www.nepalitimes.com #146 23 - 29 May 2003 18 pages Rs 25 Because it’s there NAVIN SINGH KHADKA bottled oxygen. But by mid-afternoon it ex-headman Sonam Gyalgin Sherpa in NAMCHE BAZAR ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ was getting crowded on the summit ridge, admits there is no one in charge. f Thursday was anything to go by, this and at least one expedition turned back “Everyone is doing their own thing, will be a wild week on Sagarmatha in from the South Col because of no one is coordinating.” th I the run-up to 29 May, the 50 overcrowding. The wind was gusting up Even so, Namche SUBHAS RAI anniversary of the first ascent of the to 60 knots and clouds had moved in. A wears a festive look world’s highest mountain. Chinese expedition from the north was because the jubilee has One after another, the records are forced to return from near the summit. brought increased trekking More hype in Britain than Nepal 4 falling. For the past four days, 70-year-old In the coming days, more traffic after three consecutive years Stephen Venables 5 Yuichiro Miura and his 20-year-old son, expeditions will be making summit of decline. April alone saw 3,000 Cashing in on Everest 7 Gota, have been waiting out high winds bids—traffic and weather permitting. trekkers and climbers passing Ang Tshering Sherpa 7 at 8,200m to make their summit bid. On There are the South Africans, trying to through, compared to only Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa in Lhasa 8 Thursday morning, Miura Sr became the put the first black woman on the 1,700 last year. Hotel-owners Jamling in dad’s footsteps 8 oldest man ever to climb Mt Everest, and summit, the Italian speed expedition is here hope this year trekking We’re all Everest junkies 9 this is the longest anyone has spent above acclimatising and moving up to the numbers will reach the 25,000 List of Everest activities 14 8,000m. Thirty-three years ago, he had South Col and the 50-strong French that Namche gets on normal Sherpa Hillary 15-16 skied down Everest, braking by deploying expedition is planning to go for the top years. Branding Everest 17 a parachute. in two groups this week. Most Temba’s ambition 18 After days of fierce winds, nearly 150 expeditions have been sharing Sherpas climbers from 25 expeditions have been to fix ropes while they wait for the moving up the mountain from the Nepali weather window to make the dash to Weekly Internet Poll # 86 side, and 30 expeditions from the north. the summit. Q. How do you assess the pace of the peace talks between the government and the Maoists? Till presstime Thursday, some 26 Nepalis Meanwhile, here in Namche the and 11 international climbers got to the celebrations for the 50th top from the south. anniversary seem to be Eleven Nepalis were from an Indo- disorganised. There is Nepali army expedition in which three a Hillary statue being Indians also reached the summit. Then unveiled, but not there was the famous South Korean, Um even his sister knows Hong-Gil who has climbed all 14 peaks in where and when. Total votes:1,203 the world higher than 8,000m, and has There is supposed Weekly Internet Poll # 87. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com done Everest three times now from to be a party in Q. Do you agree with the CIAA’s current anti-graft different directions. Tengboche for campaign against senior political figures? Others to get on top Thursday were Reinhold Messner, the Irish, Belgians, Chinese and a Russian but the locals have who climbed from the north without no idea. Namche’s

Patan Museum Café

We are pleased to announce that we have extended the opening hours of the Patan Museum Cafe. From1030 – 1930 hrs For reservations and more information please call 55 26271/ 55 24694

NT PEPC #146.p65 1 5/23/03, 3:56 PM 2 EDITORIAL 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 NATION 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL OPINION by RALF DAHRENDORF Desk Editor: Trishna Gurung, Design: Kiran Maharjan Webmaster: Bhushan Shilpakar [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: 01-5543333/ 5523845 Fax: 01-5521013 A comrade comes calling Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-5547018/17 Democracy disconnect

…to say the comissars are alarmed about Pax Americana. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ omething has happened to solution. Direct action by POLITICALLY INCORRECT or a leader of his stature, Comrade all that reassuring to his host. So he adds, streets of the Occupied Territories. democracy in the sense of demonstrations has become a regular hat is it with our politics that anytime anyone has a grudge against Matrika Prasad Yadav is exceedingly "We hold no grudges against people like Such images strike a chord with the S popularly elected government, and and often effective occurrence. For the anyone else, it is the classrooms that get bombed, teachers that get F modest. Instead of calling someone to you. Our actions are aimed only against class suppressed anywhere in the world as they fight it has happened all over the world. less mobile it can be replaced by W harassed, schools that get padlocked, universities that get shut down, his den, he prefers to call on them. Dressed enemies. We hold independent intellectuals entrenched power, and it inspires those who Somehow people have lost faith in electronic expressions of views, from and children that get forced to join political rallies? simply in khadis, he arrives five minutes in high esteem." For over an hour, we discuss struggle against injustice and inequality. elections. Internet chat-rooms to e-mails to Nepal’s education system, or what remains of it, has been the first target of before the appointed time. As an alternate the problems of Madhesis in Nepal and the Maoists have prevailed over state forces Turnout is declining in many political leaders. Then there are non- every political agitation. The Maoists demolished the national school system in politburo member of the Nepal Communist Maoists' method of handling it. Like most of in almost every encounter in nearly two the two years of mayhem in which hundreds of teachers were killed, tortured and countries; in the case of elections to the governmental organisations, often Party (Maoist), Comrade Matrika is his naive cadres, Comrade Matrika seems to years, except one or two rebel offensives that European Parliament, the level of voter undemocratic in their own structures hounded out of the villages. Schools across the land were forced to close down, entitled to party protection: two alert put his faith in the political rhetoric of his went wrong. It is not surprising that the and in many places they remain closed. Their rationale was the irrational logic participation is so low as to call into and yet more closely connected, it seems, of revolutions: destroy everything before rebuilding. guards shadow him wherever he goes. On leaders. "Round table, interim government, Maoist militia have little respect for the question the legitimacy of the result. to citizens. Beyond these, of course, is It is a legacy of the Panchayat that underground political parties exerted Sunday, one of them was in combat and constituent assembly," he chants the fighting ability of their peers in the Royal fatigues, and that created problems when Maoist mantra with quiet reverence. It is Nepali Army. Even young Maoist fighters But turnout apart, we have become the possibility of switching off their presence through student wings, turning campuses into hotbeds of political accustomed to accepting that parties or altogether and leaving politics to the dissent. Nothing wrong with that, of course, a politically active academia was at the Royal Nepali Army detained his pointless to argue against the faith of an barely out of their teens openly boast that the vanguard of the Peoples’ Movement that ushered in democracy in 1990. entourage for almost two hours in Salyan. extremist--be he a Maoist revolutionary, a they can easily lay their hands on the army's candidates who receive 25 percent of professionals so as to concentrate on But by trying to resurrect the conditions of 12 years ago, political parties are While the lone Madhesi Maoist jihadi, or a neocon Bush warrior. new rifles if instructed to do so. the popular vote are “winners”. From other dimensions of life. flogging a dead horse. And by deliberately targetting schools and adopting the negotiator is in Kathmandu (the capital of Speaking of which, it is America that The insurgents do not seem to be too Holland and Finland to Argentina and The latter is the most risky, because same tactics of intimidation, arson and vandalism as the Maoists, the parties' the "old regime") one of his guards often worries Comrade Matrika. He agrees it was bothered about the Indian armed interven- Japan, majority governments are formed it supports the creeping authoritarianism student wings have shown themselves to be no better. But the blame lies with doubles as his PA, passing him the the fear of direct American intervention that tion either and reject such a possibility. with minority support. that is a sign of our times. But the other their political mentors for whom all this is just an extension of their continuing cellphone after making sure that the call is prompted the Maoists to come back to the "But even if they were foolhardy enough Nor are the apparent exceptions signs of disconnection also create a parlour games. Instead of closing down schools, why don't they take volunteer from someone safe. But if you refer to him negotiating table. And like Palestinian to send in the Indian Gurkhas," says a young cadre to remote schools which have been without teachers for years? Instead of proof to the contrary. Few American highly unstable condition in which one forcing buses off the roads and shutting down the country, why not repair trails as a PA, he lashes back, "We have no children, the Nepali proletariat too is ready Maoist cadre, "we could keep them engaged presidents have been supported by can never tell how representative the and bridges desroyed by the insurgents? Who said protest always has to be assistants, only comrades." for a prolonged struggle against imperialists. for years." He cites the way the Indian Army much more than 10 percent of eligible prevailing views are. Some want to cut destructive to make a political point? Comrade Matrika opens the discussion on But the Maoists say they do not want to be has been tied up in Kashmir and the voters: half of the US’s eligible voters, through the tangle with more direct a generous note, "We have highly valued your the main cause of drawing the tentacles of northeast for decades by tiny insurgency One can trace this lack of imagination primarily to the degradation of our indeed, are not even registered to vote; democracy. But lasting connections education system over the past 40 years. Reforming the school system is intellectual contributions to the cause of social Pentagon into this region. groups, often fighting more amongst therefore the priority for long-term evolution of a democratic and non-violent transformation in the past." Then his voice The Palestinian struggle has become a themselves than with the invaders. "And of those who are registered, half do not between leaders and the governed can political culture. But if the school system itself is the chief target of coercion, how takes on a steely tone, "However, when global icon of resistance against aggression. didn't they run away from Sri Lanka with vote. Of those who do vote, less than not be created by reducing public are we ever going to come out of this rut? It is time to take the goal of declaring anyone indulges in malicious propaganda Even the Maoists of Malangwa and Myagdi their tails in between their legs?" half vote for the winning candidate. debate to simple referendum schools a politics-free zone seriously, and take the schools out of the hands of against us, we take due note of that too." seem to draw inspiration from the TV Surprisingly, it is the growing influence Even Tony Blair’s “landslide” majority alternatives. power manipulators. Perhaps he realises that he hasn't been images of children stoning tanks on the of the Americans that worries Comrade in Britain’s House of Commons rests on There is much to be said for holding The past 12 years of democracy turned the streets, and not Matrika more. Reading between the lines parliament, into an arena for the battle of wills between parties. In shaky ground: Labour received just over Why are people losing faith in the ballot box? on to the classical institutions of fact, our inspiration seems to come from the political badlands of and peering through the thickets of jargon he 40 percent of the vote with a 60 parliamentary democracy and trying to Bihar and Bangaldesh. So, if an opposition party doesn’t like the seems more worried about the US marines in percent turnout at the last election in reconnect them with the citizenry. After ruling party, it will bring the country to a halt. And vice versa when Kalikot, or a B-52 from Diego Garcia laying 2002. So only 24 percent of the total want to pick and choose. Moreover, supported, they must find funds with the legitimacy needed to take all, unpopular parties and falling tables are turned. The motto seems to be: if I don’t like you, I’ll waste to training camps in northern Rukum. electorate supported Blair’s party. political parties have become “machines” through channels that are often decisions on their behalf. electoral turnout may merely be passing punish the people. The country’s citizens end up paying for the Nepali Maoists do not want the fate of In most countries, this is clearly very made up of highly organised cadres of dubious, when not illegal. Many of the At this point, a second, quite phenomena. New parties may arise and reckless selfishness of greedy politicians who don’t give a damn Afghanistan to befall their country. breathe more life into elections and what happens to our nation. Senior Maoist leaders believe that they different from what elections looked insiders. The paradox here is that parties great political scandals of recent separate, development comes into We are paying the price for this now. Politicians who wrecked have to keep talking with this government like twenty, let alone fifty, years ago. have become more tribal having lost their decades began with the financing of play. People are more impatient than representative government. But this will the country in the name of democracy for the past 12 years have for as long as it takes them to keep What has happened? One answer must ideological distinctiveness. It is more parties and candidates. ever. As consumers they are used to probably not be enough to restore the shown they haven’t reformed, their modus operandi is still the Americans away. For them, the People's be that voters distrust political parties. important to belong than to have a Other indices—such as sharply instant gratification. But as voters, popular legitimacy that elected same, and we can expect identical behaviour when they return to Movement II is a peripheral issue. "The parties Electoral democracy operates in most certain set of beliefs. declining membership rolls—confirm they must wait before they see any governments have lost. So rethinking power. How are we going to break this paralysing cycle of ruin? The present state of flux actually presents an opportunity for will withdraw the moment we go back to the countries through the intermediary of Such developments removed parties that parties have become unpopular. results delivered by the choice they democracy and its institutions must be a reform. And that initiative rests with King Gyanendra, who by his jungles," he says with barely-veiled disdain in organisations which put up candidates from the ambit of voters. Because most Yet parties remain indispensable to made at the ballot box. Sometimes top priority for all to whom the act of taking on executive powers through a nominated cabinet his voice as he prepares to leave. representing specific bundles of policy people don’t particularly want to belong elective democracy. The result is an they never see the desired results. constitution of liberty is dear. will have to show required statesmanship. A meeting with the Despite the ceasefire, a police van options, a “manifesto” or a “platform”. to a party, playing the party game evident disconnection of the visible Democracy needs time, not just for (© Project Syndicate) parties to come up with a new interim team to prepare for invariably tails Comrade Matrika's team of For a number of reasons, however, this becomes a minority sport. This increases political actors from the electorate. elections, but for deliberation and the elections is long overdue. What is preventing him from doing Maoist rebels wherever he goes. Evidently, time-honoured practice no longer the public’s suspicion of political parties, Because parties operate in parliaments, exercise of checks and balances. The Ralf Dahrendorf, the author of numerous this? the state has taken full responsibility for the works. not least because—like all professional the disconnection affects one of the consumer-voter, however, will not acclaimed books, is a member of the The king’s advisers should note: the lack of public support for personal safety of the Maoist delegation. But Ideological party platforms have lost sports—playing the game is expensive. crucial democratic institutions. People accept this and therefore turns away. British House of Lords, a former Rector the street agitation does not mean that the Nepali people want a Matrika Yadav doesn't give the blue van a of the London School of Economics and return to pre-1990 autocracy. glance, like his supremo he seems more their force; voters do not accept the If the cost is borne by the taxpayer, it no longer think of parliaments as There are alternatives, but each also a former Warden of St Anthony’s worried about the Americans. specific bundles offered by parties but is resented. But if parties are not state- representing them and thus vested has its own problems as a democratic College, Oxf rd.

