VIEW POINT #18 24 - 30 November 20 pages Rs 20 CARS, CARS, CARS 10-12

EXCLUSIVE DEADLOCK CONSTITUTION TINKERING In two more weeks it looks like we’ll be where we were two weeks ago. BINOD BHATTARAI

Hotel owners and unions are ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Heavyweight lefties: Jhala Nath Khanal, K.P. Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal engaged in nasty sabre-rattling. The he week after Maoist leader Baburam owners say no way they’ll give in to t Bhattarai spelt out his group’s demand union demands for a 10 percent to scrap the 1990 Constitution, service charge, and claim privately everyone from the left to the right wants to they’d rather announce a lockout. tinker with the ten-year-old document. Unions are equally uncompromis- Even the main opposition Communist Party ing. of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) Having agreed to postpone their couldn’t resist it, and the central committee agitation on 19 November, hotel came up with a number of reasons why ten employees will now wear black arm- years of democracy have failed to deliver. bands to work starting 7 December, The conclusion reached by the UML is: it is and then launch an indefinite strike not inept politicians, not poor leadership, from 12 December. Unions have not bad governance, not even corruption; rejected the mediation panel formed democracy has failed because we have a bad by the government saying they were constitution. “tricked” into postponing their strike. But do we? More and more, it looks Hotel owners say they’ll agree to any like the entire debate on the left of the decision made by government political spectrum has been hijacked by the mediators, but would also like to Maoists’ violent campaign to overthrow the amend the labour laws which they constitutional monarchy. The moderate left

claim are anti-investor. needs a cause, and it has seized upon the MIN BAJRACHARYA Unions say this is the climax of constitution and proposed amendments to their 20-year battle for the 10 percent it, mainly in the provisions for elections. service charge. “We’ve been very The UML’s two main proposals are: flexible all the time and have even • Scrap delineation of electoral offered to withdraw the service constituencies based on census

charge if that proves detrimental to counts, because more populous Suddenly, everyone wants to change the constitution.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the industry and economy in a year,” districts get more MPs ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ says Bishnu Rimal of the General • Declare an all-party national parliamentary elections will not be free and constitution. But given that Congress thinks the limelight from radicals to its left and Federation of Nepalese Trade government to oversee parliamentary fair unless it is overseen by a caretaker national the UML’s first proposal is gerrymandering, right. But UML member of parliament Unions. Hotel Association of Nepal elections. government. He says such national govern- and the second violates the fundamental tenets Subhas Nemwang says the proposal is not (HAN) president Narendra The UML wants to present a bill in ments could be formed by parliamentary of parliamentary democracy, it is difficult to new and is fully justified. “No one seems Bajracharya says employers are parliament to push the amendments, but parties proportionate to their representation, see how such a bill can be passed. “They’ve to be willing to even listen. We’ve been always ready to talk, but not under that would need the support of the ruling and the prime minister could be the incum- raised a non-issue, an irrelevant debate when talking about changes for a long time, and threat of a strike and a strict dead- Nepali Congress, which so far hasn’t shown bent. Nepal even sees a role for such a national the constitution has not been fully tested,” says it’s now in public debate because our line. HAN says if the 10 percent any enthusiasm for the proposed changes. government in finding a political solution to Ganesh Raj Sharma, a constitutional lawyer. central committee has taken it up.” He service charge is the norm in the NC leaders say the constitution is fine as it the Maoist problem. “It is an escapist attempt to flee from says the 1990 Constitution was a hotel industry abroad, as the unions is, and the UML just wants to have a ball to Under existing parliamentary arithmetic, present realities and problems.” compromise made when democracy had claim, then they should be governed run with ahead of next year’s elections to only a UML-Congress combine can muster The UML needs to keep the fires of the just been restored, and it is now time to by the equally investor-friendly labour local bodies. (Other UML ideas for change the two-third majority strength to change the constitutional debate going if only to steal “do what was left undone”. t laws. include constitutional guarantees for the creation of decentralised local governments, Buddha Air to new provisions that would finally bring Indian media on warpath ‘real’ land reforms, and the creation of a Bhutan secular state.) India did not like it when Nepal imported Chinese arms over a decade admitted that even if all of Nepal’s imports from China were to be ago, and promptly slapped a blockade that lasted more than a year. smuggled into India, it would still be a negligible porportion of India’s Buddha Air planes have been flying UML general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, was part of the team that put together This time it is not Chinese arms, but fountain pens, staplers and domestic market. But that doesn’t cut with Nepali business, which is to Bhutan’s Paro airport since 15 polyester fabric that is worrying the Indians. And just as in 1989, the seriously spooked and angered by what it sees as a familiar Indian November. The airline has leased its the 1990 Constitution, and he feels a need for amendment because the population of Indian media has unleashed a fusillade. Nepali business stands accused tactic of media psy-war and arm-twisting. Nepal put its informal barter Beech 1900Ds aircraft to Bhutan’s of using subsidies provided by Pakistani intelligence of smuggling the trade with Tibet under official licensing and banking rules this year. Druk Air for four flights a week. Druk developed regions in the country has grown faster and will consequently have more MPs, goods to undercut Indian manufactures. The news reports in print, “We’ve even got special measures now to regulate trade with Tibet. has grounded one of its two BAe television and Internet are obviously leaked by official sources under The Indian media’s charges are baseless,” says Chandi Prasad Shrestha, 146s for repairs. Buddha Air says while traditional UML strongholds in the hill districts continue to face out-migration and pressure from businesses hurt by the cheaper Chinese goods. But what spokesman at the Ministry of Commerce. “The recent reports have the ‘wet lease’ contract is for two is intriguing is how the protectionist ‘Bombay Club’ and traders in hurt all who have been working to create a win-win situation for months, but could be extended. The hence fewer representatives. “Only a moratorium on changing constituency Calcutta and Patna suddenly see the 1996 Indo-Nepal trade treaty, businesses in both Nepal and India,” says a flustered Badri Ojha of the airline would also like to start its own with its duty-free access for Nepali exports, as a security threat to Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Indian scheduled flights to Bhutan to boundaries every 10 years [based on census figures] would ensure fair representation of India. imports into Nepal grew from Rs 24.3 billion to Rs 32.1 billion within become the second private Nepali Indian officials in Kathmandu tried to defuse the brouhaha and three years since the treaty was signed, while Nepali exports to India airline to operate international flights. the un-developed areas,” he said. Nepal is also adamant that any future told us its media was “making a mountain out of a molehill” and grew from Rs 3.6 billion to Rs 12.5 billion. Why AQUA? Only AQUA has: S REVERSE OSMOSIS, the world’s best known water purification technology. S HYPER OZONATION & OZONATION the only chemical-free process to sterilise jars and water. S Computerized nine-stage jar washing and sanitising system S Fully automatic washing, filling and capping system that avoids human contact, thus contamination.

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LEFT, RIGHT. LEFT, RIGHT. Pushpa Kamal Dahal and his comrades in the bush want the present constitution scrapped. Presumably, they want to have a dictatorship of the proletariat declared in its place. The Unified Marxist-Leninists, on the other hand, saw the Maoists stealing their thunder so they half-heartedly put forward their own bright ideas for constitutional amendments. Then there are the people on the hard right who are furious that their masters lost power, and now want a new constitution that will set right the “wrongs” of the Jana Andolan. So, there you have it: the entire political spectrum except for the centrist Nepali Congress organising to remould the constitution. So we have to ask ourselves: What are they after? Why now? And who benefits? Our view is: it ain’t broke, so don’t fix it. The snowball effect of public cynicism about the state of the country has little to do with flaws in the constitution. It has to do with short-sighted, narrow-minded and self- serving polticians who don’t deserve to rule. Blame the driver, not the car. Blame the carpenter, not his tools. The most curious call for change in the constitution comes from the ultra-left. They don’t seem to mind that it would need a 1960-type royal

coup to form a constituent assembly, since there is nothing in the present SUBHAS RAI constitution that allows it to be scrapped. As with all their revolutionary forebears, the end justifies the means in the single-minded pursuit of power by the shortest route available. Care a hang for the consequences. Then there are erstwhile partyless parliamentarians like Rajeshwar STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Devkota, who really has nothing left to lose by calling for major rectifications in the constitution. It seems if you don’t like the Nepali Congress, then you are in the change-the-constitution bandwagon. No surprise, therefore, that the temptation was too much for the UML to Bringing the House down resist—this was just too popular a political plank for the dominant opposition not to have its own act. As the UML’s he Supreme Court has decreed that the Being a deeply despotic society, we find it hard to accept that someone General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal t sovereign parliament of this country has not born to power can acquire it by being elected. This is why says elsewhere in this issue, we need a no right to grant an allowance to its former Kathmandu’s chattering class loves to hate commoner law-makers. national government to ensure that the members. The court’s interpretation of Clause 67 of the Constitution in effect bars sitting next elections are clean. Pretty clever horse-trading that went on during the hung politics of being above politics is a clever ploy MPs from taking any interest in the welfare of parliament days when honourable members to divert attention from our own devious move by the comrade from Balkhu in their predecessors. The court decision was switched sides for a premium. When five money-making ways. But for every PLU that taking the wind out of the sails of Messrs greeted with howls of applause from all and prime ministers in four years tried all you can show me paying his taxes, I can show Pushpa Kamal Dahal to his left and sundry. Let’s face it, our four-wheel drive possible permutations and combinations to you at least ten political activists working for the Rajeswar Devkota to his right. lawmakers are not exactly very popular. So it clobber together governments, fence-sitting downtrodden at the grassroots. I am not aware Nepalis, being generally gradualists, have indicated by their ballots in was a very populist thing to do, to cast our MPs with fluid loyalties cashed in. Others of even one public servant, civil or military, the past ten years that they like things to evolve in less unsettling ways honourable members to the wolves. sold their duty-free Pajeros for huge profits. who can hold a lamp to the sincerity of purpose than total revolution. Our minds have been primed by successive At risk of being called a knee-jerk In short, our lawmakers worked assiduously of a Maheshwar Prasad Singh or a Shankar elections to now contemplate change in governance without being afraid contrarian, let me beg to disagree. An to build up their own private pension Pandey. of the consequences of such thoughts. By all indications, the UML important lesson here is that parliament funds. Members of Parliaments are the most proposal to amend certain provisions of the constitution is a trial balloon. should get into the habit of consulting But what of the honest former MPs—the important constituents of a vibrant They can’t be too serious about it, especially if they need to take such competent constitutional lawyers whenever ones who didn’t sell their souls several times democracy. If we aren’t getting the best amendments to the House for ratification. it is in the process of formulating law. Such over? They had no ancestral property to fall possible people there, let’s start electing Nepalis aren’t prepared to give up the essence of the Constitution— a step will save lawmakers from the embar- back on, they came to Kathmandu wearing more deserving candidates in greater that of creating a pluralistic society with a parliamentary form of rassment of having their decisions thwarted chappals and went back to their districts in numbers. But lumping all MPs in the same government, and independent institutions to monitor its functioning. by the Supreme Court at a later stage. chappals. They walked to the gates of Singha cesspool hurts democracy. And that goes for Changes in the constitution are perfectly natural, and even desirable. In declaring the pension allowance However, change for the sake of change may be good politics, but it is bad granted to former MPs illegal, the court has democratic practice. Having said that, Madhav Nepal must be thanked for resorted to a technical point, it hasn’t bringing the discussion back to where it rightfully belongs—to questioned the motive of lawmakers. strengthening democracy, not discarding it altogether. Which seems to be “Former members aren’t members what the two lean and hungry fellows from Gorkha, Comrade Babu Ram anymore,” said the court, as if it was and Pancha Rajeshwar, want. revealing the wisdom of the ages. But just because they are not sitting parliamentarians, there was really no need to NUMBING NUMBERS forfeit privileges granted to them by the legislature. During the Vietnam War, they used to call them “five o’clock follies”: The reaction of the capital’s middle evening press conferences in Saigon where they rattled off the daily class to the court’s decision was quite scores of killed in action. Two marines, 80 Viet Cong. The reporting of the predictable: an indignant serves-them-right. Maoist insurgency in this country is starting to resemble this relentless The Pajero scandal, male MPs filing bombardment of factoids. Today’s tally: Police 3, Maoists 2. The numbers maternity bills, all that got a lot of numb the nation, the daily count anaesthetises us. Sterile statistics keep publicity. And we tarred all MPs with the the human tragedy of the insurgency, the misery of thousands of individual same brush, dismissing them all as crooks. lives and bereaved families, at a safe distance so it does not spoil our Being a deeply despotic society, we find it dinner. It also inures us, deadens our senses, paralyses us as we go hard to accept that someone not born to about our daily chores in a miasma of fatalism and despair. As long as we power can acquire it through democratic don’t see ourselves as the protagonists in this crisis, it will continue to be means. This is the reason behind our disdain for politicians. No wonder the remote and we will be detached. The media critic, Johan Galtung said of chattering class of the capital love to hate MP Lal Bahadur Biswakarma cycling to parliament another conflict: “Peace is not just the absence of war, it is the absence of commoner law-makers. Almost no one the threat of war.” The media cannot stand the dull periods of non-events seemed to care for the impact this decision when no one dies. Media therefore becomes a part of the problem, a force will have on the life of some of the Durbar from their deras, like the ordinary the prime minister, who recently said the that pushes people to view violence as normal, and slants public opinion. committed, honest and accountable former people they represented. Is this the way we parliament is dominated by smugglers, but law-makers of which (believe it or not) there repay their integrity, by cutting off the little did nothing to haul up his own colleagues. Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd are quite a few. allowance they had? I’d hate to think of Considering the money we lavish on Mailing address: GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal For independently-wealthy MPs with socialist-thinker Ram Chandra Tiwari, sending officials to the Olympics, why Editor: Kunda Dixit Panchayat pasts, the allowance was small firebrand farm-leader Mahendra Madhukar or grudge the small pension allowance for Desk editors: Deepak Thapa, Samuel Thomas change in deep pockets. It is unlikely that political organiser Mahendra Roy not even former law-makers? We have a lot at stake in [email protected] Arjun Narsingh KC or Kamal Thapa will getting a pension after their terms are over. the formation of a confident, secure and self- Marketing, circulation and subscriptions: miss it. When Sharad Singh Bhandari Kathmandu’s urban middle-class PLUs assured political class that will not turn to (01) 543333-7 Fax: (01) 521013 ceases to be an MP, he is unlikely to care [email protected] www.nepalitimes.com (People Like Us) love to hate politicians. influence-peddling when it retires from Printed at Jagadamba Press (01) 521393 that he will not get an MP’s pension. Then “Politicians have wrecked the nation” is a parliament. We owe it to them, and we owe it there are MPs who made fortunes in the common refrain at parties and receptions. The to our democracy. t VIEW POINT 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 3 “Peoples’ multi-party democracy offers a comprehensive alternative framework of governance”

