#90 19 - 25 April 2002 16 pages Rs 20 Return of the egrets

15 Bugs everywhere 9

EXCLUSIVE Here we go again The on-again off-again bandh is on again at press time. Which means the arson and explosive attacks in the capitalAnother post-mortem are expected to intensify in the run-up to 23 April. The government says don’t be How many more Nepalis have to die? ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

RAGHU MAINALI IN SATBARIA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ in buildings belonging to Minister be spared. But other wounded police survivors ive days after the attack on the police Khadka’s family. tell us that all were lined up and shot dead. bases in Dang, vultures are still circling The surprising thing is that everyone we The villagers woke up to sounds of gunfire Fover the forests of Gojena along the talked to in Satbaria said they were expecting and loud explosions at about 10:30 PM on Rapti river. Occasionally an army helicopter a Maoist attack anytime before 17 March. Thursday. Children, the elderly and the sick comes overhead, and the vultures scatter. Strangers had been passing through, and huddled in what they considered the safest afraid, and has offered guarantees of safety. But the Maoists have a more Blood-stained bamboo stretchers used by rumours were rife that the APF base would be rooms in the house. Heads of households even Maoists to transport their dead and the target. “We had noticed outsiders at the dictated their wills and briefed family RAM HUMAGAIN powerful weapon: fear. On Wednesday, a policeman was killed for the first timewounded in lie along the east-west highway. tea shop talking about a possible attack,” a members on their assets and loans, fearing the capital. There is a sickly smell of rotting corpses local resident told us. Some 30 or so villagers, that they may not survive the night. everywhere. Villagers walk around with including VDC chairman Dilli Bahadur And it was a long and sleepless night. The handkerchiefs covering their faces, fearing Khadka, fled the village a few months before sound of automatic weapons and explosives an epidemic. There are no signs of health the attack, thinking the Maoists might target went on for five hours. The Satbaria post was workers anywhere. them for allowing the base to be set up in the surrounded by hundreds of heavily-armed By Wednesday, security forces had dug up village. Other families living near the base Maoists. Diversionary attacks prevented Via Tibet more bodies—many in camouflage fatigues relocated a day before the attack. reinforcements coming in from Ghorahi and and tracksuits—taking the Maoist casualties Senior police officials in Kathmandu told Bhalubang. Residents heard a helicopter The UN’s World Food Programme is in the battle to 92. Other freshly-dug graves us all vulnerable bases are on high alert, and flying overhead several times. The gunfire moving 250 tons of food to Hilsa to there was no specific threat in Satbaria. support a key road-building project inare still being found along the Rapti. At least would stop for a while, and resume when Humla. The trucks that leave Kathmandu150 people died in the Dang battles, and Satbaria is located in a relatively secure area: the helicopter flew away. SAPUT in early May will cross into China at our post mortem reveals a tragic story of it is on the main highway and there are other By morning, when the villagers finally felt Kodari and drive west 500 km to Hilsawarnings unheeded, traumatised families, police and army bases within a 35 km radius. it safe to come out, they saw bodies and blood along the Tibetan plateau. From Hilsaand diversionary attacks all over Dang That could have given the APF a false sense of everywhere. Five days later, the childrenA photograph still of wife and child spilling out the food will be ferried via Taklakot to of a policeman’s belongings at Satbaria. Simikot, a three-week journey. The DDCaimed at keeping the army away. security. Still, villagers said they saw the have vacant looks on their faces, they don’t armed police laying booby traps the evening is making the trail to the Chinese borderThis was the first attack on the newly- play around the houses, and they arewake all up in fright. motorable. “The road will re-establish before the attack, and also digging new formed Armed Police Force, and it is hard to indoors by dusk. Parents told us theirThere children are rumoursEditorial p2 trade links with Tibet and provide vital trenches. Many bodies of police were found see why a 130-strong contingent of the were awake throughout the night, andswirling many all around,Absolute Anarchy access for Humla,” says Douglas C Coutts,paramilitary force should be posted in the tiny the next morning piled three high inside these WFP Representative in Kathmandu. were too shocked to even cry. sometimes making trenches. When the base was overrun, the (more on p5). hamlet of Satbaria, except that it is the Said a local resident: “Every eveningit difficult my to separate fact from fiction. The Maoists lined up the survivors and threatened constituency of Home Minister Khum four-year-old still asks me, locals don’t talk to strangers unless fully to kill them if they didn’t say who the Bahadur Khadka. The village has no assured they will not be identified. The inspector was. DSP Dhan Bahadur Basnet government offices, no health post, not only consolation the villagers of Satbaria stepped forward, thinking the others would even a post office. The police were housed bua will tonight also have is that none of their own were killed be like the other night. I tell him nothing will in the fighting. Ghiu again happen, but I am not sure myself.” The We thought the trade issues with India children all suffer from nightmares, and they Go to p3 were settled in March when the treaty was renewed. Well no. India has decided, starting 15 May, to import vegetable ghiu at fixed prices, and only through its central warehousing corporation. That effectively ends retail exports, and wipes out margins for smaller Nepali producers. Mr Establishment Get out of the way, Kathmandu’s mayor is on a rebuilding spree.

BINOD BHATTARAI We caught up with the mayor during one of his forays to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Weekly Internet Poll # 30 f Keshav Sthapith, mayor of the Kathmandu Metropolitanthe Valley rim. He points at the city below and tells us: “From Q. Do you believe 2059 will be a better year for Nepal City, had his way he would send out his bulldozershere and you see all that is still possible to do with Kathmandu. than 2058? demolish all the new concrete eyesores that haveThere come is up still enough greenery and open space in the Valley, Iin his town. and all we now need to do is manage future development His dream city is a mix of Kathmandu’s medieval gloryproperly.” combined with the needs of a modern and cosmopolitan Sthapith, whose name means “established” in Sanskrit, is capital. When he has his mind set on something, naysayerspassionate about the need to re-inject life into Kathmandu’s better get out of the mayor’s path. The way he sent bulldoz-dying bahals and resurrect the vibrant social life of the inner ers out to Tinkune and the Maitighar intersection twocity. weeks But he is also passionate about building a four-lane before the SAARC Summit in January to create an impromptuhighway along the banks of the Dhobi Khola and Bishnumati to mandala garden raised eyebrows in a country whererelieve nothing the congestion in the city core. ever gets done. Sthapith talks with feeling about his pet project, a special Sthapith’s critics—and there are many—point to thebicycle track from Maiti Ghar to the airport. But in the same desolate and dusty Tinkune as a symbol of his failure.breath Others he waxes eloquent about his plan for a megamall under say he is a megalomaniac in the North Korean mould.Ratna In fact, Park, an entertainment centre like Sentosa Island in the mayor is visiting Pyongyang next week for the birthdayBalaju, and a shopping complex at Tinkune with underground celebrations of Dear Leader Kim Il Sung. Obviously heparking will and a huge figure of Manjushree on top. MIN BAJRACHARYA return with fresh inspiration. Total votes: 1242

Weekly Internet Poll # 31. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Q. Is the government serious about controlling corruption? Go to p8 2 EDITORIAL 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES NATION 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Anagha Neelakantan Design: Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [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 Death in the trenches ammunition and were mercilessly gunned how many more Nepalis have to die before our politicians start finding ways down. The helicopter made a second over- ABSOLUTE ANARCHY to work together, showing solidarity and begin to see beyond the tips of flight, and the Maoists once more held fire. their noses? But two hours later the Satbaria base was When the sun finally rose at the crossroads town of Lamahi on Friday remain indoors. Meanwhile at Satbaria, the The country is stuck between a military stalemate and political nearly in their hands. morning 12 March after a terrifying night-long battle, the carnage at deadlock. There are four levels at which ways can possibly be found to end Thursday,first shots 10:45 were being PM fired by the Maoists from the smouldering police station on the outskirts became visible. Most

