#191 9 - 15 April 2004 20 pages Rs 25 No looking back How long can King Gyanendra afford to fight two uprisings?

NAVIN SINGH KHADKA the Maoists are stronger than ever openly questioning the relevance before. of monarchy. Now, it looks like the t has been almost a year since While the king is on a PR blitz party leadership has no choice but the political parties began their in the hinterland, the parties’ to swing towards a republican I agitation to force the king to agitation has taken an ominous stance. restore the democratic process. new edge as impatient party “Informal discussions have Twelve months later in the new activists storm barricades already begun among the parties,” year, the protests are still going on, surrounding the palace. In the says NC leader Narhari Acharya. the king hasn’t budged on de- past year their demands have “There is no other way out.” mands to restore parliament or set become increasingly more radical, up an all-party government, and with affiliated student unions continued p6 KIRAN PANDAY King back Political parties have planned the mother of all rallies on Friday to coincide with King Gyanendra’s return to the capital from his two- week tour of central Nepal. Organisers say it will be even bigger than the one last Thursday and will mark the anniversary of the 1990 People’s Movement. The protesters may try to force their way past the barbed wire barricades and march on the palace. After several senior leaders and dozens of protesters were injured by lathhis, tear gas and rubber bullets last week, the government has shown some restraint. However, that self-control may vanish in case the parties decide on confrontation.

Weekly Internet Poll # 131 Q. Is it right for the government to reject United Nations mediation?

Total votes:1,170 Weekly Internet Poll # 132. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Q. How likely is an alliance between the political parties and the Maoists?

New Years Eve Featuring live music by by the Heartbreakers on Monday 12th April 2004 with Dinner at the Summit Courtyard from 1800 hrs onwards. Price Rs.800/- net including dinner and a welcome drink For more information please call on 55 24 694/ 55 21 810. 2 EDITORIAL 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editors: Trishna Gurung, Jemima Sherpa Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki, [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Mohan Baidya fallout Tel: 01-5543333-6, Fax: 01-5521013 [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 01-5547018 CEASE FIRE IN THE NEW YEAR Maoists must now re-examine the future course of the revolution he West Bengal government’s the impact of the aggressive and investigated by the Indian hings have gone beyond just hoping for a happy new year. For T arrest of Maoist politburo retaliatory measures taken by the authorities from many angles T those who command the destiny of this country, the time has come member Mohan Baidya has Maoists? India, no doubt, has always including ‘secessionism’, links with to act in 2061. They have to seize the initiative and give the baffled the Maoists, and they have remained suspect in Nepali eyes Indian militant outfits and on the Nepali people what they crave the most: peace. reacted in an uncharacteristic and about its wish to exploit Himalayan source of their funds and arms. Peace is in everyone’s lips—from the war victims thronging to greet King Gyanendra during his walkabouts, the wounded policemen who unexpected manner. waters. Not until the Baidya arrest In a situation of the Maoists survived the Beni attack and the villagers in the Maoist heartland whom did the Maoists pursue the issue of having been declared terrorist by the state regards as rebel sympathisers. While the tv footage of the royal CAPITAL LETTER water resources as a priority. Maoist India and other countries, it also felicitations may look staged, the spontaneous outpouring of anguish Yubaraj Ghimire leaders in India have enjoyed open becomes incumbent upon New Delhi and hope on the faces of those who have turned up to greet their king is support from pro-establishment to share information. Baidya’s arrest not. Party supremo Prachanda academics like SD Muni, and this should be an eye opener for the The king, the political parties and the Maoists are engaged in a immediately called it a part of the has fuelled speculation here that the rebels. They need to pause and ask mortal combat for power. They all say they are doing it for the people, but none of them are listening to what the people have to say: “Put a deal that a greedy India struck with rebels are enjoying official Indian themselves: Can a ‘People’s War’ be stop to this madness, figure out a way to share power and improve our Nepal to divide up natural resources. patronage in some way or other. indefinitely led and fought from lives.” By now the palace should realise that the tide of public opinion is Then his unrestrained followers Prachanda’s hint that outside? Can Prachanda and beginning to turn. It needs to be less attacked Indian-owned Kathmandu and New Delhi have a Baburam Bhattarai’s predicament be obsessed with symbolism, and launch a vehicles and “deal over water” may not be able to different from that of BP Koirala and concrete conflict resolution drive. businessmen in the erase that apprehension. After all, Ganesh Man Singh’s 25 years ago One new year gesture next week west. politicians from GP Koirala to when they realised India did not would be for both sides to declare an The government of Madhab Nepal have, whenever it have a consistent policy towards unconditional and indefinite ceasefire in the new year. The Maoists’ unilateral West Bengal, led by suited them, accused India of democracy in Nepal? BP and release on Tuesday of 37 security Chief Minister supporting the Maoists. Prachanda Ganeshmanji decided to return, what personnel and officials they captured Buddhadeo will get much more credible and about the comrades? in Beni to the ICRC was a positive Bhattacharya, has the positive support from Nepalis on Unless Prachanda and Baburam gesture. The government needs to reputation for being issues of crucial national importance can convince the Nepali masses that respond, and a ceasefire would not be ruthlessly anti-Maoist. like water if he raises them from they are committed to parliamentary seen as a weakness. It not just provide He was already worried inside the country fearlessly, rather democracy and pluralism, much-needed relief to Nepalis, it would also be a forceful confidence-building by Nepali rebels than as a tactical reaction to his Prachanda’s statement on water gesture for further de-escalation, a inciting Indian Nepalis comrade’s arrest. resources and the unjustified attack return to elections and the to self-determination. Similarly, the Maoists also need on Indian vehicles and Indians will constitutional process. What could be a It is clear that people of to react officially to the mindless further erode Maoist credentials as a more auspicious time for that than Nepali origin will now attacks by their cadre on Indian political force within Nepal and Baisakh Ek? be under closer scrutiny vehicles and businesses. Is the party internationally. A pragmatic and As we watch the last bloody sunset of the security out to trigger an Indian blockade like rational attempt at political of this ghastly year, it is time to work towards that new dawn. apparatus there. 1988-89? And to what end? Baidya’s negotiation will be the best lesson But what will be arrest will undoubtedly be probed from Baidya’s arrest. l KIRAN PANDAY

L ETTERS

FACEOFF volunteer to fly night missions in our terrain using, l I am quite amazed to see There is a deep reserve of this Yubaraj Ghimire’s column ‘Between Bhojpur and nightvision goggles. that the government and the pro- security and military manpower Beni’ (#189) was inconsiderate, unfortunate, 4. The article further implies that the rest of the RNA royalists proceeded with the that is waiting to be tapped. The misguided and downright wrong. I was dismayed positions, namely the barracks and the DDC were felicitations of the king in Pokhara government and the army have that someone of his stature would choose to pass mere spectators to the battle. Wrong again. As other in spite of the carnage in nearby not utilised the 100,000 or so judgment so lightly on an issue of such profound journalists who actually visited Beni and who have Beni (‘Between Bhojpur and highly qualified and better gravity which might have implications much more seen the captured Maoist video correctly deduced, Beni’, #189). It would have been trained ex-servicemen from the damaging than the two attacks themselves, and that the main focus of the attack was the army barracks better to wear white, mourn and British and the Indian Gorkha Nepali Times would print it without its usual strive itself. The soldiers of Kali Prasad Bn (Engineers), reflect. There are many Armies. It is high time that the for accuracy. While some finger-pointing is whose primary task in Beni is to contribute to questions that the government government and RNA perhaps not unnatural in a post-traumatic situa- national development through road construction, and and security forces have to swallowed their pride and tion, the allegations that the attack exposed “a rift troops of the Gorakh Bahadur Bn fought a 13 hour answer. The first step in fighting pressed the bravest and the and lack of cooperation among the security battle and roundly foiled the Maoists declared any insurgency is intelligence. If brightest to promote peace and agencies” is simply outrageous and totally preju- aspiration to take and hold Beni for three days and there were about 3-5,000 stability in our motherland before diced. Consider the nights. Maoists gathered around Beni it is too late. facts: The soldiers and readying for attack, even a SN Singh, email 1. The police in Beni policemen in Bhojpur simple act of a reconnaissance were not left in the and Beni fought and patrol would have found out l Both the government and lurch to face the died shoulder to where the insurgents were even the Maoists are equally to blame attack alone armed shoulder as one if there was no intelligence. It for the continuing violence and only with 303s as team to bear the seems our military planners/ bloodshed in Nepal. The brutal Ghimire claims. They burden of the leaders are inept, not adequately suppression of this week’s had been issued and nation’s woes and trained and lack foresight. Was protest rallies by the political trained on Army the pointed Beni in flames due to the lack of parties against regression SLRs and this was indifference of support of the army to the police shows the state’s true face. one of the main various sectors of as pointed out by Yubaraj Citizens should not remain silent factors contributing society, including the Ghimire? Or was the army spectators to the state’s to the successful self-righteousness stretched too thin for having to repression. These atrocities are defence of the media. guard a strategic bridge in continuing unabated even after police post till early Do not northern part of Myagdi district? commitments and the morning. desecrate the An even more plausible establishment of the Human 2. Ghimire’s article KANAK MANI DIXIT sacrifice of our hypothesis is that the army and Rights Cell in the RNA and the nowhere acknowledges the fact that 18 brave RNA brotherhood with your light academic observations. the security forces were so prime minister’s office. It is soldiers were inside the police post (as was the Do not make a mockery of those who sacrificed their busy with the security common knowledge that the normal practice) tasked to protect it. The largest lives. Try and reflect on the likely effect on your arrangements for the King’s latter was established to number of RNA casualties was in this group, which communities if we were stopped fighting, and if the felicitations in nearby Pokhara bypass the mandate of the fought valiantly throughout the night, alongside the Maoists were allowed to succeed. that they were unable to aid independent National Human police, mainly manning the key and most exposed I do not ask you to compromise your objective Beni. The attacks in Bhojpur and Rights Commission (NHRC). If rooftop positions of the police post. neutrality. On the contrary, I challenge you to maintain Beni within two weeks of each human rights is indeed “a matter 3. The night vision helicopter flew in extremely it. I request you to go back to your journalistic roots, other clearly point that our of legitimate international hazardous conditions and had already delivered its get the facts straight, and sometimes hear our side security forces are incapable of concern”, the world community first fire when the police post finally fell after it ran of the story too. After all, we are fighting, among dealing with the mounting should act before the situation out of ammunition. We all cheered every time the other things, for your freedom, and trying to pre- insurgency due the lack of further deteriorates. It should reassuring throb of the Mi17 reverberated overhead. serve democracy in the country. priorities/directives/planning and/ pass a resolution for the It is to the credit of our brave pilots who regularly Officer who fought in Beni, email or lack of security man power. restoration of democratic rights. 3 OP-ED Goodbye to year 9 - zero15 APRIL 2004 #191

n the Bikram Sambat calendar, the years past record of the present leadership is Just as well this wretched year has ended I ending with zero are called Sunya Barsha anything to go by, the future doesn’t look and considered inauspicious. Year 2060 was too rosy. a zero year in more ways than one. Envoys of the Big Three—the US, way UN mediation is going to have any The Maoists tried to make 2060 their Year the UK and India—are the main impact. Zero by blindly bombing everything in sight on custodians of the international The void on the media scene this year can the road to the dictatorship of the proletariat. community’s interests in Nepal. This be judged by the fact that a television They did succeed, but only in reinforcing a year, Ambassador Michael personality running a talk-show on the dictatorship of another sort. But they have Malinowski behaved as if he was government channel was adjudged the failed to crush the democratic aspirations of their sole spokesperson. Charles de best journalist of the year by a Nepalis. It will be years before Bhojpur and Gaulle once said about another US media organisation. It seems we Beni rise from the rubble of the rebel’s excesses ambassador in Paris: “The have yet to discover the merits of and American ambassador has judged independent media and STATE OF THE STATE regain France by the Frenchmen with investigative journalism in this CK Lal their whom he used to dine.” Nepal’s country. Nepali literature too market mainstreamers must find out continued with its grand tradition of formalism town vitality. But neither Mao nor Prachanda who dines with Ambassador by bestowing the title of ‘national poet’ upon a are ever going to be installed among Nepal’s Malinowski. royal balladeer. pantheon of rulers. This week, India’s Nepal’s economy went into a tailspin in The attempt by monarchists to create a Ministry of External Affairs 2060. In private, everyone accepts that democratic void has partially succeeded: the once again urged “both creation of employment opportunities through parliament has neither been reconstituted nor Constitutional Monarchy as higher investment in public sector should get restored. But their attempts to give the king a well as the political parties” to the topmost priority to wean away Maoist ‘constructive’ role have also been met with “demonstrate flexibility and forge a youths from violence, but the Nepal head-on protests. Slogans being raised in the national consensus to deal with this Development Forum is advocating unbridled streets of Kathmandu aren’t merely pressure situation with the urgency it deserves”. privatisation without safeguards. tactics, as King Gyanendra interpreted them But it’s still an open question whether The hallmark of 2060 must be the to be in his Time interview, but voices of Indians themselves have fully understood the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan equanimity of Prime Minister Surya Bahadur people fed up with the antics of two royal urgency of the re-establishment of democracy stuck his neck out to urge warring sides in Thapa. He has been having a hard time cabinets in 18 months. in Nepal. Nepal to talk and offered his good services. The keeping awake. In these times, cultivated a Throughout 2060, King Gyanendra Meanwhile, after parachuting in for the palace reportedly refused to even acknowledge sense of detachment and dozing off at public consistently refused to extend even the fifth time, Sir Jeffrey James hasn’t made much Annan’s letter of interest, forcing him to make programs apparently helps. minimum acknowledgment usually reserved for headway persuading constitutional forces to the public offer of good offices. At the end of a traumatic zero year, hope defeated rivals in politics. Yet, party leaders patch up. Narayanhiti may be across the street Unless the 18-point agenda of mainstream may have to be sought in Hindu numerology kept hoping against hope for the right signals from the British Embassy, but there seems to parties, which broadly addresses most of the where the number one, as in the binary code of from the royal palace. It is too early to say be a huge gap in their perceptions of what a practical issues raised by the Maoists, becomes digital language, is a positive force. Here’s to a where these street protests will lead, but if the constitutional monarchy should be. the main thrust of the UN initiaitve, there is no better Nepal in 2061. l

