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/&1"-*""8";]"/*/5&3/"5*0/"-8&&,-: Worldwide: $0.99 Nepal: Rs. 12 www.nepaliaawaz.com October 13-18, 2005 Vol 1. Issue 2 The Media Ordinance: A new media ordinance exlempifies the Nepali government’s efforts to tighten it’s control on the media in Nepal and block a free flow of information as provisioned by the constitution. When Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, who headed Nepal’s delegation to the UN Convention, spoke at Columbia University, New York, about Nepal on 23 Sept., he said, “The media writes against the government all the time, and we let it happen. If this isn’t press freedom, then we need to give the phrase a new meaning.” He also suggested that International support is a must to maintain such high values as “fair elections” and “democracy” and to fight a “war based on primitive ideology,” in Nepal. He confidently declared election dates for Nepal- April 2006- and gave interviews to The New York Times and CNN amongst others. In the international arena, the Minister- dressed in a sharp suit, with relatively good conversational skills in English [Ex Prime Minister Deuba on CNN still haunts Nepal’s history of Statesmen], and an entourage of men in black suits carrying briefcases and answering calls for him on his Motorolla cell phone- played his part and read his lines perfectly. Continued on page 10... Entertainment on Page 13... ANUP PRAKASH BHUSHAN SHILPAKAR BHUSHAN SHILPAKAR o'4 lj/fd k5L klg 5fPg zflGt ckx/0f, xTof, kqmfp, n'6kf6 sfod dfcf]jfbLn] k'jL{ sdf08 cGtu{tsf If]qdf o'4 lj/fdk5L ;+u7gfTds sfo{qmd cGtu{t laeLGg : yfgdf ;ef ;df/f]x, k|lzIf0f ;+~rfng ug]{ qmddf lzIfs laBfyL{ / ;j{ ;fwf/0f ckx/0fsf 36gf ltj| agfPsf5g eg] ;'/Iff lgsfon] klg cfk\mgf] sfjf{xLnfO{ lg/Gt/ cl3 a9fO{/x]sf] 5 . k'jL{ kxf8L lhNnf kfFry/sf ljleGg ^ dfcf]jfbLn] k'jL{ sdf08 cGtu{tsf If]qdf o'4 lj/fdk5L ;+u7gfTds sfo{qmd cGtu{t laeLGg :yfgdf ;ef ;df/f]x, k|lzIf0f ;+~rfng ug]{ qmddf lzIfs laBfyL{ / ;j{ ;fwf/0f ckx/0fsf 36gf ltj| agfPsf5g eg] ;'/Iff lgsfon] klg cfk\mgf] sfjf{xLnfO{ lg/Gt/ cl3 a9fO{/x]sf] 5 . Continued on page 5... ANUSHIL SHRESTHA OCTOBER 13-18 2005 NEPALI AAWAZ | We would like to wish the New York based weekly Nepali Aawaz all the best for their future. Congratulations! Mr. Sambhu Moktan and Mrs. Nandu Moktan, NY. Remember us for: Shambu Moktan Wedding Cell: 917 930 2336 Gathering Email: [email protected] Anniversary Birthday and More... Moktan Digital Video DVD and VHS Tape with special effects titles and background music Natural Frontier Market of your own choice at very low cost 1424 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10028 WISDOM OF TIBET ft ] sfuhsf ljleGg ; yf x fdfu|L f t x?s Remember us for Buddhist k8 f] n f s flu Q x n fd Ritual Accessories, t Ln u f /f O{ Dk ; / D Jewellary, Clothing, k k s f, { g / x fV Handmade Paper and u g / 'x u f ]; t Paper Products . o f u n ? x L| u f 43 Carmine St. d f ; New York, NY 10014 w G l a D Tel: 212-255-2077 ; { d w Cell:917-445-1882 ' ¢ a | NEPALI AAWAZ OCTOBER 13-18 2005 Letters Editor's Desk Hi, continues to lie to its people and the Last week when we launched Nepali down and outright threatens media from It was a delightful surprise to read Nepali international community, i am utterly Aawaz, we hoped that this year’s Dasain exercising constitutional press rights or Aawaz, but the delights ended at that. disappointed. would take the meaning of peace. for that matter publishing anything that Reading about constitution (Discussing M. Gurung, California. is generally pro- democracy, which in the Constitution and A new Consti- Over the weekend, back home in Nepal today could be easily deemed as tution?, NepA #1) on your last issue Hi, Nepal villagers feared being abducted being un-natoinalistic by the government. sent chills down my spine. So far all we I think its a good thing that your news- by Maoists despite the ceasefire they It means that should these very lines be have witnessed under King Gyanen- magazine has started publication in have declared like they have come to printed or published in Nepal, Nepali dra’s command is one disastrous step New York, and is available online too. do almost every year before Dasain. Aawaz would possibly be subject to after another for Nepal. Changing the For a while, reading the paper really Here in New York, a Dasain gathering questioning by the government and constitution, like it is speculated, would made me feel closer to home. It’s just at a Church in 2nd Ave between 33rd perhaps even reprimanded for it. It be perhaps the grandest of the disasters been such