#270 28 October - 3 November 2005 16 pages Rs 30

Weekly Internet Poll # 270 Q... Should the political parties participate in municipal and general elections? Total votes:5,012 Press under pressure The crackdown on Kantipur is to show the regime has teeth but it may have bitten off more than it can chew

Weekly Internet Poll # 271. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com KUNDA DIXIT Indeed, some of the provisions of appear free but the media gag rule statements by officials that Q... Should news be allowed on FM radios the royal decree, such as hangs like a sword over our nowhere in the world is news in Nepal? he persecution of Kantipur restrictions on cross-ownership, a heads.” Indeed, the sword now allowed on FM has made them a this week may have been the code of conduct for journalists and seems to have fallen on Kantipur laughing stock. The media T royal regime’s way of even the ban on news on FM, were FM as punishment for its fiercely ordinance has also severely showing it means business with its tabled by the elected Deuba critical coverage of the February eroded the credibility of the king’s media control decree but it government three years ago. But a First royal takeover by its sister election announcement. z appears to be having the opposite landmark Supreme Court decision newspapers. effect. in 2002 won FM stations the right But the crackdown has united After the heavy-handed to broadcast news. the media like nothing before. Breaking news midnight break-in on Kantipur FM Journalists and civil society Journalists and activists camped The Supreme Court late Thursday last Friday, the government gave members say it’s the sneaky way outside Kantipur FM on Thursday issued a stay order banning any the station a 24-hour ultimatum to the edict was announced on the as the government’s 4:30 PM government action against Kantipur stop broadcasting news. Targeting eve of Dasain and its draconian deadline for the station to stop FM for allegedly violating the new the country’s most powerful media nature that proves the royal broadcasting news neared. It also Media Ordinance. The order says is obviously a message to the rest regime is acting in bad faith. woke up the seven party alliance, officials must hold off until at least to toe the line or else. Senior officials often point to which is still on Dasain Sunday, when the court will hear numerous petitions against the The regime’s credibility was at critical coverage in the papers to hibernation, to announce a protest ordinance. stake. Three weeks after the prove the press is free. shutdown in the Valley on Friday. promulgation of the media But Shiva Gaunle, vice Of all the provisions in the ordinance on 7 October, radio president of the Federation of ordinance, rights activists say it stations throughout the country had Nepali Journalists, says people is the ban on FM radio news that been openly flouting its provisions. shouldn’t be hoodwinked: “It may is the most illogical. Frequent The royal council of ministers was annoyed about the defiance, insiders told us, and wanted to show that the ordinance had teeth. But the crackdown has gone against domestic public opinion and intensified protests from international media watchdogs and governments. Even US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said his government was “deeply disappointed and concerned” about the “the shocking seizure at gunpoint of radio equipment”. State media and pro- establishment op-ed writers have been justifying the crackdowns, saying the government doesn’t want to control the press, only to “regulate yellow journalism”.

ADAPTED FROM WALKLEY 2 EDITORIAL 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editor: Marty Logan Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Vicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh Sayami Advertising: Sambhu Guragain [email protected] Subscription: Pushparaj Sharma [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu Tel: 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 Still silent majority [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 It is silly to deny the person who usurped power NOT IF, BUT WHEN from you the chance to give it back There are only two positive things that could possibly come out of he time has come. The king person and the nation needs the that to happen. A chilling thought the unimaginable horror of the Kashmir earthquake of 8 October. has decided that it was no king to fill that role. So, for the will-not-let-it-happen One is that India and Pakistan see the futility of further conflict in T use ruling without the congratulations Your Majesty, for brigade: where will you be if the that disputed region with nature’s mockery of man-made participation of the people and announcing parliamentary Maoist insurgents decide to join boundaries. Despite easing travel restrictions and allowing phone calls, however, it may have been too much to expect the generals realised that people have moved elections and giving up the ghost the political process and take part on both sides to overcomes decades of hatred that they have on from the time of his father and of the Absolute Monarch. in the elections while you sit on nurtured against each others’ peoples. the first royal takeover of the Without taking much time to the sidelines? Please also The second constructive outcome could be that we in Nepal and democratic process. consider all possibilities we understand that it is just possible elsewhere along the Himalaya learn lessons in disaster already have calls from the that the silent majority may still preparedness, earthquake resistant housing and infrastructure, GUEST COLUMN political parties to boycott the want a benign role for the strict zoning in urban areas, and forward planning for rescue and electoral process, being egged on, monarchy and it may be up to relief. But even here, it is unlikely that the government and people Narayan B Thapa of Nepal have heeded the warning. no less, by the ‘civil society’. It the political parties truly We had our own wake-up call on the afternoon of 15 January seems petulant and silly to deny representing the people to wish 1934 when at least 10,000 people were killed in a few minutes. At It is true that a brake to the the person who usurped power to keep it that way. that time, the population of the Kathmandu Valley may have been downward slide in governance from you the chance to give it The Maoist insurgents have 150,000. Today, it is two million. Even without taking into account was urgent as part of the checks back. As a citizen and voter, my brought in undoubted change in the higher death toll due to unsafe concrete housing, if the same and balances in democracy (and suggestion to the political parties the way people think of proportion of people were killed in the next quake as in 1934 we should have provision for would be to accept the challenge themselves in the backwaters of Kathmandu would suffer at least 200,000 deaths. Historical records show that Central Nepal witnesses a major similar checks in the future). But of the elections because that is Nepal. Most of it is the result of 8 magnitude earthquake every 75 years or so, which would mean to allow all and sundry to have a what political parties do: take terror of course but the remotest another Big One is due any day. But more frightening is the seismic stab at ruling the country was part in periodic elections. and the most deprived areas have gap between Dehradun and Pokhara, where there hasn’t been a totally out of tune with the times. Of course, you should been put on the map, so to speak. major earthquake for at lest 400 years and where there is enough People will appreciate King demand certain conditions for No future political force in this energy stored in the colliding tectonic plates to unleash one of a Gyanendra as someone who will fair elections in the present messy country will be able to ignore their magnitude of 9 or more any day. What that would do to Pokhara, feel the pulse of the country by situation. Off the top of my head plight and that is good. But there Butwal, Nepalganj, Surkhet and Kathmandu would be a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions. continuing to wade amongst the these might include an electoral is nothing to suggest that the We can’t prevent earthquakes, we can’t even predict them. masses, gathering the proven doers government under a neutral non- Maoists will be the ones to serve Earthquakes don’t kill people, weak houses and bad planning do. It in the community around him to political person as prime these people. Communist utopia may be asking too much to expect a government that can’t even brainstorm about the future of minister, a free press, is just that: not achievable, solve minor problems of food supply, health care and education to Nepal, involving himself in the international observers, a strict and especially not by the prepare for a future calamity. But it may just take something like social sector and above all, code of conduct for the security methods adopted. Kashmir to warn us of what is certain to happen in Kathmandu very providing the nation with forces and other desirable One has the distinct soon. It’s not if but when. Even if we can’t save those crushed to death under buildings, inspirational leadership. conditions for people to exercise impression that the Maoist how are we going to rescue those trapped? Have we talked to This is a big role for any their free will. But waiting for the movement has moved as far as it neighbouring countries and foreign end of the festivities to start can go. Since its support is governments for overflight rights for rescue another bout of ‘agitation against obtained by coercion, there is no planes because we have seen in Pakistan regression’ with the help of way it can be sustained any how red tape can delay rescue. What are activists and assorted students, further. Of course, they can we going to do if the Prithibi Highway is with the masses deaf to prolong the misery for Nepal for blocked and the airport runway is damaged? increasingly shrill anti-monarchy years to come. But is that what Nepal is further ahead than most South slogans, whilst rejecting the they want? Asian countries in earthquake awareness offered elections will be I think the time has come work and retrofitting technology. Our playing with the future of the for them to put down their guns experts have gone to Bam in Iran and Nepali people. and take up the advantage of Gujarat to share their knowhow. Patan’s And please stop mistaking their position in a political way. Ward 17 and Kathmandu’s Ward 34 are your activists for the people at The king has offered a way out. models for community preparedness for earthquakes. large with whom you never seem Do they have the courage to All we need to do is replicate these on to be talking, much less listening. take it? z a national scale for a day that will surely To be sure, power has to return to come. the leaders chosen by the people Dr Narayan B Thapa is a and elections are the only way for paediatric surgeon. The end of imagination Nepali professionals are crying out: we can’t take it any longer

rofessionals prefer not to get professionals. They are wary of each other loyal legislature and obedient executive are With a sense of foreboding, involved in political protests. There except in extraordinary situations. The essential ingredients of monarchical professionals have gauged the P are at least five reasons behind their sweeping royal ordinance announced on democracy. ramifications of the gag order far more aversion for agitations. One, they often the eve of Dasain provided such a situation Giri may be on the wrong side of the accurately than the seven-party alliance have a vested interest in preserving the for journalists to forge solidarity with fence but he deserves full marks for shouting slogans in the wilderness. After status quo. Two, even peaceful movements lawyers, engineers, doctors and other political consistency over the past 45 years. all, there is very little professors, lawyers, are bothersome and the over-educated are professionals. The intent, content and He hasn’t wavered an inch from his abiding engineers and doctors can do when the reluctant to disrupt their normal routine. provisions of the media ordinance were so faith in the force of absolute monarchy media and other sections of civil society The third reason is the language of ominous that had professionals remained since his defection from the Nepali are forced to run on empty. Professionals mass demonstrations. The wild neutral they would have been some of its Congress in the 1960s. At least he is not know that sometimes it’s far more efficient sloganeering offends their refined first victims. one of those who spout democratic values to overestimate the odds: if you see sensibilities. Four: engineers, doctors, Perhaps this is the reason why six that they don’t believe in. something vaguely resembling a tiger lawyers, professors, managers and ranking leading professional organisations are at Despite all this, Giri and his cohorts staring at you, you don’t wait to make sure civil the forefront to challenge the order. live in a time warp. A silent rage is before you clamber up the nearest tree. STATE OF THE STATE servants Among all enabling conditions of liberty, simmering just below the façade of Analysing the resistance of Rosa Parks, CK Lal are so press freedom is fundamental because normalcy in the country. Rankings released who died this week at 92, Martin Luther involved only a free media can effectively express last week by Transparency International King wrote in his 1958 book Stride Toward in what they do for a living that there is social grievance and provide a redress and Reporters without Borders show the Freedom, ‘Actually no one can understand very little time to do anything else. And mechanism. That’s the reason direction in which the country is currently the action of Mrs Parks unless he realises last but not least is the instinct of risk- authoritarian rulers fear free media and headed. The Black Ordinance intended to that eventually the cup of endurance runs aversion that makes professionals wary of invariably become press predators. silence dissent is doomed to fail. But what over and the human personality cries out, getting involved in an activity whose A free press and authoritarianism are will follow in its wake will probably be “I can take it no longer”.’ outcome can’t be predicted. So, they prefer inherently incompatible, a point Vice- much harsher because authoritarian Nepal’s professionals seem to have discretion to valour. chairman Tulsi Giri has been stressing from regimes are notoriously unimaginative. made up their minds about the royal Journalists, on the other hand, usually the day of his appointment. A meek media, They tend to silence dissent with ever government. Its outcome is now a foregone prefer not to hobnob with other submissive judiciary, docile civil society, increasing repression. conclusion. z 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 3

