types, capacities and costs: November 2001 to combat ‘Maoist terrorism’, the Prime Minister also its growth. It is one of own households and the water 1. Rainwater for direct use: This is a simple rooftop catchment with sloping channels feedingsystem directly that provides water to resolved to cover up the arrests, torture and intimidation of journalists by needs of their children. all that rain, it would fill a 100,000 For households that still get Overhead tank very few cities in the into an outdoor drum with a tap attachment. Kathmandu’s population. the security forces. He has turned his country into the world’s biggest litre tank. Let’s say you can collect intermittent water supply from the prison for journalists.” world of more than The trouble is that 80 percent 2. Overhead tank storage with overflow: collects rainfall on roof and stores it in an overheadExisting tank oldthat ponds in Sankhu, one million people 90 percent of what falls: you still city mains, it will be a good idea of the rain in Kathmandu falls supplies household water supply through gravity. Has an overflow and washout system.Dharmasthali are being renovated. Kwhich is not situated on the coast, between June and September. have 90,000 litres of rain to play not to mix rain water with treated 3. Underground tanks: Downtake from roof is taken to an underground storage tank afterPonds passing in the upper catchment of Nepal has a problem of too much around with. drinking water. So, a separate small or along the banks of a big river. tank for treated water can be made through filters and sedimentation tank. the Bagmati river in Shivapuri have We are running out of water, andwater three months in a year and A 90,000 litre reinforced (a 2,000 litre outdoor PVC tank 4. Rainwater storage and groundwater recharge: Water stored for household use and overflowbeen built. The Department of Soil 4,337 Nepalis dead, and counting the Melamchi project is still at too little for the rest. We need to concrete underground tank would ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ would suffice) that feeds water just charged into groundwater for withdrawal later. and Conservation and Watershed least seven years away. What are store monsoon runoff so that it will set you back Rs 700,000. And that In its latest body count the police headquarters says that 2,175 Maoists for kitchen use. Management (DSCWM) has have been killed in encounters with the armed forces since the insurgency we going to do last the dry months, and take might be overkill, unless your family built conservation ponds to store is used to soaking in the bathtub Collecting rainwater where it Downtake PVC pipe from roof began in February 1996. Almost half have been killed since the with- till then? households till the next rainy rainwater in southern Lalitpur drawal of the Maoist ceasefire and the imposition of the state of emer- falls for later use has not been as One fact is obvious: there is no season. This means larger tanks, every night. while ponds built on hilltops gency on 26 November. In the same period, the Maoists have killed 2,162 much a tradition in Nepal as it is in which makes rainwater storage At present, an average conserva- in this area have also helped Nepalis, 1,406 of them civilians. point waiting for the government or the arid Indian states of Rajasthan the municipality to get its act systems more expensive than in tion-minded middle class household stabilise landslides. The security forces have made 16,130 arrests in connection of and Gujarat. In fact the big water supply projects like insurgency; 10,736 of those arrested have been cleared. Legal action has together and provide 24-hour other parts of the world where of four people in Kathmandu uses Water experts are also looking rainfall is more evenly distributed Rastrapati Bhavan in New Delhi Melamchi, rainwater harvesting is been taken against 4,388 people, and the rest are still under trial. The treated water on the mains. Drill a about 250 litres of water a day for to India, where rainwater harvesting through the year. which is the official residence of the mostdecentralised system number of insurgents the government says have surrendered to the tube well? Sorry. Kathmandu’s cooking, drinking and washing. If has been promoted to overcome security forces has gone up noticeably after the imposition of the Indian presidents has a rainwater of getting water. Anyone can water table is sinking fast and But even so, a simple calcula- we take the dry season in Nepal to drinking water scarcity in many emergency—some 15,820 have given up their arms and turned harvesting system. collect it.” themselves in. pumping ground water will not be tion shows that adding a round-the-be 250 days, then there is a need for DOES KATHMANDU HAVE ENOUGH WATER? cities where the average annual Growing urban water shortage ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ an option. Migrate to Pokhara? If year rainwater cistern is the only only a 250x250=62,500 litre tank. NEWAH runs an integrated rainfall is 500-700 mm and where in Nepali towns and cities will you can find a job there. main one-time expense. And its costWith gutters, PVC pipes, a programme for water, health, and many municipalities are now make this a viable proposition Kathmandu Valley (satellite picture, below) has a catchment of 600 A much cheaper option is to is determined by storage capacity. sedimentation tank the cost of the sanitation in various parts of the making such systems mandatory in here too. The first known use of a sq km. It gets 1,100 mm of rain annually. There are no snow-fed harvest rainwater where it falls: on How big should a tank be? A back streams feeding into the Bagmati, so in an average year, 330country million has for the last five years all buildings. “Kathmandu munici- of the envelope arithmetic for modern rain water harvesting Heart alert cubic metres of water is available if we can catch it. It wouldbeen only helping people in rural pality should do the same,” says ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ your roof. It is simple, it is free, it is system was in a mission hospital logical, and it is the only solution. First phase storaged drum need 1.5 percent of Kathmandu Valley’s total surface area tocommunities harvest to tap rainwater for Pokhrel, “offer subsidies on There is good news and bad news for Nepalis above the age of 35, which in Pokhara in the 1960s. The US just six percent of the total rainfall—which would be enough to meet Individual households investing in drinking and domestic use. In buildings that install rainwater is when heart ailments start to strike. The good news is that Nepal now has Peace Corps has been active in the water needs of all the valley’s inhabitants even if they usedrural hill areas, most villages are 40 cardiologists compared to only 15 five years ago. The number of double of what they use now. harvesting systems.” propagating rain collection clustered on ridges, where the air cardiac surgeons has more than doubled in this time, from four to ten. For more information: The increase in the number of heart specialists has been accompanied models through its volunteers, is fresher, threat of malaria is and lately the government built a A Water Harvesting Manual for by an increase in facilities that offer treatment for people with heart minimum, but there is an acute Urban Areas,and disease—there are now ten cardiac intensive care units instead of just two, large capacity rain tank in Tanahu water shortage. NEWAH helps and the number of diagnostic centres with advanced ECG services has Dying Wisdom FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS district. The Finnish-aided Rural Overflow goes into villages situated on ridge-tops to increased to 25. Water Supply and Sanitation underwater tank published by Centre for The bad news is, we need this. There has been a 100 percent increase ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ build 24,000 litre ferrocement Science and Environment, Project has built 400 two cubic tanks for harvesting rain. in the incidence of hypertension and cardiac disease in the last five www.cseindia.org Q: Is rainwater safe to drink? metre rainwater tanks to meet Nepali water expert Ajay Dixit years. household needs in villages of A: Rainwater collected from roof needs to be have filters like a coarse mesh and a sedimentation tank to believes in practicing what he prevent debris from flowing into the storage area. Rainwater is free of mineral pollutants foundGulmi in and ground Palpa districts. Nepal Water for Health, preaches. He harvests rainwater water, but may contain dissolved air pollutants and surface contamination from the roof. TheseAnil can Pokhrel be of the Nepal Sediment discharge tap www.newah.org.np minimised by ensuring that the first spell of rain is drained off. Water quality improves with storage as both in his home and office and Water for Health (NEWAH) says impurities settle and the pathogens die out. Remaining biological contamination can be disinfected by adding stores rainwater in a 500 litre tank Nepal Water Conservation Hackers threaten ISPs bleaching powder (one teaspoon per 200 litres). For drinking purposes, it is still safer to boilthe rainwater. beauty of rainwater harvesting for the bathroom flush. “It’s not an ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Foundation, The Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) and Internet Service Provider is that you don’t need multi- Pump to lift water alternative but a complementary [email protected] Association of Nepal (ISPAN) have lashed out at a group of Nepali Q: What is the best roof surface for rainwater collection? million dollar projects. “Unlike to overhead tank supply. By using rainwater we can A: The runoff coefficient for various surfaces determines the quantity and quality of the water that can be hackers who have attacked servers, disrupting internet services and used for storage. Tiles and corrugated metal sheets are the most efficient and cleanest rainwater collection prevent treated water from threatening privacy. surfaces. becoming sewage every time we The group, which calls itself YSGNET is this time targetting Mercan- flush,” he says. Stored water can tile, Nepal’s largest ISP which takes care of 50 percent of the bandwidth in Q: What is the best way to stop solid particles from entering the tank? also be used for meeting other Nepal, handles the “np” domain, and provides internet services across the A: A wire net on the roof drain is the first line of defence. Then, a simple sedimentation loop in the pipe that country and satellite links to remote areas. can be drained periodically, or a first-stage outdoor tank to store water before it overflows into the under- One of the hackers, Surose Joshi, had been jailed last year for five ground tank will take care of most debris. days accused of hacking into Wlink’s servers, and is currently out on bail. 50,000 litre underground ferrocement tank YSGNET claimed it can bring internet services to a halt, warned it can hit confidential data. The reason: they say they “want to be taken seriously”. Rainwater harvesting system in a house in Patan with sedimentation “This is tantamount to a gang of thieves overcoming the security of at trapping tank. a bank making copies of sensitive information, vandalising the rooms, disrupting normal operations,” CAN and ISPAN said in a statement this week. “This is cyber-terrorism pure and simple.” HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK One ISP handler told us that if the hackers go unpunished there is a potential for servers belonging to the security forces, banks, sensitive data in corporate and personal accounts being seriously compromised.