a long time since I actually and 34th was a buzz about the potential ensures the government’s control over even in context of Nepal’s monarchy. read a Nepali newspaper, so getting terrorist-bomb attack on New York the kind of information that the media Name withheld, UK. hold of Nepali Aawaz was quite a treat. subways. Villagers in Eastern Nepal gets to publish and the common citizens Bilasha, New York. did end up being forced to attend a gets to access. Hi, Maoist event though without any violent It seems completely unrealistic to draft Dear Nepali Aawaz, incidents [page. 5], and in New York While it rains through the weekend and a new constitution for Nepal, particu- Congratulations on a great job with your the threat level of the terrorist attack the first half of the week in New York, lalry when it is done so secretly. But paper. Wish you all the success. was decreased after the FBI said the the hope of a better leadership under then we have to remember that this is Email. information might not be “credible.” the King in Nepal gets steadily washed same King who pulled off “February Just when it seemed like the worst was away with every major move made by 1st,” completely paralyzing the country Dear Nepali Aawaz family, over, the government of Nepal declared his administration. Even worse, every by breaking down all it’s communca- It feels great to know that a weekly its very controversial Media Ordinance such step seem to revel an agenda to tions and putting emergency workers newspaper is actually being published [page. 10]. take and maintain absolute control over and the coutry’s citizens at grave risk in by Nepalis in New York. Congratula- the country and her population, one a country going through a civil war. tions. While the Maoists use Dasain as an that is rapidly fleeing the homeland. At Pravin Maskey. Prakash Shrestha, Minnesota excuse to declare their own version of a time when the government is already a ceasefire and gain what goodwill they struggling to kill a Maoist insurgency, its I had faith in this King. He is an educated Hi, think they can, the last several years hard to tell what direction the country is man and a good businessman so I was What a great new platform for Nepalis. have seen the King and his supporters being led to, but we can rest assure that very sure that he would not let Nepal Good stuff. I hope you will have execute some of the most controversial for our country, this Dasain isn’t one of become a failed state. But looking at continued success. political moves on its citizens during the peace. It is one of fear, anxiety and the people he has left in charge with the Rajendra B, Toronto. height of the 10-day-long Hindu festival, frustration, like it has been for several country, and seeing how the government the biggest of the year for Nepalis where years now. a vast majority of the people are Hindus and the King a “Hindu Emperor.” Contents The Media Ordinance is the latest of these moves; declared a day before NEWS • 3 g]kfnLx?sf] dxfg\ rf8 ljhofbzdL -bz}+_ most of the media houses in Nepal take their annual three-day Dasain break, it kj{ • is a law that essentially gags, shakes FEATURES 17 o'4 lj/fd k5L klg 5fPg zflGt • 5 EVENTS • 19 /fhgLlts lgoGq0f s;sf] xftdf? 7 CLASSIFIEDS • 20 Homosexuality and the Nepali Law • 8 New York Bureau Contact Information: Campus Predicament • 8 Editor: Kashish Das Shrestha Pin Up: Robin Tamang • 23 Nepali News Editor: Bel Bhujel Website: www.nepaliaawaz.com Crisis in Nepali Nationalism • Associate Nepali News Editor: Santosh 9 Thapalia ,Vishwa Parajuli Emails: Correspondents and/ or Regional General Information: info@nepaliaawaz. The Media Ordinance • 10 Representatives: com PHOTO FEATURE • 24 Bhaskar Rai (MN), Dawa F Sherpa (IN), Neelam Comments/Feedback: letters@ Pin Up: Lauryn Hill • 12 Sunwar (San Francisco), Neeha Shrestha (NC), nepaliaawaz.com Sakar Bhushal (TX), Santosh Basnet (CA) and Advertising: [email protected] Shreeja Shrestha (MD). Event listing: [email protected] Models: [email protected] ENTERTAINMENT Nepal Bureau Nepali Desk Editor: Dr. Pradeep Bhattarai Mail: Entertainment News • 13 Editorial Staff: Preena Shrestha (KTM), Sahara Shrestha (KTM), Tsu C.B (KTM) Nepali Aawaz Al Gore's Current TV in NYC • 14 Photo Contributor: Bhushan Shilpakar (KTM), 51-01 39AV CC42 Vishal Rai (KTM) Long Island City, NY 11104 On Shelves Now • 15 Marketing: Jaison Chalise (KTM), Krishna Raj Sharma Belbase (KTM) Nepali Aawaz: An International Weekly Distribution: Safal Media (Western Nepal), Birat is publiished by Moonlight Records Media (Eastern Nepal) Corporation, NY,USA.