#324 24 - 30 November 2006 18 pages Rs 30

Weekly Internet Poll # 324 Q. Are the peace accord deadlines set for the coming weeks realistic? Total votes: 2,842

Weekly Internet Poll # 325. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Q. Do you expect the interim constitution to be an adequate and fair document?

BILLI BIERLING PEACE BELLS Now to make peace deliver development to a ravaged land

KANAK MANI DIXIT years of violence. Jana Andolan II. Going against be a measure of the success of the The peace agreement, though the populism which had made agreement signed last Tuesday he credit for the couched in language that appears the intelligentsia reluctant to evening. While Dahal has Comprehensive Peace balanced equally against the state challenge the Maoists, Koirala thankfully TAgreement goes to the and rebels, makes demands on followed his own course, turned out to be political parties of Nepal— the Maoists to abandon violence utilising the stature he had more politician Editorial p2 detested by the extreme right in word and deed. It is, finally, acquired even with the rebel than Making it work royalists, the Maoist supporters though not in so many words, the leadership. revolutionary, of the far left, and Kathmandu declaration of abandonment of And what of Pushpa Kamal we now have to await the CPN Valley's upper crust. As the ‘People’s War’. Dahal? He showed nerve and steel (Maoist) as a whole to convert responsible, elected people's This is Girija Prasad Koirala’s in turning his insurgency a full from a militarist force into a representatives, they reached a hour of recognition, having held 180 degrees, and bringing his political party, one that does not magnanimous compromise with out against international commanders along with him. extort, abduct, threaten, and act the CPN (Maoist), to keep the naysayers and standing steadfast Whether he can now bring along as if nobody would notice. latter from reverting to brutality against Maoist attempts to deliver his entire cadre as well is the next and saddling society with more a less-than-pluralistic finale to challenge, one which will truly Full story p4 2 EDITORIAL 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Sophia Tamot Executive Editor: Anagha Neelakantan Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Rupendra Kayastha Desk: Jemima Sherpa Vicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh Sayami Director, Sales and Marketing: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: [email protected] Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur The more things change [email protected], GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 The Maoists now trust India, but let’s not buy into the impression of reciprocity MAKING IT WORK epal’s Maoist party no represented a threat to the Nepali The peace accord this week is the formal declaration of a of multiparty democracy in the longer see India as the people when the government in name of the ‘Nepali people’. Now cessation of armed conflict. Nepalis are rightly euphoric. A ‘reactionary power’ they situation which seemed to get darker the longer you looked at it N New Delhi was supporting the New Delhi supports the SPA- now seems contained, manageable. railed against for some years, and monarchy and what was then Maoist government in the name of But the road in the months ahead will not be smooth or whose malign influence they called the Royal Nepal Army supporting the Nepali people’s straight. No matter how hopeful we are, there will be bargaining, sought to remedy in their initial against the ‘People’s War’. Now rights. waffling, and fighting out the details of a complicated process of 40-point agreement. that India seems to have New Delhi’s mantra is strange normalisation. Kathmandu’s elite is happy accepted his party’s claim to when it shows so little regard for In this space, we have always maintained that the Maoists with the change of heart. Most political power it no longer its own vast masses of poor, need time to convince their hothead commanders about the peace Nepalis do not believe a prime represent a threat to the people dalits, adivasis, and religious process. This is called giving the Maoists the benefit of doubt. of Nepal. But right until the deal was signed, the comrades gave us less minorities. New Delhi boasts of For decades, the Indian and less reason to trust them. Their recruiting spree to pad their being the world’s largest GUEST COLUMN ruling elite supported the Nepali democracy and an emerging cantonments and fool the UN into thinking they really have 35,000 Tapan Bose warriors included forced enlistment of school children, hotel monarchy, which behaved in a economic power but, bowing to workers, and young villagers. Just as there are reasons to doubt feudal, autocratic manner. The the dictates of the WTO, the the Maoists’ sincerity, it is also possible that residual royalists monarchy perpetrated a system World Bank and the IMF, it are still plotting a comeback. minister can annoy India and of government based on introduces agricultural policy But all sides and their leaders, no matter how far they believe still remain in power, and privileges and denial, and harsh reforms that drive thousands of they have come, can’t turn this into another political wrangle for political ‘realists’ believe the suppression of dissent. Yet farmers to suicide, strips labour of power and posts. change was inevitable. The India, the largest democracy in rights, and virtually gives away We cannot afford to lose sight of what is really at stake here. integration of the CPN (Maoist) the world, supported it. New vast tracts of farmland and We need to move forward, not slide right back into the old ways of into the ‘mainstream’ is almost Delhi continues to support the thinking, complete with selfishness, parochialism, and lack of hundreds of villages for ‘Special complete. autocratic king of Bhutan and is vision. Nepalis have sacrificed and suffered far too much to settle Economic Zones’ where Indian Pushpa Kamal Dahal has friendly with Myanmar’s citizens will have restricted entry. for that. thanked the Indian government Second chances don’t come around often. We’ve got one now, military dictators. The Indian If India does in fact accept the but it’s also a last chance to get this right. Outside of party for allowing them and SPA ruling elite supports ‘official’ Maoist party’s ideology, it could agendas, what should a future Nepal look like? How can we move representatives to meet on Indian killers and abusers of human be faced with more than just a past Kathmandu and think for the nation as a whole? How can soil. He’s also said that without rights, and frowns upon ‘non- logical disconnect in having a Nepalis move out of the shadow of fear: of guns, discrimination, India’s tacit consent the12-point official’ or ‘non-state’ armed socialist society next door. hunger, and hopelessness? Some of the answers are obviously understanding of November 2005 struggle. The Comrade has also said that political, but others concern social justice and reaching out to the would not have been possible. The CPN (M) no longer the real threat to socialism is the forgotten, the hungry in Karnali, dalits who barely survive on the The Comrade says India espouses Marx’s dictum that United States. He warns that the fringes of life in ‘force is the midwife of every old Saptari. neo-conservative-ruled US might society pregnant with a new Yes, the peace create a Nicaraguan Contra-type process is important, one’. Instead, the Maoists appear force in Nepal with the remnants but there is nothing to have accepted the theory of of the royalists and renegade stopping the interim ‘peaceful’ transition to a ‘new elements of the RNA to overthrow government from also social order’ through the new government and create moving quickly to ‘competitive democracy’. In political chaos. restore this country’s making this switch, they have It seems unlikely that India, momentum on become acceptable to India. as it follows the neo-imperialist education, healthcare, The CPN (M) say it expects path of the US and strives to microcredit, and India will support a republican become a strategic partner, would investment to create Nepal, should the constituent jobs. That’s what this support its socialist regime in its assembly decide on it. Let’s put has been about all backyard. And if the US did along. The parties all realpolitik aside, and look ahead. decide to support armed gangs lost sight of it once. The class character of India’s in Nepal, what would New Delhi We can’t make the ruling elite cannot have changed do? same mistake again. overnight. New Delhi supported the monarchy and the ‘twin Tapan Bose is Secretary General of the South Asia Forum for Human Rights. DEEPENDRA BAJRACHARYA pillar’ theory during the 13 years The future of the past 21 November was fraught with meaning, now we need more than symbols ‘Wonder’ was the oft-repeated word at the humbly sat at the back as the decade-old have to deliver, as their secretaries in the home to face those they had until recently signing ceremony of the Comprehensive civil war was declared over. The Nepali districts face the wrath of sympathisers, coerced, abducted, fleeced, and oppressed. Peace Agreement on Tuesday evening. Congress had reasons to celebrate on supporters, followers, part-timers, and full- The anger of people whose near and dear Everyone seemed surprised. Prime Wednesday. time cadres. Comrade Chairman’s have been tortured, maimed, or killed by the Minister Girija Prasad Koirala claimed he But ground realities have to change organisational ability will need to kick into military or militants will require more than had stunned the international community significantly if the rest of us are to feel free high gear. platitudes. The Nepali Congress is sending with a peace deal with former-terrorists. again. The Rayamajhi Commission has its leaders back to the villages, but whether Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Dahal thinks the deal he has made with diverted attention by pointing at the king as they will actually follow the central Koirala is a ‘miracle’. Communists never the primary agent of dictatorial directives is yet to be seen. The Maoist STATE OF THE STATE tire of repeating Lenin’s cliché that Marxism experiments. But Maoists and leadership will also need to travel, meeting is a scientific ideology with no room for mainstreamers alike will have to answer the the aggrieved, instead of congregating for C K Lal miracles. Two parts hydrogen and one part vital question: didn’t they encourage the free lunches at state-sponsored secure oxygen never produce milk. So should we king to take over by insisting that they centres. boasted that his was the miraculous deed— swallow the Chairman’s concoction? It will would deal only with the master, rather than At best, the peace-deal is an achieving change with continuity in a do no harm, but let there be no illusions that his slaves? Sher Bahadur Deuba and opportunity to begin building the bridges of stagnant society and sterile polity. it’s milk and honey from here on. Madhab Nepal timidly accepted this by reconciliation. This is a process, a journey, Koirala has reasons to be smug. His The first test will be changing in the joining the royal government. King and its impact will be measured by the earlier premiership was sabotaged by the behaviour of guerrilla commanders in the Gyanendra has given de facto approval to distance travelled from the podium of the Maoists, now he’s put them in their place. countryside. Most never had direct access the peace deal, but his public approval is Birendra International Convention Centre in The octogenarian had also been at the to their leadership and accepted directives also a not-so-veiled warning to the New Baneswor on 21 November, 2006. receiving end of UML barbs, but Madhab issued from safe houses in Siliguri, dealmakers: beware, big brother in the Whether it turns out to be a red-letter day or Nepal had to accept a peripheral role in Lucknow, and Noida because Prachanda palace is watching. yet another false start will depend largely what promises to be a path-breaking deal. and his sponsors promised more than The third, most important test of the upon how Dahal and his cohorts conduct The NC boss has never been a favourite of individual commanders could achieve on peace deal will be its implementation. The themselves in the coming days. For now, the Nepal Army. At the signing ceremony, their own. Now Maoist nominees in the government will have to guarantee the the Koirala-Dahal duo deserves the kudos Chief of Army Staff Rukmangat Katuwal interim legislature and government will safety of unarmed Maoist cadres returning they are receiving left, right, and centre. 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 3

