• NC Convention • Int'1 year of Volunteers ~Al . Earthquake tremors THE KHUKRI IS THE FAMOUS NATIONAL WEAPON OF THE GORKHA SOLDIERS OF NEPAL KHUKRI RUM IS THEIR FAMOUS NATIONAL DRINK ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, IN A BATTLE OR IN A BOTTLE, YOU CAN ALWAYS PUT YOUR TRUST IN A KHUKR!
THE NEPAL DISTILLERIES PVT. LTD. BALAJU,KATHMANDU f PH. : 350988, 350725, FAX: 350971 s CONTENTS
Page
Letters 3
News Notes 4
"riefs 6
Quote Unquote 7 COVER STORY: Young And Restless Desperate but energeti c, Nepalese youth are at the crossroads of Off The Record 8 chan ge. Page 16
CIAA : On The Move 9
FPAN : Strategic Plan 12
EARTHQUAKE DA Y : Tremors of Concern I3
IYV 2001 : Saluting The Spirit 14
VERNANCE : New Challenges 21
ENCOUNTER: Manisha Koirala 24 CONGRESS CONVENTION: Koirala's Declaration As the conve nti on near, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala appears set for an overwhelming viclOry DEVELOPMENT: Partn ers In Progress 26 Page 10
THE BOTTOM LINE 27
VIEW POINT: Dr. Bhogendra Sharma 28
PASTIME 29 INTERVIEW: PRADEEPRAJPANDEY The CEO of Nepal I OIJrlsm ttoru Leisure 30 I , I tourism in the country. FACE TO FACE: J.Bill Musoke 32
SPOTLlGHTIJANUARY 19.200 1 SPOTLIGHT EDITOR'S NOTE THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE --~ V~. 20, No.27, January 19, 2001lMagh 6,2057) he creation of Armed Police Force to quell the Maoist rebellion is sure Chief Editor And Publisher lO turn out to be another blunder by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Madhav Kumar Rimal Koirala. No sa ne Nepali thinks that force should be used against the Editor Maoists. We have been advocating peaceful dialogue all the time. A Sarita Rimal fifteen to twenty thousand strong anTIed force would entail huge errecurring expenses apart from hundreds of millions in buying arms and am munitions. Managing Editor Keshab Poudel Can the country afford it? But. in a country which is run by commission mongers, this could be another god sent opportunity to make some fast buck. Who really thinks aboul Associate Editor th e good oflhe country? Moreover, there are some who think such a force. cven a much Bhagirath Yogi biggcronc, has become imperative in the context of imaginary threats from our southern Senior Reporter ncighbor as a result of the statement by a leading ruling politician. Evcn though we are Sanjaya Ohakal impelled to laugh at such stupid figmcnt of imagination, we know. Nepal is . ~ Reporter equipped to defend its frontiers and also has somc depcndablc friends. Be that as it m"'f{ Akshay Sharma Prime Minister Koirala must think twice. thrice and four timcs before deploying, the armed force. Aftcr a ll the Maoists are our kirths and kins. In stead, he must start Design and Layout Jyoti Singh punishing the wrong doers including himself. by resigning fromlhe post he is holding. Surely he cannOt be tOlally oblivious of the fate of corrupt politicians. near and far. His Photographer Nishchal Chapagain well wishers surely have not failed to apprise him what is happening to corrupt politicians around the world. Art M.S. Khokna * * * The Ncpali Congress convention is starting before the week cnd. As ,:tlJ speculations Legal Advisor portend Girija Prasad Koirala will again emerge as the strong man in tne N.C.. The Advocate Lok Bhakta Rana opposition that he is facing in his party, at the moment, does not command a popular Marketing/Advertisement support. They are only some powcr hungry corrupt politicians. The leadcr of the Saril RimaIIUSA) dissident s claiming to be Ncpali Mal1in Luther King with a "vision 10 lead" has forgoncn hi s black record. Btu the Nepali people have not. Where will the country go Marketing Madan Kaji 8asnet under his lcadership? What thc NepaJi Congrcss needs at this jynCLUre is a totally new Navin Kumar Maharjan and young leadership with the cleanest ofslalc. As long Some dynamic young men don' t Madan Raj Poudel pluck courage and take ovcr the leadership oflhe party, Nepali Congress docs not have Editorial Office a bri ght futurc. Young men in Nepali Congress take note. Hit now. the iron is hot. GPO Box 7256, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Tel: (977 -1 ) 423127, Fax: (977-1) 417845 * * * Chief Editor's: 435594 The Commission of Investigation ror Abuse of Authority seems to be waking up. E-mail: [email protected] bc. it is still too early to become optimistic about it s role. CIAA hasstarled action against Internet Add: http://www.nepalnews.com/ an offi cial who is a small fry and less responsible for the ills plaguing the national nag spotlight carricr. There are marc powerful and influencing persons who eat the cake at other's Cover Design expense. There are even in visible hands that givc hiccups to many. Can the chicfexpose Wordscape Kamal Pokhari, Ph : 410772, Fax: 432872 these peoplc? Or will he also limit himself la the poor bureaucrals? * * * Distribution The people's government in Rukum, Jagarkot and Salyan must make the Palace sit up. Bazaar International 228 Sanchaya Kosh Bldg. Kathmandu It is not a challengc to Girija Prasad Koirala only. It is a direct confrontation with G.P.O Box 2480, Ph: 222983 Fax : 229437 His Maiesty's Government. The Palace cannot afford LO stay a silcnt spectator any a-mail: [email protected] more, If these kinds of developments are not nipped in the bud. the country will be Printers: Kishor offset Press (P.) Ltd. destabilised and become a fishing ground for anti-nationals. The un scrupulous politi p.a. Box 4665, Galkopakha, Thamel, cians will losc nothing. They wi ll be the first to leave the sinking ship and enjoy their Kathmandu,Tel: 351044 (Off),351172IRes.), illgotten wealth in foreign lands. Where can the poor people and Ihe Palace go? So, no Fax : 977-1-351172, E-mail: [email protected] more procrastination. Wisdom says one must nOl wait for fate to act. •
C.D.O. Rcgd. No 1511039-40 Postal Rcgd. No 42/057158 U.S. Library of Congress Madhav Kumar Rimal Catalogue No. 91-905060 Chief Editor& Publisher
2 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY t9, 2001 LETTERS ______
Constitutionally Defined Role". Janu :uy 12-18) was very interest ing. We would like to express, Make The Choice through your esteemed column. our high appreciation of the com With reference to your mendable begi nni ng made by tile cover story " Restoring Busi ClAA to bring to justice those ness Confidence"' (SPOT exploiting RNAC for their per sonal benefit? Executive Director L1G1-IT January 12-1 8). I H.B. Sllfcslha. whose su\pension would like torequestNepar , the CIAA recommended in con political leaders to give up Ilcction with its probe. is a vl.!ry th eir petty interests for th e small fish. There arc very large sake of Ih e economic pros fish. even mnn-c SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 3 NEWSNOTES Nepal, India Agree On from the present nine and scrapping the Flood-Control Measures public holidays on Nepali and Indian officials have Gaijatra, Indrajatra, agreed 10 Slarllhc constru cti on ofa 7-km Rakshyabandhan. long embankment along the right bank or S > r I Rapti river to mitigate the problem of Kri shnaj anlilastam i, submersion on the Nepali side, reports Sripanchami. said Sunday. The decision was taken at Fagupurnima, the c nd orthe live-day 1 I Ih meeting of the Chaitedasain a nd Nepal-Ind ia Joint Committee formed to Ramnavami . The resolve the problem. in the Nepali capital government is yet 10 Friday. The meeting also agreed to imme reach a final decision diately construct about 2.5 km of the 15- on whether the two- km embankment along the right bank of ~~...... ___..... ':''':'''..:l~~:.l ____ ....lL;';''!l;:.L':':;j day weekly holid Rapti river as proposed by the Nepali side Refugees in Kathmandu valle --"------should be cut to one and construct the rest of the embankment after further study, officials of the Depart of the camps. We will closely follow the day, The two-day weekly boliday was ment of Irrigation said. According to re work of the Ministerial Joint Committee introduced in the capital vall ey on an pons. the commillec agreed on nood and the loint Verification Team, the EU experimental basis over a year ago. 111ere control measures along the Rapti river in said. 1n a separate statement, US State are more than 140publicholidays in Nepal Bankc district and Bagmati river in Department spokesman Richard Boucher (includin g weekly holidays), Compiled Rautahat and Sarlahi districts. Nepali and said Friday that his country plans to con from reports. lndian officials also agreed to immedi tinue working with all concerned parties, ately start construction of an about 7-km at their request, to facilitate ajust resolu More Companies t.!lllhankment along the right bank of the tion of the long-standing humanitarian river in Rautahat district and about 15-km problem of Bhutanese refugees. The Expected To Bid For BPC embankment along the left bank. of the United States has encouraged Nepal and Officials have said they arc expect river in Sarlahi district. Ajoint team also Bhutan to resolve this refugee issue fully ing more bidders to buy majority shares of inspected areas submerged by the Rapt! and fairly, and "we applaud their recent the Butwal Power Company (BPC). A river and the si te of embankment along measures 10 do so." Recalling that the US total of six companies. including Inde the Bagmati to be constructed with Indian government has long been a major con pendent Power Company uf Britain. assistance. RSS reports Jan, 14, tributor to the humanitarian needs of Intercraft of Norway , Pacific HydroCom Bhutanesc refugees through the Office of pany of Australi a. Sanima of Russia aa ._ EU And US Hail Progress the UNHCR and the World Food Pro onc company each from India and Chi~ gram, the statement said the US govern havc responded to a tender bid to sell 75 On Bhutanese Refugees ment was pleased to note that Nepal and percent of the shares orthe profit-making Bhutan were moving to implemelll their The European Union and the United company. "We expect more bids before recent agreement to resolve the long-stand Stales have welcomed the recent under the deadline expire~ on January 3 1 this ing problem. Nepal and Bhutan had agreed standing between the governments of year." said Kiran Malla, general manager last month to begin verification of refu Nepal and Bhutan lOward resolving the oJ"thecompany, The BPC owns and oper gees within this month through a joint d~cadc-old Bhutanese refugee problem. ates the 12MWJhimruk hydropowerplant verification team. Compiled/ram reports In a press statement received here Satur and the 5.1 MW Andhi Khola hydro Jail. N. day, the European Union said it welcomed power plunt. The company, which is sup the recent impon ant steps taken by the plying electricity to about 20,000 people governments of Bhutan and Nepal to re Govt. Considering in four rural districls in western Nepal. ::.olve the question of verification of also own s share:-; in Khimti hydropower Bhutancse residing in refugee camps in Reducing Public Holidays project. Nepal Hydro and Electric (P) Ltd. eastern Nepal and thedetcnnination shown The government is planning 10 scrap and Hydrolab Company. Compiled from by the two governments to find a lasting more than a dozen public holidays. Kan reports Jail. 13. sulution through bilateral dialogue in a lipur daily reponed Saturday, quoting a :-pirit of good ncighborliness. The EU highly placed source at theCabinct Secre Terai Bandh welcomed th e prospects of a speedy veri tarial. According to the newspaper, the fication process leading lO the repatriation government was considering a proposal Passes Off Peacefully ofrcfugces and the ultimate closing down to slash Dashain holidays to five days The 'terai bandh' called by the terai- 4 SPOTLlGHTIJANUARY 19,2001 NEWSNOTES based Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Fund for Nature (WWF), has set up sector and begin nying to new destina ended largely peacefull y F riday. A po an ti-poaching units in and aro und Chit tions from March thi s year, the corpora liceman and some demonstrators wa n and Bardia nat ional park s, home to tion sai d Friday. in a statement, the scan wcrcinjurcd during skirm is hes at Royal Bengal tigers, one-horned Asiatic dal-ridden national nag carrier said it is Panvanipur in Bara district during the rhinos and dozens of other exot ic going to increase its nights to New Delhi 'balldh:The c lashes LOok place after wildlife species. Compiled/rom reports from the present 12 a week LO 14 and police int erve ned to SlOp th e Jail, 9. th ose to Bangkok frol11 two a wee k [Q demonstrators from pelting stones at three. The nights LO Mumbai will be speeding vehicles. Businesses and pub Drastic Fall In Gold Imports increased from three a week to fo ur, lic transport came toa halt in eastern terai those to Singapore from twO a week to After the government's decision in districts. There was no major impact of lhree and those to Hong Kong from three thi s year's budget to authorize Nepal the shutdown in the western lcrai dis a week to fo ur, the co rporati on said. With Rastra Bank to se ll gold within th e co un tricts, report s said. The NSP had call ed the inducti on o f a Boeing 767 lease pur try, imports of the precious metal has the 'bandh' to pro test against the target chased from Lauda Ai r. an Austrian ai r fallen drasticall y, a news report said. In Ing of Indian businesses and people of lines company, in December last year, accordance with the budget provision, ai ori gin during the violent pro tests in the RNAC has dectded LO ny twice a the Department of Mint (DoM) of Nepal le capi tal late last momh . Compiled week directly to Osaka, Japan. with only Rastra Bank has been selling gold to the from repoTt .f! Jail . 