#48 22 - 28 June 2001 20 pages Rs 20 GO, MANGO ! 10,11,12

Under My Hat Mental Clinic EXCLUSIVE 1 June 15:00 Prince Gyanendra leaves Chitwan for Sharpening knives Pokhara by helicopter. He had arrived a week Parliament begins its budget session from earlier for a field inspection of King Mahendra Monday and King Gyanendra will address a joint sitting of both Houses soon after. There Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) is a lot of business to catch up with: elect a activities. From Pokhara he was to fly to the third of the Upper House, approve the foothills Mt Manaslu to inaugurate micro- 4 DAYS, 3 KINGS budget, pass critical bills including one to set hydro plants and inspect projects. up an anti-Maoist paramilitary force. The 16:00 Nepali Times has pieced together this chronology of four days in June based king’s choice of four new Upper House MPs will be analysed for any hints of dramatic After having a late lunch with his parents on exclusive interviews with high-level sources, eyewitnesses and testimonies change in palace policy. Political parties are Crown Prince Dipendra drives to the National already sharpening their knives to resume Sports Council’s complex in Satdobato to included in the probe panel report. their harassment of Prime Minister Girija check out preparations for the forthcoming can’t stand straight. His brother and cousins GRAPHIC: BILASH RAI Koirala. This time, they are expected to national games. He stops at the swimming take him to his room. Dipendra talks about focus on his perceived mishandling of the 6 post-royal massacre scenario. But the main pool complex, the shooting range and the having discussed wedding plans with his opposition UML’s position on the massacre newly built squash courts. mother and grandmother, and says both did has now diverged from three of its six 17:30 not agree. He also says he will talk to his father member left alliance. Dipendra returns to the palace to on Sunday. Koirala is also regrouping, resuming his accompany his parents to a tea gathering at the 21:00 strategy to rope in party dissidents. He may even consider quitting if the opposition house of the Bada Gurju in Dilli Bazar. King Birendra 7 parties let the budget pass. “He’s not the 18:30 enters the 3 type to go under pressure,” one Koirala aide The royal family returns to the palace after Billiard Room. 5 told us. “But if they leave him alone, he may which King Birendra goes to his office and Dipendra be tempted to go.” The centre-right RPP is Queen Aishwarya to her bungalow. Dipendra appears soon 3 also caught between the two big players: Surya Bahadur Thapa, president, wants the heads to the Tribhuvan Sadan, where the after, armed with RPP to vote with the UML in the National family is to meet for dinner later in the evening. at least four weapons. 1 Assembly. But Rabindra Nath Sharma wants He tries some shots at the billiards table by He shoots at the ceiling and 2 the party to ally with the Congress. Thapa himself, downs one or two pegs of Famous at his father and two cousins. He 4 2 has already expelled two Sharma supporters. Grouse whiskey. backs out, reappears and sprays his uncle Another RPP leader Pasupati Rana— Devyani’s father—has more important 19:25 Dhirendra who tries to stop him, and other family matters to take care of. The crown prince sends his ADC away relatives. He comes in the third time and The other issue that could rally the and royal invitees begin arriving soon after. shoots another volley. Then he goes outside opposition: the 4 June formulation of the Dipendra serves drinks to some of the early and shoots his mother and brother at close “Public Security Regulations” giving local comers, and at 20:00 goes to fetch Queen range. By 21:05 it is all over. See p. 3 administrators powers to detain, arrest and
Ratna. King Birendra arrives at 20:30 and restrict the movement of potential 1 Crown Prince enters room several times 2 Sprays King Birendra repeatedly 3 Royal relatives rush to king’s spends some time with his mother. By then “troublemakers”. Lawyers are challenging the aid, some are killed 4 Others hide behind sofas 5 Nirajan is killed while sheilding Queen Aishwarya rules in court. Dipendra is “intoxicated, stammering” and 6 Queen’s body found on landing 7 Dipendra is found near pond

use original hp TESTIMONY by DR UPENDRA DEVKOTA inks and paper At Chhauni, 1-4 June 2001 The army jeep with red lights flashing banged into two cars on the street as it careened past the sheet. He lifted the sheet and said, “This is Her Bagmati Bridge intersection and pulled into Norvic hospital at about 2200 hrs on the night of 1 Majesty the Queen.” The whole upper part of her June. A uniformed royal ADC rushed out and whisked neurosurgeon Dr Upendra Devkota from his head had been blown off. Before I could react, he clinic. “The Crown Prince has bullet injuries, we are going to Chhauni,” he told a dazed Dr took me to the next stretcher on the floor, and Devkota. Cars, motorcylces and people struggled to get out of the way as the jeep, speeding lifted the sheet, and said: “This is His Royal sometimes at 80 km/h, made the journey from Thapathali to Chhauni in less than four minutes. Highness Prince Nirajan, gone already. This is Princess Sarada.” Following are excerpts from an exclusive Nepali Times interview with Dr Devkota about the By this time, I’d seen enough. He took me to unimaginable sight that greeted him at the trauma hall of the army hospital that Friday night, and the next stretcher where a patient was still being his recollection of the events of the next three days: resuscitated and he said, “Princess Sruti”. At last I Always Clear he way the army chap was driving, I knew was shown into the hall and taken to the first saw someone still alive. But she was in poor Always Sharp something was very wrong with the Crown patient on the left. He was extremely pale, blood- shape, her heart was barely beating, pulse was t Prince. At the hospital, there were military splattered beige kamij and suruwal, grey hair, a not palpable, after a quick look there were no personnel swarming at the gate, people were Sai Baba locket around his neck, he was being obvious external injuries, so at first glance it could running around. It is obvious in retrospect that ambulated. I didn’t know who this patient was, but I have been internal bleeding or a nemothorax. But * Stay away from imitations and refills those who brought me wanted me to go upstairs knew from a distance that he was lifeless. I looked there were doctors looking after her and there was

Authorised Distributor: to the Crown Prince first, but others already there at his eyes, felt his pulse, and said he’s gone. no head injury, so Dr Shrestha rushed me off back dragged me to the main hall for trauma victims. Dr Khagendra Shrestha then arrived and took to the same first very pale patient with the Sai Baba locket I had seen while coming in, and he said: ComputerLand Building, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu So some were saying this way doctor, others me diagonally to the other side of the hall, Tel: 431199, 431746, 430858-9 Fax: 430641 were saying upstairs doctor. All I knew till then murmuring: “Disaster, everybody has been “This is His Majesty.” Email: [email protected] The Total Solutions Company was that the Crown Prince had bullet injuries. I massacred.” There was a body covered with a See p. 6

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Biratnagar Pokhara ~ With 6Mbps bandwidth -- fastest intetnet access in Nepal one world. one link. Narayanghat ~ Over 700 telephone lines -- no busy singnals ! Business Advantage/wlink/0106 ~ 2 VSAT Stations at different locations -- no “link down” ~ Reliable and friendly customer support www.wlink.com.np 2 EDITORIAL 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Anagha Neelakantan, Design: Swosti Rajbhandari, Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah, Anup Adhikary [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista, [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 ELVIS IS ALIVE You can easily wake up people who are asleep. But it is more difficult to wake up someone pretending to sleep. We are still in denial: because we think the plausible is not possible. Numbed by shock, starved of facts, we just don’t want to believe the awful truth. Our hunger for credible information is incredible. But there we have it: this was not a crime of ambition, it was a crime of passion. Helped along by mind-altering chemicals, a fatal fetish for firearms, an unbending and unreasonble family, an attachment so consuming that everything—even the kingdom—was secondary. (A circular etymological reality brings us back to square one: the word “assassin” is derived via Medieval Latin and French from the Arabic “hashsashin”, someone who smokes hashish). The Keshab Prasad Upadhaya probe committee report put a

lot of doubts to rest about the question of responsibility. By Nepali SUBHAS RAI standards, and given the limited time frame, this was a remarkably thorough job. But because it was raw, there was often contradictory information, there were bound to be holes. The rambling, unedited testimonies are rich in imprecise trivia (red sari, black substance) and poor in vital details. Why were post mortems not carried out, STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL was Dipendra’s blood tested for narcotics and alcohol? If not, why not? Besides, motive was not in the probe panel’s terms of reference. To put these questions to rest and to bolster the facts we know to be true, the government, the palace and parliament must get the ball From regal to royal rolling on a long-term, all-encompassing and independent commis- sion of inquiry with wider terms of reference. These must include a test of the existing frozen plasma sample to determine the nature of the Was the head of government not allowed to accompany the head of narcotics, if any, in it. It must examine the then Crown Prince’s medical state in the royal carriage because his head wasn’t shaved? and psychological past, whether or not he was on anti-depressants and what type of narcotics he had taken, there must be a thorough magine an ace conservationist next to a like making a priest eat the forbidden meal the official mourning period has been forensic and ballistic re-examination of the evidence, a probe into stuffed tiger frozen in an upright attack (katto) and then chasing him out of the decreasing from one year to forty-five days possible motive(s). i position. Or sitting with his shoes resting Valley does is get us coverage in the and then to one month and finally to One investigation is not enough. There will be a tendency to brush on a snow leopard pelt in the royal international press. Souls of departed kings thirteen days where it rests now. Maybe if awkward royal secrets under the carpet, to keep princely peccadilloes audience chamber. And then put his could do without the tears of priests made we reduced it to a day, or three days at the under wraps. But the need to find the absolute truth about what hap- personal friends in the Worldwide Fund outcast by their greed. most, it will make the lives of daily wage pened at Narayanhiti on the night of 1 June is not just a royal matter for Nature in the picture. Shocking? It There is nothing wrong per se with the earners less miserable and they will bless the anymore—this kingdom’s future is tied up with it. No doubt, an investi- would have been, but nothing about practice of Hindus going around town with departed souls in right earnest? The well-off gation on this scale cannot be done in three days or a week. It may Narayanhiti shocks us anymore. tonsured heads to show their grief. It is a had their ATM cards to extract cash, but even take a year. And despite that the case will not completely close. In the days when the competition relatively innocent practice, and barbers did the rest of us had to borrow around. But another, more comprehensive, investigation of this type will between a carnivorous animal and a hunter their bit by agreeing to provide free service There are some less obvious vestiges of satisfy a lot more people. Theories of imperialist plots and masked (with nothing more than a spear in his to those willing to have their heads shaved past dogma. Unless someone in the palace gunmen will endure. Like those who think Elvis is still alive and hands) was more or less even, game trophies in the first week of June. But the now tells the bosses of state-controlled those who think that Lee Harvey Oswald was innocent, symbolised human triumph over beasts. government made a mockery of this custom media that the head of state of Tuvalu (area: conspiracists will always be among us. Tribal chieftains decorated their camps with when it issued a formal order that forced all 10 sq m, population 9,100) congratulating As for the rest of us: let us now at least pretend to be awake. the heads of dead animals to intimidate male civil servants to become skinheads. our king on his enthronement is not possible competitors. However, after the When we didn’t see the Prime Minister headline news, the poor bureaucrats are Chinese invented gunpowder and Indians in the carriage of the newly crowned king, unlikely to dare discontinue the tradition trained elephants in kheda, hunting was one of the explanations doing the rounds of which says that any news that has the name reduced to little more than a blood sport Kathmandu’s notorious rumour-mill was of His Majesty in it is headline news. And if with little connection to providing nutrition that the head of government was not the new king doesn’t change this, no one to the hunter. allowed to accompany the head of state in else will do so anytime soon. Ownership of stuffed animals—along the royal carriage because his head wasn’t In anything that concerns the king or with mink coats and shahtoosh shawls— is shaved. Such is the stranglehold of fossilised the palace, there is nothing that anybody not considered politically correct anymore. tradition over our psyche that many of us other than the king himself can do. It is for In fact, displaying the fur of endangered believed this seemingly ludicrous the king to drag the palace establishment species is in downright bad taste. The interpretation of a very conspicuous lapse from the shackles of the past and set it on a interior decorators of Narayanhiti have on the part of the palace officials. course that will make the Nepali monarchy always been known for their bias towards The Prime Minister and leader of the a modern, relevant institution that plays a kitsch. A constitutional king who is a opposition in the Pratinidhi Sabha offering catalytic role in social transformation, hunter-turned-conservationist does not coins to the newly crowned king appeared economic development and political need these props, they are more suited to cabalistic to the whole world watching this stability of this country. Our monarchy absolute monarchs or Bollywood baddies. sombre event on their television screens. doesn’t need to rely on that poor stuffed OS Even in the mumbo jumbo of This custom must have been important tiger in the corner standing on its hind legs superstition, vibrations emanating from when feuding nobles and squabbling with a permanent, silent roar on its face to stuffed animals constitute bad Feng Shui, courtiers paid their tributes and took an prove itself. Nepal’s monarchy has its place and it’s inauspicious Vastu to let game oath of continuing allegiance, but it looked in the Constitution of the Kingdom of PSYCHOANALYSING A NATION trophies cast dark shadows over the less than respectful towards the elected Nepal 1990; and even more importantly, in (From: Critical Theory Today by Lois Tyson. Garland, 1999) occupants of a palace. representatives of the sovereign people. the hearts of common Nepalis.
Décor reminiscent of a bygone era is Perhaps more comfortable at raising his fist, “Our unconscious desire not to recognise or change our destructive bad enough, but worse is the tyranny of comrade Madhav Nepal behaviour—because we have formed our identity around it and dead traditions, archaic language and looked distinctly ill at because we are afraid of what we will find if we examine it too antiquated customs. The institution of ease carrying out this closely—is served by our defences. Defences are the processes by monarchy is not only a link with the past, it ritual darshan of a which we keep the repressed repressed in order to avoid knowing gives sustenance to a society in the constitutional head of what we feel we can’t handle knowing. turbulence of the present and promises to state of a kingdom where Defences include selective perception (hearing and seeing only inspire its journey towards an uncertain he himself is an elected what we feel we can handle), selective memory (modifying our future. Such an important institution and popular leader. memories so that we don’t feel overwhelmed by them or forgetting should not be allowed to remain prisoner to There are scores of painful events entirely), denial (believing that the problem does not the palace bureaucracy. Courtiers, by other practices that have exist or the unpleasant incident never happened), avoidance their very nature, are more interested in clearly outlived their (staying away from people or situations that are liable to make us preserving the status quo (their own utility and need to be anxious by stirring up some unconscious—i.e., repressed— interests are tied with it) than ensuring reformed to suit the needs experience or emotion), displacement (“taking it out” on someone or that the king becomes a personification of the Internet age. To something less threatening than the person who caused our fear, of the zeitgeist. take a glaring example,

hurt, frustration, or anger), and projection (ascribing our fear, What is given continuity in the name of when grief is a matter of DHRUBA ALE problem, or guilty desire to someone else, and condemning them hoary traditions are nothing more than the heart, why close the for it, in order to deny that we have it ourselves).” antiquated customs borne out of dead mind for thirteen days in habits of ancestors. All that an arcane ritual a row? Over the decades, NATION 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 3