LLL ETTERS

SAFE LANDING INDEED After over a year of king bashing, Nepali Times has begun to pay attention to the other threat to democracy (‘The Seduction of Process’, #323). Instead of write-ups by experts like Ajai Sahni, we’d been treated to week after week of CK Lal’s ‘bitterades’ against the king and the army, and lured into believing in the mainstreaming- the-Maoists-through-safe-landing rhetoric. When the Maoists have got everything they asked for, or the path to it cleared, surely we deserve peace. The hard truth is that this Peace Accord has not only legitimised the Maoists’ violence, but glorified it. Their local cadres still go around committing atrocities while their leaders attend international summits decrying ‘bourgeois democracy’ and peddling their own brand of ‘socialist democracy’. With a ‘new Nepal’ on everyone’s lips, one wonders who is ‘mainstreaming’ whom, and who needs a ‘safe landing’ from whom. Satyajeet Nepali, email

LIGHT OF PEACE Your recent political analyses have been fairly wishy-washy. Admittedly, this could be as much because there is actually not much to say, though it is more likely Nepali Times had not done its homework. At least you had the good sense to treat us to some stunning photographs by Deependra Bajracharya. The image titled ‘Light of Peace’ (#322) was by itself worth the price of admission. BR Chettri, email

RENT-SEEKING Rent-seeking has nothing to do with house rent or physical capital, as CK Lal suggests (‘Power for the powerhungry,’ State of the State, #323). Economist Ann Krueger used the term in the 1970s to explain the behaviour of economic actors in India when the Indian economy was plagued by the ‘License Raj’. It is used in political economics literature while discussing corruption, lobbying, and other unfair practices, and refers to the seeking of financial benefits by securing unfair market advantages using political or bureaucratic influences. The rent-seeking behaviour of major actors in hydropower—in the form of securing license for easy commissions or winning favourable contractual terms through unfair lobbying—is the key barrier to developing the sector. Unlike Mr Lal, I think it makes a lot of economic sense for potential hydropower investors to learn from real estate-investing middle-class Nepalis who expect fair financial returns and don’t spend their money bribing decision makers. In its extended meaning, ‘rent-seeking’ is also used to describe intellectuals who claim to be more than they are worth through misinformation. One wonders if Lal’s motive in using a term he does not fully understand is an act of intellectual rent-seeking, attempting to give the impression that he is familiar with economics. Surya Raj Acharya, Tokyo 4 NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 Agreement and interregnum Commission as a broken entity, palace like a released spring, we must have a monitoring should the interim government be committee of half-a-dozen seen to falter. This potential eminent persons to hold the state reactionary threat must be and rebels to account. But it must understood by the politicians of be one that does not resemble the the SPA, but even more so by the ungainly truce monitoring Maoist leadership, so they can committee set up in June with hold back on their public more than two-and-a-half dozen radicalism in the House and members. Cabinet. Even as the PLA fighters A possible rightist reaction is arrive by the thousands at one more reason why an enormous designated camp sites that are as effort must be made to conduct yet without infrastructure, the the constituent assembly elections term ‘militia’ does not find by early June. Shifting the polls to mention in the lengthy agreement post-monsoon, possibly post- document. And it is the rebel Dasain/Tihar 2007, will surely paramilitary—especially the destabilise the state. Besides the opportunistic ‘Maoists’ among unending sankramankaal— them who do not have the interregnum—with its attendant ideological commitment of the weak government, poor service mainline cadre—which would delivery to the citizenry, and the most likely contribute to Maoist fighters in the destabilising the polity in the cantonments, would represent a

SAGAR SHRESTHA days ahead. There is scepticism pressure-cooker of discontent that about how a government with could explode with great violence. from p1 how things play out around the More importantly, the public Maoist participation will deal Nepal would become a tinderbox, cabinet roundtable and in the sharing of the daily ups and with wayward militia, and this is which even the monsoon rains The magnanimity of Nepal’s interim House. downs provided a crucial where Dahal will have to show an would not be able to douse. politicians was obvious in their Dahal and Bhattarai now also cushion to prepare the Maoist improved record compared to the With the Comprehensive Peace willingness to provide the need all their dialectical skills— fighters for the changing times. months past. Agreement in place, and as the Maoists a presence in the interim so clearly visible in Delhi last While not mentioned in any of Krishna Prasad Sitaula government administration seeks government and interim week, where they shed all the celebratory prose after deserves congratulations as the to re-establish itself all over the legislature equal to that of the two pretence of the anti-Indianism Tuesday, the Indian impresario of the peace agreement, country, it is finally incumbent large parliamentary parties. The that has been the leitmotif of government’s positioning on the having nurtured it since the semi- upon the political parties to enter sacrifice made by the CPN (UML) their rebellion—to manage the guns-and-government issue secret confabulations in New the villages and not remain in this regard is noteworthy, for it myriad contradictions of an obviously played a part in Delhi in the autumn of 2005. diffidently sequestered in district has allowed the perception to ideology-driven insurgency that moderating rebel demands, while However, it is time now for the headquarters. The promise of the develop that a gun-wielding rebel has not publicly conceded defeat. the UN role in overseeing ‘arms Home Minister to get a handle on April Uprising was the sidelining group has equal status as a party They understand better than management’ and the election national law and order. Without of the gun and the revival of which has stayed steadfastly many Kathmandu-based analysts process has provided some the presence of a highly politics. This required crushing within non-violent practice. that the people in the districts confidence in the outcome all motivated and committed Nepal the royal design and bringing the The rebels now have to are sullen with the years they around. Police force in the villages, and Maoists into open politics, before traverse a vast ideological distance have suffered under the In fact, the politicians and motivated district heading for the constituent when serving in government and commissars and militia. But peasantry alike are relying too administrations all over, the state assembly. That process is taking the hybrid interim legislature, unlike Gyanendra the king, the much on the United Nations will remain absent from the rural longer than expected, which is where they will have to jettison Maoist leadership will hopefully mechanisms—Ian Martin’s office hinterland. And without it, there why all energy must now be practiced rigid polemic and not miscalculate the democratic and the OHCHR in particular— will be precious little governance concentrated on pushing through replace it with principled values held dear by a rational, for the monitoring of the peace or peace dividend, as far as the the constituent assembly by early positioning. Can they adjust to sophisticated populace. agreement and attendant ceasefire people are concerned. June. the practicalities of governance, so The Nepali proclivity to and human-rights matters. They If and when the populace If this unexpectedly lengthy far removed from gun-in-hand conduct negotiations in the full will not have enough reach if becomes disenchanted with the sankramankaal is not to make the sloganeering? Ideologue Baburam glare of floodlights week after Nepal’s government lack of governance or with service people disconsolate, the political Bhattarai does maintain that this week might have exasperated administration does not activate delivery, the reactionaries in the parties and all layers of civil is the time to concentrate on some foreign observers, but one itself, and if civil society gets palace, army, and the erstwhile society must work together to give delivering the constituent could say that these were the drowned in the upcoming ‘donor power elite will perceive an the people hope. And by ‘political assembly, which will tackle the most ‘transparent’ negotiations to tsunami’ and neglects to be a opportunity to make a move. parties’, we hope to also mean the larger issues of state be conducted anywhere—an proper watchdog of the people. There is no doubt that the Nepal Communist Party of Nepal transformation; but we have to see example, indeed, for the world. With the National Human Rights Army can still swing back to the (Maoist).

