#705 2 - 8 May 2014 20 pages Rs 50 The Inked Zone PAGE 10-11 PICS: JAN MØLLER HANSEN THE SETI TWO YEARS LATER FLOOD At 9:10am on Saturday, 5 May 2012, a huge Freedom wedge of rock fell off the south ridge of Annapurna 4. The ensuing avalanche and fl ood killed more than 72 people downstream. This has happened before, and it was nature’s warning about cataclysmic Himalayan of expression tsunamis in future. PAGE 16-17 ore than 80 tattoo artists from all over the world, including Japan, Thailand, SPECIAL India, Australia, and UK participated in the three-day Nepal Tattoo Convention INTERACTIVE Mlast week. This puts Kathmandu fi rmly on the world tattoo map, and is perhaps PACKAGE a refl ection of the freedom of expression granted by the interim constitution. nepalitimes.com However, on World Press Freedom Day on Saturday we may JEFFREY KARGEL need to remind ourselves that despite constitutional guarantees, JUST FREE both democracy and press freedom face restrictions. At a time EDITORIAL GAME of prolonged political transition, when the three pillars of PAGE 2 democracy are fragile, the media’s fourth pillar must help OF DRONES buttress the system. But the criminalisation of politics has encouraged self-censorship Psst. Unmanned aerial vehicles are here. and the press is, willingly or unwittingly, allowing itself to be a part of state-sponsored PAGE 15 witch-hunts. PRATEEK RAJBHANDARI/MONTAGE 2 EDITORIAL 2 - 8 MAY 2014 #705 JUST FREE years of the peace process, the and constitutionally guaranteeed freedoms, media has repeatedly struggled to we see an inexplicable erosion of commitment protect not just its own freedom, to healthy public debate. There is an attempt but also the political rights of to justify controls, excuse the use of political citizens. violence, and instead of being a check on abuse of Many times over the past power the press allows itself to be a part of state- 60 years, the media has been at sponsored witch-hunts. the forefront of successive pro- Willingly or unwittingly, it plays cheerleader democracy movements in Nepal. to the state. It becomes an enthusiastic ally in We in the media have often been deflecting debate away from human rights to singled out for attacks by both the foreign investment in the media. The past weeks extreme left and the extreme right offer lessons to the proponents of a free press for this activist role. These two that constitutional guarantees are not enough to poles of the political spectrum protect freedom of expression. Freedom is like are by nature pro-populism and a rubber band, you have to stretch it to make it anti-pluralism, for control and work. Press freedom must be defended by its against transparency. We have maximum application. seen in our own recent history A society that doesn’t stand up for justice for how both the radical right and survivors and relatives of victims of the conflict left are in cahoots to squeeze the cannot guarantee social justice either. If the voice middle democratic space. of conflict victims can be silenced, what hope is n 3 May the world will mark Press Freedom Whatever Freedom House may say, one can’t there for journalists to be heard? When transitional Day. Although dedicated to journalists who be ‘partly free’. Freedom is an absolute. The mechanisms do not respect international laws, Ostruggle for the freedom to uncover the fourth estate’s role is to be a part of the checks and foreign investors will lose their confidence in the truth, the day actually commemorates the citizen’s balance in a democracy, the necessity of playing an rule of law. A media that deliberately misuses right to know. Journalists are only defending that adversarial (but not partisan) role to the power of freedoms to sow confusion and disinformation World Press right to information every individual must have the state. At times of prolonged post-war political cannot be a defender of fairness and justice. As to allow the system of democracy to function transition like the one we are going through now, we have seen elsewhere in region and the world, Freedom Day as designed. battered democratic institutions are trying to get xenophobia and ultra-nationalism is then the last is a timely Democracy needs participation of the people to back on their feet. The legislature struggles with refuge of scoundrels. vote so as to stimulate collective action for societal performance legitimacy, the executive is rent with In a society cursed by inequality, reminder for us betterment. But participation is not possible contradictions and infighting, the independence discrimination and exclusion, it is not as without free and open communication. For the of the judiciary (as we are seeing in the