From p. 3
23:00 13:00 21:20 By this time, King Birendra, An official announcement finally The first injured start arriving at Queen Aishwarya, Prince Nirajan, says King Birendra and Queen the army hospital in Chhauni. In the Princess Sruti, Princess Shanti, Aishwarya are dead. It proclaims confusion no one thinks about Sarada and Kumar Khadga are Dipendra king, and Gyanendra regent. informing the prime minister. Raj dead inside the trauma hall of the 16:00 Sabha chairman Keshar Jung army hospital. Word starts Dignitaries gather at Chhauni for 3 Rayamajhi is alerted (by whom he spreading in Kathmandu’s elite the start of the funeral procession for does not say) at 21:45 and the police circles by mobiles and landlines. the king, queen, prince and princess. It 2 chief Pradeep Sumshere Rana at Doctors work in the operation takes three hours for the procession to BILASH RAI 21:15 by the ADC office. The Army theatre to save the crown prince, get to Pashupati and the cremation, 4 Chief reaches the hospital at 22:10, Dhirendra and other injured. another two hours. Funeral procession and the home secretary finds out at is stoned at Swayambhu and the prime 6 2 June only 23:00 or so. minister’s car is damaged. 21:30 00:45 In Pokhara a surviving royal A royal Super Puma helicopter 3 June 7 family member rings Prince 9N-RAJ takes off from Kathmandu 7:00 Gyanendra at Himgriha and, so as to and tries to penetrate dense clouds A fuzzy statement by the regent not to worry him too much, just says towards Pokhara, but after trying broadcast over radio and television 5 there has been a shooting. As he for half-an-hour returns to finally tells the Nepali public that four 1 prepares to leave by road, the prince Kathmandu. Prince Gyanendra is members of the royal family died from gets another call at 22:00. It is Brig informed in Pokhara, and starts off “a sudden discharge of an automatic 8 Tika Dhamala, who says there had by road soon after, escorted by a weapon”. Hordes of foreign 1 West Gate 2 Tribhuvan Sadan (Crown Prince residence) 3 Shri Sadan (King and Queen residence) been an accident, and he is needed at security detail of 16 army vehicles. mediapersons already in Kathmandu 4 Mahendra Manjil (Queen Mother’s residence) 5 New South Gate 6 Royal Palace 7 Palace Secretariat the hospital and a helicopter is on its 05:15 pooh-pooh the statement in their 8 Durbar Marg way to fetch him. The prince is asked At first light, the helicopter dispatches, the Nepali public smells not to leave until the helicopter takes off from Kathmandu again to conspiracy. should now be declared king. Other enough, and says that as leader of the Tear gas fills the air. arrives. He waits until two in the rendezvous with Prince Gyanendra 09:00 members of the Privy Council approve opposition Nepal should also be a 11:00 morning by which time he has been at Gajuri on the Prithvi Highway. From early morning people visit with their silence. Gyanendra says that member. They leave it at that, and Gyanendra is proclaimed third told what happened. It returns with the prince and lands the pyres at Aryaghat, as if to confirm is something for the Raj Parishad to the people hear the king name the king in four days. As street protests 22:50 at Chhauni by 06:30. what they saw on TV the previous decide. Then the prime minister says committee on national media the get more serious, curfew is Keshar Jung Rayamajhi calls 06:30 night. Many take their children along. the Parishad would formalise it, and same evening. announced from 15:30. King Prime Minister Girija Koirala and tells Prince Gyanendra makes the Others begin flocking to Narayanhiti that he would have to sit on the 09:00 Gyanendra is enthroned at Naasal him the king had a “serious heart rounds of the ICU at Chhauni to to sign the condolence book. The first throne. Others present agree. Madhav The Privy Council meets again to Chowk, he rides in a carriage attack”. Is that what he was told? If he inspect the dead and injured and is signs of trouble in Darbar Marg, Kumar Nepal then suggests that an declare Gyanendra king. Police try to procession to Narayanhiti past streets knows what really happened, why briefed by medical personnel. He Baneswor and Jamal as thousands of investigation on the 1 June incident stop protesters from entering guarded by the army. doesn’t he give the correct informa- meets the prime minister and other angry and shocked citizens gather. should be announced after the Kantipath where Bahadur Bhawan is 15:30 tion? Koirala dresses to go to the officials. Discussions focus on the Many are mourners, but enthronement. located. Immediately after being Dipendra’s funeral procession hospital when Pashupati Maharjan, condition of the crown prince and troublemakers in the crowd begin The meeting becomes tense again. named king, Gyanendra tells the heads towards Pashupati in a truck chief palace secretary, comes to get the succession. The option of throwing stones at police and chanting Rayamajhi interjects: “Won’t it be people that there will be a “thorough along the curfew-bound Ring him. One the way to the palace regent is brought up. anti-Gyanendra and anti-India enough if the king addresses the investigation” of the palace massacre Road. At least six people are killed Maharjan tells Koirala that the king 07:00 slogans. In the absence of official nation?” Nepal is adamant, saying the because there are no more legal and in police firing, and hundreds of was shot. The two stop briefly at the Despite a news blackout, word information, wild rumours sweep people will not be satisfied by a royal constitutional obstacles. suspected Maoists, said to have palace for a briefing by the military of the massacre spreads like wildfire Kathmandu. address after the entire family of the 10:00 infiltrated the demonstrators, are through the streets of Kathmandu. secretary, and cut him off as soon as 4 June king who gave them the constitution But by then, organised street rounded up. Two daily newspapers have the Koirala is told the king and queen 03:45 had been massacred. The prime protests begin. Thousands are 21:00 story splashed on their front pages were shot and heads to the hospital. King Dipendra dies at Chhauni. minister steps in and supports Nepal, brought in trucks from the outskirts King Gyanendra addresses the and sell out immediately. Rayamajhi is there and the Chief 08:00-8:30 as do the speaker and the royal palace of the city, taxis are commandeered nation on radio and television and 09:00 Justice and House Speaker also arrive. Palace officials, the cabinet and chief secretary. Then they discuss the by protesters and converge at the names a three-man probe team, Raj Sabha meets at Bahadur No one can tell the government opposition figures meet at the hospital committee’s nature: Nepal wants the city centre. By mid-morning there including Madhav Nepal. Nepal is Bhawan in Kanti Path to discuss officials the exact details, and they just library to again discuss succession. Chief Justice to head it. The Chief are about 10,000 people in forced by his party the next day to succession. stand around. Rayamajhi tells King Gyanendra he Justice suggests that would not be Kamaladi, Jamal and Ghanta Ghar. resign from the committee. LETTERS ROYAL TRAGEDY joint session of both houses issuing to be treated fairly and equally. bad times. Then 1 June hap- The point you make in your a joint statement together? Inviting A Lamichhane pened. But the time has now editorial (“I may die, let my the Maoist moderates to take part? Thanks to the internet, I could read Maybe our silly Nepali politicians by email come to let the past be, and have nation live on”, #46) needs to be New rules for royal succession CK Lal’s “Tribute to history” (#46) will give Gyanendra a chance. a vision for the future of our emphasised over and over that—dare we hope—might and it moved me like nothing else Baburam Bhattarai is wrong: The political situation in Nepal is Nepal. Monarchy is the symbol of again. In Nepal, kings have consider female descendants? in recent times. I have read Nepalis love their kings whosoever very volatile, as unexpected events our national unity. Let us hope prospered only in communion with Chandra Surya innumerable articles, comments, they may be. Long live the king of have occurred one after another in that there is no day in the future democracy. Of nearly a dozen via email responses and views during the Nepal last few days. A mass killing called when we will hear people say, Shah rulers, only three stand out, aftermath of the massacre, but Rakam Rai Kot Parba took place in 1846 when “King Gyanendra was so good to King Prithvi Narayan Shah, for his My first encounter with late King none have stirred me like this one. by email King Rajendra, the ancestor of us; it’s too bad we never let His thrust on nationalism and direct Birendra was in 1967. I was stuck at Mr Lal speaks of the need to take a present king, was ruler. Jung Majesty know how we truly felt.” rapport with the people (recall and Lukla airport with an overshoot, and positive attitude and to move As if the shock of 1 June was not Bahadur orchestrated the murder of There’s no time like the present... re-read his Divyopdesh), King there was no way to get word out. forward, he offers a message of enough, we had to endure the press most political heavyweights in the Sujala Pant, Tribhuvan for his joining hands The then crown prince Birendra hope, and of learning lessons from conference addressed by House Kot courtyard. He was not punished, Shanghai, People’s Republic of with the people’s struggle against had just started flying lessons and the tragedy. Why can’t more Nepali Speaker Taranath Ranabhat. What but made prime minister. King China the Ranas and for ushering in he came on a search and rescue writers be like him? was this, a sitcom on tv or the Rajendra was weak, so Jung multi-party democracy, and King flight to locate me the next Bibek Pandey presentation of the probe report to Bahadur had to prevail in the The conclusion of the probe Birendra, for conceding political morning. Even as a trainee, by email the people? Why was everyone larger interest of the country. Had panel blaming the crown prince space to Constitutional Monarchy Birendra was already thinking like laughing? What was Mr he not, Nepal would have become for the royal massacre was an eye no matter howsoever, reluctantly. any mature pilot. Another episode This time, CK Lal is right (“A tribute Ranabhat trying to a part of British India. A section wash. This explanation was Any king who tries to ignore this in Pokhara proved to me King to history”, #46). Birendra was a do? Be cool? He of people believe that whoever the indigestible and hard to believe link between the palace and the Birendra’s priority was Nepal’s good king. Maybe Dipendra could made a fool of culprit in the massacre of 1 June for Nepalis. But I feel we have no people-or parliament—would put development. I was ferrying text have been good king. But now himself and the may be, questions should not be choice but to accept it. Speaker the monarchy in the crisis of books by plane to Baglung and Gyanendra is the king, so let’s all whole nation in front raised if they affect the continuity Taranath Ranabhatt’s antics at survival. It is equally true in had to make 54 roundtrips to get help him become a good king. of international of kingship in Nepal. Nepal is a the press conference was today’s Nepal that it is not ready all the books out in time for the media. small country and is vulnerable to irreverent and showed a lack of for a republican polity, particularly new school year. But the king was Manit Upadhyaya vandalism, separatists, incapable sensitivity for such a solemn because those who swear by residing in Pokhara with his whole by email leaders, incapable people (who occasion. The journalists democracy have not been able to entourage around the lakeside choose the leaders) and other attending were no less guilty in rise above their ego conflicts, palace, and I would be buzzing How can we trust our threats. In such a situation, the king making light of this event. It is family nepotism and political them all day with my plane. A few rulers? We were told gives us a sense of hope and shameful that such a high-ranking opportunism. The parties years later, the king was in from the first day it was assurance, even if he is as good as Nepali official showed poor that are asking for the abolition of Surkhet, and I was doing food an accident, and then a stone god. judgement and poor taste in front monarchy, directly or in a covert shuttles to Jumla. Although I was the government put Neputra of the entire world. Nepal now manner would not be able to win flying noisily all day from before journalists in jail. Our Birganj needs all parties to cooperate, over the larger mass of Nepali dawn to finish the shuttles by leaders think Nepalis reflect on the future and change people. dusk, there was no complaint are still in a 150 year old Over the last two weeks, we have the present. SD Muni from the royal camp. I am sure time warp. They aren’t today, seen just how much King Birendra Sudan Shrestha Singapore the king had a hand in allowing Nepalis will not take lies from meant to the people. The saying Dharan

the flights in Pokhara and Surkhet RAVI MANANDHAR officials any more. This is fair “You don’t know what you’ve got In the spirit of being a well wisher to go on. As a person who considers and clear warning to our new king until it’s gone” is so applicable to CORRECTION for this wonderful country of ours Nepal my second home, I am and our elected officials: don’t this moment in Nepali history. We Soaltee Enterprises, and not we should do everything to move shocked and saddened like all take the people for granted, don’t always seemed to have taken Surya Enterprises (“All the king’s forward. It is a critical period. A Nepalis by the royal tragedy. insult them. We have the right for monarchy for granted; that the king businesses”, #47) handles royal unique opportunity to find in Capt Hardy Fuerer right information, we have the right and queen would always be there to investments in the Soaltee adversity hope for the future. A Kathmandu to use our right, and we have right invisibly guide us through good and Group. —Ed 4 NATION 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES Rajeev also came and helped. I her)…again he served drinks, then at couldn’t tell where he was hit… about 8:30 His Majesty arrived. At Birendra dai tried to get up. And he that time Dai (Dipendra) was with us was holding a… I said leave this and inside, in the room where the incident “I was hit. Sruti took cradled me. snatched it. The magazine came out took place. He seemed drunk and fell, and I threw it away. Sometime later as if he had passed out and was down there was a bang, Sani diju (Princess on the floor. Gorkah, Nirajan, Rajeev Then Dipendra came and shot her.” Shanti) came running in. There was a and myself picked him up and told shot from outside and my maili him we were taking him to his room bhauju (middle sister-in-law, Queen because Thulobuba had already come. - Kumar Gorakh Komal) fell, then I saw that Gorakh We took him up but did not put him had been hit. He (Dipendra) was still in bed, we put him down on a floor coming in and Dhirendra said ‘Babu, mattress. At around 8:31-32 we The details are so horrific and gory that reading it is not for the eyewitnesses, but none of them have any doubts about who that’s enough’. He had just finished turned off the lights and came down. faint-hearted. The 300+ page report is made up mostly of raw did it. saying that when he was shot. His Majesty spent about half-an-hour unedited testimonies from eyewitnesses, medical personnel The Nepali public has an image of Dipendra which is a Immediately after Dai (King Birendra) with the Queen Mother. Then he and security staff. Some of the accounts are rambling and composite of what the palace wanted us to know. But family confused, others are contradictory. The royal relatives who members are now coming out with hush-hush stories about were in the Tribhuvan Room were interviewed less than a Dipendra’s past behaviour: an easy-going and pampered “Baba, you have done enough damage.” week after the massacre. Many said they could not recall crown prince used to getting what he wanted, his gun fetish, - Prince Dhirendra exact details because things happened so fast, and also his previous shooting sprees, his violent outbursts in which because of the shock and grief. Princess Sruti and other relatives and friends had been There are unconfirmed details: did the fatally wounded victims, his frequent drink and drug-induced rage. One bout of fell, Sruti came saying “Bua, Buba”, came to the room where the incident King Birendra try to reach for a gun that Dipendra threw? Was viciousness was on his birthday almost exactly a year ago. but seeing her husband she said “Eh took place. The king had just taken a the person in the red sari seen by a waiter running into the ba timilai pani lagyo?” (You have also drink. We had not even said cheers, Dipendra carried his MP-5 submachine guns wherever he been hit?”) and rushed towards we were in a corner and did not see garden Queen Aishwarya? How many times did Dipendra go went. Palace officials were used to him frequently blazing him….Then she fell. After shooting the crown prince coming… that’s the out of the room, and why? Where exactly were the ADC’s away at crows, cats and bats in the palace grounds. In fact, bhai (Dhirendra) he shot his sister. corner where we usually stayed, we during the whole episode? How long did the shooting last? Any when the first shots were fired, sources told us the Queen After that he shot His Majesty again youngs (sic) used to stay there so (the eyewitnesses to Dipendra’s suicide? Why wasn’t the queen Mother remarked: “There he goes shooting cats again.” and he fell…actually he killed him elders) didn’t see us smoking. I did mother interviewed? The following is an unofficial translation by Nepali Times that third time.” not see him coming, I only came to There is inconsistency in the exact timing of various of excerpts from the commission’s transcripts of eyewit- know he had come when the first shot

events. There are differences in the recollections of ness testimonies: was fired. He fired three rounds as he

○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ came in, His Majesty had just asked ‘What are you doing?’ Bang, bang, he the others), I opened the door and was hit here and here (pointing). His stepped out. The Queen Mother was Majesty fell. Dr Rajeev and I were behind me…I then entered the together. Both of us rushed to him. Billiard Room…and looked all Dr Rajeev reached His Majesty, but I around. Everyone was on the ground. was stopped by Princess Shoba. I Dhirendra was crying in pain. I rushed went back and told the sisters to take back to the Queen Mother and told cover and lie low. At about this time her everyone except Dhirendra were the Crown Prince came in again. I saw dead. She asked where is the king. Prince Paras: “We reached there a him shoot at His Majesty. I saw him Paras said I have sent him to hospital little after 7:30, about 7:40. Everyone shoot Dhirendra. When he was already. Then she asked where were else had come. Mummy, myself, sister returning the second time Dhirendra the queen and Nirajan. At that time and Himani (wife) were a little late. said ‘Baba, you have done enough the two stepped out. The Queen was The Crown Prince appeared like he damage’. No sooner had he said that, Queen Komal: “I was present at the Princess Helen Shah (King in front and Nirajan was following…I drifted towards the Billiard Room. had already had some cocktails. (He than bang-bang one hit him here family gathering at Tribhuvan Sadan Birendra’s aunt): (She was sitting don’t know where. Then we went to The crown prince was not there. asked) what would you like? I decided (pointing). Then he fell, and after that that day. I learnt that the crown prince with the Queen Mother in the hospital.” Dhirendra told me that four people to have just a Coke. ‘I have been it was one after another, I cannot had gone to rest early. Sometime later anteroom, heard gunshots and some had taken him (Dipendra) to his drinking whiskey,’ he said. He was ok recall. I had already turned back and there was a burst of gunfire and the people running in the garden. She Princess Shoba Shahi (King room. Then we entered the Billiard until that time, but seemed intoxi- was helping the sisters to take cover. I bullets hit the ceiling. After that I saw thought the youngsters were playing. Birendra’s youngest sister, now Room. A while later, he (Dipendra) cated. (When I asked) what happened saw His Majesty, Kumar Gorakh and that King Birendra had been hit on the In the end she heard one or two shots. recuperating in hospital). “It was appeared in combat clothes (sobs), he he said: ‘We’ve been discussing Kumar Khadga fall, more or less at the right side of his neck. Kumar Khadga Then there was silence.) “About 7-8 our normal Third Friday gathering. had a big gun. He did not talk, all of marriage. I spoke with mua (his same time. It was the MP-5 that had and Kumar Gorakh were also shot. minutes after that Paras came running No argument, no discussion it was us were there, and there was the mother) and with Afumuma (Queen hit the three, this was the same MP-5 Then I was hit in the back and I fell (and told us). After hearing that just a gathering. He (Dipendra) had sound of gunshots…We did not think Mother), both have said no.’ This was which His Majesty picked up. down… (Princess) Shanti had fallen ‘Amumuma dai-le ta Thulobuba served drinks and then gone to fetch that he intended to kill, we thought about eight o’clock. Princess Sobha took it away and over me, and I could not see anything dekhi liyara sabai jana lai goli hanyo’ Mummy (Queen Mother)…After the gun had gone off by mistake. At around eight the Queen removed the magazine, and put it after that.” (Dipendra shot King Birendra and all chatting with our mothers we all Birendra dai fell. I went and held him. Mother came, (Dipendra had fetched down on the floor. Maybe she

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK Smile, you’re on camera LONDON: A short visit to this self-regarding centre of the universe was an Here we were, congratulating ourselves with mutual backpats about our splendid work opportunity not to be missed, given the intensive turmoil and pained

introspection going on in Kathmandu. The occasion was an awards on behalf of the poor, and where were those with first hand experience? ○○○○○ banquet, an evening of glitter and cocktails to honour the best of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “development journalism”. I came away without an award but chockfull of The nominees for the various categories were very, very good, almost all wondering about a few things. For one, where were the producers and thoughts, opinions and ideas — the columnists stock-in-trade. of the them well-meaning, compassionate and hard-hitting. From a BBC journalists from the developing world itself? Here we were, congratulating First impressions count so as I hurried into the five star hotel ballroom, colleague in Africa, a withering look at how safari tourism in the exquisite ourselves with mutual backpats about our splendid work on behalf of the the receptors were turned up to maximum absorption rate. Odd thing, I Serengeti National Park was displacing local people; how callow visitors poor, and where were those with first hand experience? In fact, it took a thought, to pay homage to coverage of poverty and humanitarian issues at a believed it was all for the better, that it was okay to banish entire special category award funded by the World Bank to recognize work done $100 dollar a plate dinner. The master of ceremonies, a respected communities or families because their maize patches were an eyesore for the in distant lands, and even then the winners were Americans. Never mind television anchorman in Britain, made the obligatory observation that we hard-currency-and-cameras crowd. Another highlight was a twisted yet that their film about the searing South African Truth and Reconciliation should be having a bowl of rice and African mealy meal, just to set the tone wonderful look at racism in Britain. A bearded comedian, the British born commission was powerful beyond belief. The runner-up in the category right. I nodded sagely and sipped some expensive wine. son of Iranian parents, took a group of Iraqi Kurdish refugees out for a was my personal favourite of the evening: a film from Cambodia about a night in the most socially conservative part of northern England. Through group of tribesmen digging a trench across their country to lay fibre optic laughter, we learnt just how bad it still is out there. cables. It was delicious irony, of the saddest possible variety. A radio documentary into the use of rape as a weapon in Bosnia brought The night belonged to a soap opera though. Soul City is produced tears of anger, then a feeling of deep admiration for the survivors of by an NGO in South Africa and its the country’s most popular television unspeakable Balkan atrocities. It was a useful reminder of just how programme. We watched an episode about domestic violence but almost horrible that conflict continues to be. Amnesty International’s every other social issue imaginable has been covered. Soul City advertising campaign against British and German arms exports, especially entertain, enlightens and educates and it reaches about 80 per cent of the implements of torture, pricked the conscience but probably did very little urban black population — a shining example of the good work that media to influence the arms merchants. Blurry images from Dubai of the annual can do, freed of the shackles of government interference and Murdoch- OS convention of dealers in death interspersed with pictures of a smiling style profit seeking. English salesman testing an electric shock device that eventually ended up This all took place as traumatized Nepalis were hearing about the in Indonesia, part of the torture cupboards in ex-President Suharto’s horrendous rampage at the royal palace three weeks ago, and if nothing intelligence agencies. else, the evening taught me that many, many people have immense As the evening went on, and disappointment at finishing second eased challenges in their lives. All that remains is to get on with it, and give it with each glass of wine, my reflexive cynicism kicked in and started me your best shot. Smile for the camera.
NATION 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 5 guns. Also perhaps a pistol. I think I running towards us and stood behind

saw that much. I don’t know the King Birendra trying to support him. Soon, the Children’s War? “I saw him (Dipendra Shah) coming in make of the machine gun. But when …I think I saw the queen rushing ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ he held up the gun there was a flash. I out…” There’s a relatively new but alarmingly fast-growing phenomenon from the main door in combat thought this is the end, that was when that needs the attention of Nepali child and human rights activitsts. uniform carrying two machine guns.” I was hit. I fell. I could not move. Ketaki Chester (Prince The recent Global Report on Child Soldiers 2001 released last Then my wife (Sruti) came to see Basundhara’s daughter): “I saw him week by Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers says that - Ketaki Chester what had happened to father. I said: (Dipendra) coming in from the main about 30 percent of the guerillas involved in the underground ‘Baba, malai pani dagyo’ (I have also door in combat uniform carrying two CPN-Maoist led People’s War are children. The report claims been hit). She took me in her lap, machine guns…I did not think they that Maoists are using school students and younger children in thought this was the only weapon, but ceiling, then he shot Thulo Buba then he came and shot her. Both of us were real. My sister (Jayanti) was near the five-year-old insurgency. Six guerrillas under 18 were Dai (Dipendra) also had other (King Birendra)…I don’t know who fell there and others came and took us me and I said, “Isn’t he too old to killed in a single encounter in 1999 in Kavrepalanchok district. weapons, I had seen them. One else he shot, I saw all of them on the to hospital.” come in a uniform in front of other “The Maoist leadership is fully aware that children under 18 handgun was on his left side the MP-5 ground…Daju (Paras) hid us all people?” My sister is now dead. She are recruited to their cause,” says National Human Rights Commission member Professor Kapil Shrestha. was in his right pocket…I did not see behind the sofa, we were behind him. Rabi Sumshere Rana (Married to said, I don’t know. Then I thought he The Report says that while the recruitment of children is what happened outside. He had the King Birendra’s aunt): “…His was bringing the weapons to show I saw Thulo Buba and my uncle not yet a widespread occurrence, there are “symptoms” that it shotgun and the M-16 on his (Dhirendra) being hit. I saw the others Majesty had taken a Coca-Cola and them to His Majesty. He walked could turn into a serious problem soon. Most of the children in shoulders. only after they had fallen. moved towards the billiard table, I straight into the room and stood about the Maoist insurgency are believed to be between the ages of He may have gone in and come 14 and 18, but the presence and use of even younger children out within a minute, or perhaps 30 cannot be ruled out. The Report points out to the possibilities seconds. He came back with the big “I heard gunshots and… a woman’s that they are being forced to pick up arms against their will. gun, an M-16, and hit Thulo Buba The Human Rights and Peace Society, a Nepali rights NGO, (King Birendra) in the head, then voice saying ‘call the doctor.’ reported that at least 30 children were abducted by the Kumar Khadga fell. I did not see Sruti Maoists last year, but it cannot confirm if they were abducted come but saw her telling Gorakh, - Colonel Sunder Pratap Rana to be trained for the life of insurgents. ‘Baba you have been hit.’ Princess The 1962 Royal Nepal Army New Recruitment Rules Sarada went to where Kumar Khadga was two or three steps behind and he 10 feet away from His Majesty then I requires that a person be at least 18 year old to be recruited. had fallen, she lay over his body called me. I moved forward and he heard a bang. I did not think it was a Similarly, the Asia-Pacific Conference on the Use of Children sobbing “What has happened to you, asked how I was. I said everything was gunshot. The gun in his right hand was as Soldiers held here in 2000 endorsed the same age provision what has happened to you?” The fine and then Mahesh Kumar entered aimed upwards. Then I smelt for recruitment in the army. crown prince came back and shot her and said his wife could not come something and told my sister this could at point blank range…when he came Princess Sitashma (Dhirendra’s because of arthritis. His Majesty be ammunition. He turned and headed How are Nepali women doing?