“The authorities have to take care of this problem before it becomes any bigger,” he added. The hacker group says its “Trap the Cat II” campaign Deconstructing aid… will terminate on Friday, but warn thatwill keepthey exposing breaches. remarkable global institution—at least in developed coun- …is easy once you figure out the subversive subtext in a furniture shop. tries—is a place known as Ikea. This is yet another interna- good marketing and even better cost control. But once the idea gets Ational business based in relatively tiny Sweden, a country that one of the finest venue for Residential Meetings defies the tenets of fundamentalist capitalism with great success. into other sectors, it’s time to worry. Mixed economies work, otherwise we wouldn’t have Ikea, Volvo, These days, what line of work doesn’t involve standardisation of Saab and so on. But that’s another argument, another column. some sort? As we’re finding out, the international accounting industry used universal and abysmally low standards to evaluate corporate The crux Ikea pretends to be a furniture shop, but it’s really a giant, identikit lifestyle store. And I mean giant. There are three Ikea clients’ balance sheets. That’s one reason why the global economy is stores in my hometown, Toronto, part of a worldwide network of sinking. Policy makers in all countries are encouraged to follow hundreds of sprawling warrens of consumer choice. Everything is identical paths if they’re to get any money from multilateral institu- Budhanil-kantha meticulously planned—Swedish-style—down to the cheap cup of tions—never mind that the paths encouraged by International of the Monetary Fund and World Bank planners are increasingly discredited fragrant coffee—again Swedish-style—that happy customers clutch where hospitality blend with nature in their fists as they dash between aisles, picking up boxes that may in rich countries. And even soft development assistance follows an Ikea-like approach, fitting together bits developed in meeting contain beds or bathroom cabinets, kitchen fittings or toys. In 6 ACRES OF JUNGLE Toronto, Ikea is the first stop of the city’s newly arrived immi- rooms back home, to produce aid policy in myriad situations around 48 SUITES the world. biscuit 5 MEETING HALLS grants, or students leaving home in need of cheap furniture. Like almost everything else from Sweden, Ikea is socially useful as well as To put it simply, what works for Ikea won’t work for aid, public 2 RESTAURANTS profitable. policy or economics. That’s becoming increasingly plain. Countries, 2 GAZIBOS societies, places, each has different approaches, local conditions and MEDITATION GROTTO Ikea began life as an outgrowth of Sweden’s powerful forest VIHAR COURTYARD special needs. Applying the theories of thinkers from home rarely products industry but it soon became a way of marketing all things is the AMPHITHEATER Swedish, primarily the austere, tasteful design that the country is helps with any of those unique challenges. At best, imported ap- LOTUS POND now known for. A huge range of products for the home—all with proaches provide comfort only to the official who’s paid by his 3 ALFRESCOS absurd names like “Bille”, “Lande” or my favourite “Ekesvog”—are government to run the program. If it goes well, then that’s down AVAIRY, RABIT DEN on display. Prices are cheap, the shop attendants are friendly and home know-how at work. If it fails, the locals stole the money or AND BIG PARKING LOT didn’t understand the concept. But as for the beneficiaries, they can apostrophe. helpful. No wonder that on any given day, all Ikea stores are Unlike the sameness of everyday hotel, Park Village wait until we find the right combination of ideas, funding and so on. mobbed with customers. Each outlet does millions of dollars in allow you the freedom to relax in the freshness of pure Perhaps there’ll be some in the warehouse, next to the mattresses and business every week. see, might look diverse and unique. It may call out to you “take me nature and live world behind at the front gate. The real secret of Ikea’s success is an idea that’s catching on in home and put me in your bedroom”, but it’s all mass-produced fromalongside a the kitchen sinks. If we just get a few more of them down, maybe it’ll fit together next time... other walks of life, and it’s a worrisome one. Ikea’s furniture, you narrow range of patterns that use interchangeable parts to maximum www.kghhotels.com efficiency. In other words, a few basic building blocks appear in almost every item on sale and this reduces costs to the company hugely. It’s www.nepalitimes.com Tel: 375280, 375279 Fax: 371656, Email: [email protected] 666 NATION 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES ECONOMY 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES 777 from p1 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL INTERVIEW BIZ NEWS Top of the class Polls “Weapart? have been able to build some trust between two ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ No one is expecting the Maoists to join the election sides,” says Sudip Pathak of the Human Rights Organisation Dabur Nepal has been named the largest producer and exporter in Nepal, and another company, Arihanta of Nepal. “Everyone knows elections cannot be held in a Multi-fibre, has been recognised as the single largest employer. These and 18 other export-oriented fray, but they could use it as an opportunity to push like- situation of terror and even if they are held it may not be freeElectoral collage “Local democracycompanies are to be recognised as Commercially Important Persons (CIPs). The CIPs among garment minded leftist parties who could act as a de facto political and fair which is why the peace is essential.” Pathak is one of exporters are Cotton Comfort, Momento Apparels and Shangrila International. Among the carpet exporters, wing to push through their agenda for constitutional change three human rights activists who have been trying to re- Elections aren’t only about winning, the UML may soon find. the first three carpet industries are Paramount, Samling and Pumori. Likewise, Exclusive Fabrick Industries and a referendum. “That would help them to legitimise their establish contact between the government representatives and has become the top exporter of woollen and pashmina goods. Others recognised are Narayani Leather politics and keep the issues alive,” a Maoist watcher told us. Manufacturing Industry, Asiatic Traders and Exports (handicrafts), Nepal Lever (soaps and toothpaste) the Maoists. Shyam Shrestha, who had mediated between the works best.” he only thing that can stop There appear to be at least two separate and highly and Arihanta Multi-fibre Ltd (jute and jute products). The government has also named six importers of government and the Maoists in the past, thinks that if the the UML from forming its garments and carpets as CIPs. secretive behind-the-scenes efforts to get the two sides Maoists have wanted to come to talks at any time, it is now. first majority government talking. “The Maoists are even willing to announce a ceasefire T But Shrestha adds: “I sense there are forces that don’t provided they get an assurance of reciprocity from govern- is a rigged Dhawal SJB Rana is Nepalganj’s recently- want the two sides talking.” An indication of that is the arrest ment,” a source close to one of the peace initiatives told us. election. At least, of Krishna Dhoj Khadka, said to be among those that had retired mayor who hopes to contest the MP Another Maoist condition is that the emergency be lifted, that’s what the made the last round of talks possible. seat in November elections from the UML. Stronger buildings and the publication of the names of detainees. courtiers at Balkhu ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ There are interlinked factors at play: the Maoists have A breakthrough was getting to be a real possibility last Darbar are telling us. The Nepalganj is the political and economic hub Panchakanya, Nepal’s largest steel-manufacturing suffered major losses, but are still capable of disrupting week when the police suddenly decided to make a belated cadence and candour of the for nine districts of the mid and far western company has launched high-quality thermo-mechani- elections, and the government can legitimise itself only by cally treated (TMT) steel bars that the company says announcement of an Interpol notification on the most- prose may vary, but the clear holding elections. Which makes talking truce the only exit regions. It is also the entry point for tourists are best for large structures, and for earthquake- wanted rebel leaders. That seems to have temporarily put a feeling you get from reading strategy for both sides. Unless the plan all along was to create resistant buildings. The TMT steel bars used for large spanner in the works, and convinced some that there are UML-friendly publications is that to Bardia, Rara, Mugu and Jumla. conditions in which elections can’t be held. infrastructure were imported until now, and elements in the establishment who think that a truce would the party has waited too long for Nepalganj was part of a British gift of five Panchakanya says that its new product can compare cause the counter-insurgency campaign to lose momentum. its turn. Moreover, its troubles with any of the foreign brands. The TMT bars, are not entirely of its own districts to Nepal for the Ranas’ support produced using technology developed by the German making. Each time political during the Indian mutiny. Today, Nepalganj is under increasingGenningsdorier Stahl Engineering GmbH, are also said to be stronger and more resistant to rusting, which trends seemed to take a favour- urban pressure because of people who have fled the Maoist makes them more efficient than ordinary bars. Panchakanya is Nepal’s largest steel producer and pro- able turn, rivals conspired to ebb duces about 80,000 metric tons every year. the flow. True, the Nepali insurgency in the hill districts to the north. Rajan Chatkuli of the Congress-led interim government Regional Media Centre in Nepalganj spoke with Dhawal SJB that held the 1991 general up their revolutionary credentials responsibility for draining a Rana. Excerpts: elections included members of among cadres at the same time couple of billions from state they are struggling to wipe off all coffers. With the elections and Investor blues what is today the UML. But the ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kangresis acted as if it had just traces of communism from the the Nepali Congress rupture A booklet on industrial, fiscal and tax policies produced by the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and restored the two-thirds majority party name and flag. The momenthaving come in quick succes- Industry (NICCI) in association with four other business associations explains just why investors keep out they held in the 1959 parliament. of truth has arrived. sion, it’s more than obvious the of Nepal. Bangladesh has a 12-15 year tax holiday for new investors, Nepal has none; Bangladesh does The comrades had to craft a A grossly under-appreciated UML’s patience has paid off. not tax export income, Nepal does; Bangladesh gives customs subsidies to exports, Nepal levies a 0.5-10 survival strategy. In seeking to Will the elections be held percent duty; Bangladesh has a vibrant domestic market with the economy growing by about 6 percent, facet of Nepali politics is the part Nepal’s domestic market is small and sluggish (the growth rate here is 2-3 percent), and so on. The NICCI shift the failures of the interim Puspa Lal Shrestha’s vision of on schedule? From the outset, adds that logistics are another factor, as Nepal is pretty much inaccessible, except via overland routes. government on the Nepali Congress-communist partnership the UML has said the onus lies We’re also pro-labour and have a high, hidden cost of getting policies implemented in accordance with Congress while sharing in its played in overthrowing the on the government that imposed laws. All of these drawbacks negate the advantages offered to investors in Nepal in terms of access to successes, the UML emerged as a Panchayat system. The untold them on us. Now that it has north Indian markets and the potential for investment in hydropower and tourism. The NICCI’s final message formidable opposition. story of the People’s Movement detected some eerie similarities is: none of these problems is insurmountable, but someone needs to take action to make amends fast. The party fell short of a of 1990 is how eternally quarrel- in the syntax and substance of majority in the 1994 polls ling communist factions could the phraseology of the executive because the nastiness of the agree to form the United Left and judiciary, the UML has Kangresi infighting made the Front. Amid such ignorance, it officially deployed its full Did your business background help? Indi League Panchayat-era Surya Bahadur becomes easy to overlook the resources to electing the new ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ transformation UML luminaries legislature. The Supreme Court The municipality should be run like a well-oiled Thapa-Lokendra Bahadur Chand business. One has the motive to serve and Sipradithe Trading has introduced a new after-sales scheme to service Tata Indica vehicles. The company squabbles look like conscientious have undergone since their avatar ruling that the six-month-gap- other needs to make a profit by providing serv-says the new facility is all about giving “more care per car.” The membership programme, called Indi combat. The Rastriya Prajatantraas primary tools of the campaign between-sessions stricture ices or trading. We did make the municipalityLeague, comes with free labour charges, pick-up and drop-off service, insurance claims, tax payment Party quintupled its share of seatsto