the conflict: SAPUT the direction of Hattisar forests. Maoists set off three blasts at the electricity shops in the bazar remained shut. Some Lamahi residents tuned in a) meeting the main Maoist demand for a constituent assembly Friday, 2:30 AM to Radio Nepal to listen to the 7AM news bulletin. The main news b) agreeing on a referendum to decide whether the people want a substation at Lamahi, plunging the entire was that back in faraway Kathmandu, the government and the party constituent assembly district into darkness. There was an exchange brass of the ruling Nepali Congress were at each other’s throats Residents had heard the voice of the police c) making radical changes in the constitution thatV wouldOYEURS meet most Maoist of gunfire for about an hour in Ghorahi, again. demands DSP Dhan Bahadur Basnet at Satbaria Difficult to find a cultural explanation for Nepali voyeurism. We love to Tulsipur and Bhalubang, and there were Party president Girija Prasad Koirala had the Minister of d) Crushing the insurgency shouting orders in his loudspeaker all night, gloat. Take any minor traffic accident in the capital’s chaotic thorough- Information and Communication, Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta The first option would mean the Maoists get what they want, the second sounds of large explosions. but suddenly his voice died. The gunfire from fares, there is immediate and immense interest on the part of passersby expelled from the party for supporting the commander-in-chief’s would be a plebiscite demonstrating the public’s dissatisfaction with the The Maoists moved towards the police on the outcome of the ensuing altercation. The crowd swells until it covers the camp also stopped. By this time, 37 recent statements. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had sprung status quo, the third is what the parliamentary parties need to get together Friday, 12:00 noon the whole street, necks craning to look at the hapless taxi driver and the station at Lamahi, located about 100 m off theparamilitary troopers lay dead, including DSP to Gupta’s defence, and the kangresis were clawing at each other to do. The fourth would need a dramatic intelligence breakthrough like in motorcyclist with the broken sidelight. Heads in the crowd turn from one highway and began shooting. In Satbaria, even while the vultures started wheeling over Dang, and the stench Peru or Sri Lanka. Basnet. Of about 112 policemen at the camp,The first reinforcements arrive from Bhalubang driver to the other, like a tennis match. No one tries to mediate, to bring of death began to spread through the villages along the highway. The Maoist slaughter of security personnel, the five-day bandh, the attacking Maoists were not just shooting fromsome had absconded and some had deserted orand Nepalgunj after clearing obstructions peace. Everyone is waiting for a live wrestling match—anything to There you have it. If you want an explanation for why the Maoist bombs in public places, and the arson attacks are aimed at putting three directions, but also shouting slogans and along the highway. Police-chartered helicop- interrupt the boredom of their lives. were missing. insurgency has spread so far so fast, look no further. They are just pressure on the government to talk. A referendum may strengthen the Their anger spent, the taxi driver and the motorcyclist realise that the calling out to encourage each other. In both ters from Kathmandu land. Shops at Lamahi filling a power vacuum at the centre. We thought that by now we had hands of those who want to revert to authoritarianism. crowd may attract the traffic cop which will mean endless hassles at Baggi attacks, Maoists used SLRs, light machine remained shut the whole day, and electricity become immune to these chronic displays of disunity. But last week The long-term and sustainable option would be for the peoples’ Khana, perhaps even confiscation of the license, and the loss of several after Dang it was nauseating. How much worse do things need to get, representatives to speak out on behalf of a people fed-up with the blood- guns and rocket propelled grenades captured Friday, 3:45 AM was only restored in the evening. Two banks hundred green rhinos (or maybe even an elephant) to grease appropriate shed. Can we even dare to hope that parliamentary parties will bury their in previous raids. In Lamahi, these weapons in Lamahi were also looted, and the Maoists palms. So they hurriedly go their separate ways. The crowd disperses, differences and agree on a joint crisis government? An alliance of were no match for the .303s of the civil police.Sensing that victory was at hand, the Maoists disappointed at being cheated of a good fight. took away 100 sacks of rice from a local political parties may actually be less far-fetched than a united started raising slogans. But it was a costly The insurgency has become a similar spectator sport. The daily body trader in a hijacked truck. Other loot: 300 Nepali Congress. counts are rattled off like basketball scores, losing all meaning and battle for the Maoists as well, more than 100 Numbed by the death toll, it is politically correct to cartons of instant noodles, and 20 goats. masking the human cost of the conflict. And when we do attach a human of their comrades also perished. Many of these call for a ceasefire and talks. But we can understand why In Satbaria, the hundred or so police who element to the statistics, it is to show gory television footage of dead the army is reluctant to agree to talks now: the Friday, 12:15 AM were hardcore fighters pushed into a show-casesurvived were taken to Nepalgunj, and no Maoists being pulled out of the banks of the Rapti River with pickaxes. experience from November when the Maoists attack designed for maximum publicity and to Here, you can’t really fault voyeuristic viewers. The gatekeepers of our sentries posted. So, the Maoists returned on reneged on the ceasefire is not reassuring. As fierce fighting continued in Satbaria, a media are singularly insensitive to what is proper to show on television hit the morale of the security forces. Sunday night and ransacked Minister A carrot-and-stick approach may be the best civilian helicopter chartered by police flew in and what is not. Raw footage of corpses, the more grisly the better, are Satbaria villagers said they saw Maoists bet for now. The army is wielding the big stick. from Nepalganj and circled the battle scene. Khadka’s house taking away grain from the played over and over again on nationwide television. If we can’t treat But where are the carrots? sifting through the dead looking for bodies andstore. The Home Minister had stopped fellow Nepalis with dignity when they are living, let us at least give them The Maoists shoutedbifal “ ” (abort) and held wounded from their side. The dead were some dignity when they are dead. by at his house on Saturday, and returned fire for sometime. Encouraged that reinforce- carried on specially-designed dokos to trucks the same day. ments had arrived by air, the police opened fire and tractors on the highway and taken to the On Monday, locals were still unsure what SAPUT with their guns. But the helicopter found it too Rapti River 1 km to the south. to expect. By now the wind from the east had from p1 up on the main road leading from Lamahi todangerous to land, and flew away. begun carrying the stench of the bodies rotting By this time, the civil police base at Travelling from Ghorahi to Satbaria and Ghorahi, about 2 km from the main bazaar in the Hattisar forest to the settlement in and close to the army barracks. Another oneLamahi had been over-run. All nine civil Ganeshpur. A 40-year-old there told us: “We Lamahi, we pieced together the events of that police and an inmate in the lock-up were Friday 7:00 AM fateful night last week: went off 500 m from the army camp at did not think we would be alive, now we have Tulsipur. killed. The inspector, Padam Adhikary was This went on till first light. “When we lookedall these corpses around us.” STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL tortured and beheaded. out of our windows, we could see Maoists in 12 April, Thursday, 10:30 PM At about the same time, the Maoists arrived in large numbers at Lamahi, which is Maoists engaged in that attack proceeded camouflage fatigues looking for and taking to Satbaria to join in the fight against the Three powerful explosions go off at exactly thesituated at the junction between the Dang away the bodies of the dead, and wounded,” armed police. The firefight intensified, the same time at the Katesnala bridge, about 100 road and the east-west highway. Using loud one local villager told us. armed police in the trenches ran out of m west of Bhalubang, where there is a speakers, they warned residents at the bazar to At Satbaria and Lamahi, traumatised (Dadiram Subedi, Nirajan Khanal and Santosh Do our banners families started stepping out of their houses. Subedi assisted with reporting.) yet wave? paramilitary training centre. Another one blew LETTERS WHAT AREYOU DOING? ARAFAT AND MAINALI We’re still pals, but we ain’t buddies. It seared my soul to see the Kanak Mani Dixit’s thought- assumptions of the past.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ picture of two Nepali girls on provoking article “Yasser Arafat, Nishchal N Pandey the Internet edition of your newGovinda Mainali and us” (#88) is Bishalnagar the US as promoter and protec- year issue (#89). One of the one of the best pieces that I have girls was reading, and the otherread in the Nepali Times. I have tor of democracy the world over was staring right at me. She wasmyself authored not one, but Kanak Mani Dixit is right. We lack is another instance of misplaced asking us: “What are you doingseveral articles on the impact onscholars and intellectuals to Had there been a dispas- faith: Americans have little to give me a better future?” I Nepal of state elections in Indiacomment on issues close to home sionate critique of American interest in Nepal, other than recalled my own past, and my and the peace process in Sri Lankalike Tibet, Bihar, Bangladesh, and Washington Consensus. policies in Nepal, the damage overwhelming desire to study. Itin The Rising Nepal and The Gorkhaland, for instance. The lack their altruism. Nothing could be is time every Nepali asked whatKathmandu Post. After staying inof intellectuals and scholars means At the height of privatisa-could have been controlled. farther from the truth. As an #88) I thoroughly enjoyed Puskar#88). I am a regular listener of are we doing for little girls likeJhapa for two months, I preparedall a we do is depend on foreign course, is: these corrupt and Bandana Risal tion and the free-market Unfortunately, the constant Bhusal’s “The general and his this programme, and it helps me imperial power without parallel the ones in the picture. This voluminous report on the status mediaof to analyse events going on visionless politicians. In the name Sainbu labyrinth” (#88), which gives ventand my friends solve our ideology, US Ambassador tomeddling of the Washington and precedent in human one image has motivated me the Lhotsampa refugees. in our own backyard. Our own media of democracy they have looted us to all our pent-up frustrations withproblems. It helps all teenagers Nepal Julia Chang Bloch usedConsensus to elicits a response too to dedicate myself to uplifting On the issue of the 1950 Treatyisn’t very analytical and investiga- Nepalis and divided our nation FEEDBACK history—not even Rome in its absolute alacrity, and without thatget information and broaden the lives of Nepali children in revision too, several committeestive. All they do is make opinion along ethnic lines. strut about the corridors ofpredictable to spur a rethink- glory days or the British during judgemental bias so evident in their knowledge. It encourages us remote areas by providing have submitted their report andbased on propaganda. As a Nepali citizen, the Chief I regularly visit your site power in Kathmandu like someing. The Nepali Right greets CK’s musings. In the midst of allto participate in creative work and their “sun-never-sets” years had them an education. Outside recommendations ultimately We need more scholarly has every right to question these (www.nepalitimes.com) and it is these doomsday scenarios I wantsolve to our problems ourselves. latter-day viceroy. Bloch usedeven to mundane announcements such control over the destiny of agencies like UNICEF can onlyculminating in then Foreign journalists and specialists who can anti-nationals. The Nepali people wonderfully updated. Your rave about the great job that theThank you Hemlata, and thank treat HMG ministers like ofloyal Fortress Panipokhari with an give limited help. We have toMinister Kamal Thapa presentinganalyse a and give the public have lost all faith in their elected reporting and columns are the human race. But the Kathmandu Mayor has initiated youby to the Sathi team. do it ourselves. With genuine draft of the treaty to the govern-different views and opinions leaders, no matter which political original and analytical as well as minions. Ambassador Michaelenthusiastic E round of applause. Americans are acutely aware of cleaning up Rani Pokhari and determination, we can bring ment of India. But Dixit is right throughthat an unbiased media. Only groupingSuman they Shresthabelong to. What we the columns. CK Lal’s State of Malinowski was her deputyThe very same decisions irk our whoever else is responsible for their vulnerability. Even a tiny changes in four to five years. our academia has never thoughtthen it can we have a flow of knowl- need now is a changeby email like in the State columns are master- back then, and he must haveLeft so much that they vent all Tundikhel’s facelift. I cannot wait spark anywhere on the globe can The future does not lie with important to focus on these issuesedge, opinions and people who will Pakistan so these manipulators of pieces of style and content. to get back to Kathmandu and vivid memories of his boss their spleen on “American ignite an inferno and consume Baburam, or Deuba, it is in theby seriously pondering their impactbe more open to ideas and canWISHFUL be theTHINKING? public trust are banished. We Would it be possible to add the actually tread through Ratna Park. throwing her weight aroundImperialism”. Is it any wonder hands of us ordinary Nepalis. on Nepal. We must really make educated.a Nepalis want peace, we want e-mail addresses of your the capitalist order that ensures I want to rave about those hun- departure from the mindset Puskar Gautamhonesty, appears and we wantto be development. columnists so we can directly Singha Darbar and playingthen that nothing more than a American dominance of the dreds of small mom-and-pop that relishes the closed engagedEnough in a bit isof enough. wishful thinking correspond with them? Most matchmaker to the high andsneer greets our parroted businesses that are fighting the world. Put simply, we are all (“Chinks in the Maoist armour,” #89) journals in the west now provide good fight and not giving up. Or mighty of the land. responses? Americans culturally and about the state of desperation such a platform for readers’ even daily wage earners going Despite the departure of Perhaps it is necessary to among the Maoists. There may, as feedback directly to authors. economically, thus we have the about their grind and making it Kailash Thapa,he says, be a split in the Maoist Madam Chang in 1994, theexamine our expectations from power to attract and keep US through these desperate times. Minneapolis, USAleadership, but there are no signs attitude of the US towardseach other in order to re-orient Bigyan Joshi EnoughTashi of death Sherpa and destruction. interests on our side. American that this is affecting their activities. Norway There is plentySeattle to rave about, and Nepal hasn’t changed much.the Nepal-US relationship. benevolence is no charity; it is a GLAD AND SAD The recent attacks in Lamahi it’s time we felt a little good about The diplomatic mission in Nepali left-liberals must and Satbaria show they still pack a Santanu Upadhyaya necessary cost of protecting their DR COMRADEourselves. That is the first step in Panipokhari continues to berecognise a that Americans are I was both glad and disappointedpowerful to punch, and the security London global interests. the reinvention process. he signing of the Agree- Le Mondefortress Diplomatique defending, what Ignaciomore interested in an economic An anniversary is not just a read Dr Harka Gurung’s “The Centreforces are only in a reactive mode.Paul Bacon’s reply to Baburam cannot hold” (#88). I was glad They now have weapons as WHAT ABOUT US? ment of Commerce and calls “the otherRamonet, axis of editor evil” and publisherfree market than in a politically celebration, it is an occasion to (#87) was very powerful. Dr because at this time of crisis sophisticated as the security forces.Comrade and his followers have Friendship between different castes. It lacks the contribution was considerablecomprising in of the IMF, and the free society. All over the Third Yet another bheri-bheri entertain- T ruminate over the lessons of the Nepal’s districts need to be strongerIn the light of Maoist military strengthstepped up their cruel activities all ing Under My Hat. But “’Sup Nepal and the United States on spontaneous bonhomie that modernising Nepali society.World Bank. World, the worst dictators have past and formulate programs for in order to stop the carnage of and their recent attacks on infrastruc-over the country by destroying Dudes” (#89) begs the question: 25 April, 1947 marked the start should have developed over the Things started to go horriblySuch misplaced priorities always counted upon the Accham from happening again.ture, the government should initiateinfrastructure. Whatever Baburam a desired future. The US “What about my generation?” Still, I was disappointed that thetalks with the Maoist immediatelymay say, the Maoists are solely of a formal diplomatic relation- years. As the slang of years past wrong in the 1980s, when devastate the political economy unflinching support of Wash- insistence on market liberalisa- Have you no hope for all of the government had not yet decidedwithout to any conditions. In my view,responsible for destroying tourism ship between two unequal would have it, we continue to be Reagonomics came to dominateof poor countries. Their impact ington. Recently, when Presi- twenty-something aspiring Nepali tion during the last two decades unite the districts inhabited by thepeace talks are a must for the stateand to with it, hundreds of thousands professionals busily collecting nations seven seas apart. Fifty- pals, but we aren’t buddies American diplomacy. Bilateralon Nepal has not been any dent Hugo Chavez was dis- has failed to purify Nepali Kirati people, because the fat catssave the constitution in the short termof jobs for Nepalis. How come our academic credentials and five years after, it appears as if anymore. assistance to Nepal was substan-different. Empirical studies are posed in a coup by junior do not care for indigenous rights.and the nation in the long term. revolutionaries do not think about politics and succeeded exceed- professional experience? The early years of our tially reduced, and the Bretton such vulnerable sections of the the warmth that characterised needed to establish precisely the officers of the Venezuelan army, ingly well in ruining our society. Do you see no chance for the population in the country? this relationship during the relationship were full of hope. In Wood Sisters—the IMF andcorrespondence the between Americans were the first and There is an urgent need to throw likes of us? Do you think we will Cold War years in between is the 50s, US assistance concen- World Bank—gained promi-structural adjustment and the only nation to greet the away this unholy triumvirate of K Limbu all sell out, shelve our ideals and somehow gone. trated on infrastructure. The 60s nence. Just as in other developingprivatisation of national coup-makers. Now that he is liberalisation, privatisation and by email patriotism as we pursue the lure We are still the best of saw USAID in action against countries, the mantra of macr-economies on the one hand, and back in the saddle after two of glitzy capitalism? In short, (as globalisation from the cliff of HAIL TO THE CHIEF Prakash Kafle Bhanu ParajuliMichael Jackson so eloquently friends, but the bond between malaria in the inner tarai. During oeconomic reforms was soldthe as rise of insurgencies and days in military custody, reality and bring in some genuine Surkhet by emailput it) “What about us?” ;-) Nepal and the United States is the 70s, US think-tankers the fillip for economic growth,increase in corruption on the Condoleezza Rice sees no irony welfare and humanism. I was very impressed by whatMORE our RAVE, LESS RANT SATHI that of cordial formality, introduced the concept of and the status of HMG’s other. But that there is a direct in preaching the merits of Royal Army Chief said about the situation of this country (“Who somewhat like the distant integrated development for the Ministry of Finance was reducedlink between these two trends is democracy to President Chavez! Notwithstanding CK Lal’s self- I join your other readers in brought the nation to its present intimacy between two uplift of the rural poor. These to that of an executing agencyfairly clear. A corollary to the myth of indulgent exercises in pompositythanking Hemlata Rai for her condition?,” #88). The answer, of Sangita Shresthova areas of emphases had mixed implementing the policies set for (“Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full,”article (“Someone I can talk to,” Boston

meets of results, but in general, their Nepal by the bigwigs at the HELDUR NETOCNY/PANOS 4 NATION 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES NATION 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 5 Food for thought ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ The ongoing Maoist violence and the counter-insurgency operations in the mid- and far-western regions have resulted in a serious disruption of food supply chains. The UN’s Food for Work program is worried because some of the most food insecure districts of Nepal are being affected. “Our suppliers are being harassed by both sides in the conflict,” says Douglas C Coutts, WFP representative. Trucks carrying Was that a blinkdefine all acts orof sexual abuse and a wink?supplies are asked to load and off-load at the checkpoints Sexual harassment is on the rise in Nepali sexual harassment as misconduct along the main roads, and beyond the road-heads it is the (immoral act) and stipulate appropri- ment policies. Maoists who harass suppliers. “That’s as good as using workplaces. Defining it satisfactorily is the ‘food as weapon’ and it is unacceptable,” says Coutts. ate punishment. The recommenda- Nepal’s country code does deal first step to preventing it. with some specific sexual offences “It means we are also starving people who are non-combat- tions include provisions for expulsion ants.” of the offender from the job and, in like rape, incest and intention to This is the time of year when all food-for-work schemes some cases, imprisonment. They also sexual intercourse, but it is not go into high-gear, building and repairing infrastructure before say that, provisions should be made adequate to protect victims of the rains, and when most of the food should be there. Most such that the management should pay harassment. Chapter 1 of the areas of the mid- and far-west are food insecure areas. indemnity to the victim and that the Country Code, which deals with amount should be recovered from “intention to sexual intercourse”, MIN BAJRACHARYA the offender. prohibits touching any organ from “It’s important that the manage- head to foot of a woman above the ment be held accountable for age of 11, except one’s own wife allowing sexual harassment take with the intention to have sexual place in the workplace in the first intercourse and prescribes a Girls at risk ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ place,” says Pandey. When punishment with a fine up to Source: Population Census (1991), Nepal Living Standard Age Rs 500 or imprisonment of up to There are about 2,650 commercial sex workers active in Survey (1996), Nepal Labour Force Survey (1999) Business one year. apply to victims below 11, which The recently passed DomesticKathmandu, according to a new International Labour Office– means that a large number of minors Violence Bill, defines domesticKathmandu study. What’s worrying is that at least half enter magazine contacted 50 promi- “There are several flaws in the the trade at an early age—20 percent before 15, and a further nent companies to check their legal provision,” says advocate in the formal and informal service violnce as either physical or mental, sectors are left unprotected. Third, and includes sexual harassment25 percent between 15 and 18. Six percent of those surveyed preparedness to handle the issue, it Sapana Pradhan Malla who con- said they were coerced into the sex trade. elicited only six responses. Accord- ducted the study for the ILO. First, the provision carries minimal under physical violence. The Bill punishment. As a result, prosecu- stipulates a maximum fine of Rs This study also says that despite these grim figures, to fight cases. Says Anita Chapagain of chapter on sexual harassment in its ing to the magazine, Hyatt Regency says Malla, in the survey, it is tion for rape or attempt to rape is 30,000, or four months imprison-campaigners running awareness programs deserve a pat on Legal Aid and Counselling Centre course book for trade union workers.and Nepal Lever are two companies difficult to distinguish this offence manipulated and convictions are ment, or both as the penalty forthe back—92 percent of sex workers surveyed said they (LACC), “First, we get very few cases Chapter six of the book defines sexualthat have included a clause about from the offence of attempt to rape. only made under this provision. doemstic violence. knew how HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases are of that nature as victims fear public harassment as an act of ill sexual sexual harassment in their employ- Second, this legal provision doesn’t spread, which has helped keep their prevelance fairly low. humiliation and feel nothing will be intention committed by a man or a The study also indicates the direction social aid organisa- done about it anyway. Second, since woman. The chapter cites rape, tions need to head in—almost all respondents said they there is no specific law, we have to deal unwanted embraces, path-blocking, would change their profession if alternatives are available. with such cases as public crime stalking, pinching, prolonged hand- offence, verbal abuse or attempted fondling, verbal harassment (jokes, rape—the latter being extremely insinuations, suggestive comments difficult to prove.” about a person’s appearance), non- Teasing tourists

MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN It is interesting to note, however, verbal harassment (winking, tongue- after a decade of the trade union clicking, pornographic pictures) as RAMYATA LIMBU ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ confided in is a close friend. “I can’t movement in Nepal, which began in kinds of sexual harassment. The book Nepal’s name is tarnished by incidents of harassment of female tourists. even tell my husband, there’d be a anju is at the end of her tether. 1990, there has been a considerable explains how sexual harassment can PATRICIA LUSTIG In addition, the study says, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ down in her room, causing her to feel An executive secretary in a scene, and I can’t face the public decline in rape cases, and a marginal give rise to anger and fear, and have a Closeexperienced to 40 percent sexual harassmentof female in thewomen working in private firms, Nepal’s tourism needs all the help it can quite uncomfortable. He then boldly government project, Ranju has humiliation,” she says, frustrated. “I’ve decline in other harassment— psychological impact on victims, R employeesworkplace. and 14 percent of the 14 government, in the domestic work get. Besides 11 September and the asked if he could stay the night with begun finding her workplace unbear- been looking for another job, but good unwelcome verbal contact, physical causing a loss of self-esteem and low Maoist threat, there is another more male workers surveyed said they sphere and in hotels and restaurants her. She kicked up quite a fuss, told his able, as she has to deal with overtures jobs are hard to get. And I need to contact, and advances and verbal spirits. Physical effects of harassment insidious danger to tourism, and that is family and refused to pay for the last were aware of sexual harassment are also prone to sexual harassment. from the manager everyday. “I can’t help support my family.” conduct of a sexual nature, says a are evident in loss of sleep, weight, the increasing numbers of cases of night’s stay. taking place. And that isn’t all either. Another take it anymore,” she says. The veiled Ranju’s is a classic case of sexual report on a decade of the trade union pressure, headaches, and ulcers. harassment of female tourists in Nepal. In another low-budget guesthouse survey on Gender and Judges Budget tourists are the kind that do in Kathmandu two young women are verbal propositions, sly fondling, harassment, an increasingly common, 80 percent of policy makers and movement in Nepal. “Stronger unions “Lack of legal remedies and fear of conducted by Pro Public found that not pay much attention to their country’s accosted every night by the proprietor invitations to work late and to if seldom voiced experience as more civil society, close to three-quarters of and a growing awareness that it’s not public humiliation discourage people 53.85 percent of 26 women lawyers in warnings about Nepal, they are in their who tries to get into their room and accompany the boss on excursions, are women join the workforce. Last year, employers and management, and 38.5 just a gender but a position-related to talk about sexual harassment,” says early 20s, some are on a “gap year”, bothers them by talking through the eight districts surveyed said they felt all getting to her. the ILO commissioned the Forum for percent of trade unionists acknowl- issue, encourages workers to report Bina Shrestha, head of GEFONT’s others just love travelling. But young door. How about the women who walk that judges addressed them differently Ranju, a mother of two in her Women Law and Development to edged that sexual harassment is cases of sexual harassment,” says trade women’s wing. “We encourage our women tourists to Nepal are facing down the streets of Kathmandu (most from male colleagues. Seventy-three problems that didn’t exist 20 years ago. early 30s, doesn’t know who to conduct a survey on Sexual Harass- common where there is a significant unionist Binda Pandey. Pandey, who workers to bring the issue into the especially tourist centres like Thamel) percent said they felt physical or verbal Most who complained of being cheated and get accosted in the street by men complain to. Even if she does, she fears ment in the Workplace in Nepal mass of workers, such as among carpet, heads the education wing of the open and address the problem. Our harassment as women advocates, 69 and harassed were women. Word of this who grab their wrists and walk along she’ll lose her job. “He’s in charge, among trade unions, employers/ garment, and factory workers. General Federation of Nepalese Trade women educators ensure that workers percent said they have been subjected is spreading through the tourist grape- beside them making indecent and lewd what can I do?” she asks. Her refusal to managers, employees/ workers and Unions (GEFONT), says that since don’t overlook the chapter on vine and it can do Nepal’s tourism a lot suggestions? Or who talk in loud voices 90 percent of policymakers and to remarks and jokes in court, in comply with the boss has resulted in policymakers and civil society. The 1996 the Federation has been harassment,” says Shrestha. She of harm. about them to their friends? civil society, and 63 percent of firms, and in chambers which were her banishment to a tiny corner of the figures in the unpublished report are emphasising sexual harassment as an recently managed to coax a group of One capable young woman travelled This is not to say that it is only the employers and managers said sexual personally demeaning to them and to to Pokhara on her own. She was the only tourists who are bothered, local office, a delay in promotions, and telling: issue. “Initially this was considered a city cleaners to confront a man who harassment is common at the helper women in general. foreigner in the bus. Before she got out, women—both Nepali and foreign—are badmouthing in the office. The only social problem, not the work of the was harassing them in secluded places level, with sweepers, cleaners, domestic Nepal’s lack of specific laws men were pushing onto the bus, also harassed. Nor is it that all Nepali person Ranju (name changed) has trade union to address,” says Pandey. while on the job. surrounding her, shouting to get her to workers etc being commonly dealing with sexual harassment has men are like this. It is but a small That is changing. This year, for The Federation has also recom- stay at their hotel. When she refused, percentage of mostly young (early Over 48 percent of the 66 female victimised. made it tough for lawyers and victims employees/workers surveyed had the first time, the Federation has a mended that the Labour Act should they began to abuse her and harass her. teens to early twenties) men who are She had to physically push them away to behaving in this fashion. But it is get out of the bus. She went to a shop to happening more and more regularly at make a phone call and these men were a time when tourism is already HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK jeering and shouting terrible things. She suffering. The Nepal Tourism Board asked the shopkeeper to get rid of them so that she couldwould make do her well to address this problem through an awareness campaign telephone call, but he just laughed and did nothing. through domestic media. Another young woman found a really nice family-run guesthouse in Pokhara. She was pleased and she felt safe. The last evening(Patricia she wasLustig is an independent development consultant and writer Hello, Dolly there, the 15-year old son came to “fix a leak” in the bathroom.who has He been sat working in Nepal since 1993.) JANAKPUR - Dolly Shah runs the famous womens’ development centre Meeting Dolly Shah in Janakpur I marvel at how diverse and wonderful Nepal is. here. She’s 20 years old and has taught herself business skills and English. Down here, her surname doesn’t place her in the royal clan, but much, Here, the all-pervasive fear and pessimism of the Valley elite seems meaningless. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ much lower in the caste system. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Dolly is the day supervisor of this remarkable venture. She greets visitors with vivaciousness and humour, and probably sells them a little more than they originally intended to buy. She also bargains with wholesal- here as the partisan squabbling of the Kathmandu politicians. ers from Kathmandu and abroad. I watched a Newari craft shop owner Dolly made a face when I asked her about the capital, and whether she emerge from negotiations with Dolly, checking his pockets and shaking his might one day make her home there. “Not me,” she said, “this is my place, head in wonder at what he’d agreed to. I’m sure the deal was in the best Kathmandu can come to me.” There’s the spirit that might have saved this interests of the women potters, painters and other artists who make this country the trauma and bloodshed of Maoist rebellion, not to mention place so special. years of uncaring oligarchy and corrupt authoritarianism. If only As we bounced along rutted tracks from village to village, I met farmers Manjushree had sliced off all of the lovely hills around the Valley, perhaps and labourers, women and children. They were poor, they were enslaved by the people that govern from here might have spread the wealth and power various backward social practices—witch-beating comes to mind—but they more equitably. were not afraid. They shrugged their shoulders not with fatalism when For to return to Kathmandu is to wallow in gloom and immense asked where the Maoists were, and what they did, but with true despair, to hear the rumour mill spewing out ever more fantastic and fearful incomprehension. tales of Maoist prowess, security force incompetence. In Janakpur and Even the soldiers stopping traffic at the army camp just outside Jaleswor surrounding districts, they know about the Maobadi, but the pace of urban seemed much human and relaxed as they grilled passers-by and searched and village life shows far less change than elsewhere in the country. vehicles. Local politicians still pursued local rivalries and issues with gusto. I don’t mean the changes wrought by modernity and market forces, the There was little talk of constitutional amendments and states of emergency pollution, migration and painted advertising signs. They are there, for better here, much was said, however, about un-built roads and smuggling from thecasteism is against the law... and so on. Upendra, to my mind, is a far, far and for worse. I mean fear of the dark and the slavering beast that plagues nearby border with Bihar. better actor than the likes of Shah Rukh or Salman Khan, and he does far everyone in Kathmandu and the west of the country. I met other Dolly Shahs. Upendranath Banshi is a local journalist andmore good with his messages than those two with their cola endorsements. I’m not sure why I like it here so much. I am positive that the way social activist who runs a drama troupe. They travel the districts, entertain-Upendra’s troupe is also impressive, particularly the lady who always ends ahead for Nepal lies in quiet, local activism and self-improvement, as I saw ing and putting out messages. Family planning is good, domestic violence upis getting mock beatings or accused of witchcraft, or playing exaggerated with Dolly and Upendra. All the aid money in the world hasn’t helped this bad. Witchcraft is nonsense, harassing old women for practising black magicwomen’s roles—Urmila Yadav. place one iota if fear and loathing rule the land, and they do. In the is evil. Sanitation and hygiene save lives, daughters need educating, As ever, when I’m travelling outside the Kathmandu Valley, especially in Janakpur area, the simple approach, the indigenous and the quiet charm of the east and the tarai, I marvel at how diverse and wonderful this country is, a culturally rich people keep the wolves at bay. For now. Let’s all hope it how the all-pervasive fear and pessimism of the Valley elite is as meaningless stays that way. 6 NATION 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES ECONOMY 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 7 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL INTERVIEW ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED Wild parties “Give us six moreBandhonomics The more bandhs we have the easier it gets to call them, and the poorer we get. The leadership of all political parties are cracking the whip. ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ he tourism business people consulting his comrades. Lila Mani must have been happy to ing then-prime minister Girija membership for a year. That move did Mahesh Acharya’s or Ananda Prasad Pokharel of the UPF—a wholly- months.” Tsee the action on Nepali owned subsidiary of the CPN-Unity Prasad Koirala as well. For the more to unite Prime Minister Sher Dhungana’s. New Year’s eve. Almost all Centre—was chastised for his UML, at least, the files on the Lauda Bahadur Deuba’s cabinet than a History seems to be haunting the hotels and restaurants had and China South West scandals were simultaneous induction of three Rastriya Prajatantra Party. The scathing criticism of the order current liability of Rs 1.5 billion is very serious.something We happening that day. closed together. deputy prime ministers could have. leadership is pondering what to do relaxing emergency restrictions. The have not been able to get a repaired engine backWhen foreign tourists dry up, The discipline drive in the Nepali The stand-off also served to with those central committee members Unity Centre considered Pokharel’s because of cash shortage. We haven’t been able to Congress has turned into nasty reaffirm the strong political influence who got a bit nostalgic about the tirade an indirect assault on the all- pay the lease fees to China Southwest. We haveone realises that one has been personal brawls lately. This is perhaps regionalism has acquired since Nepali panchayat days at an informal party agreement signed at the not been able to pay dues at the Nepal Oil Corpora-ignoring the potential of a more understandable in a party whose Congress MPs west of Karnali River gathering a few weeks ago. From the Balkhu conclave. tion, the Civil Aviation Authority, and airport authori-local clientele. But do last democratic credentials remains were outraged by the way Nepal Rastra newspaper photographs of RPP The Nepal Sadbhavana Party is ties in India, Bangladesh and China. We don’t haveweek’s New Year celebrations unrivalled even after having accepted Bank Governor Tilak Rawal was being president Surya Bahadur Thapa still mourning the death of found- money to purchase spares, or clear old dues. andIf only all the greetings calling for ing father Gajendra Narayan Singh, I could get the assets re-valued, pay off the currentpeace that were sent out and MIN BAJRACHARYA responsibility for so many of the pushed around. Gupta’s suspension flanked by Prakash Chandra Lohani liabilities and have a face value, RNAC would be deficiencies and distortions of the last sparked thinly-veiled complaints of and Pashupati Sumshere JB Rana at so the inside story surrounding received in the capital really

