#291 24 - 30 March 2006 16 pages Rs 30 Nearer and nearer ou don’t have to go far to see the face of war these Y days. Just drive to Thankot, down to Malekhu and along the picturesque highway that in peacetime used to take Editorial p2 ’s Violence is a deadend weekenders to resorts in Kurintar and Manakamana. At Fisling, where white water rafters still launch their boats (right), there are charred hulks of tankers destroyed by Maoists to enforce their blockade. Further up the road on Wednesday, army commandos in full battle gear were massed around armoured personnel carriers. Full story p13 KIRAN PANDAY

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Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editor: Marty Logan Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Vicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh Sayami Advertising: Sambhu Guragain [email protected] Subscription: [email protected] Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur [email protected], GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu Tel: 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 Could get worse But it’s not too late to prevent new bloodshed VIOLENCE IS A DEADEND anakala couldn’t finish her attempts to convince them throughout the tarai from Bardiya her story. Her voice that a boy they were beating was By renewing their pact with the Maoists last week, the parties have to Ilam. Vigilante leaders in once more shown that they can bring the rebels out of the jungles if M cracked, her body began not a rebel, but just a 14-year- Rupandehi and Nawalparasi they had more support. By standing their ground on the dispute over shaking and she fainted right old neighbour from the village. admitted that they received a joint statement that threatened to scuttle the talks, they sent a clear before our eyes. The memories The war that came to this official government support, message that there is a price for the legitimacy the rebels gain from of three nights earlier, when elderly Palpa farmer’s door is including a one-month-long the alliance. security forces clashed with the now engulfing . After a training program at RNA barracks, The next logical step is to convince the Maoists to declare Maoists in her small village, short period of relief during the government identification cards another ceasefire which would not just reinforce the parties’ peace were too much for her. Maoists’ unilateral ceasefire, brokering role but also prevent the royal regime from using the and rifles. conflict as an excuse for further militarisation and absolutism. More nearly every district in the The poorly trained and ill- importantly, a ceasefire call is critical for the success of the planned GUEST COLUMN country is currently affected by disciplined vigilante groups act pro-democracy rally on 7 April. Anna Neistat and attacks and clashes between the abusively toward the local Then the parties and the Maoists have to get down to real brass Sam Zarifi Maoists and the army. Nepali population they are ostensibly tacks and tackle the issue of violence. There is no more rationale for civilians, particularly the vast protecting, beating and at times the kind of bloodshed we have seen this week. The Maoists must Mankala will never forget a majority living in rural areas, are killing those suspected—however think twice about their planned big strike in the capital because it will helicopter landing in the field now closer to the conflict than play right into the regime’s hands and wreck the pact with the flimsily—of Maoist sympathies, parties. Learning from the permanent ceasefire declared by ETA this next to her house, Maoists ever before, caught between two extorting ‘donations’ and week, the comrades must realise that armed struggle is a dead end. seeking shelter in the village, the forces with histories of grave and violently intimidating villagers. By pledging to the parties that they are committed to renouncing whine of bullets and her family’s systematic human rights abuses. In turn, the Maoists aggressively violence they get their safe landing and take the wind out of the desperate efforts to hide under a The Maoists put civilians at punish members of vigilante king’s sails. bed, screaming soldiers accusing great risk by using houses, groups, abducting and killing Critics of the pact are partly right: violence and non-violence her of hiding the Maoists and schools and public spaces to them and their alleged don’t mix. The Maoist blockade that launch attacks or to seek shelter crippled the country has been swapped for supporters. The cycle of attacks a crippling four-day national shutdown 5-9 while fleeing counterattacks by and reprisals by Maoists and April called by the . the security forces. Many vigilantes risks spiraling further And we are supposed to be thankful. civilians die or sustain serious out of control. A national shutdown is not a non- injuries when the army uses One of the most alarming violent protest. It depends on the threat of aerial bombardment to pursue aspects of Nepal’s civil war is the violence to keep cars off the roads and retreating Maoists because the heavy toll the conflict takes on shops shut. Abductions, extortion, army’s practice of dropping blockades and closure of community- children. According to UNICEF managed schools are also forms of mortars by hand from the side of Nepal has the world’s second violence. helicopters does not allow proper highest rate of children killed or If the political parties are still targeting and yields a high rate of injured due to explosive devices. wondering why the people aren’t coming unexploded ordnance. In addition, the Maoists continue out openly in the streets in support of their Meanwhile, in many rural their large-scale and often forcible pro-democracy agitation they just need to areas where the security forces are recruitment of children for re-evaluate the decisions that prove the unable to counter the Maoists’ people’s worst fears that they haven’t military purposes in violation of changed their spots. intrusion into villages, the international standards. Why is it that the king’s enemies insist government has turned to Boys and girls we interviewed on punishing the people to get back at creating and arming vigilante said they had been abducted from him? How is it going to help build public groups to serve as their proxies, schools for indoctrination support when you deprive the poorest drawing on local thugs as well as programs and then forced to stay, segments of society from their livelihoods the pool of aggrieved villagers taken from homes under the for prolonged periods? eager to avenge themselves It is this country’s tragedy that people Maoists’ ‘one family, one fighting to liberate the people have always against Maoists. member’ recruitment campaign, punished the very people they’re supposed We found that over the last or simply kidnapped. The to liberate. year the government has created children told us they were taught and sponsored vigilante groups to use hand grenades and socket RAMESWOR BOHARA

LLL ETTERS

CHU NYIMA who’s in power at all. (Editorial, ‘As if there Nepal may slip into a republic state, now on wheels for some time. These innovations I am deeply saddened to read the news is no tomorrow’, #288) While finding a that the Nepali regard for monarchy is at will not only reduce pollution and save the of the demise of Chu Nyima Rimpoche in political solution to the present Maoist its lowest ebb excepting for a handful of environment but will keep our money in the Charles Gay’s tribute (‘Chu Nyima is crisis is important, the much more cronies. country and provide jobs. What has to be gone and we’re still here’, #290). I important task of assuring that the country I Pradhan, email done now is to set a time table to push out visited the Rimpoche’s monastery in doesn’t become an economic basket case the polluting vehicles owned and run by 1997 during the establishment phase of seems to worry not very many particularly. MINI-EV mafia for the general public and for INGOs Manasalu Conservation Area Project. The present royalist government harps In contrast to the gloom and doom to give up their gas guzzling SUVs and Being the team leader and a Buddhist by consistently on corruption in previous environment that we have been given by switch to Mini-Evs in the cities. Maybe birth and practice, I visited the governments. That’s well and good but what the media and the greedy, self-centered, Hulas and KEVA could also turn the 7,500 monastery and received blessings from exactly is its solution? The king must power brokers Kunda Dixit’s story about Maruti taxis in Kathmandu to hybrid the Rimpoche. Along with few local understand that spending ever more of a the MiniEV (‘Clean & Green & Electric, vehicles by fitting a similar system as the women, four of us from the project wounded country’s resources on setting up Mini-EV in the rear axle. reached the monastery after walking for special courts is not worth its while unless Rajendra Khadga, Lajimpat 10 hours. I come from Upper Mustang as a result of the prosecution the average but I never imagined that a place of such Nepali feels an upliftment in their lives. JACK WELCH astounding beauty existed in Nepal. The N Manan, email Having worked for Jack Welch at GE, I monastery blended with the beauty of the concur with most of what Ashutosh Tiwari surrounding landscape and the scene is Now that the political parties have writes in his column Strictly Business imprinted in my mind. The Rimpoche entered into new agreement with the (‘Growing a human face’, #288). During our granted us audience with butter tea and Maoists, the king has made it impossible to Session C’s, all GE employees were chumpa and I was immediately talk only with the parties with the Maoists categorised into A, B and C players. C impressed by the compassion and excluded (that is, if at all he intends to talk) (bottom 10 percent) players better not stay genuine concern of the Rimpoche thanks to his intransigence so long. at C level next year, otherwise they would towards all sentient beings and also by However it may be better to make the #290) has given me great hope. If we are be out looking for a job. B (mid 70 percent) the practical approaches to education Maoists too, a party to talks (forget and allowed to live our lives—our way, this is players would get lot of coaching and and transfer of knowledge to over 50 forgive) as that will make the general surely the future for us in transport. With mentoring. A (top 20 percent) players were young nuns and monks from many parts election feasible. The polls can’t be taken the utter failure in the management and treated like gods in the company. They of Nepal. I hope the legacy of Chu Nyima by anyone not be taken by anybody as development of hydroelectricity and the would be paid very high with lot of perks and Rimpoche continues. anything but sham).The general election total chaos in the political scene, I was bonuses, pretty much anything they needed Ghana Gurung, Switzerland after agreement will be for constituent afraid that Nepal would be left high and and, more than anything else, even more assembly retaining the role for the king a dry with the polluting hulks of vehicles as challenges. Some burnt out, most got even NO TOMORROW purely ceremonial one with no military or fuel becomes unaffordable in the next few better. That’s how it was with Jack. He If Nepal continues, as it is now doing, to civil governing power. So far the people will years. Thanks to Hulas Motors, KEVA, explained this asymmetric compensatory rupture economically, it won’t matter be willing to give him a role, otherwise SDC and USAID Nepal will still be moving system, and his exact phrase was ‘vitality 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 3 bombs and worked as porters of ammunition, cooks, stretcher- carriers, or sentry guards—thus refuting the Maoists’s claims that Marketting Mao in Nepal the movement does not use children for military activities. The bad news is that this The alternative to a messy parliamentary democracy is complete anarchy already dire situation can become much worse. If the Maoists carry out their threat of attacking urban ithin 24 hours of the withdrawal of nationwide blockades That stopped working the day parliament was dissolved under areas and the army is not forced to by the Maoists, at least 50 Nepalis were killed in battles unusual circumstances four years ago. Whether the constitution is exercise extreme caution in its W throughout the kingdom. Peace remains as elusive as ever. dead for good, comatose, in ICU or hostage to Article 127 is debatable. response to the attacks, the On a busy afternoon at Asan this week a second cousin is spotted But everyone agrees it is ineffective. When the foundation has number of civilian casualties will haggling over the price of fresh strawberries from Nuwakot. There are collapsed, there is no point building on it. grow dramatically. The good news several women selling plates made out of sal leaves but a buyer can’t Amidst all this, the promise of a constituent assembly offers a ray is that it’s not too late to prevent find a regular supplier. In the commotion of the bajar fresh wares, of hope. It would be futile to expect that a fresh compact of the the new bloodshed. novel display or attractive discounts compete to grab the attention of people will solve all outstanding issues in a single stroke but at the Over the last year, both sides shoppers. very least it proffers a possibility of peace. of the conflict have demonstrated Traders recognise that Most Nepalis have no idea what a constituent assembly is that they can change their STATE OF THE STATE consumers want to be surprised supposed to deliver. Will it usher in a dictatorship of the proletariat behaviour. Fearing the possibility C K Lal but not so much to lose their or just legitimise monarchical democracy? Will it introduce inclusive of losing its participation in UN orientation. So they jolt them democracy or perpetuate the status quo? These questions need to be peacekeeping operations and with novelty but keep them reassured with the promise of debated in an atmosphere of give-and-take with an open mind. There trying to satisfy the US-imposed reliability. can be no better forum to deliberate these issues than a parliament conditionality for further military The challenge is to design an appropriate mix of freshness and reinstated for the express purpose of preparing the ground for assistance, the army has decreased familiarity. This is difficult enough in business but in politics the constituent assembly. some of its most abusive task is much more daunting. The incumbency factor can make a It will offer the right mix of innovation and ease to improve the practices. party remain in power or lose it depending on its campaign strategy. visibility and value of reinvented Nepali Maoism in the marketplace The Maoists’ 12-point An armed insurgency loses its relevance if there is no violence of ideas. The alternative to messy parliamentary democracy is agreement with the opposition but can’t acquire legitimacy without renouncing violent behaviour. complete anarchy. political parties prompted a , skilled strategist that he is, must be in that decrease in Maoist violence dilemma: how to remodel his party to keep its young adherents on against the parties’ political board without frightening away the democratic coalition of political cadres, especially during the parties, civil society and the international community. ceasefire. Finally, the presence of The Maoist leadership needs time to clear the confusion. The international monitors from the second MoU with the seven party alliance last week gave them Office of the UN High another opportunity to design a safe exit strategy from the vicious Commissioner for Human Rights circle of armed insurgency, ruthless repression, alienation and seemed to have a positive effect rebellion. Sadly, some powerful and familiar interests are on both parties’ adherence to determined to be spoilsports. human rights standards. US Principal Deputy Secretary of South Asian Affairs Donald Now is the time to keep up Camp reiterated the need for reconciliation between constitutional and step up targeted international forces. Chinese State Councillor Tan Jiaxuan hoped all pressure on both sides of the constitutional forces would settle their differences. Other safe conflict, coupled with players also want these elusive constitutional forces to unite. But all monitoring from the UN and this unity would do is push the Maoists into limbo and perpetuate Nepali human rights groups and the conflict. journalists to prevent further The very term ‘constitutional forces’ is an oxymoron. Sovereignty injury to Nepal’s beleaguered of the people is the sole constitutional force in any democratic civilian population. country. It is exercised by institutions and instruments created by the constitution in accordance with constitutional provisions and Anna Neistat, Human Rights Watch’s judicial traditions. Emergencies Researcher and Sam Since 1990 Nepalis are the only constitutional force of this Zarifi, Asia Research Director for Human Rights Watch, just completed a country. All others, including the monarchy, parliament, and the three-week mission to Nepal after the courts are its creations charged with the responsibility of acting end of the unilateral ceasefire. according to the letter and spirit of the supreme law of the land.