LETTERS LETTERS

1,000 WORDS barely twelve in 1985, but her ability to organise better working ago in Nheokha and inaugurated by amassing military hardware— PARTY TIME The Nepali people want a quick needed. But do we have anyone interest: parliamentary democracy nation (‘Reconciliation to win the hearts and minds of Do pictures, like history, repeat image with piercing green eyes conditions, and yet still don’t do by King Tribhuban. It was set up by especially when the threat is an Re: The editorial ‘Party time’ resolution to this deadlock, they with common sense still left? and constitutional monarchy. How roadmap’, #145). He has the people through confidence- themselves? I found an uncanny became an instant icon of a war anything. University professors who a group of far-sighted internal insurgency. The answer (#145). The power struggle in want the corrupt to face the music, Meena Mainali, email do we get there? As you say, elaborated on the pros and cons building mechanisms. The similarity between Min weary Afghanistan. Then, 17 years teach international law, labour laws, educationists dedicated to the is for the rulers in Kathmandu to Nepal at present is a triangular but they want their freedom and through an inclusive government of the government-Maoist peace parties need to regain the Bajracharya’s picture of democracy later McCurry traced her and market economy and human empowerment of girl children. By make sure that all Nepalis have balance between King democracy back. And that is also I don’t see why everyone leading us to elections and a talks and the so called ‘people’s peoples’ trust, otherwise even if activist Durga Thapa and Steve photographed Sharbat the woman. resources development should feel 1970 there were more than 1,450 equal opportunities, no one is Gyanendra, the political parties the message to King Gyanendra, he involved in the present political return to democracy. The country movement 2’ led by GP Koirala the king reinstates them, we McCurry’s famous photograph of Bajracharya also did not know ashamed for not doing anything. students, and many of them left out, everyone has enough to and the Maoists. Two of these must read the writing on the wall stalemate doesn’t follow the can’t take this limbo any longer. and supported by other political can't expect anything better the Afghan girl, Sharbat Gula. The Durga when he immortalised her on Their job is not just restricted to the excelled in the SLC exams. Kanya eat, has affordable and proper forces have military might. The and see that time has moved on solution you present in your J Pathak, Kathmandu parties. Mr Lal thinks the King than the past 13 years. photographers not only recorded film and the picture went on to classroom and should include Mandir came to be known for the health care, decent jobs and a political parties have only the since 1990. There is no going back. editorial (‘Party time’, #145). This must trust the mainstream N Prakash, Africa and created history with their shots, become the symbol of the 1990 research, education and reform. quality of its instruction and counts decent livelihood. And for hard- streets. The parties need to show Rabindra Dhakal, Japan dispute is totally avoidable, all we I agree to a great extent with political parties in order for but neither knew they would follow People’s Movement. Durga’s Labour importing countries have many illustrious women in its working and generous people like that they are a force also to be need is an agreement by all forces CK Lal’s in-depth analysis of them to implement their vision HOODWINKED their subjects and catch them later ‘comeback’ in pro-democracy minimum wage laws, many will alumni. Today, over- Nepalis (it’s only the governing reckoned with. A bicycle cannot ‘The great game’ by Dhawal about what lies in the national present political scenario of the for new Nepal. Fair enough. But Thanks to Prakash Jwala for his in life. McCurry didn’t even know posters 14 years later carries a enforce them, and in the case of commercialisation has taken its elite in Kathmandu which is lazy stand upright without moving. SJB Rana (#145) deserves praise for reality is different, and the vivid account in 'Ground the name of the girl on the cover different message: a yearning for Korea, companies pay even more toll on the quality of instruction. As and selfish) that is not such a tall There has to be some kind of taking the middle path between the Nepali people have very little realities’ (#145) of the situation of National Geographic. She was peace. than what the Nepali agencies an English teacher who has spent order. Tanks and helicopter showdown, things cannot go on lies of the political parties and the trust left in these political in his constituency. The Maoists Binita Joshi Shrestha, email demanded! Labour agents play a 33 years in this school, I and my gunships will just fatten some like this. Unfortunately, the former lies from the palace. Both are parties—especially the Girija are using the ceasefire to key role in the absence of colleagues want it to regain its lost arms merchants, make the prime ministers and the political dragging on this fight, waiting for and Deuba Congresses and the regroup, retrain and buy time BIPALIS government concern. They want to dignity. What we need is a school military more macho and ensure leadership are scared out of their the other to blink. Meanwhile, the UML. The people have not for their next big offensive. Re: ‘Bipalis’ (Artha Beed, #145) pay a reasonable amount, make management committee made up that in future we kill our own wits that their past corruptions are Maoists are taking full advantage of forgotten the mischief they got Anyone who thinks otherwise is and other articles about the reasonable profit and continue of members with the vision of its brothers and sisters more coming back to haunt them. The the confusion. Even within the royal up to while in power. Will the being hoodwinked. Extortion salaries received by Nepalis their business. The Nepali media founders, and this is why I am efficiently. street protests have nothing to do appointed cabinet there is no unity, Nepalis easily forgive them? I everywhere has become worse abroad. I am pained by the has an important role to play in making this appeal thorough your GB Thapa, Hong Kong with democracy, and everything to they are all fighting each other like doubt it. Just by bringing in a and the intimidation never humiliation, exploitation and collecting and disseminating paper. do with protecting themselves. It cats and dogs. Every minister thinks few thousand people, most of stopped. Even abductions are frustrations of our fellow citizens. It information which is lacking. Raj Bahadur Manandhar, Thank you for ‘Why do we is a form of blackmail to say: he is the king’s chosen one and them cadre, relatives, or volatile fairly common.The Maoist is all the result of a poor education Hari Pokharel, Taiwan Nheokha need tanks?’. It seems things in don’t touch me, otherwise I’ll do behaves accordingly. Rana’s three- unemployed youth on the cadre are forcing farmers to system and lack of information that Nepal are just as bad there as something drastic on the streets. point solution (all-party interim streets will not reinstate the feed them. And now, there is exposes them to the misery. The SAVE OUR SCHOOL NO GUNSHIPS elsewhere. I wonder what the Everyone in Nepal sees through government to oversee elections, peoples’ trust. GP and MK proof that once again they are bargaining should not begin with After failing in our attempts to I couldn’t agree more with the gist army is going to do with the tanks that. The people are not dumb. maturity on the part of the should think twice before asking every household to give what workers earn in Nepal, but with salvage our school, we have no of the article ‘Why do we need and helicopter gunships. The Everyone has seen how these politicians, Maoists must work launching the next phase of one son or daughter for the the value of their work. To blame, recourse but to write to you on tanks?’ (#145). As a former military soldiers probably need better people came to Kathmandu and towards long-term peace) is logical their agitation. The Nepali revolution. Pun should ask his are those who have access to this behalf of Kanya Mandir, the first man myself, I can tell you that a boots and food. became billionaires overnight and sound. Anyone with common Congress of both factions, are counterparts what they are up to. with those mansions and pajeros. sense can see that is what is especially to blame. They need MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN BAJRACHARYA information- those who have the school for girls established 57 years country does not ensure its security R Thapa, Texas, USA Hari Gurung, Pokhara

NT PEPC #146.p65 2-3 5/23/03, 3:56 PM 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 5 The media hype over DOMESTIC BRIEFS

th Parents mobilise tender issue features a 1/4oz pure gold and 1oz

○○○○○○○○○○○○ the 50 Everest ○○○○○○○○○○○○ pure silver coin, and are the only coins endorsed Political parties are trying to ship up middle class by Sir Edmund Hillary, the Tenzing Norgay family anniversary is even support for their anti-royal move agitation by and the Royal Geographical Society who funded paralysing the education system. But this time, in the 1953 expedition. Featuring an obverse based greater in Britain addition to colleges they have targetted private high on the famous image of Sir Edmund and Tenzing than in Nepal. schools by padlocking their offices and forcing Norgay as they prepared for the ascent on the In London, the Everest fever peaks students to join political rallies. Parties mobilised south face of Everest, the coins carry the name of their student unions to bus thousands of schools the reigning monarch, King Gyanendra on the other students in the capital to carry placards demanding side. the restoration of democracy and education on Tuesday. “Our rally is in defence of democracy,” Human rights agreement

“My best days in the Neverest Buttress” said the UML’s Khim Lal Bhatarai, but party leaders ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ evaded questions about whether the students Peace activists and human rights organisations are STEPHEN VENABLES has just my life. We had a fantastic attended voluntarily. pushing the Maoists and the government to give published the widely-acclaimed team, led by Robert Anderson, the current ceasefire more book, Everest: Summit of as well as support team, led by permanence by signing an Achievement to mark the golden Sherpa Pasang Norbu from agreement to uphold human rights. jubilee of the first ascent. He Namche. The climbing was The National Human Rights spoke to Nepali Times in London steep, spectacular, dramatic Commission is said to have this week. and we had the whole east side already discussed a draft of Everest completely to agreement with the Maoist Nepali Times: What explains ourselves (we saw no other leadership and has received a the British fascination with Mt people for nearly two months). positive response. The Everest? government side is considering Stephen Venables: I am not So is it true what they say, the agreement. But both the sure, actually, that the British are that once you have been on government and the Maoists have AMERICAN HIMALAYAN FOUNDATION AMERICAN HIMALAYAN HIGH ADVENTURE particularly fascinated with Everest the mountain never This show of strength was to match the Maoist said they agree in principle to have a separate Everest. In fact most serious leaves you? students who have been going around private human rights agreement, since the issue is not BHAGIRATH YOGI nine unsuccessful attempts to Mt Everest, directed by Greg British Council in Kathmandu next mountaineers these days are not Every detail of our route is schools in Kathmandu forcing them to lock up their adequately dealt with in the ceasefire guidelines.

in LONDON From l-r: Tenzing and Hillary ○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○ Everest between 1921 and 1953. MacGillivray and David Breashears. week. Following the exhibition, the interested in Everest, because the mountain no firmly etched in my mind—in particular the hard offices or face dire consequences. The principal of This week, the UN representative in Nepal, ews that Edmund Hillary and The Times newspaper which The shows are already booked till prints will be on display at the back at the South Col after longer seems a place for real mountaineering. rock wall which I led on 3 April 1988—my first St Xaviers School, Fr Lawrence Maniyar, warned Henning Karcher, said such an agreement was Tenzing Norgay had set foot broke the story for the first time, 15 June. The Royal Geographical International Mountaineering the summit, on the summit Because of an accident of colonial politics, British ever day on Everest. The final summit push was that his schools could not function like this and said necessary to lessen tensions during the ceasefire Non the world’s highest peak and The Guardian have published Society and the Atlas Gallery are Museum in Pokhara. The pictures on 29 May 1953, Westland climbers had unique access to the mountain until the hardest thing I have ever done. We carried all missionary schools in the country could be period. 1952 and the long saga of attempts became our own loads and made our own camps. Day reached London on 2 June 1953, special supplements in the run up putting up an exhibition of the first can also be viewed at www.rgs.org/ biplanes flew over Mt closed if the Maoists did not call off their agitation. the day of the coronation of Queen to the 29 May commemorations photographs of the Mt Everest ever imagingeverest. ingrained in the British consciousness. It is good to Two was a 14-hour day. Day Three was an 11- More than 50,000 students are enrolled in mission-

Everest in 1933. remind people of that great epic of exploration. hour day. On Day Four we had to wait at the ary schools all over Nepal. In other Kathmandu Crime and punishment Elizabeth II. The expedition was here. The Financial Times and taken. “We hope the current focus on ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Also good to remind them that it was a British South Col because of high winds. On Day Five— lead by Briton, John Hunt, who other newspapers have looked at Then, there are several black tie Mount Everest will raise awareness Capt JB Noel filming on the schools, parents angered by the politicisation of Hari Prasad Pandey is always a step ahead of the doctor, Alexander Kellas, who was the first summit day—it took me 16½ hours to get to the headed the Mount Everest the development of Himalayan events including a Royal Gala about the shared values of north side of Everest in education held meetings (see pic, above) to corruption watchdog, CIAA. He decided not to European to climb with Sherpas. top and on the way down I had to bivouac in the Committee formed by the Royal mountaineering after 1953. The evening organised by the charity, mountains, both for mountain 1922 (far left), and Tenzing counter closure and protest the government’s wait for CIAA’s verdict on his “crimes” and the open at 8,600m. My companions, Ed Webster Geographical Society and the London IMAX and Science Mount Everest Foundation with communities and also for those who inaction. self-confessed “corrupt” hydropower minister- before the summit bid How about your own climb? and Robert Anderson, bivouacked in an old They blame the political leadership of all parties

RGS turned-industrialist declared he would enter three Alpine Club which had mounted Museum are premiering the film, tickets priced up to £150 each. have the privilege of visiting them,” (right). I climbed the mountain in 1988. We were a four abandoned tent lower down and I was thrilled to who are interfering with the education system, by years of self-imprisonment during which he will Queen Elizabeth and others are says Sir Ron Cooke of the Royal man Anglo-American team and we made the first see them the next morning. By that stage we using the excuse of high fees. “Quality education not stand for elections. His daily allowance would expected to attend the event at the Geographical Society. ever ascent to the South Col from Tibet, by a new were very weak and the costs money, why don’t they protest the low quality mirror that of Nepali jails: 700 grams of grade Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square, The RGS is using the team, led by its environment and astonishing feat. route up the Kangshung Face. descent of the East Face took of government schools instead of targetting B rice and Rs 15 for expenses. London. Edmund Hillary was anniversary to look at the science correspondent, Tom Heap, British mountaineer Stephen From the South Col we another three days. schools that are doing their jobs professionally?” On 23 April last year, Pandey invited, but he declined, preferring environmental and social changes in is preparing to transmit live Venables, author of Everest: Summit continued up the 1953 route to The descent was an epic asked one irate member of the school organisation, admitted to bribing to be in Nepal for the anniversary. the Himalaya in the last 50 years, broadcasts from Base Camp on 29 of Achievement says there is a big the summit. We were the smallest struggle and there were a PABSON. officials, evading Books are being launched and and to evaluate eco-tourism success May. A camera will be placed on fascination with Mt Everest in team ever to put up such a couple of moments when I income tax and souvenirs have hit the market, stories. Rita Gardner, a director at Kala Pathar along with a three-mile Britain. “I think that to some extent difficult new route and we thought I might not make it. The whitewashing his including a £395 “Legacy Pen” by the RGS says she is proud that the microwave link back down the the interest has been whipped up by climbed without any help from high moving thing was to see how Nepal-NZ coins ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ past. The 56-year- Sheaffer with a laser-engraved centre’s archives can be shared with altitude porters or oxygen people rise above themselves th mountain to a satellite dish. National both the media and the organisers of To celebrate the 50 anniver- old lives in Pokhara equipment. I reached the summit on these occasions and cross inscription in Nepali. the world during the anniversary. Geographic channel is re-broadcasting the celebrations, and in the process, sary of the first ascent of with his wife and alone and was the first Briton to do barrier after barrier. Everest The Royal Geographical “Hopefully this will contribute to its documentary Surviving Everest on the British people are being Sagarmatha, Nepal has six children, and so without oxygen. The “Neverest gave me one of the greatest Society (RGS) has dispatched a our understanding of the changes 29 May. In the film, the sons of three reminded that Everest is very much commissioned the New Zealand has assigned th Buttress” as we called our route, experiences of my life and I collection of 84 prints from its that have taken place in the last 50 Everest summiteers, Peter Hillary, a part of Britain’s 20 century Mint to mark the event with two himself a fine of gave me some of the best days of feel very privileged to have been there. Everest Archive to Nepal for the years,” she told us. Jamling Norgay and Brent Bishop will history,” Venables told us. coins. This highly limited legal Rs 15 million.

RGS ‘Imaging Everest’ exhibition at the A seven-member BBC news commemorate their fathers’ (See interview.)

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK EASYEASYEASY TIMESTIMESTIMES It’s never been easier to subscribe to Nepali Times Just dial this number Late nights in India and leave your address.

h to visit this fair city in the month of May. That 40 degree heat! 5543333 Those power cuts! The feeling of being frazzled at the end of a long Why are there no Nepali reporters A day dashing between meetings in an un-airconditioned taxi driven by a pirate. All those other drivers trying to kill you. The senseless antics of based in Delhi, reporting on India? many politicians. But then, then…there’s the taste of an icy cold beer as that long day remarks they never made. wanes, there’s the buzz of literary, political and journalistic conversation as I wonder if the gap in understanding between these two lands of South the evening becomes late night. In turn, that renews your energy and you Asia isn’t almost total. And if so, that’s ridiculous. A small first step to find yourself talking and arguing, laughing and listening, long past midnight, building a bridge over that chasm might just be the stationing of a decent an army of empty Kingfisher bottles marching across the table. correspondent—adept at Nepali, Hindi and English—here at the heart of No, I don’t come to India for a buzz from drinking, or even staying up the Indian power machine. Someone who could network and chat up the late. But I do come for the edge, the feeling of bigness and the humour that policymakers and hangers-on, catch the gossip and watch the trends. Had resounds around almost every question of national interest or anguish. Yes, such a person been around in the past seven years, for example, I dare say they’re learning to laugh at themselves in India and have been capable of we’d have known a few more things than we do about the Maoists and their doing so for some time. As Delhi and Islamabad start the strained India policy. A longer list of stories would quite obviously include the semaphore of peace yet again—and we all, dutifully, wax hopeful—the old problems and concerns of the Nepali diaspora, foreign policy of course, jokes are trotted out. economic debates that might affect cross border trade, India’s security My favourite is in the perennial chestnut that goes like this: “Say, did concerns and so on. you hear that India has offered Kashmir to Pakistan? No way, say it’s not Even this newspaper and its sister publications, which try far more than true. Oh yes, it is, but there’s a catch, the Pakistanis have to take Bihar as most to understand life outside the Valley, don’t get regular, incisive The Horse Shoe Mountain Resort in well.” An oldie but goodie. Where are the political jokes in Nepal at the commitment to democracy, inclusion and transparency, their opposition to reportage from India. And I don’t want to hear anything about costs and RESORT Mude (24km on the Jiri Road) is looking moment? Save in the excellent cartoons in many papers, including this one. hate-mongering, corruption and cant. And they too have good cartoonists. money, Delhi rents and so on. There is cash for good journalism in this for potential buyers, leasees or partners. Interested parties Anyway, back to India. Everything’s big there. The issues, the talk, the But my point here is not to draw unfavourable comparisons between country. There is a need for understanding what makes cross border FOR may contact: 4474532 television chat show hairdos, the crash in software company share prices. Indian and Nepali journalism. It’s to ask a simple question. Why are there relations as they are. Money should be no object. It’s nice to revel in the anonymity and comfort of people around you no Nepali reporters based in Delhi, reporting on India? The relationship I know, I know, that’s easy for me to say. It’s not my money. But I worrying about big things. There are also huge advances in the quality of between the yam and the southern boulder is crucial to both, especially to volunteer to forgo my fee for this column for awhile, just to see if we can’t journalism, at least in print. Outlook magazine, the Indian Express, The the yam. Nothing provokes more outrage in the Himalayan kingdom than set someone up as our man/woman in New Delhi. It can only benefit the Week and Frontline are rigorous and principled publications that hold the being ignored, or worse, insulted by a source based in India. As we know to country, and I may have less money to spend on Kingfisher when I long for SALE country’s elite and lunatic fringe to account. They are consistent in their our cost, even forgettable film actors can set fires in the middle hills with another late night in India.