MIN BAJRACHARYA able to improve its reliability and public image. 12 years. The latest bout of bickering collective punishment from a dozen the emergency meeting convened to Badri Prasad Mandal’s elevation as change the future scenario? has nevertheless raised ominous Kangresi MPs representing the tarai. weigh the fallout from that petition to acting president remains to be told You need cash, which your owner, the govern-The five-day bandh in early questions. Weeks after reproaching When Saptari’s Gupta happened to the palace, it was easy to forget the in public. This leaves us with Ramagya Chaturbedi, ment, does not have. How are you going toApril paralysed most of the Dhundi Raj Shastri and three other follow Sunsari’s Bijay Kumar acrimony that surrounded Nepal’s Narayan Man Bijukchhe. Since thewas appointed executivesolve that problem? nation. Government may claim he culture of censure pervading party members for having called on Gachhedar into the flogging chamber, first successful no-confidence vote in leader of Nepal Workers and First, I will have to approach the owner. Elsewhere,that the SLC examinations went governments have helped national airlines in the parties in parliament has the palace to become more actively it no longer mattered that the man who 1983. But it would be a grave mistake Peasants Party is his organisation’schairman of Royal Nepal on fine, but business and shops become the most impor- simply sitting back for a fun- sole representative in parliament, difficulty. The Indian government has just injected brought Nepalis closer to our minister Bhim Rawal, accused of involved in protecting the constitution, wielded the stick, Mahanth Thakur, to dismiss dissension in the ex- money into Indian Airlines, the Swiss have bailedcommerce out took a beating that tant way to gauge the success or filled day with exciting card multi-layered cement of political irregularities by the UML-headed the party’s overtly pro-Koirala represents Sarlahi. This assertion of panchas’ ranks as ephemeral. Remem- charges of his violating party Airlines four months agoSwissair. I am aware the government doesn’t havewill be felt for some time. Even failure of a bandh. The ruling games, endless cups of tea, naps solidarity. ConsideringT the way House of Representatives Public disciplinary committee cracked the southern solidarity could have more ber, these nine central committee discipline become harder to probe. at a time when the flag money, so we seek its moral support. The govern-worse, those five days show that government, if it is not sponsor- and a few discreet moments of ideology, geography, history and sheer Accounts Committee in the lease ofwhip a on Minister for Information and far-reaching consequences for national members are waiting for the hammer Political disarray in Nepal has ment can at least ask financial institutions underthe its government may not be in a ing the bandh, tries to ensure personal grooming. On a bandh, personality hold sway over affairs of China South-West aircraft. After anCommunication Jaya Prakash Prasad politics than the uproar triggered by to fall so that they can bolster their case invariably opened the door to carrier was at its lowest control to help us, because we still have assets. If I that shutters stay up, so even even government servants—what were only able to clear the current liabilities ofposition Rs to prevent any further state, you have to acknowledge that internal audit of the UML’s coffersGupta for appearing to defend the Prime Minister Deuba’s decision last for the creation of a new janjati party. foreign governments seeking to bandhs in the future. if the bandh has, more or less, an ironic description—at the failed to establish that China South pursue their objectives here. This point ever. We asked 1.5 billion, we would have a face value. organised politics is here to stay. army chief’s fiery convocation speech. year to lower the land ownership On the far left of the legislative Bandhs in South Asia have an impact, it does not appear highest level make no attempt to When the main opposition CPN- West had made any significant Going through the press coverage of ceiling. For one thing, tarai-based MPs spectrum, the United People’s Front time, Bhutan seems to have detected Chaturbedi about his Can government force financial institutionsemerged to as a strong tool of so bad. either work themselves or make UML formalised its self-cleansing contribution to the party’s financialGupta’s comments, you can’t figure of the ruling party have widened their and National People’s Front have come a window of opportunity. Thimpu, give you credit? protest, propagated and In Nepal as in other South sure that others do too. campaign by reshuffling its representa- health, the case for collective responsi-out whether he was seconding the concerns from matters of property to in for criticism from their parent which just played host to former plans to restore the We are not asking for cash from the treasury, but it bility was dismissed. Since responsi- foreign minister Chakra Prasad preached by no less than Gandhi Asian countries, all parties that The Beed’s intention is not tives on the major parliamentary army chief’s indictment of 12 years of those of propriety. Moreover, the 12 organisations. The NPF’s Chitra can request institutions to invest in us. A single bank have come to power, or even to lay the blame squarely and in committees a few weeks ago, the bility is indivisible in the UML, Rawal(dis)organised politics or was merely signatories to last week’s statement have Bahadur KC drew fire from the CPN- Bastola—a leading Kangresi airline’s sagging image can’t give us more than Rs 200 million—that ishimself, as well as other leaders remained in opposition, have somewhat simplistic fashion on comrades acted to preserve the was automatically exonerated. The factexhorting us to evaluate why chief surnames with deeper roots in the Masal for having signed the all-party contender to replace Prime Minister and profitability. against the rules. So there must be a consortium.during It India’s movement for ideological uniformity of their entity. that last year’s UML-led Lauda sahab got so worked up. But the alluvial soil of the plains than, say, political mobilisation accord without Deuba—has invited a UML could get government-controlled financial institutionsfreedom. By now it has assumed used this tool effectively and politicians alone. And yet they The imperative of collective responsi- brouhaha was based on a report disciplinary panel found enough traces delegation led by former deputy to lead such a group. Some of our assets are monolithic proportions which institutionalised it with the do quite urgently need to bility dictated that the party throw its prepared by the same panel was noof endorsement to recommend Gupta’s premier Madhav Kumar Nepal. mortgaged with those institutions and we havefew not governments can counter necessary ingredients of vio- recognise just how bad times are defaulted on interest payments. Their worry maysuccessfully. be The limited security lence, coercion and fear. This is for the business community. weight behind former tourism longer relevant. If committee memberssuspension from the party’s primary whether we will repay the principal. With the right could wrongly fault Rawal, they must forces cannot anticipate or why even a bandh called by an Politicians of all hues who in Just how bad are things at the airline today?marketing and management, we can. have used flawed methods in implicat- Because all these efforts would give the airlinecounter a the moves made by the otherwise obscure association or normal times stick to the Royal Nepal was set up 43 years ago with the party calling the bandh. The first group of people is scary, an business community like objective of providing reliable air services, andface value, even if you privatise, you will get a running on the income generated in the process.better price than if that is done immediately. Thateffect is on transportation—no unknown quantity, and so especially stubborn stains, have We did that. We are an independent corporationagain is a government decision. vehicle wants to be on the roads vehicles remain off the roads, now disappeared. They have no and have to earn our own keep. at the risk of being pelted with shutters are down and all interest in the problems of What about political interference and corrup- stones. So, of course, no one institutions are closed. business and industry. But what So how come things got so bad? tion? Being a government organisation we have to followcommutes anywhere. Which in Many keen observers of our they do not realise is if they Definitely our public image has taken a knock. Some glorious way of life insist that condemn business to run as best of this negative impact has resulted from RNAC’sits directives, financial, administrative or regulatory.turn means shops remain closed, own shortcomings. There were lapses in the past, I because shopkeepers can’t make bandhs are so successful in as it can in such an uncongenial Even on day-to-day running, and on hiring? may also make some mistakes. We’re all human. In it to work, and because the Nepal because they fit in environment, there will not be the four-and-a-half months I’ve been here, I haveIn the past four-and-a-half months I haven’t received perfectly with a core character- very much left for them to any. To be very honest, there’s been no interferencedrastically reduced movement of reached one conclusion: there needs to be a shift people always means a concomi- istic of the Nepali psyche— squabble over in the end, and in the way we perceive the corporation. from the ministry. There have been no directives relating to day-to-day business. By law we cantant do decrease in business. evading work. Although then we will all be left with the methinks this is an overly same thing—a sort of permanent Knowing how bad things were, why did youeverything on our own, except aircraft purchaseNeighbourhood shops that agree to join? and leasing. supply milk, vegetables and eggs cynical, possibly even defeatist bandh. And that only means two I was aware of the RNAC’s finances, business, could potentially stay open, but position to take, it is true that things—we’ll all be poorer and Kickbacks on past aircraft leases have been public image when I joined. I also knew my appoint- bandhs are often openly we’ll all be a lot more discon- national scandals... then how do they get their ment and things I do would be controversial. I came All that is manipulated, baseless, imaginary andsupplies? discussed in terms of being a tented. Now that’s a scary because I wanted the challenge. My immediate goal And so photographs—and windfall break, especially for thought. is to use the corporation’s resources fully, gener-unethical. When our aircraft was grounded in ate revenue and curtail non-sustainable expensesBangkok two weeks ago, we were charged withjust the sight—of rows of closed people in government, when one to make the airline sustainable. corruption and flying an unsafe aircraft. Remarks signs the attendance register, to like these don’t insult me, they insult the national be sure, but follows that by How? airline, it is a national insult. If the media has ques- By gradually curtailing loss-making sectors andtions I am always available, but few have bothered diverting flights to more profitable routes. Theto first ask. step is stopping flights to Bangalore, which has Readers can post their views at What about charges that politicians are been almost decided. A committee left for Dubai [email protected] stealing money from the RNAC? this week to discuss flying there from June. How can you do that, we have our own accounting Why Dubai? system. How can government take money from It’s a regional hub. I’m concerned with bringinghere? passengers from Europe to Kathmandu. Emirates The RNAC has perhaps the worldís highest has connections with almost every major city in the staff per aircraft ratio, including deadwoodÖ VACANCY NOTICE world. Ideal would be an arrangement with Emirates, especially a code-sharing one. TheyTo don’t an extent that is true. In the past we had many fly to Kathmandu, we don’t go to Europe anymore.aircraft, two 757s, two Avros, two 727, 14 TwinAn International Humanitarian Organisation in Kathmandu is looking for a suitable My plan is, carry Emirates passengers comingOtters from and the staff were recruited for that capacity. Europe to Dubai to Kathmandu and back. Let’sEven see when we leased aircraft we did the handling.candidate for the position of: how the negotiations go. All are permanent staff, and we definitely have more than what we need. But they are also among thosePress/Information Officer Where does this fit in with the governmentíswith world class training and experience. We will privatisation plan? need them when we grow. Our business is downDuties: I don’t want to comment on whether there shouldand so is the number of aircraft, in that context the be privatisation or not. But as an airline person,1,800 I or so employees appear to be too many. ButBe the main source of information reported in the daily press. Provide daily press don’t think this is the time to privatise, there’s nothat will change the moment our situation improves.review to all staff via internal computer. reason to do it immediately. The government initially And when is that going to be? Translate into Nepali language the press releases issued by the organisation in invested Rs 100 million, then another Rs 270 million. Today the RNAC’s assets are worth Rs 7-8 Six months from now. order to provide them to news outlets. billion—the two Boeing 757s are worth Rs 4.5 billion, the seven Twin Otters about Rs 1 billion, the Minimum requirements: property and real estate at New Road is alone Candidate must be a university graduate, preferably from the field of journalism, worth Rs 1.5 billion. Our total liabilities are about Rs 2.5 billion—one law, political sciences, must be fluent in English and Nepali, computer literate. billion as overdraft for operational expenses and Preferably having worked with an INGO or international organisation, the other payables worth about Rs 1.5 billion. The candidate must be able to work independently, have excellent interpersonal relations and a good sense of team work. Candidates are encouraged to send their applications to the following address by 30th April 2002. The application should consist of a CV (with attached photograph) and a telephone number. Only short listed candidates will be called for an interview . Communications Unit G.P.O. 21225 Kathmandu 8 CITY 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 9 For bird watching in the middle of the city, Demolition man go to Keshar Mahal. from p1 RReturneturn ofof thethe egretsegrets