curve’ of GE, in one of our frequent against? Do you really need them to Because we seem to be very violent adolescence and becomes crystallised in management training seminars at become a world power and would you not people. Our gods are depicted with adulthood. When there is behaviour Crotonville, NY. He was one paranoid, become a better world power when your weapons...our whole mythology and deviants that does not adjust with existing demanding, SOB of a boss who pushed, children are better fed?’ India wants to feed philosophy is violent. To say that elite in social circumstances, it becomes a pushed and pushed, somehow elevating her children and that is all this nuclear deal india wanted nuclear weapons to get rid of ‘personality disorder’. Of course, normal you to the level you did not even think is about. This deal will allow India to inferiority complex is trivialising it. people will have various personality traits possible. Ahhhh,those were the days. I generate the much needed energy to grow N Ramachandran, email that describe them but this does not mean am glad someone or some people are at double digits and take its masses out of you have to compare various types of taking note of Jack Welch’s management poverty by 2020. HEALTHY LIVING personality disorders with characteristics/ methodologies. He is, after all, the Jayasaal Thuvassery, email Congratulations on a very good article traits of political heavyweights. It is manager of the century. (‘Staying Alive’ #290). It would be suna ma really ridiculous to compare ‘borderline Binoy Yonzon, Chicago Has anyone told Kanak Mani Dixit that sugandha if you also could throw some personality disorder’ with correction of SOUTHASIA BEAT he is a paranoid India-basher? All his light on healthy lifestyle habits, like regression and joining royal government. Re: Kanak Mani Dixit’s Southasia Beat articles smack of a pre-determined watching your food and raksi intake, to Shailendra Raj Adhikary, (‘India gets US nod on nukes’, #289) What conclusion of finding fault with India, no help prevent such problems. Of course, it Lecturer in Psychiatry, KMCTH, about your Chinese communist buddies matter what the issue and context is. He would not solve the problem 100 percent Sinamangal up north? They have been proliferating should know that you can talk about facts but it would help. nukes and missiles to Pakistanis North and anlayse them without bringing in Aruna Uprety, email I just read your trenchant, bold and Koreans, Libyans, Iranians. For a while rhetoric and emotion and, worse, bias. I absolutely correct analysis by Dr Shyam they were even providing weapons to the don’t think he can strut about as a journalist STIGMATISATION Chalise in your Guest Column Taliban. It is wonderful to put on your if you carry such deep-seated prejudice. If I have strong reservation regarding the (‘Psycopaths and sycophants’, #290). socialist/commie sunglasses and the India is such a bad country, why do Nepalis Guest Column by Shyam Chalise in which His diagnosis of NPD fits exactly, I’d only infamous Mao suit and watch as the Han make a beeline for this place, seek he describes different personality types of add that there are some antisocial and Chinese are slowly and surely destroying employment and live here? Why don’t you our current political players. I don’t get the paranoid features as well. Of course it’s every emblance of Tibetan Buddhist issue an advisory to all Nepalis to stay point: why do you media people choose all the same DSM cluster. This culture. If the Pakis didn’t receive nukes away from India? psychiatry/mental illness or related fields narcissism could allow a face-saving way and missiles from the Chinese they would Anup Varma, Bangalore to describe various political scenarios of out, to allow them to grandiosely claim be sitting on their tails concentrating in this country? Why again and again that they are heroes. I personally think uplifting their people instead of instead of I have never been able to understand stigmatise mental illness? You did same in they are APDs who should be on trial but sending jihadis by the boatloads into why we in India are so proud to lead the ‘Schizophrenic Nepal policy’ (#285). that approach isn’t going to cut any ice India. pack of poor (NAM) nations. I have never Personality is a whole system of relatively and will only strengthen their resolve. As Jim Palmer, email been able to understand why we take such permanent tendencies of an individual you know, confronting people like that pride in the concept of ahmisa and Gandhi which is distinctive and adjusts according doesn’t help. Thanks to Dr Chalise for his Kanak Mani Dixit asks ‘Who are you and Tagore or appoint ourselves as the to psychological and social environment, courage and insight. going to use those nuclear-tipped missiles moral guardians of the whole world. usually begins to take shape during Dr Bob Curran, email 4 NATION 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 Schools on the frontline Education in one of Nepal’s remotest districts is set back decades by the conflict

RAJAN PARAJULI and just go.” in JUMLA But such talk is just theoretical for Mimraj Giri a he government requires teacher from Dillichaur who was schools to make children badly beaten by Maoists who T sing the national anthem accused him of being a every morning. But the Maoists government spy. He hasn’t dared have banned it, and ruled that go back to his village for the past only revolutionary songs be sung. four years. “They detained me for To avoid getting into trouble, 23 days, they beat me up and left teachers in schools in remote me for dead,” says Giri, “you can Jumla just let the children recite still see the holes in my head.” ditties. The Maoists have forced Most teachers don’t want to be all students to tear out portraits quoted by name and they of members of the royal family whisper: “There are two from their text books. Every book governments here, one in the in every classroom has pages village one in the town. If you missing. want to live in the village you Like elsewhere across Nepal, have to give them what they ask.” teachers and students here in one MOHAN MAINALI Most teachers admit privately of Nepal’s most remote districts FALLING IN LINE: School children in Jumla at morning drill without national anthem or revolutionary songs. they are paying five percent of are on the frontline of the their salary to the Maoists. The conflict, squeezed between the their schools targets of security Education Office to replace him. sympathisers. CDO, DEO and the army in the state and the rebels. The forces but there is nothing they “I resigned twice,” Bhatta says, “We’re not always afraid,” town know that is going on, but government has moved out post can do about it. “But they told me I couldn’t. I am says a 12-year-old school boy turn the other way. Says one offices, agricultural extension and Two years ago, Maoists came still afraid.” bravely, “but we know we have to teacher: “They pretend not to forestry offices from the to Jumla’s Tribhuban Secondary Jumla CDO Krishna Shrestha be careful when there is an army know, and of course if you don’t hinterland. Only the teachers School and abducted the takes a hard line on teachers who patrol around because that means pay the Maoists accuse us of being remain. principal and two teachers. The listen to the Maoists. “Their job is the Maoists may have planted a a spy,” says another teacher, There might be ceasefires and principal was later killed in the to teach, not do politics,” he told booby trap along the trail.” “some have to pay even half their 12-point agreements with the forest and the two teachers let go us, “besides the military patrols District Education Officer salary. They weep when they have parties but nothing has changed with the warning not to speak are under standing instructions Mukti Singh Thakuri has a pile of to hand over the money because here. Teachers are still forced to against the movement. Once to treat civilians well.” applications on his desk from they need to feed their families march to Maoist programs, released the teachers were This lack of understanding of teachers waiting to be transferred with it.” sometimes a roundtrip for a week interrogated by the army, and their plight angers teachers caught out of Jumla. Thakuri himself, For the Maoists, the country’s across rugged terrain. They are then the police took the two into in the crossfire. “What do they like the school inspectors and school system has become a target still paying the mandatory custody and beat them up. think,” asks one teacher, “if we resource persons, can’t venture because it is the only government ‘donation’. Now there is talk that “We are struggling to stay were real Maoist supporters why out of the town for security entity still left in the villages. all teachers have to come to class alive between these two sides,” would they have to abduct us?” reasons, so the teachers come And that puts teachers and dressed in combat fatigues, teach says a teacher, “our students are Schools in contested areas on to him. students directly in the the revolutionary curriculum and terrified.” the outskirts of Jumla bear the “School inspections are down crossfire. z follow the rebel calendar with After the Maoists killed the brunt. The Maoists treat teachers to zero, that is true,” says Thakuri, holidays for Mao’s birthday. The principal, Ghanashyam Bhatta and students as spies, and the “I guess now we all have to take Adapted from a radio feature broadcast teachers know this will make was forced by the District army regards them as Maoist our security in our own hands on Antenna Foundation.

