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Pyramid Hotel, Las Vegas www.nepalitimes.com EVEREST INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. #147 30 May - 5 June 2003 18 pages Rs 25 Hattisar, Tel: 4425758, 4444717, 4444718

BAR Royal banquet in HOPPING Kathmandu, in KTM Summit of summiteers Rimpoche’s prayers NAVIN SINGH KHADKA A Russian ascent from the north was the first golden jubilee party to raise money for in . in th

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ climb of the 50 Anniversary day. Hillary’s Himalayan Trust which funds hile gala celebrations continued in At the ceremony in Tengboche, the development work in the Solu Khumbu Kathmandu, Tengboche marked the monastery’s Rimpoche, who has been at the Region. After starting out with the school in W 50thtt anniversary of the first ascent forefront of efforts to preserve the Khumjung, the hospital in Khunde and the of Sagarmatha with a prayer ceremony on environment in the Sagarmatha National Park airport at Lukla, the Trust has built dozens p 15-16 Thursday in memory of those who died on and to clean up the trails, thanked Edmund of schools, hospitals and renovated the mountain. Hillary, his family and friends for their monasteries in the region. ’s son, Peter, was chief energy and sacrifices over the past 50 years to There has been a steady stream of Weekly Internet Poll # 87 guest at the ceremony, and in a rousing speech develop Khumbu. summiteers coming off Mt Everest. Among Q. Do you agree with the CIAA’s current anti-graft he said development was a bit like climbing Mt “For the Sherpa community Edmund them is Appa Sherpa, who was tearing down campaign against senior political figures? Everest. “Both need dedication and teamwork, Hillary is like a caring parent,” the Rimpoche the mountain towards Lukla for a flight to and with that nothing is impossible,” Peter said. “We pray for his good health and long Kathmandu after climbing Mt Everest for the Hillary told a gathering of 1,000 local Sherpas life.” The monastery was rebuilt after it was 13th time. “The important thing is set a goal and visitors. razed in a fire 15 years ago, and Michael for yourself and fulfil it,” Appa said, as he It was a brilliantly clear day in Tengboche, Schmitz, coordinator of the Tengboche hurried off. with an elegantly tilted Ama Dablam looking Monastery Development Project, said a Some Sherpas voiced private misgivings down approvingly on the monastery. To the visitor’s centre and expanded sacred area about whether the competition to set records on north, the summit of Mt Everest peeped over are being added. Everest wasn’t getting a bit out of hand. “This the Lhotse-Nuptse ridge with a plume of The meadow outside the monastery was the kind of competition is not healthy, it breeds Total votes:2,531 spindrift blowing off the summit ridge. On the venue for a traditional Sherpa dance, and the antagonism and ill will,” said one elderly Weekly Internet Poll # 88. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com south side, climbers have been waiting out high New Zealanders reciprocated by performing a Sherpa here. One-fourth of the 1,702 summits Tenzing p4-5 Q. Do you agree with the student unions targetting private schools? winds and may make a push on Thursday Maori dance. The field is filled with tents, and a have been made by Sherpas, and 175 of them Messner p8-9 night itself when the winds are expected to ease. large one in the middle was the scene of a died on the mountain. The royal massacre left deep scars on the Two years later national psyche.

ANALYSIS by KUNDA DIXIT

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ June 2001 seems like a bad dream, but Nepalis have now woken up and have decided to move on. 1 The tragedy left scars on the national psyche that will never completely heal. All MIN BAJRACHARYA we can do is try to deal with the legacy, learn its lessons. The single most significant consequence of June First was that King Gyanendra became king. Thrust onto the throne after the death of his brother and nephew, he has tried to come to terms with a deep personal tragedy while simultaneously having to learn the essence of statecraft at the most turbulent time in the kingdom’s history. CNN’s Satinder Bindra, in town to cover the Everest jubilee celebrations, interviews Rajendra Last year, in a candid television interview, the king told Durga Nath Sharma: “I am not Pandey of the UML (left) during Wednesday’s march down Singha Darbar. Pandey was later like my brother, I can’t sit idly by while the country sinks deeper into crisis.” What he meant among those who suffered head injuries in scuffles with riot police (right). by that was soon clear: Prime Minister Deuba was sacked a few months later. The king then appointed a cabinet of trusted political figures and technocrats, and got Col Narayan The Maoists tried to capitalise on the uncertainty and anarchy in the weeks after 1 Singh Pun to forge a ceasefire with the Maoists. But he was less successful with trying to June, 2001. But despite government bungling Baburam Bhattarai’s conspiracy theories did convince the political parties to join his government. not carry much weight with the public. The Nepali people, it seems, make a mental The five parliamentary parties first went into a deep sulk, but regrouped to launch a distinction between the institution of monarchy and the persona of the king. united street agitation. In reality, they felt left out of the peace process, and had dark This week the Maoists are all gathered in the cradle of their revolution for an extended misgivings about the country being dragged back to pre-1990 days. politburo meeting in Rolpa. The comrades are evaluating the last four months of ceasefire It is a measure of how low the stock of the political parties has fallen that there hasn’t and plotting the next course of action. It doesn’t look like the peace been a groundswell of public support for the anti-royal agitation. The public generally process is in mortal danger, but it isn’t in the pink of health either. seems to regard this as a power play, and don’t want to jeopardise the peace process. So, two years on, the palace and parties are stuck: the main Patan Museum Café But public opinion may shift if this stalemate drags on. A recent survey (Nepali obstacle is that no compromise candidate for prime minister is accept- Times, #140) showed people overwhelmingly reject a return to absolute monarchy. able to anyone else. Things seem to be veering in the direction of an We are pleased to announce that we have Girija Prasad Koirala was prime minister during the royal massacre. He is now RPP-lead all-party coalition—that is if the powers-that-be can decide extended the opening hours of the leading the charge against the king, still threatening to disclose some mysterious between Surya Bahadur and Pashupati SJB Rana. Patan Museum Cafe. “grand design”. The UML supremo Madhab Kumar refused to join the This week, the parties are bent on keeping up the pressure on the king From1030 – 1930 hrs royal commission to probe the massacre, and he is now hand-in-hand with with street protests during the Everest anniversary when the world media is For reservations and more information ex-rival Koirala on the streets. in town. Meanwhile, their student wings are competing with the Maoists to please call 55 26271/ 55 24694 Speaker Taranath Ranabhat headed the commission and released the disrupt education. “We have to show our fangs in public, but there is a lot report that became the only official inquiry into the palace killings. He of behind-the-scenes efforts to find a compromise,” admitted one party earned the nickname “Bhatatata” after re-enacting the murder scene by stalwart. The UML plans a “protest of unprecedented proportions” on Jesth 19. holding up one of the weapons used for the benefit of the press (pic, right). Only when an all-party interim set up is agreed on and is in place can the task This week Ranabhat refused to join kangresi colleagues at the convening of of planning for the next local and general elections begin. But before we get to the virtual parliament at the Academy Hall. that: the peace talks must be concluded and the Maoists agree to disarm.  2 EDITORIAL 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Desk Editor: Trishna Gurung, Design: Kiran Maharjan Webmaster: Bhushan Shilpakar [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil [email protected] Sales: Sudan [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-5543333/ 5523845 Fax: 01-5521013 Let them eat cake Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-5547018/17 Most schools in the country are still built-owned-operated

INTERVIEW WITH BP by the government. How about improving them first? ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Nepali Times: Mr Koirala, sir, it has been more than 20 years since you have been in self- ○○○○○○○○○ imposed exile in heaven. This has given you a certain perspective on how things have turned out after your departure. How does it look from paradise? ad Maoist students suspended their The reform must begin by accepting functioning of such schools by an BP: Well, let me put it this way. It doesn’t look as bad from here as it probably does from ground agitation a little earlier, noted that private schools are here to stay. They independent body patterned after consumer level where you are. Yes, a lot of the stuff flying around may remind you of December 1960 H educationist Satyanarayan Bahadur can’t be wished away howsoever the courts. They should be made to open their when my parliament was dissolved and we were sent to jail by the present king’s father. But the Shrestha, 89, would have spent his last days egalitarians may want them to. In the accounts, not lock them up. All Deluxe and Nepali people have come a long way since then. The 1990 constitution was not perfect (no in peace. Last week, the social reformer had medium term at least, it is pointless to Exclusive schools must publish their constitution is) but it began the process of restoring sovereignty to the people. Of course, people made jokes about it: they said Nepalis are now free, but only free to complain how miserable they to die watching the spectre of union leaders bemoan the class distinction that the balance sheets periodically, and pay certain are. But that was precisely the point: before that they weren’t even allowed to complain. locking up school principal’s rooms. private schools are creating. Since even the royalty on their turnover. In hindsight, you could say that our expectations were too high. 1990 was an unfinished Opting out of active politics after the Maoist leadership has publicly endorsed the Some of the Deluxe and Exclusive movement, it bought us time to set things right. Unfortunately, my successors squandered that overthrow of the Rana regime, SB founded role of private capital in its ‘New Model’ of schools are akin to Export Promotion period. The people were impatient, they wanted democracy to bring immediate tangible results to three prominent schools in the Kathmandu democracy, the right to exercise free choice Zones for human resources. Further their lives. And it did: maternal mortality, infant mortality and literacy all got better. But the change was not dramatic enough. The people got disillusioned. Still, public opinion polls you have valley—Tribhuban Adarsha Vidya Mandir, can’t be denied to any discerning consumer. corporatisation of these two categories of done down there show that people blame the leaders and not the system. It’s only the cynical Mahendra Vidyashram, and Adarsha Vidya Second, agitating students had erred schools would be a sensible option. If the Kathmandu elite that blames democracy, in the rest of Nepal democracy has struck deep roots. Mandir or AVM. The Panchayat regime grievously by putting all private schools in government has no objection to the Democracy is the worst system in the world—except for all the others, as Winston Churchill, who put a stop to private initiative in school one category. All public schools may be commercialisation of health services, is here with me, keeps saying. education, and no new SB was born in the more or less the same, but private schools why whine about efficiently managed Yet, there seems to be an attempt to put democracy into reverse gear, will this work? country for the next quarter of a century. can be categorised into at least four groups: quality schools? No it won’t, and for the reason I just explained. But having said that, let me add that the king has Private schools made a fresh start only Deluxe, Exclusive, Superior and Economy. Capacity is the key strength of a point. You could say that his October Fourth move was unconstitutional and undemocratic, but in the wake of the referendum-induced In order to make them more socially Superior schools, and they can use the the fact is that the Maoists were at the gates. My brother, niece and former proteges were changes in the governance in the early relevant, each one of them needs a different economy of scale to cut their prices to a carrying on as if the only thing that mattered was to cling on to power. Our party won an absolute eighties. But when the lid of control was approach of monitoring and evaluation. certain extent. But even in this category, majority in parliament in 1999, and what did we do? We changed prime ministers three times in two years, and kept fighting each other. Kishunji had the vision and could rule by example, but he lifted after the success of the People’s It would be counter-productive to growth in supply hasn’t been able to is so disappointed he has taken a vow of silence. My brother is a good fellow, he has organisa- Movement in 1990, there was a sudden insist that Deluxe schools decrease their keep up with the spiralling demand. tional skills. But his long-term vision is impaired by his obsession with day-to-day politics. I rush to open schools all over the country. fees. These cater to the status needs of Most Superior schools are so overloaded always had nothing but admiration and affection for Shailaja, in the family she alone has integrity Many of them began as commercial well-off parents. High fees are their USP. If that they can’t fiddle with the student to and commitment. What the king needs now is an efficient and united team to conclude the peace enterprises and continue to be run as such. they were to reduce their charges, they teacher ratio any further. All that the process and lay the groundwork for the next elections. The comfortable class was attracted by would immediately lose their customers to government can do is to ask the Speaking of the peace process. Do you think the Maoists are genuine in their offer for the novelty of private schools, and the pricey competitors in Mussoorie, Shimla, management of these schools to keep peace? bourgeoisie began to desert public schools or Kodaikanal. their books open for the guardians and My views on extremist communism have not changed. I would be stating the obvious if I repeated en masse. Shorn of their best and brightest, Deluxe schools need to be encouraged the press. that in the dialectics of Leninism with its Maoist modifications: the end justifies the means. So the government schools were soon caught in to hike their fees and add more glamour to That leaves the bulk—the Economy modus operandi is the same whether it is the Sandinistas or the Senderistas, they can shelve the armed struggle from time to time (even when they are winning) to infiltrate a weak government the vicious circle of decreasing intake, their bouquet—riding club, polo, sauna class of private schools. Most of these and destroy it from within because they find that an easier option. Why should our Maoists falling standard, worsening image and and heated swimming pools are not me-to enterprises are shoestring mom- continue with a war if the cabinet cannot speak with one voice and the constitutional forces are dwindling reputation. luxuries for kids likely to be chauffeured and-pop operations. If they are making fighting each other like cats and dogs? They can just wait for the right moment and pounce. But, if public schools are in a mess, the to their school in Japanese SUVs. any money, it must be by fleecing lot of the ‘English Boarding If status defines deluxe schools, it’s teachers, not by over-charging parents. You’ve had some time to think about this: you came back to Nepal in 1977 with the slogan of national reconciliation. Is it time for another national reconciliation? Schools’ in the country aren’t aspiration that drives ambitious parents There is no way fees of these schools can You know, I often think had I accommodated King Mahendra’s ambitions, maybe we wouldn’t any better. There is an urgent to Exclusive schools. be reduced without forcing them to pay have been in the wilderness for 30 years. But then, what kind of democracy would need to bring private schools in The rush to get into the Exclusive their staff sweatshop wages. that be? You’ve got a similar situation down there now. In the row between the the ambit of some kind of a schools is fuelled by the desire of upper With the parents who send their palace and parties, it is difficult to say which is blacker: the pot or the kettle. regulatory mechanism. class parents in their Marutis and children to any of these private schools, Both sides think they can win, but in this game there are no winners, only losers. And if both lose, what kind of Nepal will we have left? Still, it is the king Santros to be keep up and be one up on fee is seldom the core issue. The who took control, and it is his responsibility to set things right. He can’t say he the Janardan next door. A ceiling on fee affordability and willingness to pay doesn’t have executive powers. There is nothing preventing him from calling is not the correct way of regulating govern access to private schools. The that famous tea party for all the parties. That would set the ball rolling. A Exclusive schools either. It market forces govern values of their substantial discussion can then start on the composition of an interim would be more services. There is very little that the administration. Of course, my brother will then be fighting with everyone else about berths in that cabinet, but that’s a risk that appropriate to oversee the government can do except monitoring to comes with the turf. see that these schools deliver what they promise. So, a government of national reconciliation? Agitating students affiliated to Precisely. It wouldn’t be the ultimate solution, but at least it will political parties are barking up the wrong take you out of this quagmire. The present crisis is a fantastic opportunity to reform our laws, our society, have a tree. To check the commercialisation of more inclusive democracy, and devolve power to the people school education, it’s much more through local government units. And I just don’t see what sensible to begin by improving the is holding things up. Actually, I do. It is the political egos condition of government schools—about of the protagonists. 80 percent of all schools in the country Do you sometimes wish you were back? are still built-owned-operated by the Not really. I can watch it all unfold from up here. government. But that is another story. 