Senior Maoist leaders Thapa, Bogati, Barsha Man Pun (‘Ananta’), and Deb Gurung are working on changing the ‘wartime’ structure of the organisation, and preparing a proposed list of representatives. Deputy Commanders New faces Pasang, Chandra Khanal (‘Baldev’), Janardan Sharma (‘Prabhakar’), and central committee member Kul Bahadur We’re to see an influx of KC will manage the Maoist army and work simultaneously on parliamentary novices who will join the planned integrated national army and at what position. In addition to the commissars, the Maoists are expected SHARAD KC experience of armed rebellion, the new representatives will to bring in upper-level leaders from sister organisations, also bring with them new backgrounds, fresh perspectives, civil society, and independent communities. Sources tell us he Maoist office in Old Baneswor is bustling. Outside styles, and characters. that anyone who agrees with the Maoists’ republican agenda there’s barely enough parking space. The Mahara himself is most likely to get one of the five could be given a post—even if they are independents or T motorcycles and cars belong to the crowds of cadre ministerial posts, and the rest will go to a mixed group that currently members of the Congress, the UML, or any other and leaders, who can barely squeeze past each other in the represents all the interest groups mentioned above. The party. “We don’t have to join the government to send people narrow corridors inside. The scene here looks like the party will likely propose Deb Gurung for the post of from outside,” said Mahara, “Can’t we give constructive office of a political party gearing up for an election. Speaker of the interim parliament. If this does not happen, criticism anyway?” You could call them the new faces of the new Nepal, Gurung and Matrika Yadab will join Mahara as ministers. According to the SPA-Maoist agreement, two-thirds of and we should start getting used to them. One-third of the Either Hisila Yami or Pampha Bhusal, and ‘People’s the 330 members of the interim parliament will be pre-1999 interim government’s House of Representatives will consist Liberation Army’ Deputy Commander Nanda Kishore Pun representatives. In the interim period there will only of Maoist nominees and names put forth by the eight (‘Pasang’) are also likely to join the government. be one House, with the the 209 former representatives parties. Four high-level leaders—Pushpa Kamal Dahal, coming together from the previous Upper and Lower Houses. Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara says Baburam Bhattarai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Post Many will have been elected during the last election, in that about 50 of their representatives will be chosen for Bahadur Bogati—along with most other central committee which the Maoists did not, of course, participate. Of the other their political qualities, and come from dalit, women, members will not join the interim government or parliament. 121 seats, the Maoists will get 73, while the remaining 48 janajati, madhesi, and other oppressed groups, as well as Mahara said this was because, “The leadership level will members will be nominated by the eight parties from the physically challenged, and the injured. Few were in be working on spreading the organisation in view of the representative professional organisations, oppressed active politics prior to 1996 and, in addition to the constituent assembly elections.” peoples and regions, and other political figures. NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 5

New leader

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Jaspal Singh Jass (centre) has To catch a thief been appointed the new executive director of Everest Bank. Jass, who has 30 years of experience, We need to disengage the CIAA from politics including as Punjab National Bank’s zonal manager of Jammu he Commission for Incorrect emphasis: and Kashmir, says he is committed Investigation of the Dr Narayan Manandhar, a CIAA to Everest Bank’s growth as well as its dedication to corporate TAbuse of Authority watcher, says we’ve focused too social responsibility. As part of their program, the bank recently (CIAA) has blown two high- much on the consequences of donated 20 computers to two government schools in Dhapasi and profile cases. The CIAA corruption, and not enough on Kapan. Everest Bank opened in 1994 and in the last fiscal year punishes small-time embezzlers the causes and early signs. recorded a 39 percent increase in net profits to Rs 237.30 million. more than four out of five In the name of punishment, times. But its record is dismal for instance, we tolerate

Truckloads of prizes violations of civil rights by ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ applauding even when the CIAA Asian Thai Foods’ new ‘Rumpum Truck Ma STRICTLY BUSINESS yanks allegedly corrupt people Luck’ campaign features coupons with prizes out of their beds at midnight to such as a truckload of home appliances Ashutosh Tiwari (including a Videocon 21” tv, a Videocon be thrown into jail. But as long as refrigerator, and an LG washing machine) and cash prizes. we maintain tediously numerous court chose one law over the when it comes to catching the bureaucratic procedures designed other remains unclear. Still, it is big fish—Govinda Raj Joshi, only to increase the interactions likely that the Supreme Court

Winners Khum Bahadur Khadka, and per transaction between a might just take the opposing

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dhana Bahadur Waiba from Lalitpur, Chandra others. The reasons why lie in politician or bureaucrat and view, and let at least the facts of Kala Dahal from Bhojpur, and Kusum Gurung three I’s: incentives, incorrect businesspeople, corruption will Joshi’s case be admitted for a re- from Kathmandu won the Western Union Dasain emphasis, and inconsistent continue to grow and stay trial. Tihar Hungama lucky draw on 15 November, and went home with a laws. undetected. “What sick people are In Khadka’s case, the CIAA motorbike each. to a doctor, corrupt people are to simply did a poor job of Incentives: The CIAA doesn’t the CIAA,” says Manandhar. As collecting evidence. Not

Carlsberg Classic Golf winner have its own lawyers and such, until we start to change the surprising as, historically, the

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ investigative officers, though it emphasis from cure to CIAA has been better at arresting Dawa Sherpa won the Carlsberg Classic Golf Tournament 2006 can hire private lawyers to argue prevention, there’s no point in people, filing charges against held at the Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC) Saturday. Sherpa won its cases. Almost all its crying over the courts’ decisions. them and basking in the glow of the two-day tournament organised by Carlsberg in coordination with personnel are on deputation 15-minutes of fame than at doing RNGC. Gopal Chitrakar was declared runner-up. from government departments Inconsistent laws: “Even if the a thorough investigation to find Sherpa won an all-expenses paid trip to Malaysia to represent and ministries. CIAA drags us to the Supreme out provable information on how Nepal in the Malaysian Open ProAm 2007 along with a trophy and Under-secretaries and joint- Court, I am confident that we will the embezzlers might have other gift hampers that he received today. Chitrakar got a two-way secretaries spend a few years at win because of the soundness of ticket to Pokhara, two-night stay at Hotel Shangri-La Resort, hidden the money. Again, this Pokhara, and one day’s play at Himalayan Golf Course in Pokhara the CIAA knowing they will go our arguments,” says Lalit comes from the lack of career to go with a trophy and Carlsberg gift hampers. back to their ministries upon Bahadur Basnet, a member of the incentives the short-term CIAA completing their rotation. These four-person legal defence team of personnel face when going after NEW PRODUCTS bureaucrats do run after obscure Joshi and Khadka. Basnet’s team the big fishes. underlings accused of, say, benefited from the Special Court’s The loss of two high-profile ULTIMA: Asian Paints Nepal’s new exterior presenting falsified educational favourable interpretation of an cases is an opportunity for the emulsion, Apex Ultima, comes with a seven-year credentials for civil service jobs. old law which says that there is a CIAA to examine how its performance warranty for even the harshest But they are understandably time limit of only one year incentive system and weather conditions. It’s Advanced Anti-Forumla nervous about nailing top within which a corruption- institutional emphasis, and a protects homes from algae and fungus, is dust- politicians and top ex- related lawsuit against a person poor reading of the Special resistant, and available in a range of bright and dark shades. bureaucrats who might— holding public office can be filed. Court’s orientation converged to BEAUTY: A new line of beauty care products, Lotus Herbal remember, this is Nepal!—run In Joshi’s case, the court did damage its own credibility. Now Professionals, has been launched in Kathmandu and includes a their future ministries. Until not apply a more recent version of its challenge is to ensure that range of skin and hair care products. the CIAA recruits its own that law, which allows for an lawsuits against other independent officers, it will open time-frame during which politicians, two ex-IGPs and remain beholden to politicians. lawsuits can be filed. Why the three ex-Secretaries don’t fail. z Long overdue The fight against defaulters has only just begun

