#485 15 - 21 January 2010 16 pages Rs 30 Haiti calling

f the pictures of Haiti’s wrecked presidential palace I remind us how futile human endeavours are in the face of nature’s brute force, it won’t be the first time. The earthquake of 1934 caused similar damage to the Kathmandu Valley, and the relatively low number of casualties (by today’s standards) shouldn’t deceive us into thinking our capital will get off with anywhere near the level of punishment. As we remember the victims of the Haitian quake in the run-up to Earthquake Safety Day on Jan 16, we’d do well to assess our own risk and consider how we can prepare for the inevitable. Full story p6

BEFORE AND AFTER: Patan’s Darbar Square bounced back from the 1934 earthquake, but what of the rest of the Kathmandu Valley?

Yes, you CAN

CAN Info-tech is here again and you’d do well to brave the chill if you want to indulge in some hi-tech hijinks this winter.

p7-8

KIRAN PANDAY 2| 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

political instability, which means even moderate political Valley fell after a military siege he was way ahead of his TRUE NATIONALISM leaders have been forced into radical time in merging his kingdom into Kathmandu rather than posturing to keep their flocks together. Some donor-funded the other way around. Prithvi Narayan was much more In the space of one week, some political pressure NGOs have now gone from being development of a federal democrat than today’s sloganeers on the groups closed down the country in support of ethnic organisations to political pressure groups with incendiary streets. federalism, others did the same to protest federalism. ethnic, racist and separatist agendas. Their views are now Prithvi Narayan’s gaudily painted statue in Another political party shut down the nation to protest so extreme and rhetoric so radical that their political Kathmandu may look like a caricature, but it reminds us federalism. The Maoists fanned out to border hothead mentors look moderate in comparison. what true nationalism is. True nationalism doesn’t hotspots to shake angry fists at India, while in Things are made worse by a rigid, exclusionary state consist in going to Susta, Kalapani and Khurdalautan to Kathmandu activists rallied at the statue of King Prithvi burdened by politicians who seek to compensate for deliver xenophobic and paranoid tirades but in being Narayan Shah. slipping support by raising slogans of ethnic autonomy more self-reliant, having more self-respect, and One of the offshoots of the 2006 Andolan and without really meaning it. And beneath it all is the volatile cultivating a sense of unity and nationhood. If we want to Nepal’s transition from monarchy to republic is the substrate of a crumbling economy, the lack of jobs and reduce Indian influence in Nepal, it is more important to ongoing debate about the symbols of our nationhood. In opportunities, and over-centralised decision-making by reduce our trade gap through prudent use of our natural this great churning, accepted beliefs are being unaccountable politicians. resources, and make India dependent on Nepal rather challenged, traditional values questioned. There is a Nepal’s neo-republicans love to vilify Prithvi Narayan than the other way around. True nationalism is genuine and understandable desire on the part of many Shah, but that king showed more foresight, vision and celebrating our diversity, not using it to divide us. groups that have historically been marginalised wisdom than any of the leaders of this supposedly ‘new’ by Kathmandu from decision-making to have their Nepal. Prithvi Narayan didn’t conquer Nepal militarily; grievances addressed. for the most part he coopted principalities and allowed The tragedy is that it is all coming at a time of them self-governance and autonomy. Even when the

people measures like waiving farmer loans, creating employment schemes, and increasing budgets Reaching out for VDCs. Political communication is all about repeating themes innumerable who have arrived to inspect times in different public settings PLAIN SPEAKING ‘Indian expansionism’ first hand, to create mass awareness. and driven deep to the village. Crucially though, it was one Prashant Jha Some residents complain that more step in strengthening the they have land certificates, but organisation, energising the party the land itself has been ‘taken cadre, and sending the message Susta: A rough road track with away’ by India. Others point out that the leadership remained fields on one side and a river on that they are surrounded by Bihar committed and united. the other; Bhojpuri-speaking and UP on three sides, and have Being embedded with the villagers, many of them Muslims; to go to market in India even for Maoists illuminated the working a single decrepit police post; the basic purchases – where they are culture and commitment of the winter fog; and a border where harassed. They cite clashes that whole-timers that sustains the you can cross into another have occurred over the last four party. A large group of Maoist- country without even realising it decades. ADITYA ADHIKARI affiliated students from TU came – to anyone who has travelled in When asked about their to Susta, cheerfully chanting the Nepali Tarai, this would demands, most residents present The tribulations of Nepalis on the slogans. YCL from adjacent sound like just another of the the following list. Give us districts were present in full force. hamlets that mark our southern citizenship, for more than 60 border have more to do with the Regional state committees were plains. But Susta stands out, for per cent of villagers are not Nepali state than with India activated. Party members and in the Nepali nationalist legally Nepali. Construct a bridge sympathisers provided shelter and narrative, it is seen a ‘wound’, so we can cross to the Nepali food. Mass meetings were and an ‘attack’ on territorial mainland more easily. Give us tendency of politicians to that is why mass presence at a organised, where martyrs were integrity. full VDC status so we don’t have opportunistically whip up Maoist rally in Nawalparasi’s honoured, local leaders got a To get to Susta, you have to to travel to Triveni for every passions, these are at the root. Beltari – held right next to an platform, and the Maoist position cross the Narayani River. It takes small thing. Build a health India can only be blamed for its India-constructed campus on the national political situation a ramshackle boat more than half post. And demarcate the border pettiness, and lack of diplomatic building – was not as strong was explained. Other contingents an hour – after getting stuck in with India. magnanimity. Instead of allowing as expected. replicated the pattern in different the middle – to travel across Notice a pattern? All these such issues to fester, India would But the entire campaign parts of the country. little more than 20 metres. Like demands have more to do with earn significant goodwill if it served a purpose. The Maoists Whether the Maoist ‘national in other cases of what’s termed the utter failure of the Nepali were willing to make certain were addressing not just border awareness’ campaign is ‘border encroachment’, the river state rather than grand Indian concessions. residents, but a larger national appropriate or will succeed is lies at the heart of the issue. Its hegemonic designs. The lack of Residents in the deep south constituency, many of whom debatable. But there is little doubt shifting course has led to the penetration of the state in its seem to understand this. It is an regard India with suspicion. They that it has strengthened the party fluidity of the boundary. own territory; its diplomatic emotive issue, but the Madhes is were also reinforcing their message machinery further on the ground, On the other side, three laziness and ineffectualness; its not prosperous or strong enough about a ‘remote-controlled’ and helped the Maoists reach tractors are loaded up with administrative failure to provide to whip up nationalism geared government in contrast to their out directly to multiple Nepali Maoists and onlookers basic infrastructure; and the against the Indian state. Perhaps own government, which took pro- constituencies.

ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com

IN MEMORIAM to you and the fellow WWII veterans of less, considering ever-growing Ramji, your article is a missile for Dear Mr. Jenkins, it is indeed the UK. investment and the increasing number of victims’ struggle for justice. It is very wonderful to see you paying tribute to D. Rai channels. difficult in Nepal to end impunity and our grandfathers, fathers, uncles, and Sandman provide truth and justice to disappeared brothers who lost their lives in WWI & TV BOOM families and thousands of conflict victims, WWII (Unsung heroes, #484). One of I beg to differ with Mr Lal in that his insight MISSING AGENDA when activists like you are not and every my uncles who was only 18 years old into the Nepali media (Lohani’s legacy, This article is powerful and has good party is trying to break the spirit of died in WWII and our family doesn’t #484) seems to be heavily influenced by analysis (Missing justice, #484). justice. The dollar organisations and so- even know where he died. As our comparisons to the Indian media. I believe International community and support- called NGOs are not interested in victims, parents and grandparents were Nepali television channels are quite crude, based INGOs must reach the victims’ but peace projects for the sake of money neither educated nor had the benefit of but that’s because they are unseasoned, families and family associations directly, and fame in the market. Maoists are not today’s technology and computer not because there isn’t enough investment not through peace agents based in interested in this human rights business world they could not locate his in media. Besides, what else would you Kathmandu. NGOs have been playing to because they are scared to face the cemetery or place of death. So by expect in a country like Nepal? In fact, I divide and mobilise innocent victims for courts and punishment. This is why they your kind gesture you have at least think Nepali television channels have their own agendas, not for victims’ rights aren’t being more proactive with regard to given my mother’s family some grown more than any other sector in the last and justice. Our leaders, who have the Niranjan Basnet and Major General peace. Once again, thank you very decade. Also, it doesn’t have much do with encouraged impunity, aren’t helping. Toran cases. I salute your bravery. much and a hearty Gurkhali namaskar the fact that Nepali journalists are paid Seemankan Raktabeej

Publisher: Kunda Dixit | Editor: Rabi Thapa Design: Kiran Maharjan | Marketing: Sambhu Guragain, Subhash Kumar, Arjun Karki [email protected] | Circulation: Santosh Aryal [email protected] Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu | Tel: 01-5250333/845 Fax: +977-1-5251013 [email protected] | www.nepalitimes.com Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | www.himalmedia.com | Printed at Jagadamba Press 01-5250017-19 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 OP-ED|3 Maoists, masters of media

Thapa of Dailekh illustrates. counterproductive. So they one needs to do is call for the Maoist propaganda is to deny FOURTH ESTATE When Maoist leaders were decided to play along and be as revision of the Nepal-India Treaty them the oxygen of publicity. forced to take shelter in India, spectacular a target as possible. of 1950 and vociferously oppose Even when Dahal’s buffoonery is C K Lal they had to come up with a Journalists have since ‘expansionist’ encroachments at ridiculed in print, he still strategy to deflect attention from discovered that we can love them Susta and Maheshpur. In fact, emerges a winner in front of his their dependence on that or hate them, but we cannot Dahal probably overdid his core constituency – the masses in country. So they directed their ignore the Maoists. It seems the ‘dialogue with masters’ rhetoric. the countryside that deeply he Maoists have once cadres to begin digging trenches moment Dahal is removed from More useful has been the resent the holier-than-thou again shown they are on the Nepali side of no-man’s the headlines, there is nothing to reported rift between Dahal and attitude of the urban middle T masters of media land. In a country where the report on. The wily supremo uses his alter ego Baburam Bhattarai. class. In the art of deception, the manipulation. Just as it appeared middle class has turned a his indispensability to make the No matter whose side the media Maoists have proved that they that they were on the verge of besieged mentality into a media magnify the Maoists’ takes, the Maoists reap the have no equals in Nepal. going off the publicity radar, they nationalistic virtue, this turned conceited posturing. To pander to publicity benefit. have managed to hog the out to be a failsafe strategy to the prejudices of The best way to counter headlines and monopolise promote the agenda of armed hypernationalists in UML and primetime. insurgency. the fronts of former Panchas, all Ever since their scuffle with The response of the UML in the mid-nineties for the mainstream parties to the control of a blank wall to paint propaganda onslaughts of the party slogans near Ratna Park, the Maoists was often incoherent, All publicity is good publicity for the Maoist propagandists

Maoists have dominated media limp and self-defeating. coverage. The favourable press Commentators close to NC that the most violent political claimed that Maoist guerrillas group in Nepal’s modern history were merely UML cadres in continues to get is a mystery mufti. UML footsoldiers in the worthy of exploration by media media responded that the studies scholars. guerrillas were maiming and When they began their violent killing only class enemies. campaign in the mid-mountains, Former Panchas in rightwing the Maoists had little access to parties were happy that the mainstream media. The communist guerrillas had commentariat in Kathmandu declared them nationalists. In bristled with UML-types who this confusion, all that Chairman would jump at any chance to Prachanda had to do was spread attack the NC. The idea of Nepali the rumour that Pushpa Kamal nationalism was still based on Dahal did not exist, and the kneejerk anti-Indian rhetoric. The media left him free to travel Maoist media strategy took between New Delhi and advantage of these absurdities of Lucknow. the popular press. The only time the Maoists’ The Narayanhiti Massacre disinformation machinery provided the Maoists with an faltered was when they joined the opening to run their coalition government. It did not disinformation campaign. The get any better when Dahal led the press, including the most ruling alliance and tried to popular Nepali daily of the time, strengthen his hold over state became their mouthpieces. With institutions. the escalation of armed conflict, When Dahal had to resign the Maoists forced the media to under duress, his propagandists do their bidding. Those that realised the Maoists would now dared to hold independent views be targeted by the mainstream were threatened, attacked or media. Resistance would have killed, as the case of Dekendra been pointless and even 4| NATION 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

with students of varying skill- levels, since they are passed regardless of their exam scores. The consequences have been felt outside of Hungi too. In 2004, Smarter reforms a study on CAS by the Department of Education found that schools SUVAYU DEV PANT students but only 11 classrooms, with CAS performed worse than which means about 100 students those without, and concluded that must be packed into classrooms the policy had failed. n recent years, the designed to seat only 30. Under “This is the most absurd result government has instituted a these circumstances, the kind of I’ve ever seen,” erupts Wagley, I series of education reforms individual student attention that “these aren’t bad policies, they that aim to make schools more LPP and CAS demand is next to have just been poorly responsive to the needs of impossible. implemented.” individual students. However, English teacher Drowna Raj Absurd or not, it isn’t a there are signs that this policy Nyoupane complains, “I can’t surprise. There have been shift, detailed in the School interact with my students and problems with teacher training Sector Reform Plan of 2009, may supervise what they are doing, so I and supervision for a long time. In be frustrated by the persistent don’t even know if they are the 1990s, two donor-funded problems of large class sizes and learning anything. With over 100 programs worked separately to inadequate teacher training. students in a class, what can I revise the academic curriculum Two key policies the do?” Additionally, teachers and improve teaching practices. government has warmed to are the haven't been adequately trained But the teachers weren’t trained Liberal Promotion Policy (LPP) about the proper implementation about the curricular changes, so and the Continuous Assessment of these policies. As a result, the programs couldn't be system (CAS), which relax many teachers have implemented properly. promotion requirements while Education reform may misinterpreted them as an “It reflects a broader point: assessing students more regularly outright prohibition on failing although everyone knows what’s throughout the school year. The backfire without calculated students. necessary for education reform, point is to reduce dropout rates, “Too many teachers think the not many are clear about what’s ensure that all students keep up investments policy means you can’t fail sufficient, like teaching teachers with the syllabus, and lessen the anyone. But, that just isn't the how to deal with children,” immense psychological pressure practiced widely in the west and “Access to education has case," says Wagley. concludes Khaniya. that attends the conventional have shown impressive gains in improved but the impact on the This, along with large class Until these extra investments examination system. southeast Asia with regards to quality of education in the lower size, has led to cascading are made, the future of school “Many students who fail access to and quality of classes has been mixed,” says problems. Some students are less children like those in Hungi hangs during the early years of schooling education. In Nepal, LPP has been educationalist Mana Prasad motivated to study, and the in the balance. never return to school. These in operation for several years from Wagley, Dean of the Kathmandu classroom environment has policies will help to check that Classes 1-3, and was recently University School of Education. deteriorated as the higher pass rate If you would like to make a trend,” says educationalist Tirtha extended up to Class 7. While it At Shree Janakalyan Higher has raised the student retention contribution to Shree Janakalyan Khaniya of the National Planning may be too early for a conclusive Secondary School in Hungi, rate and subsequently class sizes. Higher Secondary School, contact Commission. judgment, the early signs aren’t Palpa, it’s clear why this may be Teaching has also grown more Janak Raj Pandey at Variants of these policies are all positive. so. The school has over 1000 difficult as classes have filled up [email protected] 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 BUSINESS|5

