#81 15 - 21 February 2002 16 pages Rs 20 Nepal spacefrom 13 POKHARA 8-9 MARATHON

EXCLUSIVE Body count As the Maoist war entered its seventh year on Wednesday, the number of Sending money home Nepalis killed is about to across the 3,000 mark. According to the humanHEMLATA RAI rights group, INSEC, 1,045 people have○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepali workers remit more money than the country died in just the last three months. Of ourism and exports are near-collapse, andearns from tourism, foreign aid and exports combined. those killed since 23 November, 769 are yet the economy is still afloat. How come? said to be○○○○ Maoists and 129 are securityTNepalis working abroad are now sending ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ personnel. The rest areback a whopping $850 million a year. Forget ordinary people executed migrating abroad to work will only go up. foreign aid and exports, forget tourism. It is The government has made it easier for by Maoists or killed duringoverseas remittances that are propping up offensives by the security agencies and come out with an annual total.Nepalis to work abroad, but the country still forces. There are Nepal’sno economy. Other Third World countries export isn’t maximising the benefits from its labour figures for wounded,The Nepal Rastra Bank’s official figure for minerals and ore. Nepal has a long history ofexport. Many Nepalis are duped and exploited

but the country’sremittances in the past fiscal year is Rs 22 billion, exporting human beings. Today, Nepalis areby manpower agencies, who take away a large DEEPENDRA BAJRACHARYA few hospitals arebut a whole lot more—as much as three times— going further afield, and into non-traditionalchunk of the workers’ earnings in illegal filling up (see pagecomes into Nepal through the informal jobs as opportunities expand for overseas deposits or commissions, often up to three 4-5). hundi employment—they are employed as security Parliament times the actual cost of a job. A study in needs to system and feeds a vast parallel economy that the guards on casino ships in the South China Sea,Lahachok in Kaski district showed that nearly endorse an government seems to have no way of monitoring. as guards on oil rigs in Angola, and as hotelhalf the people in the village couldn’t afford to extension of theBoth official and unofficial estimates of managers in China. When Shiva Bahadur pay even the minimum Rs 50,000 needed to Three Malaysia-bound Nepalis trek up emergency by 26overseas remittances have doubled in the past Thapa retired from the British Army, he didn’tget a job abroad. The government could stand to the airport on Monday, 11 February November. In his four years. In 1997, British researcher David fancy starting a new career or staying idle. So,guarantee to commercial banks for collateral-free been researching labour migration patterns in anniversary press Seddon and his Nepali colleagues Ganesh he got a job in the merchant marine. Shiva’sloans to foreign job aspirants, just as it could Nepal. Most experts agree that overseas statement faxed to Gurung and Jagannath Adhikari estimated that colleagues from the army are security guardshelp on upgrade the skills of migrant workers employment exacerbates the urban-rural gap, media, Maoist leaderNepal receives as much as Rs 30 billion from tankers and container ships, thanks to a spurt Prachanda reiterated from the low-paying manual labour they because migrant workers invest their earnings that his party is readyNepali for workers abroad. But two years ago, a in pirate attacks in the narrow Mallacca Straits.mostly do now, so they can earn more. mainly in the towns. Working abroad can only talks, but said it was Another foreign worker we spoke to, Sampanna,Although promoting foreign employment be a stop-gap arrangement until employment prepared to keep fightingHimal if Khabarpatrika estimate which included says when he failed to make it to the final opportunities is a major component of Nepal’s opportunities are created locally in rural areas. need be. “We are notinformal like remittances from Nepalis working in selection of Nepal’s national tae kwon do teameconomic diplomacy, the government has failed Says David Seddon: “What is needed is strategic the Taliban,” he said.India, put the total at Rs 69 billion. Some later in 1999, he headed off to Germany where heto act on its own promises. A government and selective investment to keep workers in estimates are even higher. uses his skills as a martial arts guru. delegation led by Labour Minster Palden Nepal and in the smaller towns in the rural Officially, there are only about 180,000 Back home, Nepal’s tourism is down 50Gurung last week brought home rosy assur- non-farm economy.” He adds that the absence of Nepalis working in south-east Asia, the Gulf percent, and the garment, carpet and pashminaances about providing at least 200,000 secure young men means labour shortages, and countries and South Korea. But the real number industries have laid off an estimated 200,000and safe jobs for Nepalis in Malaysia, but he possibly the decline of agriculture and the rural is probably double that—and this is not workers. More than half the garment workersfailed in to clinch a formal agreement. economy. The chief economic adviser at the Nepal counting the million or so seasonal Nepali Nepal, according to a 1998 study, are in the “Unless foreign employment is regulated, Rastra Bank, Yub Raj Khatiwada, agrees. He told workers in India at any given time. 20-25 age group and most support familiesthe poorest sections of society will not benefit us: “Exporting workers can only be crisis manage- All the Labour and Employment Promotion with more than six members. Now withoutfrom it,” says Ganesh Gurung of the Nepal ment, not a long-term solution for the national Department, which is supposed to monitor the jobs, many will be forced to seek work in theInstitute of Development Studies, who has economy.” Nepal Sale! foreign employment sector, does, is tally the Gulf or Malaysia. With unemployment soaring With tourism in crisis, the Nepal Tourismnumber of people processed by manpower in virtually every sector, the number of Nepalis Board has started an aggressive push to woo back visitors from India for Destination Nepal Year 2002. Trade reps are in South India this week selling a Nepal package for a giveaway IRs 14,500 for Indians visiting Nepal till 15 April. The money gets an Indian a three-‘Bring Maoists to the mainstream...’soldiers to get the same deal night stay at a five-star hotel, and they have to serve for 22 includes meals, airport transfers and years, and then wait until the two sight-seeing trips. Catch: touristsBritish Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs responsible for South age of 60 before they benefit must come in groups of at least 15. TheAsia, Ben Bradshaw, is visiting Nepal 18-19 Feburary. He will be meeting Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba from any index-linking. So, on NTB worked hard to get hotels, traveland King Gyanendra. Bradshaw is a former journalist and was the BBC’s Berlin correspondent in 1990. Nepali average a Gurkha soldier’s agents and Royal Nepal Airlines togetherTimes asked Bradshaw some questions about his visit, the Maoist insurgency and Gurkha pension. pension is paid seven years on the package. No mean feat. Now, earlier than that of an ○○○○○○○○○○ let’s keep our fingers crossed. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ equivalent British serviceman. But there is a key point here: What is the main reason for your visit to Nepal? concern about possible abuses of human rights in the the majority of British soldiers Britain and Nepal have extremely long-standing ties.country, The including barbaric acts by the insurgents. We leave the Army at about the Gurkha relationship, and in particular the exceptionallybelieve that the government went to great lengths to ensure nine or 12 year point in their high standing in which these brave Nepali soldiers aare conducive held atmosphere for the three rounds of peace talks service. This results in over 90 in the United Kingdom, is an important mainstay. Welast are year, and I would encourage both sides to make every percent of British soldiers not both monarchies. The UK is one of Nepal’s chief donoreffort to achieve a solution which will result in the renuncia- qualifying for immediate partners. The events of 11 September and efforts totion of violence and bring the Maoists back into the pensions and having to wait Weekly Internet Poll # 21 combat global terrorism only serve to make the dialoguepolitical mainstream. Only then will Nepal achieve the until 60 to claim a preserved pension. If this system was Q. Do you agree with former prime minister Girija between our two governments and countries all the prosperitymore which its people deserve. applied to the Brigade of Gurkhas, many Gurkha soldiers Prasad Koirala’s call for a broad democratic alliance? important, and we want to offer our full support to the would have to wait until the age of 60 before receiving Some Gurkha ex-servicemen say the issue of pensions government of Nepal in its attempts to find a resolution to any pension at all. Most would agree that the need for an exposes the British governmentís double standards. Do the insurgency. immediate pension is compelling in Nepal. you see this as an ethical issue? Will you be offering any specific advice to the govern-No I do not see this as an ethical issue. It is important to Does the British government envisage an increase in ment on the resolution of the Maoist insurgency?look at the details of pension arrangements. I don’t think the recruitment levels of Gurkha soldiers in future due Obviously this will be a key point of interest in the talksthat Imost of our pensioners now benefiting from the to shortfalls in enlistment at home? shall be having with political leaders during my visit.significant We increase in April 2000 oppose them. British Gurkhas are a valuable and integral part of the British support the democratically-elected government, andArmy pensions are complicated and for very good reasons Army and will remain so foreseeably. But Gurkhas do not recognise the right and obligation of government toreflect two different systems. One is for Gurkha soldiers and serve in all areas and there is therefore a limit to the provide security to its people. The European Unionone has is for British soldiers. The Gurkha system involves the extent to which they can be considered interchangeable condemned the Maoist attacks which brought a violentsoldier serving for a minimum of 15 years, with an immedi- with British personnel. There are no plans to change return to conflict in Nepal, and we have expressed ourate index-linked pension available on discharge. For British current recruitment levels.

Total votes: 912 2 EDITORIAL 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES NATION 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Anagha Neelakantan Design: Kiran Maharjan OPINION by PITAMBER SHARMA [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 EMERGING FROM EMERGENCY

he big issue dominating national politics this weekEither and way the country is facing an emergency situation. We have so far. The war will not be won by alienating the citizenry and next will be whether or not the state of national emer-an economic emergency, a fiscal emergency, an emergency of curtailing their rights. No pain, no gain T gency is going to be extended after its 26 Februarycapital flight, a development emergency, we have emergencies As the army carries out its cordon-and-destroy operations deadline. Parliament must endorse the emergency by a two- in export and tourism. on Maoist hideouts with increasing effect, there is littlehe sign Nepal of aid a biennale concluded thirds majority for it to be extended by another three months,Many people had different expectations of the emergency government machinery being mobilised to deliver the goods in The greatest contribution of foreign last week with a pledge of $250 Let’s face it: foreign aid is not a partnership. There are only givers and takers. otherwise it will automatically lapse. when it was declared on 26 November. Some thought it would liberated areas. If the extension○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ of the emergency means an ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ aid has been the maintenance of the The ruling Nepali Congress would like it endorsed,be but like the Indira Gandhi’s emergency: civil servants would go to extension of this state of affairs, then it does not matterTmillion that theover the next five years. political, economic and social status dissident faction within it led by Girija Prasad Koirala officeis bent on time and there would be a crackdown on corruption. But emergency is extended. We are told the donors have endorsed are always right. If their advice does not beauty of good governance, the grace of human rights and practice the opposite. quo. Whose advantage has the status on giving Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba as hardthe a timegovernment seems to think the emergency has absolved it We don’t know how else to put this. Nepal is facingthe approach an of the Tenth Plan and the have the intended effect, the fault lies a transparent bureaucracy, and the Islands of vulgar opulence, much of it quo served? This status quo is chal- as possible. The main opposition UML, euphoric about its from action. “The soldiers are taking care of things, we’ll sit back unprecedented crisis. There is a deep sense of forebodingPoverty Reduction that Strategy Pro- in its implementation. Our patrons charm of accountable government. derived from foreign aid, continue to lenged by the legitimate issues raised impending reunion with the ML, will need to show a tokenand relax,”of seems to be the motto. Well, as it turns out, all the something is going to give. The leadership is oblivious: grammes. As on previous occasions, the continually exhort greater privatisation Foreign aid has shown us how “good rise in this ocean of poverty. (but atrocious and illegitimate means its opposition status by throwing a tantrum. The UML emergencyholds did was spook tourists, muzzle the media, and make bickering in the back rooms, threatening signaturedonors campaigns, raised many issues. The govern- the swing vote in parliamentary arithmetic, and (rhetoric and liberalisation. The only way to governance” and “representative Foreign aid has made us live beyond employed) by the Maoists. But the the civilian leadership extinct in large parts of the country. In fact, back-stabbing, horse-trading, and all the other shenanigansment, as on previous of occasions, appears notwithstanding) will be expected to extract its pound exceptof flesh for the capital and the district headquarters, there is no a mutiny-minded cabinet. In short, everyone in the game is eradicate poverty is to privatise it, they democracy” can be made possible our means. Self-reliance is a bad word NDF bazar yet again pledged more for letting the extension sail through. They will probablysign of government anywhere else. The Maoists would be carrying on as they have for the past 12 years: whichto have is satisfiedwhat them all by dutifully say. The crowning achievement of through the corrupt. This is no mean when the appetite for conspicuous foreign aid as the only means of dealing boycott the session and thereby support the extensionfoolish while not to step into this vacuum. brought us to the present crisis. pledging to reform implementation and foreign aid has been that the voice of achievement. consumption contaminates all. Foreign with the Maoist problem. That seeming to be opposed to it. The lesson of the past 90 days is clear: if the govern- For once, can we have aaspects prime of minister governance. the poor has been “elevated” from their Foreign aid has fuelled our historic aid has made us prey to grandiose plans completes the foreign aid circle. The Maoists, for their part, also favour an extensionment since is itserious about countering the Maoists, then its who is less worried about the magicIn a country where finance ministers roofless huts and villages to interna- sense of complacency. We have even when our own resources remain The problem, of course, is not shows them to be at par with the Royal Nepal Army, and a military campaign must go hand-in-hand with a drive number 57 and more concernedtake great about pride the in soliciting more tional forums in multi-stellar locations. surrendered what little we had of our idle. Government after government is foreign aid per se. Foreign aid is not force to be reckoned with. The comrades know that theto longerbring the people on its side. This hasn’t happened country’s long-term development? Can we foreign aid, any talk against aid is Over the past several decades decision-making autonomy. Led along carried away by the Aruns, the Karnalis thrust upon us. It is negotiated. And the emergency drags on the better it is for the cause. Their have dissidents within his partyblasphemy. less But the problem with call for a national strike on 22-23 February is aimed at focussed on unseating him and more on development and foreign aid have gone by donors, we have lost faith in and the Kosis—and small, but funda- negotiation is a collusion of interests. keeping the populace in a state of panic. working with him to resolveforeign the aid crisis? is the rise of a duality “hand in hand”. As the roots of devel- ourselves. Like pampered children, we mental, initiatives are considered What would we as a nation lose if there Time, after all, is on their side, Can we have an oppositionbetween not the giver and the recipient. opment have spread “far and wide”, so now crave dependence and we have beneath us. were a moratorium on foreign aid? We whereas the army wants to gloating at the sight ofBetween a squirming have the roots of corruption. Foreign been blinded by the dreams of donors. We have been trained to learn from would lose patrons and the status quo have this thing wrapped government, and pondering that a aid did not invent corruption, but it The government has lost its credibility afar even when the lessons are right in that they have helped defend. We up quickly one way or similar fate awaits it when themthey (those who benefit from helped create the infrastructure that in the eyes of the people and the nation our backyard. We have lost the feel of would be forced to look deeply within other. come to power?giving and taking aid) andus (in whose institutionalised it. Through the has lost its moral ground. We are our own ground in our orphaned ourselves and discover our own priori- But this entire If this nameinfighting aid is taken). What have we as a debate on whether or carries on for much goodies it provides, aid has systemati- ethically bankrupt. nation. Looking at the loan component ties to address our problems. We would not to extend the emer- longer,nation there gained will from be foreign aid? What cally corrupted the minds of our We mouth the agenda of the donors of foreign aid (Nepal’s total foreign be compelled to come up with indig- gency is getting to be a nothingwould weleft as to a peoplefight lose if by some bureaucrats, planners and politicians. and call it planning. We continue loans outstanding equals almost half enous development strategies and learn fairly academic exercise. over.miracle there were no foreign aid? Thanks to foreign aid, it is the strengthening the reins of a centralised our GDP), we may even be forfeiting from our past. We would have to make In as much as foreign aid is a corrupt who can now effortlessly and state in the name of decentralisation. In the future of this orphan for the do with our limited means, look at our political and economic relationship, we eloquently pontificate on the need to the name of transforming society, we pleasures of the present. own hard realities and make some very, have gained patrons. Patrons who give rid our society of the menace of live comfortably with the scourge of Foreign aid has idealised the virtues of very hard choices. us the benefit of their advice at our corruption. In a country on the lookout untouchability and inhuman discrimi- the private sector and magnified the sins This is bound to be extremely painful cost. Patrons who steer us voluntarily for some semblance of governance, nation and deprivation. We preach of the government. Even in the face of to many of us: the current breed of to take a particular foreign aid has projected for us the lack of competition and regulatory politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, the political stand as and mechanisms, the private sector has been monopolists in the private sector, the when necessary. We pushed as a viable substitute for the NGOs, the heartily oblige. government. The success of the private Our patrons have sector is seen as a result of its essential taken on the onus merit, while its failure is squarely attrib- bikas pundits, and consultants of thinking on uted to interference by the government. our behalf and included. Perhaps, with time, we would Roles have become confused. rebuild confidence in ourselves and learn The proliferation of NGOs toof believeall hues in small, but rooted, initiatives. and shades is also the handiwork of