SOPHIA TAMOT including having their passports impounded and transactions of property stalled. z Blacklisting and seizure of passports of That comes as good news for banks like wilful defaulters, as well as of all members Rastriya Banijya Bank and Nepal Bank, on the board of directors and shareholders which have been crippled by bad loans, and holding 15 percent or more shares in hobbled in their attempts to catch the ‘big defaulting companies fish’ for the past three years. “This is a z Prohibition of transfer of property welcome move, and the only thing that can z Ban on standing for public office affect the big defaulters, but even then, our z Withdrawal of all state facilities total non-performing assets will not be KIRAN PANDAY realised,” says Jogendra Ghimire, Those are just some of the actions against corporate lawyer for Nepal Bank Limited. Jyoti, adding, “Such penalties will make been taken over by Rastra Bank because of wilful defaulters proposed by the 2004 Minister Mahat’s announcement has people reluctant to invest in businesses, bad loans. “The banking sector needs report, prepared by a six-member team led been greeted with scepticism by many in which will have an impact on professional bankers, the court system by then-Chairman of the National Planning the business community, who ask what Nepal’s economy.” needs a tuning, and along with reform of the Commission Shankar Sharma. Other purpose the sanctions will serve, if they The real problems, many in the financial judiciary, the regulators need to be members included the Rastra Bank don’t provide for recovery of the loans. sector say, go even deeper. “This is a regulated,” says Bharat Raj Upreti, senior governor and secretaries from various “Many of these acts are blackmailing, not wakeup call for the financial sector,” says advocate at Pioneer Law Associates. ministries. The report seemed to have been blacklisting,” says Roop Jyoti, former Siddhant Raj Pandey, executive director of Upreti says that while stringent actions put on ice, and defaulters even held finance minister, vice chairman of the Jyoti Ace Finance Company. “But just proposed against big defaulters are positions in the royal government. Group, and a former defaulter. Jyoti argues blacklisting defaulters is not enough. There welcome, ultimately far-reaching Although the non performing loans has that the report’s recommendations are is so much corruption, from insider trading consequences are best planned through significantly decreased in the past year inconsistent. For example, ‘wilful’ is defined for loan procurements and violation of client insolvency law. “For a businessman to be from 19 percent in 2005 to 13.8 percent in vaguely, and non-Nepali directors on the confidentiality, to bribing judges to declared personally bankrupt is political July this year, that’s still more than double boards of defaulting companies are let off manipulate hearings. The crux of the death. He can’t vote, he can’t stand for a the acceptable level of five percent. Earlier the hook. problem involves the lending banks, the public post, he will be segregated from this month, Finance Minister Ram Sharan “The proposed measures are not regulators, and the judiciary,” he adds. society. No businessman in the right frame Mahat promised that 75 of the 90 biggest practical, and impounding passports of all In the last four years, Lumbini Bank and, of mind will want that, so the pressure to wilful defaulters will soon face action, board members is a severe measure,” says recently, Nepal Bangladesh Bank have pay up is more,” he says. z 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 Ethics of a political party, or acts as a

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sister group to one, is being Editorial in Kantipur, irresponsible and crossing a basic 21 November line. Fighting for one’s Tomorrow’s army minimum benefits, dignity, The Federation of Nepalese rights, and independence is one Interview with Nanda Kishore Pun, deputy Journalists (FNJ) recently thing, but the federation’s commander of the ‘People’s Liberation Army’ in declared its strong political avowal of political goal taints Nepal, 19-26 November support for the transformation of journalism as a profession. Nepal into a democratic republic. Parties, not journalists, set Are you preparing to go to the barracks? This political declaration, made We have asked the government for Rs 20 million political goals. for each of the 28 barracks; that’s the minimum. during the FNJ’s eighth central The federation should be As soon as the government provides for committee meeting in Dhulikhel satisfied when there are no expenses, we will enter the camps. last week, made the federation obstacles to press freedom. It sound more like a political party. should work towards freeing Is the budget also for salaries? This raises serious question journalists from influences. It We have to start paying salaries, which need to about the professionalism, should also work towards be given from the day the agreement is signed. ethics, and independence of liberating journalists from biases JB PUN MAGAR But the agreement only talks of lodging and food. journalism. It also proves that towards any party, organisation, All the details will not be mentioned in the So what do we call the Maoist militia? journalists are being community, ideology, person or agreement. The militia is also the army. manipulated politically. The group with vested interests. The federation is meant to help federation’s ultimate goal should How were the camp locations chosen? Will their weapons also be locked away? journalists in lobbying and not be political, but to make We proposed [the sites] and the three sides The talks were about the regular forces. What to advocacy for their rights and journalists more capable and discussed them. The sites have been inspected do with the militia’s weapons—khukuris, muzzle freedom, and when necessary to and we are now building camps. Some locations guns, homemade pistols, grenades—is independent. Failure to do this don’t have roads, electricity, or water. undecided. For the CA elections, we can’t just launch a movement. will not only make journalism depend on state security. Our militia and their It’s true that the FNJ fought weaker but will also Isn’t your recent recruitment drive against the militia must integrate. strongly for freedom of press harm democracy. code of conduct? during the king’s direct rule, and Yes, we did send our people (PLA) out to How big is your armed force? also actively took part during the organisations—women’s, labour, student unions. Around 35,000. Mahara money

street protests even in prohibited ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ We have now called them back. areas. During the April Uprising Jana Aastha, 22 November What about weapons? If all your cadres are ‘PLA’, and all PLA fighters One for every 15-20 soldiers. We’ll show it was inevitable that the cadres, who goes to the camps? whatever weapons are collected next week. federation reach some sort of The latest round of meetings of We have a military and political structure. We minimum understanding with the council of ministers has select the cream of the force and during war take How can we believe that all the weapons will be the political parties to struggle decided to give Mahara a cheque people from all directions. Normally, they go back locked away? for press freedom. But that was for Rs 70 million. However the to political and organisational work afterwards. All The government team is made of all parties. about as far as journalists could CPN (Maoist) has to provide the leaders at the central or regional level are There’s the army, the UN, and we have our own go without harming their government with receipts and soldiers and political workers. teams. Our army will bring the weapons to be counted at the same time as the head count. profession. vouchers to keep record. Of the So how do we know who is from the PLA? FNJ’s decision violates the Rs 100 million allocated for the Through identity cards. If you’re doubtful, you can Will the PLA be tomorrow’s national army? basic code of ethics. An peace process, the government investigate with the UN people. Yes, definitely. organisation of journalists that will keep Rs 30 million for makes demands similar to those internal management. The FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 7 Maoists are to use this Rs 70 Not in vain “We have to learn to forget our This makes it easy for the million to provide rations for ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ past if someone’s death can make government to expedite their cadres. Although the Annapurna Post, 23 November the lives of future generations prosecution of the guilty. government has agreed on rations, secure,” says Bhandari. However, the report could have the cadres will not receive an The decade-long armed conflict Grief-stricken 63-year-old missed out on all people allowance. The council of killed Hira Gurung’s husband, Shiblal Tharu from Saptari, who responsible for the excesses ministers met on Tuesday Kaluman but she wants to move had to bury his young son almost committed during Jana Andolan morning before the peace on with a new Nepal. “Let the seven years ago, finds it hard, but II. Similarly, defining penalties agreement was signed to agree on tears for our lost loved ones not believes, “Now we all have to join might also have been omitted. allocation of funds and to form be wasted,” says Gurung, who the campaign to rebuild our The report may not necessarily various committees. moved out of Khotang where nation.” be complete. It is up to the Kaluman was killed six years ago. government to see to it that all