Winners

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dabur Nepal’s ‘Hajmola khau, Harke lai hasau’ contest Where has all winners were announced earlier this month. The lucky winners were Nitesh Nepal, Sagar Guragain, Raju the money gone? Shrestha, Sahara Shrestha, Anil Prasad Baskota, doing politics than becoming ace Bhismaraj Dahal, Prahlad ECONOMIC SENSE bankers. How else can one explain Kharel and Manisha Shrestha. an addition of a Vice President Artha Beed The contestants, who won for position in the Nepal Bankers the best jokes submitted, each won a free ‘Petful Dinner’ for Association (NBA) to ensure that two at the Hotel Annapurna. they can do away with elections? n the age of multiple TV So if you have to spend so much channels and abundant FM time converting one of the most

Golfers’ aid stations and instant noodles professional associations in Nepal ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ I brands, the sheer number of vapid into a political one, then where is Dinesh Prajapati, Sanjiv CK and Sonam Lama, the top three discussions and wrongheaded the time to think about liquidity? players selected from the analyses about the liquidity crisis Nepal Rastra Bank’s directives Surya Nepal NGA Youth Golf should come as no surprise. The on real estate came late and call to Coaching Program, were Beed of course has been swamped mind directives during the royal with questions. So where has all regime, which, to take one the money gone? example, sought to resolve First off, real money isn’t internet problems by cutting actually leaving Nepal, since the internet connections altogether. Nepali rupee is not convertible Real estate lending has to be outside Nepal. This means it has looked at from the perspective of Liquidity crisis and what more... museum value outside Nepal, quality and everyone cannot be barring some generous and put into the same basket. NRB, a there are families of four with channels? Has the opening of awarded with golf sets last particularly homesick Nepali couple of years back, issued a twenty mortgages to service. branches and the installation of a week. Surya Nepal offers to exchange it. To be sure, a directive to cap marginal lending The issue is really to look at plethora of ATM machines led to Khelparyatan and Surya good sum of funds always moves against shares at 50 per cent for whether the liquidity crisis is a more idle cash lying around at Nepal have been organising the out of Nepal each year. However, six months. So if you had blue seasonal one that runs between branches and machines? Does the event with the objective of the shortage of currency is really chip shares or just a piece of paper October and January, when taxes NRB really know how much identifying and mentoring due to the long term view and it did not matter. Similarly, you and bank loans have to be paid, or currency is required in a country golfing talents in Nepal. efficiency of the Nepal Rastra cannot club all the real estate whether it is a larger, more serious of 30 million people? These are Bank, since it takes it so long to players into the same category. concern. Have remittances really the questions that must be

Traffic gifts decide when and how to print There are genuine developers and gone down? Are people not answered, and one hopes we ○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ currency notes. there are people who are selling remitting in expectation of a don’t need another high-level Hansraj Hulaschand and There is little research done river beds. There are customers dollar appreciation, or they are mechanism to do so. Company, the sole authorised on liquidity issues, so anyone who can pay their mortgages and remitting through informal www.arthabeed.com distributor of Bajaj two- says anything they want. Here is wheelers in Nepal, donated the Beed’s take: the money three Pulsar 180cc transacted between co-operatives motorcycles to the regional traffic police offices in is probably half or one-third of Biratnagar and Itahari last the total inter-bank transactions. week. The company had These co-operatives are not previously gifted the regulated, so noone knows where Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic their customers have invested. Police Office with six Pulsar The co-operatives then lend cash motorcycles for use by its to individuals who buy real estate Quick Response Team. who continue to deal in cash (in order to avoid paying taxes). The

Sat-reliability co-operatives do not require ○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ clients to present their KYC The Thuraya XT satellite (Know Your Customer), so phone, with an unprecedented anyone can be a client and do battery life, is set to entice anything with their money. Some customers reeling under the people wonder if this is how the hassles of load-shedding and dance bars in Kathmandu are the vagaries of local funded! The co-operatives have mushroomed since banks are too telecommunications. The busy focusing on missionary Thuraya XT is considered the lending against collaterals and world’s most rugged satellite personal guarantees. Banks do not phone, is user-friendly, and like to take risks, so no project comes with GPS to ensure you finance stuff, no non-recourse don’t get lost during an lending, no cash flow lending. enjoyable phone conversation Perhaps, as one banker friend in a remote corner of the confided in this Beed, the bankers country. themselves are going the chamber route, aspiring to be better at 6| NATION 8 - 14 JANUARY 2010 #484

and 8,518 people died in an 8.3 Richter quake, half in the Kathmandu Valley. But THIS WEEK preventative measures are proceeding at a snail’s pace. Dangerous game Following the earthquake of 1988, during Maoist leaders visited key points of which 721 people lost their lives, the state the Nepal-India border on Monday as did begin to look into such measures. The part of their campaign for ‘national 2005 Nepal National Building Code was to independence’ and angrily be enacted in 58 municipalities and 121 peri- denounced Indian encroachment urban VDCs in two years. Between 1994 and upon Nepali territory. Baburam Bhattarai said internal and foreign 2009, 7530 engineers, overseers and masons reactionaries had teamed up to were trained in earthquake-resistant undermine Nepali sovereignty. But at construction. Similarly, the National Society the same time, the Maoists were at for Earthquake Technology (NSET) has pains not to estrange Indian provided training to 206 members of the authorities, whom, recent reports security forces and the Red Cross on suggest, they have met with secretly earthquake impact minimisation. over the past several months. Mohan But implementation is virtually absent. Baidya and Pushpa Kamal Dahal Though Lalitpur, Dharan and Surkhet have said they weren’t trying to sour enacted the building code, Kathmandu, Nepal-India relations, but simply Bhaktapur, Thimi and Kirtipur have only pointing out obvious injustices. All eyes are now on a high-level Indian adopted piecemeal measures. Amrit Man delegation including External Affairs Tuladhar, National Program Manager for the Minister SM Krishna that begins with Earthquake Risk Reduction and Recovery a three-day visit Friday. Preparedness Programme for Nepal, says, “There are laws, we’ve provided training, but Smoking guns if it isn’t implemented what can we do?” Two local leaders were killed in The problem stems in part from the lack Parsa in the past week. On Monday, of a separate government authority and gunmen allied with the Joint Tarai national strategy for disaster management, Mukti Morcha shot at Assistant Chief such as exist in many Asian nations. District Officer Bal Bahadur Malla Implementation has also suffered due to as he was getting into his car, killing his bodyguard, Ananta Raj Khadka. weak support from local administration, On Tuesday, unidentified gunmen which in any case is hamstrung by the absence killed Rajesh Mandal, second-in- of elected representatives in the last decade. charge of the Maoist party in Parsa. PICS: MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA More recently, the cabinet passed the The violence comes after several Disaster Risk Reduction Management Tarai-based armed groups pulled out National Regulations. Though the regulations of talks with the government, which were much delayed, NSET National Program they say is indifferent to their Manager Amod Dixit asserts they could play demands. In response, the Maoists an important role in disaster management. It called a bandh in Bhojpura on incorporates the provisions of the 2005 Hyogo Thursday and are demanding greater Framework for Action (HFA) adopted by 123 government security for party cadres and government employees. nations in Japan, chiefly the formulation of Meanwhile, locals have hunkered relevant legislation, risk and damage down, fearing another wave of Do or die assessments, public awareness and risk violence is imminent. DAMBAR K SHRESTHA reduction measures. Dixit quips, “Easy if you do it, hard if you don’t want to.” A grudging welcome If the government wants to, the Disaster Just days after the High Level ast Tuesday’s 7.3 Richter earthquake Risk Reduction Management National Political Mechanism was formed to devastated the island nation of Haiti, Regulations could be passed in parliament end the current political impasse, it L and alarm bells rang on the other side and put into action immediately. Shankar has already run into difficulties. UML Despite being at of the world as it emerged that thousands Koirala, Joint Secretary of the Central Natural leader KP Oli said it lacked were dead or missing. There are Disaster Relief Committee at the Home legitimacy since it was formed on the basis of interactions between approximately 1300 Nepali peacekeepers high risk from Ministry, claims a relevant draft law is almost three party leaders, not the parties earthquakes, stationed in the country. ready to be submitted to parliament. The themselves, and warned the Maoists They may have been declared safe, but enactment of this law, under the aegis of a were gearing up to capture state Nepal’s lack of Nepal has plenty of reason to worry on its National Emergency Work Coordination power. Baburam Bhattarai also said own account as it prepares for Earthquake Centre to be set up in Singh Darbar in the HLPM lacked a clear purpose. preparedness Safety Day on January 16. Nepal ranks 11th coordination with multiple state organs, will The week also saw a drawn-out on the list of nations at risk from be a major achievement. But according to public spat over whether to invite makes a mockery earthquakes. Experts note that major Dixit, it will take 20 years for Nepal to reach Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of Earthquake earthquakes occur here every 80 to 100 years. the level of Japan’s preparedness even if the into the group. Dahal thinks Nepal, The last catastrophe to fit this bill occurred strategy is implemented tomorrow. Time is whom he labels the “main cause of in 1934, when 80,000 houses were destroyed of the essence. the political impasse”, should be left Safety Day out. Girija Prasad Koirala and Jhalanath Khanal decided to make Nepal a ‘permanent invitee-member’ on Thursday. Needless to say, Dahal isn’t happy.