NT PEPC #146.p65 4-5 5/23/03, 3:57 PM 6 NATION 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 ECONOMY 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 7 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL BIZ NEWS STRICTLY BUSINESS by ASHUTOSH TIWARI

FedEx grows Duopoly?

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ FedEx○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ has completed six successful months in Ever wonder what those new telecom towers are the kingdom. Since the beginning of October 2002, doing on top of tall buildings in Kathmandu? Within a Legend as brand Everest De Cargo, licensee of the corporation, month there will be a new player in the field of Mind our language basic telephone communications. Nepal has offered its services in 17 locations throughout Nepal. FedEx offers services for both documents Telecommunications Authority (NTA) finally put an rom our collective scowls who blocked an entire session and packages to end to government monopoly by making way for the and snarls, it looks like of parliament to oust Deuba’s We’re using too many hard over 210 countries first private operator of Wireless in Local Loop F the national blame game predecessor take out a rally worldwide and (WLL). The tariff plan submitted by United Telecom is going to continue for a across Kathmandu in support words for soft arguments. significant Limited (UTL), a Nepal-India joint venture, has while. There’s one question of the new premier’s agenda? improvements to the inbound service into Nepal. already been approved by the NTA. It is similar to ow do you make a Nepali angry? we can no longer avoid. If Something much more than Says RM Singh, managing director of Everest De the existing tariff plan of Nepal Telecommunications Easy, just blurt out that Mt Cashing in on Everest.

Cargo, “We aim to provide customers in Nepal Corporation (NTC), with the exception that UTL is ○○○○○○○○

each one of us is so convinced unmitigated relief must have HEverest is in China or, worse ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ high quality, international, express transportation not required to subscribe to local telephony. The that everybody else is gone into it. Remember what still, in India and watch your listener services.” monthly minimum rental charge is fixed at Rs200 explode. If you are lucky, you’ll get share of its clients from, among tallest mountain poses. In an article censurable for our plight, why Deuba was doing when the that covers 175 calls. The call charges for long is it taking so long to find a all-party allies thundered from away with a lecture on the geography of others, Everest Expeditions and titled “Leadership Lessons of Mt Winner’s delight distance domestic and international calls are the the Himalaya and a warning never to Tours (prestige?). The Valley is Everest” in the Harvard Business

way to set things right? the Tundikhel open theatre ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ same. The connection charge has been fixed at Rs repeat the faux pas. dotted with Everest Momos, Everest Review, October 2001, Wharton Dharma Raj Pant won the first Philips Home Probably because we’re using around this time last year? 2000, with an additional Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000 for Indeed, with the possible Bakery Cafés, Everest Handicrafts academic Michael Useem writes Theatre system in Coca-Cola’s Music Masti too many hard words for soft Surreptitiously scheming to domestic and international long distance calls exception of the canard that the and Everest Nets. In fact, there are about taking a group of MBA promotion launched a month ago by Bottler’s arguments. subvert a genuine effort to respectively. Buddha was born in India, few other so many variously shaped and sized students on a hike across 128km of Nepal. The Butwal resident struck the jackpot

BAJRACHARYA MIN half-truths insense Nepalis. Thanks in Everest named goods and services the Nepali Himalaya (“one of Take the post-October resolve the insurgency, as when the cap of his bottle revealed his gift. There part to 50 years of relentless state-led that it is surprising that no Nepali nature’s most demanding

Fourth clamour. In King Girija Prasad Koirala recently are still four home theatres, 50 music systems and Marvelous marmelous ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ publicity campaigns through school chow-chow mogul has come up with classrooms”) to master the four Gyanendra’s text, justifying suggested? Maybe. In full 500 cassette recorders still waiting to be won. The new way to beat the heat is with textbooks, Radio Nepal, Gorkhapatra, Everest Noodles. principles of leadership, and learn the dismissal of Sher Bahadur public view, Deuba had just The promotion will continue till 15 June. Alternative Herbal Industries’ marmelous public speeches and annual rituals, With its rather insipid slogan the importance of communication juice. It comes in 650ml bottles priced at Deuba, the word fastened himself to the Bush/ Everest evokes intense loyalty among “Mt Everest & More”, Nepal and teamwork. Rs 95. The manufacturers say that by

“incompetence” appears twice. Blair bloc in a move the of the palace’s protrusion Puzzled why the army is Insurers issued code Nepalis—something that businesses Tourism Board (NTB) seems Earlier, in the Fall 1998 edition ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ drinking Marmelous you help not only Both times it strictly refers to Maoists acknowledge remains politically inexpedient. becoming politically explicit in everywhere try to create and nurture determined to attract more tourists. of Wharton Alumni Magazine, The government has come up with new rules for yourself but others as well: the juice the premier’s failure to eventually forced them to Deuba, too, pretends the royal its pronouncements these among their consumers through But as its own data shows, between Useem described how another trek the insurance sector. The amendments to the helps prevent constipation, diabetes, expensive branding exercises. It 1999-2001 twice as many visitors— across the Everest region was helpful conduct the general elections return to the negotiating table. indictment pertains to his days? Ask the generals how Insurance Regulation now authorise the Insurance urine and digestive problems and is doesn’t take a great leap to make the 73,377 to be precise—came to for his students to come up with on the stipulated date in Maybe the Belgian prime entire tenure. That’s probably they feel every time they hear Board (IB) to issue a code of conduct for agents. sourced from community-managed forests. accordance with the minister thinks he owes the because it’s the only way he can politicos drop ‘Nepali’ and It makes training and orientation a prerequisite and connection: Everest has been co- Nepal for “holiday and pleasure” innovative business ideas. Likewise, constitution. In the five days survival of his coalition partly hope to play up an overnight perpetuate the incompleteness allows an agent only a single affiliation with a life opted for the business of buying and than for mountaineering and in a number of management schools, insurer, but allows for another affiliation for Snack bite selling. Businesses undoubtedly trekking, which attracted only that recent bestseller, Into Thin Air:

it took our mainstream to his Nepali counterpart who transformation from a Tulsi of the Shahi Sena debate. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ general insurance. The surveyors will also be McBill Short Stix are low fat, baked not fried and hope the magic of association, some 33,000 thousand tourists. Amidst A Personal Account of the Mount politicians to begin grasping encamped himself in Brussels Giri to a BP Koirala. Obviously, Kangresis and of what Everest stands for in the the Everest celebrations this week, Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, the significance of the royal to show MPs there how badly Now that King comrades couldn’t have bound by the new amendments. The IB is free from preservatives. This healthy snack comes empowered to issue directives to surveyors in in a wide variety of tempting flavours—red onion, public imagination—purity, it’s worth asking whether NTB has has apparently become required step, the relevance of that core we needed those 5,500 Gyanendra’s clarification has pursued their campaign to definitive terms on the scope and limitation of their cheese, wasabi, barbecue, chili cream and exotic solidity, stability, reliability and done a good job marketing our reading, with appropriate lessons reality receded. We started machine guns. There still put matters in perspective, we bring under civilian control a jobs. Till now they could be appointed to assess pizza. Foodline, a even prestige—will rub off on their mountains or whether most visitors distilled for applications in seeing Deuba’s second innings aren’t easy answers now, but might as well probe the force that already has a clear losses in all sorts of damages. An aspirant now Kathmandu-based goods and services. to Nepal, contrary to popular belief, corporate settings. Given how as an emblem of ineptitude in we should have asked those linguistic intricacies that afflict popular connotation in its needs to have at least a bachelors’ degree in company, is importing these Kathmandu’s New Baneswor actually prefer to do something else Everest has become an inspiration either engineering, accounting or insurance to Thai treats. Priced at Rs probably has the highest other than climb or visit mountains. for business practices worldwide, its entirety. questions then. the peace process. Before you formal name. But, then, concentration of Everest branding. It’s not only homegrown one wonders when the Human There were some vital The sweeping wonder how the Maoists, who politicians can’t be generals. obtain the licence of a surveyor. It is hoped that 110-120 for a 145gm this move will standardise qualifications, enhance packet, they are available Everest Bank (signifying stability?) businesses that are enamoured with Resource Department of our own questions that should have “incompetent” tag stuck were all out for Matrika Prasad Koirala hardly stands right next to Everest Nursing Everest. Foreign business school FNCCI will organise an Everest trek been asked right then. Could because it served the purpose surveyors’ credibility and reduce dependency on throughout the kingdom. institutionalising our used the honourary military foreign surveyors. Home (reliability?), across which is professors too have succumbed to to instill leadership among its a premier who could seal a of the other seven men who embryonic republic until title he received. (The only the Everest Hotel (solidity, and not the gritty charms of logistical and members, the captains of our ceasefire with the Maoists signed the poll-postponement October Fourth, could truly civilian martial-law icy service?), who in turn, gets a emotional challenges that the world’s commerce and industry. even before he formally plea the premier took to the contemplate talking to an all- administrator I can recall is stepped into Singha Darbar palace. Deuba’s insistence that powerful palace, consider the Pakistan’s Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto INTERVIEW really be such a loser? Sure, he could still hold the following. An embryo is liable and look what happened to Deuba bungled the peace elections and that he signed to a miscarriage, capable of him.) talks. Doesn’t the sense of that paper only as an overture being aborted and runs the risk The army’s admission that betrayal he consistently to the other signatories hardly of stillbirth. The Maoists have it has barely recovered 15 exhibited over the next 10 matters today. Regardless of its made up their mind and, at percent of the arms looted by “We have not over-commercialised our mountains.” months say something even if constitutionality, the this point, it no longer matters the Maoists may reflect poorly

it was half real? restoration of Deuba’s what actually happened to that on its search-and-recover th What led our comrades government as a rectification clump of cells. Nepali Times: How are preparations for the 50 anniverasry What are the plans for more grisly things like cadavers on the prowess. Look at the other side shaping up? slopes? of the assertion: 85 percent of Ang Tshering Sherpa: We are working on a sort of war footing, giving Last year an expedition group brought down two bodies. The cadavers the job remains to be done. it our very best. More than 200 foreign and over 100 Nepali summiteers are really unnerving for many climbers, but you must realise that it is not Translation: the Maoists have confirmed their participation. One of the prime attractions of this an easy job to remove them from the mountains. They are frozen stone should either help out soon or program is the historic gathering of Everest summiteers in Kathmandu on cold and are very heavy, making it very difficult for anyone to carry them prepare for the long haul 29 May. The world’s eyes will be on Nepal. to lower altitudes where they can be burried or cremated. without that five-kilometre perimeter. The next time Why in Kathmandu and not at Everest Base Camp? How do we reduce pressure on mountain forests? The base camp would be ideal but we face practical problems like Micro hydro-electricity projects have helped lessen the impact. Many Baburam Bhattarai asks us to accommodation and transportation. Handling so many guests in such a turbines have reached the mountain areas thanks to the Mi17 helicopters. consider the “ground realities”, remote area is very difficult to manage. These have reduced the rate of deforestation. The locals are being let’s be sure to look beyond the helped by various NGOs and INGOs who teach them how to properly mud slinging to make sense of How badly has SARS impacted the celebration plans? manage and utilise their resources. There definitely is a positive side to the shifting sands. Well, the virus has not dampened our spirits. We can already see signs mountain tourism. of the epidemic tapering off. In Singapore, for instance, the disease has been brought under control. By the time our program starts, we hope Lot of complaints about our bureaucracy, and expeditions call things will look to have taken an upward turn. Till date only a few our liason officers ìlazyî officers. What is NMA doing about it? climbers, mostly from Southeast Asia, expressed doubts about being This is a complaint we receive regularly, especially from international here for the anniversary. alpine associations who bring the subject up at different forums. We have spoken about this with the government who is finally taking the The question will come up: have we turned the Himalaya into a matter seriously. A more practical solution to the problem would be commodity? appointing a liaison officer for every mountain open to expeditions. It I disagree with anyone who says we have over-commercialised our seems a waste to appoint one liaison officer for each expedition team. mountains. Mountaineers with different capabilities come to Nepal After all, most of them do not accompany the team and yet bill the because we can offer them a variety of different climbs—from easy to expeditioners. difficult, high to low. Some sell mountain sports as a tourist product, but

MIN BAJRACHARYA not everyone operates on those lines. Eco-tourism is not just a How about the welfare of support staff on the expedition? buzzword for us. This is an important concern for the NMA because we believe without The president of the Nepal making our staff and porters happy, we cannot make our clients happy. Mountaineering Association, Ang And garbage? We cleaned up Everest, rubbish is piling up on The staff are responsible for the well-being of the clients throughout their Tshering Sherpa is busy ironing out the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna base camps. trip, so it’s necessary that they too are taken care of. The NMA also pays The NMA has received complaints about litter on Dhaulagiri and Manasalu for the education of all our staff members’ children. final details for the Everest Golden base camps. We have plans to clean up those areas in the near future. Jubilee celebrations. A seasoned tourism We must put a system into place, similar to the ones they have in Europe. Like everything else in Nepal, NMA has also split. Can you tell us veteran, he spoke to Nepali Times about So many mountaineers go to the Alps every year and yet their mountains more? are so clean because they have an orderly process that everyone Till date, the NMA is the only national mountaineering association in Nepal. mountain ecology, high-altitude follows. In our own case, the Khumbu region is much cleaner than it was For the last 30 years it has worked for the betterment of mountain dumping and over-commercialisation. 15 years ago. The most important factor is education—for the local tourism in Nepal. Yes, we are aware of the other federation, but the people, the expedition team members and even the staff and porters. government has not recognised it so far.