for the third time he shot at Jayanti daughter): “We were near the bar. I moved forward and said that gout, out, we stepped forward and saw that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ diju, Ketaki…and Sruti. Then he came in about an hour later Thul Dai uric acid, cholesterol were in the His Majesty had been hit and he was Not too well, according to the World Bank. A new Bank study came towards the tall chair, we were (Dipendra) came in an army dress, we family. Before he had finished talking falling down slowly…later I saw Her concludes that women’s subordinate position in society is the main directly in front of him. I said ‘What stood by just watching, then there was about cholesterol, Mahesh Kumar left Majesty marching out of the door, I impediment to their accessing health care facilities. are you doing…what are you the sound of firing. Paras-da said get and another man came (towards us). called out to her twice. I heard the Other reasons rural Nepali women often do not receive doing…please go.’ If he had shot: I down get down and we hid. Then I Not army uniform, that dress is machine gun fire twice and told adequate care are lack of knowledge, an unwillingness to disclose was there, Mahesh was there, Rabi saw my father going down slowly. known as a fatigue, I looked closely Dhirendra whom I was holding: ‘He illness and ignoring ailments. Such attitudes to sickness are was there. I had hidden them there. Hearing the machine gun we stayed and I noticed it was the Crown may have shot Her Majesty’…when usually the result of other phenomena like few trained women at My sister was behind Mahesh. My hidden. He (Dipendra) came, looked Prince. I thought he looked at me and Her Majesty ran out, ..., I saw Nirajan health care posts, and the unavailability of cash, an excessive wife was there. I had hidden three of at us and left. Then I heard what I think he smiled. Then there was a running after her…” workload , and caste-based discrimination, all of which are MANI LAMA/UNICEF the (cousin) sisters there and another happened outside, we did not see it.” burst of three shots. What to do. His found to impact women’s health more one behind what looks like a sofa. To Majesty just stood and watched, I just than that of men. The Dai (Dipendra) I said: “Please, what stood there watching. I knew he was a study says that are you doing, we are the only ones happy-go-lucky person, but this was flawed policies here”. One-by-one he looked at us no way to fool around. Then I saw compound the and left. I got up and went to blood gushing out of king’s side. I problem. Rural Kanchho Buba (Dhirendra). He told yelled: “Doctor!”. ... the King said women would have me: “Paras I can’t move my legs, ‘What have you done?’ He better access to please try to move them.” Then he (Dipendra) had bolted out of the health care if women told me to protect the children, I did room. Then, in utter panic, I were better not even seen my mother (Queen screamed for an ambulance...” represented at the Komal) fall. She was trying to get up policy level, from under Princess Shanti. I went Maheswor Kumar Singh (married policymakers and helped muma get up…then I to King Birendra’s aunt): “…When Capt Rajeev Shahi (husband of understood gender went to the Queen Mother’s room. I Princess Dilasha (Dhirendra’s I arrived the Crown Prince was Dhirendra’s daughter, ): ”I heard issues better, there had heard firing outside and thought it daughter): “We hadn’t even said already there. He was playing billiards that His Majesty had been shot. By were a women’s came from there, but it was quiet in cheers. We were just talking…then on his own. He asked me to take a the time he had already fallen. I health database, the room. I told them what had there was automatic gunfire. We were drink. He was manning the bar opened the coat and pressed the right more staff and supplies and political commitment. happened. By then the firing had shocked. His Majesty had been shot, himself... I took a drink and parked it side of his neck (to stop the bleeding). What can be done to improve the situation? The report says stopped. he was hit in the neck. I saw that, I on a table. It was about 7:30-7:45, The king said “Rajeev, I’ve also been starting awareness programmes to increase knowledge about Dai’s ADC came saying ‘He shot also saw him fall down.” and he (Dipendra) went out. His hit in my stomach”…I had not seen women’s health, “developing women’s capacity to visit health himself, he shot himself’. I asked him Majesty the King was not there yet. the Crown Prince until then because care facilities”, working with traditional healers, encouraging where was Bhai (Nirajan), he said he So we went to greet the Queen he had run out. Then he came back in. women to participate in health management and incorporating had been shot. I asked where was Mother, and Her Majesty the Queen Dhirendra Shah had tried to stop him gender issues at every level of planning would all help. Since we know why Nepali women aren’t healthy, and what Thulo Muma (the Queen) he told me was also there. We were chatting saying ‘Baba what are you doing?’ and to do about it, it should be an easy ride from here on. Thulo Muma was down, everyone when His Majesty arrived at about he was shot.” See p. 6 was down and Thulo Muma had no 8:30, and then I stepped out. After
chance. I did not see what about 10-15 minutes His happened…outside Bhai (Dipendra) Majesty...went to the Billiard Room. was lying down groaning in pain. He (the king) had a drink in his (Reasons for shooting) I think it hand…I went up and told him my was the marriage issue. This disucssion wife could not come and were talking had begun on his last birthday. We about health, ...(at about) 8:50-8:55. I discussed who were “against” and who heard a sound from behind and turned were “with”. Bhai (Nirajan) and I Kumar Gorakh (Princess Sruti's back. I saw the Crown Prince in were “with”. We did whatever he husband, still in hospital): “I complete battle dress, cap, an said. Rajeev was “with”, Sruti, heard gunshots, I thought it was automatic weapon could be clearly Gorakh and other sisters were crackers. I didn’t know what was seen in his hands. About one or two “against”. I think that was the main happening, then I saw His Majesty seconds later there were two sounds. I reason.” fall. Then everyone started saying thought it was from the TV. It was “What happened, what have you very near my ears and thought my done?” I ran from the corner to the eardrums had burst, I blinked. I side where His Majesty was. I looked turned to see what was at him and said he’s been shot, then happening…Rajeev Shahi was already when I was returning, well…what to say… Dipendra Shah (sobs) came and Summer Special Package shot everyone who was there. I was behind a table or something when I Per person for two nights on twin sharing basis NRS. 2400. was hit and fell to the floor. He was
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Colonel Sunder Pratap Rana to get through to the army “sir I can hear shots.” I went broke the door and stepped in, with guns in two hands, he was He had a gun in front. I thought (ADC to His Majesty the King hospital and doctor I went straight ahead and reached the later I followed. They had covered moving backwards and the he may be going out somewhere. who was 40 or 50 m away from towards where the firing had broken door. From there my eyes His Majesty and because my (woman in red) was in front of The firing started the moment (he the scene of the crime): “The come from. By the time the door went to the entrance door. I saw responsibility was the Queen him, we could not recognise entered) the room, then I became time was…after nine, after nine. had been broken. I helped the the crown prince step out and Mother, I began to look for her… The two were not talking, scared, my heart began pounding, There was a sound of the colonel carry His Majesty out and pulled at the door (broken one). I her…I searched for the Queen they were running, shouting, I ran away. …I had seen (guns) in cupboard moving. I said what was after the car left, I went back to knew the door would be locked Mother among the female corpses screaming. I cannot say who was two of his hands, one was big, happening and Major Gajendra call the doctor again and ordered from the inside, then I ran around but did not find her…then I came speaking. The women in the room another small…He was in a scary (Bohra, Dipendra’s ADC) stepped more vehicles…I looked around and peeped but I could not see out from another window…then I were screaming.” position…. Seeing him with out. As soon as he stepped out, I for Her Majesty and not finding anything, then I turned back. At didn’t know where she was weapons, I was scared, my heart heard gunshots and Her her in the room I came back to that time I saw another ADC coming from, she called me Bacchuram KC, skipped a beat (mutu Majesty’s, a woman’s voice saying the ADC room and called the coming and moved forward— ‘Chakra…” Kitchen boy: “I had chaskiyo), still I ‘call the doctor.’ I tried to call nanny in her quarters. The nanny slowly—because I had seen gone inside (the room) stood by and the doctor on my mobile, and told me Her Majesty had not firearms. My aim was to protect Captain Pawan Khatri: (ADC with cold drinks about watched where could not. Then I ordered for the returned so I went out towards the crown prince…by the time His Majesty the king, in the two minutes before the he was heading. fighting force and moved forward. the garden, where I met Major the colonel had entered the room, duty room after the king went incident. After I had But after he went There was another round of firing. Gajendra. As we went forward we and I also saw that inside all had to Tribhuvan room from his come about 10 metres in and I heard the I kept moving forward. Inside the saw a body near a bend. It was fallen…All had fallen but at the office): “We were chatting when north from the door of loud noise, there hall I saw people on the ground, groaning, coming up close I time I did not even think that the there was a bang, bang sound the room, the Crown was no point for but could not make out where recognised the Crown Prince and crown prince had shot himself, I from outside. We had just Prince came in army dress. me to stay there. who was. I was running from ordered the people with me to was only thinking of how to get stepped out when we heard loud outside and looking inside… I take him away. Then while I was him under control, if nothing had firing. Then we heard ‘call the found the His Majesty in a group turning around, I saw Prince happened to him it would take doctor’ from inside. The Colonel and felt if I carried His Majesty Nirajan flat (sic)… and sent him much time to control him, so we was on the phone, on the set I and went back the same way the to hospital.” Because I had not were looking around slowly. Then called for the military police and same man who had shot him yet found Her Majesty I went we heard a sound from the stairs ran forward…when I reached near RAVI MANANDHAR could attack us, so I ordered that in…I saw something red on the leading to the garden. It was a (the room), I saw a man in the door be broken. We checked side of the door, I ran up the loud groaning noise, the groaning combat fatigue leave from the his airways, bleeding and circula- stairs and there was Her Majesty. was there till we had reached the back door, in the garden-side tion, His Majesty had survive(d) Because I could not carry her on hospital. Following the noise we door with a gun whose light was the attack. We then put him in a my own I called the military found the crown prince and on, the gun was facing this side car and left for the hospital.” police, put her in a car and took brought him out…” (sic) and the person was about to her to hospital.” turn. The light on the gun was Major Ananta Keshar Shima Captain Chakra Shah (ADC to still on. I stood outside and had (ADC to Her Majesty, who was Major Gajendra Bohara (ADC the Queen Mother): “…After my pistol in my hands, after that I also in the nearby office): “A to Dipendra, also in the ADC hearing ‘call the doctor, call the went to support Colonel Sunder woman’s voice had ordered us to office at the time): “I was doctor’ we ran towards (the Pratap.” call a doctor, it could have been working on the computer when room). I was on duty in the area Sruti’s or Her Majesty’s voice. Sunder Pratap said what hap- for the first time so I did not Santa Bahadur Khadka, Then I tried to call a doctor from pened? I stepped out and then know where the entrance was…I Kitchen Boy: “…The Crown the office telephone. After failing heard the sound of firing, and said tried to open the door, others Prince was moving backwards

CONVERSATION by R KHADKA Incarceration of innocents “Young and old? Any girls?” “So when they let you go, all they said was to cut your hair?” ”Most of us were young, between 18 and 22 years of age; there were ”Yes. And we were let go because the family we work for know one or two older men, around 40 years old. There were no girls.” important people. That’s why we were let go early. There were still people in the police station when we left.” “And none of you said anything or asked why you had been brought there?” “Did the police take down your name?” ”No. None of us could say anything to the police. The police said ”Yes, they did.” they’d beat us if we talked. So no one dared say anything.” Later, I called the police station where Ram and Hari had been “Did you find out how the other young men had been brought to held. A police officer answered and very politely answered my the police station?” queries. ”Some of them had been told what we were told: that a friend was “Officer, is it true that the police has been taking into custody waiting for them at the police station; but some others had been young men in our neighbourhood?” asked if they wanted to join the police force...” ”Yes, sir, that is true.” “What kind of boys were there? Tough ones? Local hoodlums, “And why is that?” you think?” ”Well, sir, in the past few days, the situation in our city has been

RAVI MANANDHAR RAVI ”Oh, no. Just regular boys. Nobody tough...just normal fellows.” quite delicate, so we’ve been bringing in young men who ranscript of a telephone conversation last week between “Were you all in one single room or in separate rooms? Was appear to be troublemakers...” there anything to sit on, or did you remain standing all night? the author and two boys from Kalanki who were picked up “Is it still going on?” ”We were all in one room. There was nothing to sit on. No chairs or t by police on Friday morning at 11:30 while they were buying ”Well, sir, it’s going to depend upon the situation. Today has benches. It was a cemented floor. There was one straw mat in the vegetables. The family employing the boys went to the top been quiet. Nobody has been arrested.” echelons of police to have them released. The actual names of the room.” “There were a few arrests yesterday, is that right?” boys have been altered. “What if you wanted to go to the bathroom?” “Yes, sir. But they’ve all been released with warnings. To not to ”There was a bucket in the room to pee...” “Hello, can you tell me your name”? think about causing trouble. Given the situation in the city these ”My name is Ram.” “And what if you had to more than just pee?” days, sir, we’re bringing in those kinds of young men who have “Your friend’s name?” ”A police escorted us to a bathroom outside.” earring, long hair, those who look suspicious. But today, there is no one here.” ”Hari.” “Did they feed you?” “I understand the police took you and your friend to the police “Oh, no. They said we had to buy our food. Nobody ate, so no one “Tell me, officer, is this happening only in our neighbourhood station yesterday...” went to the bathroom.” or all over the city?” ”All over the city, sir.” ”Yes, they did.” “How did you sleep? Standing up or on the floor?” “When did they arrest you and then let you go?” ”We all slept on the floor, all piled on top of each other. Feet resting “So you have the right to arrest anyone you feel looks ”They took us to the police station around 11:30 a.m. yesterday on other people’s heads...” suspicious and just might cause trouble?” “That is right, sir.” and let us go around three-thirty p.m. today.” “Were there more of you at night than when you were first “Can you tell me how they arrested you? What were you brought in?” “And who gave you this order, officer?” doing?” ”A few more were brought in, but no more that 23 or 25 of us total...” ”From above, sir?” ”Hari and I were going to buy vegetables for the house. A police “So what did they say when they let you go in the morning?” “The police headquarters? the ministry?” van pulled up and one of the policemen said to us,’A friend has ”Nothing really. I was told not to keep my hair long, to cut it and keep ”Yes, sir, from above...and who are you, sir? called you’ and bundled us in and took us to the police station.” it short.” “I live in the neighbourhood.” “Did the others have long hair?” “Did you say anything?” “I see, sir.” ”No one said anything.” ”No...” “Well, officer, thank you very much. You’ve been most “Were there any with shaved heads?” “How many of you were there at the station?” helpful.” ”Yes, quite a few, and Hari had an earring.” ”Oh, twenty or twenty one of us...” “Thank you, sir.” NATION 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 7 “There is a conspiracy in this country REMEMBRANCES by RANJIT RAUNIYAR to turn our youth into drug addicts. The Prince and I It’s been barely two weeks since we returned from Kathmandu. Even the royal family is not safe.” We woke up overcast Saturday morning to the heavy circumstances in Nepal. My American friends look at this as a development in a far away historical subtext, perhaps akin somewhat to the way I’d react if say Prince Tippytoes in Tonga That was when it became army neurosurgeon, Dr for the country. I had lost track of alive, the same as yesterday if had perpetrated a similar situation – more intriguing than tragic, very emotional for me. The Sharma, we called the Bir time, it was now getting light not better, and we had to more fantastical than sad. But for the small Nepali community shock finally hit me: all the royal Hospital plastic surgeon Dr outside. We did the MRI, the continue aggressively treating here far away in Greater Boston, the immediacy and enormity of family was gone. Till then, no Joshi and fortunately we had bullet had gone through both him. This was conveyed up the what has happened continue to bring it indescribable pain. one had told me what had theatre assistants who had thalami causing intraventricular line, and I think the procedures I had met Prince Nirajan for happened, but I knew these worked with me before at bleeding. These were all bad got underway to declare him the first time while I was a were bullet injuries and it began Everest Nursing Home. That signs. The treatment plan was king, declare King Birendra student at the London School of to sink in that whoever did this was very convenient, because standard: take him to the ICU, dead and Gyanendra Regent. Economics. He was in his was trying to wipe out the whole they were familiar with my continue antibiotics, continue Sunday was a very stressful penultimate year at Eton at the royal family. Possibilities began technique which is important. ventilation to reduce intracranial day, we had to attend to Prince time and had come to London racing through my mind: could it But before the surgery, I looked pressure, elevate the head to 30 Dhirendra and we hadn’t eaten along with his two cousin sisters be the military, the Maoists? But at the other injured to see if degrees. Dr Shrestha said okay, anything all day. By Sunday (daughters of now King I didn’t ask anyone. I paid my there were any other we can disperse and meet at evening King Dipendra was Gyanendra and Prince last respects to the king and neurosurgical casualties. ten in the morning, but Prince moving rapidly into brain dead Dhirendra, the slain King’s walked out. I had flashes of Dhirendra was very breathless, Gyanendra was supposed to criteria, we had a medical board youngest brother) to divert briefly from life at Eton. Chiran, a memory of having met him but conscious, Princess Komal arrive any moment so we meeting, we met Prince close friend of the prince and my classmate at the LSE, had during a big international was in the corner with a chest waited. The feeling in the army Gyanendra, told him that the asked me to come along with him. He seemed to implicitly have neurosurgical conference in wound, the bullet having just hospital was: well, at least chances of surviving were zero been “commissioned” with showing the honorable guests a Kathmandu three years ago: he spared her heart, Kumar somebody from the royal family and explained the options: with “fine time.” was a perfect gentleman, and Gorakh was there, Ketaki is alive and there is someone to the family’s full consent you “Ever considered LSE after school?” I had asked the young he felt deeply for the country. It Chester had a shoulder wound take charge of the situation. could turn off the ventilator, or Prince. “My “father” wants me to go to Oxford,” he said seeming was difficult to accept that he but she was able to talk. The prince arrived, he took a you could follow cultural norms long resigned to the paternal diktat. “Depends on my grades,” quick look at all the casualties, and let nature take its course he added. “I haven’t been doing too well in school.” As if! he went up to the library and and consider the patient dead We talked the night away in an Irish bar in the heart of Covent called Dr Shrestha and me. The only after the heart stops Garden – in matters relating to life, friends, comedy and school. prince looked at me and asked: beating. Prince Gyanendra “Where in Nepal do you live?” the Prince asked me. “Tell me, how is the crown listened to this, and said: “Let “Kathmandu,” I said. “You should come over some time,” he prince.” I described the situation me discuss this with the Queen said with such nonchalance that I didn’t know whether to without any ambiguity: any Mother.” He came back soon chuckle at it or be grateful for it. “Yeah right, come over! Should I through-and-through injury of after and told me: “Ok, doctor, knock on the palace gates when I come over.” the brain behind the hairline is let nature take its course. Keep The bouncer at The Hippodrome, a nightclub in the middle of usually fatal. I said that although on treating him.” He also told us Leicester square drawing large, unsuspecting tourists to its 80s he is still alive, the long-term to do everything possible for style music and its tacky ambience, stopped the prince who was prognosis is very, very poor. Bhai (Dhirendra). Early Monday then barely 18 and asked him for his ID. I felt like interrupting the The prince looked very grave, morning, King Dipendra’s heart big bouncer and saying “Don’t you know silly man, he is the but kept his composure. He stopped, there was an effort to prince of Nepal.” But the Prince seemed to be savoring his looked like he was under resuscitate him, but he did not anonymity, moving along in through with the crowds, eager to be control, he was decisive and make it. He came into our care one in the many. did not waste time. In retro- as crown prince, and We didn’t speak about politics, governance or the role of Late King Birendra with Dr Devkota at an international neurosurgical spect, I realised that they had died as king. monarchy. Instead, we walked along eating hot dogs from a conference in Kathmandu in 1999. a very serious problem Now, if you ask me if there street vendor, reciprocating the salutations of strangers, and MIN BAJRACHARYA communicating to the public, was a conspiracy. I should say, promising at the end of it all to stay in touch. As it is with these was gone, it was as big a loss The entry wound on the letting the media know. But I not directly. But there is a things, we of course never got around to staying in touch. I never for me as when I lost my father crown prince was just behind have to say that they never conspiracy in this country to turn had an occasion over the years to think much about the Prince and mother. the ear on the left side about 1 interfered with the medical our youth into drug addicts. Even and the Princesses. Until few days ago. Then I was rushed upstairs, cm wide, a bigger exit wound on side of things. the royal family is not safe. This It is hard to personalise a loss when the whole nation has a and I couldn’t think about that the right side above the ear. We planned to meet at is a conspiracy by the mafia and
claim to the events and circumstances of the last few days that anymore. The army medical There was a decision to be 1000 and dispersed. I had the traffickers. providence has decreed for Nepal. My entire sadness is not that personnel had prioritised the made: should I take him to the just gone home and taken a a “friend,” is no more but only that if his death had to be, that it patients according to their neurosurgery ICU at Bir which shower when the hospital (Dr Upendra Devkota is Chief would have come in a similarly unassuming, ordinary and non- condition. I changed into has better equipment and called again and said I had to of Neurosurgery at Bir Hospital abrasive way as I had for that one week in London, personally surgical greens, and entered trained staff. I realised that the come down to reassess the and was trained at the Institute known his life to be.
the operation theatre, passing transfer itself would jeopardise situation by nine o’clock. I for Neurological Sciences in four more injured patients what little chance of survival he called and stopped all Glasgow and the Atkinson Ranjit Rauniyar is a graduate of the London School of whom I didn’t recognise then. had. We did a brain x-ray to rule sedation and the drugs for Morley’s Hospital in London.) Economics and is currently working in Boston. The crown prince was there with out metal fragments so that we paralysis, and by the time I got two wounds on either side of his could do an MRI later—to do an there at nine the patient was head, some blood and brain MRI with metal inside would marginally better, he was tissue oozing out. There were have been inexcusable. There trying to move his legs, no other wounds in his body, was no metal. We enlarged the breathe and cough. He was and they had taken everything wound on the left side, removed out except his underwear. They dead brain tissue, stitched it, had already put a tube down his turned the patient around and throat, an IV line, it had all been carried out the standard done very professionally. The procedure, cauterising, blood pressure and heart rate removing bone fragments, were on the monitor, reasonably leaving an opening in the okay at 110/70 or 80. He had covering of the brain in case of dilated and fixed pupils, but he future infection. Then Dr Joshi was twisting his arms and legs, provided the skin cover. which meant he was not brain Finally, I had time to go to the dead. He was trying to breathe, surgeons’ room. I had a chat they were assisting his breath- with some colleagues and at ing with bagging. So in my last I heard: the person I had assessment at that time he had just performed surgery on, the a Glasgow Coma Score of 4, crown prince, had killed not 3 which is the lowest. The everyone. Personally, for me outlook was extremely poor. We there was a sense of relief. Of had to attempt the best possible course, it was a terrible tragedy care, and give a chance for a for the royal family, but the other miracle to happen. alternatives (that it was an There were extremely outside job) were more sinister competent colleagues attending to the crown prince, and we proceeded to paralyse him, put him on a mechanical ventilator Worlds friendliest business accounting software and arrange four units of blood
250780/251638 for the surgery. We had the 8 NEPALI ECONOMY 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