LLL ETTERS

DARKNESS TO LIGHT Born in Jhapa and educated in Delhi, I find deaths, vigilante killings and massacres, responses were of horror at the tragedy, Re: your editorial (‘From darkness to Indira Gandhi Airport more convenient than peace was finally brokered between the overwhelming sympathy for the victims light’, # 269). What never ceases to Kathmandu airport due to cheaper fares and guerrillas and the state in the mid-1980s. and amazement at the lack of adequate surprise and sadden me is that despite better connections. Then it’s just a two-hour How did this happen? With United Nations responses from the Pakistani and Indian this unprecedented national crisis none flight to Bagdogra and a two-hour road trip mediation and active support from the governments. But while I tried to think of of the three political forces that all claim to Kakarbhitta. But that’s when things start international communities. There is what I could do for the victims and to be fighting for the people—the Maoists, going wrong. In 2001, I was denied entry absolutely no reason why the same can’t be survivors of the earthquake, I could not politicians and now the king— are doing into Nepal (though I possess a Nepali done in Nepal—it is in a similar stage of help but ask myself this question: What so. The Maoists call for a unilateral passport) because my visa to the US about Nepal? What if the images on the ceasefire, there isn’t even a response from had expired. I had to somehow screen were of this country? As Praful the government. The country is on fire and convince the immigration officer Bidwai explains in his article and as instead of putting it out, the politicians are that whether my US visa was valid seismologists at the University of adding oil to it. And the most or not was not a reason to prevent Colorado (among others) have disheartening part of it is that youth me from entering my own country. repeatedly said, Nepal is in an extremely politicians are being raised in the image Next time I tried to cross the earthquake-sensitive area, on one of the of their mentors. We need a leader who border, Maoists had called a most unstable plates in the world and can at least stand up and say “I will set nationwide vehicle strike. So I had long overdue for a massive earthquake. things right and put Nepal on a path to to cross Mechi Khola on foot to What preparations are being made? prosperity” and actually mean it. I don’t reach Bhadrapur. A few months back Tribhuban International Airport is on a know if we have one now, or if we ever will. while clearing my immigration at sandbank and sand goes through a Prabhakar Shrestha Colorado, USA Delhi Airport, I was looked upon and process of liquefaction during treated like a suspected Maoist. So, earthquakes. Do we have the WAIT even flying home via Delhi and infrastructure to get relief supplies out— At least now people who read your story Kakarbhitta isn’t an easy option. or are the majority of villages in Nepal (‘Step back and wait’, #269) will be Pravesh Saria, email just as or harder to get to than those in prepared for what they have to go conflict, although El Salvador’s violence Kashmir? Farooq Ahmad and Praful through at Tribubhan International Airport. Congratulations to Shradha Ghale on was more vicious. But, some will say, India Bidwai both urge governments and the I happened to make a trip to Nepal last another excellent and insightful piece on will shoot down UN mediation even before it residents of the region to wake up—are summer with a mom and her seven-month- behalf of Nepal’s downtrodden. She lays out can fly. Not necessarily. There is already a they listening? old American son under my care. En route the stark facts of discrimination without softening of the Indian position. Besides, the Kabita Parajuli to Nepal, we found authorities in other rancour, sloganeering or rhetoric making United States which had originally opposed countries very humble and cooperative but her expose of social injustice even more UN mediation in El Salvador, was convinced LETTERS that just disappeared at Tribubhan Airport. powerful. Let’s see more of Ms Ghale in that the good offices of an honest broker was Nepali Times welcomes all feedback. There, the officers were scouting around your pages. needed and that it was more desirable for Letters should be brief and may be edited for and offering favours in exchange for Lina Petersen, email Washington to have a democratic El space. While pseudonyms can be accepted, dollars, which I denied and then waited for Salvador than a dictatorial or totalitarian writers who provide their real names and an hour watching people behind us in the EL SALVADOR one. Maybe New Delhi can take a lesson or contact details will be given preference. queue go ahead of us. CK Lal is right when he enumerates the two from that episode in its dealing with Email letters should be in text format without Madhav Joshi lessons Nepal can learn from the Peruvian Nepal. attachments with ‘letter to the editor’ in the conflict (State of the State, ‘A Peruvian J B Thapa, New Delhi subject line. Loved the piece by Shradha Ghale. parallel’, #268). But perhaps Peru is not the Yes, Kathmandu airport mistreats place to go to learn about how to make ARE WE PREPARED? Email: [email protected] Fax: 977-1-5521013 ordinary Nepalis who don’t know anyone peace: for that we have to go to El I had mixed reactions to your earthquake Mail: Letters, Nepali Times, GPO Box 7251, in the army, police or government but Salvador. After nearly 15 years of an articles (‘Worse to Come’, ‘Lessons of Kathmandu, Nepal. that is not the only entry point to Nepal. intensifying civil war, tens of thousands of Kashmir for Kathmandu’, #269). My initial 4 NATION 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270

DoA leader of thenot rescue teamtake details the searchthe for victimsmountains of the Mt Kang Guru avalanche lightly

LEFT: The unfortunate trekkers’ base camp (circled). ABOVE: The body of the Fench climber was found just to the left of the camp.

party of experienced mountaineers, including myself. But for two days bad weather in Manang delayed us. Finally on PICS: PADAM GHALE 23 October, the skies cleared slightly and a PADAM GHALE in MANANG snowing heavily and the team decided to enough to need ladders and special seven-member team flew to Meta. Three of return to the lower base camp at 4,200m. equipment to climb into. Reportedly, one the four surviving porters were flown to f there is a lesson to be learnt from the The French team was led by 56-year-old of the porters had suggested the camp be Kathmandu while the leader remained avalanche on 20 October at the base of Daniel Stolzenberg, an experienced moved to a safer location downhill but the behind to help with the search. I the 6,800m Mt Kang Guru it is that the mountaineer and a recently retired teacher idea was dismissed. On 24 October we reached the base camp mountains are not be taken lightly no at the l’Ecole Nationale de Ski et The party arrived at the camp around and began looking for survivors but with matter how much experience you have. d’Alpinisme in Chamonix, France. The 4PM, had tea and were just entering their little hope. The next day we resumed our Sadly, it was something that the 22- head of the Nepali team, Iman Singh tents when the avalanche struck, sweeping search at 7AM. At 8.30 AM we discovered member expedition (seven French Gurung, had many years of experience the camp away and burying 18 trekkers. the body of one of the French climbers, nationals and 15 Nepalis) ignored. running the Chure Himal Treks and as Four Nepali porters managed to escape the Syarle Bruno. It was taken downhill and we Eighteen people died as a result. president of the National Guide tide of snow. After the initial shock, they returned to Meta. The next day the body The expedition reached Kang Guru base Association. made their way slowly along the snow- was taken to Meta and then to Chamme, the camp on 19 October. The weather had been The base camp however was in a poor covered trail to the village of Meta, which district headquarters, before being flown to fantastically clear until then and the next location, surrounded by 35-40-degree they reached at 8.30 PM and then relayed Kathmandu. The other 17 bodies have still day the party made it to the advanced base mountain walls right in the middle of an the news of the catastrophe. not been found and we believe they remain camp at 5,700m. This was when the avalanche zone. One hundred metres below The next day the Himalayan Rescue where they were swept into the gorge below weather and their luck changed. It began the camp is a narrow gorge 400m long. Deep Association formed a search and rescue the base camp. The highest note

UK musicians play a gig at Everest Base Camp to raise money for Nepali kids

z Bayldon imagined many with people we met along the water bottles had frozen but once Guinness World Book entry for partners HelpNepal. So far the things before he and way coming up, it was crazy,” they started playing, “it was all the highest gig. tally is 30,000 pounds and Oz O members of the band The Oz, now back in Kathmandu, cool.” More importantly for Oz, hopes that sales of a documentary Hidden travelled to play a gig at told us. Climbing up to Each band member performed chairman of the Nepal Balbalika on the World’s Highest Gig the top of the world—but not Kalapatthar he was concerned one song, some covers some Trust, his fourth trip to Nepal will push the total to 50,000 that nearly 100 people would be about how the cold and lack of original, and then the guides and was another opportunity to raise pounds. on hand to watch them perform oxygen would affect their porters took a turn. The ‘concert’ money for a learning centre and at Everest Base Camp on Oct 17. performance. When they started ended after 30-40 minutes, shelter for homeless children Pictures courtesy: “It became like a pilgrimage setting up at 4.30 AM all the putting the band a step closer to a being built in Dhulikhel with www.worldshighestgig.com BUSINESS 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 5