ERIC STEFFENS ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ plumes nest en masse, sharing the hopping around during recent f inspecting the progress oftrees opposite the royal palace weekends. the restoration of the gardenwith large fruit bats. Keshar Mahal’s trees are also and exploring the antiquated Although this small haven ideal for the clumsy and painfully MIN BAJRACHARYA Ilibrary weren’t already incentivenestled beside busy Kantipath and awkward landings and nest- enough to visit Keshar Mahal, Thamel would seem one of the building habits of the egrets. Pride then surely looking up at the worst areas in the city for nesting, of India, cedars, magnolias and resident cattle egrets that haveit does have some advantages. The mulberry trees provide relatively returned to nest will be. lack of natural predators combined open flight paths and easy, MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN The trees in Keshar Mahal’swith the inactivity on the grounds horizontal branches to land on, Although not dependent on across all of the tropical and is also a special treasure that Clockwise: Mayor Sthapith supervising the demolition at Ratna Park; Aerial view of the city core taken two enchanted garden are once of the Education Ministry ensures a and such branches are also easy cattle, a major food source of subtropical Americas up into the deserves to be preserved with a years ago; A 2001 GIS map showing a section of Ghattekulo, the red marks are buildings that were standing again busy with the squawks disturbance-free ground space for to build nests on. the egrets are the insects and United States. little flexibility in the restoration 10 years ago. and nest-building of the beautifulthe many vulnerable fledglings that The best-suited nesting trees small animals stirred up by Their successful dispersion design, the egrets can be and elegant egrets. Every year,undoubtedly fall to the ground on in Keshar Mahal become densely cows, buffaloes and other large is due largely to the rapid cutting incorporated into and enhance about 1,000 of these snow- their first flight. Over two hundred packed with these loosely herbivores as they walk in of forests and expansion of the gardens for their four Sthapith, at 42, looks like a uniform land-use rules. government bureaucracies that most white birds with gold breedingyoung birds have been observed constructed nests. One Pride of grass, which is why they follow grasslands for cattle in the last nesting months. man in a hurry. Technically he only “The population density in the other municipalities had inherited. India tree last year had 62 active livestock around. century and their ability to adapt Another more selfish argu- nests. The male collects sticks Globally, the cattle egrets to situations ranging from the ment for the egrets is that they has three months to go as mayor city core is too high,” says Padma He fought hard to keep this office and twigs—often stealing from are an anomaly in this period of plains of Africa to the less-than- provide a tranquil sight in the unless extended for a maximum ofSunder Joshi, National Program even during the worst times as neighbouring nests—while the human-caused species extinc- pristine urban Kathmandu. midst of evening rush-hour one year. “This was my probation Manager of the Kathmandu Valley mayor, when bad blood after the female builds. Chicks hatch in late tion—they are one of the few Hopefully, the egrets will traffic. Just the surreal and period, I still have much to do,” Mapping Project. But the trouble is UML-ML split caught the metro in May and by July are ready to birds widening their range. adapt to the restoration work calming beauty of their holding start flying. Often at this time, Originally from Africa, they have and subsequent increased pattern over the din and traffic of he says. that powerful people who have the crossfire. This unit sketched MIN BAJRACHARYA Sthapith’s problem has been moved to new housing schemes some of his early plans—building adults with young can be seen rapidly colonised Asia and human presence in the gardens Kantipath as they wait to land on Tundhikel as part of their flight island-hopped through South below them. The restorers for make them more than a worth- that he is from the Marxist-Leninist on the city’s outskirts, like parks at intersections, restoring training. By late August, with the East Asia to Australia and New their part aren’t too thrilled with while addition to the city’s (M-L) faction of the CPN, which Bhaisepati or Budanilkantha have medieval temples and patis and monsoon in full swing, Keshar Zealand. A flock of egrets was the idea of 1,500 birds each year biodiversity. Show your support did not have a single seat in sucked away government grants roping in the private sector to Mahal is deserted and the blown across the Atlantic to the will be dropping guano near or by visiting Keshar Mahal with parliament and which recently re- for infrastructure. contribute money to his clean-up fledglings travel with their coast of South America in the on the tables of their planned your binoculars and looking up at merged with the main-opposition The mayor’s office would like efforts. along the Dhobikhola, a pilot pooling for housing, private- launch a job-creation campaign parents to the rivers and paddy 1870s, and quite probably from restaurant inside the garden. But the branches to catch a sight of UML. National-level politicians to go for infrastructure building The City Planning Commission, project to rejuvenate the city core, public partnerships to maintain for Nepalis that could remove fields on the city’s outskirts. this one flock have spread the unique Keshar Mahal garden the young chicks in their nests. find his style abrasive, and his high- through a more egalitarian land- as it was known has now been and another to see if Ghattekulo traffic triangles real estate values the frustrations of unemployed profile populist projects in the pooling formula. After the successes replaced by the KVMP, which is can be made more liveable. Then rise as neighbourhoods get youth that lie at the root of the capital a threat. Then there is a of one such scheme at Naya Bazar, supported by the European Union. there are the high-profile plans to developed and gentrified and Maoist insurgency. problem of jurisdiction. Kathmandu it has requests from communities It is this sprawling office at re-build Tinkune, landscaping the everyone benefits. “I see myself Besides being mayor, Valley is not a single administrative seeking help. Land owners contrib- Tripureswor that helps Sthapith open space around the Rani only as a facilitator of progress,” Sthapith is also an amateur poet entity as the mayor would like it to ute a portion of their land which is translate some of his dreams into Pokhari at Ratna Park, resettling says Sthapith modestly. “Once and has to be restrained from be. It is a conglomeration of about collected and reallocated after GIS maps and action plans. And squatters and, of course finding a people believe I am not siphon- bursting into verse at inaugura- 100 Village Development Commit- taking some away for building with technocrats taking care of permanent landfill site for the ing away their money they come tion ceremonies. He dabbled in tees and five municipalities. This roads, open spaces and meeting implementation details, the mayor city’s garbage. and participate in the projects tai-chi, but gave up after he was makes it almost impossible to carry development costs. concentrates on fighting the larger Sthapit can be stubborn, and without me telling them what unable to maintain a training out effective planning of land use, There is some talk of creating political battles. doesn’t want to listen to those to do.” schedule. Now, he’s learning the zoning and transportation on a an umbrella body to plan and Sthapith can be a shrewd who don’t agree with his plan of a The dreamer in Sthapith fearful Kal Bhairab dance. He valley-wide scale. oversee valley-wide land use, zoning operator. When he had to convince shopping complex in Tinkune. takes over every time he’s on his finds the vigorous traditional But the mayor is doing what he and implementation in the form of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Urban planners say the area own, and he says his life’s work dance routine strenuous, but a can within the boundaries of the a bill in parliament. However, local Deuba to clean up Tinkune before should be converted into a park will not stop with Kathmandu. If great stress-reliever. Don’t be Kathmandu Metropolitan City. He bodies fear the bill may just create SAARC, he told him that demolish- with tall trees and flowering given the chance, he wants to surprised one of these days to see has begun to enforce the strict another central-level bureaucracy. ing houses in the city would take bushes, as part of a green belt our mayor alighting from his building codes enacted 20 years ago Even if his future plans never media attention away from the planned for the Ring Road. olive-green Mercedes Benz to try and never really implemented. New materialise, Sthaphit has already Maoist insurgency ahead of the Rani Pokhari, like Tinkune out a few twirls near one of his settlements and housing schemes done to Kathmandu what none of summit. Deuba immediately saw and Maitighar, was another recently-beautified traffic are now moving out into the his predecessors have managed. A the logic, and gave the go-ahead. difficult one to tackle because it islands. suburban villages which is good former engineering student, Sthapith’s planners have a lot of had a fairly large number of because it spreads the economic Sthapith took up his task by setting projects on the drawing boards: stores that needed to be activity around. What it isn’t very up a planning office which func- land pool schemes on the banks of demolished amid growing effective in doing is imposing tioned almost independently of the Bishnumati and Bagmati, a road political pressure. Sthapith was mourning his father’s death when he was told that govern- ment had asked municipal officials to defer the demolition. He rushed to Rani Pokhari and personally led the charge with bulldozers. “The home and local development ministers had asked to postpone demolition,” he explained to us. “I knew it was now or never.” Now he is under pressure to rebuild, largely because the project is very visible. The plan is to make a leafy park, get rid of the ugly iron railing around the pond and give a Rani Pokhari Park across the road from Ratna Park back to the city. The negotiation to demolish some of the blocks of Tri-Chandra campus north of Rani Pokhari is proving more difficult. Sthapit’s plan to move the college to the former cement factory at Chobhar is meeting stiff resistance. The mayor says money is not an issue when it comes to doing things that matter. With land KVMP KVMP 10 WORLD 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES ASIA 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 11 India monitors borders, not GLOF ANALYSIS by RUDI DORNBUSCH ANALYSIS by WALDEN BELLO Tiger meets tiger ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ London - India has refused access to a major study that could stop NEW DELHI – India’s rightwing Hindu RSS is galvanising Sri Lanka’s hundreds of Himalayan lakes from devastating collapse, experts say. Hindu Tamils against the country’s powerful Christian church with its The UNEP study has instead been carried out in Nepal and Bhutan. global arm, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), working in Tiger- In its next phase, the study will again not be conducted in India,Another oil shock? controlled areas with the ostensible permission of the LTTE, news which has most of the Himalaya, but in Pakistan, China and the reports and analysts said Yankees come Sunday.back Reports from Colombo Central Asian republics. The study has identified 44 newly-formed lakes—24 in Nepal and 20 in Bhutan—that could collapse within the The Americans are quoted the India Abroad News next five years. The expanding lakes have been formed by glaciers US efforts to create a safer world and stronger international Service as talking to a senior melting faster than normal under a temperature rise of one degree back in the VHP preacher in Colombo who Celsius since the seventies, and many are held up only by debris. economy could mean higher oil prices for a while. said there are dozens of VHP- Philippines. But who linked units working across the The consequences of collapse could be devastating for hundreds of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ kilometres below. country. UNEP experts have been unable to get access to the vast is advising whom? Indian analysts say that if true, this could mean India’s Himalayan regions in India “because most of these are border areas ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and there are difficulties getting access,” says Surendra Shreshta, rightwing Hindu groups could regional coordinator in Asia for an early warning and assessment embargo, and another to undercut stock market. Oil is far less gain access to the weapons system of UNEP. Indian officials spoke of “other priorities” during oil politics by flooding the market important to industrial economies used by the separatists. The news is also significant since Pakistan is earlier talks on access, Shreshta said. Many of the potentially in a pro-US move. Saudi Arabia is today than in the past, but $10 believed to be involved in shoring up Colombo’s war effort against the disastrous lakes have formed in Kashmir, along the China border unstable, so it will try to straddle dollars more per barrel is a Philippines’ neighbours such asTigers, and India’s ruling establishment, led by Defence Minister and in the border areas of Arunachal Pradesh, Shreshta said. As a both sides. Using America’s vast huge shock. Malaysia or Indonesia. There areGeorge more Fernandes are believed to be soft on the LTTE. Any proximity result, the UNEP has been unable to carry out studies here. mundane issues that could be between the VHP and the LTTE could pose a serious threat to strategic oil reserve will dampen If all this happens, what happens Congress party leader Sonia Gandhi who has rejected any talks The studies in Nepal and Bhutan have been conducted with the powder kegs—the return of the sex help of images obtained by Indian satellite. “The Indian satellite world oil prices for a time, but once to the dollar? So far, the dollar remains between New Delhi and the group regarded as her husband’s killer. The images are much better than those we are getting from French and hostilities with Iraq start, oil prices strong relative to Europe, though not trade catering to US troops or equation will inevitably also play in Tamil Nadu—Chief Minister US satellites,” Shreshta said. Indian authorities can see these will shoot up. very strong—$1.10 for the Euro was violation of land rights in the Jaylalithaa is seen as opposing the LTTE and her rival party, the DMK, images but the programme to contain danger from these lakes will When may any of this happen? never an equilibrium rate, but it was acquisition of training sites. which is a member of the ruling National Democratic Alliance, is perceived as sympathetic towards it. Bal Thackeray, head of the Shiv require physically going to every lake to plan measures to avert America demands that Iraq meet three sustained by relative US growth Yet, the momentum for more catastrophe, Shreshta said. These measures include installation of Sena, has often praised the LTTE, which says it is secular, as a role criteria—promoting regional stability, performance and the image of the US intervention has been set in motion.model for Hindus. Both groups share the same mascot—a roaring early warning And the Americans aren’t unpopular. systems for villages ending its pursuit of weapons of mass as an economic superstar. The Tiger. and towns that destruction, and ending suppression superstar role is bolstered by military In Zamboanga province, the Christian could be hit below, of its own people—to which Saddam prowess, but seriously damaged when majority is said to overwhelmingly and then steps to will never assent. Saddam is doomed bogged down in disapproval, from favour it. In Basilan there is strong drain these lakesA US ofsoldier watching an oil-well fire set by Iraqis in 1991. and it doesn’t matter whether Europe greens, anti-globalisers and peaceniks, support for the American rising water. Twelve cooperates with the US or not. As in European cynicism, and the angry presence in the key such Glacial Lake towns of Isabela and Outburst Floodshe Middle East conflict—Israel bit, but nothing more serious. To 1991, the problem is the absence of a “Arab Street”. (The Dawn, Pakistan) (GLOFs) have beenversus Palestine now, Iraq to their Arab spectators, grandstanding is suitable government acceptable to the With an economy that won’t Lamitan, where recorded sinceT come—creates serious risks for almost as good a proof of leadership as region as well as the US to fill the better Europe in such adverse Christians are in the 1935. Thegrowth most and financial stability. To actually doing something. vacuum. That, and the unresolved circumstances, and with a tarnished majority, but is said to devastating of Indonesia’s religious troubles understand the severity of these risks, The real risk to oil is hostilities or Palestine-Israel debacle are holding off US image, the dollar will be at risk of a be much○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ less in the ○○○○○○○○ these came from the Sangwang Cho glacial lake in Tibet in 1954, MANILA - With 120 US Special Macapagal-Arroyo’s government has bandits indicates that the problem is Muslim-dominated interior. JAKARTA - The arrival of an Islamic militia group in Indonesia’s when 300 million cu m of water burst out, damaging Gyantse,let’s 120 work backwards from what is sabotage of oil installations. Oilfields immediate action, which means oil serious fall. The only thing that might restive West Papua province, formerly called Irian Jaya, is sowing fear km away, and Shigatse, 200 km downstream and causing a 40unlikely m to happen. don’t matter as much as pipelines, prices will remain high (possibly hold the dollar near present levels is Forces units assisting 6,000 Filipino sought to retain a modicum of political, not military. Abu Sayyaf has Christians in particular appear to among residents about sectarian conflict like that seen in other high flood in the Nyang Qu River. Neither Iraq nor Iran will mount refineries, and oil ports, which higher) for some time. bad economic performance in Europe. troops to flush out the notorious Abu legality by bringing in US person- a base in a Muslim majority resentful think American presence is the magic provinces before, and Papua religious communities from churches to The 44 glacial lakes identified in Nepal and Bhutan are in Sayyaf band which has made the news nel under the guise of engaging in of their steady dispossession by a bullet to end the 30 years of almost an effective oil embargo on the US. influence spot price by governing the Consumers in the US, but also in Blaming the US is a way of shifting mosques want its members out soon. Laskar Jihad was created in 1999 danger of bursting into GLOFs within the next five years, UNEP Their commitment to oppose America immediate availability of oil. As we Europe and Asia, will be hit by an oil light from Europe’s failed leadership kidnapping western tourists, the Balikatan (“shoulder-to-shoulder”) Christian settler community. More constant warfare that has been wagedin Java as a response to the massacre of 400 Muslims by Christians in scientists warn in the report. By way of remedial measures, early doesn’t include a pre-emptive saw in the Gulf War, the risk of shock. They will have less spending to another country’s struggles for a Philippine island of Basilan has military exercises. important, there are testimonies by Muslims rendered a minorityNorth in Maluku, then mired in communal conflict. The group claims to warning systems have been set up in areas below just one lake in become the so-called “second front” Training in the use of high-tech from victims suggesting that the their traditional homeland in have 10,000 members, 2,000 with military training. Despite Laskar Nepal. Draining measures have been launched for just one sacrificinglake in of essential oil sales that damage to oil refineries raised spot power, demand will fall and growth safer world (including the continued Recently-formed glacial lakes in Tibet Jihad’s claim that its activities are related only to religion and charity, Nepal. keep their run-down economies prices dramatically: $40 then. This will slow, as during the Gulf War. A existence of Israel) and a stronger against terrorism. “Links to al-Qaeda” surveillance equipment is said to be a bandits enjoy support in high Mindanao. As the roots of Christian- churning. Both recognise that if they time the price would go higher slowdown of the US and world world economy. After all, the is Washington’s stated reason for vital contribution by the US to the places, particularly in the provincial Muslim conflict lie in economica Jakarta-based human rights group says members have begun zeroing in, but even the Philippine hunt for Abu Sayyaf. After over two government and the regional dispossession, political subordinationinflammatory preaching pitting Muslims and Christians, and distribut- refuse to sell America oil, other because the risks including sabotage economy is bad news for asset markets problems that beset Mr Schroeder, or ing VCDs depicting the fighting in Maluku. Muhammad Thaha al- countries (Russia and Mexico) will are much more widespread. This and central banks will have to decide Mr Berlusconi, and Messieurs Chirac government admits there is no months of the Special Forces’ military command. and religious discrimination, thisHamid of the pro-independence Papua Presidium Council says, “Never take up the slack. The embargo will be would almost certainly happen if and between fighting recession through and Jospin, aren’t the stuff that shapes evidence of ties between al-Qaeda and deployment, and despite the use of A recent peace mission report illusion is unlikely to survive thehave Christians and Muslims in West Papua fought each other. ineffective, and they’ll lose money. when the US takes on Iraq. Saudi easier money or fighting inflation the world. Abu Sayyaf after 1995. Several high-tech equipment, 60-80 bandits says: “Relying on a military solution is destabilising consequences of theChristian and Muslim religious leaders want the Laskar Jihad to leave.” Even Saddam is smart enough to avoid Arabia could offset a price rise by caused by rising oil prices by intelligence agencies in the region holding three hostages, including two unlikely to produce results. Disman- American presence. Many fear the introduction of a religious angle into demands for independence there would have serious security implications this, so he and Iran’s ayatollahs hiking production. But it is one thing raising interest rates. If tightening is (Project Syndicate) instead link al-Qaeda to the Moro American missionaries, continue to tling the structures of collusion and (IPS) grandstand and move oil prices up a for Saudi Arabia not to join an the rule, say sayonara to a rising Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). elude the troops and their advisers on corruption should be the main focus, The American presence is the 1,359 sq km island, where much not adding more troops and (Rudi Dornbusch is professor (Walden Bello is professor of controversial. Deployment of foreign primary forest cover has been firepower.” The involvement is . (IPS) of economics at MIT.) sociology at the University of the (Indo Asian News Service) troops to deal with an internal destroyed by indiscriminate logging. already creating political problems, insurgency or bandit problem is The continuing failure of the like the infringement of sovereigntyPhilippines or and executive director COMMENT by WINFRIED FLUCK unconstitutional, but President Gloria military to quell a mere handful of threatening potential conflicts with ofthe the Bangkok-based research and advocacy institute Focus on the Global South.) R e s o r t H o t e l at Invasion of the Culture Snatchers?COMMENT by MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD he spectre of “Americanisation” haunts the world. Its consequences are Budhanil-kantha demonised, sometimes even drawing on the metaphor of a (need I say technologies. Knowledge of metre or classical poetics was no longer necessary. The American) science-fiction movie called novel became the literature of the middle class, anddime the