eliminate class enemies. applies only to a house in more efficient, more people-friendly, and weprocessing, and blue book renewal services. Members also qualify for discounts on spares and lubricants. in the hung parliament and both Ignorance has also perpetu- existence has evidently rewritten invested in human resource development. men got to be prime minister ated pluralistically inimical some of the equations. What if again. The Supreme Court’s myths. The assertion that there Prime Minister Sher Is it true you didnít take a salary as mayor?Nepal-India reinstatement of the lower house After becoming mayor I announced that I would○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ can be no life without the Nepali Bahadur Deuba feels he can put not take any salary or benefits from the job. I stood in the way of a UML Officials from Nepal and India are meeting in New Delhi 16-18 August to iron out problems resulting from Congress implies that the roots ofoff the elections as long as he Rajan Chatkulifor Nepali Times: How do distributed the first year’s salary to the urbanthe renewed Nepal-India trade treaty, especially the extra duties that India imposed on Nepali goods prior to majority in 1995. Although they our democracy are still too feels safe to govern through the you react to the governmentís decisiondestitute, to and women who needed help. Theagreeing rest to renewal. High on the Nepali agenda is getting the rail agreement with India that is needed for were part of the election govern- shallow to be strong. More hung Upper House? Wouldn’t dissolve local governments? of the money is in the bank, and I am using theit to operation of its Inland Container Depot (ICD) at Birganj. The ICD, built with a World Bank loan, has been ment in 1999, the split that invidious is its insinuation about the possibility of the Maoists Dhawal SJB Rana: Local governments are build a waiting room in front of the emergencygathering dust since its completion early last year. There are also issues relating to the setting up additional ward of the Bheri Zonal Hospital. spoiled the comrades’ chances our comrades. Why can’t commu-taking part increase with each the pillars of democracy, the future of demo- quarantine check points along the border between Nepal and India, which India has promised, but not yet acted upon. had several Kangresi fingerprints. nists who were good enough to bemonth of delay? Then there’s cratic rule depends on the practice of the rule Your opponents say you are too ambitiousÖ The cracks in the Nepali entrusted with restoring democ- that possibility of the Congress of law at the local level. There was the option I am someone who hopes to be able to lead the of extending the terms of local governments Congress have charmed the racy be trusted to preserve it? uniting. country’s development by example. I don’t think but the government did not do that for political comrades this time. They have The UML wanted to dispel A lot of UML idealists that is being over-ambitious. also exacerbated the UML’s split reasons, and the decision could affect the FNCCI-JEC team such fallacies through fresh would probably want to avoid growth of democracy in Nepal. The govern- ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Is there something you wanted to do, but could personality. As part of Campaign elections ever since Bam Dev appearing power hungry by ment needs to end the present confusion The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries has named a team to represent it at not, during your term as mayor? 2002, the folks at party headquar-Gautam and his buddies returned insisting on keeping 13 Novem- soon by holding parliamentary and local the Joint Economic Committee of the FNCCI and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII). Rabi Bhakta I wanted to raise the status of the municipality ters are busy rearranging portraitsto the fold. (I have a strong ber sacrosanct. But elections are government elections simultaneously. Shrestha, FNCCI president, heads the team, and Padma Jyoti has been named senior advisor. Other in the conference room to match into a sub-metropolitan city. I was not able tomembers get of the JEC are Suraj Vaidya, Diwakar Golchha, Kishore Khanal, Kush Joshi, Kumud Dugar, Joy feeling we’ll find out before 13 not only about winning. In the support of the MPs representing us to get that What is the track record of the centreís Dewan and Badri Ojha. the visual preferences of the November why the ML general order to fit well-organised done. Secondly, I was unable to manage the dealings with local governments? foreign dignitary in attendance. secretary accepted that demo- nation-wide protests against sewerage of this city because of budget con- The government has only tried to exert its Senior leaders are trying to shore tion.) The party didn’t demand fraud into this year’s work plan, straints. influence in the name of decentralisation. It dissolution of the Lower House we have to have elections on was more unresponsive to those local Sugar quotas What now? ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ because it wasn’t ready to take time, don’t we? bodies where opposition parties were in If the party trusts me, and the people support me, charge. In general, it was unable to be as The opening up of European Union markets to the export of “everything but arms” from Least Developed I want to continue serving the country. Presently, I open and accommodative as it should have Countries has presented Nepal with the possibility of exporting some 9,000 tons of unprocessed sugar. have been relieved of the pressures that come been. The government has already given the National Trading Corporation (NTL) permission to explore the with becoming mayor and because I have freepossibility of sending the first consignment sometime in April next year. If that happens and the price is time, I have taken to reading. I am also working How was the cooperation of other political right, the EU decision may give the country’s 11 sugar producers something to aim for. It would also give on my PhD thesis on “Nepali Municipalities: someA respite to bankers who’ve put their money into the ailing sugar mills that have barely been able to parties at the local level? Mayor’s Dilemma”. Many colleagues and peopleproduce enough to meet domestic supply, especially during the festival season. I had the cooperation of all political parties, still address me as “Mayor Sah’b” and that intellectuals and the ordinary residents, and I sometimes make me feel that I am still in tried to build on that trust. charge. We, the politicians of this country, have failed by not raising ourselves above petty What were you able to achieve during your politics. We can still hope to reverse the failures tenure as mayor? of the past 12 years of democracy by changing We’ve seen more development in Nepalganj the attitudes and selfishness of those in leader- in the past five years than we had achieved in ship positions. the past 30 years. There was institutionalised corruption at the municipality, which had also affected our image. I have been able to control that corruption. We have undertaken a major effort to upgrade infrastructure: shop- ping centres at the municipal complex and the bus park, three organised vegetable markets, improvement and conservation of the Rani Talau, and the construction of a mini zoo. Prior to this we had no source of local income; today we are moving towards being a municipality that earns its own keep. 888 HERITAGE 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES 999 Going, going, Shrinking Tundikhel almost gone.

1960 1980 2000 IMAGES OF CENTURY/GTZ OF IMAGES HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ e’re used to it, but the first It’s been encroached upon and is now being thing visitors to downtown fenced off. It’s thetime Karmachari to Sanchaya show Kosh’s Tundikhel, our only Kathmandu remark on is that main office now stands, and a Tundikhel as it looked from the top of Dharara tower in 1925, and (top) vast, conspicuous swathe of real park, somefoundry respect. was built to manufacture the Khari Ko Bot where Chandra Sumshere announced the emancipation Wopen space called Tundikhel. For a city squeezing in Tundikhel from the cannons on the south-western side. of slaves in 1924. estimated cost of Rs 28.1 million. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ north and south○○○○○○○○○○ sides, and so was that has seen such extensive documen- Taleju Bhagawati temple by Queen The department estimates that the Juju says that Ghode Jatra was atShahid Gate, which was constructed to the ground,” he says. tation of its buildings and spaces in Bhuvan Laxmi. During the Malla one time only symbolic—the horse space will be able to accommodate the last three decades, there are period, Tundikhel was a vast open without any consultation with the But people like environment of the Kathmandu Kumari would be communities that lived around the 300 tents during large-scale surprisingly few people—government space maintained by the rulers for let loose at Tundikhel during Indra campaigner and tourism entrepre- emergencies. Five emergency gates functionaries or independent research- social and cultural events, including area. More recently, the Royal Nepal neur Bharat Basnet, who started a Jatra. But when Jang Bahadur Army built an officer’s mess against will be built for large scale move- ers—who know anything about Ghode Jatra celebrations. Some returned from England, he realised clean-up campaign in Tundikhel ment of people to Tundikhel, but Tundikhel’s history or its social researchers argue that Tundikhel was public opinion and until late 1992, (“Citizen Bharat”, #92), believes the that the festival had the potential to the space adjoining the the gate through which the public significance. Everyone knows that therean architectural requirement of the show off his military strength even move will help stop encroachment now enters will retain its present was a massive tented camp here after Malla era—vast open spaces were as it entertained foreign visitors. and misuse of the space without function. Explains Amrit the 1934 earthquake, but few people considered essential near any denselyTundikhel was turned into a parade restricting the cultural activities that Shresthcharya, senior divisional understand why it is the spot of so populated settlement. As the rest of ground for the Nepali army as early Khulla Manch take place here, or the access of the planner at the DUDBC, many military parades, and no one canthe Valley expanded to accommodate public to it. Ravi Shah, site engineer as the mid-1830s, towards the end was allocated for a flea market. “Kathmandu’s open space is being even tell you how many square metres new, wealthy towns, darbars for the fencing project, recalls how encroached on mainly due to wrong of Bhimsen Thapa’spremiership, The latest onslaught on this it covers. Now, the nine ft-high fences and shrines, Tundikhel alone crucial Tundikhel was after the policies. With planning and being erected around Tundikhel mightremained open. and Jang Bahadur reinforced this new defining feature of the capital has 1934 quake, and says: “The fencing use of the space, but it was Bir execution of the kind we are mean even less interest in a part of It still is, although over the past been its fencing off by the Depart- is to prevent encroachment. We wantundertaking here, we will be able to Kathmandu as steeped in legend as any Sumshere, who proclaimed himself ment of Urban Development and to preserve the open space and make 150 years, the demands of modernisa-prime minister following a coup in prevent further encroachment in Darbar Square. Building Construction (DUDBC). it useful during calamities.” tion, and the need to legitimise Rana 1885, who turned Tundikhel fully Tundikhel.” Henry Ambrose Oldfield, British rule slowly constricted it from all Gautam for one is unhappy about The DUDBC plans to fence over to military use. this, as are many members of the resident surgeon in Kathmandu, wrotesides. “Encroachment of Tundikhel At the centre of Tundikhel was Tundikhel in three phases at an in his 1850s book started when the rulers started general public. “Tundikhel is our the garnering military power. They history, everyone should have access Sketches of Nepal overlooked its social and cultural significance and made it out of reach of COMMENT by LUIS PAULO FERRAZ that Tundikhel originally spread from the communities in order to use it to where Rani Pokhari is today in the their own benefit,” explains Bal Dev north to where the Dasarath Stadium Juju, an expert on Newar culture. is in the south. He estimated that it measured two-three miles in length Until Jang Bahadur Rana came Khari ko botwith a marble and about 300 yards in width, makingto power, the army was trained and it one of the Asia’s biggest parade paraded in the Chhauni grounds. platform around it, under which the Kathmandu’s lungs grounds at that time. Bhimsen Thapa might not have Rana rulers made all significant envisioned developing Tundikhel as announcements—Jang Bahadur Since Tundikhel lies in the heart summoned the army to challenge athmandu is recognised internationally as acultural heritage of Sao Paulo. There was a “People’s a military parade ground but his special city for different reasons: its environment,Park” without significant greenery, but with seven of the city, it has always mattered to decision to build a palace for himselfKing Rajendra in 1848, Bir those who would make their its people, the architecture, the landscape,football the fields. The area was unique not only because in Lagan Tol, south-west of Sumshere proclaimed himself prime culture. When I arrived here in January andof the dense urbanisation around, but also due to its authority felt. Way back in 1671, Tundikhel, in 1813/14 brought minister at