13. a th ird flight stopp in g over in Shanghai. publi c since July last year. Damodar The RNAC is also spreading its wings to Prasad Shanna. chief manager at the Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where it will ny Seven Maoist Rebels Killed DoM. said his department has been able twice a week. T he corporation is also At least seven suspected Maoi st rebel s to sell onl y 74 kg of gold so far. Traders planning two flights a week to Seoul. were killed duri ng an encounter wi th po say people arc not interested in buying South Korea, via Shanghai . The ai rline lice in the remote northern di strict of go ld rrom the departme nt because the serves the international sector through Kalikot Thursday, Jcadingdai lies reported. price there is higher than in the ope n four Boeing aircraft in its fleet. Com Acco rdin g 10 the repons, the rebels were market. piled from reports Jail. J 3. killed during a nearly two-hour gunbanle According to the central bank. the with police at Phurkol. The police had imparl of gold in the first three months of Institute Of Engineering reached the area ai"l er recei vi ng reporls this fiscal year has decljn cd by nearly that alTIled rebels were organizing an 'open one- third compared to the same peri od Ranked Third In Asia meeting.' Poli ce recovered locally made last year. Nepal had imported gold worth At a time of widespread di senchant guns, socket bombs. explosives and bul Rs 7690 million in the last fi scal year. ment over theeducation sys tem in Nepal. let~ from the sit e. Meanwru le. unconfirmed Th e governme nt had decided La restrict here is some good news . The Bangkok reports said two Maoist rebels were ki ll ed imports by th e private traders afte r most based Asian lnstitutc of Technology . an exchange of gunfire wi th po li ce ar a of the gold imported by Nepal was found (A1T) has ranked Tribhuvan University'S ngle in Accham district Tuesday. Police to be re-exported to India becaus.c of the In st itute of Engineering (IOE) third said the rebels LOok away the dead bodies price difference. KOlltipur Jan. 10. among Asia's top 10 engineering inst i (lfthcir comrades. Compiledfrom reports tutes. The ranking was made on th e basis Jail. 12. RNAC To Increase Flights of judgin g the performance of the Mas- State-owned Royal Nepal Airlines ters Level slUdents in 2000. The IOE had 19 Rhinos Dead In Corporation (RNAC) will increase the stood fourlh and sixth among the ten best inst itutes in Asia in 1999 and 1998 re number of ilS ni ghts on the inrernational The Last Nine Months ....______., spectively. Established in 1972, the At le as t 19 rhin os have died, six of tOE has produced 985 civil engi them due to poac hing, in and aro und neers. 64 electrica l engineers, 61 Royal Chit wan National Park in centra l electronic engineers. 46 mechani- Nepal. over the lasl nine months. offi cal engineers and 21 architects so cia ls sa id. According to the Department 1!IJIi9l!!1JIIlI far. A 20-year strategic plan has of National Parks a nd Wildlife Conser been formulated lodevelop the IOE vation (DNPWC), a total of 40 rhino as a center or excellence to pro deaths had bee n recorded last year. "We duce morc capa ble and efficient have fewer in cid ents of poaching this manpower. said Dr. J ib Raj yea r because of co untenn easures we ha ve Pokhrel. dean of the IOE. The IOE take n." sa id Narendra Babu Pradhan. has 5,000 stu dents. 500 teachers as~is t ant ecolog ist at the department. The :.:::i.. iiiiI a nd 500 employees. Compiled DNPWC together with the World Wide ----'--RNAC plane______from reports Jail. 9. • SPOTLI GHT/JANUARY 19.2001 5 BRIEFS however, committed to pay foreign currency equivalent to Rs 42 mil lion as performance guarantee to gellhe survey license of the project only last month. Nepali officials said the US company had asked for change in the provision of mandatory performance guarantee. "We will stand on our condition despite th eir request," said Dr. Ki shore Babu Aryal, director-general of the department. The atlractive hydropower project in eastern Nepal remains shelved after the World Bank refu sed to finance in it in 1995 amid protests by advocacy groups. WORKERS OF HETAUDA TEXTILES CALLED A ' BANDH' (shutdown strike) in the industrial town o fHetauda Friday demand ing payment of salaries. The factory has failed to pay salaries to nearly 1.200 workers for th e last six months. Only two years ago, th e government pumped in some Rs. 90 million tu keep the factOj Players of RCT club jubilantly raising this year's Birth· running. Report s said the fa ctOry ran illlo trouble aft er its produ 1 day Cup. could not com pete in the local market. Cotton textile worth Rs. 7 million is lying atl'he factory's warehouses. The (aelOry manage MADELEINE ALBRJGHT. THE OUTGOING US SECRE· men! has demanded Rs. 320 million from the government to buy tary of Slale. is to assume the chairmanship of th e National raw materials, pay salaries and replace old materials and restart Democratic In stitute (NOI ). Albrighl had served as vice chair of producti on. The workers have called for a 24-hour-long general the democracy promotion organization when it was founded in slrike in industrial town of Hetauda Friday and have also threatened 1983. "We wi ll be fortunate to benefit from Madeleinc Albright"s to block traffic along the East-West highway. leadership as the NDI responds to new opportunities and c hal le nges in assisting courageous democrats throughout the world THE CENTRAL WORKING COMMITTEE OF THE RUL· who promote peaceful political change in nondemocrati c coun in g Nepali Congress has decided to amentl the party'sconslitution tries and work 10 consolidate pluralist institulions in new democ tOelect half of it s members in the proposed 37-memherCWC. The racies:· said NDI President Kennelh Wollack. The NDI has proposed amendment will come into fo rce after the party's 10th worked in Nepal sin ce 1994 to strength en th e country's emerging general convention in Pokhara ne xt week e ndorses it. The conven democracy. tion is to elect a new leadershi p and m C l11b e r~ o f the ewc. The party president will appoint the remaining 18 cwe me mbers. FRENCH INSTRUCTORS WILL BE TRAINING NEPALI Earlier. only fi ve members were elected on regional ba ~is to th e guides for another five years. An agreement to this effect was 31 ·member cwe. signed by Nepal Mountaineering Association (N MA) presid ent Ta,hi langbu Sherpa and DircclOrorthe Eoole Nationale Skict d· THE MINISTRY OF POPULA nON AND ENVlRONME T Alpinism (ENSA) Jean Bernard Paillisser in Kathm andu last has agreed to form a task force to study the demands made week. French Ambassador Claude Ambrosini was presem on th e tnlllsport operators. In a me eting with th e transport operators on occasion. The French agency has been launching the training Tuesday. Minister of State for Population and Environment Shiva program si nce 1982. The ENSA wi ll also provide a yearl y schol Raj Joshi said the task force will also ha\'e represcAtatives from arship to one aspirant Nepali guide in France. Similarly. one the transport entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs are protestin g French instrucLOr. accompanied by a doctor. will conduct a IS-day against th e government 'S decision to ban vehicles o ld er than 20 adventure-training course in Nepal each year. the NMA said. yea r~ from the capital from next year. Officials said th ey had taken th e decision in ord er to reduce pollution and congestion in th e STATE·OWNED NEPA1~ TELEVISION (NTV) CORPORA bowl-shaped capital valley. The transport operators had threat tion entered into an agreement Wednesday with India·s Bharat ened to organize nation-\\'ide ·chakka j:lIn' (strike) against the Electronics limited to procure necessary equipment for satellite government's decision. uplinking for NTV transmi ssions. NTV plans to put satellite uplink in place within July lhis year. Under the agreemenl. NTV will NEPAL RASTRA BANK(NRB), THE COUNTRY'SCENtral procure equipment worth Indian Rs. 5.53 million from Indi a and bank. intervened in the foreign currency market Friday by procur equipment worth US$ 462.000 fromlhird countries. The agreement ing US$ 18 milli on (approximately Rs 1.33 billion). reports said. was signed by General Manager Durga Nath Sharma on behalf of The bank had intervened because of excess liquidity in the market. NTV and by V. B. Srinivasan on behalf of Bharal Electronics, official s said. Only last month . the NRB had procured US$ 23.5 million from th e market. Pralllod Rizal. President of the Forcx THE lJS·BASED COMPANY, EURORIENT, HAS SENT A Exchange Dealers Association of Nepal (FEDAN;. said stability Iclterlo the Department of Electricity Developmen! of the Nepalese of thc Indian c urrency again st the dollar and declining interest government this week saying il is unable to pay advance money rales in the US are somc of the reasons behind adeq uate do ll ar in connect ion with the Arun III project. The company had. holdings of commercial banks. • 6 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY t9. 2001 QUOTE UNQUOTE "I have no major differences with the King." Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, ill Himal. * * * "T hey will just pay tributelO BP Koirala Amywlly. and remember his dreams, talk about democratic socialism and reminisce the teq 4JOS gooc/. achievements of 1951 , 1958 and 1990. [n the end they wi ll just fight amongst them selves and finish theconvention with noth ing new." Klwdga Prasad Oli, deputy leader of themailloppositionCPN-UML.colII lIIellling on thejorthcomillg COllvell lion of ruling Nepa/i Congress, i" The Kathmandu Post. * * • "W hy would I want to spill. the party"' I am the onc who needs party unity most-" Sher Bahadllr Deuba,/ormer prime Chief Justice Upadhyayaforhis COIl of Federation of Nepalese Chamber COII minister (lml leader of Nepa/i Tro\'e rsial decision of 1995. ill Jana of Commerce and InduSTry, 011 whar gress. ill Himalaya Times. Bhawana, Congress should du during its COIl * * * * * '" \'ellliOIl in Pokhara. in Bimarsha. * * * "T he champions. 0 f multl-pany. democ- "U nder the shadow of Ml. he Bandhs and strikes have added to racy shou ld ne ver forgive Biswonath Machhapuchhrc. Congress should think "T Upadhyaya."· with a cool head and commit that they the cost or production and service in the Bamdev Gmllam, General Secretary won't fight ever again," country," ofMClI:\"ist Lellinis!, criticizing/onner Pradeep KllmarShrestha, Presidel1t DiwakarGolchha, second Vice Presi dent ofFederatioll ofNepalese C/WI1l ber of COIJIII/e rce al/d Indusrry (FNCCf) al/d a leading illdllsrrialist. i/l Gorkhapatra. * * * "W e shouldn 't destroy ourselves in th e name or nationalism," Mallisha Koirala, Bolly\\,oodactress, commenting on the recell1 violence ill Kathmal1du regarding rile f-Irithik rl/mOllr, ;n Kantipur. • * * "Y es, [ am the Helen of Nepal."' Rimala Shre.~tJw, rh e pioneer Nepalese dancer. comparing herself ro rhe legendary dancer/rom flldia. in Spacclimc dai ly. * * * SPOTUGHTIJANUARY 19.2001 7 OFF THE RECORD Single Living, man from western Nepal, Deuba has lately grown out REVELATION High Thinking of Ihe shadow of Koirala to It seems former prime cha ll enge him. Angered by 'Our Young Leaders Are Impatient' minisler Krishna Prasad Koiral"s attempt to console - GIRIJA PRASAD KOIRALA Bhatlarai is proud of having him by throwing a tea party} decided to stay a bachelor. Deuba responded by hosting Nepali Congress President and Prime Wherever he goes, he makes a dinner party. And by so Minister Girija Prasad Koirala de it a point to explain why he doing, he tried to make Ihe clared that he will step down from point that he is gaining matu both positions withi n three years. rity. Disclosing thi s. Koirala asked all hi s coll eagues to bury th eir differences. Excerpts from hi s encounter with the Old Is Not Green press: When the government took the decision to evict ve When do you plan to quit the hicles older Ih an 20 years prime ministership and party from the valley, the transport presidentship? I will quit as prime minister and party president soon. I have entreprene urs instantly cried I foul. Com plaining of dis already made my mind clearon that. As you k.now. am getti ng old. Then why are party colleagues like Sher Bahadur Deuba crimination, Ihey sai d they attacking you? would not take their vehicles There is a struggle in the party 10 establi sh leadership as out of va ll ey unlillhe gov Kishunji and [myself are on the verge of handing over the reins to ernment also decided to ban a new generation. Frankly speaking, our second -generation leaders 20-year-old motorcycles, air have not shown any patience and courage. planes and olherconveyance. Are you serious? never got married. Auend When it co mes to pleading Look. Kj shunji and I do not have any differences now. We are illg a meeting organilcd to their case, some people can not fi ghting for any post. It is the second-generation leaders who felicitate Bollywood actress come out with strange argu have dliven us to this position. Mani sha KQiraia and sin ge r ments. How do you see the upcoming general convention of the Udit Narayan Jha last party? week. Bhattarai advised The elections during the conve nti on will introduce collecti ve Manisha to adopl spinster Papa's Daughter leadership in the party as more than 50 percent of central commit( hood and continue her work Sujata Koirala. the only members will be elected by the general conventi on. 10 bring wide recognition to ~------~ Ihe cOu ntry. The reason? Cit daughter of Prime that relations wilh his daugh Ing his own examp l e, Minister Girija ter take precedence over ev Bhattarai explained that Prasad Koirala, is erything else. bachelors have mu ch less Iu hogging the news frequently Ihese Business In News W01TY about in li fe than their married cou nterpart s. days. Her Sushma Few businessmen and in Koirala Memorial dustria li sts used to be media T rusl is seen fri endly. But lalely , it seems Dinner Diplomacy organizing diFfer o,ur money-makers have re Whether Pri me Mini slcr en l programs to alized the importance of be Girija Prasad Koirala knows hi ghlighl the plighl ing on the right side of the it or not. his one- time pro of Nepalese fourth estate. tege Sher Bahadur Dcub a is women. Sujata is They are seen holding no longer a child whose si one lucky lady. as pres~ conferences and dis lence can bc bought by a her father is always seminaling information on sweet. The fonncrprime min present to g race everything from economic " ", ister declared the other day ..:,:' '' ~~ th e trus t 's p ro- policy to national solidarity . that he i ~ not someo ne who '" g rams. P apa Does this mean we will see would be swept off hi s feel LS:-u":j""a·ta'-=-K:-o"7i-ra-:l:""a"":":F::'o-:17'lo-w-,:""' n-g-:h-e-r-:f:""at"7h-e~r"--' Ko i r a Ia. to 0 , mo re business in the news in hy n CLIp of tea. From a shy knows how (0 show Ihe days ahead? • 8 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 NATIONAL CIAA On The Move The CIAA starts working under a new leadership. Is it acting within the principles of rule of law? By KESHAB POUDEL vidual. The commission argues that it is the so le body in controlling corrupti on. "The n a democratic set-up. respect for the rule CIAA is emerging legally and constitution I of law by institutions guarantees the fair ally as one of the effective institutions to ness in the fun ctioning of state mcahincry. control and prevem the abuse of authority an institution with enormous power and corruption in the coumry:' said Surya . 