L L ETTERS

EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS RNA Re: 'Parents mobilise' (#146). As failed to establish a well-suited number of Nepal’s children have Thanks for the article ‘Why do we foreigners, we have the means to however, that children during their educational system for all. And to yet access to them. need tanks?’ by Kanak Mani Dixit send our Nepali foster son to one of formative years should stay close to claim, after decades and in spite of It is understandable that (#145), which was to the point. the best private schools—and one their families, near their rich millions of aid funds, a literacy rate many who want the best for their There are just two things for the that runs without foreign funding. As culture. of 50 percent to be a success is a children may find school fees writer to consider. The first is Europeans we can testify that its High and “unjustified” school joke. What has been achieved from expensive, if they can not afford deduce how much of the arms spree educational standards are higher fees are targets of the present learning by rote is to be able to them. Yet they have a choice: to is to “boost the capability” of the than those afforded to us in agitation against private schools, read a Sanscritised form of Nepali— evaluate carefully what quality Royal Nepali Army (RNA), and how Germany and Austria when we went but “expensive” is a relative term that many of these 50 percent do education means for their much to intimidate the Maoists? To to school. We often envy the boy for depending on your own values, and not even speak in their homes. And children, to change their values somewhat paraphrase von the chance he has to be in such a on what to compare. If one where are the vocational schools, so and preferences if needed, and— Calusewitz, (re)arming is also good school and for being so believes, as we do, that primary and important for the development of a for the long term—to help negotiations by other means. And, happy with it. secondary education should be free country like this? Since the people changing the system of second, a civilian oversight of Schools like this one are for all children, then any fee may of Nepal, its civic society and its governance for the better. But do security matters is essential. I’m essential for the country, because be deemed expensive. But private sector, have stepped in not go the way of Pol Pot in surprised the writer left the they provide what most other public education costs money (high where successive governments Cambodia and destroy one of the paragraph unfinished. This is where and private schools do not: better standards cost even more), and failed, it is only natural that also the pillars of development, which is the role of the Defence Council education. As the privileged upper Nepal is not Europe (or Cuba, just quality aspects of learning have quality education. Pay or fight for comes in. So far it has only played classes of Nepal, its politicians, and to name another poor country) gained importance. We deem it it with whatever you can, until all a symbolic role and it needs to be even Maobadi leaders know very where all taxpayers together share good for the country that at least children of Nepal get the same vested with powers to monitor well, the only alternative is to send the expenses for good public some private schools have chance! security matters and determine their offspring for appropriate education. If the state does not developed high and even Ludmilla Hungerhuber and national policy from a broader education to boarding schools far provide it, parents will have to. international standards of Goetz Hagmueller, perspective, rather than on the and abroad. We feel strongly, Unfortunately, Nepal has hitherto education, although only a limited Bhaktapur basis of knee jerk reactions. The NATION 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 3 ANALYSIS by MICHAEL HUTT Still unbecoming citizens ecent months have witnessed a Bottom line: is still playing for time on refugee repatriation. these requirements apply in these certain warmth in the long- circumstances? R troubled relationship between Furthermore, if these ‘voluntary the governments of Bhutan and Nepal, emigrants’ returned to Bhutan, where and a growing recognition that the two would they live? Most if not all of them -locked Himalayan kingdoms have owned houses and land in southern commercial and political interests in Bhutan, but many of their houses were common. This might have been demolished after their departure and expected to bode well for the 100,000 many others were handed over to people ‘people in the refugee camps in Jhapa from northern Bhutan in government and Morang’ who have been awaiting a resettlement schemes. Indeed, some of just settlement of their plight with the districts from which people fled over extraordinary dignity and patience for a decade ago now contain the bases of up to 12 years. Assamese and Bodo insurgents. Is the Ten long years ago, the two Bhutanese government truly establishing governments agreed to divide the ‘transit camps’ to house the returnees, as refugees into four categories: (1) rumoured? bonafide Bhutanese evicted forcibly, (2) And how would these returnees earn Bhutanese who left as voluntary a living? Would they return to their lives emigrants, (3) non-Bhutanese, and (4) as self-sufficient tax-paying farmers, or Bhutanese criminals. It took a further would they be placed in labour camps? eight years for the actual verification Would they be afforded any rights, to process to begin, and nearly nine healthcare, education and so on? The months for it to be completed in just evidence of continued discrimination one camp: Khudunabari, the home of against even those ethnic Nepalis who some 12,500 people. In the monsoon remain in Bhutan, as recently revealed rains of 2001, I watched the buses by Human Rights Watch, is ominous. come and go between Khudunabari Why would any sane individual and the Joint Verification Team’s office choose to entrust his family’s future to a in Damak. Several extended families have been categorised as ‘voluntary eviction process. The ‘voluntary multifarious reasons for flight. Perhaps government from which he once fled, were delivered each day, their children emigrants’. Some 20 percent are said to emigrants’ include people who were this was because the Bhutanese when his family’s basic needs are being scrubbed and polished, for this first have been categorised as non- coerced into signing emigration forms, authorities offered them a compromise: met in an environment that may allow opportunity to prove that they were Bhutanese, and 3 percent as Bhutanese people who signed written if the Nepalis agreed not to challenge them no prospect of advancement or who they said they were. Levels of criminals. According to the MJC’s joint commitments to leave the country in any ‘voluntary emigrant’ improvement, but which is essentially optimism were high. press release, the ‘bonafide Bhutanese order to secure the release of relatives categorisations, the Bhutanese would benign? Without any guarantees or The completion of the exercise was evicted forcibly’, ie around 375 imprisoned for political offences, people allow such individuals to apply for safeguards, and in the absence of any followed by many months of frustrating persons, will be permitted to return as who simply fled from a generalised state repatriation. One can only speculate. third party involvement in the silence and inactivity and its outcome full citizens, while those ‘voluntary of fear and insecurity, and so on. Whatever the reasons, the people repatriation process, the Bhutanese remained a mystery. The process did emigrants’ who wish to return will be Drawing on research published by categorised as ‘voluntary emigrants’ offer begs many questions. We must not restart until early 2003, after given the option of re-applying for Kanak Mani Dixit and Amnesty will shortly be faced with a difficult earnestly hope that no pressure will be Bhutanese officials reassured Bhutanese citizenship. Non-Bhutanese International, I have discussed a choice. They may apply for Bhutanese applied to those who are reluctant to international donors at a meeting in will have to return to their own number of such cases in my book, citizenship (even though their respond positively to it. The fact that Geneva of their commitment to finding countries, and Bhutanese criminals will Unbecoming Citizens. categorisation implicitly accepts that the government media in Nepal is a solution to the refugee problem. The have to return to stand trial. Many of us had hoped that the they were citizens before they left presenting these talks as a qualified two verification teams spent many It is the ‘voluntary emigrants’ long delay in finalising the verification Bhutan) but it seems that no decisions success raises the suspicion that HMG weeks in secret discussions in Thimphu category that causes the greatest report was being caused by protracted will be reached on these applications Nepal does not understand the before presenting their report to the concern. It has long been known that a negotiations over such cases. We hoped for a period of two years after their processes that led to these people fourteenth meeting of the Ministerial large number of people in the camps in that the true reasons for flight were repatriation. The Bhutanese Foreign becoming refugees or, worse still, is Joint Committee (MJC), recently Jhapa and Morang were in danger of being clarified and that a number of Minister has stated that citizenship will uninterested in finding a solution concluded in Kathmandu. falling into this category. It was always people were being transferred to be granted in accordance with the informed by justice rather than The announcement that followed likely that a particularly high category 1 once it was proved that their citizenship laws of Bhutan. But expediency.  has come as a shock. It is widely proportion would be found in ‘emigration’ had been far from Bhutanese citizenship laws stipulate believed that only 3 percent of the Khudunabari, because this camp was ‘voluntary’. It seems that we were periods of residence of 15 or 20 years (Michael Hutt, PhD, is the author of population of Khudunabari camp have the last to be established, well after the wrong, and that the Nepali side in the for citizenship by naturalisation and Unbecoming Citizens and reader in Nepali been categorised as ‘bonafide Bhutanese Bhutanese authorities had achieved a negotiations has taken this category at require applicants to have a thorough and Himalayan Studies at the School of evicted forcibly’, while some 75 percent thorough bureaucratisation of the face value, without delving into the knowledge of Dzongkha. How would Oriental and African Studies, London.)

Maoist threat has made it clear key in any democratic system is calibre making overblown play. Interdependence is a pretty to reach an agreement with a the public must not question their that modernisation of the army is accountability. We cannot pretend statements in ‘Love thy neighbour’ political theory but we must puppet government rather than a actions because it will damage the essential, but it needs to be done to cling on to the system, without (#145), among them, “Most maintain our own sovereignty. duly elected government. peace process. through capacity building that will accepting this essential precondi- Nepalis speak better Hindi than Bhusal should realise the media - The government's eagerness to The strategy seems to be improve the overall performance tion. former Indian prime minister HD plays an important role in comply with every demand of the clear: get the royal government to of the army. Acquiring better GB ,Mumbai Deve Gowda.” At the orientation expanding, broadening and Maoists, including those hold elections to ensure a fair armaments is only one part of it, program when I first joined bolstering our national identity. concerning security. amount of seats for former but it needs to be followed by NEVEREST university I told my disbelieving Surendra R Shrestha, - The indifference of the state Panchas and Maoists. This way, qualitative, rather than While the world celebrates 50 Indian friends that no, I didn’t Sydney towards ceasefire violations by the they will control parliamentary quantitative, development of its years of Everest, it might be time speak Hindi and neither do many Maoists. proceedings by proxy. "The snake manpower and greater for Nepalis to think about naming of my fellow Nepalis. The The parliamentary parties - The government's strong-arm is dead, the stick is not broken." intelligence capacity. their highest peak Neverest. Mt prevailing attitude seems to be to don't see what is right in front of tactics against the political Donors who have a genuine Meanwhile, the Armed Police Everest certainly supports the look upon Nepal as more than just them. There seems to be a very parties on the streets, but its interest in the development of Force is already redundant, image of a mountain and its a friendly neighbour, almost cordial relationship between the tolerance of the activities of their democracy must not be waylaid by though nothing has been done to people ever resting and doing another Indian state. We may Maoists and the government, this student wing. an illusory peace process by two scrap it, or partially absorb it nothing more. Neverest has the have centuries of links with India, is extremely sinister and - The government's negligence groups who will benefit from (within the RNA and Police) after opposite connotation—that of but the current circumstances damaging to the multiparty towards the demands of the democracy's demise. the army took the lead security Nepalis and their highest peak demand for us to be independent democratic system. Just consider student unions for elections. Ram Bahadur Moktan, USA role after the state of emergency. awakening from a deep slumber. from Indian influence. Look at our some facts: - The Maoists graudually National crises can always lead to Jack Prasai,Cape Town politicians—if it’s a rainy day in - IGP Krishna Mohan Shrestha is shedding all their major demands a call for arms, which unchecked India, they get out their murdered a few days before the except those which ensure the can develop a momentum of its PUSKAR umbrellas. And the king is not ceasefire, the government is scrapping of the democratic own that can drain the economy It’s hard enough for Nepalis living exempt. His recent ‘religious’ visit apathetic, and the confessed constitution. and bring in unnecessary abroad to maintain their cultural south of the border was a thinly killer is released. - The government and the equipment into the country. The identity without a journalist of your veiled excuse for a little power - The Maoists seem more eager Maoists saying in one voice that 4 NATION 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 The Fortunate Son through to achieve the status he his nationality. After 29 May 1953, enjoys today. everyone was keen to embrace him. But an increasing number, “Both Nepal and India needed a among them lyricist Thapa, believe hero and a role model during a time Tenzing, the man and the climber, of dramatic political changes,” says has been overlooked in the fanfare writer Deepak Thapa who has been of commemorating the first researching the life of Tenzing. successful human ascent of Mt When Tenzing travelled across Everest. A seminar organised on the Himalaya in search of a better Tuesday by Himal Association and life, he did so with no regard to

HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○ The Mountain Institute was an political boundaries. American Tenzing your immortality is occasion to pay tribute to the man mountaineer Ed Webster’s assured. who has often been sidelined in the biography of Tenzing Norgay, Snow Your name is written in gold. media. in The Kingdom created quite a stir You will always be honoured Forestry expert Lhakpa Norbu when it said he was born in for 29 May Sherpa who has been studying instead of Thame as believed earlier. when the highest peak in the world Tenzing’s childhood, revealed a Webster says both Sir Hillary and bowed to kiss your feet… different side to the mountaineer. Lord Hunt, the leader of the1953 You reached the top, Born in a Tibetan village in expedition, believed he was born in looked down at the world, Kharta Valley in , young a remote mountain village in Nepal and helped others climb… Tenzing’s early childhood was spent but the truth was concealed to Tenzing, the world smiles in severe poverty and hardship. Life avoid embarrassing India. on the high plateau where his MIN BAJRACHARYA The fact that Tenzing with pride at you. From l- r: Tenzing’s son Jamling, Dharma Raj Thapa and grandson Tashi Tenzing. parents were wage herders was so eventually chose to settle down Fifty years ago, Nepal’s folk- difficult that only six out of 14 of permanently in Darjeeling where he singer-in-chief, Dharma Raj Thapa Tenzing’s siblings survived into say this was why he chose not to that provide a timeless account of autobiography Tenzing writes, “A lived till his death in 9 May 1986 wrote those lines after Tenzing adulthood. He made the long return to Tibet, even though his an era when the high Himalayan little below the summit Hillary and must have felt like a rejection to Norgay reached the summit of journey on foot with his mother and father, Minga, remained there and frontiers were still unexplored. In I stopped. We looked up. Then we many nationalistic Nepalis. Everest with his New Zealand brothers across the Himalaya to died shortly after the family his autobiography Tiger of the went on. The rope that joined us “Tenzing had a simplicity and counterpart, Sir Edmund Hillary. Thame valley in Nepal in search of a migrated. Tenzing married thrice, Snows, The Autobiography of was thirty feet long, but I held most humility about him but even then Today, the octogenarian singer and better life. all of them were Sherpa women. He Tenzing of Everest he says, “It has of it in loops in my hand, so that he must have felt eclipsed by the writer feels that Tenzing never Life as a herder in Khumbu became an adviser and the guiding been a long road...from a mountain there was only about six feet adulation the world showered on received enough respect or credit was slightly easier, but he later spirit at the Himalayan coolie, a bearer of loads, to a wearer between us. I was not thinking of Edmund Hillary,” says Lhakpa for his contribution in making the migrated to Darjeeling in India at Institute (HMI) of a coat with rows of medals who is ‘first’ and ‘second’. I did not say Norbu. He points out that while Sir Sherpa community and Nepal the age of 18 to try to get a job as a after his appointment in May 1976. to myself, ‘There is a golden apple Edmund Hillary was granted an famous around the world. mountaineering . Many Sherpas make up one-fourth of up there. I will push Hillary aside honorary Nepali citizenship earlier Legend has it that Tenzing’s Sherpa lads were headed that way those who climbed Sagarmatha and Nepal and run for it.’ We went on this week, Tenzing—who deserves real name was Namgyal Wangdi but because of the demand from British one-third of those who died there, slowly, steadily. And then we the equal honour—has been largely a rimpoche changed it to Tenzing expeditions trying to explore and but they rarely merit a mention remembers were there. Hillary stepped on ignored. “If the Nepali government Norgay, meaning ‘fortunate’, a climb Everest from the north. anywhere. But geographer Harka top first. And I stepped up after wants to honour my father with an prophecy that came to happy Tenzing’s first break was the Gurung says Tenzing was always Tenzing him.” Throughout his life he honorary citizenship we will fruition when he reached the Everest Expedition led by Eric different from other Sherpas. “He maintained they climbed the welcome it,” said Jamling Norgay, summit of Sagarmatha and became Shipton in 1935, and he made had a different perspective on the carried about in planes and worries mountain as a team. The Tenzing’s son, “but he was a a celebrity. From then on, he several other unsuccessful attempts whole business of climbing. For one about his income tax.” discrepancy probably arises from a personality beyond any political became the favoured son of the at the summit. thing he understood the Western Two major points of press statement following the boundary.” , their ambassador to In Kharta, Tenzing’s family was concept of ‘earning a name’.” controversy surrounding Tenzing summit where Hillary wrote they For Brian Penniston of The the outside world. Tenzing’s career ill-treated and exploited because Although he spoke seven are who got to the top first and the made it “almost together”, adding Mountain Institute, the point about in high altitude adventure closely they belonged to the lowest languages, Tenzing never learned matter of his nationality. With to the speculation. nationality is moot. He says: “Birds reflects the hardships he went economic and social strata. Some how to write but dictated his books regard to the first, in his And then there is the detail of don’t have passports.” 

