Kanti Rajpath: Viable Alternative • Politics: Inconsistent Leaders • Ninth Plan: Poor Performance T ~ ~ Peiisodent FIGHTS GERMS EVEN HOURS AFTER BRUSHING CONTENTS
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Tho National Ne"llll:"o9,,,ine I1 Kanti Rajpath: Viable Alternative • Politics: Inconsistent leaders • Ninth Plan: Poor Performance t ~ ~ PeiisOdent FIGHTS GERMS EVEN HOURS AFTER BRUSHING CONTENTS Page Letters 3 News Notes 4 Briefs 6 uote Unquote 7 COVER STORY: MISGUIDED AND CONFUSED The growing participation of youths in violence is a matter of serious concern. {Cover phN<1 by SanoJcsh Mnl1adhar) Off The Record 8 Page 16 NEPAL·CHINA RELATIONS Friends In Need 9 POLITICAL LEADERS: Inconsistency In Their Stand 12 TOURISM: Successive Blows 13 NINTH PLAN: Poor Perfonnance 14 KOREAN DANCE: Rhythm OfTies 24 KANTI RAJPATH: Slow Start PHOTO EXHIBITION: Street Life 2S Despite being the shonest alternative route lO link Kathmandu with Hetauda, the construction of the highway has delayed due to government indifference. BOOK REVIEW 26 Page JO THE BOTTOMLINE 27 PROFILE : Nelson Wang 28 PASTIME 29 INTERVIEW: Chakra P. Bastola LEISURE 30 Foreign Minlster Bastola says the recent visit by Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji enhanced the bilat· FORUM: Sobhakar Budhathoki 32 eralties. Page 22 SPOTLIGHT/MAY 25, 2001 SPOTLIGHT EDITOR'S NOTE THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE IVol. 20, No.45, May 25, 2001 (Jaslha 12, 2057) I Chief Editor And Publisher Madhav Kumar Rimal Editor he recently concluded three day official visit of the Prime Minister of the Sarita Rimal People's Republic of China to Nepal seems to have generated quite a bit of controversy. A very reliable leader of yester years confided to this Managing Editor Keshab Poudel scribe thatthis visit of the dignitary from the biggest nation of the world failed to keep up with the tradition - the mutual expressions of Associate Editor eruninhibited intimacy and concern for each other's well-being. Had it not been for the Bhagirath Yogi deep respect they bear to the throne of Nepal, he went on to say, the Chinese could have Senior Reporter easily postponed or even cancelled the visit. Not that they were not fully aware of the Sanjaya Ohakal political situation prevailing in Nepal and the severe constraints the host governlre Reporter has been suffering from. The changed international scenario and developments ne. Akshay Sharma home must have had irresistible influence on the secular democratic government of the Design and Layout Nepali Congress in Kathmandu. Thi s, indeed, has been plainly evident by the manner Jyoh Singh the Free Tibet movement in the nation 's capital has been functioning despite the film commitment of the government not to permit anti-Chinese activ iti es on the Nepalese Photographer Nishchal Chapagain soil. Since the Chinese do not permit such minor incidents to affect the deep-seated friendly relationship with the Nepalese people, the agents provocateurs have gained Art M.S. Khokna nothing except heart burning chagrin. Modern Nepal-China relalionship founded on solid rock by the late Nepalese dignitaries - King Mahendra and Tanka Prasad Legal Advisor Acharya and Chinese leaders Mao Tsc Tung and Zhou en Lie is too strong even for Advocate Lok Bhakta Rana Hercu)es to dislodge. Since both the Nepalese and Chinese people are finnly convinced Marketing/Advertisement of this irrefutable fact the bilateral relations between the two countries will ever go on Saril Rimal (USA) strengthening. Marketing * * * Madan Kaji Basnet The three day Bandh called by the leftist forces seems to be destined to come through. Navin Kumar Maharjan Madan Raj Poudel All the pleas by the rest of the Nepalese (including all sectors of Nepalese society) have fallen on deaf ears. That the responsible opposition party in the Parliament is becoming Editorial Office so irresponsible as to push the country to economic chaos by initiating the three day GPO Box 7256, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Tel: (977-1) 423127, Fax: (977-1) 417845 bandh is sure to soil its image further. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Will ' Chief Edilor's : 435594 oblige the opposition by vacating his chair. Even though leaders of the UML are getti r E-mail: [email protected] too impatient to go to the other side in the parliament, they know they will not achieve Internet Add: http://www.nepalnews.com/ spollighl their ambition in the near fmure. Taking recourse to measures that might spell di saster for the country while hitting (he poorest section hardest, is sure to boomerang in the days Cover Design to come. Our opposition to the three day bandh should not be interpreted as support to Wordscape Kamal Pokhari, Ph : 410772, Fax: 432872 the infamous Koirala government. We have, time and again called for the outright di smissal of the corrupt Koirala government. But democracy, parliamentary practice Distribution Bazaar International and constitutional