novel, an abbrevi- For T Invasion of the Body Snatchers, inated magazine-sized novel for a dime, expanded readership to the lower strata of Aesthetic Living, Dining, which hostile aliens imperceptibly take control of our bodies and minds. But society, especially adolescent readers. The development of an “entertainment Conference & Workshop such hyperbolic rhetoric misses the complexity of the cultural change taking culture” around the turn of the 20 th century, including vaudeville theatre, Defining terror Tel: 375280, Fax: 371656 place all around us. amusement parks, a dance craze triggered by the domestication of black plantation email: [email protected] Neither side in the debate about Americanisation explains the phenomenon dances, and silent movies, further reduced the prerequisites for cultural under- KUALA LUMPUR - Terrorism is a heinous crime against the entire world www.nepalhotel.com convincingly. Those who argue that it is “cultural imperialism” see it as a There is no authority more competent to make these decisions than the standing. Radio and television extended the audience for this new “mass” culture regardless of the target. The 11 September attacks affected far more than the United Nations. Once the UN has decided, the whole world must cooperate fully product of growing market domination by even more, and the shift to prioritising pictures American media concerns. But many giant immediate victims and the United States. They shook the foundations of the in the fight against the terrorists concerned. The prevention of new acts of and music created a “universal” language. world’s economy and brought death and destruction to the country and people cultural corporations—Japanese-owned Sony, terrorism also requires identifying and eliminating the causes of the bitterness For a number of reasons, America was in the believed to be the base for the act. and anger that give rise to it. Suicide bombings aren’t carried out for pleasure. Canadian-owned Seagram, Murdoch’s empire or forefront of this cultural revolution. Due to its Germany’s Bertelsmann—are no longer Ameri- While 9/11 may be unusual in the extent of its fallout, terrorist attacks in theThey are acts of desperation by people who see no way to redress their grievances multiethnic and multicultural composition, past also affected the world. We may not have realised it, but we’ve been living in can, though they promote American cultural or alleviate their suffering. They cannot simply be dismissed as the work of especially in the formative years of modern fear for many years now, which is why the security measures subsequently demented madmen. The grievances of the Muslims are real and truly unbearable. models. Even if media were American-owned, it is entertainment culture around 1900, American facile to say that consumers of culture the world introduced in country after country have been so readily accepted. People know For the past five decades Palestinians, for example, have been expelled from their popular culture was faced with a market that that even the innocent may be gunned down, kidnapped or killed. We must all over are clay in the hands of skilled marketing own land by the Israelis. Their attempts to regain their territory through anticipated the present global market on a smaller fight against terrorists and terrorism, for conventional war with the help of friendly experts. It makes more sense to assume that there scale. This led to the development of broadly are some elements of social, psychic and aesthetic none of us are really safe. states failed, and they lost more land. In the comprehensible, non-verbal forms of perform- But we cannot hunt down terrorists until gratification that explain the resonance of occupied territories Palestinians were ance, relying preferably on visual and auditory we agree on how to identify them and on subjected to oppression and humiliation. American cultural models, and provide for their forms of expression. Before Americanisation of commercial usefulness. what constitutes an act of terror. History Because they throw stones at the Israelis they other societies could occur, American culture itself shows how freedom fighters struggling The other side emphasies the liberating anti- are shot at and killed, children included. had to be “Americanised.” against oppression can be mistaken for and The Israeli response is not an eye for an authoritarian power of American popular culture. What is the meaning and cultural significance This may at times be fitting: in 1950’s Germany deliberately labelled terrorists by their eye but a life for being hit by a stone. They of this process of “Americanisation?” The constant oppressors. Jomo Kenyatta, Nelson Mandela, American youth culture had a strong anti- believe terrorising the terrorists can stop the reduction of the prerequisites for making sense of Robert Mugabe, and Sam Nujoma were all carnage. The suicide bombers believe they authoritarian component that helped undermine culture may confirm the view that consumers of authoritarianism and contributed to post-war labelled thus, hunted, and faced jail sentences are already dead and on the way to heaven. mass culture are passive. But the development of if they were captured. Today they are recognised democratisation. But only rarely does American- They aren’t likely to be deterred by the threat popular culture from the novel via the image to as respected leaders of their countries. of death. Killing their leader won’t help inspired popular culture possess this dimension the triumph of popular music and the “centre- explicitly. More often its attack on authority takes Because today’s terrorists may be re- either—increasingly violent leaders will take less” heterogeneity of television, created forms of designated freedom fighters tomorrow, and the form of wilful provocation or ever-more his place and the terror attacks will go on. Before the “Americanisation” ofcultural expression singularly useful for the vice versa, hunting down everyone consid- The Holocaust didn’t defeat the Jews. A uninhibited and graphic depictions of violence. At other cultures, US culture itselfpurposes of imaginary self-extension and self- otherSimpsons times, the refreshingly anti-authoritarian appeal of such programs as ered by some to be terrorists may result in second Holocaust with Arabs for victims will needed to beempowerment. “Americanised”. The result is an increasing separation of expressive elements from considerable injustice. Conversely, mis- not defeat the Arabs either. moral, social, even narrative contexts. Here is the triumph of “mood over guided people and countries may harbour Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, morals.” Americanisation is carried by the promise of heightened self-realisation and support terrorists believing they fight for a legitimateTo ensure cause. realIn the liberaljustice,and others terrorists are equally must guilty of be terrorism. Terrorists must be identified by their The for individuals freed from the bonds of social norms and cultural traditions. western countries there are quite a few terrorist cellsidentified working in support by oftheiracts, acts, nothing nothing else. And responsibleelse. Muslims must contribute to the fight against is commercially exploited to strengthen global media empires, such asCultural Americanisation is the embodiment of modernity’s promise of terrorist organisations in other countries. Their situation is not so different fromterrorism by helping define what constitutes it and who are terrorists. If the Rupert Murdoch’s. Anti-authoritarianism isn’t the whole story either. painless self-realisation for each individual, in contrast to the demands made by that of Afghanistan, which provided a haven for the al-Qaeda terrorists. present crises in the Muslim world are to be overcome, they must be addressed We need to take a more nuanced look at American culture’s forward march.more traditional concepts of emancipation. Globalisation, which often appears as So how do we distinguish freedom fighters from terrorists, or determine seriously. Unless the present worldwide anger over the September terrorist attacks American popular culture must be viewed in light of the historical process ofthe triumph of cultural standardisation, in reality undermines it. It is powered by a which government should be condemned for acts of terrorism or harbouring is channelled into a real campaign against all terrorists, whatever their religion, cultural modernisation. In the past, culture was tied to privilege and wealth.restless individualism drawing on a growing store of mass symbols. We are not terrorists? Groups or governments that support attacks on civilians must be Muslim-bashing will increase and any attempt to alleviate the suffering of becoming Americanised. We “Americanise” ourselves. Until the 18th regarded as terrorists, irrespective of the justification of the operations carried outhundreds of millions of oppressed Muslims will fail. century, books were comparatively expensive; their ownership or the nobility of the struggle. It is equally important to have international was limited largely to the propertied classes. Moreover, a certain educational agreement on condemning any particular incident as an act of terror. grounding (such as knowledge of Latin or Greek) was necessary to make sense of most cultural objects. (Project Syndicate) (IPS) “Popular culture” is our word for a form of culture that gradually abolished these restrictions. Its earliest manifestation was the novel, aided by new print (Winfriend Fluck is professor of culture at the Freie Universität, Berlin.) (Mahathir bin Mohamad is prime minister of Malaysia). 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES HISTORY AND CULTURE 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 13 Maoists and Girija democracy, development and passenger buses and killing anyone ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ stability see in Girija Prasad who does not accept their ways all Editorial inPunarjagaran , 6 April Koirala another face of Prachanda. are reflections of the same mindset. Politics has long ended in the Back at Sundarijal >9 If it’s Belgium, it The Nepali people and the world Maoists ranks. It is also not community now recognise Maoist Satbaria lessons ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ surprising that after politics has chairman Prachanda and Nepali Narayan Dhakal inDristi, 16 April waned, militarisation dominates. If Congress president Girija Prasad this is the case, they may be feeling The changing of the guard must be Nepalis Koirala as two sides of the same News from Satbaria shows how compelled to win fast, as it would coin. The Maoist terrorists openly suicidal the Maoists have started to take too much effort to manage a war defy the present multiparty system Sribhakta Khanal in Himal Khabarpatrika, 30 March-13 April become. Early reports from Dang for a long period. That has been the and the constitution, and are suggested that they were victorious experience elsewhere too… BP Koirala, incarcerated The number of Nepalis claiming to be waging murder, terror and destruc- because they had killed close to 50 But however much in a hurry Maoists fleeing the counter-insur- tion. Girija Prasad Koirala, on the the Maoists may be for a victory, a at Sundarijal, begins stands. But there is some erosion in his firm adherencecome to his at the gate with articles of food and other things. Nobody gency drive and seeking political security forces and looted over Rs other hand, is attacking the win may not be in their favour. theory, because in the evening of the dinner time the captaincame. A disappointment. Perhaps our people have been told asylum in Belgium has soared from 2 million. But post-battle news his second week in jail informed us that our daily food allowance has been fixedthat at theyRs mustn’t come to the jail gate and mustn’t supply us multiparty system and the constitu- reports reveal that their strategy They may have been able to 270 two years ago to more than 500 tion in a more covert manner. The in the winter of 1977. 20 for both of us. Till today we got whatever food we wanted.with any articles. today. In response, the Belgian isn’t as perfect as it has been made establish themselves as a force Maoists are destroying the outer In this episode, BP Now we will have to restrict our requisition within the means.In the beginning, though it may be a mistake, the jail government posted investigators in out to be. On Sunday 54 Maoist through military might, but it will They have also—ie army HQ—itemised the articles of foodauthorities that permitted our people to send food and other façade of democracy and Koirala is Kathmandu for three months to find corpses had been unearthed and take long to shape that kind of writes about the visit could be supplied to us at the prevailing prices. Therearticles will to us in prison. But the “higher authority”, having come out if their asylum requests were weakening the very roots of the security forces were in the process presence into a positive one. They by a new major who is be some lowering of the standard. Twenty rupees isto more know of this, has put a ban on this transaction. They want to valid. The first phase of this investi- system. In this sense, Koirala is a than enough by way of food for both of us, but since keepthe us in strict isolation. In the evening the new major gation is over, and officials say most of finding more. may have succeeded in destroying taking over as chief of MIN BAJRACHARYA more nefarious criminal than army people will do the purchase and cooking thereinforms will be us that the interview which they had thought couldn’t of the applications for asylum were A victory is the goal of every the nation, but most people find it the prison, and about a little waste. be held today but would be held tomorrow, is not likely to be found to not be genuine. They say Prachanda. After all, bodily wounds campaign, that is human nature. hard to believe that they will be able the Nepalis were economic refugees. can be treated, but internal wounds the uncertainty of an During previous imprisonment we got Rs 7 each. Thisheld timeat all. This is true in every revolution too. to rebuild it. They have managed to it is Rs 10. This increment may be due to the rise in prices.He In says that they have no instruction about our interviews. The Belgians’ argue that if they really were fleeing persecution by the security forces, theyare difficult would tohave identify and heal. Napoleon did not know what destroy the democracy established in “interview” with relatives. gone to India. Instead, they have paid up to Rs 30,000 to buy one-way tickets to Europe. ManyKoirala’s of the activities are weaken- any case, this seems to be the permanent arrangementBut now. why did they tell us in the beginning that everything would defeat was like until Waterloo, and 1990, but no one believes they will Why this permanent arrangement? The essence of GM’sbe as it used to be during our detention in this self same camp asylum-seekers are presently being deported back to Nepal at the expense of the Belgianing government. and disintegrating the essence of Every fortnight Nepali Times brings you Hitler’s forces knew what defeat have a better democratic model with Theory is that the condition of our detention is contingent.previously Any and that, therefore we would write monthly letters Processing an asylum application takes between six months and a year, and if it is rejectedthe nation, the and of democracy here. instalments from this unpublished diary applicant will be deported within five days. The applicant is not allowed to go to any other Schengen felt like only after being trapped in which to replace it. So what is their permanent arrangement or new arrangement suggestingand would receive relations for interview on the second day of country, and is not allowed to work. The Maoists cause destruction by the winter under the Soviet ultimate aim or destination? This is a written in English. The handwritten permanence or regular vitiates GM’s Theory. the month. We wrote our letters and handed them on to the Nepalis seeking political asylum is not a new phenomenon—it goes back to the Panchayatnumbers—physically era when attacking blockade. The Khmer Rouge and question we are all forced to think pages cover a period immediately I washed clothes, bathed and felt cold throughout themajor. He quietly receives them, still. whole day. I didn’t do morning exercise today, did not do theThen all of a sudden we are definitely told that there was no Nepalis made applications claiming to be persecuted by the sate. More recently many Nepalissoldiers, have police sought and the general the Shining Path experienced defeat hard about. political asylum in Britain, Australia and Belgium, claiming to be Bhutanese or Tibetan refugees.public, butBut the the Koiralas are following his return to Nepal with a call one hour’s constitutional. Felt tired and went to bed at 7:30order PM for interview. Then was there an order about correspond- numbers have recently gone up dramatically. only very late but by the time they They seem motivated by some for a “national reconciliation”. immediately after dinner. I think I have low BP. ence? I think they wanted to read our letter to know our current breaking the will and tarnishing the did, the wheels of their political major goals now. Out to get a In the past year alone there have been 650 applications from Nepalis for political asylumimage in of Britain. the Royal Nepal Army by Don’t know when this isolation will be lifted. A regularmood flow and mind. Our letters have not been sent to our people. Australia has had 95, Netherlands 10. But nearly all these applications are likely to be rejected because chariots were already loose. victory at any cost, they are craving of communication, supply of newspapers and books wouldThey wanted us to write letters which they had no intention to questioning its intentions and the host countries are convinced that the applicants are mostly economic migrants. The most publicised Looking at the sacrifice of the any negative impact their acts will greatly ease the tension. The description of Shah rulersdeliver. as The Major talked about the interview in order to encour- case was the one last year, in which seven Nepalis who had gone on a communist party-sponsoredloyalty. The Maoists’ strategy is to Maoists at Satbaria one gets the have on the present government. erratic and cruel treacherous conduct in Nepal’s historyage us to write. It was a ruse to secure our letter. youth event in Algeria “disappeared” during transit at Heathrow. All seven applied for asylum,alienate and the presentthe government and They want to defeat the Nepali th description given by Rishikesh Shaha in his “Introduction toGM brings a hot water bag for my use in bed at night. He CPN-ML official who allegedly masterminded the entire escapade, Rup Naryan Shrestha, was thrown out feeling that Maoism in Nepal may the Royal Nepal Army from have been established to provide army and invite foreign forces, they 14 January Nepal” fills me with horror with portents. insists that it would help me get good sleep and reduces the of the party. parliamentary forces. Koirala and back ache from which I occasionally suffer. He is very consid- one more example of failure in don’t even care if the country goes A new major took over charge from the old one. In the morning Most Nepalis get to Belgium on student or tourist visas and stay on illegally, or travel histo othersupporters destina- are helping them see erate and serviceable. tions in Europe. The students are mostly enrolled at the International Management Institute in Antwerp or history. That was the impression I back into the hands of those that the old major bought the new one to my room, where I was precisely this materialise under the If Shailaja were also kept here! What a dream! What an Brussels. This school is said to be less stringent about both academic qualifications and English profi- got watching the Maoist corpses ruled before 1990… They are keen taking tea with GM (Ganesh Man Singh), to introduce him to us. ambition! She is the best company for me in a situation like ciency. There are more than 90 Nepali students currently enrolled there, but sources saidpretext 30 others of their who so-called “broad being exhumed from the graves. to wash away or legitimise their The new one appears to be phlegmatic, and not so smart as this. In a prison, or a desert, it is she alone that can provide a were issued student visas for the school never attended. The institute has started askingdemocratic for the Euro alliance”. the outgoing one. We were told by him that the interview 7,500 annual fee in advance after student visas started being misused. If the desire for victory is past sins by seeking negotiations. full companionship to me. What must she be doing just as I The Maoists have been perhaps wouldn’t take place tomorrow, the day being Saturday. write this diary. I am sure she is not kept in the kind of isolation Many asylum seekers carry with them clippings from mocked-up newspapers with names like Himchuli human nature, then the intention The images of the war from These people don’t tell us anything clearly. They qualify all their terrorising Nepali Congress leaders as we are. I hope she doesn’t find the jail this time a little too or Kanchenjunga containing news items about them being on the police hit list. Asylum seekers destroy never to experience defeat is Satbaria show that the Maoists statements with such phrases as “Perhaps”, “I think” “Don’t their travel documents on arrival at Brussels or London and say they are seeking asylum.and Most workers European by kidnapping and another human weakness. Because have not been victorious in any of th hard. murdering their colleagues. know but”. This is exasperating coming as it does in 15conditions January countries have lenient asylum laws, and some even allow the applicants to work while their papers are victory is the other side of defeat their previous battles. Trucking of our solitary confinement and uncertain future. If we insist on being processed. Other countries give allowances while the applicants wait, which amountSimilarly, to quite Girija a lot Prasad in Koirala is and those that cannot face defeat away their dead and burying them knowing things that affect the condition of our imprisonmentWe had been informed by the outgoing major in a vague way Nepali rupees. Asylum seekers are said to be able to make up to Rs 70,000 a month, andusing a further so-called Rs “disciplinary action” they always take shelter behind the mysterious “higherthat author- monthly interview was to be held today, the expectation for 100,000 by working on the side. Many Nepalis already on the continent are paying traffickers to smuggle can’t truly accept a victory either. some distance away from the to terrorise the cabinet and the All recent Maoists activities seem battlefield seems to be their policy. ity” whose working of the mind they know as much aswhich we do. Major himself had roused in us in the first place, them into Britain. Seven Nepalis who had applied for asylum in Belgium were caught on whole19 February of the Nepali while Congress. Now, there will be no interview tomorrow. GM’s theorywouldn’t still take place as today being Saturday was a holiday. trying to sneak into Britain in a truck. motivated by a feeling of being This is telling, when you want to Therefore we hadn’t expected anybody to see us. But we had Although many applicants are economic migrants, there are some genuine Maoists in Europe,What the who Maoists want most is cornered and defeated. I find a ask how long such a pathetic expected that somebody, either from my home or GM’s would have been assisted by solidarity groups such as the Anti-Imperialist Revolutionary Forum.instability and uncertainty in the parallel between that and the campaign can be sustained. country, because when they are suicide by Gorakh Pandey—both After Waterloo Napoleon prevalent, terrorism thrives. Koirala must have felt victorious even reassessed his entire strategy. It is brings about both instability and while taking their own lives. It is a unlikely that the Maoists are doing uncertainly, grounding the Maoists state of mind dominated by “I the same after every defeat. Instead, and fuelling them. It suffices to say failed to win, but I can challenge goaded on by their ambition to that those Nepalis who support the the world by taking my own life.” win, they seem ready to take to a leaders and workers of the Nepali The Maoists attacks on drinking suicidal path, not learning lessons Congress, and are in favour of water systems, their shooting at from history.