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK Old Yerp, New Europe

nadvertently, the Bush administration may have done something rather useful as it blunders among the diplomatic and human debris of its Both are doing very well despite Iongoing Iraq fiasco. I say “inadvertently” because I am convinced that history will show that this gaggle of mediocrities and ideologues rarely if neo-liberal predictions of ever achieve the stated goal of their policies, up to and including military interventions in sovereign countries. But such blunders can produce imminent collapse. unintended side effects, call them collateral benefits if you will. Consider, for example, the blusterings of Donald Rumsfeld before the foray into Iraq. The Defence Secretary—once described to me by a Americans stay at home, quivering in a post-9-11, post-Iraq funk. Republican party insider as “not fit to drive the White House What about France then? Old Europe all the way, right? Well, if old lawnmower”—used the term “old Europe” to deride those who opposed Europe means the best health care system in the world, bar none, bring on invading Iraq: France, Germany and so on. Others like Bulgaria and Spain, the Zimmer Frame for les citoyennes Francaise. Waiting times for major supporters of US policy each for their own rather selfish reasons, were surgery in France are lower than in any other important country in the “the new Europe”. At the time, this touched off a wave of derision world, and the French are far, far healthier than most of the rest of us, among that vast majority of European people in all countries who especially we waddling North Americans. Equality of access to care, but preferred to let the United Nations disarm Iraq peacefully, or at least also equality of income, are great health levelers. Okay, there are growing to do so without killing thousands of people and wrecking billions of social tensions among a radicalised North African Muslim population but dollars worth of property and infrastructure. what big, open society doesn’t struggle with issues of identity and culture Interestingly, not too many of those Euro citizens were offended by the affirmed, staggering under low growth rates, budget deficits and lack of amid growing immigration? comments of Herr Signor Monsieur Comte de la Rumsfeld. For one thing, market confidence. Germany is generally touted as the leading offender here And just in passing, ponder Denmark’s colossal aid budget, Sweden’s they were pleased that he could pronounce the name of the continent in but many a neo-lib looks longingly at France, willing it frail with all his export driven socialism, Holland’s endless stability and civilised social two syllables, unlike his boss, who kept telling us about some place called flinty little heart. environment, Belgium’s economic success despite bitter communal “Yerp”. Self-confidence may be a largely American invention but the But the fact is that Europe—old and new—is doing rather well, thank hatreds. I could even praise Spain for its booming regional economies Europeans seem to be adapting many of the good things that come across you. Germany continues to produce goods that the world wants: its and again, a health care system that American rightists would deride as the Atlantic, ignoring the bad. workers, bosses and ministers pull together. There are problems, there are “socialised medicine”. Neo-liberal economic commentators, the kind that dominate the things that need to change, there may even be (gasp) a little labour strife. But unlike Rumsfeld, I don’t regard thrusting out the tongue and going business media in Britain and America, are fond of telling us that Old But overall, Germany remains a wealthy and humane society. Ask it’s “nyahnyah, nyah-nyan-nyah” as a substitute for civilised discourse. You may Europe is about to collapse. Its post-war consensus that marries socially citizens about their seven weeks annual holiday, and then ask all the tourist have noticed that old Europe is being rather useful in the new Iraq, and you inclusive welfare policies with aggressive corporatism was failing, it was destinations that are awash in German Euros, even as Polyanna North can bet it will continue to be so. A collateral benefit, I’m sure.  NATION 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 5 DOMESTIC BRIEFS

Rewarded summit for peace in Nepal. They were supported ○○○○○○

Gyalzen and Kanchha ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ by Ongchu Sherpa, Namgyal Sherpa and Lhakpa The initiative taken by a group of women from Sherpa. Gyalzen Sherpa, 84(pic, left bottom), and Kanchha Sherpa, 71(pic, left top), Lalitpur has been internationally lauded by the were contemporaries of Tenzing Norgay. The sirdar trained and housed them United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). The Let there be light

in Darjeeling, and was instrumental in finding them jobs and promoting Women Environment Preservation Committee ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ them from coolies to high altitude porters, opening the door for them to (WEPCO) made it to the Global 500 Roll of Honour Ten Village Development Committees (VDC) in becoming sirdars themselves. Gyalzen and Kanchha were also a part of the for its outstanding contributions towards the Baglung now have electricity thanks to 27 micro British 1953 expedition with Tenzing. protection of the environment. hydro-electrical projects with a combined output of The two accompanied Hillary on a horse-drawn carriage this week, just as Established in 1992, WEPCO is a non-profit 314.5 KW. Ghanendra Bhandari, technical officer at Tenzing himself did in 1953. Both were ecstatic. They are dazzled by the organisation that made ‘disorganised garbage’ its the Rural Energy Development branch said there pomp and ceremony of the Everest Golden Jubilee celebrations, and say this priority after identifying the growing volume of are plans to increase the supply of electricity to is the first time Nepal has feted their part in the success of the expedition. waste generated by increasing population and every ward in the VDCs. A donation of Rs 315,000 With pride they speak of the time Queen Elizabeth II awarded the whole excessive consumption as one of the most urgent was made to the local consumer groups for the team medals and Rs 500 each in cash. problems facing the city. Supported by the sale of construction of a second project in Rangkhani-6. As a child Kanchha was used to travelling the high passes to Tibet with recycled paper and garbage collection services, Benksi will be the ‘Energy Valley’, supplying his trader father. “Poverty pushed us into difficult jobs and at that time we WEPCO runs training sessions on environmental electricity from the three micro hydro-electrical had no alternatives,” he says. In the 1953 expedition he transported food, set awareness among community women and has projects already completed in the southern part of up tents and acted as a liaison between the porters and their employers. With formed 90 eco-clubs in schools. More than 6,000 Baglung district. The project is expected to produce a tinge of regret, Kanccha says he was never considered a climber although he students in six districts are involved in creating an additional 9 KW of power that will benefit made it to the six times. awareness in household waste management in another 120 families in the area. Gyalzen nods his head in sympathy but thanks the mountain goddess for their communities. WEPCO applies the principle of the change in fortune of Sherpas like him. “What does remain the same is the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to the garbage they

style of mountaineering despite the increase in facilities,” says Gyalzen, Clean H2O collect from more than 3,000 households in Lalitpur. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ recalling when Sherpa porters were paid less than Rs 8 a day, Rs 10 if you The award will be presented to Sarada Vaidya, A recent survey showed that 41 percent of people were going up to South Col. president of WEPCO, in Beirut, Lebanon by Klaus living along the banks of Bishnumati River in Khumbu has changed beyond the imagination of Gyalzen and Kanchha: Toepfer, UNEP’s executive director, at the World Kathmandu do not treat their water for the population has almost tripled, electricity and piped water is available and Environment Day ceremonies on 5 June. contamination because of the costs involved. The the staple diet has moved from millet to corn and now rice. Many are still solution could be a new campaign from the poor, but tourism has brought in money and more opportunities. Today Environment and Public Health Organisation

Gyalzen is one of the richest people in Namche Bazar, and his children do Pharilapcha climbed ○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ (ENPHO) and Clean Energy Nepal (CEN) that not need to risk their lives on the mountains. He has been on several Everest While the attention has been focused on Everest in makes clean water accessible to the poor through expeditions with Swiss, British and Indian teams between 1952 and1965, the past week, an all-Nepali expedition scaled the a simple technology called solar water disinfection but confesses the most interesting one by far was in 1956. “We set out to top of the unclimbed Pharilapcha (6,017m) in (SODIS). Experiments show that exposing water in

RAMYATA LIMBU RAMYATA look for a , but found nothing,” he says with a smile. Khumbu. Recently opened by the Nepal one or two-litre pet bottles (old mineral water or Mountaineering Association (NMA) to commemorate soft drink bottles work well) to sunlight for 6-7 the Everest Golden Jubilee Celebrations, Dinesh hours removes over 95 percent of bacterial Tenzing’s CV Do You have any problem with your Skin & Hair ? Deokota was the first man on the summit on 19 May. contamination. ENPHO and CEN say the technology Teammate Pramod ‘Goofy’ Shrestha’s maiden not only saves lives but also lowers monetary and VVVegetable Dye 1935 Accompanied ’s Hair treatment for (Long lasting colour) attempt was aborted due to technical problems but energy costs. reconnaissance party to Everest. Falling Hair,,, he made it to the top the following day. Both They hope to spread the practice to at least 1936 Went with Huge Ruttledge’s expedition Dandruff Removal, to Everest and reached the North Col. Under Eye treatment Oily and Dry Hair amateur climbers, Deokota and Shrestha showed 5,000 households in the Valley, Nawalparasi and treatment 1938 Accompanied HW Tilman’s expedition Pigmentation great skill on what turned out to be a technically Rupendehi. “More than 200 households in to Everest and reached Camp VI (8,332m). Pimples treatment Aroma Therapy demanding climb up a final 80m vertical rock face. Nawalparasi and Rupendehi are already practising Puffiness treatment 1939 Went with a party to Tirchimir in the From high camp Deokota battled extreme conditions the technology,” says Mingma Sherpa of ENPHO. Wrinkle treatment Hindu-Kush range and reached 7,012m. Make-up & for 17 hours before reaching the peak. It took the Anyone interested in donating their bottles can 1946 Carried out explorations in the Hair-Style Collagen & Elastin team four days to lay fixed ropes and determine a deliver them to the ENPHO or CEN offices, or call Kangchendzonga region. route, and the two dedicated the climb to their for a pick up if there are more than 50 bottles. CEN: 1947 Accompanied a Swiss expedition to the Kumaon Himalaya and climbed four virgin Deluxe Manicure, Pedicure and Nail art... And many more spouses and planted a Tibetan prayer flag at the 4242381, ENPHO: 4491052. peaks. Painless Permanent Hair Removal by Microlysis - 1949 Explored Nepal with Tilman. a latest technology from Europe by an expert 1950 Accompanied Doon School group in the cosmotologist trained in V.L.C.C. and Kumaon Himalaya. Bloosom KochherKochher, (Pivot Point) New Delhi 1951 Went with a French expedition to Nanda Devi and reached the east summit (7,621m). Open: 7 days a week, 10 am to 7 pm 1952 Accompanied two Swiss expeditions to Diploma & Advance Course will start from next week Everest with , reaching 8,600m and 8,097m respectively without oxygen. 1953 Joined the British Everest Expedition HERBAL BEAUTY CLINIC & TRAINING INSTITUTE led by John Hunt and reached the top with Hariharbhawan, Pulchowk, Lalitpur ( in front of Sajha Bus garage) Edmund Hillary on 29 May. Tel : 5550692, Res : 5533493, 5535513 (before 10am. after 7pm)

EASY TIMES It’s never been easier to subscribe to Nepali Times Just dial this number and leave your address. 5543333 6 NATION 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL Poll polemics

hy are people around the world losing faith in the Apathy is an awful adviser because W ballot box? Before scurrying it amplifies our current woes.

for an answer, savour the splendour of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Ralf Dahrendorf’s survey (#146). ○○○○○○○○ Nepalis, after all, aren’t the only people report. For others, the selective it amplifies our current woes. Take in almost perpetual democratic despair. hounding based on a secret list is a the average popular vote the three The revelation comes by the end of the conspiracy against the mainstream’s biggest parties polled in the last three third paragraph. With turnout movement to restore democracy. (By elections. Under proportional averaging over 60 percent during the way, Lokendra Bahadur Chand representation, we might be in for a partyless and multiparty polls alike, we finally won Girija Prasad Koirala’s perpetually hung parliament where seem to be a far more exuberant lot on formal recognition by being listed as a the Rastriya Prajatantra Party— Election Day than our counterparts in key defendant in the Kangresi-in- divided or united—would hold one some of the mature democracies chief’s Supreme Court lawsuit.) of the keys to power. Throw in the Dahrendorf writes about. “Rethinking democracy and its provision for direct elections for Voter turnout can give a misleading institutions must be a top priority for prime minister as a safeguard. We picture of Nepalis’ sense of civic SCHOUBROECK FRANK VAN all to whom the constitution of liberty might end up with a leader ready to obligation, especially when elections is dear,” Dahrendorf concludes. Since dissolve the house at the first come with considerable supplementary he’s neither an ardent Maoist nor an provocation. If we institute a fixed- value. The polling station is where the absolute monarchist, critics might feel term legislature, we can expect to be next cycle of factional skirmishes, emboldened to use Dahrendorf stuck with members with a precise ministerial strife and desultory exegesis to excoriate the “winner-take- idea of the date and time they feel denunciations starts. No one who has United party activists try to pull crowds in Sarlahi last week. all” electoral system. True, they are entitled to squabble up to. anything better to do would want to proportional representation could have What about the newfound miss the thrill. Factor in the democracy. Then figure out how many less ostentatious names, democracy that democracy lies in the soul of the given smaller and disadvantaged camaraderie between Kangresis and patronage—both in cash and kind— of them have won at least two of the once thrived without women voters. believer. For the Ranas and panchas, groups the opportunity to air their comrades? that inspires multiple voting and you last three parliamentary polls. They’ll Slave-owners could explicate without democracy existed in direct proportion grievances from the legislative podium Once they feel they have nothing can understand how no midterm probably be the same people we’ll the slightest compunction how all men to their proximity to power and over the last 12 years. With 13 MPs, to jointly struggle for, they would election can come too soon. keep electing. The court of public were created equal. Flags fluttered as privilege. That self-seeking definition Bam Dev Gautam’s would have been return to savaging each other. Even if popular dissatisfaction with opinion gives them all the strength emblems of equality while the endures, as some of our garrulous the third largest party in the last Under every electoral system, elections is serious, it can’t be they need to carry on. empires they represented eviscerated ministers illustrate almost every day. house. With six members, Chand’s some people are always going to feel something to lose sleep over. The From the erstwhile German over half the world. The scars still Dangle democracy and your job would have ranked just above Nepal excluded. So the streets would emotion is an extension of our love-hate Democratic Republic to the extant fester in the cultural-relativism becomes easier. For some, the Sadbhavana Party. Even the Rastriya continue to seethe and shutters would relationship with the political class. Democratic People’s Republic of chapter of textbooks. Commission of Investigation of Abuse Janamukti Party would have had two still come down. And our faith of the Think of the top 20 people you believe Korea, the d-word proved to be an That’s why we need to take our of Authority is cleansing democracy by legislators. ballot box? We’d have to check voter are responsible for the degeneration of adjectival misnomer. In nations with deliberations a step forward and affirm acting on the property-probe panel Apathy is an awful adviser because turnout first.