Likewise, the heinous crimes of the country, while the sons being committed by the Maoists of honest people are toiling in deserves an equal measure of the Gulf and sending money condemnation. In fact, for their home! Our future lies with crimes against humanity, the hardworking Nepalis and not International Criminal Court (ICC) with these thieving liars. should intervene to arrest those Ram Adhikary who are resorting to violence in Melbourne, Australia the name of revolution or whatever else. DYING S Shrestha, Kathmandu After reading ‘Dying for a son’ (From the Nepali Press, #189), I l Puskar Gautam’s guest was overcome with sadness column (‘Maoist gameplan’, #190) for Kaushalya Pariyar, a mother is a brilliant analysis of what the of seven—four whom are rebel strategy really is. It is also physically disabled. Yet, she is a realistic assessment of the still trying to ‘present’ her crisis that our country is facing. husband with a son at the cost Abhishek Bikram Shah, of risking her own life. The email story shows just how far away we are from gender l When I read Nepali Times equity, social justice and online these days I am ashamed maternal health in our country. to say to friends here that I am a Jojo Lama, Lazimpat Nepali. There is nothing to be proud of anymore. Of course, I FUTILE can’t blame the country. The I completely agree with your problem is our rulers—politicians editorial ‘Futile future’ (#190). who have no shame, the same What do the king and the faces of crooks over and over political leaders think, that they again in parliament and now on can prolong their power the streets leading struggle even when the demonstrations for democracy. country is burning? Even if one Give me a break. The important side wins, how do they expect thing is to change the system, to rescue the country from the not the people. There is no Maoist totalitarianism on their shortage of committed, honest own? The only way to deal Nepalis with integrity and with the Maoists is for the commitment to develop the constitutional forces, and that country. And we are stuck with includes King Gyanendra, to these corrupt people who have realise that they are all on one pushed our country back into side against the outlaws. Let darkness. Most of their sons and that be our hope and wish in daughters are studying abroad, the new year. taking their ill-gotten wealth out Sanjog Thapa, Chhauni 4 NATION #191 Down, but not out 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 NARESH NEWAR in BIRGANJ leader, was killed. Birganj feels the pain Ironically, in some villages the epal’s business and trade hub Seems like no one is safe,” says Pradip presence of the Maoists is the only of Birganj appears to have Gupta, a local shopkeeper. Gupta deterrent against bandits from Bihar. N come out relatively unscathed recalls how the city was hardly Gangs from lawless northern Bihar from the recent spate of bandas and affected at all during the past bandas regularly cross the border to raid blockades. But in the villages outside called by the Maoists or other Nepali villages. Since the police post this border town, it is a different story political parties. While the rest of the was relocated to the city from Thori, altogether. country came to a standstill during 70km from Birganj, robberies have The Maoist blockades affected nationwide strikes, here life and increased. Locals are helpless against India-Nepal trade, the mainstay of business went on as usual. the marauding gangs that come armed Birganj’s economy and frequent Maoist extortion has hit an all- with pistols and rifles. “If the bandas have dampened the business time high. The Maoists sent letters to government gave them permission to climate. But hardy Birganj locals all the industries, small business keep arms at home, they would have have adapted to the incidents of houses, hotels, department stores and protection,” says Pratap Shrestha who violence and the murder of Mayor shops for regular donations. “Not a fled from Thori after threats from Gopal Giri two months ago. single individual has been spared and Indian gangs. “In every conflict, there is the everyone is paying,” says a local Two years ago, when Pratap was first shock and then things become Marwari businessman who did not elected chairman of the local buffer a habit,” says business analyst want to be identified. “If we refuse to zone of Royal Chitwan National Ramesh Bhattarai. pay, the price will be heavy,” says a Park, he took action against timber Like the capital Valley, Birganj local banker. Mayor Giri was poachers from Bhigna Thori village has benefitted from the influx of reportedly killed for refusing to pay Rs of Bihar. “It was just too much to villagers fleeing Maoist threats in the 500,000 demanded by the rebels. bear for the villagers after they raped outlying districts. Banks and finance “Since the incident, everyone has three of our young girls. It was time companies especially are doing cooperated out of fear,” says freelance to teach these criminals a lesson,” says roaring business. There are now 14 journalist Chandra Kishore. Shrestha. He gathered 150 villagers branches of banks and four finance In the 22 VDCs outside the city, and forest guards and raided the companies in the city. Bhattarai the Maoists operate freely, especially Indian village. The looters were predicts: “Birganj will be the last city after the police stations were pulled surrounded and the two villages to go under.” MIN BAJRACHARYA back. Villagers are flocking into agreed that the looting would stop. Trade prospects are still bright, located along the highway artery a vision to turn Birganj into a special Birganj to live like refugees just a few Nine months later, it began anew and and India recently set up a consulate between Birganj and Hetauda. The economic zone but all that is on hours away from their homes. the Indian dacoits came looking for here. Bangladesh is also starting an number of large and small industries hold now.” Villagers in Parsa district attempted Shrestha. information desk office soon to has reached 400, employing nearly For the first time in eight years, to throw out the Maoists two years Names like Mehfil, Lambu promote cross-border business with 50,000 Nepalis. Birganj residents have started to feel ago. They formed a committee of Chaudhary and Shambu Nepal. Once the World Bank- But, as Manoj Upadhyay, editor the heat. The Maoists made their 50 members including all-party Chaudhary make the villagers quake funded container dry port on the of the local journal, Economic presence felt with a series of politicians, community leaders and with fear. They lead the notorious Bihari outskirts of the town is operational, World, says: “All it takes is one road bombings of government buildings. local villagers. “There was strong Mehfil Gang which is engaged in trade is expected to get a big boost. blockade to throw things off.” Business is slow and shops close unity and their morale was high, but smuggling and illegal hashish trade and Birganj contributes 44 percent Companies are cutting work shifts down early after the government it didn’t last long,” says Kishore. The timber poaching. When the Indian of national revenue, and 60 percent from three to one a day, and if Birganj imposed a night curfew a committee collapsed after five days police restrict the gang’s activities at of Indo-Nepal trade passes through is affected, the rest of the country is fortnight ago. when members were attacked by the election time, they target villages in here. Many of Nepal’s industries are affected. Says Upadhyay: “We had “It’s not the same place anymore. Maoists. Rama Kanta Giri, the Nepal for easy money. l

erversely, when state authority avoided drugs ever since. P weakens, the weak suffer. Ask yourself But now, post 11 September, America who have been the overwhelming is on guard against dangerous foreigners. victims of the crumbling Nepali Soft targets And Kari Rein is going to be deported. government’s offensive against the Maoists, That’s right, deported. Various statutes and be damned if you don’t answer, “the have come together to empower weak, the innocent, the ordinary”. Of the immigration officers to take action against nearly 10,000 dead in the long Maoist war, A distant elite in a cloistered capital lashes any foreigner with a drug offence in his or more than half are probably non- out at those least able to protect themselves her background, regardless of the combatants, citizens, people next door. circumstances. So it’s back to the fjords for Similarly in India, when the Kashmiri Kari Rein. Her adopted hometown in uprising Oregon is up in arms and is raising money for HERE AND THERE was her legal defence. The state’s best paper is Daniel Lak raging in campaigning hard in her favour. She’s out of the early jail but bound by a court order to inform 90s, Indian security forces tended to go after police of her movements. the softest of targets. Human rights abuses Reporters say the local police force is abounded. Whole villages were rounded up embarrassed to have to pay attention to her and people were never seen again. Women at all, considering her an exemplary citizen. were raped, schoolboys slaughtered. It got But a floundering Bush administration in better as the decade wore on. The Indian Washington is rounding up and deporting army and paramilitary forces learned the people like Kari simply because they can. value of intelligence, something that They are classic soft targets. There are still demonstrably isn’t happening in Nepal. A thousands of people—mostly, but not all, distant elite in a cloistered capital is hardly Muslims—in US jails who were rounded able to penetrate fiery, ideological up after 9-11 and not charged with any movements based on rural alienation. So MIN BAJRACHARYA crimes. They are suspected of immigration they lash out at those least able to protect has for nearly two decades. Last year, Kari’s provision in the immigration act, bolstered act violations and can be held indefinitely themselves, or have their bully boys in American dream went sour. She and her by the current obsession with homeland pending deportation. Some have drug uniform do it for them. family were returning for a vacation abroad security. Then a lawyer cracked the convictions, like Kari. They’re a danger to Now look at America. And consider the when she was stopped by the immigration government’s wall of silence and discovered America and they’ll be kicked out. case of Kari Rein. She’s a Norwegian-born authorities at Seattle airport. that Kari was being held as a “dangerous Soft states are dangerous. To themselves US resident who lives in the fair state of Her husband and sons didn’t see her drug offender”. Fourteen years earlier, she and their citizens. A healthy body politic is Oregon. Her husband and her two children again for nearly three weeks as the US and her husband had been convicted of less so but it bears watching nonetheless. are full-fledged US citizens, born on government held her incommunicado, growing a few marijuana plants. They’d It’s yet another reason to get democracy American soil. She holds a green card and without charge, under some draconian paid fines, done community service and back in Nepal. l NATION 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 5 Safe and sound The unexpected release of 37 hostages taken from Beni (seen being bused out of Kathmandu airport, right) by the Maoists has raised questions about the rebels’ motives. Some believe it is a bid to improve their battered image at a time when the UN Commission on Human Rights is readying to debate a resolution tabled by Switzerland in Geneva. “Showing that they are abiding by the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners will go down well, especially as the international community has been critical of the army’s human rights record,” said one Kathmandu-based diplomat. That the Maoists did not insist on their earlier demand for the release of Matrika Prasad Yadab and Suresh Ale Magar could point to a secret deal with the government who may have asked for a show of goodwill. There is speculation that the two sides may actually be discussing a ceasefire to coincide with the new year. Interestingly, the Maoists contacted the ICRC about their intention to release the hostages. “They called us first and we sent our six-member team to Rolpa for the necessary preparation for the release,” Nicolas Bachmann of the ICRC told us. No news is good news Pokhara battens down the hatches

NAVIN SINGH KHADKA The Canadian International Development Agency is seeking an experienced Nepali citizen for the directorship of the Canadian Cooperation Office (CCO). Applicants must explain, in less than two pages, how they intend to provide the required services under the current environment. here is a full scale counter-insurgency war going on, the headlines are all about bombings, landmines, blockades, bandas, abductions and T Applicants should also state the annual consultant fee (minus the compulsory insurance extortion. Yet the tourists keep coming into Nepal. The flights are full and the trekking trails are bustling. NTB’s (Nepal Tourism Board) figures for coverage) that they are willing to accept. Women and ethnic minorities candidates are March show a whopping 60 percent increase in numbers compared to last year. encouraged to apply. The full statement of services is available upon request at [email protected]. What is going on? Industry sources cite several reasons: no country in the Applications must be received before 16:30 on Monday April 19th at the address below. world is safe anymore and Nepal doesn’t yet have the kind of arbitrary terrorism in other countries, tourists have never been harmed in Nepal, there is no Only short listed candidates will be contacted. fighting in the high mountain valleys and most visitors to Nepal are adventure tourists so news of fighting doesn’t necessarily deter them. DIRECTOR Still, the Maoist insurgency has cost the industry dearly. Arrival figures of 230,000 last year were half the peak figures for 1998, and income is even lower CANADIAN COOPERATION OFFICE, NEPAL because hotels and trekking agents have slashed rates to stay afloat. Despite Maoist assurances that they will not harm tourists, the industry is sensitive to Duties information of strikes or violence. Pokhara was badly hit by the two-week Chitwan The Director of the Nepal CCO ensures the provision of professional, financial, technical and and Gandaki blockade in March and the battle for Beni. administrative advice required for management and ongoing monitoring of CIDA programs and There are also worrying signs that assurances guaranteeing safety of trekkers projects in Nepal. is not always being followed by grassroots militia. Recent incidents: Education 3 April: Protesters in Kathmandu pelted stones at vehicles carrying tourists Graduation from a recognized university with specialization in commerce, business arriving after an overland drive from Tibet. Many of these vehicles were driven administration, economics, international relations, development studies, or other relevant field. into the safety of the BICC. “Some tourists were sick with fear,” recalls Rabi Language Requirements Poudel, president of Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA). 24 March: Maoist rebels forced two French tourists to walk back to Daman on English and Nepali Essential the Tribhuban Rajpath because of the Makwanpur and Dhading blockades. Experience Their van was pushed over a cliff. l Experience in managing and monitoring international development programs/projects, in 21 March: The rebels destroyed the tower in Meghauli, an airfield used the field or at the headquarters of an international development organization exclusively for tourists travelling to the upmarket Tiger Tops resort in the Royal l Experience in advising and supporting senior officials from Canada and/or other donor Chitwan National Park. 15 March: Suspected Maoists have been setting off explosions in government countries buildings in the vicinity of Thamel including the Election Commission and l Experience in policy/program analysis and financial management the Sanchaya Kosh Building. Not one has been hurt, but there are loud l Experience in managing professional and support staff. bangs. Knowledge 11 March: Maoists vandalised a bus carrying two British tourists to Tiger Tops l Knowledge of the mandate, policies, programs, objectives and priorities of CIDA. from Bharatpur Airport. The two were badly shaken and hired a rickshaw back to Narayanghat. l Knowledge of contracting regulations and procurement procedures 25 February: A socket bomb hit a van carrying a French family driving overland l Knowledge of financial management practices as they apply to the management of to Kathmandu from India during a banda in Kanchanpur. The tourists were so international development programs and projects spooked they cut short their Nepal visit and returned to India through Dhangadi. l Knowledge of current international issues that have an impact on developing countries. l Knowledge of South Asia and Nepal. Recent news of attacks on Indian vehicles and Abilities businesses is worrying the l Ability to analyze, plan and manage all aspects of implementing and monitoring complex travel industry who fear a projects and programs with several components, and to achieve the desired results. slump in Indian arrivals. l Ability to implement results-based management and an accountability frameworks “Indian tourists were l Ability to manage budgets and financial systems already keeping away l Ability to analyze complex geopolitical issues at the national level, to work as part of a because they heard team to develop a strategic vision to development assistance and contribute towards the about the blockades,” effectiveness of aid says Sundar Shrestha, l Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing former president of l Ability to supervise the work of staff and consultants within a multicultural context. Pokhara’s HAN chapter. l Ability to create and lead teams to deliver high quality collaborative assignments. “There were 60 percent cancellations in the last one week alone.” The average length of stay of tourists in Nepal has also dropped from 14 l Ability to manage risk to protect assets, staff and partners working in conflict. days to eight. Tour operators say they were convincing their international Personal Suitability agents and clients that the Maoist rebels have assured that no harm would l Effective interpersonal relationships and teamwork befall tourists. But the Maoists have not always kept their word and there are l Initiative reports of trekkers being forced to pay Maoist tax on the trails. “It looks like the l Reliability commitment of the Maoist leadership has not reached their cadre,” says NATA’s Poudel. l Able to work under pressure Deepak Mahat, President of the Trekking Agents Association of Nepal l Ability to make decisions and sound judgement. says: “They must either stop deceiving us or declare the closure of tourism in Nepal.” With tension increasing in the central and western region, tourists have * The successful candidate will be required to take out performance Liability insurance headed east to the Everest area, which has reported record numbers. * Phone calls and e-mail enquiries will not be entertained. Several international travel agents have visited the country to take stock of the situation and found no direct evidence of tourists being attacked by Canadian Cooperation Office rebels, but they told local operators that burnt vehicles along the highway and P.O. Box 4574 blockades create psychological terror. Embassy advisories against travelling Kathmandu, Nepal to Nepal also have a negative impact. Fax: 977-1-441-0422 NTB is doing its bit operating airport shuttle buses during the banda this E-mail: [email protected] week. Said Tek Bahadur Dangi of NTB. “We are doing what we can, but we can’t stop the political forces from organising strikes.” l 6 NATION 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 Manjushree’s King fights on two fronts