Laxmi Bank upgraded

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Laxmi Bank has received the approval of the Nepal Rastra Bank to Rights ravaged upgrade its Hattisar office into a full-fledged branch and corporate office. The office of HISEF at Hattisar was converted into a Laxmi Bank office in May 2004 following the merger of the two entities. A lax legal system allowed the government to victimise Laxmi Bank began operation in mid-2002 as a regional bank Kantipur’s owners and those killed at Manipal Hospital headquartered in Birganj. The bank has branches in Pokhara and Banepa and a fifth branch will open in Biratnagar in November 2005. en Nepalis died on the Still, what was disappointing private businesses in the name spot while more were was the absence of Nepal’s of some ill-defined social

Housing development T injured when the roof of various consumer rights groups. welfare. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Manipal Teaching Hospital in They needed to be there, not to Kathmandu’s civil society After its previous success in building community housing Pokhara collapsed onto the play ideologically driven anti- pundits—with their knee-jerk projects, the MS Group has lobby from a height of 70 ft on business blame games but to anti-business mindset—who launched another residential 20 October. The following process the step-by-step lessons failed to shout against Minister community—Sunrise Towers. midnight, government officials of where and how things went Panth’s arbitrary actions against Located at Dhobighat, the complex wrong. Lumbini then, can now use the offers apartments and bungalows at STRICTLY BUSINESS Yes, doing so requires recent Kantipur example as a reasonable prices. Sunrise Towers Ashutosh Tiwari resources and resourcefulness. way to make pro-private includes a grocery store and childcare centre. But such actions ultimately property rights arguments. They forced their way into the ensure that the costs of such can flay the present government NEW PRODUCTS premises of seven-year-old accidents are kept high for the for wielding illegitimate muscle Kantipur FM radio station in offending parties in the future power to make Nepali CEMENT RELEASED: Sri Cements Industries has released international standard Kalash cement in Kathmandu, confiscated and that the affected consumers businesses, and by extension, the Nepali market. Suitable for small and large equipment and shut down the at least begin to see a semblance everyone else, feel insecure to housing and development projects, the cement station’s transmission to eastern of a system for legally funnelling live and work in this country. follows stringent international standards. Kalash Nepal. Different though these their grievances. As things stand, True, it’s tempting to frame, cement is available in high band packing and does incidents are, both provide a since no lessons appear to have as many have done, the not catch moisture easily. In the first phase, the window into understanding the been processed, if a nursing Kantipur incident in terms of cement is available in major cities and will be sorry state of our legal home’s roof were to fall down government squelching the released nationally in the near future. institutions when it comes to tomorrow in Bhaktapur and kill freedom of the press, as though rights associated with running 25 people, we would still have Kantipur were a complete EDUCATION FUND: NIC Bank has introduced private enterprises and the no system in place to deal with it charity organisation. But doing the Education Fund, a unique deposit plan with attendant civil society in a way that respects victims’ so repeatedly only distracts all interest rates as high as five percent per year. Deposits can be made anytime, at any NIC bank. activism in Nepal. rights. As private businesses from the urgency to look at a far Saving accounts can be opened with as little as The Manipal victims were expand across Nepal, we cannot greater right that is actually at Rs 1,000 initial deposit. The account includes a either low-level hospital staff or afford to continue to have a stake: the right to be protected 50 percent discount on travellers’ cheques and bank drafts. visitors from the midwestern mishmash of various one-sided from coercive and arbitrary hinterland. In other words, they compensation processes government actions regardless of NEW HONDA: Hero Honda has released were poor Nepalis, the ones when accidents occur and lives whether you are a business or an Glamour, a 125cc motorcycle with ‘Neo Z’ least likely to know if legal are lost. individual. styling and a three-year warranty. The solutions exist for their woes, The raid at the for-profit Unless Nepal’s civil society Quantum Core engine is said to generate nine and even if they do, how to go radio station was abhorrent. But institutions and private basic horsepower (bhp) and to produce little about obtaining them. conceptually, such an action was businesses find a way to use the noise or vibration, for a low fatigue ride. Price True, in an effort to repair its no different from what Raghuji Manipal and Kantipur incidents starts at Rs 119,000. damaged reputation, the Panth did to Lumbini Overseas to argue for a predictable and EASY SAVINGS: Sanima Development Finance Limited has started hospital, which is a part of a when he was Minister last year process-oriented legal system, a new “easy savings account” that offers interest rates as high as South Asia-wide chain, swung (Strictly Business, #227). In both theirs remains a fight for vague five percent with an initial deposit as low as Rs 1,000. The account is into a quick public relations cases, those in power were sure of goals on multiple fronts against flexible about the number of deposits and withdrawals that can be exercise. But its one-sided offer their rightness and felt free to a government that refuses to see made. Promoted by non-resident Nepalis, Sanima’s banking counter of a pot of money to all victims flout the due legal process, that its bullying only creates is open till 6.30 PM. added up to something less than disrespect property rights and ripples that hurt those in the total cost of the roof itself. take arbitrary actions against Nepal all the more. z “How long can we go on ?” The coordinator of the citizen’s movement says a constituent assembly should be the next step

The minimum demand that I think we’ll end up making is the minorities, of linguistic groups, about the Hindu state and holding of a constituent assembly, which will hopefully lead us the total lack of any provision for local autonomy. These to a republic. In this day and age how can we have a regime will not be addressed by a king who wants to centralise when a head of a government cannot be put to public scrutiny all the power in the royal palace. in any way? This one point alone should illustrate why people who think logically are moving away from the monarchy. The king appears to be setting his own agenda despite pressure from within and outside Nepal. Has the Have you considered that the majority of Nepalis might be international community done enough to help restore willing to give up multiparty democracy temporarily for multiparty democracy? MIN BAJRACHARYA peace and stability? My dread is that the international community may back off, A former bureaucrat in the Panchayat era and finance I’m not saying that the majority of Nepali people will come out saying ‘we can’t go on like this, let’s have some sort of minister in the interim cabinet that ushered in Nepal’s on the street tomorrow in support of democracy. What I am understanding with the king’. My plea to the international “democratic spring”, Devendra Raj Panday is now saying is that the more politically aware among them must community has always been—you don’t need to go coordinator of the Citizen’s Movement for Democracy and already be seeing things for what they are. Dictators have a way forward (but) please don’t go backward…Going forward is Peace fighting against the king’s rule. He told Nepali of winning the hearts of the common people. They do so our responsibility. We can’t expect the US, the UK and Times that support for the CMDP has been stronger than through certain social-economic programs or by showing some India to return democracy for us, we need to do that expected. degree of technical efficiency in government …because they ourselves. can do away with all the wrangling and fighting of the political Nepali Times: Although the Citizen’s Movement has parties. This regime has done nothing of that sort. So I do not What do you think is going to happen in coming months? attracted enthusiastic crowds to its events, we haven’t see any reason why any person would say ‘all right, why don’t we Our hope is that now that the citizen’s movement has seen tens or hundreds of thousands of people on the give this king a chance’. established itself, in a loose way…If the political parties streets. Has the movement been successful? were to make up their minds about the goals they want to The Citizen’s Movement has exceeded our expectations in The way you describe it, it sounds like confrontation is reach and about their position vis-à-vis the king in such a almost all cases. We started at a point in time when we inevitable? way that the citizens would be inspired to join them, then thought we’d waited too long for the parties to come to the How long can any country go on like this, in circles? You know they and the citizens movement would join together and front. The seven-party agitation was there but it hadn’t we started this thing in 1951 when we had the first revolution, as become a national movement. At that time we should be really caught fire. We were waiting and waiting and finally we we call it…Even going back to 1990 is not acceptable to able to see the kind of crowd you would expect, that could said ‘All right, we’ll go to the streets ourselves’. people like me. I was responsible, legally, for this constitution topple the king...But if the king were to become a because I was in the interim cabinet…Right from that time constitutional monarch in the real sense—for example pay Do you think there is any hope for reconciliation with there have been demands about issues that the constitution his taxes—that would be the kind of ruler that I think that the king? originally did not address. These have to do with the rights of not many people would object to. 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270

Flouting the law anarchy. Today, the national grid and distributing it

○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○ responsibility of preventing our to local communities. More than Editorial in Kantipur, society from reaching that point 70 other groups are working to do Holiday greetings 27 October lies with our judicial system, the same. Investors have indeed particularly the Supreme Court, emerged winners but not so Interview with chief election commissioner Keshavraj Rajbhandari The government showed direct which has been assigned electricity buyers–the people of in Nepal, 23 October contempt of the judicial system guardianship of the one of the poorest countries in by refusing to delay a week for constitution. In today’s the world pay perhaps the most What is the status of preparations for the elections? the media case awaiting situation, it will be up to the expensive power tariff. Why this We have done all the preparations. We have also invited political consideration at the Supreme Court to decide if it can stop irony? Experts like Dixit blame it parties to hold discussions on the preparation of the code of conduct. Court. Instead, it went ahead this government-led anarchy. on big hydro projects built with But the political parties have boycotted the polls. and threatened to close Kantipur foreign loans. “The small type projects built by Nepali investors