NT PEPC #146.p65 6-7 5/23/03, 3:57 PM 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 9 We' need to see Everest as a whole.' Defending Kyocera Mita KOICHIRO OHMORI Kyocera Mita Corporation, Kyoceras Document a Solutions Company, is a leading vendor of

document solutions combining industry- ○○○○○○○○○○○○ EverestZAC○○○○○○○○○○○ ROBINSON Popular imagination has leading network laser printer and copier world leader ifty years after the historic first ascent, defiled the mountain, making technology. climbers from around the world are taking The current range of manufactured products

part in what will likely become the most us Everest junkies. from Kyocera Mita corporation include digital in total

○○○○○○○○○○ F ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ highly publicised climbing season to date on Mt copiers, laser printers, facsimiles and Everest. multifunctional devices. Integrating Kyocera This spring, climbers will commemorate past is as old as the sport itself, its origins found and Kyocera Mita technology has enhanced the document glories and vie to claim new ones, while the rest within the European Alps in the mid-1800s, as image of the new company as a provider of of us sit back and cringe at the mountain’s ever- early British explorers typically hired local world leading document solution. increasing popularity. However, criticising villagers as guides. solutions. FromLHAKPA NORBU SHERPA supplanted traditional cross- the otherconservation collaboration. Everest, the respective side Everest has become far too easy. It’s old, tired, It was within this period that “Mt Everest”

in LHASA major tourist complexes, highways, and played out. Yet, we, the public, consistently came into being—that is, the precise moment ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ border trade. Exploration and The slopes below the governments, people and friends of dams and airfields too close to the elebrations to mark the climbing in the Everest region mountain have a wide variety Sagarmtha/Chomolungma should return to the world’s highest mountain from the when in 1852, in a small office in Calcutta, th mountain. comfort of our armchairs, to critique, lament, and members of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of 50 anniversary of the first began from the north side of of ecological niches that make a commitment to: a The KM-1530 offers full-speed 15 pages per minute at 7. Declare the mountain a joint share in a collective nostalgia for a time long India calculated the height of the mountain to be ascent of Mt Everest have Everest in the early 1920s, support diverse flora and 1. Treat Everest as a whole by 600 x 600 dpi high quality output. Its compact design C heritage site between Nepal and before the commercialisation and 8,842m, making it the highest mountain in the been subdued on the north side of while the south side of the fauna at extreme elevations developing cross-border make it deal for small workgroups requiring copy and China, and as a natural and commodification transformed Everest into, what world. After an American bagged North Pole in the mountain because of the SARS mountain remained off-limits and complex mountain cooperation and understanding (optional) print functionality. Productivity is enhanced cultural property of global climber/scholar Stephen Slemon described: “a 1909 and a Norwegian the South in 1911, the world leader epidemic, and the closing of the to foreign visitors until 1950 topography: musk deer, snow through exchanges and with the fast first copy time of 5.5 seconds and importance. mainstreet, a traffic jam, a ship-of-fools party on race began for the so-called “Third Pole”, the Nepal-China border. because of the isolationist leopard, brown bear, blue consultations. continuous copying of up to 250 copies. With added the rooftop of the world.” We lay blame all-to- Everest, described as “the most coveted object in But this should not detract us policies of the Rana regime. sheep, kiang and Himalayan 2. Realise that nature does not in total memory, the KM-1530 enables ‘scan once copy many’, (Lhakpa Norbu Sherpa, PhD, is easily on the commercial guided expeditions— the realm of terrestrial exploration”. from the realisation that the two When Nepal opened its tahr roam the lofty highlands. recognise political boundaries, and electronic sorting and increased output speed of 18 manager of The Mountain those run by trained professionals who each Making the first ascent of Everest was of sides of the world’s highest borders to foreign visitors in The moisture-rich valleys promote cooperative working pages per minute! All this at a low total cost of Institute’s Qomolangma season lead legions of summit-seekers up paramount importance to the British Empire and mountain are one. Mt Everest 1951, this coincided with the support valuable medicinal relations between professionals, document ownership thanks to Kyocera Mita’s long-life compo- Conservation Program in the Tibet Everest’s two well-blazed “yak-routes”—yet, it is a preoccupation that lasted nearly half a century. straddles the international closing of Tibet to foreigners and aromatic plants. communities and scientists across Autonomous Region of China.) nents. boundary between Nepal and that followed the Cultural Interestingly, the the border to protect the ourselves who have become the Everest junkies. After thirty-two years, and eight attempts, Britain China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. Revolution. The south side numbered nearly 10,000. communities in the mountain environment at the ecosystem We buy the books, the magazines, and tune into finally claimed the first successful ascent in 1953, solutions. The 50th anniversary is a good experienced a rapid growth in Access is easier from the north valleys on the Nepali side in level. the pop-smut high-altitude reality TV shows. and the story is well known. On 29 May, opportunity to look beyond the mountaineering activities, with now because there are roads on the Khumbu, Makalu, Rolwaling, 3. Continue to protect the Popular imagination has defiled Everest, plain- Edmund Hillary from New Zealand, and Tenzing and-simple. As we count down the days to the Norgay, an expedition Sherpa from Darjeeling, physical and political divide and expeditions from different nations plateau that go nearly to the base of Kharta and Rongshar believed mountain and its environs through The KM-2030 is the all-in-one workgroup solution for highly anticipated golden-jubilee season that ascended the final slopes becoming the first men look at Sagarmatha/Chomolungma competing for the summit of the mountain. But whether tourists their homelands were the sacred coordinated and improved all copy, print, scan and fax needs. As a standard a marks the famous first ascent, the inescapable to stand atop Everest. Between the two, they laid as one whole. People on either side Everest. come by road or foot, mass tourism beyul (hidden valleys) shared by management of adjacent protected digital copier it offers 20 pages per minute output at Everest hoopla will rise to record heights, feeding claim to five nationalities—Indian, Nepali, know only their side: very few have On 29 May 1953, Edmund is bound to have an impact on the people and deities of mountains, areas. 600 x 600 dpi, ‘scan-once-copy many’ and rotate sort a public consumption ravenous with summit Tibetan, British and New Zealander, and yet, an overview of the entire mountain Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, fragile mountain ecosystem. water, forests and trees. People 4. Respect the mountain as the features reducing the need of an additional sorter. fever, propagating a circus that began long before Everest “belonged” to England and continued to world leader and its surroundings. climbing from the south slope, Thankfully, the governments of refrain from hunting, killing and sacred abode of Jomo Langma, Fully configured it offers 20 prints per minute Everest was ever “guided”. play a symbolic role within a shrinking empire. Despite the formidable became the first to reach the Nepal and China appear to be polluting land and water to remain and provide opportunities for standalone or network printing, Super G3 faxing and Contrary to popular myth, commercial News of the “timely” triumph rang through the mountain barrier in between, the summit of Everest. From the north, aware of the dangers and have in harmony with the gods. So, in education, recreation and convenient scanning. An internal finisher can be climbing did not begin with the emergence of the streets of Britain as cheering patriotic crowds in total Sherpas and Tibetans have traded a Chinese expedition placed three cooperated to form a transboundary essence, the Everest and its research. installed to produce stapled document sets, keeping adventure tourism industry in the 1980s, nor did thronged for young Queen Elizabeth’s for centuries, primarily in Tibetan climbers, including a local Tibetan national park the size of surroundings have long been 5. Provide sustainable livelihood the compact design intact. Unlimited duplex copying/ it begin with Dick Bass, the wealthy 55-year-old coronation, ushering in the New Elizabethan Age rock salt, supplemented by at the top for the first time in 1960. Switzerland by combining the culturally protected. While programs to local communities, printing/faxing are all possible with the automatic Texan, who became the first guided client to top and better times for England. document agricultural produce, livestock, iron These successes attracted global Sagarmatha and Makalu Barun formalised conservation measures including cross-border tourism, stackless duplex unit. All this at a low total cost of out on the Big E, and consequently, the first to To beleaguer the point, Everest is, and always ore, and medicinal and aromatic attention to the region and the National parks in Nepal and the such as national parks and trade, agriculture, animal ownership thanks to Kyocera Mita’s long-life summit the highest mountain on each of the has been, the focal point for “conquest”. From plants. Pastures were shared number of visitors increased Qomolangma Nature Preserve of preserves are necessary, the husbandry, education and health, components. solutions. through cross-border grazing rapidly. Visitor numbers to the the Tibet Autonomous Region. importance of a conservation so that the mountain people can seven continents. Commercial or guided climbing the colonial act of naming the mountain after agreements. Strong cultural links south side peaked in 2001 with Regular exchanges are held between system rooted in traditional continue to live here. India’s British Surveyor General, Sir developed over generations of more than 25,500 trekkers and conservationists from Nepal and culture must also be preserved. 6. Limit large infrastructure that George Everest, to modern day record economic exchanges. mountaineers. In comparison, the Tibet Autonomous Region to On the occasion of the 50th could harm the integrity of the fiascoes displaying classic “me-firstism”, In recent times tourism has visitors to the north side that year promote transboundary anniversary of the first ascent of region, such as the construction of a successful ascent has always carried social currency. Furthermore, to blame the present-day Everest circus on commercial climbing expeditions is to blatantly ignore the mountain’s coloured history. Such claims are also ignorant of the fact that each year multiple mountain rescues take place on Everest, "In my father’s footsteps" where skilled commercial guides are Many are called, few are chosen. bringing down independent climbers, who, with limited experience and JAMLING TENZING developed. mountains, I was nothing. A splinter landmarks I’d heard so much 1959 the national flag of Tibet without the services of professional with RAJENDRA S KHADKA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ At Base Camp, ten different that could be blown away by a whiff about. But where was the top? had been unfurled on its own soil guides, put themselves, and those who y father, Tenzing Norgay expeditions merged into one huge of breeze. And I said my prayers, With renewed strength and without fear of persecution, and I end up saving them, in great jeopardy. In Sherpa, discouraged his rescue station. In those 48 hours, especially when I suddenly came spirit, I continued. I realised I was felt very proud. Finally, I left a the end, the commercial clients lose out, Mchildren from becoming we helped many survive their upon the dead body of Scott on the summit when I saw the small toy of my daughter’s, just as as their guides more-frequently-than-not mountaineers because it was ordeal, but not all. After the Fisher, one of the guides who had prayer flags, left there by Sherpas my father had done. dangerous. He told us he became helicopter flew out with the died, below the Southeast Ridge before me. (That is me in the I also felt truly humble and are becoming involved in dangerous a mountaineer so we wouldn’t have casualties, we assembled at Base (27,500 feet). picture, inset, left, and my father in grateful. I said “thu chi chay” mountain rescues high in the death zone. to. He knew, since he and Edmund Camp to recuperate and make Throughout the climb, I felt 1953.) I saw David and gave him a (thank you) to the Goddess This is the reality of Everest. Hillary were the first men to reach preparations for our own attempt on strong and confident. I thought of hug. I thanked him because he Chomolungma and asked her to Personally, I will not begrudge the the top of Mt Everest in 1953. But I the summit. my father, of course. He had been had made it possible for me to get me down safely. A foreigner individual who has a dream that is had dreamed about climbing Mt On the South Col, at Camp IV, on this mountain 43 years ago. I fulfill my childhood dream. I sees a mountain and wants to allowed to come true. We all have our Everest ever since I was six-years- our final rest before the climb to felt his spirit and his support. That looked around. The summit sloped climb it because it is the highest old. the top, after five hours of sleep, I is why I knew in my heart, “This is it! gently. You could fit twenty people or the most difficult. He wants to own personal quests for adventure. My In 1996, David Breashears, the woke up at eleven at night. The I will be on top too!” I knew I was comfortably. The view was stunning. conquer it, subdue it. For me and only hope is that we all approach these leader of Mt Everest IMAX weather appeared ideal. The wind, doing well, yet at the same time, I I felt I could see everything, the Sherpas, climbing a mountain quests with care and responsibility. In Expedition, was making a which can be the curse of climbing, felt anxious. I just wanted to be on everywhere stretched out far, far is a pilgrimage because the the meantime, there is solace in the

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC AND DAVID BREASHEARS documentary about the Everest was gentle, like a refreshing top. But I told myself to be careful. away and far down below—little mountains are sacred to us. That words of Bill Tilman, the eminent region, and he offered me a breeze; it was calm and quiet all You look to one side, you see puffs of clouds and gleaming was why I felt humbled, and that mountaineer and mountain explorer, central role in it. Once we were in around. I felt this mild weather was Tibet, and on the other side, you Himalayan peaks, all beneath my was why I cried. The Goddess who said: “Let us count our blessings—I the mountains, things quickly a good omen. see Nepal, and each a scary, sheer gaze. Then I cried, I was so happy. Chomolungma granted my wish of began to go wrong. On 10 May, For the next eight to ten hours, drop of 8,000 feet. I was now the ninth person in our a lifetime. mean the thousands of peaks, climbed around three in the afternoon, we I was going to have to use every When I arrived at the South family to summit Everest. and unclimbed, of every size, shape and heard over the radio that many of resource, every trick I had learned Summit, I was just 300 feet from I thought about my parents and 'In My Father’s Footsteps' was order of difficulty, where each of us may those who were ahead of us were as a climber—this was the final test the top, but I still couldn’t see it. I prayed. I scattered some rice first published in Travelers’ find our own unattainable Mount finally on top. But this was not of all my years of learning. It was then negotiated the treacherous grains in the air and did puja. I Tales Nepal, collected and Everest.” Mercantile Traders good news. Sherpas radioed to say going to be climb, crawl, clutch, traverse to get to the Hillary Step, left a prayer flag, a khata, edited by Rajendra S Khadka, that only one or two climbers had trudge a few steps, pant for breath a very precarious spot because you pictures of my parents and His and published by Travelers’ Mercantile Building, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu Tales, Inc, San Francisco. (Zac Robinson is doing a PhD on returned from the summit and and rest for a few seconds, and are totally exposed to the Holiness the Dalai Lama. Then I For copies of Travelers’ paradigmatic moments in Canadian Ph: 4220773 4243566, Fax: 4225407 many were missing. Higher on the then start all over again using elements. I took care of that one raised the flags of the United Tales Nepal and the recently mountain where the climbers were hands, feet, ropes and axe. too, and I began to think, well, yes, Nations, India, Nepal, USA—and released Travelers’ Tales Tibet mountaineering from the University email: [email protected] floundering, a fierce blizzard had Among these massive I’ve now seen and climbed these Tibet. It was the first time since email: [email protected] of Alberta.)

NT PEPC #146.p65 8-9 5/23/03, 3:59 PM 10 WORLD 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 11 colleagues, I established a modest COMMENT by MUSHAHID HUSSAIN

Teaming up cultural group, with no external People police

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ support whatsoever. We had a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ OTTAWA – A new North American agency will provide shock terrible time trying to publish our TOKYO – Under the Information Disclosure Law that came into troops for the fight against new viruses like SARS and West Nile, writings or getting coverage of the effect in April 2001, a citizen can file a request for classified health officials say. Paul Gully, head of the Canadian health society’s activities. I remember how Insecurity on the rise information from government agencies, local governments, national department’s contagious disease department, says the Canada- Saddam and the Arabs much we agonised before we could ISLAMABAD – Just more than a week ago, US threat, as Riyadh has so brutally demonstrated. hospitals and other public institutions. It took a 20-year struggle and US agency will be uniquely able to provide “surge capacity”—a print our first literary review, Al- President George W Bush was triumphantly telling Second, US interests are threatened not by Muslim intense lobbying by activists, academics and consumer

large pool of experts trained in handling epidemics who can be in LONDON ○○○○○○ AWAD○○○○○○○○○○ NASIR aligned himself with Iran. Badeel (The Alternative), early years audiences in the United States that “the back of al- regimes or rulers, who can either be contained, organisations to get the law framed and passed. Now, at the top of quickly mobilised when a crisis like SARS (severe acute ith the end of Saddam Saddam’s brutality within Iraq How will the Arab world react to in our forced exile more than twenty Qaeda is broken and we are winning the war on coopted or crushed—as happened with Saddam the agenda among the civic-minded is the misuse of tax revenue. respiratory syndrome) erupts. Hussein’s regime, the scope also served his neighbors’ purposes. Iraq’s reckoning, and how will it years ago, starting in Lebanon. terror’’. Hussein or the Taliban or even Yasser Arafat, who has Emboldened by the law, Japanese activists are now demanding During April’s SARS outbreak in Toronto, Canadian health W of his brutalisation of the He repressed the Shiites, the In the Arab region, Saddam But the orchestration in the 12 May attacks in been sidelined through his newly appointed Prime information on a number of subjects. A survey conducted in 2002 workers and epidemiologists found they could not keep up with Iraqi people is becoming clear. Mass traditional opponents of Sunni- face its own complicity in manipulated people’s sentiments by Saudi Arabia seems to taken both the United States Minister Mahmoud Abbas. showed that the number of requests for disclosures reached the disease. One of the city’s top experts on viral infections graves are unearthed, torture dominated regimes in the region. feeding them an ever-changing diet of and Saudi Arabia by surprise. Then on Friday night, The United States faces a new kind of enemy 30,000 that year, and the bulk of these were filed with the National caught SARS and was hospitalised for a month, and federal chambers opened. Countless Iraqis He suppressed the Kurds, Saddam’s legacy? secular, Islamist, and nationalist five suicide bomb attacks hit Morocco’s commercial nameless, faceless, stateless with the skill, will and Tax Agency. They are even tackling the highly sensitive issue of officials had to ask for help from the US Centres for Disease now openly recount horrifying reassuring both Turkey and Syria, slogans. He crowned these with his capital of Casablanca, in a motivation to strike through a child rights by asking that the law cover the right to inform adopted Control (CDC). At the same time, Canadian officials were stories of the murder and countries with sizeable—and call to liberate Palestine “from the river move that US officials and other weapon that has no remedy in its children about their biological parents, which is also related to the outraged when the World Health Organisation issued a travel disappearance of loved ones. restive—minority populations of to the sea,” that is, the destruction of officials suspect could also be arsenal, namely, suicide increasing number of births through infertility treatments. Tax advisory for the city. It was lifted five days later, but the tourism In the other Arab states, the their own. Indeed, by stifling any Israel, outdoing the Palestinian leaders the work of al-Qaeda. bombing. It is the suicide bomber misappropriation, school funds, nuclear waste and public health are industry in the country’s largest city suffered a 40 percent loss political leadership and the media hint of democracy or political themselves. Indeed, it was Saddam These come when US policy who has the capacity to all issues close to the citizens’ hearts now benefiting from the new and has shown few signs of rebounding prior to the usually peak have not dwelled much on these opposition in Iraq, Saddam’s police who added the words “God is great” in had shifted to diplomacy in the destabilise in a massive manner, law. The next step, activists say, is to ensure the participation of the as Riyadh, Palestine or Chechnya summer season. The Conference Board of Canada, a national aspects of Saddam’s rule. They have state eliminated all risk of possible his own handwriting to the Iraqi flag. aftermath of the Iraq war. At the public before a law or budget is passed, rather than demanding time of the Riyadh blasts (see have demonstrated. Following US economic forecaster, estimated the outbreak of SARS will cost contagion of neighbouring states. Saddam also assigned his deputy (IPS) good reason for avoiding such close media reports that Osama bin information retrospectively. Toronto $720 million. (IPS) scrutiny. Many of them benefited Outside Iraq, Saddam Izzat Ibrahim to lead a so-called “faith pic), US Secretary of State Colin Powell was visiting the Laden had masterminded the directly from Saddam’s rule. understood the uses of wealth and drive”. The campaign was designed to Riyadh terror strikes, these could

serve several purposes, including region. Quiet talks with Iran have Line of fire Examining what he did in Iraq influence as a means of gaining ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