from p1

headache The political leaders insist the semantics is not so important, but it If this is what latthis can do, is clear that the palace sees ‘constituent assembly’ as an imagine what M-16s are doing euphemism for ‘republic’ and will not agree easily. The parties may be y friend Manjushree Thapa has a headache. A big one. She pushed to ask for a constituent M also has severe back pains. Both of these newly acquired assembly, which has been the Maoist ailments come courtesy of the government. demand all along. This was also the My friend was participating in a peaceful democracy rally around point on which the peace talks Ratna Park on Sunday, when all of a sudden she found herself cornered by latthi-wielding riot between the government and the RAJENDRA NATH police. With the rest of the Maoists collapsed last August. Nepalis returning from India trekking for 200 km to their NEPALI PAN defenseless crowd, she “Ultimately, we will need a villages in the midwestern hills, here on the Mahendra Seira Tamang attempted to run away but was constituent assembly to bring both Highway near Nepalganj. hit on the head by a policeman. the king and the parliamentary Falling to the ground, blood pouring from the gash in her head, she was forces within the constitutional But things have changed. India is Kamal Thapa said after the 20 then subjected to further latthi blows to her body. framework,” says Daman Nath belatedly giving the Maoists a hard March incident. Analysts say the She was helped by strangers to enter Bir Hospital, into which police were lobbing teargas shells over the wall. In hospital, she lay with Dhungana, former speaker and a time in its territory and Indian Maoists are more likely to sue for scores of injured awaiting treatment. At the end of the ordeal, she had peace facilitator. “All the factions will concerns will have deepened after peace when they feel strong, like they three stitches on her head and several welts and bruises on her back. unite against the king if he does not the Nepali-style landmine attack in do now, rather than when they Manjushree is another statistic in the lengthening list of those with head agree. It will be the people vs Jharkhand that killed 26 police last are weak. injuries, broken bones and rubber bullet wounds in Kathmandu’s post- the king.” Thursday. But there are no indications that 2PM streetscape. But the king could still defuse For the first time in years the there are any back channel The Ratna Park area in the heart of the capital is now known not the situation by forming an all-party Maoist statements have taken on a initiatives. If anything, the situation just for annoying traffic diversions. Here, the inhabitants of Kathmandu government acceptable to everyone, strident anti-Indian tone on the ground is getting worse. The have been shown the nature of the excesses of state violence that they had heard were happening in faraway hills. or restoring parliament. After accompanied by attacks on Indian midwest has been under siege for Particularly illuminating has been the state strategy of crowd control reclaiming power, the parties may vehicles and businesses in the tarai. two weeks now, with serious food of unarmed people participating in peaceful democracy rallies, including soften their tough talk, as they gear Former minister and peace shortages in the hill districts. The aiming latthis straight at the skull of anyone within reach, throwing tear up towards future elections while broker Narayan Singh Pun believes blockade has forced some Nepalis gas into hospital grounds, beating people, old and young, male and trying to arrange a ceasefire. the Maoists’ attacks in Bhojpur and coming home from India to walk up female, after they have already fallen to the ground, entering hospital It is later that a future elected Beni actually show that they want to 200km to reach their homes. In premises to thrash the injured and using rubber bullets in ways that government will face its toughest test to return to the table. “They are the far west, the Maoists have been in dealing with the Maoist forcing the government to take them especially active this week rounding insurgency. In a sense, we will back seriously and restart the peace up thousands of villagers and taking to 3 October 2002 but with a much process, but both sides need to trust them on tractor trailers to an more virulent uprising. each other,” he told us. unknown destination. Many others The Maoists, for their part, have The government is still talking have fled across the border to India. been using the party-palace clash to tough, refusing to accept third-party The big question now is how their advantage. They are on an mediation. “The Beni attack long can, or should, King offensive spree with attacks on police completely wiped out the possibility Gyanendra fight his war on two posts in Janakpur and Ilam this week. for peace talks,” Home Minister fronts? l

SUNDAR SHRESTHA maximise injury. That these methods are not necessarily provoked by Defeat in victory violence or even hints of potential violence was clear from the experience of many of us in the Ratna Park area this week. In Geneva, the spotlight is on Nepal Trapped in a situation of inexcusable Maoist violence and excess, serious economic decline, political stalemate and a lack of SUHAS CHAKMA democratically functioning arenas, rallies for democracy seem the most in GENEVA positive of options. Participants are not ideologically brainwashed zombies. The political elites’ public apologies and remorse may have n the backrooms of the Palais des Nations in Geneva a except serving as post boxes. While Kathmandu might have brought thousands to the capital, but ill-will and distrust in political draft human rights resolution sponsored by Switzerland extracted temporary respite from New Delhi’s protection, leaders remain. Yet the sheer numerical turnout and the palpable energy I it will have to pay a heavy price. has raised a storm in a tea cup. The resolution would in the crowd testify to the thirst that exists for change, with the only extend technical cooperation to the government of Nepal India’s Foreign Secretary Shashank reportedly assured current viable medium to demand for that change being political party- under Agenda Item 19 of the ongoing 60th session of the his Nepali counterpart Madhu Raman Acharya on 23 led rallies for democracy. Commission on Human Rights. The European Union, February to take up the Bhutani refugee issue. However, The ability to congregate as The People, to voice similar concerns which is using the draft as a stick to prod Kathmandu to during his meeting with King Jigme S Wangchuk of Bhutan and demands, ask for more accountability and say in the government, on 26 March 2004, Shashank has reportedly denied any work together for peace and prosperity in the country, this is the fodder resume negotiations with the Maoists, has not yet taken a of donor ‘good governance’ and ‘vibrant civil society’ visions that so decision on whether to cosponsor the resolution which, if such assurance being given to Nepal. canvas our national development agenda. But these public displays of tabled, will come to the vote on 21 April. Colombia, which has been fighting the communist people power have been seen as a national threat by the state and Situations similar to the one prevailing in Nepal are FARC guerrillas, welcomed United Nations monitoring dealt with accordingly. best suited for a resolution under Agenda Item 9 on country and its sovereignty has not been dented by the UN presence. In full view of international donors and the national elite, my friend situations. Usually, resolutions under Agenda Item 19 are Nepal, like Sri Lanka, must make an independent decision was mercilessly beaten in the capital. That she is an internationally tabled as a compromise after a country has been censured whether to invite the UN Secretary General to step in. If renowned writer and part of the national intelligentsia was irrelevant. over a considerable period of time under Agenda Item 9. Nepal, following New Delhi’s footsteps, considers the Like so many of the injured and killed in the past couple of days, months As expected, Kathmandu sought New Delhi’s Maoist issue as an internal one and the Bhutani refugee and years of turmoil, she merged into the mass of the faceless and protection. India has been opposed to any third party issue as a bilateral one with Bhutan, victory in Geneva identity-less in those minutes of state sponsored violence. would indeed be a defeat. In accordance with government statements justifying the force used involvement in South Asia although it did go along when Colombo decided to invite Norway to facilitate the peace A failed state has its own negative dynamics and it is in in these rallies, if she was not my friend, perhaps I would have believed New Delhi’s interest to facilitate solutions to both the she provoked the police. If I did not know her personally, perhaps I process with the LTTE. Foreign Minister Bhekh Bahadur would have believed she was affiliated to a violence-prone political Thapa met his Indian counterpart Yashwant Sinha on his Maoists crisis and Bhutani refugee issue. Capturing a few wing. If I was just reading about her as an injury statistic, perhaps I way to Geneva last month and then went on to Brussels to Maoists leaders in India is unlikely to resolve the Maoist would have believed she was a Maoist infiltrator. convince the EU. crisis. The EU, which provides substantial funding for Nepal But I know Manjushree Thapa well. If this is the level of violence On 26 March Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa and Bhutani refugees, must take a firm decision to cosponsor happening in Kathmandu with only latthis, tear gas and rubber bullets, announced a 25-point commitment paper on human rights. the Swiss resolution if Nepal fails to invite the UN Secretary dare we think of what is going on in the name of the counter- The question now is who could be credible and General before 21 April. l insurgency war in areas populated by those whose identities and effective mediators to the conflict in Nepal. The personalities remain blurred and in territories in which M16s and not government has ruled out UN mediation. Domestic latthis are the choice weapons of state control? l Suhas Chakma is the director of the Asian Centre for Human interlocutors have no leverage over the parties in conflict Rights, New Delhi. NATION #191 7 Nothing 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 left to lose In remote Baitadi, you hear the heartrending stories of Nepal’s internally displaced

KISHORE NEPAL in BAITADI his is about as far as you can nothing left. pours out his anger at the Maoists in the villages who are victims. rights activist, says: “People from get from Kathmandu, and “We did nothing wrong, my as well as the CDO, army and police Increasingly, small shopkeepers and the villages are extremely T even here, on the kingdom’s husband is a good man, he has been who are doing nothing to help. subsistence farmers are being frightened, they are also not western border with India, there is teaching for 25 years,” she says, For Baitadi’s CDO Parashuram targeted. comfortable with outsiders.” But an overwhelming dread of violence sobbing. Two boys and two girls, Aryal, the sheer scale of the “By night the Maoists force what is surprising is that despite and fear of the future. all teenagers, came to their house dislocation is hard to manage. It is them to give food and shelter, and their suffering and the threat of Just 19km away from Jhulaghat four months ago and told family very difficult to help individuals by day the army patrols come trying violence, there are still a lot of in India’s Uttaranchal state is members to get out because the when there are thousands of them. to find out where they are,” explains fearless people who will speak the Baitadi’s newest municipality of ‘command’ had decided to evict Aryal was CDO in Dunai and has Pant. truth on the record about the Gothalapani. Mayor Ganesh Singh them. “Even my 81-year-old seen first hand the brutality of a Most people we talked to here atrocities perpetrated by both the mother-in-law was told to get out, Maoist attack. He is trying to help are reluctant to speak out about their security forces and the Maoists. For and she is now mentally with the meagre resources at his ordeals. The stories of ruthless Nepalis displaced from their homes unbalanced,” says Dhaulidevi. disposal. Aryal knows Dal Bahadur retribution and punishment they and villages, it seems there is The number of Nepalis who personally and, even so, there is have heard means people keep quiet. nothing left to lose. Speaking out are internally displaced or nothing he can do. “I know he is Raj Bahadur Chand, a local human is the only thing they can do. l going through hell,” he says, “but what can I do? I just don’t have any budget even for emergency relief.” Bhandari himself is not Just when you think you have convinced why this sleepy little heard the saddest story, there is even village should have the grandiose a sadder one. Dhan Bahadur label of ‘municipality’. But it is true forced to migrate to India because Kunwar, a frail man from Kuwakot that Gothalapani’s population has of the conflict is, according to one village, has no words to describe surged after the Maoist attack in estimate, now about 1.5 million. what he went through. He is still the main town of Patan two years These heartrending stories must be speechless with shock and shows ago. It is also now the transit point multiplied many times to gauge the us his bruised body. His small tea for many Baitadi villagers fleeing true scale of misery and suffering. shop was doing well. The Maoists across the border to India in large Dal Bahadur Bohora is from wanted a donation, but he couldn’t numbers. Kotkotara village, and has also fled afford the sum and resisted. He was After the Maoists started to the relative safety of beaten and forced to flee his village forcing teachers to attend their Gothalapani. His distraught face with his family and what was left meetings in the past two months, tells of his anxiety about his teenage of his belongings. most have abandoned their schools daughter who was recently A Baitadi journalist, Laxmi and come to Gothalapani for abducted by the Maoists. He does Dutta Pant, says things were going safety. Dhaulidevi Pant, 49, is the not remember the date. “It was the from bad to worse, but in the past wife of a school teacher from day before Gaura Parba. Why does month Maoist extortion, eviction Khaligad. The Maoists looted it matter when she was taken away, and threats has increased many their house and the family has my daughter is lost,” he says and fold. It is not just the rich people 8 ECONOMY 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191

