Patan Museum Revisited

#120 22 - 28 November 2002 16 pages Rs 25 p8-9

” EXCLUSIVE Pandey meets press Newly appointed information minister, Ramesh Nath Pandey, spoke to media Thursday Famine by February at the Reporters’ Club. His remarks: Western Nepal is running out of food. Political deadlock: MOHAN MAINALIin BAJURA “Major political parties CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM should support the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ government to restore law and order and hold unger doesn’t make headlines, war does. The deaths parliamentary and local elections.” of over a hundred policemen and Maoists in the Talks with Maoists: “We can resolve HJumla battle last week was big news for the papers in this problem through quiet diplomacy.faraway If Kathmandu. But here, in the remote hills of we resort to diplomacy via media then we will be in the same situation as lastwestern Nepal and away from the glare of media, year. We have to show that we can hundreds of thousands of Nepalis face an imminent and resolve this problem ourselves.”

catastrophic food shortage. If nothing is done now, local ALL PICSMOHANMAINALI The king’s role: “His Majesty is fully officials warn, there will be famine by Feburary across committed to work with the political parties and towards multi-party democ-these hills. racy, but that can flourish only if there isThere are many reasons: the food blockade by the stability.” security forces, the Maoists looting what little the farmersanother seven days. The role of the political parties: “Political parties are the lifeline of ahave, the worst drought in 50 years, roads and bridges not TheThe fallow “food terracesfor work” at programmePandusen, only had intractors the past can ply on the rough road to from Doti to Sanfebagar, the airport at democratic system. the present prob-maintained regularly. providedKolti destroyed grain to inthe April, neediest and farmers.(below) aBut young after woman the loads salt on a cattle caravan at Sanfebagar. lems in the country can’t be resolved by The effects of malnutrition can already be seen in the Maoists looted godowns, the programme has been stopped. destroying that role.” On the media: “The government has nochildren. Able-bodied men have migrated to find work, Thento the Maoists destroyed both Sanfebagar and Kolti airports, and roads are blocked due to security reasons. oil, instant noodles. “We have to walk barefoot, we have intention of restricting press freedom.”escape forced recruitment by the Maoists, and avoid nothing to eat, we are back in the stone age,” says Jasiram being caught in security dragnets. Only the children, Even if the situation improved, the road from Doti toShahani, a shopkeeper here. women and elderly remain, and they are all hungry. Sanfebagar is in such a bad state that only tractors can The food blockade has hit the local people more than “We are all going to starve to death this year, that’s formake it. What little food there is in Sanfebagar moves on the Maoists. A villager in Pandusen told us: “The Maoists sure,” 82-year-old Surya Prasad Giri at Kolti village tellshuman back, or is transported by mules, sheep or even cattle to Martadi. Along the route, there are no police orcome in groups and force us to feed them at gunpoint. They visiting reporters. “Please take this message out, journalist don’t care whether we have enough food.” The Maoists also sir.” Officials in charge of the regional administrative army to be seen. Maoists from Accham often raid con- voys, in September they looted rice ferried on 100 mulesask for a grain tax from farmers who have no cash, and offices in Dipayal and Surkhet seem oblivious of the they are forced to five ten pathis looming calamity. of grain per household Weekly Internet Poll # 60 Locals say this year’s meagre harvest of rice, kodo and to feed the proposed rebel barrack in the hills of Kandha. Q. Do you support US military aid to Nepal? karu will last them a few more months. When we ask Giri At Kolti, we see the charred hulk of the airport what will happen after that, he looks up to the sky and control tower, the remains of the NFC godown, the shrugs: “We will eat poison plants. There is plenty of that . government buildings that have up in the mountains.” Now, to prevent food from falling into the hands ofbeen torched in the past six Editorial p2 In village after village in these rugged mountains we hearMaoists, the security forces allow only small quotas of months. And then we see a tales of struggle, survival, and despair. Food grain produc- Maoist grafitti scrawled along theLet’s get this food on a weekly basis by private traders. But the margins over with tion in the district is down by 60 percent because of the are too small for the merchants to want to make the side of a building: “Let’s con- drought, according to the District Agriculture Office in dangerous eight-day roundtrip from Sanphebagar. It’s struct physical infrastructure in the base areas.” Bajura. “We can’t grow rice here, but this year the droughtnot just food that is To avoid a serious famine here, the road from Doti to Total votes: 2,493 even destroyed the kodo and the bears came and ate up thestopped, the security Bajura has to be repaired immediately. It is the lifeline not maize crop,” says Harka Bogati, pointing at his fallow personnel have also just for Bajura, but for Mugu and Humla as well. Security is Weekly Internet Poll # 61. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.comfields. The out-migration of able-bodied men also means needed so food can move up. If that is not possible, the Q. Did the political parties make a mistake by not banned batteries, joining the council of ministers? there is no one to farm the terraces. canvas shoes, cooking food should be escorted and distributed by human rights “The number of people, especially and relief organisations. CORRECTION Due to a layout error, the result of the Nepali Times/Nepalnews.comfrom northern Bajura leaving for And, finally, western Nepal needs a government that poll in the hardcopy version of Nepali Times # 119 carried a mistakeother in parts of the country as well the pie chart. The corrected chart is given below. cares. Giri’s message: “They have never come to see our The error is deeply regretted. - Editor as India is on the rise,” says hardships since Kolti was destroyed by the Maoists. Q. Which of the following offers the best solution Mukti Narayan Bhandari, at the Why did they join the public to the present political impasse: CDO office in Bajura which service if they estimates that a quarter of the don’t care?” region’s population of 800,000 has already left. Southern Bajura is slightly better off because of access and soil conditions. But even here, the fertilisers have not Total votes: 1,885 arrived this year and much of the stored high- constituent assembly elections yield seeds have been eaten. “Next year looks reinstatement of parliament interim all-party government very bleak,” concludes Bhandari. The district none of the above suffers an annual shortfall of 7,800 tons of grain. The Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) could only get 780 tons to the district last year. This year there won’t even be that. The local NFC depot in Martadi hasn’t received a single grain of food this year, and there is now only enough subsidised rice to last must do everything to defeat our own “axis of evil”, including accepting aid from the US and Britain for weapons. I am using a fake name to protect myself and family from Maoist murderers. ìPlinyî, Balaju

I am concerned that Bhagirath Yogi's piece,"Peaceniks on the Warpath" represents the issue of support for US military aid to EDITORIAL 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 222 Nepal as one that splits along 333 Nepali/non-Nepali lines. Yogi LETTERS Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, PEACENIKS suggests that only a few dozen' Chief Editor:Kunda Dixit Nepalis signed the ANHS Design:Kiran Maharjan I was uncomfortable with the your editorial (“Un-united taken then and now is petition, while in fact, there are [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com slightly derisive tone of nation” # 118) where you touching but I wanted to FOUR WHEELS GOOD Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] at least 100 Nepali signatories. Subscription:Anil Karki [email protected] Bhagirath Yogi’s piece on quoted sacked Sher Bahadurknow more about Mr Berger It also appears that no Nepalis Regarding the quest of a constituent assembly, CK Lal states Sales:Sudan Bista [email protected] your online edition “Peaceniks Deuba claiming to be “the bestas well, along with his Nepali Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur who did support the petition that everything such an assembly can do “a sovereign GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal on warpath” (#119). Although prime minister Nepal ever hadsubjects. For example, his were interviewed, while parliament can do better” (“Four wheels of democracy”, Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 he has tried to be fair in the and will ever have”. However,own I family life, his children Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-547018/17 #118). First of all, a parliament would need the correspondent article, the headline and box felt a pang of pity for us or lack of them and their mandate from the electorate. A normal parliament, like a “Revolutionary roadshow” Nepalis. If this is the best weoccupation. Or, at least, the renewed or a newly elected one, doesn’t have this clear indicate that you are trying to can get to lead the nation whennumber of books he has commission and thus lacks legitimacy. This is what CK Lal is make fun of the genuine belief it is in turmoil, then we’re in written or things he has completely disregarding (but thanks to Puskar Bhusal for his ’ some of us have that by deep trouble. It was our gooddone. A comparison would LET S GET THIS OVER WITH recent clarification in “Revolutionary resolve”, #119). By arming both sides to the teeth. fortune the king managed to have made a bigger point asking for a constituent assembly, the Maoist are not claiming xactly one year ago, on 25 November, the Maoists abruptly All we are going to get is more sack him before he plunged usabout modernity. In the more than any democratic force in Europe. The Swiss bodies, a longer war, and a deeper into the abyss of absence of his own life story, walked out of peace talks and broke a four-month truce to carry people, for instance, would also start an insurgency if they out a spectacularly devastating attack on the army barracks in more dreadful future for the poverty and uncertainty. what we have been given E country. smacks of old anthropology weren’t allowed to vote on every modification of their Subindra Bogati, Patan constitution. From a European point of view, the basic fault of Ghorahi in Dang. Laura Sedloveck, with its divide between the The next day, King Gyanendra declared a state of national emer- numerous Nepali intellectuals subject and object of knowl- Nepali democracy sincejana the andolan is it never elected a Chicago are cited against the petition. gency, the government officially labelled Maoists as terrorists, and the edge, between the knower constituent assembly. In the history of Nepal the people have Since these signatures are and the known. never been accorded this fundamental right. They could army was deployed. That Friday, we carried a headline: "Let’s get this available on the petition There is no doubt that the Pramod K Mishra, neither choose those who made their laws, nor could they over with”. We said: “This campaign must be brought to a swift and Maoists need to be defeated.website, surely any of these influence national referendum. Redressing this issue will not DANIEL LAK Illinois, USA effective conclusion with the least amount of Nepali blood shed.” How Nepalis cannot and will not individuals could have been only legitimise the new constitution, but also drain all legiti- naïve we were. tolerate being contacted for a quote to counterDaniel Lak is right about the macy from the violent Maoist movement. Legitimacy is the key More than 5,000 Nepalis (plus minus a thousand—no one seems ruled by the presumption by an unnamedneed for our politicians to stand element that needs to be taken more seriously in this debate. Nepali scholar that "the distance republican up and face reality (“Last Thomas Benedikter, Kathmandu to know for sure) have died in the past year. More than had died in the revolutionaries of the scholars from a rapidlystand”, #118). The election previous five years. With inadequate logistics, equipment and man- who know no other evolving situation in Nepal mayscheduled for 13 November power, the army has been fighting a vicious guerrilla war against its path but the path of be making them reach for easy could not take place and romantic answers". own people in one of the most difficult terrains in the world. Aside from violence. But I because our politi- ARTHA BEED Simplifying the situation in this the headline-grabbing attacks on security bases, there is the daily wonder whether the A South Asian Journalists way fails to acknowledge the cians were scared the death toll of the innocent. Village leaders, teachers, social and political helicopters, guns and Association poll in the United genuine complexity of both rebels might kill them if activists mercilessly murdered throughout the country every day. equipment promised by the US States showed that the Nepali Nepali and foreign perspectives, they participated. They If murder and mayhem is what the Maoist leaders wanted, they have is going to be enough to stop expatriates are disenchanted them. A solution must be and drives a false wedge were united in