GE row apparently resulted in allowing indicate an unusually high level ○○○○○○○○○

○○○○ the suppression of any free, secular means examining their own role in friends. He put his oil reserves to the prominent Tehran-based of sophistication and CANBERRA – Australian Prime Minister John Howard has refused BRUSSELS –The European supporting more than three decades good use, providing Jordan and thinking. On a wider scale, it was Iraqi cleric, Ayatollah Baqer al organisation. Third, now that to dismiss the governor general, Dr Peter Hollingworth, over Commission has of brutality. Syria—each a failing economy—with meant to influence and win over Hakim, to return to Iraq, as well Saudi Arabia is no longer the adverse findings by an Anglican church inquiry into the sexual condemned the US decision The heyday of Saddams’s deeply discounted supplies, Arab and Muslim minds by hollow as the disarmament of the Iraq- lynchpin in US Middle East abuse of students by priests while he was head of the diocese of to file a complaint with the relations with the Arab world came assuring their goodwill. but bombastic rhetoric. based, anti-Iran Mujahideen-e- strategy, the United States may Brisbane. Instead, Howard has negotiated that Hollingworth World Trade Organisation during the Iran-Iraq war during the Saddam also focussed his Unfortunately, many Arabs, rulers Khalq Organisation. need to review its strategy. Iraq temporarily step aside while the fate of an unrelated legal case is against the European Union’s de 1980s. Saddam’s attack on Iran attention on the media in the Arab and ruled alike, fell for it. What is Iran’s quid for the and Afghanistan remain volatile. determined. facto ban on genetically modified allayed the fears of Arab regimes that world, understanding their power in With the end of Saddam’s regime, American quo remains to be Palestine is unsettled. Iran, Syria, The Victorian Supreme Court must resolve whether a case foods. The US considers the current Ayatollah Khomeini’s Iran would controlling and regimenting an Iraq faces a reckoning for decades of seen, but it will probably be The world faces a new Saudi Arabia and Egypt, are brought by Annie Jarmyn can proceed. Jarmyn alleged Hollingworth European Union (EU) moratorium on the commercial development export its Islamic revolution. The audience. Saddam spent physical brutality and cultural evident in the Iranians kind of enemy— nervous over US designs which to raped her in 1965 or 1966 in a camp organised by a church-based of genetically modified (GM) foods as an “illegal” barrier under late Jordanian monarch King unreservedly, buying off politicians, surprise when opening brief cases At the center of this network intimidation. Iraqis will have to revisit moderating the Hizbollah in nameless, faceless, them seem to be Israel-driven. youth. Hollingworth strenuously rejects the accusations and has World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules. Hussein would join Saddam in journalists, writers, and artists in distributed as presents—wads of were the cultural organisations that concepts—like nationalism, Lebanon, especially their This is all happening as Bush prepared a detailed rebuttal, including an emotional televised Senior officials of the 15-nation EU’s executive arm, the inspecting the frontlines. The Gulf Iraq, the Arab world, and beyond. dollars would be stuffed inside. For Saddam established in Arab and sovereignty and Islamic community— military campaign against stateless suicide faces an upcoming presidential address to the nation last week. Another report tabled by premier of election next year, one he European Commission, dismiss the US Administration’s move as states, especially Saudi Arabia and Through a large and interlocking favoured supporters, the rewards other capitals. Iraqi embassies acted that have never come under critical Israel. It is no accident that bombers. Queensland, Peter Beattie, was critical of Hollingworth’s handling of “legally unwarranted”, “economically unfounded” and “politically Kuwait, offered Saddam massive network of security and media could be much greater: mansions, as media centers, along with their examination. How the Arab world Iranian President Mohammad intends to fight on the flag of patriotism imposed on the sands two of nine complaints of child sexual abuse. The report revealed unhelpful”. The US, along with twelve other agricultural exporting financial and media support. organisations, Saddam financed luxurious apartments, the latest cars. despicable role in hunting reacts to Iraq’s reckoning, and whether Khatami visited Lebanon, where that although Hollingworth knew that the Reverend John Elliot had nations, including Argentina, Canada and Egypt, want the EU to Egypt’s centres of power, such scores of newspapers and magazines, Dozens of Arab intellectuals dissidents of all political stripes. other Arabs will face their own Hizbollah has its headquarters. But despite the shift and deserts of the Middle East while protecting, and promoting Israel, much to the chagrin of Middle repeatedly abused a boy between 1978 and 1981, he was allowed repeal its five-year moratorium on GM foods, or face sanctions as its army, businessmen, lavishing on their hack writers sums engaged in this kind of business The sole concern of these lavishly- complicity in Saddam’s legacy, will tell to diplomacy the Middle East and the world at large Eastern governments and people. This dichotomy is to continue in the ministry with restrictions. under WTO rules. of money that were unimaginable to us a great deal about what sort of Arab are going to be a more volatile place. journalists, and ideological parties, with Saddam. In the Arab world funded front organisations was to widening the cleavage between popular perceptions In June 2001 Howard appointed Hollingworth as the Statements by senior officials in Brussels however indicated played a prominent role in ordinary Arab journalists. many of these people are literary sell Saddam Hussein abroad and societies the future will bring. What do the blasts foretell about the Middle East? First, the Iraq war had nothing to do with the in the Middle East and US official policy there. Riyadh governor general, a largely ceremonial head of state that EU is unlikely to lift the block on GM foods, which is widely supporting Saddam’s war against A political-intelligence-media celebrities, film idols and media discredit his opponents. (© Project Syndicate) ‘war on terror’ or the quest for weapons of mass would have widened that yawning chasm. (IPS) representing the British queen but with significant ‘reserve’ supported by European consumers. EU consumer and green Iran. Syria was the sole exception to network was constantly at work. stars. Recently discovered I experienced directly the destruction in Iraq. For many in the Muslim world, it powers under the constitution. (IPS) lobby groups have opposed the US claim, saying it goes against (Awad Nasir is an Iraqi poet still this chorus of Arab approval for Arab writers and artists invited to documents reveal that hundreds of difficulty of trying to offer an was about oil, Israel and reshaping the Middle East (Mushahid Hussain is a Pakistani senator and former exiled in London, where he works as the wishes of the majority of consumers in Europe. Under the EU Saddam, because its late leader, Saddam-sponsored cultural events them received money and gifts from alternative view of Iraq and its political map, hence, terrorism remains a potent information minister of the Nawaz Sharif cabinet.)

system, the prospective effects of GMOs on human, animal and President Hafez al Assad, had would invariably find a pleasant Saddam or his henchmen. cultural life. With a group of a writer and editor.) Relapse into war ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ plant health and the environment have to be scientifically JAKARTA – After five months, the ceasefire between the assessed before being approved for marketing. (IPS) OPINION by ABRAHAM VERGHESE government of President Megawati Sukarnoputri and the Free Aceh Movement, known by its Indonesian acronym GAM, collapsed Fine tuning following Jakarta’s imposition of a state of emergency in Aceh

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ starting Monday. A last-ditch round of talks in Tokyo also ended BRUSSELS – The new constitution for the European Union, over the weekend, with already ominous signs. The military which is currently being drawn up, must not compromise prevented Aceh-based members of the GAM negotiating team to fly humanitarian aid and development policy, say civil society groups. to Japan, and they had to take part in the discussions by cellular They fear that the development policy of the 15-nation European phones. Union (EU), which provides aid to developing countries across The province was put under special military operations for 10 the world, would become increasingly dwarfed by its external years under Suharto, from 1987 relations agenda, especially foreign, trade, immigration and The metaphor of blight Onwards and at least 10,000 people have been killed in the security policies. conflict. The state of emergency will last six months and can be Members of several NGOs, led by BOND, the British hina’s shame, Hong Kong’s Exaggerated, capricious, unfair and awareness in the health-care settings had a single infected guest—a doctor, extended. Calls for military action had increased because the peace Overseas NGO for Development are expressing this anxiety. A misfortune, America’s good most likely to see patients. Dr Julie who later died—who somehow spread process had not yielded results and clashes had started again network of 270 NGOs, BOND is concerned over the EU’s C luck—this is how we in unjustified as they may be, metaphors Gerbeding of the CDC has been a it to other guests who in turn carried between the military and GAM. external role and stressed the need to make institutional changes America seem to view the disease much more reassuring figure than the disease to several other countries. Early this month, Jakarta deployed large numbers of troops to in order to ensure that the Union is more inclusive and SARS, an illness caused by a virus are difficult to bottle back up once Tommy Thompson. But let’s not kid And then there is the story of the the province after Megawati asked the military to prepare for a accountable to the world’s poor. The Convention on the Future of whose genetic vocabulary neither they have been invoked. ourselves: America has also been incredible spread of SARS within an crackdown. Altogether, security forces in Aceh now number almost

Europe, a group of representatives from each member state 50,000. Last week, parliament also voted for a $147 million budget ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ encodes for such adjectives, nor ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ incredibly lucky to be spared the apartment building in Hong Kong, under the former French President Valery Giscard d’Estaing, are recognises sovereign boundaries. virus and the metaphor. where ultimately 286 people came to finance a military-led campaign in Aceh. (IPS) currently preparing proposals for a new constitution for Europe Indeed, the tendency to ascribe spread that characterises influenza WHO list, there were howls of protest America still has much to be down with the disease. All it will take to respond to the changing needs of a growing and evolving EU. metaphors to disease (as Susan Sontag seems not to be occurring with from that city as they objected to the concerned about. There are aspects of to cause an outbreak in an American The European Commission, represented by Barbara Brandtner, World player

pointed out some years ago) is a SARS—thank heavens for that. metaphor of blight. A delegation from SARS we don’t understand. For city is one patient, a superspreader, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ said humanitarian assistance under ECHO, the EU’s humanitarian uniquely human enterprise, absurd on Meanwhile, the metaphors— Toronto flew to Geneva to make the example, SARS, more than any disease whose illness is not immediately BEIJING – China is making its first appearance at the meeting of the aid office, should remain separate. (IPS) the one hand, and inevitable on the exaggerated, capricious, unfair and case that they had controlled the I can recall, amplifies itself dramati- recognised, and then we will find what Group of Eight (G-8) industrialised nations in June, a sign of a shift other. unjustified as they may be—are infection, and a surprisingly pliant cally in some health-care settings. At it is like to be tainted by the metaphor. in its foreign policy from being a revolutionary power to a major Slamming doors Such metaphors take root and difficult to bottle back up once they WHO agreed to take them off the list. the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong SARS has exposed the inequities world player. Three years ago, it rejected an invitation from

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ hold sway; they dictate our emotional have been invoked. When the World It turned out that new cases were Kong, 138 health-care workers came and imbalances between the health Germany to attend the G-8 annual summit as an observer, HAVANA – Cuba has once again withdrawn its request to join responses to a disease. Thus the cancer Health Organisation issued travel popping up in Toronto even as their down with SARS contracted from one systems of various countries— maintaining its communist stance that the group is a “club of the the Cotonou Agreement, through which the European Union metaphor is historically (and quite advisories for the affected countries, officials were flying to Geneva. patient. Similarly in Toronto, almost disorganised and secretive in China, rich”. extends aid and preferential trading conditions to former colonies unfairly) one of failure, or personal the SARS metaphor now came to mean Canadian officials claimed they did all the patients were traced to one well organised and accessible in the China’s need to repair the international damage caused by its in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). weakness—cancer happens to the economic blight. Singapore, China not know about the new cases when hospitalised patient. Indeed, it is US. It has suggested how initial mishandling of the SARS outbreak provides the immediate Cuba’s decision reflects the tensions that currently mark its Hubert Humphreys of the world, to and Hong Kong saw trade and they made their pitch in Geneva. almost as if the virus uses a patient as phenomenally important the element background for President Hu Jintao’s (pic, below) meeting with the ties with the EU, which has loudly criticised the stiff prison the perennial runners-up. The tourism shrivel away (and it was not as Embarrassed WHO officials seemed its Trojan horse to get entry into the of luck is in a country’s experience. leaders of G-8 countries. In November 2002 China signed an sentences handed down in Havana to 70 dissidents in April and metaphor of tuberculosis, by contrast, if these economies were doing that well ready to reimpose the recommendation hospital, as if the hospital were its And the metaphors SARS invokes agreement that would create a free trade zone by 2010 with the 10- the execution of three men who hijacked a passenger ferry. In is that of unbridled passion affecting even mouthwatering story on one of Then, as SARS spread out of who was a physician or a nurse, it before SARS). At a time when against travel, sensing that a double primary target. reflect our biases and our prejudices; member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Beijing January, Havana had filed its second request to join the pact, sensitive souls such as Keats. the cable food channels. But in light of China, to Hong Kong and then to was cause for alarm. international bodies such as the UN standard had been revealed. But in And hospitals are not the only the disease reveals the cultural has also abandoned its once-virulent anti- under which the EU established a $15.6 billion fund to finance SARS quickly became invested SARS, that story has been recast as an Vietnam and Singapore, the metaphor As an infectious disease specialist, are divided and ineffective, the WHO any case, the damage to Toronto was institutions we must worry about; one stereotypes hiding just below the US rhetoric. Analysts say the example of development programs in 77 former ACP colonies between 2003 with its own metaphors, and, just as epic and cautionary tale, the emphasis changed and SARS became an Oriental I shuddered when I first read the early has never seemed more virile and done and would take time to be hotel, the Metropole in Hong Kong, surface. The virus, like so many before Russia, which evolved toward greater and 2008. By cancelling its application, the Cuban government when AIDS first came on the scene, no longer gustatory, but apocalyptic: plague and the metaphor began to reports of SARS. In the back of my potent. Indeed, it was a WHO reversed, no matter what the WHO or it, is democratic: It reminds us that we participation in the G-8, has given China a responded to a decision adopted on 30 April by the European the dominant metaphor of SARS was Guangdong as an anti-Eden where the affect business in the far-flung mind was another metaphor, namely physician, Dr Carlo Urbani, who first the city fathers now said. share one planet, and that even if we do good deal of enlightenment on how to Commission, the bloc’s executive organ, which indefinitely that of a medieval plague. And flesh and blood of serpents, ducks, Chinatowns of New York, San the horrific 1918 Spanish influenza. identified the new outbreak and America thus far has been most not share the planet’s wealth, we share gradually transform its image as a suspended consideration of Cuba’s request due to human rights plague, whether medieval or pigs, chicken and other animals run Francisco, Seattle and other cities. That pandemic had a relatively low tragically became a martyr to the fortunate and has largely been spared its misfortunes. (© TAWSJ) communist country with isolationist concerns. postmodern, needs its scapegoats together on the butchers board and on Then the remarkable propensity of mortality of about 5 percent, and yet it illness, one of many doctors to the disease. More important from an politics. Membership in the Cotonou Agreement would have led to a and its sacrificial lambs. the floors of open-air markets. From this disease to affect health-care spread so widely that it caused 25 succumb to the disease. economic point of view, it has been (Abraham Verghese, MD, is the Hu Jintao’s attendance at the G-8 tripling of EU aid to Cuba. Cuba is annoyed by the six-monthly EU The SARS virus sprang up in a this primordial ooze, so the new workers added a new wrinkle: In million deaths worldwide. SARS The warning against travel to the spared the metaphor. The Centers for director of the Center for Medical meeting marks his first official appearance evaluations.In December the EU had announced it would carry part of China known for its exotic mythology goes, a super villain— Singapore and Hong Kong, doctors seems to have a higher mortality, Far East was accepted as prudent by Disease Control and regional public- Humanities and Ethics, University at a world forum since he was anointed them out once a year but after the April executions it decided to cuisine. The markets and kitchens of SARS—is born. Thus the first and hospitals became tainted by the anywhere from 5 percent to 50 percent most in the West, a tough pill that health entities have done a great job of of Texas Health Sciences Centre, Communist Party leader in October and continue with the twice-yearly evaluation process. (IPS) Guangzhou could in other times have metaphor of SARS was not simply that metaphor. This was a medical depending on the host and the setting, those countries would have to swallow. tracking potentially infected persons San Antonio. His most recent book state president in March. (IPS) been the subject for a colorful and of plague, but a Chinese plague. plague, and if you had a neighbour but fortunately the kind of rapid But when Toronto was added to the and isolating them, and also of raising is The Tennis Partner.)