OS For once we would suffer for our own foreign aid. NGOs that have nomistakes. constitu- Perhaps we would learn the encies to be accountable to are romanti-hard way: tighten our belts, develop a cised as the true face of civil society,sense while of purpose, buy back our self local governments and their electedrespect, rescue this beloved orphan from representatives, are sidelined. “Partner-its impending future, and cease to be a ship” is just a polite and hollow nationnotion: whose sole preoccupation is a there are no “partners” in the present STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL begging bowl. climate of foreign aid. There are onlyAm I day-dreaming? givers and takers.

(Pitamber Sharma is a regional planner and former professor of geography, Tribhuvan University.) So close and yet so distant KUNDA DIXIT Self help: Women farmers in Dang discuss what to do for the community with the money they have saved individually. NEW DELHI –It’s business as In the post 9/11 world, anything goes as long as you say you are fighting terrorism. usual again in the Indian capital. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Auto-rickshaw drivers (when not on LETTERS strike) have begun to zigzag the specious grounds that anything last?” asked IK Gujral, a little New Delhi. The argument is INDIANS COMING Loved CK Lal’s “Guns and class butterfly collection in television and women get on through the traffic and continue to against Pakistan is justified after the anxious about reports in the media vacuous, and not just because it is The Nepal Tourism Board’s roses in Delhi” (#79). Never existence in Pokhara, but with real life.” (“Sisters are overcharge passengers at the end of suicide attack on Indian Parlia- that the toppling game in the mere wordplay. Such an assump- objection against mandatory seen anyone in the Indian richest people have already MOUNTAIN MUSEUM which is currently not on doing it for themselves,” #77). hair-raising journeys. ment. The underlying assumption is Nepali Congress had started all overam, and that there is no Hotel in office, Indian diplomats do all tion is inherently dangerous, passports for Indian tourists media take apart the hypocrisy transferred their money to There presumably is some display. All these could add This statement has no basis Another sign of the return to that in the post 9/11 world, again. Surprisingly, it is being takenKarnali anymore. that they can to worsen mutual because our northern neighbour is flying to Nepal is welcome. of our Republic Day proces- safer havens. The frequent doubt as to the commercial value to the Mountain Mu- on fact and has been thor- normalcy is the resumption of In contrast, intellectuals who relations. But as soon as they retire, a friend, while our fate is (“The Indians are coming,” sion with such objectivity and warnings of the deadline just viability of the Mountain seum. oughly discredited. anything goes as long as you say you for granted by Nepal-watchers here #79). It is a marked departure conviction. Why do I have to served to accelerate this Museum in Pokhara as a Robin Marston Shailendra Shukla construction work all over the are fighting terrorism. that the Nepali parliament will aren’t so close to power are they want to make amends and help inextricably intertwined with the town. Work on the Metro seems to refreshingly reflective. A professor improve ties. Unfortunately, the giant surrounding us from the from the orthodox Nepali come to Nepal to set things in process. stand-alone business Kopundole Gainesville, Florida A direct effect of the cancella- endorse an extension of the state of blindspot for Indian arrivals. my own country in proper Then, people who earned enterprise, when it does open be in full swing, there is a flyover tion of PIA overflight is that the emergency. Very few appear to be who also happens to be a former influence of a serving diplomat is other three sides. During the We have to stop being perspective? One thing money through unexplainable to the public. (“Wanted: US SISTERS NEPALITIMES.COM frenzy not seen since Rajiv the South Asians talkfests have to make overly worried about the fire of theambassador admitted to me, “We always much more.” Cold War years, such logic xenophobic and try to be though: as a short-time means will get away with mountain memorabilia,” #79). I was amazed by Daniel Lak’s Is there some reason why the Gandhi. Roads are being widened do without even a token participant Maoist insurgency, but even a must ask ourselves, what is it that But laying the blame at the worked, but we must reorient our more pragmatic in our resident of Nepal, I am paying 10 percent of what they One way to get away from the statement “And not just in weekly online edition of the to accommodate the Santros and from Pakistan. In the absence of former ambassador felt compelled makes two of the closest countries door of South Block—guarded, foreign policy to the new reality national interest. But pass- concerned about the little say they have earned. It will mountaineering-only ap- Nepal. In America, spousal Nepali Times does not come Zens and Matizes that symbolise anbalancing academics from to ask, “What is Koirala up to?” in the world such distant neigh- incidentally, by a fellow Nepali—is where, as JN Dixit puts it in his port-free entry alone is not things that happen to me every only help them legalise ill- proach might be to broaden abuse skyrockets on days of out on Fridays? Today, urban middle class consumer bours? Should we let few square not the way to build bridges of own blunt way, “National interest going to solve the problem of day that prove a latent preju- gotten wealth. The only the scope of the exhibits major sporting events when Tuesday, 5 February, I am still Islamabad, Indian pundits have a The media close to the ruling our ailing tourism industry. dice against Indians. CK Lal people who resorted to this available at the Museum, men get drunk watching awaiting the January 31- revolution. Delhi is changing its free run at all IIC proceedings. Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is as kilometres of barren land spoil our friendship between neighbouring is the supreme consideration.” face so fast a Garhwali cabbie age-old relationship? Why can’t we countries. We must do some soul- If mere proximity—or even a We must not just make it says Nepal is “India-locked”. I scheme are either the consci- including the fine exhibition of February 7 edition of the Increasingly, New Delhi’s seminar hostile as ever. Among the easy for Indian tourists to fly don’t think so, I think Nepal is entious middle classes, or Boris Lissanovitch’s photos Nepali Times online. I have claimed proudly: “They are turning circuit has come to be dominated Hindutva fanatics, the anger againstsimply withdraw from Kalapani as a searching of our own. We must be shared history and culture—were in, but also to drive up to “ideas-locked”. those who have some money, and memorabilia, which read and reread Under My Hat our city into another Paris.” The by obstinate ex-diplomats, Nepal is stronger because they gesture of goodwill? Why can’t you ready to put more effort into our enough to strengthen ties Nepal. Let us follow land- J Kumar but are not rich enough to represent the life and times of and am thoroughly sick of demolition men of the municipal telegenic ex-generals and other somehow feel that Nepal, despite check your rapacious industrialists relationship with India. There between two sovereign nations, locked Switzerland’s example Kathmandu transfer it to other countries. the man duly acknowledged Baywatch. Get with it, you corporation are going after unau- septuagenerian extras who have being the “only Hindu kingdom inwho make a mockery of trade simply is no other way. India and Pakistan would have and allow free and unre- The money collected from as the founding father of guys. Some of us here in the thorised construction with a made a name for themselves by the world”, has let them down by treaties for their personal benefit?” Some academics in Nepal argue been best of friends. The stricted entry for cars with the VDIS such groups will not be tourism in Nepal. Such an USA find your musings the seriousness that has not been seen Indeed, why not? Perhaps there is that Nepal should pursue the policy relationship between countries is motto “don’t check vehicles, The government considers the substantial enough to meet exhibition well merits a only ones worth reading being regular talking heads on not joining in the Vishwa Hindu check the humans inside”. As VDIS its smartest move to government’s real need. The permanent home. For 150 amongst the garbage that is since the slum-clearing campaign of satellite TV. They may have only a Parishad’s chorus of Hinduism some truth in the belief of a Sri of ‘equi-proximity’ rather than like human friendship: you need the Indian emergency. Lankan journalist who said, “While ‘equi-distance’ with Beijing and to work at it. Indians get more mobile, increase revenue, but it may psychological effect of dire years Pokhara has also been generally called journalism in knee-jerk stance on matters being in mortal danger. The highways expand and are turn out to be economic warnings of confiscation of the heartland for the recruiting Nepal. And the only way we At the India International geopolitical, but they do have an improved, this will bring in a suicide for Nepal. It may serve property will bring in limited of the famous Gurkha warri- can get it is online. Centre, the intellectual flavour of abundance of practiced sound bites new influx of visitors who the short-term cash flow need, money and discourage further ors of Nepal, and there is an Prem Pulami the season is ‘Post-9/11’. Hotshots that go well with their faded tweeds spend money along the but in the long term it will not investment. This is a sadistic excellent Gurkha Museum Vermont, USA of the Indian intelligentsia are and signature moustaches. Hindustan Times carried a story highways and not just in solve the problem of bringing strategy that will alienate the which was recently moved basking in the glory of being closer On matters relating to Nepal,datelined New Delhi where it called Kathmandu and Pokhara. the richest within the tax people. from Kathmandu to The to America after the bombings in Jamim Shah a Pakistani national S Grimalji bracket. Due to their higher Rajeeb L Satyal Gurkha Haven Hotel at the Nepali Times online is the Narayanhiti massacre continues Kathmandu access and connections, the Baluwatar Damside. There is a world uploaded every Monday. – Ed. New York, Washington and the to be the most common conversa-and described Hotel Karnali as the Afghan campaign. Senior diplomats tion opener, but the fate of Prime operational headquarters of ISI and of South Block justify denying Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s reported the presence in Pakistan International Airlines the government inevitably crops up. Kathmandu of the underworld don, right to fly over Indian airspace on “How long do you think Deuba willDawood Ibrahim. With so many people waving that fiction at my face, I found it hard to explain that Jamim Shah is as much Nepali as I 4 NATION 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES NATION 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 5 3,000 new tax payers ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ When the Voluntary Declaration of Income Scheme (VDIS) ended Tuesday, the Inland Revenue Depart- ment (IRD) had more than 3,000 new taxpayers and additional revenue of Rs 605 million. On closing day alone property worth Rs 100 million was disclosed and net revenue of Rs 10 million was collected. The VDIS announced by Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat in the budget last July ended on 13 January, but was extended for month “at the request of the business community”. The IRD is now all EMERGENCY ROOM set to take action against those who should have, but did not show up at the tax office. IRD officials say the department’s action against defaulters will depend on priority and the information it has BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ gathered, and may even include raids and confiscation of property. etween the body-bag statistics of the Defence BMinistry’s daily briefings and reports of ambushes by the Straying neighbours Maoists of security forces are ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ thousands of stories of bereaved India’s Uttar Pradesh Forest Department is delighted after six Nepali rhinos that used to stray from families, internally displaced their home in Sukhlaphanta Wildlife Reserve have decided to stay on in India. Normally, there refugees, the wounded and FILE PHOTOS:NARENDRASHRESTHA wouldn’t be such a fuss as rhinos regularly travel to and from forest corridors between the two countries in the tarai. But the itinerant rhinos have confirmed their permanent residency as one maimed. female has given birth to a baby. It’s a “landmark” event says a Times of India report given that The statistics are numbing: the Great Indian Rhinoceros was on the verge of extinction in India, hunted by poachers for the nearly 3,000 people killed in the horn, considered an aphrodisiac. In 1984, India launched an ambitious project under which a few past six years of the Maoist war, rhinos from the resident populace in Assam were released in the Dudhwa National Park in

