#29 9 - 15 February 2001 20 pages Rs 20

EXCLUSIVE Dead Line It is turning out as everyone feared: BACK TO with three days to go for another hotel strike deadline there is no SUBHAS RAI compromise in sight. It’s not just a dispute about the 10 percent service charge anymore, it is now a question of the survival of the SQUARE ONE tourism industry and the nation’s economy itself. Arrivals are down BINOD○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BHATTARAI and long-suffering Nepalis will have to by 11 percent, hotels are empty he country has now been held hostage to keep on paying the price for selfish and the economy is already feeling the ruling party infighting for nearly a politicians who can’t get along. the pinch. Everyone with a stake in tyear. There was hope that the ministerial Koirala’s house of cards began this dispute: hoteliers, hotel reshuffle this week would finally close that crumbling hours after the new employees, the government and chapter, but we underestimated the intensity appointments were announced on the mediators in the National of the competition among politicos for the Wednesday morning. By mid-day Planning Commission (NPC) juicy ministerial posts. Khum Bahadur Khadka, awarded the share the blame for playing politics That was the reason for the original plum Melamchi ministry (Physical Planning with the issue and for foot- infighting in October, and that is why Prime and Works), and Palten Gurung, given his dragging. Despite their posturing, Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s efforts to pick, the labour and transport management hotel owners and workers both say soften dissidents by offering them cabinet portfolio, had come out with a statement that they want to resolve the issue. But carrots failed on Wednesday. In the end it all they would not join the cabinet. Insiders close the NPC-led committee report, boiled down to who got what, and the to Koirala say that the actual reason was their which could have worked as the protégés of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in the dissatisfaction over their cronies not being Has the ruling party become basis for a solution, was delayed dissident camp didn’t get what they wanted, appointed to other posts, although they because vice-chairman Prithvi Raj which included the party secretary-generalship claimed Koirala had named his ministers ungovernable, and unable to govern? Ligal was on an extended junket and slots in the parliamentary board that is unilaterally, and also wanted the Lauda Air Sharan Mahat (who couldn’t attend of parliament that started Thursday. But abroad. He’s now back. But for a responsible for handing out party tickets. scam resolved before they joined in. (Adding a Wednesday’s swearing-in due to health the Congress still has a majority in delicate industry that plans a year Koirala tried to make sure he had covered further twist to the drama, Gurung arrived reasons) replaced Koirala’s blue-eyed boy parliament, and the arithmetic does not in advance, it is already too late to all the bases. He made sure his grouchy at the ministerial line-up at the Royal Mahesh Acharya at the treasury while the favour the UML. do anything to salvage tourism. colleague Bhattarai would be happy with the Palace swearing-in at the last moment on lucrative tourism portfolio was given to But the UML is mounting this choice of Khum Bahadur Khadka and Omkar Wednesday evening.) Omkar Shrestha, a Bhattarai faithful. challenge more with the 2002 elections in Shrestha, he picked nephew Prakash Koirala as So, one year later, we are back to where it Koirala tried, but has failed to keep his mind. For the moment, Koirala will Nepal-India a senior minister to rein in rebellious relatives. all started. True to a fragmented party’s party together, and this means a bumpy ride continue to stay in charge but will come Officials from Nepal and India are He even nearly roped in some of Sher Bahadur nature, its members have become reckless. ahead for him within his party and in under increasing meeting next week to iron out Deuba’s key supporters like Chiranjivi Wagle “That’s when you stop believing that delivery parliament until the elections for local pressure from Editorial p2 problems in bilateral trade. They and Bhakta Bahadur Balayar. But, in the end, of goods gives you the legitimacy with which bodies due next year. within his party Red Alert will discuss the “surge” in certain it all came to nought. Now, Koirala has to be you win votes and rule,” said a Congress This shameless exposition of greed, power and without. And Nepali exports and under-invoicing satisfied with a council of ministers largely analyst. “They don’t seem to care at all.” and disunity was music to the ears of the main his failure to rally his party will leave the that India believes is taking place. made up of his own loyalists. And the bottom Otherwise, Koirala had been fairly open in opposition Unified Marxist-Leninists which is Congress in tatters and the country’s The “problem” exports from Nepal: line is that Congress infighting will continue the selection of the new team. ‘Neutral’ Ram gearing up to oust Koirala in the winter session urgent problems unresolved. vanaspati ghiu (Nepal’s largest “Perhaps the armed police can bring the Maoists to the table.” US Ambassador Ralph Frank speaks to Nepali Times on the Maoist insurgency. The rest of the interview is continued on page three. The government has launched what it calls a “hearts and I think they already are. Certainly the Maoists have, and they are minds” programme in the Maoist-affected areas with a doing quite well. But then the choice is: are they going to continue development package. Is there a feeling that the United States the armed struggle ad infinitum or do they want real peace, do they export to India), acrylic yarns, should help with some of these programmes? want solutions? I think there has to be a reason for the Maoists to copper wires, zinc oxide, metal We and many other donors stand ready to provide assistance in come to the table, and it perhaps could be the armed police that pipes, etc. Delhi also says some the Maoist-affected areas if and when the issue is solved brings them there. We strongly feel that all parties have to come to constitutionally and peacefully. Most donors I’ve talked to are the table, and whatever it takes to get them to come to the table we goods are being dumped, and prepared to move into those areas. have to do. Both sides have to negotiate to solve the problem. You semi-finished raw materials are …Only after it is solved? But the government says it needs the don’t have a choice. being re-exported from Nepal. aid to solve the issue… What is your take on the negotiations that have taken place so far? Kathmandu says it is open to My government is particularly unable to because of security My impression is that half of the story is not out there. I only know what finding solutions to real problems problems. We cannot put our people at risk. The Maoists basically I read, but I presume there is a lot more going on. but can’t help it if inefficient and pre-empted us from doing that. Is there a role for an international mediator? protected Indian industries are Do you see a way out of this crisis? Could be. It would have to be someone trusted by both sides. hurt. Indian officials will query Negotiations are the only path, I have taken it up at every level Sometime long ago someone asked if we would be interested? I said Nepal’s ban on Indian vehicle with everyone. If you look at our national seal: here is the eagle the Maoists clearly would not trust us, we certainly would be interested imports on environmental grounds. and on one talon it has an olive branch, and on the other it has but we certainly would not be a credible player. Negotiations have They’ll say if the Japanese and arrows. Right now the Maoists have no opposition, so why should to take place. That’s what I’ve been telling all major government Koreans can self-certify, why not they negotiate? officials. Indians? But what if both sides want to negotiate from a point of strength What is their response? and arm themselves with more sophisticated weapons? The same sorts of answers they give you. MIN BAJRACHARYA 222 EDITORIAL 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES

RED ALERT Mao must be squirming in his mausoleum. As someone who charted a peasants’ path to revolution quite different from the urban worker-driven Bolshevik revolt in Moscow, Mao Zedong was an original thinker and a true revolutionary. He elevated armed struggle to a credo, and the lesson from it is that, once unleashed, violence takes on its own momentum—going beyond the elimination of class enemies to be an end in itself. Before he knew it, Mao’s revolution had claimed the lives of anywhere between 10 million and 20 million peasants (no one knows for sure). Some were eliminated, others died in camps and countless perished from hunger and famine. When the end justifies the means, as we have seen in other revolutions that have invoked Mao’s name, violence ends up hurting the very people who are to be saved. Violence begets violence—think of the Maoist movements in Cambodia (the only place aside from China where a Maoist party has actually ruled), the Philippines, Sri Lanka. In all these places, purges within the party have been more ruthless and bloody than attacks on class enemies. OS Mao’s gigantic portrait may still hang at the northern end of Tiananmen Square, but he looks there more like something out of Andy Warhol than a STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL picture that launched a thousand uprisings. The Great Helmsman is embalmed in his glass crypt, and this is the only relic left in the land of his birth. His people have abandoned him, and his successors keep his legacy as A saffron lady in white a political façade. The famous tenets of the little Red Book have been replaced by latter- day aphorisms like “getting When the going got tough, Vijayaraje Scindia of Gwalior got going. rich is glorious”, or “it does not matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches ations need friends abroad to cell next to her was Gayatri Devi of hadn’t reckoned with the staying power of mice”. The Chinese serve their national interests. The Jaipur, reputed to have been one of the one particular lady of Nepali Rana leadership came to realise that nmore highly placed such friends, most beautiful women in the world much extraction. Mao’s way had no answers for the better. A Ryutaro Hashimoto in before India made storming international Contemplating those days in the the massive job-creation, the Japan, or an Edmund Hillary in New beauty pageants a matter of dull routine. political wilderness, Vijayaraje Scindia need to boost agricultural Zealand can do more for Nepal and Once out of jail, Vijayaraje Scindia was later to write: “The mist clears. The production and economic growth that was urgently required to stave off Nepalis than a flurry of visits by high- played a crucial role in funding the flames in the butter-lamps become social anarchy. They decided it was time to give capitalist means of level dignitaries, or a rustle of self- electoral adventures of the rag-tag band brighter. The idols gleam. I get up from production a try while keeping politics firmly under the control of the party. important diplomats scurrying around. of persecuted politicians who had come the puja feeling cleansed of doubts and Here in Nepal, our venerable comrades have pored through the Red Vijayaraje Scindia, queen mother of together under the banner of the Janata uncertainties and ready for the day, Book and found many parallels for an agrarian insurrection. The hinterland the former Indian princely state of Party to fight Indira Gandhi and her knowing that outside tearful widows and was ripe for revolution. Oppressed and neglected peoples everywhere will Gwalior, was one such friend. She died Congress. The triumphant Janata Party half-alive children wait. True, I may not rise up when oppression and neglect gets intolerable, they don’t need to on 25 January at the age of 82. She was government of 1977 had her favourite ever be able to do anything for them. But call it Maoism. It doesn’t need a name. The question is will they fall into the the highest placed and most influential politician, Vajpayee, as its foreign that does not mean I must not go on trigger-happy trap like Mao’s followers in Cambodia, Peru and Sri Lanka? friend of Nepal in the hierarchy of India’s minister. The much-touted Janata trying.” She kept on trying to improve The attack on the Chief Justice’s convoy in Surkhet last weekend was a ruling coalition. The influence she had in government’s tilt towards Nepal wasn’t the lot of the impoverished in Gwalior grievous mistake: it was a mistake if it was a botched assassination Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can be due to Chandra Shekhar’s influence with noblesse oblige. Whatever be the attempt, it was a mistake if it was not an assassination attempt. gauged from the fact that Indian Prime alone. It owed a lot to Vijayaraje Scindia. circumstance, this tough granddaughter In this issue of our paper, we have leftist thinkers and diplomats Minister Vajpayee delayed his visit to Even though she wasn’t in the best of of Khadga Shumsher never gave up hope, debating the need for talks. It is our belief that negotiations are the surest earthquake-hit Gujarat by a day in order terms with her son Madhavrao Scindia, never stopped fighting. way to resolve this crisis. Otherwise, “accidents” more serious than the to attend her funeral in Gwalior. After she appreciated the fact that Nepal had Many liberals in Nepal may have found ambush of the Chief Justice’s convoy will keep happening if the militants’ all, his party owed its prominence to offered shelter to her children, and her it a little difficult to swallow Vijayaraje chain of command breaks down. Maoists need to seriously look at the futility liberal funding from this benevolent lady. Scindia’s Hindutva brand of politics. But of violence, and take the open road of parliamentary struggle. Our Vijayaraje Scindia was born Lekha that does not detract from recognising her comrades would do well to learn the lesson the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna Divyeshwari to Thakur Mahendra Singh contributions in forwarding Nepal’s (JVP) in Sri Lanka, which unleashed a useless slaughter, but decided to and his Rana wife. But she was brought national interests in India. contest elections and is now a major opposition force in parliament. Some up by her grandparents Khadga Shumsher Nepalis shed copious tears when of our own UML leaders had actually initiated an armed struggle in the 70s, and Dhankumari Devi at the Nepal Princess Diana died in a car crash during look at them now. Singha Durbar needs to shake itself out of its stupor, and Palace in Sagar when her mother died an escapade with her paramour. Miss provide the necessary environment for the Maoists to come to the table and just nine days after her birth. Agonising Nepal wannabes still swear by her name then to the mainstream of politics. over a crisis of identity during her when asked about role models. Vijayaraje childhood, Vijayaraje Scindia later wrote Scindia may have been closer home, and in her autobiography: “Since children closely related to Nepal, but her passing customarily took on the citizenship of away hardly got a mention in the Nepali DESTINY their fathers, I was unarguably Indian: a press. A perfunctory condolence message cuckoo in the Nepali nest...to the normal for Rani Usharaje Rana, in the form of an We’ve sounded like prophets of doom, predicting disasters of every confusion of growing up, was added the advertisement, was inserted in Kantipur kind. Now to kill the rumour mill, we’ve got to say that predicting any- difficulty of reconciling the pride of my by the employees of Nepal Gas thing disastrous with any useful degree of accuracy is near impossible. Nepali connection with the same of being Industries. So do not believe in the April earthquake, or the September meteor. born an Indian.” We Nepalis are more adept at Camp out over the weekend, to take a break from this humdrum life, not Rajmata gave a continuity to her antagonising our friends. Waving black because of paranoid whisperings. More importantly, turn proactive, not Nepali link when her son, Madhavrao son-in-law had played a role in her flags at George Fernandes and chanting fatalistic. What we can do is put systems in place to respond quickly to Scindia, married a Rana girl from Nepal release on parole from the dreaded slogans against Chandra Shekhar come any eventuality. Get communities involved in everything—from retrofitting in 1966 and her daughter Usharaje was confines of Tihar. more naturally to us. We do not make an to earthquake drills, remind policymakers that we need specialised married to Pashupati Shumsher Rana in An indefatigable fighter, Vijayaraje attempt to understand that having friends forces and equipment and ensure a chain of command for disaster 1967. Though a Thakur by birth and a Scindia kept her faith even when her son in foreign countries is cheaper than hiring time. Destiny is not pre-determined, it is shaped by what you do, or Maratha by marriage, Vijayaraje took Madhavrao made his peace with the lobbyists, and often the friends are far don’t do today. pride in the fact that she could trace her Gandhi family. In the aftermath of Indira more effective (and cheaper). This roots to the only independent Hindu Gandhi’s assassination by her own dedicated lady with nerves of steel was kingdom in the world. bodyguards and the anti-Sikh riots that one of the symbols of resistance to Indira Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd When India gained independence, it followed in 1984, the Bharatiya Janata Gandhi’s dreaded dictatorship under Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Pulchowk, Lalitpur was natural for the likes of the dowager Party was all but wiped out from the Emergency. Later, she played an Mailing address: GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Phones: (01) 543333-7 Fax: (01) 521013 maharani of Gwalior to stray into electoral scene. It appeared as if the important role in transforming an Editor: Kunda Dixit politics. But she gained prominence Nike-clad, Ray Ban-sporting bright guys opposition party of the fringe into India’s Desk editors: Deepak Thapa, Samuel Thomas, Anagha Neelakantan during the Emergency when Indira of the Rajiv Gandhi brigade would ruling party. Vijayaraje Scindia is no Editorial: [email protected] Gandhi made her Prisoner No 2265 at succeed where Sanjay Gandhi had failed more, but her memory will continue to Marketing, circulation and subscriptions: [email protected] www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press (01) 521393 the dreaded Tihar Jail in New Delhi. earlier, and drive the saffron-saints of remind us of an old maxim: when the There she had more royal company, in a Hindutva politics into oblivion. But they going gets tough, the tough get going.  INTERVIEW 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 333 ‘I’m using the C-word this time’—Ralph Frank, US Ambassador to Nepal Nepali Times: It’s been a sort of a tradition for your predecessors the right of assembly. Unfortunately what they’re actually coming up with is to come out strong with everything they wanted to say during probably worse, the medicine is worse than the illness. their tenures here before they leave Nepal. Was your speech last They’ve also come out very strongly against economic globalisation, week a part of this tradition? the activities of multinationals, the expansionist tendencies of foreign Ralph Frank: I’m saving that for later, I’m not ready to leave quite yet. countries… I think they are incredibly naive about what most of that means. For MIN BAJRACHARYA But were you surprised by the fallout of that speech? example, identifying the US with imperialist desires on Nepal. I cannot Quite so, we had not planned to have such a big splash. It was really meant imagine what they are referring to. With the globalisation issue it’s really a to be a wish for the future of Nepal. It was not directed at the government, it choice of whether Nepal wants to be a part of the world economy, or wants was not directed at the palace. In fact when the speech was written we did not to put up barriers and continue protecting inefficient industries. know if either of those institutions would be represented. We did not plan on it, we did not expect it. Have you had any direct communications that Americans are threatened by the Maoists? companies agreed under certain conditions, but they are still unable to do So when are you actually leaving? Yes. business here. Maoists are a factor, but nowhere near the only factor. It is completely a function of the new adminstration. I suspect it will be mid- to late-summer. But it is not imminent. Is that why you have circulated advisories advising Americans to What were the sectors those Americans were considering? exercise caution… I think you’re well aware of those: hydropower, financial services, you In the speech you were very passionate about the whole process Since we put out that advisory there has been the assassination attempt on probably know the story of Kodak. of develoment, and the obstacles created by bad governance. Is your the chief justice and there have been to the best of my knowledge, eight government rethinking aid? Speaking of which, Kodak has taken the matter to the Supreme Court. simultaneous attacks on US-identified facilities. I think the basis for our caution I would say that’s absolutely not a case in terms of rethinking aid, or We’ve heard that the US had made attempts to talk to India. was absolutely on target. The suggestion that you made (editorial in Nepali anything of that sort. Over the years the focus has been between infrastructure vs Yes, when the president went to India our secretary of commerce raised Times #28, “Be Warned”) to put the notice on the wall of the Embassy, that is people-to-people programmes. We tend to adjust our programmes as our the issue. And at the time there was a commitment to assist, which has exactly what we’re not allowed to do. If you remember in the Lockerbie confidence in a particular ministry or particular government changes. We also never come to fruition. Yes, we have raised it at the highest level we could. bombing incident, there was a warning similar to that which was not given broad adjust our programmes, to be honest to you, depending on what our values are in distribution, but just put on the wall of the embassy. As a result of that a law was Is Kodak going to have a fallout on other potential US our own government. Since the time of President Carter, there has been a lot passed that whenever we receive information that Americans are at risk we are investors? more emphasis on human rights, individual rights. required to get that information to the public. I appreciate your concerns, but I It’s clear that word gets around very quickly. I think they have around a Are we going to see some change with the new administration in would suggest that the problems with the tourism industry in Nepal have a six-million-dollar investment, which they are going to close and lock the Washington? whole lot more to do with the government than with the US Embassy. door and move out. Not going to be noticed here. I think there is going to be the same strong But you would admit that this would have a negative impact… For ten years things were deadlocked on the problem of emphasis on South Asia as a whole. That happened in the previous I would admit that the hotel strike, transportation strike, the problem Bhutanese refugees, and suddenly doors started opening. Was administration and will continue, we’ve certainly got strong indications of that. with airlines flying or not flying last year, the Maoist problem all have a it US initiative that set it off? Our primary goal in Nepal has been supporting democracy through institutions whole lot more to do with what’s happened to the tourism industry than A lot of that is wrapped in some sort of diplomatic arm-twisting. We’ll such as the Election Commission, pushing for the Human Rights Commission our travel advisories. best leave it at that. and the CIAA (Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority). But no Americans have actually been harmed so far… But the letters… Is there a sense of cynicism or even negativity about Nepal in the We have had Americans present when Maoists have attacked, called on There have been a number of letters to the Bhutanese, the Nepalis. donor community, or within your own policy-making circles? tourist facilities. The Maoists have attacked tourists, and we’ve had Americans as There was a proposal on the part of Assistant Secretary (Julia) Taft, there Rather than cynicism, I’d say there is frustration with unrealised part of the groups. were visits by Ms Ogata (of UNHCR) and letters by Ms Ogata. A lot of it possibilities. I’m working on my sixth year here and the potential is still was very, as they say in diplomatic terminology, frank and open discussions. fantastic, but it is still unrealised. But they were not targeted because they were Americans… It was pretty blunt talk all the way round—not only to the Bhutanese, it Not until now, but now we have a situation where American-identified Who do you blame for that? was with our colleagues here as well. facilities have been attacked. Actually I was thinking about this question earlier. It’s the government, it’s How about India? the parties, it’s none of those, it’s all of those. Almost every party has ruled in the When were the American facilities attacked? I believe that was raised with India, and the response was the same as that last 10 years. When I came here the RPP had all the powerful positions, the They’ll probably become pretty evident in the next few days. I hear about it of Nepal. UML’s had their shot, Nepali Congress has had plenty of opportunity. Part of it all over town. It’s not for me to say who they are. is the growing process, people have to demand the fruits of democracy, they have Have you analysed why there is a problem raising money All this is having a very negative to go crazy when they see corruption. I think corruption—I’m using the C- needed for investing in hydropower? impact on foreign direct word this time—is more rampant now than anytime I’ve been here. I don’t Like every Nepali I share the hope that Nepal will develop its investment as well. think you can get a driver’s licence without paying a bribe, you can’t get hydropower potential, and as frustrated as they are that we’re still talking I think the Maoist problem is only a things across the border without a bribe, it’s everywhere. It affects about potential. I salute those few folks that are on line now, Khimti, Bhote part of the investment climate problem. businesses, it affects attitude towards Nepal. The negativism (comes from) Kosi and some of the others that are moving along. Over time, the political There have been many other the frustration that it could be better. governments (in Nepal) have changed how they look at this issue. When I circumstances which also do not got here there was the perception that the developing company should go Do you see the Maoist problem as a sort of a backlash to this? encourage investors. We’ve had and negotiate Nepal’s hydropower costs and benefits. I found that quite I’ve never addressed the Maoist situation directly. (But) the conditions that numerous American companies that have outrageous because it was a national issue, and should not be re-negotiated have bred the Maoist movement are very serious, and most of them should be wanted to come in and invest. Some have every time there was a new company. Nepal should be negotiating with addressed. I would tell you quite frankly that if you look at the (Maoists’) 40 decided not to because the rule of law is India and those views changed with changes in government. We’ve had points, I think most sane people would agree with a large percentage of it. You not clear. It is not carried out because of everybody from Pashupati Rana to Shailaja Acharya to Govinda Raj Joshi can quote me if you want, but I do look at them regularly: should there be bribery. Nepali institutions that manage and they all had different views.  property rights, should discriminatory treaties be abandoned? But there’s also a those segments made up regulations, lot of it that is pretty awful, and pretty undemocratic. You probably saw in the requiring large deposits which have no Excerpts from interview by Kunda Dixit and Binod Bhattarai