10 work arbitrarily, fear and panictcnds Nath Upudhyaya. ClAA chiefcommissio ner. to grip the public. (See interview SPOTLIGHT January 12-18) Soon after taking charge. the new lead The constitution. however. has special Neupane : 'Slick 10 rule of law' ership orthe Commission of Ln vesligalion of provision to protect the right of individuals Abuse of Authority (CIAA) staned its job itself because it is not the function of the amid suspicion whether it was following the ClAA to establi sh or absolve anybody or any rule of law. Whalevcr the decisions and guilt. Thcre are two layers of court of law actions taken within the ex isting system. (Appellate and the Suprcme Court) that have they must respect the rule of law as the 10 rule against the individual before heorshe constitution does not permit any institution can be termed guilty . to fu nction in a hi gh-handed manner. On the equally controversial issue of "I am happy to see that the ClAA has recruiting teachers. the CIAA illlervencd in started functioning. but that is OCl the final the examination process. Alt hough the illler ::,.itep in combating corruption. It must book view of the teachers started following the the culprits and punish them in accordance mandamus ordered by the Supreme Coun a with the existing law:' said advocate Bal few months back. the commission found no Krishnn. Neupane. 'The latest action of the time to take note of the order. e lM has enthused society that there is an "How can it illlcrvenc in the process orgalliL.atioll that can light corrupti on. " when it is sti ll in th e process of completion?" Others, however. see something wrong asked Keshab Prasad Bhattarai. President of III the procedure adopted by the ClAA in Nepal Teachers Association. suspending im.li viduals before proving their It seems interesting that the ClAA. gui lt. In the Lauda Air deal. the co mmi ssion vested with so much power. should prefer asked th e govemmcntto sll spend the execu publicity to action to investigate the real tive chainnan of the RNAC. Hmi Bhakta culprit in Cilses of corruption and abuse of Shrcstha. Following that recommendation. authority. the government has suspended Shrcstha. from the monopoly ofthc state. Article 14(3) During the Panchayat days. the Com A Ithough the commi ssion argues that of the constitution says: No person accused mission on Preventi on of Abuseof Authority Shrestha's continuity in hi s post may ob of any offence shall be compelled to be a used 10 send officials into panic as it had the struct the investigation process, others see witness against himself. In suc h a si tuation , right to both investigate, prosecute and hear the process it sc lfis not in accordance to with how can the elM use the clause to force him the case. This is the reason the 1990 consti com.ti tuionalobligations. to speak against him self. tution clearly laid down CIAA as merely an Under Clause 19 (3) of ClA A Act 2048 If the perso n is later acquitted of the invest igalion autholit y. In the last three weeks, B.S .. if the ClAA finds a rational basis that a offence. lawyers ask. who will compensate the CIA A has already ordered investigations concerned officer, who is charged by the for the mental and physical trauma he or she in two major issues including Lauda Air ClAA of corruption and mi suse of authority. suffers in society. The ClAA 's justification Deal and recmiting of teachers. or an individual maydestroyordemo.lish the in having Shrestha suspended is, therefore, Experience haos shown that the CIAA evidence of comlption and his remaining in weak, according to lawyers. cannot be popular as long as the institution the post may di sturb the investigation pro The constitution guarantees the funda wmks arbitrarily. This is the reason it needs cess, the ClAA can write to the government mental right of presumption of innocence till to work within the purview of the constitu or concerned office 10 suspend the indi- proven guilty. The ClAA is not a court oflaw tion and principles of rule of law. • SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 9 NATIONAL Known for his uncompromising CONGRESS CONVENTION stance in early days of his political ca reer. Koirala has now established him Koirala's Declaration self as a nexible and sort leader within and outside the party. Afew days before the ruling party's convention, Prime Minister Girija Prime Minister Koirala has avoided a direct confrontation with his rival and Prasad Koirala reveals that he plans quit both posts within three years former protege Deuba in the aftennath of the recent parliamentary pany elec ti on. By KESHAB POUDEL Ever since he jumped inlO the po Regarded as a natural successor to litical arena after a labor strike at the leadership in the Nepali Congress. Biratnagar Jute Mill in 2004 B.S, Koirala Deuba has locked horns with Koirala t a Lime when his student-turned has been laking part in active polilics as just after the elections of parliament· A rival Sher Bahadur Deuba was a ski IIful organiler. Most of the leaders pany. often lIsing derogatory words. on a whirlwind nationwide tour to gain and workers who are in the rival camp A desperate Deuba uses every support of party workers. Prime Minis once worked as close confidants of his. mean s to press Koirala to accept his ter Girija Prasad Koirala revealed that Be it Sher Bahadur Deuba. Khum Baha demand. including the principle of one he would quit as party president and dur Khadka. Bijaya Kumar Gaeehedar. man-one post. which Koirala has re prime minister within three years. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, Bimlendra jecled. Backed by his unpredictable In an exclusive interview with Nidhi or Chiranjibi Wag le. Koirala political guru Krishna Prasad Bhaltarai. Rajendra Dahal editor of Himal 1'011- knows their ability personally. Deuba is now trying to accommodate nightly news magazine. Prime Minister Koirala' s declaration at this junc almost all anti-Koirala individuals un Koi"la said that he wou ld band overt he ture of his political career is very sig der his umbrella. reins of the party even earli er if the nificant, as he is in a position to win the Adhering to the time-honoured prin situation permitted. party presidentship electi on. Although ciple "the enemy or my enemy is my Known as a strong party organizer. he ha s not given rival s any position in friend". Deuba feeb comfortable shak Koirala' s decision 10 quit active politics the existing cabinet. Prime Minister ing hands with anyone who opposes stunned hi s party colleagues as well as Koirala understand s hi s limitations. Koirala. From new Koirala nemesis rivals. Although no one has reacted to th e prime minister' s statement. the 78- year-old Koirala has indicated that he is in no mood 10 give up eilher position now. "Within three years everything will be completed. The change may occur earlier if a leadership grows sa ti sfacLO ril y. Then. I won't have to wait for so long. II' I quit politics. I will re sign rrom both party presidentship and prime minister. For that reason, I have fixed a three-yeartimeframe," declared Koirala. Koirala won the party president elections in 1996 defeating Chiranjibi Wagle. Koirala became prime minister in the first democratically elected government in 1991 following the de feat of former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in the general election of 1991. 10 SPOTLlGIIT/JANUARY 19.2001 NATIONAL SHER AND SINGH Roars Of Two Lions Sher Bahadur Deuba typifies the character of the late Kunwar Indrajit Singh By KESHAB POUOEL comes clear thal he has left Singh behind when it comes to launching per~onaJ at tacks. !though they are two leaders hail Deuba. who is running for the A ing from different generations. presidentship of a party that claims to both Sher Bahadur Deuba and K.!. Singh have freed Nepalis from slavery twice. will go down in Nepal 's history as the seems to forget his organizatiun's lions that roared. Both hailing from the far past when he accuses Koirala of promot western region, it is not a coincidence that ing slavery in the Ncpali Congress. "Is their names mean li on in English (Sher he denouncing the historic role 0 and Singh mean lion in Nepali). the party by declaring that there is sla Even after a five-decade history of very in the party?" a~ked a political ana social and political transformation. the lyst. behaviorofNepalesc pol iticians rescm bles "Dcuba is a simple person of th e far that of leaders or the 1950s. Politicians western region and he does not know how make similar comments and remarks. to lIse words diplomatically. His frank Deuba. who was Illentorcd by the late statement~ enhance his image:' said a B.P. Koirala, oftcn shows that he is cam close Dcuba colleague. fm'table walking in Singh's footsteps. Deuba's recent statements nnd ac Known as a popular orator who did tivities showed how slow the process 0 not hav" any control over his tongue. culturallIansrormation is moving. Knowl Singh's speech used to spark controver edge and technology can be handed over sies during his peak period in politics. slowly but not cultural change. Singh was sent to prison several times on Singh speaks Khum Bahadur Khadka to sworn critics charges of defaming the court. Some interesting stat~ments of K.l. Ihe prime minister like Bal Bahadur Deuba speaks Singh published in Nepal Ko Rajnaitik .C. Chiranjibi Wag le, Puma Bahadur In the last two month s, Deuba has Darpan (Refe rendum and After) by Grishma Bahadur Devkota. Khadka, Bimlendra Nidhi and Pradeep urged party workers 10 vote against sla very by voting for him. - There is no need ror a referendum GirL Deuba is on a crusade. - ] want to end sla very in the party. when such a large number of people are Strangely. Deuba's two-week - A slave cannot speak the truth and attending my speeches. Singh (Lion) al whirlwind trip across the country did cann ot muster the courage 10 fight the ways want s 1O li ve as the king of the not change Koirala's position. The prime Maoists. jungle. nOl as the king or the prison. K.I. minister is not taking the challenge se - From today, I am no marc a studenl Singh is li on-hearted. riously. "I don't have to say anything on o f Koirala. - In a situation when the King cannot the election campaign. Frankly speak - My candidacy is against the listen, Pashupali cannot speak, where can familization of party. we go. The people do not have courage. ing, it is a race between members of the - I am Sher Bahadur Deuba and I do the leaders do not have ideas and the King younger generati on 10 establish them not need anyone's blessing. is surrounded by three people. (Nepal selves as the leader," said Koirala - The people and party leaders have Times 2036 Kallik 18) As Congress is in the process of already accepted me as the leader. Girija - Matrika Prasad Koirala is Man;;-ari evolving a new rung of leadership, it is babu, too. must accept me. • • Pra~ad Koirala who has built a big bunga not easy ror Koirala to declare any par Singh usually began hi s speeches with low in Biratnagar. ticular individual as the party leader. fiery personal attacks rather than by rais - I am K.!. Singh, so 1 am not a grass And Deuba, who has his own advan ing any seri ous political issue of the day. eater. A li on never eats grass. On 1979) - My roar must be understood by the tages and disadvantages. does not enjoy If one goes through Deuba's state ments over the last three months. it be- King. If he doesn't. J can explode. • complete acceptability. • SPOTLlGHTIJANUARY 19,2001 11 NATIONAL FPAN NEPAL-BANGLADESH Strategic Plan Fruitful A leading non-governmental organization brings out a Visit five-year plan focusing on reproductive health Nepal and Bangladesh may have By A CORRESPONDENT ductive health services of (he youth , more economic interaction in thcdays to among others. come thanks to the recent understand Tts time to fenCel and re-orient its Out of an estimated budget of Rs ing. Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad .I.£oal. The four-decade-old Family 229 million for the year 200 I, the Asso Bastola and his Bangladeshi count~.:. Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN). ciation has allocated 37 percent of its part. Abdus Samad Atad, have agreed:.~ a pioneering non-governmental organi budget for family planning. 37 percent remove cUS(Qms duties on vegetable, zation. is. hence. at the turning point. for youth related programs, 9 percent frllits and other primary items exported Set up in 1959. six years before the each for administration and ge nder re from Nepal 10 Bangladesh. Bangladesh government formally launched pro lated issues. Its parent organi zation, the has also agreed to provide another route grams in the population sector. the International Planned Parenthood Fed to Nepal to reach the Mongla POrt. Ac FPAN currently offers serves in 800 eration (IPPF) is also one of the main cording to Nepali Ambassador to Village Development Commillees in 34 donors lO its activities by providing Bangladesh, Madhu Raman Acharya, Ollt of 75 districts in the country. The assistance worth Rs 98.9 million this this route is a shorter onc than the exist FPAN services constitute nearly 30 per year. The Association plans to mobilize ing Kakarbhilta-Fulbari-Banglabandh cent of the national program in this intcrnnl resources worth Rs five mil route. He :-.aid an agreement has also secto r. lion. been reached with Bangladesh to con In the beginning, the FPAN pri The Association provided tempo strllct a broad-gallge railway line to fa marily focused on delivering family rary family planning services to nearly cilitate trade through lhe new route. planning services, both permanent and 300,000 people and permanent family During his three-day visit to Dhaka last temporary, to married couples. "As the planni ng services to nearly 6,80.0 people week. Bastola discussed issues related concept was quite new, wc had to inte in the year 1999. Besides, it also pro lo bilateral trade, transit and tourism grate our programs with development vided maternal and child health ser with Bangladeshi officials. Upon his packages," recalls Hari Khanal. deputy vices to nearly 662,000 people, patho arrival from Dhaka, Bastola said, lWl~ director general at the FPAN. lo gical services to morc than 54,000 have agrced to develop Birjung 1IlI! As the government has expanded people and treatment to sexual ly trans Rohanpur (India) Sindhabd its health network through length and milted diseases to nearly 8.000 people (Bangladesh) broad gauge railway line breadth of the country. the FPAN has in 1999. as new route to facilitate trade belween focused on those areas where health "We are now adopting a holistic the lwo countries.; He said both the services are st ill inaccessible. "We have approach and trying lo in crease womenfs countries shared common views on re mobililed nearly 12,000 volunteers all participation at th e policy level." said vitalization of SAARC. According to over the country to provide services in Subash Pradhan, general secretary of officials, Bangladesh has also agreed to the deprived, rural areas," said Sunil K. FPAN. allow private airlines from Nepal to fly Bhandary.lmmediate Past President of Besides services delivery, the