Bankrupt banks

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Two of Nepal’s largest banks have been on the verge of collapse (“What if” NT#26). And the worrying At times like these… thing is that there has been no progress whatsoever towards possibly bailing them out. The central bank decided on the consultants who would take over the management of the Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) about two months ago, but the actual handing over was held up because the same process has not been completed for the Nepal Bank Limited (NBL). Now its no longer hush-hush: 10 central We need to adjust to globalisation without changing our culture. bank evaluators, including a representative from the NBL, have decided that all four companies that had been short-listed for the assignment have been disqualified. So, expect more delays. epal is limping back to normal, on rates quoted minute to minute, everyday goods and foodstuff due to Last month, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) faxed the evaluation committee scorecard to the World grief-stricken and shocked. but there are areas that have been disruption in supplies. And in a Bank that is to give $25 million (CHK) to the project. All four companies—Price Waterhouse Cooper, nSlowly people are trying to affected in the last few weeks. One country that depends on tourism as Ernst and Young, ICC Bank-UK and Development Partnership-Ireland —scored lower than the look ahead. And that is what everyone could argue that when a nation is much as we do, shutting down the threshold 70 points in the evaluation. Or they were not good enough. The World Bank is said to have ought to do, because the task in front shocked, as we have been, perhaps economy for extended periods is not a done its own evaluation of the four companies and concluded that all four that failed are capable of of us now is making for ourselves a discussing trivial issues like business is luxury we can afford. fulfilling the tasks laid out in the Request for Proposal. “The committee’s decision to disqualify all workable, bright future. As a country moot, but the reality is that life goes It is time we examined our laws four companies that were short-listed earlier is suspect,” a source told us. whose economy is saddled by on. People who had to retire their for shutting down the country and The World Bank is seeking a re-evaluation of the short-listed an inefficient Letters of Credit had to fork out penal assessed what they should affect and companies—which would entail forming a new evaluation committee government interest, demurrage charges had to be what not. The government may not because the one that rejected them is likely to do the same again. With and a bandh- paid to transporters, rental had to be do much about this since the NBL’s consultants not finalised it’s now almost certain that the bank reform loving paid for goods that stayed in the other bureaucracy is notorious for project cannot be initiated in September—the fourth of such extended opposition, we side of the border. Students going enjoying extra days off—the same deadlines, which could even be the final extension, as our World Bank have all got to abroad missed out, because the banks reason there is little real opposition source says. put in some were not functioning and did not issue to the bandhs. Government servants A central bank official was defensive: “We’re ready to go more time Travellers Cheques. People who had who avoid work even on the best of ahead with the RBB’s reforms, we’re committed to address trying to make to go out of the country for medical days cannot be expected to support the NBL’s problems too, but there are some technicalities the future emergencies could not travel, because changes that would require them to we’ve not been able to get over yet.” These technicalities are work. The the offices handling the issuance of work more. The business said to include handling the unions, getting the support of Beed has been passports were closed. People trading community that largely comprises political parties and the bank’s shareholders. Private in a dilemma, on the low volume stock exchange traders also has a vested interest in investors control a majority of NBL shares. “We’ve been wondering how had to wait two weeks to square off such situations—they control the a nation should their deals and most have lost in supply chain and gain by charging slow, but sometimes donors tend to want everything to OS happen their way,” the source added. react in such trying interest the gains they anticipated. an extra five rupees for a litre of The two banks—the RBB and the NBL—have a total negative networth anywhere in the range of times without bringing the economy The list of the unquantifiable is kerosene or a kilogram of sugar. Rs 20-25 billion, depending on who is counting. The RBB has been crippled by political loans, and to a standstill. The last two weeks saw longer. The number of days the And the people who really suffer? the reasons for the NBL’s ills are insider lending, over-concentration on certain sectors and only a couple of workdays. In order to schools have been closed this year They do not even have a forum to business houses. Sources told us that part of the problem with the NBL is its ownership—the gain some kind of closure, we have has become even longer. The voice their concerns. government is a minority shareholder. Some even suspect that its private owners are uninterested been following certain rituals of change in examination dates Simply put, we need to make to have reforms because many of them are also borrowoers and would not like external consultants mourning from time immemorial. The especially impacted those taking adjustments to accommodate the breathing down their necks. challenge we face now is fitting these international competitive economy in the context of rapid One reason none were selected was because most of the 41 compnies shortlisted after into a modern paradigm of commerce, examinations. The transportation globalisation without affecting too responding to NRB’s Special Procurement Notice were auditors. “We are looking for managers and business and economy. system came to a virtual standstill, adversely the ethos of our bankers, the companies we were to choose from the list were did not have much experience in The world economy functions affecting the movement of agricultural religion, our culture and our around the clock. True, Nepal does produce. In Nepal, where a large social values. This difficult task those areas,” said a source in the NRB evaluation team. “We don’t know what’s wrong with going
with the one with the highest score and start looking at the financial proposals.” That is easier said not have the volumes of the big portion of the populace lives hand-to- must begin now. than done, because as we have learnt, of four companies screened for managing RBB two have bourses, or commodity exchanges that mouth on daily wage, is it fair to scores above the 70 percent threshold, and had been evaluated by almost the same evaluation transact high volumes of trade or deprive them of their income while Readers can post their views at committee. foreign exchange markets that work also forcing them to pay more for [email protected] There is still another roadblock. In an earlier communication the NRB has told the NBL that it would have the “final word” in the selection of the consultants, even though it would not have to pay consultant fees. This means any selection for the management of Nepal Bank Limited by the NRB’s evaluation committee would have to be approved by NBL. Very few now doubt that the two banks are sinking, when they do they will take the economy down with them. Worse still all donors are watching how the bank reforms are moving, and could begin to tighten the purse. We already know that reforming RBB and NBL is a condition for Nepal to be able to borrow from IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Fund. Given the opposition political parties still against banking reform-- not to talk about dissenters even within the ruling party--unions are against it and so are defaulting businesses and other interests that have pushed the banks to bankruptcy. NRB sources say the best way to begin would be to start with the RBB and gradually rope in the NBL. The World Bank does not like this idea and with the September deadline approaching, someone has to decide, and fast.

Empty hotels

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ It was looking like a good summer: Indian tourists had just begun responding to Nepal’s “Festival of Life” campaign. The May statistics from the Nepal Tourism Board were beginning to show the graph edging cautiously upwards. Total arrivals had increased by 8.5 percent until May 2001. This means 12,312 more tourists came by air in the first five months of 2001 compared to the same period last year—when Indian Airlines flights remained suspended after the IC 814 hijacking. The increase in Indian tourists was about nine percent over the post-hijacking lows. Indian arrivals in May were almost 13 percent more than that in April. And then the royal massacre happened, and hotels have been empty since. Indian tourist numbers plummeted from over 500 arrivals on 1 June to barely 50 by 10 June. Hotel occupancy is in the single digits. However, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, most July bookings are intact, and the outbound Tibet traffic is expected to fill hotels as scheduled. By this week, even the casinos were seeing an increase in the trickle of Indian visitors.

NBE gets ISO certification

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepal Bayern Electric (NBE), which exports engineering and electronics components to Europe, has been awarded the ISO 9002 and ISO 14001 certification related to quality and environment systems. The audit was conducted by experts from TÜV Suddeutscheland of Germany. NBE is among few Nepali companies to get the certification under ISO 14001 norms of International Standard Organisation, Geneva. The entire certification process of NBE was assisted by DEG of Germany. “DEG’s interest in having Nepali companies certified in quality and environment is that trade more than aid is the way to development,” says Lochan Gyawali of NBE. DEG is an arm of the German government that gives financial support to viable projects and industries. Since it was launched in 1993, NBE has been exporting electronic components for use in satellite, automotive, broadband, and other technologies. The company is run by an all-Nepali team, and has a dedicated work force of about 500 women workers besides technical staff including engineers and supervisors. Ruediger Lemp, the German Ambassador to Nepal, in a message calls the certification “a good demonstration of the usefulness of such bilateral joint ventures”. NBE is a German-Nepali joint venture between Wust Gmbh, of Munich and the Narayani Group from Nepal. NBE exports its products to Ireland, Finland and Germany. NATION 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 9

sediment are automatically poured conducted two major model research into the flow. All of these are so projects and three smaller ones accurate and minute to the last detail including Melamchi Sediment that it almost feels like you're some Sampling, Nyadi Sediment Sampling in giant staring at a tiny river below. As connection with the feasibility study for Pradhan, gives the orders to let the the Nyadi Hydropower Project and the

ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ AA rolerole modelmodel waters flow, one can actually see why Khimti Settling Base Performance Test. hile multinational energy the Himalayan rivers are so hard to The construction of Melamchi companies are trying to tame. "This can also be done with model started in January of 1999 and w cash in on Nepal's computers but with Himalayan was completed within three months. hydroelectric potential, one small rivers the theory just doesn't work," However it is not as easy as it sounds. private organisation has been says Pradhan. Because the model has to be an exact quietly saving Nepal millions of forfor modellingmodelling The model enables Pradhan's replica of the real terrain the designers dollars by building indigenous team to study the impact that such have to actually visit the field and note capacity to model projects designed techniques in steep sediment carrying floods would have on the river, the each and every nook and corner of the on Himalayan rivers. rivers and conducts field studies. river bed, and gives them vital stream. All materials used here are Hydro Lab is an independent The Melamchi River is replicated information on where the engineering locally manufactured. Compared to research laboratory that now helps big exactly in a 1:30 scale model, where projects should take place. Pradhan computer research this type of model power and irrigation projects to do in every boulder on or near the river bed points out a hidden point just after a study is cheaper and only costs up to Nepal what would have to be done in that is more than 1 meter wide is sharp bend and says, "Ideally the dam Rs 3,000,000. But seeing its Germany, Canada or Norway at much carved meticulously to see how the should be placed here because in rivers effectiveness there is no reason why a higher cost. Hydro Lab's shed located water flows around them. The model like these construction should never be project should invest millions in within the Tribhuvan University is so perfect that even vegetation is done in the direct path of a flood." computer research at least for the Institute of Engineering campus in copied, as are tributaries and gorges The work however does not end moment. Until then, Hydro Lab has Pulchowk is a private company set up along the Melamchi river. Bigger here. "It's a never ending research," and its 15 member staff have no originally with support from the rocks and granite found in the actual says Pradhan. The Lab has already competition.
Norwegian government. The Lab got riverbed and banks, were surveyed,

help from the Norwegian Institute of ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY photographed and numbered and Science and Technology and the Nepal is saving millions of dollars their exact shapes duplicated in International Center for Hydropower, Pulchowk-the only thing is that they Now on newsstands and it is the only research organisation because expensive hydraulic modelling are 30 times smaller. providing specialised hydraulic model What look like pebbles are

studies in water engineering in Nepal. can now be done indigenously. actually designer rocks carved exactly ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

"When development experts say ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ out of cement and made to resemble 'capacity building' it has become a This not only took up a great deal of So why is it important to model the real boulders on the real river. The cliché, but this is what capacity time but also siphoned off valuable river projects? Pradhan explains: Lab can simulate various categories of building means-the ability to do hard currency outside the nation. "We help engineers to design and floods. From a murmuring brook in professional and world-class research First started as a laboratory for modify their projects based on life the dry season with less than 10 cubic work in Nepal," says Hydro Lab's students of the Institute of size experiments carried out in this metres per second, the Melamchi can Pratik Pradhan. For decades, research Engineering and later combined with lab so they don't make expensive be simulated into a monsoon torrent on proposed water engineering a branch of the Butwal Power mistakes in real life." The lab is with 70 cumecs. Simulations can even projects such as bridge and dam Company, Hydro Lab gained currently working on its third model, be made for once-in-300-year flash building and hydroelectric plants in momentum when NORAD agreed to the much debated Melamchi project. floods of up to 1,000 cumecs. Rushing Nepal had to be done in Europe and sponsor the lab on a private basis for Hydraulic model studies, planning down the gorge are pebbles, which if India. There was simply nobody who five years in 1999. By then it had and design of hydraulic structures, this was a real flash flood would be could do it here. Consultants would already produced two successful testing performances of riverside boulders weighing up to 20 tons. ask foreign companies to look into the models of the 60 MW Khimti structures for the Melamchi intake Since Himalayan rivers don't just research side and design their projects hydropower project as well as the 12 are being carried out. The Lab does carry water, the Lab can also simulate according to the suggestions given. MW Jhimruk River model. applied research focused on handling sediment, and measured amounts of

STC 10 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES aren’t the only ones getting fat off it, and high prices we pay have as much to do with the mathematics of taxes and bribes at the border, and meagre subsidies as with our insatiable greed. Narayan Dhital, chairman of Kuleswor market says these factors together raise the price of mangoes by almost Rs 3 per kg. Love at Mango accounts for nine percent of all fruit grown in Nepal, and almost 31 percent in the mid-hills. The Department of Agriculture claims that of all tropical fruits, it gives priority to the mango, while fruit growers laugh bitterly at the SALIL SUBEDI suggestion. Either way, something