Slowly but surely Capital risk There is progress on the constitutional front. The Constitutional Committee submitted here are some 150,000 houses in Kathmandu Municipality, and 4000 its draft report and concept paper to T are added every year. But the metropolitan municipality responsible for the CA on Sunday. The Committee issuing certificates for land sales has not been able to estimate to what on State Restructuring and extent the Nepal National Building Code has been adhered to. In fact, Head Distribution of State Power of the Physical Development and Planning Department of Kathmandu announced it was putting the final Municipality, Bimal Rijal, reckons not even 40 out of these 4000 houses are touches to its concept on Monday. monitored for earthquake safety during construction. The Committee still has to work out The situation is similar in the other municipalities of the Kathmandu names and boundaries of provinces, Valley, though engineer Pravin Shrestha claims in Lalitpur, carpenters have but has agreed to grant to ethnic been trained to build earthquake-resistant houses and the municipality does communities the right to preserve conduct regular checks. languages and culture, to participate It’s not just old residential houses that are at risk: administrative in politics and commerce, and centres such as Singh Darbar are equally insecure. According to NSET manage land within their provincial estimates, an earthquake on the scale of 1934 could destroy 70 per cent of boundaries. It also envisions special the Valley’s buildings. Eighty per cent of casualties would occur as a result rights to protect Dalits and women. of people being crushed by buildings. With most open spaces here being The Committee on Form of encroached upon by residential and commercial complexes, the inhabitants Governance submitted a compilation of the Valley would have nowhere to go in the event of another earthquake. of three different concept papers, The human costs are almost unimaginable. after the NC, UML and Maoists failed to resolve their differences. LIFE TIMES 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 7

FOO CHEE CHANG New age high tech

AHMAD ISKANDAR the song remains the same – more and more popularity by the day. and FOO CHEE CHANG functions are being integrated into unified Not just in the west, either. This year’s Smash your devices. The mobile phone is a prime Computer Association of Nepal (CAN) example, with most models today featuring Infotech began its six-day run on Wednesday. television. n the age of connectivity and internet connectivity and entertainment on Sudesh Kumar Karna, president of CAN, community, making do without all your the go among other things. expects a turnout of around 300,000. Nepali Yank your I technological flotsam and jetsam may With applications such as Skype to make Times reviews some of the best digital devices seem like sheer insanity. Hold on to that your calls, hardware such as the TV adaptor and solutions that money can buy at the phone out of thought. bringing breaking news to your desktop, and country’s biggest IT show so you can put Technology continues to dazzle, in the all the rest covered by your personal together your very own home integrated the socket. process rendering obsolete whatever gadget computer, the concept of an integrated work system. was the talk of the town only yesterday. But and entertainment system is gaining XX Toss the radio. 8|LIFE TIMES 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

HIMAL Khabarpatrika Apple iMac 16 January-1 February (21.5”, Rs 122,000; 27”, Rs 160,000), Desktops Neoteric

The new iMac, unsurprisingly, is as sleek and beautiful as its predecessors. Sporting an expansive 27-inch screen, it gives you more than enough space to run multiple work windows. Watch a video, check your mail and browse the latest news simultaneously: the iMac takes the concept of multi-tasking to a whole new level. If its practicalities still don’t impress you, it’s likely the design will draw you in eventually. And if you can’t afford a 27-inch smile, then try the smaller version.

COVER: Extremism Threatens Peace Left and right extremism has polarised the country

Acer Aspire Z5610 Army integration Neither army wants (Rs 105,000), integration Mercantile Office Systems Interview: Keeping it simple, the Acer Aspire Z5610 is an all-in-one desktop. While it might not be BABURAM BHATTARAI on par with the iMac, its price belies its performance. The screen is as big as it can get at 23 inches, ensuring enough space for work and decent movie viewing. However, what Economic Chain Reaction makes the Acer Aspire Z5610 stand out is its seamless fingertip experience. That’s right, A drop in the remittances you can use touch screen technology to perform various tasks and commands. Just be sure that prop up the Nepali to wash your hands before getting down to work… economy Earthquake! Lessons of Haiti for Nepal

CONSTITUTION Sound systems SUPPLEMENT Ramesh Dhungel on the relevance of Prithvi Narayan Shah Report on state transformation Creative Gigaworks G500 Bhairahawa Interaction (Rs 34,500), Multronics

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CAN Info-Tech 2010 will run until Jan 18, 10am-5pm, Exhibition Hall, Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu 18-2 19-3 23-3 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 LIFE TIMES|9

EVENTS ™ ‘In the Eye of the Storm’, exhibition of drawings by Manuj Babu Mishra, till 21 January, Siddharth Gallery, Babar Mahal Revisited, Sunday-Friday 11.00am-5.00pm, Saturday 12.00pm-4.00pm, 4218048 ™ ‘Politics Without Guarantees’, lecture series XXXVI by Vinay Gidwani, 18 January, 4pm, Nepal Tourism Board, Bhrikuti Mandap ™ People After War, permanent photo exhibition, every day 11am-4pm, Madan Puraskar, Patan Dhoka, for bulk school bookings call 5521393

