#131 7 - 13 February 2003 16+4 pages Rs 25 BHAGIRATH○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ YOGI “They should have guidelines and, if need he ceasefire has held for ten days be, get international agencies to monitor now. But an even more difficult job compliance on the ground,” says Sudip T lies ahead; agreeing on guidelines for Pathak, of the rights group, HURON. dialogue, negotiating a common agenda, Let the talks begin But all these details will pale in keeping factions left out of the peace comparison when the hard bargaining on process together, and not losing sight of the substantive issues actually start. The two goal. Negotiations need trust, tenacity and togetherness. sides need to agree on an immediate setting There are worrying signs that political up of an all-party interim government parties excluded from the process are (perhaps including Maoist ministers) and getting agitated. The cabinet hasn’t been elections to a constituent assembly to able to decide on the composition of its change the constitution. In his address, negotiating team even though the Maoists Chand made a pointed reference to Nepal’s have named a squad leader in ideologue “monarchial culture”, hinting that this was Baburam Bhattarai. non-negotiable. However, sources tell us secret While the government and the parties contacts between the government’s bicker away, the Maoist leader Pushpa dialogue coordinator, Narayan Singh Pun Kamal Dahal has been busy this week and the Maoist team is taking place at an calling up leaders of political parties from undisclosed location on the southern edge his hideout. So far he has spoken to of the Valley. Pun’s effort is to make as Madhav Kumar Nepal, Narayan Man much progress as possible and not get Bijukchhe and Girija Koirala. Dahal distracted by the political wranglings. In a SUBHAS RAI reportedly told them his group did not rare interview he told us, “It is a very long favour direct negotiations with the king and and complicated process. We must have would like to see the party leaders at a patience to see this through.” roundtable conference. Government spokesman and Minister “We have had one week of peace, but of Information, Ramesh Nath Pandey, there is no clear idea who is holding these denies disagreement within the cabinet talks, under whose authority,” about Pun’s mediation role and also that constitutional lawyer, Bipin Adhikari, told state-owned media is downplaying him. us. “How can an illegitimate government “This is not true,” Pandey said. “The hold talks with the Maoists on behalf of the government has extended full support to Nepali people?” There seems to be no Minister Pun.” alternative to the monarchy, the Maoists So far, the scalebacks have come from and the parties getting together, and that the Maoists’ side—calling off a two-day seems to be a greater hurdle than even bandh and the cancellation of an indefinite and food in the western region, but jail by the Chand administration after a year of being too rigid. getting Baburam and Pun together. nationwide education strike starting this checkpoints on highways are as strict as ever behind bars. Rights activists say it will be important With the Maoists willing to come out month. For its part, the army has slightly and curfews in various urban hotspots have For his part, Pun says he is trying to for the two sides to first agree on a code of into the political mainstream, non-Maoist relaxed its controls on movement of people not yet been lifted. avoid repeating past mistakes. One thing conduct including a complete cessation of all forces, too, will have to unite to protect “The Maoists look more sensitive and going for him is that both sides are more offensives, violence and extortion by both their interests. This is possible only if the serious towards making progress compared serious about finding a negotiated solution sides. The others would be to initiate king and parties agree to Editorial p2 Weekly Internet Poll # 71 to the government,” says Iswor Chandra to the conflict than they were in 2001. confidence-building measures, not wait for sort out their differences Gyawali, editor of the banned Dishabodh, a Those talks failed when the rebels walked talks to start before launching relief and and sit on the same side of For talks, Q. Which side is more serious about finding a negotiated don’t talk. solution to the conflict: pro-Maoist paper who was released from out of negotiations accusing the government rehabilitation efforts in the hinterland. the table. 