press in the last couple of weeks that the Maoists in certain areas have prohibited MIN BAJRACHARYA basis in law. In a couple of cases the on 5 February, 2001.

IT’s WONDERFUL since then. Actually, IT in Nepal LETTERS credentials of Ranas as staunch (#25) by the Indian journalist P Thanks for the Information has taken a big leap since nationalists, verified by unbiased Sainath judges news about Nepal Technology Special (#27) and January 2000 and the report his active role in promoting the support for the Institute will historians and intellectuals, cannot in the Indian press very harshly Mark Turin’s “The Internet on does not reflect these industry. continue till 2009. The project is be written off. and in a narrow-minded the roof of the world”. However, developments in the past year: Rajib Subba one of the outstanding examples of Regarding the conclusion drawn perspective. And why don’t you the article gives an impression –This fiscal year budget is the Secretary General a partnership between two countries in the article pertaining to address the narrow-minded India- that the International most IT-friendly since it has Computer Association of Nepal anywhere in the region, and it has commercialism could it not be that bashing in the media which Telecommunication Union (ITU) removed the service tax on ISPs become a leading teaching Baber Mahal Revisted is more about misleads the Nepali public into report is the sole important –The government has DHARAN hospital not only in Nepal but also history, cultural heritage, national thinking that India is the enemy? assessment and that there has resolved the frequency dispute We read “Dharan at 100” (#25). In South Asia. pride and aesthetic revivalism than “An Intolerant Indian” been no further development positively the context of the reference to the PK Kapur merely a commercial attraction? Kathmandu –The Ministry of Science and BP Koirala Institute of Health Minister, Embassy of India And, more pointedly, shouldn’t the Technology released its Sciences, we wish to mention that it Kathmandu article be ‘Rana Renaissance’ in HATS OFF landmark IT Policy 2000 was established under an capitals instead of an unusual and Just a short note to let you know –The Policy and Strategy work agreement signed between the CAPITAL R incorrect small ‘r’ for “Renaissance”? how much my husband and I enjoy by the National Planning Government of India and His Your article titled “Rana Gaurav Shumsher your paper. When he is out of the Commission on six different Majesty’s Government of Nepal in renaissance” (#28) was a very good Kathmandu country, I have to send him Under aspects of IT is comprehensive. 1994. The infrastructure cost Rs read. Whatever said and done the My Hat. I am impressed that The infotech community in 2,600 million and was completed “Ranas” are an indelible part of NO JINGOISM Daniel Lak is also reporting for Nepal has also given Surendra on schedule, contributing to socio- Nepali history. Rana-bashing is a Your paper comes as a breath of you on the earthquake in India. Prasad Chaudhary, Minister of economic regeneration of not only popular recourse undertaken by all fresh air in Nepali journalism, it is Keep up the excellent work. Science and Technology, the Dharan but also to its environs. It to cover up individual and professional and not jingoistic. But Barbara Collum title of “IT friendly Minister” for has been agreed that Indian organisational shortcomings. The “Rationalism and nationalism” Kopundol 444 NATION 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES VIEWPOINT by PADMA RATNA TULADHAR “I still believe talks are possible” ver since the fiasco over When I approached the Maoists, they fair degree of scepticism about the power 10 months ago, Prime Bahadur Deuba, told us many times the release of Dinesh reiterated their demands of “minimum whole process is only to be expected. Minister Koirala invited me and over that apart from these two eSharma (on 4 November, conditions”. Deuba asked me to find out The main stumbling block right now spoke about holding talks with the demands (among the 40 the Maoists when the CPN-Maoist central what specifically those conditions were. is the Maoist demand that the Maoists. He talked about national have presented), everything else is up committee member was let go At that point I contacted Prachanda whereabouts of their arrested unity, and even raised issues of for discussion. after he denounced his party and himself and asked if they could be more colleagues be made public. The nationalism and the sensitive nature Yet I have hopes and I have my ideology at a press conference), forthcoming. Within a few days government should have no problem of the Nepal-India relationship, and reasons. I was present when Poudel the government has done nothing Prachanda announced their four-point with that, since our Constitution and said there must be talks with the met Rabindra Shrestha of the CPN to hold talks with the Maoists. charter of demands: our laws, the Universal Declaration Maoists. He even said that if the (Maoist). At the very outset of their Instead, it has now established an • The government should make public of Human Rights, and other talks are successful there are meeting, Shrestha had proposed that a armed police force. Many people the whereabouts of all people international covenants related to possibilities of general amnesty, and joint declaration signed by [CPN- MIN BAJRACHARYA are concerned that once the armed arrested in connection with Maoist humanity, enjoin the government to they could even discuss Maoist General Secretary] Prachanda police begin to engage the Maoists, activists, including Dinesh Sharma do exactly that. In this context, it is compensation for the victims of and the prime minister should it will herald a phase of civil war in and other CPN (Maoist) central natural to doubt if the government is violence on both sides. I was greatly announce a ceasefire. He said that his our country. All this is happening at committee members and initiate a serious about talking with the Maoists. impressed. Talk to Sher Bahadur party is aware that all their a time when the possibility of talks process to release them; Past records show that nothing has Deuba, and he too will come across demands may not be met, but that still remains open. • The thousands of people arrested on happened so far mainly because of the as someone serious about talks. Just as communists, it was natural that an immediate end to the violence. The prospect of dialogue trumped-up charges should be reluctance of whichever government is before the Dinesh Sharma case, they advocate a republican Nepal. Concerns have been raised that as between the two sides is not new. released; in power to a serious commitment to Deputy Prime Minister and Home He also recognised that there is no ready mechanism to As soon as the Communist Party of • An independent commission should actually sitting down at a table. For Minister Ram Chandra Poudel had negotiations involve both giving and bring the two sides together there Nepal (Maoist) announced the be set up to investigate cases like the example, the Deuba government failed even held an informal meeting with a taking, and that the art of may be foreign interference. Many “People’s War” five years ago, the Khara incident (where the houses of to meet the simple demand of issuing a member of the Maoist central negotiation is to obtain something of us are opposed to any such then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur innocent people were burnt down by public notice that there would be talks committee. Unfortunately, due to by convincing the other party. possibility, but if we cannot take Deuba had proposed that a way out the police), and that the culprits and sending a formal letter stating the the bungling over Dinesh Sharma’s As an independent observer, I can care of our problems, it will provide be sought through talks. At his responsible should be punished; and same to the CPN (Maoist). The release, nothing came of it. say there is no obstacle to begin an excuse for foreigners to meddle request, Rishikesh Shah, Jaya • There should be an immediate end to Chand-UML government tried to push There is also scepticism whether substantive negotiations, and the in our affairs. Voices have been Prakash Prasad Gupta, then state terrorism. through the anti-terrorist bill, as did the Maoist issue can really be solved government should recognise its raised that perhaps foreign actors chairman of the Foreign Affairs and We have come to know through others later on. In the same way, even through negotiations. The Maoists potential to bring peace to our have to come into the picture to Human Rights Committee of the other sources that even if only the first as moves to begin talks were going on, are demanding the establishment of a country. Similarly, of their 40 mediate between the two sides. House of Representatives and the of their four demands had been the Thapa-Nepali Congress republican state. Is there a precedent demands, if only 50 percent can be Already conflict resolution and present communication minister, fulfilled, the Maoists would be willing conflict prevention experts have and myself immediately formed an to sit down for talks. If only the started landing in Kathmandu. They informal group, and I was given the Dinesh Sharma episode had been Prachanda wrote to Sher Bahadur Deuba will surely enter the scene as responsibility of contacting the handled properly, or if the proper mediators if the government and Maoists. In a similar way, the procedure had been followed during assuring an end to the violence as soon as they civil society do not take the Maoist leadership too has always his release (like handing him over to a initiative to start talks. Baburam been positive about talks. From the human rights group), it was more or reached the negotiating table. Bhattarai and Prachanda once told very beginning, they have less certain that the talks would have me that they are willing to hold maintained that they are not against materialised. But there is still hope. In government took particularly and (at anywhere in the world where a achieved, for the sake of people, the talks even without mediation. But talks in principle and that a a letter signed by Comrade Prachanda that time) unusually repressive monarchy has been replaced by a Maoists should consider such a their only concern was how dialogue is possible. Since both to Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Maoists measures against a bandh called by the republic or a multi-party system by a proposition seriously. Baburam trustworthy the government is. In sides were agreeable to sorting out gave the assurance that they would Maoists. As for the present government, single-party one without bloodshed? Bhattarai has written time and again such a situation of a crisis of the matter through discussions, we end the violence as soon as they it refuses to even meet the minimal Because of this, people like us who in his newspaper articles that there is a confidence, the only way out, in the were very optimistic. reached the negotiating table. Deuba conditions set by the CPN (Maoist) stress that talks are the only way out possibility for a ceasefire if not an end Maoists’ view, is for a group of human Later, when a committee was must have told the prime minister that require basically that the have also been accused of misleading to the insurgency itself. That is why I rights activists, trusted by the formed in late-1999 under Sher about this since he has said this government abide by its own laws and the public and there are people who say we must have a dialogue, and that government as well as themselves, to Bahadur Deuba to make publicly on many occasions. international agreements. Here it must try to discourage us. The only through dialogue can we achieve be present when they meet, but only recommendations to the It has been debated in various fora be remembered that although Dinesh Constitution is clear that the fact of anything. If talks begin, an as witnesses not mediators.  government on how to handle the whether either side is really serious Sharma’s name gained prominence in the multi-party system and understanding to end the violence can (Human rights activist Padma Ratna Maoist situation, Deuba personally about dialogue. The government has the newspapers, the CPN (Maoist) had parliamentary rule in Nepal cannot be reached. The main concern of Tuladhar was a minister in the approached me to act as a go- never said it is against talks, but has requested information on and be altered, and neither can the Nepalis is to see an end to the 1994-95 UML government. This article between. Until then, the Maoists not taken any steps towards it. On commencement of the release of 74 position of the monarchy. violence and killings. Nobody has ever is adapted from a talk given at had been announcing their the other hand, there is no let-up in missing persons. Recognising this, both as prime opposed anyone for believing in “Peace and Good Governance”, a willingness for talks, should some Maoist violence even as they claim to But I still believe that talks are minister and coordinator of the anything, whether it is Maoism or conference organised by SAP-Nepal, “minimum conditions” be fulfilled. be positive about negotiations. So a possible. Not long after he re-assumed government committee, Sher Gandhianism. The public’s concern is 31 January.)