How can you hold elections when so many FM . It refused to listen to what See the light ○○○○○○○○ parties say they won’t participate? the station’s officials had to say, ○○○○○○○○ cost $1,500 per kilowatt while the We had invited 59 parties and 34 were adding that if they could not BBC Nepali Service, 16 October likes of Kali Gandaki (144MW) present. We don’t care about the parties who come up with a valid reason cost $2,500 per kilowatt.” Yet didn’t respond to our call. why they shouldn’t be closed At a time when almost all high prices are not the immediate within 24 hours, their development works have come to challenge for the power sector. Big parties like the Nepali Congress and permission to transmit would be a standstill due to the ongoing The country now has an installed UML are saying they will boycott the polls. taken away. This proves the conflict and political instability, capacity of 600MW, which is How can these parties that claim to abide by government’s bad intentions a few positive sectors stand out. increasingly slowly while the the present constitution say they will boycott when it comes to independent Experts say hydropower is one annual demand is rising at a rate the elections? Nepali media. It also shows that such area, having recorded of around 10 percent. In effect, load shedding appears inevitable. But the same constitution does not have any the government, which is steady growth and withstood provision for the king to hold elections. responsible for regulating and many difficulties over the years. So thinks water expert Santa It is not the government that holds the also abiding by national law, is But they sound a note of Bahadur Pun, who once headed elections. It is the Election Commission that ignoring the constitutional caution: If the political chaos the NEA. “If the situation is not conducts and controls the elections. The rights of the people and making and apathy persists, the sector tackled urgently, I can foresee that government only maintains law and order a mockery of our justice system. that has lit so many houses may Nepal will have to resort to load and provides the necessary manpower and The Supreme Court had already itself be shrouded in darkness. shedding in the next two years.” budget. MIN BAJRACHARYA issued an interim order about Water resources expert Ajay Dixit That could mean Nepal will be in FM news broadcasts. It reasoned believes the power purchase dire need of big hydropower Why were the election dates announced just when the Dasain that if it allowed the banning of policy paved the way for recent projects fast. But most such holidays began? news broadcasts via FM it would development of the sector. projects are either designed to That was the Election Commission’s Dasain greeting to all the export power to India or are on parties. ‘irreparably violate the right of “Because of the small move, the people to be informed’. In nearly Rs 3.5 million has already the drawing tables of Indian When former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba spoke of elections, addition, the court asked the been spent in the power sector developers. The problem is that you said that you would need six months to prepare. How can you government to wait to issue any and another almost two million the Indian government does not say you are already prepared for these elections? charges until the case was is being chipped in now.” The appear to be in a mood for doing That was the time we needed then. It is quite natural to take time for finalised. Ignoring this order, policy has indeed proven to be a business anytime soon given the such work. This time, the king had already instructed the commission to the government issued the new boon for independent power critical position it has adopted hold elections back on 14 April. ordinance. The government has producers. For instance, Nepal against the February First royal often lied and held the public’s Electricity Authority, which move. Is there no way out? Pun personal independence and controls the national power grid, believes we need to do something human rights in contempt. In earns Rs 12 billion and thanks to on our own for the growing the FM news case, it has put the power purchase policy, Nepali market. Dixit stresses that itself above the Supreme Court independent power producers Nepal’s small-scale successes in and national law. The get nearly half of that. Slowly recent years could help rope in government often talks about the the country has also been Indian investors. “The creativity rule of law but ignores the developing homegrown that we demonstrated in the last constitution, law and the justice expertise. To date 12 community few years can also be replicated in system. This habit of groups are buying power at our bilateral dealings with India,” disregarding the law promotes wholesale rates from the he added.

Employment Opportunity in Himalmedia

Himalmedia Private Limited, a leading Nepali media company that publishes three premium periodicals: Himal Khabarpatrika, Nepali Times and Wave calls application for following posts Brand Manager - 1 He/she should be a graduate preferably in business administration with at least 2 years of experience in relevant field. He/she should have excellent communication skills with aptitude for brand management. Marketing Officers - 10 Hammer: Media Control Ordinance He/she should be a graduate preferably in commerce with (1-2 years) of Bed: Press experience in marketing of any products/services. He/she should have The eyes are still left, hit him! excellent communication skills with flair for marketing. Samaya, 27 October Sales Assistant - 20 He/she should be SLC pass. Preference will be given to people having street smartness and exposure to sales concept. QUOTE OF THE WEEK Interested candidates are requested to apply with CV clearly stating the post being applied for to follow address no later than November 18, 2005. Given both the failure of the king to reach out to the political parties to discuss the elections with

“ them and the announcement of new media restrictions, Nepalis and the international community Human Resource Department, Himalmedia, alike worry that the king is less interested in conducting“ free and fair elections than in elections GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal OR E-mail: [email protected] intentionally designed to validate his continued rule. (mention job being applied to in subject line) - US Ambassador James F Moriarty to journalists in Butwal, 26 October Dalit, Janjati and woman are highly encouraged to apply

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 7 Media ordinance (excerpts)

Ordinance Amending some Acts Related to the Media, destructive activities” foreign person or” contained in Section 9 (1) are omitted. Preamble: Whereas it is expedient to amend some Acts c. Clauses (b) and (e) have been omitted. (5) Following Section 11(a) has been added after Section related to the media; and As there is no session of 4. In Section 27, the words “fine up to Rs 10,000.00” have 11. ‘11(a)’: Not to broadcast programs from another place parliament at present; been replaced with “fine up to Rs 100,000.00” without permission: Any broadcasting institution shall not Be this ordinance enacted by His Majesty King Gyanendra 5. In Section 28, the words “fine up to Rs 5,000.00” have broadcast its program simultaneously from other than one Bir Bikram Shah Dev in accordance with Article 72 of the been replaced with “fine up to 50,000.00” place without obtaining permission from His Majesty’s Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990. 6. In Section 29, the words “fine up to Rs 5,000.00” have Government. been replaced with “fine up to 50,000.00” 1. Short Title and Commencement 7. In Section 30, the words “fine up to Rs 5,000.00” have 4. Section 15 has been replaced with the following Section This ordinance is named ‘Ordinance amending some Acts been replaced with “fine up to 50,000.00” 15. related to the Media, 2005’. (15) Shall not Broadcast: No one shall broadcast any This ordinance shall come into force immediately. Amendment in Press Council Act, 2048 materials containing the following matters: In Clause (d) of SubSection (2) of Section (12) of Press a. Subject matters with negative effects on political parties Amendment to the Radio Act 2014: council Act, 2048, the words “or his Press Representative b. offensive matters Proviso of Section 3 of the Radio Act 2014 has been Certificate or Temporary Press Representative Certificate c. any matters whose objective is to instigate revolt against replaced with the following proviso, shall be cancelled” have been added after “complete government by using violence ‘but any person obtaining a license for operating prohibition”. d. any matters creating unreasonable horror and terror in telecommunication services in accordance with the public Telecommunication Act 2053 or any customer utilising Amendment in National Broadcasting Act 2049 e. any matters that misinterpret, dishonour, humiliate or telecommunication services through that licensed person; The following amendments have been made in National dominate any caste, ethnicity, religion or culture. or any person or organised institution with permission or Broadcasting Act 2049: f. any matters that discriminate, dishonour, humiliate or license in accordance with National Broadcasting Act 2049 1. the words “or Television” have been omitted from Clause dominate any caste on the basis of their area of habitat. for broadcasting any program through satellite, cable or any (c) of Section (2) g. any matters against the non-aligned foreign policy other means; establishing frequency modulation 2. the words “news-based programs” have been replaced of Nepal. broadcasting system for broadcasting educational, with “informative programs” in Section (5) and the following h. any matters or material prohibited for publication entertainment and informative programs; establishing explanation has been added. pursuant to existing laws. satellite station for program broadcasting, or customers 5. In SubSection (2) of Section 17 the words “fine up to utilising broadcast services through a licensed person or Explanation: For this Section “informative programs” Rs 10,000.00 “ have been replaced with “fine up to institution is not required to obtain a license in accordance denotes any programs on health, education, population, Rs 100,000.00”. with this Act for installing, using or making environment, weather, road transportation or related to telecommunication or radio broadcasting equipments.’ any development activities with Amendment to Defamation Act, 2016: an objective of promoting Of the Defamation Act, 2016- Amendment to National News Agency Act, 2019: information and public 1. In Section 3, the words “if published” have National News Agency Act has been amended as follows: awareness. been replaced with “If published or broadcast”. SubSection ‘5(a)’ has been added after SubSection 5 of 3. Section 6(a) has been added 2. Section 5 is replaced with the following Section 30 as follows. after Section (6), as follows: Section 5: 5(a): Anyone collecting or disseminating news violating Punishment for defamation or defamatory Section 32 shall be fined up to Rs 500,000.00 6(a): (1) Notwithstanding anything broadcasting or publication: SubSection 2 of Section 32 has been replaced with the written in this Act or elsewhere in (1) Anyone defaming any other person shall following: existing laws, any person or be liable for a fine up to (2) News agencies pursuant to SubSection (1) can organisation will not be provided a Rs 50,000.00 and imprisonment of up to one disseminate their news throughout the kingdom of Nepal license or certificate of radio, year. obtaining permission from His Majesty’s Government. television and publication either at (2) Notwithstanding anything contained in Provided that, there is no need to obtain permission from once or time by time. Sub-Section (1) anyone broadcasting or His Majesty’s Government for disseminating news to an (2) Notwithstanding anything written publishing any defamatory matter through Agency. in this Act or elsewhere in existing any electronic or other means of mass laws, if any person or organisation communication deliberately or with Amendment in Press and Publication Act 2048 has obtained a license or certificate reasonable cause to believe the occurrence Press and Publication Act 2048 has been amended as of radio, television and publication of defamation shall be fined Rs 100,000.00 follows: prior to commencement of this to Rs 500,000.00 or up to 2 years In Section 14 Section, such person or organisation imprisonment or both.” 1. The words “His Majesty’s” in clause ‘a’ has been has to opt for any two among radio, television and 3. In Section 6, the words “printed or inscribed” have been replaced with “His Majesty’s and members of the royal publication within a year from the commencement of this replaced with “published or broadcast” and the words “fine family” Section and the remaining third should be managed, up to 2. The following has been added after Clause (c) broadcast or published by a separate person, institution or Rs 100.00” have been replaced with the words “fine up to c(i): ‘discouraging acts that are deemed criminal as per management. Rs 50,000.00”. existing laws’ (3) His Majesty’s Government shall revoke the license of a a. The words “fine from Rs 100.00 to Rs 500.00” have been 3. In SubSection (1) of Section 16 radio or television broadcasting if any person or replaced with “fine up to Rs 50,000.00”. a. the words “anything prohibited for publication pursuant to organisation with a license or certificate for radio, television b. The words “fine from Rs 100.00 to Rs 500.00” have been Section 14 and 15, news, information or any material, or” or publication does not opt for any two or does not make replaced with “fine up to Rs 50,000.00”. have been added arrangements for a separate person, organisation or c. The words “fine from Rs 500.00 to 5,000.00” have been b. Clause (d) has been replaced with the following Clause management for the broadcasting or publication within the replaced with “fine up to Rs 50,000.00” and “fine from (d) duration pursuant to SubSection (2). Rs 100.00 to Rs 1,000.00” is replaced with “fine up to (d): “Promoting or assisting Terrorist, terrorism and (4) The words “institutions or joint venture with domestic or Rs 100,000.00”. 8 MUSIC