SALIL SUBEDI ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ first bite ought to be done to sort this out and ook at the mango. Hold it in feed our hunger more economically. your hands. Feel its weight. Move And it would be nice to get more l your fingers over its firm, slightly Nepali mangoes. India accounts for sticky body. Bathe yourself in its over 50 percent of the world’s mango lush colour. Inhale the aroma that production, and Nepal, a mere four wafts across its skin. Imagine what percent. Someone made smart on a lies beneath. Imagine eating it steady mango diet should figure out nibble by delicate, heavenly nibble. what percentage of the word’s Imagine eating it with your beloved. mangoes are consumed in Nepal, just You are slowly becoming one with so we get an idea of why we are the mango. Drool. Slobber. Squish. overwhelmed with mangoes from Slurp. Gobble. Couldn’t wait, across the border. They’re also could you? delicious, but it would be wonder- Mango is an undeniably ful to be able to differentiate amorous fruit. In our observation, between tarai sweetness and mid- there is no other food that humans hill flavour, between the varieties so completely give themselves over that are firm, slightly tart and to, not even litchees. Eating a almost creamy and those that are mango is like falling in love. If you squishier, sweeter and more fibrous, want mere aphrodisiacs, go eat and all those in between. chocolate or truffles. Mango is the It’s amazing how different fruit of more elevated oneness of varieties of a single fruit can taste, and being—the real passion fruit. how much subtle, yet identifiable Fallacy: Eve ate an apple. She variation there can be between hardly seems the sort to bound up different batches of the same variety. in a tracksuit, ponytail swinging, do We should have mango-tasting a set of Swedish exercises and then sessions, like wine and whiskey crunch with Pepsodent teeth into tastings. We should have an apple. She seems somehow neighbourhood and street potlucks sensual and more tropical. The where everyone brings a different other options seem equally mango delectation. We should ban unlikely—artichoke (naughty in bandhs during mango season so the intention, but a bit too labour- precious fruit doesn’t get overripe or intensive), pomegranate (also rot away while waiting to go places. naughty, but demanding), banana We should declare one month of (surely she wasn’t this crass), olive every summer Mango Month and be (other, more spiritual uses), figs happy, simply because we have (plants otherwise occupied), oranges mangoes. And, yes, we should spend (snore). What could she have eaten? some of that time soaking ourselves in Durian? Ornamental pepper? Mangoes are, of course, delicious, as all South Asian mythology and bathtubs, skinny-dipping in lakes, Mangoes are 4,000 years old and communing with our mangoes, thrive in tropical climes, the cradle of literature that evokes them will tell you. They are also versatile, have relishing the fruit that is said to be early humanity. In the case of Eve, umpteen therapeutic effects, and… are the perfect bathtub food. the abode of the daughter of the mangoes are the prime suspect. sun, the mess be damned.
Contrast this with an account of the patron celestial lovers of now more liberal. Mango-eating is you will 70 percent of the time you an extraordinary amount of vitamin Nepal, Shiva and Parvati. When a wonderful family activity. It’s like buy the fruit of divinity here, you A and beta carotene, and minerals they came down to the Himalaya, Lego, only better. Mangoes come in could traverse the plains of Uttar including zinc, magnesium and the poor lady missed her mangoes many shades of green, even when Pradesh, to the east coast of India, potassium (so much for the lowly so much, she began to pine quite ripe, the yellows go all the way through Maharashtra and Madras, banana). Ripe mangoes, unripe away. Shiva, always the devoted from golden yellow to canary and up to Andhra Pradesh. mangoes, mango flowers, and the consort, took time off from his yellow to yellow—and green—with Speaking admiringly of the resin of the tree’s bark are said to hectic administrative activities and a red or pink blush. There are over Adventures of Mango, Lal Babu have many, many therapeutic using his divine powers created 1,000 kinds of mangoes in the Shah at the wholesale fruit and veg properties—they’re said to be heaven on earth—by bringing the world, 500 of which are somewhat market in Kalimati proclaims the variously anti-viral, antiseptic, mango to us. Right from the more common than others. In aanp: “hero no. 1 fruit.” antihelminthic, antitussive, beginning, in myth and in literature, Nepal there are about a dozen Cynics will suggest that nothing antibiotic, expectorant, stress- South Asians got it right. True, we common varieties, and who-knows- can be as perfect as some of us relieving, laxative, anti-asthamatic had a head-start—it was love at how-many others in little groves believe mangoes are. But they are and, yes, both aphrodisiac and first bite and our first eulogy was here and there. And that’s not perfect, really—however you choose contraceptive. How do you get written before we released mango counting the Indian varieties to eat them , whether sliced along better than this. pollen across water and land—but available in the market. You can the seed with the flesh scored so it Now wonder they’re such still, to produce a body of stories squelch your way through tarai comes away from the skin easily, or booming business: At the wholesale like we have, where there is a varieties like Dashahri, Kishanbhog, simply peeled and chopped, fruit market in Kuleswor, anywhere mango story attached to every Maldaha, the hybrid Bizu and the whether you delicately pick at the between six and ten trucks of major (and even minor) character, punchy little Suryapuri, the Supare, seed or go for the jugular, using mangoes are unloaded everyday. and where there is not one set of Totaphuli, Gulabkha, Gahate, your lips, teeth, tongue and fingers Each truck carries about nine tons. lovers that does not rendezvous in a Sindure and Kakri from the mid- to get the last shred of flesh. If That means that in a good month, mango grove, is to demonstrate a hills, the generic large Nepali Pharse you’re really particular, you can around 2,500 tons of mangoes are closer, more visceral relation to the and the Banganapalli, Bambaiya, even get a “mango fork”. Yes, it consumed in Kathmandu and fruit. Consider a recent gem: “Ma Senoriya, Alphonso (watch for fakes) exists—it has one long, strong tine surrounding areas. “People here are mahuri hu radha, timi aanp ke and Calcuttia from India. Even that can pierce the hardest mango amazing. They really eat mangoes manjari hau (“I am a bee, Radha, slurping can be educational, and seed. So all you do is peel, poke, voraciously,” laughs Bidya you are a flowering mango tree”— you can make a map with the and eat it like a popsicle. Even in Bahadhur Khadki, a founder of the perhaps, these things lose different mangoes marking their this case, though, we defy you to market and a fruit trader himself. something in translation.) natal homes: Jhapa, Kanchanpur, not splatter yourself with juice. “It wasn’t like this earlier, but the

But before you start putting Rupnagar in the tarai and Kavre, Whatever you do to get them into last couple of years have really been SALIL SUBEDI them out of sight of your children, Trishuli – Bidur, Dhadhing, your system, know that they are not good.” Over the season, Valley remember that times have changed, Naubise, Palpa and Syangja in the “fattening” and that they contain a residents eat, drink and cook over things have moved on, and we are mid-hills. If you cross the border, as goodly amount of vitamins C and E, 6,000 tons of the fruit. But they 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 11 GO, MANGO! Mango-basil sauce Curried chicken and mango sandwiches Goes well with grilled chicken or fish, or pork chops. 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh corainder SALIL SUBEDI 1 small ripe mango, peeled, pitted 1 teaspoon curry powder 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/2 firm ripe mango 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 3/4 lb total) 1 spicy chilli, seeded, minced 1 teaspoon olive oil Mix three tablespoons water, coconut and red chillies and blend 1/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves 2 loaves of soft bread into fine paste. When the mangoes are cooked so skin is soft, add 3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth 4 small lettuce leaves buttermilk, coconut-chilli paste and boil for three minutes. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons golden brown sugar curry leaves, remove from heat. In a small wok heat oil till it starts 1 tablespoon soy sauce In a bowl stir mayonnaise, coriander, curry powder, and salt and to smoke lightly. Reduce heat, add mustard seeds and pop. Then pepper to taste until combined well. Peel mango and thinly slice add fenugreek seeds and 2 dried red chillies. Fry for two minutes Puree mango, set aside 1/2 cup. Heat one tablespoon oil in skillet lengthwise. until chillies are brown. Add spiced oil to mangoes in yoghurt. over medium heat. Add garlic and chilli, then basil; sauté just until Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a 9” non- Makes 4 servings basil wilts, about one minute. Add broth, brown sugar and soy stick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not sauce. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and smoking and sauté chicken four minutes on each side, or until Mango and red onion chutney simmer three minutes. Gradually whisk in mango puree. Simmer cooked through. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let stand 5 1/4 cup olive oil until sauce thickens and coats spoon, about five minutes. Season minutes. Diagonally slice chicken and season with salt and pepper. 2 medium red onions, cut into ½” cubes with salt and pepper. Make sandwiches with mayonnaise mixture, lettuce, chicken, 1 capsicum, diced into ¼” pieces Makes four servings and mango and top. 1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger Makes 4 servings 4 ripe mangoes (3 lb), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes Cuban mango mojo 1 cup canned pineapple juice Works with any grilled meat. Try rubbing chicken or pork chops Mangoes in spicy yoghurt 1/2 cup fine vinegar with a mixture of finely ground fennel seed, pepeprcorns and salt 2 large ripe mangoes, unpeeled, cubed 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar before grilling. 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon curry powder 1/2 litre thick unsweetened whipped buttermilk. 1 1/2 teaspoons dried hot red pepper flakes 1 green mango, peeled and coarsely chopped 1/2 medium coconut, shredded or minced Coarsely ground black pepper 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon turmeric. Heat oil in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but 1 large garlic clove 3 plus 2 large dried red chillies not smoking, then sauté onions, stirring frequently, until softened. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh hit green chilli (including seeds) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Add capsicum and ginger and sauté, stirring, one minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/2 tablespoon mustard seeds mangoes, pineapple juice, vinegar, brown sugar, curry powder, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander 1/8 tablespoon fenugreek seeds and red pepper flakes. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick- Curry leaves to taste ened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and coarse pepper, Purée mango, lime juice, garlic, chilli, and salt, then stir in Salt to taste then cool. Serve at room temperature. Will keep refrigerated for coriander. two weeks. Makes about 7 cups Makes 4 servings Place mango pieces at the bottom of a large heavy wok. Cover with two cups water. Add salt and turmeric, bring to boil and reduce heat. For sweets and drinks, see p. 12 12 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES Mango tarragon salsa 1 1/2 cups egg whites (about 11 large) stirring occasionally until slushy, about two hours. Continue 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons warm water freezing until firm. Let stand 10 minutes at room temperature. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried 1 teaspoon cream of tartar Break up into chunks. Return mixture to processor and 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons vanilla extract process until smooth. Serve. 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel Powdered sugar Serves 4 2/3 cup diced, peeled ripe mango Thinly sliced crystallized ginger (optional) 1/3 cup diced capsicum Mango ginger sauce: See above Mango daiquiri ice pops 1/3 cup diced sweet white onion 3 cups chopped peeled mangoes (2 mangoes) Preheat oven to 350°F. Sift 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt into 6 tablespoons light rum Just mix all ingredients. medium bowl five times. Beat egg whites in large bowl until 1/2 cup granulated sugar foamy. Add two teaspoons warm water and cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons water Mango ginger sauce beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining one cup 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice This goes with everything from fried chicken to vanilla ice-cream. sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff but not dry. Sift sugar-flour 8 (1/3-cup) ice cream moulds and 8 wooden sticks mixture over whites 1/4 cup at a time and gently fold in. Transfer 2 3/4 cups finely chopped peeled pitted mangoes (about 2 batter to ungreased cake pan. (Do not use non-stick pan) Bake Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then force mangoes) until cake is light golden, top springs back when touched lightly through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup. Pour 2 tablespoons sugar and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan, about 45 into moulds and add sticks. Freeze at least 24 hours. 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger minutes. Remove cake from oven. Cool completely. Using knife, Makes 8 (1/3 cup) ice pops 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Transfer to platter. Dust cake with powdered sugar. Serve with mango-ginger sauce. Mango lassi Place 1 cup chopped mangoes in medium bowl. Combine Makes 8-10 servings Make it up remaining 1 3/4 cups chopped mangoes and sugar in processor. Puree until smooth. Add to bowl with chopped Mango curd Mango iced-tea mangoes. Stir in crystallized ginger and lime juice. Let stand at 1 15 oz ripe mango, peeled, pitted, cut into ½” pieces Make it up least 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate. 1/2 cup sugar Makes 2 cups 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Pinch salt Mango bread 4 large egg yolks 2 cups white flour 1/4 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1 level tablespoon ground cinammon 1 level tablespoon baking soda Puree first four ingredients, scraping down sides of work bowl ¼ tablespoon salt occasionally. Add yolks; puree 15 seconds longer. Strain through 1 ¼ cups white sugar sieve set over large metal bowl. Discard solids in sieve. Set 2 eggs metal bowl over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow ¾ cup vegetable oil bottom of bowl to touch water); whisk puree until thickened, 2 ½ cups ripe mangoes, peeled, chopped about 10 minutes. Remove from over water. Whisk in butter one ½ tablespoon lemon juice piece at a time. Cover and refrigerate overnight. ¼ cups raisins Mango ice with tequila and lime Combine all dry ingredients. Beat eggs with oil and add to 1/4 cup water flour mixture. Add mangoes, lemon and raisins. Pour into 2 3 tablespoons tequila greased 8x4 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 60 2 tablespoons sugar minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes two 8x4 2 large ripe mangoes. peeled, pitted loaves 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Vanilla angel food cake with mango and ginger sauce Combine first three ingredients in heavy small saucepan. Stir 1 1/2 cups sugar over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Cool 1 cup sifted cake flour syrup slightly. Puree mangoes, syrup and lime juice in 1/2 teaspoon salt processor until smooth. Transfer mixture to cake dish. Freeze,

Pepsi WORLD 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 13 COMMENT by JIM LOBE

Now, incentive to be progressive ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BRUSSELS – EU member states and the European Parlia- ment are considering a proposal to simplify rules for imports from developing countries and increase incentives for trading Same old story partners who respect international environmental and social standards. The European Commission has proposed the Hoary anti-European sentiment rises again in the USA. regulation as a revision of the 1971 Generalised Scheme of

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Tariff Preferences (GSP), set up to give developing countries A herd of columnists saw president, George Washington, Calvinist, tried to make World War I easier access to EU markets. The new rules which would European hypocrisy in the fact that no warned against “permanent alliances” “the war to make the world safe for cover the GSP’s final two years, 2002 to 2004. The proposal EU nation has ratified the Kyoto with European powers. US democracy.” When his efforts to seeks to simplify the GSP rules, harmonise current proce- Protocol, despite their oft-stated “isolationism” has nothing to do with fashion a new world order were dures and better target them to countries most in need,” the intentions to do so. Also dismissed isolation from the world as a whole. frustrated by Europeans, the US Commission said in a statement. EU Trade Commissioner were European objections to capital The most venerable isolationists have moved back into isolationist mode. It Pascal Lamy adds: “It is also intended to improve the effec- punishment. “Ex-Trotskyites in always thought Washington had a took a Japanese attack on the US tiveness of special incentives to promote core labour and France consider us barbarians for God-given right to intervene in the Pacific fleet in Hawaii and Nazi environmental standards. The scheme constitutes a further WASHINGTON - While President imposing the death penalty on a mass Caribbean, Latin America and Asia. Germany’s declaration of war to bring tangible example of the promotion of sustainable develop- George W Bush spent much of his murderer,” complained New York Most early settlers came here for very Washington into World War II. In ment, a central plank of EU trade policy.” The proposal would first trip to Europe assuring its Times columnist William Safire, good reasons: for religious and the popular mind and mainstream double existing preferences for countries that respect interna- inhabitants that more unites the “though more prisoners in French jails political freedom which was denied media, the US rescued Europe tional environmental and social standards—for example, continent and the US than divides committed suicide in the past year them by authoritarian or monarchical during the war and then remained preserving forests and biodiversity. In the social sphere, them, his ideological followers at than were executed in the US.” And political systems back home, or social there to rescue it, relatively beneficiaries would be required to apply all ILO conventions home stoked anti-European feeling. National Missile Defence? Linda and economic opportunities which peacefully, from the Soviet threat in related to core labour standards, including the right to Led by the editorial page of the Wall Chavez wrote in the Washington were not available in the class-bound the Cold War and from its own unionise. Beneficiary countries committing “serious and Street Journal, prominent right-wing Times: “Once the US has developed a and aristocratic societies of the Old impotence in the Balkans. systematic” violations of those standards could lose their media figures cited the alleged rise of missile defence system, the Europeans World. The idea was, as the Not everyone accepts this GSP status. Previously, the eligibility of countries and particu- anti-Americanism in Europe to bash will be only too glad to share it.” As to revolutionary Tom Paine put it, “to version of history but it is gospel to lar sectors was decided only when a new regulation came the Old World for a host of faults the European complaints about American begin the world all over again.” This most Americans, particularly right- into force. Under the proposal, this would be done once a US has traditionally associated with unilateralism, Kelly wrote: “There are New World would embody all the wing forces that cheer Bush’s year. (IPS) the continent: cynicism, hypocrisy, worse ‘isms’, and three are imperial- virtues Europe lacked. unilateralism. Charles Krauthammer

opportunism, and cowardice. The ism, fascism and communism. A “The Calvinist cast of mind saw has already celebrated this as “the Straightening up specific target has been European century of American resolve, often in America as the redeemer nation,” Bush Doctrine.” Krauthammer ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “elites”, as if the centre-left govern- the face of European disdain, created a wrote historian Arthur Schlesinger in wrote in a recent Weekly Standard PISA, Italy - The Leaning Tower of Pisa, the gravity-defying ments in most of Europe do not continent where not one of these lives 1983 explaining the roots of Ronald article, “American power is good icon of imperfection, was reopened last weekend, 11 years represent the people who elected as a serious force. Not bad.” Reagan’s foreign policy which, like not just for the United States but after it was closed to the public because of fears it might them. “For decades, this elite class has Such self-righteousness is nothing Bush’s, was also criticised in Europe as for the world. The Bush collapse. The $30 million project to stabilise the 12th century generally cherished a sneering and new in trans-Atlantic relations. But unilateralist, albeit less surly. Most of administration is the first adminis- tower and return it to the sustainable tilt of 163 years ago is jingoistic contempt for America and the latest burst comes when there is the country’s “redemptive” efforts tration of the post-Cold War era to being hailed as one of the great engineering feats of all time. American values,” argued Michael no single power to offset US global were aimed first at the indigenous share that premise and act But some who worked on the project say the technical Kelly, an influential Washington Post dominance and as Bush leads population that threatened the accordingly.” Proclaimed challenges paled in comparison to negotiating the political columnist. The message: don’t take Washington in a clearly unilateralist country’s continental expansion, then Krauthammer: “We are not just any minefields in a country that them seriously, they’re just jealous of direction. The US has been the inhabitants of the Caribbean Basin hegemon. We run a uniquely benign changes prime ministers our superiority. ambivalent about Europe since its first and Asia. Woodrow Wilson, a true imperium.”
(IPS) often and has elevated second-guessing to an art ANALYSIS by JULIET PECK form. The commission was briefly disbanded in 1996 when the project was stagnating in the face of government apathy, Scenes from the drug war widespread criticism, and he war on drugs takes many forms. Colombia presents the militarised disagreements among the specialists on how to proceed. But version, with specially trained battalions skimming over jungles and America has renamed its militarised effort two years ago they decided on British professor John t mountainsides spraying defoliants from helicopter gun-ships. This “poisoned to reduce drug production Plan Colombia Burland’s suggestion—remove soil from the high side of the earth” policy kills coca plants, not peasant farmers. So, many cross into Ecuador an “Andean Development Initiative.” It will tower’s foundation so it sank deeper and righted itself. Shortly to cultivate coca there. Or you can take a poppy field and dig a large pond, fill it after construction of the tower began in 1173, the sandy soil of with fish, plant trees around it, buy ducks and entrust them to your children. probably fail. the estuary started shifting, causing the tower to lean. The