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK A culture in ruins BHUJ, GUJARAT- It is as if the gods took hammers and destroyed a way of life. The destruction is vast, irreparable and incomprehensible. From Many have been left alive—bereaved, bereft of a past, traumatised nomad camps to cities of one hundred thousand, the entire district of forever by catastrophe, but alive. I search their eyes for that spark that Kutch is no more. Ancient communities and modern suburban colonies are

heaps of rubble, now stinking in the desert heat as bodies and livestock says they’ll carry on, somehow. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ carcasses rot in concrete and sandstone tombs. Only the vultures are ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ happy. In a low-lying salt marsh sits the epicentre of the destroyer of says, a hand rubbing unshaven cheeks, “and that’s where my great-great Kutch, quiet now, riven with cracks. One expects sulphurous fumes but grandfather rebuilt his quarters after the last bad quake in 1819.” He is pointing there is only the omnipresent dust of the desert. Bizarrely, few died in the through gaping holes in the wall where four-hundred year old brick work came nearby village where this slathering monster came to the surface of the tumbling outward as the earth did a crazy dance earth to drink blood and break stone. Even more strangely, local people I don’t find the tragedy of the royal family any more compelling take visitors to a stagnant, salt water pool and dip their fingers in red mud. than the ten thousand tragedies that surround the palace and radiate They taste the mud and tell tales of how it oozed from the cracks as the out across Kutch like cracks of misery, pain and loss. But somehow, the earth pitched and shook on Friday, the 26th of January, 2001. They can’t patient fellow who walked me around his shattered life—and told me explain why they do this, but it’s clear that the earthquake was an almost about his Rana relatives in Nepal—helped me realise how hope has fled religious experience to them. So perhaps to appease an angry or capricious this place; how there’slittle point in talking about reconstruction, deity, they taste that mud every time they go near the epicentre. rehabilitation, a new Bhuj arising on the foundations of the old. It will, I thought as I walked the streets of Bhuj about Kathmandu, Patan and perhaps, but it won’t be the same. It’ll be like the outskirts of the Bhaktapur. Here too are old, twisty streets where old and new structures lean town, where the temples to misplaced modernity are built all across the against each other. A mercantile class tries to cram as much commerce as south Asia, the Soviet-style or ersatz-California office blocks and possible into crazy, small spaces. But where the calls of jewellers and handicraft apartment towers. Prosperous Bhuj had its share of these already. salesmen once tempted the wanderer, now there are long, ghostly silences, Eventually, the bureaucrats, the builders will have their way, and punctuated by the crunch of shattered clay roof tiles underfoot; a shout from a The 600-year old 'shaking minarets' of Ahmedabad after the quake. another concrete cluster will come up. neighbouring street as someone fills a handcart with possessions; a policeman Yes, the gods have truly smashed a way of life with their levelling throwing a stone at a dog sniffing at the wreckage. Everyone who lived here is there now, three of them, the only night-time inhabitants of old Bhuj. They hammers. But many have been left alive—bereaved, bereft of a past, either dead or gone. They’ll probably never be back and when the wreckers sleep under trees in a huge courtyard, gazing at the Italianate clock tower that an traumatised forever by catastrophe, but alive. And that’s how the planet level this place, countless icons of ordinary life will be buried with the ancestor built in the 1800s, leaning now and cracked along its spiral staircase. forever reinvents itself, in ways brutal or banal. I’m off now to see yet unwanted rubble of old Bhuj. In the centre of the old town, the palace of the Raja Ram Singh, the middle son, escorts the visitor around, pointing out various another devastated community and to search the eyes of survivors for that Maharao has not escaped the scythe of destruction. The sons of the old ruler live exhibits in the palace museum, the Aina Mahal. “That’s the costume room,” he spark that says they’ll carry on, somehow. It’s the only thing they can do.  NATION 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 555 COUNTERPOINT by HARI ROKKA

Charge-sheet

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Five opposition parties submitted their formal charge-sheet to the Prime Minister on 5 “Talks are a mirage” February. Their conclusion: he should resign for having “totally” failed to solve the problems facing the country. PM Koirala is charged with failing to maintain law and order. “In many parts t has become almost fashionable to say that the technology seems of the country, it has become difficult even to feel government presence,” the memorandum Maoist People’s War should be resolved to have missed says. It has also been accused of taking a stand suppressing the Maoists instead of trying to ithrough dialogue. Private individuals hold forth their purview. It solve the problem through talks, which they fear will lead to huge loss of life and property. The authoritatively, various political parties have stated would also be five parties also blame the government for failing to bring the Maoists to the table despite the that it is the only way out, and the government pertinent to ask if rebels’ willingness to start a dialogue. itself has time and again announced that it is all for today’s society is Signatories to the petition include top leaders of four communist parties in parliament, talks. And now, in the name of civil society, willing to embrace including the main opposition UML and the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party. The Prime Minister is various non-governmental organisations are also a style of armed also accused of failing to keep prices down, borrowing over the legal limits and disregarding getting into the act. The most all this talk of talks struggle perfected the orders of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). The opposition also finds the government has resulted in is the formality of a meeting in the 30s and at fault for creating an Armed Police Force through ordinance, when it should have been between the home minister and a central guided by the idea MIN BAJRACHARYA discussed in parliament. Another charge: not extending the term of the Special Election committee member of the CPN (Maoist) at the of ‘endless Courts that are still hearing cases related to last parliamentary elections. initiative of human rights activist Padma Ratna revolution’ On corruption control the opposition says the government has not just failed to control it Tuladhar. articulated in the but has been involved in it. That’s in reference to the PAC decision on the Lauda Air deal. It In the last five years, the Maoist insurgency has 60s. All this rules that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) suspended the grown by leaps and bounds. It has spread its shows that the executive chairman of the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation on that basis and also “forced” the tentacles to all 75 districts of the country. In the People’s War is moving forward almost tourism minister to resign. Arguing that the investigations were now pointing towards the fifth year alone, there were 14 Maoist attacks on mechanically. And a war fought mechanically can prime minister, they want him to resign to allow the law take its course. As an afterthought, the the police in 13 districts. Many policemen lost never guide the politics of a movement. five also say that comments made by the “head of a diplomatic mission” (US Ambassador) on their lives and weapons were looted by the The present world economic order is the “problems of governance and corruption” should help helped the prime minister to hundred. For the first time, rebels were able to increasingly marginalising large portions of the understand the seriousness of the situation. launch a frontal attack on a district centre and population, and that is particularly so in overrun it—the capture of Dunai was an indication countries like ours. Those who once were in the

of their strength, their confidence and their forefront of opposing the capitalist imperialism of Wait and see: Purnagiri