1. Government 2. Maoists 3. Neither 4. Don’t know Bhutan ready to take some refugees back NEPALNEWS.COM KUNDA○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ DIXIT ○○○○○○ epal and Bhutan are inching towards partially repatriating some of the100,000 Bhutanese refugees who have been living in camps in eastern Nepal for the past 12 years. N Officials from the two countries have been doing the diplomatic shuttle. Foreign Minister Narendra Bikram Shah flew to Bhutan three weeks ago. Then his counterpart Lyonpo Jigme Total votes: 1,389 Y Thinley paid a return visit to Kathmandu this week for the 12th Joint Ministerial Meeting Weekly Internet Poll # 72. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com (see picture). Both ministers sounded upbeat at a press conference on Thursday evening, Q. What are the chances of the present ceasefire announcing the next series of ministerial talks in Thimpu on 24 March. The Joint Verification Teams leading to actual peace ? will also meet in Thimpu on 24 February. “We are under pressure from the Nepali public, from the media and donors to resolve this issue quickly and fairly,” Shah told reporters. country. They can’t just take some of us back and leave the others behind.” Refugee leaders say But they sidestepped questions about a proposal by Bhutan, which sources told us will the Bhutanese government is trying to divide the exiled community. involve the voluntary repatriation of refugees to Bhutan. Under the proposal, which seems to be a Some 12,000 refugees living in Khudunabari went through the verification process in 2001, and trial balloon, the refugees would be asked to choose whether they want to return to Bhutan or stay more than 90 percent were said to have documents to prove they were Bhutanese. But the joint in Nepal. Asked about this proposal, Thinley said, “No comment.” team has not made public the result of the exercise. This week, refugees from six other camps in Under growing international pressure, Bhutan now seems reconciled to taking some of the Jhapa have joined 4,000 Bhutanese at the Khudunabari Camp who have been on a relay hunger refugees back. It may be hoping that if given the choice, many will not opt to return to an strike for over a month. They demand the immediate publication of verification results, repatriation uncertain future in Bhutan where their homesteads may have been resettled by other Bhutanese. of verified refugees and starting verification in the other camps. Bhutan’s donors are reportedly considering rehabilitation support for the refugees who agree to Most analysts agree that India has a critical role to play in mediating the refugee issue, since return to Bhutan. Bhutan and Nepal do not have a contiguous border and the refugees all passed through India to Asked what the refugees thought of the proposal, Bhutanese rights activist, Ratan Gazmere enter Nepal. New Delhi also controls Bhutan’s foreign policy, but it maintains that the refugee issue told us, “It is totally unacceptable. As citizens of Bhutan, we have the right to return to our is a bilateral problem that Nepal and Bhutan have to resolve. Marcopolo 2 EDITORIAL 7 - 13 FEBRUARY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #131 NATION 7 - 13 FEBRUARY 2003 NEPALI TIMES #131 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL OPINION by ALOK BOHARA Design: Kiran Maharjan Webmaster: Bhushan Shilpakar [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Comrade Prime Minister? Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-547018/17 After Janakapur, Madhav Nepal is raring to go places. OR TALKS DON T TALK ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ A win-win peace F , ' . dvance information from the prime By his refusal to bow out gracefully, firmament with no less force at that time. or this peace process to start, there should be a moratorium on self-serving minister’s office had indicated that Chand has shown that he is willing to risk Bhattarai’s name may be quite acceptable hy did King Gyanendra and the A negotiated solution is in everyone’s politicians, ex-politicians, would-be politicians and activists opening their mouths. A Lokendra Bahadur Chand’s address being kicked out as ignominiously as his to the social elite of the Kathmandu Valley Maoist leadership decide to talk F We’re all for freedom of expression, but nothing these stalwarts of democracy are to the nation on Monday evening would be predecessor. By all indications, ouster of as the next prime minister, but the rest of W now? It could be what is called interest. But the constitution needs some saying is pragmatic or constructive. It reeks of the same cynicism, negativism and an “important” one. It was to be broadcast this courtiers’ cabinet is only a matter of the country would not be as ready to the “principal-agent problem”. The intrigue that brought the country to this sorry state. Will we ever learn? live by Radio Nepal and Nepal Television.