GOPAL CHITRAKAR hen he first started out, suggests matching the film to the W Jagdish Tiwari didn’t lab—in his case, AGFA to an AGFA have his own camera. processing lab—since the film and When he finally bought one, he processing equipment are calibrated. spent seven years just getting used Picture perfect To be fair, the blame for a bad to it. It was a tough start for one of picture cannot be placed solely on Nepal’s best-known landscape the lab. Cameras need to be cleaned photographers. Now with one and maintained. Film kept under published book and another on the Kathmandu’s top photographers are fussy about quality glass is corrupted by direct sunlight way, this freelancer places as great or may be a duplicate. Photographic an importance on processing the SRADDHA BASNYAT paper often isn’t stored at the right film as he does on composing a shot. temperatures. Before the 60s, film could Like Tiwari, ace photojournalist Rameshwor Prasad Aryal, products. “As Konica’s trading Professionals like Manandhar simply not be developed in Nepal. RK Manadhar gets his pictures done president of the Nepal Colour Lab partner, Rainbow delivers world take no chances: his fridge is stacked People sent their reels to London in Photo Concern. “They are Kodak Association, believes Nepali class quality and service at very with boxes of photo paper and he or Hong Kong. Today processing dealers so they have a standard we technicians are of international calibre. competitive prices,” says Aryal. divides labour. “I trust the bigger is a different story and an annual can rely on,” he says. He shows us a “So far, Nepal only produces enough Himalmedia’s photojournalist labs to do my processing and have Rs 1 billion industry. Local labs sell horizontal full frame shot of a technicians for the local market, but Min Bajracharya has been on the the prints done at manual labs,” he and distribute Kodak, Fuji, Konica woman carrying a doko along a we could export this manpower,” he beat since 1985 and tried all the top told us. If the end result is to be and AGFA products, making life dusty trail, weaving through a says. His Rainbow Photo Labs has brands before settling on AGFA. “I close to flawless, sticklers like easier for professionals and amateurs. mustard field. The colour saturation been in business for 19 years and has find a warm richness in the Manandhar realise, “It’ll never be But for laymen it’s still hit and miss brings out the contrast of yellow and 14 branches. The Nepali technicians photographs and there’s good colour perfect unless I do everything at some streetside labs. green exquisitely. use mostly Konica technology and film dispersion,” he says. Bajracharya myself.” l B/W DIY Instead of relying on others, Mani Lama (pictured) started Dark Room Creations, a professional black and white lab in Lazimpat where he works with Tanka Rai, a renowned manual processor. “Professionals who know black and white come to us. I give them very good quality work,” says Lama. The devil is in the detail, especially since developing black and white film is still a manual process, right from getting the film onto the spool in the darkroom—something Lama makes his students practice repetitively—to choosing the right grade of paper for the negative. “You can do a lot with black and white,” says Lama, whose work with the medium has been lauded at several exhibitions. RK Manandhar agrees. “Black and white is my art too,” he says. Most raw materials for processing film are available in the market allowing professionals like Manandhar to mix their own solutions, removing the risk of an inept technician and getting as close to the photographer’s perception as possible. He says: “Working with the grayscale and lighting gives the photograph a more artistic feel and greater tonal quality.” (Sraddha Basnyat)

KIRAN PANDAY allowed me to integrate seven separate features include value-added prints like images.” calendars, greeting and business cards. Postcard Digital print facilities are useful for those size snaps run at Rs 15 each. Digital multiply of us who prefer to have hardcopies. AGFA is expecting the arrival of its AGFA Unfortunately, most run-of the-mill labs offer a DiLab 2 in a few months. The processing is a consumer quality ink jet printer that results in regular chemical job, but prints are exposed by a grainy, raw output, so it definitely helps to laser. It’s got a built-in scanner to limit human know who does it right. error and prints 400dpi. You can ask for prints on Though they had a good digital mini lab, digital photo paper at a maximum 12”x18” print, Photo Concern brought in a Digital Image but it will most likely come to double the price of Processing System (DIPS) to ride the digital regular film prints, estimates Sarada Amatya, wave. The Kodak technology cost Rs 2 million, director at Colour Link Lab in Thamel. but the print quality is unparalleled. Though Chitrakar, who teaches communications at it relies on the same chemical process as a Tribhuban University, sees only one drawback manual lab, it’s an entirely digital set up from with digital: “It’s so easy to manipulate an scanner to LED printer for uniform colour tone. image. If you are unethical you could destroy And if they’re doing the shoot for you, they’ll someone’s life with it.” l use their own camera, a Fuji S2 Pro with 12.1 (Sraddha Basnyat) megapixels. DIPS prints from any digital media, including mobile phones. It’s possible to retouch, enlarge photos or restore old colour or black and white pictures too. Maximum print size is 20”x30” and a postcard size costs Rs 30 per print. It is a bit pricier for less work than regular prints, but technology doesn’t always come cheap. Studio 7 uses the Konica QD 21 mini MIN BAJRACHARYA lab system for graphic designers, ad agencies With digital technology making things easier, to know the darkroom process, which involved an and anyone who requires quality digital work, even the most dedicated professionals are enormous amount of time and effort. Now, with printing a maximum 12”x18” size at 300dpi. making the switch. Going straight from the digital technology, he is the master of his own But, as technician Niraj Dhungel cautions, if camera to computer programs like Adobe lab and marvels at how fast, economical and the resolution of the image is low, there are Photoshop eliminates the entire developing easy the process has become. “It’s just my limits to how much it can be improved. Unlike process and has made editing a breeze. photograph and me,” says Chitrakar as he opens the liquid chemicals many other systems use, Gopal Chitrakar, photo correspondent with a computer file and shows us his recent pictures QD21 uses tablet chemicals ensuring the Reuters, began taking pictures 25 years ago. At of a Himalayan panorama (see pic top). “This photograph can withstand extreme sun the time it was vital for any good photographer picture was possible only with a software that exposure, heat and even water. Special NATION 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 9

BIZ NEWS

Welcoming China

○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The NGO business An interaction program was held in Kathmandu on 30 March to discuss issues related to Chinese outbound tourists and possible cooperation How can business work for development? between China and Nepal for promoting pilgrimage tourism in Kailash-Mansarobar in Tibet. Organised by the Tourism Industry It is always a fearing loss of jobs and form the best vehicle for the Division and Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, speakers BANGKOK – said that Nepal should capitalise on the close proximity of China. welcome break to hear good things opportunities in already poor implementation of their social about Nepal outside the country. countries. It is therefore time for goals. It is not only the larger

2 million trekkers NGOs in the region talk about the NGOs to really accept the path- multinationals or large NGOs that

○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ breaking idea of partnerships. can get into partnerships but Over the last 20 years, nearly two million people have trekked in the ECONOMIC SENSE With multilateral and bilateral perhaps organisations of all sizes Himalayas, so it seemed about time that this popular region finally aid being substituted by trade, and scales can join hands. Artha Beed had a digital destination worthy of it’s name. Trekhimalayas.com, the private sector has become a There are also interesting launched on 2 April in Australia, seeks to give both the first-time traveller and the regular trekker an interactive and regularly updated success Nepal had in areas like good source of funding for models of NGOs themselves single source of information into all aspects of the world’s highest community forestry and FM radio. A NGOs. getting into business to plough mountains. Conceived out of a passion for exploring and experiencing few who have spent some time in Similarly, the private sector profits into activities they were set the majestic scenery and culture of the Nepali mountains, the site has Nepal see the country as a perfect has also felt the need to work up for. all the usual what-to-do’s as well as constant inputs from fellow place for designing and testing new closely with communities, both Cabbages and Condoms travellers. The site was extensively researched prior to its launch and ideas. resorts chain in Thailand started has the official recognition and support of KEEP (Kathmandu Environmental Education Project), and one of the leading airlines Development gurus by Mechai Viravaidya is an flying to Nepal, Qatar Airways. worldwide are challenged example of businesses run by to find the right way NGOs. Khun Mechai’s profits

Spreading their wings ahead. NGOs are from the company go to fund ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ generally made up of The Asian Centre for Qatar Airways will soon add another connection in Europe with flights people who do not want to Population and Community to Zurich, making it more convenient for connecting passengers from Kathmandu. In response to the growing German market, the airways will work for the private sector Development. start its flight to Frankfurt five times and Munich six times a week. It has under free-market rules. In Nepal, there are lots of also increased its frequencies to five times a week to Vienna and is However, they are now examples of the fusion of adding its non-stop daily flight to Paris from 1 June. finding it important to community service and understand the private business: Dhulikhel Hospital,

Star search sector, especially in women’s co-operatives and ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ developing countries where handicraft manufacturers. It Lux, a Nepal Lever product, presents young girls an exciting opportunity to become stars through the Lux Beauty Star 2004 business has to also look at is time to look for replication pageant that will cull the brightest and best from Kathmandu, Dharan the huge social service market. and furthering partnerships. and Pokhara before a grand finale for the top 20 in May. The girls will Therefore, the obvious answer That is where the larger be judged on looks, confidence and intelligence. The finalists will be is finding a way to make Asia-Pacific experience has a put up at the Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu and have a portfolio shot by private business work for lot of relevance for us in leading fashion photographer Madhav Thapa. The winner will be development. Nepal. awarded Rs 50,000, two runners-up Rs 25,000 each. The top two will also attend the Lakme India Fashion week. The region is witnessing an However, the danger in unprecedented wave of free Nepal always remains that NEW PRODUCTS trade agreements and creation of to improve their image as well as we get more engrossed in economic blocs. Like Nepal, many boost productivity. Companies buzzwords like ‘public-private INSTANT SHOT: There’s nothing like a little countries have acceded these with philanthropic track records partnership’ without clearly instant memory created by Polariod cameras, now available in the kingdom through Nepal agreements without really that take corporate social understanding why we are doing Overseas Marketing. The dealers have the new understanding the possible socio- responsibility seriously are better it. Let’s get working partnerships 790/DIS Instant Camera with a built-in mercury- economic impact. Socialist fora have placed than their competitors going instead of more workshops free battery priced at a reasonable Rs 4,000, plus Rs 500 for always been against global and surely NGOs and and seminars to just talk about DIS 700 film. integration of business and economy, community-based organisations it. l “No one was interested in photography”

Srijana Thapa is the 26-year-old director of Photo Concern, one of Nepal’s first photo labs. She talks to Nepali Times about the photography industry and her family’s pioneering role.

Nepali Times: Photo Concern is a family business, how business is growing daily. Our main outlet processes did it get started? 50,000 rolls a month and from each roll we give Rs 2 to the Srijana Thapa: My grandfather DB Thapa was a royal Nepal Cancer Relief Society. That comes to Rs 100,000 a photographer and established the business in 1960. It was month. in Calcutta that he became interested in photography, but there were no photography services or equipment here Going digital hasn’t affected business? then. People used to take colour rolls to Hong Kong to Four years ago we brought in the first professional LED develop. So, he started a small studio downstairs. He digital lab. It gives a uniform colour tone. We have three of started developing colour photographs manually and in the the top digital cameras including Fuji’s S2 Pro with 12.1 1970s he got a mini lab. Bringing the machine in was itself effective mega pixels. And the cost of processing is less. a big challenge. It cost Rs 8-9 lakh and no one wanted to But professionals will always prefer manual photography. help with co-investing. Everyone thought there was no They’ll never stop using film. market. Who are some of the big name photographers that Isn’t quality control a real problem? come to Photo Concern? Quality depends on many factors: the camera, the Thomas Kelly was here for his exhibition on sadhus. We photographer, people behind the printing machine, the have also worked with Jill Gocher, a travel photojournalist machine itself. Most of our lab technicians have been and Kanak Mani Dixit’s black and whites were printed here trained in India and have 12-15 years experience so they digitally. Roshan Chitrakar is studying in the US, he came are well acquainted with the whole process. We don’t home on an internship and printed his photographs here. compromise on quality. As far as the paper and chemicals are concerned, we use only Kodak. Some labs cut corners Disposal is a concern isn’t it? and dilute their chemicals. The machines put out minimal waste, especially with introduction of digital photography. Test prints create waste They call it the ‘photo lab syndrome’: the Nepali paper. We put it through a paper cutter and give it to the propensity to copy someone else’s success. municipality. We sell the waste chemicals to people who The photo lab business really picked up 10-12 years ago. extract silver from it. We used to do it ourselves but it Now, it’s pretty saturated and stable. We now have 117 became a health hazard for the staff. Now, silversmiths Kodak Express Labs in Nepal out of the total 240 labs. The have the technology to deal with it safely. MIN BAJRACHARYA 10 CINEMA

All is not lost: Some can even Nepali movies are changing make me cry with the times

the security situation deteriorated and the Siddhanta Ghimirey state of emergency was declared in 2001, and Niruta Singh in the cinema industry took a direct hit. Dui Kinara Anywhere else, the film industry would have done well in times of crisis. After all, celluloid is a form of escapism. Here, the public was reluctant to go to the movies because of security concerns. But that still doesn’t explain full houses in a South Asian documentary film festival last year, and Kathmandu’s youth don’t seem to be scared to attend concerts, and the discos and dance clubs in Thamel are full till late at night. Actor Hari Bansha Acharya doesn’t believe security concerns are the main reason for the downturn in the cinema industry. He argues that the people who used to go to the movies prior to the state of emergency simply aren’t in Nepal anymore, having left for the Gulf or for Malaysia. In order to attract an audience, Acharya thinks Nepali directors and producers need to pay serious attention to quality. During a talk program last month at the Reporters’ Club, actress Jal Shah KAPIL TAMOT fisherman falls in love with a Nepali woman three years ago: “The Nepali audience publicly admitted she felt ashamed being raised in America while she’s on a visit wants drama with a good social message.” a cinema actress. Is this why educated here are Bollywood-type home. He thinks this is such an impossible It looks like Ghimirey has delivered parents tend to discourage children from melodramatic tearjerkers, and there relationship that he doesn’t let his feelings exactly that with Dui Kinara. In the joining the film industry? What is the T are movies like Tulsi Ghimirey’s Dui show. But he is attached to her son, and I interview the veteran director also said: main reason Nepalis don’t watch Nepali Kinara, which are just so pure in their shouldn’t give away too much of the plot. “We shouldn’t give up, and we must molvies anymore? Who is to blame: the sentiments that they bring tears to your eyes. There isn’t anything extraordinary compete with Indian films differently not directors, producers, actors, the It is a love story in which a young about the plot, indeed it is the simplicity of with bigger budgets but with relevance government, the Film Development the story and the Nepali touch that is the and Nepaliness.” Board? most moving. Bhupen Chand, Niruta That was a time Ghimirey’s Darpan All of the above, says Tulsi Ghimirey. Tulsi Ghimirey and Niruta Singh in Dui Kinara. Singh and even child actor Siddhanta Chhayan was drawing unexpected “Times are difficult, the industry is going Ghimirey provide stellar performances. crowds and raked in more than Rs 30 through a serious crisis. There is nothing After a recent premier of the three-hour million at the box office. More than half negative about it, there are ups and downs movie, I went up to Bhupen Chand and the theatres across the country, including in every industry. People do want to congratulated him. Chand didn’t want to those in the tarai belt, were showing watch good movies,” he says. follow his father into politics and trained to Nepali films. Fifty Nepali movies were And that is exactly what he seems to be a pilot. But it is in film that he seems to being produced every year and they were have done with Dui Kinara, blending a have found his true calling. Chand must doing well despite the world’s largest film powerful story with good acting and have seen my moist eyes and asked: industry being right next door. The logic professional production. The success of “Did you cry?” I told him I did, not once that Nepali audiences would not respond Numafung and the documentary but twice. to Nepali movies was proved a fallacy. Bhedako Oon Jasto must mean that times Tulsi Ghimirey said in a BBC interview But things started going wrong. As are changing, and so is public taste. l Muna Madan in New York