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ fighting skills. And with last week’s ambush of the yesteryear have been sidelined and their A dozen MPs of the main opposition UML trekked to Purnagiri in Dadeldhura district and came chief justice’s convoy in Surkhet, it is clear that arguments have lost out in relevance. Their place back with a revelation last week: India has begun building a dam, they said. The Democratic the insurgency has entered yet another phase. has been taken over by issues of regionalism, National Youth Association—a UML-affiliated organisation—organised the trek to Dadeldhura, The Maoists are well on their way to fighting a communalism and ethnicity. Disillusionment is following which the MPs disclosed their “findings”: 50,000 people would be affected by the real war. The creation of fighting units, the manner on the rise in many countries, and many capitalist dam which the Indians were building on “war-footing.” in which prisoners are taken and released, the parliamentary systems established in the last The Ministry of Water Resources said a day later that such talk was baseless and what destruction of key targets such as bridges, and decade of the 20th century are losing credibility. was underway were surveys for the preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the their preference for consolidating strength rather Political instability, especially in Third World Pancheshwor project, which Nepal and India agreed to build together in September 1996. It than engaging in political talks are all indicators of countries, has created perfect conditions for said the sites being considered for building a flow-regulation dam were Rupaligad, Sirsegad their intentions. Their contacts with the rebellion. Extrapolated to Nepal, at a time when and Purnagiri. The minsitry added that only the DPR would identify where the structure would government and others in the political spectrum the establishment has adopted a socio-economic actually be built—after all the technical, socio-economic and environmental assessments are but a minor part of their political strategy to policy that falls within the ambit of capitalist were complete. establish communism in Nepal. Those who fail to globalisation, and when workers, peasants and see this and still talk about a peace process are the underprivileged are being pushed to the

chasing a mirage. margins, it should not come as a surprise that For quality education ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Looking back at the events since the launch of they would take up arms. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal the People’s War five years ago, there can be no In a sense the People’s War is only a local (PABSON) organised a rally to celebrate the contributions made doubt that the Maoists have been very successful. manifestation of discontent worldwide. But by private schools to education, as part of its 6th anniversary last There has been no force strong enough to counter nowhere has armed rebellion been able to lead week. PABSON says the 800 private schools in Nepal are their determined progress. But more important is this universal restlessness. Insurgencies generally providing quality education to over one million students, and employment to over 75,000 teachers. Some 50,000 students, teachers and parents from 175 PABSON-member schools were out to assert their right to quality Regardless of its outcome the only way forward education and fewer disruptions. This comes in the wake of demands by a group of communist students to nationalise all private institutions. The student group forced five million students across for the Maoists is armed struggle. the country out of the classrooms 8-14th December to demonstrate widespread “support” for its demands. Minister of Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya blames the politicisation of students for the falling standards of instruction. The government adds that it never promised free that their success is directly related to the start off well, but ultimately end in failure. The education and that, in fact, it now has fewer resources to dedicate to schools. incompetence of the present establishment. success or failure of a movement no longer Meanwhile, there have been reports of Maoists locking out government schools not just in When the Maoists began their struggle it was a depends on the support of one friendly country. districts where they are strongest but also in pockets in Makawanpur district. There are do-or-die mission to offer Nepalis an alternative to International powers decide the outcome. around 24,000 government-run schools attended by some 4.8 million students, and the present system that is flawed in every sense— There is a possibility of the Maoists’ struggle employing over 130,000 teachers. economic, social, cultural and political. And they becoming isolated in Nepal. Because of their class have built on the shortcomings of the and political relationships that cut across

establishment to reach out further to achieve their political boundaries, most of the powerful forces Kamaiyas evicted ○○○○○○○○○ goal. In the last five years, the police have proved in the country are now standing united against ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ incapable of dealing with the insurgents. the Maoists. Certainly the Maoists have tried to Police set fire to hundreds of huts put up by kamaiyas on land which the government says Intelligence gathering has been useless, upset this carefully calibrated balance, but the belongs to the Cotton Development Board 3 February, razing everything to the ground. Roughly administration is a farce and there is still confusion best way would have been political action rather 300 kamaiya families who had taken over the land as part of their drive to occupy unclaimed about mobilising the army. Those in power are than a declaration of war. Driven by burning land lost all their meager belongings in the fire. There are 16,500 kamaiya families who were secretly paying off the Maoists for their personal ambition and buoyed by minor military victories “freed” from bondage by a government order last July. On 17 January the kamaiyas, who were safety, while some, believing a Maoist victory is that they have taken as an indication of their great living in temporary settlements, began to move out and settle on unclaimed land. Local imminent, are speedily accumulating wealth and success, they have angered the forces that could have administration has allowed some to camp along the East-West Highway until arrangements preparing for a getaway. stood by them. Discarded on the wayside has also for permanent settlements are made. None of the government institutions have been been their attempt to create a united front of like-

able to assure common citizens that security and minded forces. In this situation the only option Holidays in court ○○○○○○○○○ justice will prevail. Corruption is flourishing and they have is the path of armed struggle. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ has been institutionalised. Disenchantment with Regardless of victory or defeat that is the only The Supreme Court has ordered the government to explain how it decides on the declaration the present political system is complete. It is way forward for them. of public holidays, in response to a petition filed by Bharat Jangam, a lawyer and activist. therefore no wonder that the young, who are by Those who advocate talks have only been Jangam, who earlier challenged and obtained a court order scrapping pensions for former nature idealists, find the People’s War the only viewing isolated incidents in the course of the MPs, argues that government officials have over 200 days off in a year. The court is also way out and flock to the Maoist fold in droves. In People’s War. They should realise that good hearing two other petitions on holidays: in one the petitioner is demanding that the such a situation, to hope that the Maoists will intentions alone are not enough for talks to take government should not scrap “religious” holidays and in the other the plaintiff argues that the come to the table is a bit unrealistic. place. The only way it will be possible is if the two-day weekend in Kathmandu Valley is illegal. The Maoists did not begin their campaign only present general discontent is recognised and because both the time and conditions were ripe for comprehensive reforms implemented, political forces an insurgency. They had their own compulsions. re-align and there is a show of determined military Even so, they do not seem to have taken into strength. The Maoists are flying high, especially after consideration factors such as Nepal’s geo-political Dunai, and it is unlikely that they will choose to location and the international situation. The negotiate. Talks will not bring about an end to the Maoist leadership did not even consider joining crisis. Rather, if there is to be an end, it is likely to hands with fraternal organisations that were result from internal dissension within the CPN sympathetic to their cause. Neither do they seem (Maoist), as is becoming evident from the to have understood the changing world situation contradictory statements its leadership has been where globalisation is the order of the day and issuing over the Surkhet episode. within which various forces are acting out their power play. The development of information (Hari Rokka is a communist activist.) 666 NATION 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES

Kathmandu’s premier talk shop ○○○○○○○○○○○

CK○○○○○ LAL engineer Odd Hoftun and his Nepal- Kathmandu and elsewhere in Nepal engalis have their addas, born political scientist son Martin, needs serious attention.” The kind of Awadhis their majlis, 19th initiated a fortnightly discussion forum commitment required to run such a bcentury Europeans had their on “development philosophy”. When forum is not common anywhere. It is café-klatsch. All these are different Martin died in a plane-crash in July even less so in Nepal where intel- names for an inherent homo sapien 1992 on his way to Nepal from lectuals do not consider themselves habit. We like to gossip, exchange Oxford where he studied, Hoftun Sr learners, but interpreters of divine views, share ideas, and let words flow made available some space for the wisdom. in a congenial atmosphere. That is COURTESY:MARTIN CHAUTARI forum to continue. Since April 1995, But Chautari has ignited a what chatrooms attempt to recreate it has been called Martin Chautari. change. The ideals of Chautari— in cyberia. But, it’s cold out there— Today, Chautari is run by a tolerance, respect for the other, and the anonymity of the Internet fails to committed mix of activists, journalists, the freedom of thought and speech— connect us deeply with each other. writers, commentators and students. remain with everyone who comes in The traditional spaces for such Though it remains within the world of contact with it. How many insti- interaction for women were by the community well, or the lonely tree at Any topic of interest to anyone can be freely discussed at Martin the edge of the forest, where they gathered fodder or firewood. Men sat Chautari. It is the world of the word, but its members are also

under the canopy of a banyan tree successful activists. COURTESY:MARTIN CHAUTARI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