MUSIC ™ Celebrating Diversity: A Musical Caravan, travelling series of concerts by Kutumba and Minap in Lahan (Siraha) Jan 16 and Phidim (Panchthar) Jan 19. Performance in Kathmandu at the Garden of Dreams on 1 Feb and Basantapur Darbar Square on 2 Feb. ™ Live music from Inner Groove on Fridays at the Rox Bar and Sunday Jazz brunch at The Terrace from 12-3.30pm, Hyatt Regency, Boudha. 4489362, 4491234 ™ Live band every Friday and rooftop bbq everyday at Kausi Kitchen, Darbar Marg, 4227288 ™ Some like it hot, every Friday BBQ and live music by Dinesh Rai and the Sound Minds, Rs 899 at Fusion, Dwarika’s Hotel, 7pm, 4479488 ™ Happy cocktail hour, ladies night on Wednesday with live unplugged music at Jatra Café & Bar, Thamel, 5-7pm ™ Nepali Ghajals at D’Lounge Beijing Duck Restaurant, every Thursday 6.30pm, 4468589 ™ Rudra Night live fusion music by Shyam Nepali every Friday, 7pm at Gokarna Forest Resort, 4451212 ™ Jazz evening at Delices de France restaurant every Wednesday, 11am-2pm, 4260326

DINING ™ Famous stews of the world, at the Rox Restaurant, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 6.00pm, 4491234, 4489362 ™ Wine and cheese, every Friday & Saturday, 5-8pm, Strawberry High Tea, 4.30- 6.30pm,The Lounge, Hyatt Regency, 4491234, 4489362 ™ Arabian Nights for Middle Eastern specialities every Friday from 6.30pm, Oriental Nights, flavours and specialities of Asia every Wednesday at The Café, 6.30pm, Hyatt Regency, 4491234, 4489362 ™ Chez Caroline for French and Mediterranean cuisine, Babar Mahal Revisited, 4263070 ™ Live continental BBQ Fiesta, exclusive BBQ Dinner at Splash Bar & Grill, Radisson Hotel, from 6.30-10.30pm everyday ™ The Corner Bar, 5-7pm, 3-11pm, Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, 4411818 ™ Lavazza Coffee and Baskin n’ Robbins, at Blue Note Coffee Shop, Lazimpat, 4491234 ™ A cafe’s café, Dhokaima Café, Patan Dhoka, 5522113 ™ Jazzabell Café, TGIF, 10% discount all day, happy hour 6-8pm, Jhamsikhel, 2114075 ™ Al Fresco, for homemade pasta, steak and freshwater trout, Kakori, for biryanis, curries and kebabs, 7-10.45pm, Soaltee Crown Plaza, 4273999 ™ Teppanyaki meat items and garlic rice at Le Restaurant, Gairidhara, 4436318 ™ Reality Bites, The Kaiser Café, Garden of Dreams, operated by Dwarika’s Group of Hotels, 9am-10pm, 4425341 ™ Starry night barbecue at Hotel Shangri-La with live performance by Ciney Gurung, Rs 999, at the Shambala Garden every Friday 7pm, Plat Du Jour at Hotel Shangri-La, Lazimpat, Rs 600, 4412999 ™ Himalayan Rainbow Trout at Hotel Yak and Yeti, Darbar Marg, 4248999 ™ Tiger for Breakfast, breakfast everyday at 1905, Kantipath, 4215068 ™ Gokarna Forest Resort for a variety of sizzlers at Tripti bar, 44512126

GETAWAYS ™ Relax Package at the Hyatt for Rs 6200 plus taxes for one night accommodation for two, including breakfast at The Café. Package valid till Feb 20, 2010, only for local residents and Nepalese citizens for a maximum of 3 nights stay. Please call 4491234 or 4489800. 10|HAPPENINGS 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

KIRAN PANDAY HOMECOMING: Ex-King Gyanendra at Tribhuvan International Airport on Wednesday after returning from five weeks in India.

KIRAN PANDAY WHIZ KID: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal presides over the inaugural ceremony of CAN Info-tech 2010 at Bhrikuti Mandap on Wednesday.

KIRAN PANDAY FULL-TIME: Part-time teachers demand permanent teaching positions outside Singh Darbar on Wednesday.

KIRAN PANDAY HISTORY: Men dressed in traditional military attire hold up the national flag beneath a statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah in front of Singh Darbar on his birth anniversary, Monday. 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 NATION|11

fantasies involving the wholesale inundation of the valley seem far- fetched, then the Great Earthquake Taking Nepal out that will devastate Kathmandu is only a matter of time. But that is hardly a premise on which to plan a new Kathmandu. of the Nepal Valley Shall we then wait for federalism to relieve the valley of its status as the hub of all Nepali endeavours? It’s hard to imagine WORLD HERITAGE KALAM designating provincial capitals SITE: Brazil's planned will achieve much beyond Rabi Thapa capital, Brasilía creating more levels of administration, and buildings in which to house them across the I’ve lived most of my life at the nation. Kathmandu will still northern end of the Kathmandu remain the federal capital, Valley, in the shadow of the Is this the problem, then? Shivapuri massif. My views of From 1950 to 1990, 13 countries the Himalaya were thus limited to in Latin America, Africa and the seasonal glimpses from Patan or former Soviet Union moved their further afield. As a youth, capitals. Even the Indian capital however, I was not particularly moved from Calcutta to Delhi in enamoured of the mountains in 1911. Why not Nepal? any case. With the passage of The rationales for such time, I came to appreciate the expensive and risky strategies, as Himalaya for their singular beauty assistant professor of political and embarked on treks whenever I science at Southern Illinois was back in Nepal. But my University Edward Schatz assumption was that as the valley explains, usually stem from choked, the mountains, save for nation-building efforts an ever-narrowing window in (particularly in post-colonial spring and autumn, had really There are many things we can do to make Kathmandu situations), economic and disappeared into the smog. administrative justifications, or This season has been a real livable, but moving the capital is the one sure shot the whims of dictators. Taking eye-opener. From where I live in Nepal out of the Nepal Valley Mangal Bajar, and cycling down to distance through the prism of heritage site. As a representative Newars don’t have more right doesn’t quite fit that bill, but that Hattiban, I’ve been treated to pollution makes photos a couple of the Newa Rastriya Party put it over the Kathmandu Valley in itself doesn’t preclude taking fantastic panoramas from Ganesh of decades old look like bad the other day, “What have we got than any other community in the leap. Has anyone seriously to Gaurishankar for days on end. photoshop experiments. Despite from 240 years of external rule?” Nepal, given the patterns of considered moving the capital of They’re just rock, ice and snow, of everything, the Kathmandu While he insisted this did not settlement here (reflected in the the federal republic of New Nepal? course, but the Himalaya never Valley is one of the more imply non-Newars had no place rest of the country) and the Rome wasn’t built in a day. A cease to charm. Imagine my beautiful parts of the world. It’s in the capital, his lament that layers of interdependence that new capital for Nepal won’t delight when they reappeared in just too bad we’ve done so little the valley was overburdened in allowed the capital to prosper materialise overnight, either. But the new year, albeit with their to keep it that way. every respect does suggest some in the first place. Imagining we if we don’t even begin to talk nether regions obscured by a No wonder then that some in Newars feel this way, if we are to can re-establish demographic about it, we may be missing out grimy layer of smog. the Newar community feel that view the nose-chopping incident equilibrium under the guise of on a double whammy: the chance I’m grateful these views are enough is enough, and that as of last Sunday’s bandh in a an ethnic Newar state is pure to throw the Kathmandu Valley a still available – their capacity to indigenous inhabitants they must certain light. tomfoolery. lifeline, and the chance to give elevate remains undiminished in reclaim the valley that through But while the world owes a How then to save the valley another city a shot at the future. my eyes, even if their relative their endeavours alone is a world debt to Newari culture, the from itself? If millennarian Any takers?

