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#494 19 - 25 March 2010 16 pages Rs 30 ASHUTOSH TIWARI Pressing concerns ald statements of fact are we would enjoy a strike-free year. FOR NEPALI EYES ONLY: Poster sometimes the only way to But few might have campaign to end open defecation, B get the message across, anticipated the haste with which practiced by 14 million Nepalis whether it is to raise awareness the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal across the country daily, about appropriate outlets for Tourism Workers Union Tundikhel physical necessities or for that (ANTWU) subsequently delivered matter, political necessities. The an ultimatum to trekking methods and timing are awry, difficulty lies in distinguishing agencies right in the middle of and risk a backlash not just from fact from fiction, and tourist season. In ordering tourists but also union members. commitment from lies. When all trekking agencies to stop sending The trouble with inbound the parties were cajoled into out trekking staff affiliated to the tourism, however, has in recent In-and-out signing a pledge to desist from union, ANTWU claims it is times been mirrored by a surge in activities likely to harm tourism merely pressing for outbound tourism. Nepalis are tourism during Nepal Tourism Year 2011, implementation of the Travel and travelling more than ever, and not probably no one really believed Trekking Regulations. But the just for a degree or a job. p4 & p7 2| 19 - 25 MARCH 2010 #494 PUBLISHER’S NOTE going to accept all of them, and what is holding things up is recruitment procedure into the military. The Maoist that the Army is saying ‘zero’ and the Maoists are saying leadership doesn’t want this headache to linger either, WIN-WIN ‘19,000’. This is like bargaining over the price of potatoes so it’s just a question of finding a win-win situation in in the market. Ultimately both the vendor and the buyer will which neither side loses face. The peace process won’t be complete without putting have to come to a figure agreeable to both. It is called The leadership of all major political parties should the finishing touches to the new constitution. The compromise, and it is in very short supply in these have realised by now that it’s their own survival that is constitution can’t be written until the Maoists are polarised times. at stake here. If they don’t resolve the deadlock, they demobilised and the camps dismantled. That won’t However, there is hope of breaking the deadlock. will all be swept away by the tidal wave of coming happen until there is an agreement on integration Speaking in Nepalganj on Tuesday Chairman Dahal said it events. They will lose control to someone or something numbers. was up to his ladakus to decide whether they wanted to go much bigger. That is what it has boiled down to: a numbers game. back to their villages with a compensation package or join There is no point engaging in this blame game with The Maoist leadership would want nothing better than to the national army. Surprisingly, that is exactly what the the UN, it’s just not worth it. They should instead be have their cadre in the camps go their separate ways Army Chief himself said last week. trying to show the UN that we don’t need them anymore because we all know (and they know we know) the real Of course, the military says the ex-guerrillas have to because we can resolve our disagreements ourselves. guerrillas are the YCLs. meet its ‘recruitment criteria’ but that shouldn’t be such a But they have promised all 19,000 (12,000 if you big deal. If we were to leave it up to the fighters, there is a want to believe the government’s estimate) a place in strong possibility that a whole lot of them would find a the national army. There is no way the Nepal Army is golden handshake much more attractive than an uncertain Towering folly clearly beyond his terms of open public space of Tundikhel undesirable structures of tremendous public value. It sets GUEST COLUMN reference. has been abused in the most Kathmandu’s later development, off the manic urban sprawl of the It must be very difficult for callous manner. The public has including the Anchaladhish city of Kathmandu. It is the hub Bharat Sharma the legions of Nepali fine artists been looking on silently. Karyalaya, because they were of our sociocultural activities. and architects to swallow the We should remember that the strangulating Ranipokhari and After the 1934 earthquake this is idea that the prime minister is whole stretch of Tundikhel, right environmentally bifurcating the where people sought going ahead with his own design from Ranipokhari to Dasharath total entity of refuge, and you will rime Minister Madhav concept. This despite the Rangasala (including Army HQ) Tundikhel. Cosmetic understand how Kumar Nepal’s