Groove Suppa Solid, a Jazz trio from Norway in performance

JAZZING UP THE JAZZMAND

azz seems to be the new rock n roll in Kathmandu. years of age. The event will be judged by visiting Nabin Chettri With popular bands such as 1974 AD also international musicians and the winning band will of Cadenza. J dabbling in jazz, the genre is all poised to set the perform at Gorkarna alongside some of the top Valley afire with its soulful and foot tapping beats. performers featured at the festival. Band members will Jazzmandu was started in 2002 by a group of also have an intensive workshop with the musicians. enthusiastic young musicians who decided it was time to Friday, 4 November, 4PM, Yala Maya Kendra- Patan explore the intricacies of this style of music and put Dhoka, Rs 75. Kathmandu on the global jazz map. The festival has received an overwhelming response over the past few years, 2. Valley Jams with last year’s audience reportedly totalling more than Jazz for the Next Generation takes place in the afternoon 10,000 people. and for all you jazz enthusiasts who just can’t get enough, Jazzmandu aims not only to explore jazz and encourage Valley Jams will be the evening entertainment during young musicians but also to promote Kathmandu as an Jazzmandu. It will feature various artistes performing at international tourist destination that offers an assortment different venues around the valley simultaneously. Friday, of entertainment besides trekking. This year’s scheduled 4 November, 7.30 PM onwards, Lasoon (Jawlakel), Latin programs follow: Quarter (Babar Mahal Revisited), Jatra (Thamel), Rs 200.

1. Jazz for the 3. Jazz Bazaar jazz music performed by international and Nepali Next Generation The Jazz Bazaar at Gorkarna Forest Golf Resort is musicians. Featured this year are Solid, a band from Organised in collaboration with WAVE magazine, this is Jazzmandu’s biggest event and usually the most popular Norway whose numbers vary from hard swinging jazz to a music competition for Nepali musicians under 24 as well. It features a blend of cultural folk, classical and more open and subtle soundscapes. Bombay’s Groove Suppa will play a mix of rock, jazz, funk, blues and other styles. Our own Cadenza will feature a mix of international musicians including Mariano on alto saxophone and flute (Spain), Mort, electric guitar (US) and Bastian, keyboard (Switzerland) performing Afro-funk, ‘Nepjazz’ and fusion. The winner of Jazz for the Next Generation will also perform along with Gandharva playing Nepali folk music and Sukarma with classical Nepali music. Saturday, 5 November, 4PM onwards, Rs 599 with a discount of Rs 100 before 30 October, Gokarna Forest Golf Resort. No outside food and beverages or pets allowed. Free shuttle bus available every hour from 2PM. A variety of food & drinks, jazz T-shirts and souvenirs will be on sale.

4. Red Hot Latin Jazz If you thought jazz was just about lounging and listening, think again. This promises to be an evening filled with Afro- Caribbean and South American rhythms. Some of the best musicians of Jazzmandu will come together to keep you moving and grooving on the dance floor to the sounds of Latin jazz, merengue and cha- cha. Monday, 7 November, 7.30 PM onwards, Hotel Yak & Yeti, Rs 1299, including food and a complimentary drink.

5. Free Jazz at Patan Square A free show organised by Jazzmandu to bring together people from all walks of life and designed especially to promote jazz among those who usually can not afford tickets. Tuesday, 8 November, 3.30 PM to 5PM, Patan Durbar Square.

6. Jazz at Patan If you do not get enough music at the free show on 8 November then you can always come back for more the next day. This promises to be a unique evening in an historic venue with international musicians combined with Nepali classical musicians and premiere jazz band Cadenza. Wednesday, 9 November, 6.30 PM onwards, Patan Museum David and carmen, the duo from canada Square, Rs 999. 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 9

Rabin Lal Shrestha, Santosh Groove Suppa from Bombay Bhakta and Suresh Rajbhandari– the classical musicians due to perform at Jazzmandu

Mariano saxing it up VALLEY- DU 2005 7. Jazz for School Students not only created a name for itself but also helped to In collaboration with SEBS (Society for establish many musicians in Nepal’s music scene. ex-Budhanilkantha Students) this event specially Jamming at Upstairs has been a tradition since the place designed for school students is by invitation only. opened so it seems appropriate that it would be included Aiming to expose students to the joys of jazz, it will also in Jazzmandu. Thursday, 10 November, Upstairs Jazz Bar, promote interaction between musicians and students. 7.30 PM onwards. Featured bands are David and Carmen from Canada, Soul Mate from Shillong, Cadenza and Solid from Norway. 10. Jazzmandu Thursday, 10 November, Budhanilkantha School, 1PM to Peace Parade 3PM. Geared to promote jazz and peace in a single event, the parade will follow the Lajimpat road in a carnivalesque 8. Supper Club - atmosphere, with vintage bikes, cars, jazz musicians, The Best of Jazzmandu Maruni dancers, Lakhe dancers, folk Dancers and marriage For all those who were unable to attend the earlier events bands, all spreading the message of “Music for Peace”. or would just like to taste the flavour of Jazzmandu with Saturday 12 November, 1PM to some fine dining thrown in, this is the perfect event. 2 PM, Lajimpat. Featured bands are David and Carmen from Canada, Soul Mate from Shillong, Cadenza from Kathmandu and Solid 11. Jazzmandu All-Star Fever from Norway. Friday, 11 November, 7.30 PM onwards, The grand finale of Jazzmandu. All the musicians from the Vocalist of soulmate from Hotel Shangri-la, Rs 1499 including dinner and a various bands will perform together to create an shilling belting out a tune complimentary drink. atmosphere of music and friendship. It will be a mix of grooved and pumped music to dance the night away and 9.Upstairs Jam dream of next year’s festival. Saturday, 12 November, 7.30 Upstairs is all about jazz. The best jazz bar in town, it has onwards, Hotel Summit, Rs 699.

The Music of Surprise

NEAL SELLARS funerals and street parades. Then it went “up the river”, the Mississippi, to cities like Kansas City and Chicago and hat is jazz? Good question! Louis Armstrong spread far and wide, including to Europe. W said if you had to explain it to someone, they Jazz was usually played in sleazy joints like just didn’t get it, just didn’t dig it, in Satchmo-speak. Jazz bordellos and speakeasies. Vocalist Blossom Deane told journalist Whitney Balliet, oft-quoted, called jazz “the her club audience that she didn’t tell her mother she was music of surprise”. It’s been called America’s art form and singing there. “She thinks I’m in jail!” America’s gift to the music world. But no more. Jazz, though still not well paid, has David and Carmen Jazz comes in many styles and has many labels–trad, come of age. It’s now recognised as a genuine, Dixieland, mainstream, bop, modern, avant-garde, fusion, sophisticated art form, as simple and yet as complex as funk, acid, Latin, you name it. Everyone else does. music by Bach or Beethoven. Jazz fans often love Bach It originated as a blend of European and black and if he came back today, I’m sure he’d love jazz. American music and evolved from there, drawing inputs Popular music feeds off jazz and jazz feeds off from many sources. It’s not much more than a century old. popular music. Many of the good songs, the best popular The essence of jazz is improvisation, usually within a numbers, become jazz “standards”. Jazz musicians not written framework. But it’s also about emotion, a feeling, only play music, they play with music—change it, like you “feel” a blues number when you hear one. improvise it, kick it around in a group. There are books written about how jazz started in New How do you get to like jazz, to learn about jazz? Orleans, with black musicians in brass bands playing at Listen, if possible, to live jazz. It’s fascinating and exciting to see and hear top jazz being created and played in front of your eyes and ears. You may find you like the simple, toe-tapping trad or Dixieland. You may like the more sophisticated modern jazz such as bop (the revolution led by saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker, considered by many to be the next jazz genius after Louis Armstrong). You may like fusion, which developed after the arrival of electronic instruments on the rock scene in the 1960s. Most people like swing, as played by the big bands like Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller around World War II. Or, if you’re lucky, you may like it all!