small sample, the leaders of the national network of community managed schools tell us that these results do not surprise them at all. They are consistent with what they have been seeing themselves, though their Let communities run schools observations are not quantified. This is great news for the education system in Nepal. I This is the smart approach to sustain quality education suspect the achievements are far better than anyone had expected. But, it is also encouraging for the development he transfer of government schools to communities get grants to pay for one teacher in 2003 and for two effort in Nepal more broadly. When the political crisis and started modestly in 2002, and in the first year 95 teachers in 2004, and the government plans to increase the insurgency have made development work more T schools were handed over to community management. this gradually so that these ‘unaided schools’ will challenging, there is increasing evidence and realisation In the second year, the program gained momentum and eventually bebrought in line with other government funded that letting the communities lead the way is the smart the total reached 1,000 and now well over 2,000 schools are schools. This certainly does not seem like a government approach to sustain development. This survey’s results under community management. That is more than 10 that is trying to withdraw from the funding obligation for strongly support this idea. percent of about 21,000 government funded schools in the primary education. Of course, community management of schools is but country. But this year, the process has slowed rather In the meantime, the government has made good on one example of such an approach. There is a scope for the sharply. Is this another case of Nepal failing to bring a good the promise to hand over the power to hire and fire government to expand its support for a number of other reform to its logical conclusion? teachers to the school management committee by community-based programs like the Poverty Alleviation Since last year, in many areas local Maoists seem to amending the Education Act and Regulations. It is clear Fund, rural drinking water (through the ‘Fund Board’ and have warned communities not to accept the management that the government is serious about the idea of a public- other programs) alternative energy development (through responsibility over their own schools and where the transfer private partnership in which it provides the financing and the Alternative Energy Promotion Center), rural had already happened, the community provides the management oversight of electrification (through the community electrification return the responsibility the school. program), and microcredit schemes (through the Rural COMMENT to the government. A recent survey of over 10,000 households served by Microfinance Development Center). Ken Ohashi Their basic argument 33 schools that have gone over to community A rather unproductive game of disinformation about the seems to be that this management shows that the impact of this change has true intention of the government continues and the Ministry transfer of schools to community management is a sly trick been phenomenal (see table). of Education and Sports has failed thus far to counteract and that the government will abrogate its responsibility to What results show is that modest performance such a smear campaign with resoluteness. Many fund these schools. Some teachers’ groups seem to have incentives and community efforts make a powerful communities have become uncertain about the community also spread the same story and many communities are combination to improve provision of education management concept, and some observers seem to feel confused and worried. dramatically and very fast. Although this survey covers a that this reform process is no longer working. What is really happening? The evidence does not But many of the communities support the notion that the government is trying to shirk its that have taken over school responsibility for funding primary schools. The allocation Indicators Academic Academic year 03/04 year 04/05 management are seeing impressive for primary education has, in fact, increased from 8.7 results. They march on and other percent of the total budget in 2001-2 to 9.3 percent in 2005- Out-of-school primary age children 20.4% 8.0% communities that have been 06. Most of the schools transferred to community Out-of-school primary age girl children 22.4% 8.7% confused by conflicting in management have, if anything, seen an increase in funding. formation would do well to follow Furthermore, about 2,000 additional schools that had Out-of-school primary age Dalit children 28.9% 1.1% their lead. z been started by communities and had not received any Primary dropout and repetition rate 13.7% 9.5% government support (they used to be called ‘community Secondary dropout and repetition rate 8.9% 4.6% Ken Ohashi is the World Bank Country schools’ but are now known as ‘unaided schools’) began to Director for Nepal. NATION 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 5

Respect the law

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Tourism bodies have demanded that any member of the security services who manhandled Qatar Airways employees in an incident on 9 March be brought to book immediately. The employees were arrested at a hotel in Lajimpat while Buried they interviewed candidates for jobs in Doha and then interrogated by the Department of Labour officials who said they suspected the company of illegally Story ideas for biz reporters hiring Nepali employees. “The onus rests on government agencies and the state security apparatus to uphold and apply the rule of law following due process ver recent months, this just the first step in creating a therein in a civilised manner so that business entities can work in a better columnist has noticed the buzz about Nepal? This exercise environment,” said a statement issued last Friday by organisations including the O business pages of most of must not be allowed to go the Hotel Association of Nepal, Trekking Agents Association of Nepal, Nepal our newspapers and magazines are same way as the Kathmandu- Association of Tour Operators, Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, carrying more adverts than Lhasa bus service. PATA Nepal Chapter and Board of Airlines Representatives in Nepal business news . Further, some of them are relying on the Last week’s visit of a senior

Revenue rises slowly international wires rather than Chinese leader, apart from China’s State Councillor

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Total government revenue in the first eight months of the current fiscal year providing news of Nepal. To help creating a perceived sense of Tang Jiaxuan, in Kathmandu. grew by only four percent missing the Finance Ministry target of 15 percent. whet the media’s interest for legitimacy for the government, KIRAN PANDAY Expenditure increased 12.2 percent, to Rs 50.4 billion, according to statistics home-grown headlines, your did result in some interesting never understand our love for this from the Finance Ministry. Revenue amounted to Rs 41.3 billion while debt weekly Beed suggests a few story economic developments. Duty calendar. Mobile phones of the servicing cost Rs 4.9 billion. ideas our biz reporters could free entry for more than 1,500 future are not going to cater to a explore: Nepali goods! This should all Bikram calendar nor will you be

New Era customer focus make us jump for joy. But like able to download Bikram ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ many such announcements, this The New Era Career Development Institute launched its Customer Focus Year ECONOMIC SENSE schedules of your favourite tv th one was short on details. What is 2006 on the occasion of its 16 anniversary. Pioneers in professional training and Artha Beed shows on your P DAs or iPods. personality development, New Era is conducting a 100-day survey of its 107 on that list? Where in China can No global stock markets would be partner organisations that have made commitments to improve customer they be sent to? And how? The happy to see settlement dates of service. Three of them will receive ‘Excellence in Customer Service’ awards on The essential task of branding questions are many but the transactions in Chaitra I or 16 April. Nepal (see #171) is finally answers few. As someone at the Chaitra 2, the outsourcing NEW PRODUCTS complete. While talking to Arun Chinese Academy of Social industry will only take off if we Anand and Rahul Sen, who Sciences told the Beed, China is shed this myopia. In today’s MORTGAGE LOANS: Rastriya Banijya Bank is now offering mortgage loans for worked relentlessly to create the far more willing to invest in world, 24x7x365 refers to the personal and business needs. One of the country’s biggest banks till now has ’Naturally Nepal-Once is Not trying to reach Nathu La in Gregorian calendar-we need to focussed on lending in the industrial, commercial and micro-credit sectors but Enough’ campaign, it became clear Sikkim with roads, railways, embrace world culture or we are today also offers loans for housing, education and vehicles. Clients can take mortgage loans of up to Rs 30 million for business purposes and Rs 5 million for that during the exercise the two transmission lines and gas fated to remain a living museum personal reasons. The loans are repayable in five years at a net interest rate of explored emotions far more than pipelines than waste energy to of medieval practices. 9-10 percent. most consultants would stimulate Nepal to consider how be comfortable with. However, the it might take advantage of its Nepali society needs more CRACKERS COUPON: Mama Chicken Crackers has launched its “run for runs” media handled the creation as a transit position. pluralistic thinking, more liberal coupon scratch game. Based on cricket, customers can win prizes by tallying runs. Rewards range from a packet of Mama chicken crackers (six runs) to an press release and no more. debates on issues. Since politics MP3 Player (36 runs). Perhaps the news got pushed The review of the Bikram Era is a debate we are sick of, why not aside by the usual violence, calendar will surely get Nepal start one on economic and DENTAL CARE: Advanced Dental Care has opened opposite the north gate of political rhetoric and ‘un- more space in National business issues. Then we could the Narayanhit Royal Palace. It features larger treatment rooms, new dental rhetoric’ but why did no Geographic and more airtime on depend less on international chairs, an intra oral camera, newly designed X-ray machine and whitening equipment. The clinic’s services include examinations, fillings, extractions, journalist interview these people? the History channel. (see # 268) wire services to fill our treatment of infections and periodontal disease and cosmetic and prosthetic And why didn’t the plethora of What else can we expect from a newspaper pages. dentistry. marketing, advertising and trade leadership that is stuck at the organisations see the branding as start of the 21st century? I Can www.arthabeed.com Not doing too badly in IT outsourcing Despite political instability, a power crisis and slow internet Nepal’s dot coms come of age

GAURAB RAJ UPADHAYA CAN Info Tech 2006 he government’s Information The annual mela of computer goods and gadgets Technology Policy released in 2000 has started in Kathmandu. This year, CAN has T committed that Nepal would be put designated the first two days as business days. on the global IT map in the next five years. The exhibition space has been greatly expanded with the use of the outdoor exhibition tent. There It is 2006, and it is debatable whether are more than 100 companies, and more than we have reached that target. But we’re not 100,000 visitors are expected. Parallel to the doing too badly. Deregulation has brought exhibition, a conference with the theme competition in telephony and among ‘Leveraging ICT to Create an Engine of Growth internet service providers. There are now for Nepal’ is scheduled for 24-25 March. competing operation systems in Nepal with the release of Nepalinux and software ways of operating given Nepali conditions. vendors are still hoping the IPR GeoSpatial mostly hires people who are regulations are implemented. walking distance from work. HiTech Valley In 2000, the Computer Association of has representative offices abroad and Nepal (CAN) also announced a target of recently moved to its own building. software export earnings to reach D2Hawyke has high turnover rates and has MIN BAJRACHARYA Rs5 billion in five years. We are nowhere invested heavily in power backup systems. close to that figure but even here we are engineers spending from six months to two outsourcing company in the country and None is happy with the speed of internet making progress. years in Japan to learn Japanese mapping has just moved into a larger and state-of- access in Nepal due to satellite induced GeoSpatial Systems was one of the first techniques. the-art 35,0000 sq ft office in Tahachal that latency on links here. information outsourcing companies Rajesh Shakya, another entrepreneur can house 1,500 people. D2Hawkye is a Yomari is seriously considering setting established in 1998 with direct foreign runs a HiTech Valley iNet which employs cost-centre local operation of an up larger operation in the US, mainly investment from Japan. Nepali employees 200 staff. It specialises in internet based established firm abroad that employs 50 because customers are demanding high risk sitting in Kathmandu combine aerial applications from clients in North America people. Yomari Inc is a web design insurance on work done in Nepal. If forced pictures with topographical data to make and Europe. After starting out small with company with offices in the US but all its to pay higher premium it doesn’t make 3-D topo maps. The work requires high only five people the company is now one operations in Nepal. sense to base here. concentration and precision outputs. of few large scale software operations in There have also been unsuccessful dot Companies which have survived and Suresh Shrestha joined the company in Nepal. “Our customers are amazed at the com startups as well. The first high profile are growing despite high insurance costs, 2001, returning to Nepal after spending speed at which the programmers in Nepal company to open a development center in negative investment ranking in global good part of his student and working life can meet deadlines and revert back within Nepal was Pilgrims Asia, which moved markets and average infrastructure, deserve in Japan. GeoSpatial now has 80 fulltime 24 hours,” Shakya told us, “initially we operations to Bangalore after realising that appreciation. staff (pictured) but it can employ up to had communication problems but now it was hiring more people from India. The Nepal may be nowhere close to the 250 people in shifts. Because of the with simple instant messenger softwares number of companies involved in medical Rs5 billion software export target, but specialised nature of work, all employees we have solved those problems. transcription have also gone down. companies are learning to adapt and that are continuously trained, with senior Serving Minds is now the largest IT companies have evolved their own can only be good in the longterm. 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291