to Dhaka. At present. only official air the FPAN. FPAN has been involved in advocacy lines of Nepal and Bangladesh fly be To meet the new challenges. the works in crit ic al areas relmcd to repro - tween the two countries. • Association has brought out a five ductive health. The Association had L ______--.J year-long strategic plan (200 1-2005). raised the issue of con trolling immigra out its decade-long stra tegic plan iden· Making the plan public here on Mon tion in th e Panchayat days and had pre tifying reproductive health as one of the day. newly elected chairman of FPAN. sented "Pregnancy Proteclion Bill" in fundamental rights of the human being. Chhatra Giri, said the strategic plan the parliament to legalize abortion on Similarly, after the International Con includes programs toauract more people health ground. fere nce on Women in Beijing in 1995. toward family planning services, in After the International Conference the Association has been focusing on crease womenis capacity in decision on Population and Devclopment(lCPD) programs related to women and youth making and fu lfill the demand of repro- in Cairo in 1994. the Association brought population. • 12 SPOTLIGIiTIJANUARY 19.2001 NATIONAL EARTHQUAKE DAY BIRTHDAY CUP Tremors Of Concern RCT Is The The country observes Earthquake Day without formu- Wi nner lating plans to deal with the disaster The Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) By A CORRESPONDENT passed since the last major earthquake emerged victorious in the recently con hit the country. there is every likelihood cluded Birthday Cup Football Tourna hen a major earthquake hit the of a destructive quake occurring any- ment, which was shrouded in contro Central American nation of El time. W versy thanks to the exi5itence of [WO na last week. it sent shivers down If a major quake (abovc 7 Richter tional football associations - one sup spincs of Kathmanduites, who werc scale) were to hit the capital, the loss of ported by the governmcnt and the another busy celebrating Earthquake Day to re- life and property would be unimagin- by FIFA. member the tragic tremor of 1934 that able. According to a survey by the Earth- Organized by the goverrunent-ap lOok more than 4.000 lives. They knew a quake Technology National Society, proved All Nepal Football AssociatIOn similar fate could be wailing for them. more than 700.000 people would be ren- (ANFA). this year's Birthday Cup was So when the peoplc lOok to Ihe streets dered homeless and widespread destruc- participated by eighteen teams Including .------..;,.....;------.., tion of physical in three from India. frastructure would The RCT anu the Belgana Sports occur if a major Club. Calcutta rcached the final of the tremor shook the lOumament beld in January 15 whcre the former beal the latter 1-0 to seal its vic ~~~~t:~ capital. 11 As the buildings tory in the tournament after 27 years. in the valley arc built It was the spirited attempt by Ramesh haphazardly without Gyawali of RCT thal helped the club win following any tbe game. He scored the sole goal that ~·S:;;·"t,...... JI norms, most of them won the match for the domestic side. arc unable to with In astadium filled 1O capacity crowd, stand the pressures Gyawali's remarkable goal incited thun of the quakes. The derous JPplause from the audience. Building Code for Nirajan Rayamajhi of the RCT club mulated by the De was judged the outstanding player for his Kathmandu City: Vulnerablc partment of Build 12 goals in the tournament. Mahendra ------ing two years ago is Police Club and Manang Marsyangdi in a rally on January 15.2001 to mark not enforced at all. Club were the other IWO teams to reach Earthquake Day. the concerns on their With rows of houses crammed to the semi-finals. While the police wcre face were real. gether in an unplanned manner. even a beaten by Calcuttans, Manang Thanks to thc geological vulnerabil moderate tremor can prove highly de Marsyangdi relented bcfore RCT. ity ofNcpal, there is a strong possibility structive in terms of loss of life and Birthday Cup tournament is held ev of quakes occurring in this region. As the property. ery year in January to mark the auspi plate or the lndian subcontinent is stili Worse, there is no disaster manage cious birthday of His Majesty the King .• pushing the Tibetan plate, thereby giving ment plan. The hospitals and fire bri rise to high hills and mountains, teclOnic gades are anything but prepared la take disturbances are always likely here. charge in times of crisis. Like Ibe proverbial ostrich that bur Experts predict that if the tremor of The officials at the municipality la ies its head in the ground, hoping that the the 1934 magnitude -estimated 10 be ment the absence of a central plan to problem would disappear itself, the 8.4 011 Richter scale - were to occur tackle manage disasters like earthquakes. country's planners and officials are turn today, 70 percent of the houses in Even down tothe grass-roots level, people ing a blind eyc to the impending disaster Kathmandu valley would be dcstroyed. have highly inadequate information on situation. Do they need a terrible tremor Amod Mani Dixit. an expert on eanh the ways of preventing heavy losses from to actually shake them out of their slum quakes, says that since 67 years ha ve such disasters. ber? • SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 13 NATIONAL A number of international organiza IYV 2001 tions. including Peace Corps. JlCA, YSO, MS Nepal. to namc a few. are carrying out volu ntary activities for the last several Saluting The Spirit decades. Currentl y. there are 105 Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal. and more than Volunteerism is not a new concept in Nepal. What is needed 4.000 have served in the country over the last 38 years. Since the establi shmcnt of is to recognize and promote it for national development Japan International Cooperation Volun leers (lOCY) ortice in Nepal in 1970, By BHAGIRATH YOGI by foreign volunteer organizations. more than 700 young Japanese have "Yolul1teerislll is not a new concept. worked in different key development sec Al l we need todo is to promote it as perthe tors in Nepal. hen 1. L. Singh, a post-graduate changing needs." said Silnon Forrcstcr, Of late. a number of Nepali volun W stuJcnt frolll Kathmandu, visited program officer at UNY, Kathmandu. teers are also worki ng ovcrseas as U r Pyuthan in the I 970s. he had strange con Agreed Bhuvan Silwal. National Program volunteers. According to U cepts about his own country. After having Coordinator of the International Year of Kathmandu omee. 32 Nepalis are work ~pc nt nearly one year as a National Devel th e Volunteers 200 I, " Wc are devising a ing withi n the country and 87 are working opment Service voluntcerata local school, number of' programs to invite panicipa abroad as the UN volunteers at present. he came to understand the ground real itics lioll and ownership at the local level." "Nepal now occupies fifth place among ofNcpal. Upon his return home. he joined With a view to promote the concept UN volun teers." said Dr. Henning NDS as a coordinator and visited almost all of the countryfs 75 districts, mOSI of them on fool. Having served in Sri Lanka ," a Uniled Nations Yulunteer (UNV). Singh - who is now associated with UN ICEF Kathl11andu onlce - recollects how the concept of voluntccrism literally transformed hi s entire life. 'The concept of volul1lcerisl11 is not new in Nepal. Our forerather~ have been practicing it for the past several centuries. BUI wc seem to be forgettmg: those ideals I1(1W:' ~a ld Singh. By ~e lling up Guti1is, constructing pati and pauwi.\s (puhlic places for taking re~t). building schouls and heath pust~. Nepali s have exhibit ed that they may be poor in material tcmlS but not in serving nther~. Pioneer poet Bhanubhakta chmllil:lc~ the slOry o f a ·ghans.if (grass r.:;uItCr) who construL:lcd a wcll so that pcople would remember him. Almost all the ~l"hoob and colleges in the fifties and Volunteers' Exhibition: Message of Solidarity sixties were constructed with comlllunity 'iUPPOrt in Nepal. of volunlcen SIll and recognize the contri Karcher. Resident Coordinator of the A':!o time" changed. so ha\'c the alti butions of volul1tcerorganil I~ SPOTLlGIIT/JANLlARY 19.2001 NATIONAL erS on assignments throughout the coun· try. "The volunteers have made grCal IYV 2001 contributions in nation building," said Dr. Jagdish C. Pokhrel. member ofNPC International and chairman of Nepal National Steering Commillee of IYV 2001. "We have got Solidarity surplus of trained manpower in urban areas but nobody wants to work in the remote areas. So, wc are planning to rope Thousands of volunteers in around in such manpower to work in under 82 countries have planned events forthe served areas as volunteers," International Year of Volunteers (IYV) The IYV national steering commit in 200 I - the largest global celebration tee has outlined four main obje'::lives this of volunteerism ever conceived. IYV year, namely recognition, promotion, net National Committees have put in place ~orking and facilitation. To further en- a broad range or activities to promote nee the recognition of IVV and and recognize the work of volunteers. volunteerism, UNV Nepal has produced UN Secretary-General Kofi Annall a Nepali brochure and T-shirts and is launched the year-long activities amidst planning 10 record a volunteer song. The Singh: Reviving Volunteerism a function at the UN Headquarters in committee began its campaign in remole New York on November These na vil lages in order to sensitize peoplcabollt 28. tional committees form the backbone of the positive qualities of volunteerism. pCI' year in Nepal thanks to the activities Part of this plan includes a traveling of the FCHVs. " Mere speeches arc not IYV in thc intlividual countries. IYV volunteer exhibition to showcase Nepal's going to help. The government should national committees will nol only plan volunteer work throughout the country. recognize and promote volunteerism in events. but they will also carry out vol "The committee wi ll explore the poten the country,·' said I. L. Singh. who is also untary service and conduct follow-up tial role that the private sector can play in coordi nating the activiti es if lA VE (In after the year. Members represent a di encouraging poor and underprivileged ternational Association of Voluntary) in verse group. ranging from local volun people to volunteer," said Silwal. Nepal. "Wc need to transform ourselves teers to cabinet ministers. As political leaders have failed to from power-oriented society to service The International Year of Volun inspire the Nepali society and social work oriented society." tecrs 2001 serves as a platform to ini ers no longer draw the respect and recog There are othcr challenges too. The tiate government legislalion and bring nition in the society. reviving the COIl- concept of volunteer ism could be theonly about new ways to strengthen volun of volunteerism in the masses has way out to fill in the void in the Maoist teer action. In some African stales. IVV as il major chall enge. In Sri Lanka, affected areas where the government has focuses on th e alleviation of poverty or Dr. A. T. Aryaratne has been success withdrawn most of its services in the far the eradication of malaria. In Asia. there fully launching the Sarvodaya movement Oung vi ll ages and NGOs and Interna is a trend 10 document the hi story or by mobilizing voluntary labor. Nearly tional NGOs are being targeted by Maoist tradition of voIunteerism and develop 30 percent of the total population of rebel themselves. "In such a situati on, corporate voluntcerism. In the Ameri Sri Lanka are members of the move mobilizing volunteers is the onl y way to cas. IYV comes ali ve in popularevcnts. ment. Voluntary labor is. however, deliver services and provide humanitar such as the Carnival in Bralil anti a seen as a form of exploitation in Nepali ian aid in case of emergency," said concen in Trinidad and Tobago. society. Shobhakar Budhathoki, who has served The latest news and links to 1YV Nepal has. however. developed some as a UNV in conflict-prone areas such as National Comminees are available indigenous methods of voluntary activi East Timor and Kosovo. online at www.iyv2001.org. The glo ties. For example, nearly 40.000 Female For a resource poor country like bal lYV web site. created by Team Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) Nepal, volunteerism is perhaps the best IYV at the headquarters of the United arc providing primary health care ser way to motivate people to engage in Nations Voluntecrs program provides vices to women and children all over the development works and ensure judicious news of activities of nalional commit country voluntarily. National health pro use of scarce resources. It is easier to grams like Immunization Days have be preach but difficult to practice. What is lees, research in volunteerism and come successful in Nepal mainly due to needed is exemplary roles to be played by stories of volunteers. Its goal is to contributions of these FCHVs. Accord public personalities.lftherecQuld be some help volunteers tap into national and ing to a recent USAID estimate, li ves of concrete initiatives in this regard. IYV regional networks of like-minded nearly 40,000 children have bee n saved 200 I cou Id be termed a success. • people. • SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 15 COVER STORY NEPALESE YOUTH A Generation Of A New Era More than seven million Nepalese in the 10-24 age group have grown up in a period of massive technological transformation and wide availability of education facilities. Though they are energetic and creative, they find themselves in a very stagnant job market. As policy makers are least concerned about their situation, Nepal' youth are losing their optimism. By KESHAB POUDEL of the urban young. A 23-year-old under our potential and take advantage of our graduate. Adhikary is trying to go to the knowledge and skills." he said. "In such a f the number of young people United States or the United Kingdom for sorry situation. what is the use of all that queui ng lip at the Singha Durbar higher education. Born into a middle I ha ve learned?" gate each afternoon is any indica class family in Kathmandu. Adhikary has The quest of Adhikary and Timilsina tion, Nepal's youth are in the midst access to many modern facilities, includ represents the broader picture of urban of a severe employmeJll drought. ing the Intern el. Nepal's desire to attain a better quality of IAlthough no onc has studied how "I want to go to the West to gel life. many of youngsters visit Siniha Durbar quality education:' said Adhikary, who Rural youngsters, who are mostly after 2 p.m each day, ministers and secre has been accepted by a university in the semi-educated, are migrating to the urban taries young men and women come in United States. cenlcrs of the country to fulfill similar droves in search of jobs. "I have at least a Kushal Timilsina, a 20-year-old resi aspirations. couple of youngsters from my const itu dent of Kathmandu, is a BBS studcnt at "I want to meet the minister and ask ency each day coming for jobs," said Ram Ihe Universal Academy. The son of middle him to get me a job in any government Bahadur Gurung. Minister for State for class parents. Timilsina, too, has access to office," said Balchandra Dahal ofDailekh Water Resources, modern amenities. But he is not satisfied. district Purnima Adhikary typifies the story 'The stale has done nothing to mobilize These youngsters have many poten- 16 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 COVER STORY job in Nepal. turning home with a foreign degree. Accord ing 10 de People belonging to the 15-34 age mographic terminol group form over illhird of Nepal'~ total ogy, the populalion in popUlation. They are Ihe moSI powerful Ihe 10-24 age group is group of people in tcrms of politic.:s. eco regarded as young or nom ics and other ractor~. youlh. But in the In Ihe 1960, and 19705. few rural Nepaleseconlcxt, those youngsters saw a school anyw here near in Ihe 16-35 age group their villages. The radIO was a rare com arc regarded as adults. modity then. Today. there is a school in Alth ough a you lh gelS almost every vi Il nge and the radi o is widely the ri ght to vo te aI the available medi um or information and edu age of 18, he or she is cation. Television and computers are eligible for a citi zensh ip gradual ly penetrating the rural areas. certificate althe agc of lnternet acce~s. though for a rew people. 