that spot in 1885, Kstarted walking around the towns, three aspects intense use by the population, especially the poorest, King Pratap Rana made the first soldiers closer to Tundikhel. Chandra Sumshere announced the attracted my attention: the Valley itself and thewho had no access to private clubs. It was not easy to incursion into this space when he Barracks were constructed on the eastemancipation of slaves in 1924 in surrounding mountains, the architecture, includingconvince the authorities about the importance of the area, in the face of all the other economic interests directed that Rani Pokhari be built and north sides of Tundikhel, wherethe same place, and finally, the the temples and the palace squares, and that unusual to console his queen. open area, a kind of park in the middle of all theinvolved. But today the park is protected by law and it Allies’ success against Hitler’s is recognised as a heritage site by Sao Paulo State. But the first mention of urban confusion: Tundikhel. Germany was announced and There are many reasons why it is so important to Tundikhel by name was later, in I was impressed to see that large open space celebrated here in 1945. protect green and open spaces in urban areas. Some 1709, in a scripture engraved in the being used by Kathmandu people. Some were The political significance of playing football or cricket, others having a picnic,environmental reasons are: to recharge groundwater, Tundikhel started declining after the others only crossing to the other side, boys andpreserve girls the microclimate, provide habitat for fauna end of the Rana regime in 1951, but flirting with some “open privacy”. But in the past(especially few birds), and minimise the air pollution. months I have noticed that this unique place hasFrom a social perspective, areas like Tundikhel are then the encroachment began, and responsible for reducing urban stress, creating was institutionalised during the been closed off to the public. Everyday I check to see if it has been re-opened, but the only differenceopportunities now for sports and recreation, improving the Panchayat years. Says historian is an iron fence ringing the green. landscape of the city, and helping promote tourism. Rajesh Gautam: “Tundikhel started I grew up in a very difficult urban environment It is hoped that the local authorities will be shrinking faster even as the world and I know how hard it is to live in a place deprivedsensitive of to the protection of Tundikhel. Not only is it was realising the significance of open parks and open spaces. Sao Paulo, in Brazil, isimportant a to keep the area free of new encroach- spaces and got serious about young city compared to Kathmandu. Rapid urbanisa-ments, but also to maintain it as a public and open preserving historical and culturally tion without planning has created a critical situationspace. Tundikhel may not be a heritage for entire important spaces.” for its 18 million inhabitants who live in a pollutedhumanity, but it could be a national heritage site for environment and are deprived of enough areasKathmandu for and its inhabitants. In 1961/62, the US government sports, recreation or even simply for a rest. helped support a food-for-work In the 1980s I worked for a government agency(Luis Paulo M Ferraz is a Brazilian geographer programme which was used to responsible for the protection of the natural andcurrently living in Dholahiti, Kathmandu Valley.) divide Tundikhel into three separate parts and fence them off. Ratna Park and Dasarath Stadium were built, 101010 WORLD 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES ASIA 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES 111111 ANALYSIS by JEFFREY SACHS Kurds and Turks One step closer in Nagaland ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ISTANBUL - The death penalty is abolished, Kurds have been The peace dividendNEW DELHI - After given the rights to broadcast in their language, and Turkey is decades in exile, the proud of this homework done for full membership of the European monetary policy to offset, at least MUDDASSIR RIZVIin ISLAMABAD Bangkok-based leaders Battered, but strong ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Union. But Turkey might If only Pakistan and India could of the 55-year-old rebel partially, any slowdown that arises. have another to-do list on ticking to its position that The Federal Reserve can continue to movement in north- Will America’s stock market collapse its hands after the EU settling the Kashmir dispute agree on increased trade. eastern Nagaland state cut interest rates, which can’t stop a meeting in Copenhagen in must precede freer trade with ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ are set to arrive in India lead to depression? December when Turkey’s S collapse, these patterns reverse. slowdown, can help to ensure against a for a political settlement claim to membership will India, Pakistan has chosen to prolong tensions at a controllable level, says ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ full economic collapse. in response to an Consumption and investment fall. be discussed. Turkey is a restrictions on trade ties with its rival History’s most famous stock Inyatullah (who goes by one name), a invitation by Prime Foreign investors flee. Bank loans are changed nation, though neighbour, while aiming for greater long-time peace activist and an expert on tightened. These factors add up to an market crash followed by an economic questions remain whether market access elsewhere in South Asia. Minister Atal Bihari collapse began in 1929. America’s regional security issues. Peace activists Vajpayee. Officials economic slowdown, as in America’s it has changed enough. Pakistan’s trade policy for 2002/ in Pakistan disagree with the govern- stock market plunged in October “The 28 wouldn’t set a date for mild recession of the past two years. 03, announced last week, once again 1929, and the US and much of the ment’s rigidity that has seen Musharraf the arrival of But two forces can turn a mild rules out the possibility of free trade world then fell into a Great Depres- discount non-political ways of normalis- Thuingaleng Muivah and slowdown into a severe recession or th with India. This time, the pretext of Isak Chisi Swu, who sion. The key reason for the Great Star” ran a headline inHurriyet the , Turkey’s biggest ing relations with India and placing an even depression: stock market decline th Islamabad’s announcement is the lead the most powerful Depression of the 1930s was not stock daily, meaning that Turkey will be memberthe 28 of the EU. Chief emphasis on a settlement on Kashmir. can lead to a full-fledged banking recent stand-off between the two faction of the banned market decline, but the collapse of editor Ertugrul Ozkok says: “We have come from the fear of At the diplomatic level crisis, as occurred in Japan, Mexico, nuclear neighbours amid a more than Pakistan maintains that non- National Socialist America’s banking system that took pronouncing the word ‘Kurd’ to ending up with granting freedom Council of Nagaland and most recently Argentina. Banks for education and broadcast in Kurdish language.”A Kurdish seven-month-old imbroglio that has Isak Chishi Swu and Th. Muivah at place during 1930-33. Since there was settlement of the Kashmir dispute (NSCN-IM), but said thatthe thirdthe Generalgovernment Assembly was ofeager the to arrive may face bankruptcy, as they can’t get minority of an estimated 15 million has for years struggled for seen the biggest-ever military build- no deposit insurance in the US at that is the reason for trade restrictions at a resolution which Unrepresented“satisfies all Nagas”.Nations and The Peoples avowed repaid during a stock market bust, and fundamental rights within Turkey. Turkey’s preparation for the EU up on their borders. “When the two time, bank depositors panicked when on India, but commerce ministry ultimate aim of the NSCN-IMOrganization. is the creation of Nagalim or so severely restrict new lending. In has now changed their lives. The “EU laws package” as the countries’ armed forces are standing some banks began to fail. That panic officials privately agree that the Greater Nagaland, which includes not only large chunks of extreme cases, bank depositors fear for media calls the reforms now passed by parliament include eyeball to eyeball, how can they initiate incited a widespread banking restrictions stem from a fear of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh states but also the safety of their deposits, and flee freedom of education and broadcast in non-Turkish languages, trade through a land route or enter failure. The Federal Reserve did not the dominance of Indian parts of western Burma. Expected to be announced shortly from the banks, adding to the banking freedom to criticise the state and its institutions, easing of into a free trade agreement?,” feel free to expand the money restrictions on foreign NGOs, greater freedom for non-Muslim products and services. They say is the lifting of a 12-year-old ban on the NSCN-IM, which on crisis, and foreign investors may Pakistan’s Commerce Minister Razak supply at the time because the US minority groups, and tougher measures against illegal migration India has manipulated its tariff 11 July in Amsterdam signed a joint communique with the suddenly flee. Suddenly the country Dawood said days before Islamabad adhered to the gold standard. through Turkey. In a country where denial of another ethnicity had structure to suit the central government that officially recognised the “unique is thrown into a balance of payments become the cornerstone of statehood, analysts call the recent signed trade deals with Sri Lanka and history and situation of the Nagas”. The Naga tribes are of My moderate optimism should interests of its exporters crisis, in which it cannot service its reforms groundbreaking. Bangladesh. of finished and semi- Indo-Mongoloid stock and are mostly Christian, having been foreign debts. This disrupts trade not disguise my unhappiness at Pakistan, which faces a trade converted by missionaries after the invasion of their home- America’s poor economic manage- finished products. Its and production. deficit of around $1 billion annually, tariff manipulation has lands by British colonials in the 19th century. Following the ment. The Bush Administration’s decolonisation of British India, the Nagas declared inde- I believe the US will avoid both a (IPS) hopes to achieve an export target of reckless tax cuts and protectionist trade undermined the chances of pendence under their leader, AZ Phizo. he billions of people in the But it helps my moderate banking crisis and a balance of $10 billion by striking these recent Pakistani manufacturers and policies should be reversed. Corporate But a great threat to a lasting settlement comes from world who don’t invest in the optimism comes from examining the payments crisis. Some American banks accords. Interestingly, while India and industrialists benefiting from low priced will likely report large losses as a resultabuses need to be exposed and Policing NGOs elected representatives in the north-east, including Chief US stock market are wondering ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Pakistan have closed all land, rail and T links between the stock market and the punished. But in the end, the US raw materials available in India, analysts likely in the near future. One whether the puncturing of America’s rest of the economy. During a stock of the stock market collapse, the US air links for their people, they say. Among other things, they are regional security analyst explained Minister Jamir and the chief ministers of the neighbouring economy is productive and flexible ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s military rulers are putting the finishing Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, parts of which are stock market boom will incite a market boom, when share prices are dollar will possibly keep losing value. continue to run trains to transport the worried about cheap pharmaceuticals in smuggled into India. Pakistan loses an that such progressive initiatives and highly innovative, and is likely inhabited by Naga tribes. Manipur has already announced But US banks still appear strong—well touches to a government bill that they say will streamline how few goods they allow their business’ to India, and Indian automakers taking estimated $500 million annually in need democratic thinking and a crumbling of the US economy that bid up high by strong investor strong enough to withstand the thousands of NGOs operate in the country, making them account- that it would not withdraw arrest warrants it issued against will spread to the rest of the world? confidence, the stock market helps capitalised, reasonably well supervised, trade in. over the industry in Pakistan. customs duties to smugglers, sincere desire to establish durable and with only moderate levels of non- irresponsible public and private able to the state, particularly in their financial affairs. But, while according to one independent source. Muivah and Isak. That means that neither can visit Manipur, My guess is the US will escape create an overall economic boom. the government says that the process is aimed at reforming the In 1996 India granted Pakistan According to Pakistani Commerce peace in the region. “It suits the two-thirds of which is inhabited by Nagas. In January last performing loans. And as for debts economic management of recent years. Activists say fears that Pakistani with only a modest slowdown. My Consumers who own stocks feel working of public interest organisations and maximising benefits the Most Favoured Nation trading Ministry figures, between them, India interests of the governments in the year, when New Delhi extended its ceasefire with the owed to foreign