about 1,050 of them in the past ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY Lakhimpur district of UP. Today, the number in Dudhwa has increased considerably, but the rhinos are kept in a fenced-in area. Which is why the arrival of the visitors from Nepal in the Pilibhit two-and-half months of the threatened him. He left, and Maoists broke the ceasefire with emergency here, we need Reserve Forest, which adjoins Sukhlaphanta and is home to other endangered species such as emergency. But the wounded returned only after the emergencythe attacks in Dang and Syangja. medicines and equipment. And the sloth bear and the swamp deer, is a pleasant surprise. seem to fall between the was imposed. “We were just “I had no prior warning,” Bhandariwe are running out of space in But not everyone is so sure of the number. “The Indian forestry officials must have counted cracks—left to recover on their completing a bridge,” he recalls. recalls. “They just came, took me the wards.” three rhinos that wander the corridor twice. As far as we know, only three rhinos wander into India, and Nepali rhinos are all radioed and marked, so we know just where they are,” says Surya own in the hospitals throughout “I had asked the attackers to out of the house and started Nepal. In fact no one is keeping Bahadur Pandey who worked at Sukhlaphanta until a few months ago. Last year, five rhinos were spare an old man. But they beat beating me up in the courtyard.” translocated to the reserve in Far West Nepal. There, too, one female has given birth to a calf. an updated count of the The trauma centres of Nepal’s over-stretched hospitals try to cope with an me up instead.” A group of about Like the others, doctors say Conservationists say they don’t mind where the rhinos live, wounded. Ordinary Nepalis 50 Maoists dragged him out of hisBhandari will be in hospital for at India or Nepal as long as they are conserved. caught in the crossfire, recover- influx of wounded from the Maoist war. house on 6 Feburary, attacked least six more weeks. Then there ing not just from the physical him with steel rods and khukuris. will be another half-a-year of trauma but also the mental Doctors are waiting for the flesh physiotherapy to allow him to agony of brutal torture, are civilian casualties from military wounds to heal before they deal walk properly again. beginning to fill up the hospitals. action have been airlifted and war. These are the lucky few who abducted by the Maoists in and stop them from giving with the bone fractures. Tuesday, 12 February was like At the Tribhuvan University are being treated at army managed to make it to hospital, early November. “I was taken information about their wherea- A social worker at TUTH any other day at TUTH. There Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in femur and fractures in his right there are many others trying best away at around 9PM from my bouts to the security forces. The Close shave hospitals, defence sources say. told us he has never seen worse were 18 patients from the conflict, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kathmandu, the injured are in At any time during the emer- shinbone. He was beaten with to recover in their home villages, house and beaten with the non- attacks have been deliberately cases. “Earlier patients did not and the hospital was waiting for the orthopaedic ward and new Tara Nath Ranabhat, speaker of the House of Representatives, gency there have been an rods by attackers, and hacked or dying quietly. Sushil Pyakurel cutting side of an axe,” recalls brutal, to drive the point home. have as many wounds, maybe theyanother three wounded to arrive realised this week that his flippant remarks about women could patients arrive everyday in the average of about 15 patients with a khukuri so that he has of the National Human Rights Bhandari from his hospital bed. According to INSEC’s tally, were trying to kill or just hurt later that evening. The orthopaed- easily be construed as derogatory. The participants of the emergency room. being treated at TUTH, and Thenlost all there his calfis the muscles 32-year-old in his Commission, says his organisa- Then they drilled a hole into 1045 people have been killed them,” he told us. “After the ics ward is now looking more and Solidarity of Gender Equality conference hooted him out for doing “This has added tremendous those present there this week schoolteacherright leg. admitted to tion is trying to tally the his thigh. Doctors have stuck between 23 November and 11 emergency, I have seen patients more like a field hospital in a war, just that. Ranabhat, who began his address to the gathering by pressure to our already over- TUTH three months ago with numbers of wounded, and admits steel pins into what remains of February, 816 by the Maoists. challenging the women to “correct their ways” before demanding were mainly casualties of with bones beaten to pieces.” more so with a newly-build helipad equality with men, even boasted that he could pass the women stretched orthopaedics ward and attacks by Maoists after the multiple fractures in both hands that most of the information is his feet below the knees to align Government numbers from So far, the government is to handle major disasters—and the Emergency Room,” Dr rights bill with a mere snap of his fingers, if he wished to. But emergency was declared. They and feet. Maoist attackers beat about victims of Maoist attacks. the bones and give them a 26 November to 4 February put paying the hospital bills of all also so that the most seriously when the women decided they could take no more and raised the Mahendra Kumar Nepal, are teachers, social workers or him till all the bones were “We are trying to find out the chance to heal. The other the Maoist death toll at 463, Maoist victims. Another inmate iswounded can be flown directly in volume of their protests, a visibly embarrassed Ranabhat decide Executive Director of TUTH political activists and they come shattered. Then they bored a situation among those wounded teachers who were abducted, and wounded at 115. The police Chatra Raj Bhandari, a farmer without going to the airport and to cut his speech short and slink back to his chair. But that was not all—the angry audience confronted him again at the Royal told us. “The patients require from all parliamentary parties: half-inch wide hole into his thigh. in security force action,” he says. Netra Bhandari and Gupt and army have lost 76 (police and a Nepali Congress worker being ferried in an ambulance. multiple surgery and long Aside from the wounds, it is The NHRC had written to the Bahadur BK, were beaten 40), and, says the Defence Nepal Academy, where even the organisers of the conference Nepali Congress, UML, ML. from Tanahun. He was attacked Hospital director, Dr Nepal, could not shield him from the humiliating remarks from the crowd. rehabilitation. They are all likely the brutality with which the government for information but mercilessly and died of their Ministry, 93 soldiers have been on 23 November, the day the shakes his head. “We are facing an to stay for longer periods, and attacks were carried out that is has not been able to put together injuries. Today, Shanta wounded. this means we cannot admit shocking. The patients’ eyes show the number of wounded. Bahadur, his brother and family Amber Bahadur Chauwan, other patients.” A 63-year-old social worker the pain, and such is the fear Because of the nature of the live in Kathmandu—part of the 63, of Gola VDC in Bardiya There have been reports of and political activist from instilled in them that few wanted injuries, many of the patients we growing population of people district is a regional member of villagers who have also been Bardiya has both legs in heavy to be named. Some didn’t even interviewed will probably never who have fled the conflict. the Marxist-Leninist party. He caught in the crossfire in attacks bandage. Both his shinbones are want us to print the name of their walk, and if they do, will need According to Informal was an active social worker who by security forces on Maoists, shattered—beaten to fragments village for fear that their relatives crutches for life. Shanta Bahadur Sector Service Centre (INSEC) participated in development but we could not find any of by the Maoists who attacked back home would be harmed. Bhandari, is a teacher at statistics, eight teachers and 29 activities underway in the buffer these at TUTH. A handful of him. He also has a gaping Human rights activists say Chapakot in Syangja, and is one political workers have been zone around the Royal Bardiya Fighting Poverty in Asia & the Pacific khukuri wound on his left leg. what is visible in the hospital of the few who doesn’t mind killed by Maoists since Novem- National Park. Chauwan told us wards is just the tip of the iceberg being named. He was the ber, and it appears to be part of Maoists tried to lure him to A 43-year-old farmer and in the casualties of the Maoist luckiest among three teachers a strategy to intimidate villagers their party and after he refused, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENT OFFICER political activist from Tanahu has multiple fractures on his Nepal Resident Mission The Position: The Requirements: • Monitors implementation and advises on the administration of • Degree in social science, or related field, preferably at HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK ADB-supported Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP), and postgraduate level, with at least 5 years relevant professional other ADB-financed infrastructure projects as needed. experience, including practical experience in the areas of • Strengthens lines of communication between ADB and social and/or environment impact assessment, resettlement, relevant agencies, organizations and individuals and stakeholder participation. Exposure to large infrastructure implementing key social and environmental aspects of the projects and/or engineering background useful. MWSP and other ADB-supported infrastructure projects as • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and How the chips fall required. Nepali. • Monitors project management to ensure effective coordination • Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural of social, resettlement and environment components of team, and to liaise effectively with the community members, Can the potato help us predict the unpredictable? ADB-financed infrastructure projects with each other and with NGOs and various government entities. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ other project components. (Particular attention to be given to • Good computer skills and knowledge of software packages, the Melamchi Water Supply Project). potatoes are alike, at least not outside the cloning laboratory. Nor do they human development index, while in many respects a superb piece of work, including Word-processing, Power Point, and Excel. hit the same place on a wall, at the same angle, at the same speed. It’s presented Nepal’s efforts to curb poverty as a logical system that would be • Monitors and liaises with the Government and project • Ability to work independently and under pressure. simply impossible to duplicate or—crucially—predict the effects of impact. in equilibrium if only all the inputs and conditions were right. Poverty—the consultants on the transfer of knowledge and technology in Similarly, any student of geology will tell you that earthquakes are always report seemed to argue—would dissipate with better governance, social areas of social development, resettlement, and environment. different and they simply cannot be predicted. So too the currents of human equity and so on. I wonder if the reality isn’t completely the opposite. • Monitors to facilitate effective co-ordination between line history, the stock markets, the course of rivers and so on. Until now, chaos The potato people would explain to their colleagues in the development agencies. theory has been the only way of looking at this notion of utter business that the condition of society can never be a predictable system, that no • Monitors and advises on consensus building with various unpredictability. Things that are in a state of permanent flux and show no matter how many inputs you get right, something else will distort your result. partners and stakeholders. trends towards order or disorder are the model for chaos theory. Our frozen Before non-equilibrium thinking started to take hold, this would be a bleak • Monitors and facilitates effective implementation of key social potato men beg to differ. assessment, rightly condemned by those who work to bring dignity and hope to and environmental-related aspects of other ADB-supported It’s not that they think you can immediately impose order on the the deprived. Now the science of “ubiquity”, as it’s become known, offers real projects as required. naturally disorderly by counting potato shards. But the complicated prospects for understanding, if not a quick fix for deprivation and underdevelop- mathematical formulae that they’ve devised, after carefully tabulating every ment. Crucially, the patterns of qualitative change in social conditions could just ADB generally recruits its local staff from the member country in which the Resident Mission is located. The advertised position is a little bit of frozen spud on the laboratory floor, is helping them understand emerge from the statistical morass that exists at the moment. local position for which applications from persons resident in Nepal are solicited. ADB offers a competitive local salary and benefits the nature of chaos. It seems that unpredictable systems like earthquake Theoretical physics has to be wild, driven by forces beyond the fringe, if applicable to local staff. geology or human history do follow a pattern. But it’s a pattern so complex it is to make new discoveries and offer understanding. There can be no EASY TIMES and almost microscopic, that it is almost imperceptible. All of this is at a orthodoxy, no conservatism, no mantras or priesthood clinging to ideas. The above position is for a three-year fixed term appointment. ADB staff are expected to serve in any location outside the duty station. very early stage, but if the potato people can really help us start predicting Ubiquity has the potential to make all of our lives more explicable, less It’s never been easier to subscribe to For further information on ADB, please visit www.adb.org and look for Employment Opportunities under Business Center. ome of the most interesting new thinking these days is being done theby unpredictable, the world as we know it will change beyond belief. blame-ridden. It could transform politics and economics, bring fairness and Nepali Times. people who throw frozen potatoes against a wall and watch how they Here in Nepal, we’ll be able to plan for major earthquakes. We’ll have a competence within reach of almost any society. Just dial this number and leave your address. Women candidates are encouraged to apply. Sshatter. No, I’m not kidding. Scientists are using icy shards of window on the swings and roundabouts of the global financial markets, and Or it could simply be a madcap notion that will shatter into smaller bits smashed spuds to understand a whole range of previously inexplicable we may even be able to find out what history has in store. I daresay the as it is picked apart by scientific peer groups and academics. It’s time to buy To apply, send CV and cover letter by fax or mail, quoting. Ref. No. I/NRM/2002/01, Position ID No. 0267 must be submitted to Country phenomena. Studying so-called non-equilibrium physics, at first glance, Nepal Development Forum might take delivery of some frozen potatoes, to some potatoes. If you can afford them... Director, not later than 28 February 2002. seems beyond esoteric, deeply obscure. But when you read what the bits helpof them understand how the vagaries of fortune and finance influence MR. RICHARD VOKES potato can tell us about predicting earthquakes or the ebb and flow of their tasks and cash flow. For it seems to me that the very notion of Ubiquity: The Science of History… or Why the World Is Simpler COUNTRY DIRECTOR human history, it may be time to head for the vegetable market. development, as pursued at the moment, could be wrong. Last month’s Than We Think by Mark Buchanan is published by Phoenix, UK ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK Tel: 227779. Fax: 225063 It’s a safe assumption that frozen potatoes, flung against the wall, will SRI KUNJ, KAMALADI E-mail: [email protected] break into bits along random, unpredictable lines. After all, no two 543337 Online submission should be in MS Word Format. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. 6 NATION 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES NEPALI ECONOMY 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 7 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED Things aren’t getting better ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The World Bank says Nepal’s prospects for an economic recovery in the medium-term (generally a three- Kindergarten year outlook) is bleak due to everything that happened in Nepal in 2001 and of course the Wooingglobal recession Indians after 11 September. The Bank said growth in fiscal 2001/02 would be about 3 percent going by IMF numbers, which don’t factor in the escalation of Maoist violence from the end of November, and the anti- the number of ruling party MPs. It terrorism campaign launched by the government including the deployment of the army. The government would be tempting to dismiss earlier revised its economic growth estimate to 2.5 percent, down from the roughly 6 percentWe projected sell whitewaterin rafting and Pashupati in the same Khadka’s formula as hypocritical the July 2001 budget. Exports are down, as are imports. Readymade garments have been hit badly, and consultations because they comprise about 25 percent of total exports, this will hurt every sector of thepackage, economy. and wonder why we find no takers. posturing when you recall the list of nearly two dozen MPs the home Another reason for worry is the new WTO trading regime, which comes into effect in 2005. Quotas, a minister handed over to Deuba along crucial factor in the growth of the garment industry, will be scrapped under the new trading rules.hile The holidaying in India a with his ultimatum before leaving on prospects of a recovery in tourism in the medium-term are also uncertain: it would need extensive—andfew weeks ago, this Beed We need a durable framework for a expensive—promotions to get tourists to come even after the emergency runs its course. As Finance that Australian sojourn last year. But missed the symposium on Minister Ram Sharan Mahat says, any recovery would hinge on the ability of the country toW return to minority government. It might be a you have to remember that the 10- normal. “Prospects and Problems of Tourism good beginning to set a statutory percent rule would also make it Development between Nepal and easier for Khadka to manage his India” organised by the Hotel limit of one prime minister per year, faction, which, by most accounts, is Association of Nepal. So, this week, we the most influential—and, by will ponder on the need to woo the which roughly corresponds to Nepal’sextension, potentially disruptive— Indian tourist, and ways to do so. record in the last 12 years. within the fold. Bad start I will admit it. It gets tiresome I say take a wider perspective ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ travelling in India—for no reason Tourism, as everyone knows, is in a bad way. But just how bad? January 2002 arrivals are grim: only 13, the second-generation leaders’ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and double the spoils to 20 percent. other than the two questions every MIN BAJRACHARYA 576 visitors came to Nepal by air last month, a roughly 50 percent drop compared with the about 25,900 discussions on critical national issues That way, every ruling party MP citizen of this kingdom is relentlessly f Nepali Congress president Girija Mandal and look straight in the size of the cabinet and the gender who flew in in January 2001. Third country arrivals (from countries other than India) dropped sharply, by resembled little more than a kindergar- would get to serve a one-year non- almost 54 percent, and Indian arrivals fell by 24 percent. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) blamessubjected the to. “So,slump tell us about 1 June,” Prasad Koirala was wondering why mirror. He should considerten brawl. all those It lies in the deep suspicion from Biratnagar. discrepancy in his own portfolio. renewable term on the council of and “What’s going on with the It turns out, however, that Shailaja on the “false perception of travel safety in Nepal”, but expects arrivals to improve, especially now that the their shopping-filled honeymoon. For those old stand-bys, trekking and Iit was getting so difficult to sell his one-time proteges likeand Sher distrust Bahadur with which they view one So why does Deuba need a 41- ministers. The ranks and portfolios United States has downgraded its travel advisory for Nepal. The tourism industry is worriedemergency?” that a third In most part because of India’s cash-rich youth, Nepal does climbing are dirt-cheap and a lot more broader democratic alliance proposal to Deuba, Khum Bahadur Khadka, Bijay detests Sushil with almost equal member cabinet when the security the absence of any voice in the Indian another and have no qualms about can be worked out through a consecutive bad year could be the straw that breaks the industry’s back. Overall tourist arrivals in 2001 not feature on their travel map—they convenient than in Switzerland. his own party, he probably got a good Kumar Gachchadar, Bal Bahadur KC virulence. She accused the party forces are in charge of the countryside dropped by almost 23 percent, compared with the year before (including arrivals by land),media a trend that can which claim more than a displaying. Prime Minister Deuba was prudent mix of fund-raising can and do go to the casinos of Macau Despite our limited market savvy, idea last week. The theatrics at the and Jaya Prakash Gupta who have general secretary of conducting and emergency regulations have began with the end-December 1999 hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft from Kathmandu,parachute and that jumper’s familiarity with evidently infuriated by the liberty experience, re-election prospects and and Vegas, and the malls of Dubai things are getting better, though. The central committee meetings clearly prospered in the rival camp today. midnight strategy sessions with thelimited political activity in the capital? worsened with the deteriorating law and order situation in the country and the imposition Nepal,of the our emer- southern neighbours seem Congress general secretary Sushil time spent in prison and/or exile. and Singapore. Nepal has never really relaxation of the passport requirement show how urgently Koirala needs to get Any rookie premier in an ostensible plot to Because he wants to avoid the gency. to think this is a country in such Koirala took with secondary sources You can throw in seniority and been able to target the Indian market for Indian tourists under 18 comes as a his act together. The ruling party chief Kangresi can figure out throttle democracy while masquerad-distraction of having to check every 10 extreme turmoil, that the electricity is while preparing his evaluation report geographical origin in case there is a specifically, even in the past. The bit of a relief—after all, people who have should forget about comparing notesby now how easily allegiance to ing in public to be his principalminutes whether has still has at least switched off at 6PM. No surprise, on the state of emergency. Referring to tie. This way, a majority parliament burgeoning of the conference and passports can also get foreign currency, with Madhav Kumar Nepal, Surya Koirala can be altered into a career- rival. Sushil retorted that he had57 MPs on his side. To be fair, the then, that most well-wishers’ attempts persistent allegations that the prime could expect serve out its full five- convention market was an accident, and so would just as well go on cheap Bahadur Thapa and Badri Prasad enhancement tool. gone to Baluwatar after receivingprime minister has pledged to form a are directed at dispelling these absurd minister was among senior Kangresis year term and the people spared and so are the tourists who come in on packages to south-east Asian countries. The tragedy lies not in thewho fact had that donated money to the Girija Koirala’s permission. And15-member cabinet if Girija Koirala mid-term radio jingles, posters and Bring in the managers doubts, rather than selling Nepal as a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ chartered luxury buses. We simply do The government may not be able to you thought the infighting in theand Krishna Prasad Bhattarai gave him tourist destination. Maoists, Deuba advised Sushil not to stump speeches. Of course, this The Nepal Rastra Bank has formalised a contact with Deloitte Touche Tomahatsu (DTT) effective 31 not understand that within each market Nepal, and may have made no Koirala clan would soon be overa list of seven MPs each, complete with But even assuming we can dispel believe, much less paraphrase, formula wouldn’t work in the case of March, under which the consulting firm will manage the Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) for two years. DTT potential market there are different use at all of the media frenzy during the now that Mahesh Acharya and a joint undertaking to immediate call these doubts, we have to deal with an everything he saw in print. To prove a hung parliament, unless each are to receive a management fee of $5.75 million in exchange for turning around the RBB, which KPMG segments. The result: we sell SAARC summit, but they’ve managed Amod Prasad Upadhyaya have off their proxy war. Neither party elder auditors said two years ago is technically insolvent. BRS Neupane and Company will be DTT’sappalling Nepali lack of consensus as to what his point, Deuba recalled all those partner of the emerging coalition whitewater rafting and Pashupati in to at least get rid of one annoyance. Now switched camps. has seriously taken what could be partners. The central bank is negotiating the terms of a similar contract with Price Waterhouseprecise Cooperpart of our product we need to stories he had read about how Sushil agreed to abide by these terms. Even the same package, and then wonder it is time for those in the private sector had accepted Rs 60 million from a As for the camp in power, severalthe key to the stability of a majority then, you would still have to find a India, which has been selected for taking over the management of the Nepal Bank Limited.promote The World to the BankIndian market. The is giving Nepal almost $35 million for financial sector reforms, of which handing over the RBB and the NBL why we find no takers. and travel trade organisations to show state and assistant ministers havegovernment. been The situation has durable framework for a minority whole world is wooing Indian tourists foreign benefactor before the last on management contracts is a major component. Indian youth are the segment we what they can do. Our experiment in complaining of how underemployedbecome so complicated that the now, and Nepal’s image desperately general election but refused to give government. It might be a good should be aiming for—they have restricting foreign travel agencies from they were. Some have had so muchparty’s pre-eminent middle-of-the- needs to be revamped from the credence to. beginning, though, to set a statutory purchasing power, and spending on operating in Nepal has gone on long difficulty killing time that they’veroader, Ram Chandra Poudel, is current “honeymoon upgrade from As for Shailaja Acharya’s outbursts limit of one prime minister per year, holidays is a major part of their enough, given that our local agencies simply stopped speaking to theirhaving trouble finding enough space Ooty and Darjeeling” to something a against the prime minister, everybody which roughly corresponds to the expense pie. And that market is only have not delivered when it comes to knew she couldn’t stand Deuba departmental ministers and are to maintain his relevance. record Nepal has maintained in the Instant awards little more current, a little more ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ growing, with even banks supporting selling hard in the Indian market. Why concentrating on the progress of the Home Minister Khadka and a few exciting. because, among other things, he was last 12 years. Nepali instant noodle makers seem to have run out of two-word financing schemes for holidays. We not try and lure international agencies signature campaign instead. Theother So, what can Nepal offer? Most of barely out of his diapers when she was combinations for branding—the new ones don’t have those need to tell this group of consumers who have large operations in India to minister for women and social welfare the younger Indians who can afford to waving black flags. When the former names—but they are getting better at selling. Almost every noodle that bungy jumping in Nepal can be operate in Nepal. Protectionism may says he feels doubly embarrassed at the travel see Nepal as a destination where deputy prime minister criticised maker has some sort of giveaway on the cards, whether free as exciting as in New Zealand, and at a not always be the best weapon. Kangresis have proposed their grandparents undertook a Deuba for reportedly saying he would packs of noodles or full-scale lottery prizes. Now the makers of fraction of the cost, that Nepali safaris defeat the Maoists with the help of limiting the cabinet’s size to a tenth of Mayos have joined the race. Their prizes include a car every month, pilgrimage and their parents went for in addition to motorbikes, computers and gold. are real value for money compared Readers can post their views at foreign forces, if that was needed, the with South Africa or Kenya, that even [email protected] head of government flew into a rage. Deuba challenged Shailaja to provide documentary proof (apart from those inadmissible newspaper stories) that he had ever uttered such a thing. Reaffirming his patriotism, Deuba INTERVIEW pledged he would remain in the country to fight any foreign army even if Shailaja decided to cross into Jogbani “Tourism promotion must not be Kathmandu-centric…” - Geeta Jetley, Fulbari Resort and Spa, Pokhara