16. According to Ihe is avai lable in many parts or the country. Public Service Com This generation ha$ had wide expo mission. a candidate is sure to every k.ind or modern lac ilities. In allowed 10 apply for a many rural areas. p~ople may not have go\'cmrnentjob until the seen a car. but they are fam iliar with age of 35. According to telecommunication facil itJcs. "Knowingly Ih e Civil Code, a per and unknowingly. society is transrorming so n reaches adulthood in a way th at nobody was expecti ng," said at the age of 16. soc iologist Padma Lal Devkota. "Nepal's There arc many society is in tra n ~ition a:-. a large Ilumberol' hurdles in Ihe days youth are at I ca~t lit~ratc or otherwise ahead for youngsters. educated." but onc can sce hopeful A large numhcr oJ' tnday's youth sce signs in smooth transi life differently from what mcmbcrs or the lion. The youngste rs are earl ier generation did. But no one has Nepalese youths: No one 10 guide them gradually replacing the taken the aspirations and needs of these ::..:.:~::..:::.:...:~=:::...:-'-.::....:==-"-'::..::::..:.:.:.::..:.:::...:------0 I del' gc neral i on of groups seriously. ''The youth are gradu ti als as well as limitations. The youth arc people in different walks of life and are ally confronting new values. but the pace ' future ofIhe country. They are good as establishing their own ident ity. Along wit h of li fe in many areas does notmalch lheir C~II as bad around the world. The young the dot.com busines~, the mass media, growing aspirations:' said Devkola. are the children of society but they arc yet incl uding newspapers, radio and televi- The problem of this powerful but 10 be understood properly by policy mak- sion. are dominaled by a growing herd or unorganized group is thal they do not get ers. Hi story has shown that children rep- yo un gsters. Ihe kind of educalion and johs Ihey want. re~e nt both problems and soluti ons. What- But there are area~ of concern as well . Many youn gstcrs arc roaming fro m one eve r they may be. the youth inherit Ih e Disparities between the urban and rural place to another in search of bcttcr oppor country. youth arc growing. The urban youth rc- tunities. Only a few gel th e opportunities The youn g are explo it ed by political ceive th e best possible education in th e they want, while a large nu mber of others parties wherever they wan t to create capital whereas the rural young are rorced are trapped in Ihe polilical process. trouble. From electi ons to dcmonstrations, to study at governm ent schools with tradi- According 10 a study. 300,000 youn g political parties place a great premiuJll on tional curriculum whic h produce little peopl e enter th e shrinkingjob market each the participation or the youth. more than mcdiocrity. year. Finding a place for Ihem is oneorlhe "Educati on is one orthe mOSI impor- The positivc side of the urban yo uth daunting tasks before thccoumry. Asmajor lanl social va ri ables whic h arfeCIS em- is Ihat Ihey are eq uipped wilh all kinds of political parties. including the Nepali ployment or Ihe people. It direclly affecls lechnological knowhow. BUI at Ihe same Congress. CPN-UML. ol her communisl the pattern of employment. occupation time, thi s group or people, though in a panics, and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party. carried out by them and duration of work:' small scale. is trapped In bad habits, in- employ the youth SPOTLI GHT/JANUARY 19.2001 17 COVER STORY cannotcxpect to get permanenljobs where li on of radical ideas has a lready made the 'Politicians Exploiting they can put their knowledge to full usc. youngsters morc viole nt and destructi ve. " If we handle this gro up o f the popu "Although a large number of Nepalese are The youth' lation carefully, they can be a blessing for still benevole nt in IW.ture. indoctrination the country. If there are no programs, of radical political ideology may change - ANIL CHHETRJ these e nergeti c youth become a c urse for thei r behavior:' said Dr Shamla. the nation," said Dr. Ramhari Aryal. a Migration among the youth is com ,....---.,...... _-:-~AlIil ChhetriJ 26, a third year BA stu population expert. "The youngsters are a paratively high, Whi le the urba n youth go dent ill Tri-Challdra group with hig h demands and high aspira to Western countries in searc h of a secure College, is also C/II tions, so they must be tamed in accor j ob and better li fe. their rural counterparts youth acrivist. dance with the needs of th e state." migrate to urban ccnters in search of bet Other agree that this population group ter opportunities. What is the is always vul nerable. "As the youth arc A study conducted by Bal Kumar role of the youth? creative and energetic. the ir psyche is K.C.. Bhim Prasad Subcdi and Yogendra The youth are always fertile and acti ve. It i ~ education Bahadur Gurung titled "Migrati on p, the future of the and knowledge that tame the ir mind." said tern in Nepal: St r ci.1Ill~. Characteri sti country. TIley need to be moldcd in the Dr. Murari Prasad Sharma. a psycholo and Reasons" ~ howcd that migrati on was right di rection. gist. "The government needs to develop largely dominated by YOll ngadults. About \Vhat is the current situation of Nepal's programs targeting this vulnerablc seg· 55 percent or the total migrants are aged ~' ()ulh? ment o f the populalion." saiL! Or. Sharma. between 15-39 years. O ut of the IOta I I see youths molding their thoughts in a According to uno ffi cial estimates. migrants. only 40.0 per cent are literate. negative way. Some are willing to com ribu te to political panics hire youngsters through Nepal Population Repon 2000. pub improving society but they remain overshad high schools, hi gher secondary schools li shcd by the Ministry of Population and owed. Money plays a key role in shaping the and campuses. The aggressive introduc- Environment showed how a large scg· future of the youth. but it is always scarce. lI owever, some people use money to exploit youth power and create anarchy. When I joined college I sudden ly becamea\vClrcot'theplight or Rural Youth Must Not Be the students and the disin tegration oflhe educa ti on system by political parties. I have seen people from urban areas not Ignored' getting co llege admissions because they lack politica l inlluence or money. Corruption is a A 23·ye(U··old mediclll sll/delll, \\'ho idelll/Jies herself by rhe email address major setback form.. Whynot trytolettheyoulh elllbo/[email protected], s(j)'s she H'a llts 10 be Cl successful doctor, She refused 10 be rocu~ on studi e!ol by freeing Iht!ITI from the named or photographed because '/ dOll 'tlike TO be illfhe limelight '. Her 1110110 is 'ail . . clutches of exploiters? high '. She spoke 10 AKSHAY SHARMJI.. What do you expect from the older generation? The elders hav!! gone through their youth. What is the role of the youth? bUl today's young represent a whole different The youth play a vital role in improving sm.: iety. There ;:.ccms 10 be a certain force. The ciders ha ve to understand the yout h immaturity in Nepal's youth. We need LOcomprom ise on certain things in o rd er to gel ::H1d vice versa. The youth 1Il rural areas suffer the attention of the older generati on. Both generations need to rcalile that they arc the most because they'll hav!! 10 survive in a actors in a stage. For example, the older generati on may prefer to li ... tcn to bhajans much weaker and cruel world. "nlC younger becau ~c th ey need it now. BlItlhey need to realize that the music interc~ts orthe youth generation wi ll always fo llow the elders and have changed wit h the times. wi ll always want to achieve something more How is the en"ironment for the youth? But some youth tend 10 envy the older genera· lion. They have to realize that these people have The environment for the youth is discouraging in Nepal. The so-called Western achieved something 10 get where Ihey are today. innuence in urban areas is only centered on copying: Westc rn fashi on. music. eating How do you see the future? habits, and so on. The leaders of local elected bodies should What would you do to improve the situation? take sleps in guiding the yout h. Awareness We should nOllimit our rocus lO urban areas. In rural areas. where illiteracy is plays a vital role in protecting the yout h from more rampant, people cannot distinguish between cital110l tablets and vitamins. exploitation. Politi cal parties and leaders have They don' t understand that a full course or a ntibiotics has to be taken in order fo r turned ou t la be in a hopeless state. The educa· the medicine to take the desired e ffect. Uneducated g irl s in rural areas fall prey to tion system is in shambles even thou gh people talk of quality education. I am worried that women traffickers. They come back from brothels with AIDS. A little extra sc hool children might be the next target for awareness would probably have helped these girls to escape from the clutches of exploitation. AS . traflickers. • 18 SPOTLlGHTIJ ANUARY 19.2001 COVER STORY 'We Have A Very Traditional Model For Youth Mobilization' - Dr. JAGDISH CHANDRA POKHAREL ]AGDlSH CHANDRA POKHAKEL, (/ organizations run by political panies, but they Are the new"'--""'" I,,/(,ml,er of rhe National Planl1ing COllllllis~ are not giving any kind of skill training, generation of stu says Nepalese yowl! /leed qualiryedllca How do you see the role of the )'outh? dents capable? (lIId skill trainiflg 10 compete ;n the inrer Followin g the restoration of democracy, The present I",,,it,,/(:" marker, Excel1Jfsjrolll an interview: the youth have lost track. During the Pan- youth are educated chayat days, they had a clear goal - the and aggressive. BUI What arc the challenges before Nepal's reslOrmi on of democracy. Political pal1 ies there is a need to on the youth? used the youth as a weapon to al1ain their bring major changes 1l1cre are Illan y chall enges before our goals. We have a very traditional model for in education system. ror the yout h. In the new con text, our youth mobilization. There is a need for L..-----..:.:.....1111 IprogfaJTlSan, i fl ad:eq uate to mobil ize the YOllth. How do you assess the education sys Engli sh language classe!'. computer li programs arc unable lO meellheexpecla tem? of the youth and la harness their energy. Our education system also has failed to ITI," "mp,"! run by the Education and Spons build the youth properl y. The education sys· system is that we do not have a pnlblenl-I ini slry arc just meeting the need or a par- tcm does not teach courses of practical pur· solving attitude. Unfol1unatcly. our icular group of youth. Generally. we are poses, Rather. it funhereonfuses the younger tion system is cCltiJicatc-oricntcd. as it teachl's I to mobilize the youth in particular generation. The education system must leach students how to secure administrative rcclions. although we are running some a student where his place in society is. The like kharidar and ",hba. This only produc:csl Imm,mlTIs in the urban and rural areas. As a education system completely fail s to inject mediocrity. Our traditional tendency needs IfcSu tl. tllle :YOIJl n in urban areas have improved conndence in the youth. This has resulted in he changed. in different fields. a denci! in the demand and supply ofeducatcd How do YOll view the disparit.y How do you assess the direction being youth. While there is a sh0l1agc of manpower tween the urban and rural youth? by young people? in the country. we are producing tens of Urhan areas ha"e many advantages All young people havcccltain directions thousand or educated unemployed youth in Ihcnual area~. We arc now tryi ng to link they have thei r own aims and anxieties. the street. schools with computer network. We need the young. in rural and urban areas have Are Nepal's )'outh confident? give more knowledge ill le<.:hno logy. inct lifestyles, efforts need to be made in The youth in the 20·25 age group do not How much money does the govern· ~'" ,... 1'., ...... ways. The erforts orthe government have eonJidence in their education system ment invest to prepare H youth? not enough tu mohilize youth. Two main Hnd thcirlife. Even studL:n tsofgood academic The govcrnmcnt spends 011 an average itutions - political parties and educa· institutions are-disoriented. Most orthe youth Rs 350.000 to graduate a student. We need to ccnterS- are responsible for mobiliz· become pessimists when they do nol gel Iheir develop a practical a:-. well as theorcti!.:ai per large number of youth. position in society. To give real education spective. "Vhat is your impression nf political through work. wc are now running the Na What are the differences between ur· tional Volunteer Service to mobilize the YOllth. ban and rural youth? Political parties are exploiting the youth The YOUlh are very much eager \0 go to mral In urban arca<;. IllO~t or the youth have for political gain. As political panics areas 10 scrve the country. access 10 computer and Int ernet ~erv i ce). The led aims, youth cannot expect COI1- How do you evaluate the quality of our youth. who form ovcr 20 percent of the total ISlImC:II,'e cont ributions from th em. Unfortu· youth? population. must he given the opponunit y to political rarties havehcen doing noth· In spite of a large number of young acquire knowledge. to equip the youth with technological people with poor academic background. there How do YOll dassif~ ' the youth? are some good students. Unfortunately, the There a[e three type.;; ofyoLtth. Some want If that is the case, why are not the cducation system is unable to tcach a student to fighl,others arepasl'>i\'c watchers. still othcf$ massively taking part in activities the challenges or contemporary society. Our leave. A large llUll1her of Nepalese youth arc by political parties'! classroom educalion is not at par with the very aClive. M3ny students arc !1eeing the Today's youth have no choice olherthan coulltry' s demand. Thejob market is Iherebut COLllllIy fed up wil h Ihe cont.lit ions here. ning politics. 