This supposedly eradicates a field of poppies, provides local people with protein ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ builders decided to press on, and the tower, eight stories from fish and fowl, helps reforestation and brings employment to children. and 187 ft high, was completed in 1370. Over the centuries That was the idea behind a USAID-funded poppy eradication program in its tilt grew incrementally, but it was never in danger of Afghanistan. As in Colombia, the results were fleeting. Poppy, like coca, is an falling over until 1838, when someone dug a walkway ideal cash crop for farmers with small areas of land and few resources. It needs around it, weakening the foundation. In 1934, an Italian little care and brings a secure income. But fighting poppy/coca production is an engineer Girometti tried to stabilise the tower by drilling ideal stance for politicians. It is easier to spend millions to eradicate poppy/coca 361 holes into the base and filling them with mortar, but production in poor countries than confront addiction at home. One needs only this increased the tilt. The local tourist board estimates to look at the example of Afghanistan to see the folly of such endeavours. that five to six million visitors arrive every year to see it and The promise of funds to fight poppy production galvanised the American says numbers have remained constant, despite the tower’s Embassy in Islamabad into action. The American Ambassador’s wife flew to being closed to the public since 1990. (The Boston Globe) Quetta to discuss with Mullah Nasim Aukhundzada a poppy substitution program. Mullah Aukhundzada was Amir of a big area in southwest Afghanistan,

a major poppy producing area. He promised to slash poppy production in return World’s largest kebab ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ for tractors, seed, and other goodies. Soon USAID funded its own eradication Limassol, Cyprus - At least 6,500 people feasted on an program. Although it attracted experienced advisers, political pressure for fast oozing one-and-a-half ton mass of roasting chicken meat on results left little time for groundwork. Instead of researching the area’s agricul- Limassol’s waterfront last Sunday, in an attempt to break the tural base, social structures, and local cultures, the plan’s officers launched a existing record for largest doner kebab and raise money for program based on hearsay and feeble contacts. Afghans took advantage of the charity. “It went wonderfully,” said fast-food restaurateur Sami programme officers’ ignorance, goodwill and craving for instant results. NGOs Eid, who organised the event in conjunction with the Limassol that had flourished during the fight against the Soviet occupation now had little Rotary Club. “We didn’t sleep last night.” Eid’s crowning funding, and saw money to fight poppy as a way to cover administrative triumph came in breaking the world record, set in 1998 with expenses and keep jobs alive. Although they lacked experience in narcotics a 1,030 kg kebab in Zurich. Limassol mayor Demetris eradication, many NGOs in Peshawar and Pakistan’s North West Frontier Kontides weighed the raw ingredients of the kebab, which, jumped at the opportunity to secure USAID money, proposing ill- at 1,503.66 kg, came in just ahead of the predicted 1,500. considered programs. One such was Afghanaid, a British organisation that After the 1,500 cleaned and de-boned chickens were stuck on provided an area in Nangahar with several teams of bullocks. After to the two-metre high skewer, Kontides measured the ploughing the land for winter wheat, the farmers slaughtered the cattle dimensions—1.51m in height, 1.41m in diameter at the base because they could not feed them through the winter—no fodder was and 1.16m at the top—observed by a district officer, in provided. This program was quickly dubbed “Kebabs for Poppy”. programs will yield only short-term successes. Helicopter gun-ships and compliance with rules set out by the Guinness Book of There are other amusing anecdotes. But the end result is not: the program expensive crop replacement programs provide TV-friendly images, but do World Records. The kebab sat roasting and rotating until often failed to deliver what it promised and achieved the opposite of what it had nothing to lessen the demand for drugs. Peasant farmers may, for a time, be just after 1pm, when the first portions were served on a intended. Mullah Aukhundzada was so angry when the promised goodies failed bribed or intimidated (the Taliban executes Afghan poppy growers) into Lebanese-style pita with lemon and garlic. Patrons bought to materialise that he ordered all former poppy producing and surrounding areas, cultivating crops other than poppy or coca. They may even be persuaded to dig a kebab tickets for $1.50. Although the feast was scheduled to to double production the following year. In another instance a young Afghan fishpond and try and eke out a living. But when the pond dries up or the end at dusk, Eid and company continued to dish out hunks convinced the program’s administrators that his uncle (in reality a nonentity) substitute crop or job fails, so long as there are rich drug users in the West, they of the massive pile of meat until late into the night. represented many growers whom he could persuade to stop cultivating poppy will return to cultivating poppy or coca.
(Project Syndicate) Kontides estimated that 10,000 people attended the event and walked away with $100,000. In areas that received assistance, neighbouring during the day, milling about to gape at the behemoth farmers cultivating food crops switched to poppy to qualify for aid. Juliet Peck was a consultant on aid for the UN and USAID in skewer, if not to partake in it. (The Cyprus Mail) So long as political masters yearn for quick fixes and high profile results, such Afghanistan and is currently a television producer. 14 ASIA 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES ANALYSIS by SERGEI BLAGOV

Finally, a miracle pill? ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BANGKOK - For two weeks people have been lining up to get the V-1 Immunitor polls—which some call the “Thai vaccine against Another new configuration AIDS”, others a “food supplement” and still others, alternative HIV/ AIDS treatment. There is little clarity about the pills’ exact nature— quoted as saying. “There is nothing Asia. But SCO leaders refrained from a related product, V-1, has been approved by the country’s Food more dreadful for US Central Asian overt anti-Western pronouncements and Drug Administration (FDA) as a food product for export. policy than a rapprochement and said the new group is open to all Whatever the medical truth, the queues to get the pills highlight the between Russia and China,” argued potential applicants. There have desperation of 740,000 Thais with HIV/AIDS, not least due to the deputy Alexey Arbatov of the Russian been none so far, though Mongolia, cost of treatment. Thailand’s FDA says people with HIV/AIDS have State Duma (the lower chamber of Iran and the US might consider often had “false hopes based on rumours.” In a country where parliament). SCO defence ministers such a move, Russian Defense 46,364 of nearly 170,000 people with AIDS have died, the promise of a cure offers much-needed hope. The pills were first given out voiced support for the 1972 Anti- Minister Sergei Ivanov said. two years ago at Ban Bang Pakong clinic in eastern Ballistic Missile treaty between The six SCO leaders also signed Chachoengsao province, where they were distributed until late Russia and the US, signalling the Shanghai Convention to Combat May. The Salang Bunnag Foundation, chaired by a retired police opposition to the planned US missile Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, general of the same name, which financially backs the pill’s defense system. Russia is an exclusive supposed to be a basis for a joint anti- production claimed two people with HIV were cured after they supplier of advanced weapons and terrorism centre in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz regularly took the pills. Patients are advised to stop other medica- military technology to China. capital. A recent northward advance by tion while on the Immunitor. There is now a clamour for the pills Analysts say the inclusion of the Taliban has sparked concern about and distribution moved this month to a police station. There is also Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most instability in Central Asia. Last fall, confusion. Thai media reports have raised many contradictions populous nation, in the SCO is also dozens of well-armed Islamic rebels and questions about the product. Confusion also reigns as the Russia and China are heavyweights in a a key development. The move comes crossed into Kyrgyzstan from authorities seem to not yet have decided on the official stand — as a blow to another post-Soviet neighbouring Tajikistan. Taliban- they have made announcements, backtracked and contradicted new Central Asian organisation that aims group, GUUAM, including Georgia, controlled Afghanistan is seen as a each other. (IPS) for security and better trade and obliquely Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and major training centre for radical opposes US policy in the region. Moldova. This was created with Muslim and separatist groups.

Western support in 1997 to Concerns about Muslim separatism ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dodgy ceasfire challenge Russia’s perceived also worry Beijing, due to outbreaks of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ NEW DELHI –Last week’s agreement between Naga leaders MOSCOW - With last week’s reducing border troops. For Russia, domination and Uzbekistan joined in unrest among the Muslim Uighur seeking a separate homeland and the Indian government to metamorphosis of a border deal into a this new formal regional structure is 1999 at the 50th anniversary summit minority—a Turkic-speaking group in continue a four-year-old ceasefire and extend it to areas outside new organisation covering Central the fruition of its long-advocated of NATO. However, Uzbekistan its westernmost Xinjiang region that Nagaland in India’s turbulent northeast, might be in trouble. The Asia, the volatile region is now collective security action to deal with concluded a security treaty with borders Central Asia, Afghanistan and Indian government is under mounting pressure to revoke territorial dominated by Russia and China. This terrorism in Central Asia. Russia last May. Pakistan. In the wake of the Soviet extension of the ceasefire. Opposition took a violent turn in Imphal, new grouping took form at the fifth But the new club has other The SCO is also set to challenge collapse and Russia’s withdrawal from capital of Manipur state which adjoins Nagaland, forcing police to annual summit in Shanghai of the implications for Central Asia’s another project backed by the Central Asia, “a sort of power vacuum” open fire and clamp an indefinite curfew on the city. At least seven Shanghai Five—Russia, China and the power equation. Russia and China West—the TRACECA programme has emerged in the region, Putin said people were reported dead and scores injured in the firing. former Soviet states of Kazakhstan, have long shared concern over to develop a transport corridor on a recently. Now this vacuum is being Opposition to the ceasefire has also come from the United Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. perceived American dominance in west-east axis from Europe, across filled by “religious extremists and Liberation Front of Assam, a militant group fighting for Assamese Uzbekistan is also a member of the international affairs, so Moscow the Black Sea, through the Caucasus terrorist organisations,” so joint independence. Last week’s talks nearly failed over the issue of new group, the Shanghai Cooperation and Beijing will push the SCO to and the Caspian Sea to Central Asia. efforts are needed to control the including areas outside Nagaland in the ceasefire. Naga leader Organisation (SCO). The SCO’s counterbalance Washington’s SCO prime ministers will meet next situation there, he added. But a Thuingaleng Muivah’s powerful National Socialist Council of roots lie in the 1997 creation of a perceived unilateralism. Russia and fall in Kazakhstan to discuss trade possible anti-terrorist body of the Nagaland, Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) has been demanding that the body to deal with border disputes China will be “driving forces”, the between member states, including an SCO has some inept antecedents. ceasefire also apply in adjoining Manipur, Arunachal and Assam amid common concerns about Russian Interfax news agency SCO-based “Silk Road” project. The Commonwealth of Independent states, where it maintains bases. The home ministry initially said Islamic extremism. That year, quoted a Kremlin source as saying. Since the TRACECA was designed States (CIS), a grouping of former that this would mean legitimising Nagalim or “Greater Nagaland”, Shanghai Five countries, which Russia and China prioritise efforts to to circumvent Russia, the SCO- Soviet nations, already has an Anti- the creation of which is the stated goal of the NSCN-IM, but the share the former Soviet-Chinese ensure a democratic world order and a sponsored Silk Road may be another Terrorist Centre that hasn’t produce government eventually agreed. The conflict between the Nagas border, signed a treaty significantly “multi-polar world,” Putin was blow to Western policies in Central any meaningful results.
(IPS) and the Indian government is one of the longest standing struggles of indigenous people. After Indian independence in 1947 and Burmese independence in 1948, the traditional territory of the Naga COMMENT by MUSHAHID HUSSAIN tribes, which extends 37,000 square miles just south of the Chinese border, was divided between the two, ignoring a declaration of independence by the Nagas. Peace was restored in Nagaland after 50 years of separatist insurgency in 1997 when the Indian government and the rebels signed a ceasefire and Wanted: Hard realism agreed to work on a long-term solution. Until now, it has held remarkably well. (IPS) ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar’s visit to Washington With a new administration in Washington, last week was the first high-level contact of the military regime with the Bush Pakistanis need to discard myths and administration. Two regional trends impinged on the talks, a visible relaxation of Sex sells. Or does it?

tensions in South Asia, evident in the upcoming summit between India and approach relations with the US with more ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Pakistan. Second, after the Third Round of the US-Russia Working Group on hard-headed realism. SHANGHAI - The Communists didn’t shut it down. The free market ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Afghanistan ended 24 May, the two countries jointly declared that “Taliban ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ did. China’s first-ever sex museum closed shop here after 20 support for terrorism continues to be a threat to the interest of both countries, as issued by two important Washington-based think tanks. American think tanks months of showcasing the most splendid moments in the country’s well as to regional and international stability.” UN Security Council are important because they either influence official policy or reflect the views bedroom history and losing around $200,000. But the man behind it sanctions, imposed against the Taliban in December 2000, are to be of officialdom. The Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has found a new made more stringent with stationing of observers all along Afghanistan’s says: “India’s hopes for a security vision grounded on an expanding location and is risking border to ensure compliance with the arms embargo. international role and stronger ties to the United States will remain his life savings to give Pakistanis need to discard myths and approach relations with the beyond reach unless it can sustain a serious effort to resolve its problems it another shot. “If I US with more hard-headed realism. Some of the more popular myths are, with Pakistan.” The Brookings Institution’s report last month, authored by don’t do it now, my first, the belief that Republicans are pro-Pakistan. Not true. President South Asia specialist Dr Stephen Cohen, underlines Washington’s “area of whole life’s life work will be wasted,” said George W Bush’s father initiated the current sanctions in October 1990, greatest concern” as the “spread of nuclear expertise, fissile missile and Liu Dalin, 69, a soon after the withdrawal of the Soviet army from Afghanistan. missile technology” to and from South Asia. The Brookings report also sociologist and owner Republicans are keen to build a cosy rapport with India, which they says the US “should renew contacts with those Pakistanis who share of the collection of view as a potential counter to China. US national interests always Washington’s concern over the spread of radical Islam. These include over 1,700 artefacts come first. Second is the view that the US will help restore some Pakistan Army’s officer corps, Pakistani intellectuals, dating back as far as democracy in Pakistan. Not true. Democracy and human rights professionals and most of the business community.” It the Bronze Age. Attendance was dismal because few people are important values within American society, but US foreign recommends that “American military training programmes for knew where the museum was, tucked away on a side street in policy is not always based on these ideals. US interest is Pakistanis terminated nearly nine years ago should be Shanghai’s shopping district. The kiss of death came when the linked to promoting its objectives, regardless of whether immediately revived.” Pakistan should seek a stable, building’s management refused to let the museum hang a there is a democratic government or a military regime in business-like relationship with the US based on a “no marquee—the word “sex” isn’t allowed in commercial advertising. Pakistan. A third myth is that Pakistan is no longer capitulation, no confrontation” approach. The Bush Yet Shanghai has thousands of sex-toy shops, Viagra knockoffs “strategically important.” But Pakistanis forget that their administration, like most Western countries, has a certain sell like hot cakes, some karaoke bars double as brothels, and country is located in the most strategic part of a region comfort level with the military regime. Its sympathy was much more graphic displays of nudity and sexual situations are crucial to America’s Asia strategy. Pakistan’s foreign demonstrated by providing economic relief through the available in pirated movies, live dance performances and nude policy links with China and Iran, and its role in IMF and the World Bank, enthusiasm about Pakistan’s photography exhibits. If anything, the displays at the Museum of combating terrorism, curbing nuclear and missile policy of reaching out to India, and support for the vision Chinese Ancient Sex Culture may not have been titillating enough. proliferation and containing “religious extremism”, ensure of “moderate, modern Muslims and a progressive Pakistan” The most graphic depictions of erotic positions, images historically that it remains a key player in regional and global politics. that the military regime has espoused. placed at the bottom of a bride’s dowry trunk so newlyweds A fourth myth says the US installs or removes regimes. However, while the partial lifting of sanctions is on the would know what to do, were drawn with almost childlike smiley This is no longer the case. Accomplished conspiracy cards in the future, the key question is how much the American faces. Liu believes people will find the new museum easily—its large, street-level windows are great for displays, which should theorists, many Pakistanis blame outsiders for their problems, OS “romance” with India will be at the cost of Washington’s ties forgetting that their problems are largely their own creation and with China, and to a lesser extent, Pakistan. How Pakistan will be within the law. Liu believes it’s a wonder his museum was that the solution lies in their own hands. respond to the emerging anti-Taliban alignment in the region that allowed at all. “This would have been impossible 10 years ago,” Liu said. “This is progress.” (LA Times) Pakistan’s resumption of dialogue with the US comes in the includes Iran, Turkey, China, Russia, the United States and the Central context of South Asia policy prescriptions for the Bush administration Asian republics—and India—bears watching as well.
(IPS) FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 15

King Birendra, “Orphaned twice” 78 and went around the town. of the elected representatives. If ○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○ Their Majesties also started a they do not follow the directives, “How could the Maoists stoop so Ganesh Man and Gorkhapatra Daily, 16 June conversation with the rickshaw the peoples’ government will take

low?” -- Mohan Bikram Singh democracy driver, Sakar Miya Ansari and action against them. ○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○ “I still cannot believe that my inquired about the local administra- Budhbar Saptahik, 13 June Punajagaran Saptahik, 12 June loving and caring mother has passed tion and the situation in the town. No census

away. What shall I do?” This is Miya did not recognize Their ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ At the present moment we will not go about analysing King Birendra. On the morning of the 30 Chaitra, what Hom Bahadur says. Her late Majesties. While he was showing Saptahik Janadesh, 12 June No Marxist-Leninist party would express their thoughts about him the 2046 (mid-April, 1990), Revati Majesty, the queen had taken a them around , a local Marwari way the Maoists did. If what they said is the conclusion they have Raman Khanal, chief principle special interest in Hom and cared businessman recognised them, The Maoists have said they will not arrived at, they should explain how they reached it. Was what they secretary of the king, called Ganesh for him since he was two years old. started running behind the allow the enumerators of 10th said what they thought even before he was killed or is this an opinion Man Singh on the telephone. He rickshaw, chanting praises to them. national census into areas they they formulated after his death? They have not clarified this, but have said the king wanted to meet control. The census was scheduled only skimmed the surface. They haven’t realised the gravity of the It was only then that the citizens of Ganesh Man and asked him when the town realised the king and to start 10 June but was delayed by situation and have made an ad hoc statement. he would like to have the meeting. national mourning. Sources say the Their statement exposes their thinking processes and bears queen were in Birganj. They started Ganesh Man said he would be in lining the streets and started Maoists have not allowed people traces of anti- nationalism. One main feature of anti- national thought the bathroom till 1pm, then have from the census team into their is that it does not follow any logical sequence, and lacks serious- chanting praises. Miya saw a police his lunch and rest a little until 4pm. areas. The Maoists, who run ness. Such thinking changes by the minute. The Maoists’ statements vehicle speeding towards the about Birendra are not logical or well-reasoned and should be So he would only be able to meet rickshaw, and told the couple in his peoples’ governments in Rukum, ignored. Their bad reasoning is not as important as the anti- national the king between 4 and 6pm and rickshaw that Their Majesties were Rolpa, Salyan, Jajarkot, Jumla, stand they have taken. Until yesterday they spoke of a Naya asked if that would be alright . arriving and they should get down, Kalikot, Accham and Bajura, say Janabadh, or a new peoples’ democracy. After this they have Khanal said he would convey otherwise the police would give him the Koirala government is only displayed their devotion to the monarchy and the monarch. They have that to the king and then get back trouble. Miya forced the couple to limited to Singha Darbar. Instead, called the royal massacre a new Kot Parba and say this should to Ganesh Man. Ganesh Man did get down. Their Majesties got into the head of the Maoist government not be accepted. If we analyse their shallow and unreliable not hear from the palace that day. the police vehicle, and it was only in Jajarkot, Bhakta Bahadur Shah nature, we should not be surprised if tomorrow they decide to Khanal rang the next morning and after the queen had given Miya Rs told us, the Maoists will carry out back the new monarch. explained that the king had been 2,000 as fare that he realised who their own census programmes. Dr Babu Ram Bhattarai says that if we analyse the Shah dynasty, busy with a religious function the MIN BAJRACHARYA he had been ferrying. Their He said the government has we will find that they first fought the British colonialists and later the previous day, and asked Ganesh Hom is now 16. Hom, says people Majesties visited Birganj many been conducting national censuses Indian imperialist forces and have always protected the Man to present himself at the are usually orphaned only once in times, but this particular incident is for a long time and has always said independence of this country. He further writes that all the work that palace today at 4pm. The king and their lives, but he has been most memorable, say residents of this would be linked to has been done by the Shah dynasty for the benefit of the nation will Ganesh Man met on the fifth day orphaned twice. He cannot bear the town. development projects, but it seems always be remembered. I will not try and find reason in this conclu- after the restoration of democracy the grief and says the queen loved that they were fooling the people. A sion. This is a vulgar display of opportunism. Other than the present and this meeting lasted for about him, took special care of him and census is supposed to assess the king, they have placed all former Shah rulers on a pedestal. They Snubbed