Nepali Times: How did you land up in Pokhara? What do you think the government should do? Geeta Jetley: Fulbari had placed an ad in India, I thought I should give it Look at tourism as a whole, not in bits and pieces. You have many tourism a shot. I came just like that on a Friday in September. It had rained for a organisations in Nepal, you need to get focussed—this is Nepal Tourism, few days and when it stopped, you could see the mountains. I was everybody comes together. We have to focus on the markets likely to be walking past the hotel when the cloud cover lifted on a moonlit night. the maximum spenders. And then go and get them. Suddenly you had Machhapuchhre and the Annapurnas—absolutely Just how bad are the present numbers? ethereal, something picture postcards and movies are made of. Bad is a generic word. Let me put it this way, it is difficult to fathom the How are you coping with the slump? fluctuation here. We’ve had huge fluctuations, say like going up from 35- Everyone asks that question. It is not just Fulbari, tourism per se is 40 to 130 rooms. The way the country is being sold now, the focus down everywhere. What is really important is that when the chips are seems to be to tell people to come to Kathmandu and go back. That must down everybody has to come together and look at the problem with one change. Tourism promotion must not be Kathmandu-centric. For example, point of view. this year is Kumbh in Mansarovar, a once-in-lifetime wish among Hindus. We talk about religious tourism, but how are we capitalising on this event MeaningÖ when we know we have a huge Hindu population to the south? You can’t say “I, me, myself”. The “us” part of it has to come out. We have to clearly identify our potential markets and then do it. Are you still an optimist? You know, learning never ends. In Bangladesh, for example, many Do what? Bengalis go to Kolkata for medical treatment. Now Malaysia is giving Let me give you an example of the Indian market. Now people have gone special medical packages to attract the same people to Malaysia. The en-masse to Sri Lanka, though Kathmandu is a lot closer to Delhi than early bird gets the worm… The package was being promoted by Colombo. Why? Because everybody—the airline, hotels and travel Malaysian Airlines, not a hospital or medical representatives. That is what agencies—has looked at tourism as ‘tourism for Sri Lanka’. Our promo- I mean by selling the country and its products collectively. tion has to be more focussed, it has to be defined. If you read what Tourism can help in many ways. We aren’t only in the business of others in the industry are saying, it’s essentially the same thing. We earning foreign exchange, there are indirect benefits—infrastructure gets have to act fast. We have to effectively sell Nepal as a destination as a automatically developed. If this resort weren’t here, you may not have had whole. Nepal promotions cannot just stop in Kathmandu, they have to the development that is taking place around us. There are shops, real include Chitwan, Lumbini and Pokhara. Everybody seems to know this. estate prices are going up. You see people’s lives are improving, employ- So how come we are not getting results? ment is generated. Everybody comes and admires what we have, you Supposing you are walking in a particular direction and find you’re lost. can see the ‘wow’ in their eyes. It gives you pride in your country. You retrace your steps or find a new direction. You can’t be eternally How has your experience beenóa woman in Nepal and heading lost. That tourists are not coming is a reality: the more important thing is, an organisation as big as this? what are we doing to change that? I have worked in Iraq as a woman and I have headed an organisation What are you doing? there. At the end of the day, when it comes to professionals, you are We’re talking about Destination Nepal 2002, the International Year of the identified as a professional and somewhere down the line gender does