RABIN SAYAMI with the Royal Nepal Em- got it. between the international homegrown, it must have a agreement with bassy in Washington— In this space exactly a year ago, we said: “The emergency is not community concerned for Nepal development component, and contrary to Artha Beed’s and Nepalis working for peace ex-Prime Minister going to resolve the crisis. It depends how well we demonstrate that above all it must rely on opinion in “Diaspora dreams” within their own society. Most Deuba’s plan to we have learnt the lessons about the past lapses that got us to this superior intelligence. So far, (#119). In that poll, 82 percent ominously, Yogi's article ob- postpone sched- stage, and begin to correct them. Like…restoring the peoples’ confi- going by the massacres of of respondents said the scures the dire need for a dence that there is a government that cares about its people and not policemen last week, there uled polls, a move legal expertsembassy “did nothing” to help genuine discussion of potential aren’t many signs of those called unconstitutional. Well, INepalis, only eight percent just about itself.” paths towards peace in Nepal things. do not think either Madav Kumarsaid it “did something” and ten Now, we have no parliament, no local elected bodies, the prime by echoing the easy dualistic S Thapa, by email Nepal or Girija Prasad Koiralapercent didn’t know. In my "us vs. them" rhetoric of Bush's minister has been sacked, there is a military stalemate and a politicalSTATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL would have called the king’s own experience, the staff are war on terrorism. deadlock. But we do have a full council of ministers. Can this team of move unconstitutional if they rude and unprofessional The Loony Left has done it 22 ex-politicos, technocrats and relics from the Panchayat era deliver Sara Shneiderman,were made prime minister. Theytowards Nepalis. The em- again. So, they want us to Cornell Universitywould be all praises. They arebassy should also be more where an elected government failed? We desperately hope so. turn our other cheek to the quarrelling over who gets to proactivesit in improving trade The main parliamentary parties say their policy is one of “no Maoists. Only, there will be no on the kursi at a time when therelations, making visa service cheeks left to turn once they confrontation and no surrender”. How about a policy of unity? TheThe marketplace of ideas people are suffering and the more efficient, holding Nepal blast our heads off with guns. forces of democracy have no choice but to get together. The extreme Maoist situation is getting acute.awareness programs, They may not believe it but right and extreme left do not believe in democracy, the moderate centre As Lak says, they should stopproviding various support for murderers do not set store by CHAPKAIYAN (Parsa District) The— also shows that there are more invisible sitting and start visiting Rolpa,Nepalis to expand their that does must not be divided. But the signs are not good. such quaint notions as Chhath by the Chapkaiyanhands in national Pokhari politics than is in athe fitting Kalikot and Rukum. business into the North For the past month after he was appointed premier, Lokendrapond that gives this village outside Birganj dialogue and peaceful nego- 1960s. Kumar Basnet,American market. To borrow its name is in an advanced stage of decay. tiations. The only language Bahadur Chand went house-to-house trying to persuade political the king’s own words, this metaphor for contemporaryEntrepreneurial Nepali politicians use politics. they understand and respect Sophia University, Tokyo leaders to join his cabinet. It didn’t work. So, the king handpickedWater his hyacinths have claimed the entire embassy is “asakchyam”. own men (and one woman). It shows a geographical and ethnicChapkaiyan mix Pokhari. political parties at their convenience, is that of power. When it Chhath. At Ghariharwa Pokhari, where comes to the Maoists, we ìRitenî, by email change them when necessary, and have no “Last stand” (#118) by Daniel example: the caption itself that reflects Nepal’s diversity. In normal times this should make upIts a banks serve as a refuse dump during the rich and famous of Birganj gathered to inhabit the Hobbesian world in qualms about discarding them when such Lak is an inspiring piece of notwithstanding, how on good team, but these are not normal times. Not only are there Maoiststhe day and open-air toilet during the offer prayers to the setting sun on Sunday, all its naked brutality and parenthesis: writing urging us to stand up Thankor you for posting the earth does that picture depict at the gates, but there is a widening rift between the palace and the institutions prevent them from taking off horror. Life is becoming brute, 1. Interim all-party Govern- night. People cover their noses as they passbanners promoting masalas, noodles and as I see it, wake up. It remindedbrilliant article “Diaspora a Nepali enjoying his sun on parties which will stymie efforts at service delivery. at will. Whether they are rightists like nasty and short by the day. ment - 24.9% (33.4%) by this huge cesspool on their way to ice-creams hang right above the heads of me of poet Lekhnath Poudyal’sdreams” by Artha Beed top of a boathouse in the Badri Narayan Basnet and Kuber Sharma, Was it Hobbes who famously The only people who benefit from this rift are the Maoists andRaxaul. the But nobody does anything about it,fasting devotees. Makes you wonder if “jaaga na jaaga”. The best way(#119) on your site. It was Illinois river? In “Rahul” I see a2. Constituent assembly said, “Covenants without rightists. And, not surprisingly, both are trying their best to widen the or self-professed leftists like Devi Ojha forward for us is to encourageeducational. A merger well-fed poseur of a kid elections - 33.4% (32.7%) even during the holy Chhath festival. Comethere is a link between this and the swords are mere words”? and Kamal Chaulagain, political entrepre- democratic leaders to admit tobetween Nepalis living abroadabout to bully someone and gap. Nepalis are so muted by mindless to think of it, even Krishna Prasad deterioration of political morals in this Those of us who believe in 3. Reinstatement of Parlia- neurs find commitment to an established their mistakes, apologise andand our clueless governmentnot a hip-hop fan who is violence and a sinking Bhattarai ignored Chapkaiyan when he country. freedom are engaged in a life- ment - 9% (24.8%) move on. Progress cannot becould ensure a better deal foramicable with his friends. economy that they will ideological institution extremely cumber- and-death struggle with represented this area in the dissolved “Parties in democratic politics,” made if we let ourselves be our country and our people. “Dhiraj” must hate his family 4. None Of Above - 32.7% go along with anyone some. an evil force blinded parliament. haunted by an imperfect pass.This could probably be an and this country from the (9.1%) who restores peace. says Anthony Downs, “are analogous to by its ideological No wonder, then, that very few here The faster and higher they fly, the We should indeed stand up andidea worth exploring by the bottom of his toes because The discrepencies are Their disillusionment entrepreneurs in a profit-seeking certainty. We new government. As for the swifter is their downfall. The remedy may do something. It’s already late. he ain’t certainly happy aboutquite serious. Are the with the political parties seem to be aware of the economy. So as to attain their profit ends, so-called “educated people lie in bringing morality back to the SK Sharma, Baluwatar goin’ back home after six mistakes a result of editing or is complete, and they prolonged illness of their they formulate whatever politics they living abroad”, instead of political market system. In order to do years!! The worst of them all a result of an attempt at will give the king and his believe will gain most votes, just as discussing and complaining former MP. For the that, mainstream political parties have no is an absolute banal photo- intentional juggling of figures? council of ministers a Daniel Lak’s “Last stand” about Nepal from the depths graph of a room titled “Shiva”. Koeris, Kurmis, Kalwars entrepreneurs produce whatever products Bijaya M Sherchan, chance. But the country’s they believe will gain most profits for the option other than to transform themselves (#118) was wonderful of your couch as you nurse aThe only two pictures that and Mussalmans of into corporations with clearly defined beer or a glass of wine, you Baluwatar problems are so serious same reasons.” Unlike in the ‘minimalist and impressive. have some sort of a potential Chhapkaiyan, the games goals and reaching out to the consumers should give serious thought are “Thanksgiving” and and solutions are state’ description of political parties, Politicians stand up required so urgently that politicians play in the with renewed vigour. Only then may they to making an actual contribu- “Sony”. The picture of turkey morality has no place in the market only to give tion to Nepal. It doesn't have the government has parlours of a faraway succeed in driving out unscrupulous UNITY and dal-bhaat served to- mechanism approach to politics. speeches. Their to jeopardise your careers gether in Thanksgiving could limited time to show it can political operators through free and fair I really laughed out capital have little or no Politicians of this school do not throats are dry now, and weand dreams. have been an excellent deliver peace and devel- competition in the market place of ideas. loud after reading (Corrected pie chart is on page 1. –Ed.) meaning. Like the attach any importance to political parties. hardly hear a croak from these In Beed's words “Every- metaphor, except one opment, in that order. Until then, we have to put up with leaders. We need energetic wouldn’t know the ingredients derelict pond, villagers For them a political party is an instru- one wins—returnees get Everyone is waiting to the oddity of “independent” leftists (like a people to manage the assetsvaluable of experience, and of a dish captured in this EL SALVADOR here are resigned to ment of acquiring power. Lacking the our country. The problem is photograph without reading see if the king can pull a Buddhist without faith in the Sangha) and Nepal gets professional While it is true that there are their fate of total anchor of an established institution, bringing potential leaders from the caption. The same holds rabbit out of the hat and expertise from its own.” some parallels between El failed rightists masquerading as “clean and true for “Sony”: neither the neglect. political entrepreneurs are prone to the fringe back to the main- L Mathema, by email Salvador and Nepal, and also announce a ceasefire. If that competent” political players. Politically temple nor the bride herself is manipulations by vested interests. Quite stream. In my opinion, it would a lesson or two for Nepal happens, the people will However, the conscious citizens here who once voted for visible. Bottom Line: Why be best for Nepal if the Maoists from the peace process in the reward him with a peace dividend and that will translate into legitimacy literate population often, leaders with ambitions who dump would a paper of your repute Krishna Prasad Bhattarai are asking why and the king could work Latin American country, for his ministers. The bad news is that there is really no reason at the them once their utility is over exploit publish such rubbish—that does seem to realise their representative doesn’t break his vow Hitman Thapa’s article (“How moment for either side to talk. The Maoists are convinced their revolu- their entrepreneurial skills. But these together. The Maoists should too after hiking your sub- that the direct rule of the of silence despite the resurgence of the accept (they may even be to talk”, #119) has some tion is on track, and the government will only want to negotiate from a enterprising people seldom give up, like scription fees? king is now the order of the day. right. willing to) a monarchy in one historical inaccuracies. It position of strength. The government wants to first intensify military their compatriots in theworld of Sudip Pokhrel, Maligaun They are guarded in their comments Chhath by the Chapkaiyan Pokhari is form or another, and the looks like Thapa has pressure on the Maoists, for which it needs promised military hard- business, they move on to newer monarch should accept the stretched the analogy to fit ware from abroad. against the new dispensation. A rickshaw- adventures. a fitting metaphor for contemporary social reform agenda of the his argument. Aside from the Everyone agrees there is no military solution to this crisis. Evenpuller the echoed the prevailing sentiment, “If These are the kind of individuals Nepali politics. On the first day of the Maoists. obvious similarities, there security forces say their objective is to force the Maoists to understandwe say anything against the government Maoist bandh, we pray on the east bank in Khagendra Timisina, were also other realities that help establish political parties, which make the comparisons this. Having broken the truce once, it is up to the Maoists now tonow, show they will declare us as Maoists, and the fond hope that someone someday will by email we will be made to disappear. Why do you make them grow, and then end up rescue the pond from the killer weed so slightly inappropriate. For that they are willing to negotiate in good faith. It would help if the being the cause of their disintegration. instance, he has completely international community and our neighbours leaned on them a wantlittle me to stick my neck out by asking me that we will be able to breathe easy once overlooked the role of the more. to say what I feel?” He had a point. The dynamic roles of Rishikesh Shaha, again. But the ambitious entrepreneurs of SURENDRA LAWOTI Tulsi Giri and Bishwa Bandhu Thapa Roman Catholic church in the One thing is certain: the nation can’t take another year of this. In times like this, the presence of the the political free-market are unlikely to I fail to understand your peace process, a role which post-1960 are similar to the fissiparous engage themselves in this altruistic task. raison d’être for publishing was probably more pivotal people’s representative may have kept theirroles played by Sher Bahadur Deuba, the photographs by Surendra It needs an institutional effort. Even a than any of the other factors spirits up. Unfortunately, activists from Pradip Giri and Bimalendra Nidhi in Lawoti (“Life in a different involved. I don’t know what a nearly all mainstream parties have vanished. politician of the stature of Bhattarai light”, #117). Was it because parallel institution to the the re-enactment 42 years later on 4 INTENTIONAL JUGGLING? During Panchayat years, motivators of October. needed the Nepali Congress to win a you guys couldn’t come up church would be in Nepal, but Nepali Congress and cadres of communist parliamentary seat from Birganj. Time for with any worthy centrefold I was quite surprised at the maybe the first lesson for If Comrade Madhav Nepal has so material? If I understand results of Weekly Internet PollNepal is to look for a parties would never miss an opportunity him to pay his dues to the party. correctly, the artist’s purport like the Chhath festival in the tarai to far refused to be a latter-day Keshar #59 as published in the homegrown solution? Jung Rayamajhi, the credit goes to the was to capture life under twoNepali Times Issue of 15-21 G Gianoli, Kathmandu interact with the public. Not any more. FRITZ BERGER different cultures and Nov. The percentages as per cadres of Nepal Communist Party juxtapose these cultures side Commercial interests have taken over (UML) who have kept their General Fritz Berger deserves thanks the actual poll (still accessible the community space vacated by political for keeping visual as well as by side. Well, the pictures failat www.nepalnews.com) are Secretary under close watch. Perhaps it him miserably. Take the parties. Trappings of a burgeoning con- textual representation of presented below with the selected village folks from picture titled “Suntan” for corresponding figures sumer culture are everywhere, even during Nepal (“Then and now”, #118). published in your paper in The juxtaposition of pictures

444 NATION 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES NATION 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 555 WWF DOMESTIC BRIEFS Cut-off date for SAARC summit ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Islamabad has asked the SAARC secretariat in Kathmandu to confirm participation of its members in the proposed 12th Saarc Summit to be hosted by Pakistan in January 2003 by mid-November, according to a report in the Dawn newspaper. Islamabad said it needed time to prepare for the summit scheduled to be KnockKnock onon woodwood held in Islamabad from Jan 11 to 13, sources said. All members except India and Bhutan have confirmed Protected areas participation. Officials at the ministry of foreign affairs expect that New Delhi would most likely respond Remaining tarai forest after a civilian government was in place in Islamabad. Acting Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad, Sudhir Vyas told the paper he had no indications from New Delhi about the Indian participation in the resources are cut off, while new summit, hinting at some delay in the formal announcement in this respect. “It is difficult to predict,” Vyas migrants who were responsible for is quoted as saying. deforestation, directly or indirectly, are now the legally recognised owners.It’s going to take more than luck to rescueUnfortunately, the there tarai’s is no remaining forests. Bihar-Nepal bus service ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