e are still in an era of capitalism and imperialism. In the opportunism, anarchism and petit together and establish solidarity and spiritually and creating the wimperialism and first decade, the CPN carried out a bourgeois individualism and united cooperation with the world ground for social proletarian revolution. The militant mass movement along with the party ideologically and communist and socialist transformation to achieve validity of Marxism and Leninism the participation in parliamentary organisationally. The congress movements. One of the major socialism. We have has not diminished at all, though and local body elections. Even reconfirmed the programme of aspects of the PMDP is to increase adopted the peoples’ tremendous changes have taken during the despotic Panchayat PMPD, which envisages a mass- the capability of the communist multiparty democracy place in the world in the recent regime, when all political parties based cadre party guided by clear party by mobilising the people in all model as a distinct past. Both the adventurist policies were banned and the CPN was Marxist outlook, organisational circumstances and thus lead the feature of a new of ultra-leftism and liquidationist operating underground, the Party principles, and discipline. It was communist movement in a democratic revolution policies of rightist opportunism carried out both constitutional and adopted after a long ideological sustained manner. The supremacy essential to a semi- have caused harm to the communist extra-constitutional, peaceful and struggle against right and left of the constitution, rule of law, feudal and semi- movement in various countries. The violent forms of struggle. Passing opportunism. Democratisation of multi-party, open and plural colonial country like communist party should exhaust all through ordeals of torture, the party, state and society are society, the principle of separation ours. possibilities, including the political imprisonment and harassment and taken as important goals to quicken of power and the system of multi- The forces of and militant mass struggle and enduring the polemics of ideological progressive change in society. party competition, periodic socialism will march peaceful competition to direct struggle, internal splits and The contradiction between the elections and government of party ahead in the new century society towards progress and to deviations the mainstream toiling masses and the feudal, comprador in majority and opposition of the and the human being will remain in the centre of national communists succeeded in unifying bureaucratic capitalist classes that minority are the mechanisms to prefer the road to politics according to the objective the movement and deepening its are collaborating with foreign maintain wider public support and equality, prosperity and conditions of a given society. peace. In order to The experience of several southeast achieve successes in this Asian and Latin American countries and Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary of the regard, we need to the former Soviet Union is a pointer: the formulate appropriate adjustment of policies and tactics with a Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist-Leninist, national strategies under correct understanding of the needs of time the guiding principles of together with clear class stand and outlook summarises the basic tenets of his party’s reasons for socialism with due and dialectical approach is necessary for adhering to the policy of peoples’ multi-party recognition to the success and sustainability of socialism. imperatives of time and Now the phase of setback and confusion is democracy: supremacy of the constitution, rule of situation and careful basically over and forces of socialism and analysis of all relevant communism are gradually regaining law, separation of powers, multi-party competition phenomena and strength across the world. In various and periodic elections. changes. As Lenin said, countries communist parties are leading “Concrete political

strong popular movements, including the aims must be set in SUBHAS RAI labour movement. The so-called roots among the people. The CPN monopoly capital are reflected in guiding state conduct. PMDP will concrete deregulation of trade has supported the (Unified Marxist-Leninist) received the exploitative and unjust consolidate the people’s democratic circumstances. All ideology of absolute market sovereignty, about 31 percent of the popular production relations in Nepali movement, eliminating exploitation things are relative, all undermining national and political vote in the last general elections society. There is unjust and unequal and oppression, developing the things flow and all sovereignty, cultural autonomy of nations and won a majority of local bodies. ownership of land, and abject country both materially and things change.” t and the imperatives of domestic need of After the mid-term polls of 1994, poverty. Control of a large portion national institutions, including those in the CPN-UML had formed the of the national income by a handful welfare and service sectors. The US-led minority government, now it is the of powerful people renders a vast world capitalism is not paying attention main opposition in parliament. We majority of the people unemployed to the serious concerns of developing have taken the parliamentary front and below the poverty line despite countries. US-led military actions and as an important front of class increasing external loans and grants. imposition of trade embargoes and struggle. PMPD provides the answers to blockades against developing, small and Synthesising the experiences of the these questions by offering a weaker countries of the world validate the past and closely examining the domestic comprehensive alternative analysis made by Lenin about and international situation, the Fifth framework of governance, economic imperialism. National Congress led by Comrade system, education and culture, land When China and India were Madan Bhandari adopted the programme reform and proper utilisation of engaged in earth-shaking liberation of Peoples’ Multi-Party Democracy foreign assistance. and independence movements, the (PMPD) as the path of Nepali The communist party has to Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) revolution. At the Sixth National lead the revolution to bring was established to struggle against Congress in 1998 we carried out a workers, peasants, national feudalism, autocracy, comprador resolute struggle against rightist capitalists and patriotic forces

LETTERS yak and yeti ICIMOD professional calibre of our departing While on official travel outside KOW-TOWING TO KOIRALA colleagues through the unattributed Nepal, I was dismayed to belatedly quotation. The professionals who are CK Lal’s columns, till now, were receive a copy of your article completing their assignments with always truthful and objective “ICIMOD Downsizes”. This article ICIMOD have outstanding appraisals of current issues that I contained harmful errors of fact and accomplishments to their credit read with interest and admiration. opinion, which were neither true nor throughout the seven countries of the However, in “The dynasty strikes attributed. These statements have Hindu Kush-Himalaya region we back” (#17) he too seems to have hurt the reputation of highly estee- serve. These accomplishments are succumbed to the bug of syco- med professional colleagues in documented in numerous publica- phancy. His brief stint of objective ICIMOD. The failure to correctly tions and letters of appreciation. analytical writing has come to an identify the internationally recruited They were highlighted in ICIMOD’s end, and he has shown that if you staff, who are separating by virtue of recent Centre’s Day with its Board of scratch Nepali journalists, they having completed two or more terms Governors and Support Group. Your show their hidden colours with ICIMOD, was highly irrespon- unsupported and unkind remark immediately. It is only a matter of sible. The one line correction in the dishonours these professionals, and is time, which in most cases is sooner following issue does not even clarify unfair to them and ICIMOD. rather than later. Kow-towing to the that Anupam Bhatia and Narpat All of us at ICIMOD devote much Koiralas is a professional Jodha were not among those whose of our efforts to supporting the efforts necessity, I suppose. It gets its contracts are expiring. Likewise, your of the highly skilled and competent rewards as any cosying up to the correction continues the error that professionals of this region to powers-that-be (or soon-to-be) this was a Board decision, rather facilitate increased regional capacity does. CK Lal’s piece has to some than a normal management action and hope for the future. We extent damaged your credibility. upon the completion of contracts, welcomed Nepali Times as a creative A columnist’s views do not for which the Board is not demonstration of the professionalism necessarily reflect a paper’s responsible. developing in the region. It is thus official standing, but no paper can However, the failure to correctly deeply disappointing to find such an at the same time absolve itself obtain the facts before reporting article in the Nepali Times. completely from the views it prints. them pales before the hurtful Gabriel Campbell Dr SM Dixit negative comment on the Director General, ICIMOD Patan 4NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

government machinery and the politicians to use the figures properly to meet population targets. The current Ninth Five Year Plan has prioritised a 20- year population plan. Under this CENSUS 2001 strategy, by 2016, Nepal’s fertility rate has to reach

HEMLATA RAI to 83 today. But while the effect “replacement level”—the point ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ he only thing certain about of these factors takes time to where an average couple has just tNepal’s current population make an impact on fertility enough children to replace seems to be that it is still decline, the sharp drop in death themselves. In 15 years, if this growing too fast, and that it will rate and the still-high birth rate goal is met, an average Nepali double in about 25 years. The has opened a yawning gap and woman has to have no more than estimate for Nepal’s present turned Nepal’s demographic 2.4 children. But demographers population is 22 million, give or transition into a serious like Bal Gopal Baidya, former take two million. Figures for the challenge. member of the National Planning population growth rate range from 2.1 percent to 2.7 percent, depending on who is counting. Nepal’s literacy rate for girls is the lowest in the But finally, the guessing game region. In fact, illiteracy among women in Nepal is may be over. the same as in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. On 22 June 2001, tens of thousands of specially trained enumerators will fan out across Tribhuvan University Commission, admit that this the country for what is officially population expert Bal Krishna target may be unrealistic. “To called the Nepal Census on Mabuhang says the census will get to replacement level by 2016 Population and Housing 2001. be important for one simple is very ambitious,” Baidya told But this is not just a count; reason: it will remove doubts us. enumerators will also collect about figures. Although Nepal’s But it has been done data on age, sex, occupation, population crisis is alarming, he elsewhere. Thailand reduced its ethnic group, housing, says there is no way to assess its fertility rate from 6.4 in 1960 to schooling, migration and impact on the country’s overall a near-replacement level of 2.4 in women’s property rights. And development right now. “We 20 years with an aggressive for the first time, the census will cannot say for sure that our contraceptive drive combined provide answers, through population situation has reached with family health services and gender-segregated data, on the the crisis point on the basis of economic growth. In Nepal, the status of women and their data presently available,” government’s 20-year strategy welfare. In themselves, the roles Mabuhang says. Just one barely exists on paper, and for it of men and women have a example of the wide disparity in to be adopted and implemented crucial bearing on family size, figures is the 1991 census that will clearly take some time. and the data will be invaluable showed Nepal’s population in Meanwhile, the clock keeps in planning future strategies for the 1981-1991 decade grew by ticking. The Ninth Plan has also Nepal’s population management 2.1 percent annually. But the recommended intervention programme. National Planning Commission’s packages like family health A consortium of donors, calculation for the same period services, child survival strategies, including various United is 2.5 percent. After the 2001 and contraceptive prevalence as Nations organisations, have Next year’s census will probably confirm what all of figures come in, the Central effective tools for population already begun revising manuals, Bureau of Statistics is planning control. But this would cost 80 curricula and questionnaires, us know: that despite progress, Nepal’s population to decentralise data analysis percent of the total national adding the gender perspective growth is still out of control. The government needs a through regional data processing budget outlay for public health, for the census takers. The centres linked with the national and no one in the Ministry of United Nations Development policy, and it needs to implement it rapidly. data processing centre at its Population and Environment

Programme (UNDP) is headquarters in Kathmandu. (MOPE) seems to know where ○○○○○○○○○○○ supporting the recruitment of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ This will help carry out a proper that money is going to come nearly 4,500 specialised women used to fine-tune data 1911 (when Nepal’s population number of children per couple) is study of present resources, from. enumerators who will be trained tabulation. The Central Bureau was a mere five million), and a 4.45, a big drop from 6.3 in service and opportunity MOPE, it seems, has plenty to accurately fill in the census of Statistics (CBS) in virtual treasure house of valuable 1970. The infant mortality rate, distribution, and comprehensive to mope about. Nepal’s questionnaire. A pilot census Kathmandu claims that the 2001 data compared with the last one a key factor in inducing couples trends on population mobility. population growth rate has was conducted earlier this year count will be the most scientific in 1991. to have fewer children if it is The lack of proper statistics slowed down slightly to 2.4 to pre-test questionnaires and of all censuses since the first Present estimates show that low, has declined sharply from is only part of the problem. The percent since 1995, but experts the results have already been National Census conducted in Nepal’s fertility rate (the average 187 per 1,000 live births in 1960 really big challenge is to get the caution that it is simply not

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK

counselling. I wasn’t surprised to see his name on an list of alleged agents that made the rounds on the Being John Malkovich World-Wide Web last year. I have worked in a few places that are reputedly nests of spies—Kabul, Peshawar, Teheran. My last posting, Delhi, My own country, Canada, may want to background, one day a sweeper at a missile factory, the next a chauffeur was supposed to be a place where you spoke very carefully at to a minister. Being a broadcaster and columnist with at least some diplomatic functions. And you never, never leant too close to a vase of spy on the developing ability of facial recognition makes it hard to sneak around unnoticed, especially flowers or did anything distasteful in front of a mirror. But in 1998 Sherpas to play ice hockey, if only on in our dear small Kathmandu. I can’t even miss paying for my round at the Indian capital was found to be devoid of competent intelligence the pub without drinkers all across town shaking their heads and agents when no one—and I mean no one—foresaw that India’s newly vertical skating rinks. saying, “Tut, tut, there he goes again.” elected, avowedly hawkish government would use a nuclear test to One does run into the shore up its coalition in parliament. There were three heart attacks hazard of this profession concerns intelligence and not the kind odd spy in my line of work. and a midnight disappearance at the American Embassy alone. abetween the ears. No, I refer to spooky behaviour involving Generally, they work at But it could be that I am missing the boat. Spying could be the trench coats, rendezvous on dark street corners and vodka foreign embassies and they profession of the 21st century, just as computer programming was in martinis, shaken not stirred. Yes, dear reader, I mean spying. Now that find it difficult to explain the 1990s, and stock brokering in the 1980s. Perhaps this is the a couple of publications from the squalid end of the local press have exactly what it is they do. century of the freelance spook who spies only for countries or causes suggested that I am an agent for a Certain Neighbouring Country, it’s You tend to hear phrases that please him. I, for example, could offer some crucial information time to lay the cards on the table. How should I start? I was thinking like “a little of this, a little about Nepal to the Netherlands. Wake up you sturdy folk of along the lines of “the name’s Bond, James Bond,” but somehow Daniel of that”, “jack of all trades, Holland, Nepali cheese is as good as Gouda and it’s only a matter of Lak doesn’t carry quite the same heft. Nor does my mid-Atlantic old boy, master of none”, time before the Edam on your plate comes from a Yak in Langtang. baritone send the same sort of shivers down (largely female) spines as “oh, I just help out where Perhaps the Maldives needs someone here to monitor and subtly Sean Connery’s Lowland Scots. Then there’s the matter of disguise. I I’m needed”—words to that encourage scuba diving or tuna consumption. My own country, have—it is said unkindly but accurately—a face made for radio. effect. One such from some Canada, may want to know about the developing ability of Sherpas to Don’t rush to comfort me, and assure me that my passing years ago was the play ice hockey, if only on vertical skating rinks. Taking a page from resemblance to John Malkovich is somehow compensation for not “Counsellor, Economic” at Graham Greene, I could be Our Man in Kathmandu, passing off having the unflappable rubbery good looks of the traditional television a certain European mission schematic diagrams of my son’s electronic toys as the plans for a personality. Malkovich doesn’t look pretty on the box either. If anyone in another part of the Himalayan missile defence system. should jump at the opportunity to disguise themselves, to at least dawn world. He was a jovial Alas though, I am not cut out for such a life. For too long, I’ve given a toupee and cover up that, that...forehead, well, it should be me. But fellow with a good contacts away my secrets and spread information, not distorted it for malevolent or no, I am as I am. No mask, wig or surgeon’s knife will be allowed to book, but he knew nothing paranoid ends. And my mother would not approve. I’ll stick with forcing change it. Finally, a good spy craves anonymity—a way to lurk in the of either economics or my face on an unwilling public, and leave the spying to the spooks. t NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 5

falling fast enough to take in Cairo, which affirmed that

advantage of economic growth. population control is closely Projected population growth Melamchi update ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