A human wave taking place at a time when the plan. They even agreed that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ leaders remain jailed and the if Thawang was inappropriate, UML’s Jhalanath Khanal in security forces have been talks would be held in the Kantipur, 19 March deployed to arrest others. As Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve. Pact reaffirmed long as state power is withheld These plans were known to us Text of the second MOU between the Seven Party Alliance and There are more indications that from the people’s only after they were leaked at CPN (Maoist) issued separately the present regime will not last representatives, the country will party meetings much later. be unable to embark on the Should the party’s leaders have Everyone is well aware of the 12-point understanding reached much longer and that the rulers between the seven party alliance and the themselves are aware that its journey toward ending the crisis. chosen to hold talks with the (Maoist) on 22 November 2005 for loktantra, peace, prosperity, time is running out. History has To lead the country toward a representative of the old regime progressive thinking and national independence. The understanding shown that whenever rulers lose resolution, there is no at a time when we should have created a nationwide wave that completely swamped the 8 February control or run out of ideas, they alternative to the people’s been engaged in a movement? municipal polls orchestrated by the autocratic regime. That failure begin consultations. This is movement. The days of street This is something I believe the leaves no doubt that the understanding has been endorsed by the exactly what King Gyanendra protests only at scheduled times people will have to evaluate. But people. The widespread international support for the understanding are over. A human wave should it proves that Prachanda and also proves that it will be the true foundation for the resolution of started doing recently in the conflict. Pokhara. But the king’s moves engulf the capital and the people Baburam had illicit relations Today, we express our strong commitment to implement the only added to the complexity of should block all highways. After with the palace, which inspired understanding. The seven parties are fully convinced that the force the crisis. Even if the king hands the entire country is under the the king to stage his coup. We of the opposition movement will restore parliament, which in turn over the powers of prime control of the people, the believe that the movement’s goal will create an interim government and conduct constituent assembly minister to a former pancha and autocratic regime should be should be a republican setup but elections after dialogue and agreement with the Maoists. Such announces that he has given up opposed and isolated through Prachanda and Baburam have elections will end the conflict, establish loktantra and restore the non-cooperation. It is this compromised for lesser goals. people’s sovereign and state power. The Maoists believe fully that sovereignty and state power, the an interim government formed by a national conference of problem will not be solved. Nor people’s struggle that will They were unwilling to form a democratic forces and constituent assembly elections can achieve will the crisis end if he names dislodge the root causes of republican front. We also said this political goal. We have agreed that we will continue talks in one of his yes men who appears Nepal’s historical crisis and that the 12-point agreement with order to reach a to favour multiparty democracy break the autocratic hurdle now the parties should carry the common agreement as prime minister. Even the in our path. word ‘republic’. But the two on the process. appointment of a technocrat or leaders simply abandoned the We also agreed justice as the new prime word when they signed the pact

that the people’s Feudal Maoists ○○○○○○○ movement is the minister will fail. The core issue ○○○○○○○○○ whereas the NC and UML only means is: will sovereignty and state Expelled Maoist central expressed their concerns in the feasible for power be returned to the people committee member, Rabindra document. Our expulsion from achieving our goal. via their representatives? Shrestha, in Nepal the party is a result of the We appeal to all Other questions waiting to be Samacharpatra, 19 March growing feudalism and democratic forces, answered are: should Nepal’s capitalism within the civil society, KIRAN PANDAY leadership. They have also professional democracy be inclusive? Will all Just when we were engaged in groups, marginalised and oppressed peoples, the press and public communities, castes, ethnicities fighting the royal palace, we face forgotten the need for criticism. to actively take part in the ongoing peaceful movement to establish and cultures have an equal stake yet another autocratic front We told the people this and they absolute democracy and restore people’s sovereignty through in the nation? Will a constituent within our party. Chairman sacked us. We have not left the constituent assembly elections. assembly be formed to write a Prachanda began to promote party, we have established a New We appeal also to the international community to provide all democratic constitution? nepotism—his family members Cultural Revolution Group support in our attempt to end the 10-year armed conflict and Should the Maoists be brought were his top priority. Comrade within it and we believe that the establish peace and loktantra by ending Nepal’s autocratic majority is with us. monarchy. Along with this understanding, the seven party alliance into the political mainstream? Baburam could not withstand has called for a non-cooperation movement and massive These questions can be answered even a single criticism against

mobilisations on 6-8 April in Kathmandu. The SPA has also only by the democratic forces. him. When the parties were Indian goons

○○○○○○○○○○○ requested the Maoists to withdraw their ongoing blockade and Going by the king’s deeds to agitating in the streets more than ○○○○○ extend their full support to its programs. In response, the CPN (M) date, he is not even interested in a year ago, Prachanda and Desantar, March 19 has agreed to end the blockade programs and extend its full support thinking about them. Even after Baburam suggested we ignore and cooperation to the SPA’s Kathmandu agitation programs. the Supreme Court paved the them and hold direct talks with Dhangadi—Impoverished Signed: Girija Prasad Koirala (president, ), (acting general secretary, CPN-UML), Sher way to the return of multiparty the king. A few days before Nepalis crossing the border to Bahadur Deuba (president, NC-D), Lila Mani Pokhrel (vice democracy with its verdict that February First, Prachanda India in search of livelihood get president,), Narayan Man Bijukche (president, the constitution vests power in arranged a meeting with the king looted by the Indian police at NWPP), Rajendra Mahato (general secretary, NSP), Nanda Kumar the people, the king has shown in Thawang. This was not the border. This is nothing new, Prasai (president, ULF), Prachanda (president of CPN-M issued a no sign of taking concrete steps something the central committee but such incidents have been separate signed version of the same statement) to end the present crisis. Even had approved of and a majority increasing lately. A large his political consultations are of its members were unaware of number of Nepalis from farwest Constitutionally sound Interview with Advocate Sarwaratna Tuladhar, first president of the Nepal Bar Association, in Nispakshya, 21 March

Was the Bar Association’s national conference a failure? I do not agree with the stand that the Bar has taken regarding current political issues. It decided to opt for a constituent assembly as the means to change the present system, meaning the constitution. But the 1990 constitution was brought about through a lot of sacrifice. It is as good as those of other countries. The constitution has not failed us, instead nothing has been done in the spirit of the constitution and that is the cause of instability. It is the governments that have been unable to solve the country’s problems, fulfil the wishes of the people and bring about development. The constitution has been blamed for these failures.

What should the Bar have done? The Bar should have attempted to correct the flaws of the political parties and governments so they could implement the constitution in an effective manner. If they had worked in a fully democratic manner for the people and country we could have achieved much more. PLACARDS: Let’s go to Kathmandu “OK, I’m off to Delhi, you go to the villages after all we’ll need some leaders for the Why did the Bar decide to opt for a constituent assembly? The majority decided to go for a constituent assembly. Perhaps it’s movement.” because the parties also decided to go for one. Even though the Abin in Samaya, 23 March majority has decided, I say that it is not necessary to discard this constitution and write a new one. If the leaders had wanted to they

QUOTE OF THE WEEK could have done so much with this constitution. Those who were in power worked against the spirit of the constitution and only fulfilled “ their selfish personal and party motives. That brought the country to Adverse socio-economic ramifications … have resulted in Nepal being where it is today. plagued by insurgency. “ Can today’s problems be solved within the framework of the constitution? Yes. The constitution is only a medium. The country will go forward if Crown Prince Paras at a rhino presentation ceremony in Vienna on 22 March the people in power are honest and committed to the country. The present constitution has not blocked us in any manner.

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 7

they have always disturbed students whenever SLC exams were approaching. Six years ago, the Maoist student’s union Use thin card started a violent anti-SLC campaign in Surkhet to & eliminate what the rebels call a forget… ‘feudal education’ system. They blew up the vehicle carrying entrance permits of the students and the charred hulk of that jeep • Frequent computer upgradation is still lying on the roadside. whenever latest version of Windows software are released DAMBER K SHRESTHA Since then, they made every • Software deletion by PC users travel from the hills to India and Maoists into the fold, the west’s effort to hamper the SLC exams. • Frequent virus attacks their numbers have been growing strategy to end all communist But today, the Maoists are • Spending hours on computers for reinstallation of software’s due to the conflict. activities on Nepali soil has actually helping to spread • Data loss due to power failure Unfortunately, on their return emerged. Neither NC leader now messages through their writings home many are robbed by the seems to be in the mood to fight on the walls that SLC centres Indian cops who extort huge for a constituent assembly after will be free from violence. An Ideal Solution for… sums of money after accusing the foreigners advised them to Whether it is due to their • Schools / Colleges • Computer institutes • Factories, industries them of being Maoists. “All I had stop talking about a republic and politically vested interests or to • Call centre, BPO’s, • Departmental stores • Cyber cafe • Converting your saved was Rs 5,000 after working constituent assembly and to hold win over the hearts of the old P-1 computer to P-4 standard for six months in Mumbai and I talks with the king directly. The students, this only shows that have nothing left,” says Dirga seven party leaders are the Maoists have eventually Saud from Accham. Nepalis get determined to sabotage the realised the value of education. Get it installed by… extorted at stations and looted in constituent assembly plan and All this is evident now in the CNC Pvt. Ltd. trains, according to returnees. But implement their agenda to midwest districts of Salyan, 280, Thirbum Sadak,Dillibazaar, Kathmandu,Nepal they have no one to complain to. recreate parliament. They have Rukum, Rolpa. Now they have 4416530, 4445997(T/F), 2000742, [email protected] An Uttar Pradesh police official even convinced the international not only asked the Rolpa DEO to admitted that such incidents community that as soon as the make the SLC entry permits were true but he added that action house is in place, they will break mandatory but even gotsoldiers against the culprits are difficult off all contact with the Maoists. out of the exam centres. There since it takes a lot of paperwork. The parties are equally interested are around 65 secondary schools, in talks with the palace but they 62 lower secondary schools, 19 Parties’ ploy insist that the king first roll back primary and 119 pre primary