alternative○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ to mobilising the commu- HEMLATA RAI nities for forest protection. “Since we Buses from Nepal and India may soon be able to enter each others’ territories in a proposed agreement between Patna and Kathmandu, according to Bihar’s transport minister Awadh Bihari Choudhary. He are not the officially recognised Development Committee chairman a year in timber exports, and some told rediff.com that the agreement will be finalised “soon”. Nepali tourist buses and Bihar state-owned protectors of the forest, we have seen Chhathu Prasad Yadav. forestrySal logs management being transportedexperts believe out of Sabbaia forest in Bara district. bus service will operate routes through border points like Jogbani, Raxaul and Kakarbhitta. Passengers the forests looted before our eyes,” There are already signs of this handing over this resource rich forest from Bihar will not be allowed to board Nepali buses within Bihar, he said. says Ganesh Shrestha, a resident of happening. Last August, Tharus and to a small community could create an Bara says the iggestb challenge forestry for the tarai will, the Dumarwana, near Simara. Pahadis had a confrontation in Bara’s imbalance in distribution and a loss of remains a confidence crisis between designers hope, eventually prepare In Kailali’s Chhatiwan, 4,000 Biruwaguthi which locals believe was a government control. the locals and the bureaucracy. the government and local communi- Maoist threats hectares of dense hardwood sal has physical manifestation of this growing Despite a government directive “If the District Forest Office get ties to work together. It would also ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ been allotted to a community of distrust. To be sure, the issue had that slowed down distribution of control, our forests will never be safe,”pave the way to implement The Maoists have warned anybody found involved directly against their “people’s war” of dire conse- 1,600 households, most of whom are political overtones since the actual forests to communities three years says Nirmal Bhandari, a promoter of operational forest management quences. Popular Nepali comedian, Santosh Pant, who was given an ultimatum to resign within a week new migrants from adjoining hill clashes were triggered when the ago, district level forest offices are plans in the central tarai. The main complied and stepped down from his post as juniour officer at the Department of Military Intelligence at community forestry here. Presently, the Royal Nepalese Army. Pant usually plays lead roles in a popular entertainmentHijo programme, districts. This has deprived the Tharus blamed the Pahadis of under tremendous pressure to hand thrust will be on commercially the government is trying to bring Aajaka Kura, aired over the state-owned Nepal Television once a week. The Maoists targetted him for making the handover relatively indigenous Tharu communities, sheltering Maoist insurgents to attack over more forest patches especially harvesting mature trees to contribute various groups together to discuss a another tele-serial he produces for the army which dramatises actual life stories of captured Maoists. straightforward. traditional users of the forest from a Tharu parliamentarian. But it was in areas previously identified for new concept of “collaborative forest to national coffers. sensitive Siwalik hills were cleared However in the tarai, the their source of livelihood. There are the forest that got burnt. potential community forest. SP management” under the Biodiversity Megh Raj Sapkota concludes bound to be problems when a Joshi, District Forest Officer of for resettlement by 1985. Today, forests are bunched up on the Involvement of communities is Sector Programme for Siwaliks and common resource for indigenous that community forestry in the tarai Federation of Community Forestry the destruction is more from slopes of the Siwalik hills to the vital for not only conservation but also Tarai (BISEP-ST) funded by the does not need to be scrapped Cancelled again groups is shifted to the control of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Users Nepal. “It doesn’t have to be development projects and illegal north while the most dependent for the smooth forest management. A Dutch aid group, SNV. HEMLATA RAIin BARA despite its flaws. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ relatively recent migrants. scrapped altogether.” And here in encroachment. groups are in isolated clusters miles Finnish-funded project in the mid- This modification of community Expect delays and disruptions in the services of Royal Nepal Airlines till 25 November since one of its two 757s is in Brunei for a mandatory “C-check”. The company has already cancelled all its flights to nly patches remain today of Bara, a new project is trying to When the idea of community away to the south. Indigenous Studies show one mature sal tree 1990s tried to introduce commercial what was once a wide ribbon can fetch an equivalent of three year Dubai and Bangalore till the plane comes back. “Our international flights will get back to normal from 25 come up with a modified method toforestry was tried out, it seemed people who were traditional users block forest management: November,” airline deputy director Dipak Manandhar told us. Meanwhile, the other plane has been trying earnings of a labourer, and the O of dense hardwood jungles let local communities manage like this would work just like in theand direct benefactors now no compartmentalising the stands and to make up on existing routes, sometimes even flying to Delhi at five in the morning. along Nepal’s southern plains. The forests. hills. Village groups are leased a longer live close to forests. The imbalance can be glaring. The harvesting mature hardwood trees forests of the tarai are today Even till 15 years ago, Dakaha patch of forest to be managed, influx of hill migrants that began in indigenous communities are fighting a in a 80-year cycle. case against this ruling, but there is confined largely to protected in Bara used to be surrounded by protected and reforested. In turn, the 1960s following the eradication Though technically sound, this little chance their claims will be national parks. Everywhere else dense forest. Over the years, as the the communities have a say over useof malaria have cut them off from proposal got scrapped because Marathon men reinstated. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ there is encroachment and habitat population grew and settlements of fodder, fuelwood and timber their traditional woodlands. locals were not consulted. The destruction. “Community forestry in the tarai If it wasn’t for an encounter with a group of armed Maoists asking for money, it would have been a spread, forests began to recede. In from their forests. In the hills, the Good results from the hills communities realise that without perfect day for a group of runners taking part in the Annapurna to Everest Marathon. In the latest Tarai forests are vanishing at an 1964, forests covered more than sixlesson was that forest protection encouraged several of the 20 tarai has helped create distrust and distanceteaming up with the government update, marathon organisers say the race was interrupted between Dhunche and Trisuli. The runners alarming 1.3 percent a year, and million hectares of the tarai, it has was impossible without the districts to transfer forests to between the migrant communities and“their forest” would not be who returned to Trisuli were unfazed. “They were not aggressive and the encounter was rather what is more worrisome is that the now shrunk to 4.2 million hectares.involvement of local communities. communities. Jhapa in the east has indigenous communities. If nothing is protected from timber smugglers. funny,” says race organiser Bruno Poirier. More than 30 runners from eight countries and 5 Nepalis are community forestry formula which The history of this destruction The community forestry already handed over more than half done this could in future trigger ethnicSeven hundred hectares of tarai and taking part in the high altitude race from Annapurna Base Camp to Everest Base Camp. Billed as the worked so well in the hills doesn’t clashes,” says former Bara District Siwalik forests here are still under “ultimate trail” by organisers Himalaya Racers Association and Mandala Trekking, the Himal Race kicks can be traced back to the nationali-concept involves villagers living in of its forests for community off the commemoration of the 50 seem to do as well here. The the vicinity of forests as its rightful management, but the indigenous government ownership. sation of forests after 1960 and th reason: recent migrations from the their central management. Timber users and deprive distant villagers ofRajbanshis have been left out of the Weak management within the anniversary of the ascent of the world’s highest mountain. Organis- hills have displaced indigenous was seen as a limitless natural access. In the hills, this is fine since process. Their rights to the natural official framework and a lack of ers say the runners, who have raced through major Himalayan passes, including Thorung La, Larkya groups, and there is a need to meet resource, and the tarai as a limitless communities and forest patches are political commitment is encourag- La, Lauribinayak and Chugyma La, should reach the foot of Everest by 23 November. national timber requirements. receptacle for hill resettlement. usually located next to each other, ing illegal felling of trees to supply “The community forestry More than 100,000 hectares of the easily accessed market south of concept needs some modifications the border. If properly managed, the US citizens warned forests in the environmentally ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ in the tarai,” says Megh Raj countrycould earn up to $160 million The US embassy hosted a meeting for American citizens on 19 October to discuss the murders of two Sapkota of the Bara chapter of the embassy guards and the security situation in Nepal. The Maoists reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of the two guards, Ramesh Manandhar and Deepak Pokhrel, and US investigations linked the murder weapons to Maoist sources, according to US embassy officials. The latest US State Department warning on Nepal, updated 4 November, advises that “the random, indiscriminate, and unpredictable nature” of Maoist violence “increases the likelihood that Americans in Nepal could be caught in the wrong place at the wrong time”. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating the HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK murders of Manandhar and Pokhrel with local authorities.

The road less travelled The Ranas of Nepal here are only two plausible outcomes to acute confrontation: the Limited Edition utter annihilation of one side and its point of view, or compromise. Please book your copy soon TThis is the situation in which Nepal finds itself right now. It’s time What will we do when we come to admit that those are the stark choices before the nation. The latest Exclusive Distributor images of fierce fighting should only serve to hurry the ultimate decision to the fork in the road? that must be made by Nepalis. And by that I mean all Nepalis, not just administrations in their own versions of Rukum, Rolpa and Jajarkot. Everest Book Shop secret cabals sitting in ornate rooms or jungle glades. The next step to be Clearly, Nepal’s security chiefs would dearly love to emulate the successes Baber Mahal Revisited taken must be with the consent of the people, who are, after all, sovereign. of their Peruvian counterparts but there are immense dissimilarities Phone: 253337 Choose the first of those two courses of action, and it’s more than between the two countries and their access to resources and intelligence obvious that even more violence, degradation and despair will follow—a information. So yes, force and guile did defeat the guerrilla tactics of the email: [email protected] time that makes the previous seven years seem tranquil by comparison. Shining Path. But the cost in lives was immense and the damage to the Choose the second and you enter into fearfully unknown territory with the Peruvian body politic is probably irreparable in our lifetime. risk of failure ever present. Look around at the world’s other violence- And then there are countries that resist choosing either path but fight prone hot spots and marvel at how long it’s taken them to come to their on in a horrid dynamic of perpetual bloodshed. This, conceivably, could be personal fork in the road, their choice between a misty but somehow our fate here in Nepal but it’s not a choice made willingly or sensibly. It hopeful trail over a high pass to the unknown world of compromise, or a Maoist dead at Jumla airport last week comes from ignoring reality and from the mistaken perception that the descent along all too familiar paths into a valley of fear and death. NEPALNEWS.COM status quo can somehow suffice. It comes from underestimating the gravity Sri Lanka took nearly 25 years before bold steps, truly bold steps, werewill of the majority. The apartheid regime, hugely efficient because it wasof so the crisis or the abilities of opposing forces. Sudan, Africa’s largest taken for peace. The high trail, if you like, taken by Ranil undemocratic, was able to use cynical divide and rule tactics against its non-country, with its long running civil war that has left 2 million people dead; Wickramesinghe’s government earlier this year, was chosen through white opponents as well, luring Zulu and Xhosa tribes in conflicts awashLiberia in West Africa, home of the child militia who have chopped hands concessus—an election pitted his demand for peace and compromise withwith blood, wrecked homes and livelihoods. Then one day, FW De Klerkoff 50,000 people so far; Colombia, Latin America’s first democracy, now the Tamil Tigers against the stance of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’sseemed to see the light, the valley of fear and violence was too crowded withit’s cocaine-fuelled killing field. Does anyone seriously want to add Nepal to party in favour of more war, more weapons deals, more destruction. So far,corpses and it was time to take a chance on the heights. He released thethis list? Wickramesinghe has obviously made the right choice. Tourism is booming,saintly Nelson Mandela, and the rest is history. The high road again. Perhaps I should stop looking for inspiration and choices for this so is foreign investment. South Asia’s most advanced country is on the roadSome places managed to succeed, by their own definition, with the firstcountry from around the world, perhaps the globalisation of ideas is to recovery and the somewhat longer journey towards ethnic harmony andand bloodier option. Peru and the Sendero Luminoso, the Shining Path,spurious, only amoral money matters and we get precious little of that. peace. fought fiercely for 20 years. The government of Alberto Fujimoro gave Perhaps our situation and everything about this place is, as many insist, How about South Africa? For years the privileged, white elite resistedextraordinary powers to the army and riddled their Maoist opponents withunique. But as a resident of this land of sorrows, I can only continue to PASSPORT LOST calls for racial and economic justice from the black majority. Anyone whodouble agents and informers, turning the tide sometime around 1992 whenplead for open minds, realistic points of view, and, ultimately peace. was aware of international events in the 1980s will remember the obstinacythe security forces captured and ritually humiliated the mysterious and Let’s take the high road. An Iraqi passport has been lost in a taxi travelling between Thamel and Kalimati in and arrogance of successive governments who used brute force against the charismatic leader of the Sendero, Abimael Guzman. Until then, the Kathmandu. Finder will be rewarded. Please [email protected] via email: guerrillas ruled Andes, using ferocity and skilful logistics to run parallel Name: Lliah Sh. Kandal, Passport number: N00073657, Issued in: Kirkuk, Iraq 666 NATION 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES ECONOMY 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 777 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL BIZ NEWS COMMENT by AJAYA DIXIT Teaming up ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ the emergence of argumentative civil Laxmi Bank Limited, a private sector bank promoted by the Khetan Group, has entered into a Technical Services Agreement with Hatton National Bank (HNB) of Sri Lanka, bank officials announcedBeyond this week. buzzwordssociety voices. The process disenfran- The agreement provides Laxmi Bank with HNB’s technical and managerial expertise and also allows chised people and community solidarity, Donor fatigue access to HNB’s vast network of 450 banks in 80 countries around the world. Employees of Laxmi Bank while producing a class of political will also be trained through exchange programs and on the job training at HNB branches. How can the planning commission goad leadership devoid of accountability to Laxmi Bank started its operations in April and became the 16 the government towards accountability? society and self-restraints. The political Has the rest of the world, too, lost hope in Nepali leaders? th private bank in Nepal. It has expanded message unfortunately was of “exclusion”. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ So everybody involved in develop- services in Birgunj, Jeetpur and Banepa. Addressing a press meet here Saturday, chairman Mohan This apex body must transcend the he signature campaign in customs and excise departments ment projects would like to have Gopal Khetan said that despite the country facing economic hardships, his bank had achieved buzzword of “reform” by beginning breakeven position within six months of operation. CEO Suman Joshi says Laxmi Bank had becomehe newly the appointed Vice amenities are concerned. New York City against the to account for our conspicuous some share from the public critical self-appraisal of the ideology that 4 October palace interven- consumption: pilferage of aid first commercial bank in the SAARC region to obtain SWIFT technology, had installed Flexcube,Chairman of the National The NPC’s concept note on the it pursued blindly in the past. T money.” Unfortunately, he adds, Planning Commission (NPC), tion shows the size to which our money. For long, donors com- a world class banking software and was all set to launch Internet banking. T Tenth Plan has admitted resource Perhaps we could then re-conceptu- Transparency International has Dr Shankar Sharma has been elaborat- political centre has shrunk. When plained that scarce government utilisation in education, which receives alise the NPC’s role in order that it been doing corruption studies in ing on the “reform package” to redress we were told that Nepalis in the resources that should be funding the largest allocation of government genuinely responds to society’s and the many countries (India, Pakistan the country’s ills. When a few days ago, expenditure, “is not efficient, accessibil- Big Apple wanted the House of health, nutrition and education community’s needs. NPC needs to and Bangladesh) but unfortu- Ironclad furniture he discussed “reforms” on one of the ity to primary education is inadequate, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ graduate from the present highly Representatives restored, we programmes were being squan- nately, in Nepal, such a study has local channels, the vice-chairman did dered. With foreign aid influ- drop out rates and repetition still bureaucratised neo-liberal cocoon into a almost began applauding how not been done. (Why isn’t he so Decoran, an S Trade House venture, is a new cast iron furniture not look very different from when I had inadequate, there has been a reduction enced by political and strategic people-friendly and transparent body. Girija Prasad Koirala had kept his candid back home?) showroom where function meets form. The imported beds, dining met him fifteen years ago in Singapore, in the budget share for primary health organisational skills intact. considerations, we countered, suites, chairs and home accessories are not only fashionable, sylish where he was a teacher. The vermilion This is a double whammy for and trendy but also are very durable. The showroom is located at Bijuli care”. The document further admits Then, it turned out that many how principled could our on his forehead radiated in the studio that agriculture productivity in Nepal absorptive capacities be? donors. First, legislators on the Bazaar, across NB Bank. in the audience at Hari Bansa appropriations committees and light. He demonstrated high profes- has been “quite low and decreasing” The battle turned openly sional competence and fielded questions Acharya’s new movie pressure groups back home keep and is largely responsible for the about the planning process with Je Bho nasty when the Nepal Develop- asking why all those billions have existing higher poverty incidence and ment Forum warned us against aplomb. On many earlier occasions, we severity of it in the rural areas. Thikai Bho at Eagle’s Theater, made the average Nepali poorer. Turkish delight (Ajaya Dixit is a water management falling deeper into the mire of bad ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ have seen him fluently discuss macro- Given Nepal’s socio-economic Jackson Heights thought their Second, the Maoists and other economic nuances. analyst with the Nepal Water governance. When key partici- The Turkish consulate in Kathmandu brought a taste of Turkey’s fabulous cuisine and culture to the Yak reality, the NPC should have focused Conservation Foundation.) signatures were meant for malcontents think donors are As I watched him on television I accounting purposes. (Much like pants at the London meeting on propping up a decaying state. and Yeti Hotel for three days this week. The historic Chimney Room was the venue of traditional belly on establishing governmental