At present rates of growth, the linked to the alleviation of ○○○○○○○○○○ country’s population will be 33 poverty, the empowerment of Loan negotiations between the Nepali government and the million by 2016 and perhaps 40 women and environmental Asian Development Bank (ADB) concluded in Manila last week million by 2025. But if replace- protection. The 20-year in preparation for the Melamchi Water Supply Project to appear ment level fertility is finally programme of action adopted in before the ADB board in late December. reached by 2020, then the Cairo calls for improved and The loan document will be reviewed by Nepali government growth will start slowing, but wider access to education, and ADB officials before distribution among the ADB board only very slowly. especially for girls, the provision members who will make the final decision. Six other donors and With a population density of of quality reproductive health lenders (see Nepali Times #14 150 people per sq km, Nepal is care, and increased all-round 27 October) are expected to one of the most densely- efforts to end violence against approve their respective shares population mountain regions of women and redress gender for the $441 million project once the world. Migration to the tarai inequality. Nepal’s performance the ADB board goes ahead with and the cities counts towards an on all scores is poor, and FROM UN AND WB DATA EXTRAPOLATED its $120 million loan. alarming urbanisation rate of 6.5 despite the progress of the past keep the annual economic response. “With this kind of If all goes as expected, the percent, which means the 30 years, it still lags behind growth at 4-5 percent with the laxity in the government, national plan is to bring water from the population of Nepali cities and other South Asian countries in population growth population targets are snow-fed Melamchi Khola to towns is growing at nearly three key development indicators (see rate pushed down to less than unachievable,” he told us bluntly. the Valley by 2006. A 26.5 km times the national average. With table). The worst records are in two percent, then we stand a The large proportion of young long tunnel through the contraceptive prevalence at infant mortality (seven times chance to survive over-popula- children also means a slower mountains northeast of barely 20 percent (compared to higher in Nepal than in Sri tion,” says Saiju. decline in fertility rates because of Kathmandu will bring 170 50 percent in Bangladesh) all the Lanka) and maternal mortality, But other experts warn that population momentum. It is a million litres of water daily. present figures point to a which is one of the highest in this year’s economic growth global demographic trend that Before that happens, however, doomsday demographic scenario. the world. Population planners was an aberration caused by women are having fewer children water supply and distribution UNFPA in Nepal says that say these parameters are directly better harvests due to a healthy than their mothers, but since must be privatised (by 2001), legislation passed to relocate despite the decline in fertility correlated to factors like female monsoon, and not because of almost half the total population is industries that use more water and prevent illegal tapping of rate Nepal’s population is “still literacy and the status of better infrastructure and under 25, any real decline in ground water, and an independent regulatory body set up, as too big to be manageable.” women, and sure enough, management, and they doubt if overall population is unlikely demanded by the ADB loan. Economist Mohan Man Saiju, Nepal’s literacy rate for girls is this rate can be sustained. soon even if the government were

formerly with the National the lowest in the region. In fact, Demographer Ram Hari super-efficient in implementing a Money for kamaiyas ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Planning Commission, agrees: illiteracy among women in Aryal says Nepal has both new strategy. ○○○○○○○○○○ “The present population growth Nepal is the same as in Taliban- “quantitative and qualitative” The other demographic factor The International Labour Organisation (ILO) will spend $3.5 rate is not sustainable in the ruled Afghanistan. problems with its population. is uneven growth. The cities and million on a project for the sustainable elimination of the context of economic and social The government still hopes Nepal’s population pyramid has the tarai are growing much faster kamaiya system of bonded labour. The money comes from the progress.” that last year’s economic a very large base, with children than the mid-hills and the high United States Department of Labour and will be used to support Nepal is also lagging behind growth of six percent will under 14 making up 44 percent mountain regions. MOPE the rehabilitation of 14,000 families (8,000 of whom have no in commitments it made at the trickle down and translate into of the population. Aryal is estimates that population density land or homes) that were freed from bondage, following a 1994 International Conference a decline in the population sharply critical of the lack of in the tarai is already 254 per sq government decision to outlaw the practice on 17 July earlier on Population and Development growth rate. “If we manage to urgency in the government’s km, compared to only 28 per sq this year. km in the mountains. Central

Nepal is also much more heavily Downsizing government ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

SOUTH ASIA - DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS populated (275 per sq km) than ○○○○○○○○○○ the mid-western region (68 per sq The Public Expenditure Review Commission, formed to Infant mortality Maternal % Illiterate Total population Total rertility km). suggest ways to downsize and to rationalise spending, (total per 1,000 mortality (>15 years) (millions rate It doesn’t look too good for recommended sweeping measures, including the scrapping of live births) ratio male/female in 2000) (1995-2000) Nepal, but even—especially— several ministries, in a draft report submitted to the government when the odds are stacked in last week. These include the Ministry of Women, Children and Bangladesh 79 440 49/79 1.7 3.11 favour of disaster, a start has to Social Welfare, the Ministry of General Administration and the Bhutan 63 - - 2.8 5.50 be made somewhere. If all goes as Ministry of Population and Environment. The Commission has planned, the 2001 census will suggested that a National Women’s Commission be formed to India 72 410 32/56 1.6 3.13 provide population and manage issues handled by Ministry of Women, the Central Work Nepal 83 540 42/77 2.4 4.45 development planners with vital Management should take over the work of the Ministry of Pakistan 74 - 41/70 2.8 5.03 building blocks. And then the General Administration, and the Ministry of Health should keep really difficult part begins. t population records. It has also recommended that the Public Sri Lanka 18 60 6/11 1.6 2.10 Revenue Investigation Department be merged with an UNFPA independent Investigation Bureau.

Friends of the Bagmati

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The travails of a population billionaire The London-based Alliance for Religions and Conservation (ARC) is to work with a newly formed group called the Friends of Bagmati (FOB) to conserve, clean and restore the holy river. The

TV PADMA IN NEW DELHI FOB, still in its formative stage, is open to anyone interested in

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ Fertility rates have declined in the last trying to restore the river to its original glory. The idea is that ndia has a long way to go before it can stabilise six years, but India’s population program everyone does his or her little bit, with goodwill and faith, to i demographic growth, says the second National Family needs a review. clean up the river, though it may appear to be an insurmountable Health Survey. High levels of poverty, hunger, illiteracy, and task. ARC will help mobilise friends abroad, and guide the work poor basic health services continue to be the main hurdles babies between 12 and 23 months get all recommended of the new group. for the world’s oldest birth control programme. The survey is childhood vaccinations. Malnutrition has declined from 52 to 47 based on interviews with 90,000 women, between 15 and 49 percent in the last decade, but the problem continues to be

years of age, from different parts of India and speaking 17 serious, with one in 11 Indian children dying before the age of EVs in Bharatpur ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ different languages. five. ‘’This is the highest level of under-nutrition anywhere in the ○○○○○○○○○○ Bharatpur Municipality has decided to introduce five electric Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have world,’’ says Fred Arnold of the U.S.-based ‘ORC Macro’, which three-wheelers to serve the Shahid Chowk-BP Koirala Cancer checked their population growth rates considerably. Their provided technical support for the survey. Hospital route. Martin Chautari, a Kathmandu-based advocacy success is attributed to high levels of literacy, as women are Mothers-to-be also lack basic nutritional and health care. group, says it has been asked to prepare the groundwork in made more aware of reproductive health issues. But further Only 20 percent of pregnant women get the minimum needed, preparation of inducting the electric vehicles in the city. decline in fertility will be difficult, says TK Roy, director of the three health check-ups during pregnancy, supplementation Meanwhile, the Electric Vehicle Association of Nepal (EVAN) Institute for Population Studies, which carried out the survey. with iron and folic acid, and tetanus injections, and one in 37 asked Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to annul the The new National Population Policy (NPP) announced earlier risk dying from pregnancy-related complications, according to government’s decision to stop the registration of new electric this year aims for a national average of two children per WHO and UNICEF estimates. ‘’Although access to vehicles operating within the Ring Road. EVAN maintains that couple by the year 2010, compared with the current average professional delivery care is improving, nearly half of the the government should implement strong and effective of three to four, and zero level growth by 2045. The four large women have no say regarding their own health care,’’ says emission standards to take polluting vehicles off the roads, and problem states, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Sumati Kulkarni, who co-ordinated the survey. Only one in three increase the carrying capacity of roads also, instead of placing a Pradesh, have shown little progress in reducing fertility levels births takes place at a proper health care centre, and only 40 ban on EV registrations. and infant and maternal mortality rates. These states together percent of births are attended to by health professionals. account for 40 percent of India’s population. The Indian government announced the NPP on May 11, the

Contraceptive use by women is up from 41 percent to 48 day the country’s billionth officially recognised baby was born. Parking full at airport ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ percent, but most prefer sterilisation, and few use spacing Two months later, it set up India’s first National Commission ○○○○○○○○○○ methods like pills and condoms. V. Ramalingaswami, former on Population, a 100-member committee of experts and Kathmandu aiport has run out of parking space for jets. Monday, chief of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), political leaders, headed by the prime minister. The number of 20 November, saw the worst-ever congestion, as scheduled points to this, early marriage, and the deep-rooted preference seats in the Indian parliament has been frozen till 2026. States international flights arrived to find there was nowhere to park for boys, as the major reasons babies are born in quick which have done well in birth control argue they should not because the apron was fully occupied. Arriving PIA, Qatar succession, within two years of each other. have lesser parliamentary representation and a smaller slice Airways, Royal Nepal from London, and Bangaldesh Biman jets Improved immunisation coverage has resulted in lower in national development funds because of their relatively small had to wait up to one-and-half hours before irate passengers could disembark. infant mortality levels in most states. Still, only 42 percent of numbers. t (IPS) 6NATION 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

VILLAGE VOICE by JAN SALTER

Ujeli was extremely reluctant to leave Asha Deep, a place she now called her maiti. I hoped that she would settle down in a few days. She loved my animals, Ujeli even my black kitten. She cooked me delicious dal bhat, but she was never at ease. She had difficulties with my western loo. She was terrified of getting lost and being alone. So much so that through the night I would frequently hear my door being opened—Ujeli was checking if I was still there. One day, in an attempt to reassure her, I telephoned Kumar, a staff-member at Asha Deep familiar with Ujeli. Perhaps a friendly voice would reassure her. As she put the phone to her ear, an incredible thing happened. She listened a moment, trying to hear. Suddenly she gripped the phone tightly and her body went rigid. Her eyes closed, her mouth opened wide and loudly she began calling into the phone, “I’m lost. I’m lost. Where are you? I can’t find you.” Like me, Kumar realised something crucial was happening. It became clear Ujeli thought she was talking to someone else. But who? Kumar seized the moment, perceptively taking the opportunity to get This portrait of Ujeli by the author was done after she returned to her village. Ujeli to speak. He miraculously succeeded in opening up her memory and within minutes she Ujeli came to Kathmandu from revealed the name of her village and her family. It all came Okaldunga, got lost and lived tumbling out. She came from Khotang in Okaldunga. as the “madwoman” of Within days, accompanied by two staff members of Asha Deep, Samakhusi for over two years. a very happy Ujeli made the

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ journey back to her village, in the uncertain but expectant hope homeless woman came to contact Asha Deep, a home for of finding her family. She was asleep on the streets of mentally disturbed people. Asha joyfully reunited with her Samakhusi. Each day she Deep’s response was direct and delighted and amazed parents would gather a few twigs positive. They would help! and her ecstatic eleven-year-old together to light a fire under an A very young girl was son. old powdered milk tin and cook assigned to come with us to Two-and-half years earlier, whatever came her way. While persuade Ujeli to accompany us Ujeli had come to Kathmandu shangrila ad others thought and spoke of her to Asha Deep. I personally with her nephew to visit as that ‘madwoman’, Bhim doubted that this youngster relatives. In the confusion and Dhakal, a resident of Samakhusi, could obtain the homeless bustle of the streets, she got lost. noticed that despite being woman’s trust, but she did so Ujeli’s desperate relatives homeless she had a quiet dignity with amazing professional skill panicked. They combed the lanes and did her best to keep herself and tact. Ujeli was quickly for many days, bewildered by the clean. During the following seated in a taxi, and we were on crowds. Finally, they gave up and months he grew to respect this our way. Asha Deep is well went home. As time went by they independent woman’s attempts accustomed to coping with the thought she must be dead. to survive. problems of disturbed people, What happened to Ujeli When the monsoon came, and while I watched, Ujeli was during those hideous lost years she could no longer find dry fed and offered a private place to before she was found by Bhim? twigs to light her fire and it was bathe which she was happy to We will probably never know. impossible for her to stay dry. accept. In a very short time Ujeli For me, this was a unique story. Bhim’s concern grew. How adjusted to her new But for Asha Deep, this is just would she survive the long surroundings and made good another day. Set up in 1994, the monsoon? It was when she friends with the staff and other shelter has helped reunite many became sick that Bhim called inmates. Being a big woman, she such lost people. Also, it helps me. “She might die,” he feared. enjoyed working in the garden households with disturbed family “I must do something. Please and tending the cows. She liked members cope with this growing advise me what to do.” children and animals and took problem of urbanisation. In a Ujeli Rai, who we guessed interest in caring for both. country where rapid was about 45 years old, could Many months passed, but all development is creating a tell us her name and little else. attempts at getting Ujeli to confusing world for many, She had a problem with her reveal her past were in vain. This understanding and sympathy for hearing and seemed mentally normally friendly woman would mental health is vital. It’s all disturbed, not surprising under become uncharacteristically happening too fast, too suddenly the circumstances. She upset and angry when for many Nepalis. Like Ujeli, remembered nothing of where questioned. Something was many of these “mad” people are she came from or how she ended blocking her memory. Later, just lost. We see them up homeless. Her damp clothes when Ujeli’s health improved, everywhere. But, unlike Ujeli, were so rotten they tore easily as Asha Deep talked to me about not all of their stories have such she tried modestly to cover her rehabilitation. We had to give it a happy ending. t body. She gratefully accepted a try. I agreed to see what would the dry skirt and blouse offered happen if I took her home. As Jan Salter has lived in Nepal for to her with a winning Kirati she liked animals, perhaps she 30 years. She is an artist and co- smile. After making a few could take care of my four dogs author with Harka Gurung of the enquiries, I was advised to and two cats. book, Faces of Nepal. 7 NATION The Indians aren’t coming24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

whether this new rule has actually watches at Bishal Bazaar: “This has dealers and small manufacturers from improved security for India, but it has affected us. I would say business is Jalandhar (in Punjab) do not had a big negative effect on the down by half.” There are those who necessarily have a passport. And if they tourism industry. Many Indians do agree with him whole-heartedly, such do, what prevents them from going to have passports, but most don’t. The as the manager of Shoe Centre in the Bangkok. Thai operators have set up trader from Chandigarh has a passport same market: “I am definitely affected. offices in Mumbai just to woo Indian because he has been around. His wife Indian tourists give me my profits.” tourists and conferencees,” says has a voter ID card, but doesn’t have a But not all shopkeepers agree. A another tour operator. passport. Their two children have patently nationalistic one thinks the A drop in Indian influx will hurt neither. They are stopped at Delhi market is a place where “Indians sell on the other side of the border too. airport and can’t board the plane. to Indians” and Nepal doesn’t There are tour operators in India “Any restriction is bound to have actually benefit. He told us: “We (some 200 of them), including a negative impact. To minimise such really don’t need the Indians to give names like Sterling and Explorers, an impact we have started an us business. It is true that some that are going to be hit. But worst information campaign in India telling shops are more tourist dependent— affected will be travel agents, resorts people that they need these they feel the documents to travel to Nepal,” pinch.” Thinning Indian shoppers at Pradeep Raj Pandey of Nepal The manager Bishal bazaar and tourists Tourism Board told us. But Pandey at Bluebird squatting at the airport (right).

ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY sees a positive side-effect in that Nepal Department may actually get a “better class” of Store couldn’t

A NEPALI TIMES REPORT ○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○ A new rule requiring that Indians coming travellers. A source at the Indian hide his anger: order questions with India into Nepal by air carry either a passport or embassy too admitted that the “They ought to sometimes border on the restrictions have adversely affected the enforce these

a voter ID card is already affecting the MIN BAJRACHARYA babsurd. There’s much heartburn number of Indian tourists flying in. restrictions even between the two neighbours on number of Indian tourist arrivals. Businessmen in the capital are at the land restricting the flow of people and pioneer in Nepal, triggered an Indian who do come are put off by the extra- crying foul. The Indians are just not border. We have merchandise, and now it is causing a invasion with his “555” package for special security introduced at coming. “Per se the India-Nepal a population lot of anxiety to Indian tourists Indians. The seasonality factor Kathmandu airport upon the Indian connection has suffered,” says problem visiting Nepal. They are told at Delhi, vanished as the Indians with wads of government’s insistence where Everest’s Bhagat. “Indian tourists already.” He seemed to confuse his at Nagarkot and Dhulikel, Calcutta or Banaras airport that they money poured in. “India is the passengers have to wait up to 45 spend more than foreigners. This is business with a perceived threat of transporters and people who benefit can’t fly unless they have the proper greatest market for Nepal—a billion minutes on the tarmac for their third vexatious.” The president of the migration. directly and indirectly from the documents. Ironically, the land border people captive,” says Dubby Bhagat, body check before getting on their Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), Casinos are high-end splurge tourism industry. So far they have remains open, and only people flying of Everest Hotel. Indian Airlines flights. Narendra Bajracharya, feels the same destinations, so most of the been riding the crest of the autumn in face the new restrictions. Then why is there a sense of In addition is the requirement way: “If this restriction stays in place clientele from India have passports season, but we are approaching a The earliest guidebooks on Nepal foreboding now? Most Indians come that Indians flying to Nepal need it will affect us all in the long run.” and fly right in. But early trends period—mid-December to mid- advised travellers to visit the country overland, but a sizeable percentage of either a voter ID card issued by the The ubiquitous Indian travellers show that five-star hotel occupancy January—when Indians thronged during October-November and Indian tourists do fly in. It is this Election Commission of India, a asking the way to Bishal Bazaar as has suffered. Not only is gambling the streets of Kathmandu and took March-April, saying that at other segment that could be diminishing. central or state government issued ID soon as they get out of the airport are tourism affected, but also dealer time off at resorts. It is when the air times the kingdom was too cold, too Indian tourist arrivals haven’t really card, or a passport. (Nepalis flying to fewer these days. Says Randhir Manot conferences, because they are now seats begin to go empty that hot or too wet. Then in the 1970s, picked up since the Indian Airlines India also need to furnish proof of who runs Abhinandan, a shop selling more difficult to organise as not Nepal’s tourism industry will feel Dick Tuttle, the American gambling hijacking last December. And those their nationality.) It remains debatable expensive silks, saris and designer everyone has the necessary ID. “The the pinch. t

over and working there anyway. acquire consent from husbands or trafficking in women for Instead, it limits women’s rights parents for passport applications, economic exploitation,” says Misplaced chivalry to decide where and whether they clearances from respective village Tina Staermose of the want to work,” says Brinda development committee International Labour Pandey, a trade unionist. “Instead authorities to travel outside their Organisation in Kathmandu. An the government should regulate villages, and the government argument borne out by the fact

HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ If you are a woman, the government says the channels Nepali women use restriction against women seeking that Nepali women cross the espite Prime Minister Girija you can’t work in the Arab countries. to go to the Gulf for employment in the West Asia as border into India by the thousand Prasad Koirala’s pledge last employment.” “serious obstructions against every year and end up in the dweek that the government The women want to go too. During her South Asian visit women’s mobility”. “These brothels of Mumbai and Calcutta. would soon lift its restrictions on last month, UN Special provisions have seriously violated The government has simply not women travelling to the Persian Rapporteur on Violence Against women’s one right (of free been able to put an end to this Gulf countries for employment, Women Radhika Coomaraswamy mobility) in the name of trafficking, and by its across-the- the Ministry of Labour and came down heavily on the protecting another right (against board ban on women workers going Transport Management government. Going beyond the trafficking),” she said. to the Gulf has only succeeded in (ML&TM), which the PM Gulf ban, she described the legal “Restrictions against their pushing an employment channel himself heads, seem in no hurry to provisions that require women to free mobility will not stop underground. t end the ban. “We imposed the ban to protect Nepali women from being exploited in the Gulf countries. And, we will not consider lifting it until we can make diplomatic arrangements to ensure their safety there,” said LB Thapa, with a government ban in place, in official books and therefore joint secretary at the ministry. He Thapa said that the ministry is unprotected by laws that ensure also said that the government is “not aware” of it. He added that workers’ rights. in the process of signing the air hostesses have not taken Two years ago, a Nepali agreements with various Gulf permission from the ministry to domestic working in Kuwait nations to send Nepali workers work for the airlines, and should committed suicide in a hospital there. “But legal agreements alone they land in any kind of trouble where she was admitted for may not change the government’s the government would not be in a treatment of injuries she had policy about women going to the position to help them. received from consistent sexual Gulf for work. Cultural Apart from the administrative and physical abuse. Though differences between the Gulf and weaknesses in implementation, all various womens rights NGOs Nepal will continue to make the ban does is close a legal demanded that the government Nepali women vulnerable to avenue into the West Asian job pursue diplomatic avenues to exploitation,” said Thapa. market directly from Nepal. An claim compensation for the The irony is that the ban has open border with India and direct victim, the government could do not stopped Nepali women from flights to Bangladesh provide nothing for lack of proper finding work in the Gulf countries plenty of opportunities for job- evidence. (popularly known as ‘Arab’). seekers to reach the Gulf. What Women rights activists and Nepali air hostesses working for the prohibition has done is make trade unionists have criticised the Gulf Air and Qatar Airways fly in women more vulnerable to government decision as and out of Kathmandu airport all economic and sexual exploitation. chauvinistically imposed the time. When asked how it was Since the women now use illegal discrimination against women. that they could be working channels to reach their “The ban has no practical (technically, at least) in the Gulf destinations, they remain invisible meaning, women have been going 8 NEPALI ECONOMY 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

UML wants bank ‘reforms’ stopped ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The opposition Unified Marxists-Leninists has called on the government to stop the process of handing over the management of two of Nepal’s largest banks to foreign companies. They want the government to find ways other than the two-year management Service charged contracts to address the banks’ problems. The two banks together hold over 50 percent of all deposits in Nepal. Forty-two companies, including several large multinational financial institutions, have The service charge debate concerns expressed interest in managing the banks. Among these are KPMG Barnet, the auditors labour-legislation as a whole, not just the who declared the two banks “technically insolvent” earlier this year. KPMG’s interest is one reason to suspect “foul play”, claims the opposition, adding that the government’s decision extra item on your bill. to involve foreign companies could lead to more losses. he service charge debate revenue? Levying a service charge is this system ineffective although threatens to close down hotels one thing, but sharing it with Nepal’s labour laws are radically

FNCCI: Don’t bomb businesses t again. This is part of a larger employees is quite other. Even in socialist. Of course, strong labour ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has issued a issue of labour legislation, and should nations where a service charge is levied unions constantly add to their list of press statement calling for a cessation of attacks on business establishments. It has also not be seen in isolation. on hotel bills, the entire amount is not demands, and so the managements are demanded that the government ensure the security of industry. The FNCCI said the attacks In a country where politicians and handed over to employees. cornered and the legal recourse is on businesses by Maoists in Simara, Hetauda and the Kathmandu Valley have destroyed bureaucrats levy a service charge for There has been no serious effort always pro-labour. A service charge expensive machinery, finished products and vehicles, and clouded the investment climate. being the servants of the people, it is to understand what the hotel may therefore have to be a trade-off The statement was issued in the wake of a suspected Maoist attack on a distillery in quite natural for the hotel industry to employees’ long-standing demand between an organised legal system of Parwanipur of Parsa district. join the fray. After all, it is not called a means or what its implications are. compensation, and constant “service industry” for nothing. The The industry and the government only bargaining and negotiations. government and the hotel industry got their heads out of the sand when The additional service charges will Lawsuit against RNAC woke up at the last minute and have the workers’ action committee gave not be passed on to customers, as they

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ been able to postpone the threatened them an ultimatum: Resolve the issue are always quoted the net rate. As the A group of lawyers have filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court calling for a stay order on hotel strike for a while. But the big by 19 November, or we strike. tourism sector is strongly competitive, RNAC’s recent decision to lease an aircraft from Lauda Air of Austria. The deal is also question is: have they really Neither the government nor the hotel hotel companies will have to absorb under investigation by parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. The lease was signed understood the issues? industry has done its homework to the extra cost. For a five-star hotel after direct negotiations, rather than by inviting tenders, which the petitioners say was Tipping is to be counter the well-researched issues with revenues of Rs 600 million, the illegal. The lawsuit also casts suspicion on the payment procedure. institutionalised through the levy of raised by the team of labour unions. impact on profits would be very high. Hari Bhakta Shrestha, executive chairman of RNAC, has defended the deal saying, service charges in the hotel trade. For the FNCCI, the fact that the The profitability of hotels is already ”Negotiations with Lauda Air were held only after we failed to lease an aircraft despite four Tipping is natural in Nepal. You Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) is eroding, and their situation will only tenders and one sealed offer.” He added that backing out of the agreement at such a late learn to keep loose change in your not a member took precedence over get worse. Employees should have stage would attract penalties and possibly litigation, and prove extremely expensive. pocket at all times. The pujari at the impact a hotel strike would have incentives linked to profits, not the temple, the taxi driver, the guy on the overall economy. HAN leaders revenue. Any payments dependent Gorkha Brewery wins award who comes to read your electricity were repeatedly asked about the upon the appreciation of service

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ meter or allows you to pass the gate impact of a strike on the four- and received should be left to the personal Gorkha Brewery Pvt Ltd, brewers of two Danish beers, Carlsberg and Tuborg, has been at customs, they all need to be greased five-star segments. Clearly, the unions judgement of customers, and not be awarded the “Carlsberg Golden Words Award 2000” by its parent company. Company to smooth the way. If hotel employees have been much better organised than forced on them. Further, service sources say the award is in recognition of Gorkha Brewery’s ability to maintain the “high feel that the service charges they anyone they’ve argued with. charges should be limited to areas standards and uniform quality” the two brands take pride in. presently receive as gratuity should be The issue of a mandatory linked to food and beverage. The Carlsberg is brewed in 66 countries and the award goes to breweries outside Denmark. fixed through a legal framework, then service charge is linked to the hotel industry and the government In Nepal the two brands are jointly produced by Carlsberg and the Khetan Group. The what is the problem with that? entire gamut of labour legislation should look at the entire spectrum of venture claims to have a 60 percent market share, soon to be bolstered by a planned take- The Nepal Telecommunication in the service industry. labour-related legislation in the hotel over of another Nepali brewery. Corporation already levies a 10 Performance- and profit-linked industry. The service charge debate is percent service charge on their bills, bonuses are governed by only a part of this larger issue, and Cosmic expands fleet but they don’t distribute it among legislation, but labour feels that should not be seen in isolation. t

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ their employees. Is the NTC ready to lack of transparency in financial Readers can post their views at Cosmic Air has added a second SAAB 340 to its fleet and plans to get a third one next part with 10 percent of its Rs 5 billion disclosures by hotel owners makes month. This expands the company’s fleet of fixed wing aircraft to seven, with the three [email protected] SAABs and four Dorniers. The company also flies two MI-17 helicopters. The new aircraft which arrived last week will be used to increase frequency in existing sectors and add new Grindlays Gazette flights on the Bhairawa and Nepalgunj routes. The Swedish SAAB 340s fly short- and medium-distance routes in over 50 countries. INTEREST RATE UPDATE CURRENCY UPDATE Nepal in Calcutta trade fair NEPALI RUPEE CURRENT% PREVIOUS% AG/USD CURRENT * WK/AGO %CHG

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Call Money Avg 5.25 5.25 OIL(Barrel ) 32.88 33.55 - 1.99 Over 40 Nepali business and trading houses are to exhibit carpets, pashmina, readymade 84 Days t/bill 5.08 5.04 GOLD(Ounce) 266.35 264.80 + 0.58 garments and handicrafts, and also promote tourism in Nepal at an upcoming trade fair in Calcutta. The fair which runs from 22 December-1 January is organised by the Bangla 91 Days t/bill 5.33 5.29 GOLD ( NPR *) 7040 7040 - National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 365 Days t/bill 6.18 6.16 EUR 0.8482 0.8582 - 1.16 Repo rate 5.83 5.79 GBP 1.4231 1.4391 - 1.11 Adidas showroom in Kathmandu JPY 110.12 107.84 - 2.11

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The average rate of 91 days T. Bill rate improved Roots Fashion Pvt. Ltd, the authorised distributor of Adidas sportswear in Nepal, has marginally to 5.3314 percent compared to 5.2893 percent CHF 1.7915 1.7699 - 1.22 opened a showroom on Putalisadak. The outlet was inaugurated by marathoner Baikuntha in the previous week due the additional fresh issue worth AUD 0.5094 0.5203 - 2.09 Manandhar. Roots Fashion imports Adidas products from licensed factories in East Asia NPR 600M floated this week. Expected range for coming and India. weeks 5.25 to 5.40. INR 46.80 46.78 - 0.09 FOREIGN CURRENCY : Interest rates *Currency bid prices at 6.30 p.m. on 21/11 - Source Reuters Oil: Oil prices were slightly lower on Tuesday but the prices

Paddy procurement price fixed USD EUR GBP JPY CHF ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ remain out of OPEC’s target band of $22-28 a barrel. LENDING 9.50 5.75 6.00 1.50 5.13 The Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) has fixed the procurement price for common paddy for Currencies : The yen crumbled to 8-1/2 month lows against the the Western Nepal zone. Paddy will be bought at Rs 565 per quintal from Rajapur, Rs 575 LIBOR (1M) 6.62 4.89 6.06 0.33 3.24 dollar on Monday and remained under pressure after Japanese per quintal from Nepalgunj, and Rs 600 per quintal from Dhangadi. No procurement price Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori’s survival of a no-confidence motion has yet been fixed for Mahendranagar. failed to quell speculation on the leadership crisis. The dollar The NFC’s rates are slightly higher than the prevailing market price. The influx of BANK RATES (DEPO/LENDING) Mkt Hi/Lo Mkt Avg gained more than 1 percent to close at 109.94 on Monday. The single European currency also came under pressure as cheaper Indian rice this year has lowered the price of local paddy, and farmers hoped that S/A NPR 6.0/3.5 5.23 speculation that a Republican would occupuy the White House the government’s support prices would offset their losses. But the NFC will probably only F/D 1 YR 7.5/6.0 6.73 weighed on the Euro. procure around six thousand tons of paddy and so not all farmers from Western Nepal will benefit from the new procurement prices. The prices are set by a paddy/rice procurement OVERDRAFT 15.5/12.5 13.54 INDIAN RUPEE OUTLOOK : The Indian currency ended Tuesday marginally weaker on import demand. The Indian currency ended committee under the supervision of the chief district officers of the concerned districts. TERM LOAN 14.5/13.0 13.37 at 46.80/805 per dollar compared to Monday’s close of 46.765/ IMPORT LN 13.0/10.5 11.52 775. The confidence on the rupee improved as India’s foreign reserve rose to $35.413 billion in the week ended 10 November EXPORT LN 13.0/10.0 10.63 from $34.737 billion a week ago, driven by inflows from the State MISC LOAN 17.5/13.5 15.03 Bank of India’s Millennium Deposit Scheme, which raised $5.5 0.74 0.37 0.40 0.22 0.37 0.04 54.00 billion from expatriate Indians. 0.65 0.31 0.56 0.33 0.18 0.02 44.46 0.64 0.36 0.56 0.28 0.13 0.05 46.80 INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES FOR NEPALI TIMES 0.25 0.28 0.40 0.30 0.42 0.21 11.82 6 months 1 year 0.42 0.44 0.53 0.23 0.12 0.04 57.05 SAARC countries US$25 US$48 0.74 0.37 0.62 0.24 0.19 0.03 81.21 0.65 0.38 0.63 0.36 0.35 0.09 74.05 Other countries US$40 US$75 All prices are in US dollars, collected from informal sources, and are only indicative. [email protected] 9 ENTERTAINMENT Mountains and movies24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