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ his February First move. But if schools in this region. The Jana Bhawana, 20 March the king did that, there would be Maoists are doing all this due to no need for the monarch to call in pressure from their own The leaders of the seven parties both the Maoists and the parties students who have suffered from are still conspiring to grab power for talks. As for the UML, though past boycotts of exams. The with the support of the Maoists some of their leaders may support rebels have not been able to do and the consent of Delhi. That’s the Maoists’ republican views, much with their own so-called why they reaffirmed the 12-point most of them are still suspicious. revolutionary education system agreement. But the party chiefs because they neither have were unwilling to sign the same Guns and books enough books nor an effective

statement as the Maoist leaders ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ education policy. In stark because they are scared of being Nepal, March 16 contrast, the Maoist students labelled terrorists by the union are still on their way to international community. They Nepalganj—The Maoists, who arm more school students. A have only moved closer to the always believed that guns were recent meeting by Bheri-Karnali Maoists to threaten the palace and worth more than education, have regional coordination committee still consider the rebels terrorists perhaps changed their attitude in have made plans to bring more but were willing to deal with the way they are not causing students in their political them to gain power. By putting obstruction to the upcoming SLC campaigns for two months, even the NC and NC-D back together exams in the country’s if it means neglecting the regular and bringing the UML and midwestern region. In past years studies of the students. Water for all had abused her. The office refused to register the complaint so she went to the Lalitpur District Police Office. Police there also refused despite the fact that the practice of untouchability was declared to be illegal two years ago. The human rights cell of the police said it was willing to take up the case but that taking action

MIN BAJRACHARYA against 32 people would be difficult. When her neighbours found out Nanimaiya had tried to lodge Hira Biswakarma in Kantipur, 21 March a complaint they started becoming even more abusive. As the situation worsened, a team of Chunikhel VDC in Bungmati on the outskirts of human rights activists and journalists reached Kathmandu is dominated by so-called ‘upper Chunikhel on 4 March. More than 500 villagers had caste’ families. Recently, three ‘lower caste’ gathered when a camera crew began to film the families were barred from collecting water from the well where Nanimaiya’s ordeal began. Some thugs common tap. Each time they went for water, they attacked the journalists and manhandled had to wait for a member of the ‘upper caste’ to Nanimaiya and her relative Shova Nepali. help them fill their vessels. Housewife Nanimaiya Journalists Narendra Biswakarma and Dinesh Nepali had taken this discrimination for years. But Pariyar were seriously injured and Nanimaiya lost one morning she was late to go to the well because her gold jewellery during the incident. But just guests had dropped in and she had to send her when Nanimaiya’s and the two other families were children to school. losing hope, former VDC chairman Prem Maharjan Nanimaiya waited by the well for someone to offered to mediate. After four days of intensive get her water but after 10 minutes there was still no discussions, the villagers agreed to pay half of the sign of anyone. It was getting late so she Rs 60,000 in damages caused during the scuffle. decided to get the water herself. She was spotted They also agreed that the so-called ‘lower caste’ and soon other villagers gathered and verbally families would be allowed to collect water from the abused Nanimaiya. They even threatened to throw well and that the practice of untouchability would out her family from the village. Nanimaiya felt the henceforth be banned. insults were intolerable and knocked on the door of an NGO working for Dalit rights. After they probed (This week the world marked World Water Day on the matter, she tried to lodge a complaint at a 22 March and the International Day Against Racial nearby police post against the 32 villagers who Discrimination on 21 March.) 8 CLIMATE CHANGE Melting like icecream cones Yet, global warming and retreating glaciers don’t make it to the World Water Forum

MALLIKA ARYAL warming is being discussed in 1.4C-5.8C by 2100 if no major spelling a catastrophe for the reported that 67 percent of in MEXICO CITY small, informal groups at the effort ismade to cut emissions of mountains and the people who Himalayan glaciers are retreating World Water Forum. The Third the greenhouse gases. live below them. There are 2,315 rapidly. The Fund was concerned here are 10,000 Assessment Report of the UN’s In the Nepal Himalaya average glacial lakes within the country about what this would mean to policymakers, water expert group, the Inter- annual temperatures have been and 20 are already so swelled biodiversity and wildlife. But T experts, scientists, governmental Panel on Climate increasing 0.09C a year since the with melting snow that they are there is a much more serious issue: businessmen, researchers and Change (IPCC) projects that the 1970s. At this rate, there could be in imminent danger of bursting. rapidly melting snows would writers from 130 countries here in Earth’s average surface a rise of as much as nine degrees A Worldwide Fund for Nature increase the flow of Himalayan the Mexican capital this week for temperature will rise between by the end of the century, (WWF) report released last year rivers in the dry season for the the 4th World Water Forum. next 35 years, according to one On the agenda is everything simulation model, but after that from water privatisation, the rivers would go dry. However, irrigation, integrated water climate change is a global resource management and even phenomenon caused by increased future wars over water. But even fossil fuel use in the when the world’s foremost water insustrialised countries. The researchers and scientists meet, Nepal Himalaya may suffer the they are not discussing one of the consequences, but the solutions biggest threats to the world’s lie elsewhere. water resources: climate change. “Every year, countries like the Conspicuously absent from US and Australia delay in making the official agenda in Mexico City significant contributions towards are the problems of glacial retreat, climate change, we move closer to melting icecaps, Himalayan flash- calamity,” says Jamie Pittock, floods and the impact of melting director of the WWF’s Global permafrost on downstream Freshwater Program. irrigation and agriculture. Others believe that instead of The fact that the polar and playing the blame game it is better mountain regions of the world are to get together and ready for the melting like icecream cones is no worst. “We need to understand more a matter of debate. It is that climate is not going to happening right before people’s stabilise soon, thus we need to eyes, and within less than a work towards being prepared so generation. With it there is that if there is a catastrophic event, climate variability all over the there is minimum destruction,” world, including this year’s Young and water wise says Nishat. He proposes unprecedented winter drought in pressuring governments to work to the Himalaya. The 4th World Water Forum in Mexico City last week was interested in building a bathroom. “Today, all the village’s develop early warning systems. “One of the reasons experts sponsored by Coca Cola. But the fizzy drink wasn’t what households are equipped,” says Suresh proudly. Himalayan experts agree that don’t want to talk about global enticed children here. Participants in Mexico City were impressed with how glacial retreat must be tackled at a Shanta Chaudhary, 14, of Dang and Suresh Baral, 13, warming and its impact is much the children have achieved in so little time— regional level and are calling on of Kaski(pictured, above) made the trip to the Children’s something that adults would find impossible to do. Over because the science is not World Water Forum to talk about the role of young people 100 children aged 11-15, from 29 countries participated at cooperation of the affected consistent. But we don’t need any in improving sanitation in Nepal. The two were chosen from the children’s forum, presenting 55 local action plans five countries. Biksham Gujja, policy more evidence, just study climate among 400 Nepali schools with water and sanitation clubs. of which will be chosen to be presented at a dialogue adviser at WWF’s Global variability all over the world to “When we started our youth club in my village with the help session at the main water forum. Freshwater Program says: understand that the climate is of UNICEF people didn’t trust us so they shooed us away,” “The most important thing I learnt about water is that “Governments should work on indeed changing,” says Ainun remembers Shanta. it is vital for sanitation and it is not wise to separate the adaptation strategy, take a In 2004 only 35 percent of houses in Shanta’s village two,” Suresh told children from other parts of the world Nishat from World Conservation had proper bathrooms but now over 60 percent do. “We through an impressive powerpoint. proactive approach and work with Union (IUCN) Bangladesh. “The don’t just talk about latrines and bathrooms,” the young girl Living in dormitories, the children had a chance to the people. snowline is decreasing and the explained confidently, “we perform street dramas, distribute meet other kids. Shanta and Suresh have made friends IUCN’s Nishat agrees. low flow of the Ganges and fliers and have concerts on sanitation.” It’s now become a from Tajikistan, Laos, Mexico and Japan. They also “Countries where the impact will Brahmaputra is already a topic of status symbol for people in her Dang village to have a learned from one another. Says Shanta: “There are many be felt most need to seriously debate and dispute between bathroom, to keep surroundings clean and to live in a problems in our villages but that doesn’t mean we wait for revise their national laws and hygienic environment. someone else to solve our problems. I am going back to Nepal, India and Bangladesh.” Suresh was involved in setting up his own school club Nepal with the message that children can make a incorporate climate change laws Even though it is not on the in 2004 that offered loans of Rs 5,000 to families difference.” into them to avert future agenda, the impact of global disasters.” 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 9

PICS: NAVIN SINGH KHADKA Locals near Everest fret about Mother Nature’s next surprise Crazy weather

f there is all this global warming how NAVIN SINGH KHADKA in TENGBOCHE all of us, god knows what disaster we will come it snowed so much this spring? face next,” said Jangbu. That is what trekkers and Phurba Gyalgin, at Monjo, is also Sherpas in Khumbu were asking last worried. “It did not snow when it should Iweek as an unprecedented and unseasonal have and now when there should have been blizzard dumped heavy snow at the tail end plenty of sunshine we get hit by the freak of a bone-dry winter. Meterologists explain snowstorm, something is not right.” it is not so much climate change but climate Many such observations have been variability associated with the greenhouse forwarded to conservation organisations effect. working in the region, such as the World No one we spoke to in Khumbu last Wildlife Fund. “We noticed that it had week could remember a winter like this snowed unusually and unexpectedly for without snow, or a spring with so much. three days last spring as well,” said WWF “This is something we never saw and heard Climate Change Officer Chamling Rai. about,” said 80-year-old Jangbu Sherpa, at The Italian research group that goes by Namche Bajar. “It’s quite ominous.” the acronym EV-K2-CNR recently installed a The freak storm hit the region on 10 weather station below Chomolungma at March, blowing and snowing for two full 5,079 m to monitor climate variability. days. Nearly a meter of snow fell on Officials at the Department of Hydrology Tengboche and up the Imja Valley. Many and Metrology in Kathmandu caution trekkers were unprepared and were against jumping to hasty conclusions. “Just stranded. “The guidebooks I referred to did because it did not snow for one season or it not have any information about snowfall in snowed in spring doesn’t indicate climate this season,” said Sarah Topping, from change,” said Senior Divisional London. Meteorologist Sarju Baidya. Some farmers were happy because it The department’s explanation is that meant an end to a long drought. “The fields this winter’s westerly disturbances were were drying up,” said Sarki Maya Tamang, a deflected by atmospheric pressure. “The seasonal farmer in Lukla. “Now that it has westerlies all veered off into Tibet, which is snowed, we can sow barley once it melts.” why there was no precipitation this winter,” But others were full of questions. “First, explains Baidya. we did not get snow throughout the winter While that may explain the barren and now we are getting to see snow fall SNOWED UNDER: Namche Bajar last week under a metre of snow (top) and Chomolungma winter, it offers no insight into what the during the spring, this is quite puzzling for and Lhotse soar above an unusually white spring at Tengboche Monastery. Sherpas of Khumbu can expect next. z 10 NATION 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 ick Simons had just finished college in New N York and was travelling around the world when he came to Nepal in 2002. He liked it so much here, he stayed and worked in a community health project and was determined to dedicate his life to health care in the Third World. On his way back to America, he drowned while swimming in Bali. Nick’s parents Jim and Marilyn Simons were devastated and HOW ABOUT HERE? Marilyn and decided to help Nepalis live Jim Simons plan their rural health healthier lives in Nick’s memory. care strategy in Kathmandu on They flew to Kathmandu in their Monday (left) and their son Jim private jet and looked around. with a friend in Nepal in 2003.