political instability and poverty dancing, succulent kebabs and fabulous desserts. The event was well attended by Kathmandu’swas pained CIPs by the ritualistic repetition of accountability to provide basic services, MIN what many Kangresi MPs must When the political class tries to (Commercially Important Persons). the “reform” rhetoric. Reform consists of have felt during those parliamen- read out the names of Nepal’s topshield itself by criticising the helped foster healthy competition to changes and improvements to a law, enhance efficiency and build responsive tary party numbers game). baddies, there was no turning callousness of those driving no oil fields. But are the Nepalese back. The new anti-corruption social systems or institution. The two societal regulation. Instead, it chose a Before you could wonder why Nepal’s development, can you Article 127 of the constitution sixnot humans?” For a country that ments have survived as long as laws acquired a political momen- key words are “changes and improve- neo-liberal orthodoxy that conceived an individual chose to start a pro- was being hailed as a model blame donors for shooting their Tee off ments”. The state led enterprise of Nepal the free market as the only engine of times pretends Article 27 (3) they held multiparty elections andtum of their own. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ democracy campaign when there mouth off? over the last decade has seen anything doesn’t exist. Don’t count on democracy until the Maoists tolerated a free press. Our post- Commission for Investigation moving forward towards universal were so many Nepali organisa- It’s unclear whether, like the Surya Nepal Master, Nepal’s only international golf but “reform” if we were to use “change informed debate, unless you began arming themselves, the 1990 leadership was careful on well-being. tions in New York, the man of Abuse of Authority chief Surya peaceniks say, a crackdown on tournament, will be held between 26-30 November andat improvement” as the yardstick to believe lowering of the stature of international silence over the this score. (Okay, okay, they the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort, one of the most The hubris-ridden elements of himself stepped in. He’s furious Nath Upadhyaya recently corrupt politicians and bureaucrats make the assessment. the palace enhances the status of palace move is deafening. Not toomessed with the elections, but it’s picturesque golf courses in the world. Top-notch this orthodoxy were deregulating the that the newspaper twisted his explained to would be more effective than cracks of Economy, industry, the financial the parties. many governments have come outnot as if they were about to players from SAARC nations will be competing. national economy, government story right from the headline. gunfire in countering the Maoists Launched in 1993, Surya Golf has been integral partsector, of agriculture, education, and the withdrawing from its responsibility by The petitioner raised an in full support of the Lokendra postpone it indefinitely). Was The Internet petition drive Bahadur Chand government. The The Washington insurgency. There’s a lesson, the Asian circuit and has put Nepal on the golfing mapsocial fabric were already in tatters at the privatising publicly owned enterprise interesting question, though. there something innately local of the world. launched on November portentous part is that not too though, for the next generation of end of the 1980s. In the last twelve and basic services, cutting down on “Perhaps the world’s disinterest that riled foreign governments Times (see p. 7) how politicians Local golfing aspirants will be given the chance to (www.petitiononline.com/ many have opposed it, either. Nepali democrats: Don’t bite the years they have nose-dived to a new social development programs to reduce with the affairs of Nepal is and donors? With revenue and bureaucrats steal foreign aid demonepal/petition.html) is hand that feeds you. If you have rub shoulders with international players at the Pro-AMabyss and continue downwards in a government spending and shifting because it is not a lucrative Has the rest of the world, receipts no longer sufficient to money. “The procurement of on 26 November. Surya Nepal Masters has the highest heavily skewed against the king’s to, be sure you don’t bark at it. slide. A majority of Nepalis still live in production to external markets instead destination for the big corpora- too, lost hope in Nepali leaders? fund regular expenditures, there goods, estimates for building purse of all golfing circuits in the nation at Rs 1.5 million- Rs 80,000 more than last year. Amateuran earlier centuryplayers as far access to health, personal preferences to pass the of nurturing local interests. tions or because it does not have Corrupt and inefficient govern- must be something more than infrastructure, the contract will also receive attractive prizes. Surya Nepal Western Open is scheduled for 22-23 Novembereducation, in social security and other basic fairness test. A text that refers to In real terms, the process stifled weapons of mass destruction and traditional depravity at the awards are areas where one can Pokhara’s Himalayan Golf Course. The prize money is Rs 100,000. always get some ‘skim’ out of it.

NEPAL IN THE FOREIGN PRESS

the garb of policies. Politicians or other decision-makers make or change national policy to enrich themselves. It might look like a political move, CIAA canbut the motiverekindle behind is not devoid of ill intentions. hope There is a link between various bureaucrats and politicians—and this is not new in Nepal. So, it should not be difficult for us in the CIAA to dig government has publicly committed itself against corruption. About the Surya Nath Upadhyaya, of the Commission for the up hidden corruption. Investigation of Abuse of Authority, is a hard man to achievements, yes, not much has been done, but I would say that in the last two years, we have moved ahead, and I would not blame theWhat politicians is the size of your organisation? Do you have enough man- get in Kathmandu. But last week Chitra Tiwari caughtfor their lack of political will. They are the one who came forwardpower? in a determined way to improve the legislation and give more power to the The CIAA is not big. As a matter of fact, people are very sympathetic to up with him in Washington where he addressed a USAIDcommission. And that is one point. and ADB seminar on corruption. Excerpts of the me in view of the work I am mounting these days against corruption, the And secondly, so far as widespread corruption is concerned, therenumber is aof trained people—the professionals that I have—is very small. I interview published in feeling, of course, yes, the government has not been successfulhave in deliver- about 140 people; about 40 to 45 are professionals. My experience The Washington Times: ing the goods and services to the people, and we all agree that ofcorruption the last two years has been that what we really need is not expansion, is one of the main reasons. per se, but quality manpower and dedication. This is something that Washington Times: Nepal has been passing through a violent revolution normally cannot be done by everybody. You have to have some commit- for the last seven years. One of the causes of the Maoist revolution is You have been in the limelight in recent days following the arrestment ofand a dedication to the country, which is crucial in fighting corruption. said to be rampant corruption in the government. What is your assess- few high-ranking bureaucrats and two former high-profile ministersDetermination in and dedication to the job are more important than ment? the deposed Cabinet of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.expansion. Is it the Surya Nath Upadhyaya: Well, you are right that the country is passing beginning of cleaning up the government? through a very difficult time, and besides so many other issues, Well,the one I do not know whether it marks a beginning, or it is going toHow end many there. cases of corruption are you investigating now? Will the that is at the forefront right now is the Maoist problem—the securityWhen I came to this commission two years ago, it was not surprisingmilitary that alsothe be a focus of your investigation? Have you received any problem—and the second one is the rampant corruption and mismanage-political situation had reached this level. We have been investigatingcomplaints high on corruption in the military? ment of the government. officials, revenue officials, etc. There were other political issues whichThere werecould be roughly around 40 to 50 cases under investigation. First, This has led to the present situation, where political parties haveinvestigated not too—charge-sheeted—but this agency, the CIAA wewas do not a primary investigation and then we move to detailed investigation. Many cases are dropped at the primary level. We move on to the next been able to deliver what they had promised to deliver to the people. Nowthat active in the past—although if you look at the mandate and His Majesty King Gyanendra has made a pronouncement and constituted level only when it is required. As we go on to the upper level of investiga- status of this agency, it is clearly highly placed as a constitu- a government under Article 127 of the constitution, and the Cabinet is tion, the number of cases becomes small. We have investigated nearly given a very specific mandate: Hold elections, maintain peace and tional organ. 100 cases. then control corruption. So far as corruption and anti-corruption It has got all the powers that such an agency should have.The So, military also will be the focus of our investigation. I must tell you measures are concerned, my assessment is that the government is therefore, the strides we are taking certainly will improvethat under our constitutional mandate, two areas are exceptions to our committed to improving the situation. the situation. And maybe it can rekindle somejurisdiction—the kind military and the judiciary. When we receive complaints of hope among the people. about the military and the judiciary—which we do receive from time to Friends of Nepal in the United States are frustrated by time —we pass them to the appropriate authorities within the military and what they see as the Nepal governmentís lack of the judiciary. These two institutions have their own mechanism to deal with political will to crack down on corruption. US Please describe the common methodscorruption and in their respective organisations. diplomats in Kathmandu have indicated that there is sources of corruption in Nepal. How much widespread corruption. What is the problem? foreign-aid money do you think is embez-How do you initiate an investigation against an official or politician? Let me tell you a little bit about this observation. First zled by politicians and bureaucrats, andThere are various ways. The laws do not bar me to initiate action against of all, the assessment that there has not been a corrupt official. I get tips from various sources—newspaper articles, how do they steal it? enough political commitment on the part of telephone calls, formal complaints or anonymous complaints from government is misplaced. I disagree with this Well, the methods and sources of corrup-concerned citizens, etc. I also receive information through e-mails, faxes, proposition 100 percent. If you look back, say over tion in Nepal are not very different frometc, and even my residential telephone lines are open to citizens for any the past two years, you will see that the government other developing countries. Corruptiontip-off. has been really supportive of what the anti- [email protected] corruption commission is doing. Not only that, takes place in customs, revenue the parliament passed four different sets of departments, procurements, in land Phone: (01) 521393, 543017, 547018 legislation creating a legal regime to acquisition and distribution, during the empower the Commission for the Investiga- award of government contracts, so on tion of Abuse of Authority. The facilities and Fax: 977-1-536390 and so forth. We take pride in the resources have been increased. The This is not the end of it. As a matter of fact, there have been some cases where corruption was subtly done under

jobs well done.JAGADAMBA PRESS MIN 888 HERITAGE 22 - 28 NOVEMBERNEPALI 2002 TIMES 999 The hush of centuries You have seen the museum, here comes the book. Now you can take Patan Museum home with you.

KUNDA DIXIT ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ If you thought Patan Museum was great, here comes a book that is almost as exquisitely crafted as the real thing. You can tell both the book and the museum were a labour of love for the author and architect, Götz Hagmüller. Long-time valley resident and nearly-naturalised Nepali Austrian, he supervised the transformation of the Patan Museum from a crumbling building to a world class repository of religious artefacts. The Valley’s ancient