near near a temple or school. In the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ hills of Nepal, such a tree, often with a to express idiosyncratic ideas on life it serves.” After that, an animated mail, photocopied signs and word-of- raised platform around its base, is culture, politics and the arts—other, discussion followed for over an hour mouth. The main speaker—the called a chautari. Prosperous and that is, than Martin Chautari. The and engaged ex-ambassador and pundit in Chautari-speak—presents aware villages have quite a few. But discussion on 9 January, the second linguist Novel Kishor Rai, novelist his views in about half-an-hour. After every village has at least one. Tuesday of the month, as always, was Khagendra Sangraula, poet-satirist that, anyone with a view can be an Then came tea-shops and bhattis, typical. On offer was Darjeeling-based Bimal Nibha, writer-commentator expert commentator or an selling homebrew and cheap edibles, writer Indra Bahadur Rai’s path- Narayan Dhakal, writer-commentator interrogator. This goes on for a couple the word—spoken and written—its tutions can claim to have initiated a which took away some of the regulars breaking Nepali novel, Aaj Ramita Basanta Thapa, novelist Manjushree of hours. members have notched up remarkable culture and sustained it for over a from rural chautaris. After that, radio, Chha, (roughly: Today Is Interesting), Thapa and a group of young students Chautari has no hierarchy. successes in social activism. Recently, decade, sticking to its undeclared television to an extent, and the offices in the sense of the Chinese curse, familiar with the cult of Indra Bahadur Pratyoush Onta, a convenor, says: it functioned as the focal point of a mission? Success sits lightly on of political culture became focal “May you live in interesting times”. Rai. Discussions over, those part- “Chautari disagrees with the tradition movement for the emancipation of Chautari members. They laugh it off points and agenda-setters in such The discussion was kicked off by icipants who wanted to, contributed of an elite speaking from the pulpit to kamaiyas in western Nepal. Earlier, as the reward of a job well done, and discussions. There are many func- Sangita, a working mother who had Rs 10 each to the tea-kitty and went an audience of lesser mortals listening Chautari members spearheaded the done for its own sake. It is this tional chautaris in the countryside, ploughed through the book with some their separate ways—content, and respectfully. It is a forum for dialogue, campaign to ban diesel three-wheelers nonchalance that makes Chautari but they aren’t used as extensively. effort. Her remark was forthright and perhaps enlightened. Most of them or even polylogue.” That, in essence, from the Valley, and succeeded where what it is—a live chat-room. Forget Does this decline in the popularity of unpretentious: “The book ambles will come back for more mangal- is the mission statement of sorts—not better-funded NGOs and INGOs Internet versions. In a country of chautaris have something to do with without a beginning and an end.” Her bares—the Tuesday discussion . formally declared, but universally failed. Chautari is often the first place twenty-three million people, Nepal the increasing intolerance in Nepali judgment: “It’s a difficult read.” That Topics vary. From property rights accepted by all those who frequent where non-conformist ideas are has about three hundred thousand society? It’s difficult to say, but people is what any reader uninitiated into the for women to the lack of trust laws in Chautari. “I am right, you are also expressed and discussed. phone lines, fifty thousand computers, do have little time, and even less nuances of high-literature feels while Nepal, the predicament of people of right. I may be wrong, so could you. After a decade, Chautari is and less than thirty-thousand Internet inclination, to listen to views that reading classics, but few have the the tarai, the status of women in Let us think, listen, speak and re- reassessing itself. In an internal connections. Chautaris are not just aren’t consonant with their own. courage to accept it. Sangita did, and Vedic literature, the threats to think and develop a culture of document floated for discussion, relevant, but important. Kathmandu may be called a got an appreciative nod from other democracy and the vibrancy of the communication.” Simple, challenging, Ashutosh observes: “Chautari’s The Chautari keeps the Socratic metropolitan city, but it is the capital participants in a similar dilemma. press—any topic of interest to and a helluva lot of fun. flagship programme—mangalbare—is tradition alive in a city that is getting of a primarily agrarian and rural The second reader to comment anyone can be discussed at Chautari. This has been Chautari’s rallying a success and an anomaly.” Agrees impersonal by the day without fully country—close to nine-tenth of was Ashutosh, a Harvard graduate and The procedure is simple. The cry since its humble beginning in Pratyoush Onta: “Even though it is acquiring the urbanity of a metropolis. Nepal’s population still lives in activist. His suggestion: “Read the programme for the month is fixed in October 1991 when water-resources exceedingly successful on its own, That in itself is something to villages. And there are few places here book twice to appreciate the slice of advance, and circulated through e- engineer Bikash Pandey, Norwegian Chautari’s failure to replicate itself in celebrate. 

BOOK REVIEW by SUDHINDRA SHARMA The mountain of the horned sage he process of ‘sanskritisation’ (or what some would regard as ‘nepalisation’) A new collection of historical and ethnographic essays focuses

taking place for well over three centuries, beginning in the western part and on Nepal’s western hills—an area long neglected by scholars. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tgradually moving eastward, is something that has been well researched and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ documented by scholars studying Nepali society and culture. Such studies have worthwhile either to publish the book earlier say during mid-1990s or to update a empirical material presented made known the general contours of this process of acculturation, and also that few key articles such as the one that documents changing political leadership once and the research questions different Tibeto-Burman communities have been affected in varying degrees, with publishing got delayed. asked, and (2) the connection the Magars being the most thoroughly acculturated. What is not so well known, Another concerns the organisation of the book. One fails to understand the between research questions however, is how this process occurred among the Magars, the one ethnic group sequence of the nine disparate articles ranging from landscape diversity to kings and the dominant concerns that has lived contiguous to the dominant Bahun-Chettris for the longest period and potters, while these could easily have been grouped into several themes. of contemporary social of time. One of the major contributions of the book under review lies in Structured in, say, three or four broad topics, the themes could have been more sciences. For those precisely in explaining this process. clear compared to the present form where the only link is the focus on a common interested in larger A work that combines historical analysis with ethnography, Resunga: The geographical area. theoretical questions, the Mountain of the Horned Sage has other distinctive features as well. It More serious, however, is the manner in which the more sociological and connection between the concentrates on an area of Nepal—the western hills—that has long been anthropological of the chapters have tended to portray their subjects. I am talking empirical material and neglected by sociologists and anthropologists. Also unique is the fact that the about the issue of representation, and since this concern may not be so easily social theory simply cannot be geographical boundary of the area studied is not ecological such as a basin or a apparent, some explanation may be in order. made. Given that some of the thinkers who have significantly watershed but political, constituting as it does, the two districts of Gulmi and Historically, one of the contributions of anthropology has been to salvage affected social theorising during the 80s and 90s have been French, one would at Arghakanchi. Lastly, all the contributors to the volume are French. There has distinct cultural forms of life from Westernisation and to serve it as a form of least have expected some sort of a mention of Michel Foucault (discourse, power been substantial work on Nepal by French authors, including the celebrated Le cultural critique of the West as Marcus and Fischer (1986) point out in and knowledge), Jean-Francois Lyotard (modernity as a grand narrative), Jean Nepal by Sylvain Levi, but almost all of it unfortunately remains largely Anthropology as Cultural Critique. One of its enduring weaknesses, until recently, Baudrillard (simulations, hyperreality and implosion) and Pierre Bourdieu inaccessible to a Nepali readership proficient in English at best. In this sense, has been the uncritical manner in which other cultures and societies were (habitus and the field), to name a few. These names that have impacted social Resunga has tried to bridge the gap even as it offers wider appreciation to French represented. With the publication of Edward Said’s Orientalism (1979) the theory at the close of the twentieth century are conspicuously absent. scholars writing about Nepal. problematic nature of representing cultures and societies different from one’s own, These limitations aside, the text is rich empirically. On the whole, The nine chapters in the book look into the various aspects of Gulmi and has increasingly become recognised. Sociologists and anthropologists studying Resunga: The Mountain of the Horned Sage is an immensely readable book Arghakhanchi districts, ranging from topography to population, natural other cultures and societies are now more engaged in critical self-reflection. Some made all the more reader-friendly by the numerous pictures, photographs, resources, history and politics, through an approach the editor calls a of the issues they need to reflect on is: how and under what circumstances do they charts and diagrams it contains. With its treatment of a range of topics it “pluridisciplinary” approach. Research was carried out by young scholars enter the social scene being studied, what is the relationship between those studies would prove useful for students and scholars across a spectrum of disciplines affiliated to the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and the Institut and oneself, and how do those being studied finally become represented. The ranging from anthropology to engineering, not to mention to development National de la Recherche Agronomique between 1985 and 1993, and it manner in which Resunga discuss various facets of social life in Gulmi and practitioners and experts.  generated several PhD dissertations, and Masters and engineering theses. The Argakhanchi, reveals either a lack of awareness or insensitivity towards the volume, which derives its name from a hill overlooking Tamghas, the problem inherent in representing other cultures and societies. Reading the Resunga: The Mountain of the Horned Sage headquarters of Gulmi, has been culled from those dissertations and theses. book one gets the impression that the debates on method, problems of edited by Philippe Ramirez The book comes with a few limitations though—some more serious than epistemology, interpretation, and discursive forms of representation that have Translated from the French by Susan Keyes others. One of the minor ones concerns its inability to take into its purview the raged in the past two decades, had, in fact, not occurred at all. Or, it seems Bibliotheca Himalayica, Volume 16 political and social changes that overtook the districts during the 1990s. Since not to have affected the authors. Himal Books, Lalitpur, 2000 pp. 304. the research was conducted between 1985 to 1993 it would have been What one also seems to miss in the volume is: (1) the linkage between the NATION 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 777 Underground water supply The Valley’s precious groundwater is threatened by indiscriminate and wasteful

exploitation, and contamination.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

tariffs and regulation. $464 million that donors have The $464 million Melamchi invested,” says Pyakural.