Neal Sellars is founding co-ordinator of the 4ttt Palmer Street Jazz Festival in Townsville, North Queensland, Australia. 10 REVIEW 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 November Sky Mars and meteor showers

Dear Stargazers! Hope you had a wonderful Dasain holiday with lots of stargazing. Some of you also might have observed partial eclipses of the Sun (3 October) and Moon (17 October). During these events, astrologers worldwide were busy forecasting the fates/futures of people and many in Nepal were fearful to observe even the Moon’s eclipse. Remember: the Zodiac, planets or eclipses do not determine your future. Your future depends on YOU—what you do and what you learn. November is generally called the month of the Pleiades (Kritika) because this most famous of star clusters adorns the November night sky from dusk till dawn. The Pleiades star cluster—sometimes referred to as the Seven Sisters—is a misty-looking dipper-shaped formation of six stars that marks the shoulder of the constellation Taurus, the Bull. The Great Summer Triangle, made of the three bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair, is also pretty obvious. Soon after sunset you can find the Great Summer Triangle directly overhead. Low on the southwest horizon STAR GAZING immediately after sunset is a large Kedar Sharma beautiful constellation called Google Earth’s satellite view of New York’s Central Park Badu Scorpius, a giant scorpion with a complicated curved tail. The most obvious feature in Scorpius is the bright red star Antares in the scorpion’s “heart”. Behind Scorpius, just to the west, is another easy constellation, Sagittarius. This is supposed to be an archer but it looks like a teapot. However, the major celestial event for November is the close approach (30 October) and opposition (7 November) of the red planet Mars. Opposition refers to the period when a planet is opposite the Sun in the sky, with Earth Google eyes between the two. At a brilliant magnitude of -2.3, Mars rises at sunset, is out all night and is quite high at midnight in Aries. The nearly full Moon joins Mars on the 14 November. The famous internet search engine now lets you The possibility of the red planet having once sustained life has been the subject of endless speculation. Currently, spacecrafts are circling the frigid and spy on your friend halfway round the world arid surface of Mars taking detailed images and searching for hidden water, while NASA’s two robot explorers range over it. JIGME GATON to go trekking free of knee pain Fun and games abound. Venus achieves greatest elongation on 3 November but its 47-degree solar I highly recommend this free separation is wasted since it’s south of the ecliptic and not very high. Still, and blisters. Zoom the route from or the Nepali couch potato Kathmandu to Muktinath program to all in the kingdom watch it closely when it meets the Moon on the 5 November. who have a high-speed internet By a strange coincidence, both Mercury and Venus are at their greatest who prefers shopping at without a permit and 15 roadside elongation east positions on 4 November. Mercury will be seen about a hand F KhukuriPalace.com instead security checks. And for the connection. Educators and span below Venus, in the twilight sky above the west-south-western horizon. of walking down to his or her shoppers in us all, each of the tourism professionals alike will Also, the thin crescent Moon will be seen between these two planets. Just find this program useful. Even below the Moon’s southern limb the red giant star Antares will be visible. local Gurkha shop, the new tool globe’s major cities is from internet search engine Google catalogued—with details though the US programmers at Google cannot spell Kathmandu, November’s sky will appeal for online travelling, ranging from Armani boutiques shopping, and plain old- to Seven Elevens—with the virtual tour guides in the West fashioned voyeurism. Google exception of Kathmandu can highlight must-see sites in Earth provides the most efficient and Butwal. Nepal for those planning a visit. way to travel the globe and even The satellites that provide the Teachers can demonstrate meet other travelling couch images Google Earth uses rarely geography while students think potatoes without ever stepping fly over our small kingdom, they are playing a video game. I outside the house. insignificant as it is in global have personally corrected the At first glance, this new military and commercial matters, location and spelling of the software looks like a collection of so the imagery is not updated or Pashupatinath Temple, which satellite images of Mother Earth connected to the world’s global was marked as a momo shop mated with a video game interface addressing system that has been somewhere west of New yet after a few minutes of using online for years. (Heck, I don’t Baneswor! And here’s a challenge this free program, you realise it even have an address, do you?). for a die-hard geography buff: use goes far beyond watching TV or So you won’t see a dot on the the Keyhole forum to correct all playing a video game. Most of us map labelled Bhat Bhatini the spelling mistakes of Nepali are familiar with the technology Supermarket anytime soon— place names–too numerous to on view in any HollyBollywood although by becoming a member mention. spy-dance-thriller, where the spy of the Keyhole community, an If you’re interested in Google apparatus zooms in from outer online chat forum located within Earth, you better download and try it out soon. Many countries Saturn is the brightest object in Cancer. Rising before 11PM at mid-month, space on the evil person or vehicle Google Earth, you can place it floats alongside the Moon on the 21 November. Jupiter rises about half an on the ground. points on a map or leave “posts” around the globe are beginning to hour before sunrise so it is difficult (but not impossible) to see in the predawn Thanks to Google Earth, you about anything you see. protest this US corporate sky on the first morning of the month. However, Jupiter rises earlier and earlier experiment (to give anyone online each morning so that by the end of the month it rises more than two hours too can zoom in on the backyard of You do have to download your sathi in the US and see if about 15 megabytes to your cyber worldwide access to recent before the Sun and can be seen as a bright object along the “edge” of Virgo satellite imagery using a and Libra. they do indeed have that new terminal or home PC to be able to Uranus is in the centre of Aquarius but it is at the limits of naked eye Land Cruiser they’ve been boasting connect to Keyhole. But once sophisticated searching scheme visibility (6.0 magnitude). Neptune is in the centre of Capricornus but its low about. In short, Google Earth is that’s done, you can chat with that your seven-year-old daughter magnitude (8.0) makes it impossible to see without optical aid and detailed could figure out). Or maybe those maps. Pluto is in “Eastern” Serpentis (east of Ophiuchus) but at a magnitude of just what it says: a three- other Googlers who are busy dimensional interface to the Earth. exploring the intimate details of Googlers are looking for nuke 14, it is well beyond the sight of all but the best telescopes. sites and the whereabouts of Meteor Showers: The Taurids meteor shower reaches its peak on 3 This, by the way, has upset the the globe or spotting possible z November but you’ll see less than 10 meteors an hour, not very impressive. Government of India to no end UFOs. You could ask fellow al-Qaeda? These meteors are the “offspring” of Comet Encke—a frequent short-period after it found that the Pakistani Keyholers: Is that an Alien Crop Check out Google Earth at http:// comet well known to the comet-hunting fraternity. government was Googling India’s Marking or an Army Radio earth.google.com The Leonids should be more interesting. This meteor shower is caused by Jigme Gaton is a cartoonist for the the remains of the comet Tempel-Tuttle. The Leonids last only a few days, missile sites! Of course, a better tower? Where is the world’s Nepali Times (see City page) and starting around 15 November, peaking on the 17th and tailing off by the 19th. z use of this new educational tool largest parking lot? Did my frequent contributor to this paper on cum online video game, would be brother really put in a new pool? issues of technology and culture.

cgzf;g' / gltstfljxLg} JolQm / ;dfh cGttfuTjf] ktg eP/ hfG5g \ . To;}n] /fli6«o hLjgsf x/s] cfofdx¿df pbfx/0fLo cgzf;g' / gltstf} sfod ugk5'{ { . / To;sf ] ;?cft' cfkmaf6}+ u/f }+ . >L % sf ] ;/sf/ ;"rgf tyf ;~rf/ dGqfno ;"rgf ljefu NATION 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 11 Nepal’s war widows see red Red is no longer just the colour of revolution, it also a symbol of women’s empowerment

MANISHA ARYAL double trauma of grief and social stigmatisation. Their presence in he news item tucked away religious ceremonies is considered inside a Nepali daily inauspicious, they are hounded T newspaper was indifferent out of their homes, denied access and unmemorable: ‘Suspected to land, property and children Maoist Rudra Chapagain, alias and their assets are often seized by Ramesh, was shot dead by the those closest to them. As young security forces in Baneswor…’ women without protection, they But that death wiped out are also targets of social isolation, everything in the life of economic discrimination, Chapagain’s 25-year-old widow, psychological trauma, sexual Debi. With her husband gone, she violence and crimes like lost not just her right to wear her trafficking and forced wedding beads, glass bangles, tika prostitution. and clothes in different shades of Despite ratifications to the red but also her social status, Convention on the Elimination of economic security and legal All Forms of Discrimination EKAL SILWAL protection. against Women, the consensus on Born into a bahun family from that her misfortune was of her themselves are living in a rented the Beijing Platform for Action Hindu women, dress in shades Bhojpur, she came to Kathmandu own making so she decided to room in Itahari,” she says. and governments’ endorsement of (and combinations) of blue, eight years ago to go to school. turn to her husband’s brothers, Rights activists estimate that the UN Security Council’s yellow, black and white to Here, she met a fellow villager, had both assistant sub inspectors in there are over 15,000 widows like Resolution 1325 on women, peace indicate they have lost their an inter-caste marriage against her the Nepal Police. Her oldest Debi, each an individual tragedy and security, conflict widows husbands. Colour coding invites parents’ wishes and had a son by brother-in-law invited her to stay and most being ostracised. A continue to suffer in the face of unwanted attention, him. He was a karate instructor with his family but she had to recent study by the group government inaction. discrimination, abuse, violence who dreamt of launching a leave within a fortnight as his Women for Human Rights The Nepali state has and isolation. Last year activists martial arts training institute in wife made it clear that Debi was counted 7,000 widows in 100 acknowledged its responsibilities launched a movement to reclaim Kathmandu. too attractive to be welcome in her VDCs of the 23 districts most towards widows of conflict by the colour red for these women. It Dressed in a drab black and house. She then went to stay with affected by conflict. Of these, making available a one-time has spread like wildfire from Dang white salwar kamij, with no make- her second brother-in-law. Debi two-thirds were younger than 30, compensation package ( Rs to Ilam and is empowering women up on her face, Debi breaks down was just settling in with his a third were illiterate and only 750,000 for widows of members of to think of their lives as as she recalls the pain she has family when he was killed in two percent had college security forces and up to Rs meaningful and productive. lived through in the last six action three weeks later during a education. 200,000 for widows of civilians “What we really need, however, months. “He had loaned three or firefight with Maoists in Siraha. Worldwide, men make up the killed in conflict) and a monthly is a social security scheme for four lakhs to various friend,” she With nowhere else to go, Debi bulk of the fighting forces of stipend of Rs 150. Both require these young women,” says Lily recalls. “When he left our rented and her six-year-old son now militias and armies but it is women to register with their Thapa of Women for Human apartment that morning, he said share an apartment with her women who form the majority VDCs. But “Maoist” and “civilian” Rights. Other actions that would someone had promised to return brother’s family. She can’t go back displaced by war. In the absence widows often don’t have the help: a safe place to recover from the money owed him.” That to her husband’s house in of men, women-headed knowledge and the wherewithal the wounds of war, skills training evening, she heard about his death Bhojpur because local Maoist households also carry the to access the compensation and job placement for self- on the eight o’clock tv news. cadres have labelled her family additional burden of taking care money. The monthly stipend is sufficiency and policies If he were a Maoist, she never “anti-people” and have padlocked of families in conditions of barely enough to feed a family for supportive of widows. knew about it. their house. “I can’t even turn to extreme poverty and insecurity. two days. Debi’s parents reminded her my in-laws because they In Nepal, war widows have a Nepali women, especially Debi’s name was changed on request. Surkhet’s displaced have only memories “It is inhuman to separate mothers from their children”