Hagmüllerhas also taken a heartheartheart still beatsbeatsstill chapter to compare the dimensions and spaces of the Keshav Narayan Chowk RAMYATA LIMBU ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sustainable. complex with the Hapsburg-era National Library ötz Hagmüller remembers Fortunately, help came from of in his native Vienna, and the author tries to driving around Ring Road in local leftists who ran the municipality. ALL PICTURES MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN PICTURES ALL imagine the motivation of the Malla kings and the Gthe early 1970s when it The Nepal Workers’ Peasants Party in imperial Hapsburgs. He muses why people always wasn’t a traffic clogged artery, but a the communist hotbed town took over sit on the benches outside Patan palace in the in an uncanny resemblance to the leftist beautiful circuit of endless paddy fields museum housing Hindu and afternoon sun, and not in front of the buildings in and poplars that rushed by in a blur ofmunicipal governments in Rome and Vienna. Bologna. The proactive policy of Buddhist artefacts. (See review of fresh air. Three decades later, the book on the museum, p8) Not that this Austrian connection to Nepal is Valley is an assault on the 63-year-old Bhaktapur’s government has helped his is a place like anything new. In fact, it goes back to 1660 and the Austrian conservation architect’s keep the Malla period urban ambience Today, the museum is governed no other. In which visit to the Valley by the Austrian Jesuit priest, aesthetic sense. of Bhaktapur intact. That political will by a semi-governmental board and is Tother museum in Johannes Grueber. The traveller presented Pratap But unlike most others who just was critical in making Bhaktapur the self-sustaining through funds raised the world would you find visitors Malla with a telescope, a depiction of which can best-preserved town in the Valley. Theyfrom entry fees, a restaurant, a complain,Hagmüller decided to stay museum shop and an exhibition hall. bowing to worship some of the figures still be seen on a stone relief at Hanuman Dhoka have been audacious enough to bar on and do something about it. It is the Hagmüller,who still pops in to see on display? The elegant exhibits, the where a child on the lap of the queen is peering work of people like him that we have traffic from the city center, charge a $5 through the eye-piece. Several centuries later, we entry fee and then increase it to $10. that the display shelves are dusted, harmonious lines of the corridors blending been able to save what is left of the saw the arrival of Austrians like Carl Pruscha and unique patina of Kathmandu’s Though it is a bit steep, it has helped the premises maintained and the with balconies and courtyards, the painstaking Eduard Sekler who cultivated a respect for the the local government generate revenue,toilets spotless, can’t avoid a restoration of the outside, all make this urbanscape. Here and there, in the living heritage of Kathmandu Valley and shared a niches of the bahals and alleys of which in turn is used to maintain and twinge of concern. “If the museum a work of art in its own right. There worry about its future. conserve the city. “Monument management gets corrupt and are clever little touches like a wind chime that Patan and Bhaktapur you can still see Hagmüller is the last in this line of illustrious Kathmandu’s ancient heart. preservation is continuous work, whichcareless, then it’s bound to tinkles all the time over the entrance because a constantly requires maintenance and collapse,” he says. hidden electric fan is blowing at it, the Austrians passing through Nepal. He is often asked And it is still beating. repairs,” saysHagmüller. Hagmüller’s current project is cushioned sitting area near the windows from why he has decided to live and work in Kathmandu Hagmüllercame to Nepal 30 Hagmüller’snext project was where Malla kings must have looked out at Valley. One of his answers is: “It is the semi- years ago to work for the German- also funded by the Austrian Krishna Mandir and their subjects, the gap darkness between shadow and light that inspires.” funded project that transformed the much smaller and much more focussed:government and is the restoration of between the ceiling and the wall in the display And you can see that interplay of light and ancient kingdom of Bhaktapur into a the restoration of Patan Museum. an urban area not from the Malla area to show the way in case the lights go off. shadow in the sacred spaces of Kathmandu Valley, World Heritage Site. Over the next Today, the museum is a must-see for but the Rana period: the Keshar Nepali school students, tourists, local Mahal Gardens in Kathmandu. The The displays themselves are rare and in the ancient palace complexes, and they have also 12 years he worked with Nepali and been delicately woven into the restoration of the German engineers to restore 200 expats, visiting dignitaries and heads of gardens stand at the entrance of priceless treasures of Hindu, Buddhist and state. A medieval palace, the courtyard Thamel, the Valley’s lucrative tourist Tantric religious objects, some of them items Keshab Narayan Chowk into a museum. When monuments, and the project helped direct sunlight does come in, it is on the mono- upgrade the city’s water supply, and the buildings were painstakingly strip, and the government had that were stolen from Kathmandu and recently restored to their early glory, the interiorplanned to tear down a neo-classical returned, like the 12 chrome ochre of the brickwork and the tiles of the sewage, planning, and economy so courtyards so that the ambience is bathed in a that the conservation work would be completely redone into a modern façade to erect a row of commercial th century Uma Maheswor soothing pink afterglow. shutter shops. sculpture brought back from a museum in The pages ofHagmüller’s book walk us through “If some of us hadn’t walked by Berlin two years ago. And alongside human- these courtyards and corridors of the old palace, that day, it would have been gone,” crafted figures are those made by god: an and we are told by Usha Ramaswamy in one of the he recalls. The restoration is ammonite fossil 60 million years old which is chapters of how we brush against “the hush of scheduled for completion next year, revered because the shiny petrified remains of centuries”. andHagmüller who strongly the spiral pre-historic mollusc looks like Hagmüllerwas helped by curator and authority Museum keeperbelieves in combining heritage Ganesh’s trunk. conservation with the means to on Himalayan art, Mary Slusser, who has written As his eyes wander over clean glass-encased exhibits, Jal Krishna Götz Hagmüller’sbook, several chapters on why the museum was designed Shrestha is filled with a sense of pride. “We’re small but we’re unique.maintain it, hopes the entrance fees Patan Museum: as it was: the debate over light and dark, over You’ll find everything you wanted to know right here, very clearlyand and a small onsite café will help in the Transformation of a Royal Palace in Nepal, spaces and how much intervention is possible while very easy to understand,” says the museologist in charge of thethe upkeep. country’s best-kept museum. is not one of those covers usually sold in a still being honest to textures and layers of history. Hagmüller’s determination to Since he took over as director of Patan Museum when it opened in museum gift shop. It is more. The pages tell The project’s intention was to create a museum restore and preserve Kathmandu’s 1997, Shrestha has overseen the management, exhibitions, and the the dramatic story of the restoration process “within the cultural context of its collection as an rich cultural and architectural with many before and after illustrations, guest maintenance of this semi-autonomous, self-sustaining project. Till a integral aesthetic whole”. And how marvelously year ago, the museum had an annual surplus of Rs100,000 fromheritage entry is sharpened by his contributions on Kathmandu Valley, on they succeeded in doing that. fees, sales from the museum shop, the restaurant, and publications.resignation to the changes brought antique thefts, and even on the architectural But earnings this year have gone down because of the tourism aboutslump. modernity and unplanned planning of the café inside the museum. It is Even so, Shrestha is happy with the response of visitors. Nothingdevelopment. Despite conservation not just a museum goer’s companion, it is also deters dedicated culture enthusiasts, large groups of school children,efforts, illegal, ugly unplanned a guide to the endangered heritage of and an increasing number of young Nepalis from visiting the museum.structures are still flouting zoning Kathmandu Valley. The book’s being launched Last year 75,000 children from schools around Nepal visited. Besides being a repository for rare religious objects, the musuem has alaws very and building codes, while a on 1 December, and is being produced as part strong educational role. Exhibits include an entire section on thetoothless cire and poorly-funded of the Patan Museum project with funding Patan Museum perdue lost wax process and the repousse method of metalcraft,Archaeology a Department looks from the Austrian donors. There will be two The Transformation of comparison of the various monuments in Kathmandu Valley, theon helplessly. “Kathmandu is looking spread of Buddhism in Asia and one on stupa architecture. editions, soft cover and hard cover. In addi- a Royal Palace in Nepal more and more like Vladivostok,” tion, the Austrian government is donating The museum’s strength is in its architecture, the display of Götz Hagmüller exhibits, and the clear, precise bilingual labels to he says. 3,000 soft cover copies to the museum so the Serindia Publications, 2002, all exhibits by art historian Mary Slusser. Conservationists like proceeds can be used by the museum. The hard London Shrestha has a degree in Nepali history, Hagmüller have long given up cover edition is available internationally. Price: Rs 3,800 (hardback in culture and archaeology, and has one trying to save the whole of Available in the market already is a book stores) complaint. The Lalitpur sub-metropolitan Kathmandu. It is too late for that handier museum guidebook: city recently decided to collect entry fees Rs 2,400 (soft cover only at Patan Museum) to Patan Durbar Square right next to the now. And it is challenging enough museum premises. “It’s not a very good just to save the old urban cores of Patan Museum Patan Museum Guide idea and discourages potential visitors the three towns, and the smaller Guide, which is a shortened version of the who might want to visit the museum but Patan Museum, 2002 villages in the valley. But even that more expensive coffee-table book. Its Nepali feel that paying two entry fees just will be quite an accomplishment. Lalitpur within a couple of feet is a waste. translation, Patan Sangralaya, Ek Chinari will Price: Rs 1,000 We’ve asked the city that if they must be launched on 1 December. Both are pub- collect town entry fees, it should be further away from the museum.” lished by Patan Museum. Hagmüller’s passion for his subject shows in Patan Sangralaya the books, his careful attention to detail from Ek ChinariChinariEk Chinari the brass cire perdue museum sign to the Patan Museum, 2002 planning of earthquake-resistant steel brackets Lalitpur so that it would be in harmony with the Price: Rs 300 surrounding carved wooden pillars. 101010 WORLD 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES ASIA 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 111111 OPINION by RALF DAHRENDORF Indian enrolment up ANALYSIS by YASHENG HUANG Change of guard ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ WASHINGTON India - has become the largest source of foreign BEIJING China’s– Communist Party, the world’s largest political students in US universities and colleges after 11 September movement with 66 million members, is changing its image of a according to the annual report,Open ‘Doors’, from the Institute of revolutionary party committed to violent class struggle in favour of the Look, no opposition! International Education (IIE). About 67,000 Indians were enroled in more mellow representative party of the whole nation. After a week- US tertiary-level schools in the last academic year, up by 22 Three cheers for thelong congress, the party announced policies embracing capitalists percent over the previous year, surpassing even China. The total and elected a younger generation of leaders. The 59-year-old Hu Across the world, there is a creeping number of foreign students grew to a record 583,000 last year, an Jintao, an enigmatic party apparatchik who, under the outgoing party increase of 6.4 percent over the 2000-2001 academic year. chief Jiang Zemin was deputy general secretary and vice president, authoritarianism among those who rule, Overall, the most popular fields of study for foreign students last heads the new party leadership. The Politburo Standing Committee, year were business and management, engineering, mathematics China’s highest ruling body, was expanded from seven to nine coupled with a growing unrest of the ruled. and computer science. About half of all foreign students special- “Three Represents”members, all men in their fifties and early sixties who are deeply ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ised in those subjects. IIE reported declines in the enrolment of committed to turning China into an aggressive, high-technology students from predominantly Muslim countries, mainly from Saudi market economy. Despite a softened stance towards capitalists, the merica’s mid-term elections bestrides his country’s elected Duma Arabia, Pakistan, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). handpicked leaders pledged to adhere to Marxism, Leninism, Mao provide the latest example of like Gulliver over the Lilliputians. Less dramatic falls were reported for Kuwait, Malaysia, and Jiang Zemin’s parting gift may offend some Zedong thought and Deng Xiaoping theory for “a long time to come”. Outgoing Communist Party chief Jiang’s ‘Theory of Three Represents’ an expanding phenomenon: How and why has this happened? Egypt. Slower processing of visa applications from most of these A countries and greater concerns about personal safety in the US democratic sensibilities, but it’s a trivial was praised for fostering what Hu describes as “a fine image of a democratic governments that face How, in particular, can this situation may have affected enrolment. Institutions of higher education in price to pay to make the future more secure party that advances with its times”. Jiang retains a key position as no effective challenge by an be explained in view of the fact that Canada, the UK and Australia are likely to be the chief beneficiar- private firm can exceed the chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission. opposition. More precisely, this today’s unchallenged heads of ies of this trend. and peaceful for a billioncombined plus tax revenueChinese. from all phenomenon entails the growing government are, for the most part, SOEs. (as President Putin’s did recently) to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ number of democratically elected not towering leaders whose charisma expense of China’s working class. Moreover, describing Chinese political leaders who do not try and curb freedom of expression. (IPS) shields them from opposition? One Voters in Indonesia At present, private firms employ private entrepreneurs as a “plutoc- confront alternative leaders able to The tale they tell is one of the failure (IPS) reason is the ongoing personalisation more of China’s working class than racy” is grotesque. The term is gather the disaffected into a viable beginning to emerge, and these may of democratic institutions as they now of politics that is taking place state-owned enterprises commonly applied to Russia’s Vajpayee takes a stand opposition. everywhere in the world. one day dominate public debate. stand. This tale is further underlined (SOEs).With a fraction of the ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Domestically, there is an obvious by the growing role of “the street”, of Mum’s the word oligarchs, who grew rich through The phenomenon is by no Whether someone is charismatic ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ resources of the state-owned- political connections, corruption NEW DELHI-Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, considered means confined to what once was or not, voters want a figurehead, and difference between advocates of a demonstrations of public irritation MONTREALConcordia - University has banned all public discus- enterprises (SOEs), private firms the moderate facehis in pro-Hindu, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), moved “European model” of social and focusing on particular issues but really and shady business deals. Of the political right. Britain is preferably one withcelebrity value. sion of the Middle East since a planned speech by former Israeli employ much of the proletariat, to defuse a confrontation brewing between fundamentalist groups in moral capitalism and others who directed against unchallenged course, some private entrepreneurs nowadays experiencing what can This ‘celebrity’ may be based on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in September was cancelled produce goods demanded by western Gujarat state and the Election Commission, a constitutional body. adhere to the neoliberal “Washing- governments. in China grew rich that way. Most, The crisis began after Chief Election Commissioner James Michael almost be called the self-destruc- personality, as with Blair and after clashes with police. Netanyahu’s speech was cancelled proletarian consumers, and, however, became rich through hard ton consensus” that Europeans The result is a worrying combina- after pro-Palestinian protesters, including some non-students, because of their superior perform- Lyngdoh ordered a ban on religious processions in Gujarat—the scene of tion of the opposition Conservative Berlusconi, or on circumstance, as ockery of retired Chinese by seeking to replace the dictator- work, innovation and efficiency. a pogrom against the minority Muslim community earlier this year—in the associate with America’s economic tion of creeping authoritarianism rushed the doors to the hall, clashing with riot police who used ance, safeguard the interests of Party. For the third time in seven with Bush and Schroder and Putin, batons and pepper spray to repel them. The highly unusual ban on President Jiang Zemin’s ship of the proletariat. Today Some of China’s biggest private run-up to state assembly elections scheduled for 12 December. Leaders model. Internationally, the clash among those who rule with a growing proletarian savers by actually paying years the Tories are devouring their but it is part and parcel of the new speeches, rallies, posters, exhibits and information tables about theory of the “Three China faces a choice between the entrepreneurs come from extremely of the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) condemned Lyngdoh as between unilateralists and unrest of the ruled. As so often the M back their bank loans. “anti-Hindu” and VHP leader Pravin Togadia announced the ‘Vijay Yatra’ or own leader, without any viable politics of media appeal. the Middle East has been controversial. “Dictatorship of the Proletariat” or multilateralists is not confined to the case, there is no patent medicine Represents” is rife. Pundits scorn Why most pundits miss the fact humble backgrounds. Many, like victory procession would take place despite a state ban. This is the first alternative leader for the party Behind this, however, lies a University officials are now going to court to block a talk on the theory, which says that the the “Three Represents”. The choice the Hope Group in Sichuan, hail United States. Some see it, in present against this syndrome. However, the that workers are protesting, not in time Vajpayee, in the nearly four years since he first became prime anywhere in sight. deeper change to democracy. The ‘Peace and Justice in the Middle East’ by two politicians, MPs Communist party should not only is very clear to me. from China’s impoverished interior minister, has taken a firm stand against Hindu fundamentalist groups such circumstances, as a clash between crying need for an effective institu- Svend Robinson the liberal provinces of Zhejiang In Germany, Gerhard end of ideology has been invoked so represent workers and peasants but The big contribution of the and rural areas because in the as the VHP, which have provided the muscle and the ideology for his peace by negotiation and active, tional,usually parliamentary, and Libby Davies and Guangdong, but in the socialist Schroeder’s narrow victory is made often that one hesitates to repeat also society’s “advanced productive 1980s and 1990s, the central party. The VHP called for 6 December, six days before election day, to be even pre-emptive intervention. opposition is evident. Governments and well-known “Three Represents” is, for the first bastions of the northeast, is a observed as “victory day” markingtenth the anniversary of the secure by the intense soul-searchingthe phrase. Still, it is a fact that in all activist Judy forces, culture and interests.” They time, a ruling communist party government curtailed private sector Then there are the great without opposition pose a threat to mystery. Workers don’t protest demolition of the Babri Masjid. now underway among the defeated cases of governments without effective Rebick, who were deem it wholly inadequate to gives up—of its own volition—the activity in urban centres as to unspoken issues. Law and order is on democracy itself. To defend our against menial jobs in capitalistic Christian Democrat opposition, as opposition it is not easy to formulate invited by the China’s mounting problems of idea of class warfare. The gist of the minimise competition with SOEs. the agenda of most governments, but liberty we need domestic democ- Wenzhou but against no jobs in well as because of the moral an electorally viable alternative policy Concordia Student inequality, corruption, and lack of policy isn’t protecting the interests The countryside was left with more many voters feel that it still does not racy at least as much as a readiness Union (CSU). All socialist Shenyang. The government (IPS) collapse of the CDU’s junior to challenge the leaders. democracy. of capitalists at the expense of freedombecause the central have proper prominence. Immigration to attack whatever “forces of evil” three are known can’t pay unemployed workers their partner, the Free Democrats. Even Mr Putin is perhaps the most These critics are right to point others, but ensuring capitalists government never thought that is regarded as a deep threat by many may exist elsewhere in the world. supporters of the pensions because socialism has more starkly unbalanced political exteme in this regard, but Blair and Palestinian struggle aren’t automatically excluded from entrepreneurs there could succeed. people, so that demagogues are out the theory’s shortcomings, and bankrupted its finance. Indeed, in Tannery pollution landscapes can be found in France Berlusconi are not far behind in for a homeland. the nauseating way that “Jiang China’s political process. Those who think that entrepre- ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and Italy, where neither President increasingly able to marshal resent- CSU President contrast, in many Chinese regions, possessing this “policy immunity”. Zemin Thought” is promulgated Of course, the status of neurs got rich because of their DHAKA Hazaribag,– a densely populated 25-hectare residential area Chirac nor Prime Minister Berlusconi ment and grassroots support. Sabine Friesinger the tax contribution of a single They could form coalitions with does remind us of Mao’s Cultural political connections commit a classic at the western periphery of Dhaka, has become a dumping ground need fear their challengers; indeed Thus, despite today’s political said they opposed the moratorium and believe the tensions capitalists will improve once the anyone, not least with each other, between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli supporters should be Revolution. But they miss the leap “Three Represents” is imple- analytical error: they reason backward over the past half century for some 200 riverside tanneries that neither has a challenger to speak of. quiet, major cleavage between crowd the area. The government shelved plans to construct a central whatever their traditional political brought into the open. forward “Three Represents” marks mented. But it will not be at the on thebasis of outcomes rather Moreover, this situation is not apparently unchallenged leaders and (Project Syndicate) waste treatment plant in favour of a relocating the entire industrial affiliations may be. It is difficult to trip Student demonstrations usually proceed peacefully at Cana- than the processes that produced confined to Europe. The self- them up by offering alternative shifting popular moods may be complex outside the city perimetre, but no one knows how long this will da’s universities, but Concordia in downtown Montreal, a city with those outcomes. They fail to realise take, or if it will actually happen. Experts say Hazaribag tannery waste is destruction of the Congress Party has policies in any field. gaining strength below the surface. (Ralf Dahrendorf, the author of large Jewish and Arab populations, has a reputation as one of the Another takes the form of “opposi- that cozy relations are often the killing the Buriganga river with chrome and other chemical residues, left India’s government unworried by However, this condition may numerous acclaimed books, is a more radical institutions. reducing oxygen in the river water. The corrugated iron sheets used as tion by media”. This has become an result, not the cause, of business any political threat from outside its not last. In at least two respects, member of the British House of roofs and walls of the lower-middle class houses in the area are issue in a number of countries, and it success. Those who succeed own ranks. In Russia, President Putin alternative policy options are Lords, a former Rector of the command respect and leverage with corroded by hydrogen sulphide and ammonia gases generated during has led some governments London School of Economics and tanning. Workers are directly exposed to health hazards from various the government because of their chemicals, but factories rarely give them gloves, masks and boots. Even also a former Warden of St. business acumen and the fact that when they do, workers are careless about using them. Leather is one of Anthony’s College, Oxford.) (IPS) they beat their competitors. Only a Bangladesh’s top export earners, bringing in $250 million annually. Around few entrepreneurs “make it”. Many, 90 percent of the country’s leather goods are processed in Hazaribag. as everywhere else in the world, fail Most factories are medium or small-scale ventures and lack the re- sources to invest in a waste treatmentplant. COMMENT by JEAN-PIERRE LEHMANN on the way. Detractors of the “Three Represents” also have their ideas about democracy backward. They fail (IPS) to see the dictatorship of the proletariat was as much a straightjacket on workers as on Brain drain is good for you everybody else. Only a vibrant private propertied class can some day bring democracy ocieties that take in “brain drained” scientists and others benefit They used to call MIT to China. A market economy based enormously. Innovative and entrepreneurial French Huguenots on private property rights is an S contributed mightily to the launch of the Industrial Revolution in “Made in Taiwan”. No more. economic democracy, and it is only a Britain. American universities benefited mightily from refugee German Jews ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Taiwan did several things right. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ By establishing science parks it provided a matter of time before political fleeing Adolf Hitler. Today’s Silicon Valley would not be what it is without its good environment for R&D, followed by deregulation. Last, but emphatically democracy follows. This optimism is brilliant Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs. not least, it ended dictatorship to usher in democracy. In the 1990s, thanks to based on the ideathat democracy The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH) has the highest its returning brains, Taiwan became a high-tech powerhouse. comes from forcing the state to number of Nobel Prize winners of any institution in the world, no doubt partly South Korea’s story over the last 50 years parallels Taiwan’s story. The share power with those it cannot due to the fact that 35 percent of its faculty is foreign. From Cordoba 1000 years military dictatorship established by Park Chung-hee in 1962 adopted an directly control. Capitalists control ago to California today, the most intellectually stimulating places are crossroads aggressive economic development policy, partly to contain North Korea. The wealth and wealth creation. They are for bright people from different cultures. Park government recognised the importance of investing in education, able to demand returns on their tax Societies that fail to attract foreign brains stagnate. Take Japan. Japan’s including primary, secondary andertiary. t contributions in the form of greater homogeneity helped create the economic nationalism that drove the country for The problem for a dictator in building universities is that students are accountability from their governments. several decades, but today most of Japan’s universities, research institutes and needed, and students often protest! Once Korean students overthrew the The “Three Represents” may laboratories, think-tanks and elite publications, suffer from sclerotic inbreeding. dictatorship of Park’s successor, Chung Doo-hwan, Korean scientists, offend the sense and sensibility of Japan’s current lethargy is due, in part, to the in-bred langour of Japanese Yet, from Third World poverty levels two decades ago, Ireland has engineers, economists, and others, returned home en masse, bringing some. But it’s a trivial price to pay in intellectual life. surpassed its former colonial master in GDP per capita.Becoming a commit- knowledge acquired in the US with them. order to make China’s future more But doesn’t the process impoverish countries that export their “brains”? Itted European player, fostering foreign direct investment, including venture So a brain drain can be a good thing for recipient countries and also secure and peaceful for millions of depends. Spain, for example, saw its best minds drained away for five centuries,businesses, promoting financial services and IT resulted in a formidable for brain exporting countries. Good, that is, if the drain is reversed one Chinese. notably following Fascism’s victory in the Spanish Civil War. When Franco diedbrain drain reversal for Ireland. day. Most people everywhere prefer to stay home, or return home, rather in 1975, Spain’s future path was not obvious, as evidenced by the attempted After Chiang Kai-shek retreated to Taiwan in 1949 to form the than live in permanent exile. Kimchi is simply not as good in Los Angeles coup of February 1981. Republic of China in opposition to Mao’s People’s Republic, he sought asto in Pusan, nor is chapathi as good in Manchester as in Hyderabad. Spain’s transition from a poor, dictatorial, marginalised state to a prosper-maintain his dictatorial regime but was made to recognise the importance Brain drains put enormous pressure on brain exporting countries to ous, thriving democracy with a reversal of the brain drain is one of history’s of building Taiwan’s economy so as to strengthen the island. Thanks to improve their governance, their institutions, and their economic and their success stories. Indeed, many of Spain’s best minds have returned home. Moregenerous US aid—Taiwan was for several decades second only to Israel in thesocial freedoms. Such improvements are the ultimate test of a successful importantly, foreign brains now drain to Spain! amount of American aid received—Taiwan could send its best university society. Historically, Ireland has been a big exporter of people. Poverty and the rigidstudents, especially engineers, to study abroad. social control of a reactionary Roman Catholic Church made the country Now Taiwan has the highest proportion of engineers to total population in inhospitable to intellectual life—to Britain’s and America’s great advantage, the world. Many Taiwanese engineers studied in prestigious American (Project Syndicate) because both received many bright Irish fleeing the stultifying intellectual life universities, with the result that in Boston people sometimes refer to MIT as (Project Syndicate) of their homeland. As generally happens, the less intellectually endowed “Made in Taiwan” rather than the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. As (Yasheng Huang is an author and remained behind. late as the 1980s, only two out of 10 Taiwanese studiedwho in the US (Jean-Pierre Lehmann is Professor of International Political Economy at an Associate Professor at Harvard returned home, due to its bleak social, intellectual and political environment.IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland, and Founding Director of the Evian Group, Business School) a coalition for global liberal governance.) The majority of members at the central committee meeting made it clear that the failure of the government would reflect badly on FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES HISTORY AND CULTURE 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 121212 the RPP and preventive measures 131313 should be taken soon. Sources say Prime Minister Chand, who was Talking about talksMaoists and IndiaEnvoys recalled NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ also present at the meeting, Front-page editorial in Nepal Yubaraj Ghimire inKantipur , Nepal Samacharpatra, 18 November remained quiet. Samacharpatra, 17 November 18 November The new government has called don’t let us sit in peace even on holidays.” An indelicate Solutions reproach emerged from his mouth. “We got a letter from the The main problem today is not that Perhaps for the first time, a senior back half a dozen envoys who have government saying that we have to make this peace rally a Hours before being who should rule the country, but Maoist leader, Krishna Bahadur completed four years or more in success. The Principal Saheb’s orders are to the same how to compel the Maoists to Mahara, has spoken on camera and office serving abroad. According to effect. So, what to do?” sworn in as the come to the table for negotiations. pleaded to the international foreign ministry sources, the The other one asked me, “And you?” Minister for Education Nobody should have illusions that a community through CNN that his government has recalled Royal I said, “I came out on a morning walk, and am staying group indulging in activities like organization, the CPN (Maoist), is Nepalese ambassador to Thailand around to see what a peace rally looks like.” and Sports, former ambushing passenger buses, killing not a terrorist organisation. At Janak Bahadur Singh who has In the lurch Actually a sense of anticipation about this peace rally senior UML leader Devi children, murdering former the same time, a fresh completed five and half years in ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ had grown in me. Prasad Ojha spoke his MPs would be willing office. The list includes Royal Deshantar, 17 November At this time another crowd of children added. Now the to come to negotia- Nepali ambassador to Saudi Arabia rally was gaining shape. The policemen started to be active mind in an interview. tions on its own. The Badri Prasad Khanal, Singha The recent resignation of Chair- again. And the leader type of person also reappeared. He lifted the head mike and shouted, “The peace rally is about Excerpts: Maoists are not Bahadur Basnet (UK), Indra man of the Education Service likely to gain Bahadur Singh (France), Kedar to begin. Dignitaries, please stand in line. The peace rally is Commission Bishwanath Sapkota about to begin.” anything by taking Bhakta Mathema (Japan) and has not only affected the day-to- Then he disappeared again. I quickly finished my tea Jana Astha,20 November part in the peace Shambhu Ram Simkhada (Geneva). day running of the commission, it talks right now. Mathema has served for over six and stood in line. A child standing in line behind me wanted is also bound to test the patience to pee. He said to his teacher, who had finished drinking They can’t also years in Tokyo while Simkhada has MIN of 230,000 permanent teachers tea and was coming this way, “Sir, I need to pee.” headed the Nepali mission for the hope of establish- awaiting their teaching licenses. The Sir asked a policeman. The policeman said, “I don’t I don’t see any relevance to discussing the royal move of 4 October. UN in Geneva for seven years. ing a republic by The chairman’s resignation has know,” and spat out some chewing tobacco. The situation has gone too far since then. His Majesty madeholding that talks with the Former envoy to the US and move because our political parties failed to play a decisive and also delayed the results of I too suddenly wanted some chewing tobacco. I government. All the incumbent Royal Nepalese effective role. examinees sitting for the commis- Maoists want by repeatedly ambassador to India, Bhekh rounded my lips and asked, “Police Dai, do you have any The communists in Nepal must not forget that our country has sion’s teaching examinations from chewing tobacco?” talking about talks is to cheat Bahadur Thapa, has been asked to got its own characteristics and situation. The UML believes in the the last six years. Months after the In response he glared at me. the peace-loving Nepali people continue, sources said. Thapa constitutional monarchy. To accept constitutional monarchy is the seventh amendment to the I had no option but to shut up. objective reality of our country. and not to get boycotted from the recently completed five years in The peace rally hadn’t yet begun. It was as though it Education Bill ruled individuals MIN world community. For them, talks office at New Delhi. If the role of the monarchy is oriented towards the interest of the without a teaching license would was about to begin. Then again, who knows what hap- or elections to the constituent country, moves in a constitutional manner and is committed to the be disregarded as incompetent, the pened? I too suddenly needed to pee. So I slowly got out of assembly are nothing but a ladder people and political parties running the state, then I don’t see why it controversy has kicked off on the commission has been unable to line. And without taking part in the peace rally, I walked rapidly is necessary to talk about forming a republic. to the success of their bloody ahead. issue of Nepali Maoists on Indian grant licenses to working teachers. I disagree with the opinion that the present Council of Ministersrevolution. soil amid the possibility of Mahara Sapkota resigned from his post doesn’t enjoy executive authority. As an executive body it mustEverybody have knows the Chand being present in India. executive powers, otherwise they would be told they are a commis- Vying for power following the CIAA’s investigation administration doesn’t have the After Mahara’s interview on ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sion or a committee. If it is not an executive body, then nobody into a decision regarding the should ask the government to hold elections and resolve thecapability problem to protect either the CNN, Nepal and the wider Chalphal,17 November Bakraha river embankments when of the Maoist insurgency. What can we get out of these debatescommon people or party leaders. international community including Sapkota was Secretary for Water Originally published inKantipur when the nation is in flames? Our first priority must be to workThe government must include all the US and the European Union The third general assembly of the Resouces. Former minister Khum together to extinguish the fire. major political parties, that are likely to scan India’s role vis-à- Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is Bahadur Khadka Personally, I don’t mind being defined as someone ‘close meansto the the CPN (UML) and the vis Nepali Maoists once again. scheduled for the third week of Nepali Congress too. The peace rally is about to begin royal palace’ or someone who is allied to political forces within the India has repeatedly said it is December in Pokhara. As three (below)and country. But my allegiances never been close to any foreign The people are frustrated against “Maoist terrorism” and has RPP leaders, Pashupati Shamsher powers. with the corrupt and comfort- provided every possible assistance Rana, Prakash Chandra Lohani and I have had opportunities to speak with the king several times.seeking His tendencies of our rulers. to Nepal in this regard. This is true Rabindranath Sharma, vie for the Majesty granted me an audience recently, after the DashainThey vaca- don’t really have any to some extent, but after Mahara’s post of party president, a division in tion. We discussed many issues including the Maoist insurgency, the interview on CNN, foreign Translation of a satire by Bimal Nibha: He disappeared after saying this. role of political parties and people’s aspirations. I have alwayscomplaint felt towards the (multi- the party is obvious. Soon after I got nervous seeing policemen all over, but noWe were indeed abiding. What else was party) system. The king gained diplomats have started raising problems in the country can be resolved through dialogue and talks. Rabindranath Sharma and Prakash sooner did I try to leave the place, a staff-there to do? His Majesty is aware of my point of view. popularity when he relinquished questions privately on India’s role. Chandra Lohani announced their wielding policeman said, almost in With a far-reaching yawn I The Himalayan at 1 I don’t see any rationale behind a constituent assembly. Somehis executive authority. Every- The recent statement issued by candidature for party president, reprimand, “Did you come to take body now knows there are only part in the peace rally?” looked at my watch. Exactly five people demand such an assembly only to satisfy their political egos. the Kathmandu bureau of CPN party general secretary Rana also minutes past eight. The same staff- It will nobody. They should discuss the obstacles and hurdlestwo in forces the left in the country: (Maoist) taking responsibility for announced his decision to stand for Not understanding him, I stayed BHAGIRATH YOGI wielding policeman from before ○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ The other English dailies in existing constitution. We can then work towards removing them.those who believe in democracy killing two security staff attached tothe same post. Rana made it clear where I was. former Director General of the came, twirling his staff, and said, town also responded: Nobody could stop the political changes of 1990. Similarly, ifwith the a constitutional monarchy the US embassy in athmanduK is that he would increase the influence “Go there. There.” He pointed “Respected peace lovers, form a hen The Himalayan Space Time situation is ripe then nobody can stop the formation of a constituent Irrigation Department and the republicans. There is no likely to have very serious repercus- of the RPP and ensure a major with his staff. line. Alright, alright, form a line. Don’t Times was launched in Today hired anew team of assembly. Amodananda Mishra are in jail just stand anywhere.” He pushed a alternative for the king and status in future general elections. I went to the side. A few people the Kathmandu market Regarding the issue of holding talks with the Maoists, I think both sions. Mahara’s recent “diplomatic” while the CIAA investigates pedestrian who was walking alongW editors and parliamentary parties other than The RPP central committee were gathered there. I added exactly a year ago, sceptics reporters. the government and the political parties should feel responsible campaign could be nullified and even further. Sapkota sent in his the path into the line. to work together. The political myself to them. I looked around. towards finding a peaceful solution to the insurgency. We won’t aborted if the Maoists are formally meeting held last week criticised After that he went to a nearbypredicted it didn’t have much of a And even resignation from the US where he They numbered seven. Eight reach the right destination if we choose the wrong path. Theparties must join the government enlisted along with the al-Qaeda and Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur future. The advertising cake was the is undergoing medical treatment. including me. A middle-aged man restaurant to have tea. I too felt a insurgency won’t be resolved unless the Maoists present them-and the King must make room in Chand for not being able to fulfill just too small, they said. venerable Taliban. Perhaps, the Maoist According to the Education Bill, with a slick head was letting off craving for tea. So I also headed selves in a pragmatic and objective way. the cabinet for them. his responsibilities as prime minister leadership would deem it necessary to individuals who have taught for billows of cigarette smoke. With him towards the restaurant. There was reason to be thirty- further clarify this point. despite promises. During another five years are entitled to receive a was a woman of the same age. In “Hey respected peace lover, sceptical. Selling 12 pages, half of something meeting, held earlier, the party had temporary teaching license which thick makeup. A young man too. In don’t come here, stay over there inthem in colour, and all that for a Rising a yellow round-necked t-shirt. Another skinny committed to supporting Chand. line,” another policeman drinking tea cried innewstand a price of Rs 2, how could Nepal went becomes permanent if they pass a young man was also standing next to him, shrill voice. colour and commission exam. chattering away. When I went closer it turned out they ever make money? But a year to be a young woman. I had been betrayed byA crowd of schoolchildren was coming indown my the line, the newspaper has put on a the boy’s cut hairstyle. It would have happeneddirection, carrying banners of various kinds.carved out a niche for itself, if not new get-up. to others as well. There was a red faced oldA police van was following them. Seeing thefinancially at least in terms of One QUOTE OF THE WEEK man too. He had a chain in his hands. And policea big van, the policemen drinking tea sped readershipout and reach. “We are debate that has But will running an English sized dog with the chain. Shaking its tail rhythmi-of the restaurant. The restaurant’s managernumber one among the English failed to die down newspaper in Nepal ever bring Children sell tabloids to make ends meet cally. I looked at the dog with interest. In re-stood bewildered, not having received his “From time to time they would tell us that Prachanda was dead, Baburam was dead, language newspapers in town and is the controversy over profit? Parsuram Kharel, former Sancharika Lekhamala Aparanhain , 14 November chocolates worth a couple of sponse it looked at me too, snarling. I turnedpayment. editor of Badal and Mahara were dead. They tried to break us emotionally.” away. In the meanwhile one or two others hadTwo people who looked like teachers, whosell 20,000 copies every day,” says rupees. Their only sister, Iswori, joined us. Ravin Lama, managing director of —Journalist Ishwar Chandra GyawaliSanghu in , 18 November, 2002. had come with the crowd, placed the children in The Himalayan Times’ hasn’t had an opportunity to go to After a while a leader type of person International Media Network Pvt Gyawali spent nearly a year in jail on the grounds of being a pro-Maoist activist.“Here it comes! Telecom tower line and came to drink tea at the restaurant. This Indian connection. Asia Pacific The Rising Nepal says: school. manifested, carrying a head mike. And begantime to I too joined in. I asked one of them, “WhereLtd, the publishers. Lama says his He was released along with five other journalists last week. destroyed! Five killed on the spot! Communications Associate (APCA) Bank ransacked! Read it all, now!” Originally from Gairimudi shout loudly, “The peace rally is about to begin.did you come from?” paper’s first year was “both exciting “The market for English language Please abide a while. The peace rally is about to Nepal Pvt Ltd is a joint venture newspapers now is too limited and Uttam Ghimire is a student of VDC in northern district of “From a nearby government school. Theyand frustrating”. Dolakha, the Ghimire family begin.” between Indian and Nepali too crowded. Right now the Class 4 at Saraswoti High School “We wanted to go for some- arrived in the capital a few years investors and owns Lama’s Kathmandu market may be suitable in Koteswor, and he is shouting thing completely new, offer a back in search of a livelihood. International Media Network for a couple of dailies and a couple out the day’s headlines at the top different kind of package, value for Uttam’s mother, Radhika, works Nepal Pvt Ltd. Editors and of weeklies only.” of his voice. And his paper is money. We wanted to inculcate the as a maid for his landlord. His Publishers of rival broadsheets Would mean that a shake selling like hot cakes. He has business of reading, especially sister helps their. The supplemen- formed an association, Nepal skipped his classes to sell after- among the youth,” Lama told us in down is overdue? Not necessarily, tal income from newspaper selling Media Society, to lobby the noon tabloids in the streets. He is the paper’s Anamnagar office. “In says Lama, who is now planning a is critical in balancing the Ghimire government to cancel the “back- more worried about selling his that sense, we have notched new Nepali sister broadsheet. “In family budget. room entry” of foreign direct newspapers faster than other street success. But the frustrating part is fact, it is the Nepali publication Around one hundred children In the November Himal investment in media in Nepal from which we could earn bread hawkers than his exams in school that our counterparts did not want because it would “jeopardise the work as newspaper hawkers in the and butter,” he adds. the next day. The nine-year-old to face the challenge.” national interest”. streets of Kathmandu. Nearly 70 Dirty little middle class secret: Yubaraj Ghimire, editor of Ghimire earns as much as Rs 90 a It took time, but the But APCA seems to have its percent of them are school dropouts while the rest are Child domestics amongst us day selling 30 copies of the competition did respond. legal side pretty much sorted out. believed to be still attending schools. According to Kantipur andThe Kathmandu afternooners. “Half of that goes to Lama insists that the controversy sahu and the rest to my father,” says Ghimire with smilesurveys, 21 percent of the total population of Nepal ‘Holy’ cow and ‘unholy’ dalit: Post, agrees that English language (2.6 million children) are engaged in various forms of should now be laid to rest as his in his face. “And, I am left with nothing.” Crimes against untouchables The company has been registered and media needs time. “Most are Uttam’s father, Gyan Prasad Ghimire, brings withchild labourers. Chairman of Child Workers in Nepal Kathmandu Post has been at it for subsidising their English publica- Concern Centre (CWIN), Gauri Pradhan, says that the doing business complying fully with him a packet of afternoon newspapers from Ratna Park From evil state to civil society: ten years and is owned by the very the law of the land. “Our critics tions with other editions,” he says. in the capital everyday and distributes them among hisgovernment must introduce compulsory and free Rethinking development in Nepal successful Kantipur Publications Ghimire claims the education for children and launch campaigns for social saw some sort of hidden agenda in Post is still the three sons for street hawking. Uttam’s 12 and six year- group. Eight months afterThe launching of this newspaper. But I number one English paper in town, old brothers, Arjun and Takdir, also can be seen out inawareness. “Though the education is said to be free at Ballot boxing in Kashmir & Pakistan the primary level, in practice the situation is quite Himalayan Times rolled off the must tell them that the only and sees a bright future because the street reading out newspaper headlines loudly and press, thePost added four pages hidden agenda behind this English readership in Nepal is trying to attract attention of as many passers-by as different,” he said. Donor malfeasance in Bangladesh and redesigned its masthead and publication has been the six-letter growing rapidly in an era of possible. The youngest of them, Takdir, has areceived Relief package. layout adding new departments and word ‘profit,” he quipped. globalisation. slaps a couple of times from their father for buying Plus more! columnists. Although it kept its Rabin Sayami inHimal Khabarpatrika, 17 November - 1 December, 2002 To subscribe: Call 543-333 or write to newstand price at Rs 4. [email protected] 141414 CITY 22 - 28 NOVEMBERNEPALI 2002 TIMES ART 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES 151515 BOOKWORM