Kathmandu (although if you do, passersby will set fire to your car these days). No, they are not taunting you, they Minding our manners are admitting guilt for having broken the rules, shame for having put oneself in such a tight spot in the first place. Foreigners visiting our dignitaries in their offices are The twain may never aghast at the ubiquitous Chinese bath towel with bold NEPALI PAN meet, but the belching floral prints draped behind them on the chair. They are Subodh Rana there possibly to prevent sweat from ruining the original has got to stop upholstery bought with tax payers’ money. Or is it because of the lack of a hook in the toilet? here is an anecdotal story of a Western salesman My friend Mikhail Vinding, who was in the Danish coming to Nepal and showing his wares to Foreign Service at the time of King Birendra’s state visit to T prospective buyers. Every time he asked whether Denmark, tells of how at a reception a waiter was about to they liked something, the Nepalis would shake their heads hand over a glass of wine to His Majesty with his left from side to side. hand. Vinding quickly intervened and took the glass in The salesman soon left very disappointed, never his own ‘right’ hand before serving the king. A faux pas knowing that the Nepalis were completely happy with was averted, although having been educated in the west what they were seeing and their appreciative headshakes we don’t really know if Birendra would have really meant, “Yes, we like it!” Culture Shock Nepal is littered taken offence. with such miscues whereby our mannerisms and manners Rules of etiquette also change with time. At a restaurant (or lack thereof) serve to disorient, confound or offend you may still be rudely surprised by a loud belch outsiders…or vice versa. emanating from a nearby table as a diner broadcasts his Westerners are often alarmed by the habit of Nepalis compliments to the chef. We love eating dal-bhat with sticking their tongues out like the goddess Kali destroying been able to figure out is the snapping of fingers every time our fingers, though like belching, you won’t see (or hear) the demon Mahisasura, especially if they have been someone yawns. many urban Nepalis doing so publicly these days. I for chewing pan. They need not be: it is a simple expression Foreigners riding cabs must notice the number of times one stick to spoons because I eat twice as much when I use of shock intermingling with relief indicating that a big the driver touches his forehead with his fingers as he passes my fingers. calamity was averted at the last minute. wayside shrines or crosses streams and rivers. It is a flying But there is one breach of table manners that really In the old days when one sneezed, someone would salute to the gods, an acknowledgement of his holy presence gets me, and that’s our loud slurping when we Nepalis exclaim “Narayan” to invoke the gods’ blessings against a en route. It is also a means of achieving quick oneness with take soup or tea, and our habit of eating with our mouths killer flu. It’s still pretty common to see people blowing divinity before Kathmandu’s traffic trials usher in the devil’s open. It’s fine at home, but could we try not to export on their fingers religiously if they inadvertently touch own sanguinary thoughts. such Nepalipan to international conferences? their throat (or insisting, if they touch someone else’s The slapstick humour of Nepalis can be sometimes throat, that the person blow on the offending fingers), annoying to outsiders. We laugh at everything. People even Dedicated to Fr James J Donnelly, S J (1929-2009) and his thinking this will prevent goitre. And the one I still haven’t laugh if you nearly mow them down in the chaotic streets of Brown Bomber. 12|TRANSPORT 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

Under the Local Self coordination among traffic Governance Act 1999, local monitoring and regulating bodies planned and agencies. implemented policies The responsibilities are split independently, according to the up among various groups that Traffic travails needs of their localities. The don’t communicate adequately arrangement served the political with one another: the Department parties well, since it enabled of Roads repairs city roads, the them to get votes more easily, Department of Transport but an integrated plan was Management registers and politically unfeasible. The costs regulates vehicles, the Traffic of this arrangement are rapidly Police supervise and enforce A lack of coordination among plans and government agencies has contributed to the valley’s traffic chaos

climbing as traffic gets worse. traffic regulations, the Ministry of It’s clear what needs to done. Environment monitors air quality The number of cars has and the Department of Urban increased 10-fold over the last Development and Building 15 years – largely because banks Construction is responsible for have had few other viable strategic roads and city planning PICS: KIRAN PANDAY investment opportunities amid while municipalities construct DEWAN RAI deteriorating security conditions local roads and parking spaces. – and only 126km of new roads “Naturally, it will be difficult have been constructed. to coordinate with departments ou don’t need to be an According to the Department of that are under different expert to see that traffic Transport Management, there are ministries,” says Deputy Y congestion in Kathmandu 444,700 registered vehicles in Inspector General of Police Binod is bad. Vehicles clog narrow Bagmati zone, most in the Singh at the Metropolitan Traffic roads, microbus drivers stop Kathmandu Valley. Police Division. The Traffic anywhere they want, and traffic And things will only get Police fall under the home police rarely make themselves worse. “If it takes half an hour to ministry. useful. But without an integrated cross the Bagmati bridge now, Singh gives an example of the plan to address traffic problems you won’t be able cross the problems this interconnectedness across the valley’s three districts bridge in three years time,” says gives rise to: while it is necessary and various traffic regulation David Irwin, team leader of the to revise traffic acts and agencies, a solution may be Kathmandu Sustainable Urban regulations in order to increase beyond our reach. Transport Project, funded by the penalties for traffic offenders, this Asian Development Bank. is impossible unless roads are The project will assist the widened first, which the Traffic government in defining a Police don’t have the power to do. sustainable urban transport It’s also unclear how to vision to be progressively regulate traffic under a federal implemented over the years to framework. Take the Outer Ring come. It focuses on the dramatic Road project, which was first increase in private vehicles in tabled in 2005. While the the capital. planned road would be 50m “Construction of flyovers wide, the government must also and wider roads alone cannot acquire 250m of land on either improve the traffic situation as side through land pooling. the number of private vehicles The project has prepared a increase at the same rate,” argues detailed report for 32km out of Irwin. He says improving the 72km and land pooling began existing road network and across a 6.5km stretch between encouraging proper use of roads Chobhar and Satungal. But the is a sustainable and doable Newa Rajya Committee, a solution. “Acquisition of land federalist group, opposes the idea, to widen roads is too expensive calling it a ‘ploy to replace locals so the initial solution is to with outside people.’ include various measures to “They asked us to postpone reduce the volume of traffic and the project until the issue of to improve the quality of public federalism is finalised,” says transportation,” he says. Dilip Bhandari, Senior Divisional The government could raise Engineer of the project, “We will annual and import taxes on soon hold a meeting with vehicles, and pull unviable representatives of political vehicles off the road, in order to parties, locals and stakeholders.” cut the growth in private Until the powers that be vehicles. However, although discover a unified theory of traffic what is necessary is clear, management, it seems Point A to implementation will be Point B will be a long way from difficult because of a lack of just that.