COMMENT by SHANTA DIXIT Band-aid or death knell? rivate schools have borne the brunt of the Maoist wrath for several two will provide exactly the same facility. Neither should there be a ceiling years. Recently, students affiliated to a ‘revolutionary’ union of on the price of private education. Fees should be charged according to P students locked up the accounts sections and principal’s offices of facilities provided, and standards must be maintained according to fees private schools in the Valley. They were finally opened on condition that paid. the government determine identical fees for all private schools by the Another contradiction: the Maoists and the ‘experts’ are both keen to evening of 14 June. For those who care to look into the future of quality lower the costs of schooling for Nepalis who can more than afford to pay for schooling in Nepal, this decision is not so much a momentary band-aid as it. Why? Parents who send children to cheap private schools get no it is a death knell. reprieve. This is progressive taxation turned on its head, in which the Those who possess no serious work ethic are the ones using students as richest get the most concessions. Is this Nepal’s version of Maoism? political pawns and holding education hostage. People who have neither In a democracy, it is every citizen’s right to want quality education for created nor contributed anything to shape the their children—commensurate with what they are nation’s education needs are destroying what willing and able to pay. The government, on its others have. As if that were not enough, we have to part, must provide standard quality education for deal with consultants who advocate quick-fix those unable to send their children to private monetary solutions. They don’t seem to care that schools. education is not about literacy, but raising In Nepal, private schools pick up the govern- concerned, responsible citizens. It is only when we ment’s burden by providing education to 15 create a generation of positive minded individuals percent of the student population. If government by nurturing their sense of self-worth that we can schools became centres of quality and excellence, hope for a better Nepal. there would be no reason for private schools to Private schools emerged as the public’s exist. The focus should be on helping the govern- response to the failing government education ment. Instead, quality private schools are being system that was the legacy of the Panchayat years. throttled. In the decade of democracy they flourished. The The international community is deeply time was coming for a further evolution—improving involved in education: the World Bank, Asian government schooling using private education as a Development Bank, UNDP, UNICEF, DANIDA, template and developing Nepal as a regional NORAD, DfID, Save the Children coalition as well education hub. as others have invested millions of rupees over the Can a decision that needs homework, public years without witnessing much advances in the hearings and interested party compliance be made actual quality of schooling. They must see how with a Maoist pistol held at the head? Does the illogical it is to destroy the only thing that works. If present government understand the implications of Private schools are easy money can’t improve the quality of government the ad-hoc decisions it takes. Given the lack of schools what will? The sad state of government comprehension and concern shown thus far by the scapegoats for those schools is cumulative bureuacratic neglect and bureaucratic and political leadership, there is little who failed to improve direct politicisation of education by narrow-minded room for hope. leaders. Much of the Ministry of Education’s policies are government schools. In the meantime, those who have kept silent today being decided by consultants who are paid thinking that this anti-private school campaign is top dollar to spout easy progressive sounding slogans. They do slipshod only momentary theatrics need to wake up. Our passivity has pushed the work and get away with it because education is considered a ‘dull’ sector. So country’s educational superstructure to the brink. Every guardian and fly-by-nights who have no experience in running institutions, and share no parent, scholar and planner who recognise the country’s need for a healthy empathy with students, parents or teachers are put in charge. private-public partnership must counter-agitate so a social ‘stay order’ is These ‘experts’ think that balancing the budget is all it takes to define put on all the street drama. Only then will it be appropriate to soberly policy, which is how one particular individual proposed the magic figure of examine the strengths and weaknesses of private schools and chart out a $30 per child annually as the standard school fee. Even the government course that will benefit the nation’s future. spends more per child than this amount. Decisions on education are being They say it takes a village to raise a child. Unfortunately, at the taken with the will to punish those who are delivering quality, without an moment the village that is our nation is failing its responsibility.  understanding of educational philosophy and its implementation worldwide. It is unnatural to set a standard fee for all private schools because no (Shanta Dixit is an educator associated with RBS in Patan.) ECONOMY 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 7 BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

Collectors item source their raw materials and intermediate

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ products from India at more competitive rates, which worked to the advantage of exporters as well. They enjoy privileges under Duty Free Centrestage Replenishment Certificate (DFRC) and advance licence scheme (DEEC). When the Raxaul Land Custom Station met with Politics is edging into the spotlight that belongs to success, Nepali companies and business Everest and squeezing economics out of the picture. federations asked for similar routes to be established, leading to the incorporation of epal’s image in the the WWF conference, the biggest and education to the people. The Jogbani and Sunauli into the scheme. international media over the in our country’s history. Other changes brought about by a N last week closely resembles popular days to shut the country stronger economy can, to some Best chilled Subhas Rai’s brilliant illustration down are on New Year’s Eve and 1 extent, salvage this country. And

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ for Nepali Times (#146) of all the January, profitable times for the the Beed is happy to suggest a Brewery launched a limited It’s summer and new beverages are flooding goings on at Everest Base Camp— tourism and service industries. course of action—at least to begin edition of Everest premium lager beer in the market in a bid to be the top choice in the media spotlight rivals that Assistance in corruption with. All the media hungry politicos cooperation with the Nepal Mountaineering quenching the thirst of consumers. The which followed the tragic events of control cannot be justified if those and their sidekicks who are vying Association. The label shows Tenzing newest beer in the bar is Tiger Beer from 1 June 2001. accused seek refuge in loopholes of for the limelight should put down planting the flags of Nepal, India, UK and the Singapore, imported and distributed in the Never one to shy away from the law. We cannot talk about their placards, pipe down and let United Nations strung to an ice-axe on the kingdom by the SOI Group. The beer is publicity, our beloved political devolution of power as our leaders Everest have it’s day.  summit on 29 May 1953. The company available in over 50 countries around the parties have decided to milk the jockeying for power. It’s received permission to use the historic world and makes no bones about being situation for all it’s worth: protest impossible to make a show of faith Readers can post their comments photograph from the “positively the best beer in the world”. It has a programs are being organised, there to foreign investors when domestic or suggestions to Society of UK. There couldn’t be better time crisp, clean taste with an alcohol content of 5 are rumblings from the Maoist camp businesses are moving out. We may [email protected] to launch a beer named after the highest percent. The beer is available in 330ml cans about withdrawing from the peace have international road shows on peak than during the jubilee celebrations. and bottles. talks and students are threatening to Destination Nepal but somehow we Jamling Tenzing, Tenzing Norgay’s son who close missionary schools. bungle up every major tourism is a famous mountaineer in his own right, Raising the bar Countrywide protests against the event. Our education sector

was also present. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Commission for the Investigation for desperately needs an overhaul but Wainscot Whisky for the discerning was the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) in ironically the lackeys of the major recently introduced by Sumy Distillery. With a support of politicians and officials political parties want to close the

Trade routes focus on quality products, this company that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ suspected of corruption is final proof few good schools still in operation. Nepali entrepreneurs in Jogbani and Sunauli has been in operation for four years, created that the junta are no longer thinking. Our myopia is dragging us down. will now enjoy the same trade benefits as a skillful blend of Extra Neutral Alcohol and In effect we are broadcasting a It is not the Beed’s way to be so Raxaul, till recently the only Land Custom Scottish Malt for a uniquely smooth taste to clear message to the world. We doggedly pessimistic, so perhaps we SUBHAS RAI Station with India, thanks to a new Duty match the exacting standards set support corruption but still expect can latch onto some hope for the Exemption Pass Book Scheme (DEPB) by their customers. Currently funding for good governance from future. A start would be to stop issued by the Government of India on 27 May. available only in the Valley, the foreign donors. We are well aware being so near sighted about Economic links between the two SAARC company aims at distributing it of how reliant we are on tourism, our goals. We need to countries were strengthened when Nepal to all major cities within two but are quite willing to sabotage bridge the allowed the import of certain Indian goods months. Wainscot Whisky is any attempt to jumpstart the ailing yawning chasm against dollar payments to make Nepal’s available in three sizes— sector by disrupting jubilee between the exports competitive. Imports under this 750ml, 375ml and 180ml celebrations. The Beed sees far too rich and poor, provision were exempt from all taxes in India. and is priced at Rs 455, Rs many cases of cutting the nose to create more In November 2002, India introduced the 231 and Rs 121 respectively. spite the face. The past shows that jobs and scheme of DEPB to help Nepali importers we have made a habit of it. In provide 2000, a bandh was declared during better health The blizzard of 50th anniversary events Solo without has eclipsed Reinhold Messner’s spectacular first climb without oxygen and first ever solo oxygen climb of Sagarmatha.

REINHOLD MESSNER ○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○ reborn, you have a new chance. The brother was lost in the avalanche. asked how high I would go, just hen we proposed experience is so strong you want to When I lost seven of my toes how I would do it. Climbing is climbing Everest have it again and again, but you on Nanga Parbat and small parts of more of an art than a sport. It’s the Wwithout oxygen in have to suffer for it. It’s addictive. my fingertips I knew I’d never be a aesthetics of a mountain that 1978 people told us it wasn’t This is what I had got as a great rock climber. So I specialised compels me. The line of a route, possible, that we were risking our child, without even thinking: I in high-altitude climbing. It’s a the style of ascent. It is creative. lives. They said we would lose our could find a good route, understand totally different game. I developed a Children have to find their own brains up there. When the first the weather quickly, know that this 15-year passion for it and became way. My way is wrong for my kids. climbers on the Austrian expedition rock is good, if this gully will go to maybe even a little narrow-minded They climb, but I’m not forcing we joined came down, they said we the left. I had learnt the structure in my desire for 8,000m peaks. It’s them into it. shouldn’t even try. It was hard: I of the mountain. certainly partly my fault that today I was elected an MEP for the didn’t know if I’d have a chance to Until I was 20 my parents 8,000m peaks are something Green Party. Politics and climbing go back to Everest, and Everest is helped me with my climbing. When special. To be honest, they are not are exact opposites. But they’re Everest. I was determined then to my father realised it was going to be that special. both games. If the world’s leaders try and get as high as possible. my life, he tried to stop me, but it After my brother died it took could spend a few days climbing a Climbing Everest solo without was too late. And when I went to me a year to recover, but I knew I mountain together, then things bottled oxygen in 1980 was the Everest in 1978 to climb it without could do more. I knew it must be would go better. I always take the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I was oxygen, he would sit in his local bar possible to climb one of these big same perspective with each new alone up there, completely alone. I and say I was crazy. When I mountains without fixed ropes and adventure. I put myself in the fell down a crevasse at night and succeeded he said: “I knew he so on, so I tried to solo Nanga position of being at the end of my almost gave up. Only because I had would do it!” Parbat in 1973. But it wasn’t life looking back. Then I ask myself this fantasy—because for two years My father blamed me for my possible then to be up there alone, if what I am doing is important I had been pregnant with this brother Günther’s death, for not having no one to speak with, no to me. fantasy of soloing Everest—was I bringing him home. He died in an other faces. It took me a long time The Shackleton Endurance able to continue. avalanche as we descended from the to learn how to do that. expedition was the best adventure When you’re high on a summit of Nanga Parbat, one of the High-altitude climbing is about of the last century. Though mountain you cannot be anything 14 peaks over 8,000m, in 1970. suffering, it’s about being afraid. I Shackleton failed, he saved all his but what you are. Mallory said he Günther and I did so much don’t believe anyone who says people. Now that I’m nearing 59, I climbed Everest because it was together. It was difficult for my there’s a lot of pleasure in climbing understand that failing is more there. I think we go up so we can father to understand what it was the biggest peaks. It’s dangerous, important than having success. come back down again. This like up there. especially if there are no Sherpas or If you look at my life, then one coming down is a very strong On Nanga Parbat I understood fixed ropes and camps. If you make thing is clear. I did one activity at a experience. You come back from an the reality of my own death. I had one mistake, you die. time, with all my willpower, all my inhuman place. We are not made not eaten or drunk anything for I was the first man to climb the money and all my time. Complete for it, this loneliness and cold. days, I was hallucinating, my toes world’s 14 tallest peaks without commitment.(Interview by Ed