CS KARKI Mountains and the of Eco-tourism. We’re already into this year, and a not matter. That is if the professional part is strong enough and respected. promotion should have happened at least in the middle of last year. As a matter of fact, in this part of the world you have far more women Pokhara’s most coveted hotel property, Fulbari got a new Everyone should have known what we were doing. Still, all is not lost. taking on leadership. manager in October. Geeta Jetley brings with her 21 years of hoteliering experience with India’s Oberoi and Taj Groups. The 100-acre property includes a spa, a garden and a 165-room resort, and collectively employs over 240 people. But the tourism slump has hit the Fulbari hard. Nepali Times caught up with Jetley in Pokhara and tried to find out what can be done. 8 GEOGRAPHY 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 9 A composite portrait of Nepal made by joining ten clarity and remains a valuable tool to measure landcover satellite pictures taken during cloudless days between 2- trends. Comparisons with satellite imagery taken 25 23 March, 1977. This famous Landsat image was pre- years later show that although much of the hardwood pared by the Nepal Remote Sensing Centre with help forests of the eastern and middle tarai that we see in this from the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and picture have been cleared, the forest cover in Nepal’s the World Bank. Satellite mapping techniques have ad- midhills has made a comeback due to successes of our Nepal vanced since then, but this image still stands out for its community forestry programme. spacefrom

A gallery of dramatic pictures of Nepal taken from orbit.

The Kali Gandaki The world’s deepest gorge Get your copy of the south-side-up from the Landsat Thematic Mapper taken in January 1989. Snow and ice appear map of South Asia! as blue while vegetation is Bhaktapur green. Rocks are red and An attempt by the editors of Himal South Asian to reconceptualise the region. clouds white. Most major The Arniko Highway south of Bhaktapur skirts terraced fields of wheat in this picture taken by a satellite flying 250 Himalayankm above rivers are older than the mountains. The river the earth at about noon in Feburary 1987. The poplar basinstrees follow the location of Only NPR 100! cast long shadows. the original pre-Himalayan Call 543-333 or write to [email protected] rivers that drained the Tibetan marginal mountains and flowed into the Tethys Sea 75 million years ago. As the mountains rose, the rivers were able to cut through them. This is why the Kali Gandaki, Arun, Bhote Kosi, Buri Gandaki and the Karnali all have their headwa- ters beyond the main chain of the Himalaya and have cut stupendous gorges through the rising rock. The Himalaya One of the most prominent physical features visible on the surface of the earth from space are Kathmandu the Himalaya. This unique photograph was taken from a space shuttle in 1988 and shows the ochre expanse of the Tibetan plateau on the right, the snow-covered Himalaya stretching Kathmandu Valley’s topography is dominated by the former diagonally across, and the dark green of the Mahabharat Range on the left. The red circle lake-bed and the channels cut by the Bagmati and its tributar- shows location of Mt Everest and the yellow circle shows Kathmandu. ies through the alluvium. The lake was formed by the tectonic uplift of the Mahabharat Range at the southern rim of the Valley, and the Bagmati was ultimately able to cut its way through the limestone hills at Chobhar, draining the lake. These two pictures are an X-SAR digital elevation model Dhaulagiri (left) and a radar amplitude image (right). This is not a picture taken from a jet at 35,000 ft, but a slanting view of the Dhaulagiri range taken by the Expedition 1 crew from the International Space Station using a high-magnifica- tion lens. The photograph was taken out of the window of the Space Station from an orbital altitude of 200 nautical miles (370 km). The view is southeast-ward across the southern Tibetan Plateau and Dolpo towards the world’s seventh highest mountain, Dhaulagiri, which dominates the horizon. The uplift of the Himalaya continues today at a rate of several millimeters per year, pushed by the continuing collision of the Indian tectonic plate with the Eurasian one that began about 70 million years ago.