hen word came that the movie based on Laxmi Prasad how can a Sherpa, Tamang or Gurung feel a sense of belonging to W Debkota’s Muna Madan was being screened in New York, Nepal? many had very low expectations. Some thought the But Muna Madan was a departure from the standard portrayals. great literary work of the Maha Kabi should not be turned into a When a dying Madan, left behind by his friends while returning motion picture with a low budget, while others felt it shouldn’t be from Tibet, a Sherpa named Chyangba (although Chyangba is turned into movie at all. Tamang, in the film he is portrayed as a Sherpa) finds Madan. At Surprisingly, Debkota’s epic tragedy of love, separation and first, Madan is scared of this stranger in the jungle and frantically death has been turned into one of the best movies ever made in hides his valuables. But when Chyangba offers Madan shelter in his Nepal. The film has not yet been screened in Nepal itself, but is house, the famous song in background (‘Manis thulo dila le huncha, being shown to selected audiences in the United States. One of jata le hudaina’), the theatre broke into applause. Some Nepali the most interesting reactions to the film was from the Sherpa New Yorkers had tears streaming down their eyes. community in New York after it was screened here recently. When Madan gets ready to leave after getting better, he offers When comedian Santosh Pant came up with socially Chyangba the sack of gold he hid in the jungle. Chyangba answers insensitive and insulting ‘Sherpa Ramayan’ in the 1990s, he had with those famous lines from Debkota in Nepali that go: “Gold ridiculed the community. He made fun of the way they dress (gum cannot be eaten or grown, instead send blessings for my children boots), the way they speak Nepali (heavy accents) and made fun of from your mother”. Muna Madan should go some way to heal the their occupations and habits. Among mainstream Nepalis in New insensitive portrayals of Nepali minorities in the past. York, it was a big hit, of course. But the Sherpas had felt slighted For those used to Kollywood, the film is restrained, not by the negative stereotyping. melodramatic and there aren’t any of the usual embarrassing When Girija Prasad Koirala had come to New York as prime moments when you feel like cringing. The film is set in a typical minister in 2000 and addressed Nepalis at Columbia University, Nepali village and there are few flaws (no Nike sneakers in the many in the audience quizzed him about dual citizenship. But the background) and the actors all deserve an A+. Some Nepali women Sherpas bombarded him with questions on discrimination within felt that the way Muna and her mother were portrayed as vulnerable the civil service and recounted vividly the harassment meted out and weak was an insult to womanhood. But even they couldn’t stop to those not from the mainstream community at the airport in tears welling up when the movie neared its sad climax. l Kathmandu when they returned home. With so much intolerance (Kiran Thapa in New York) Muna and Madan 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 11

RAMYATA LIMBU

hen Dhurba Basnet 2001, a biannual festival of South ventured into the Asian documentaries in W Nepali hinterland Kathmandu, Basnet’s 46-minute armed with a digital camera in The Killing Terraces won wide February 2001, little did he know acclaim. that the footage he captured over a The film has since travelled for month of travelling through the screenings across the subcontinent, Maoist heartland of Rolpa, Rukum Europe and in the United States. It and Jajarkot would result in a has been shown in festivals in Japan documentary that would bring the and broadcast on Australian and Dhurba Basnet filming Nepali public face to face with the Finnish television. Since 2001, the the recent street reality of the Maoist ‘People’s War’. country’s security situation has demonstrations in For the first time, the Nepali deteriorated and the Maoist conflict Kathmandu public saw images of guerrillas on has spread. “Rolpa, Rukum and the move, Maoist gatherings, Jajarkot and large portions of the west interviews with widows and are largely controlled by the Maoists, orphans, the sad tales of villagers and it is difficult to travel like I did caught between the security forces then,” says Basnet, who recently and the Maoists, hapless returned from Bhojpur and Real on reel government officials at district Khotang in the east. MIN BAJRACHARYA headquarters. These were viewers “The security situation in the who, till then, had only been able east is like it was in the midwest three Nepali documentaries boldly document the conflict to read vague accounts in the years ago,” Basnet says. With and its impact on the people and the nation newspapers and the government’s filmmaker Mohan Mainali, Basnet body count. visited the destroyed district mistaken for Maoists. camera,” says Basnet. film on the current conflict due to Suddenly, they were real headquarter of Bhojpur and filmed Mainali and Basnet are now Nabin Subba, who made the be released by November. “It is a people. Nepalis who could be our ordinary people caught between the working on another documentary on award-winning film Numafung simple story about a village that is brothers and sisters fighting and Maoists and the army. the impact the conflict is having on about a Limbu woman and the suffering from the repercussions of killing each other. “Government Mainali’s own films Jogimara ka Nepal’s education system and women in her life, says the country’s the eight years of Maoist conflict, officials, lawmakers, politicians, Jyundaharu and Seeking Peace in longterm development. Both present situation has brought out the village emptied of its youth, the policy makers diplomats, the Karnali document the added filmmakers have found that many stories that need to be told. story told through the eyes of an general Nepali public, everyone hardships faced by ordinary people documentaries are much more “There are a lot of places to explore older generation caught between wanted to watch the film,” recalls in Nepal’s remote regions because powerful in getting the message for the filmmaker, we need more the Maoists and the security forces.” Basnet, who was overwhelmed by of the conflict. Jogimara is about the across than scores of articles in the courage to create a third opinion that He realises the risks. Mainali’s the response. “I had an idea that I families of 18 young men from a print media. “The audio-visual is different from the Maoists and the Jogimara ka Jyundaharu was almost could make a film about the village in Dhading who were medium is extremely effective, but security forces,” he says, “and film is banned by the authorities during people’s war but didn’t realise the working at the airfield in Kalikot and it has to be done with sensitivity, the medium to do this with, but we an official screening at interest it would generate.” were killed in an army raid without propaganda and need to take risks.” the Kathmandu International Premiered at Film South Asia two years ago when they were by letting the people speak on Subba is working on a feature Mountain Film Festival 2002. l 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191

Girls and grenades explanation about their costs a flat fee of $4,500. That ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ involvement. They all say they covers not only the permit for the Baburam on Rajdhani, 2 April joined the rebels out of their own expedition but also includes the free will and were not forced. expense for Chinese liaison officers Ten-year-old Rajukala Rawat’s They say they are fighting global and the Himalayan beast of hands are small, tender. And they imperialism, but don’t seem to burdens, yaks. Little wonder then, Baidya’s arrest are accustomed to lobbing lethal know what that means. The that while Tibet has nearly two grenades at security forces in and Maoist leadership has maintained dozen expedition teams for Everest around Raralihi village in Jumla the movement never uses children. this season, Nepal has only nine. district. “I have two with me right now,” she says, showing us the bag Expensive Everest Out of control

that she carries round the clock. “I ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ was told to attack the enemy with Ang○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Tsering Sherpa Rajdhani, 4 April the grenades whenever and Kantipur, 4 April wherever I see them.” Isn’t she the Gayatri Adhikari and her friend least bit afraid that the explosives The Khumbu region is teeming Gyanu Humagain never imagined may detonate in her hands? “We with trekkers, but this season has they would end up in a hospital are not afraid of death,” she says seen a drop in mountaineering after they set out to meet their confidently. expeditions on Sagarmatha. The parents on the afternoon of 3 Rajukala looks no different reason is simple: everyone loves a April, the third day of the anti- from any other child: you could bargain and expeditions find it regression street demonstration easily imagine her frolicking with cheaper to climb from the Tibet organised by the five parties. The her friends and being indulged side. Nepal charges a team of seven two were caught in a police latthi with candies. But this young girl Everest expeditioners $70,000 as charge. The blows kept falling left home for good and went royalty. Individual climbers are despite protestations that they underground with other Maoist were government employees not rebels who gave her the nom de involved in the rally. All Gayatri, guerre Comrade Samjhana. 48, remembers is walking from Her friend Sirina Budha is 11, Maiti Devi to Putali Sadak. She and she has two grenades too. woke up with a wounded eye at “Right now our roles are confined Bir Hospital, surrounded by

MIN BAJRACHARYA to throwing grenades at security doctors and her husband. Gyanu Excerpts from Baburam Bhattarai’s op-ed piece forces,” she says, matter-of-factly. was also taken to a hospital by in Kantipur, 7 April “Once we grow up, we will attack passers by. Bisnu Tamang, another the barracks of the Royal Nepali pedestrian, had her nose broken There is no mystery about why Mohan Baidya was captured. It Army.” Renamed Comrade Sirjana, by the police. followed the triumph of our ‘People’s Army’ in Bhojpur and she left school at grade three to Some demonstrators were Beni. These incidents shattered the state’s dream of join the rebels. drinking alcohol while chanting overcoming our revolution with military power. It has now failed There are at least six other girls anti-regression slogans, provoking both politically and militarily. So they have taken the last resort like Rajukala and Sirina in Raralihi the police by shouting at them of targeting high-level Maoist leaders. Siliguri was an easy who also act as spies. They scout and breaking through no-entry and obvious place to begin. Comrade Kiran was their first prey. the village and keep a sharp street barriers. These instances led That the arrest took place a few days before the agitating lookout for security patrols. They the police to attack those in the political parties began their anti-king movement is further proof that there is an unholy alliance between the reactionary also keep tabs of newcomers in the rallies. Congress leader Jagdish rulers of Nepal and India. The pro-monarchy, parliamentary area. The girls carry arms and required to pay $25,000. Even Singh KC himself showed a and revolutionary forces were engaged in a tripartite conflict. ammunition for the rebels, after paying that sum, they need remarkable lack of restraint by But this conflict has turned bilateral: between the pro- sometimes travelling to areas where to pay $2,500 separately for using lobbing bricks at the police. But monarchists and the republicans. While it is true that the full-scale battles are raging the route between the Khumbu ordinary people in the city, those revolutionary forces and parliamentary parties have their own between the security forces and Icefall and the second camp on who have places to go, were ways of attacking the monarchy, they now have a common the rebels. Everest. Add to that the expense caught in the fracas. Shyam target and a common understanding. The people have reason “When my friends are ready to of guides, porters, logistics and a Maharjan was obviously in to be encouraged. This situation has completely demoralised die, I cannot stay back. My parents liaison officer—who must be mourning with his white clothes. the pro-palace faction. encouraged me to fight against provided with everything from He was on his way to his mother’s Comrade Kiran was arrested with the active role of Indian injustice and exploitation,” says food to clothes—and the bill soars. funeral on his bike when the rulers. It has bared the nexus between the neo-monarchy of Samjhana. The girls have a ready Everest from the China side demonstrators grabbed his key and the post-royal palace massacre and the reactionary rulers of India who believe in an indivisible India. In some political and media circles, Comrade Kiran’s arrest was interpreted as an unravelling of relations between the Maoists and the Indian ruling class. Such opinions are baseless, irresponsible and deplorable. Recent developments are indications even for simpletons that it is not we but the monarchy of Nepal that has anti-national links with India. That is why there is no question of reaching an agreement with an anti-democratic and foreign-power brokering monarchy. We would rather bear the responsibility of leading a cruel and decisive fight against it. We see no reason to be ashamed of Comrade Kiran’s arrest. For international proletariats like us, there are friends and foes in every nation. We take it as our right to use the territory of our enemies for to our needs. In line with the demands of our revolution, we can always use the cooperation and protection of our friends elsewhere. In a foreign land, we run a reasonable risk from the enemy class. Placed between two giant neighbours as we are, we have already expressed our commitment toward the principle of panchasil on behalf of tomorrow’s people’s republic, especially in context of our relations with Nepal’s immediate Agitation Crackdown Valley Banda neighbours. Bitter experience has firmed our resolve: we will not be distracted. Agitation Crackdown However painful the arrest of Comrade Kiran may be at Agitation present, it is an indication that the Nepali revolution has risen higher and we must turn this negative incident into a positive Rajdhani , 8 April force. The outrage and anger that his arrest has aroused among our party cadre as well as the public against domestic QUOTE OF THE WEEK and foreign enemies is sure to feed the flames of revolution. As Comrade Mao said: the reactionaries who lift a rock will “I was quite impressed with the behavior of the Maoist militants towards us,” find that it will crush their own feet. The same will happen here. You can’t imprison revolutionary thought, it hasn’t worked anywhere. Sagarmani Parajuli, Beni’s CDO after his release from Maoist captivity in Rajdhani, 7 April

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 13 A marcher of history

l “I felt that the present stalemate has to be brought to an end, and this idea deserves support in principle. Moreover, being a litterateur I went to see things for myself. I walked in the rally but I did not chant slogans. It was a peaceful demonstration. Participating in peaceful rallies isn’t a crime. I don’t believe in the parties completely but the fact remains that they are leading this movement. Among the three forces in the country at present, the parliamentary faction is better than the king and the Maoists that have guns. In these times, we need to support peaceful movement.”

l “I don’t know if my experience with the movement will help my future work. When I was hit on my head, I realised that this part of my body needs to be saved at any cost. I also discovered how weak and critical people become in such times.”

l “I don’t want to blame a particular policeman. This is about the government’s policy. The unarmed protestors could have simply been chased away. The police attacked them. I did not see the Kantipur, 6 April demonstrators pelting stones.