ANAGHA NEELAKANTAN ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○e’ve all heard about Caravan. And revelled in wits successful run around the world. But the first Kathmandu International Mountain Film Clockwise from far left: Genghis Blues Festival is here to show us just how (USA), The Magic Mountain (UK), diverse films on mountains can be. Vision Man (Sweden), Yeti: The Call From 1-4 December, the Festival of the Snowman (France), and Alps: will screen 49 films from 20 The Eastern Range: The Julian, The countries. Carnic (Italy). The festival received 102 Next week, the first-ever international mountain film entries, and finally picked three festival starts in the cultural capital of the highest

features, two docu-dramas and 44 mountain range in the world. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

documentaries. The geographic ○○○○○○○○ range of the films is far wider than and a group of the famous ‘throat provoke great conversations for the count indicates. Their subjects singers’ in Tuva, Mongolia. weeks after, and have Kathmandu are as diverse as climbing and other Although the Festival is non- abuzz. Keep your calendar free extreme adventures, religion, music, competitive, viewers will be asked from 1-4 December. There are tourism, natural splendour, to judge each film they see, and movies to watch. t development, hunting and fishing, the votes will determine the Tickets and schedules will be available and cross-cultural encounters of all humour. Argentina’s Agony of an which won at the Sundance Festival winner of the Viewers’ Choice starting 26 November at Himal Association manner, including one with a yeti. Ethnos documents a school last year and was a major art-house award. Films will be screened all (542544), Patan Dhoka; Saraswati Book The non-competitive Festival is teacher’s attempt to help people in hit in the US. Roko and Adrian day and there will also be Centre (521599), Pulchowk; Mandala Book organised by the Patan-based a remote mountain village survive Belic’s film follows the friendship discussions, guest-lectures and Point (227711), Kantipath; Map House Himal Association with support without having to migrate between a blind African-American presentations. The sheer diversity (266060), Thamel; Suwal Music and Videos (421522), Lazimpat; and the Russian from Eco-Himal, an Austrian elsewhere. blues musician from San Francisco of subjects and genres is sure to Cultural Centre (415453), Kamal Pokhari. organisation working in the The Festival has enough Himalaya. Festival director adrenalin-charged and visually Ramyata Limbu says, “The diversity stunning films to show that of the films reflects the life and intensity, like mountain encounters, times of mountain peoples and comes in many different forms. places.” South African Oceans of Fear The opening film is Chickenshit follows lunatic climber Andy de and Ash: A Visit to Paradise. Austrian Klerk’s free climb up a rock wall director Karl Prossliner records two and base jump off the wall. Italian Gurung men from Nepal’s Dolakha Foleo Quilici explores the district exploring Vienna, and mountains, valleys, flora and fauna meditates on the sudden alienness of the eastern Alps and inspires of the western world. Culture climbers to find adventure in Alps— shock of a different sort is the The Eastern Range: The Julian, The subject of the French film Yeti, le cri de l’homme des neises (Yeti: The Call of the Snowman), filmed in the Langtang Valley. Tengui, a surya ad village doctor, falls into a crevasse while gathering medicinal plants in the high Himalaya. An enormous hairy arm lifts him out and that is the beginning of a beautiful friendship between the Sherpa and what turns out to be a Yeti. A number of films reflect on the changes mountain regions have seen in the 20th century, including Nepal’s Mukundo (Mask of Desire) in which director Tsering Rhitar Sherpa explores the delicate relationship between the mystical and the modern. A family is devastated after the death of its son and turns to a revered medium, Carnic. Yes, there are Everest films, Gita. Gita, who is going through three of them, in fact. Everest— her own crisis of faith, cannot help The Death Zone has David them. Less disturbing, perhaps, is Breashears, who made the IMAX Vision Man from Sweden, which film in 1996, go back to the Death profiles an 87-year-old Inuit Zone, the area above 26,000 feet, hunter, Avike, who can no longer to undergo a battery of scientific pursue walruses like he used to. tests to investigate the effect of high Although he lives in a prefabricated altitude on body and mind. cabin and sees his culture being The biggest names at the eroded and his language dying out, festival are undoubtedly Caravan Avike still has a wicked sense of and the American Genghis Blues, 10 NEPALI ECONOMY 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES Cars, cars, and mo

reason why Indian cars are ruling collateral to offer, and people Check this out for yourself at Auto Nepal has more cars per pothole than any other the market. “Indian cars have also invariably find “the deal” after Show 2000 where Nepal Grindlays become more reliable and improved they’ve already signed up for Bank and a finance company, Union country. And this week, an auto fair hits in quality after foreign another loan. The catchword thus Finance, have both set up stalls Kathmandu with value for money compacts, collaboration,” he says. “Spares are is shop around until you are sick of offering to pay for your wheels. easily available and these cars have the financiers. By then you’ll certainly This may say something about the luxury sedans, loans, and car accessories. lower maintenance costs compared know enough and can figure out the quality of Kathmandu’s cultural life, to other imported cars.” Doesn’t best deal. The best deal is often just but you should go even if you aren’t in matter if some of us don’t like getting vaguely affordable finance just the market for a new vehicle. The

SUJATA TULADHAR Some of the mid-priced it’s obvious when you see proof on the Them, Their cars are pretty good, when you need it. Afterwards, do not, exhibition is a place where you can ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○tand at any traffic attractions are the Tata Indica (Rs streets—Indian-made compacts such seems the general attitude. I repeat, do not compare rates. walk around, check out some of the intersection for a few 763, 000 upwards) sold by Sipradi as Maruti 800, Zen, Matiz and Santro Another reason for increasing Car retailers say that commercial vehicles on display, grab a bite at one sminutes on any working day International Pvt Ltd, and the Alto are the highest selling cars here. They car sales in Kathmandu is the banks have better financing offers of the eateries (shopping for cars is and you’ll see it all—bright red and (Rs 7,86,500 and up) and the cost anywhere from Rs 650,000 to Rs availability of consumer financing. than finance companies—banks hard work), incite stall-owners against pearly white, spacious sedan and Wagon R from the makers of the 1 million. Earlier only finance companies usually calculate what you pay back each other, and watch people fight tiny city cab, wheels, wheels and indomitable Maruti 800. The new However, Jai Singh Kothari, funded vehicle purchase, but now on the declining balance while over the last hideous furry mirror then some more. You may think Korean models at the show are General Secretary of Nepal even banks have got into the act. many finance companies supposedly ornament. For those who can’t you’re hallucinating from all the Kia’s Sephia, a luxury sedan costing Automobile Dealers’ Association Each financier offers a different insist on all payments being calculated catch all the live excitement at the fumes, but you’re right: the days of Rs 1.6 million, and their sports believes that cost alone is not the package, whether or not you have based on your original loan amount. exhibition, Auto Show 2000 has a the workhorse Corolla are utility, Sportage, that is only numbered as new Indian car models marginally more expensive at Rs 2.4 dominate the market. million. The sellers of Cuore, And now there is more coming: Golcha Organisation, are Auto Show 2000 at the Bhrikuti introducing Extol, a new car from Mandap exhibition hall. The show, the Daihatsu stable. Nepal’s second so far, has over 40 Toyota is showcasing Echo, a businesses bringing some of the best compact, Rav4, an upmarket sporty in the automobile industry. “For model, and a large off-roader anyone with a car in mind, it is the produced for the Indian market, right place to see, compare and Qualis. Toyota will also present make a decision,” says Santosh two Thai-made cars: Saluna and Chhetri, director of Global Tiger Pick Up. If the Corolla puts Exposition and Management you off Toyotas in general, you can Services Pvt Ltd, the organiser of choose from Tata’s Safari, Maruti’s Auto Show 2000. He added that Baleno, Daewoo’s Matiz, Toyota ad the exhibition is the only real Daihatsu’s Terios and Cuore, platform that brings together Hyundai’s Santro and Accent, and automobile dealers, manufacturers the Malaysian Perdua Kancil. and potential customers. Whew. The exhibition has a fairly Two-wheelers at the show mind-boggling range of parapherna- include Hero Honda’s CBZ, Street lia to choose from: tyres, tubes, and Splendor, Kawasaki Bajaj’s paints, lubricants, window shades Upgrade Calibre, Eliminator, M-80 and vehicle décor, not to mention and Saffire scooter, and the more the cars you can actually book at fancy Harley wannabes—Jialing and the exhibition itself. If your choice Daelim. is two-wheelers, there’s a wide The organisers have also made range to pick from. And close on space for shops that sell little hand are companies willing to accessories for your car. Our only finance your purchases. fear is that driving in Kathmandu “We don’t often have such will become even more witless shows in Nepal, so it was a great under the influence of bad car opportunity for me to see the fragrances, or some tchotchke that variety there is to choose from,” is inexplicably a hit, like that small says a visitor at the show. “They demented, head-bobbing dog also tell you where and how to cabbies love to perch on their obtain spares. The best part for the dashboards. mischievous mind is that competing It is always difficult for a companies also tell you about the prospective buyer to choose a car, downsides of their competitors.” All and it only gets worse when you’re is fair in the car business, and it sure confronted with such an array of is entertaining. options and distractions. To get The show does not have all the good value for your money, first brands you now see on the city focus on knowing exactly what you roads but there is a fair choice of need. If you’re looking for a car to cars from the traditional sellers— commute to work, a small city the assembly lines in India, Korea model—Zen, Cuore, Perdua or and Japan—and this year the even Old Faithful (Maruti 800)— exhibition is also showcasing may be what you are looking for. models from Thailand and The car to take you on the Malaysia. Of course, with so much occasional long drive to Nepalgunj talk about different vehicles, you or Biratnagar would be a four-wheel may focus less on cars and more on drive or even a luxury sedan. the absurd names automakers Other factors that influence bestow on their products. We name choice are comfort, mileage per litre no names, but somewhere between of petrol or diesel, availability of the appreciative coos all the spares, maintenance facilities, and information will elicit, we suspect after sales follow-up. But most we’ll also hear the occasional snort, important for most of us is the price giggle or chortle. tag. Cost does make a difference, and NEPALI ECONOMY 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 11

Car Price tag Sephia 1,600,000 Sportage 2,200,000 Tata Safari 2,477,650 ore cars Tata Indica 2000 LEi 901,272 Tata Indica 2000 LXi 1,100,027 Baleno 1,750,000 Santro Zip Drive 1,030,000 Hyundai Accent GLS 1,550,000 Wagon R LX 896,500 Wagon R VX 994,400 perduwa ad Alto LX 786,500 Alto VX 968,000 Echo 2,200,000+ website with shopping information. crowded every day and traffic Organisers say the website jams are increasingly common. Saluna 1,600,000+ www.itnti.com\autoshow2000 is This is a major problem today but Qualis 2,150,000+ updated regularly and will have a solution lies in better vehicles Rav4 4,000,000+ links to sites maintained by the and better traffic manage-ment. Tiger Pick Up 1,700,000+ major automobile makers and Phasing out old gas-guzzlers and dealers worldwide. creaky vehicles could be reason could be an ideal place to see There’s also the flip side to all even for policy makers to step what type of cars Kathmandu this. Kathmandu’s streets are getting into the exhibition grounds—it needs. t

Who is where at the Auto Show 2000 at Bhrikuti Mandap

Maruti ad WORLD 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 13 Damning the dams Confirming what dam critics have long argued, a report by the A sinking feeling World Commission on Dams (WCD) says dams often fail to deliver promised benefits while devastating the lives of millions in developing countries and degrading the environment. The MARK LYNAS IN THE HAGUE ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The issue of ‘carbon sinks’ proves most divisive WCD counts affected communities, dam builders, and n the northeast Indian state of governments among its members. There are over 45,000 dams Meghalaya, the East Khasi Hills at the Climate Change Convention in The Hague. worldwide. itake the full force of the Asian

Acknowledging the benefits of large dams, including ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

monsoon. Deluged by a staggering ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ electricity, flood control, water storage and irrigation, the report 2,300 cm of rain a year, the small nevertheless says the social and environmental costs have been town of Cherrapunji is officially (CDM), agreed upon at the Kyoto Climate summit’s Caucus of commit themselves to reducing too high. Large dams often fail to deliver enough electricity, water the world’s wettest place. But it is Climate Change meeting in 1997, Indigenous Peoples agrees that greenhouse gas emissions,” he says. or flood control. The inequitable distribution of the benefits of also a desert. Only a few decades rich countries can claim credit for ‘carbon sinks’ is not the answer. The US alone produces almost a dams further diminishes their value in meeting water and quarter of the total world emissions energy-development needs when compared with alternatives. of greenhouse gases, with one of the Resettlement programmes for the 40 to 80 million people highest per capita emission rates of displaced by dams focus on physical resettlement rather than carbon dioxide. economic and social development. Downstream communities The reluctance on the part of rely on natural flood-plain functions and fisheries, and the future some rich countries, led by the US, of their livelihood is often endangered. Environmental impacts— to face up to their responsibility for fish species extinction and loss of forests and wetlands—are causing climate change seems to be also inadequately addressed. at the heart of the ‘carbon sinks’ Decision-makers—governments and financial institutions controversy. It has also led to a like the World Bank—are urged to approach water and energy drawn-out battle with the European development differently. No dam should be built without the Union, which favours efforts to agreement of affected people and there should be participatory tackle emissions at source. But the assessments of the needs to be met. Periodic reviews involving possibility of securing new money all stakeholders must assess the impact of existing dams and for conservation is proving a their possible decommissioning. tempting lure not just for Last week advocacy groups released a list of projects which governments like the US and Japan “clearly breach” the WCD guidelines, including China’s Three which stand to gain emissions Gorges dam, the dams on India’s Narmada river, Turkey’s Ilisu credits, but for many in the dam, dams in the Brazilian Amazon and the Uruguay River Basin, developing world who are keen to Uganda’s Bujagali dam, and southern Africa’s Lesotho see more forests grown. Highlands Water Project. “This is one of the big potential Britain, Switzerland and Italy must now reconsider requests bonanzas for international for export credit guarantees amounting to over $700 million from development money,” explains companies planning Turkey’s largest ever dam, Ilisu, on the Larry Lohmann of the UK-based Tigris near the Iraqi and Syrian border. Thousands of Kurds, who research group the Corner House, strongly oppose the dam, would be resettled, and key which recently completed a major archaeological sites inundated. German, Swiss and Canadian study of the ‘carbon sinks’ issue. t export credit lending agencies support China’s Three Gorges (GeminiNews) Dam, to be completed between 2009 and 2013. The project creates a gigantic reservoir in the middle of China’s longest river, (Mark Lynas is UK editor of the Yangtze, displacing over a million people and permanently Oneworld.net specialising in climate flooding 32,000 hectares of prime farmland, 13 cities, 140 towns, change issues.) 657 factories, and hundreds of archaeological sites. t (IPS) ago these hills were densely emissions reductions achieved by “These policies and mechanisms forested. But trees were felled for funding environmentally friendly will permit developed countries to timber and firewood and powerful projects in the developing world. avoid their responsibility to reduce rains swept the topsoil away. Now “Sinks are one of the few financial emissions at source, promote the nothing can grow on the bare rock mechanisms by which people expansion of global capital, and and stones. around the planet can be helped deepen our marginalisation,” the According to the Meghalaya to rehabilitate it,” Senanayake Caucus states in a declaration. Environment and Wildlife Society, says. “For every hectare of forest Marcial Arias of Panama’s Kuna based in nearby Shillong, these standing today, a thousand have tribe explains: “We believe that hills hold a lesson for the United already been lost.” This approach everything that happens on our Nations Climate Change is beginning to gain cautious lands should be decided by our negotiations underway this week in support from some green groups. people themselves.” The Hague. Through involvement “Kenya now has less than two At a deeper level, the battle is of local people in reforestation and percent of its land under forest over the essence of a forest. To the tree conservation, the destruction cover. At independence (in 1980) US government delegation at The can be halted and even reversed. it was 20 percent,” says Eric Hague, forests represent a way to “Local people are the key Osire, from the country’s Forest capture and store carbon dioxide. beneficiaries,” says the Action Network. “There’s an But native people’s representative organisation’s secretary Peter Bob Gough, from Rosebud, South Thorose. “Protecting forests Dakota, disagrees with this prevents carbon release.” “We’re worried that not definition. “True forests are homes On the other side of the only does it allow for many indigenous people, a tree world, in northern California, Sri pollution to continue plantation is not,” he says. Gough Lankan-born ecologist Ranil unabated, but it also cites the Menomenee Indian Senanayake is pursuing the same allows clear-cutting of Reservation in Wisconsin, which vision. As chairman of a tiny native forests to make has been harvested by its company called Carbon Trading & way for plantations and indigenous residents for thousands Trust, he has just signed a deal threatens the land rights of years and has a variety of species with a large logging company that of indigenous peoples.” found almost nowhere else. promises to protect the The Caucus rejects the endangered redwood forests that urgent need for tree cover.” “worldview of territory that are unique to the area. But the Others are more sceptical and reduces forests, lands, seas and agreement with Mendocino point out that the Clean sacred sites to only their carbon Redwood Co. will only be viable if Development Mechanism could absorption capacity.” In addition, climate change negotiators in The easily become another loophole by for many indigenous peoples, Hague agree that polluting allowing polluters to avoid cutting government “protection” of forests countries and corporations can pay carbon emissions from has often meant their forced forestry projects to soak up carbon automobiles and factories. expulsion. “We used to be dioxide, the principal greenhouse “Every sinks credit you allow hunters,” says Kalimba Zephyrin, a gas that causes global warming. is one more fossil fuel emission,” member of Rwanda’s Batua Pygmy The issue of ‘carbon sinks’— says Jennifer Morgan of the tribe. “But now the government activities such as forestry, which Worldwide Fund for Nature has installed nature parks, we are absorb carbon dioxide from the (WWF). “We’re worried that not not allowed to hunt any more.” atmosphere—is proving to be one only does it allow pollution to Like all indigenous representatives of the most controversial and continue unabated, but it also at The Hague, Zephyrin is in no divisive ever discussed at an allows clear-cutting of native doubt about the best policy international conference on the forests to make way for solution for tackling climate environment. Under the so-called plantations and threatens the land change. “The most important thing Clean Development Mechanism rights of indigenous peoples.” The is that industrialised countries 12 NEPALI TIMES NEPALI ECONOMY Electric future 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000