Supreme important for the media to be objective as it is in the Nepali Nepali media it has been one long struggle to create Court drama this week) itself is compromised by to be fair. To be fair is to give more weightage to an open society and defend press freedom. politicians. those who don’t have a voice, the downtrodden media to protect From the Rana period to 30 years of the It is at times like these, when the three and the left out. For tens of thousands of Nepali the freedom to partyless Panchayat system, through the post- pillars of democracy are fragile, that the media’s families who can’t yet have closure, the war never 1990 democracy years and the decade of conflict, fourth pillar must help buttress the system. ended. And if it hasn’t ended for them, it hasn’t be fair. the return of an autocratic king and the past seven Unfortunately, despite its long history of struggle ended for the rest of us either. YOUR SAY www.nepalitimes.com THE EVEREST SAGA If, indeed, a coordinated mechanism interest. Unless the demands come from higher peak fees to reduce crowding, WOUNDS OF WAR What does it mean if you summit a for change could be accepted and strictly 'climbing Sherpa guides' without reducing the number of expeditions Has anyone compiled a list of all known mountain by passing all the risk onto supported, it must determine priorities any infl uence from trekking operators and climbers allowed on the mountain, human rights abuses during the civil someone else (“Taking chances on in consideration of work opportunities and owners, we won’t be fi nding a and required pre-expedition experience war (“Haunted by ghosts of the past”, Chomolungma”, David Durkan, #704)? and long-term environmental effects decent solution for climbing Sherpa of clients. Rubeena Mahato, #704)? Which leads If the high altitude workers set up all before engaging in more focused guides. Tenzing to the deeper question: Was it a civil the ladders for you, are you really a deliberations about pay scales, pay Karsang Sherpa war, or are we calling it the ‘confl ict’? “mountaineer” in the traditional sense? equity, fees, expedition staff roles and The only good thing that the Namah I recognise that “Instant Everest” responsibilities, insurance, limitations David Durkan's enthusiasm is vital offi cials of Nepali government are Compensation of human loss by brings Nepal, the Solo Khumbu on the number of climbers, scheduling, to raise important questions in this good at is corruption (“A dangerous money is not a remedy for victim. region, and high altitude workers much vetting of climbing companies and other serious matter of people losing their place to work,” Jon Gangal, #704). All @raj_srn needed income but I feel that a real aspects. I cannot stress enough that lives at work and families being left Sherpas should unite and go on strike re-assessment of value for the work without a trans-stakeholder approach, behind. At the same time, the tourism and cancel all future expeditions. This MUSEUM REVISITED and risk that these high altitude engaging multiple stakeholders industry is vital to Nepal. It is easy for is the only way to teach a lesson to After reading this and seeing the workers carry will only happen when in reasoned, patient deliberations us westerners to say “take the mountain Nepali offi cials. photos I can't wait to pay a visit to they get much more recognition for the leading to coherent policy formulation back to us climbers”. What right do we The recent disaster on Everest that the Patan Museum (“Patan’s living support they provide to visitors who and – essentially – implementation, have? And what would that mean to the saw more than a dozen Sherpas killed museum, Hariz Baharudin and Toh Ee fl ock to Nepal with Everest in their improvements in the mountaineering people who work in the tourist industry is a grim reminder of the tremendous Ming, #704). It’s been a while. eyes. context will remain wanting. and to the sons, daughters and wives risks these people face on expeditions. Saroj Shrestha Sangita S IGS who need food, shelter and education. (“Dangerous business,” Editorial, It’s time for action, not retraction. It is #704). Over the years, even amateurs From what I have seen, it’s This Everest tragedy must in the We have not realised the appalling time to address safety and mountain have climbed the peak, thanks to the gorgeous. same way not be blamed on – as conditions the Nepali people have to workers rights, such as education, Sherpas. Stuti Basnyat some writers have done – solely on endure on the world’s highest mountain payment and insurance. It’s said that the Sherpas literally pay scales or fi nancial inequities or so others can earn great money.