creditors, America owes optimism may seem misplaced in a richer, so they buy more. They also for the people, most NGOs fear the legislative proposals will take status, in line with WTO require- and Pakistan import and export goods industries will be overwhelmed by two countries—the BJP with its NSCN-IM to cover territories outside Nagaland, riots broke money in US dollars rather than period when the stock market falls borrow money on the basis of their away their independence and freedom to work. “It appears to be ments, but the step was never worth $35 million every year. Pakistan’sIndia are misplaced, and are hopeful Hindu nationalist agenda and out in Imphal, capital of Manipur. Fifteen died and students, another currency. The US won’t “run an attempt to bring NGOs under government control,” commented nearly every day, and when other stock market wealth to buy new reciprocated. New Delhi withdrew the own economic indicators put the figure that businessmen on this side of the Pakistan’s military—to maintain belonging mostly to the majority Meitei community, set out of dollars” to service its foreign Shafqat Munir, who heads the Islamabad-based countries have historically seen stock homes, cars, and other expensive status after the attack on the Indian at around $250 million. Independent border will find advantage in Indian the status quo for domestic ablaze the state’s assembly building. Assam Chief Minister debts, the way that Argentina or Korea Journalist for Democracy and Human Rights. According to a market collapses incite economic items. Companies find it easy to parliament last December, which it studies put bilateral trade at between $1 markets once trade is opened up. compulsions,” observed Najum Tarun Gogoi said that he would ignore the Naga ceasefire did during the past decade. The dollar with India’s central government and that the ban on the collapses as well. It also seems borrow or raise new equity for capital government estimate, more than 45,000 people are working in blames on Pakistan-based terrorist billion and $2 billion—most of it They specifically mention wheat Mushtaq, an Islamabad-based may therefore lose value as investors areas as diverse as advocacy, human rights, service delivery and NSCN-IM would continue. Former Home Secretary K misplaced given America’s weak investments, thereby creating a boom organisations. through smuggling. Smuggled (which up until recently Islamabad analyst working for the Interna- flee the US, but probably without relief in a country marred by rampant poverty (around 50 million Padmanabhaiah, who has been pivotal to the talks between economic leadership. President Bush in business investments. Banks lend The main resistance to trade videotapes of Indian films, artificial imported from the United States and tional Crisis Group. provoking a more serious crisis. Also, from a population of 138 million live below the poverty line), with a the NSCN-IM and the Indian government, says that cease- recklessly put a tax cut for the rich on easy terms to households and jewellery and cosmetics are popular in Australia), medicines and fertilisers as the United States can use expansionary majority of people lacking basic needs. proposals with India comes from the fire and territory have since been delinked. above all other economic concerns. He businesses that own high-valued Pakistan, while copies of Pakistani some of the products whose price (Project Syndicate) Many NGOs and their networks have already expressed military establishment, which can only stocks, believing stock market wealth television shows and dry fruit are would drop substantially in Pakistan (IPS) is a protectionist, not a free trader. serious reservations at the proposed Non-Profit Organisations justify its existence by keeping President Bush and Vice President is good collateral. Foreign investors if they were imported from nearby (Jeffrey D Sachs is professor of (Governance and Support) Ordinance 2002, which the govern- India. Cheney are both under scrutiny for pour money in. ment made public in the second week of July for consultations possible past corporate misdeeds. When the boom ends, and prices economics, and director of the and comments. Khawar Mumtaz, coordinator of the Pakistan NGO But free trade with India isn’t Center for International Forum, an alliance that brings together leading organisations from Development, Harvard University.) across Pakistan, says the forum’s main concern is the proposed establishment of a powerful National Non-Profit Organisations Commission, which is to be headed by a minister and comprises COMMENT by RIGOBERTA MENCHU members from the government as well as the non-government COMMENT by VANDANA SHIVA sector. The draft law stipulates compulsory registration, with the commission, for all public interest organisations that apply for or receive any government or foreign funds in excess of $5,000 in a (IPS) single financial year. The bill also requires that registered organisations file with the commission at the end of each fiscal year details of foreign funds received in excess of $1,650. The Not quite Rio+10 proposed ordinance would make it obligatory for NGOs to provide MEXICO CITY - For the Johannesburg Summit on Sustainable Development,Staying alivethe commission with details including the identity of donors and In Johannesburg the WTO will push that Do you have which will be held 26 August – 4 September, it will not be enough to show up the purposes for which funds are received. The bill empowers the commission to initiate audits against any ffice-bearer or part of its agenda that has no legitimacy with more paper commitments—not with the global powers continuing to weaken any PrPrany oblemoblemoblem Indigenous people and the environment need member of any organisation suspected of involvement in financial even in the WTO. international instruments until they are effectively irrelevant, and while the commitment, not endless agreements on paper. irregularities. unilateral arrogance of the powerful continues to promote, through action or ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ with youryourwith calculated inaction, acts of genocide as the world looks on, paralysed by impotence, exclude life forms from patentability and criminalise biopiracy.The WTO is failing to recognise that life is equilibrium, that equilibrium is consensus, and consensus must be respected. trying to use Johannesburg to advance that part of its agenda that can’t be Skin & Hair ? pushed through the WTO itself—bad for citizens rights, government I don’t dismiss the advances, particularly legislative and regulatory, that have responsibilities, and corporate accountability. taken place over the past ten years or the wealth of local experience that has been The transformation of development into an ideology brought the VEGETVEGETVEGETABLE DYEDYEABLE HAIR TREATMENTTMENTTMENT developed in the wake of Rio. But is this progress rapid enough? How many (IPS) Natural look For falling hair disasters must yet occur, how many arrogant unnecessary wars must yet be fought, globalisation of the priorities, patterns and prejudices of the west. Rather than maintaining diversity, it has created homogeneity. Market development is Long lasting Colour Dandruff removal how many international instruments guaranteeing peace and life itself must be based on market growth indicators and externalisation of environmental costs defied or denounced before we can accept that the “civilisation” in the name of Getting heated up ADVADVADVANCED FFANCED ACIALSACIALSACIALS AROMA THERAPY which so many errors and injustices were committed is not the only path for ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and of human rights and needs. The right to development based on the Enzyme Therapy Rejuvenates skin, universalisation of market development ultimately it means the right to Anti-Pollution Facial Lifts tired muscles humanity. MONTREAL - Led by a northern hunter who spoke of signs of destruction, since the market prosperity of the North is characterised by per In the cosmovision of my Mayan ancestors, every people, every culture, is the global warming throughout his territory, Canada’s provincial capita consumption and natural resource utilisation 5 to 20 times higher than UNDER EYE TREATMENTTMENTTMENT ANTI-WRINKLE premiers shrugged off tradition at their annual summer meeting mirror of the natural world in which they live. No one can imagine a polar bear in in the developing countries. Rio made a convergence possible between Removes dark Circles TREATREATREATMENTTMENTTMENT and engaged in a public row over whether to ratify the Kyoto Reduces crows Feet the Amazon, or the Maasai people moving from Kenya to Greenland. Cultural NEW DELHI - Expected to be the Rio+10 Summit—a culmination of the work environment and development, and the North and the South. Erases fine lines, Tightens skin diversity is the mirror of the diversity of nature. Each time a forest is razed, a form Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. While precise diagnoses, even with binding international instruments and plans of oil-rich Alberta province continues to fight the global treaty that begun at the 1992 Earth Summit—at the official level, the World Summit on Unfortunately, a desperate attempt to erase the memory of the Rio COLLAGEN & ELASTIN of life is violated, a language lost, a form of civilisation ended, an act of genocide ACNE TREATMENTTMENTTMENT action. It is needed is to renew the political will that restores the value of the Canada signed but is now hesitating to ratify, three smaller Sustainable Development in Johannesburg from 26 August - 4 September is Hyper hydration for dry skin committed. commitments is underway. The first distortion being introduced is that With soft laser founding pact that underlies our actions. provinces have loudly urged Prime Minister Jean Chretien to ratify shaping up to be the Stockholm-10. The 1972 Stockholm conference was the “environment” and “development” are opposing concerns. This was business Of particular relevance to the indigenous peoples, the Rio Summit approved the accord. In the end, both sides settled for a typically Canadian MICRO BIO LIFTING We also hope that the Johannesburg Summit strengthens the recognition of first sign of government recognition of environmental problems caused by and industry propaganda pre-Stockholm, but then it was recognised legal and MANICURE & PEDICURE the Convention on Biological Diversity, of which article 8J requires recognition of compromise: a meeting with the prime minister on a date that has Tones up skin, Lifts facial muscles With Aroma Oils the rights of the indigenous peoples, particularly the right to own our inalienable models of non-sustainable industrialisation and economic growth. Stockholm ledgovernment systems good for the environment are good for development too. and learning from the richness and diversity of indigenous practices and systems yet to be determined. Environmental groups say the public lands, the resources that we have used ancestrally, and the collective intellectual to the establishment of environment ministries and the creation of environmentResource destruction and alienation are the biggest causes of poverty; securing of knowledge. However, what has prevailed has been the old thinking of plunder, wrangling is a good sign that Chretien, who is in the middle of an RRRemember us for all your Skin & Hair Problemsroblemsroblems property of the traditional knowledge relating to it. On our lands we indigenous unofficial leadership fight, will ratify the deal and may even protection acts and agencies, and was followed by two decades of consolidation ofland, water, and biodiversity rights is the best mechanism for ending poverty arrogance, and colonial disdain that underestimated the wisdom of our ancestors peoples sustained life for generations; we preserved the natural diversity and announce his decision by the end of this month at the World environment protection at the national level. in the Third World. Now the Rio agenda is being replaced by the Doha and denied our peoples the right to well-being . FIRST TIME IN NEPALAL efficiently produced the foods that marked the history of the civilisations. We willSummit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in South Africa. By the 1990s it was clear that while the source of environmental problems agenda. The perverse equation being created is: poverty removal = FIRST TIME IN NEPALALAL The theoretical and normative arsenal that emerged from Rio—binding not accept any restriction on the international standards now in force, particularlySoon after Canada’s neighbour and largest trading partner, the might be within national boundaries, the impact went far beyond. Rio providedglobalisation of economy = WTO rules = corporate controls over resources. instruments and the irreplaceable methodological tool of Agenda 21—constitutesthe requirement that there be “prior consent” regarding any action that affects our United States, announced last year it would not ratify the Kyoto a second generation of environmental law and policy for international obligations Johannesburg’s hidden agenda is privatising natural resources and Painless Permanent Hair Removal Protocol—which requires industrialised nations to cut emissions the most significant intellectual and political advance produced by the debate oninterests. of countries combined with national duties. The Convention on Biological enclosing the commons, using “poverty removal” as the excuse. Poverty talk by Microlysis - a latest technology from Europe development and peaceful co-existence in contemporary history. Rio represented a an average of five percent from their 1990 levels by 2012— by an expert cosmotologist trained in V.L.C.C. The Rio pact must be converted into a Code for Co-existence for a world that