NT PEPC #146.p65 10-11 5/23/03, 3:59 PM 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 HISTORY AND CULTURE 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 13

Trekking fee not the first to be asked for privilege of trekking in this scenic NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA ○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○ ‘donations’. More than half-a- valley. District secretary of the Rajendra Manandhar in dozen different trekking groups in CPN (Maoist), Asmita admitted Kantipur, 16 May Rolwaling have been forced to pay those who refuse to pay are asked Insurgency timeline money for the cause. An American- to leave, but added: “We only ask Ramesh Tufan Austrian tourists Arien Cosac and Italian group came back from their them to pay voluntarily.” Asmita Kiran Nepal in Himal Khabarpatrika, 15-29 May Sabina have a souvenir from the trek Rs 12,000 lighter, an said the ‘fee’ did not violate the Maoists. It is a permit letter Australian team reportedly paid Rs code of conduct signed between the 1996 allowing them to trek Rolwaling 11,000 to continue with their trek government and Maoists earlier this 13 February: Maoists attack police posts in Rukum, Holeri and Sindhuligadhi. area and it reads: “The eastern and Belgian trekkers returned to the year and that all donations would 29 February-19 March: Police operation in Rukum and Rolpa. regional command of the capital with a receipt for Rs 4,000. be put to good use for the 17 July: Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Human Rights of House of A voice for liberation Communist Party of Nepal The rebels call it an “entry development of Rolwaling. Locals Representatives appeal for the creation of a conducive environment for talks to stop violence. empty icons and killed off old forms in order to (Maoist) thank you for the Rs permit fee”. Tourists who arrive in estimate the Maoists have collected demand of the times the liberation that Nepalis CITY OBSTACLES MUST END 1,000 you provided to help the Dolakha are asked to pay between more than Rs100,000 this spring. 1997 deserve. Ramesh Tufan’s poems, translated Humanity is lost A stranger came to me and asked people’s war.” The Austrians are Rs 1,000-3,000 each for the Many trekkers feel cheated. 3 January: Maoists attack Bethan police post in Ramechhap. below, give us a sense of what our writers today in a thicket of human beings Don’t you recognise me? 11 March: UML-Sadbhabana-RPP coalition government presided over by Lokendra Bahadur have been saying when they do speak of Let us not try seeking it out Paralysed by uncertainty Chand constitutes a taskforce led by Prem Singh Dhami to find a solution to the Maoist problem. liberation. In the first poem, Tufan writes of for the ambushing beast I stared for a long time The taskforce labels it “terrorist activity in a political disguise”. personal desire and unfulfillment, which is the sprung from the mind of man but couldn’t place him 7 October: A Nepali Congress-RPP-Sadbhavana coalition government formed under the basis for a greater demand for rights: has long ago devoured it and said Forgive me Sir, “Illogical deadlock” leadership of Surya Bahadur Thapa. I don’t know who you are One cannot say ‘Death to this era’ He said You don’t recognise me? Me? An interview with Bishwo Nath Upadhaya, 1998 I am the stifled sigh of your existence THIRST Like the ornate letters the truth you cannot live without president of the 1991 constitution drafting 8 January: Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa recommends dissolution of House of Representative. A person here comes to life spelling words of welcome your liberation commission. In Sanghu, 19 May bearing the wish before passengers at the airports Everything between us remained pending 5 March: The UML splits. for the thrill of victory and at the border gates The wish to hear and learn more stayed Do you agree that the king’s October Fourth 12 April: Girija Prasad Koirala constitutes a Nepali Congress minority government. and after birth the city stretches across the way unfulfilled move was unconstitutional? 26 May: The police launches counter-insurgency Operation Kilo Sierra II. forgetting oneself an aged ravenous tiger as another person a stranger 11 June: US ambassador Ralph Frank warns of withdrawal of international aid if Maoist attacks The present deadlock is illogical. It was an lives insinuated himself between us on development infrastructure continue. the errant life The city knows how to entice people and sighing in monstrous satisfaction

unconstitutional move—there are constitutional MIN BAJRACHARYA 8 September: Alternative politburo member Suresh Wagle and Commander Bhimsen Pokharel of a lone person and how to suck them dry bound us with his wrathful eyes alternatives to what he did. If the prime minister’s killed in police encounter. waged in a game of dice leaving skeletal remains and said, There’s a warrant in your names recommendation was improper, the king could 27 November: Maoists declare new campaign to create ‘base areas’. Like the aged tiger I have orders to bring you in have sent it back to the cabinet for 15 December: Minister Chiranjibi Wagle’s house in Chabel bombed. n a recent literary meeting, writers loudly At this time dissentors too here roar These two parts of unrecognisability reconsideration. Or he could have directed the bemoaned the fact that their voices were not don’t ask to satisfy their own greed One of them reminds me of my life force prime minister towards an election, after all both 1999 I being heeded despite the freedom of why his own dogs have Like dogs in the season of heat the other erects himself the Election Commission and the security forces constitutional entity. It is rather ironical that the 2 January: Bhatte Danda police post in Lalitpur attacked. expression that the country enjoys. They may well mauled their master’s legs desires here rove desperately as an obstacle to my liberation had declared their preparedness. The king’s action monarch always chose extra-constitutional paths 15 January: Maoists kill Hari Bhakta Oli, ex-DDC chairman and president of Rukum Nepali turn to the quality of their works to explain why Only upon regretting having been robbed In this age when obstacles must end was against all constitutional options on offer. whenever such a situation presented itself. Congress. this is so. Few writers in the past decade have does a person understand by the newly arrived travellers the obstacles to my liberation 5 March: Maoists kill Yadi Gautam, UML secretary of Rukum and candidate for general elections. taken to heart the challenge of finding the art to his own life force of compassion must also end express the widening democratic aspirations of and after that now So is the constitution still relevant? At present, which is the most powerful of the 31 May: Nepali Congress majority government formed under Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. 14 June: Maoists attack police post in Laha, Rukum. Nepal. Instead they have churned out easy cliches, begin to see in his defeated eyes Neither can one embrace this era The king’s move has no provision under the three factions? 30 December: Taskforce led by Sher Bahadur Deuba formed to study the Maoist problem and tired doggerel, insipid slogans and trite nationalism. dreams of the thrill of victory These poems raise the question: What, in these constitution. What we have now is a government The king has the army behind him, the government offer resolution. They have allied themselves cliquishly with the The city is no civility regressive times, can writers do in order to continue put in place in direct contravention of the has only the right to rule. Therefore, I would political parties, apologising for their mistakes and and on the travels of life Nor is it any culture establishing an argument for the expansion of benefiting from their connections. Or they have constitution. In this regard, I would have to admit suggest neutralisation of the army. Neither the 2000 begin to seek a new path If you can loot democracy? What new expressions and what new forms the constitution is no longer active in the sense we monarch nor the political parties should be allowed remained completely aloof from the social sphere, on the long travels towards fulfilment If you can’t have others loot for you can honor the complexity of our times’ demand for 7 June: Maoists attack Panchkatiya police post in Jajarkot. as though our lives could take place in an absence intended. Modern world history shows that the to interfere. The government should be allowed to The city is a beast in ambush liberation? Where is the literature that voices the of the collective. In the two poems below, Tufan’s demand for The city is an aged ravenous tiger freedom that is due the country? 2001 parliament can be reinstated. In our case, the body take decisions regarding the army through due With a very few exceptions, writers today liberation becomes larger, and his critique The city is a dog in the season of heat Ramesh Tufan’s poems are found in the collection mandated by the people for a five-year period was process only for national emergencies like foreign 4 February: Maoists attack Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhaya in Surkhet. simply do not match the fire of someone like Gopal becomes more social—though it remains rooted in Ramesh Tufan Naam Hunulai (To Have the Name of faultily dissolved. Only article 127 is active, in it is aggression, extraordinary external situations and for 1 April: Maoists attack Rukumkot police post. Prasad Rimal or Bhupi Sherchan, who shattered personal experience. Ramesh Tufan), published by the Royal Nepal Academy a proviso that allows for the reinstatement of the the welfare of the general public. The experiences of 6 April: Maoists attack Naumule police post, Dolakha. in 1996. parliament. other countries suggest this will bring political 11 April: Integrated Security and Development Program (ISDP) launched in Maoist affected districts. stability. 1 June: Royal palace massacre. 7 July: Maoists attack police posts in Taruka of Nuwakot, Bichaur of Lamjung and Bami of Gulmi. Is there a way out, then? 12 July: Holleri attack. There is no way out other than reinstating What were the major mistakes in the past 12 19 July: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala resigns. parliament. This will automatically revive all other years? 21 July: Sher Bahadur Deuba proposes peace talks. constitutional processes. The parliament can then The political parties got themselves embroiled in 22 July: The Maoists attack Pandusen police post in Bajura. decide whether it wants to form a single party undemocratic competition, they horse-traded and 25 July: Government-Maoist ceasefire declared. Songs of blessing government and hold talks with the Maoists. The amassed wealth, setting the stage for the king to step 30 August: First round of talks held in Godavari.

present situation arose because of the Maoist in with his unconstitutional solution. The palace is 13-14 September: Second round of talks held in Bardiya. How Ani Choying Drolma honours and aids her sangha. ○○○○○○○○○○○○

insurgency, undemocratic competition among the a guardian of this country—it has the right to take 13 November: Third round of talks in Godavari. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ political parties, and the ambition of the monarch. precautions against wrong-doings. But it cashed in 21 November: Prachanda declares end of the ceasefire. where the sisterhood could come for tells her young charges. We failed to set a system and have experimented on the confusion created by unhealthy politics. The 23 November: Maoists announce Central People’s Government under Baburam Bhattarai. Simultaneous attacks on army in Dang, and district headquarters. support—spiritual, educational or financial. Arya Tara School is funded entirely between a democracy and guided democracy mishandling resulted in the palace usurping even After two years of raising funds Ani through the proceeds of Ani Choying’s MIN BAJRACHARYA since1950. The political parties misused power, the prerogative of the government to assign political 25 November: Attack on Salleri in Solukhumbu. 26 November: State of emergency declared, the Maoists labelled terrorists and the Royal Nepali Choying was ready to take on the concerts, CD sales and from private and the king could not establish himself as a appointments. Army is deployed. foundation’s first major project in 2000, the donations. In the past “the singing nun” Arya Tara School for nuns, fittingly named has had to deal with traditionalists who QUOTE OF THE WEEK 2002 after The Liberator. At Arya Tara nuns are viewed her use of the prayers as 21 February: Parliament endorses state of emergency. given both a secular and a religious sacrilegious. She was wary of performing in Our political parties failed to perform in the last 12 years. We must start from zero again to win the people’s 23 April: Ransom on heads of Maoist leaders. education. They learn Tibetan, Nepali, Nepal but chose to do so to support Arya performing her fourth annual Kathmandu trust. We acted irresponsibly. 7 May: US President George W Bush backs government campaign against the Maoists and English, math, history, art, basic first aid Tara. “I do not change the melody or the concert at 6PM on 25 May at the Durbar pledges support, Maoists attack army camp in Gam. along with religious scriptures and rituals. words. When I perform with others—like Hall, Hotel Yak and Yeti, to aid Arya Tara -Shailaja Acharya of the Nepali Congress in Rajdhani, 21 May. 17 May: Parliament extends state of emergency. “Spiritual development certainly makes us contemporary musicians—it becomes a School build their new premises in 22 May: Parliament dissolved on recommendation of Prime Minister, election date set for 3 wiser, but intellectual pursuits make us bridge for others to experience the wonder Pharping. This year she will be November. smarter,” she says. in these prayers,” she says. “It’s like a accompanied by local jazz legends Cadenza,

26 May 2002: Deuba expelled from Nepali Congress. MIN BAJRACHARYA Ani Choying believes secular beautiful woman whose beauty is not incorporating ancient Buddhist chants as 18 June: The Deuba faction expels party president Girija Prasad Koirala. knowledge—including how to cook, clean marred or altered when she wears jewellery well as Amazing Grace, the Jewish Shalom 8 September: Maoists attack Sandhikharka in Arghakhachi, most government buildings er eyes are the first thing you notice: challenging intellectual exercises, nuns were and shop for food—will help Arya Tara or perfume.” Malekham, the Gayatri Mantra and the destroyed. large, black pools that mirror her urged to focus solely on prayers and pujas, nuns to better navigate their way in a world Despite her popularity here and Maha Mrtitunjaya Mantras. 3 October: Prime Minister Deuba recommends elections be postponed for a year. H emotions without guile. Ani Choing leaving them with little or no skills to outside that of the nunnery, a necessity if abroad, Ani Choying is remarkably And what of the future? “Right now I 4 October: King Gyanendra sacks Deuba and takes over executive powers. Drolma may be garbed in traditional robe interact with the outside world. they wish to be proponents of active focused, humble, and dedicated to the am dedicated to the Nun’s Welfare 11 October: Formation of a new cabinet under the premiership of Lokendra Bahadur Chand. and have sheared hair, but she drives a car, The confidence she gained by learning compassion. The love and compassion memory of her teacher: “This is a path I Foundation and I’ll work for it as long as they 14 October: Maoists attack and destroy Jumla district headquarters. has a cell phone and several very popular English and basic medical skills through preached by Buddhism needs more than just set on with the blessings of my guru, need me but I look forward to going on 26 January: Maoists assassinate Chief of Armed Police Krishna Mohan Shrestha, his wife CDs to her credit. Clearly, she is not a private lessons impressed the young Ani prayers, according to her. “Recycling the Tulku Urgen Rinpoche, who encouraged retreat. I am blessed to receive more than I Nudup Shrestha and bodyguard in Kathmandu. typical Buddhist nun. Choying and left her wishing other nuns word ‘compassion’ is not enough, it must be my singing and taught me the beautiful give,” she says, quite unaware just how much 28 January: Government decides to retract terrorist label, bounties and the red corner notice As progressive in her work as her could feel the same self-assurance. Her accompanied by concrete action for society spiritual songs that I now perform.” From we, her audience, receive in turn. against the Maoists. approach to modern life—she even has a personal experience had taught her where to benefit,” says Ani Choying. Arya Tara is a him she learned the practice of Chod, or 29 January: Government-Maoist ceasefire declared. website, www.choying.com—Ani Choing is the crux of the problem lay: “Scratch school, not a nunnery that asks for a “cutting,” helping to recognise and cut Ani Choying Drolma’s 4th Annual 12 March: The Nepali Congress, the UML, People’s Front and NMKP (Nepal Workers and committed to her dharma and sangha, as is around our supposedly up-to-date society lifetime commitment. After their education, through egotistic tendencies. The chants Kathmandu Concert: “Songs to cut No, it isn’t what I thought…This isn’t Newspaper: Ministers stopped from visiting violent Peasants Party) reach a consensus for a joint agitation against the October Fourth royal move. apparent in the Nuns Welfare Foundation and you’ll find a deep-rooted patriarchy, the young nuns will be encouraged to return used in this practice are the ones Ani through ego-clinging, traditional melodic the queue for Korean jobs, these people districts 28 March: Maoist negotiation team comes out in the open at a press conference. (NWF), an NGO that she started in 1998. something that affects even religious home to Muktinath, Manaslu, Helambu Choying has spread the world over. Her Buddhist chant” at 6 PM on Sunday, 25 have been summoned by the CIAA! Minister: “What bad luck! I was prevented from 8 April: Student leader killed in Butwal demonstration. As a young nun who joined Nagi Gompa at priorities. Monastic life depends on the and even Tibet to so they can reach out to voice has a natural clarity and organic May. Yak & Yeti Hotel, Durbar Marg. coming just when I was ready to visit your district 27 April: First round of government-Maoist peace talks at Shanker Hotel. the age of 13, her secular academics were community, and given this bias, it’s obvious their community in an effective and quality that perfectly conveys the Tickets Rs 600. Available at Yak &Yeti, Gorkhapatra, 19 May with a development package, !” 10 May: Second round of government-Maoist negotiations end with an agreement restricting replaced by religious studies. In the years there is more support for monks. Education practical manner. “Join us, get an education spontaneous and ecstatic nature of Fire and Ice, Upstairs Bar, Summit Hotel, Spacetime, 22 May army movement. that followed, Ani Choying noticed while for nuns is seen as secondary.” NWF was and leave. Come back with projects that the the songs. Double Dorje. Email: monks were encouraged to engage in initiated to redress the balance, a place Nun’s Welfare Centre can support,” she Ani Choying Drolma will be [email protected]. 4436059

NT PEPC #146.p65 12-13 5/23/03, 3:59 PM 14 CITY 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 15 ABOUT TOWN BOOKWORM

CELEBRATING EVEREST Everest: Summit of Achievement Stephen Venables 24 May: Durbar Marg Street festival- HAN, NATA, TAAN, REBAN, NATO and Lustre Press, 2003 KMC. Rs 3,200 25 May: Lalitpur Durbar Square Festival. This is the first and only book to benefit from complete access to the Royal Geographical Society’s Everest screening 4.30 PM at Nepal Tourism Board in aid of Pahariya rich collection of photographs, documents and artifacts. Painstakingly selected from over 20,000 village children, Chitwan. Tickets: Chitwan Jungle Lodge (4442240) and Ekta subjects and more than 400 photographs, it records the surveying, planning and expeditions Books. (4245787) beginning in 1921 and culminating in Hillary and Norgay’s landmark feat. Contributors include Sherpa Hillary 26 May: Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Square Festival. Joanna Wright, John Keay, Ed Douglas and Tashi and Judy Tenzing. Foreword by Sir Edmund Hillary.