two-and-a-half hours. did all that she could ensure he had ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ level of development that has taken claim this is not a sudden conclusion but that all further generations This meeting determined the a bright future. He is finding it very Jana Aastha National Weekly, place or need to take place in will analyse history in the same manner. The Maoists are shameless. course of Nepal’s political future. difficult to cope. All those beautiful 13 June backward areas, but the government They feel that by making such statements, they would gain prestige, Ganesh Man thanked the king on moments he shared with Her has not acted on the information. respect and acceptance. How could they stoop so low? behalf of all people for respecting Majesty and other relatives are now It is rumoured that the Queen Instead, it discriminates against the their ambitions and longings. He just memories. All he has now are Mother ignored Dipendra when she people of Karnali. The Maoist chief further said that since the king had photographs, but the biggest went to visit the injured members in Kalikot, Prajuwal, said the “Note of dissent.” Kamal Koirala helped democracy take root in the tragedy is that all those pictures are of the royal family at the Army people of Kalikot would also have country again, the king must now locked up in the palace. Hom says Hospital. Sources say that after the nothing to do with the census. Jana Aastha National Weekly, 13 June also become a little more demo- that when he was a baby, his father cremation of King Birendra and According to him, the government cratic in his actions and thoughts. was sick and helpless and his Queen Aishwarya, the Queen has not clarified the purpose of the I cannot mourn a murderer. I will fall in my own estimation, if I mourn a person who killed his father, mother, brother and sister. I thank His Majesty said he did not mother could not feed him, so his Mother went to the hospital to visit census and so people will not that one incident for atleast one thing, that all could die together. understand what he meant. Ganesh parents left him at the Bal Mandir. the injured. She visited Queen participate. He added that if the Otherwise it becomes very difficult for me to comprehend how Man replied that all Nepalis believe The next day, the queen visited the Komal, Princess Shoba, Gorakh government insisted or used force, would you (Chandani Shah) live when the very person who you in democracy and all Neplais are orphanage and Hom caught Her Sumshere, Ketaki Chester and then the Maoists would reply in have lived for, has been murdered right before your eyes. The cruel equal. Therefore, if the king while Majesty’s sari and started wailing. Dhirendra Shah. When she was kind. and mad murderer had mercy on you in this sense. addressing the people addressed The queen then picked him up and finished, she walked towards the The Maoists have begun to say The nation is in deep mourning and facing a great deal of them as “tapai” instead of the less said that she would from now on lobby to leave in her car. On her that the sole purpose of the census hardship now. Medical people and psychologists say that grief goes respectful “timi,” then it would take care of Hom herself and took way to out her ADC Sashi Singh is to try and get rid of them. They through many phases. At first you cry a lot, you shout and refuse to only increase his stature among the him to the palace. pointed to the room Dipendra was say all the questions in the census believe anything. Then you do not feel like eating, there is anger people. And well, whether to follow Hom only found out all this in. The Queen Motehr walked are designed to weed out Maoists building up in you, you can’t sleep, you carry the burden of guilt and this advice or not was a choice that later. He only knew that Queen straight ahead to her car. and Maoist sympathisers and then can’t feel happy about anything. This all is followed by the third only the king could make. Aishwarya treated him like her own deploy the army to kill them. People stage, where you try and remember and talk about the person who His Majesty blushed for a child. Hom stayed in the palace for Defunct DDC who seem to be against the Maoists

has just passed away. You then try and reason with yourself and moment, but he was not angry, just between three and four years, and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ will become tools for the government, calm down. rather expressionless. After some he not only had a mother there, but Jana Ahwan National Weekly, which will then say that there are no I do not know which phase in which this country is at the time he smiled and said that what also a brother in Prince Nirajan and 15 June Maoists in Nepal. present moment. But it still is in great sorrow. People do not believe Ganesh Man had just suggested was a sister in Princess Sruti. The Maoist sources say decisions anyone but themselves. They have lost the power of believing. If correct. He told Ganesh Man that prince and princess treated him like The chief of the “peoples’ concerning the census will be taken the Japanese could survive Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then the from now he would follow his a brother. Hom remembers how government” in Rolpa, Santosh on a district to district basis. Nepalis, too, will survive this tragedy. Let us start believing that we advice. After this incident, the king the queen herself had fed him. He Budamagar, has put out a notice According to the Dailekh secretary of will survive, that our nation will survive. did as he had been requested by was later admitted to the Kanti saying the people and the peoples’ the Maoists, Parasmani, in districts Ganesh Man. Ishwori School. Hom’s eyesight is government of Rolpa have declared where the Maoists have formed very weak and the Queen ordered the District Development peoples’ government, no census will QUOTE OF THE WEEK that Hom be treated at Tilganga Committee (DDC) defunct and so take place at all. Where there is no Hospital to rectify this. He was the committee cannot do anything peoples’ government but Maoists area We as ADCs used to suggest (to Dipendra) that he should not take it (the black substance rolled into ciga- admitted at the Tilganga hospital in the district without the forces are in control, the census will rettes). But he used to tell us that it was better than cigarettes. only a day before the royal permission of the representatives of take place, but under strict massacre. Hom says the queen said the peoples’ government. According supervision of the peoples’ army. He Major Raju Kumar Karki, ADC of Dipendra, to the high-level investigation committee. to him that his eyes had to be to the notice, the peoples’ has asked people to only answer operated upon otherwise he would government was elected through questions they feel are necessary. not be able to carry on with his fair, democratic means on the 10 Parasmani also said the Maoists will education. He could not tell Her April and the results were take a copy of all the data collected. Majesty about the successful announced on 16 May at a operation. He got news of the gathering of 50,000 people. The More peoples’ massacre while recovering at the government, he adds, is supported Bal Mandir. by 95 percent of the local governments population. And since most ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Saptahik Janadesh, 12 June supported the “peoples’ election”, King, queen, all organs of the previous system are The People’s War is in its sixth

rickshaw declared defunct, and the district ○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○ year. The Maoists have already will be run by institutions of the Saptahik Bimarsa, 15 June formed “peoples governments” in people’s government. All funds many districts, and now they have coming into the district will have to 14 years ago, the king and queen four more under the belt. On 7 be approved by the newly-elected went on an unannounced visit to June the Maoist election officer, representatives and government. If Birganj and went around town on a Bharat Kumar Bam announced in any individual or organisation wants rickshaw. Birganj’s senior citizens front of a 24,000-strong gathering to work on development projects fondly remember that incident. that they had now formed here, they will have to get permis- Their Majesties were visiting district-level peoples’ sion from the peoples’ government Hetauda and decided to come to governments in Jumla and and its representatives before they Birganj. The king was in military Kalikot. Peoples’ governments are can start any work. uniform. They got on a rickshaw in place in Rukum, Jajarkot, Parrr ... now ... enn english ... Rat ... tya. tya tya tya tya ... ! All HMG institutions will also registration number MPR 55-77 / Salyan and Rolpa. Drishti weekly, 19 June have to take the abide by the rules

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 16 SPORTS 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES the USA. In addition Mahendra resources we have,” says Anup. And and Japan always welcomes a dip in Thapa of Equator Expeditions also opportunity there is—kayaking is foreign rivers. “The most important funded two air tickets while the ticket now an Olympic sport. thing is that we will get more for the third member came from Dave Team Nepal is great, but they experience and the opportunity to Allardice. “We are not well-off, but will be challenged by their more widen our knowledge. And this will since this experience is one that will experienced international also be a sort of a promotion for open other opportunities up to us, counterparts in Spain. Tarka who Nepal,” says Anup. Good luck us we will make do with the little has also kayaked in Argentina, Chile Team Nepal.

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT Three Nepalis ActionAid Nepal (AAN) is an international non-governmental organisation working in Nepal since 1982. It believes that poverty is a condition of social injustice and discrimination and that it can be eradicated through a process based on empowerment and fulfilment of basic rights and a kayak of poor and marginalised people. We are seeking an able Nepali woman for the position of Human Resources and Organisation Development Manager (HR/OD Manager) to head its Human Resources Kayaking has come a long away here—the all-Nepali Department in the Country Office. This is a highly responsible position within the senior Team Nepal is participating in an important management team reporting directly to the Country Director (CD) and will call for the following

competition in Spain this week. specifications: ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ ♦ A post graduate qualification in either Human Resources Management, Organisation ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY Development or Organisation Behaviour (this can be compensated with extra hands on ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sports on the water are getting more Dudh Kosi river in September 1998 working experience in a similar position) ver met a kayaker crazy popular among those who know the showed the world that Nepalis could ♦ A working experience of at least 3-5 years in a management capacity in a similar position enough to bungy jump off a rivers well. Kayaking is a relatively also kayak,” says Kamal, who earned preferably in a social development organisation e 160m bridge above the Bhote new sport, simple in concept but a bit the admiration of kayakers around the ♦ Excellent language skills both in English and Nepali both spoken and in writing Kosi attached to the cord on his kayak? more complicated in practice. It world for his part in saving the lives of ♦ Excellent interpersonal skills Such is the obsession of Santosh involves a one-man boat shaped like a many. It wasn’t easy, though—he was ♦ Computer literate Gurung, one of the three members of canoe and the kayaker simply tries to spent in four short hours over a ♦ Knowledge of the labour laws of Nepal , Gender equity issues and management of change Team Nepal that will represent the maintain his balance in the water distance of 45km, a distance that in organisations would be an asset nation in the World Freestyle using a two-sided oar to beat the normally takes three days to kayak Championship in Sort, Spain starting waves. The thrill lies in facing gigantic over. Santosh and Anup laugh that We are looking for a mature, balanced person exhibiting demonstrated leadership competencies 25 June. Santosh, a river guide by waves, holes, and rapids being when age catches up with them and to strategically guide the human resources function towards enabling AAN achieve its mission profession, won first place at the squeezed through an ever-narrowing companies tire of seeing them, they related goals. She should posses functional tact, diplomacy, effective skills in dealing with seventh Himalayan White Water gully. Sounds like the kayaker would will open a kayaking club. people, industrious and be results oriented. Rodeo organised last November by be pretty helpless, right? But there are Team Nepal, which left for The person will be maintaining close relations with other HR/OD functionaries who work in the Dave Allardice of Ultimate Descents skills that talented people can hone to Spain last week faced a lot of various country programmes and the regional office of ActionAid Asia. and Peter Knowles, who wrote White ensure they stay in the boat rather problems, but none of this put a Water Nepal, the Nepali river rafters than out of it. For the rest of us, damper on their spirits. The All AAN accords prime importance to the attitude and behaviour of the people it aims bible. Battling the rapids with Santosh though, it will remain a wet roller- Nepal River Guide Association to recruit and believes that they should be compatible with its core values. will be a river guide and kayaker with coaster ride over which we have little contributed Rs 28,000 towards the The position will be based in Kathmandu and may involve some field visits as and when a great deal of experience, Tarka control. Our ilk will always be in the expenses of the trip, but the Rafting necessary to different AAN projects in Nepal. Kamal, who came second in the numerous beginner’s training camps and Kayaking Association under the Employment with AAN offers opportunity for career enrichment for competent persons. It also Himalayan White Water Rodeo, and adventure sports companies organise. Nepal Sports Council has done offers scope for travel not only in Nepal but also internationally as it maintains strong affiliations Anup Gurung, another young kayaker With the eternal snows from the nothing at all. The team’s gear is with ActionAid offices located in approximately 35 countries of the world. who came third. Although Nepalis Himalayas feeding our gullies and sponsored by six companies: a have participated in international ravines, Nepal offers kayakers some of Method kayak from Perception UK, Please forward your application by the 25th of June with your recent CV to the: white water events in the past, this the most exciting waters in the world. an Innerzone from Wild Rock Boat HR/OD Manager may perhaps be the first time an all- Rivers like the Bhote Kosi, the Werks, Canada, Paddlelok paddles Nepali kayaking team competes Karnali, and the Kali Gandaki, have a from Lendel, Scotland, bouyancy aids ActionAid Nepal against teams from 45 countries. cult international following among and jackets from Nookie, England, Post Box 6257, Kathmandu With so much of water flowing white water rafters due to their size, Shread Ready helmets from the USA fast and furious down Nepali hills, one scenic beauty and the accompanying and and Smiths Sunglasses, also from Fax 419718. Email: [email protected] would expect many Nepalis to be experience Nepali wilderness offers. involved in such drenching adventures “More and more of white water as kayaking. Surprisingly, the reality is enthusiasts are starting to come to Call: 560675 or 560775 the opposite. Only a handful of our kayak,” says Tarka Kamal who has own citizens ever think of taking a been in the business for more than ten wild ride down the river for years now. This is great for Nepal’s entertainment. There are economic image, and it has the added advantage Wet & Wild Summer reasons kayaking won’t ever have the of inspiring younger Nepali river Every Saturday at Godavari Village Resort mass appeal of football or basketball, guides to try kayaking. “The glacial but there are signs that adventure lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the Ten Flying Dutchmen on Highway 318 Finally, a mountain KIRAN PANDEY biking team with a difference. Ten Dutchmen, all corporate employees in Beijing and Shanghai, biked down from Lhasa to Kathmandu last week. This 1,000km 16-day LIVE with journey through the roof of the world was a ride with a Kantipur FM purpose. The team, Ten Flying Dutchmen, raised $100,000 12:00 - 1:00pm for the Dorfuton Primary School, which has some 200 children, in Qinghai province in southeastern Tibet. Thanks to the good burghers, the school can now take on 200 more students, expand its educational offerings to grade 9 and A fun time awaits you this summer at Godavari Resort. Beat the heat and splash into the cool blue build a solar heating system so the school can remain open pool. Then, enjoy the fascinating natural setting of the Resort while savouring a sumptuous Buffet even during the winter. According to one member of the team, Lunch. Good clean fun for the entire family - courtesy the Godavari Village Resort. And to further add to the excitement, starting 7th April, Kantipur FM will conduct and air a “LIVE” the trip served several purposes: it collected funding for the Village Resort program straight from our pool-side. So watch out, you just might be on air! Owned by: Greenwich Village Resort Hotel (P) Ltd. school, gave the team an opportunity to explore a side of Tibet they had never seen before, and showed Nepali Swimming with Buffet Lunch and a bottle of beer @ Rs. 600 + Tax for adults. Swimming with Buffet Lunch and bottle of soft drink @ Rs. 350 + Tax for children. tourism entrepreneurs that there is a expatriate market they P.O.Box: 12446, Amarabati (Toukhel), Godavari, Lalitpur, Nepal. Tel: 560675, 560775. Fax: 977-1-560777. Corporate Office: P.O.Box 837, Kupondol Heights, Kathmandu, Nepal. can target in China. Dutch. Tel: 521780, 522399, 527619. Fax: 977-1-526683. E-mail: [email protected] ~ Website: www.godavariresort.com.np CULTURE 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 17 SAVING FAITH by DESMOND DOIG A monument to an Indian princess istory is uncertain: it is a long time ago. Deupatan was either a Perhaps in the darkness of the night, sorcerers still meet to h flourishing city spread about the change metal into stone and water into burning oil. most holy shrine of Pashupatinath, or ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the sacred land waiting for a city. In the morass of time, dates have concerns us more is the coming of remained in her new homeland, Certainly there must have been a small meaning but a halo is forever the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the helping to found not just one new settlement, a centre of pilgrimage cast about the time when Gautama footsteps of his master. He raised or town, but two, because beside already. The king, according to early Buddha was born. Scholars will added to existing stupas wherever the Deupatan she herself lavished travellers, lived near the temple where forever debate whether he visited Buddha had tarried or preached: four patronage on a Buddhist settlement he worshipped daily. the valley of the gods or not: about the city of Patan, one on called Chabahil. There, inspired by There was a palace on a mound tradition says he did. He visited the Swayambhunath hill, one at her father, she raised and about it a above Pashupatinath. And a road city or town of Patan, where he Baudhanath and one at Kirtipur. vihara. Apparently she herself took led to distant Swayambhunath on bestowed the favour of his name There exist other stupas that may more and more to a religious way of its sacred hill. Tradition, legend, upon the blacksmith caste by be Ashokan, overlooked by historians life and finally renouncing regal living, natural surmise, has a sprawl of elevating them to Sakyas. After and scholars both. One is on the hill of became a nun. habitation about the sickle of the visiting Swayambhu he sat upon the the thirty-two butterflies, not far My sketch is of the Charumati Bagmati that flowed through the lion throne made by Viswakarman, from Pashupatinath, another beside vihar or bahal as it is today: old, very Kathmandu Valley It was called and read from the Puranas to the the new ring road below old, but obviously not original. Manjupatan after Manjushri, who large company of people who had Swayambhunath and a third to the Perhaps it stands on ancient drained a lake to form the Valley. gathered to do him honour What north of Bhaktapur. But even these foundations, for the people of are outside the limits of my concern Chabahil are firm in their belief that it with Ashoka’s daughter Charumati. was Charumati who built it. The They merely substantiate the visit pujari doesn’t even know who to the Kathmandu Valley of her Charumati was: a goddess, he told me. forever famous father. Three shrines occupy the square She must have travelled with him, building. Beside the entrance, in the and either it was love, a political spirit of Buddhist-Hindu coexistence, arrangement or a strange fascination is a small shrine to Bhairab, the that had her married to a prince, terrifying protector. The main shrine Devapala, who is historically is occupied by a standing connected with Deupatan, near Avalokeshwar, and immediately stood out the centuries, was briefly the small courtyard of an existing Pashupatinath. Hearsay history has above, in a shrine forbidden to most stolen but returned. All trace of the temple courtyard. The debate him either living in the palace above visitors, is an Ajima, or grandmother monastery that stood about the shrine ended only when the the temple and administering the goddess worshipped by Buddhists and has disappeared. Modern building Shankaracharya discovered that the township of Deupatan, or founding it Hindus alike. begins to encroach upon the old temple goddess herself was aiding together with Charumati. Before the main shrine is a Chabahil and its ancient neighbour the tantric sage. And residents of One fairly authenticated version chaitya carved with four Buddhas Deupatan, are but names; only a few the area are given to saying that of shadowy history has the that date to earliest Licchavi times old buildings indicate where they once they hear strange and often impetuous Charumati—her beauty, (AD 300-800). Although still stood: in Chabahil, the stupa and the terrifying noises in the night, her graces are left to imagination— remarkably preserved, this historic courtyard named after Charumati; in coming from the direction of a deeply impressed by a display of monument is in urgent need of Deupatan, a tantric temple and a tantric shrine that now stands sorcery and black magic. Water was restoration. The pujari told me that stone bath fed by carved water spouts beside the new highway that rings turned to oil, water burned, an iron some foreigners—he thought Where the prince and princess might the Kathmandu Valley. Perhaps in arrowhead was changed to stone and Americans—had come some years once have bathed, and some ancient the solemn and darkest darkness of a wooden staff into a writhing snake ago with promises to repair the paving stones. the night, sorcerers still meet to The Indian princess begged her building, but they never returned. There is still the strong sense of change metal into stone and water father to many her to the young Nearby is the stupa Charumati tantric mysticism that attracted into burning oil.
prince Devapala—handsome, built, painted with large, all-seeing Charumati to the place. Legend has courageous, himself possessed of eyes and surrounded by small votive it that a tantric was locked for days (Excerpted with permission from mystic powers? chaityas, stupas and images. A in religious debate with a visiting In the Kingdom of the Gods, Harper Collins, 1994.) MIN BAJRACHARYA It was done, and Charumati beautiful Licchavi Buddha that had Shankaracharya from south India in

NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA Bhupi Sherchan On rumour and hearsay

hupi Sherchan’s renowned poem Yo Hallai and where poetry arbiters have souls where sugar factories produce not sugar but someone who hates or betrays his country Hallako Desh Ho has been much quoted since in the process of petrifaction, alcohol, but this country is mine as much as yours, b the 1 June massacre at Narayanhiti Palace. In where wooden legs win races where free mothers birth not sons but lahureys, even if we were to divide it equally fact it has been quoted so widely that it risks and where security rifle blades where great poets die before their time my small hut would stand becoming an easy weapon to silence even are held up by broken plastered hands, still unable to pay off debts, on one of its ten million pieces, legitimate, critical and valuable scepticism of a place where doko after doko where a poet insane with his country’s anxiety my funeral pyre would stand official bungling, government mediocrity, shoddy kharpan after kharpan must seek refuge in another country’s hospital, on one of its countless river banks inquiries, contradictory narratives, and a lack of truck after truck of souls and where the sole daughter of the goddess credible material evidence surrounding the are decked before roadways and verandahs, Saraswati This is the feel that compels me to say massacre. Surely the Nepali public should not be where those who become political leaders withers in her youth for lack of medical that gives me courage to say: belittled for demanding intelligent answers and sell and buy souls like stock agency shares, attention, this is a country of hearsay and rumour credible proof—and surely Bhupi Sherchan should where the champions of the youth bear where guides remind tourists If one were to unearth the foundation of each not be used to such ends. corrugated wrinkles on their foreheads, of Nepal’s contribution to foreign lands house here A sharp response to the misuse of Bhupi where the ‘wash and wear crease’ of respectability and on holidays ask for the contribution only hearsay and rumour would be found Sherchan’s poem comes from Pratyoush Onta in the of even the worst reprobate never crinkles, of their foreign cameras, heaped there 15 June Kathmandu Post: “Those who quote the last where even the most debased whore’s face where young people That’s why this is a country of hearsay and seven lines of Bhupi Sherchan’s immortal 70-line of synthetic skin never wrinkles, undergo army training rumour poem on ours being a country of rumours on their where agriculture fairs singing songs of Nalapani and Kangada This is a country standing on hearsay and way to a patronising analysis of so-called rumour- display seeds that promise double yields fortresses rumour spreaders, might want to reread its first 48 lines to while spreading news of drought and famine, This is a country founded on hearsay and think about how the best of our poets characterised where in the place of Bagmati and Bishnumati Donning a khukuri along with coat and tie, rumour the process that give rise to hallas [rumors].” The rivers renting my heart wide open This is a country of hearsay and rumour entire poem is translated below in deference to beer and whisky now trickle, I feel I must speak to this country, Onta’s critique. and where Pashupati and Swayambhu are used O fellow countrymen This poem is found in Sherchan’s collection This is a Country of Hearsay and Rumour not to get a taste of sacred offerings O national poets Ghumne Mechmathi Andho Manchhe. Another A country where music competition judges but for a taste of Adam and Eve’s forbidden fruit O honorable leaders Sherchan poem, “The History of My Country are deaf people sporting earphones, in the surrounding jungles and forests, If you want you can label me Seems Wrong to Me,” can be read in NT #27. 18 CITY 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES ABOUT TOWN BOOKWORM

The Hidden Himalaya Photographs by Thomas L Kelly, text by V Carroll, MOVIES Dunham Nepali and Hindi movies online ticket booking at www.nepalshop.com Abbeville Press Publishers, New York, 1987 [2001] Rs 3,960 EATING OUT In breathtaking photographs and evocative prose, Thomas L Kelly and V Carroll Fine Nepali and Indian Dining Kababs and biryani at Naachghar, the theatre restaurant Dunham reveal Humla’s limitless vistas and disclose intimate details of the lives of its yak at Hotel Yak & Yeti. 30 percent discount on all bottled wines ordered with meals at herders, caravan drivers, shamans, and polyandrous brides. Kelly and Dunham, the first Westerners to live in Naachghar until 30 June 2001. Humla, take us through a year there. Reservations recommended 248999 Bubbly Brunch Buffet with freely flowing Touching my Father’s Soul: In the Footsteps of Sherpa Tenzing Jamling Tenzing sparkling wine and entertainment for kids. Norgay, with Broughton Coburn Face painting, balloons, sculpture. Rs 999 Random House, Great Britain 2001 for adults, Rs 499 for children under 12. Rs 1,400 Saturdays 11.30am-2.30pm. Radisson In the fateful 1996 climbing season Jamling Norgay followed his father Tenzing’s footsteps Hotel. 411818 up Everest driven by a need to understand his father and the spirit of his Sherpa heritage, as LaSoon Restaurant and Vinotheque well as his instinctive desire to climb the lethal, yet sacred mountain which had so Lunch, tea and dinner with European and dominated his life. American food, fine wines. Pulchowk. 535290 Himalayan Space: Cultural Horizons and Practices Balthasar Sekuwa (BBQ) Night at Dwarika’sHotel. Bickel and Martin Gaenszle, eds Selection of starters, main courses and Völkerkundemuseum, Zürich, 1999 desserts for Rs 699 per person. Open Rs 1,975 throughout the monsoon. 479488 This volume explores how notions of space and landscape find expression in Himalayan Brunch with swimming Shangri La cultural traditions, languages and practices. Includes essays on Newari, Belhare, and Kathmandu’s award-winning garden. Rs Mewahang Rai people, Tamu (Gurung) shamans, Rai language, 700 plus tax. 412999 Tamang oral traditions and Magar mythology. Wet & Wild Summer Swimming in a cool pool and a buffet lunch. Saturdays at Trekking in Nepal: A Traveler’s Guide Stephen Bezruchka Godavari Village Resort. Adults Rs 600, Mandala Book Point and The Mountaineers, Kathmandu and Seattle, 1972, 1997 children Rs 350. Taxes extra. 560675, 560775 [2001] Mango Tango Exotic mangoes desserts Hotel de l’ Annapurna. All day, all food and Rs 675 beverage outlets. Dr Bezruchka write comprehensively on Nepal’s most rewarding routes, what to bring, Botega Restaurant and Tequila Bar Authentic Mexican specialities, steak, salsa and trekking with children, what to expect, and the people and history behind it all. He covers meringue music. Thamel. 266433. 21 major areas over all types of terrain and includes alternatives and side trips. Includes Sam’s Bar Variety of cocktails including the classic B52, Apple Schnapps, Sam’s new routs in the Makalu Barun area, 76 photos, 16 maps and 20 elevation profiles. Special, Mexican Tequila and more. Music and free popcorn. Thamel, opposite Hotel Mandap. 419836 Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath Naked Chef Restaurant, Nagarkot. Gourmet continental and Indian cuisine. Great views.262039, 680115. CLASSIFIED ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Movenpick ice-cream Exotic desserts at the ice-cream lounge on Darbar Marg. Visit The New Bishalnagar Nursery To let for flowers you will not find elsewhere! Just Fully furnished apartment, three MUSIC two minutes from Bishalnagar Chowk on the bedrooms, two baths, spacious living- Jazz by Cadenza at Upstairs, Lazimpat. Every Saturday, 7.30-10om. Rs 200 Dhumvarahi Road. Specialties of the dining, kitchen, phone line, terrace Unplugged guitar Syabru Lama at the Coffee Shop, Hotel De L’ Annapurna. Every season: Fuschias in many colours and overlooking garden. Peaceful evening varieties, young plants of early-fruiting surroundings, near Jawalakhel Zoo. German vine, and many others. 524389. EVENTS Stress Free Weekends Overnight stay at the Hyatt, Mountain Biking HMB Reflexology dinner for two at the Rox Restaurant, use of pool, for all your mountain biking needs—full Professional US, Europe-trained health club, spa and outdoor jacuzzi, ayurvedic workshop, repair facilities, all models. Pick naturopath, therapist. Improve your massage for two, weekend brunch, late check out up, delivery, professional mechanics. Bike blood circulation, energy flow. Perfect Sunday. Rs 9,000 plus tax. Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. clothing, spare parts, accessories. Hire, buy, preventive therapy and also for specific 491234 sell, new and second-hand bikes. ailments. 416118 (11am-5pm) or email Dwarika’s Saturday Escape Afternoon tea, Himalayan Mountain Bike. [email protected]. cocktail, dinner, room, massage and breakfast. www.bikingnepal.com. 437437. Saturday evening to Sunday noon. Until end- September. $130 per couple. Dwarika’s Hotel 479488 For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. Spiny Babbler Museum Readings and presentations of contemporary Nepali literature and art Sundays 5-6pm Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel; Tuesdays 4-5pm Kathmandu YAK YETI YAK by MIKU Environment Education Project, Thamel; Thursdays 7-8pm Bamboo Club Restaurant, Thamel, Saturdays 5-6pm New Orleans Café, Thamel. [email protected]. 542810, 546725

MARTIN CHAUTARI Classic Literature Discussion Series 6: Ramesh Vikal’s “Naya Sadak ko Geet” Pandits: Govinda Vartaman and Manjushree Thapa Unless otherwise noted all discussions are in Nepali. 26 June Tuesday. 5.30pm Thapathali .

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected]

NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL This satellite picture shows a fine series of southwesterly trade winds building up from the on FM 102.4 southern Arabian sea right up to the east coast of Thailand—indicating that the monsoon is off to a healthy start. These winds will in the next weeks head Mon-Fri 0615-0645 B B C World Today DSES- 3-05-2001 0400 GMT towards Bangladesh and take a sharp left turn to be over eastern Nepal by 10 June. Till then, we will see a S a t 0615-0645 B B C Science in Action series of weather cells moving from west to east bringing thunderstorms and occasional heavy bursts S u n 0615-0645 B B C Agenda of rain characteristic of pre-monsoon showers. Finally, monsoon winds will chase the westerlies Daily 2045-2115 B B C g]kfnL ;]jf away and that is when the rainy season will officially start. (See “Monsoon moods” p. 10-11). So far, the Daily 2245-2300 B B C g]kfnL ;]jf onset of the monsoon is right on schedule. Long-term forecasts also show a healthy advance of the monsoon over June and July. Radio Sagarmatha KATHMANDU P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue E-mail: [email protected]


www.radiosagarmatha.org 30-19 29-18 29-19 30-18 30-19 ARTS 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES 19 winter, and it’s waterproof and durable. I’ve been wearing this coat throughout the year,” he says. And then there’s the gauzy lightweight feel of allo shawls and scarves that makes you feel like you’re in a fairy tale world, evoking at every glance the beautiful mountains of eastern Nepal where ingenuity, Say AlloAlloAllo folk science, and very hard work come together. Can you say allo?

A painstakingly produced fabric made from Eco Himal Site: www.ecohimal.or.at More allo info, search with Himalayan bush becomes easier to make, and ‘allo’keyword on: www.icimod.org www.panasia.org.st

more exciting to wear. www.mtnforum.org ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Top Left: Kulung lady extracting allo It sounds simple, but it is a natural vegetable dyes in plain Kulungs still give first priority to fibre on improvised spinning machine. painstaking task—literally. In colours. “The price they are getting making the sacks and raincoats Down: An allo coat sample. October and November, the men is too low for the effort involved. they’ve traditionally made for climb the hills and harvest the allo And many Kulung women still use themselves and for sale to shrubs. After the shrubs are brought the mouth technique. It’s tough,” neighbouring villages. But the down, the men strip them of their says Gauli. You can now buy allo blended allo-based fabrics are bark and lay them to dry in the sun place mats (Rs 1,500 for a set) and paving the way for the community for three days. And there ends their shawls and mufflers (Rs 700 to take on the world. They’ll start share of the work. Now it is the upwards). They’re available at a few small. “We don’t really need to turn of women, boiling the bark in outlets in the Kathmandu area, gun for foreign markets initially. water containing ash. After this, the mainly in Kupondole. There’s a lot of potential to market bark is stonewashed at a nearby More will soon be available. it in Nepal. The problem is, people

river, bringing out the fibre that “The Kulung and consumers have don’t really know what allo is,” SALIL SUBEDI makes allo special. been enthusiastic about the says Gauli who was wearing an allo The fibre is then mixed with blends,” says Krishna Karki, the coat when he spoke with us. “Allo crushed limestone to make it a little field coordinator of the project. is cool in the summer and warm in ECO HIMAL greasy and easier to handle. All this

SALIL SUBEDI ○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○ people, indigenous to the eastern ethnobotany can be hard work: the rrant public school alumni hills of Nepal, have found an fibre is rolled around the waist and Dakshinkali Resort will remember being caned ingenious use for the allo the free end is clamped between the Dollu, Pharping ph 710072/710360 with the sisnupani (nettles) plant(Girardiana diversifolia). They teeth. One hand quickly rolls the Reservation Ph: 274445 e Fax: No: 977-1-281708 for not getting their homework have culturally and religiously fibre down—through the teeth, done. Now, you can wear nettles. determined uses for the plant, but which act as a filter—on to the An Ideal Resort for Seminar/Workshops Well, it’s not exactly the sisnu that they’ve also been earning their spinner. At the end of a life devoted Only Rs 1000.00 per person on Twin/Triple sharing basis with all meals. made contact with your backside, livelihood by making fabric and to this painstaking task, women Even Includes 2 times refreshment during the workshop. but something that looks rather like clothing from this plant. They have wounded and scarred hands 2% TSC+10% VAT APPLICABLE TAX EXTRA it and belongs to the same species. extract the allo fibres, turn them and have lost teeth prematurely, All The Facilities Are Also Free! In Mangtewa village in the eastern into fabric and then all manner of and jaws that never seem to stop Sankhuwasabha district, Kulung Rai clothing. hurting. But this might soon change, so HAPPENINGS we can wear allo clothing without feeling too guilty. Hari Gopal Shrestha, a Bhaktapur-based expert on Nepali textiles, has been working with the Austrian group, Eco Himal, to help the kulung Rai find better income-generating alternatives. The latest development is heartening:

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN “Recently we introduced a foot- operated device which dispenses with the need to use the mouth and works six times as fast as the traditional method,” he says. Last December, 20 women were trained PALACE GATES: Flowers and condolence messages have been removed from on how to use the new looms the main gate of Naryanhiti, which this week wore a forlorn and empty look. (khutte kal) and also new techniques in pattern design. Shrestha assures us that the women will not suffer as much anymore. This will surely help the small, but growing market allo clothing. “Eco Himal’s initiative to help the Kulung Rai is overseen by the income-generation programme of our community

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN development project. So we’re definitely scouting for a better market for their products,” says Shangrila Ram, Gauli, the administration and finance officer of Eco Himal. Allo are becoming the rage in eclectic PACK JOURNALISM: International and domestic media at the parliament circles in Austria and other secretariat for the release of the report by the probe panel on the royal massacre on European countries where it is 14 June. marketted by Eco Himal. There are obstacles to such efforts. Allo has the same rough, husky texture as jute and hemp, and although it is often lighter and more delicate-looking, it is often mistaken for them. And not everyone is crazy about coarse fabric. There are ways around this,

ZOOM PHOTO CENTER PHOTO ZOOM though, and the community has been taught how to blend other fabrics with allo. The community is experimenting with a variety of different blends. They produce allo- silk (Rs 700 per metre), allo-cotton JATRA TIMES ARE HERE AGAIN: The annual Jayabageswori Jatra gets (Rs 500 per metre) and pure allo underway on 14 June. (Rs 200 per metre) using only 20 22 - 28 JUNE 2001 NEPALI TIMES Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY

by Kunda Dixit

t is when you have hair coming out of your ears that don’t have pimples any more. Yes, the elderly gentleman Ram goes to Brussels you know you have reached ripe old age and you are at the back. I can’t hear you, can you speak up? You have i finally going to get the respect from society at large two nipples? I SAID PIMPLES, NOT NIPPLES. that you deserve. Exactly as was predicted, my hair has You will also find that you don’t have to follow lately stopped growing where it is supposed, and old boring rules of etiquette anymore. For instance, at sprouts lushly where it is not supposed to—like inside a sit-down dinner it will henceforth be ok just before my ears and on the tip of my nose. It is also true what dessert arrives to excavate a juicy morsel of marinated they say that your nose grows bigger as you grow older. mutton from your man-made molars, examine it in I now know from personal first-hand experience that detail and plop it back into your mouth. And as a my proboscis has grown in stature and prestige in the compliment to the chef, it is also ok for those of us last five years. Already, people on the street are approaching the autumn of our lives, to burp loudly mistaking me for House Speaker Taranath Ranabhat from either end of our alimentary tracts after a hearty and expressing heartfelt greetings by loudly imitating meal with near and dear ones, and if any youngsters Arnold Schwarzenegger. So much so, that if my nose look shocked, you pat them on the head and say: “Did grows any further than what I have at present, it is I startle you, my dear?” After the meal, you don’t have soon going to enter a room at least a minute and a half to feel bad about falling asleep in the sofa, you snores before the rest of me. muffled by nasal vegetation, while the rest of the clan Has anybody

seen my teeth? t was natural for Ram Prasad Bajgain, a step on each other’s toes,” he laughs. The only Nepali farmer, to get a culture shock when people who are worried about Ram and Sangita i 24 hours after leaving his paddy terraces are local loan sharks, who used to charge up to in Kavre District, he was cruising into town 100 percent interest on loans, and have seen a from Brussels airport. But there was an even drastic reduction in their profits. bigger shock that awaited him at the centre of There is very little politics within the group the city. There were enormous two-story high because no matter what party members belong billboards of himself staring down at him. to, their needs are the same: insurance for their “I thought I was dreaming,” recalls Ram, water buffalos, better health facilities, better who was invited to a big United Nations education for their children. This is perhaps conference to convince delegates that given something Kathmandu’s squabbling and short- the will, a community spirit and a little bit of sighted politicians could learn from, quips Ram: help from outside, Nepali farmers can take “They should come to Kushadevi and see how care of themselves and build their own future. we do it.” Ram is the member of a farmers’ self-help In Brussels, Normand Lanzon, the head of the group called the Phulchoki Community UN’s Capital Development Fund found a message Organisation in the village of Kushadevi, a in all this for his organisation’s work worldwide: three hour drive east of Kathmandu. In “We have to go to Ram’s level, and learn from the Brussels, Ram addressed press conferences example his community has set. Unless we work and spoke to delegates at the UN conference with people like them we will not have genuine on Least Developed Countries about his development.” And now that my armpits are going bald I can tell talks about the Man in the Mask. With such liberties, experience in the improving the lives of We ask Ram why it has worked in his village, that very soon, as a senior citizen, I will have every it is surprising why anyone would want to stay young villagers. but it doesn’t in others. “We tried hard first to right to be a mad old coot and if anyone has any and worry endlessly about who done it. “We have 39 members in our group, each motivate the community and get them fired up, we objections they can just go and get stuffed. Look at At home, you will find old taboos lifted—you now contributes Rs 10 a week, and we decide had to convince everyone that they would Kishunji, I can’t wait to get away with what he gets have the freedom to walk around the house in broad collectively from the money put together who benefit, and that the poorest would benefit most,” away with. The other great advantage of being a daylight clad in nothing but your Y-fronts. Take it is the neediest and would benefit from a small he says with confidence. Encouraged by his septuagenarian in Nepal today is that it is the only from me: going bald is also the best way to solve your loan,” explains Ram. Although there is a 15 brief trip to Europe, Ram is now working with qualification you really need to be prime minister. dandruff problem. What makes me especially glad is percent interest on the loans, almost all are renewed enthusiasm to set up a new water There are many other benefits to growing old, and I that our society still carries on the glorious Nepali paid back in time. There is a provision for no- supply project, a campaign to get better will try very hard during the course of the coming few tradition of treating our elders with respect. Why interest loan for health emergencies. Ram’s sanitation and hygiene and also to improve wife Sangita is with a parallel women’s group facilities at the local school. If only Nepal had months to remember what they are. Remind me. Oh yes, would anyone want to grow old gracefully, it takes
one great benefit of turning hundred-something is that you away half the fun. Has anyone seen my teeth?
that has a similar credit scheme. “We don’t more Ram Prasad Bajgains. WIN WAVEMAG

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