GOMA GURUNG in SURKHET us in Surkhet, with tears rolling down her cheeks. Shanti says that although Khursanibari he graffiti scrawled on Shanti Hamal’s is near Dailekh’s district capital, it is house was all it took for this 37-year- contested terrain so villagers have to walk T old to leave her home in Khursanibari a fine line and try not to get caught in the in Dailekh. middle. There are many like Shanti who are ‘On the 18th, it’s your turn’ said the internally displaced in Surkhet. blood-red letters. Shanti immediately Lalkaura Malla is a 61-year-old from packed her bags and left home arriving in Pakha in Kalikot. Since her husband is an Surkhet on 1 July. She has been here RPP member, her 14-member clan left the ever since. village four years ago and haven’t been back The day before Shanti fled, Dilli Koirala since. Of the 14, five are women and they and Rishi Dhakal had been mercilessly beaten eke out a living running a restaurant in by Maoists something Shanti had seen with town. “Sometimes when they are sick, there her own eyes. She was just too afraid to stay. isn’t enough money to take care of them, Shanti says the reason she may have there is never enough food,” says Lalkaura, been targeted was because the army had “and we can’t sleep at night worried about removed a booby-trapped red banner the rest of the family still up there outside her home a few weeks previously. in Kalikot.” The Maoists had accused her of being a Human rights activists have been trying government spy. That was also the reason to convince families like the Mallas and Koirala and Shakal were beaten until they Hamals to go back to their village, saying nearly died. the Maoists have guaranteed their safety. The irony of Nepal’s conflict is that But Lalkaura is convinced it’s not safe. says Lalkaura. families to return to their villages. Recently, Shanti has also been at the receiving end of “They will not leave us alive,” she says According to the human rights group INSEC got the Maoists to guarantee that 27 the wrath of the security forces. Last year, there simply. The displaced women of Surkhet INSEC, there are some 250 internally families could return safely to Jumla. was a firefight between insurgents and soldiers would rather that rights groups gave them displaced families in Surkhet alone. None “Ultimately, both sides have to talk and in her village. The soldiers went house-to- training in income-generating activities so of them are receiving any aid. INSEC’s sort this out,” says Thapa, “but it is inhuman house interrogating, threatening and they can continue with their lives and take Surkhet representative Durga Thapa says his to chase out women and separate mothers intimidating. “It’s not my fault at all, yet care of their families. “Among the internally organisation doesn’t provide financial aid but from their children.” neither side will leave me alone,” Shanti told displaced, it is the women who suffer most,” is trying to ensure that it is safe for the (Mahila Bolchhin, NPI Nepalganj) 12 INTERNATIONAL 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270

release of ‘cumulative elastic energy’ in the rubbing of plates beneath Nepal and the nearby ‘8/10’ and after regions to the north, west and south. A huge swath of territory is Amidst Kashmir’s tragedy, we must therefore dramatically overdue for a devastating quake. The prepare for the next big quake in the suffering of Kashmiris must at Himalaya-Hindukush least inform those who are in a position to save lives when the hy has the Kashmir homes on the edge of winter. The earthquake hits the Central Earthquake of 8 October result of an underground quake, Himalaya. Wbeen termed the the tsunami of 12/26/04 struck the The newly adopted building ‘Southasia Quake’ by the southern beaches of Southasia, material all over the Himalaya- international media, including the while the earthquake of 8/10/05 hit Hindukush is concrete. Heavy-set all-powerful, real-time satellite the northwestern mountain buildings were the death traps of television networks? Southasia is fastness. Because it was such an Kashmir as testified by numerous a vast region and the ground unusual event and also because pictures of the tragedy. trembled beneath one corner of it, many holidaying westerners died learn to take the Kashmiris Southasia as a whole have a Kathmandu, the largest urban well known to the world as tragically, the coverage of the themselves into confidence, as well responsibility not to turn their concentration in the Himalaya, Kashmir, on two sides of the ‘line of tsunami attracted emergency as find a way to fuzz the frontiers backs on this quake and its living will become a ‘valley of death’ support on a massive scale. Not and sanction dual identities. For victims. They have to stay with when the Big One comes, for its so with the Kashmir quake of 8/10. that, we need a shake-up of the the Kashmiris for the long haul buildings are now nearly all of SOUTHASIA BEAT To date the world is not even close mind, not the ground. and keep the governments on concrete using ‘pillar system’ Kanak Mani Dixit to matching the $11 billion The immediate challenge in their toes. construction. And what of rescue? gathered for post-tsunami relief. Muzaffarabad, in Uri, in Hazara, in This year, nature chose Kashmir In Kathmandu and elsewhere, control’. Somehow, it does injustice In the face of an earthquake Tangdhar, is to help those without to sound a warning to the rest of there will not be the military to the suffering of the living and that knows neither borders nor shelter and means of livelihood to Southasia–most importantly, to helicopters and ground transport memory of the dead to call the LoCs, of course we must utilise make it through the winter of those who live along the available in militarised Kashmir. disaster by the name of the larger the opportunity of the disaster to 2005-06. But thereafter, we are Himalayan-Hindukush rimland. The To die under rubble while region when a local name is ease Kashmir tensions between looking at many years of geologists are not sitting easy and awaiting a rescue that never available. India and Pakistan. But geopolitical rehabilitation. Given the sharp neither should the rest of us. The comes is a gruesome way to go, Meanwhile, the UN has certitude in the two capitals will drop that we can expect in prospect looms of a horrendous as happened to many on and after declared the Kashmir catastrophe surely require something more than humanitarian concerns as soon earth shaking in what is known as the 8/10. Kashmir will have to be more devastating than last year’s a shifting of geological plates to as the television cameras stop Central Himalayan Gap, which helped back on its feet, while we tsunami. Three to four million undo. What we need is for national broadcasting live, the covers all of Nepal and more. There look ahead to the next Big One– people are suddenly without establishments in both countries to intelligentsia of Pakistan, India and has not necessarily been enough and prepare. z SPORTS 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 13 Surya Nepal Masters Tournament leads the push to expand golf tourism in Nepal Surya Nepal Masters, started way back in 1993, is today perhaps the biggest sporting event in its category in Nepal. This S event has not only helped develop the sport in this country, it has also helped promote golf tourism and been a proud ambassador for Nepal. The tournament is sponsored by one of Nepal’s biggest private sector organisations, Surya Nepal, a company that has continually invested in enhancing golf’s profile and used the sport to promote tourism. As part of this sustained effort towards building golf tourism, last year Surya Nepal tied up with the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) to take several fresh initiatives, such as event and country coverage by Ten Sports, TEE BREAK targeting Indian golf enthusiasts at Deepak Acharya over 40 golf clubs in the country and inviting prominent Indian tour operators to visit the country for a first-hand look. All that hard work has paid off as golfing tourists from India and elsewhere are arriving in increasing numbers. Surya Nepal plans to take those initiatives even further this year. In an effort to extending coverage beyond India, the company, in association with NTB and Le Meridien Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa, plans to do extensive promotion in West Asia, South and Southeast Asia. Ten Sports will again be back to feature the best of the event and telecast it to millions in the region.

In addition, Surya Nepal will now be promoting inter-club tournaments with international golf clubs all year round. Held under the Surya Nepal Golf banner, this will be a series of planned tours by golf enthusiasts from countries such as Dubai, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Thailand, Singapore and, of course, India. As a first, this last weekend a number of golfers from New Delhi were flown to Kathmandu on special packages to compete with locals in the Diwali Golf Tournament under the Surya Nepal Golf banner. Many more such initiatives are planned during the next few months. The objective is to offer ready-made attractive package deals to willing tourists across the region and to ensure that they have wonderful golfing vacations. These golfers will then be ambassadors for tourism to Nepal and the numbers will only multiply, according to the plan. Countries like Thailand and Malaysia have benefited immensely by promoting golf tourism. For example, over 100,000 golfers go to play in Thailand each year. Nepal has a comparatively better climate and also offers great golfing, so why miss this opportunity? z

Deepak Acharya is a golf instructor and Golf Director at Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa, Kathmandu. 14 CITY 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270

ABOUT TOWN Jason Statham returns in his signature role: ex-Special Forces EXHIBITIONS operative Frank Martin, aka the “Transporter”. Now retired as a ™ Dolpo in Time personal photographs and paintings by Tenzin professional driver, Martin is living in Miami, where he is Norbu Lama, 29 October – 11 November at Banana Cat Café, temporarily filling in for a friend as the chauffeur for twin closed on Wednesdays. 5522708 brothers in a wealthy family. He develops unexpected friendships ™ Photos by Mani Lama, 1 November at Lajimpat Gallery Café. with the brothers. So when the boys are abducted, 4428549 Martin immediately becomes involved in protecting ™ Photographs by British film maker Susan Griffiths Jones, the children and exposing the criminals behind the 20 November– 7 December, Lajimpat Gallery Café. 4428549 plot. He must use all his skills to bring them to safety ™ Art Walk Traditional artworks at Hotel Yak and Yeti, Darbar and discover the kidnapper’s master plan before it’s Marg. 4248999 too late. FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