Chretien hinted that Canada might follow suit. He has said Diversity (CBD), and the Climate Change Treaty (CCT) were two legal has become a screen for hiding poverty and debt-creating systems. WTO definitive shaping of concepts, giving development an integral focus that estab- has caused as many deaths since the World War II as died in the war itself, that ratification would put the country’s businesses at a competitive instruments that were the legacy of Rio. rules and World Bank structural adjustment policies are making land, water, and Bloosom Kochher, (Pivot Point) New Delhi lished the interrelation between economic, social, environmental, and cultural has generated more than 23 million refugees and no one knows how many disadvantage with US companies. Since then, he has suggested However, Rio was undone by the GATT/WTO agenda. The Biosafety and biodiversity the monopolies of corporations. dimensions. And Computerised Hair Styling displaced. We need to radically change the rhythm and the direction of this modelthat countries renegotiate the deal struck in Japan in 1997 so Protocol under the CBD and the Kyoto Protocol under the Climate Change Because of the degradation of nature and various life forms over the last ten Canada could obtain credit equal to cutting Canada’s reduction Convention have both been subverted by the US, the biggest genetic polluter of co-existence which is so accommodating to cruelty and disaster. We must requirements by 30 percent for exporting “clean” energy—natural (IPS) years, despite the existence of an important consensus, declarations, and accords,restore dignity and a sense of a commitment to the survival of the species and all and CO2 polluter of the world. While the US has forced India to remove we hope that the Johannesburg Summit will make a clear, firm political commit- gas and hydroelectricity—to the United States. civilisations. import restrictions using the WTO, the WTO can’t prevent the US from (Vandana Shiva, an author and international campaigner for women ment to guaranteeing the environmental governability of the planet and with it further raising its subsidies to US agribusiness to $20 billion a year through its world peace. The past ten years have shown us that is insufficient to depend on (IPS) and the environment, received the Right Livelihood Award—the HERBAL BEAUTY CLINIC & TRAINING INSTITUTE new Farm Bill. The mandatory Review of TRIPs, the intellectual property Alternative Nobel Prize—in 1993.) agreement, is being blocked by the US despite calls by Third World countries to Hariharbhawan, Pulchowk, Lalitpur ( in front of Sajha Bus garage) (Rigoberta Menchu is a 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient and UNESCO Tel : 550692, Res : 533493, 535513 Goodwill Ambassador.) (IPS) E-mail : sworupash @ hotmail.com, Website : www.ypnepal.com 121212 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES HISTORY 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES 131313 Himal Khabarpatrika recently organised a contest giving young NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA ENCOUNTERS by MEGH RANJANI RAI people a chance to speak out against the violence in the country. Over 300 young Nepalis from 52 districts participated.“The future is ours...” This week we translate the prize-winning essay in its entirety, - Richa Bhattarai, Kirtipur POETRY AND REVOLUTION: and notable excerpts from other entries. Yubaraj Parajuli,Lalitpur elect the right people who can then guarantee good governance. We can Candyin Will blowing up a bridge in Rolpa make things difficult for the prime pick leaders who will bring develop- minister? Will shutting down a school ment. Who does not have the right to Siddhicharan Shrestha Let’s choose life over deathin Gorkha affect the education of the go and seek the people’s support? children of the education minister? Those who claim to be revolutionar- Top Bahadur Khadka,Himal in Khabarpatrika, 1-16 August Will destroying a hydroelectric plant ies, who have taken to terrorist means, Nepalganj in Rukum bring darkness to the why can they not go to the people [to Photographs of Lekh Nath Poudyal and Juddha Prasad Mishra had written seek their support]? Kathmandu in the lyrically on political oppression and the suffering of political Dear friends, all of you residence of the home minister?” 1930s show a massprisoners. Vyathit and Shrestha were contemporaries of Laxmiepalganj has the feeling of a wild west frontier town. Suddenly, who now have been Prasad Devkota and Gopal Prasad Rimal, both of whom also Parasu Shrestha, Dharan Khugendra Raj Kandel, Gaidakot of brick-and-mortar you realise: yes that is exactly what it is. A hot, dusty border city caught in the revolt and the strongly protested injustice in their art and life. By then it was If you are actually fighting for the hovels punctuated by where the streets reek of mule droppings from tangas. And lately, violence that is burning thisYou may be thinking “My comrades the norm for important poets to write not just about theirN welfare of the people, and are opulent Rana palaces land of the Buddha! Are and I are shedding blood for the to get work. The environment is not subjective experiences, but of the suffering of ordinary itNepalis. is the epicentre of the state’s response to the emergency. The conflict you sure you are not people and the nation. The armed genuinely motivated by the desire to suited to using skills to make a living. with aspirations to in the hills has made Nepalganj go through a boom. The city is heading down a path that Though in Panchayat years Siddhicharan Shrestha came to struggle will bring revolution, develop the country, why are you People are heading abroad. Why is Versailles. Ordinary expanding, new buidings are coming up, refugees have moved down can have grave conse- attacking physical infrastructure? Will be known primarily as a romantic poet, his early work focuses quences? Are you sure development and the pace of progress this happening? Are we all unable to Nepalis who appear in from the hills. The traffic across the border into India has increased. will be many times what it is today.” those acts make the people happy? Are equally on the need for social change and revolution. In the that you are not wasting come together and tackle these these photographs poem below, he mourns the death of a son of Laxmi PrasadMasses of screaming and sweating humanity teem on the sidewalks, However, the revolution you are there no other means to attain your your most creative years problems? Why can’t we combine look pre-political to usDevkota, who, despite gaining wide popularity in his shortshuffling along in temperatures at 43 degrees and no sign of respite as by taking the destructive thinking about is impossible in the goals other than murder, violence, your courage and strength with our now, resigned to theirlifetime, lived in unspeakable poverty. Shrestha urges histhe sky remains cloudless and there is no sign of rain this year. (The path just because you’ve present national and international abduction and destruction? creativity to build a strong youth friend to transform his private suffering into a revolt, into the decided to go by what poverty (or we attribute monsoon finally arrived in Nepalganj on Monday—a month-and-half context. At a time when even Mao’s force? Why can’t we rise above being to them inscrutable seeds of revolution. others are saying? Stop own country is democratising, isn’t it Kabita Adhikary, Pokhara Congress, UML, Maobadi, and even late.) In the middle of Nepalganj, right next to the Police Training fatalistic minds). Yet and think, perhaps your foolish and immature to imagine I appreciate your campaigns against for a short time be only Nepalis? Centre is this town’s oasis: The Traveller’s Village with its simple white violence has caused many “peace-loving” Nepalis to hang their heads in shame. dismantling the democracy established gambling and alcohol and your war they were by no building. Maybe you have not yet forgotten the compelling arguments you presented whenafter you 30 were years of struggle for the sake of against feudal traditions. But your Nirak Bahadur Sunuwar, Dailekh means living in simple asked to write an essay “the pen is mightier than the sword” while still in school. Thatbringing was about when your republic? How guns have begun missing their targets Rame joined the Maoists to do times. When Juddha you upheld the pen as the harbinger of “life, progress and civilisation” and comparedcan the you sword justify the revolutionary of late. The internal conflict is turning politics. Shyame became a Maoist Sumshere Jang To Poet Devkota with death and destruction. But many people who once put forth this argument are nowactivities taking to uproot up the system that you Nepal into another Afghanistan. That because he did not get a job. Hari Bahadur Rana be- Small is still arms. You have now legitimised getting rid of people you don’t like by declaring themhave rogues, been able class to undertake in the first is why it has now become necessary became a Maoist because he got fed up came maharaja in enemies or informants. You may not take long to get rid of them once you’ve decided what you Wounded bird, what can I say your bruises are gathering place because of democracy? What is for you to return to the mainstream of home. Dhire picked the Maoists 1932, anti-Rana beautiful in this want to call them. The actually cutting and killing may take only a few seconds. Just for a moment, with open minds. still please try and think how long it must have taken the parents to raise the person you theare type killing. of revolution Is it your group is after being deep in debt because his sentiment was gaining ground in Kathmandu. Shukra RajThe world wants to snatch from you even your soul oasis in the possible to bring back the dead who you got rid of in a few minutes? trying to achieve by destroying the business failed. Bire became a Maoist KAMAL MANI DIXIT Joshi had met Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose in India,This and is the way perhaps of the foundation’s desire to hear Laxman Ghimire, Kathmandu You may have your own reasons for taking to a suicidal path: there is oppressioninfrastructure in society designed to make the because of poverty. Nare joined the had formed the Nepali Nagarik Adhikar Samiti, a group de-the song that you sing kneading your chest, drawing your lives of the people easier and that has Have you ever thought these things: manding citizens’ rights. Another group, Ajambari Mat, had middle of and you’re unhappy over its inability to develop. If those are your reasons, then they point to your Maoists for the emancipation of dalits. blood How many have been widowed as a been founded by Newar intellectuals opposing the Bahun frustration. Picking the option of the “people’s war” over other democratic means to tackletaken so andmuch time and money to Gagane used to be a teacher. He joined Speak poet, sing, parching your vitality: What have you Nepalganj. overcome these problems hints at a frustrated mind. The violent path that you have chosenbuild? result of your acts? How many have the Maoists because he did not want to caste’s supremacy, and demanding social justice. Teachersreceived at here? reflects the frustrations in you. lost their children? How many have teach in the village and also because he the Mahavir School in Khilha Tole were preparing an independ-Have you seen anyone so much as melt in this arid land? ent syllabus aimed at sparking political consciousness in The lodge is everything Nepalganj is not: it is clean, cool, quiet, The ideology of violence does not separate us from others with finality. Your brotherBhivu was Bikram killed been crippled, while nothing has did not get the respect his qualifica- Friend, this land won’t be bettered by spreading hands, Today we see an enemy in every happened to the actual corrupt students, and the school was becoming a gathering placecrying, of screaming uncomplicated, and a haven of hospitality. Candy here is not some in the actions of security forces and your son “Victory” is now out to avenge the death of your tions deserved. Others went to take up budding revolutionaries. A smattering of free thinkers were unknown face because of the terror that people? You seem to have a large cache guns. But whatever the reasons, the What will you gain by gathering affectations of sympathy?delicacy, something tooth-wrenchingly sweet conjured by a sweating father. Your brother-in-law was killed because he was a “class enemy” and his son, in revenge, organising underground libraries and discussion centres.He All who took your son by sending death at a tender age has decided to become a soldier. Now tell me, who is fighting whom? Are they not theyou children have spread. of The word trust has of weapons, but why are they always path they have taken—of violence and halwai in Rupediya. No, it is Candy Sherchan, the proud owner of this was before political parties began to form in the 1940s.by whose inspired anomaly you suffer such penury brothers and sisters? One has picked the “people’s army” the other the “royal army” lostand its bothmeaning. have A new aspect has beenaimed at the poor? Why have you not murder—will not help resolve the Traveller’s Village. The lodge’s only claim to pretentiousness is a three- Some of Nepal’s leading poets and writers of the 1930stake revenge on him, poet, sing, sing a fire song taken the route of not stopping until the other is killed. Is there a better example of whatadded the to our result lives—fear… Why aimed your arms at the mafia and the problems; they will only complicate way stucco staircase that connects the three units, 12 rooms with air of such violence and counter-violence can be? corrupt? and 1940s were among those directly leading anti-RanaHundreds of thousands who have lost their