SUJATA TULADHAR ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ You’re wrong if you think electric vehicles can oon some environmental s organisation will proclaim only be tempos or very old Chinese trolley buses. Kathmandu the most suffocating city in the world. EVs are versatile, smart and make good sense Vikrams were banned, sure, but the number of other vehicles in economically and environmentally.

the city is increasing at such an ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ appalling rate that it seems ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ impossible to undo the damage international organisation provided the super-low import tax should promote EVs by using At present the Nepal Electricity done by those old smoking devoted to researching energy and is extended to these larger EVs as them. Right now they are the Authority (NEA) earns an annual Rs EV basics tortoises. power development. Electric well. But for now the initial cost of ones who can afford these 30 million from battery-charging An electric car runs on a set of What’s the solution? Go buses, taxis and even private cars a small clean vehicle remains at vehicles.” stations for tempos. But in order to lead-acid batteries that normally electric. Every year, Nepal spends are all possible. There are even least twice that of a comparable All very well, but to start with, encourage more EVs, and thus give you a 70 km ride and must be a third of its total foreign electric bicycles that cut down smoke-spewer. Consumers would at least a realistic discussion on the make use of the surplus energy, the charged for 8 hours. The cover exchange earnings to buy fossil pedalling by half. The major have to weigh the cost against the role of EVs should begin among Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) range of a set of batteries is not fuel. Environmentally clean players in the EV business in prospect of not having a strato- economists, transportation and may first have to consider a long- ideal for private EV users. It is not electric vehicles (EVs) are Nepal EVCO (Electric Vehicle spheric fuel bill, and breathing power experts, and urban and standing demand of EV possible to drive long distance (at therefore good news, and the Corporation) and NEVI (Nepal cleaner air in the bargain. environmental planners. The entry maunfacturers and operators that least for now). EVs are hampered by weight constraints, so forget government slowly woke up to Electric Vehicle Industry) are EVs urgently need a positive of EVs could be planned to factor since battery charging is done about carrying an extra set of this. It has reduced the import reluctant to reveal specifics, but push. Says Kiran Raj Joshi, in the power glut that the country during off-peak hours, charging batteries. Domestic manufacturers tax on the chassis and batteries of industry sources say we could see electrical engineer at NEVI, “The is going to see by mid-2001 when stations should be supplied hope that when clean four-wheelers clean three-wheelers to just one them importing electric four- king should start using an EV. All the 144-MW Kaligandaki A comes electricity at reduced rates. enter Kathmandu, advances in percent. Manufacturing or wheelers as early as mid-2001. our ministers and ambassadors on-line. The EV industry also sees the battery technology overseas will running EVs makes great business The flip side is that clean tourism sector as a good entry point make long-range batteries feasible. sense. It’s no wonder the city’s vehicles currently make a big dent for their vehicles. Alternative And if EV use takes off in a big way, streets are crawling with Safa in your wallet. You could pay energy has such appeal in the increased demand for these tempos. anything upwards of developed world that the supercharged batteries would But electric vehicles can be a $20,000 to import widespread use of EVs would be certainly drive costs down. lot more. “People think EVs are one of these babies. an added attraction to the Despite shortcomings, electric vehicles are the ideal choice for only three-wheelers but they can The good news is tourist experience in Nepal. Kathmandu. EVs have limited top function just fine as four- that Nepali Safa tempos have garnered a speeds, which would decrease wheelers,” says Bikash Pandey, an companies good deal of praise from accidents caused by reckless electrical engineer with the believe that if visitors to Kathmandu and drivers, a wide enough range to Winrock Foundation, an EVs are “Electric Kathmandu” could be cover the city, and none of that manufactured the best ever PR for the city. bilious smoke we accept, masks and domestically, or The next step could be EVs in all. It’s hard to pick the best part of even overseas the shape of more and modern this scenario, but we might find it in but suited to trolley buses—which could be the surplus foreign exchange we’ll local needs, the beginning of a sensible and have. As for the personal cost, it prices could drop much-needed mass rapid may not be so high after all. And any-way, remember that old to reasonable levels, transport system. t chestnut, no pain, no gain.

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Kia Showroom-Basundhara Jialing Complex, Basundhara, Ring Road, Kathmandu, Ph: 01-353136/355365/355880, Fax: 355348, email: [email protected] 14 ASIA 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

ANALYSIS by JOHAN GALTUNG AND DIETRICH FISCHER

nuclear-free zone for northeast India’s ‘Look East’ policy Asia. And they reject US participation in military exercises BANGKOK - Visits by Indian leaders to key southeast Asian 2K = 2000 on the Okinawa bases. capitals this month have given a big push to New Delhi’s They also reject the Japanese engagement with the region, which is now keen to be a NEW YORK – PeaceBoat, a Japanese Healing the wounds left by the Japanese argument that money has to be good friend of the South Asian nation. Government leaders non-governmental organisation, given directly to the individuals and diplomats in these countries say that as an “emerging recently undertook its third voyage to colonisation of Korea from 1910 to 1945. concerned and serve people’s power”, India has a greater role to play in southeast Asia. the Democratic People’s Republic of the form of economic infrastructure needs so as not to be diverted to Some see in New Delhi a “counterbalance” to China’s Korea (North Korea) with more than and social services may be adequate. build palaces or used for military growing influence in the region. Following up on 200 participants. The first author of Cultural treasures have to be purposes. Japan, they feel, is not diplomatic gains at a July meeting with southeast Asian this article conducted workshops on handed back or compensated for. in a moral position to dictate the foreign ministers in Thailand’s capital, India is now giving reconciliation on board, and had the The officials consider the zainichi a use. The victim should decide. a new thrust to its ‘Look East’ policy to get closer to a opportunity to hold dialogues with a question of human rights in Japan, North Korea’s position seems region with which it has centuries-old cultural, trade and number of well-placed North Korean and they demand wholehearted reasonable, and Japan would political links. officials, focusing on how their Japanese support in the struggle for make a major contribution to Indian President KR Narayanan’s 9-13 November visit country sees the damage and suffering Korean unification. And finally, the peace in East Asia by accepting. to Singapore was the first by an Indian head of state to the caused by Japanese imperialism, what victim will decide how much But the use of apology and city nation in three decades. Earlier, Foreign Minister kind of compensation they seek, and compensation is enough, not the restitution as preconditions for Jaswant Singh’s trip to Hanoi was the second by an Indian above all, what they mean by “real perpetrator. talking about normalisation of foreign minister to Vietnam. These trips are to be followed apology’’. The North Korean conception relations is bad diplomacy. by visits to the region by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari They mention six forms of of “real apology’’ contains six Negotiations flow better with all Vajpayee next year. Vajpayee is likely to visit Vietnam, damage or suffering: one million killed elements: it has to come from a issues on the table at the same Malaysia and has invitations from Singapore, Indonesia or tortured (including hibakusha, prime minister in power, it has to time, in no particular order. The and South Korea. Koreans working in Japanese factories be in writing, preferably in a joint issue of how money is used may Cold War divides had kept India, a close ally of the in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during communiqué, it has to contain the be resolved by Japan giving to former Soviet World War II who died or were word “apology’’, not only remorse infrastructure and to social Union, estranged injured in the atomic bombing by the or regret, it has to list specific services projects in general, not to from much of the US); six million forced into war damage and suffering caused in particular persons. region until the service, including 200,000 “comfort Korea, it must be ‘’deep’’, that is, But North Korea also feels late 1980s. New women”; economic looting; cultural reflected in school textbooks, and it that Japan is a client state of the Delhi established

treasures seized or destroyed; the should reflect the general world US and so is not free to decide institutional links INDIA TODAY situation of the zainichi, Koreans who trend of apologies and compensa- and does not dare normalise with the region have lived in Japan for several tion. 731, for instance. diplomatic relations with the seven years ago generations but never obtained Former Japanese prime minister North Koreans see country before the United States by first becoming citizenship; and Japanese Tomiichi Murayama made a vague compensation and apology as does. Instead it is searching for a sectoral dialogue partner of the Association of South responsibility for the division of Korea apology to “Asian nations’’ in 1995 preconditions for the normalisation pretexts to delay. Only Japan can East Asian Nations (ASEAN), and then a full dialogue between the USA and the Soviet but failed to specify Korea, and was no of relations with Japan. They feel prove that this is not true. The partner in 1995. Narayanan described his visit to Union, as a Japanese colony. longer in office. This was not good humiliated when the Japanese offer two Kims showed the way in their Singapore as India’s “re-engagement” with southeast For the North Korean officials, enough. A good model is the joint them laissez-passer documents historical 15 June meeting in Asia. Singapore’s Foreign Minister S Jayakumar said New compensation depends on the type declaration of South Korean President instead of real visas. They resent Pyongyang. They opened a peace Delhi had a major diplomatic role to play on the “world of damage, and would not be only Kim Dae Jung and Japanese Prime Japan’s assertion that some Koreans process for the century: 2K = stage”. monetary. Comfort women have to Minister Obuchi of 1998, but not the were “abducted’’ to North Korea 2000, as they say in Korea. Kim According to Indian diplomats in the region, southeast be compensated, but from the statement Japan offered to China and insist on the term “missing Dae Jung thoroughly deserved the Asian capitals are keen to get close to New Delhi, especially Japanese government, not from the because it contained no apology for people’’. They are willing to Nobel Peace Prize, but it should after its July meeting in Bangkok with the 10 ASEAN foreign Asian Women’s Fund. For the the Nanjing massacre and for the discuss their missile programme, have been awarded to Kim Jong Il ministers during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)—Asia’s economic looting, compensation in “medical experiments” of army unit but within the framework of a as well. t (IPS) only multilateral forum on security issues. t (IPS) Pilgrims progress

NADEEM IQBAL IN HASAN ABDAL ○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○ Sikh pilgrims travel to Pakistan and open he crowded bazaars in this small town near Pakistan’s up another avenue for peace between t capital city wore a festive warring neighbours. look mid-November with participate in special religious named after a sacred rock, which thousands of Sikh pilgrims from ceremonies. These include the the faithful say carries the bhaju ratna across the world. It was the November birth anniversary handprint of Baba Guru Nanak largest gathering of members of celebrations of Guru Nanak, Dev. The shrine also has a fresh the Sikh faith in this Muslim- Baisakhi (a wheat harvesting water spring that, according to majority nation since the festival) in April, and the June death religious tradition, was created by subcontinent’s partition 50 years anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Guru Nanak. Bathing in the ago divided the homeland of the Singh, the legendary Punjab ruler spring is believed to cleanse the community between India and who fought the British in the 19th faithful of worldly sins. Pakistan. century. The main ceremony saw the An estimated 8,000 Sikhs from Pakistani government officials religious book of the Sikhs, the Guru North America, Europe, the Gulf, say this was the first time so many Granth Sahib, being carried in a silver southeast Asia, India, Sri Lanka, and Sikh families came to Pakistan. palanquin, accompanied by a neighbouring Afghanistan were in Some 2,000 pilgrims were from procession of young dancers doing the Hasan Abdal last week, to attend the India. Free meals and lodging were traditional Sikh bhangra dance 531st birth anniversary of the founder provided to most of the pilgrims by Pakistani President, Muhammad Rafiq of the faith—Baba Guru Nanak Dev. the organisers as part of religious Tarar, also attended the cereony, The pilgrims attended religious tradition. A pilgrim said that were it which he said showed that minorities ceremonies at the Punja Sahib shrine not for the travel curbs on Indians, in the country had full religious here before proceeding for the main he would visit the religious shrines freedom. He said that the Pakistani rituals at Nankana Sahib, where the in Pakistan at least twice a year. government was taking care of the Sikh Guru was born. The Kashmir dispute between shrines in the country. In the last two Five decades of political India and Pakistan affects the Sikh years, the government spent about $2 tension between India and pilgrimage every year. This time, million on the repair and renovation of Pakistan, have denied this chance Pakistani officials accused Indian Sikh holy places. to thousands of Sikhs living in authorities of preventing Indian South Asian diplomacy analysts India. The Sikhs ruled the former Sikhs from travelling to Pakistan. attach much importance to the Punjab province till the British They claimed that visas were issued annual Sikh pilgrimages as a potent conquered it in the mid-19th to 3,500 Indian Sikhs and special method of building trust between century. Pakistan’s creation in trains were arranged to take them the two rival nuclear nations. 1947 by departing colonial rulers across the border, but the Indian Senior Pakistani business leader, transferred to that country a large government allowed only 2,000 to Waqar A Sheikh also urged the chunk of Punjab and with it, travel to Pakistan. Sikhs from other Pakistani government to do away several important Sikh shrines. parts of the world did not have any with visa restrictions for Sikh Partition saw tens of thousands of problems coming here. pilgrims, pleading that this would Sikhs migrating to India. Three Local shopkeepers and hotels pave the way for greater economic times each year, the government too eagerly await the annual cooperation between the people of of Pakistan issues travel permits to pilgrimage as it brings them good both countries. t (IPS) a limited number of Sikhs to business. Punja (hand) Sahib is FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 15

Himalaya Times and Nepal two in colour, it is now 12 pages “Without us you Samacharpatra. Now a new paper and four are colour.