Excerpts from an interview with writer, Manjushree l “The movement is necessary. To make it Thapa: effective, it needs wider participation. NGOs and l “By the time the demonstration reached Ratna Park civil society still distance themselves from it. While it after marching through Bagh Bazar, Putali Sadak and is true that trust in the parties’ leadership has Sahid Gate on 4 April, the police had us surrounded. eroded, civil society has benefitted from People began to run as soon as the tear gas was democracy. Yet they shy away from active, pro- fired. The latthi charge began and I was hit on my democratic involvement. The people can replace head. Although I fell down, the police beat me on my leaders with tarnished images. back several times. I noticed that the police aimed for the heads of demonstrators. Someone came to help l “The royal felicitations look orchestrated, they me but even he was nearly beaten. I explained that don’t looks pontaneous. Perhaps that reality eludes we did not belong to any political party and we were me because I wasn’t a part of the pro-king group.” allowed to go to a hospital.”

accused him of obstructing the because it won’t benefit anyone.” CDO Parajuli five-party banda. He was already “People should stop the game ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ depressed and had little energy to of one Nepali killing another Annapurna Post, 8 April justify his action. Eventually, they Nepali,” says Hem Kumari let him go. Bhattarai from Budhabare whose After the Maoists assault on Beni Meanwhile, many joined in two sons were killed by the was over, they called on us to the demonstrations without Maoists. “My sons are no more surrender. It was around 9:30 in knowing what it was all about. A and our family has been uprooted. the morning. I gave myself up group of porters carried flags and I wish I were dead too.” The after hiding under a bed in the shouted slogans—their demand Maoists dragged her son LDO guesthouse. We had to walk was for the government to reduce Balbhadra, a staff of National the whole day and night carrying the price of salt and oil! Research Department, out of the heavy loads of grenades from Osho Meditation Camp and shot morning to late afternoon along him. dangerous trails. I was afraid that

Mothers and widows the grenades would explode if I ○○○○○ Samacharpatra,○○○○○○○○○○○ 4 April accidentally bumped into

Vicious cycle something. DSP Rana Bahadur ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ JHAPA – Families bereaved by the Nilambar Acharya in Gautam, whom I saw only after insurgency are urging both the Kantipur, 4 April four days in Tarakhola at Baglung, state and the Maoists not to feed told me that he had to carry off revenge and work towards What a vicious cycle this is: there grenades as well. He was in a bad peace. “It’s time to come to the can’t be elections without condition, handcuffed and with a table and start the peace talks,” was normalcy, there can be no bullet wound in his abdomen. the message that most widows and normalcy without the king It was a hard trek up and mothers want spread across the handing over power and the king down the steep mountains, country. “The Maoists should stop won’t handover power until through forests and snow-bound their violent politics and the elections. It is to break this vicious passes over 13,000ft. After 13 government must avoid thinking cycle that the parties are agitating. days, we reached Rolpa’s Thawang that they can control the rebels by After the king’s Pokhara address, I and it was there we heard the news force,” says one of the victims’ have come to the following on the rebels’ radio about Kofi parents. “If they go on killing each conclusions: Annan’s call for peace talks. We other, how will we ever have 1. Elections can’t be held under were introduced to Pasang, who peace?” asks Yamuna Acharya, the the present circumstances. was exceedingly polite and treated widow of prolific writer Deb 2. It can take up to one year to us with respect. The Maoists told Kumari Acharya, who was arrested restore things to normal. us that they would release us and brutally killed at the Charali 3. Voting can’t be done in that through ICRC and treat us as per army barrack. Her husband was one year, but preparations for international human rights norms Fr. Eugene L. Watrin Scholarship Endowment Fund not a Maoist and all he did was to elections can begin. and the Geneva Convention. We Fund Raising Dinner raise his voice against the killings of 4. So, the first order of business is were relieved when the ICRC unarmed civilians. “I don’t want to restore things to normal, not to delegates arrived and told us that Sunday, April 25, 2004 at the others to suffer the way my conduct elections. we were being released without Yak ‘N Yeti Hotel husband did,” adds Yamuna, a 5. This government isn’t capable any conditions and harm from the student at Kakaribhitta Campus, of returning the situation to Maoists. My health has deteriorated Interested former students/associates/admirers of who saw her husband killed before normal. and I suffered psychological Fr. Watrin are requested to reserve and collect your her eyes. “I obviously want 6. To allow the situation to return trauma. But as soon as I am better, invitation at SAV of GAA (442-0597), revenge but I try to control it to normal, all forces must unite. I will go back to my post in Myagdi. by April 21, 2004 LIMITED SEATS 14 ASIA #191 Sleazy elections 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 Amid mudslinging, calls for decency in India’s poll campaigning

RANJIT DEVRAJ in NEW DELHI

in political advertisements aired in some of on mudslinging on private television channels India’s 83 private television channels. In four- and in some cases by the operators of cable stage parliamentary elections staggered television. On Monday, Vajpayee was between 20 April and 10 May, the right-wing, compelled to defend himself at a public rally in pro-Hindu BJP is trying to seek reelection for his constituency of Lucknow in northern Uttar another five-year term. A series of new state Pradesh state and declare that he had never assemblies are also being elected. been an “informer” of the British rulers. For instance, one advertisement tries to Newspapers have meantime been cautious get at the right-wing character of Vajpayee’s in describing the advertisements, BJP and his ties to groups like the Rashtriya especially now that the issue is before the Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an ultra- high court. The Supreme Court has given the nationalist organisation that is often accused Election Commission until Thursday to frame of fascism and is known for its military-style broad guidelines on what constitutes political drills. On Friday when the apex court banned mudslinging and has offered to help the such advertisements, both Vajpayee’s ruling statutory body in monitoring the content of he campaign for India’s general elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Gandhi’s private television channels. the BJP. “Communal harmony should not be T set to begin later this month, has turned Congress party welcomed the order. “We have Chief Election Commissioner TS Krishna made to suffer and be made dependent upon steamy enough for the Supreme Court always advocated that the campaign should Murthy earlier expressed helplessness in the will of an individual or a group of individuals, to warn contesting parties to stay within the be based on programs, policies and reining in political parties, especially since he whatever be their religion, be it of the majority limits of decency or risk disqualification. “We achievements,” said BJP spokesman Mukhtar is armed solely with an idealistic but toothless or the minority,” the court observed in a ruling want fair play and not slanderous remarks by Abbas Naqvi. ‘model code of conduct’ that does not carry on 30 March. one party against the other or the leader of Despite Naqvi’s late assertions, BJP’s the force of law. The code is founded on three The Election Commission is further party against that of another. This is not managers have relentlessly steered the principles: secular fairness that stops appeals daunted by the task of having to monitor the democracy,” a three-member bench of the campaign in the direction of a personality clash to religion, unfair advantage through the abuse content of India’s 83 private television channels, Supreme Court led by Chief Justice VN Khare between veteran leader Vajpayee while of money and muscle power and personal which are beamed into homes through some said this week. Hinting sternly at possible constantly focusing on Gandhi’s Italian birth. fairness that avoids personal attacks and 33,000 cable operators. Audiences are being disqualification, the court said: “If there is But the BJP soon found itself running for cover. invective. But all these principles have been virtually inundated with content coming in from political mudslinging, we will make it an electoral Advertisements began to appear showing sorely tested in campaigning for the present six national parties and 45 regional ones. Cable offence.” Vajpayee as a collaborator of the British election. operators are already bound by rules making Monday’s was the latest in a series of colonials during India’s freedom movement— Earlier, the Supreme Court upheld an entry them liable for showing advertisements which hearings by the Supreme Court on the issue for which the Congress party can legitimately ban imposed by the local administration of “offend morality, decency and religious of ‘surrogate advertisements’ in which Prime and almost exclusively take credit. Mangalore city in southern Karnataka on Pravin susceptibility of viewers”, but exactly Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and opposition In fact, it was the BJP-led government that Togadia, the fiery leader of the Vishwa Hindu where the line must be drawn has yet to be leader Sonia Gandhi were personally targeted approached the Supreme Court seeking a ban Parishad or World Hindu Forum, an affiliate of defined. l (IPS) Final assault on polio

final assault to eradicate polio, an infectious disease that paralyses children, is underway with the goal of halting transmission of the disease by the A end of 2004. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a massive 16-year effort involving governments, international agencies, humanitarian organisations and the private sector, now has the disease cornered in small regions in Nigeria, India, Pakistan and Egypt. Those countries have committed to complete a series of mass immunisations before the end of this year. Smallpox is the only disease that has been eliminated worldwide. Polio would be the second. The pursuit of polio eradication has been one of the largest public-health efforts in history, involving 20 million volunteers and costing more than $3 billion. The number of children paralysed by the disease has fallen dramatically, from more than 350,000 in 1988 to 1,900 in 2003, according to the WHO. The end game for polio has been a long time coming. A cheap, effective oral vaccine (OPV) was developed in 1961 by Albert Sabin. Administered as drops directly into a child’s mouth, OPV is ideal for widespread immunisation efforts in the developing world. But no one at that time imagined the enormous logistical challenge of putting those drops into the mouths of 90 percent of the world’s children. And yet the vast majority of the world’s children have been immunised. Even in destitute, war-torn Somalia, children have received their vaccinations. Polio is no longer endemic in Somalia, but to prevent importation from elsewhere in Africa another round of vaccinations will begin at the end of March. Community involvement and political will are two key ingredients in the success of the polio eradication effort. The third, not surprisingly, is funding. But despite the program’s enormous success and nearness to its final goal, it is once again short of funds. About $130 million is needed through 2005 to help create a polio-free world. After that, another $380 million will be needed to continue some vaccinations, using injectable vaccines rather than the OPV, which in rare cases can produce the disease. Global polio monitoring will also be needed. With luck, by 2008 it might be possible to declare the world polio free. A good deal of credit for the fight against polio ought to go to Rotary International, a worldwide humanitarian organisation of business and professional leaders. Rotary is the second largest donor to the Polio Initiative, contributing more than $500 million. And when polio is gone, what disease will be next? Despite the enormous effort involved in vaccinating children, polio is considered one of the easier diseases to eliminate because, among other factors, there are no animal reservoirs for the disease. Malaria, HIV and many others will be more difficult. l (IPS) INTERNATIONAL 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 15

With demand slowly outstripping supply, Knock on wood

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Asia’s energy insecurity is a dilemma for the US The European Union and its member states are not doing enough to combat illegal logging, says the report ‘Government Barometer’ of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). It reveals that the majority of the15 EU member states are failing to take action against illegal logging. WWF says illegal logging will become a “very serious internal market issue” when 10 accession countries (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, the Slovak Republic and Slovenia) join the bloc in May, bringing 24 million hectares of forests. It points out that half of the EU’s wood products come from these countries. Europe’s imports of illegally sourced timber are believed to be worth $1.4 billion a year. The European Commission, the EU executive, launched the Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) in May last year. The Commission said the plan would help combat illegal logging by “helping to improve law enforcement and governance in wood-producing countries and by working to stop the trade in illegally harvested wood.” But the WWF report shows that the 12 EU countries that were rated in the study—Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK— have so far failed to meet the criteria needed to tackle this problem. Asia’s energy wars? The WWF is calling on the European Commission to develop “concrete proposals” to combat illegal logging. It says it will continue to monitor government commitments, attitudes, and actions on illegal logging over the coming months. It will update its report in September, ANALYSIS by taking into account the record of the new accession countries. (IPS) MIKKAL HERBERG, JOSEPH FERGUSON