They were immediately impressed KUNDA DIXIT with the work being done at Patan the cities once they learn skills. Hospital and saw the overcrowded It is looking at innovative ways maternity ward. They decided to of keeping doctors in rural fund a new $1.5 million hospitals by paying for their maternity hospital that is children to go to school in the currently under construction cities and giving them telephone in Lagankhel. The gift of life and internet access. Trainees will Jim Simons was a mathematics develop skills in existing professor at MIT and Harvard An American billionaire invests in rural health care in Nepal in memory of his son government and mission where he worked on probabilities hospitals like Tansen, Rukum, and found ways to predict trends task force of Nepali health experts it has ever been done with an difference in Nepal, health care Dadeldhura and Okhaldhunga. in the stock market. He set up led by former ambassador Bhekh emphasis on quality training.” workers in remote and the “Nepal has doctors, but they Renaissance Technologies which Bahadur Thapa they set up the This is a relatively less poorest areas parts of Nepal are in the wrong places, and it helped corporate clients with Nick Simons Institute (NSI) glamorous way to do charity. needed to be trained in basic isn’t enough to train health management of their investment which was launched this week in Most philanthropists like to help skills like childbirth, anaesthesia, workers we have to make sure portfolios and grew into a multi- Kathmandu. with high-profile diseases that bio-medicine, nursing, x-ray and they stay where they are needed,” billion dollar business. “Rural health care is not a bring big headlines, address rural even dentistry. says Mark Zimmerman Executive Jim and Marilyn wanted to do new problem and there are lots of health in developing countries is NSI has drawn up a strategy to Director of NSI. There is great something more for Nepal that people addressing the issue,” Jim an anonymous and low-profile. select and train health personnel disparity in health care in Nepal: would make a real long-term says, “what makes NSI unique is But the Nepali advisers at NSI who are most likely to remain in Kathmandu has 117 doctors for difference in rural health. With a that it will do this job better than were convinced that to make a real the villages, and not migrate to every 100,000 population but the figure is 3.3 for other towns and 0.7 for remote areas. Jim and Marilyn Simons say they have a great sense of fulfilment that after three years an institute named after their son is finally getting off the ground. “You know, we’d probably never have come to Nepal if Nick hasn’t been here,” says Marilyn, “he was so happy in Nepal, he said he wanted to live and work here. Nick left us a gift by opening a whole new world to us.” z

THE SASIA STORY told by Madanjeet Singh UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

Sasia is the name Madanjeet Singh has coined for South Asia’s common currency in the hope that, like the Euro, it will become the anchor of economic stability and regional cooperation in the subcontinent.

This well-illustrated book contains rare pictures and is the story of Madanjeet Singh’s career as a painter, photographer and diplomat. It lays out his vision for prosperity through regional cooperation.

Available at all leading bookstores in Kathmandu. Rs 600 NATION 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 11 Kukur-sukur ra car-sar The outbreak of double-barrelled words in Nepali is getting out of hand

he first time I became aware of the jingle word, an ever increasing phenomenon in the Nepali language, I was in a T taxi. The driver was from Dhapakhel and he told me what his village was like. It is a most beautiful place, he said, because at night from his house he can see all the lights of “airport-sairport”. I naively asked the driver for the meaning of “sairport”. He merely shrugged his shoulders. The Nepali language has a lilt and a musical tone because of the number of enjoyable jingle words matching the mood of the expression. Family members are known by their jingles, NEPALI PAN such as dai-bhai, mama-kaka, Lucia de Vries chhora-chhori, and little girls RUBEN MEIJERINK are known as cheli-beti. Early summer morning, when the air is crisp and clear and birds announce the new day, we say it is rim-jhim. Over holi your clothes become rangi-changi, which can be seen wari-pari, all around. In the market, where wedding processions with baja-gaja can be seen dayan-bayan, we buy mal-saman. After that we have dal-bhat together A ray of sunshine with our friends, sang-sangain. But of late, Nepali colloquialism seems to have got out of hand. Solar cookers help feed Bhutani refugees, protect forests New jingles pop up like rebels in the hills and the speed at which new rhymes are invented requires a daily update of my Nepali dictionary. A friend says he loves to listen to geet-sangeet during AARTI BASNYAT dwindling the surrounding which also includes a Hay-box— his khaza-saza. A well-educated neighbour expresses his in JHAPA forests. So in 1998, the Dutch- wooden or bamboo containers concerned about the bhid-sid and increasing number of pasal-sasal supported group, Vajra insulated with cotton or rice in Kathmandu’s gulli-sulli. here is something Foundation, decided to introduce husk for insulation—for storing When I buy a new carpet for the house the shopkeeper says I blindingly new when one solar cookers to reduce the food to eat after the sun goes shouldn’t worry. His carpet-sarpet are the cheapest and best and his tasne-sasne manche are without a doubt the most experienced T enters the Bhutani refugee pressure on the forests. down. Vajra plans to cut that in the district. A neighbour down the road is looking for a job and camp at Belgandi-I these days. Ram Kaji Poudel of Vajra number to only two families claims she makes excellent coffee-soffee for office staff during It is the blazing light of the explains: “We thought we’d start per set. their meetings-seetings. A friend praises her, saying how she has sun reflected off dozens of from the refugee camps as people As donor fatigue sets in, even been to Italy-sitaly to work for bideshi-sideshis like myself. parabolic solar cookers outside there have the time and patience refugees have had to do with the bamboo and thatch huts of to wait for food to be cooked and less and less. They say the Bhutani refugees, many of whom we wanted to prevent UNHCR’s cut in kerosene quotas are spending their 16th year away deforestation. When we complete is causing problems and they are from their home country. the camps, we want to encourage thankful that at least they have The families come in shifts Nepali communities outside the cookers. From 1 January to change the pots on the cookers as well.” 2006 the refugee agency replaced and it takes up to 30 minutes to The Foundation has already kerosene with bio-briquettes for boil rice for a family of four. distributed 550 cookers in cooking but it still provides one There are some 110,000 Bhutani Beldangi-I and plans to have litre of kerosene to each family refugees in seven camps in Jhapa 7,300 more set up in the other six every month for lighting. C I and their demand for firewood camps by December 2007. Four Thapa has been living in for cooking was seriously families now share one cooker, Beldangi-I for 15 years and says: “People are getting panicky and it is getting tough to survive. The kerosene is being cut and briquettes don’t work as well.” Even so, refugees are reluctant to sing the praises of And so it goes on. Friends are complaining about the fact that solar cookers because they don’t these days palung-salung is not available in the market because of want relief agencies to use this the nakabandi-sakabandi and if it is there it costs a lots of paisa- as an excuse to make further saisa. People who build a new house, get their painter-sainter to cuts. “They don’t want to put matching rang-sang on each and every wall. Naturally, the openly admit how effective design-sesign of the mansion in question has to be a good one and these cookers are,” says Vajra’s should include a comfortable parking for the car-sar and a suitable Poudel, “but they should rest house for the expensive kukur-sukur. assured because our project is It is not surprising that those who mix their mother tongue with different from UNHCR’s.” English would pioneer updated variations of the words. Anyone Vajra, which funds its with a computer-somputer hides the cable-sable or tar-sar behind a fancy office table after which they google-soogle till the cows come programs through donations in home. Or they buy the latest gadget-sadget and skype-sype or the Netherlands, aims to have email-semail with nata-gota and sathi-bhai around the globe. solar cookers for 90 percent of I am sure the assault of jingle words does not stop at the rim of the families here by 2007. Shade the Kathmandu Valley and that villagers including Maobadis and from trees and other Khaobadis add their own new juicy expressions to the Nepali geographical difficulties will language. I imagine them talking about their dukha-sukha, marked make it impossible for the by julus-sulus and baltin-saltin and socket-wocket bombs. No remaining 10 percent to use doubt many rural Nepalis are at this very moment busy getting their the devices. passport-sassport and dollar-sollar needed to escape the country’s The time required to prepare various foods with solar cookers on a As the memory of their grim reality. sunny day in October: homesteads and farms in Last week I was on my way from Dhapakhel to Lagankhel once more, and decided to do a little experiment. Could I invent a new Food Item Quantity (kg) Total Time (min) Bhutan slips away, the Bhutani jingle word and introduce it into the Nepali language, to be enjoyed Rice 1 28 refugees here say at least for many generations to come? “O dai, Lagankhel ma taxi-sexy haru the cookers have kept a ray of painchha?” I asked casually. The driver did not miss a beat. Curry (chicken) 1 32 hope alive. “Hirnus”, he said, “Lagankhelma thupro taxi-sexy painchha!” Pulse 0.5 25 If tomorrow you hear someone calling out for a ‘Taxi-sexy!’ you Vajra Foundation: PO Box: 10392 know who to blame. Curry (beans and potatoes) 0.5 22 Kathmandu Nepal, 5572410, [email protected] 12 INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 Treading carefully in Sri Lanka Suspicions linger despite the resumption of talks