MIN BAJRACHARYA When you come back you feel were black from frostbite and my supplementary oxygen, but I never Douglas in The Observer) 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 9 Messner: “Don’t mess around with Everest.” “Nepal needs tourism to survive, and Nepal had several success stories and tourism needs local culture and the accomplishments that perhaps had not environment to survive,” Messner said. got as much publicity: the spread of He lashed out at Kathmandu-centric community forestry which has increased mass tourism, the corruption and the forest cover, eco-tourism models like ecological erosion that has accompanied ACAP and Nepal’s national park system. trekking and mountaineering in some While the Maoists never directly areas. “Mountaineering is much more attacked trekkers, tourism was indirectly than Mt Everest, and Nepal is much affected by news of the violence. On the more than Mt Everest,” he reminded other hand, because the benefits of participants. tourism had not been trickling down to Messner’s formula is a push towards the grassroots it had fuelled frustrations decentralised tourism so that people in that fed the insurgency. MIN BAJRACHARYA hitherto neglected areas can benefit from The seminar was organised by the the jobs and incomes from trekking, German newspaper, Die Zeit and the especially in western Nepal. “If we don’t Nepali Times at the Dwarikas Hotel. It ow that the festivities to mark do thins, I’m afraid we are looking at a did not shirk from tackling sensitive the Everest anniversary are social bomb in Nepal,” he added. issues like the pile-up of expedition Bernd Loopow of Die Zeit, Kunda Dixit of Nepali Times, Reinhold Messner and Nfinally over, the work to lift Responding, economist Pitamber excreta on Mt Everest and other Pitamber Sharma at the seminar, ‘Tourism in Nepal: A Design for the Future’ on living standards of the inhabitants of the Sharma said tourism accelerates the mountains. In response to a query about Wednesday. Himalaya begins anew, and peace is a process of change, and while this could guidelines for defecation at high-altitude, pre-requisite. That was the message from probably not be stopped there should be Messner replied: “When you have The over-commercialisation of aura. But a problem was immediately the Tyrolean climber Reinhold Messner attempts to minimise the negative thousands of people on the mountain Everest came up again, and participants pointed out: what if Nepal declares a and other Sagarmatha summiteers, impact on cultures and the environment. like this year, shit piles up. The stuff is felt the need to balance regulation with moratorium and China doesn’t. At academics and tourism experts at a “Cultures are not timeless, while they deep-frozen, and as it moves down the the freedom of the mountain. “Everest present, the world’s third highest seminar on Wednesday. change, our basic values should be icefall and the glacier, the melted water itself is record in itself, so everyone mountain, Kangchendzonga can be Messner, with Peter Habeler, became maintained,” Sharma said. could be contaminated.” The solution wants to be the first to do something climbed from the Nepali north side, but the first person to climb the mountain The concerns voiced at the seminar could be carrying down plastic sacks new,” Messner admitted. Pretty soon, is banned from the south side in . without oxygen in 1978, and in 1980 were not new: the need for equitable from toilets for disposal down the valley, there will be the first ascent of Mt Messner’s own idea was to regulate became the first to climb the world’s and sustainable tourism have been or zapping fresh faeces with sunlight in Everest by a man with his dog, and so that only one expedition be allowed highest mountain solo (see p8). Messner, talked about for the past three decades. special “solar toilets”. there may be helicopter ascents from on one route per season. This would But the very fact that they had to be Austrian Everest summiteer, base camp to a helipad on the summit ensure income from royalty, while who is now a member of the European th Parliament and heavily involved in reiterated so forcefully during the 50 Wolfgang Nairz, appealed for the rapid with an oxygen pipeline to the south preventing over-crowding. Said Messner: development policy, presented a anniversary of the first ascent of fusion of the Sagarmatha National Park summit. “Everest is a strong mountain. But you ‘roadmap’ for Nepal’s progress through Sagarmatha showed how little has been in Nepal and the Qomolungma Nature Joking aside, there was a proposal to have to climb it in a clean way, taking tourism: preservation of ethnic diversity, done. Reserve on the Chinese side into a take on Edmund Hillary’s idea to risks and surviving, climbing from base bio-diversity, the environment and Even so, participants drew attention transboundary World Heritage Site. At declare a moratorium on climbing Mt camp to the top along a fixed rope is not spreading the benefits of tourism away to the fact that while international the moment, only the Nepali side has Everest for ten years so the mountain climbing. We must let the mountain  from Kathmandu. media has focussed on trash on Everest, been declared a heritage site. could “clean itself” and get back its regain its power.” 10 WORLD 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147

Anti-logging under fire ANALYSIS by SHLOMO AVINERI

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BRUSSELS – The European Commission is coming under fire for its new action plan to combat illegal logging in the developing countries, the largest timber The Middle East producers in the world. The Action Plan for Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and In reality it is little Trade (FLEGT) is designed to curb growing trade in illicit logging and more than a wish list. illegally harvested timber in wood-producing countries through a dream map series of preventative measures. suppress—harshly, if necessary—the Europe’s imports of illegally sourced timber are believed to be murderous terrorist gangs that worth about $1.4 billion a year. The Commission’s latest proposals control so much of the Palestinian aim to combat the trade by helping partner countries to build population? Much depends on the systems to check that timber has been harvested legally and answers to these questions. addressing the problems posed by the use of revenues from illegal Last but not least: by the logging to fund and prolong armed conflicts. admission of its drafters, the road map According to a report by the NGO Forests and the European will take a number of years to Union Resource Network (FERN), presented to the Commission last implement—in the best case two, in year, approximately 50 percent of imports of tropical timber and 20 the worst case three or four. It would percent of timber from boreal trees into the EU are illegally sourced. need constant follow-up on dozens of Although FERN welcomes measures to prevent money laundering contentious points at the highest level, through illegal logging, it says that the EU must ensure that the ie the US President. Is President practice is included in future reviews of money laundering Bush—or any US President—capable legislation. (IPS) of effectively exercising his enormous authority, day in and day out for two

Cheap RX he recent push given by peace with Egypt and Jordan, Israel worse. The Palestinians’ refusal to or three years, to ensure that the parties ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ President George W Bush to the remains threatened by such countries accept, or even continue to negotiate really translate what might be just a BRUSSELS – The European Union adopted a new regulation T so-called Middle East “road as Syria and Libya, whose extremist about, the most generous and verbal acceptance of vague language Monday, enabling exporters to provide essential medicines at starkly map” is welcome, and the fact that regimes are deeply involved in violent comprehensive Israeli offer since l967 into painful, and even politically reduced prices to poor countries as part of the ‘Program for Action: both Israel and the Palestinians have terrorism against civilians in Israel and in exchange for an end-of-conflict dangerous, decisions? Accelerated action on HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB in the context of accepted it is a good omen. Yet the either possess or try to possess agreement signified that the Past experience is not encouraging. poverty reduction’, adopted by the Commission in February 2001. chances that it will bring real, as weapons of mass destruction. Palestinians are not ready to accept The attention span of a US President is The decision enables pharmaceutical companies to significantly opposed to merely rhetorical, progress For this reason, the road map Israel’s legitimacy. limited on any issue. Yet without his increase the delivery of medicines to fight the three diseases in toward reconciliation remain slim. premises peace between Israel and the There is now much more constant attention, the road map will developing countries at lower or ‘tiered’ prices, while keeping higher The reasons are manifold: first, Palestinians on normalisation of bitterness, fear, and hatred on both run into the Middle East sand dunes prices for the same products in the EU. They will be made available what is called a “road map” is in reality relations between Israel and all Arab sides than in 2000, when the Camp that have already buried so many well- with a price cut of 75 percent off the average ‘ex-factory’ price, or little more than a wish list of what has countries. Can this really be achieved David negotiations failed. The intentioned peace plans. What, then, at the cost of production plus 15 percent. The EU will provide the to be done in order to achieve peace in the foreseeable future? Does the direct and indirect support given can be achieved? Perhaps, as in Bosnia necessary legal framework, in order to ensure that medicines are between Israel and the Palestinians. It US—or, for that matter the Quartet— by the Palestinian Authority to and Kosovo—where nobody talks not diverted back into EU markets. is a noble set of goals, but it really believe they know how to move suicide bombing against civilians in about a permanent solution, but The WHO is also discussing Trade-Related Intellectual Property sometimes appears to be distant from Syria or Libya from their current Israel suggested to most Israelis that violence has been stopped—what is rights that allow countries in need of medicine to invoke compulsory the region’s political realities. closed-mind position, which the Palestinians still view attacks needed is stabilisation, an end to daily licences to manufacture them. In addition, a total of $416 million has For example, the road map rightly threatens Israel’s existence? There is against civilians as a legitimate bloodshed, de-escalation of hostility, been approved for fighting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and measles in acknowledges that the Israeli- no indication in the road map that weapon. The sometimes-brutal and some mutual confidence building. all developing countries, while $397 million has been given to debt Palestinian conflict cannot be solved in the initiators have thought this out Israeli responses to such terrorism Israelis and Palestinians are not yet relief in the framework of the Highly Indebted Countries (HIPC) a void; regional considerations must beyond wishing out loud that it further embittered the Palestinians ready for the tough political decisions initiative. (IPS) be taken into account. The plan calls would happen. against Israel. envisaged by the road map. They need for far-reaching Israeli concessions: Similarly, the road map is an True, the sidelining of Arafat a series of stopgap measures to bring withdrawal from the West Bank and attempt to revive the Oslo peace and the appointment of Abu Mazen as stability and safety for civilians on both Gaza, dismantling of settlements, some process. But this process, based in the the Palestinian prime minister is an sides. With such de-escalation, compromise about Jerusalem. 1993 Oslo accords between Israel and important step in the right direction. perhaps at some time in the future true Buddha looking for At the same time, the “quartet” the PLO, has been in serious trouble But Abu Mazen’s real power has yet reconciliation will be possible. that composed the road map—the US, since Yasser Arafat rejected the peace to be tested. Does he really control the However difficult or sad to admit, the the EU, Russia, and the UN—realises package offered to him by Prime murky financial resources of the PLO, moment is not ripe for more than this. that Israel cannot be convinced to Minister Ehud Barak, with the which gave Arafat so much real power (© Project Syndicate) make such concessions without a support of President Bill Clinton, at beyond the formal title of head of the fundamental change in the general Camp David in December 2000. Palestinian Authority? Most (Shlomo Avineri is professor of attitude of the Arab world to the This was a watershed in Middle importantly, does Abu Mazen have political science at the Hebrew Gandhi existence of the Jewish state. Despite East politics—a massive change for the the political will and power to really University in Jerusalem.)

In the June Himal Manjushree Thapa on women in the Maoist movement Everest 50: Nepali identity and Tenzing Norgay Selling out the Bhutanese refugees The middle class leaves India Hindutva’s campaign against India’s leading historian The wars ‘we’ wage: Orientalism in the media Shreeman Gambhir: Nepal’s national, royal anthem Namo Namo Matha: Sri Poster in Himal Khabarpatrika th Lanka’s Sinhala song to mark its 100 issue on Friday. Peace will only come from ahimsa, a commitment to non-violence. Available in bookshops. On the labour trail in Composite image by Subhas Rai. eastern India Shoving GM food down lxdfn our throat va/klqsf To subscribe: Call 5543333 or write to [email protected] ASIA 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 11

ANALYSIS by SCOTT WALLSTEN Trade diplomacy

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ISLAMABAD – Trade leaders in and India are eager to explore the business potential between their two countries and are working to exchange visits soon, as their governments make gestures The labour bonanza of peace to break their two-year-old stalemate. The parallel process of trade diplomacy now unfolding is lobalisation stands accused of underlined by recent statements by Pakistani Commerce Minister generating economic instability Humayun Akhtar, who has expressed his country’s readiness to start Remittances from international migrant labour is trade with India at the bilateral and regional levels. His statement G in developing countries and was a departure from Pakistan’s earlier position that it would freely greatly exacerbating poverty, at least in the economic safety net for developing countries. trade with India only after the resolution of the long-standing dispute the short run—which is the longest over Kashmir. period the world’s poor can afford to Between them, Pakistan and India trade goods amounting to an care about. Critics point to the string of average of $250 million annually. Pakistan has not accorded the economic crises in Africa, Asia, and Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India and allows trade in just Latin America in recent years, often 600 items from its eastern neighbour. But Prime Minister Zafarullah attributing them to multilateral lenders’ Jamali has allowed the importation of 78 more items after the recent demands for full liberalisation of thaw in the relations with India. Officials at the Islamabad Chamber foreign trade and capital flows, of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) said the Indo-Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry has contacted them to nominate members privatisation and fiscal austerity. of a delegation due to travel to India in June. (IPS) But the debate often overlooks an increasingly important feature: the many millions of migrants who send money home. Data on families in developing countries that receive money from relatives working abroad directly demonstrate that at least one element of globalisation—migration—increases economic stability in poor countries. Migrants from struggling countries in Latin America, Southeast Asia and other regions are increasingly securing jobs at wages that, while low by rich hence higher vulnerability to external The same was true when Argentina’s institutions that transfer funds and country standards, are far higher than shocks, including weather-related and economy collapsed last year, when exchange currencies. Reducing these they could dream of back home. In other natural disasters. Indeed, poor violence wracked Haiti and a fees would, in effect, be a tax cut for 2001, workers from low- and middle- countries also often lack the private hurricane ravaged Honduras before the world’s poorest. income countries sent home a insurance needed to offer emergency that, and whenever floods submerge Second, and perhaps more staggering $43 billion—more than assistance. In developing countries, villages in Bangladesh. In case after importantly, we should embrace double the level of a decade earlier and remittances from workers abroad case, billions of dollars in remittances migration as a proven method of $5 billion more than that year’s total amount to the best insurance around. from migrants have given families in bringing immediate relief and stability official foreign aid to these countries. In addition to providing their families poor countries what their to poor nations. Given that family Whatever the reason for sending money at home with a much-needed source of governments (and foreign donors) members are the best judge of need, home, these so-called “remittances”— stable income, expatriate migrant could not always provide: food, safety, migration and remittances may, in fact, the cash workers send home to workers send home even more money the resources to recover and hope. constitute a foreign-aid framework that countries like Colombia, Haiti, when catastrophe strikes. The importance of remittances to is better targeted and more effective Jamaica, Mexico and Bangladesh—act Such remittances enabled households in poor countries, than any government program can as a safety net that their governments thousands of Jamaicans, for example, especially during periods of external ever be. (© Project Syndicate) typically need but cannot afford to to recover from the devastation of shock, holds two lessons. First, it provide. Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, when should be easy and inexpensive for (Scott Wallsten is a Fellow at the In small, developing economies storm damage was estimated at more migrants to send money home. AEI-Brookings Joint Centre for incomes are often considerably more than one-quarter of the country’s Today, migrants and their families Regulatory Studies and a Resident volatile, owing to heavy reliance on a annual GDP and nearly three often pay 10 percent or more of the Scholar at the American Enterprise few commodities or industries and households in four reported damage. remittances in fees to financial Institute.)