Earth unfriendly ○○○○○○○○○○○○ nergy is Asia’s lifeblood. And frustrate the US’ own energy tensions among Asia’s major players. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ there is no greater diplomacy. Oil demands in Asia is A struggle between China and Japan The hole in the ozone layer risks looming larger after the world E community agreed last week to permit the United States and 10 other demonstration of this than this expected to rise to 38 million barrels over the route of a Russian oil pipeline northern countries to continue using a pesticide that was supposed to be fact: exactly 10 years ago, China per day (mmbd) from 21 mmbd is a case in point. After China had spent off-limits from 2005. The meeting was called after nations failed to became a net oil importer. Now, between 2001 and 2005, while several years on an agreement with agree last year on what exemptions should be granted to the northern driven by booming economic growth, regional oil production is likely to Russia to build a 600,000 barrel-per- nations for using the China surpassed Japan last year to stagnate at around 8 mmbd, day oil pipeline running 2,400km from pesticide methyl bromide. become the second-largest oil according to the US Department of the Angarsk region in Eastern Siberia Delegates decided to consumer in the world after the US Energy. To put this in perspective, to North-eastern Chine, Japan grant the northern states a th one-year exemption, but and the fifth largest oil importer. Asia’s expected increase in oil imports stepped in the 11 hour to offer $7.5 not to commit to amounts China and India (at number six) have of 17mmbd by 2005 will exceed billion in financial backing to expand for the following years. now joined Japan and South Korea today’s oil exports from the entire and re-route the pipeline to the Pacific They will now be allowed to (at number two and four, respectively) Opec Persian Gulf region. coast, where Japan would have greater use an amount equal to on the list of the globe’s biggest oil More than half of this new access. more than 50 percent of all importers. The result is a profound import demand will come from A key Pentagon concern is the risk the methyl bromide and deepening sense of energy China and India alone. Most of these of a growing arms-for-oil trade consumed by 34 insecurity in Asia that will inexorably new imports must inevitably come developing between Asia and the developed nations in 2001 and nearly three-quarters have significant implications for US from politically turbulent and Persian Gulf, particularly in missile of that used by developing interests worldwide. unstable regions, and be transported exports. Another area of potential long- nations the same year. The The US faces intense competition along potentially risky sea-lanes and run concern for the Pentagon is that push for exemption was led for influence in key energy-exporting complex pipeline routes. At the same as a larger share of Asia’s oil and gas by the United States, whose request accounted for two-thirds of the total. areas. China, Japan, South Korea and time, oil demand in the US and requirements move by tanker from the Methyl bromide is classed as an ozone-depleting substance because increasingly India, are frantically Western Europe is expected to grow Persian Gulf, the major Asian powers it damages the stratospheric layer that protects people, plants and boosting economic and diplomatic ties by more than 30 percent. And are likely to focus on gaining greater animals from solar radiation, which can produce skin cancer and eye cataracts. Farmers use it to kill pests on strawberries, tomatoes, cut flowers and aggressively buying up stakes in because of declining production, oil control over the Sea Lanes of and many other crops. It is also used in meat and vegetable processing. oil and gas fields across the Persian imports will rise by 18 mmbd in Communication, or Sloc, in the Indian The ozone debates took place during the first extraordinary meeting Gulf and Central Asian regions. The North America and Europe. Ocean and the South and East China of countries that signed on to the 1987 Montreal Protocol. The Protocol Persian Gulf already accounts for two- Although the US will rely far less on Seas. l (© AWSJ) added teeth to the 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the thirds of Asia’s oil imports: over the the Persian Gulf as a share of its Ozone Layer that covers some 100 chemicals, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). According to the Protocol, developing next decade this dependence is likely imports than Asia or Europe, it’s oil Mikkal Herberg is director of the Asia- to balloon to more than 80 percent. import dependence will continue to nations had to freeze their use of methyl bromide in 2002, and then Pacific Energy of the Graduate School reduce it by 20 percent by 2005 and 100 percent by 2015. Developed of International Relations and Pacific All these changes will rise, giving the US an even larger countries previously agreed to cut methyl bromide by 25 percent by undoubtedly fuel a complex web of stake in the security of world oil flows. Studies at UCSD. Joseph Ferguson is director of Northwest Asia studies at 1999 (compared to 1991 levels), 50 percent by 2001, 70 percent by diplomatic ties and alliances that are The resulting quest for energy The National Bureau of Asian Research 2003 and 100 percent by 2005. (IPS) likely to complicate and occasionally security is already awakening in Seattle. 16 HISTORY AND CULTURE 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 “I did not feel the pain, Stressful aid and kept firing ” Punishing the country with defective structure This week we begin the oreign aid to Nepal has grown by leaps and bounds in the last 50 recollections of Lachhuman years. Today, it also includes military hardware and software to Gurung, another Gurkha solider F combat the Maoist insurgency. But despite donor input in money and advice, and the restoration of multiparty democracy, foreign aid has who was awarded a Victoria Cross been unable to alter the course of events, and now finds itself in the for his bravery in the Burma front. spotlight. The research work, Aid Under Stress authored by independent In this first installment Lachhuman Nepali and Finnish scholars of Inter-Disciplinary Analysts group in Kathmandu and the Institute of recalls how he was hit by a bomb Development Studies, University of BOOK and rescued. These oral testimonies Helsinki, takes two examples of Bihari K Shrestha Finnish aid in two phases of the of retired Gurkhas are extracted Rural Water Supply and Sanitation from Lahurey ka Katha by Dev Project (RWSSP) and the abortive Bara Forestry Management Plan to find out what went wrong. Bahadur Thapa, published by Himal The 1996 Bara forestry plan was conceived as “a pilot project to Books and translated from Nepali examine the viability of private commercial management” of tarai forests in a joint venture between a Finnish multinational and Nepali exclusively for Nepali Times in this business houses, and was inspired by the donor’s conviction that “only space every week. such a Finnish model could create the necessary discipline in forest exploitation”. But the proposal met with overwhelming opposition from all quarters: cannot say exactly which year personnel in Burma, nobody taken. the forest-related national and international civil society, local users and I was born. We do not count knows how many of them were Later, I could not walk a single forest officials. A Finnida consultant later concluded that the plan did I age in terms of years, we keep killed. When there is non-stop step. I felt dizzy, like I was under not “adequately address the concern of the local community as track according to one’s zodiac. firing from the enemy side, the the influence of alcohol. At my stakeholders”. It aborted the four-year effort that led to the withdrawal of Estimating my age became all the soldiers lie down. When the order third attempt I could, with Finnish aid to forestry altogether. The RWSSP aimed at “full coverage of Lumbini Zone” at the end of more difficult as I lost my mother “Off” is given, we had to get up difficulty, raise my head. The Third Phase by mid-2003, providing water to 500,000 people through 68 early. My eldest sister-in-law told and rush forward. We could not firing stopped for a short while. gravity schemes and 27 shallow tubewells and sanitation to about 18,000 me that I was born in the month turn back and run. If we did, our There was no sense in continuing at the end of Phase Two. It is, however, a familiar story: expatriate of April. We are now in 2000. own troops would open fire on firing as the enemy had stopped domination through special outfits such as Project Support Units (PSU), So, I should be around 83 the fleeing soldiers. I had taken shooting. Then I got up from the the donor choosing the Ministry of Local Development (MLD) as partner years old. the position on the hillock above bunker and jumped towards the for Phase II in place of the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage on grounds of “corruption”, donor I must have enlisted when I and B company were position sergeant and the corporal who ability to extract endorsement from was 22-23. From our village, the below. If shots were fired from a were behind me. They ordered me the chronically aid-dependent recruiter took us to Kunaghat particular position, everyone fired to go back to headquarters but I government despite DWSS and where we stayed another 15 days. in that direction. In case of the did not heed their advice. Orders MLD reservations over the bloated From there we went to Comilla slightest mistake one could be hit were issued to collect all the ‘technical assistance’ cost (46 percent of total Finnish aid for (in present-day Bangladesh) by friendly fire. The enemy hid bandages available and my wound Phase II), etc. where we stayed for some time and fired at us, sometimes from was bandaged and a yellow The researchers studied only before being taken to upper and trees. ointment applied to the bullet one gravity scheme and one then central Burma because war On the 12 May I was wound. The wound did not heal tubewell to assess project impact was in the offing. seriously wounded by a bomb in with medicine and doctors had to and, based on “user involvement”, We arrived in Burma by Tardu, central Burma. I had no amputate me three times. That is declaring it to be “a major success story”. Since the report noted “low plane and then had to walk. idea where it came from. It hit a why my hand is shorter. Out of caste” people being deprived in one There were no motor vehicles. In tree behind me and when it 12 others who were wounded, study site, it should have examined central Burma we joined our exploded, shrapnel flew four died. They were from other the project performance for such basic regiment. The commanding everywhere. I lost the sight in one units. No one from our unit was issues as equity, universal coverage in officer, in consultation with the eye and had a few teeth knocked killed. an area of 2.5 million people and post- construction institutional arrangements for sustainability, including its subedar major, regrouped the out. My right hand was hanging The day I was hurt, for a full tardy record in sanitation. The report mentioned national NGOs doing a force. The newly arrived to the rest of my arm by a small day and night I remained there as more frugal job in such projects, but failed to go into why Finnida did contingent numbered 35 and the piece of flesh. I only realised the because we were surrounded by not opt for them. regiment was divided into four seriousness of my injuries when the enemy. Only on the third day The report has characterised development cooperation as an companies. I was placed in the the dressing was removed at was the cordon broken and there “encounter between two grand cultures, the transparent and rationalistic fourth regiment and 9th platoon. Comilla. I did not feel any pain was quiet. Those who were fit Western and the hierarchical, traditionalist and corrupt one represented by the Nepalis”. But the statement, besides being misleading, also The enemy force was atop the immediately after I was hit and went to fight. The colonel was smacks of ethnic arrogance to the extent that it comes from the Finnish hill. Our A and B companies kept firing with my left hand. with me and said, “You are badly author. Corruption itself grew in Nepal in direct proportion to the growth were at the bottom and C There was a stock of bullets, so I hurt so you better go back,” and in foreign aid, even as the donor officials generally behaved like company was above those two. put the butt of the rifle on my he put me on a stretcher. Four ostriches. The two projects with all their limitations certainly cannot be We had taken our positions shoulder and kept on firing. I attendants had been told to carry seen as the product of a rational faculty. While transparency makes people responsive, the RWSSP Phase II design with its contested surrounding the headquarters. assume it was 3 to 5 rounds. me. It is not easy to walk up the hill “technical assistance” costs was far from being so. We had only 90,000 Anyway, I fulfilled the oath I had as I had to be carried on stretcher In contrast, due to exclusive devolution of authority to the through a difficult route. stakeholders, the basic elements of good governance namely, BIGBEN They put me inside the aircraft participation, transparency and accountability, have been assured in and shut the door. I braced myself Nepal’s community forestry. The approach achieved a robust comeback for a bumpy ride as the engine of Nepal’s forest wealth in less than a decade and a half. It is rationalism at work through and through. Contrary to the claim in the book of it being started. But the ride was incredibly of Finnish origin, user management of forests itself was legally provided smooth, I raised my head and looked in February 1988 as a result of World Bank using it as a conditionality out of the window only to see the for Structural Adjustment Loan on the advice of a Nepali professional. land far below. I was on a plane. It Foreign aid in Nepal suffers from defective structure. It is executed was a tiny plane they used for mail mostly by donors, most of whom lack familiarity with Nepal’s extensive development experience. And it is exposed to misuse by corrupt and it accommodated only one politicians to buy votes in elections. No donor honestly advocates person besides the pilot. The empowerment of stakeholders at the grassroots. So, if the country goes helicopters in use these days are far rapidly downhill despite foreign aid, it is only to be expected. l more spacious. I was in a state of delirium. Since I had been hit, I had Bihari Krishna Shrestha is an anthropologist who once served in the National nothing but water. There was little Planning Commission. food. I went without food for three Aid Under Stress days, like everybody else. We put a Water, Forests and Finnish support in Nepal lot of water in some rice and had Edited by: Sudhindra Sharma, Juhani Koponen, Dipak Gyawali, Ajaya Dixit Bright colours are not recommended in the jungle. Himal Books gruel. (To be continued next week) SPORTS 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 17 Give way to the ladies ZZ Golf is no longer just for gentlemen in Nepal Zinedine Zidane, the world’s best player tells Andrew Hussey of his ‘A gentleman’s game’ is what golf has long been known as, with the word ‘gentleman’ referring to integrity and the following of written and pride in his Algerian heritage, his unwritten rules of etiquette during play. rage to be the best and reveals Though traditionally, as in most sports, it was a men’s game, today why his talent can still be it is very much a ladies sport too. engulfed by flashes of violence TEE BREAK Millions of women play the sport worldwide, recreationally, as Deepak Acharya competitive amateurs and on a Castellane, a council estate In the rest of France, Zidane, with respect and admiration. “I’m professional golf tours where the prize money is quite substantial. nicknamed ‘Zizou’ by the public, very inspired by him,” he tells me. A young phenomenon who just turned fourteen is Michelle Wie, L in the northern suburbs of who can drive the ball as far as the men do, over 300 yards, and who Marseille, is officially known is admired for his decency as well “It was my father who taught us shot a 64 at the age of 10! She showed her courage and prowess in French as a quartier difficile, a as his footballing skills. His public that an immigrant must work recently by competing with the big boys at the Sony Open, a men’s sensitive zone. Most of the priorities are football, family and twice as hard as anybody else, that USPGA tour event. She is expected to give women’s golf that similar population is first- and second- friends. His family are Algerian he must never give up.” He talks new dimension that Tiger Woods brought to men’s golf. generation immigrants from immigrants, so-called beurs about his own young family with In Nepal, until just a few years age, we hardly saw any Nepali Algeria, Morocco, sub-Saharan (French slang for Arabs), and he pride. He married Véronique, who women playing golf. Most women golfers were wives of expatriates and Africa and the Caribbean. Almost describes himself as “a non- is of French-Spanish extraction, in diplomats. Recently however this has begin to change, with many more everybody who lives here refuses practising Muslim”. “To be 1992. They now have three boys, females out on the course enjoying the game both on weekdays and point-blank to identify themselves recognised by a whole country is each with an Italian name. “They weekends, especially amongst the wives of ex-British Gurkha officers. as French. incredible,” Zidane says. “Before it are all good footballers,” he says. “I This is the hometown of was hard to talk about certain would be happy for them to go Zinedine Zidane, the Real Madrid things, especially, if like me, you into the game. But they must playmaker who, as he approaches came from a difficult area or from work hard first. That is what I his professional peak at the age of an immigrant background. But have learnt.” 32, is probably the most complete now it tells you how France has As we chat about Algeria, and gifted footballer of his changed and is changing. It’s a Marseille, music and family, the generation. message to everybody—politicians, atmosphere becomes more relaxed. Aimé Jacquet, the French the kids I grew up with, ordinary “I was lucky to come from a coach whose victory in the 1998 French people—about what can difficult area,” he says. “It teaches World Cup was hammered home be done.” you not just about football but with two goals from Zidane in the When I asked him where he also life. There were lots of kids final, claims to have recognised felt most at home, he was guarded. from different races and poor immediately that Zidane was a “I am first of all from La Castellane families. People had to struggle to phenomenon. “His control is and Marseille,” he began, get through the day. Music was Eu Hazur Thapa (right) winning a prize at the New Year’s Open. precise and discreet. He can make hesitantly. “I love Madrid. But I important. Football was the easy the ball do whatever he wants. But am proud of where I come from part.” To encourage more ladies to take up the game, Royal Nepal Golf it is his drive that takes him and never forget the people I grew One of the theories about Club offers 50 percent discount for ladies to join the club as temporary forward. He is 100 per cent up with. Wherever I go, La Zidane as a player is that he is members, and Gokarna Forest Golf Resort offers a family membership, football,” he told me. Castellane is where I want to go driven by an inner rage. His where if one person is a golfing member of the club, the spouse Fellow players, too, admire his back to.” football is elegant and masterful, automatically becomes a member as well. consistency and strength. Luis Zidane talks about his father charged with technique and Shastika Shrestha, handicap 20, is one of Nepal’s top lady golfers, Figo, a notorious stickler for vision. He still erupts into and she is the lady captain of RNGC. Now retired after serving for 24 efficiency and organisation in a shocking violence that is as years at the Gorkhapatra Samstan, Shrestha says, “When I started the team, describes Zidane’s control sudden as it is inexplicable. game three years ago, I was very shy as there were very few ladies and pace as “extraordinary”. David The most famous examples of golfers. Frankly, I just wanted my husband to start playing this game Beckham unabashedly called his this include head butting because he used to spend so much time playing cards. The time came colleague “the greatest player in Jochen Kientz of Hamburg that I was up to my neck with this, and I would push him and go along the world”. Even Thierry Henry, during a Champions League to the golf course where I loved the environment. I found an incredible who recently lost out to Zidane for match when he was at social life, which attracted me to this wonderful sport that I enjoy so the title of Fifa World Player of the Juventus in 2000 and his much today, and will continue enjoying it as long as I can still swing a Year, admires his integrity, stomping on the hapless golf club.” describing his team-mate in the Faoud Amin of Saudi When asked how to increase the number of Nepali women playing France squad as “the guy we Arabia during the 1998 the game, Shrestha said it needs to start from the men. They should can always count on, the World Cup finals. encourage their wives to take up the game, and then obviously, when one who really takes He is excited about mothers play it is becomes a family sport and youngsters take up the control”. Euro 2004, although he game. She said it would not be a bad idea to promote golf by offering In the past 10 is diffident about the game free golf lessons and providing easier access to make it more accessible years, Zidane has against England on 13 June. He so that its popularity would automatically increase. claimed every top singles out Beckham for praise (“he Eu Hazur Thapa, the wife of KNS Thapa, a retired general and has adapted well to the life here ardent golfer, says, “My husband has been playing golf for the last 30 honour that the years. He tried to motivate me all along but I was only convinced when game has to offer. and the game: he is very good he was just about to retire in 1996.” She regrets not having started Most importantly, for the indeed”) but is less interested in earlier, and recalls those boring days when her husband was out inhabitants of La Castellane, he other aspects of the English game. enjoying lovely rounds of golf around the globe during his service with has never forgotten his roots. His “I have a need to play intensely the UN. Her early wins in the ladies categories of tournaments in parents still live near the area in a every day, to fight every match Nepal motivated her to play more. She enjoys the sport and says, “Golf large house in the only slightly hard,” he told me. “And this has been both meditation and medication for me.” Thapa always had posher suburb of Les Pennes- desire never to stop fighting is an interest in sports and now enjoys golf, loves the environment and the Mirabeau. One of his brothers, something else I learnt in the social life at the golf club. She feels it is possible to produce top women Farid, coaches the local team, place where I grew up. And, for golfers from Nepal with integrated support from all sides. Nouvelle Vague, which has me, the most important thing is I’m all with her, so why don’t you ladies take a tee break? Zidane as its life president. that I still know who I am.” The kids here are grateful l (© The Observer) Deepak Acharya is a golf instructor and Head Golf Professional at to him, even if they are Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa indifferent to his status as Andrew Hussey is the author of The [email protected] a French national icon. Game of War: The Life and death of Guy Debord. 18 CITY 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191