11 is regularproccss 10 use the studen t ~ wilh academic qualification are dis· "Vhat is the numher (If alienatt.'C1 youth? in politics but the quesrion remains. carded. If we do not change the education In the Nepalese context. only <.l are the purposes of their use? Political system. the youth will have 10 lose their number o f the youth are fru:-.trated SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19,2001 19 COVER STORY ment of the population has migrated over However. only a fcw get opportunity and 'Corruption Enemy No. l' the last 30 years. According to the repon, large number of youngsters are ignored. - KUSHAL TIMILSINA Nepal's urban population was only 3,6 Timilsina and other~ arc riding thecrestof percent in 1961. Within 30 years, in 1991. social change. ''',,,Iwl Timilsilla is the figure increased by four times to reach Nepal's traditional culture is now Io!'B<"chelor 's ofBlfsi· 12,7 percent gradually changing and family values are at the Morcand marc youngsters are search disappearing in the get-rich·quick race. College, ing for places th at would help them get These teens and twenty somethings beLler education and jobs. More than 200 are the advocates of c hange who are in a students visit the United States Education position to intluence the society . But onc Foundation each day for infonllatio.n on thing is still unclear: what have the policy appropriate US universities. The British makers thought about them. The new gen ng poorer every Council, 100. gives counselling to young eration nc c d~ a better ntmosphcre. At the . This may he the sters. More th an 100 youngsters visi t the same time. the youth is ri sing and the rest n::~ull of a 1<11.:1\. of education. exploitation by vari(lu~organi/ation~ . orsomclhingelse. A warc~ council each day to get infonnation on or th e society is bowlIlg to it. nc:,s plays a kcy role in helping agains! the higher education. Youth are seen as trouble since an exploitation of the youth. The pressure in the recruitJ11clll for political rorce cnn abuse lhem to fight for \Vhat are you hopes? the British Gurkha battalion also indicates their cause. From crime to drug abuse, I W 20 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 NATIONAL grams. Under the Enabling State Program (ESP), effons wi 11 be made to correct past failure and to meet the chal lenges in the development sectors. "Achieving a signifi cant shifltowards pro-poor governance will take lime as it is oneofthe difficult task," said Or. ShailendraAdhikary, talking to the press before launching the program. Launched by DFlD-ESP the program is first of its kind where Nepalese expetts and policy makers are allowed to design and execute the pro grams. The role of the DFID is '- :-"_" to suppon the program by .~ ---~-.. .- providing funding for ESP : ..... '" I-_.:....:~""" ___--!.:...::.;:-''--:_-'-_ ..... _ ....-'' __ ..:... __...::..~''''- __....:;. __'''''-'-'::....o activities and to suppon some Village transportation: Untouched by modernity of the projects that evolve out of the ESP process. DFID GOVERNANCE will provide 19.5 million sterling pound over the next eight years. According to the plan, around New Challenges 800,000 sterling pound has been allo cated annually for cight years to suppon the ESP process of developing project The British government is helping Nepal develop a ideas and faCilitating change advocates. system of pro-poor governance Some 13 million sterling pound will be used over the first four years LO support A CORRESPONDENT sp irit," said Prime MinisterGirija Prasad speci fic projects that are developed Koirala, addressing a ceremony to mark through the ESP. the signing of the agreement. "One of the object i ves of the project udging by the comments of senior As long as other agencies related to is to employ Nepalesecxpens to develop j civil servants on a program jointly executing the program remain adamant. the potential projects in the areas of pro initiated by the British government's De it may have to face difficult times every poor governance," said Or. Shailendra partment ror International Development step of the way ... [ don't see the rational Sigdel. (DFlD) and Nepal's Prime Minister's of launching the program under the Prime When governance is itself in trouble Office, the project wi 11 have to face rough Minister's Office." said a senior govern and confusion. onc cannot expect belief weather to finally achieve its broadenar ment orricial at the ceremony. delivery in different sectors of society. gel or developing pro-poor governance. Although this is the first time a do Realizing the importance of pro-poor Thi s may seem to be a challenging nor and the Prime Minister's Office have governance, DFID-ESPhas launched this program for a country like Nepal where agreed to work together to carry out pro-poor governance sc heme. such efforts run either through the Min more effective programs for pro-poor Despite five-decade-Iong effons, istry of Finance, the National Planning governance, this effort may face more Nepal's development activities arc yetLO Commission or other agencies . If it suc difficulties at the bureaucratic level. achieve tangible results as a large num ceeds.the program would bringsubstan For the first time in the development ber of the people arc st ill below the tial change in the concept orgovernancc. process, Nepalese expens have got the poverty line. As there is lack of coordi 'ThePrime Minister's Office is fully opportunity to prove that they arecompe nation among government agencies. do commillcd to execute the project in its tent in initiating the development pro- nors dictate programs. • SPOTLlGIIT/JANUAR Y 19.2001 21 INTERVIEW 'We Have Been Running As Hard As We Can To Stay In The Same Place' - PRADEEP RAJ P ANDEY PRADEEP RAJ PANDEY. is ,lie ClliefErecl/lil'e Officer will eat up our entire budget if we bring out four ClI/he Nepal Tourism Boa rd( NTB), Formerly. the ExeC/l advertisements in Japan's daily newspapers. Our best five Chairmall of RNAC, PANDEY spoke la KESHAB advantage is the word of mouth pUhlicity. But the word POUDEL and SANJA YA DHA KAL 011 the siluation of of mouth will only go if people have g.ood experience tOl/l'iSIII illlheface of re cell I distlll"bllllces. Ercerprs: here. We have met with all the political parties to tell this. Once people decide that Nepal i ... not a place worth How do you find the overall scenario in tourism, visiting. it will require a very large amount of mon especially since the recent spate of violence in the effort and lime to bring the tourists back. In our talK'. country? with the political partie5 everyhody seems committed. The incidents were played up very much by the How would these incidents affect tourism in the media. There was a 101 of negative feeling abollt Nepal long term? abroad even down to the people's leveL As a result. As a matter of fact. such negative things will affect during the whole year wc had a shortfall. Despite the fact only in the long term. I do not think this is affecting Despite the that for five months during the year Indi an Airlines was things much as yet. Another advantage of being an negative pub not operating its nights. and despite the fact that there unknown country is people do nOI know about us as were various political disorders and strikes, wccould still there is not a terrible amount ofimerest in us. So far it licity, the maintain third-country visitors at lasl year's level. Be has not hurt us much. But since l<1st year or so. the tourists from sides. many airlines are continuing 10 add nights. At the activities going on here. be it security or law and order. end of it all. we suffered a net shortfall of abouI 10 percent arc goi ng to affect us in th e long term. third coun among those coming by air. If you combine Ih e tourist There's been talk of tourism being affected by arrival from both by ai r and land. the shortfall would a growing lack of security. BUI we see countries like tries are com probably be around 5 to 7 percent. Indonesia and Vietnam faring reasonably well de ing here, What objectives does the NTH have in this situ spite their own problems. What do you say? ation? This is 110t totally correct. The glaring example which means Our objectives are very si mple. Wc have already could be Fiji whose emire economy depended on tour that some said we don't have a magic wand 10 take care of every ism. When problems started there last year, the entire problem atone go. Our role is to inform the people in the tourism business came to a halt. They are having a very body is doing affected area. After the Indian Airlines fiasco last year. lough time bringing tourists back. Indonesia and Vi their job. we went to the Indian public to te ll them we are not anti nam are countries facing simi lar problems. But on India and we had nothing to do with going against thing that I want 10 say is that everybody in Western That is what I ndian visi tors. We have been doing thi s throughout the coumries. from where the tourists ac tually comc from. we are doing. year as far as India is concerned. For other counlries knows about Vietnam and Indonesia. They dOIl't know also we have been doing promotional activities. As I about liS. It is easier for them to promote their country. said earlier. despite the negative publicity, the rourists But for us , it requires tremendous amount of money. from third countries are coming here, which means that you ' can't even imagine how much. to promote the somebody is doing Iheir job. Thai is what weare doing. country. Take, for instance, Auslralia. Everyone knows This year also we are planning to do the same. At the end about Australia even in our villages. It spent more than of it all. what wc want to emphasize is that we have to 200 million dollars to promote the Sydney Olympics. keep our house in order. The other thing that I want to But we do have other things to our advantage. We have say is that the tourism sector is also equall y sensitive to the Himalayas. Mount Everest and we have people who national issues. So. when we ask the political parties not have gone back to say Nepal is an excellent place (Q to organize a bandh or anything, our focus is. why not come to. No amount of money can achieve that. But if exclude tourism from this? We. from the industry, are people continue to have bad experiences. we will lose willing to carry the opposition messages if we have to. that advantage. Let the buses operate, let the flights come, let people How is the NTB looking at the ongoing tussle transfer so that fo r anybody who is coming here after between the hoteliers and hotel employees regard planning for one or two years will not have to return ing the latter's demand for 10 percentservicecharge? back with bad experience. This is important as we found I do not want to separate things. Everything is a that most of the publicity for Nepal is from word of part of the whole picture. Indi vidual impact of each mouth. We are not a rich country and we don' t have strike may not be as bad. But the cumulative impact, resources 10 go heavily into international pUblicity. It when everything is brought together. is going to create 22 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19. 200l INTERVIEW big problem over (he long term. What are the board's achievements? I can't boast and say that whatever increase that happened in 1999 was becauseofmy work. What we try to do is organize marketing. Wt! have managed to creatl! an impact in the originating coulllries wherever we went. People are beginning to know about Nepal a lilrJe bit more. What wc have managed IQ do in the face of all these negative incidents is run as hard as we can but stay in the same place. Because these negatives would pull us back if wc don't do our marketing. This is in the mternational side. In the domestic sector also wc have been doing many thmgs. This year onwards we are putling lot of erforts in identifying new tourism "Lrcas. diversifying tourism ill different parts of the country. We have idemitied 600 new areas within 50 districts the country after a survey done with the help of slrict Development CommJltees. We have also car ried out a need-assessment plan. We had interactions in Biralnagar for eastern districts, in Kathmandu for cen tral districts and in Bhairahawa and Ncpalgunj for ministry. Because the major part of the plan is concen western and mid-western districts. We are promoting trated in Ihe development of tourism infrastructures for local festivals. Wc don't provide money to local orga which the inter ministry and line ministry coordination ni7crs but help them in promOtion through radio. tele is required. The marketing aspect of the plan. if at all it vision and newspapers. goes ahead, will be looked afler hy the NTB. The NTH hoard does nol have its full members. You said the cost of marketing Nepal in the Has it affected NTH in any way? international areml is highly expensive. Are there So far it has not but it will. In September the tenure any alternale ways or doing that? of the previous board expired and a new board ~hould There are ways but we have made sure that \\c have been III place. But fortunately the board had passed won't allow it. Onc way would be to invite film-maker!... our annual budget and program of activities which we documcntary-makers SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19. :!OOI 23 ENCOUNTER 'A Public Figure Has A Greater Responsibility To Reconstruct Society' - MANISHA KOIRALA SPOTLlGHT's AKSHAY SHARMA cought up ,.