COMMENT by PRAFUL BIDWAI The ‘anti-terrorism’ tango India and Israel, for decades on opposing sides of “celebrating” the “alliance of free societies” in combating global terrorism. He said, the fight for Palestinian statehood, are set to “The US, India and Israel face the same ugly face of modern-day terrorism’’. Mishra urged the three should form the core of a ‘democratic’ alliance, which become close strategic allies. would have “the political will and moral authority to take bold decisions”, adding it has a “natural logic”. Mishra’s proposal is the culmination of growing political- military contacts between India and Israel since full-scale diplomatic relations were established in 1992. India is now one of the world’s biggest buyers of Israeli weapons. The ‘axis’ proposal represents a new kind of India-Israel intimacy based on a certain notion of “terrorism” that is a major break from India’s full-throated support for numerous Non-Aligned Movement resolutions expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause. New Delhi’s motives in building a special strategic alliance with Israel are threefold. First, it wants to marginalise Pakistan and offer itself as an especially important ally of the US by endearing itself to Washington’s pro-Likud Zionist lobby. The ‘axis’ could help India claim pre-eminence in the US scheme of things for South Asia and reap potential benefits as the United States’ junior partner, especially in the ‘war on terror’. Second, the ‘special alliance’ will help the Hindu-sectarian BJP in further polarising Indian society along religious lines. So far, the Palestinian cause has attracted broad-based secular support in India. But after the war on Iraq, many Muslims feel alienated and discriminated against. Right-wing Hindu extremists f the Indian government, led by the ultra-conservative Bharatiya Janata Party allied to the BJP revel in this, some supported the Iraq war, which polls show (BJP), has its way, the two states would join the United States in forming “the that over 85 percent of Indians opposed. An India-Israel alliance will probably Icore” of an all-new, unique, ‘democratic’ alliance to fight ‘international widen the gap—to the BJP’s political advantage. terrorism’. Third, the BJP is genuinely fascinated by the highly militarised nature of To this end, New Delhi has invited Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Israeli society and its state’s willingness to use massive force against the an official visit in the second week of June. However, it is by no means certain that Palestinians, and by the jingoism and machismo of Likudists like Sharon. Some either a Sharon visit or the US-India-Israel anti-terrorism ‘axis’ will materialise BJP leaders have the same contempt and hatred for India’s religious minorities as anytime soon. There are too many likely impediments to the formation of the Sharon has for the Palestinian people. This was in evidence last year in Gujarat, proposed triangular alliance, including the US’ reluctance to antagonise other where 2,000 Muslims were massacred in a pogrom. Some Hindu ideologues are allies, including Pakistan and the Arab states. Above all, there is likely to be stiff also driven by Islamophobia to posit a historic ‘civilisational’ alliance between popular resistance within India to any strategic axis that centrally involves Israel. Hinduism and the Judeo-Christian tradition against Islam. The US-India-Israel axis was proposed by India’s national security adviser The ‘axis’ has dire implications not just for India’s foreign policy, but for its Brajesh Mishra (seen in pic, above, with Donald Rumsfeld, 2001) in domestic politics too. Besides globally aligning India with conservative and Washington on 8 May. Significantly, Mishra was addressing the annual meeting ethically indefensible forces, a special alliance with Israel will be a blow to of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), a Zionist group considered the single secularism and pluralism domestically. The ray of hope is that this will be most powerful lobby in the US. resolutely opposed by the Indian public. (IPS) White House chief of staff Andrew Card also addressed the meeting. Among the audience were several US congressmen and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria (Praful Bidwai is a New Delhi-based columnist and an author of several Aznar. Mishra outlined his proposal while lavishing praise upon the AJC and books.) 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147

The refugee deal criminals. He also expressed Gorkha as a ‘model district’. The

○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ concern over where the refugees peace and development package is Deshantar, 25 May would be resettled when they are gathering dust thanks to the allowed back into Bhutan. Most of Finance Ministry not releasing The way things are th their houses were demolished and funds on time. In the initial The 14 round of ministerial level talks between Nepal and Bhutan their lands were resettled with program seven districts were Binaya Kasajoo in Budhabar, 28 May regarding the repatriation of people from northern Bhutan. selected, but the government refugees not only puts a stop to the backtracked and decided solely

We could soon have three parallel governments in Nepal—one installed by the palace, one by the Maoists possibility of Bhutanese nationals People power on Gorkha.

○○○○○○ and now, another convened by the major political parties to represent the dissolved parliament. The first going home, but also raises ○○○○○○○○○○ Although Rs 3.6 million was two are backed by military power, while the third enjoys the support of the public and democratic forces. questions about Nepal’s integrity. Chhalphal, 25 May set aside from the budget during On 28 May, the people’s representatives sat at a meeting to decide on how best to resuscitate the The Nepali government the current fiscal year, the parliament. The Nepali Congress (D), Sher Bahadur Deuba’s party that was conspicuous in its absence, granted the Bhutanese discretion in One point for the little guys! Public bureaucracy seemed to deliberately could be held responsible for the current tangle. It encouraged regression that led to the October Fourth choosing who it would accept and pressure and protests led the drag its heels and is now involved move which allowed the palace to step in. Given the unpopularity of the NC(D), it isn’t strange that its simultaneously accepted diplomatic Madhyapur Thimi Municipality to in discussing the next national prominent members are abandoning the party like rats from a sinking ship. defeat by agreeing to grant Nepali reverse its decision on granting budget. It was estimated that the In the meantime, public curiosity and exultation surrounding the emergence of the Maoist leaders is citizenship to those unwilling to forest land to the Armed Police district needed Rs 15 million this slowly waning. It’s possible the rebel leaders themselves are feeling the change in momentum. Even the return to Bhutan. “The Force. When the local community year to effectively implement the media no longer considers them very newsworthy. negotiations were compromised by forestry group learnt the forest they program. The unfolding national situation shows us one thing: politics is volatile and hostilities extend from the lack of an elected democratic stewarded was being granted to the Out of the allocated amount, schools to the parliament. Despite the rhetoric about multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy, Nepali government,” says former police force they decided not to Rs 2 million was set aside for the the Panchas of pre-democracy have been standing in the wings ever since the royal move. King foreign minister Ram Sharan accept it. Nageshwor-Nigel road, Rs 1 Gyanendra’s interference surely could not have come as a surprise to the political parties who profess . In the absence of elected million for the Ghyampesal- experience and dedication to democracy. The least they can be accused of is turning a blind eye, thereby International lobbying and representatives, the municipality Tarkukot road and Rs 700 failing to act promptly. persistent demands from the made its decision on the basis of thousand to build the road The haste with which Deuba evacuated his official Prime Ministerial residence after being summarily refugees pressured Bhutan into direct instruction from Bhaktapur between Chorkate and Chitre. The sacked by the king is an indication of the little faith he had in the people to reclaim their sovereignty— conceding even these partial gains. District Administration Office district monitoring committee either by keeping him there or ousting him out themselves. If Taranath Ranabhat had any allegiance to Refugee leaders say the Druk without consulting the locals, the formed under the chairmanship of multiparty democracy he would not have mocked the system by accepting official invitations as Speaker government will try to prove a political parties and civil society. the local development officer has of the defunct House of Representatives. The fact that the agitating political parties have now turned to majority of the refugees are non- Even the ward office and forestry not met in a year. The newly him for legitimacy is illogical. Bhutanese, in compliance with the users group were left in the dark. appointed district security chief The Chand government, limited to Singha Darbar, has become harsher towards the political parties parameters set by the joint While this clearly demonstrates Col Prakash Kumar KC requested while offering the Maoists more flexibility. Both workers and leaders have quite literally been battered verification. “If Nepal doesn’t bureaucratic abuse of authority, it a meeting, but the LDO refused since 4 May. promptly amend this blunder, it also illustrates that real people to convene until the funds are Where this road will lead is anybody’s guess. As things stand, there is little reason to hope for a will soon have to welcome Indians power is far from defunct. released. positive outcome. The people should be the decisive power, but after years of disappointment in the of Nepali origin with open arms,” Not that victory came easily. For Gopi Koirala of the DDC said system and demoralised by the conflict, they will need a major catalyst to stir them into reclaiming what is says Mahat. He advised Nepal to two consecutive days the people sat the budget was delayed in last year rightfully theirs. seek the involvement of the United in protest and gheraoed the too. The government finally Nations and international human municipality office. The chief of the granted Rs 8 million to which the rights groups in monitoring the municipality office, Pashupati DMC contributed Rs 5 million, repatriation process. Pokharel, had to publicly apologise enabling the completion of Refugee leader Ratan Gazmere to calm the crowd down. A construction work worth Rs 13 accused Nepal of violating delegation, led by local political million. Madhav Prasad Ojha, international laws by agreeing to activists, visited the chief district chief district officer and member grant Nepali citizenships to officer Geha Nath Bhandari and of the DMC, revealed work had Bhutanese refugees unwilling to handed over a memorandum that been hampered when even the return home. He said this would warned they would be keeping an DMC delayed payments. reduce them to mere squatters on eye on the future misuse of public The lack of peace and security, Nepali soil. “It is a gross injustice property. especially in northern Gorkha has to the Bhutanese refugees,” he said. added to problems. “The security

The refugees are also On hold situation and negligence from the ○○○○○○

discontented about Nepal’s ○○○○○○○○○○ centre is killing the very concept agreement to imprison and try Spacetime, 28 May of developing Gorkha as a model those who are categorised as district,” says Ojha. NGOs have criminals. Gazmere said his group Uncertainty looms large over the long deserted the area after law will take the matter to court Integrated Security and and order deteriorated. The ISDP because the Bhutanese government Development Program (ISDP) in was the government’s attempt at has categorically labelled political Gorkha launched by the government filling the void left by the NGOs

MIN BAJRACHARYA and human rights activists as two years ago that hoped to develop that bailed out.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I wouldn’t have joined the crowd even if I was younger…we were true climbers who struggled to make our way to the summit. These days, if you are healthy enough, there are plenty who will show you the way.” A semblance of stability - Edmund Hillary on why he would not climb Everest again. Spacetime on 28 May. Kantipur, 19 May

By Guna Raj Luitel and Bed Raj Paudel With the security forces restricted to district headquarters, the Maoists had a free reign in mobilising and absorbing communities. With remarkable efficiency they are fitting themselves into the very fabric of normalcy in rural areas. Their latest venture puts even the administration under their control. In Bhojpur the Maoists are determined to make clear who is in charge: they have rapidly renamed VDCs ‘Village People’s Committees’. Many VDC signboards have been changed. The elected positions that fell vacant after the suspension of the local government are also being filled by former office holders instated by the rebels, among them former Bhojpur VDC chairman Durga Ale and two others in Tiwari Bhanjyang and Chyangre. A school teacher from Yangpang village, a day’s walk from Bhojpur Bazar, told us that the name of VDC offices and reinstatement of officials took place at a mass meeting organised by the Maoists. Villages are painted with Maoist slogans, flags and banners. The latter demand the election of a constituent assembly and an interim government. The presence the Kirat Workers’ Party (KWP), close allies of the Maoists, is also visible. The KWP banners ask for an autonomous state. Another popular call is for a full investigation into the death of Krishna Sen. The Maoists are trying to win the hearts and minds of the people by creating a semblance of stability. They did not have a very strong hold of the east during the seven-year insurgency, and the ceasefire has given them a chance to consolidate their political presence in these areas. The absence of the police after their posts were removed has only made their campaign smoother. The workers of the mainstream political parties are limiting themselves to district headquarters leaving the field open to the Maoists who are slowly gaining a “Dear me! The parties announced in jest GP Koirala: “Sherpa bhai, won’t you give us monopoly over the villages. “Who would risk opposing the that they were going to form a government some tips on how we can take our campaign to Maoists?” asks a farmer in Gogane, a five-hour walk from and he has already begun to iron his outfit!” the top too?” district headquarters. “Everyone does what they want.” He told us the rebels have even begun to help in the fields. Gorkhapatra, 26 May Nepal Samacharpatra, 28 May The question is what will we harvest from what the Maoists have sown? HISTORY AND CULTURE 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 13 Back at Sundarijal >36 “The king needs to balance.” 3 April, 1977 4 April Sundarijal Sundarijal

Perhaps there is a great mental strain of which I am not aware, Peculiar unusual weather has developed for the last one week, the but which is insidiously affecting my mental and physical weather is like that of a rainy season. It has been raining intermittently capabilities. Today at about 2PM the vision in my left eye became accompanied by strong wind and occasional bouts of sunshine. The suddenly dimmed at its upper left corner. It lasted for about 10 sky is mostly cloudy and the mornings are foggy. Such weather is not minutes and I became very, very anxious. My anxiety is all the propitious for mental tranquility. Clouds are mentally very exciting and greater because can’t get the help of a doctor at short notice— emotionally disturbing. I can now understand the banished … moreover the officer in charge of the camp enters the jail only 3 homesickness at the sight of the first cloud of rains. Kalidas has times a day—8AM, 12 noon and 7PM. If anything happens during composed what I think to be his best piece of poetry incorporating a the intervening hours or at night there is no help. When GM was lover’s sentiment at the sight of a moving cloud. I am homesick again. here I had some confidence and we have mutually arranged that But the homesickness is not as anguishing as it used to be in the our rooms at night wouldn’t be bolted from inside in case of beginning—but it is homesickness alright—a mild sadness, a desire to need. Perhaps I need to change my spectacles because the look at Sushila’s picture again and again, revival of the memory of ones that I am using aren’t giving me efficient service. But this Shailaja’s and other dear ones again and again—a pang, sense of sudden clouding of my vision in the portion of the left eye which deprivation, a poignant need for emotional company. Dil chahata hai lasted for some minutes only couldn’t be due to deterioration of phir wahi phursat ke raat din, baithe rahe to sabse jawa kiye huye. my eyesight. The symptoms may also have been induced by Did a spot of writing on the history of the Nepali Congress. I am Isopterin, the medicine to correct my heart beat—extra systole or currently at the period of 1947 when mother used to be very active in whatever it is. politics, which resulted in her arrest during the mill women’s strike. I am I did some reading in the morning and did some writing also— full of mother today. Tarini was one of us to be arrested during that BP Koirala is obsessed with his ie did some useful work. But I am mentally unsettled, fidgety, struggle. As a matter of fact, he was the first one to be arrested on health, and every little ailment alternating between buoyancy and depression. I read the papers that date. He is also no more. We have travelled a long way from those minutely—4 issues, 2 each of Gorkhapatra and Rising Nepal— days. As I write about that period I remember mother and Tarini’s role worries him. He is also travelling nothing of importance. My mind is not very active—perhaps this during the initial days of our struggle vividly. Others are living but they down memory lane, remembering is how nature helps, a kind of survival strategy to put your are no more. Bal Chandra Sharma was also active in those days, but energy to the minimum use, to keep you alive by slowing down he became a treacherous renegade to the cause, hence his memory his mother fondly and chanting your tempo. I have become very forgetful also. But I feel there doesn’t evoke any emotion in me. In the evening when I am alone I think the mantra that she gave him are temporary disabilities produced by the unnatural conditions of mother. I gaze at the darkening shadows of the kapur tree and before she died. BP also of detention. No serious damage is occurring either to my foolishly—superstitiously—fervently hope that mother would emerge physical or mental health—the damage temporarily sustained from darkness. She had whispered a diksha mantra into my ears when confesses that he is homesick for could be correction in normal conditions. I was a child. I suddenly remember that mantra and repeat it many the company of his wife and niece Since four days we got rain almost every day, hence over, holding a lock of her hair, which I have brought with me, in weather has become cool. The sky is cloudy. I have put all my my hand expecting ardently that she would listen wherever she is and Shailaja. Reading the Rising warm clothes away in mothballs. I need a light quilt at night, make if only fleeting appearance before me. It is all foolishness but I am Nepal’s coverage of King having discarded the second one. In the day I use a khasto assailed by her memory deeply, profoundly. given to me by Santosh. It is a beautiful khasto and it is giving me Today’s Gorkhapatra and Rising Nepal is full of the king’s return to Birendra’s return from India, he a very necessary service. I am usually in khasto pajama and Kathmandu from India yesterday and of his great doings in India. He is hopes the monarch is not swayed kurta, which was…for me by Sushila in December 1968 in depicted as a great emperor to whom the leaders of India pay homage. B’bay. Sometime I don dhaka cap—a concession to the spirit of I hope the king, impressionable as he is, will keep his balance and will by the flattery of his courtiers. Nepalism. not equate courtiers’ flattery with truth. Kathmandu’s street cattle