“Elections under the are nothing” called Spacetime Dainik has been Ever since its publication ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ launched. Spacetime is published by Himalaya Times has always lagged Budhabar, 22 November Space Time Publication Ltd and behind. One reason is that it Congress will not be fair” (Open letter to Maoist leader, contains 12 pages of which two are started off with old machines. How Comrade Prachanda, from Pradip in colour. It is a sister organisation it is going to react to the changes Nepal, UML spokesman) of Space Time Network, the taking place among the competition Saptahik Bimarsha, 17 November strongest player in the cable TV is still not clear. SP Singh, (Interview with KP Sharma Oli, Deputy Leader of UML Parliamentary Action does not always count for arena. Bahadur Krishna Tamrakar is considered the backbone of the Party) political success. But every action of the chairman, Jamim Shah the success of Kantipur, has now taken yours has humiliated the communist Why do you want constitutional changes within 10 years of the constitution being managing director and Sri Acharya over the marketing of Himalaya ego. Take into account the number framed? the chief editor. Times and this indicates that this of people that have died. What Time is no factor for bringing changes in the constitution. Changes have to The marketing strategy of Space paper too is moving with the times. percentage of those really needed to be made as and when required, to change and rectify mistakes, to solve Time has aroused everyone’s curiosity. Having established itself truly be killed? It’s not difficult to kill a problems that have arisen, and so on. We feel that now is the time when The Space Time network delivers and strongly in the print media with man. The government has killed certain changes have to be effected in the constitution and have asked that more than three dozen channels to almost half a dozen publications, and you have killed. Even thieves it be revised. The constitution is not something that can never be changed, customers through its cable network the Kantipur Group is slowly and dacoits have killed. Therefore nor is it any kind of “Dharma Shastra”. It is there to provide direction to and covers the whole spectrum of moving into other areas. It already we cannot say that success in killing society, to help society function and grow properly. readers, age groups and interests. has an FM station and is in the is political success. Political success Space Time TV subscribers are going process of getting permission for Are there any grave problems that the nation is facing at the present moment? If there are no problems, is change required means increase in the people’s belief to get a free copy of Spacetime Dainik TV. This is the only private at the present moment? in you. It is people giving in to you. delivered to their doorstep for a year. publishing group that is making a For the upliftment of the people, practical and positive steps have to be taken, good governance has to be I say this with sadness, Comrade Managing director Shah said that the profit at present. provided, security has to be provided, corruption has to be controlled, agencies that are at present working to Prachanda, that even though you monthly fee for cable TV (Rs 200) There are enough possibilities control corruption have to be made efficient and effective. Free and fair elections have to be held. The may have succeeded in killing many and the installation cost (Rs 1000) is for the growth of readers, but government has proved incapable of solving these problems. The Nepali Congress will not be able to solve these people in your battles you have not not going to be raised for one year, growth is limited when it comes to problems. If elections are held with the kind of mentality the Congress has, they will not be free and fair. We won the war which is winning the which means that for the same Rs 200 advertising. This means that all the need an all-party government for that. In the same way, changes must be made in the constitution regarding the people’s heart, their confidence. per month, customers will be getting papers in the market today may not formation of governments. Changes have to be brought about if we are to convince farmers, businessmen and Your power has decreased from both cable TV and papers delivered be successful. labourers that something can and will be done for them. what it was when you were leading home. It is estimated that there are a peaceful revolution. You were more than 40,000 customers of If changes are going to be brought about in the constitution, is it going to be limited to only the one or two strong in Rukum then. Your party Space Time TV in the valley. It Proposal to raise questions you have raised? had won the two seats from Rolpa. will, however, be some time before land taxes

We have not stated how many changes have to be made. It can be 10, 15 or 20 changes. Questions pertaining to Your faction was much stronger ○○○○○○○○○○○ all Space Time subscribers get their ○○○○○ election areas, to free and fair elections and others related to it. Not only about a coalition government. Fair and then any other communist party in free copies since the printing press Deshantar, 17 November just administration to control corruption, a guarantee of free and fair elections and other issues are being raised. Gorkha. You had a stronghold in that is being used cannot print so Activities that are against the spirit of the constitution, issues not clear in the constitution, ambiguity in the Kavre and you were even present in A proposal to drastically increase constitution, side-lining of the constitution, ineffectiveness of the constitution and how these can be resolved are Sindhuli and even now that is your land tax rates has reached the Land what we want to discuss. We are clear about this. stronghold. Elsewhere you have Reform and Management Ministry. The Maoists want changes of a more extreme kind. They want to burden the people with an extreme form of only fired a few shots. You have not According to the Centre for constitution, want to bring about changes by unconstitutional means. We are not party to this. Another group, succeeded in achieving political Development and Administration at the extremist rightwingers, have been stating, since the time the constitution was introduced, that the success. And even among what you Tribhuvan University, since the tax constitution was framed under pressure from certain people and that they are not prepared to accept it. They do consider your strongholds if you rates are very low, the amount of not accept that sovereignty rests with the people and do not care about the rights of the people. They want to throw your guns away and let the land kept fallow is slowly put all of this aside and make the people powerless again. The UML does not support this view. The UML is people decide you will see that you many copies. But modern “heat set increasing. CEDA believes that not prepared to put pressure on the constitution, destroy it, or apply unconstitutional means to bring about are in a weaker position than what web” presses are in the process of once tax rates are increased people changes. We have asked that changes be brought about by constitutional means. Only the people have the right you were formerly. Without our being ordered and Shah estimates will start tilling their lands to earn to bring about changes in the constitution, by whatever means. If the ways in which changes can be brought help you cannot stand firm in any that the paper will break even the amounts they will have to pay about are blocked, then the people will bring about changes through a revolution as happened in 1990. district. This is not a boast, it’s within a year. Total investment as taxes. The amount of fallow land Constitutional means are available for the people to bring about changes. There is no need for the people to use simply the truth. during that period is going to be will decrease and this will lead to violence. We have said that to protect the gains of the 1990 revolution and to safeguard them, to protect and around Rs 150 million. increase in production, which will make use of the constitutional rights, changes have to be brought about. NC, UML workers Gorkhapatra seems to be in the in turn increase the country’s What are the differences between your party and the Maoists? worst position among the dailies. It internal revenue. What are the Maoists doing, what do they want to do? What is the UML doing and what do they want to do? If in Maoist elections is under government control and Experts involved with the study

you look at this, then the differences between the Maoists and us become clear, don’t they? Just because people ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the main reason for its poor stated that the country was use the term “communism” in the names of their parties does not mean that they believe in the same thing. If Jana Awhan, 17 November performance is weak management. depending too much on foreign you study the papers of our 5th and 6th conventions, it becomes clear what we want to do. It has long had a monopoly over financial help, and to break the The Maoists have held village government advertising but once trend, increasing land tax would be When the constitution was being made, the UML agreed to support it, but critically. After that it said that it people’s committee (VPC) these ads started going out to the the most appropriate measure. As of would use the constitution to move ahead. Have you really accepted the establishment of democracy? conventions in areas under their private media too, it had financial now the tax base in the country is We have used parliament. The parliament is a body to be used. Parliament has to be used for the benefit of the control. They conducted elections problems. Now, it too, is in the very narrow. Only 11 percent of the nation and people. It must be used for national security. People are not there for the benefit of the parliament. to the VPCs in Purtikada, Garaila process of importing new and total GDP is collected as revenue Parliaments change, laws change, but people are always there. Only the nation and people remain. and Chiwang villages in Rukum modern equipment. and the share of land tax is district recently. During these Nepal Samacharpatra faced a miniscule—only Rs 1.4 million was conventions, discussions were held QUOTE OF THE WEEK crisis of capital from the very collected as land tax in 1998/99. and plans formulated concerning beginning and had not been able to Eighty percent of the country’s Selling revolutionary thoughts and begging mercy from the enemy is the worst thing any revolutionary can do. village development programmes, grow to its potential. But now the people depend on agriculture which —CPN(Maoist) General Secretary Prachanda expelling Dinesh Sharma and Dina Nath Gautam road construction, drinking water, paper is in the process of bringing in contributes almost 40 percent of from the party in Jana Awahan, 17 November protection of forests, price of new investors. It is one of the many the total GDP, but the tax commodities, etc. People from all publications of Kamana collected from this sector is parties freely and actively Publications and Printers and the minimal. participated in these elections and editor/owner, Pushar Lal Shrestha, Till now land and houses are they did so without changing their stated that after restructuring and being used as collateral while applying political beliefs. People against the introducing new capital, his share in for loans from banks and other PM’s coterie and UML policies the new Kamana Publishing Group financial institutions. CEDA has come participated in these elections even would be 40 percent. Thirty up with a proposal to take this land though they continued to remain percent has been bought by Kumud right into the capital market. within the Nepali Congress and the Dugar of the KL Dugar group and According to the proposal, if the land UML. Elections to these another 30 percent by Pasupati is taken into the capital markets, the committees were more actively Murarkar of the Murarkar Group. system of division of land will decrease participated in than the national According to the new agreement, or stop completely. In Nepal, land is elections. Elections were earlier Dugar and Murarkar are going to looked upon and taken as ancestral held in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan and look after the management while property and as time goes by this land Jajarkot districts. Shrestha will handle the is divided into smaller plots. This in production. turn leads to decreased productivity. If

Newspapers galore “We were breaking even earlier land is listed in the stock markets it ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ also but because of the competition becomes a commodity like other Himal Khabarpatrika, 16–30 Nov we felt we had to make more industrially produced goods or services investments and that is why we and buying and selling of land will be Nepali investors have proved that looked for new partners,” said done through shares. This will help in the 21st century is really the age of Shrestha. Besides the daily paper, the correct use of land, land will be information. Till now [among the Kamana group also publishes made productive and its use will be Nepali-language broadsheet dailies] Kamana, Sadhana and Mahanagar. optimal. CEDA states that ancestral Oh....! So you also speak Nepali... but the minister has gone to Beijing to learn the language of negotiations. there were the more than 100 years The infusion of money is already property will also be bought and —Drishti, 21 November old Gorkhapatra, the eight-year-old being seen in the Samacharpatra. sold through shares and help reduce Kantipur, and later entrants From the earlier eight pages with the division of land. t

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 16 SPORTS 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES PROFILE by MUKUL HUMAGAIN Nepal’s cricket Tiger in this neck dream deferred

Last Tuesday was a special day for Nepali cricket lovers. For the first time they watched their national team live on the sports channel. And the stage was the semi-final of the woods match between Nepal and Hong Kong in the ACC trophy being played at Sharjah. But those who expected a good his sounds like the Nepali representative in the professional display from the Nepali team were in for a disappointment. version of a story made category. In 1996, he was runner- t After an impressive performance in the league famous by the Tiger Woods up in the professional category matches, expectations were high. But it wasn’t to be. success story. Deepak Thapa (the best performance ever by a Nepal suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of Hong Magar joined the Royal Nepal Nepali in the Surya Open), Kong in the first semi-final of the ACC Trophy. As usual, it Golf Course as a caddie when he winning a purse of Rs 86,000. was weak batting that let them down. Also, for the first time was 17 and today, 17 years later, Born in Dhapakhel, Lalitpur, in the tournament, the bowling looked erratic as Hong he is the number one professional Thapa’s family soon shifted to Kong piled up a challenging score of 268. golfer in the country. Kathmandu and settled near the Nepal put Hong Kong to bat after winning the toss. “I got interested since my airport. Thus began Thapa’s Having chased the targets successfully in the last two house was close to the Royal fascination with golf. league matches against Japan and the Maldives, the Nepal Golf Course. I used to Responsibility as the eldest son Nepali team was confident of being repeating it once watch people playing golf there led him to join the RNGC as a again. But they faltered in the semis. This comes as a big since I was a child,” says Thapa caddie. He was later promoted to blow to Nepali cricket since entry into the finals would about the early days. “Never have given Nepal a berth in next year’s Asia Cup. thought I’d be a golfer.” Nepal began with a poor start as Hong Kong skipper Thapa, the first Nepali golfer “Never thought Stewart Brew wrecked the top order in his opening spell. to turn pro, is now on the verge Only Ganesh Thakuri managed to reach double figures as of breaking into the Indian I’d be a golfer” Nepal was bundled out for a paltry 89. Earlier, Hong Circuit. His performance in the Kong’s Rahul Sharma had demolished the Nepali bowling last two major domestic with his blistering knock of 145 off 136 balls (11 fours, 6 tourneys show why he is Nepal’s caddie-in-charge. Thapa owes his sixes). numero uno. In the last two successful climb in the world of Despite losing to a much better team, Nepal has reason weeks, 33-year-old Thapa won Nepali golf to RNGC and he to be satisfied. For the first time, Nepal managed to reach the both the Surya Western Open hasn’t forgotten it. Says he: penultimate round of the ACC Trophy. In their opening match, and the Surya Eastern Open. “Without RNGC’s support, I Nepal lost narrowly to UAE. After scoring 179, Nepal stretched With these two titles in his bag, would never have come this far. the match to the last over as UAE batsmen struggled. But Thapa is confident of putting up a I’m also grateful to Sonny UAE prevailed in the end to win by just one wicket with three good show at the Surya Masters. Shrestha who helped me during

MIN BAJRACHARYA balls remaining. Had they performed a little better in that “I’m now in form and mentally my early days.” And loyal to his match, Nepal could have played a weaker Malaysia instead of prepared,” says Thapa. But being putting ground as ever, Thapa Hong Kong in the semis. Nepal’s best prospect is also still works there as golf For opener Kiran Agrawal, this tournament proved to be burdensome. “Everyone wants me instructor. good outing. Agrawal (right) scored two to do well, so there is pressure,” As caddie, he picked up the consecutive half centuries, confirming he says. nuances of the game from up Surging ahead: Deepak Thapa Magar in action. his status as a solid opening batsman. His association with the close. He agrees that his Raju Khadka and Ganesh Thakuri also Surya Masters started seven years experience then has helped him a says he. tournament last year.” batted well. But an injury to Dipendra ago when Surya Tobacco lot in his professional career but “When I decided to turn There are now 19 professional Choudhary after the first match was a big Company started the Surya Nepal says there are few advantages of professional, I had to apply to the Nepali golfers. His favourite blow to Nepal since he had been in great Open in 1993. Thapa is the only being a professional golfer in Indian Professional Golfers Nepali golfers are Deepak form prior to the tournament. Nepali professional who has Nepal. “I was offered a chance to Association (IPGA),” recalls Acharya, Pashupati Sharma and The ACC trophy is the only platform participated in all the Surya play in the Asian Circuit in 1997. Thapa. “Now, we’ve formed our Toran Shahi. “They have the where Nepal can compete with other Nepal Golf Championships since But to participate I would have own association, the Nepal potential to make it big in the Kiran Agarwal aspiring cricket-playing nations. But a 1993, which was also the year he had to go to qualifying school and Professional Golfers Association international arena,” says Thapa. triumph at the tournament needs a lot more work. The turned professional. For two that is too expensive for a golfer (NPGA) and any Nepali amateur Having shown the way ahead, it can defeat by Hong Kong showed where we need to improve— consecutive years (1993-94), he like me. There should be more who wants to turn pro can go be hoped that his confidence will in our batting. This is the ACC trophy lesson. t was the country’s lone money in the domestic circuit,” through this. We even organised a not turn out to be misplaced. t