·;th MANlSHA KOlRALA 011 Jal/uary 11 at her residellce ill MaharajgLlllj. She spoke 011 her chi/d hood. stardoll/. the Hrirhik Roshall. Nepal's YOlllh, among orlter suhjects. How was your childhood'? J grew up with Susla-amu (as she calls her grandmother. the wife of the late B.P. Koiral.). She's the most grace ful and strongest person I have ever known. She has had a great inlluencc on my life. I spent the most confused part of my life with her in Banaras. When [first set out (0 do movies, she was the only person who said, '00 what you feci like. Don't get bogged down by what people say aboUlyourambition in life" I wanllQ grow up to be like her because shc's still so graceful and beautiful at such an old age. [was actually a brat as a kid. (Chuck les). I grew up in Banaras and studied in Delhi. Everybody in the family used to gel up every Sunday 10 go to the movies. How did you go on to become a star in the world's largest film indus try'? I asked a birthday gift from my mother. J emotionally blackmailed her and asked her to take me to Bombay on Iyer. who is like a sister to me, helped already decided on a team. But time will my birthday. I promised her that J would mc. She helped me meet people. I like tcll how good the research and the tcam be back in a week. It actuall y started out being in front of the camera and On the is. Let's see how the researchers and with the Megawool advertisement. It was stage. scriptwtitcrs do thc job of ponraying just a hobby at first. I was to do 'Pheri Tell us something about the up him and what he believed in. Lct's hope Bhetaula' and I did not take it so seri coming movie on B.P. Koiral". the team does a good job. ously. My approach to acting was com They have involved me in the project. You are also active in social work. mercial at first, and was paid a couple of The movie is hased on my grandfather. I What inspired you'? thousand rupees that winded upas pocket will see to itthatjustice is done to portray rill a very sen!<.itive person. I can't money. him as he was in life. His childhood. shut my eyes anp ears when othcr human How do you reel about what you thoughts, philosophy and life need to be beings are being exploited and abused. are today? studied thoroughly in order to get a beuer Although [havc an individual carecrthat I was supposed to go to medical understand of him. They have given me l have to pursue. I am the kind of indi school but ended up as an actress. Mcena a section in it. The film makers have vidual who feels for human aspirations 2-1 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 ENCOUNTER and causes. I have become a public fig they will automaticall y follow. The old ness. Many foreigners have come to live ure and that makes me more responsible and the young have to realize that they in Nepal because they felt the people to he lp properly reconstruct our society. are the two sides of the same coin. were nice. The youth may have been I am currently working as a goodwill How do you feel about the recent disappointed to some extent. And prob ambassador for the UNFPA, UNIFEM Hrithik Roshan episode. ably they were misguided. There could and UN ICEF. I am also affiliated to I was extremely hurt by the violence be so many e lements behind the vio other social issues like the campaign in which mostly student s were involved. lence. against wome n trafficking. I was a co Even if the rumor were true. would we What are your pastimes? host at a program organi zed by Maiti have been able to justify the violence in I like to read. I love watching mov Nepal in New Delhi when a Nepali which Nepal is were killed? The youlh ies. I love sports. T like to spend time woman came and burst into tears in my acted in a violent mannerthat was totally with my family and friends. Even though arms. J realized how exploited these against the character or the Nepalese I don' t have that much time I like to women were. people. We are known ror our peaceful- travel. • • Even th ough I knew that people were being exploited. and about prob lems like prostitution. I did not under WORLD YOGA DAY sland the gravity of the situation. Edu cating people and creating awareness Disseminating The Message can be the only answer to the problem. I attended a couple of events reali zing that When people across the world are turning to this age people wanted me to do something on the issue. At first, I had th e attitude, like old science, Nepalis continue to ignore it 'OK! I' ll do the program', but then I By A CORRESPONDENT understood the scale of the problem. These issues arc hidden away in our Whil e imparting divine knowledge to hi s society. fri e nd a nd disciple, Arjuna, during What are your plans for the fu 'Mahabharata,' Lord Krishna defined Yoga as ture'! any work that is done efficientl y. Maharshi I have a lot of ideas brewing in my Patanja li defined Yoga as keeping one's senses hcad. but there are delays at th e bureau under control. level. By the time the process goes As hundreds of th ousands of people the th e bureaucracy, I tend to feel world over arc adopting yogic techniques for their physical well being and spiritual auajn What is the role of the youth in men!. people in Nepal, where this ancient sci Nepal? ence is believed to have been ori ginated. still The youth should take responsibil ignore it. As a bid to reverse this trend , the first World Yoga Day was observed in a beautiful ity ror lheirown aCl ions. lfyoLl are young vi ll age of Palpa in west Nepal 22 ycars ago. and somebody you look up to or some Since then. the Day is remembered to recall One you seek guidance from doesn' t give the yogic lcaching and disseminate the message proper guidance. you cnd up doi ng some world over. "Yoga is something that we can thing wrong. Human beings are born teach to th e res t o f the world," said Or. Hari Ln;::p:::khr::i":Y:;;;;;:;~~~:-"" with the perception of what is good and Prasad Pokhrcl. rounder director of the lnstitute what is wrong. What usually happens is for Natural Hcalth at Old Baneswore in the ------ that wc end up blaming somebody else capital. who has been behind propagating th e mission al most sin gle-handedly_ forth. mistakes we make. But we have to "Yoga is the common property of the human kind and it can' t bc limited toccrtain realize that we are responsihlc for our religion onl y." said Pokhrel. addressing a function organized by hi s In stitute here to own acts. mark the World Yoga Day (January 14). "There is no other way to work out balance In Nepal. wc need strong people to among the living beings, life and the universe than Yoga," he said. According to Or. guide the youth. I would want the o lder Pokhrel, whcn there is con nict, whether in the offi ce, in business or in house, we will generation to take the responsibility of not be foll owing Yoga. "You can bea yogi spiritually even whiledischarging worldly guiding th e youth on the right track. If responsibilities," he said. And. that is Yoga- an ancient kn owledge based on the e lders show the youth the ri ght track. scientific system 10 address modern ills. SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19. 200t 25 NATIONAL social life. preserving social norms and DEVELOPMENT val ues and controlling all the anti-social activities in the regi on ." the expert says. The agency is using its expertise in Partners In Progress research management and cooperation to build the capacity of local NGOs and An organization works for development with the theme communiti es through acti o n, research, demonstration, technology transfer, train 'Helping People Give by Giving People Help!' ing. awareness campaign, among other things. It is also emphasizing in stitu By AKSHAY SHARMA suppl y, sa nit ati on, envi ronm ent , women tional development. addressi ng their po and child rights and other issues," he tenti ali ty in the development process and adds coordinating with dcvelopment agencies. n organilation that compri ses UN HELP/Nepal has strong network HELP/Ncpal is the organization for A Volunteers. who have many years ing and database profile orlhe twodevel the Human Environmental Preservati of experience in development, hopes to opment regions. It is taking steps as and Development through the human establi sh itself as a panner for progress change agent to advocate the changing effort."This is a charity-orie nted organ i in the mid-western and far western de development speed and scenario in the La tion bu t abo highlights how the velopmc nr regions o f the country. 2 1s t cemury, which is the age o[ global volun teers work in the communi ty and " Help Is Necessity But Not Facility" ci ti zensh ip and human we lfare and we ll how the people perceive them," says is the mOllo of th e Human Environmen being. according to experts. Khana!. tal The thought of human de League For Prcservatio n r------=~.. ,-_, velopmcnI is still on its way to HELP/Nepal. The organization prove its ultimate goal and the has a rcgiona l o rfi ce in cxpected way or human rela- Nepa \g unj and an Internet ti ons. h is innucnced by the cul- website www.hclpncpal. com. ture. geography and level of HELP/Nepal has 15 advi- development. sory members, 14 partner orga- "Our background behind nilation and works in eight dis- this orgnnilation LS p racti cal tricts. With an executive body working experience and thor- of II mcmbers and 57 general ough understanding of the cco- members. the organization has nomically. educationally and 41 1 volunteers. traditiona ll y exploited han 'The organization conducts capped populm:e in extreme re- volunteer training program that 111 0te areas o f the country," says consists of a three-month lheory Khnnal. session and nine months of on- "Our executives who were Rural Children: Neglected thc-job training,:' says Madhav development planners and field Raj Khanal, general secretary of workers arc enriched in their HELP/Nepal. HELP/Nepal is standing in the front approach suitable to the heterogeneo us It also organizes in come-generati on line by keeping its contract and is being geopolitical shape and feelings or the acti vities and skill development training assured fr olll wc ll wishers suitable de- cOllllllunity and th ei r so-call ed key in- for self-reliance and employment. velopmentlllodules and strengths the or- fo rmants. HELP/Nepal is a united e ffort lWe are also involved in conducting ga ni zati on requi res fo r its field for cumulat ive results and team spirit, developmen t- re lated ac ti v ities for activiti es."HELP/Ncpal hopes 10 bridge which can play a s ignificant role in de- womcn, children, the gap between thecommunily and com- velopment and also lcad la a better future youth, the elderly, disabled and or- munity development frontier s"~ says an o[ the people." says Khana!. phans, and rural and urban poor people:' expert at the agency. If you want to apply. go to says Khanal. HELP/Nepal is committed to work www.helpnepal.com on the Intern et for 'The objectives are to reactivate . in the regions for human resources de- details. If you arc accepted, you will women and children self- help group sup- velopment, receive conformation from the organiza- port environment al and socio-economic li on. A $ 200 fee will be charged for the programs, non-form al education, developments in the rural areas."On lOP organi zation'S int ern al and external ad- awareness campaigns on health, water of that, it is careful to start advanced ministrative procedures. • 26 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 THE BOTTOM LINE By M.S.KHOKNA Goverrl'"me-nt- will protect the interest of S?'l1alier -media. -P.M. koira/a. I -mea'Yl that o'Yll;; foe J-J!~- Rajkarnikar, as president of FELICITATED: Manish. Ramesh Tiwari. with the TRANSITION the central executi ve commit Koirala,Boll ywood actress, by Tarini Prasad Koirala Journal tee of the Nepal Cancer Relief the Himali Cultural Group. for ism Aw.mJ. Society, by its 11 th annual gen her contribution in promoting APPOINTED: Lila Prasad eral meeting. Nepal abroad. Nepal Pavilion at thc Indus Sharma,Joint Secretary at the tri al and Trade Fair held in Foreign Ministry_ as Royal LEFT: Jayaprakash Prasad AWARDED: Govinda Calcutta. India. with the spe Nepalese Ambassador 10 the Gupta, Minister for Infonna Biyogi, senior journalist, with cial shield for its best display. Russian Federation. by King tion and Communication, for this year's Press Cou ncil Birclldra. New Delhi. India. for medical Gopaldas Journalism award. Saru Bhakta Shrestha, the treatment of his family mem liucratcur. w ith Ganki ELECTED: Diwakar ber. Journal ists Narayan Wagle and Basundhara award. • SPOTLlGHTIJANUARY 19.2001 27 VIEW POINT Torture Mirrors Unequal Power Relations In Society By DR . BHOGENDRASHARMA Torture, cspcciaHy by the police. is widespread in Nepal despite the fact e;\planations. which include economic problems. illiteracy. ignorance, that international and national laws prohibit it. Nepal has ratified various legal problems. etc. Such explanations an! valid to a large extent. but international human rights treaties including the Convention Against they can not be considered 10 illuminate the ful1 truth. Onc of the most Torture which clearly stales. amQng others. that torture is an inhuman important factor. which i ... nevertheless virtually ignored by analysts and act that should not be perpetrated under any pretext. that il should be acti vists, is torture or fear oflOrturc. The local police arc often involved made punishable by the law orlhe country. and that the victims should in traflicking or collaborate Wllh the lo('al Mafia. Even national level gel compensation. ! cpal's constitution guarantees freedom from politicians. who are dependent on these lm:almaSlcrs to run and win torture. A "Torture Compensation Act" wa!) passed by the parliament in elections, provide them patronage. Several n.alional and inlernati0'lL 1996. media have reported on the nl!xus between 10(:31 tralticker~ and pe~~ These legal provisions are rendered meaningless as torturers are in power. Locals who try to oppose traflickmg ri sk the prospects 01 guaranteed de facIO impunity by the slate. One of the major issues arrest. incarceration and torture. The possibility of any serious opposi capllalized by the left and liberal opposition to dclegitimize the Pan tion 10 girl trafficking in the vi!lages is thus muted. Similar i~ the case chayat regime was the horrors of state sponsored torture that was with local struggles against honded labor or child labor. prevalent then. It is ironic Ihat nmional and international human rights The relationship between the menace of torture and people's right organizations report escalation in the practice oflOrlure every year in the to fair triminal justicl! system is perh aps the mmt direct and di:-;turbing. democratic period. It is disturbing to note that not Cl Single torturer has Once a crime is commilled thc police do nO! pcrform adequate investi been punished according to law within the last ten ycar5. Not a single gation. Instead they accusl! innocent. vulncnlble and poor people of victllll of torture has recei vcd compensation. This is not a good sign for commllting the crime and present them to the (.'Ollrt. ;"' Iorc often the low our tligni ty. and our hopes for justice and prosperity. caMe and low class people arc '<;lIspcctcd' of commiHing crime and are It is high time that the civil society took thb menace of torture arrested, incarcerated and forced 10 confess under torture. Several seriuusly. It is thanks to vigorous advocacy efforts of civil society people who joined Maoist insurgency is the re.'