Himalayan smoke After three years of Himalayan drought, there was a rash of Mt Everest forest fires in the Himalayan midhills from Kashmir to Himachal Pradesh in the spring of 2000. Smoke from the fires, This spectacular picture looks straight down at Mount Ever- carried by westerly winds right across Nepal, can be clearly est. The highest mountain in the world casts the longest seen in this SeaWiFS satellite image. Also seen clearly are the shadow. The Rongbuk glacier snakes off to the right into the crystal blue lakes dotting the Tibetan Plateau. Tibetan plateau, the narrow cup of the Western Cwm starts at the head of the Khumbu Glacier. The top of Mt Everest is made up of yellowish limestone, meaning that the rocks on the highest point on earth were formed at the bottom of the ocean. 10 TECHNOLOGY 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES WORLD 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 11 COMMENT by JOHN ZIMAN Debate flowers in China ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BEIJING - A debate over China’s national flower is blooming Three-way poweracross the cities of the mainland. Yuppies and intellectuals are arguing: which flower would be the right national symbol for an ascending power, self-conscious of its long history but eager to Russia, India and China could finally be getting embrace modernity? It might have been easy for Empress together to counter US influence in Asia. Dowager Cixi (1835- Tempting science 1908) to proclaim the ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ elegant peony blossoms as imperial worrying. This is precisely where China’s national However technically sound they may be, research resultssocietal demands for trustworthy flower. Not so for the nuclear tests in 1998, India’s Defence shopping list. Ivanov used the National People’s produced in secret or for corporate profits are inevitablyscientific knowledge and non-partisan Minister George Fernandes said China opportunity to vigorously promote the expertise are most pressing. Congress—China’s suspected of bias. represented the main threat to India idea of a trilateral axis and also allayedparliament—today. The fashionable call for ever- and the government wrote to then US apprehensions that this would in Consensusany about ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ closer union between academia, President Bill Clinton to say that way hurt India’s rapidly improvingChina’s floral symbol industry and government ignores a China (rather than Pakistan) was the ties, including military cooperation,seems to have been carry out specific research projects. By admitting ‘conflict of interest,’vital element of the scientific buried along with the Nevertheless, customary practices scientists engaged in such research important factor in this country’s with the United States. In his State of enterprise. These great sectors of our nuclear weapons programme. the Union address last week, US last remnants of the Most academic scientists such as ‘publish or perish,’ peer show that they cannot disengage economy and polity will surely go on Qing Dynasty. 20 doubtless hope that formal counter- Cabestan pointed out that China is President George Bush clubbed theyears after it emerged from the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) review and academic tenure ensure themselves from the worldly agendasevolving internally, and interacting particularly worried by the NMD three powers together when he said measures like these will hold backthat they are indeed good scientists. of their patrons. Nor can they when breeding flowers for pleasure was forbidden, China has energetically, beyond anything we can project because it has a limited America was “working with Russiayet and to decide on its national flower. “It is very important… a the forces of Mammon. But increasedThey retain their intellectual exemplify to their students the easily foresee. In each sector, the number of inter-continental ballistic China and India, in ways we havenational flower stronglyWill symbolises it be the plum what blossom... a country is all about,” transparency also reveals the blatantautonomy, but could only have won fundamental scientific values of research system will be reformed missiles (ICBMs), while Russia never before, to achieve peace andargues Professor Chen Junyu of the Beijing Forestry University. instrumentalism that now pervadestheir university posts—and thereby intellectual autonomy and open RANJIT DEVRAJ “Of about 100 large nations, we are the only one without a and reconfigured along with the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the Hong Kong-based French Centre continues to have enough warheads to prosperity.” university research. Demonstrableaccess to research facilities—on the dissent. No matter how potent andknowledge that it produces. But NEW DELHI - With the prospect of for Research on Contemporary China, challenge the reliability of the US According to Rajiv Nayan, anational flower.” Chen suggests that the peony and the plum utility is the over-riding priority. basis of competitive assessments of the sincere their expertise, it can do says, “The US-led war in Afghanistan umbrella. Although relations between researcher at the Institute for blossom should both be chosen in a “one country, two flowers” scientists in all three sectors should extended US military presence in system, echoing the late leader Den Xiaoping’s “one country, two Even governments now fund scienceoriginality and promise of their little to strengthen civil society orfight openly against changes that fail Central Asia now likely, Russia has has compromised Beijing’s funda- India and China have been steadily Defence Studies and Analyses primarily for its promise of public or systems” formula that the mainland put forward in its reunification published research. the public good. to recognise, celebrate, and fully revived a three-year-old proposal to mental and long-term objectives, improving since the landmark 1993 (IDSA), a government-funded thinkcause with the former colonial territories of Hong Kong and private gain. Yet academic science University research organised in Of course the funding of sciencesupport the distinctive, irreplace- rope India and China into a trilateral increased the say that its Asian rivals agreement to maintain peace along tank, it is important to note thatMacau. Professor Chen says the peony will represent ancient plays an important ‘non-instrumen-this manner is only one of many raises many political and economicable role of ‘public science’ in an power axis. When Russian leader (in particular Japan and India) have in their common borders, there has been none of three countries that wouldculture while the plum blossom will stand for China after the end tal’ role in society. It enriches us possible ways of carrying out ‘public problems. For example, how shouldopen, pluralistic society. Yevgeni Primakov first proposed a regional security issues and weakened a steady proliferation of missile and form the trilateral axis wants to ofbe the empire. Significant in Oriental mythology, art and literature, spiritually with trustworthy science.’ The key point is that up to governments justify public expendi- trilateral axis against a US-centred, its image as a great power,” Cabestan nuclear weapon technology from seen as a long-term dissident to theUS peony was revered as the King of Flowers in China and, at knowledge about humanity and thenow it has had a distinctive non- ture on completely ‘useless’ disciplines unipolar world in December 1998, said in a lecture here last month. Beijing to Islamabad. Kanti Bajpai, policy. On the other hand, he one time, restricted for the enjoyment of royalty only. The plum Cabestan said Beijing has begun to professor of international relations at added, the triangle as envisagedblossom, by one of the most loved flowers in southern China, was world. It warns us of hidden instrumental role that cannot be such as particle physics and as- neither New Delhi nor Beijing were traditionally a symbol of the Kuomintang government, which led environmental dangers and opens performedup by ‘proprietary science.’ tronomy? But these problems are not(Project Syndicate) enthusiastic, given mutual suspicions take India more seriously due to its the Jawaharlal Nehru University, adds Primakov “would not like to makeChina in the early decades of the 20 cientists everywhere are buy exclusive access to profitable new unexpected paths of technical However technically sound they may solved by handing them over to lingering from the Cold War. But newly overt nuclear policy, its open- that other areas of conflict include the US a natural ally because its very increasingly uneasy at the rising discoveries, they are always in the progress. It brings an element of be, research results that have been ‘market forces’. Indeed, it is in highlyJohn Ziman is a Fellow of the Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji’s door economy and its status as a rival competing interests in Burma, rivalry objective is to create a competing Sinfluence of business upon market for preferential consideration. hard-nosed critical rationality intodeliberately all produced, in secret, for commercialised fields such as Royal Society and Emeritus successful India tour in January, power that could get uncomfortably between the two navies in the Indian centre against the United States.” Ocean and the South China Sea, Bajpai said that though the proposed university research. They realise that Valuable gifts may appear to purchase societal debate, and fosters awarenesscorporate profits, are inevitably biomedicine that the merging of Professor of Physics at the followed by the visit of Russian close to the United States. This trend is palpable in New Delhi’s loud Tibet, and Beijing’s non-recognition trilateral axis had the potential to direct financial connections with the intangible favours. Cash for scientific of uncertainty and change in the suspected of bias. public and proprietary science is mostUniversity of Bristol. His latest Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, might support for Washington’s national of Sikkim as an Indian state. build an Asian security system, private sector can damage their answers is not as obviously corrupt as professional education of skilled book is Real Science: What it is have advanced the idea to the point where “working towards informal missile defence (NMD) programme. Russia wields considerable tackle religious extremism, utilise reputation for independence and cash for parliamentary questions, but practitioners. Above all, academic and what it means. alliance” is now possible, said an Once a Cold War Soviet ally, influence in both India and China as a Central Asian energy resources scientists are in continual demand as th integrity. Nevertheless, the traditional smells as nasty. India is now ruled by a right-wing major supplier of military hardware to efficiently and handle better century before it was independent experts in public arenas Indian spokesperson. This is likely doors separating academia from So far, there have been few open happening because all three want to coalition that is aggressively increasing both countries. India is this week Washington’s missile defencedefeated plan, by the industry are being quietly disman- scandals. Scientists in both academia of controversy and decision. In short, its contacts at all levels with the United finalising the purchase of an aircraft there is at present littleCommunists. prospect of university research is the principal protect their own interests in strategic, The issue has been tled—sometimes even smashed and industry can still be trusted to do fossil-fuel rich Central Asia, rather States, even seeking support from the carrier, nuclear-powered submarines the three turning into strategic intelligence agency of civil society. debated since 1982, down. Specious free-market their work with honesty. In most than counter a unipolar world order. US rather than from Russia in and long-range strategic bombers from partners because of continuing It is often supposed that science and in 1994, a nation- doctrines are devaluing the public fields of university research, direct Jean-Pierre Cabestan, director of containing China. Soon after India’s Russia as part of a multibillion dollar suspicions. wide campaign services that those doors protected, external influences—military and is able to perform these functions mobilised people to not least the free flow of well- political as well as commercial—are because it is so completely rational One jab or three? vote for their favourite informed, critical speech that is trivial. But a number of worrying and objective. Unfortunately, this (IPS) flower as a national vital to open inquiry. cases of falsification or fabrication can supposition is not supported by symbol. Peony serious philosophical analysis or emerged the winner Of course every scientist wants be traced back to direct pressures There is a raging debate on in the UK and the Chinese Floral Association proposed it to the Standing more money to do research, and every from funding sources. In some sociological observation. In reality, COMMENT by JOSEPH STIGLITZ Committee of the National People’or back Congress, to the peony? but a decision was nation needs as much good science as disciplines it is becoming difficult to what makes scientific knowledge so about whether there is a link between put off. And it is only getting harder—parting with the austere it can get. But good science is find academic scientists who are not credible is that it is produced by an autism and the MMR vaccine. While habits of the early communist era means Chinese people are expensive: so if some perfectly in some way dependent on corporate parents want a choice of vaccinations, beginning to enjoy flower shopping, breeding and gifting. China reputable company is prepared to pay support. The bodies that fund and has in recent years become one of the largest flower growing public health experts warn of a disaster and consuming countries in the world. By the end of 2000, China for it, why be choosy? Industrial publish research are now asking open, imaginative, self-critical, Crony capitalism, American-styleproduced 2.7 billion fresh flowers and its exports abroad hit $260 research is an immense asset to specialist referees and authors to disinterested, communal process. It is in the making. million. Tropical orchids, sweet-scented osmanthus, bright society, not least in advancing declare all such connections, in casethese institutionalcharacteristics of azaleas, snow-white lilies and Holland tulips all vie for attention at Beijing’s 10-odd flower markets. scientific knowledge. But commercial these might seem to affect their scientific research that win our ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ emember the East Asia crisis? When the US Treasury and its IMF alliesowners and managers have a natural incentive to present a picture as rosy as firms are not philanthropies. They are scientific judgement. Disclosure of worldly-wise trust. People seldom blamed that region’s problems on crony capitalism, lack of transparency,possible. Auditing is intended to put limits on potential abuses. But who under constant competitive pressures; ‘conflict of interest’ is becoming as appreciate how deeply these Rand poor corporate governance? Countries were told to follow the audits the auditors? shareholders expect a return on their mandatory in the world of science ascharacteristics are woven into the Public health vs individual choice American model, use American auditing firms, bring in American entrepreneurs We rely heavily onincentives . Auditors wish to maintain their reputa- to teach them how to run their companies. But the unfolding Enron scandal investment. Even when not trying to in politics and law. university tradition. For example, The MMR debate goes to the heart of the relationship tion. But the interlinking of consulting and auditing practices puts other brings new meaning to a favourite (IPS) lecturers and professors are not tested between the individual and society. This is an age in which perverse incentives in place: an incentive American saying: “What goes around for their expertise, nor employed to people expect to exercise choice; but there are times when to please the clients, who dislike the collective good must prevail. The great programmes comes around.” unfavourable reports. Arthur Levitt, against cholera, polio and smallpox could never have taken Enron used fancy accounting tricks and former Chairman of the Securities and place had they not been enforced. Yet here we have the complicated financial products (derivatives) Exchange Commission, recognised that as makings of a public health disaster, with drift, fear and to mislead investors about its value. It used many within the auditing firms focus on confusion. The unconfirmed findings of maverick scientists its money to buy influence and power, their own short-term interests, the such as Dr Andrew Wakefield prey upon a public which has shape US energy policy, and avoid integrity of the audits could be compro- grown at once more consumerist and more sceptical of regulations. Crony capitalism isn’t new; authority, with good reason after the BSE and foot and mised. But auditing firms and their nor is it the province of a single party. corporate clients roundly attacked his mouth fiascos. Former US Treasury Secretary Robert The new risks are much greater than any arising from proposal for separating consulting from Rubin reportedly tried to influence the auditing. What Levitt grasped, and what the use of the combination vaccine for measles, mumps current government to intervene on behalf and rubella. The overwhelming factual evidence is that there is no risk from the MMR vaccine the Enron debacle shows so clearly, is itself. Dr Wakefield’s unorthodox work has been confounded by more rigorous studies inof Enron in its dispute in India. In office, that incentives matter, but that unfettered Britain and elsewhere, which show there is no link between autism and MMR. he had intervened when the supposedly markets themselves may not provide the To prevent epidemics, 95 per cent of the population needs to be covered by inoculation.independent board setting accounting right ones. The new economy and its The proportion now covered by MMR has fallen to 86 per cent. Tony Blair must urgently standards tried to clean up the accounting complicated new financial instruments square up to his responsibilities. His mulish refusal to disclose his own decision over babyof senior executives’ share options. Partly enhance the problems of reliable Leo has compounded public doubt. He is, we accept, entitled to privacy but in this respectdue heto him, this effort to make corporate accounting frameworks, making it easier is like any other parent who must expose his child to a negligible risk in the interests of accountinga transparent was stymied. to obfuscate. But corporate America turns greater public good. On such matters privacy becomes more of a luxury than a right. America’s willingness to provide its back, aided and abetted by crony The government must now launch a massive educational offensive. The campaign multi-billionmust dollar bail-outs to airlines not be patronising or needlessly frightening. It must avoid the lofty mandarin arrogance capitalism, American style. or create cartels to protect its steel and The central issue is finding the right which so incensed the public when the scale of the BSE disaster became apparent. Andaluminium it industries suggests that free should address frankly the fears of people caught in doubt and dilemma, who are worried Enron forces us to ask: how do we balance between the government and the market ideology is but a thin guise for market. The status quo will argue that about the unexplained rise in the number of diagnosed cases of autism. old-fashioned corporate welfare: give to those with connections. Enron was Perhaps, too, we can learn from the French who offer the alternative of single jabs. There balance governmentEnron isand an exception: the thatmarket? its demise was due to fraud, that we have laws not bailed out and the problems were uncovered—some say testimony to the are serious problems with this approach: when it was used for whooping cough○○○○ in the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ against fraud, and that those who violate these laws should and will bear the 1970s, coverage collapsed and there were two epidemics with 100 avoidable deaths. Single consequences. But much of what Enron did was not illegal. Its auditors claim jabs for measles, mumps and rubella require six acts of vaccination, and increase the risk its central practices were within the law; that thousands of firms do the same. of infection. Single vaccines imported to meet the current shortage have not been licensed They are right. And that’s the problem. Investors need assurance that the or tested for toxicity. But there has been no row in France and little resistance to triple absence of crony capitalism. I believe it is testimony to the importance informationof a received adequately reflects the economic situation of a firm. inoculation because the policy has been less dogmatic and allows a degree of choice while free press, which can curtail abuses. As the press started looking more closelyWithin the current regulatory and legal environment, with derivatives and still putting a premium on the common good. other off-balance-sheet liabilities, there is no way for investors to have that The government must regain control of this issue, and quickly. at Enron, the number of members of Congress who had accepted money from Enron became clear. Campaign contributions were not just a matterassurance of today. We need better standards and stronger laws. While we will public spirit, but an investment. never be able to prevent all abuses, we can get the incentives right. Many lessons emerge. Some concern politics: the case for campaign finance reform in the US is strengthened, as is the need for stronger laws requiring public disclosure. The Bush administration, for instance, refuses to disclose information to clarify the role of corporate interests in its energy policy. Other lessons concern the economics of information. For markets to(Project Syndicate) work, appropriate signals for efficient resource allocation must be provided, (Guardian) investors must have information. There are inherent conflicts of interest: (Joseph Stiglitz, professor of economics at Columbia University, was formerly Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the World Bank.) 