PETRA THAGUNNA and LUCIA DE VRIES ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ahamtma Gandhi once said, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the May Lord M way its animals are treated.” By that yardstick, Nepal lags behind in greatness. In fact, there is almost a total Pashupatinath have absence of animal welfare in the country. The worst problem is that of wandering cattle injured in road accidents in mercy on the holy Kathmandu’s streets. For all the reverence, the fate of a fatally injured cow is unholy. cows of Kathmandu. Laxmi is a kind-hearted cow found outside Pashupatinath two years ago. It took volunteers from the Clockwise from bottom l-r: An ox suffering from a spinal injury at the SPCAN shelter, Laxmi’s calf Kamdhenu lives Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Nepal on, a malnourished calf found in Kalanki vegetable market on its way to Karuna Rescue & Recovery Centre. (SPCAN) a few hours to gently direct the limping cow to the shelter. Here it was found that not only did she suffer Until a few years ago one could find aging resident bulls randomly picked up by the traffic police (which is why from a spinal injury, probably after being hit by a bus or in places like New Road, Durbar Marg and Baneshwor. animal activists dread any international visit or meeting truck, but also that she was four months pregnant. During the last SAARC Summit the familiar Nandi of held in Kathmandu) to be released outside the valley. Cows Despite her precarious situation, Laxmi gave birth to a Naxal, together with a number of stray cows, disappeared from Eastern Nepal are being sold in Damak and beautiful, healthy calf, Kamdhenu. After the delivery, and they have not been heard of since. But young calves and transported to slaughterhouses across the border. Laxmi’s health deteriorated rapidly. Although she was still mature cows are still common at traffic intersections, At SPCAN, staff have learned how to make the lives of eating, she could no longer get up. This meant that the staff, standing by the side or in the middle of the road. Or they injured cows as comfortable as possible. Its gaushala of with the help of kind neighbours, had to push her up every are at the garbage dumps, rummaging through plastic and Siphal is a beginning, but the problem is too vast. The three hours, or lift her into a makeshift harness. Her pain organics in search of food. municipalities of Kathmandu and Patan have to come up became more and more obvious. SPCAN volunteers pleaded Often not fully weaned, the young calves suffer the with a management plan for stray cattle with rehab for for euthanasia, but the management felt that with the laws of most, many do not survive. injured cows, animal birth control and a shelter for the land (the penalty for killing a cow is Rs 20,000 or two Most bulls are abandoned by their owners because they unweaned, sick and aging cattle. years imprisonment) this would not be desirable. Laxmi, are of little economic value in a valley where they cannot Temporary solutions could include proper registration after a painfully slow and cruel death bed, finally passed be used for ploughing. Cows are abandoned from and monitoring of the cattle population, mobile veterinary away in April. private homes and dairies when the owners face a lack of services and feeding sites in a number of locations (set up Although traffic accidents are the main reason for space or fodder, or when they no longer give milk. It is with the involvement of communities, hotels and restaurants injuries, there are many cases of cruelty inflicted by children said that owners from farming communities such as willing to donate their vegetarian left-overs). The actions or shopkeepers. SPCAN last year received six cases of spinal Bhaktapur and Godavari drive cows into the city at night must be backed by the central government, by introducing injuries, both cattle and dogs. A remarkably bright dog and abandon them. The priests of Pashupatinath, as part supportive animal welfare legislation and monitoring named Baby Bear survived, but will be paralysed from the of new moon and full moon rituals, continue to release a systems, possibly including a policy on humane medical waist downwards. The intensive care of these animals places bull-calf twice a month. Most calves however return intervention for dying cows. huge demands on many of SPCAN’s limited resources. quickly, after all, Pashupati has become an ideal Unitll then, may Lord Pashupatinath have mercy on the The holy cows of Kathmandu, once a tourist novelty and dumping ground for the city’s unwanted, sick or in holy cows of Kathmandu. integral part of a tight-knit, gently moving society, have jured animals. become a nuisance for motorists and an embarrassment for The conflicting duality of religious and cultural (Petra Thagunna & Lucia de Vries are affiliated with the authorities. Nepal’s national animal is traditionally a notions on one hand and modernisation of the city on SPCA Nepal. The views presented here do not symbol of prosperity, but now are abandoned to roam the other is increasing, and stray cows are among the necessarily represent those of the organisation. homelessly on the streets. most visible victims of this conflict. Stray cattle are Tel: 4467953, www.fospcan.org.np) 14 CITY 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 ABOUT TOWN BOOKWORM

CELEBRATING EVEREST  Women, Disability and Identity Asha Hans, Annie Petri (eds) 30 May: Bhaktapur Darbar Square Festival. Sage Publications, 2003  6.30 PM ‘Quomolangma: the other side of Everest’ talk by Lhakpa Sherpa, manager of the Quomolangma Conservation Program on 30, 31 May. Rs 200 entry. All proceeds to cleft palate surgery for Tibetan Rs 528 children. Advance booking essential. Gallery Nine, Lazimpat. 4436944 Despite the widening ambit of feminist research there is little space for disabled women in the  31 May: Music Festival at Dasrath Stadium. prevailing discourse. The contributors in this volume highlight not only the discriminations faced by physically challenged women but also the transitions faced in their search for new worlds. FESTIVAL AND EXHIBITIONS  Quomolangma: the other side of Everest photographs and text by Lucia de Vries till 4 June at Gallery Narratives from the Women’s Studies Family: Recreating Knowledge Devaki Jain, Pam Nine, Lazimpat. 4436944 Rajput (eds)  Kathmandu Vendors paintings by Mark Jordans at the Lazimpat Gallery Café. 4428549 Sage Publications, 2003  Contemporary Tibetan Art from Lhasa till 14 June at Lotus Gallery, Thamel. 4253646 Rs 560  Exhibition and Sale carpets, thankas, handloom and pashmina at Gallery Room, Kathmandu Guest House, Seventeen scholars and activists who have initiated and nurtured centres for women’s studies in Thamel. 4413632. India have contributed to this book. They discuss a wide spectrum of activities from teaching  Orchids and Jewels of Nature Botanical art exhibit by Neera J Pradhan from 1-15 June at Park Gallery, Lazimpat. 981055263 and networking to publishing and agitating. They also chart out possible paths for women’s  West of the Silk Route pictures of life and landscapes from Egypt through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and studies in India. Nepal by Ben Schonveld till 2 June at Siddhartha Art Gallery. 4218048 French Feminism: An Indian Anthology Danielle Haase-Dubosc, Mary E Johm, Marcelle EVENTS Marini, Rama Melkote, Susie Tharu (eds)  Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman Directed by Deborah Merola at The Lincoln School 7PM on 6, 7 Sage Publications, 2003 June, 5PM on 8 June. Tickets: Rs 300 for adults, Rs 150 for students. Available at Himalayan Java, Rs 560 Pilgrim’s Bookshop, Hyatt Regency. Reservations: 4436458 This remarkable anthology of 36 texts, freshly translated for this volume, vividly maps the  East meets West: the twain shall meet 30 May at Dwarika’s. Fusion music, oriental and continental terrain of French feminism in its contemporary context from the 1970s onwards. Bringing cuisine. 4479488 together the seminal writings of both scholars and activists, this will help readers grasp MUSIC questions, challenges and the progress of reflection.  Live Music Friday at 5.30 PM, Saturday movie at 4.30 PM. Jivin’ Joe’s Restaurant, Kupondole.  Live Acoustic Jam 7PM on Saturdays at Himalatte Cafe, Thamel. 4256738 Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected]  Full Circle acoustic jam every Friday at New Orleans Café, Thamel. 4427311  Thunderbolt with Ram Shrestha and Sabu Lama. 8PM onwards Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Red CLASSIFIED Onion Bar, Lazimpat. 4416071 Visit Ground Zero Fine wines, designer ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Our lovely CYCLAMEN are also flowering. DRINKS candles, cards, gifts, stationery, wooden items, Only at THE BISHALNAGAR NURSERY, tel.  Fusion offers over 100 cocktails. Happy hour from 6-7PM. Dwarika’s Hotel. perfumes and more. Darbar Marg, opposite 4431797; 5 min. from Bhatbateni Supermarket,  The Jazz Bar reopens at 7PM on 30 May with Abhaya and The Steam Injuns. 50 percent discount on Hotel de l’Annapurna 2min. from Bishalnagar Chowk (turn right and beverages, DJ or live entertainment through June. Shangri-la Hotel, Lazimpat. 4412999. downhill).  The Piano Lounge & Bar features the Trio Givone for the best Gypsy music, cocktails and snacks. Yak & Yeti Visit Femilines, the Exclusive Lingerie Store Hotel. for ladies undergarments, nightwear, bathrobes Custom Made: Generate Wealth with Feng  K-too! Special Tropical Khukri drinks Rs 125 or Rs 750 for every 1.5 litre. Free Irish Coffee with every main and more. Ladies staff. Opposite Sajha Yatayat, Shui…. Get a Tabletop Fountain Custom made course. K-too! Beer & Steakhouse, Thamel. 4433043. Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk. Tel: 547428 for you…. Call 981054102 FOOD Flowerlovers: Flowerlovers, it’s FUCHSIA Co-Q10 and all dietary supplements imported  Summer specials smoked salmon soufflé, shrimp newburg and crispy duck breast. Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, Thamel. 4250440 time again !! See 60 beautiful varieties in bloom! from Singapore & Malaysia Contact 5520294  Naachghar Revisited with Myrna, an international exotic dancer, and North Indian delicacies. Every For insertions ring NT Marketing at 5543333-36. evening from 7.30 PM onwards. Rs 749 per person. Hotel Yak & Yeti, Darbar Marg.  Wood fired pizzas, Baskin Robbins icecream, cocktails and coffee at the Roadhouse Café, Thamel.  Café Bahal Dieter’s delight for the health conscious at Kathmandu Guest House’s Food Court, Thamel. 4413632  Kids Combo Meal at all Bakery Cafés. Kids’ meals with exciting gifts. lzIff -clgjfo_{ PlR5s xfOg] .  Weekend breakfast: Smoked salmon scrambled eggs and filtered coffee Rs 100. 9AM-12PM. Thomas ljlGt kq Kilroy at 1905, Kantipath. 4225272 lzIff pkxf/ xfOg] .  Traditional Nepali Thali Lunch at Patan Museum Café 11AM-4PM. 5526271 5f/f5f] /L] nfO + egf { u/f }+. lzIff jfnaflnsfsf ] clwsf/ xf ] .  Saturday Asian Brunch at The Café, Sunday European Lunch at Rox Restaurant. Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. 4491234  Saturday BBQ Lunch at Club Himalaya Nagarkot. Rs 500 per person. 4680083  The greenest patch Weekend lunches in the oldest and largest garden in Nagarkot at The Fort Resort, [email protected]. 226799  Newari Bhoj Traditional snacks, drinks and meals, outdoors or indoor, in a restaurant designed by X-Men 2 continues the Ramgopal Verma Bhaktapur artisans. Lajana Restaurant. Lazimpat. 413874  cinematic saga of those strange has teamed up with Papaya salad, seasonal vegetables with fillet or chicken and Italian icecream at Sigma the Food Court, mutant superheroes who made his golden girl Jawlakhel, Lalitpur. 5520004 the smooth transition from Urmila Matondkar  Tukche Thakali Kitchen Buckwheat, barley, bean, and dried meat specialities. Also brunch with porridge comic book to celluloid. This once again for and pancakes, all raw material from Tukche village. Darbar Marg. sequel directed by Bryan what promises to Singer brings back Patrick be a Hindi film GETAWAYS Stewart, Ian McKellan, Halle that is out of the  Dakshinkali Package every Saturday Rs 500+tax. 4370714, 4371537 Berry, Hugh Jackman, Anna ordinary. Quite literally. Bhoot is a supernatural  Shivapuri Heights a traditional cottage with modern facilities. Rs 1,850 pp. www.escape2nepal.com, Email: Paquin, Brian Cox and Alan thriller set in Mumbai that involves dead spirits (as [email protected] Cumming. It’s packed with almost non-stop action the name of the movie suggests), sceptics and  The Great Godavari Getaway Special weekend packages. Godavari Village Resort. 5560675 and some reviewers think X2 trumps the first part. believers. This spine tingler that also stars Ajay  The secret of Kathmandu Overnight package $99. Dwarika’s Hotel. 4479488 Fans of the first X-Men film will find this bigger and Devgan, Nana Patekar, Rekha and Fardeen Khan  Gamcha Organic Farm Guesthouse Traditional Nepali farmhouse. 6631734. better. is a refreshing change from the normal Bollywood  Writing Retreat Full board package. Aesthetic living, innovative thinking, creative writing and nature at Park 4PM, 6.30PM fare. 11AM, 1.30 PM Village Resort, Budhanilkantha. 375280  Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge Special offers for Nepalis and expats. 01-361500 TMPL Reservations - JAI NEPAL CINEMA Telephone booking: 4442220 Online booking www.jainepal.com Nepali/Expat Offer  Ride and raft with the Himalayan Enfielders on 13-15 June for Rs 3,500. Email: [email protected]. 4440462  Bardia Dolphins Kiss Jungle Base Camp has special deals for expats. Email: [email protected]. 061-53211 on FM 102.4 Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Sat 0615-0645 BBC Reporting Religion VIS -29 -05-2003 06:00 GMT Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda Notice that huge high pressure system sitting over north g]kfnL ;]]jf India. This has sent temperature soaring to the mid-forties Daily 2045-2115 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]jf in the tarai. The searing heat is necessary to suck in the Daily 2245-2300 BBC g]kfnL ;]]]jf monsoon moisture, but there are no signs yet of this happening. But this time there should have been Sun-Fri 0740- 0800 Ps}}}}}l5g\\\\\ -/]]]]]l8of]]]]] klqsf_ monsoon troughs forming off the Kerala and Sri Lanka coasts as well as in the Bay of Bengal near Bangladesh. Sun-Fri 0800- 0830 8anL8anL8anL -ljifout-ljifout-ljifout cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_cGt/lqmof_ Maybe next week. But till then, expect a dry and hot spell. Sun-Fri 2000- 2030 cfhsf s'''/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ Even so, May has been a wet pre-monsoon with above normal rainfall. All this is good news for the climbers on Sat 0800- 0830 zflGt cleofg Everest who have a clear 'weather window' this weekend. Sat 1930- 2000 cfrf/ ljrf/ -e|||||i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_{_{_{_{_ KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030 s"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 32-17 31-17 32-17 31-17 31-16 E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org /]l8of ] ;u/dfyf LIFESTYLE 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 15 Behind