Child recruits “Whatever happened is in the Andolan justice those who ordered Jana Andolan

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○○○○○○○○○○ past, but now let no innocent II be oppressed are subject to Sanghu, 20 November person become a victim again,” is Kantipur, 22 November court martial. what she wants to say to those NARESH NEWAR This report is just a set of Various human rights groups in who have also lost loved ones. The government had committed recommendations. It leaves the Banke have said they will start grade four students and Humnath Tiwari from Gorkha to make the Rayamajhi path open for the government to investigating allegations of youth from villages in Banke. witnessed his father being killed, Commission’s report public once conduct investigations into the Maoists violating the ceasefire Eighteen children studying but finds consolation in a peace it was complete. Its reluctance to role of people not included in code of conduct. This comes between grades four and eigh in deal and the rebuilding of Nepal. do that now is against the the report. This must be a following media reports of the Nepal Rastriya Nimna Madhyamik “We now have to focus on new people’s wishes. Making the reference, and the government Maoists recruiting underage Vidyalaya in Kohalpur VDC’s things rather than concentrating findings public and taking action should take further legal children in their army. Fourteen Khadwar village were recently on our past,” says Tiwari. as per the report’s measures against the guilty. The human rights groups including taken by the Maoists. Parents and Widowed young, Kalpana recommendations should be a prime minister must show INSEC, HIMRIGHTS, and CVICT guardians claim that the Maoists Bhandari also hopes that the priority. enthusiasm to take this forward, have said they will begin lured their children away by death of her husband, a The Rayamajhi Commission and the government must begin investigating. offering various perks. The policeman who was killed by the has, after six months of to do its homework on the issue The Maoists have been Maoists, however, deny the Maoists while on duty in investigation, advised of appropriate action against recruiting children as young as allegations. Ramechhap, will not be in vain. legal action against the accused. the king. Marsyangdi darkness

Ghatana Ra Bichar, 22-28 November

When the 70MW Middle Marsyangdi project started five years ago, it was touted as one of the most important and least expensive hydroelectricity projects in Nepal. But work on Middle Marsyangdi has stopped and the project is on the verge of collapse. Over 75 percent of the work on Middle Marsyangdi is finished, and only the power station remains to be completed. Work on the project has stopped because of pressure from the German contractors, locals, and Maoists. As a result of their selfishness, the government is losing over Rs 100 million every week. Although the project started with German assistance, due to numerous irregularities, it is now estimated that it will cost double the original estimate of over Rs 13 billion. Foreign assistance may sound attractive, but it comes with conditions. The contractor, DDC JV, has already collected millions of rupees and numerous cases related to the project are still Board: New Nepal pending against the government. By the time just a quarter of the work Wait! Wait! I don’t agree! Only half my name [Madhab Nepal] is on the was complete, over Rs 21 billion had already been spent. As the cost of the project has skyrocketed, locals saw it as a sign. We should write the whole thing. source of free money and began milking it. The government had said that it would be benefit the local community, and had set aside Rs 250 million for schools, drinking water, a road, rural electricity, and health Abin Shrestha in Samaya, 23 November posts. That money has been grossly misused by the locals—Rs 30 million was spent on the construction of one school building, and now,

another is being put up. QUOTE OF THE WEEK When a parliamentary committee visited the region recently, it said there is no alternative but to finish the work swiftly. They also “ recommended that in future the government do its homework before signing agreements on assistance for such big hydro projects. Now we will do miracles for development. The Minister for Water Resources Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, and “ managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Arjun Karki insist that work on Middle-Marsyangdi can be completed on time. A highly- placed source says negotiations are going on between the government and the Maoists, and that both sides are worried about CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Rajdhani, 22 November the ongoing strikes. It’s anybody’s guess when the work will resume.

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shook, and drummed, the stiffer our limbs got from sitting quietly. The energy was palpable, but the spirit was unimpressed, and the woman went home, still possessed. At nightfall the next day, we made our way to Suspa’s cemetery to raise a spirit to accompany the jhankris and apprentices up Kalingchok—a ritual apprentices need to be able to perform to be full-blooded jhankris. After about five hours of drumming, dancing, and chasing summit at 3,500m, even the through the forest with a bunch elderly as fleet-footed and of tourists in tow, the apprentices energetic as teenagers. We had failed to raise the spirit. collapsed, worn out from the Dinesh put it down to severe intensity of the experience, while performance anxiety, and most of the spirit-workers drank and us started to crawl into our chatted till the wee hours. sleeping bags. As photographer Before dawn the next morning Josh Lustig put it, “at about 2AM, the steep trail up to Kalingchok I did start to wonder what on was already teeming with BILLI BIERLING Kalingchok in Dolakha, where the Suspa's head shaman, struggle to earth we were doing, digging up pilgrims. On the sacred summit in SUSPA, DOLAKHA spirit of Kali rests. The older ones get his front door unlocked. dead babies’ bones.” we were rewarded with a magical do it to renew their allegiance to As the effects of the shaman’s We should’ve stayed awake. simultaneous moonset and he shaman showed up her spirit, while for young little bhatti-stop started wearing About an hour later Josh and a sunrise, as the mountaintop drunk. Full of spirits, you apprentices it is a crucial rite of off, Jun Kiri told us about the few others were jolted awake. He heaved with activity. Tmight say. By the time the passage. woman coming to see him, who looked up and, like a few of the At around ten o’clock heavy tiny, inconspicuous man of 70- But the festival had been put has apparently been possessed for other visitors, saw something that clouds started moving in and the something and his band of off for the last five years because years. “We’ve had two sessions, I hadn’t been there earlier—either pilgrims, finished with buddies came staggering along the the shamans couldn’t afford it, haven’t driven it out of her yet,” the spirit itself, or a shaman sacrificing chickens and goats to trail, we’d been waiting for over said organiser Dinesh Deokota of he said, putting on his white dressed in a black cloak who no the goddess, made their way three hours in front of his house, Adventure First, a regular visitor robe, a chain of bells, and an one had seen before. Amrit down to the next village. Turning squished between rice fields and to the shamans of Kalingchok. dangerous-looking crown of Thami, a jhankri from a back, I got a final glimpse of the looming snowy mountains. Paying tourists would mean the porcupine quills. neighbouring village, said it treeless peak before the cloud When I saw a notice in festival could resume. The patient arrived and Jun would stay with them until it curtain closed and Kalingchok fell Thamel for a shaman festival, I So it happened that 20 of us started drumming himself and was put back in another ceremony silent again until another festival wasn’t quite sure what it would took the bus to Charikot, and then her into a trance. The thunderous two nights later. in August next year. entail. I knew that traditionally, walked five hours to Suspa, a sound went on for about three The shamans, who had not (For more information on shaman trips, twice a year, hundreds of jhankris Thami village just before hours. The longer the jhankri and slept for two days and two nights, contact Adventure First Nepal at make the pilgrimage to Kalingchok and watched Jun Kiri, the possessed woman shivered, began to dance up the hill to the [email protected])

ALL IMAGES: JOSH LUSTIG 12 NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324