ANOTHER FEATHER TO YOUR CAP Dearest Wifey Dr. Radha, QUOTE OF THE WEEK You have many firsts to your name. The first woman “If Girija Prasad Koirala wants to, he can remove Sher Bahadur Deuba in a second.”

to graduate from the Armed Forces Medical College. — Sujata Koirala, daughter of Girija Prasad Koirala,Deshantar in , 14 April The first lady pediatrician in the Army. The first Colonel. And now the historical event of being the first lady to reach the rank of Brigadier General. Forever wishing you all the success, prosperity,

progress and happiness. May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all. Loving Hubby, Dr. Amrit K.C

ELD Workshops

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation 29 April-3 May Presentation Skills and Public Speaking 9-10 May Letter and Memo Writing 16 - 17 May Negotiation Skills and Conflict Resolution. 19 - 21 May Telephone Skills, Welcoming Visitors, Dealing with Enquiries and Handling Complaints 22 - 23 May Developing Project Proposals 27 - 30 May EASY TIMES “Hey husband! Is this what Prachanda Path means!” It’s never been easier to subscribe to Professional Writing for Development Staff / Report Writing 3 - 6 June Nepali Times. Just dial this number and leave UK registered charity no. 1083385 Himal Khabarpatrika, 14-28 April your address. 543337 14 CITY 19 - 25 APRIL 2002NEPALI TIMES LIFESTYLE 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES 15