SRADDHA BASNYAT ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ Hot days. Humid nights. Long, cold t’s summertime and the livin’ is easy. Monsoon in Kathmandu: it’s drinks. Kathmandu’s watering holes I hitting 30 degrees and the air is so are stocking up for the monsoon. thick you can slice it with a cocktail bars stirrer. The most effort one can muster is to signal a passing waiter that you on the right night you’ll find DJs need a refill. Nepali Times takes the from around the world spinning legwork out of bar-hopping by some bumping beats. offering you a comprehensive guide to the best monsoon watering holes in the LAZIMPAT Valley. Chin chin. relocated to much larger premises on Just a stone’s throw from Thamel a quiet Thamel sidestreet. Rum but a world away in ambience is the ALL ROADS LEAD TO THAMEL Doodle is an unofficial museum to original Lodging Part. If you’re The brightly lit heartland of tourist are divine. mountaineering, trekking and looking to jazz up your evening, tack offers a bonanza of bars for a An illuminated blackboard on a adventure tourism doodads that have make your way to this street where a casual night out that’s easy on Thamel street says “Tom and Jerry been bequeathed by visitors who bouquet of bars could be just the the wallet. Pub two flights up”, not that the drop in for a drink and stay till thing. Via Via Past the main chowk, into one of regulars need directions. An old dawn. Fittingly, it hosted a big The new avatar of the Jazz Bar in the narrow alleys and up one flight of favorite where travellers and locals dinner for the who’s who of Shangri-la Hotel, scheduled to narrow stairs is Maya Cocktail mingle, the pub is never empty. In the mountaineering on 27 May as part reopen in the first week of June, will BarBarBar—a little piece of Mexico that does tradition set by Rum Doodle, many a of the Everest Jubilee Celebrations. be known as Not Just the Jazz Bar not make idle boasts of mixing the best visitor has felt compelled to leave a Tall tales abound. and they’re flying in international cocktails in town. Get in between 4- souvenir at Tom and Jerry. Some Another noteworthy tavern is artists who will perform jazz combos, 10PM, a generously long Happy return to reminisce over extra stout Tantra in Jyatha. Its intimate modern pop and blues. On alternate Hour, and you’ll score a free drink for Guiness or a special creamy cocktail. ambience makes it very appropriate Friday nights come salsa with every one you order. Maya has genuine Far from the well-trodden path for a little down time. The fusion Kathmandu’s resident salsero, Diego Mexican tequila, the worm is of Lonely Planet toters, Sam’s Bar is menu is a delight and the new Saenz. Oh, yes, all drinks half price optional. Knock back enough of the sort of place you stumble upon cocktails are fast becoming the toast in June. those and you may find yourself on and want to keep among a select few. of the town. For sheer novelty, seat Upstairs Jazz Bar is home to Tantra a Tijuana-bound flight. It’s casual, laid back and has enough yourself on their unique saddle bar Nepal’s hottest contribution to the Just around the corner warm (nice) graffiti on the walls to fill a stools and pretend to be a cowboy. world of jazz. On Wednesday and candlelight bathes wreaths of corn and book. Saturday evenings is Reggae Between 4-8PM, the second drink Saturday nights Cadenza’s music chili on adobe walls and rough Night—Bob Marley and Peter Tosh is on the house. flows into the sidewalks below. furniture at the Roadhouse Café. For all washed down with whatever is At Paknajol, the quieter end of Kumar, the barman, mixes a mean the slightly more upscale hombre, the your pleasure. The terrace tables, Thamel, is a little Nepali house cocktail and has been known to redo bartender rustles up the best daquiris shrouded by young bamboo, are that has been reborn as Via ViaViaVia , one if it doesn’t meet his personal

and martinis. They have a decent wine highly coveted and if it rains you the living stone travellers café. standards. The menu is limited, MIN BAJRACHARYA list—guaranteed nothing from those needn’t relocate thanks to a spanking Philip Henderickx mixes an exotic not that it matters because icky cardboard ‘casks’—liqueurs, draft new retractable roof. number of drinks, including the everyone homes in on the melt-in- beer, cocktails and the rest of the usual Then, there is the legendary Rum Via Via Special, rakshi fused with the-mouth momos. suspects. Excellent nibbles too. The Doodle, the highest-located bar lemon, sugar syrup and soda over satay, humous and woodfired pizzas situated at 40,000½ft. It recently ice. If you stumble in late enough  see p16 Moksh 16 LIFESTYLE 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147  from p15 More watering holes At the end of the road is The nights cover charge alone is Rs 300 Red Onion Bar. In its four years for ladies and Rs 500 for of operation it has earned a gentlemen. The Rox has a dress The Red Onion Bar MIN BAJRACHARYA reputation as one of Kathmandu’s code too so make sure you don’t best bars. The wine list has an rock up in your chappals. array that spans whole continents If an evening among and features more than 150 sophisticates is what you desire cocktails. The bar gets its name then look no further than the Piano from the traditional red onion Lounge Bar at the Yak & Yeti trade between Nepal, Tibet and Hotel. The resident in-house Irish India, and displays a scooter that band An Fainne is the perfect was used to ferry onions 80 years accompaniment to comparing the ago. The regular clientele is a sober merits of perhaps the largest crowd from business houses, collection of single malts in the banks, development agencies, kingdom. Splash Bar & Grill embassies and the like. They let their hair down on Wednesday and ACROSS THE BRIDGE Saturday nights when live bands Patan used to be a back water. No introduce a little shake, rattle more. Now Patan residents don’t and roll. need to cross the sewer to go to Just next door at the Radisson Thamel. is the six-storey-high Splash Bar Tucked into a quiet corner of & Grill with great sunset views Pulchowk, is a place where art, and the Lazimpat forest. It is music, food and drink come gaining a Friday following with a together beautifully at a price that live band, innovative drinks and won’t break the bank. Enter the their Cajun Chicken Salad. peaceful premises of Moksh run by Dolly Yakthumba, former HIGH END fashion model and present No bar crawl would be complete restaurateur. Mukut Bar offers without dropping into the Rox special summer drinks like non- Rox Bar Bar at Hyatt Regency. The alcoholic celery punch. If you like trendiest bar in town, on weekends vitamins with a bite try the carrot the blond wood and marble floor is punch spiked with vodka. Music is teeming with life from wall to always on the agenda with Dolly’s granite studded wall. Drinks and husband Nirakar holding food are on the pricey side but impromptu jam sessions with his that’s only to be expected because hugely popular band 1974 AD. this is where Kathmandu comes to Regular gigs feature jHola on see and be seen—and don’t mind Tuesday nights and Abhaya and the paying for it either. The Friday Steam Injuns on Fridays. 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 17 Out of ON NEWSTANDS danger NOW A rescue group in Khumbu is saving the lives of trekking porters.

WANDA VIVEQUIN from GOKYO ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ SAVE

okyo Valley is achingly stretcher (pic, right). It took four 25% beautiful with hours to ready Lok for evacuation off the cover price Gastounding views of back down to Machermo. More than Sagarmatha from Gokyo Ri. Lok 24 hours had passed since Lok had Off the stands you will pay Rs. 1020 annually, Bahadur Karki, a porter with a lost consciousness. All through the SUBSCRIBE NOW and receive 12 issues at Kathmandu-based trekking night the clinic’s volunteer doctors Rs. 865/- includes delivery within the Valley. To company, was with a group heading worked hard to keep him alive, have your copy delivered immediately, call that way to an area locals refer to as administering intravenous fluids and “death valley”. antibiotics, and treating him in the Before dawn one morning, Lok portable altitude chamber (PAC). 4781153 was found unconscious in his tent at Meanwhile one of the clinic’s cautiously optimistic that he will dehydration, blisters and muscular the Renjo La base camp, at 5,000m. volunteers sprinted down to Kunde make a full recovery with time. injuries. or fax completed details to: Hastily, the other porters put him Hospital, making the six-hour trip in The Machermo Porter Rescue “Like all projects of this nature in a doko to carry him lower down half of that time. At 3AM Dr Simon post, which will close at the end there are some things we 4782100 to Gokyo. Although it was still dark Pulfrey from the hospital and Bill of the spring trekking season, is desperately need for the future,” Yes, I would like to subscribe to the bossbossthe when they got there, the porters Brewster started for Machermo with the latest initiative of the IPPG she added. This includes an oxygen decided to push for Machermo a stretcher and extra medical which helps trekking porters. The concentrator that can run on solar Name ______where they knew the International equipment. Machermo post is staffed by a power and a satellite phone to Porter Protection Group (IPPG) A team of eight porters, many of series of western doctors during organise evacuations and relieve the Address ______had recently established a rescue whom had already worked a full day, the season and a trained paid pressure of getting to Kunde ______post for porters. volunteered to carry their seriously ill Nepali worker. CIWEC clinic Hospital where there are more Day dawned, lighting a path colleague back down to Kunde. doctor Trish Batchelor, and extensive medical facilities. Tel. :______that was treacherous with ice and Without the excellent medical care volunteer doctor, Hillary Liss, Every year an average of two sleet. Somewhere between Gokyo he received in the Khumbu at who were instrumental in getting porters died needlessly in the MYriAD Pvt. Ltd. and Machermo the porter carrying Machermo and Kunde, Lok would the aid post set up, said during “death valley” from altitude related Lok lost his foothold and fell. Lok have died. Despite a fractured neck the first three weeks of operation, illnesses. Twelve months ago Lok sustained a head injury, worsening and head injuries, the joint efforts of staff saw 63 patients. Thirty-six Bahadur would have been just his already unstable medical the staff at these Khumbu clinics and were porters, 10 were locals and another statistic. But his survival is condition. Knowing medical help the neurosurgical team at the the rest were trekkers and a a symbol of the determination of was not far away, a few porters ran Teaching Hospital (pic, below) saved guide. “All the porters were his fellow porters and the rescue ahead to Machermo to alert the the life of this young man. On his way shocked, surprised and then post at Machermo. No porter medical staff. Within the hour, by helicopter to Kathmandu he delighted that the treatment was should have to face death to give the medical team raced back up remained unconscious and the free,” recalls Batchelor. She said Western trekkers the holiday of the valley to assist the seriously prognosis didn’t look good. But now cases ranged from life threatening a lifetime.  ill porter. he has been discharged from hospital altitude illness to pneumonia, Working to stabilise his neck, and although he faces a long measles and more common ailments (Wanda Vivequin is a Canada- the doctors fashioned a makeshift rehabilitation, the neurosurgeons are such as viral illnesses, diarrhoea, based IPPG volunteer.) Altitude Sickness The misconception that physical fitness and youth are shields against this indiscriminate illness is a popular and dangerous one. Young and feeble, old and fit, all are susceptible to altitude related illnesses. A previous healthy experience at high altitude can mean little, while preexisting ailments and illnesses do not preclude mountain sickness. To be sure, there are risk factors involved: rapid ascent, the actual altitude gained, altitude at which you sleep and individual susceptibility. Though the precise causes of mountain sickness continue to elude us, simple treatment is often critical: cease and stop climbing, and descend if symptoms do not ease or rather exacerbate after 24 hours. If resorting to medication, acetazolamide, known to us as Diamox, effectively reduces symptoms of AMS. Prevention is certainly better than cure. Acclimatisation is the natural and gradual regulation by the body to cope with altitude but is a random process varying from person to person. To get the required amount of oxygen at higher altitude our heart and lungs must work harder. At 5000m they are working twice as hard as they would at sea level. Allowing the body to acclimatise over the first 1-3 days at a particular altitude requires a flexible itinerary and is worth the while. Diamox is also used to prevent mountain sickness. 18 30 MAY - 5 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #147 Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY by Kunda Dixit The Robin sings othing could be more winning various awards, he than two decades ago as a Global Summit of Rogues fitting for Robin had to struggle for more than newscaster fresh out of N Sharma to celebrate five years before he hit the university with an MA in aving notched up a few more points in the 24 May, 2004 a quarter of a century in the mainstream. Till 1990 Robin English literature. A pioneer Transparency International Corruption Index Delegates Arrive music business than by was constantly in the public of the country’s first FM H (even overtaking pros such as Burkina Faso releasing an album. He eye till he took a seven-year channel, Radio Nepal FM,in Many will sneak in without paying visa fees while and Guinea Bissau) Nepal has won the bid to host says Silsila, his fourth hiatus. He made his others will smuggle vast quantities of contraband by 1995, Robin is disappointed the next Global Conference on Graft, it has been evading customs. This is standard operating album, is symbolic of his comeback with Sungava in by the increase of reliably learnt. procedure at such Summits. commitment to music and 1997, which in his own words, irresponsible broadcasting. This is indeed great recognition, since some of Opening Plenary appreciation for his “was not a commercial “They forgot their primary the world’s most renowned rascals will be here to Welcome Remarks by Nepali ex-Minister, broadcast listeners. The eight songs success, but it brought me responsibility towards deliberate for three days on how to swindle more live to the BICC from his jail cell. are an eclectic blend of back to my native element of educating listeners,” he says. efficiently, as well as to put finishing touches on the Keynote Speech Nepali folk, classical and an music. It helped me rebuild At 43 Robin’s music Universal Declaration on Plunder and State Capture. ‘You Can Run and You Can Hide’ by Baby Doc experimental fusion of ties with the music circle.” reflects a new maturity. He is Not only will the conference put Nepal firmly on Duvalier oriental melodies with Robin enjoys an equally particular about what he the world corruption map, it will also boost our Working Paper western symphonies. successful parallel career as sings and records, preferring convention industry at a time when tourism is going ‘How to Have Your Billions and Eat It Too’ by Jeff When Robin recorded a broadcaster with Radio to “play with lyrics” before he through a bit of a slump. At press time, according to Skilling. his first song in 1977 he Nepal where he is the makes an artistic the conference secretariat, more than 1,000 Free Lunch instantly became the deputy executive commitment to it. “A lyric has internationally-acclaimed thieves and knaves have blue-eyed boy of music director. He joined to strike some chord with my confirmed participation, and they include legendary Workshop 1: lovers. Despite the staterun life for me to feel comfortable biggies such as Idi Amin and Emperor Bokassa as E-banking Your Hard-earned Cash in Zurich service more singing it,” he says. While keynote speakers. Some other up-and-coming Big Executives from a consortium of Swiss and Cayman working on Silsila, he strove Names from a certain neighbouring country have said Island banks will be on hand to answer queries from to make sure they also they’ll attend, but are known to be still trying to potential depositers. Resource Person: Bong Bong represented the current bribe the organisers so they don’t have to pay the Marcos. trends in music. As a result, $1,000 registration fee. “Under the table negotiations the album features Workshop 2: are on-going,” whispered one staffer.. New Stealth Techniques to Combat collaborations with Meanwhile, the ex-Minister of Injustice and Transparency eight lyricists and Malfeasance in the 1997 coalition government, as Technological advances in that art of theft allows seven music chairman of the Main Organising Committee of the greed to grow by leaps and bounds. Find out how directors. So, what Kathmandu Summit of Rogues, is trying its best to from world famous money launderers. does the future use the occasion to showcase the great strides Nepal hold? “Music is has taken since democracy was restored in 1990 to Tea, Coffee with Cookies and Hard Cash. something I’ll be make corruption a way of life. Workshop 3 doing for a long time “Earlier only a few people used to be corrupt, but Correlation Between Corruption and Economic to come, so perhaps in the past 12 years we have democratised Growth another album to corruption. Now, everyone is corrupt,” the ex- Dani Kaufmann of the World Bank Institute reveals mark my next 25 minister boasted after pocketing a baksheesh we had empirical data for a modified inverted Kuznetz Curve years in the field!” to slip him in exchange for that on-the-record quote. showing economic growth is not possible without Says the veteran However, he added, there is no room for medium-to-high levels of corruption. singer.  competency. With the dissolution of parliament Workshop 4 there is real danger that corruption will once more be Conscience and the Fourth Commandment (or MIN BAJRACHARYA centralised, and that is why we have to fight that Is It the Sixth?) tooth-and-nail by burning tyres on the streets and How to do ignore your inner voice. Guru Shri stoning cars to regain our freedom of embezzlement. Nagadnarayan Thugastakacharya demonstrates Meanwhile, a draft agenda for the Kathmandu meditation therapy to indulge in hanky panky without Summit of the World’s Top Scoundrels has just been irritating pangs of conscience. released which looks like this: Tyrants’ Networking Evening.

500 ml

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