COLOMBO—Sri Lanka is one Tamils are mostly separate country where you take no time nowadays and there is very little to pick up the thread from where social contact between the two you have left it off three months communities. or three decades ago. It is the Two things struck me: the same old ethnic divide in Sinhalese anxiety to maintain different forms at different times. peace with the LTTE and the Currently, they are sitting belief that there was the third across the table for sorting out a man, India, which would step in way to live together in the united if there were anything worse happening. A few years ago, the BETWEEN word, ‘federation’, was a taboo. THE LINES Now the Sinhalese, except the Kuldip Nayar hardliners, talk about it and try to find out how things were working country. But this is not the first in India. The status of Indian time they are doing so. They have state may be acceptable to the gone over the exercise again and Sinhalese provided they again. are sure that it would constitute a India was in the picture more full and final settlement. The fear than once and even got embroiled of Sinhalese, who constitute and mauled in a war. nearly 70 per cent of the After burning its fingers, New population, is that the LTTE Delhi is reluctant to get involved would use the status of state as a again. Norway is now batting for because there were more president but then in her eight- how can you trust the Tamils stepping stone to get to the Eelam. it and consults India at every accusations and counter- year-rule she got lost in political who, while being at the The general impression is that step. Oslo has even strengthened accusations at the last meeting. In intrigues which were of her own negotiating table, are extorting the LTTE head, V Prabhakaran, is its negotiating team and this has other way, the Geneva dialogue making. Sadly, the talks have not money, buying weapons from interested only in an independent evoked some hope. But there are was a positive development and got beyond the preliminary abroad and recruiting Tamil country at the expense of Sri lots of ifs and buts. The has come to be an on-going stage. They seldom have in the children for their Eelam fight? Lanka’s integrity. This is where Sinhalese believe that the talks process. The next round has been past because both the Sinhalese The Tamils are mostly opposed India comes in. An average will produce little since the fixed for late April. and the Tamils have never put all to the LTTE but they have a long Sinhalese has convinced himself LTTE is not willing to be pinned President Mahinda Rajpakse their cards on the table. They tale of grievances. Not many that New Delhi will thwart the down to anything concrete. is treading carefully and says the always have a few up their Tamils are either in government LTTE’s ambitions to have an Sri Lanka’s chief negotiator talks are only preliminery. He is sleeves. Both sides know it. service either or the Sinhalese- independent Tamil state says “it is too soon to say being hassled by Chandrika Sinhalese editors, politicians run industry or business. because it can pose a danger to anything”. In one way, he is right Kumaratunga. She began well as and human rights activists say Schools for the Sinhalese and the India itself. z

Rich Indians’ power play ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ NEW DELHI - India’s plan to reform its ailing power sector has been stalled by influential sections of society that benefit from subsidies provided by state-run utilities and steal electricity in collusion with officials, say experts. “Substantial improvement in power supply may not take place in the near future unless the core issue creating opposition to reform, that is, the issue of subsidy, is suitably addressed,” says V Santhakumar, a researcher at the state-run Centre for Development Studies (CDS) in the southern state of Kerala. The popular perception that electricity tariff reforms would adversely affect the poor was incorrect, he added. Says Shubhasis Gangopadhyay, director of the independent India Development Foundation, “Those who never receive electricity do not figure in discussions on power sector reforms—they don’t care one way or the other.”

Truly Malaysia? ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia’s first serious survey of race relations in 50 years shows that behind the façade of unity and peace, racism runs deep in this multi-ethnic ‘melting pot’. The telephone survey of about 1,200 Malaysians also found that the majority find comfort and security in their respective ethnicity and not in a common ‘Malaysian’ identity, as the travel and tourism brochures suggest. “The findings are not at all surprising,” said social scientist Chandra Muzaffar. “This is partly because ethnic boundaries are real in our society and almost every sphere of public life is linked to ethnicity in one way or another.” The survey also found that negative racial stereotyping was deeply entrenched. For example, minority Chinese and Indians see the majority Malays, who make up 60 percent of the population of 25 million people, as lazy.

Not mai pen rai ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BANGKOK - A popular local expression for Thais laid-back and non-confrontational character—mai pen rai (it’s OK)–has been turned on its head these past weeks as an opposition campaign to get Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to resign picks up. With hardly a hint of compromise surfacing from the main contenders locked in this tussle, it is becoming increasingly clear that this Southeast Asian nation could be heading towards political paralysis. “It is difficult to reach a compromise at this stage,” said Gotham Arya, director at the Research Centre on Peace Building at Bangkok’s Mahidol University. “There is not enough trust, each party is holding firm to their positions—all of them think the time is working in their favour.” The prospect of a snap election on 2 April, or even at a later date as some are suggesting, will do little to reduce the political heat against Thaksin, he added. “If he continues as the prime minister, you can expect more agitation and the act of governing will become more difficult.” (IPS) NATION 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 13 Meet my tennis team Our diversity is our strength pring break for me means a trip with my tennis team to a warm part of the US. This year, we chose to come to Los Angeles for S an opportunity to train outdoors for the first time in months and to have some fun. One week away from the rigors of schoolwork gives our student athletes an opportunity to re-charge their batteries for the remainder of the season. It is great to feel the sunshine and exciting to know that winter is behind us. I was settling in my seat for our flight west when eight of my An escalating war comes players, my assistant and my trainer walked into the plane. They were dressed in orange and blue sweat suits and in great spirits. I was very proud of how professional they looked and how vibrant closer to the capital they were. I decided than to write about my team and what they mean to me.

KIRAN PANDAY One of the great things about being a coach for a college team like the University of Illinois is to have a chance to incorporate the from p1 the rebel leadership called off the on the shoulders and hit the individual aspects of tennis into blockade the next day after head’ under which they may a team concept. This is definitely NARESH NEWAR reaffirming an agreement with the execute high profile attacks on GAME POINT a challenge and lot more difficult than it looks. My philosophy is in DHADING seven party alliance. The villagers Kathmandu and army bases and Sujay Lama very simple: “the chain is only as went home, half the rebels police posts along the highway. strong as the weakest link”. Everybody on the team has to be on the The Royal Nepali Army’s elite marched towards Kathmandu via In a bloody week of carnage, 65 same page and marching to the beat of the same drummer for us to Ranger Battalion had just come Nuwakot while others headed people were killed all over be successful. down off the mountain after a south towards the Chitwan Nepal including 10 policemen My role as the head coach is not just teaching the finer points of major battle on Tuesday in which border. The army got wind of one in an attack on a police post in tennis. At times I am a motivator, a psychologist, a taskmaster, a 21 Maoists were killed. The group that had camped at Birtamod on Monday and 13 team builder and a mentor. I enjoy these roles immensely and I am Maoists in a statement said only Darechok village and attacked soldiers in Dapcha of Kabhre on very fortunate to have a wonderful group of young women who are 12 of their men were killed. them early Tuesday morning. Sunday. motivated both on and off the court. One great thing about the US is Further down the road, Locals now fear the Maoists But so far the rebels have the opportunity it provides athletes to pursue their sports careers as soldiers of the Sixth Battalion are regrouping once more for the only succeeded in carrying out well as to continue their education. And can you believe that they receive a full scholarship to do just that? It is worth more than $ based in Baireni were all smiles previously-planned attack on ambushes when soldiers move 250,000 over five years. when we caught up with them on Gorkha. “It could happen any out of barracks to clear Wednesday (pictured above). They day,” says a local journalist, who obstructions, sabotaged were headed up the trail on a four says there is big Maoist buildup government buildings, and hour climb to the battle site where in the surrounding mountains. attacked security personnel in they will be mopping up. The Locals say up to 5,000 guerrillas the middle of crowded towns army didn’t suffer any casualties have massed up along the increasing civilian casualties. in this battle and morale among forested passes west of Sim While the rebels had pinned the soldiers was high. Bhanjyang and east of Mugling. down troops on the Prithbi This was a well-planned The army seems to be aware of Highway in the past, this is attack. Learning from past this and is conducting happening less and less. Army mistakes, the army bided its time reconnaissance flights and has sources told us they are now after getting intelligence on dispatched more soldiers to the familiar with the topography Monday that the Maoists were area this week. “This was a big along the highway and have massed up on Chautara hill above blow to the rebels, losing so stationed posts at strategic the highway. They surprised the many of their fighters,” says a locations and improved camp the next morning with air local reporter, adding that the intelligence. support. For the Maoists, Maoists are growing desperate to But however much the army everything went wrong from prove that they are advancing on thinks it has superiority, the start. the capital. analysts say, in guerrilla warfare A combined rebel force of 250 Indeed, the Darechok battle in this kind of terrain all it guerrillas from Rasuwa, Chitwan and other ambushes and takes is one tree across the road LOOK AT US: The University of Illinois team with coaches Sujay Lama and JoAnne Russell (front) and Dhading had mobilised encounters between the army and and one ambush to strike a nearly 5,000 villagers to attend a rebels around Kathmandu in the blow. And an attack even bigger Diversity is the strength of our team. We have power hitters, meeting at Lapu village of Gorkha past two weeks prove there is and bloodier than the one on counter punchers, retrievers and serve and volley specialists as on 19 March to plan an attack on heightened Maoist activity near Thankot in February that left well as all-court players. They have diverse academic majors such the district capital. the capital. This means the rebels 12 policemen dead is a near as electrical engineering, pre-med, business, accounting and social But that plan changed when are following the plan to ‘climb certainty. z work. We have Chinese American, Indian American, Russian, Cypriot and Peruvian players, among others, on our team. It sure is a colourful group and there is never a dull moment with them. My assistant is JoAnne Russell, a former Wimbledon doubles champion. From Naples, Florida she is a tremendous inspiration for all of us. Not only is JoAnne a former #1 doubles player in the world, she also made the top 10 playing singles. She is our energizer and brings passion and energy to practice day in and day out.

Meet my top six players: Macall Harkins – This native of Los Angeles is a six-foot serve and volleyer who will certainly play at Wimbledon one day.

Momei Qu – A brilliant student who hits with two hands off both sides, this Chinese immigrant is also a tenacious competitor.

Brianna Knue – She’s the heart of our team, the ultimate ‘team player’ from the windy city (Chicago).

Emily Wang – A power hitter and an extremely compassionate person, from Lawrence, Kansas.

Shivani Dave – She has Agassi-like ground strokes. A social butterfly, her parents are from India.