27 May: Thamel Festival by Thamel Tourism Development Board MICHAEL○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ DILLON Khumjung and went on to top the 8.30-11AM Procession of summiteers - Tundikhel, New road, Basantapur, After climbing Mt Everest Touching my Father’s Soul: A Sherpa’s journey to the top of Everest Jamling Tenzing Norgay e are on a Yeti Airways flight, just taken off from Kathmandu. In SLC. Now he is Hillary’s right-hand Nara Devi, Chetrapati, Juddha Public School, Thamel, Tri Devi Marg, with Broughton Coburn front of me sits a large old man in a woollen cardigan, his hair man, the full time administrator of the Kantipath, Jamal, Durbar Marg, ending at Annapurna Hotel. grey and tousled, his face as craggy as the mountains below. He 50 years ago, Edmund Hillary Himalayan Trust. Hillary’s son Peter KMC felicitates Hillary Harper SanFrancisco W is deep in thought. is taking pictures, shuffling a little Himalayan Environmental Trust Executive committee meeting Rs 1,725 is climbing higher still. Norgay’s account is the first modern account of the Everest experience from the unheard voice of its Perhaps he’s remembered that today is the anniversary of the saddest day of painfully having only recently UIAA Central Council meeting his life. The day his wife and youngest daughter took off from the very same returned from hauling a heavy sled Rum Doodle dinner indigenous people, revealing a fascinating and profound world that few have ever seen. It gives us an Hillary working with hammer Everest Beer launch insider’s view of the Sherpa world as he tells a story of Everest unlike any told before. As Climbing airport and minutes later died. Or perhaps he’s thinking of Everest. It has come and nails on a school in uphill for 84 days to the South Pole. 4PM Remembering Tenzing organised by Himal Association at Hotel Shangrila. Leader of the famed 1996 Everest IMAX expedition led by David Breashears, he was able to follow in into view now. A giant black pyramid above the clouds. Pangboche in 1963, Hillary’s Nothing’s been too easy in life for 28 May: Tree planting ceremony at the International Mountaineers Memorial Park at Kakani. the footsteps of his legendary mountaineer father, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. How strange that the planet’s highest peak is almost exactly the right height: first wife Louise with Peter Peter. As the son of the most famous 4PM Tourism in Nepal: A Design for the Future, a Talk by Reinhold Messner organised by Nepali Times custom built by the gods just high enough to test human beings to their limit. and Sarah in 1956. New Zealander it’s been hard for Peter and Die Zeit at Dwarika’s Hotel. By invitation only. Triumph on Everest: A Tribute from the Sherpas of Nepal Ang Rita Sherpa and Susan Höivik At twice the height it would be impossible, at half the height inconsequential. to blossom as his own person in the 3-6PM International Mountaineers Association general assembly at Hyatt Regency (location (eds) Fifty years ago, no one knew if it was possible to climb it. Many had tried, giant shadow of his father. But he’s unconfirmed). Speeches by Prime Minister, Tourism Minister, Sir Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner, Eco-Himal, The Mountain Institute, Mandala Book Point, 2003 many had died. But in the early morning of 29 May 1953, two brave men stepped well out of that shadow now , followed his father’s footsteps up Everest in Junko Tabei, Appa Sherpa and Ang Tshering of NMA. This book not only provides a broad picture of Everest and its mountaineers but also that of the worked their way along its virgin knife-edged summit ridge. On their backs were 1990 and has recently followed his own footsteps to the summit of Everest again. Hillary inaugurates photo exhibition at British Council followed by reception at British Embassy. Everest region, and the lives and experiences of its people over the past 50 years. A tribute to Sir oxygen cylinders so heavy their weight almost cancelled out their advantage. On Peter was the first child born to Hillary and his wife Louise, whom Hillary 29 May: 9-11AM Symposium on Mountaineering and Development at BICC or Yak Edmund Hillary from the Sherpa people of Nepal, it commemorates the golden jubilee of the first their minds, the scientist’s warnings that if their oxygen cylinders stopped had courted in Sydney where she was studying music. Two other children soon & Yeti (location unconfirmed). HRH Crown Prince presents medals to summiteers. ascent of Everest. The book will be officially released by Sir Edmund Hillary on 29 May at the Hyatt working, they would probably die. followed, daughters Sarah and Belinda. By then Hillary’s building activities in 11:15 AM onwards-Symposium with speeches by Hillary, Reinhold Messner and Junko Tabei. Regency, Kathmandu. One of these legendary heros, Tenzing Norgay, is long dead. The other sits Nepal were in full swing and it wasn’t long before three little Hillary Philatelic and photo exhibition. in front of me, Edmund Hillary. Everest, that great event in his life, has faded children were carrying rocks along with Sherpa children, each doing what 4-6 PM Gathering of Everest Summiteers at Birendra International Convention Centre. Graced by Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected] from view now, and his face warms as the plane banks to reveal the terraced they could. These family trips to Nepal, living and working with the Sherpa Their Majesties, Prime Minister Chand, Ang Tshering of NMA, Appa Sherpa, Hillary, Junko Tabei, Gia Tortladze of International Mountaineers Association and Reinhold Messner. Sherpa villages. The ground rushes to meet us and we are bumping along a people, were the happiest times in Hillary’s life, and 1975 was meant to be King Gyanendra decorates important mountain personalities. CLASSIFIED grassy airstrip well known to Hillary, he built it. the happiest time of all. 6.25 PM Their Majesties grant audience to Everest summiteers, followed by gala dinner. A huge crowd surges forward as Hillary pauses at the doorway of the plane to 6-9PM Himalayan Trust dinner at Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. Hillary launches Everest 50th Visit Ground Zero Fine wines, designer ○○○○○○○○ Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk. Tel: 547428 take in a lungful of thin air. But what the atmosphere lacks in oxygen it makes up hat year Hillary, Louise and their now teenage children had decided to Anniversary book. candles, cards, gifts, stationery, wooden items, for in affection. There is love in everyones eyes, welcome scarves and flowers. spend the entire year in Nepal. Hillary had gone on ahead to supervise the 30 May: Bhaktapur Durbar Square Festival. perfumes and more. Darbar Marg, opposite Flowerlovers: Flowerlovers, it’s FUCHSIA Soon Hillary is amongst them, embracing a doctor from a hospital he has built, a T building of his second hospital and his family would join him in stages. 31 May: Music Festival at Dasrath Stadium. Hotel de l’Annapurna time again !! See 60 beautiful varieties in bloom! nurse from a health clinic he has built, a pupil from one of 30 schools he has His wife Louise and youngest daughter Belinda, 16, would be first in and on 31 Our lovely CYCLAMEN are also flowering. built, and other players in his 40 years of secret service to the people of Everest. March 1975 they set off with the family dog and some Sherpa friends to FESTIVAL AND EXHIBITIONS Training RTC IELTS courses are taught by Only at THE BISHALNAGAR NURSERY, tel. The man who climbed their highest mountain has gone on climbing higher into Kathmandu airport to fly in to join him. Louise had always been fearful of light Quomolongma: the other side of Everest photographs and text by Lucia de Vries from 29 May till 4 IELTS examiners using the very latest materials. ○○○○○○○○○○ 4431797; 5 min. from Bhatbateni Supermarket, their hearts. planes and wanted to walk in, but Hillary had persuaded her to fly. June at gallery nine, Lazimpat. 4436944 Too good an opportunity to miss. Enroll now! Tel: 2min. from Bishalnagar Chowk (turn right and How he would have laughed if you’d told him his life would be like this. I A young New Zealand pilot met them at the airport and soon they were Kathmandu Vendors paintings by Mark Jordans at the Lazimpat Gallery Café. 4428549 429590 downhill). have an image of him back in 1931 in his own rural setting, a bee farm out of AUCKLAND MUSEUM taxiing for takeoff. Perhaps in the excitement of transporting half the Hillary Contemporary Tibetan Art from Lhasa till 14 June at Lotus Gallery, Thamel. 4253646 Auckland. He is 12, short and scrawny, uncomfortable in his own body, family, the pilot had omitted one pre-flight check. He had forgotten to remove the French Animation in all its Glory Film festival at the Russian Cultural Centre 24, 25 May. 24: 12.30 Visit Femilines, the Exclusive Lingerie Store Custom Made: Generate wealth with Feng uncomfortable amongst others. At school he prefers the company of the ants in pins that unlock the tail flaps. The plane took off, the tail flaps still locked in stall PM Bestaire/ The Menagerie, 2.30 PM Contes Mordenes/ Modern Tales, 5PM: Kirkou et la Sorciere. for ladies undergarments, nightwear, bathrobes Shui! Get yourself a custom made tabletop the playground to his fellow pupils, and in the physical education class he has position. It came crashing down into a field killing all on board. 25: 12.30 PM Courses poursuites et Polars/ Whodunits and Chases, 2.30 PM Envols/ Taking Flight, and more. Ladies staff. Opposite Sajha Yatayat, fountain. Call 981054102 5PM Mondes Familiers, monde insolites/ Familiar and unusual world. been placed in the hopeless squad. Hillary, standing on the mountain airstrip on which they should by now The mountain people are leading him up a hill now, one of his oldest Sherpa have landed, had a premonition that something terrible had happened, and a West of the Silk Route pictures of life and landscapes from Egypt through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India For insertions ring NT Marketing at 5543333-36. and Nepal by Ben Schonveld from 26 May till 2 June at Siddhartha Art Gallery. 4218048 friends supporting him by the arm, others poised to help should Hillary’s 80- friend soon arrived by helicopter to break the dreadful news. Hillary helicoptered Newa Mahotsav 23-27 May at Khulla Manch, Tundikhel. year-old body falter. For over 40 years they have watched him come to them, in MICHAEL DILLON back to Kathmandu and felt compelled to land at the crash site. He would have the early years trekking for weeks from Kathmandu with hundreds of porters nightmares for years to come. EVENTS carrying building supplies. Now he comes by air and less often. But each visit is That night Hillary cremated the two people he loved most in the world, his Ani Choying Drolma’s 4th Annual Kathmandu Concert accompanied by Cadenza to benefit Arya Tara lzIff -clgjfo_{ PlR5s xfOg] . treasured. And each visit they know may be his last. wife and youngest daughter. And his only wish that night was to join them. For School. 4PM on 25 May at Durbar Hall, Hotel Yak & Yeti.

He is here to work. He and his team. One of his team is walking beside him, AUCKLAND MUSEUM days he struggled with inconsolable grief made worse by his belief that it was all East meets West: the twain shall meet 30 May at Dwarika’s. Fusion music, oriental and continental ljlGt kq lzIff pkxf/ xfOg] . a bearded man with a twinkle in his eye, also about 80. He is George Lowe, the his fault, that he’d made them fly rather than walk. His two remaining children, cuisine. 4479488 5f/f5f] /L] nfO + egf { u/f }+ . other New Zealander on that successful British Everest Expedition of 1953. If brightly polished for the occasion, stepped into their wooden benched classroom Peter and Sarah on arrival in Kathmandu were warned by their grandmother, Open Adoption Day at the SPCAN Karuna Rescue and Rehab Centre 1-4PM at Siphal on 25 May. lzIff jfnaflnsfsf ] clwsf/ xf ] . they’d had their way they would have climbed to the summit together but fate, or and began a journey that would take some to incredible heights. “Your father will never be the same again. He’s heavily drugged, curled up in a Puppies available. 4467953, 4414332 or 981043662. For directions see www.fospcan.org.np rather expedition politics, decreed otherwise. Not only did the leader John Hunt When word spread through other villages and other valleys, Hillary was ball, sobbing.” Quomolangma: the other side of Everest talk by Lhakpa Sherpa, manager of the Quomolangma not countenance a colonial summit team upstaging the English team members. avalanched with petitions. At Thami village the monks and elders composed a Conservation Program at 6.30 PM on 30, 31 May. Rs 200 entry. All proceeds to cleft palate surgery for It was the hardest thing that tough man ever did, clawing himself back from Tibetan children. Advance booking essential. gallery nine, Lazimpat. 4436944 Hunt had even dropped them from the expedition some months prior to petition that was presented to Hillary by a 10-year-old boy. They had written: “ the brink of suicide. He would stay alive, he decided, for what was left of his La Cabana-Salsa Night 8PM on 23 May at the Jazz Bar, Shangri-la Hotel, Lazimpat. 4412999 departure, but reinstated them after being persuaded quite prophetically by the Our children have eyes but still they are blind. Please build a school in our family. He would stay alive because of his responsibilities to the Sherpa people. Deepak Bajracharya Live smoke free concert. Tickets: Rs 200. 1PM on 24 May at Dashrath Stadium, Armaan has a star-studded cast with legends like JAI NEPAL CINEMA English team members that Hillary and Lowe’s alpine skills could well mean the village too.” So next year Thami village, where Tenzing Norgay had grown up, He would return to the hills and his half completed hospital, and work and weep Tripureshwore. 5529726 Amitabh Bachan and Randhir Kapoor backed by difference between success and failure. had a school of its own. with his Sherpa friends. Bollywood names like Anil Kapoor, Preity Zinta and Some years after the successful climb, some Sherpa friends were sharing the Hillary and his teams have now built thirty schools, as well as two hospitals, Hospital completed, Hillary returned to Auckland. The family house felt like MUSIC Gracy Singh. Directed by Honey Irani and with music fire with Hillary and Lowe when Hillary asked his head sherpa, “Urkein, if there two airstrips, many bridges and many health clinics. A forty year labour of love, an empty shell and he felt the same. As part of his self-healing he would throw Live Music Friday at 5.30 PM, Saturday movie at 4.30 PM. Jivin’ Joe’s Restaurant, Kupondole. from the hit trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, this movie was just one thing we could do for our Sherpa friends what would they want it to fashioning rocks he used to climb into school and hospital walls, working with himself into the organisation of an expedition he and his late wife had often talked Abhaya with the Steam Injuns 7PM every Friday at Moksh in Hardic Club, Jhamsikhel. 5528703 has all the right ingredients for box office success. be?” The reply was immediate. “Sir, we would like a school for our children.” Sherpa and Western building teams, including his brother Rex who worked as of doing together, journeying by jetboat along the entire length of India’s River Live Acoustic Jam 7PM on Saturdays at Himalatte Café, Thamel. 4256738 As the title suggests, Armaan is a film about hope Armaan Next year, Hillary and his team built a simple school in the Sherpa village of building foreman on these projects for twenty five consecutive years. Ganges. Full Circle acoustic jam every Friday at New Orleans Café, Thamel. 4427311 and the extent to which a son goes to fulfill his Khumjung and soon the first batch of eager barefoot Sherpa children, faces Hillary is among friends. Ang Rita was in the first batch of children from see p16 father’s dreams. The story leads to an unusual FOOD climax where each of the characters is forced to 12PM, 3PM, 6PM Wood fired pizzas, Baskin Robbins ice-cream, cocktails and coffee at the Roadhouse Café, tread the fine line between extremes of duty, Telephone booking: 4442220 Online booking Thamel. devotion and finally even emotional sanity. Armaan www.jainepal.com Celebrating Everest and the summiteers 20 percent discount on all clay oven pizza at Stupa View is a family drama with something for everyone. Vegetarian Restaurant & Terrace, Boudha. 4480262 Café Bahal Dieter’s delight at Kathmandu Guest House’s Food Court, Thamel. 4413632 Kids Combo Meal at all Bakery Cafés. Kids’ meals with exciting gifts. The Chimney Restaurant new summer menu Yak & Yeti Hotel. 4248999 Tukche Thakali Kitchen at Durbar Marg for buckwheat, barley, bean, and dried meat specialities. on FM 102.4 Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Sat 0615-0645 BBC Reporting Religion VIS -22 -05-2003 04:00 GMT This satellite picture taken on Thursday morning shows the Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda trough that brought rain to Kathmandu Valley. It moved Daily 2045-2115 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]jf swiftly eastwards, but seems to have left the summit of Mt Everest above it all. (Summit area is circled.) The weather Daily 2245-2300 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]jf on top was good enough for 20+ climbers to summit from the south side on Thursday. There is a weak jet stream at Sun-Fri 0740- 0800 Ps}}}l5g\\\ -/]]]l8of]]] klqsf_ the summit of up to 22 metres/sec. Down in the midhills, Sun-Fri 0800- 0830 8anL8anL8anL -ljifout-ljifout-ljifout cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_ storm systems have been moving across the Mahabharat bringing brief moderate-to-heavy pre-monsoon Sun-Fri 2000- 2030 cfhsf s'''''/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ thunderstorms. All this caused by tentacles of moisture zflGt cleofg creeping up from the Bay of Bengal, ahead of the real Sat 0800- 0830 monsoon which is still gathering strength off Kerala. Sat 1930- 2000 cfrf/ ljrf/ -e||||i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_{_{_ KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030 s"6gLlts d~r Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 30-15 31-16 30-15 30-14 30-15 /]l8of ] ;u/dfyf E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org