plans to Department of Urban was conceived as a single treatment was not significant this P erect a Gantantra Stambha, Development and Building physical entity by our visionary enough, I said. open space is. or Republic Tower, appear to be Construction’s proposal for a ancestors. It was founded as a Point blank the For quite set in the foundation stone he design competition. As a public domain and a natural king asked me: did some time placed on the site recently. I have endowment as far back as the I want to bulldoze now, open nothing against commemorating Malla period, and the state’s all such structures, spaces such as the republic. But it seems the latest encroachment reveals it to right from Ranipokhari Tundikhel location and dimensions of the Why is the be bereft of ideas. In fact, the to Dasharath Rangasala? I have come under proposed monument – meant to prime prime minister’s actions are as replied it was not merely tremendous pressure symbolise national dignity – are bad as the proposed building of a my desire but the right in all our cities. They are at complete odds with the needs minister republic monument complex thing to do. To my utter not just shrinking, but of the public. within the Narayanhiti precinct amazement, he took my disappearing. Take the location. The dreaming up during the tenure of Pushpa argument in good sprit We may be poor in erection is going up in the Ratna Kamal Dahal. and asked me to prepare Nepal, but let us not be Park area of Tundikhel. To make a tower in So-called democratic prime a comprehensive master poor in vision. It is time the matter even more bizarre, it ministers appear oblivious to plan to protect the for us to consider our real seems the prime minister is Ratna Park? public concerns, which puts me whole stretch of the needs before we embark pushing for a tower even taller in mind of a conversation I had public domain of on costly mistakes that than Dharhara, with a winged professional body and the apex over two decades ago. Tundikhel as a single we may regret later. horse on top. Even Don Quixote institute in this sector, it should Back then, the late king entity. Political wouldn’t dare dream of such take the appropriate steps, lest it Birendra had asked me to prepare changes, however, “Shrinking folly. be accused of neglecting its own a master plan for the area around prevented this Tundikhel”, #107 I do not question the noble terms of reference. Ranipokhari. I politely but firmly concept from being intentions of the prime minister But aesthetics aside, it is the told him that if we really wanted implemented. and his right to have a personal site of the proposed monument to revitalise the area with its Tundikhel vision. The problem lies in his that is most questionable. For heritage in mind, then it would is an open prescriptions for a project that is almost four decades now, the be necessary to pull down all space of SPACES MAGAZINE ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com New blog JUNK OR JUNKET JOURNALISM? to do good deeds, than rich people who can Kathmandu for the Nepali equivalent of nepalitimes.com/blogs afford to give large donations. engaging English books for kids. There is Dining, wining, and pure swimming I share Mr. Mishra’s disdain for Thurpunsich a huge unmet need for books, magazines, ‘controversial’ politicians and and videos in Nepali for the under-10 age ‘politically biased commentators’ Though it is not a new issue, Mr. Mishra cohort. Come on Nepali entrepreneurs, get (‘Junk journalism’, #493). Politically has presented it admirably. Media should copying! biased commentary twists facts and is play a very constructive role towards the Kenji a form of spin-doctoring. nation and people. It should cover Weekly Internet Poll # 494 Philanthropy is good and must be encouraging figures and facts rather than For urban, relatively privileged Q. What is the significance of International praised. But in the name of praising only highlighting negative aspects like Nepalis, English is the lingua franca for Women’s Day? philanthropy, when a journalist violence, political games and inaugurations. development, progress, entertainment, and Total votes: 1,361 promotes personality, it stops being Neetu Pokharel life abroad. Nepali hasn’t kept up with objective journalism. When the rich English in having accessible media and are highlighted more than their causes NEPALI LAG pop culture, and most movies showcase a of philanthropy, the praise becomes A tremendous disadvantage that Nepali has stilted ethnic and linguistic history, as the deification of personality. in holding the interest of the young and well high-falutin’ speeches the hero inevitably Personally I am more inspired by educated is the almost complete lack of makes references to obscure Hindu Weekly Internet Poll # 495.