Alejandra Cuadra – This clay court expert from Lima, Peru aspires to work for the United Nations. 14 CITY 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291

ABOUT TOWN Being Cyrus’ is a story of six people and is set in a Parsi household of Sethnas. The Sethna family is headed by Fardoonjee Sethna [Honey EXHIBITIONS Chhaya], an aging man, his two sons Dinshaw [Naseeruddin Shah] by Artists Society of Nepal 17-24 March. † ™ Group Exhibition and Farokh [Boman Irani] and their wives Katy [Dimple Kapadia] Park Gallery. and Tina [Simone Singh]. One day Dinshaw the sculptor meets a ™ Shanti Yagya by Uma Shankar Shah Siddhartha Art Gallery. 26 March – 18 April. complete stranger Cyrus [Saif Ali Khan], who he allows to stay at his house as a paying guest and sculpting apprentice. EVENTS Cyrus soon becomes an integral part of Sethnas. Meanwhile ™ Francophonie Night Festival. 24 March. 6PM. Alliance Francaise. an extra marital affair starts in the household. A deep rooted secret 4241163/4242832. starts to unravel and the mystery around the character Cyrus starts ™ Music and Dance from Dolpo a documentary. 26 March. 2PM. engulfing everyone. Who is he? Where has he come from? What’s his Lajimpat Café agenda? ™ Israeli Film Festival at the Russian Cultural Centre. 28-30 March. Call 4442220 for show timings at Jai Nepal Quest Entertainment Quest Entertainment Quest Entertainment 4411811 Quest Entertainment Quest Entertainment ™ Open House at French School of Kathmandu. 31 March www.jainepal.com ™ Why People Fall: Spinal Injury in Nepal a lecture by Kanak Mani Dixit. 31 March. 9.30 AM. Shankar Hotel. ™ International artists’ residency by Sutra art. 10 March - 10 April. Bhaktapur. 4242106 ™ Wheel of Fortune every Thursday at Radisson Hotel. ™ Women in Concert a fund-raising event. 1 April. Baber Mahal Revisited.Tickets Rs. 2000. 4263070 ™ Life Skills Training Camp. [email protected]. 4107599 ™ New Free Student Union(FSU) : The Way Ahead youth discussion. 24 March. 3-5PM. Martin Chautari ™ Ghode Jatra 29 March. ™ Ibsen vs Shakespeare a football match organised by the Norwegian embassy. 26 March. Jawalakhel

MUSIC ™ Classical Music at Lajimpat Café. Every Monday. 6PM-9PM. Rs150. ™ MOKSH LIVE presents new jazz rock band followed by DJ Sani. 24 March. Rs.150 ™ Shanti Thatal Paleti 31 March. 6PM nepa~laya R sala . Rs. 500 ™ Ramailo Saanjh with Anil Shahi and Maya Mantra. Rs. 1000. 7PM-10PM. 5 and 26 April. cgzf;g' / gltstfljxLg} JolQm / ;dfh cGttfuTjf] Poolside Dwarika’s Hotel. ktg eP/ hfG5g \ . To;}n] /fli6o« hLjgsf x/]s 4479488 cfofdx¿df pbfx/0fLo cgzf;g' / gltstf} sfod ugk5'{ { . ™ Cadenza Collective live / To;sf ] ;?cft' cfkmaf6}+ u/f }+ . every Wednesday (Jazz) and Saturday (Afro-funk and Latin) 8PM at Upstairs, >L % sf ] ;/sf/ Lajimpat. ;"rgf tyf ;~rf/ dGqfno ™ Live Music at New Orleans Café. 4700311 ;"rgf ljefu ™ Best of jazz JCS trio and Friends. Niek’s Place. Every Tuesday and Saturday. 4701324. ™ Unplugged sessions with Strings, Jatra Saturday nights. 4256622 NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED ™ Uncork the Good Times Fusion bar at Dwarika’s presents Ciney Many parts of the country, including the and Par-e-jat Fridays 7PM onwards. Rs. 750. Dwarika’s Hotel. Valley, have already received this 4479448 month’s rain quota but after five months KATHMANDU of drought water remains in short supply. DINING Thursday morning’s satellite photo ™ Grilled lobsters at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu at 4491234 Ext. shows an active westerly front streaming 5241 toward the western Himalaya, carrying ™ Nepali Cusine at Krishnarpan Restaurant. Dwarika’s Hotel. 4479488 with it moisture and a good chance of ™ Lunch at Shivapuri Heights Cottage 25 March. 9841 371927 more rain before the end of March. The ™ BBQ Ban Bhoj with swimming at Godavari Village Resort. earlier rains moderated temperature Saturday & Sunday. 5560675 fluctuations and the mercury level has ™ Breakfast at Singma Restaurant. 8.30 – 11.00AM daily. 5520004 been rising consistently by one degree ™ Stupa View vegetarian creations, clay oven pizza, tasty desserts, a week. Expect balmy afternoons and espresso & latte. Boudha Stupa. 4480262 with localised convection storms into ™ Great Dining options at Al Fresco, Bukhara, China Garden and the weekend that we in the profession Garden Terrace restaurants, Soaltee Crowne Plaza. 4273999 call “Charlie bravos”. ™ The Shangri-La Express Soups, make your own sandwiches and salads and choice of dessert only for Rs 399. Everyday from 11AM - 3PM. The Shambala Garden KATHMANDU VALLEY ™ Breakfast at 1905 New York style bagels whole wheat pancakes Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue and real croissants baked in house daily. Omelettes made to your gourmet style. 1905, Kantipath ™ Breakfast With Birds lunch with butterflies and dinner by the fire place. Farm House Café. 4375279 27-11 28-10 27-11 27-12 28-11 GETAWAYS ™ Home away from home Shivapuri Heights Cottage for bookings 9841371927. [email protected] ™ Tea House-Inn. Nepalese Salads with Nepali Thali every Saturday at the terrace garden. Nagarkot. 668-0048, 668-0080 (ext.2111) km/L] ;rf?' ™ Club Himalaya Chiso Chiso Hawama package from Rs.1700.00 per person with dinner, breakfast, accommodation and shuttle service. 668-0080, 668-0083 g]kfnL ™ Go Double, Pay Single special air package to Thailand & ASEAN destinations with Air Nepal & Air Asia, valid until 31 March. Daily 2045-2115 on 102.4 4247215. [email protected] Radio Sagarmatha ™ Nature Retreat at Park Village Resort & Spa, Budhanilkantha P.O. Box 6958, 4375280 Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal ™ Star Cruises/Singapore with Air Sahara bring you cruise Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, packages from Rs.65,500. 2012345. Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 ™ Escape Kathmandu at Shivapuri Heights Cottage. 9851012245 [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org HAPPENINGS 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 15 In tune with Nepal n 17 years, musician Yoshihiro Akita has not dreamt once of his homeland. He’s only visited Japan once in the I past decade and today, aged 54, all his wishes are rooted in Nepal. “The first time I came here 25 years ago I felt like I had been here in a previous life. So I want to die here,” he says with a smile. After a couple of hours with this multi-talented man you start to understand why he is looking to hand over his unique yet very practical piano-tuning business to an apprentice and RAM HUMAGAIN/NEPALNEWS.COM devote his working hours to “Buddhist art”. I SEE: Vice-chairman Tulsi Giri being shown around the CAN Infotech Born into a family of Buddhist monks, Akita was trained as a piano tuner. He married his Newari wife in Osaka 22 information technology fair that opened at the BICC on Thursday. years ago and five years later the couple returned to her roots in Patan. “I was just tuning pianos for friends, and I started wondering how many pianos there were in Kathmandu. I put up a notice at a supermarket and people began calling," Akita recalls. Today, he carries a binder full of letters recommending his skills as a tuner, a list of pianos in the Valley and their condition, along with advice on the instrument’s care and value. Besides pianos, Akita has also learned to care for the human body, having developed a physiotherapy technique that one satisfied patient, an ambassador here, calls “body tuning”. Today Akita's son runs the Sotai Japanese Traditional Physiotherapy clinic in Jawalakhel. That frees up Akita's time for his thanka business (Mababa Buddhist Thanka Gallery and nepalthanka.com) and to his goal of revitalising the art with what he calls the true spirit of Buddhism. "Much of Buddhist art has

KIRAN PANDAY been going in the wrong direction," he says, "my aim is to convey the exact VIRTUAL MUNCHA: Kathmandu's famous Muncha House is a pioneer feelings of the Buddha.” in e-commerce through which it sells everything from i-pods to But when the stress of healing vegetables and gym exercise equipment at muncha.com others “gives me a headache” Akita reaches for his piano, where his favourites range from Chopin to Andre Gagnon to easy listening. But Akita is not completely happy because there is no peace in Nepal. He adds: “I have a dream. Peace will come to Nepal and then I’ll go to the mountains and play piano." z Marty Logan

MARTY LOGAN

SAGAR SHRESTHA MEDIA ADVOCATES: Members of the International Media Advocacy Mission to Nepal after meetings at the Supreme Court on Wednesday being esceorted by Suresh Acharya and Bishnu Nisturi of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ).

PRISONERS OF WAR: Maoist child soldiers captured after the Palpa attack last month being interviewed in police custody by researcher Anna Niestat of Human Rights Watch in Butwal last week.

BUHDI KATEL BARELY AFLOAT: A female boat owner waits for customers amidst a colourful sea of boats at Phewa Lake in Pokhara on Sunday after the Maoist blockade kept tourists away in the peak trekking season. 16 24 - 30 MARCH 2006 #291 Us yeomen must think positive www.nepalitimes.com

hanks to the yeoman’s service imparted by our country’s current rulers in the past year, we can say with confidence that things T can’t get any worse. Therefore, if my memory serves me right, things can only get better. That is why you may have gleaned from recent coverage in the The Rising Damp that we are all bubbling with optimism about the future. We have started seeing the glass as half-full and that is largely due to the fact that we have already quaffed the other half. Everything looks rosy on the sunny side of the street because we are wearing rose-tinted shades. We clearly detect a silver lining that wasn’t there before in UNDER MY HAT cloud cuckooland. And as we Kunda Dixit confidently sail underneath a rainbow towards a glorious sunset we know all this has been made possible because we have locked up all pessimists under the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA!). And allow me to take this opportunity to also propose a vote of thanks to the large numbers of yeomen and women who have demonstrated courage, commitment and patriotism in the year 2062 and who I’m sure will be recognised and awarded medals in the New Year’s Honour’s List. So, with permission from the Chair (May I?) allow me to propose the following richly-deserving candidates for decorations: soldiers who courageously marched into newsrooms last year to ensure that all the news was good news; daring dogs of Pokhara Municipality who fearlessly stood as candidates in the recently successfully-concluded elections; Herojig, the cartoonist extraordinaire and member of UNACOOTS; and since everyone from the good old days is coming out of the woodworks why not also give a medal to the shoplifting Royal Nepalese Ambassador and Kleptomaniac Plenipotentiary who exercised his diplomatic impunity and whose service to the nation has remained unrecognised for over two decades and a half? It is when we start recognising every Nepali who has tirelessly worked for the betterment of this country that we will set an example for others to follow. And I’ll start right here by developing a positive mental attitude myself and not poking fun anymore at those on top of the food chain. So, here is a rundown of all the upbeat things that have been happening lately which may help us count our blessings: z Kulekhani reservoir has risen by 1.7 cm due to recent rains which means loadshedding will now be reduced from 5 hours a day to 4 hours and 57 minutes a day. z Another contingent of RNA peacekeeping troops has left for the Congo where it will try to win the hearts and minds of the Congolese people who overwhelmingly yearn for a ceasefire, the restoration of peace, democracy and respect for human rights. z Kathmandu has held its First Chicken or Egg Festival which proved once and for all eggs came first and there is no bird flew in the country. z Two potholes were patched in Krishna Galli this week, which is a 200 percent improvement on the situation in the previous fiscal year when no potholes were patched. z A new Bikram Calendar has been approved by the Department of Astrology and Voodoo that will eliminate the month of Baisakh in 2063 since that is the month when most political upheavals have historically taken place in this country. z The Nepal Telepathy Corporation has introduced a new service called Sixth Sense (Registered Trade Mark) for voice mail in which subscribers will have to use their intuition and instinct to figure out what callers are trying to say since they keep getting cut off.

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