sons will doesn’t your heart cry when you tie them. Unless everyone comes back on befriend you conditioners, clean beds, no peeling plaster, working faucets, no moldy One “Avinash” was killed Khara of Rukum. His mother, who had lost her only son,someone unleashed else’s father a to a tree and the road to peace, the country will not dissent. Kedar Man Vyathit was active in the Nepali Nagarik Adhikar Samiti, and Siddhicharan Shrestha was teachingPoet, at the sound a song to raise the corpses of our uncountedcarpets and ferocious tiger blankets vying for space on my bed. flood of tears when she was told that the dead had been exhumed from their gravesshoot and him exhib- because you are angry or Kabita Katwal, Sittel, Bhojpur be able to change its appearance. Mahavir School. Before them, poets Shambhu Prasad Dhungel,sons The service is sweet and ready. No waiters in pseudo-Nepali ited. The father is said to have promised Rs 100,000 to anyone bringing him the headhave of the power? dead. Why doesn’t your Everyone loses in violence, while a song to shatter the unconsciousness of each age You call yourselves the children of Sisne and Jaljala, fine. You can be proud of that heritage, but sustainable, legal campaigns always turnouts, no waitresses in Newari costumes and no Nepali dal bhat in hand shake when you snatch loved Richa Bhattarai, Kirtipur copper thals that have turned green. My mother-in-law had a remedy don’t adhere to that bad side of that upbringing. Until some years ago, hundreds of thousandsones from families of and slash them withwin. This is a historical fact. When Poet, the dinghy of life navigates a vast sea of suffering The future is ours. The present for green utensils: one handful of crushed burnt charcoal from the young goats were sacrificed in Jaljala, Rolpa annually, and the blood of the sacrificialkhukuris animals in front of their relatives? you seek change unnaturally, you Stop, don’t spend tears at the passing of a young beloved would formkulo a . How can we be sure that you are not just following this tradition with blind leaders of the country will eventually fireplace, a lot of rubbing, and you can see the reflection of your face in You are carried away when you commitmight even put lives in permanent retire, and then we will have to resolve son faith, sacrificing people? All you friends who have taken to violence, there is still time—letmurder andus donot just what you want to. danger. Let us not engage in violence On the pain on the ground, poet, lay down your unbearableyour plate! People forget that ash is also antiseptic. You have to take the path of death, but turn towards the road to life. all the problems facing us. To take up in the name of change and freedom. the challenge we need to collect distress be there to believe that in Nepalganj you can have chicken that tastes So many lives are going to waste daily for want of food and Jaya Sharma, Bhadi Kuwa, Parbat knowledge, rather than engaging in like something Colonel Sanders would dish out, with mashed I want to ask our friends who have Bijaya Gautam, Banepa mindless violence and murder. We clothes potatoes, greens in the most delicious lemon butter sauce. Chicken taken to violence where it will end. Change brought about by guns can need to direct our common sense on Add your drop of water to this sea of pain a la Candy. Where will the serial violence end? last only as long as there are bullets. to the right path, and we need to be Navigate your life’s dinghy on these waters The service and care make the eating at the Travellers’ Village just Violence is not a solution, it creates The crowd that is behind you will capable of taking the country towards Dance rubbing the ashes of burned dreams and putreslike at home. Candy’s gestures are dervied from her 27 years in Nepal. more problems. We are losing the remain with you only such time as progress. cent hopes Her waiters are Tharus who she supports with board, and lodging, food trust we had in you, we are getting you keep carrying guns. Think, do Poet, live even in suffering to prepare the earth for hunand education for their children. That is corporate social responsibility, desensitised… you do you have a raison d’etre Rajaram Siwakoti , Hetauda dreds of thousands Schumacher style. Small is beautiful in this pocket of Nepalganj. without weapons? Your goals and objectives can be Build a new world free of the present anomaly Harilal Poudel, Bijauri, Dang achieved quickly by winning over the Live and save others, defeat death and spread robust What type of power will we end up Bikram Basnet , Khotang minds of the people. Which country with once violence had burnt away all Friends, the path you have chosen is will you rule, and for whom, if you ness here creativity? Who will remain who we one which some day will bring you to spread violence and murder, kill Help children all over the world to stop dying before can call “the people” after we have a situation where you will not even Nepalis and destroy development their time killed everyone? Is it our goal to make ahave time to repent. infrastructure? If you want to rule this Spread your command, go, poet, let cries and battlefield of our country and then country leave the path of violence and tears stop at once QUOTE OF THE WEEK gradually turn it into a desert? Mahesh “Jigyasu” Poudel, Kirtipur come to the people, we youth are ready Country arranger, poet, you have sons Our problems and pains are the to join hands for peaceful protests to We are unhappy that the Indian government banned the Ekata Samaj for its alleged affiliation with Rajaram Dahal, Jhumka, Sunsari same. The only difference is that you create the necessary pressures. all over the country Nepal’s Maoists at a time when discrimination against Nepalis has increased. The Indian disposition ofIt is true that we did not get what we have headed to the forests to try and Go, stand up, or others may die, ah, creating new problems for Nepalis (living in India) makes us angry. had hoped democracy would bring. resolve them with khukuris and guns, Rita Silwal, Birendranagar how they live… But we still have the right to remove while we are still in the villages and Mother does not want to see brother the incapable and replace them with towns. It’s as if someone has sewn up —Giridhari Lal Neupane, President of Mainstream All India Nepali Unity Society in going to the battlefield with weapons. The poem echoes Shrestha’s earlier capable leaders. Isn’t our inability to our mouths. You cannot find work She wants to see her children going to call to himself to ‘become a poet inside and Jana Aastha on 13 August. even after walking around with pick the right people our own failure? the fields with their outside a warrior.’ In this, he stands as an What we need to understand is that if bundles of certificates. You need democracy remains, we will be able to relatives and example for Nepali poets today, many of who share his acute desire to invite (or force) progress to Nepal.

Note: The original poem is written in a strict metre kutto andkodalo . and rhyme scheme, which (fearing laughable Mother does not want to hear about results) I have not attempted to mimic in the the death of her children, she wants to English translation. afno manche if you are hear of their progress.

Kamal Kumar Lamichane, Hetauda I won’t accuse you of treading on the wrong path but I will definitely say this: you are destroying the very road Banner—All-party Meeting on which you walk. “Nobody showed up, shall I erase ‘all-party’ and replace it with ‘one-party’ meeting?”

Budhabar, 14 August 141414 CITY 16 - 22 AUGUST NEPALI2002 TIMES ARTS AND CULTURE 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES 151515 MUSIC REVIEW by RUPA JOSHI ABOUT TOWN YAK YETI YAK by MIKU EXHIBITION Colorgraph prints by Ragini Upadhayay-Grela. 17 Auguat-15 September, Siddhartha Art Gallery, 11AM-6PM, except Saturdays. 218048

EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS Bichalit Bartaman/ The DisillusionedA Present multimedia arts event to raise Music in my soul creative voices in solidarity against the country’s deterioration. 17 August, Basantapur Dabali. Noon t was an enthralling evening: the launch with photo exhibition; 12.45 PM poetry reading, visual artists begin work; 2PM drama; 3PM music; 4PM visual art exhibition; 5PM conclusion. (See p 15) show, the stage, the ambience, and Phatteman himself. Rain dance DJ Ozzie at the poolside lawn, Hotel de l’Annapurna. Rs 300, 2PM-7PM, 24 August. I Phatteman’s total devotion to his 221711 music was apparent in the way he Jhaankri Festival Shaman dances and dinner at The Fort Resort, Nagarkot, 22 August. immersed himself into the depths [email protected]. 226799 of each and every song. With a The Second Bagmati River FestivalCeremony at nod, a juggle, and twist of his BOOKWORM Sankhamul at 1200 noon on Friday, 23 August. Be there to head and neck he seemed to coax welcome the kayak and raft flotilla! Development as Process: Concepts and Methods for Working with Complexity David the notes from deep within his [email protected] throat, every note as powerful as in Kayak Race. Part of the Bagmati Festival, starts at Mosse, John Farrington, Alan Rew, eds the original songs he sang over Sundarijal at 0800 on Friday, 23 August. For inquiries: India Research Press, New Delhi, 2001 three decades ago. His body sang Nepal River Conservation Trust, phone: 426 329 or 419 295 Rs 472 along with him, his dimpled chin Raft down the Bagmati to save the river. From Tilganga How can the complexity and unpredictability of planned development be understood? How thrusting in and out, shoulders to Sankhamul one hour. Starts at Tilganga at 1100 on Friday, can project managers deal with the social relationships and institutional contexts in which they arching along with the crescendo of 23 August. Rs 150 per person. For tickets and inquires: operate? Drawing on work in agriculture, irrigation, forestry and fisheries in Asia and the former the chords, fingers dancing over Ultimate Descents 419295 or Friends of the Bagmati, Hotel Dwarika’s. Soviet Union, the authors examine the changing information needs of development agencies as the harmonium, or stretching out BRITISH FILM FESTIVAL 2002 they move away from simple technology-led approaches. with an 21 August:Lucky Break, 22 Augsut:High heels and Low ,Lifes 23 August:Last Resort, 24 August: Strictly Sinatra, 25 August:There is Only One Jimmy Grimble. All shows at 6:30 pm at the Gopi The Underdevelopment of Development: Essays in Honour of Andre Gudner Frank alaap. Song after song Krishna Hall. Tickets are free after 5:30 pm each day before screenings. Sing C Chew, Robert Denemark, eds from the jocularSannani ko gaalai ma kaalo kothi raichha najar nai Sage Publications, New Delhi, 1996/2001 MUSICMUSICMUSIC tirmir garaauney, to the melodious Rs 1,112 The Jazz Commission at Fusion with Vidhea singing jazz, blues and more. Fridays, Fusion Bar, folk songGhintang ma ghintang This festschrift pays homage to Gudner Frank’s many years of struggle to offer an alternative Dwarika’s Hotel, 7PM on. 479488 maadalu bajyo that he sangwith Shangri-La Re-Unites Prism Friday nights live at the Jazz Bar, starting 8 PM. conception of development. This volume is an invaluable tool to understanding Frank’s complex Anju Sewa, the four-day old new www.hotelshangrila.com. 412999 intellectual development, from his study of human capital at the University of Chicago, his mother. From his nostalgic all-time The veteran singer Phatteman was in fine Live music by Catch 22, Friday nights at the 40,000 ½ ft Bar, Rum Doodle Restaurant, Thamel.revolutionary dependency analysis of Latin America and exploration of worldwide economic crises. hits Marnu baru gaarho hunna, form at his first solo performance last week. 414336 timro maya marnai sakina andYasto few words he spoke in between pani hoondo raichha jindagi ma non-intrusive, complementing the songs. A couple of songs into the DRINKDRINKDRINK Development Theory: Deconstructions/Reconstructions Jan Nederveen Pieterse kailey kaileyto the heart-warming, mood of the songs—shades of evening he said, almost apologeti- Ladies night at The Rox Bar Wednesdays. Women get a drink on the house, and after 8PM Teesta Vistaar Publications, New Delhi, 2001 rousingRaato ra chandra surya jangi crimson when Phatteman belted out cally, “Sorry, but it’s hot.” and band plays. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. 491234 Rs 440 nishaan haamro, he sang over two Raato ra chandra surya. The taste of removed his black Mountain Madness Special Two-for-one cocktails at Rs 250, and BBQ. Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, Pieterse discusses Eurocentrism, critical globalism, intercultural transaction, delinking and dozen of his favourite hits, his gusto the young showmen from Nepalaya bhadgaunley Thamel. 250440 alternatives, human and post-development theory. He discusses reorienting and restructuring the still the same, the nuance of every and the designers from MaxPro was cap to reveal a shiny pate! Happy Hour at Splash Bar &Buy Grill one, get one free. Live music Wednesdays and Fridays with field and connects development with new thought in sociology, critical theory and social science. note still the same, the potency in his apparent in every detail of the stage, Autographing the back of a fan’s Barbeque. Radisson Hotel 5.30 PM-7.30 PM. 411818 voice still the same. down to the use of traditional brass ticket stub after the show, Phatteman and the 20-person drinking vessels instead of the Phatteman wrote“sangeet mero ubiquitous mineral water bottles. FOODFOODFOOD Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711, [email protected] ensemble who sat on a three-tiered pran ho” (Music is my soul.) The Cool Saturday Brunchat The Fun Café, Radisson Hotel with buffet of cold soups, salads, starters, brick platform lined all around This was Phatteman only proof you need for that is the mains etc, Noon-2.30 PM. 411818 with oil wick lights seemed as if Rajbhandary’s first solo appear- simple life of this modest 67-year- they were on temple steps in the Authentic Thai food Everyday at Yin Yang Restaurant. 