NT PEPC #146.p65 14-15 5/23/03, 4:00 PM 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 17 “I know no man with less reason to be humble, yet know no man more humble.” Arresting EverestsBranding in Kathmandu Everest Gregory and George Lowe. It was trekkers, not recognising him, boast Lowe who cut the steps to the about their own trekking exploits. ifty years on, Everest has become a brand-name like no highest camp, carrying the most, I once filmed Hillary up here other. The name itself evokes the pinnacle of and putting up Hillary and sitting on a rock, casually holding an achievement and quality and is therefore ideal for all Tenzing’s tent. They discuss ice axe, reminiscing with his son kinds of products and services. The only merchandise whether Lowe should stay with Peter. An American trekker chanced weF haven’t yet heard of are Everest Foam Mattress, Everest them for tomorrow’s summit push, upon us, watched for a while, and Undertakers or Everest Tranquilisers. But there is an Everest for a three man team may be unable to contain himself any Nursing Home, if that’s any consolation. We trawled the Valley valuable if the route proves very longer, said to Hillary, “Hey, Bud, to track the ascent of the most popular brand name in the technical. But there is insufficient that’s not the way to hold an ice country. From the ice-cream seller to the airline service, it’s an oxygen for three. Lowe wishes them axe,” and proceeded to show him 8,850m-tall statement with Everest/Sagarmatha/ well and walks downhill into how to do it. Hillary thanked him Chomolungma. obscurity. but said nothing else. The American

MICHAEL DILLON Next morning Hillary and went off, still oblivious. Maybe the Tenzing set off for the summit. bee stings from his youth Sir Ed with Lady June pose Snow conditions are dangerous. Slopes could avalanche, and on any other innoculated him from the Great Man syndrome. I know no man with less recently in Kathmandu, and a mountain they would have turned back. But nothing will stop these men, reason to be humble, yet know no man more humble. Sherpa schoolgirl pores over her not the danger, not their pitiful oxygen supply, not the steep, jagged, In the village of Khunde Hillary enters his second home, the house of book at Hillary’s first school in endless summit ridge. At 11.30 am on 29 May, two brave men from the Ang Dooli, the wife of Hillary’s dearest Sherpa friend, Mingma Tsering. Khumjung. fringes of world society embraced on the roof of the world. Mingma was the foreman of all Hillary’s early building projects. He could The entire team flew to London, and the New Zealanders Hillary and neither read nor write, but had a memory for detail that out-rivalled a Lowe for months bemusedly shared a black tie existence, treating the upper computer. Mingma is dead now but his wife Ang Dooli, half Hillary’s class with respect but not too much respect. They wouldn’t attend a height, bustles about gathering ingredients for tea. This house was the

MIN BAJRACHARYA from p15 function, they joked to each other, unless there was at least one Duke Hillary family base in the happy days when Hillary, his wife Louise and their present. A long lecture tour followed which also served as Hillary and his children were all here together working. Ang Dooli is the Hillary children’s It would prove an extraordinary expedition, in Hillary’s opinion his new wife Louise’s honeymoon. Then it was back to their day jobs, Hillary surrogate mother, their Sherpa mother. most memorable ever. No expedition in history had ever been done in such to his bees, Lowe to his teaching. They reunited on other expeditions in In a corner of a room adorned with Hillary family photos, sits Ang public gaze. You could hardly see the Ganges banks for people, hundreds Antarctica and the Himalayas. Dooli’s deaf mute son Temba. He is hard at work on his latest painting, a deep, here to catch a glimpse of these magic boats and the hero of Everest. The opening of the Hillary schools fostered alternative vocations for beautiful stylised landscape of the region complete with a yeti or two. Of Hillary and his late wife Louise had had as closest friends Peter Sherpa children, helping many through their knowledge of English, to move Ang Dooli’s eleven children, Temba was one of only three who survived Mulgrew and his wife June. Peter had been on expeditions with Hillary in faster through the ranks of trekking companies, many of which they now childhood, a typical statistic which made Hillary realise early on how urgent Antarctica and the Himalayas and they and their wives had been an own. The Medical Superintendents at both Hillary Hospitals are Sherpa it was to do something about the health needs of a region where iodine inseparable foursome. But in 1979, four years after Louise’s death, Peter doctors, another, now a PhD in Forestry, is Warden of Mount Everest deficiency and other maladies were endemic. In 1965 he built the Khunde Mulgrew died, also in an air crash. At the last moment he had taken National Park. Another boy, who used to make aeroplanes from pieces of hospital which now treats 9,000 patients a year. In 1975, he built a 20 bed Hillary’s place as guest commentator on an Air New Zealand flight to left over school building wood, now pilots jumbo jets in Europe. Another hospital in Paphlu and has built and staffed over a dozen village health Antarctica which crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all on board. boy, who used to drive his teachers mad by drawing helicopters on every clinics. The foursome was now a twosome, and soon the twosome became one. available surface, is now a helicopter pilot. Downhill from Ang Dooli’s house is Khumjung school. In 1983, In 1985, Hillary became New Zealand High Commissioner to India with Next morning the flying Sherpa, Captain Dawa, arrives with his Tenzing joined Hillary at the school to celebrate the 30th anniversary of June at his side. During these High Commission years Hillary could often helicopter to transport Hillary and his party to Mount Everest School, its their Everest climb. They sat together laughing uproariously as the children be seen not on the cocktail circuit but high on a schoolhouse roof, sleeves pupils mostly sons and daughters of Tibetan refugees. It’s a long steep slope reenacted their famous climb on a rock in the school playground. That rolled up banging in nails. And here they are in Nepal again, Sir Edmund up to the school from the level ground where the helicopter has landed. A would be the last occasion Hillary and Tenzing would be together in the and June, Lady Hillary. Now long married and now long associated in this long hard climb. Once again the path is lined with beaming children Himalayas. Three years later, in 1986, Tenzing died of pneumonia. work in Nepal, they sit together listening to petitions from red-robed offering Hillary flowers and silk scarves. But the atmosphere is muted. It is monks have come with photos of their distant monastery and are seeking clear Hillary is suffering. He climbs slowly, his face is deathly pale and he is enzing, like many Sherpa second sons, had trained to become a monk slurring his words. He is playing Russian roulette with his respiratory but the life didn’t suit him and he left for distant Darjeeling in the support to enlarge its courtyard. system. Thope of getting portering work on the Everest Expeditions that used Ever since Everest, Hillary has had problems with altitude. On a to pass through there. After climbing Everest, Tenzing continued to live in he children of the Phaplu primary school, their dusty red school subsequent Himalayan peak he had a slight stroke and at the end of his Darjeeling where India’s Prime Minister Nehru had set up a lifetime uniforms held together by an equal measure of buttons and safety Ocean to Sky Ganges Expedition he had a very lucky escape indeed. After position for him at the Indian Mountaineering Institute. With his modest pins, are not just carrying schoolbooks today. Each child has a T abandoning the Ganges when the river became a waterfall, Hillary and his salary, increasing family responsibilities and his physical distance from the beautiful arrangement of red rhododendrons for Edmund Hillary. team set out to climb a peak as a symbolic end to the journey. Hillary was people of Everest, Tenzing did feel saddened that he couldn’t do more for The teachers form the children into a line that stretches from the 59 but insisted on carrying as much as everyone else. Next morning at the his own people, and there developed some degree of unease between he and school almost to Hillary’s hotel. Hillary makes his way along the line of highest camp he collapsed with cerebral oedema. There was no cure except Hillary. But in Tenzing’s declining years, which coincided with Hillary’s 2003 MAY ALL PICS: MUNA GURUNG, SHITU RAJBHANDARI/ WAVE beaming children, each one handing him their own little gift of thanks, the rapid descent, and the team of old climbing friends hauled him down the years as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India, they saw a lot of each flowers from their forest. At the school Hillary and his party are led mountain to an Indian Army post from where he was evacuated in a other and rekindled the deep friendship and respect they shared in 1953. through various rooms. George Lowe, on retirement as Her Majesty’s helicopter. A few days later, back in Phaplu, the sun is setting. The day’s work Inspector of Schools in the UK, travelled incognito around all the Hillary But here he is, 80-years-old, tempting fate once more. Today’s summit almost done Hillary is exhausted. George Lowe is reflective, and tries to put schools and recommended curriculum development. The results have been is Mount Everest School, still a long slope away, and it’s clear Hillary is words to his thoughts. “There is no end to the need here. It is an uphill spectacular. The team of Hillary and Lowe (Hillary building schools, Lowe putting more effort into this climb than he did on Everest in 1953. task. But that’s Ed’s strength, uphill tasks. I’ve seen it on Everest and I see it supervising teaching standards) has pulled off something special, just as Some days later Hillary travels by helicopter to spend some time in the still. He’ll just keep plugging on until he can’t go one step more.” they did in 1953. villages closer to Everest, where his work began. The trekking trails to After the summit team of Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans gave up Everest pass through these villages and young western trekkers stare at this (Michael Dillon is one of the world’s leading mountain cinematographers at the South Summit on 26 May, it was Hillary and Tenzing’s turn. They old man wondering what on earth he is doing here in young people’s and documentary filmmakers. He took part in the had a three man team to help them establish a higher camp: Ang Nyima, Alf territory. Often I have watched Hillary sit quietly in tea shops while young First Australian Everest Expedition 1984.)

Do You have any problem with your Skin & Hair ?

VVVegetable Dye Hair treatment for (Long lasting colour) Falling Hair,,, Dandruff Removal, Under Eye treatment Oily and Dry Hair Pigmentation treatment Prinples treatment Aroma Therapy Puffiness treatment Wrinkle treatment Make-up & Hair-Style Collagen & Elastin

Deluxe Manicure, Pedicure and Nail art... And many more

Painless Permanent Hair Removal by Microlysis - a latest technology from Europe by an expert cosmotologist trained in V.L.C.C. and Bloosom KochherKochher, (Pivot Point) New Delhi Open: 7 days a week, 10 am to 7 pm Diploma & Advance Course will start from next week

HERBAL BEAUTY CLINIC & TRAINING INSTITUTE Hariharbhawan, Pulchowk, Lalitpur ( in front of Sajha Bus garage) Tel : 5550692, Res : 5533493, 5535513 (before 10am. after 7pm)

NT PEPC #146.p65 16-17 5/23/03, 4:02 PM 18 23 - 29 MAY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #146 Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY by Kunda Dixit Temba’s other dream Some more ot letting fame go to his yearn to be among people my own proper equipment.” head was harder than age,” he confides. This modest student from N climbing the world’s highest Born in Dolakha, Temba grew Kathmandu’s Sidhartha Vanasthali mountain for 18-year-old Temba up in the shadow of the majestic high school will be invited to next Chhiri Sherpa, the youngest Gauri Shankar. He learnt the basics week’s 50th anniversary Declassified Ads Sagarmatha summiteer. On 28 of climbing while shepherding celebrations and will get to chat May 2001, just a few days past his animals in the steep terrain and with fellow-summiters old enough REQUEST FOR QUOTATIONS Should be an almighty, omnipresent know-it-all 16th birthday he set foot on top of walking the trails to and from his to be his grandfathers. Temba Veteran journalist seeks interview with any minister who patron deity who can solve all our problems overnight the world. “I was just an ordinary village school. Temba’s first loves adventure sports, but can furnish quotes for an article on Present State of the so we won’t have to worry about anything anymore. boy-next-door when I left, but on attempt on Sagarmatha, when he mountaineering is not his priority Nation. No guarantee that quote will be accurate or Knowledge of website design and Flash applications my return I became a celebrity—I was only 14, ended in failure. Five at present. “There are too many contextualised. Only ministers who have nothing to say will be an advantage. Sri Pashupatinath eligible to had never seen so many cameras, of his fingers had to be amputated risks,” he says. Instead, he wants to will be entertained. Interviews once published cannot reapply. and all of them were pointed at because of frostbite. The mountain concentrate on applying to be denied, or withdrawn. Contact: ‘Quoteman’ An Interim All-Party Government (Housekeeping): me,” he says. doesn’t allow itself to be conquered college while waiting for his SLC Candidate must exhibit leadership qualities and But fame came at a price. The easily, and with the wisdom of results. “I need a good education COUNTRY TO-LET command a competent team of technocrats. Only responsibility attached to being a hindsight Temba compares his two to fulfil my other dream,” says Country in semi-knockdown condition is available for teams with absolutely no experience in horsetrading, summiteer, and the youngest at expeditions: “In the first one I was Temba, speaking about his long-term lease to qualified Class One Contractors with passing the buck, wheeling-dealing, street arson, that, took away from the adventure too young and inexperienced. I determination to return to his at least 25 years experience in managing failed states. organising three-day bandhs, forcing school lockouts, and excitement of being a ‘normal’ didn’t have enough training or village in Dolakha to start a school Present owners have messed it up so much that kleptomania, junketeering, and selling-out the teenager. Temba has an image to for quality education. selected team will have to pretty much start from national interest need apply. On-the-job experience maintain, and other non-climbing scratch. Interested firms can inspect aforementioned and career advancement guaranteed. ambitions to reach. “Sometimes I unserviceable country in stripped condition in as-it- Trainee Chief Executive Officer: always-was condition anytime in its landlocked location, Should be at least SLC Pass, and capable of provided they do not disturb the deep slumber of its understanding and carrying out orders from higher-up current rulers. authority. Can be made permanent and promoted to Leasee reserves right to accept or reject all Food and Beverage Manager if performance is applicant teams in full or part thereof without assigning satisfactory in organising and managing parties. any reason whatsoever. In other words, we’ll pick whoever we like and the rest of you can go chew the cud. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST Successful team will have to take part from Day The Federation of Boarding Schools South of the One in all duties of state including: launching websites, Border (FoBS-SoB) is in the process of drawing up a delivering key-note speeches at regional conferences roster of senior Nepali political figures involved in on the importance of being earnest in the age of ordering the current campaign of school closures who economic globalisation, and attending ribbon-cutting want to send their children to schools down south. ceremonies to mark the Destruction Nepal Year 2004 Politicos interested in participating in the above- Campaign. mentioned one-time offer may collect application MIN BAJRACHARYA forms at all leading party headquarters. Strictly on VACANCIES last-come-last-served basis, seats unlimited. Only A Soft State Between Two Boulders is re-advertising for politicians able to prove genuine commitment to the following openings: wrecking Nepal’s education system need apply. A Saviour: Motto: Nepal’s Loss is Our Gain.

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

NT PEPC #146.p65 18 5/23/03, 4:05 PM