JS tyres

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ABOUT TOWN QUICKWORD 8 by QUICK EYE FILMS Across Down 25. Tedium in the Indian v Nepali 1. Papua New Guinea’s 1. Misshapen man, the dwelling (5) earnings (3) Aago – Ganga Chalchitra, Ranjana banker of Zurich (5) 26. Volcanic activity on 4. Afraid of the sacred (6) Basanti – Plaza1 2. Terminal agency at stem adolescent face (4) 10. Neither partner (3) Darpan Chaaya - Biswajyoti, Krishna, Prithvi, Shri Nava Durga junction (5) 27. Bird with the Women’s 11. Naidu’s tongue (6) Dhukdhuki – Goon (Ga) 3. Clamp down on the Royal Naval Service (4) 12. Lyric poem for the deer v Hindi media (5) 28. Itemise, inclined to (3) Jung – Ashok 4. Rats, this is an actress! vigour perhaps (4) 13. Crimson the litmus test (6) Kahin Pyar Na Ho Jaye – Tara, Metro, Mankamana, Goon (Kha) (4) 30. The spud can see (4) 14. Landlocked South African Kurukshetra – Shivadarshan, Goon (Ka) 5. Intestinal cul de sac (5) 32. What the compass took state capital (6) Mission Kashmir – Plaza 2, Radha 6. Ailing, boxer with from Hesse (3) Mohabbatein – Padma, Gopi 16. Electric shock treatment Parkinson’s (3) Sikari – Kumari (3) 7. Impolite (4) v Foreign 17. Or, drink life to the lees 8. Auspices, shorter QUICKWORD ANSWER 7 The Cup. A Bhutanese film (with English subtitles) about football crazy (4) American (4) monks. 5.30 pm, GAA Hall, Thamel, Friday 24 November. Rs 50 (Rs 25 18. Baker, the tough one (2) 9. Quiet flows the bile, for students). 20. Less tension for the junior passage (4) officer (2) 15. Bruce did an underwater 22. Can’t get over the spat (4) Best of British Film Festival presents five British movies for five 100 slither (3) 26. Cobbler’s poker (3) consecutive days at the Russian Cultural Centre, Kamalpokhari, 5.30 WIN A 19. Always pronounced right, pm. Free tickets available in advance from The British Council (next to 29. Put in the fizz (6) in April (3) HOUR INFOCOM The British Embassy), Lainchaur. 410798 MILLENNIUM 31. Crunchy fries (6) 21. SE Asian mammal, long Sunday, 26 November CD WORTH 33. The original commie (3) snout (5) Chicken Run. The latest film from Nick Park, Oscar winning director of RS 3600/- 34. Came from the Loch, this 23. Ron’s miracles with the Wallace and Gromit. girl (6) rod, Aah! (5) Monday, 27 November The most convenient and economic way to surf the internet 35. Bored about the lode (3) 24. Inflexible, behind the The only all-correct entry was 36. Insert, or come in (5) Fever Pitch. A romantic comedy about a man, a woman and a football Terms and conditions boat (5) sent in by Jemima Sherpa team. 1 The contest is open to everyone, except employees of Himalmedia 37. North northeast (3) Tuesday, 28 November Pvt Ltd and Infocom Pvt Ltd. 2 In case of more than one correct entry, the winner will be decided by Baby Mother. A reggae musical film set in London. To send in your entries, please fill in the details below and fax to 977-1-521013, or email to [email protected]. Wednesday, 29 November lucky draw. 3 Entries have to reach Himalmedia, by 5 pm, Entries can be dropped off at Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. Sliding Doors. A romantic comedy. 22 Nov, Tuesday. Thursday, 30 November 4 The winner will be announced in the coming issue. Name...... Sense and Sensibility. Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet and Hugh 5 The prize has to be collected from Himalmedia within a week of the Ph...... email...... Grant star in the cinema adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. announcement. Please come with an ID. EXHIBITIONS v Art Hair Warp: Travels Through Strands of Universe. An exhibition of art NEPALI WEATHER and installation on hair by Asmina Ranjit. Displays the artist’s varied work ranging from charcoal drawings of hair to a video-expression of the concept. 24 November -6 December. 10am-5pm. NAFA exhibition hall, Bal Mandir, Naxal. Wood’n Motion. An exhibition of sculptures and paintings by German artist Beate Neumann showcasing an array of 20 wooden sculptures.

Accompanying them are 16 paintings using DSES- 22-11-2000 0400 GMT elaborate batik techniques on Lokta paper which produces the illusion of wood-print. The show will be supported by a video that shows the artist at work. 18–26 November, 10.30 am-4.30 pm. Patan Museum. v Dance Anokha – Dance of Gods and Men. A unique fusion of Kathak and hip-hop presented by renowned French group Accrorap. Saturday 25 November. 6:30 pm. Royal Nepal Academy. Rs 1000, 500, 250, 100. This satellite picture taken Wednesday morning clearly shows thick The group will also conduct a Hip Hop Dance Workshop, a day before fog over the Gangetic basin and high-altitude cloud cover over their show on Friday 24 November at the Alliance Francaise, Afghanistan. It is riding the jet stream and moving northeastwards, Thapathali. 9.30 am–12.30 pm for dancers and 2.30-5.30 pm for and could bring some cloud over the central Himalaya over the dance aficionados. Nominal participation fee Rs 1000. Limited seats. weekend. But westerlies this year have been weak, and the 241163, 242832 precipitation has fizzled out by the time they come over Nepal. This has been an unusually dry and warm November, but with a shift in RIVER FESTIVAL wind direction we have seen clearer and cooler air over Kathmandu, Nepal River Conservation Trust (NRCT) in association with the Nepal bringing the temperatures down to 6 degrees this week. Western and Tourism Board (NTB) hosts yet another annual river festival at the northern Nepal will continue to have cloud-mass infiltration from the Bhote Kosi river at Borderlands Resort 1-3 December. The festival Tibetan plateau, but for Kathmandu the current trend of foggy events include Kayak Rodeo, Friendship Float down the Bhote Kosi for mornings, and sunny days will continue. all participants, down river race, slide show, talk programmes by experts KATHMANDU of botany, environment, ornithology and river guiding. Live music and a river party will complement the festival. The festival is also a Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue campaign to conserve the Nepali rivers and their resources and train river guides (500 plus) to also be river conservationists. Transport service to and from the venue. 426329. 24-06 23-08 23-08 24-06 24-05 TALK PROGRAMMES The Guthis of Khokaha: Traditional Structure and Cultural Change. Talk by Dr Silke Wolf on the Guthi system of Khokana. Dr Wolf, a research scholar at the University of Frankfurt, will refer to the Si Kali Jatra, the yearly festival of Khokana and will also outline the ability of the Guthis to sustain tradition. 30 November, Thursday, 4 pm, Royal Nepal Academy Library Hall, Kamaladi. Participation free. 231791. Dr Ram Dayal Rakesh. Public Hearing. Interactive talk show focusing on standards of the opel ad valley roads, road contracts, unhealthy competition among construction companies, irregularities pointed out by the Auditor General’s Office. Participants will include representatives from various government departments concerned. 26 November, Sunday. 12.45 pm, Venue to be announced. Contact Pro Public, Anamnagar. 268681,265023 RALLY Beetle Mania for Charity. Volkswagen Beetle rally from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel organised by Ganesh Foundation to raise money for cleft lip operations for Nepali children. Owners, drivers and a mechanic (if you need one) start from Hotel Yak and Yeti after breakfast and end at Himalayan Shangrila Hotel with lunch. 9 December, Saturday. Entry fee Rs 200. You can also sponsor a harelip operation for a Nepali child for Rs 6,000 and take part in the rally. [email protected]

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] 18 CULTURE 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES TheSAVING FAITH city of good deeds by DESMOND DOIG There is a charming story about the Bagh Bhairav temple raised in the sixteenth century, which has a shepherd boy making a tiger of clay. Leaving it to find a suitable leaf for its tongue, he returned to find his sheep missing and the mouth of the tongueless tiger open. amaged by battle and partly of a university, a cement factory and destroyed by earthquake, the a proposed sewage farm. d fortress town of Kirtipur Founded by a Lichchhavian retains a shabby magnificence. The king who called it Kirtipur, the City ravages of the twentieth century of Good Deeds, to perpetuate the have not yet conquered the town discovery of the lost image of though they have laid siege to the Pashupati by a man and his cow hill on which it clings, in the form who lived on the hill, it had grown

to importance by the time the be treated with respect if they prophesied an earthquake that People muffled in white were Valley was divided in the sixteenth surrendered, every male except would destroy the town and much already about and conches wailed. century. It became a part of Patan. infants and those who could play of Kathmandu Valley. All over The mist dissolved, day clearly Kirtipur gained fame by wind-instruments had their noses Kathmandu, people slept in open etched the old, muddled buildings, withstanding successive onslaughts and upper lips cut off. For a long spaces outside their houses. In narrow undulating lanes, shrines

SALIL SUBEDI on Kathmandu by the Gurkha while afterwards, the town was Kirtipur, a parallel town of where people prayed and pools Prithvi Narayan Shah, and when it known as Nakkatipur, the place of thatched huts rose to meet the where children played regardless of fell after six months of stubborn severed noses. threat. I went before dawn on the doom. Perhaps the gods relented or resistance in 1767, its gallant Calamity threatened in 1966 fateful day to the town wrapped in the prayers of Kirtipur and the The headless riders have been reconstructed in concrete, and the elephants defenders met a hideous fate. when astrologers, finding the cold mist so that only the spires of Valley were heeded. There was no are spiked so people don’t sit on them. Despite assurances that they would planets in destructive formation, its stupas and temples lanced clean. earthquake and I wondered why all those who believe the legend that their city is built on a single rock worried at all. On Kirtipur’s highest point is the ruined temple of Uma- Maheshwor, built in 1673. It enshrines a beautiful image of Shiva and Parvati, or Uma-Maheshwor, and the stone stairway leading to it is guarded by two stone elephants with headless riders, trampling bodies underfoot. Here I sat to Premium ad (b) sketch the town, with an empty space where the old Durbar stood above the Bagh Bhairav temple. There is a charming story about this temple raised in the sixteenth century, which has a shepherd boy making a tiger of clay. Leaving it to find a suitable leaf for its tongue, he returned to find his sheep missing and the mouth of the tongueless tiger open. Believing the image to be possessed of Bhairav, devout townsfolk built one of the Valley’s most perfect temples about it. Over the centuries this divine toy has been embellished with a silver mask, and a crown, and garlands of serpents. On the other side of the hill and so not in my sketch, is a stupa. Adorned with a gilded finial, a metal canopy, and carved votive shrines, it is believed to have been built by the Indian Emperor Ashoka in the third century BC. I love the stupa for its slender proportions, its all-seeing eyes painted on black surfaces and the feel of space about it. Ashoka, we believe, came to the Valley in the footsteps of his master, Gautam Buddha, and built stupas at places of special Buddhist sanctity. Could it be that to this now- neglected town, which even guidebooks dismiss or hardly mention, came the Sakya Muni himself? t

(Excerpted with permission from My Kind of Kathmandu, HarperCollins, 1994.) 24 - 30 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 19

HAPPENINGS

Sharp ad

RADISSON Radisson Hotel’s winning team collects the cash prize of Rs 50,000 from the Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Crispin Conroy, at the close of the first Australian Culinary Challenge. MIN BAJRACHARYA A Nepali-made Jeep called Sherpa at the Second Auto Show 2000. The show is on at the Bhrikuti Mandap Exhibition Hall from 22-26 November.

ARE YOU AN EXCELLENT STUDENT ? DO YOU HAVE STRONG ENGLISH SKILLS ? ARE YOU INTERESTED TO STUDY ABROAD ? IF you answered YES to ALL THREE questions then consider pursuing your Bachelor’s degree at the University of Windsor, Canada. Qualified students may contact : Why do you have to be an excellent student ? University of Windsor Liaison Office Our Computer Science, Business and Engineering and Arts programs are among the Canadian Cooperation Office MIN BAJRACHARYA Tel : 415193 Nepal’s top professional golfer Deepak Thapa Magar in fine form at the best in North America. These programs are very challenging. You have to be good at the Email : [email protected] opening of the 2nd Surya Nepal Masters at the Gokarna Golf Club. beginning, because you will be great when you graduate ! Web : www.uwindsor.ca

for pg 16 JS tyres

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NEPALI SOCIETY Under My Hat

by Kunda Dixit nbeknownst to most of us, there is a national Min-Min, or Ra-Ra. Let me quickly assure prospective ucrisis building up right under our noses, and noodle-makers that they need not feel restricted, there unless the government acts immediately to are oodles of names for noodles still lying unused, and resolve this issue, Nepal as we know it will cease to they all come with ready-made mottos: Meow-Meow exist. I am, of course, speaking of the acute shortage of (“Even your cat will love it!”), Ha-Ha (“Probably the names for our institutions and businesses. Already, the world’s funniest noodles”), or Ba-Ba (“The favourite number of new companies being registered in Nepal noodles of the black sheep in every family”). has fallen sharply because our entrepreneurs can’t find Another highly popular brand name is “Sherpa”. My names and trademarks for them. If we don’t explore friend Tashi Zangbu says no one asked him if they could ways out of this names shortfall borrow his surname, but Sherpa has been pronto, it will ipso facto have a snapped up faster than any other ethnic serious sine qua non for our quo group. Already, there are Sherpa pick-up vadis, not to mention on our status trucks, Sherpa health soaps, Sherpa safety quo and, even more importantly, on matches, and even a Sherpa brand muesli. our terra incognita. Since Nepal is a multi-ethnic country, this Mt Everest is an all-time opens up a whole new arena of favourite, and we are fast running nomenclature for the manufacturing Prince Philip presenting the award to Snehesh Shrestha out of things to call Mt and service industries: Everest. Mt Everest Steel Chhetri brand Rods, Mt Everest ketchup, Tharu “Don’t let them put Higher Secondary brand photocopy English-Medium you in a museum.” Residential Boarding School and Academy, nehesh Shrestha, “just School in Patan, painted hospital “Don’t let them put you in a Mt Everest Ghee another student”, is now walls with environmental messages, museum.” Snehesh is too pro- Udyog, Mt Everest Prawn srather special. Prince Philip participated in a clean-up campaign active for that. t Cracker Industries, Mt personally awarded him the first around Jawalakhel Zoo, helped Everest Restaurant and Bar, Mt Everest Gold Award of the Duke of prepare a children’s park in Patan Edinburgh Youth Award Scheme Hospital, and assisted mentally to go to a Nepali. impaired children from Jivan Mt Everest Prawn Crackers The scheme gets young people Kalyan Kendra. He has trekked in interested in voluntary activities Helambu and tried his hand at like community service, travel and public speaking, photography, Communications for STD, IDD and DDT, Mt Everest paper, Bahun dropsy-buster mustard oil, Lama art. Participating in them and and classical guitar. Loath to uday tea Brand Chewing Tobacco, Mt Everest Deep Tubewell Vegetarian Momo and Fastfood Franchise, KC’s AC-DC attempting to qualify for the ignore any aspect of life, Snehesh Drilling Pvt Ltd (slogan: “We dig you from the top of Adapters. Which brings me to the acute name shortage bronze, silver and then gold always finds the time for the the highest mountain to the bottom of the deepest in the domestic airline industry, since there are now a awards in a supportive and sports he loves, basketball and hole”). few thousand airlines registered. But even here, there is enjoyable atmosphere develops rollerblading. So, if you are thinking of getting into the noodle hope because we are lucky to have the entire Hindu well-rounded personalities. Snehesh was thrilled to receive business, then naming it Mt Everest is out of the pantheon available to us. After all, if we can have Participants are judged on skill as the award. “The award has been question. Besides, according to the Ministry of Buddha Air, there is no reason why there shouldn’t be well as perseverance. It’s a bit like very encouraging. It will help me Commerce and Taxonomy, it is mandatory in this Hanuman Air Lines, Pushpak Biman, or Air Yamaraj. the Boy Scouts badge for service, become even more goal-oriented in country to have instant noodles brands consisting of And the in-flight service can always consist of Bow-Wow but more inclusive and PC. future,” said the ambitious 20 year- one monosyllabic word repeated twice, like Wai-Wai, noodles (“What’s good for your dog is good for you.”) t Snehesh, from Shuvatara old. What did the Prince tell him?

AMBASSADOR MAYOS WHISKEY