Quest Entertainment Quest Entertainment Call 4442220 for show timings

Quest Entertainment www.jainepal.com Quest Entertainment Quest Entertainment ™ Changing Faces in Nepal lecture by Susan Fowlds on cleft lip and palate surgery, 28 October, Hotel Shankar 9.30 AM. ™ Hey DJ, party at Hotel Yak & Yeti featuring DJ Mukul from KATHMANDU AIR QUALITY London, 28 October, 8PM onwards, Rs 699. 4410798 ™ What is Happening to me? Understanding anger and karma, It may be due to the unexpected few days of rains we got last week, or the holiday season. Whatever the reasons may be, Kathmandu’s air is a little easier to breathe one day course led by Ven. Lama Dhaddak at HBMC, last week. The average PM10 particles ( harmful matter less than 10 microns in 29 October. 4414843 diameter that lodge in the human body)concentration throughout the Valley was ™ Laxmi Puja Mela at Baber Mahal within the national standard of 120 micrograms per cubic meter, unusual for this Revisited, 29 October, time of the year. As winter sets in, the pollution level in the air is bound to increase. 11AM – 7PM. Rs 290. For now, enjoy the fresh air while it lasts. ™ Moksh Festival fun games and more, 29 October, 11.30 AM. 16-22 October 2005 in micrograms per cubic metre. ™ Dipawali Utsab stalls and fun at 1905 Source: www.mope.gov.np Kantipath 29 & 30 October, 11AM – 7PM. Hazardous >425 4225272 Harmful 351 to 425 ™ Celebrate Kukur Tihar with a free vaccination and health check, 30 Unhealthy 121 to 350 October, 8AM – 12PM, Jawalakhel O k 61 to 120 ground. Go od < 60 ™ Halloween Night party at Rox Bar, 31 October, 7.30 PM, Rs 600. 9857011146 Putalisadak Patan H Thamel Kirtipur Bhaktapur Matsyagaun ™ Disarmament Week 24-30 October. ™ TBS PTA Football Tournament at Dasrath Stadium, 30 October. NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED [email protected] Last weekend’s heavy snowfall and ™ Gai Tihar/ Laxmi Puja 1 November. torrential precipitation were record setters. ™ Bhaitika 3 November. The 57 mm of rain that fell on the Valley ™ International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the made it the wettest October in history. Environment in War and Armed Conflict 6 November. The heavy snowfall in the northern ™ Mean Streets with De Niro and Scorsese Film festival at Lajimpat mountains created havoc among tourists and locals. Similar events were last KATHMANDU Gallery Café, 9 – 30 November. 4428549 reported in early November 1995. Blue skies have now returned after the low MUSIC pressure system was replaced by a high ™ World’s Highest Gig at Bamboo Club, Thamel, 28 October, last Tuesday. Mercury levels are up by 7.30 PM. 9851007359 about 4 degrees on average since the ™ Project Peace 2005, third Thamel Street Dance Music Festival, return of sunny days. Satellite images taken Thursday morning show a huge with British DJ Mukul and various other local DJs, 29 October, cyclone over the Bay of Bengal and the 2PM onwards. eastern side of the South Indian peninsula ™ Sundar Shanta Nepal travelling peace concert, 15-30 October. indicating the departure of this year’s ™ Jazzmandu 4th annual Kathmandu jazz fest, 4-12 November. monsoon. Nepali skies will continue to be ™ Traditional Newa Music Concert by Tanani Bajan Khala from sunny this weekend but be ready for foggy Jyapu Tole, 28 October, 6, 13, 20 & 27 November at Hotel Vajra. mornings. Show and Tea Rs 400. 4271545 KATHMANDU VALLEY ™ Jatra Friday nights, live music by Siron. 4256622 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue ™ Unplugged sessions with Strings, Jatra Saturday nights. 4256622 ™ Live Music at Juneli Bar, Hotel de l’Annapurna, Darbar Marg. 4221711 ™ Ladies Night Wednesdays, one free cocktail to the ladies at 27-11 26-10 26-10 25-12 24-11 Jatra. ™ Musician Night every Tuesday at Moksh, 7.30 PM onwards. 5526212 ™ Live Jazz by the pond at 1905, Kantipath. 4225272

FOOD ™ Signature Pasta and Italian Wine 20-31 October, 6.30-9.30 PM at Yak & Yeti. 4248999 ™ Kebab and Biryani Festival cuisine from the house of Mughals at Hyatt Regency 5- 20 November, 6.30 PM onwards. 4491234 ™ Sushi and Saki Promotion at Hyatt Regency. 4491234 ™ The Sidewalk BBQ with live jazz, Fridays, Shangri-La. 4412999 ™ BBQ Dinner at Summit Hotel, Fridays, 6:30-9:30 PM. 5521810 ™ BBQ by the Swimming Pool at Le Meridien, Rs 888. ™ The Jazz Gourmet fine dining redefined, Shangri-La. 4412999. g]kfnL ™ Annapurna Value Lunch at Rs 299, 4221711. GETAWAYS Daily 2045-2115 BBC ™ Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge has special offers for Tihar holidays. 4361500. g]kfnL ;]jf ™ Junglewalks, rafting, elephant rides all at Jungle Base Camp Lodge, Bardia. [email protected] Radio Sagarmatha ™ Exciting Holiday Packages with Le Meridien, Kathmandu. 4451212 P.O. Box 6958, ™ Special Dipawali Holidays package tour in Malaysia. 2012345 Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal ™ Nature Tour at Shivapuri national park from Park Village Resort. Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, 4434705 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 ™ Gokarting Rs 200 for 4 laps, 4361500 [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org HAPPENINGS 28 OCTOBER -3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 15

RAM HUMAGAIN/NEPALNEWS.COM ON GUARD: People gathered outside Kantipur FM on Thursday to prevent any further actions by security forces, who seized re-transmitting equipment from the station last Friday night.

Football for fun, funds he British School’s TBS after 20 children who live and prize. Tickets for the tournament PTA charity football work in the streets of are priced at Rs10 for Nepalis, T tournament returns to Kathmandu. Sankhu Hospital Rs100 for foreigners and half MIN BAJRACHARYA Dasrath National Stadium on specialises in correcting skin price for children. YOUTH FLY HIGH: Participants in the flying juniors program of the Sunday, 30 October. Run by defects and treating burns and Children supported by Avia Club’s Air Sports Association pose for a photo at Pokhara Airport teachers and parents of students relies entirely on donations. Sathsath will participate as ‘ball after taking a spin in a Micro-ultralight aircraft on Monday. at the school, the one-day event Off the pitch there will be a boys’ and will also play an will feature eight teams playing whole load of fun games for exhibition game with The British 20-minute games with the children, such as bouncy School team at the end of the day. finalists going head-to-head for castles, face painting and splash “Nepalis and the expatriate 30 minutes. pools. A barbecue will be sizzled community here don’t often get a Proceeds will go towards by the British Gurkhas and will chance to interact with each Sankhu Hospital, the ANFA be accompanied by a bar. other. We have priced the ticket at district youth development Organisers are also selling a minimum so that many people scheme and Sathsath, an raffle tickets for Rs100 with a can come and participate,” says organisation currently looking mountain flight for two as the top tournament director Steve Priest. z

MIN BAJRACHARYA WELCOME WALKERS: Tourists trekking along the west bank of Phewa Lake last Sunday. Post-ceasefire their numbers have grown noticeably in and around Pokhara.

KIRAN PANDAY UNITED WE BURN: Students burning a mock up of the Media Control Ordinance in Dillibajar.

KIRAN PANDAY SHAKING IT UP: A woman in Bhaktapur separating husk from rice grain. Harvest season started with the end of Dasain. 16 28 OCTOBER - 3 NOVEMBER 2005 #270 www.nepalitimes.com

Go to hell oing to hell isn’t as easy as it used to be. There is cutthroat competition for the limited slots available and you have to be G really, really wicked if you want to make the grade. It’s not enough anymore to be a wilful defaulter or to pocket fat kickbacks on lethal procurements. Everyone does that these days. No, the benchmark is higher now and all of you out there desirous of spending eternity in purgatory need to show a much greater aptitude for evil than you have so far. I mean, look at the competition: mass murderers, narco- terrorists, hired assassins and you think you can go to hell just because you scammed the Roads Department? However, it pains me to say this but global standards for depravity have been slipping in past decades and it’s a disgrace. There was a time when we had real pros around like Emperor Bokassa or Papa Doc Duvalier or Augusto Pinochet. Alas, they UNDER MY HAT don’t make them like that Kunda Dixit anymore. To be sure, Dubya is one helluva guy but he’s still a featherweight. Robert Mugabe shows promise but he has a long way to go. Then there are an assortment of wannabe tin pot dictators around the world (including one in a country that begins with ‘B’ and ends in ‘a’, and another whose capital rhymes with zing-bang, and another whose national bird is a BEEEEEEP and national exchequer is BEEEEEEEEEP) but looking at the way they are conducting themselves it is obvious they are just amateurs. So, in order to ensure that only the World’s Most Heinous make the grade, Devil’s Advocates (Nepal) Pvt Ltd, the firm that is responsible for Mr Satan’s legal affairs here on Earth has been contracted to carry out an entrance exam for those who want to pursue their careers further in hell. Of course, for that, the applicant first needs to expire but due to the rush it is better to book early. And only if you pass this test do you get a slot in the queue. All those who think they don’t have a chance in hell to go to heaven are eligible and women are encouraged to apply. You have one hour, cheating is allowed and beating up the invigilator during practicals will be a demonstration of eligibility.

1. Give us one good reason why you want to go to hell (tick one): a. I think I’d feel at home down there b. So I can continue doing what I was doing here c. Because it’s nice and toasty d. All of the above

2 What is your profession here on Earth? GREAT TIHAR GIFT Brand new a Really really bad guy Under My Hats book. Perfect b Professional hitman gift for friends and foes alike. c Professional defaulter d Convicted criminal with skeletons in the cabinet

3 If people don’t agree with you what would you do: a Invite them home for a drink or two, or three b Sock them in the nose and make them unconscious c Declare them persona non grata

d Decorate them with the sixth-highest medal in the land

Netherworld. To hell with you! with hell To Netherworld. are hereby considered eligible for permanent resident status in The in status resident permanent for eligible considered hereby are At all leading book stores.

To order: The correct answers are: 1(d), 2(d), 3(c). If you got them all right you right all them got you If 3(c). 2(d), 1(d), are: answers correct The [email protected] ISSN 1814-2613 CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59