425510 CLASSIFIED ance, and the singer’s down-to- old artist who has sung 300 songs Thomas Kilroy at the historic 1905, Kantipath Special August offer has any two courses with a midst of a festival.The lighting was earth simplicity was apparent in the ○○○○ in his 50-year career. glass of wine, beer or iced tea for Rs 500. 225272 House for rent in Thamel Four bedrooms each K-Too! Beer and Steakhouse not the “longest”, South Indian Food Festival at The Café 9-24 August Authentic flavours such as rasam, idlis,with attached bath, eat-in kitchen, living room, “highest”, “first” or any other superlative. Just a large terrace, Rs 15,000. Tel:9810-21981, relaxed, easy-going bar and restaurant with the dosas,appams, chettinad curry, seafood. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. 491234 9692-3272 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ coldest beer and juiciest steaks this side of the [email protected]) Iced Lemon Sour Plum Sour, sweet, salty, bitter, to go with the improved Singaporean and moon. By the Kathmandu Guest House. 433043 Malaysian food. Sing Ma, the Food Court, [email protected]. 520004 Creative(Bichalit activism Bartaman will begin at Pasta Mania Choose from a variety of pastas for Rs 111 plus tax at lunch and dinner, andFoot 20 percent- Reflexology: stressed or tired? UPLIFT Basantapur from with a photo epali writers, artists, activists YOUR SPIRIT FROM YOUR TOES UP. Visit Ground ZeroFine wines, designer candles, exhibit at 1200 on Saturday 17 off bottled wines. La Dolce Vita, Thamel. and social commentators areNepali artists, writers, musicians, photographers, email: [email protected] or ring 425931 August followed by poetry Wood fired pizzasat the new Roadhouse Café. Completely redesigned with separate bar seating cards, silver jewellery, wooden handicrafts and getting together on Saturdaythespians, poets, journalists, come together on more. Darbar Marg, opposite Hotel de l’Annapurna N sessions, street theatre, concerts and coffee bar. The Roadhouse Café, Thamel. 17 August from noon till 5PM atSaturday for peace and democracyand end at 5PM.) in Nepal. Basantapur Dabali in Kathmandu to Paddy Foley’s Irish APub wide range of drinks and food. Live music on Wednesday, ThursdayNagarkot and Special at Naked ChefBed and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ breakfast, three-course gourmet dinner, Rs 800Short ermT House for Rent - lovely furnished do their bit to stop the senseless Sunday nights. 416096. and numbing violence that per person. Room Rs 300 only. For Nepalis and Participating artists of all three bedroom house available from September for dominates the news every day. Special Thai cuisineat Ban Thai Restaurant, Darbar Marg. 243271 expatriates. 680006, 969107153 disciplines will freely express their five months.Call 375820. Eighteen arts-related organisa-own thoughts regarding ways to put GETAWAYS tions responding to diverse beliefsthese troubled times behind us. For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. Secret Garden Weekend Local residents buy one night for $99 plus tax and get the second at and representing a wide segmentAsked of why he is taking part, poet Nepali artists, writers, musicians,Durga Lal said, “This is going to 50 percent. For single or double with discounted add-ons, Dwarika’s Hotel. 479488. be a soul-renewing exercise. Even Agent Jay (Will Smith), now a lonely and photographers, thespians, poets, Monsoon mists Horseshoe Resort, Mude two-and-half hours from Kathmandu. Nature walks, journalists, social commentatorsif I cannot bring my poem, I would angst-ridden MiB, uncovers a diabolical plot mas- birdwatching, drizzle walks, Nepal’s best Finnish sauna. [email protected] and art-enthusiasts will take partcome in to derive emotional terminded by Serleena (Lara Flynn Boyle), an evil Men in Black IIfive hours of creative expressionsustenance in from what other poets monster that disguises itself as a sexy lingerie Bichalit Bartaman(The Disillu- and writers have to say about what model. Meanwhile he also meets another woman is going on in our society.” Sarita sioned Present). They want to give Laura, and sparks fly between them. When Mishra, a tabla player, said that JAINEPAL an outlet to their voices and Serleena takes the entire MiB building hostage, she hoped the event would let her thoughts, and to share social and there is only one person left for Jay to turn to—hisCINEMAGHAR create music to reflect the present For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] humanitarian concerns for peace and to spread the message of former partner, Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones), and justice with the public. now a drone in another large government11.30 office, AM, 2.30 PM, 5.30 PM hope. Photographer Usha the US Postal Service. Director: Barry SonnenfelddailyPhone booking 442220 This is not the first time that Titikchhu said she wanted to join Online booking Nepali artists have risen up in ahands with other artists to express www.jainepal.com period of crisis. During the Nationalconcern through her pictures Referendum of 1979, Nepali poetsabout the increasing lack of social of various backgrounds campaignedjustice. Artist Asmina Ranjit said for multiparty democracy by takingthat her installation work would be their poems directly to the peopleagainst violence and for peace in through Street Poem RevolutionNepal. (Sadak Kabita Kranti). Similarly, The artists and writers say that during the 1990 People’s Move-they don’t believe that they can on FM 102.4 ment, writers of various political achieve peace and justice by persuasions gathered at Sarswoti Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today merely making wishes or by Sadan at Tri-Chandra College, engagingtheir in activities in their lips sealed with black ribbons to NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Sat 0615-0645 BBC Science in Action isolated spheres, but that an protest the absence of freedom essentialof condition for peace and DSES-14-08-2002 02:00 GMT Ok, call off the frog weddings and the midnight speech and lack of social justice. Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda justice is that members of civil strip-tease in the paddy fields. It worked. The two-month The organisers believe that asociety use non-violent public drought in the west has ended. The reason was the Daily 2045-2115 BBCg] kfnL ;]]jf] similar expression of outrage is persuasion in their societies. weakening of the westerly front over Afghanistan which needed today, regardless of Bichalit Bartaman is their allowed the monsoon to make a break for it. In this Daily 2245-2300 BBCg] kfnL ;]]jf] political beliefs. The event aimscollective to attempt to show that satellite picture on Wednesday morning, we see a promote creative, political, non- monsoon squall-line right across northern Pakistan. In much damage has been done by party activism that would build upviolence, to call for an end to Nepal, we are still the midst of two monsoon troughs, and solidarity among diverse Nepali there are fresh clouds headed this way from the bay. Sun-Fri 0740- 0800 ltg6f s'''/f mayhem, and to build solidarity writers and artists, give space to for a peaceful, democratic Nepal. Expect heavy showers and moderate night rain this week, disparate concerns about Nepal and with occasional heavy localised cloudbursts. Daily 0800-0830 8jnL8jnL8jnL (For further details, contact bring together fragmented indi-Khagendra Sangraula, Rajendra Daily 2000-2030 cfhsf s'''/f vidual efforts in one place to pushMaharjan and Ashutosh Tiwari of for peace collectively. the organising committee at

KATHMANDU VALLEY Radio Sagarmatha

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 E-mail: [email protected] /]l8of ] ;u/dfyf www.radiosagarmatha.org 29-19 28-19 30-20 29-19 28-19 161616 16 - 22 AUGUST 2002NEPALI TIMES Under My Hat by Kunda Dixit Hari Sharan nipalensis Eating crow ecent breakthroughs in labs in the UK have the evolutionary ladder to become the apex species. confirmed what we in Nepal have known now forThey are at the top of the food chain, and not only Rquite some time: that crows are collectively are they now numerically superior to human beings, smarter than human beings. British scientists conductedat least in our locality, they also have far better IQs. an experiment in which they placed some food in a In fact, the time may have arrived for Nepal to have miniature hamper inside a test tube, and left a piece ofits first crow editor, first crow vice-chancellor, first copper wire casually lying around. Guess what the crow prime minister, and a cabinet made up of smarty pants crows did: they bent the wire into a hook,ravens, rooks and jackdaws. fished out the hamper, and had a picnic. “Piece of From my own personal observation at our cake,” they are reported to have chortled. They even favourite neighbourhood garbage pile (which is knew how to talk with their mouths full. Wow. about ten metres away as the crow flies from where I Although the scientific community at large is abuzzam sitting now) I know that several of the carrion with this discovery, here in Nepal crow specialists werecrows feeding on water buffalo visespel there deserve pretty blasé about the whole thing. “Big deal. Nepali PhDs. British crows may use primitive tools to extract crows are much smarter than that,” said Prof Kag KC,hampers from test-tubes, but their cousins at Krishna Head of the Centre for Crow and Raven Studies at Galli have discovered fire. Yes, they have learnt to set Tribhuvan University, on the trash ablaze so that they can organise condition of complete anonymity. regular barbecues of water buffalo T- Our ancestors have known of bone steaks, well done, and invite the intellectual prowess of crows guest crows from as far away as since the dawn of human pre-history, Babar Mahal for raucous feasts. and that is why they nominated the Crows, as we know, are bird as aide-de-camp to Yamaraj, the God of Death. The crow was chosen socialist animals, which means over a short-list of other applicants, that they are highly organised which included a female and have an efficient caste system Anopheles mosquito, a tick, with an elaborate division of labour. and a fruit bat. Ever since As winged scavengers, they are they were given the greedy, gregarious, they love to appointment letter, it is a eat rotten stuff, they are job crows have taken very uncouth, devious and love to seriously indeed. talk with their mouths full. Unbeknownst to the rest of the A perfect election world, Nepali crows have climbed up symbol for a party without one.

NEPALI SOCIETY

high. “It is the satisfaction of doing it right, money can’t buy you that. And the gratification is Kiran, theknowing radiothat the issues we guy broadcast influence policy t all began three years agohospitals, vehicle emission decisions.” when a fresh science standards, the martial rape bill, Kiran saw how powerful graduate from Lubhu, tiredduped Nepali migrant workers, I his medium was when lawyers you name it. of teaching school, decided to played a recording of his Q&A make a career move. He It’s now come to the point on a government decision to walked into Radio Sagarmatha,where you’re nobody unless allow Indian vehicles into Nepal Nepal’s first public service you have been grilled by Kiranon self-certification to the judge broadcaster, and offered on Aja ka Kura. A list of his who then ruled against it. A himself as a volunteer. There interviewees is a who’s whoprogramme of highlighting an followed nine months of long Nepali politics: former prime Indian minister’s statement on unpaid hours, and gruelling in- ministers Surya Bahadur Thapaplacing Indian security at house training, and lo and and Lokendra Bahadur Chand,Kathmandu airport after the behold: Kathmandu got one of UML boss Madhav Kumar Nepal1999 hijacking became contro- its most incisive and hard- and dozens of his comrades,versial and was picked up by hitting radio discussion pro- hundreds of activists, students,the opposition MPs who raised grammes. all have been heard. Everyonea fuss in the house. Kiran Pokhrel hosts Radiogets a chance to take pot shots Last year, he and a col- Sagarmatha’s best known at everyone else, and it doesn’tleague covered the pyramid prime time radio talk programmematter if you are a senior savings scheme. Duped Nepalis Aja ka Kura(Today’s Talk). He minister or a migrant worker: jammed the switchboard at the has talked day-in, day-out, you get equal time. station with calls, and the NGO seven days a week about Kiran is completely and involved was forced to refund everything under the Nepali passionately submerged in thethe money. sun: the dissolution of parlia-world of radio, and he says it At 26, Kiran is not planning ment, life without local govern- doesn’t matter that salaries intoo far ahead. He wants to fulfil ments, mismanagement of community radio are not veryhis late father’s wish that he get an MA degree before embarking on a career. Trouble is, Kiran’s career has laready taken off, and he doesn’t have much time to study. We just had one last question. When are we going to see female Kirans in the male- dominated world of news and current affairs on radio? Answer: Radio Sagarmatha is grooming young women journalists, so it may not be long before we start hearing from radio gals, too. MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN Kiran (left) with Raghu Pant, Rohit Nepali and Narahari Acharya on a live studio discuission about the November election on Wednesday’sAja ka Kura.

CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59