Journeys: an Anthology Robyn Davidson, ed Picador India, 2002 Rs 472 Journeys departs from the predictable routes of the travel genre to explore varied terrain. We encounter an astonishing assortment of people—at leisure, at war, in grand luxury and great discomfort, running away and coming home. Contributors include Simone de We all make each other. Beauvoir, Elizabeth David and Vincent van Gogh. Our culture’s riches and penury ABOUT TOWN Women and Governance: Re-imagining the State from EVENTS moments of disappointment and a Gender Perpective(Nepal Chapter)Indira Shrestha, deliverance. Hunkins is intimate French Film Festival organised by Alliance Française of Kathmandu, dedicated to the Krihna Hachhethu and imaginative in the way she portrayal of women in French cinema. 28 November-1 December at the Russian portrays each writer, capturing Cultural Centre. 241163 Shtrii Shakti, 2002 Rs 250 them at moments garrulous, Pass the Butler. The Sterling Club HAMS presents a comedy by Eric Idle at the British reflective, interior or watchful. Her The authors discuss how relations between the state and women have changed at Embassy Hall. 7PM, 5-7 December. Tickets: Rs 800 (including dinner). All proceeds to portraits highlight the individuality the AWON Scholarship Fund. 410583 historical junctures. A vital issue is whether the socio-cultural milieu allows women to be of each person, and remind us how politically mobile. Their feminist stance questions the position of women to use opportu- lucky we are to have these writers AWON Holiday Bazaar Gift items, children’s games, food and drink. 10AM-5PM, 7 nities granted by a liberal political atmosphere. amid us, enriching our times with December. Entry: Rs 50, free for under 12s. Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. their work. Summit Christmas Bazaar Textiles, wood carvings, ceramics and barbeque. 4- What complex worlds reside in 9PM,13 December. Free entry. Summit Hotel. 521810 The New Revelations: A Conversation with God each of these writers—live reposi- Surya Golf 2002Pokhara 22-23 November and 26-30 November Gokarna Forest Golf Neale Donald Walsch tories of our culture? And what Resort Hodder and Soughton, 2002 complex worlds reside in the Rs 640 dispossessed who idle in MUSIC Seventh in the Coversations with God series, Walsch offers solutions to the aggression and Kathmandu’s public places—also live repositories of our culture? Live music by Catch 22, Friday nights at the 40,000 ½ dogma troubling the world. He attempts to understand the crisis facing the world and By exhibiting Amtzis’s and ft Bar, Rum Doodle Restaurant, Thamel. 414336 optimistically teaches change is possible, not through political or economic means, but by opting for the Five Steps to Peace. Kedar Man Vyathit byAnn Hunkinsand two Kathmandu vignettes Hunkins’s photographs side by side, U2 live in Bostonwith dinner and drinks at Moksh, Siddhartha Art Gallery allows us to by Wayneby Amtzis. Giri, Manju Kanchuli, Dhruba Lalitpur. 22 November. 528703 celebrate our contemporary Sapkota: these are the men and culture’s riches and to account for women entrusted to speak for DRINKS and refinement they have (so far) let its penury. Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711, [email protected] us be. us all. The Coffee Shop, Hotel de l’Annapurna introduces a fine range of world class coffees from Kenya, Brazil and Colombia. CLASSIFIED What was revolution? What did it look like? How would it come? And once it ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Things are so far gone now— Paddy Foley’s Irish Pub A wide range of drinks and food. Live music on Wednesday, Give yourself the gift of Reflexology! fully furnished apartment -3 bedrooms, came, where would it stay? What The streets which are exhausted with each new birth a martyr is born Thursday and Sunday nights. 416096. email: buddhasfeet or ring 425-931 2 bathrooms, spacious living /dining, would it eat?…Uncle always explained,having taken many children to school a funeral march is born modern kitchen individual telephone, FOOD Visit Ground ZeroFine wines, designer terrace, overlooking English garden without any irritation, as much as he having led many sons to border a shroud is born with tall trees in quiet surrounding. could: “See, after the revolution there’ll trenches You’re seeing all this, aren’t you? A Taste of Africaexperience a night of music and food candles, cards, exclusive Nepali paper products, silver jewellery, wooden items,Contact: 524389 be democracy in our country. And having returned many fathers from Dinesh Adhikari, “The Other Side at La Soon. 7PM till late, 30 November. Dinner and perfumes and more. Darbar Marg, opposite after democracy everyone will get to their offices to Belief” dance-Rs 699 per person. 535290 Hotel de l’Annapurna For Sale – almost new Honda Activa scooter study, to learn how to read and write. these streets by now shattered in Review by Manjushree Thapa Winter Specials with Chef Kilroy. Smoked salmon at a very attractive price, good condition. Everyone will be able to eat, sharing accidents Apartment for rentin Jawalakhel near zoo Contact 981038882. soufflé, duck breast, hot mulled wine at Kilroy’s of their portions with each other. No one yes, all these streets (Wayne Amtzis’s “Rite of Way” and Kathmandu, Thamel. 250440 will stay hungry, no one will die I carry on my shoulders Ann Hunkins’s “Writers Seen” are on Italian Food Festival with special Italian Wines. 11:30 helplessly because they can’t buy Bairagi Kainla, “The Mountain” display at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, AM- 4:30 PM from 16-24 November. Patan Museum For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. medicine.” Babar Mahal, till 4 December. Café and Summit Hotel. 526271 Ramesh Vikal, “Gyanee Uncle” Their literature captures the Amtzis and Hunkins will give a poetry reading at the gallery on Sunday, 24 Vegetarian specialties and clay oven at Stupapizza perplexity of our times, the November, at 4 PM. ) View Restaurant & Terrace, Boudha. 480262 M. Night Shyamalan is the “Master If we were to be political, we could questions that haunt us, our Barbecue at the Terrace, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. Rs 550 plus taxes. 7PM-10PM.of Suspense” for a whole new say that Amtzis is giving representa- Complimentary entrance to Rox Bar. 491234 generation. Signs, his latest movie tion to the subaltern: his body of most personal failings as they work poses a challenge to our body Taste of Beijing Roast duck and other Chinese meat, fish and vegetarian delicacies.succeeds in bringing us an old- Exhibiting baldness I’m offering belief fashioned suspense thriller, a manifest in others. politic. The day laborer poses a Beijing Roast Duck Restaurant, Birendra International Convention Centre. 468589 a past leave belief, a coming belief refreshing detour into the twilight a living belief We all make each other. The challenge to the art lover, the blue Tukche Thakali Kitchen Buckwheat, barley, bean, and dried meat specialties. Also collar worker, the intellectual. If we zone, in an era when special beliefs of many colors we can’t person on the street becomes an art brunch with porridge and pancakes, all raw material from Tukche village. Darbar Marg. were to be more personal, we could effects is king. Graham Hess (Mel ourselves believe object and creates us, elite gallery viewers. At the gallery we view a say that Amtzis is encouraging us to Gibson) is a preacher turned farmer, belief is adhering somewhere as a root GETAWAYS photograph of a person we wish to maintain a fearless view onto a single parent raising two children one belief is enough for me ourselves and our society. Looking Tea House Combo Room, breakfast, Nepali thali dinner, swimming, jacuzzi. Rs 700 fix as art. The relationship is an after the death of his wife. One one present time is enough for me straight at weathered hands and per head on twin sharing for Nepalis and expats, Tea House Inn, Nagarkot. 410432 unequal one, and we are right to morning, the family awakes to to come and go in it, to see the face of feel exposed in our culture and cracked heels, sun-stained faces and Birdwatching, short hikes at Bandipur. Rs 1,850 per person with dinner and break- spherical symbols mowed into their endlessness refinement, for it is in our culture work-stunted bodies could open fast, Rs 925 per child 5-14 years Shivapuri Heights Cottage, crops. Is it a prank, a sign from god Mohan Koirala, “The Roots of a and refinement that we have used our hearts if we let it. We could [email protected], 370616 or circle-happy aliens? Hess is signs Pumpkin Plant” others—we have overworked them, leave the gallery wanting to restore Writing Retreat Full board package. Aesthetic living, innovative thinking, creative compelled to investigate, changing undervaluing their labor, violating dignity to those we have cast off. The subjects of Ann Hunkins’s writing and nature at Park Village Resort, Budhanilkantha. 375280 the lives of his brother (Jaoquin Wayne Amtzis’s photographs show their rights, and though they have served our purposes we have made Bardia Bonkers Freshwater dolphins, giant tigers, elephants, safaris, rafting, eveningPhoenix) and the children (Rory us the faces, gestures, clothing and photographs, by contrast, include but a marginal place for them in oursome of the most distinguished cocktails, traditional food. [email protected]. Culkin and Abigail Breslin) forever.JAI NEPAL CINEMA expressions of the discarded of Kathmandu—and they offer us a midst. It is in our culture and personalities of Nepal: writers and 12 noon, 3PM, 6PM refinement that we have made the For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] chance to see ourselves honestly. poets, playwrights and men and Telephone booking: 442220 homeless, the hungry, and the women of letters. Daulat Bikram Online booking They are elegant but also direct; www.jainepal.com they do not let us dodge. They hapless of our land. In their culture Bista, Dev Kumari Thapa, Banira insist that we acknowledge our