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The real fast track

RATNA SANSAR SHRESTHA in use for a long time: bullet trains in Japan Trading this carbon offset could be worth increased costs and risks, electric train average 262 km/h in Japan, and the train from US$3.2 million a year. capacity enhancement can be achieved by Beijing to Lhasa reaches 160 km/h on the Electric trains may seem like a fantasy simply increasing the frequency of train plains, slowing down to 120 km/h in the for a country as impoverished as Nepal. But services or the number of trains. t takes about six to seven hours to reach Qinghai-Tibet section. Faster and more cost- while the North-South Fast Track Project is What of the customers who are to benefit Pathlaiya in the Tarai from Kathmandu, effective technology is already available in estimated to cost Rs 69.11 billion, a study from the fast track road? Both options save I a distance of under 70 kilometres as the our neighbourhood. conducted by Shankar Nath Rimal and on commuter and cargo time, though electric crow flies. Although Pathlaiya lies due south According to a 1995 U.S. Government Birendra Keshari Pokhrel reveals an electric trains will (as noted above) be significantly of the capital, we detour over 100km to the estimate, the energy cost of transporting a train service connecting Kathmandu to the faster. Alas, it’s assumed road commuters will west to Mugling before heading back east ton of freight a distance of one kilometre Tarai would cost just Rs 18.46 billion. While continue to pay the same fares as now, through Narayangarh to reach Pathlaiya. No averages 337 kJ for water, 221 kJ for rail, and the investment of Rs 69 billion would be although service providers will save wonder, then, that the idea of a fast track 2000 kJ for trucks. It doesn’t make sense for just for the road, the costs of the electric train substantially. It is estimated electric train road has been mooted for some time. Nepal to go for wheel-based transport when service are inclusive of the track and the fares will cost just a third of bus fares. With The debate got off to a rather ludicrous in-train restaurants and restrooms, travel need start, with some proposing connecting no longer be disrupted, and even wireless Hetauda to Kathmandu through a set of internet could be installed. And as we know tunnels. Besides tunnel We should be looking to electric too well, inaugurations of new roads are ling being exorbitantly costly and dangerous inevitably followed by a rise in accidents. given Nepal’s fragile geology, it would have trains, not another road, to solve With electric trains, urbanisation can be been a veritable death trap with the quality planned around stations and driver error can of vehicles that ply our nation’s roads. This our transport problems be reduced with automation and remote ‘tunnel vision’ was then supplanted by control, reducing the frequency of accidents. the proposal to build a fast track road Nepal’s future is electric, given the following a feasibility study by the Asian we don't produce a drop of fossil fuel, and rolling stock to run on it. The savings of comparative advantage we have in Development Bank. trains running on fossil fuels could save 89% Rs 50 billion could be invested in setting up hydroelectric potential. Unfortunately for us, The hype and assumptions surrounding in costs. Electric trains are an even better electric train services in other areas. every time a reference is made to the North-South Fast Track Project, however, proposition, as they would draw on our Land use is another point on which transportation, our policymakers and have obscured a much more appealing and hydro-potential, reduce our dependency, electric trains trump roads. The fast track road bureaucrats start digging up roads. We are sensible option – an electric train service and eliminate the annual fossil fuel would have four lanes with a width of 21 building a new Nepal and an oxymoron such linking Kathmandu to the Tarai. consumption on the Kathmandu-Pathlaiya metres. Encroachment on this scale in hilly as the North-South Fast Track Project doesn’t The first assumption here is that a fast route of 120,000 kilolitres. terrain is inadvisable in view of the high deserve the attention it has received, let alone track road really will be fast. But with design The knock-on effects of cutting fossil fuel potential for landslides. But a track for an the funding. speeds of 80km/h (50 km/h in mountainous consumption, quite apart from the obvious electric train would only be 11 metres wide. terrain), it doesn’t even come close to benefits to health and productivity, would Besides, capacity enhancement means totally Ratna Sansar Shrestha is a senior water magnetic levitation trains that can reach 581 be that Nepal would curtail its emissions of different things for roads and rail tracks. resource analyst km/h. High-speed trains have already been greenhouse gases by 321,000 tons a year. While roads can only be widened, with www.ratnasansar.blogspot.com 14 |FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485

Dahal and Bhattarai’s Dispensing journey together disharmony Letter to the editor in Sanibar Nagarik, 12 January Ganga BC in Kantipur, 9 January Here’s a brief timeline of the Dahal-Bhattarai relationship: Even educated people can be brainwashed into ethnic chauvinism, 1981: The leaders meet for the first time at the All as proven at a program in Sydney recently. A so-called ‘social “I would rather die than surrender to injustice,” is Nepal Bharat Students Association conference in scientist‘ from Nepal, Krishna Bhattachan, spread hatred and Baburam Bhattarai’s motto. Party chairman Benares. Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s allegation that Bhattarai 1984: They are acquainted politically at the National intolerance towards other communities while promoting ethnic is subservient to India has challenged the latter Conference of the CPN Fourth Convention, though rights. His racist and anarchic remarks, made among Nepalis living to defend that belief. they are in different parties. in a civilised and developed society, drew widespread Dahal was accompanied by Bhattarai to his 1992: Dahal becomes the chairman and Bhattarai condemnation. first public appearance in Baluwatar, just before the coordinator of the electoral front of a new party, Bhattachan had come to Sydney to attend the general assembly the signing of the CPA, and they have appeared the United People’s Front. of the Janajati Adivasi Manch Australia and lashed out at Bahuns side by side many times since. They even lived 1995: Bhattarai works as a senior leader during the and Chhetris, calling them plunderers who came to Nepal from together for some time in Nayabajar after they ‘people’s movement’. Dahal is the chairman and came overground. Their camaraderie was likened Bhattarai the coordinator of the parallel government. India in the 13th and 14th century. Bhattachan tried to plant the to that between a nail and flesh. Over time, a split 1998: Differences surface regarding the division of seeds of division and disturb the solidarity and unity of the appeared between this nail and flesh into which authority at the fourth extensive meeting of the party. Nepalis in Australia with remarks like Bahuns and Chhetris should Dahal has now sprinkled salt with his assertions 2004: Bhattarai is labelled an anarchist for a note be treated as foreigners and chased out of Nepal’s borders. With that Bhattarai is India’s candidate for prime of dissent he put to the central committee meeting. these remarks, Bhattachan became a rotten potato in a sack among minister. Now it is said they barely talk to each He is under PLA house arrest for a year. Nepalis in Australia. other, and that the clash has more to do with 2006: Both leaders appear together publicly in Janajati and non-Janajati members of the audience hung their personality than principle. Baluwatar. heads in shame. There are some who are trying to spread hatred and bigotry using extreme racist arguments among Nepalis living abroad. Such uncivilised and shameful behavior shows that we face a great challenge to save future generations of Nepalis from racial intolerance and disharmony. Maoist splits Dilliram Dhakal, Nepal-Australia Democratic Forum

Khem Bhandari in Nepal, 7 January shifting his position to play one against another. He does it well. Having successfully portrayed Bhattarai as subservient to India, he managed to The Khanna garment exposé has brought party get his name put forward for the post of PM at splits to the fore. Mohan Baidya is said to have the central committee meeting. This is how he control over the organisation but Baburam finds an acceptable position between the Bhattarai has the vision to lead the party in the factions of Baidya and Bhattarai. The politburo right direction. Pushpa Kamal Dahal keeps is split as follows:

Mohan Baidya faction

Ram Bahadur Thapa Chandra Prakash Gajurel Amik Sherchan Krishna Bahadur Mahara Bed Prakash Gurung Netra Bikram Chand Hitman Shakya Narayan Sharma Hari Bhakta Kandel Pampha Bhusal Lokendra Bista Magar Nepal Kul Prasad KC Khadga Bahadur Biswakarma Dharmendra Bastola founder’s legacy Indra Mohan Sigdel Lila Mani Pokharel Dhruba Simkhada, Nagarik, 11 January Ninu Chapagain Swanam Saathi Bishwanath Shah The contribution of Prithvi Narayan Shah to Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal faction nationalism and the unification of Nepal has little relation to whether the monarchy goes or stays. He was a Narayan Kaji Shrestha king of the Shah dynasty but he became great because he Posta Bahadur Bogati was the unifier of Nepal. For this reason it is relevant Dina Nath Sharma to view him as a symbol of national unity. Giriraj Mani Pokharel Agni Prasad Sapkota One can see that steps are being taken to fragment Haribol Gajurel the land he unified. Nepali society is under threat Shakti Bahadur Basnet from those who are sowing the seeds of ethnic discord. Hemant Prakash Oli At this time it is appropriate to honour the legacy of Gopal Kiranti Prithvi Narayan Shah. Hit Raj Pandey There are those who say that Prithvi Narayan Shah only Lekh Raj Bhatta achieved a geographical unification, and that true national Dil Bahadur Shrestha Nanda Kishor Pun consciousness that incorporates all ethnicities and languages for a Bhim Prasad Gautam ‘New Nepal’ is now being led by the Nepali people. Presumably these Bishwa Bhakta Dulal people feel proud of being Nepali. If this is the case, then why is it so difficult to honour the founder of the nation? Honouring Prithvi Baburam Bhattarai faction Narayan Shah doesn’t make one a royalist. Nepalis should not be afraid or embarrassed to honour the founder of Nepal. Barsaman Pun We need to strive towards social, cultural and religious equality, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi Hisila Yami but also keep history in mind. Those who aim for the former by Debendra Poudel apportioning ethnic states to different groups, without understanding Chandra Prakash Khanal history, will actually weaken the Nepali identity. Attacking history Ram Karki and destroying statues of Prithivi Narayan Shah will not benefit Janardan Sharma republicanism, nor will it bring about social equality and inclusion. Rather, it will incur a politics of revenge and give control to New Jangbahadurs only interested in power. KIRAN PANDAY 15 - 21 JANUARY 2010 #485 CONSTITUTION 2010|15