ABOUT TOWN YAK YETI YAK by MIKU EXHIBITION Photographs and drawings by Leonhard Stramitz, conservationist and consultant to the Patan Museum Project. 10.30AM-5.30PM, until 25 April. Keshav Narayan Chowk, Patan Museum. Stupas, Stones and Space Solo paintings on Nepali paper by Dagmar Mathes. Siddartha Art Gallery, More movie magic Baber Mahal Revisited, 11AM-6PM until 20 April. 411122 X-rays of sentiments Exhibition of paintings by Sunsee Sunil Sigdel. Until 21 April, Nepal Art Council or film buffs who missed Film South Asia ’014PM: last The Bee, the Bear and the Kuruba (63 mins) Gallery, Baber Mahal. October, this weekend is another chance to viewKarnataka, 2000, Vinod Raja Synthesis of tarai art by SC Suman. 8AM-6PM, until 30 April, Indigo Gallery, Naxal. 413580 the best recent South Asian documentaries.The tribal the forests and the modern man The planets are getting together. Get out your telescopes.TravellingF Film South Asia 2002, a selection of 165:10 of PM: Colors Black (30 mins) EVENTS the best films screened at Film South Asia ’01 is on at Festival of War based on episodes of the Mahabharata. Annual drama the Baggikhana, Patan Dhoka from 19-21 April. production of Studio 7. 19/20/21/26/27/28 April, 3/4/5 May at the Naga The documentary selection includes My Migrant Soul, winner of last year’s Ram Bahadur Trophy, A Theatre, Hotel Vajra, duration 1hr 15 min. tea and show Rs 700, reduced configuration that won’t happen for student tickets available. [email protected]. 271545 Rough Cut on the Life and Times of Lachuman Magar, Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Workshop from 29 April-3 another fifty or hundred years. winner of the Second Best Film Award, and Jari Mari: Of May organised by ELD, [email protected]. 524 202 Configurations in 1997 and inCloth and Other Stories, winner of the Third Best Film 2000 were the most publicised Award.of Protect our home Earth Day Celebrations for school students with dances, skits, songs, short BOOKWORM messages, competitions and an exhibition. 11AM-2PM, 2 April, IUCN Nepal, Bakhundole. 528781 recent groupings. The present one My Migrant Soul is based on the harrowing and Friends of the Bagmati a group of activists aiming to clean up the Bagmati River. For further details tragic experience of a Bangladeshi migrant worker in is more unusual, however, thanMalaysia, Lachuman Magar is a candid film about a contact [email protected] Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience Donald W Mitchell Oxford University Press, New York, 2002 either of these previous two. “Itnaughty is old Magar man, and Jari Mari documents the fantastic that so many of these effects on the lives of workers following the slow collapse MUSIC Rs 1,200 planets will appear in such a smallof Mumbai’s textile mills. Gaia—An International Music Event Musicians from New Zealand, Australia, Guyana, Canada, This volume focuses on the depth of Buddhist experience as expressed in the teachings and region of sky, all of them will be Organised by Himal Association and Himal SouthBombay, 2001, Mamta Murthy Nepal play fusion, funk, rock and roll, blues and folk. All you can drink special and extensive buffet, Rs practices of a wide array of its religious and philosophical traditions. Mitchell covers 2,500 visible to the naked eye,” says Asian magazine, TFSA 2002, selected by the three-Child abuse in Bombay 1,299 per head. 19 April, Hotel Yak & Yeti. 248999 member jury of FSA ’01, headed by well-known IndianKing of Dreams (30 mins) years, with chapters on Buddhism’s origins in India and spread to Tibet, China, Korea, Japan astronomy buff Jayanta Acharya of Down Memory Lane Teesta plays tunes from the 50s to the 90s, Wednesday nights, Rox Bar, Hyattand south-east Asia, Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, and modern, socially-engaged Early May presents one of the best planet-watching events this century. auteur-director Shyam Benegal, will also screen TheIndia, 2001, Amar Kanwar Regency Kathmandu. 491234 All five naked-eye planets lie close together along the ecliptic line in the Valmiki Campus. “And this time,Killing Terraces, a film on the Maoist insurgency,What’s and on a man’s mind? Dinesh & Pemba Live every Friday 7PM-9PM, Himalatte Cafe, Thamel. 262526 Buddhism. There are 22 personal narratives from Buddhist leaders and scholars. the moon is passing through thefive silent shorts. 6:20 PM: A Rough Cut on the Life and Times of western sky. The best nights for viewing are 5 and 6 May, when Mars, Live music by Catch 22, Friday nights at the 40,000 ½ ft Bar, Rum Doodle Restaurant, Thamel. 414336 configuration as well.” Says Manesh Shrestha, director of Film SouthLachuman Asia, Magar (39 mins) Tenzing and the Sherpas of Everest Judy and Tashi Tenzing Venus and Saturn form a tiny triangle. This view shows the sky 90 But what does all this mean“We to have decided to organise TFSA in KathmanduNepal, this 2001, Dinesh Deokota DRINK HarperCollins Publishers, New Delhi, 2002 minutes after sunset on 6 May as seen from the mid-northern latitudes. us? Some of our notoriously time because of the tremendous response we receivedA naughty old man Sizzling Singles Buy one single malt drink, get one free. The Rodi Bar, Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza. Rs 632 at the last edition of Film South Asia held in Winner of Second Best Film Award at Film South 273999 fatalistic astrologers have alreadyKathmandu last year. Many People had to turn backAsia ‘01 Beer Mug Club Talk beer, drink beer. Monday nights, Rox Bar, Hyatt Regency Kathmandu.Written 491234 by Tenzing’s mountaineer grandson Tashi and his wife Judy, this is the inspiring story begun a new rally in the prophecybecause the tickets for the films were sold out.” Prior to Classic teas Thirty teas including all Dilmah Tea’s herbals, greens, blacks and Oolongs.of Also a poor Ilam, and illiterate Tenzing Norgay Sherpa who left his small ancestral village, worked in AVIDIT ACHARYA sixty years. If you look at the of apocalypse just as they do everyarriving in Kathmandu, TFSA 2002 was screened21 at April ON PLANET EARTH Delhi, Patna, Islamabad, Bombay, Calcutta, San2PM: A Sun Sets In (45 mins) Darjeeling, Makaibari and more. The Coffee Shop, Hotel de l’Annapurna. Darjeeling and through grit, courage and sheer determination Everest. It is also a tribute to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ western sky soon after sunset on a year. In ancient times in Greece and Francisco, Baltimore, and Princeton. Pakistan, 1999, Shahid Nadeem Tenzing’s family and the Sherpa people who have contributed so much to exploration in the he early Egyptians and clear day between now and mid- India a bad harvest or royal deaths FOOD The bishop’s ultimate sacrifice Himalaya over the past century. Hindus worshiped them as May, you might get to see Mercury would probably have been 19 April 2:55 PM: Between the Devil and the Deep River The San Miguel Brunch Brunch, live music and unlimited draft beer. Rs 600 plus tax, Saturdays, The close to the horizon in the west attributed to such a dark night-time Fun Café, Radisson Hotel. 411818 Tgods and goddesses. Modern 2:15 PM: Our Boys (42 mins) (65 mins) (right above the sunset, provided planet configuration as this one. Going Pizzaz From noon-6PM, each pizza comes with a free bottle of beer or soft drink. All April at Going in Being: Buddhism and the Way of Change Mark Epstein scientists tirelessly seek to plunge Bangladesh, 1999, Manzare Hassin Bihar, 1999, Arvind Sinha Boys talk about boys Woe, the embanked river Alfresco, Hotel Soaltee Crown Plaza. 273999 Broadway Books, New York, 2001 weird-looking gadgets into their the sun’s leftover rays aren’t too But today, despite the many who 3PM: Born at Home (60 mins) 4:10 PM: We Homes Chaps (70 mins) The new Roadhouse Café Completely redesigned with separate bar seating and coffee bar. OriginalRs 1,000 surfaces. Today we let them go by bright). And if you keep looking, fancy reading our daily or weekly you will eventually see Venus right horoscopes (and believing in them,North India, 2000, Sameera Jain Mediterranean specialities, and wood-fired pizzas coming soon. The Roadhouse Café, Thamel. The author, a psychotherapist by profession, recounts in this volume how his intensive study of unnoticed and unmentioned, Noth Indian midwifery Sekuwa as it should be Veg and non-veg barbecue, snacks, salads, desserts, live music by Buddhism and the meditative principle influenced his approach to therapy. He says Western despite their majestic and predict- above Mercury. Then Mars above privately), these prophecies have4:10 PM: Jari Mari: Of Cloth and Other Stories (74 Himalayan Feelings. Rs 555 net per person, Rs 1,010 net per couple, Friday evenings, Dwarika’s Hotel. able passage through the night sky. Venus, Jupiter a bit further up, and failed to stir up any public mins) 479488 psychology’s focus on problems often results in “paralysis of analysis”. Epstein explains, through his own life and stories, the concept of “going on being”, the ability of humans to live in a fully But this month and in early May Saturn pretty close and almost consternation. Bombay, India, 2001, Surabhi Sharma Weekend Brunch Rs 350 per head, special package available with bowling. Oriental and continental Mill workers in Bombay are laid off aware and creative state unimpeded by expectations or constraints. that will all change, as scientists and collinear with the other four will While researching this article, lunch or dinner by the pond. 1905 Boardwalk, Kantipath. 225272 complete the conjunction by my little brother woke up in theWinner of the Third Best Film Award at Film South Asia Vegetarian Specialties and clay-oven pizzas at Stupa View Restaurant & Terrace, Boudha. 480262 laymen alike look in awe at the gods forming a small triangle with Venus middle of the night to ask, “What‘01 if Taste of Beijing Roast duck and other Chinese meat, fish and vegetarian delicacies. Beijing Roast Buddhist Masters Tsering Wangdhi Lhoba (Hyolmo) of the night. These are special times and Mars. (See diagram). they crash into each other?” My Duck Restaurant, Birendra International Convention Centre. 468589 Tsering Wangdhi Lhoba, Kathmandu, 2002 for us earthlings. The planets are Newari Bhoj Traditional snacks, drinks and meals, outdoors or indoor, in a restaurant designed by cuddling up. The five planets will run across reaction was almost sadistic: “I Bhaktapur artisans. Lajana Restaurant. Lazimpat. 413874 Rs 425 the sky almost parallel to the don’t know. Maybe we’ll all die.” North Bengal, 2001, Kesang Tseten The author sets forth the life histories, experiences and teachings of 113 “Buddhist masters”, On the nights of 5 and 6 May, Paddy Foley’s Irish Pub A wide range of drinks and food. Live music on Wednesday, Thursday and Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and ecliptic, an imaginary line the sun Luckily, however, the answer to Old students talk about school Sunday nights. 416096. including the Dalai Lama, 17 Karmapas, seven Dzogchen Rinpoches, seven Dzogchen Ponlop appears to pass through every year. the question is a plain and simple, 5:30 PM: King for a Day (33 mins) Jupiter (all the five planets visible Bangladesh, 2001, Alex Gabbay Rinpoches, Her Eminence Jetsun Kushok Chimey Ludding, numerous other Rinpoches, and In reality, the ecliptic is a two- “They can’t.” The planets only look GETAWAYS from earth with the naked eye) will Clinton is coming...so what? western teachers and students of Buddhism. dimensional representation of the close to each other—in reality they White rhododendron getaway at the Horseshoe Resort in Mude, three hours from Kathmandu. Two settle into a configuration that you Short Silent Films (20 mins) days of rhododendron walks in forests, package tours at $30 per day, all meals and sauna included. Email won’t expect to see for about another plane through which the earth’s aren’t. What is actually a three- The Godfather IV (3 mins) [email protected] orbit runs. The ecliptic is an dimensional space is squashed into5:45 PM: The Killing Terraces (40 mins) I, Ranu Gayen (6 mins) Nepal, 2001, Dhruba Basnet Keyhole (5 mins)

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For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] on FM 102.4 allowed to donate any amount for the cause. NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL The cars will be flagged off at DSES-17-04-2002 06:00 GMT This satellite image taken at noon on Wednesday 8:30 and will stop at Darbar Marg shows another band of westerlies approaching from where they will be escorted by an over Iran which will hit the Himalaya early next week. Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today elephant along the boulevard. The This will keep Kathmandu’s maximum temperature Nepal Tourism Board is this year’s below normal. Last year this time, the mercury was Sat 0615-0645 BBC Science in Action co-sponsor, along with a dozen regularly hitting 32 degrees in late March. We’re not other individuals and companies. Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda Bugs This isn’t a race, and the best complaining, of course, but farmers across Nepal have been badly hit by frequent hailstorms. There is no Daily 2045-2115 BBC decorated Beetle wins the prize: a evidence that the above-normal precipitation will roundtrip ticket to Amsterdam on affect the arrival or the extent of the monsoon. For the g]]kfnL]]] ;]]jf]]] Transavia. coming week, look for thick haze which is wind-blown Cleft lips and palates are sand from the Indian desert, compounded by morning g]]kfnL]]] ;]]jf]]] everywherecaused by folic acid deficiency, and smog in Kathmandu Valley. Daily 2245-2300 BBC Nepal has a high incidence. Many, like Harka Bahadur Pradhan, 32, t’s time again for the annualHaatiban Resort at the southern operations at the National Dental (see picture) have lived with the Great Himalayan Volkswagenend—covering a distance of nearly Hospital at Lazimpat and at the condition all their lives and can’t Beetle Rally—all in aid of 50 km. Nepal Burns Society in Bhaisepati. believe the change after the KATHMANDU VALLEY Radio Sagarmatha NepalisI who need cleft-lip and “The response this year has If you have a VW Beetle (any operation. Says Fowlds: “The cleft-palate surgery. This year been overwhelming,” says Susan model) and haven’t registered yet, hardest part is find the people who Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal there are going to be nearly 60Fowlds, of the Ganesh Foundation it is not too late. Just show up at need the surgery, and from this year Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227bugs travelling from the Park which organises the fundraising rally. Park Village Hotel at 7:30 AM on we will be able to operate on E-mail: [email protected] Village Hotel at BudanilkanthaFowlds at expects to raise nearly Rs Saturday, 20 March. There is a Rs children below 15 with general 28-13 29-15 29-14 28-13 28-14 /l8of] ] ;u/dfyf www.radiosagarmatha.org the northern end of the valley 400,000to this year, enough for 100 500 entrance fee, and you are anesthesia.” 16 19 - 25 APRIL 2002 NEPALI TIMES Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY by Kunda Dixit Manisha, Wang and Nepal’s most famous kid.

Bandhobast ALL PICS:MELISSATHAM hose of you who have prematurely extirpated the lint that had gathered in your respective bellybuttons in the period immediately Tafter the declaration of a state of national emergency are under- standably concerned about how you are going to conduct your navel exercises during the forthcoming Five-day National Hibernation next week. I had warned you about this in a previous column, saying save some lint for a rainy day. But no, we didn’t listen did we? Serves you right. Being former Cub Scouts from the Mountain Goat Troop (Troop Oath: “Mountain Goat, Mountain Goat, Ra Ra Ra! Mountain Goat, Mountain Goat, Ba Ba Ba! We are the Mountain Goats, Hurrah!”) many of us Tenderfoots were trained to navigate in the forest by following squirrel droppings, we practiced tying various kinds of knots with our kerchiefs, we know how to salute with only three fingers, and we adhere strictly to the Cub Scout motto: “It is not advisable to be unprepared sometimes.” So, as the nation approaches the crossroads of history, we have to ask anisha and her Chinese-For Manisha, being in Mumbai ourselves: Are we prepared? American co-star Wanghas made her sensitive to the Do we have the Green MLee-Hom were just plight of the thousands of Nepali beginning their film shoot in a sex workers in brothels there. Light? Unfortunately, classroom in Mahadevstan in She is a niece of Nepali Con- the answer to bothKavre for MTV’s widely-populargress president Girija Prasad questions is “no”.Speak Your Mind programme Koirala, and she met Sher We are not when a goat ambled in and Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday. prepared. Whatnuzzled against Wang’s arm. They spoke at length, and (she The MTV crew kept the camerasassured us) not about politics or bandhobast arerolling and before we knew it, ainternal party wranglings, but we contemplat-star was born: Nepal’s most about what more the government ing for our- famous kid is going to be on can do to ensure education, selves? This MTV! health care and protection for worry is well- Speak Your Mind is a joint Nepali children. founded. No doubt about it, we cannot deny without any degree of production of UNICEF and MTV, Wang Lee-Hom is not as well and the Nepal documentary willknown as Manisha in Nepal, but uncertainty that this may be a conundrum of national proportions. be watched in some 160 million in East Asia he is a superstar That is why it will be necessary to take the bull by the horns in thehouseholds all over Asia. and a household face. Every- china shop, and undertake measures to brainstorm about various waysEarlier programmes, such as where they have gone in Nepal, that we can keep ourselves gainfully employed during the days of those on AIDS in Thailand and people have mobbed Manisha National Coma. the Philippines were great hits, and left Wang alone. He says he Boredom. That is what we have to guard ourselves against. This according to MTV producer doesn’t mind: “I quite enjoy the Melissa Tham. anonymity of it all in Nepal, I’m kingdom is sliding into boredom. It is therefore in the national interest After the shoot, 15-year-oldgoing to come back.” not to be more bored than is absolutely necessary in the forthcoming Santoshi offered Manisha Wang is really taken by National Fullstop. Several ideas come to mind to stave off boredom, andKoirala bhuteko makai bhatmas Nepal. “This is a magical with the kind consent of the Secretary General, I would like to share and munching it the Nepali country. And the children are them with some of my valued clients who are still awake: Bollywood star felt tears wellingso beautiful, I wanted to take up in her eyes. The smell of some of them home with me,” roasted corn and soyabeans he says. Take the kid too, 1. Sleep. This is a state in which an average Nepali’s conscious mind cooked by a school girl in Wang. ceases to function, and only processes such as breathing and digestion Panchkhal suddenly continue. Sleep is essential to mental and physical health, and lack of it brought back can cause a condition known in some circles as “wakefulness”. If you arememories of her awake for any given period of time, there is a high probability that you childhood, and she felt: “I am home.” will also be bored. So the answer is to go to sleep, and be unconscious for Combining the five days. The beauty of sleep is that time goes into fast-forward while youdrawing power of a take your extended nap. Before you know it, it will be Saturday. So go celebrity with the ahead, press the “snooze” button. reach of MTV is a 2. Surgery. Undertake any urgent plastic surgery that you have not hadpowerful tool to time to attend to because of your busy schedule. This is your opportunityspread awareness about issues to have that liposuction you have been putting off all these years, or getinvolving a children. chin tuck. It is difficult to think of a more worthwhile way to pass five UNICEF’s Stewart days than to emerge at the end of them 15 years younger! Some of theMcNab says the more ambitious among you may even want to have that long-awaitedrationale behind sex change operation, in which case you will emerge five days later using showbiz feeling like a New Man. personalities like Manisha and Wang 3. Meditation. Escape from the mundane world of the struggle of the Lee-Hom is to make global proletarian revolutionaries against western fascist lackey imperialistpoliticians listen: “A running dogs and reactionary bourgeois bloodsuckers by going into big name brings big hibernation at the Vipassana Meditation Centre at Shivapuri for a five-dayfame, it inspires and crash course. Take it from me: meditation will anaesthetise you against influences people.” the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, and you won’t feel a thing afterwards. (This is the actual real-life phone number for the Vipassana Centre: 223968.) You’re welcome. 4. Emigrate. To New Zealand and join the Cub Scouts.

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