project, which plans to bring in At present consumers pay Rs 8 ALL PHOTOS: MIN BAJRACHARYA piped water from the Melamchi for every 1000 litres of water Khola by 2006, is especially keen supplied by NWSC. But when you that the legislation regulates add the debt service, the private extraction of the Valley’s depreciation, the costs of boiling depleting groundwater supply. and filtering water, and medical Once the licensing of groundwa- costs, it reaches Rs 16 per 1000 ter extraction is made mandatory, litres. In addition, the NWSC it would become a sound source hasn’t been able to fulfil consumer of water supply for a privatised needs in specific areas. Also at risk is the quality of NSWC (one of the preconditions Melamchi’s water, at Rs 24 per groundwater. At the behest of the set by donors of the Melamchi 1000 litres, would ensure safe, MWSP, a team from the Irrigation project). Adequate supply will reliable, and regular supply of Department has been monitoring

then ensure that the Corporation drinking water, says Pyakural. The the quality of groundwater in 50 ○○○○○○○○○○ RAMYATA○○○○○○ LIMBU began in 1984 at 9 million litres 40,000 mld. Despite recharge will win the confidence of project plans to launch a public wells around the Valley for the last fter the long dry winter and per day (mld). By 1987, it occurring mainly in the northern consumers before Melamchi water awareness campaign as part of its year. “About 60 percent of the another three months before quadrupled from 9 mld to 34 groundwater districts, the percent- is piped in. comprehensive policy for water from shallow wells is athe monsoon sets in, water mld, and by 1998 the extraction age remains low owing to the “During the pre-Melamchi sustainable use of water resources. contaminated,” says Mohan Singh has once again become a major of the Valley’s groundwater, geological nature of the area. As phase, a nominal fee would ensure The project is carrying out a pilot Khadka, senior divisional chemist at concern for the Valley’s growing withdrawn through deep tube- upper deposits of the central and that consumers make judicious use feasibility and appropriate the Groundwater Division, population. “Now that the dry wells, shallow tube-wells, stone southern aquifers are thick layers of of the Valley’s groundwater, which technology study for enhancing Department of Irrigation. “Most season is approaching, the taps, open wells and spring impermeable clay, recharge could then be used to augment groundwater storage by artificial water samples from stone taps and situation is going to get worse,” sources reached 42 mld—five capability is much lower in these supply in the dry season,” says recharge in Manohara. The absence, open wells were found to contain says Thamel resident Smriti times the 1984 level. While a areas. The rate of depletion of the Pyakural. Post-Melamchi tariffs, he however, of defined aquifers makes faecal matter and high numbers of Bhattarai. Even though Bhattarai World Bank Study in 1994 water table is more pronounced— says, will reduce the rate of it a complicated process, say coliform bacteria.” is connected to the Nepal Water indicated that total sustainable and alarming—in the northern extraction. It would discourage use experts. Limestone and non- While deep aquifers are Supply Corporation (NWSC) withdrawal of groundwater from well fields of Bansbari and of groundwater—a precious developed alluvial areas around the relatively unpolluted, they distribution network, there are the Valley’s aquifers is Manohara where the NWSC reserve—when a privatised NWSC Valley are being checked as contain high levels of iron and times when she doesn’t get water approximately 26.3 mld, a 1999 ADB carries out extensive pumping to has an adequate supply. “It makes potential additional groundwater manganese, which means the for days at a stretch. “When we study says total groundwater currently meet the city’s needs. economic and financial sense that resources, but there’s been no water has to be treated before do, it is so regulated that supply extracted is about 58.6mld— Another indicator is the the project should recover half of positive finding so far. use. “We should refrain from is not adequate at all.” A shallow overexploitation by 60 percent. drying up of stone spouts. Two using water from deep aquifers. tube-well and an open well fulfil Nepal Water Supply Corpora- dozen of the city’s historical It’s a precious resource that Bhattarai’s drinking and tion NWSC is one of the largest spouts are dry, and the water should be stored protected from household needs. users of the Valley’s groundwater. level at Rani Pokhari, Sundhara contamination. Once groundwater is A couple of blocks away, To meet the needs of a parched and Panchdhara are seriously polluted, it will take years, probably Tashi Gurung has given up on the Valley, the NWSC pumps nearly affected—some directly by hundreds of years, to restore its NWSC altogether. “We use 42.3 mld (78.3 percent). Hotels in NWSC wells. original quality,” says Jeevan Lal groundwater pumped from a tube the capital extract a little over 8.4 It is common knowledge that Shrestha, Project Chief, Groundwater well dug a couple of hundred feet percent of this (10 mld), industry, groundwater should be used Resources Development Project. deep. All the houses in this area 7.9 percent and the government 5.3 judiciously, to ensure a balance More simple and cost effective, say do.” He attributes a slight percent. A study conducted by the between long-term demand and experts, would be to reuse treated depression in the ground floor of ADB also discovered over 300 tube natural replenishment. wastewater, harvest rainwater and not his four-storey home to excessive wells, both deep and shallow, Groundwater experts are therefore waste water.  pumping of groundwater. owned by the Nepal Water Supply keenly awaiting the enactment of a Experts say the same could Corporation and the private sector. legislation governing the extraction happen to Kathmandu itself—the Added to this is a rapid increase in of groundwater currently being REQUEST FROM FEDERATION OF NEPALESE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY(FNCCI) aquifer system will be exhausted, private tube-wells, installed to drawn at the initiative of the Water & causing ecological disaster and augment water supply to Valley Resources Ministry. “It may not be NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR EARTHQUAKE TECHNOLOGY-NEPAL(NSET-NEPAL) potential land subsidence. Already households. in time for this session of TO ALL CONCERNED the rate of extraction in excess of Declining forest area and Parliament. But it will definitely be recharge has caused the water increasing urban built-up area are ready for the next session,” says table to drop at an average rate of responsible for diminishing recharge Dinesh C Pyakural, Executive You must be aware that Nepal and India lies in highly earthquake prone zone. Earthquakes are 2.5 metres a year. The first capacity in the Valley. A 1990 JICA Director of the Melamchi Water unavoidable in this region like in other earthquake prone countries. It was proven by the recent groundwater extraction was report, on the basis of a simulation Supply Project. The legislation devastating “GUJARAT BHUJ EARTHQUAKE”, in which death toll is rapidly rising. carried out by the Nepal Water model, calculated the recharge rate being drafted addresses the need to The numbers of injured and homeless people are also increasing rapidly. Supply Corporation in 1970, and to be 27,000 mld, slightly less than control private extraction of Being a neighboring country and , it is indeed duty and responsibility of all Nepalese to help the increased extraction in the Valley the earlier estimate of 30,000- groundwater through licensing, victims of recent earthquake in India. So in the context, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FNCCI) and National Society of Earthquake Technology-Nepal(NSET- Nepal) has jointly taken the initiative to fund for the earthquake victims and send it to the concerned Indian Authority through the Indian Embassy of Nepal. Drinking sewage Therefore it is requested to all interested citizens and organizations to contribute to “GUJARAT EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND” in the following acccount numbers of the following bank. When Baneswor residents went out to collect water last week they were in for an unpleasant surprise. Without even having to get near the tap they realised what was pouring into their Banks AC No vessels because of the foul smell it was giving out. The “drinking water” smelled of sewage. Samples of the water gathered from these taps were then taken for analysis to a laboratory and Everest Bank Ltd. New Baneshwor 00852 0C their fears were confirmed. Nepal Bangladesh Bank Ltd., New Baneshwor 025151 C Says Chemist Minesh Prasad Shrestha of CEMAT Water Lab who tested the Baneswor Rastriya Banijya Bank Ltd. Teku 5422/44 water sample: “It did not require a professional to tell that the water came straight from the sewer. But when we did analyse the sample, the report looked very dangerous.” Ammonia, The amount collected will be bank transferred to Prime Minister Relief Fund of India and the list of Chloride, and Phosphate content was high, much higher than WHO specified standards. The contributors will be forwarded through the Indian Embassy in Nepal. The list will also be made public. total number of coliform bacteria (bacteria found in the human intestine) was so high that the NSET-Nepal and FNCCI will play the role of facilitator and will not draw from this account. report just said TNTC—Too Numerous To Count. Dr IL Shrestha of Siddhi Polyclinic says: “This So let us work together for the humanity !!! Looking forward for your kind cooperation!!! is exactly what causes water borne diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, and even more dangerous, spreads the Hepatitis A and E viruses.” With summer fast approaching and water NATIONAL SOCIETY FOR EARTHQUAKE FEDERATION OF NEPALESE supply running out, this could mean disaster for the Valley’s thirsty population. CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND The corporation says it is looking to find the spot where sewage enters the drinking water TECHNOLOGY-NEPAL(NSET-NEPAL) P.O.Box # 13775, Mahadevsthan, Baneshor INDUSTRY(FNCCI) supply line, but clearly this is not just a Baneswor problem. Time and again residents from all P.O.Box # 269 around the Valley have faced similar problems. “People from Patan, Paknajol, Tahachal, Telephone: 977-1-474192, fax: 9771-490943 Pachali, Sahid Sukra, FNCCI Naradevi, Asan, and Thamel have reported such problems, especially during summer,” says Dr Telephone: 262218, 262007 Roshan Shrestha of Environment and Public Health Organization, which carried out research E-mail: [email protected] Contact person: Mahesh Nakarmi Fax: 261022, 262007 on drinking water in the Valley. E-mail: [email protected] —Alok Tumbahangphey Contact Person: Suraj Vaidya 888 NEPALI ECONOMY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