“Maoists bypassed CA”

Rakam Chemjong, Minister of Peace and Reconstruction, UML

What’s the CA up to? Meetings are going on but they are behind schedule, largely because of political disagreement. Street protests by the Maoists for ‘civilian supremacy’ have violated the CPA. This has diluted the CA’s necessity and purpose.

The Maoists unilaterally declared autonomous provinces. What’s the purpose of the Committee on State Restructuring now? If the Maoists are going to make such declarations, then forget the committee, what’s the purpose of the entire CA? The Maoists should just say that they’re DAMBAR K SHRESTHA walking a different line, that the CA is unnecessary. They don’t say that, but their actions do. Their ambiguous conduct puts the CA and constitution- “ writing process at risk. Creating federal units is not What is necessary for the constitution to be written on time? The main thing is political agreement. like cutting a birthday cake” The Maoists violated the CPA by unilaterally declaring autonomous provinces. Not only that, they have begun to illegally capture land again. They are Himal Khabarpatrika’s final constitutional and marginalised people. However, it is How have you taken the One trampling on the peace process. roundtable outside of the Kathmandu better to have a constitution than not to Madhes Prades demand? Valley was held in Bhairahawa recently. On have one. Surya Saru Magar (Siddhartha Bus the whole, participants expressed Entrepreneur Association): My disappointment at the CA’s performance Basanta Shrestha (UCPN-Maoist): humble request to political leaders is to while criticising the flawed logic behind The party leadership failed to internalise save this country first. I am not in favour the setting up of ethnicity-based states. the Jana Andolan and the people’s of an ethnic-based federal state. There are mandate. It’s now clear who wants to write 1.6 million Magars living from east to west Are you satisfied with the the constitution and who doesn’t, who is but the Maoists have restricted them to five constitution-writing process? only interested in completing the districts by announcing the Magarat state. Dal Bahadur Thapa (Nepal Magar formalities. It’s not that we didn’t have a This is wrong, and this is the same for all Association): The CA members should constitution already, the question was ethnic groups. It’s not rational. not have been given dual responsibility for what kind of constitution and for whom. A parliament and the CA; that would have new consensus should be reached to Narsingh Chaudhary: Creating federal prevented them from indulging in power complete the historic task. The public units is not like cutting a birthday cake. So the constitution won’t be written on games. They don’t act on their words. If should keep prodding them from time to Giving certain communities special rights time? they are not earnest, the new constitution time. will curtail the rights of other If the Maoists continue behaving this way, won’t be written and even if it is, it might communities. One Madhes Prades is it will be difficult. If they don’t follow their own rules, then how will we move the not be of much use to the people. What kind of federal state suits a unacceptable. Tarai Madhes should be process forward? If the Maoists really place like Rupandehi, where there is autonomous but with multiple states. support multiparty democracy, then they Narsingh Chaudhary (Tharu a settlement of mixed communities? must follow its rules. Welfare Council): Political leaders seem Bharat Pokharel (UML): The federal Rupandehi has seen communal confused themselves. They don’t have state should not be based on ethnicities, as unrest in the past. What should be Will the CA’s constitutionality remain after confidence. Their misunderstandings, this might lead to ethnic conflict. The done to avoid it in the future? 28 May? arrogance and power politics have interim constitution talks about a Sanjay Kumar Gupta (Society for We must ensure this question does not become problematic. Everyone and disrupted the constitution-writing process. democratic federal republic, not ethnic Justice of Conflict Victims): We should every party must abandon their Indigenous people, Janajatis, women, states. National sovereignty should come expel all discriminatory feelings from our selfishness and work together for the Madhesis, Dalits and marginalised first in deciding federal units. minds. The distinction between Pahadis country. You can’t leave the CA and communities are worried. and Madhesis should be dissolved and legislature and protest on the streets. Hemraj Aryal (NC): We’ve never there won’t be any communal conflict. Badre Prasad Alam (National supported ethnic or creed-based Will you still be a CA member after 28 People’s Front): Political parties ignored federalism. Federalism should be based on Sun Maya Gurung (Pashupati May if the constitution is not completed by then? the politics of consensus. The constitution equality. Multiple Campus): It’s the state’s First, I will go to the people to explain can still be written only if consensus is responsibility to cultivate tolerance in who was responsible for the constitution reached. The decision of federalism was Badre Prasad Alam: Federalism will society. But political parties have turned a not being written on time. I could do so taken in haste. I don’t think the new ultimately break up this country no matter deaf ear to communal violence. The open as a citizen or as a CA member. constitution will be in favour of oppressed how the provinces are carved out. border makes things worse here.

name provinces after ethnicities, languages and so forth, but remember, no single group has a majority so it’s not possible to give primacy to anyone. That’s why “Federalism decision hasty” proportional representation on the basis of population is the best. Prem Bahadur Singh, Law Minister, a concept paper on federalism, while the National Democratic Socialist Party Maoists are declaring federal provinces. How Will the constitution be written on time? should we understand this? If there were a commission on federalism, then the You are directly associated with They are bypassing the CA. The Committee has necessary technical work would have been easier. It would constitution writing. What have you been the right to say what kind of federalism we will have been easy to end this disagreement. The same holds doing? have. If not, anyone can declare whatever for the legislative system. Right now, we’re seeing new Political disagreements have affected the provinces they want. problems. But despite all this, there isn’t much more of CA. But it isn’t that the CA has done no the constitution left to write. work. Eight thematic committees have What difficulties will the declaration of ethnic already prepared concept papers, and provinces pose? Do you think you should still be a CA member after 28 these have been discussed in the CA. The decision to go for federalism was premature. May? Three other committees are in the final And it was a mistake to declare autonomous First, we must see how much of the constitution can be stages. provinces without having done this homework. written by the deadline. Then, we must calculate how What kind of problems did the old system solve, much delay political disagreements have caused. After The Committee on State Restructuring and how will the new system solve them, and what all, for the first six months, we weren’t even allowed to Redistribution of Resources is preparing new problems will it throw up? It’s possible to write the agenda. Going tothedogs B 16 been ‘beefedup’,weallthoughtit recently thatsecurityatTIAhad collateral damage.Whentheysaid tourists whonearlybecame bad newsindeedforacoupleof the dog,butcouldhavebeenvery that hemissedwasgoodnewsfor the departureconcourse.Thefact double barrelguntheotherdayat sentry witness atrigger-happypolice Pascual werenotpreparedto hardened TIAregularslikeTanya kickback hedoledout. concessionaire istorecoupthe assorted contrabandifthe smuggling brownsugarand the caféwillhavetobeafrontfor guess. 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