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES CULTURE AND SOCIETY 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 13 Kangresi meet Money for jobs business resumed after Ishwor NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ Pokhrel, UML Standing Commit- Bimarsha, 8 February Deshantar,10 February tee Member and adviser to late prime minister Man Mohan It’s politics, stupid! Adhikari, permitted the company (Excerpts of an article describing Following raids by the tax depart- what actually happened at a 6-7 ment two weeks ago, instances of to resume work once again. THE SOUND OF WOMEN’S VOICES: Editorial in Himal Khabarpatrika, 13-27 February February closed-door meeting of thefraud by owners of manpower ruling Nepali Congress.) companies have come to light. India is sticking to its contention that Nepal’s exports of vanaspati ghiu, acrylic fibre, zinc oxide, According to a source in Lumbini Under-19s copper wire, etc have seen an “unnatural surge” since the 1996 treaty, which is going to expire Overseas, the○○○○ company chief ○○○○○○○○○○○○ Gunjan in a few weeks. India has already stuck an “anti-dumping duty” on zinc oxide andSushil other Koirala Nepali the general secretaryMadhu Lamsal has been sending Rajdhani, 12 February exports. To be sure, some of India’s concerns about the manufacture of these itemshad presented and the the party’s assessmentunwitting Nepali labourers to impact of the process on employment are legitimate. But will the problems of Indo-Nepalof the emergency trade rule, and Prime South Korea as “trainee workers” Excerpts from an interview with woman writer, according tocannot write freely, they cannot meet treaty be resolved just by addressing the issue of these controversial items? Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was and pocketing the money. Lumbini Binod Das, captain of the under-19 Virginia Woolf, must havefreely, they cannot travel freely, they The Indian anti-dumpingasked to respond. He replied that Nepali cricket team two things: an independentcannot gain the same exposure to tariffs have not just been Overseas is the one company A the party’s assessment was partly source of income and a room of world literature as their male counter- slapped on zinc oxide, the permitted to send Nepali labourers her own. True, the Bronte sistersparts. But the fact remains that when export of Nepali steeltrue, butrods that to most of the report to South Korea, and it is hood- wrote, and brilliantly, in an absencewomen do write excellently, this is India is also beingrevolved stopped around what had appearedwinking the labourers. It makes of these things. Jane Austen attributed to sheer chance—or because they don’tin thehave papers, the which was not each worker pay a refundable shoved her novel under the sofa attempts are made to undermine Indian standards reliable.seal. Non-tariffHe then said that he had deposit of Rs 100,000. Once in when visitors dropped by—and yettheir stature by questioning their barriers such as anotherquarantine meeting to attend and South Korea, the labourers forget she produced excellent fiction. personal lives. Women writers are rules are being enforced on wanted to leave. Party members shot to ask for their refund, and the George Eliot wrote, and did so simply not granted the kind of author- they laughed and tittered in play locked vehicles keep rolling Play with such force that all the traditional Nepaliback agricultural asking how he could do that, profoundly. And what about the ity as men in Nepali society. pushing and shoving each other,transporting empty passengers strings break exports. The export to India of company does not remind them to knowing that the party was meeting. poet Emily Dickinson? Didn’t she Gunjan was formed in 1998 to these young women transporting empty breasts don’t let life get intoxicated Nepali Ilam tea is being ob- collect either. The company routes write some of the world’s finest amplify the voices of Nepali women At that point, Deuba promised to stay so full of life in the silence one hears wails Sing with such power that the structed. this money back to its accounts poems? writers. To overcome limitations on and sobs raga breaks What’s more, oneven at all theparty export meetings in future. through deposits in a number of The fact is that these writers women’s mobility, the group holds The controversial party report After five or seven days: covered volcanoes don’t let life become insensible of toothpaste manufactured in finance companies and banks in the are exceptions: the vast majority ofmonthly meetings on literary issues, those same stalks, now bent in in the emptiness, lives and Nepal by Indian multinationalssays that the government has not capital. Dhruba Kumar Sharma, a women writers have succumbed andto also organises larger literary abashment deaths Don’t let emptiness quash has been stoppedbeen because able to control of the Maoists inMinistry of Labour and Transport literary anonymity because they events. Its members are writers and decked with golden flowers become accursed Don’t let silence prickle the retroactive imposition of accordance with the mandate givenspokesman, says it is illegal to ask could not compete—with their poets Padmavati Singh, Bhagirathi like brides arriving at their new Colour life by playing Indian taxes. Whatto itis by clear the party. is Basing its Are you satisfied with the hands tied—against their male Shrestha, Bhuvan Dhungana, homes Lives are making merry the strings of a guitar that the real reason for the for such deposits. counterparts. In Nepal, not surpris-Hiranya Kumari Pathak, Chandrakala conclusions on the information Some workers who have team’s overall performance deaths are joking and jesting Break the emotions by rubbing breakdown of trade relations ingly, the number of women writersNewar, Usha Sherchan, Gita Keshari, After some time: from close up all re-examine the the sharp strings of a sitar between India andprovided Nepal by is the not Chief District returned from South Korea in the under-19 World Cup? is minuscule, compared to men.Sulochana Manandhar, Pratisara Officers, the report says the As the captain of the team, I am how they had stooped, these other entirely the 1996 treaty. complain that they have not been Parijat is the single name amongSayami, Gyanu Pandey, Susmita stalks carrying pathetic laughter So that all becomes bloody— The ruling BJP in India has able to get their deposits back. fully satisfied with Nepal’s those canonised as Great Writers.Nepal and Mridula Sharma. like trees burdened with fruit piercing with frightful cries Make life awake from the dream always been critical of the treaty. “Despite asking, about 80 percent performance. We performed well. In her wake, poets and writers Many of these women are accom- like a wife preparing to bear a From the space between fingers realms For the last three years, the of my friends haven’t got their such as Dev Kumari Thapa, Toyaplished poets, writers, journalists, new life pitiful life peeks out with the piercing of instrument Indian government has been deposits back,” says a returnee. In Whom do you owe this Gurung, Banira Giri and Prema songwriters and columnists in their death peeks out as well strings angered by two things: what it success to? Shah have countered great odds ownto right; I have translated, below, Today again I saw the same In a voice that breaks in unison Come, demolish the emptiness. sees as a treaty harmful to 1994, the Labour Ministry allowed This was a group effort. The establish themselves in the literarythe poems of two. The first was stalks from the gutter Awaking from a dream. Indian economic interests, and companies to charge each indi- field. They are followed by womenoriginally written by Pratisara Sayami vidual Rs 62,500 as service fees. In principal effort was made by our Sri turned into straw life also flows Come, demolish the emptiness. its perception that Nepal is such as Manju Kanchuli, Maya in Newari; I have translated it from its and laid out on the fields: life also flows Awakening from a dream. allowing Pakistani intelligence 1996 the amount increased to Rs Lankan coach Roy Dayas. We need Thakuri, Sita Pandey, Benju Nepali translation in Newari Bhasaka him. like a woman just through voices cry in unison (ISI) to operate in Nepal. 79,800. Lumbini Overseas has Sharma and others. However, Kehi Adhunik Kabita. with delivery voices slice time Oh! Who’s trying to break Clearly, that there are political reasons why our economic and trade relations with India are been adding Rs 100,000 to the because of women’s financial (perform an operation) through again never on an even keel. It could be that the reason for the difficulty in suppressing the Maoist service charge. But since people are Although Nepal’s performance dependence on their families, their like the bloodless face —these soft waves insurgency is also this iciness in political relations. desperate for employment, and throughout the championship weak social support structures, of a woman suffering anaemia Don’t get in a frenzy to kill the Oh! Why are they laughing again Nepal must therefore tackle the political roots of the crisis in renewing the trade treaty with was good, the final game with and the many constraints to their foetus —these frightful deaths India. We suffer more than India when bilateral relations take a knock, so it is in our own given the peace and security intellectual and physical mobility, situation in the country and the Zimbabwe wasn’t so… The second poem is by Usha before rays of hope get to shine Look! Those who plot to take life pragmatic interest to be proactive in this. We need know: what does India want from us? If their they are easily hushed by men Sherchan, a songwriter and writerdon’t get in a rage to set the dam by tricking it into laughter concerns and demands are legitimate, His Majesty’s Government must address them, if lack of jobs, they are willing to pay Zimbabwe is a better team than we writers. Part of the problem is are, and on top of that, they won of muktak, traditional quatrains. before tides of emotion get to Look! Those who plan to take they’re not, it should inform the people that they’re not. But just sitting around twiddling our any amount as long as their jobs practical: the quality of women’s This poem comes from a poetry flow life thumbsFront-page is not goingad in India’sto get usEconomic anywhere. Times, It’s the9 February politics, stupid. are guaranteed. And so it has the toss, which proved fatal for us. writing does suffer because they collection titled Najanmeka Allow life to play without thought by flirting with life government has not been able to become easier for companies to They elected to bat first and gave Aasthaharu. for propriety Look! Those who think of taking effectively coordinate the activity ofpocket extra money. Lumbini us a target of 247 runs. We were IN THE SHADOWS OF LIFE IN THE BEGGING shattering the long emptiness life the security forces. In fact, the Finance, established in 1994, was under a lot of pressure and our breaking the long silence by playing with life report said, the government is evenpermitted to export labour after it batsmen only that 247 in mind. So THE PADDY STALKS BOWL OF DEATH allow life to turn over unable to pay informants and even we just started hitting ever ball we allow life to gain new dimesions There…look signed an understanding with the PRATISARA SAYAMI USHA SHERCHAN for the fuel and rent of cars that haveKorean Federation of Industries. faced, which meant we lost wickets There…look To make anticipation rest Death just sauntered by been deputed for security work. TheThere was demand for a little over faster. Our fielding and bowling Next to the road I had reached: Emptiness…emptiness…ultimate the nerves have begun tingling leaving behind anticipation report also charges that the govern-1,000 workers in 1994, and for 400weren’t that great either. insensibility has begun to take Death just turned away ment with being responsible for the green, quivering paddy stalks emptiness labourers in 1996. Ministry records As soon as the breeze started in a gigantic cage hold taking with it sweet hope gradual erosion of civil rule, becauseshow the company has sent 2,988 In your personal opinion, the CDOs do not have the power topeople to Korea. The company who were the top players on make executive decisions. It also hasn’t advertised in accordance the Nepali team? charges the government with tryingwith the law, and it also does not Bardaan Chalise performed to spread the message that ‘develop-have proper papers for a number of especially well. He batted and ment is possible only during an bowled very well. Shakti, Manjit, QUOTE OF THE WEEK the workers, who it sends to South emergency, not under democracy’ Korea via Delhi. and Lakpa also played very well. which, it says, smacks of dictatorial The Nepal Rastra Bank has Shakti couldn’t bat as well, but his We have been bribing administration with the money we should be paying in tax, for which the nation istendencies, and gives rise to bowling was splendid. Overall, Run for fun… paying a heavy price. also suffered in its dealings with the suspicions of possible corruption. Thecompany, which has yet to everyone played well. … or to win Nepal’s first city marathon. report also says the government has ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ —Rajendra Khetan, industrialist, in reimburse the bank of a large Deshantar, 10 February forgotten the goal of the emergency amount of capital. Lamsal has Nepal’s batting was compara- and reminds it that the declaration wasremoved himself safely from the tively weaker than its Something like this was direly needed to make people realise for tackling “terrorists” and institutingcompany and is going around fielding and bowling… that life must go on, and the organisers couldn’t have picked a law and order, to enable the people tosaying he can displace Labour To be frank, our batting wasn’t better place to hold the run, giving the hospitality business in live in peace. The report also says thatMinister Palden Gurung in a that good. We have always been Pokhara a much-needed boost. By all accounts, people are ex- ministers have been focusing on second. As a result, a committee weak on the batting front, but cited—Bhattarai expects at least 50 competitors from different appointments, transfers, promotions has been set up at the Ministry to after coach Dayas came we have countries to participate in the full international length 42.195 km and contracting out works, which look into the activities of Lamsal improved a lot. We were able to marathon. would not send a positive message to and Lumbini Overseas. Under play the full 50 overs. In future, we The Pokhara Marathon will be more than just one long run the common citizens… The party Secretary of the Ministry Basanta will watch our batting in particu- around the lake city. It will be even more than promoting Pokhara report also says the government must Kumar Upadhayaya has indicated lar. Our bowling and fielding were as destination paradise or the usual suspects of peace and national take full responsibility for everything that Lamsal has worked in really appreciated in every place we solidarity. What this really is, is a warm-up, as it were, for some- that happens during the emergency…accordance with Ministry regula- played in New Zealand. thing truly out of this world—the Cross Country Mountain Shailaja Acharya (former prime tions, but that the Ministry’s Marathon from Pokhara to Lo Manthang planned for later this minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s directions might themselves be What needs to be done so year. The race circuit will include villages of different ethnicities in niece, who was voted out of controversial. While it has been this team can move forward? the Annapurna Conservation Area and is planned to challenge the parliament in May-June 1999) alsodecided to set up a high-level Our bowling and fielding are participants, and also highlight the challenges that Mustang’s had a chance to have her say. “I saidcommittee to look into the strong, but if we get special cultural heritage and natural environment face in the future. Says earlier that we should not make Sherfunctioning of the ministry, it is yet training from a batting expert, we Bhattarai, “ A sporting event of this magnitude will not only help Bahadur prime minister because heto be finalised whether the will be the best team in the world. highlight Nepal’s prospects in adventure tourism, it will give is a weakling,” she said. But he committee should be chaired by a prominence to our own sportspersons.” was, she added, elaborating that judge or another high-ranking What is your message to For now, though, there is the Pokhara city marathon to Sushil Koirala and Deuba were official, says Adhikari. This is not Nepali cricket lovers? S contend with—and there’s plenty at stake. First, second and third “conspirators”, and even though the first time a committee has been The appreciation and encourage- place winners will receive Rs 25,000, Rs 15,000, and Rs 10,000 Koirala opposed Deuba in public,set up to look into the dealings of ment we got from our Nepali respectively, along with the obligatory shields and certificates. The the two had clandestine meetingsLumbini Overseas. The firm was fans was invaluable. Give us first under-19 participant completing the run in two hours and 45 at night. “Both of them are even closed down once, but some time, and we will give you minutes or less—the Nepal Amateur Athletic Association record—will useless,” said Shailaja. surprising results. ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY receive a cash prize of Rs 10,000. The first ten competitors to complete ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ the race will also receive gifts and certificates. The marathon will start o what if trekking, rafting and the rest of it seem a little iffy infrom the Pokhara Stadium where participants will gather at 8AM for a many parts of the country now. For those of you who like to getmedical check-up, and from where they will leave shortly after. There a little sweaty, the Pokhara Marathon 2002, being organised bywill also be a non-competitive Run for Fun Contest with prizes and the Nepal Ex-Athletes Forum and the Nepal Amateur Athletics gifts. The marathon is free and anyone can—and is encouraged to call, Loudspeaker: National democratic alliance Association, might be just the ticket. “There are city marathons all email, or just show up, and run for it! Voice: Turn around and say it louder over the world,” says Ganesh Bhattarai, coordinator of the Pokhara Himalaya Times, 10 February Marathon 2002. “We thought, why not give Nepal it’s own. And this won’t be the last one either.” 14 CITY 15 - 21 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2002 TIMES ARCHITECTURE 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES 15