Beneath the surface

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Efforts to remove a 56kg ‘cylinder’ bomb from the Ghardebi section of the Gaur-Chandranighapur road in Rautahat have been surrounded by drama and controversy. The bomb was planted by Maoists over six months ago, and has since been sealed over, with vehicles driving over it every day. The road is still currently in use. Following the peace talks, the Maoists contacted the CDO last week requesting a bulldozer be sent so they could remove the device. A bulldozer was provided, but the driver refused to proceed. Local Maoist district committee member Samir says they are willing to coordinate with the UN, INSEC, and the Nepal Army to do what is necessary. “We’ve removed devices from other locations, but because the road is sealed, we need a bulldozer. If we have one, we can remove it in ten minutes,” he said. KIRAN NEPAL However, mine and bomb risk expert Hugues Laurenge, who is currently working with UNICEF, as well as local INSEC representatives are strongly advising against this plan of action. “Because it’s an improvised explosive device (IED), we don’t know the lethal radius of this bomb, but we know it is huge. A bulldozer is not appropriate in this case; it needs proper risk assessment, and to be excavated with multiple precautions, which is very sensitive work. The device either needs to be removed and defused, or specific explosives need to be used to destroy or neutralise it on- site. All this is dangerous, and must be done by bomb disposal professionals,” explains Laurenge. There are concerns that, as with all explosives, passing time—combined with climate, ground conditions, and the vibrations from vehicles will have made the device increasingly unstable. In a similar case from monsoon 2006 in Dhukuri, Nuwakot, fragments of shrapnel were found in trees 2km away after a 50kg bomb being used by the armed police exploded; fortunately, the explosion happened at night, so there were no casualities. A standard socket bomb contains less than 100gm of explosive. (Jemima Sherpa)

Kathmandu falls

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kathmandu now has the distinction of being the most unpleasant of all 94 World Heritage Sites. A recent survey by National Geographic Traveller of sites as varied as the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, the Pyramids of Giza and the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador, gave Kathmandu Valley the lowest score, with just 39 points out of 100. Some 420 experts from a variety of fields such as ecology, sustainable tourism, geography, travel writing, and indigenous cultures studied the World Heritage destinations. Convened by National Geographic’s Center for Sustainable Destinations, this international panel rated each place on the basis of stewardship and overall outlook and criteria including environment, historic preservation, cultural impact, aesthetics, tourism management, and plans for the future. Norway’s West Fjords topped the list

with 87 points, and DINESH SHRESTHA Mexico’s Guanajuato, Salzburg, Austria, Siena, Italy, and Kyoto, Japan were ranked as ‘destinations doing well’. South Africa’s Cape Floral Region, historic Prague, Czech Republic, and Australia’s famed Great Barrier Reef were named the ‘so-so destinations’. Stonehenge, England, China’s Great Wall, Machu Picchu, Peru, Greece’s Acropolis, and Egypt’s pyramids are all having serious problems.

16 years, 16 days

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Women’s rights activists will be observing 16 days of stepped up activism against gender violence beginning 25 November (the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day) to pressurise the government to effectively implement the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security. The 16-day campaign began in 1991 with activists the world over calling on the UN to place women’s issues on the agenda for the World Conference on Human Rights in June 1993 in Vienna. The campaign, which succeeded in collecting half a million signatures in 23 languages from 124 countries, helped secure a formal declaration of women’s rights as human rights and of violence against women as a human rights violation in the Vienna Declaration. NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 13

ALL SMILES: Rabina and Rabina (foreground) surrounded by friends at Bright Horizon Children’s Home School in Kalanki. Pollution check lmost 60 percent of the Valley’s air pollution is caused by vehicular emission, despite authorities carrying out A mandatory emission tests and on-the-spot checks on all four wheeled vehicles. Private vehicles are required to go for tests annually while those for hire have to do it every six months. But with rising import of vehicles and an ill-enforced ban on vehicles over 20 years old, there is little they can do. Three wheelers on two-stroke engines have been banned from the Valley, but two wheelers with the same engines have not. Constable Hari Sharan Poudel sits in the garage of the Valley Traffic Police office in Baggikhana every day and conducts vehicle emission checks for petrol-based four wheelers imported before 1998. He uses a Bosch monitor to see if the vehicles are emitting more than 1000PPM (particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometer) of hydrocarbons and three percent carbon monoxide. Some of the vehicles are older than 30 years but miraculously pass the test. “They fix their carburettors so that it gets more oil and less oxygen, which gives a low emission result on the monitor,” he explains. In the Transport Office in Kusunti, it’s the same story, except that the check is on vehicles imported after 1998. The traffic office in NARESH NEWAR Satdobato checks vehicles that run on diesel engines. If a vehicle passes the test it gets a green sticker. But once on the streets, the unconditional warmth and vehicle owner goes back to the mechanic and readjusts the attention they received from their carburettor to economise on oil, thus increasing emissions to above peers and teachers slowly helped the legal standard. In an attempt to control this manipulation, the them feel safe. “The other children Ministry of Environment Science and Technology (MEST) regularly helped them the most,” says hostel conducts spot checks with the help of the Valley Traffic Police. New life warden and teacher Binita Air quality monitoring results in six places within the Valley by Shrestha. MEST show pollution levels in Putali Sadak, Patan Hospital, and NARESH NEWAR siblings, (‘Why the children?’ Today, Rabina is known not as Thamel area as the highest. Anything above 120 micrograms per #121,) they were flown to the girl nearly burnt alive, but as cubic metre is unhealthy, and these areas usually show above 120. miling shyly, Rabina and Kathmandu and offered free one of the school’s brightest “We only have a system to check emissions and monitor air quality. treatment at the Sushma Memorial students. “I love math and science, Decreasing pollution will require effective implementation of the Rabin come over to their law,” says Khum Raj Panjali, joint secretary of the Environment visitors. “I’m Rabina, and Hospital in Sankhu. I want to be a doctor when I grow Department of MEST. The department has recently completed a S Nepalis at home and abroad up,” she says. “Me too,” says this is my brother,” says the ten- study on how to improve the Valley’s air quality and control air year-old girl. We barely recognise contributed Rs 200,000 to a fund Rabin, now eight. His classmates pollution, which they will soon be recommending to the government, her. set up by Nepali Times and laugh, and say he’s so active, he says Panjali. In 2002, when Rabina was six human rights group, Insec. should take up sports instead. (Alok Tumbahangphey) and Rabin four, they were severely The Swiss-supported Bright “Their cheerfulness and burnt after Maoists bombed the Horizon Children’s Home School determination to be the best is bus they were on, near the in Kalanki, which assists children amazing,” exclaims staff member Lakhanti bridge in Simara, affected by the conflict, offered Bikash Lama, who’s watched the Bara. Their young mother Anju them free schooling and board. In two grow from being reclusive and died trying to save her two large part, their remarkable cowering into the school’s most children. psychological recovery from the popular students. Their horrifying story barely trauma is because of their friends “Rabina really takes care of her received any attention in here. friends,” another close friend Pema Kathmandu. For several months “When we first saw Rabina and Doma explains, as 20 other girls their father Bhakta Bahadur, a Rabin, we fell in love with them, literally drag Rabina away from us forest guard with District Forest but they were so scared,” says for a game of basketball. Office in Bara, was living from Rabina’s friend, 14-year-old Nani Everyone is smiling fit to burst day-to-day, desperately seeking Tamang. One night, soon after they when it’s time to say goodbye. help and relying on the local came to Bright Horizon, the sister They still have scars on their faces, hospital to treat his children at a and brother tried to run away, but they don’t care. “This will also low cost. unable to cope with their go away soon,” Rabina says, as she After we reported on the nightmares. But, they say, the pats her face and runs away. MUDITA BAJRACHARYA 14 EDUCATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324