ABOUT TOWN BOOKWORM FESTIVALS AND EXHIBITIONS Selected Columns Taslima Nasreen v Mixed Media Exhibition by Pilaiporn June Pethrith Lisborg till Sristhi Publishers, 2004 10 April at Siddhartha Art Gallery. 4218048 Rs 400 v Glimpses of Kathmandu City Paintings by Uma Shanker Shah, Taslima Nasreen’s simple and unadorned prose, translated from the origional Bangla by Debjani until 12 April at Park Gallery, Lazimpat. 4419353 v Sengupta, places Nasreen firmly in the new wave of South Asian feminist writers. She presents a Genius at work Paintings by senior Nepali artists till 23 April at candid account of her childhood experiences and the years of struggle it has taken to become a Gallery Nine, Lazimpat.4428694 spokesperson for all the opressed and exploited women in her country. A must-read for everyone v Still Life/Street Life Photographs by Wayne Amtzis 15 April till 3 May, poetry reading 5:30 PM on 15 April at Siddhartha Art Gallery, interested in feminist theory and politics, society and questions of justice and equality. Baber Mahal Revisited. 4218048. Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected] EVENTS v New Year Cultural Program at Chandrodaya Shelter (Kalanki), CLASSIFIED 12.30 PM on 15 April. 4270466, 981071813 Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Lara Dutt, Amrita JAI NEPAL CINEMA v Week of Art, Music and Drama on Gallery Nine’s first anniversary, Rao and Aftab star in the Indra Kumar’s romantic comedy about extra-marital affairs. Visit Femilines, the 9-14 April, in cooperation with Sutra. Details: Sujan Chitrakar, Sutra - Exclusive Lingerie Store for 981063993, Kanchan Gurung, Gallery Nine - 4428694 Marriages are supposedly made in heaven but all too often become hell on earth. Masti ladies undergarments, v The Power of Nisha along with DJ Tangree in aid of School is a story of Meet, Amar and Prem who decide nightwear, bathrobes and Adoption Project. Couples: Rs 4,500. 12 April at Hyatt Regency to spice up their lives. Only they intend to do Kathmandu. more. Ladies staff. it by having as many affairs as possible in a Opposite Sajha Yatayat, MUSIC month and then exchanging notes—all in the Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk. v Flautist Manose accompanied Navaraj Gurung on Tabla live at the name of fun, hence the name of the movie. Smacks of sexism and gender stereotypes? Tel: 547428 Patan Museum at 6PM on 9 April. Tickets: Rs 350. Contact Mangal: We’ll just have to see if Masti redeems itself Call 4442220 for show timings. 4256411 with a twist in the tale. www.jainepal.com LIVE IN STYLE! Arcadia v Not Just the Jazz Bar presents Chris Masand and The Modern Jazz Apartments in the heart of Live Band. Friday and Saturday night. Shangri-la Hotel, Lazimpat, Thamel. Centrally located, 4412999 fully furnished apartments v Abhaya & The Steam Injuns at Dwarika’s every Friday from 7PM onwards. 4479488 at unbelievable rates. For details: 981026903, FOOD 4260187 v Splash Spring BBQ 6PM every Wednesday and Friday. Radisson Hotel Kathmandu, Lazimpat. v Renting made easy: Executive Lunch Monday - Friday at Toran www.2letonline.com- Restaurant, Dwarika’s. 4479488 v Sunny Side Up Weekend BBQ lunch for Rs 650 Looking for a place to stay- per person at the Garden Terrace, Soaltee Crowne Log on to find the perfect Plaza Kathmandu. 4273999 house, apartment or even a v Dinner at Café U every Friday and Saturday. Opp retail space that meets all British School, Patan. 5523263 your needs. Make an easy v Roadhouse Cafe for woodfired pizzas. Opp St Mary’s School, 1000 bucks by reporting a Pulchowk. 5521755 vacant property to us. Find v Traditional Newari Thali at Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel. out how- 4431632 www.2letonline.com GETAWAYS v Pure relaxation at Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge. 01 4361500 Free advertisement on v Luxury package for Shivapuri Cottage, Dadagaon. Highland Travel Internet for property owners & Tours. 4253352 wanting to offer their v Golf in the Valley’s last pristine forest at Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & holdings on rent or sale. Spa. 4451212 Visit www.gharjaggah.com or call 4246346. NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED KATHMANDU AIR QUALITY VIS -08-04-2004 02:00 GMT This satellite image taken on Thursday For insertions ring NT morning shows us a rare northeasterly front Kathmandu’s air quality data shows that the five agitating political parties and their Marketing at 5543333-36. that originated in the East China Sea with sister organisations were very successful in shutting down Kathmandu Valley last one of its tentacles swirling into eastern week. As all vehicles (the main source of air pollution in Kathmandu) were forced off the road, PM10 (particles that are small enough to enter the human body) concentration Nepal. Three fronts, the middle atmospheric in the air plummeted by more than 50 percent. Now, if only the protestors could refrain westerly jet, upper atmospheric easterly and from burning tires, which release large amounts of toxic smoke, they could be locally generated updrafts in the mountains, 91.2 thanked for cleaning up the air we breathe. The days before the bandas Kathmandu’s are combining to give us the present weather What you burn is air was heavy with pollutants as the PM10 concentration was three to four times what you breathe. higher than national standards (120 micrograms per cubic meter) along busy roads. patterns. The northeasterly will gradually be Putali Sadak’s air quality was above the “hazardous” mark on Monday and Tuesday. eased out by the prevalent westerly front to allow pre-monsoon moisture to make inroads Good < 60 from the Bay and the Arabian Sea. Expect Ok 61 to 120 calm and clear mornings with afternoon storms in places. Unhealthy 121 to 350 Harmful 351 to 425 KATHMANDU VALLEY Hazardous >425 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Putalisadak Patan H Thamel TU Bhaktapur Matsyagaun

S 28-14 27-13 29-12 30-13 29-14 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 19 HAPPENINGS Strange customs declaration form

et’s face it, flying has lost its Family Name: ...... Given Name: ...... aura of romance and Not-given Name: ...... Nom de Guerre: ...... L Date of Birth (if applicable): ...... adventure. Gone are the days Nationality at Birth: ...... when, as children, we climbed up Nationality in Previous Incarnation: ...... KIRAN PANDAY the slanted cabin of a Royal Nepal Permanent Address: ...... FREE: ICRC delegates with 37 prisoners including CDO Sagar Airlines DC-3 at Simra and the Semi-permanent address: ...... Mani Parajuli and DSP Rana Bahadur Gautam(right) at Underground Address: ...... smell of leaky barf bags assailed our Royal Address: ...... Kathmandu after arrival from Rolpa by helicopter on Tuesday. nostrils prompting us to throw up Occupation (tick one box only):...... even before we took off. The Doctor Engineer Anti-Torture Expert Part-Time NRN UNDER MY HAT Currently unoccupied Tourist Kunda Dixit Terrorist Charles Sobhraj

excitement! The grandeur of air Sex: (tickle only one) travel in the old days! We can look No, thank you Yes, please back with nostalgia and nausea to that lost era of aviation when Race: Human Inhuman Marathon flying meant stuffing cotton wool into your ear canal and putting Passport No.: ...... your digestive canal into reverse gear. Fake Passport No.: ...... Place of Birth: ...... KIRAN PANDAY These days, flights into Place of Expiry: ...... STREET ANGER: Pro-democracy protesters manhandle a suspected Kathmandu are so boring that the ‘Mandale’ infiltrator at New Road during Saturday’s banda called by the cabin crew tries to keep passengers Object of Journey (encircle one): political parties. Official/Semi-official/Trekking/Expedition/Business/Pleasure/Meditation/ from staging an in-flight mutiny Mediation/Convention/Rafting/Deported Asylum Seeker/Extradited by keeping them busy with Comrade paperwork. Forms are distributed Next port of call: Mombasa Rangoon Batavia as soon as the aircraft takes off for Passengers can use the Green Channel if they are carrying the following items in the specified quantity: Kathmandu so passengers have Passengers having gold or gold ornaments not more than 50gm and silver ample time to fill out His Majesty’s or silver ornaments not more than 500gm, two sacks of mobile phones, used Government Strange Customs linen, one camera, one tricycle, four perambulators, one binocular, one Declaration Form, the Department telescope, one non-biodegradable barf bag, 50 cigars, 250gm of chewing of Irritation’s Disembarkation tobacco, fresh fruits. Passengers have to use the Red Channel if they have the following Card, and Appendicitis-1 Related items: to Rule 4 (3), 5 (2) & 6 (5) Visa More than two sacks of mobile phones, more than 15 tricycles, more than a Form For Entry. reasonable number of perambulators, telescopes in excess of one for To assist passengers unfamiliar everyday use, dirty linen, skeletons in the closet, rotten fruits. with these entry formalities, we Remember: Green Channel is not a Green Light. Walking through the offer below a sneak preview of past Green Channel with Dutiable Items may lead to confiscation of goods, fine, KIRAN PANDAY penalty, prosecution, a medal and an ambassadorship. However, running NO TAXI: Angered that the public was disregarding the three-day banda, question papers so prospective through the Green Channel is allowed, just don’t get caught. two Maoists got off this taxi and blew it up at Bangemudha on visitors to Nepal have a headstart Foreign Currency: Detection of undeclared foreign currency is legally Wednesday afternoon. in their in-flight entry examina- punishable and will result in the confiscation of the said amount, and you tion. Be warned, only those who will rot in jail unless you pay us a baksheesh equivalent to the confiscated amount. Although, how you are going to do that if you are rotting in jail is pass this test will be allowed to beyond us, but we’ll figure out a way. enter Nepal. Welcome to Nepal, and enjoy your perambulations.

KIRAN PANDAY BHOTO DEKHAUNE: The National Forum of Photojournalists launches bright new vests for photojournalists so they can be easily identified during street protests.

MIN BAJRACHARYA WITH THE TIMES: Girija Koirala and Madhab Nepal share a copy of Nepali Times during a sit-in at Ratna Park on Friday. 2 0 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 Green,NEPALI SOCIETY and bear it

fter interviewing Bhushan done right at home. Kathmandu’s A Tuladhar, a visitor can’t help garbage is still predominantly www.nepalitimes.com being infected by this biodegradable organic waste that environmentalist’s can-do optimism. can be turned into valuable “It is a management problem, fertiliser. Traditionally, Kathmandu and if we can get the politics out of Valley’s farmers have always it, both are issues that can be solved practiced recycling organic waste. easily,” says Bhushan, who is now “We used to have three basic working on building grassroots concepts of recycling already in pressure from the Valley’s place: waste has value, it must be communities for cleaner air and recycled and it’s up to individuals litter-free streets. to do it. We must revive this After completing his masters in tradition,” says Bhushan showing us environmental engineering in the the dry, odourless fertiliser that US, Bhushan had his pick of comes out of the compost pile in international jobs. But he came his home. home to his native Kathmandu, It helps that Bhushan is where Mayor Keshab Sthapit made someone who practices what he him an offer he couldn’t refuse: help preaches. He pedals to work in his setting up and heading Kathmandu MIN BAJRACHARYA Taiwanese mountain bike, at his municipality’s environment office he has a conference table department. He now has an advisory seminar in Sweden. “We have this propped up by used truck tires role as a member of the City notion nothing happens in Nepal, rescued from the municipal dump Planning Commission, and heads but there are a lot of success stories and at home he makes his own the lobby group, Clean Energy Nepal. we can share with other developing fertiliser compost on his terrace Bhushan’s experience in urban countries,” he says. roof from kitchen scrap. He says: “If environment management and Bhushan is convinced I don’t do it myself, I have no right recycling means he is often invited Kathmandu’s problems have very telling other people that they to train experts from other simple and economic solutions that should care about the developing countries, like at a recent take very little time and can be environment.” l (Sraddha Basnyat)

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