ABOUT TOWN YAK YETI YAK by MIKU

EXHIBITION Prints and paintings by Uma Shankar Shah. Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited. And the winner is… Until 15 March, 11AM-6PM. Discover Japan through contemporary posters Nepal Art Council, 15-22 February, 10AM- 4PM. Embassy of Japan, Nepal Art Council, The Japan Foundation. Wind of the Spirit Korean contemporary artists on show at the Nepal Association of Fine Arts Hall, Naxal. 15-21 February, 11AM-5PM. 270417 Spring collection 2002 Watercolour paintings of flowers and botanical art by Neera J.Pradhan. Until 25 February, Park Gallery, Pulchowk, 10AM-6PM, except Saturdays. 522307

EVENTS Phillips Saturday Bowling Each Bowler rolls three games, the bowler with highest average designing Nanglo score wins Free Phillips systems. Rs 500, 16 February, 12PM onwards, Bowling Boulevard, BOOKWORM outlets. Kantipath. [email protected] The entries were The Art of Peace: Nobel Peace Laureates discuss Human Rights, Conflict and judged by an international Nepali classical dance and folk music at Hotel Vajra. Dances of Hindu and Buddhist godsReconciliation Jeffrey Hopkins, ed jury including Uttam Shrestha, Tuesdays and Fridays, 7PM onwards, the Great Pagoda Hall. Ticket and tea Rs 400. Nepali folkSnow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York, 2000 president of the Society of tunes Wednesdays and Saturdays, 6.30PM onwards, hotel restaurant. Hotel Vajra. 271545 Rs 1,845 Nepalese Architects, Dr Neils Gutschow, professor of architecture, V-Day isn’t over yet Valentine’s celebrations with 1974 AD and buffet dinner. 16 February, José Ramos-Horta from East Timor, Betty Williams from Northern Ireland, Rigoberta Menchú Masterplan of Tom Crees’ award-winning design Rs 600 per head, La’Soon Restaurant and Vinotheque, Pulchowk. 535290 Germany, RK Sahu, professor of Tum from Guatemala, Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa, Oscar Arias Sánchez from (above) and perspective (below). Costa Rica, Bobby Muller, co-founder International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Jody Williams architecture, India, and Don Treese, from the US, the Dalai Lama from Tibet and Harn Yawnghwe for Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma professor of architecture, USA. The MUSIC jury then passed on their appraisals Harmony Evening of music, painting and sculpture. Rs 250, with refreshments.discuss Artscape their views and practical experiences to deal with conflict and human rights violations and effect reconcilia- tion. to ICIMOD’s Board of Governors at Gallery, Newa Guest House, opposite East Meets West Music Box, Thamel. 256411 their meeting last December. Crees, Shah and Weise all made it to the Live music by Catch 22, Tuesday and Friday nights at the 40,000 ½ ft Bar, RumAn Open Doodle Heart: Practising Compassion in Everyday Life The Dalai Lama, ed Nicholas Restaurant, Thamel. 414336 final round, after which they had Vreeland some time to refine their designs Hodder and Stoughton, London, 2001 further. Finally, says Shrestha, who DRINK Rs 575 14 leading Nepali architectural firms meeting the PhD on common ground. served as coordinator of the Herb vodka, your cocktail recipes at the Corner Bar, Radisson Hotel. 411818This volume is aimed at giving the reader a basic understanding of Buddhism and some of the key all focused on providing innovative, This is to be an exciting complex competition, “The jury evaluated the methods by which Buddhist practitioners have cultivated compassion and wisdom in their lives. quality designs for pretty much the which will rub off onto the people plus and minus points of the final FOOD One doesn’t have to be Buddhist to use these meditation techniques. Meditation can be thought of same cost, Crees’ project apparently who use it,” says Crees. Crees, who designs, and the ICIMOD Board Pasta Pronto Choose your pasta shape and ingredi- as a way by which we diminish the force of old thought habits and develop new ones. met ICIMOD’s myriad needs best. “I also designed the UNDP complex made the final selection on the basis ents to be combined by the chef. Rs 325 vegetarian, Rs RAMYATA LIMBU tried to imagine the mountain farmer back in 1976, is better known for of their requirements.” Ultimate Healing: The Power of Compassion Lama Zopa Rinpoche ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ construction project is undertaken, 425, non-vegetarian. Until 28 February, Alfresco, Hotel particularly by organisations that hope Soaltee Crowne Plaza. 273999 Wisdom Publications, Boston, om Crees has another feather in Rs 1,365 his cap. The Kathmandu-based to be part of the cultural and social fabric of its surroundings. Architects Tibetan Lhosar 15 February, Stupa View Restaurant, We experience illness on a physical level, but to be healed, we must understand that true healing Tarchitect’s design just won first entering the competition had to best Baudhanath Stupa. 480262 begins in our hearts and minds. Lama Zopa Rinpoche helps us recognise the roots of illness and prize in the design competition held by the International Centre for interpret ICIMOD’s long list of gives us the tools to create our future happiness. He addresses the central role of karma and the Perfect Symphony Dark or white chocolate mousse with fresh coffee. The Piano Integrated Mountain Development, requirements—and stay within the Lounge, Hotel Yak & Yeti. 248999 mental habit of ‘labelling’ in causing illness and shows how developing compassion through ICIMOD, for its proposed headquar- Centre’s $1 million budget for the Hawkers Centre Street food cooked right before you, including kathi rolls, fish meditation can eliminate disease. ters at Khumaltar, Lalitpur. project. “There were lots of specific amritsari, nasi goreng, pav bhaji, noodle soup, desserts. The Café at Hyatt Regency “It is about time we have a demands, complex requirements,” says Kathmandu. 491234 Kumari Shobha Vijaya Malla, Philip H Pierce, trans. permanent home of our own,” says an Archiplan’s Biresh Shah, one of the Royal Nepal Academy, Kathmandu, 2001 ICIMOD official. “And we want the three finalists. “The architecture should Sandwiches Over the Rainbow American Diner has reopened. Fifth Avenue sand- Rs 117 wiches, full meals at backpacker prices. Opposite Pilgrims Book House, Thamel. 42651 initiation of the building to coincide reflect ICIMOD’s development First published in 1982 in Nepali, this work is a fictional study of the love between a living with the International Year of the approach and the needs of an institu- Chef special luncheons For office-goers at special rates, 12 noon-3PM daily,goddess and an educated youth who fails to be swayed by the belief that she is supposed to bring Mountain.” But ICIMOD didn’t just tional building. It was certainly Dwarika’s Hotel. 479488. an early death to her husband. Malla displays his trademark ability to probe into his characters’ want any old place to call its own. challenging.” Patan Museum Café Mixed menu, garden seating. Lunch only, 11AM—2PM. 25psychology percent and probes the disjuncture between tradition and modernity in Kumari worship. They wanted it to be modern—wired, Says Kai PrasadWeise, who tied off with Summit Card. 526271 efficient, and earthquake- and fire-safe, with Shah for second place, “What’s Singaporean and Malaysian food Satay, rice, soymilk dishes, curry puffs and more. but also show respect for the architec- good is that there was a design Between Jawalakhel fire station and St Mary’s School. Sing Ma, the Food Court. tural heritage of their home city. They competition. It was fair and the jury [email protected]. 520004 wanted a building that would reflect was good.” Most participants as well as their mandate to promote sustainable other architects concur—in a country Winter Specials Hot mulled wine, ratatouille-filled pancakes, Chicken hoisin. Kilroy’s mountain development, and encouragewhere few competitions take place, they of Kathmandu, Thamel. 250440 Courtesy Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711, [email protected] say, and projects are won on the basis of ○○○○○○○○○○○ the transparency and teamwork the Barbecue lunch with complimentary wine or beer for adults, soft drink for children. Centre strives for. connections and low costs, rather than Saturdays at the Godavari Village Resort, Rs 650 per head. 560675 So what did they do? They held a the quality of work, ICIMOD’s CLASSIFIED design contest, as is done so often competition could start a trend. For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. around the world when a major new Selected from designs submitted by GETAWAYS ○○○○○○ Taste the difference Cosy Nepali-style house on an Reflexology! The therapist applies alternatingK-Too! Beer and Steakhouse not the “longest”, organic farm in Gamcha, south of Thimi. Up to Rs 1,200 pressure to the feet. It reduces stress, “highest”, “first” or any other superlative. Just a per person per night including meals. promotes relaxation and good health. Email relaxed, easy-going bar and restaurant with the [email protected]. 631766 [email protected] or ring 410735. coldest beer and juiciest steaks this side of the moon. By the Kathmandu Guest House. 433043 HAPPENINGS Muktinath Darshan Two nights/three days on B&B basis with Pokhara/Jomsom/Pokhara flights and Stupa iewV and Restauranterrace & T at airport, resort transfers. Indian nationals Rs 6,999 per Baudhanath Stupa. Well-appointed restaurant and HMB Mountain Biking Have your bike serviced or head, expats $250 per head. Jomsom Mountain Resort, terraces with views of stupa and Himalayas. repaired by HMB’s Professional Mechanics at the [email protected] or [email protected]. International vegetarian specialties, pizza from clay HMB Workshop. Riding gear, accessories and parts 496110 oven, ice cream, soft guitar tunes on Fridays, available. Second hand bikes bought/sold/hired. New Saturdays, Sundays from 5PM on. Special events onand reconditioned mountain bikes for sale. Himalayan full moon. Open daily 11AM-8.30PM. 480262. Mountain Bikes—Tours and Expeditions. 437437. Escape to Nagarkot Special packages for Nepalis and expats at The Tea House Inn. Singles Rs 800 B&B, couples Rs 1,200 B&B. 410432, 680048

Heritage Package Two-night package with six-course Nepali dinner, massage, breakfast, $155 per couple, Dwarika’s Hotel. 479488

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] on FM 102.4 NEPAL PEACE RIDE 2002: Royal Enfield motorbike enthusiasts on their NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL way to Pokhara from Kathmandu in the two-day motorcyle rally on 9 Feburary. DSES-13-02-2002 0400 GMT Nothing much to report for the coming week. Expect breezy afternoons with clear skies with a gradual increase in Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today maximum temperature, misty mornings clearing by 10 am. The westerly that dumped nearly 20 mm of rain in Sat 0615-0645 BBC Science in Action Kathmandu valley on Monday night has now moved on, Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda eastern Nepal will still see some cloud cover while some high altitude cloud will move swiftly across the central NepalDaily 2045-2115 BBC skies as well. A weak westerly front will pass through during the early part of next week but without much g]]kfnL]]] ;]]jf]]] precipitation. A massive high pressure area reigns over northern India and the Tibetan plateau and this should keep g]]kfnL]]] ;]]jf]]] things quiet for a while. Daily 2245-2300 BBC

KATHMANDU VALLEY Radio Sagarmatha

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227KUNDA DIXIT BALLOON AT SUNRISE: A hot air balloon taking advantage of a glorious E-mail: [email protected] Himalayan morning over Kathmandu Valley for a sight-seeing flight on 20-06 21-05 21-06 22-06 23-04 /l8of] ] ;u/dfyf www.radiosagarmatha.org 12 Feburary. 16 15 - 21 FEBRUARY NEPALI 2002 TIMES Under My Hat

by Kunda Dixit The taxman cometh s conscientious Nepali tax payers, it is deeply This technique, which involves actual physical contact at the satisfying for many of us to see that the government sub-cuticular level, between the taxman and the payee has Ais putting our hard-earned taxes to good use by guaranteed efficacy. It is currently being used with excellent coming up with creative new ideas for new taxes. In this results by certain underground parties which shall remain way, some of us who still have some disposable income will nameless till the state of national emergency is lifted. not just be sitting unproductively on our non-performing 2. Graft Tax. The Ministry of Finance should assets, but will get off our butts. immediately set up a Department of Kickbacks where the Still, this is not the time to hem and haw, or for ifs and 10 percent VAT, 2 percent Service Charge and 4 percent buts. It is the time for every Nepali of taxable age to ask National Security Surcharge will be levied on every kickback himself and herself some wrenching questions: is the and bribe given or received within the kingdom. government doing enough? Is it leaving any stones un- 3.Capital Flight Levy. All monies overturned to enlarge the tax bracket and apprehended at the capital’s airport widen the tax net? My personal feeling awaiting boarding will be slapped a 50 (and this is entirely my opinion and percent tariff before departure. Out- does not in any way reflect the opinions, bound flights will be affected, but what if any, of my present employers, or of the the heck, they already are. various organisms that I have worked for 4. Adulteration Tax. All fuel in the past, and may work for in the adulterers throughout the kingdom future) is that it is not. The government is will have to mandatorily add 5 percent not doing enough. It is being complacent. more kerosene to the diesel they sell at It is hesitating to go boldly forth where no gas stations over beyond the present government has gone before to come up with 50 percent adulteration they carry new things to tax. At this rate, will it ever out, and hand over the take to the meet the Tenth Plan targets for profligacy, Nepal Oil Corruption. Revenue waste and revenue leakage? thus generated will be used as a In the interest of transparency, it is my Hedge Fund to bail out petrol civic duty at the present juncture to bring to stations in case adulteration is the attention of my esteemed readers that there banned in future. may be a slight conflict of interest in going any further with 5. Sunshine Tax. It has come to the notice of the Tax this column since the Ministry of Finance, Pvt (Ltd) has Department that wage earners have been sun bathing on the just hired this scribe (hitherto known as “yours truly”, and terrace for free. A solar tax has therefore been slapped at a hereinafter referred to as “me”) as a consultant to advise the flat rate of Rs 100 per head per hour of sunshine. A Lunar government on a more futuristic tax policy. But in the Tax will also be announced soon to tax the income of national interest it is my duty to privately leak to you the moonlighters. salient points of my suggested recommendations to The above five bright ideas will put the government in the MoF: a comfortable position to meet any exigencies by mobilising 1. Torture. The government has stopped short of using internal resources, and reduce our dependence on donor this time-tested revenue-raising method on tax dodgers. support.

NEPALI SOCIETY Nepalki chhori Helen f you close your eyes when you speak to Helen Eikeland, you could easily imagineI you are talking to someone born in Gorkha. And you’d be right. The 34-year-old Norwegian her friends in school with her was born in Ampipal, where love for Nepal. They memorised her father was a teacher at the Nepali songs that she sang, famous Luitel School run by the and one of Helen’s Norwegian United Mission Nepal. She was friends who has never been to born at home, Nepali-style, and Nepal can sing Narayan Gopal was named after a Canadian songs by heart to this day. doctor at the Ampipal Hospital Helen returned to Nepal in who helped in the delivery. 1994 with her husband Harald, Helen grew up in Gorkha and joining the UMN, and both now Kathmandu till she was eleven, teach at Mahendra Bhawan and her mother encouraged School. “I wasn’t going to her to go out and play guccha marry anyone who wasn’t and luka mari with her Nepali prepared to return to Nepal friends on Ampipial Bhanjyang, with me,” she says. And fly changa in Sanepa, munch Harald has learnt Nepali as makai and titaura with the well. “Being married to didis who also picked jumra someone so dedicated to from her hair (jumra change Nepal, you have to,” he quips. their colour chameleon-like, so Helen sometimes meets Nepali jumra turned blonde in Nepalis she grew up with in Helen’s hair). the most unusual places: like a It was this total immersion in childhood friend from Sanepa KUNDA DIXIT KUNDA Nepal that gave Helen her fluent, she ran into after 25 years--at unaccented Nepali. We have Vienna airport. Both recog- heard a lot of foreigners speaknai ho,” Helen says about how nised each other immediately. Nepali: British Gurkha officers,her father passed on his love and Returning to Nepal has given Peace Corps volunteers, and respect for the Nepali people to Helen a chance to fulfil her Jesuit Priests, but there aren’t her. “He taught us to appreciate lifelong dream of helping her many with Helen’s colloquial what was good in the Nepali way other motherland. “Nepal is going smoothness. “Malai Nepali of life, and be a part of the through a difficult period,” she maya garaune mero buwa language and the culture.” says in flawless Nepali, “but I After going back to Norway at know first hand about how age 11, Helen managed to infect strong and resilient Nepalis are. We will pull through this.” We like the “we”. Use our advantage to yours

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