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Teacher teacher

NAYANTARA GURUNG KAKSHAPATI in BAGLUNG

here are a few bleary eyes in the community career structure and opportunities to progress,” hall here at 7AM on a recent Tuesday. But believes Stone, who criss-crosses the country every Christine Stone is bustling around happily, week with Save the Children Norway and private unpacking boxes of finger puppets, school associations training mostly primary school Tflashcards, and drawing materials for one of her teachers. rather unique teacher training sessions. In her 25 years of working in Nepal, Stone has An hour in, Stone has the 25 teachers, some done it all, from teaching English and math in Gorkha beginners and others 20-year veterans, blowing and and Namjung to writing textbooks with the Secondary chasing after soap bubbles. The training is fun, but Education Project in Sano Thimi. Stone also works the lessons Stone imparts are serious. Some are with the Kathmandu International Study Center (KISC) general—why primary education is the foundation of and Room to Read. all that comes later, including SLC, and others are The transformation in participants is remarkable. specific classroom techniques, like inexpensive and Maya Regmi (pictured top) teaches three to six year- interactive ways of imparting knowledge using olds in a single class at Mahendra Secondary School flashcards, cassette tapes, finger puppets and, yes, in Narathati. She has four children of her own and soap bubbles. began teaching 10 months ago just because she The slogan is Education For All By 2015, and needed the money. But now, says Regmi, “I want to most action plans we see are about building teach well now, try new things.” infrastructure and supplying textbooks, to Regmi and her colleagues receive flashcards and maintaining enrolment in schools and developing listening tapes, and will take home the materials more relevant curriculum. they’ve made. There could be nothing better for But talk to teachers who deal with low attendance Shailendra Paudyal (pictured second left), who’s rates, frequent failure, high repeat and drop out rates, taught at Ganesh Higher Secondary in Balewa for 20 and disengaged parents, and you wonder how years. Today, when Stone put the teachers through teachers, who get little by way of training and listening and action-oriented exercises, Paudyal support, remain motivated. finally got that English words and phrases like ‘point “Teaching needs to be seen as a challenging, to the window’, which he made his students repeat, exciting, thrilling career. Nepali teachers need a actually meant something, they formed a language. z

ALL PICS: NAYANTARA GURUNG KAKSHAPATI MOUNTAINS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 15 Last week, a distinctive part of the mountain broke off, killing six climbers Accident on Ama Dablam PADAM GHALE the most beautiful peak of the Nepal Of the British expedition, the into a high altitude glacier (oval the Nepal Himalaya, visible as a in SOLUKHUMBU Himalaya. two who were lost were Mingma on Before photo). sentinel to all who trek the upper On that tragic morning, a part of Nuru Sherpa of Pangboche, and The most well-known accident Khumbu fork of the Imja Khola on n 13 November, at about that overhang gave way (circle on Duncan Williams. Two other on Ama Dablam before this was the way past Pangboche, Pheriche, half-past-five in the After photo). A block of ice removed climbers, still down at Base Camp, when Peter Hillary found himself and Lobuche to the Everest Base Omorning, three Sherpas, itself from the rest of the mountain, abandoned the expedition and dangling from a rope on an Camp. The climbers knew the risks one Briton, and two Swedes and crashed through Camp Three, returned to Kathmandu. Tashi exposed slope while attempting involved in the endeavour, and would have been preparing for careening on down the main Dorje Sherpa and Da Nurbu Sherpa the unconventional West Face, would have been careful about the final assault of Ama western face of the mountain perished with Swedes Mikael back in 1979. Reinhold Messner, avalanche danger. But they would Dablam’s summit. They were (dotted line on Before photo). The Forsberg and Daniel Carlsson. They who was on the south of the not have expected an entire block placed at Camp Three (dot on climbers obviously had no were climbing without a regular mountain (not the usual south- of ice to peel off the Ama Dablam— Before photo), at 6,300m, on a possibility of survival. The villagers trekking or mountaineering agency, west ridge route), made a detour to the ‘chin’ which has been there for narrow ledge on top of a near- of Pangboche, in the sprawling who would have provided support rescue Hillary. The last fatal as long as photographic memory vertical ice slope of nearly valley of the Imja Khola in Upper and information. accident on Ama Dablam, one of can remember. 1,000m. The ledge is located Khumbu, would have heard the Inspecting Ama Dablam from the most climbed expedition At the time of this writing, an just below the huge and avalanche early that morning. At the base camp as well as upon peaks, was in 2003, when a American team is still up on the distinctive overhang that juts least one of the Sherpas in the flying around the west and south German climber lost his life. mountain, expecting to make an out like a chin of Ama Dablam accident was from Pangboche. face, we ascertained that this was This time around, there was attempt on the summit. Perhaps (circle on both photos). This The crest and logo of the an accident from which there was no possibility of rescue, and with they will glean more information 'chin' is perhaps why the Himalayan Rescue Association no escape, possibly even if the the danger of falling debris and on the two ill-fated teams. But mountain is called 'mother’s sports an image of Ama Dablam, and climbers had been at Camp Two the extreme cold of an early winter is closing in, and the area of necklace'. Besides the amazing it was as the Association’s (dot on After photo). There were winter, it is difficult to conceive the accident site is dangerous, so it leftward tilt of the entire coordinator for mountain rescue pieces of what looked like tent of a salvage operation. is more than likely that we will massif as seen in postcards, it that I flew with a team over the fabric visible on the western flank, The 13 November tragedy have to wait till spring before any is this overhang that, according crash site in a helicopter to make an about 500m below the Camp Three occurred in one of the most effort can be made to go up to find to many, makes Ama Dablam investigation. site, where the slope converts itself widely-photographed ice faces of the remains.

BEFORE AFTER

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PICS: PADAM GHALE 16 CITY 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324

ABOUT TOWN YAK YETI YAK by MIKU

EXHIBITIONS ™ Sense Awareness paintings by Shobha Adhikari-Wagley at Imago Dei Café, Nag Pokhari ™ Woman in Nature paintings by Erina Tamrakar at the SAARC Arts and Crafts Village, Hotel Ambassador, Lazimpat ™ Faith symbolic representational art by Laya Mainali until 26 November at Park Gallery, Lazimpat. 4419353 ™ Inspired Expression tribute to RN Joshi on until 6 December at Park Gallery, Pulchok. 5522307 ™ The New ‘Du: A Playful Image of Kathmandu (and beyond). Paintings by Symon at Indigo Gallery, Naxal. ™ Collaboration with Mithila Yatra paintings until 3 December at Siddhartha Art Gallery. 11AM-6PM. 4438979 It’s high-speed chases, revving engines, hi-tech heists, and † EVENTS non-stop action and laughs with Dhoom 2. Ali (Uday Chopra) ™ Mahan Shilpi Nepali adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master is now ACP Jai Dixit’s (Abhishek Bachchan) right hand man. Builder, presented by Aarohan Gurukul at Rimal Natakghar, Old But when cunning international thief Aryan (Hrithik Roshan)— Baneswor at 4.30 PM, 24 November. 4466956 known to the police only as the elusive Mr A—teams up with ™ The Role of Silence dialogue at Mind Body Library, Tripureswor Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai), they need ACP Shonali Bose’s at 12 noon, 24 November. 4279712 (Bipasha Basu) help to track the slick crooks. It’s a journey ™ Live Music with Siren from 8PM onwards on 24 November, and that speeds through the desert of Namibia to the backwaters Yanki Lepcha on vocals and Sanjay Suman on piano on of Goa, the mean streets of Mumbai and the ancient forts of

Entertainment Rajasthan, finally coming to a dramatic conclusion in the 25 November at Red Onion Bar, Lazimpat exotic city of Rio. ™ Shastrartha at Martin Chautari by MAPS. 3-5PM, 25 November to discuss Marxist anthropology. 4238050 Call 4442220 for show timings at Jai Nepal ™ November Film Festival documentaries from Nepal, Quest www.jainepal.com 25-26 November at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka. Tickets Rs 50, 5542544 ™ Personality Through Quality Circles Second national convention of Students Quality Circle at DAV School, 25-27 November. ™ Vagina Monologues opening on 1 December 2006 at The National Academy, Kamladi at 5.30 PM. 4421800 ™ Documentaries every Wednesday at 6.30 PM till 30 November at Nhuchhe’s Kitchen—The Organic Bistro, Baluwatar ™ Surya Lights Rythmn Nites with Akriti and DJ Charlotte, 1 December 8PM onwards at The Atrium, Hotel Yak & Yeti, Rs 999 including a drink and dinner. ™ AWON Christmas Bazaar 2 December, 10AM-5PM at the Hyatt Regency. Entry Rs 100 for adults, Rs 50 for children ™ For Good winter concert by The Kathmandu Chorale, 3.30 PM and 6PM on 9 December at The British School. Admission free. ™ Seven habits of highly effective people 6-8 and 10-12 December, 9.30 AM-5.30 PM at Soaltee Crowne Plaza. 9851036719