monarchy have proved to be in vincible shield protectjng Prime 228 Sanchaya Kosh Bldg. Kathmandu Minister Koirala. Even though the couIllry is heading towards unavoidable catastrophe, G.P.O Box 2480, Ph: 222983 Fax: 229437 no body seems la be least concerned lo save it. When the int egrity of th e country is at e-mail: [email protected] Slake, one must be able to sacrifice all personal or parti san considerati ons. We have Printers: Kishor offset Press (P.) Ltd. come LO a stage where all patriotic forces have 10 join hand s and work unitedly to free P.O . Box 4665, Galkopakha, Thamel, the ~ountry from the iron grip ofthe Frankenstein of corruption and alien machinations. Kalhmandu,Tel: 351 044 (Off), 351 172 (Res.), Fax: 977-1-351172, There is absolutely no alternative and no time should be lost. • E-mail: [email protected] c'D.O. Rcgd. No 15l/039-40 Postal Rcgd. No 42/057/58 U.S. Library of Congress Madhav Kumar Rimal Catalogue No. 9l-905060 Chief Editor& Publisher 2 SPOTLIGHT/MAY 25. 2001 LETTERS ____________________________________________________________ ingTimes'· (SPOTLIGHT, May fORUM kesl\.w P. Upt!li I 11 INTERVIEW Btlll'lt Mohall AdtlikDf 11 ), iL seems Ihal Nepal would do better by stressing the ex.port Cooperative oforthodox and herbal lea rather Ihan CTC. The high-value or Controversy thodox lea has a greater market Your cover story among the health-conscious "Mushrooming Gro\Vth" population oflhc West. Besides, thi s is the sector where Nepal (SPOTLIGHT, May 18) enjoys comparative advantage. clearly pointed out how Herbal tea finds appropriate j1y-by-night operators environment tothrivcinthceao;;t are exploiting loopholes ern hills of the country. RoshalJ Amatya ill the law to make a jClst Dhapasi buck at the cost of illllO Great Loss cent investors. It is (I pity The ulltimely demise of that the very authorities mOllnlaincc r Babu Chhiri Sherpa who are supposed to i~ a great loss nOI only to NcpaJ check the activities ofco but also 10 the entire mountain operatives appear so eering community (""Into Thin Air", SPOTLIGHT. May4). His powerless. No wonder, fems arc as tall as the Everest the mushroomillg 0.( such itself and will not be forgotten. dubiolls cooperatives is While we did lalk much aboul contilluing unabated. hi s outstanding personality. we cou ld pay a real tribute to Babu Sheeta Sharma Chhiri by joining hands in real Ghattekllla izing hi s last dream-opcninga sc hool in hi s native village in Solukhumbu. Manoj Curling Catch The Culprits May 18). Why did Ihe govem will come when investors will New Baneshwor Unless the authorit ies catch mem allow the cooperatives to start losing faith even in finan the culprits who have run away operate without ensuring proper cial institutions and banks. Anti-Chinese Activity h the investors' money, the legal checks and balances? Did KrisJlIla Thapa the authorities work hand in glove Minbhawan II has been reported Ihallhe people will continue to lose con Tibetan followersofDalai Lama ridence in the cooperatives. to swindle Lhe public? Ir nOI, Tasty Potentials are freely carrying 011 anti-Chi (,·Mushrooming GrowLh". what are they doing al a time The unique geography of nese activities i n Nepal. Recently SPOTLIGHT, May IS). Ir Ihe when half a dozen cooperatives Nepal is very suitable for grow they ca.;;t votes in Kathmandu for series of cases of fraud are not fled in Ihe span or a week? The ing lea ("TeslingTimes'·, SPOT the Tibetan government in exile. addressed soon. many morc poor people want answers quickly. L1GHT,May I I). However,Sla Despite Prime Minjster Girija Nepalese will lose millions of Sumall KC Bagbazar tistics show that tea export has Prasad Koimla's firm assertion the ir hard-earned rupees. The nO{ really taken off. The vo lume Ihat Nepa lese so il would nol be Finance Ministry, the Depart of tea trade is sti ll insigni licanl. permitled to be used against ment of Cooperatives and lhe Erosion Of Confidence The introduction of a tea policy China, the rollowers of Dalai home administration should co The continuing cases of is a welcome development. But Lama in co ll aboration with some operate to prevent such cases. swindling and fraud have hit hard it needs to be translated into ac Nepalese and Ihe [ndian RAW Ramall Gurrmg at the confidence of the investors tion. Gloating about our poten are freely resorting la anti-China Bholebahal ("Mushrooming Growlh". tials is not going to pay. Indeed, activities. It is also presumed SPOTLIGHT, May 18). There we have 10 emulate)he success that the Indian RAW is spending Tighten The Laws. is palpable sense of panic among or Sri Lanka in Ihis field. huge amount of money for this It is ridiculous that there is small in vestors. The apparent Allllp Shrestha purpose. Who will lake appro no adequate legal provision to indifference with which the au Sanepa priate steps 10 stop such ami check the irregular activities of thorities are dealing with this nalional activities? the cooperatives ("Mushroom problem have shaken them.