.ult of failure of present organizations that unjust sodal practices and processes sllch as do and past governrnent~ to bring torturer to justice thereby submilling the mestic violence, bonded laboL girl trafficking. ~ocio-economic group that helps them to take revenge to police. AI least 600/,.. of the marginalization and other human rights issues have been put on the prcselH prison population i~ believed to be innocent and are impri soncd pOlitical agenda at the local and the national level. However. it would only because or torture and fear of lorture. while the real criminal~ are be futile to ex.pect much progre!iis in these l1elds without combating found outside the prison. lorturl! or fear of torture. Torture is not just a privatI! issue of Poverty is deilnitcl y a vcry importalll human rights issue in Nepal. unfortunate individuals and cruel policemen. It is an act th at mirrors The (direct) relationship bctwccn torture and PO\crty has not been unequal power relations in society, serves as a precondition for rellcctl!d upon in our society. Pt:ople know that there is unequal n "I i nju~tice. has cri ppling consequences on slruggles for change. Indeed. unjust distrihution of power. resources and opponunitics in the coun without Cl guarantee of freedom from fear no other rights of citi zens Numerous programs meant for the poor do not reach their destination. can be realized. I r the poor orthe vi lingers try 10 prolest and ~ct organized 10 cha1Jengc Lct LIS cite an example or domestic violence. Domestic violence is the unequal power relations, the status 4uCI (threatens to) unleash the considered to be one of the major women's rights issue!o in Nepal. Many police upon them. In an environment when: pcople tin not feci safe to get Nepali women are beaten by their husband and in-laws. Socio-eco organi7ed and Slake a claim on their rig.ht to full p'-lrticipallon in the nomic dependence leads the battered woman to accept the cruel reality events that affect their lives. it is si mplistic tll expect cradicntion of with siknce. TIle popular saying that quarrel between spouses is like poverty or any other social change. 'Paral ko Ago', that is. temporary and not serious, is an euphemistic I I' wc go to a certai n vi llage and ask the local pcople what is the main device used by the patriarchal society to di scourage abused wives to human rights issue in Nepallheir answers may be poverty. trarticking seek the much needed external SUppOIl. or domestic violence but not torture. People do not opcnly discuss the Even if a woman sums up the courage and dares to seek legal help issue of torture with anyone they meet due to the lack of trust. Some through the police she is often il1-treated and sexually abused by the times there is an avoidance mentality among people who live under fear. police themselves. The police lry to take undue advantage from a Once an IJldividual builds a rapport with these people and wins their woman whom they know has a vu lnerable position at home. Battered trust. these issues comc up. To win their trust. one needs to ha ve genuine women experience such humiliation. hear or read about them and arc concern over their plight. and demonstrate commitlllent and courage 10 th us scared of rcporting cases to the police. So wc call draw the fight against the extreme form of lIljusticc that is torlure. The first step. conclusion that seeking legal help or repot1ing to the police will possibly cspcciully for people who arc fortunate enough to haw been spared the lead to ill treatment, abuse and even rape, which arc all form s oflOrture. horrors of torture. however, would he to try to imagine oneself as a Until we make police stations rree of fear for victim~. wc cannot think victim for some time. Then. it should be easier 10 find out how far and of abolishing or even minimizing violence against women. wide the tentacles of tortL:rc reach. • Another example we can take is of giritrafficking. Many girls are being trafficked into India for forced prostitution. What fosters this? Or Slwrma is chairmall of fhe Allial/ce jor HI/mall Rights afld Social What hampers efforts to curb it ? Different people forward different Jllstice. Nep(l1 (ALLIANCE NEPAL), £ MAIL ([email protected] 28 SPOTLIG HT/JANUARY 19,2001 PASTIME Historical Study of Agrarian Relations in Nepal 1846-1951 Now In Town BOOK Shanker Thapa/2000 Rs. 560.00 Institutional Credit and Agricultural Development in Nepal Development challenges for Nepal Satya Bhall Yadav/2000 Rs.480.00 YI.<. Dahnl/K.P. AcharyalD.R. Dah al/K.S. Shattarai/M. K. Nepall2000 Rs. 250.00 Mushrooms of Nepal Mahesh Kumar Adhikari/2000 Rs. 1500.00 Documents on Nepal: A Collection of Diplomatic Correpsondcnce with british-Ind Milestones of History Volume 1. ia Sanads and L~llmohara Pramod Mainali/2000 Rs.2ooo.00 Dil Bahadur Kshctrill998 Rs.841.00 Nep~lI : Society and Culture Domestic conl1ict and Crisis of Governability in Nepal Sushi I K. 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Mahato/2000 R,. 150.00 Recources Allocation in the Agricultural Sector in Nepal: Analysis ~md Impact of Policies Globalisalion south Asian Perspective Milan Adhikaril2000 Rs. 1360.00 Ratnakar Adhikaril2000 Rs. 75.00 Social and Cultural Like of the Nepalese (;ood Governance in Nepal Perspectives From Punam Kumari/1999 Rs. 1040.00 P.mchathar & Kanchanpur Districts Bihari Krishna Shrcsthal2000 Rs.350.00 (Sol/ree,' Hill1(1/awlII Book Cellter, Bagli Ba:;(lr, Kmhmolldll, Ph.- 242085) Video (English) Cast Away Traffic Dede Where's My Car What Women Want ---- NATIONAL NEII'S,\IAGAZINE The Little Vampire • Accidental Spy Color Black & White 13 Days Front Cover In side R" . 16.()W.00 :\liss Congeniality Back Cover R". 20.000.00 Back Cover InSIde Rs. 16.00000 Dracula 2000 Any Page Inside Dracula 2001 Farz Raju Chacha Full Page R, 12.000.00 R, ~.OOO.OO Half Page R, 7.00()00 R, ".000.00 Khiladi 420 Quarter Page Rs 4.tX)0 00 R,. 3.000.00 Champion Special Pull-(lut Mintmum F(lUr-page R,. 45.000.00 R, :10.000.00 Kahi Pyar Na Ho Yaye Raja Ko Rani Se Pyar HO Gaya For details, contact: Mohabbatein SPOTLIGHT THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE Chaath GPO Box : 7256. Baluwatar Kurukshetra Ph: 977-1) 423127, Kathmandu !f<.~acra....vwrotlar Vide(), New Road) SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 29 LEISURE OVER THE HEDGE THU.1' tOll CSO. HUMP~i "UN"''''.. . YOU'Il.f. W>t--... 11 COKE"? It-.\ ~C~~~"e.1l. ACSA' .... HAil"'" I>lHoN 1: "'"",,, ~o ~~ C\-\ ~O" A. .~ Qj\RFIELD IT'S O.I'ICIALLc,> THE START Of' THE CHRISTMA':> SEASON! • i ! ¥OMMA -AN'" -r.-l'" COMPANY YoU FAIL-'-OM"'NliON t1Fr:IE~" HOT-LOOKING 6A9E~ ... C:;~A' EJe:NEF'IT4 ... S~"' .I HAGAR THJ!; l1uiuUBLE 30 SPOTLlGHTIJ ANUARY 19.2001 LEISURE CROSSWORD Par 06jective !}(ews, Views ana JlnaCysis CRgad ACROSS DOWN SPOTLIGHT I. Start to harvest a crop. baling fine source 2. Refrain. given a black mark (7) of fodder (8) 3. Dressing in sheep's clothing. one was THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE 6, Endlessly debate an event in The Field nred (9) (6) 4. Island National Trust's kept intact (6) 9. Help wi th part of chassie twisted (6) 5. Nominally in partnership (6·9) 10. Type of deer about and others you men 6. Flunkey perhaps lurks behind group of tioned on rclfeclion (8) people (8) I\. Symphony for the audience didn't fail 7. Against including typical German or P,very Priaay 'he test (8) French song (7) 12. Hound fool to put money on outsider? 8. Light accompaninem for this appearing (6) reasonable? (9) 13. Result of joining worker's cooperative 13. Furnish seating. and help !Ours otherwise (5) (9) I-t. Toliveanddie.oncmbracing Ihechurch. 15. Report sudden expansion (9) shows special devotion (9) 16. Second shopping facility cook shows Journalist initiates a greater check on children? (5.3) horses (9) 18. Horse appears right after some [raining 19. One side of London is stimjulating (5) (7) 22. Companion to Hardy given literary award 20. Check numbers about to be significant (6) m 23. Trespass. and fish behind small enclo 21. Two orricers arresting copper: VEry su re (8) mysterious (6) 24. Sat back playing nute. pleasantly emer- 13ining (8) "He who knows the 25. One nearly gets what Manuel says-it's most unusual (6) secret of my divine 26. Artist going to bank? Not very often! (6) 27. Start 15 in school. in a year? (8) birth and action, his body left behind, is l[n.X)O 'lllUnOJ;) ~ ·0(,;.I;)5JnOJ "SI AJJ lIBWS '91 UO!SOldX3 .~ I J;)IS[04dn "r I SS;)U I;);)MS 8 UOSUl!4J 'L ,.(poqsaoa '9 P;)II;WEq ;)Iqnoa .~ ;)J !lU3 "1' :poIlU!I.:! "r U!lnsqV ·Z : NA\Oa never born again; ;)lU UO}30 "Le. he comes to me." ,([;)JE~ "9('; ;)nb!un "~Z InjdlSp..l"t>lll:moJJu3 T(,;I;)Jmq "ll sJndS "61 ;)JoultDpeH "L I ;)JUJ!pJqO 'vi uo'un TI ,ossc8 '< I ICJOtscd '11 "cln oun '01 (SISSV '6 SnJSla '9 PI'U,(C H ' I : SSOll:)V SATHYA SAl BABA NOI.Lfl'IOS SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19.2001 31 FACE TO FACE 'What Matters Is Policies And Programs, Not Size' - J, BILL MUSOKE j, BILL MUSOKE is rlie Ullired Nariolls neighboring countries Ihat share the same about the problems of population. We try to Popfllation Fund (UNFPA) RepresemGti\'e ecosystem. Health and education are other make policy-makers and pilrliamcnturians 10 Nepal. A Ug(.lIldW11I(lfiolla/, Mllsoke. 53, aspects and all these arc compounded by the understand the population problem.lflhere joined the UN system 23 years ago. He has economics of the population. If the popula is a problem in the country. we suggest se/Tell ill se\'e.raf African countries as tion is poor. that means the education and ways of allocating resources to manage the UNPFA represemaril'e. Before coming to health systems are going to suffer. as the population. Talking 10 newspapers and Nepal. MlIsoke I\'orked as UNFPA Repre government does nOI have adequate re media is a lso part of advocacy. The other ~ellrat;\'e to Nigeria, a cO//wry with a pOpll sources. area we look at is population policies' /(1(;011 fi\'e rimes larger thall Nepal's. He What does U IFPA do to control demographic statistic~ . for example. I rolked roKESHAB POUDEI- (llId SANJAYA population? population census· so that the country can DHAKAL 011 populatioll cOlllrof activities First, I would like to make a correc have adequate and reliable data to take il/ Nepal. Excerpts: ti on. UNFPA does not control population: good decisions. Another area where we it advises countries how to manage their allocate resource in is reproductive health. How do you view the demographic Here. 100. wc have had a paradigm shift situation in Nepal? since the Cairo conference. It takes into Nepal is characlerized by a high popu account all aspects of women's develop· lation growth. 11 is also among the poorest menl. cOllnt ri es orlhe world. with an estimated·n As Nepal is sandwiched between two pen.'ent of the population living under the countries that have a billion-plus people poverty line. Other characteristics associ each, what strategies should it adopt to ated with Nepal are high mortality rates manage its population? the infant mortality rate is 75 per thousand As a Christian. il reminds me the story births. the maternal mortality rate is a stag· of David and Goliath. David was small guy gering 475 per thousand and the under·five allu Goliath was very big. 'obody thought mortality rate is 118. These fi gures are high David could fighl Golialh, bUI hedid, When compared to Nepal's neighbors. Nepal's you are a small country ~uirounded by big population is also chnracleriled by high counlries, il is very dilTiculL to extricate unemployment and hi gh fertility. The num yourself from geopolitical dictates. B ber of illiterate people is also on the high small country has a vision abollt where 11 side compared to the neighbors and other wants to go and how it wants to manage it s developing countries. Be~ides. illiteracy popUlation. it can do so. The point here is among the female population is vcry hi gh that what matters is policic!o. and programs. compared 10 their male count erparts. Women not sile. here tend to get a raw deal. Before you arrived in Nepal, there What problems do you associate with population. Our mandate authorizes us to were reports of corruption in UNFPA's high population growth in the country? go to countries on the invitation of those Kathmandu office. What actions, if any, If the population growth is very high. it countries. Then we assist the countries in have been taken against those found is difficult to manage and givcs rise 10 con· id entifying th e problems, find solutions guilty? lliclS· both internal and external. Questions and mobi lize resources. Since the UN popu· I am glad you brought up this subject. of land distribution also arise, as limited lation conference in Cairo in 1994. a new Corruption is a very unfort unate thing. The land has to be shared by more people. Re· paradigm of population and development case you referred to not only affected the garding Nepal. most of the land is mountain· has emerged. Earlier, people associated UNFPA omce here bUllhe enlire UN sys OllS and very difficult loutilize. So, the piece population with family planning and con tem. As a result. the UN looked into thi s of land that is left for sharing among a trol. We huve moved a long way from that, subject very seriously and took actions rapidly growing population is very small. and now we talk about population and against those found guilty. Three people Another problem is environmental degrada· development that encompasses all facets of were di smissed from service, one was re ti on. Environment is a very tricky subject development. Because or[hal, we changed tired and one was found not guilty by the and the effects will go beyond epa!. Any· the way we operate. So, when we go to tribunal set up to probe th e irregularities. ihing that happens to the environment of the assist a country, one area where we are Another o n ~ is still fighting the suspen· Himalayas in Nepal will have their effect in involved in is advocacy. We lellthe people sion. • 32 SPOTLIGHT/JANUARY 19,2001 "THE PERFECT PLACE FOR THE EXOTIC EXPERIENCE YOU EVER HAD" N ewari Cuisine is not only popular for deliciousness but also richness. In a typical Newari feast, more than twenty varieties of dishes are served. Newari Cuisine at its best Now you can savour all these authentic and relishing dishes in addition to various types of unique Newari tHHH snacks at the 'Lajana' - the exclusive Newari restaurant. Enjoying the ambience you will never forget ..... 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