on FM 102.4

Mon-Fri 0615-0645orld BBC Today W Sat 0615-0645BBC Reporting Religion NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Sun 0615-0645BBC Agenda VIS -21 -11-2002 04:00 GMTGenerally fair throughout the subcontinent, as you can see in this satellite picture taken on Thgursday Daily 2045-2115g] BBCkfnL ; ]]]]]jf morning. However, there is inversion haze over the Indo-Gangetic plains which is a seasonal feature and Daily 2245-2300g] BBCkfnL ; ]]]]]jf likely to get worse as the minimum temperature plummets. We detect a faint westerly front over Sun-Fri 0740- 0800Ps}}}}}l5g\\\\\ -/]]]]]l8of]]]]] klqsf_ Afghanistan, but it seems to be moving north-east- wards towards the Pamirs. A low pressure area Sun-Fri 0800- 08308anL8anL8anL -ljifout-ljifout-ljifout cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_ moving into the high plateau may bring precipitation next weekend. For the valley, look for chilly mornings Sun-Fri 2000- 2030cfhsf s'''/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ with mist, and afternoons with weak sunshine. Sat 0800- 0830zflGt cleofg Sat 1930- 2000cfrf/ ljrf/ -e|||i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_{_{_

KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030s"6gLlts d~r Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 22-07 21-08 23-07 22-08 21-08 E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org/]l8of ] ;u/dfyf 161616 22 - 28 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2002 TIMES Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY by Kunda Dixit Bold and beautiful Two wheels good, four wheels badven if you are not a coach-potato (orformally trained in this line of work? maybe because you are) you will be Married at the age of 15 when she was glued to the television set when ike most other freedom-loving Nepalis, this Carbuncle for an interview so he could elucidate on E a student in high school, Sumitra worked scribe and other like-minded pharisees were busysome of the finer points of the forthcoming indefinite Sumitra Kayastha comes on screen. Herhard to pursue her education as well as Llast week voluntarily and totally out of our own holiday season. programme,Jeevan Ek Rang Anek (Life’s build her career. Five years ago, her free will observing a three day pen-down strike which different shades) profiles interesting daughters encouraged her to take part in Q: Mr Comrade, sir, you have said that last week’s personalities. So, for a change, we thoughtthe Mrs Nepal contest, a beauty show with thankfully enabled me to wriggle out of writing this we’d profile her. difference. Thanks to her confidence and column. (Ha! Fooled you into thinking I’d emigrated three-day holiday was a grand success. Would you care As anyone who has watchedJeevan will charm, the crown was soon on her head. to New Zealand, didn’t I?) to elaborate? Since then, as they say, there has been no tell you, Sumitra is not just a pretty face. As A: First of all, let me use this opportunity to thank looking back. For this, we owe a debt of gratitude to the anchor she has the knack of bringing out Organisers. Let’s hear a round of the She dabbled in radio for a bit, but Red Corpuscle for giving me a the best in every applause, ladies and gentlemen, person selected Sumitra is a personality naturallly chance to hold forth on the party for the Organisers. for the interview. suited for television, and she soon line, and also greet all readers on And, would you So, instead of sitting around migrated to audio-visual. the 88th anniversary of the Great believe it, uselessly trying to bring out a October Proletarian Revolution. Sumitra has Jeevan delves into various newspaper, we zoomed around What was the question, again? never been aspects of the lives of her inter- the empty streets in motorcycles Q: Never mind, what exactly are viewees: their struggle, their effort with license plates covered by the rules of a bunned? to adapt, fit in, or rebel as the case signs that said: “Off To My In- A: It’s very simple: two wheels may be. What keeps her going is laws To Feast On Poleko Masu good, four wheels bad. And Beer And Play Marriage For the tremendous feedback from her Q: How about three wheels? viewers: from people who are Three Straight Days, And If You A: Both good and bad. Anything Have Any Problems With That, encouraged, enthused and that has three wheels, and has inspired by her and the people she Well, You Can Go Stuff It.” Or wings is OK. Everything else interviews. words to that effect. is not OK. This is the beauty of living in Q: How about rollerblades? Sumitra wants to try new things, a democracy: we can get away A: Only if you are wearing a and she is coming up soon with with saying anything ridiculous helmet and elbow guards. another program,Prasna Chinha that comes to our minds, even if Q: I see. And is it all right to only (Question Mark) also on Chan- it makes absolutely no sense at half-open a shop? nel Nepal which will mainly all. And everyone has a fundamental right to declare a A: That’s right, you can let customers come in through focus on gender issues. three-day national holiday just for the heck of it, and the back door, or keep the shutter half open. Just “It’s basically going as a carefree and freedom-loving people there is don’t push it all the way up. to be a talk show nothing we like better than to actually have to do no Q: And can I take a sick relative to the hospital on a work. to discuss social mobike? discrimination But, we must remind readers that democracy is A: Sure. Just cover your license plate with a sign that against women in facing grave threats. There are forces right here amidstsays you are going to your in laws to feast on poleko out society,” she us who wanted to take away our basic human right to masu and beer and play marriage indefinitely, and don’t go around the city using improvised explosive devices let the cops catch you. said. Is she going to to blow up garbage dumps every morning. That is whyQ: Thank you, Comrade Carbuncle, and have interview men, too? we at the weekly a nice future. “Sure,” she says, “it A: You too. is the men who need more to be Red Corpuscle (motto: “The pen is sensitised.” mightier than the penknife.”) approached Comrade

CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59