MUSIC ™ Ramailo Saanjh with Anil Shahi and Maya Mantra, 1 December, 6.30 PM onwards at Dolma Café, Thamel. 4215069 ™ Paleti featuring Prem Lama, 24 November, 5.30 PM onwards at nepa~laya R sala, Manbhawan. Rs 500, seats limited. 5552839 ™ Live Music with Rashmi Singh and band, 24 November, 7PM onwards at Aboslute! Bar, Pulchok. 5521408 ™ Fourth Anniversary of Moksh Live, with various artists from 8PM onwards, 24 November. 5526212 ™ Open Mic Night at ViaVia Café, Thamel every Friday, 8PM ™ Nekyham Band live at Shambala Garden Café, Shangri-La Hotel, Kathmandu. Wednesdays, 7PM onwards, Rs 600 with barbeque NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL

DINING Starting next week, we can all finally ™ Thanksgiving Traditional Dinner with turkey and pecan pie, get down to our favourite winter 23-25 November at Kilroy’s of Kathmandu. 4250440 KATHMANDU pastime—finding creative excuses to ™ Persian BBQ Night 24 November for Rs 900 at Fusion, the bar at go sit in the warm sun when we should Dwarika’s be doing other things like, say, working. ™ Walk and lunch at Shivapuri Heights Cottage, 25 November and A low pressure system is gathering dry 16 & 23 December. clouds from the polar regions, and the ™ Saturday Barbeque Special at Le Meridien Golf Resort and Spa, dreaded winter fog is becoming common Rs 1200 for adults, Rs 600 for children at the lower reaches of the Himalaya. on Friday nights at Courtyard Restaurant, But after this weekend, the grey days ™ BBQ Special will give way to pleasant bright Kamaladi. 4253056 days. The nights will slowly get colder, ™ Barbeque Ban-Bhoj at Godavari Village Resort, every Saturday and it looks like the dry spell of the and Sunday. 5560675 last three weeks will continue, ™ Pork chops and lamb steaks at Sports Bar, Kamaladi. 4438017 confirming November as the driest ™ Theme Dinners at Shangri-la Hotel. Sunday and Monday Nepali month of the year. thali with cultural show, Rs 700. Friday Bhaktapur Nights with cultural show and Newari cusine, Rs 900. KATHMANDU VALLEY ™ Foodcourt at Bluebird Mall, open 11AM-9PM every day. 4228833 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue ™ Woodfired Pizza at Java’s new extension, Thamel. 4422519 ™ Happy Hour buy one get one free at Lost Horizon Bar, Shangri-La Hotel from 5-7PM every evening. ™ Shaken Not Stirred Martinis 007 style. Wednesdays at Fusion, 24-7 24-7 24-6 23-7 22-7 the bar at Dwarika’s. Rs 555 including tapas platter ™ Charcoalz and Flamin’ Cocktails with live music for Rs 799, Fridays and Saturdays, 7PM at Hotel Yak & Yeti. 4248999 ™ Woodfired Pizzas at Roadhouse Cafe, Thamel, 4262768 and Pulchok. 5521755 g]kfnL GETAWAYS ™ Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge pure relaxation. 4361500 Daily 20.45-21.15 on 102.4 ™ Winter Package three days and two nights at Shangri-La Village Resort, Pokhara. Rs 7499, 4412999. ™ Harmony of the mind, body and soul at Club Oasis, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. 4491234 Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, ™ Yoga Camp at Shivapuri Heights Cottage, 1-3 December. Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal 9841371927 Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 [email protected], For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] www.radiosagarmatha.org HAPPENINGS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 17

SAGAR SHRESTHA LAST OF THE GUNBOATS: Maoist soldiers from the sixth division of the 'People’s Liberation Army’ travel on Wednesday from Ramghat to Dasharathpur, Surkhet, where one of the cantonment sites is located.

MIN BAJRACHARYA ROAD RAGE: Satdobato comes to a standstill all Thursday morning, as irate truck drivers force a blockade to protest a traffic policeman’s 'manhandling’ of a driver.

MIN BAJRACHARYA MOCK-KING: Comedian Manoj Gajurel does an impression of King Gyanendra at a cultural meeting at Khula Manch on Sunday.

DAMBAR K SHRESTHA FILLUM: Following a month of filming in Mustang, (l-r) actor Nima Rumba, producer Bhaskar Dhungana, director Bhushan Dahal, cameraman Bidhur Pande, and actor Saughat Malla speak at a press conference on Tuesday at Shangri-la Hotel about Kagbeni, Nepal's first feature film to use digital techonology.

KIRAN PANDAY ANYTHING FOR BUSINESS: A vessel vendor is far from home along the Khumbu trail on Wednesday. 18 BACKSIDE 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2006 #324 Nectar of revolution

he ass is just a horse with big ears. This is what gives him an www.nepalitimes.com acute sense of hearing and wisdom, over and beyond his rugged good looks. TThat just by introduction to this, the tenth Backside column in this space. The Ass thanks all faithful readers for their time and support as well as for the rotten tomatoes thrown his way. More, throw me more, yum-yum. I would not be where I am today without them. Please, please, please, can all you rumourmongers out there send chitchat to my email below? I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel here. FG Nepal’s designer revolution is now really going places. The Pushpakamal-Baburam show is back from Delhi (from ‘The Forbidden Fruit or the Nectar of Progress’—who is the copy editor at HT, that's what I want to know). The Ass couldn’t help reflecting that the very people who were forcing schoolchildren in Nepal to build bunkers in preparation of an imminent Indian invasion two years ago are now being feted by ex- Indian PMs for conducting a successful revolution. Also, wasn’t it just last year that Indian spooks successfully patched up a serious public rift between Chairman Prachanda and Ideologue-in-chief Laldhoj? Do these ga-ga Indians, who want revolutions only in other people’s countries and not their own, ever read the news? The campaign to force schoolchildren to cantonments is so calculated, deliberate, and nationwide that it could only have come from a command at the highest levels of the Maoist hierarchy, despite what they have been telling Ian. (“It is not part of our policy and we will take strong action against anyone going against it.” Where have we heard that before?) It’s pretty clear the Maoists are blackmailing the people with peace, and the strategy goes something like this: We know you all want peace, and we are the only ones who can give it to you, so you better allow us to take away your children into our PLA otherwise we will go back to war, and if we won’t get our way in the interim parliament and the interim government we’ll go back to war, and if we are not allowed to extort money we will go back to war... To be fair, it is rather embarrassing for the comrades who till recently had been boasting of a 35,000-strong PLA to show up with only 4,400 rank-and-file guerrillas. Not surprised they want to pad their numbers. FG Dahalji in his dapper blazer and Bhattaraiji in a jacket sporting a Nike swoosh knew what the babujis wanted to hear so they made gratuitous references to the ISI (“the Pakistanis wanted to give us money and arms and we refused”). Oh yeah, and I’m a horse. Then the ding-dong duo sucked up to the ex-Naxalite closet pinkos in the India International Centre saying they found them much more sympathetic to Nepal than Kathmandu’s buddhi jeebees. Hee-haw. The donkey’s moles in Delhi tell him this has been the strategy of the intelligence wallas all along: to make Prachanda president so they have a say over Nepal’s hydropower and trade and whatever. The idea is to defang the Nepali Maoists by arm-twisting them into the mainstream and this way sideline an arrogant king, weaken those pesky political parties and cut the Nepal Army down to size. The bonus is that this will delink Nepali Maoist from their Indian comrades. Prachanda’s utterances in Delhi show this is going brilliantly according to plan. Then, I suppose they will do an Indira Gandhi on the Naxalites with scorched earth in Andhra, Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and Bihar. Well, good luck to the big brothers. FG Business as usual for the royal pundits, though, who are still roving the kali temples doing pujas to enlist divine intervention to save the king. He’ll need that with the final verdict of the Rayamajhi (Better Late Than Never) Commission this week.

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