Kodak sues government

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kodak Nepal (P) Limited has filed a petition in the Supreme Court demanding that it be provided a Certificate of Origin (CO), needed to qualify it for duty-free exports to India Please, no public companies under the 1996 Treaty of Trade between Nepal and India. The petition, dated 18 January, accuses the Cabinet Secretariat, various government agencies and the Federation of Nepalese It is time we re-evaluated the necessity of widespread public holding of companies. Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) of delaying its origin certification with no explanation whatsoever. Krishna Prasad Silwal, on behalf of Ramachandran Subramany, a director at Kodak, filed the he week before last we witnessed multiply that by ten thousand—it will their activities. There is really no petition. heavy over-subscription to the spend close to Rs 1 million. Of course, point in the State defining the Kodak Nepal, an undertaking of Eastman Kodak Company of the USA and Kodak India (80-20 tshares of a finance company. The this isn’t a problem for larger manner of public participation, percent), was registered at the company registrar’s office in Nepal in July 1998. It has since spent over Rs company was looking for something on companies, but smaller ones will whether in terms of the number of 370 million to build a factory and train employees. Kodak began production on 9 September 1999 but has the order of Rs 25 million from the certainly feel the pinch. There is some shareholders or the way in which been unable to export to India, although it has exported to Singapore. Kodak is required to sell at least 20 public, but there were applications for truth after all in the old accountants’ shares are subscribed to. percent of its products in third countries, that it has done. The government certified the origin of its exports more than thirty times that amount. maxim—if a public company reports The fundamental issue here is to for sale in Singapore, but not for export to India, the petitioner argues. Yes, it was a good company but why profits and would like to share them recognise and understand that Kodak Nepal says it first applied for origin certification on 8 January 1999 at the Department of Industry should a firm be penalised for being with its shareholders, it would swiftly shares can come in various forms. It and was told it would be issued one on the start of production. That has not happened. Since October good? Let me explain: The company run up losses—it would have to print isn’t necessary that the public 1999 Kodak Nepal has been writing to the FNCCI and different government departments enquiring about its will now end up spending over a participate in the way equity application but has not been given a certificate or an explanation. quarter of the issue amount on shareholders do, with the same It is believed that Kodak has been denied a CO for fear of Indian retaliation, because India does not handling charges and fees to deal with voting rights and dividends. There accept Kodak’s value addition process as manufacturing. The colour photo paper lobby is against Kodak the overwhelming applications and the could be shares that have no voting and so are officials at India’s finance ministry, who see it as a ploy to dodge high Indian duties. The charge: refund of the extra funds. The over- rights, but be entitled to higher Kodak came to Nepal only to avoid high import duties. Other sources say officials at the Indian embassy in subscription happened because of dividends or shares with voting rights Kathmandu helped Kodak during the licensing process, which makes the Indian government’s new position excess liquidity in the market, which which receive lesser dividends. There contradictory. Generally the FNCCI issues the CO after a technical committee comprising business and government made it easy to finance such applica- are shares that may have a guaranteed representatives approves the application. Because Kodak was a special case—there were doubts about tions. Now the company must start thousands of copies of the accounts. fixed amount of returns, and shares whether its process was actually manufacturing even while it was building a factory—the technical the tedious process of using all the It is time we re-evaluated the with various options on convertibility. committee is said to be waiting for India’s “tacit” approval. The government of Nepal, for its part, has random number formulae imaginable necessity of widespread public holding Financial re-engineering is a creative accepted Kodak’s process as manufacturing, which was even notified in the Nepal Gazette. in making a judicious allotment of of companies. Does every promoter endeavour worldwide. There’s no The Kodak issue has been discussed at political levels too. US Secretary of Commerce who was shares. who has brilliant ideas about banking, reason it shouldn’t start to be in accompanying Bill Clinton to India in April 2000 even put in a word for the company. Prime Minister Koirala A couple of weeks ago this Beed finance or insurance have to share the Nepal, too. Financially sound also raised the issue during talks with his counterpart while visiting New Delhi last year. Later he is said to wrote about Nepal’s understanding of proceeds with the public, and that on companies should be allowed to have pitched for Kodak again at a meeting with the Indian PM at the UN General Assembly in New York. the corporate world (Shareholding such a large scale? The theory of raise money without the Securities Nepali style, #25). Companies are an dispersed public holding may be perfect Board or the Stock Exchange inherently capitalistic concept and you for state enterprises which are dictating how many shareholders

Vanaspati prospects simply can’t impose socialism on them effectively owned by the public anyway, ○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ they should have. Nepal’s vegetable ghiu—hydrogenated vegetable oil—exports jumped by about 126 percent to and expect anything to then function but not for private enterprise. The Post-liberalisation we have been Rs 1.09 billion in the first four months of the fiscal year, as it should. The allotment process for perils of going public are so high that testing all the Acts pertaining to promising to reach 1999-2000 levels, if all goes well. Export this company now means that over ten right now no successful private companies. It’s been a long-time and of vegetable ghiu slumped to Rs 2.71 billion in the last fiscal thousand individuals will have to be company would like its shares listed or the learning curve is surely complete year, a 14 percent drop compared to the sales in the previ- provided with at least some shares. traded. The Companies Act and all the by now. Let’s move on swiftly and ous year. Looking at the monthly average, ghiu exports are What does this mean to the company? other Acts that make public holding make changes that benefit companies headed toward crossing the Rs 3 billion mark once again. Say it spends only Rs 100 a year on compulsory need amendment. The and provide much-needed impetus to The 14 vegetable ghiu makers in Nepal have a total every shareholder, on such essentials concept of a joint-stock company the Nepali capital market.  installed capacity of 220,000 tons and produce about like mailing them the annual accounts needs to be understood, and it should 135,000 tons, of which about 80 percent is sold in nearby and minutes, recording transactions be up to companies to decide how Readers can post their views and markets in India’s Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh and other administrative costs. Now they want the public to participate in comments at [email protected] states. It is also the one Nepali export that has faced stiff opposition from local Indian producers, who officials say have been badly affected by the imports from Nepal. Nepali ghiu is said to be cheaper and of better quality. Indian officials have also singled out ghiu as a “problem product” saying it has grown just too fast. Capacity-wise, Nepali production does not compare with what the three states of Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh can collectively produce. According to the 23rd Annual Report the Indian Vanaspati Producers Association, India’s total installed capacity is about 3.8 million tons, with Bihar (111,000 tons), West Bengal (226,650 tons) and Uttar Pradesh (616,850 tons) capable of producing almost five times more ghiu than Nepal.

Nepal Lever employees give to quake relief

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 200 employees of Nepal Lever donated a day’s salary and wages towards eathquake relief in Gujarat to the charge d’affaires of the Indian Embassy, Ashok Kumar, on 5 February. This contribution exceeds the significant corporate contributions of the company. The employees, all Nepali citizens, work at Nepal Lever’s manufacturing operations in Hetauda. Nepal Lever was set up in collaboration with Unilever, which has 2,000 Nepali sharehold- ers. Unilever’s Indian subsidiary Hindustan Lever’s manufacturing units in Kandla have suffered some godavari ad damage and employees have been dislocated. Unilever and Hindustan Lever are also undertaking relief work in Gujarat.

Hetauda mill to shut down

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The Hetauda Textile Industry is to shut down on 12 Nepal Lever Managing Director Sandip Ghose February—RIP. The government took the decision to handing over employees’ quake relief contributions close down the ailing mill and release Rs 250 million to to Ashok Kumar, charge d’affaires, Indian Embassy pay overdue employee salaries and allowances. The factory was set up in mid-1975 with Chinese aid but has faced huge losses, largely due to cheap Chinese and Indian imports that have almost destroyed the Nepali textile industry. Its accumulated losses add up to Rs 230.5 million, about half of which was incurred during fiscal year 1998-99, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The MoF publication on the performance of public enterprises adds that HTL loans and other liabilities in the same year amounted to Rs 148.6 million. Finally, the company was unable to pay employee salaries and even its electricity and water bills. The closure will render over 1,071 unemployed.

IDBI joins NDB

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI) has acquired a 10 percent equity in the Nepal Industrial Development Bank, a company press statement says. IDBI is also to share its expertise with NDB in financial management, merchant banking and staff training. NBA began operations in February 1999 and says it has Rs 1.55 billion in deposits and Rs 1.38 billion loans. Its net operating profit in the first half of fiscal year 2000-01 was Rs 18.6 million. NEPALI ECONOMY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 999999 All sewn up ALL PHOTOS: MIN BAJRACHARYA

Future tense: Cutting and stitching at one of the garment factories.

Multifibre Arrangement (MFA)— American pie. “Most garment the official US term for the quota factories will shut down after system it has been phasing since removal of the quotas. The high 1995. cost of production here means “The challenge facing the we won’t be in a position to garment industry is immense. compete with other countries in Nothing has been done to obtain the global market,” says Chandi duty free access to the US textile Dhakal, owner of Nepal’s largest and clothing market, and garment factory, Momento entrepreneurs are yet to Apparels. All the raw materials understand the impact of Nepal’s are imported from third accession to WTO,” says Pandey. countries and transportation Entrepreneurs say the Nepali costs are high. It is for these government must start lobbying reasons that garment soon for duty-free export entrepreneurs feel that they privileges, if nothing but to use the won’t be able to compete in the next four years to some profit. But global market after WTO comes it appears that the government is into the force. not particularly interested or Nepal has stuck to basics, bothered. It’s still not entirely a and is far removed from the doomsday scenario—under the world of high-fashion apparel. Nepali garments ready for export. WTO regime, Nepal being an Entrepreneurs blame this on the LDC, will be entitled to a number lack of co-operation and of facilities, including low tariff support from the government. Nepal’s garment industry must turn more competitive rather than barriers and preferential treatment For instance, the government

hanker for preferential access to its traditional markets. in some sectors. had promised to provide soft ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The other market Nepali loans and bank guarantees to

garment exporters could explore is apparel manufacturers and ○○○○○○○○○○○

MUKUL○○○○○ HUMAGAIN But despite this 30 percent capita income hovers a little are relatively more expensive and the EU, but they have not taken it exporters, but all that remains ere’s an industry that has boom, entrepreneurs are above $200 and businesspersons will obviously become less up seriously. Explains JP Agrawal, on paper. For their part, done its bit for Nepal’s sceptical about the future. here say that if they’ve understood competitive if businesses in the US joint-secretary of GAN: “Since there entrepreneurs also want a heconomy. With steady They’re right in thinking so and the provisions correctly, they’re also have access to a wider variety of is high volume in the US market, separate labour policy for this growth registered over the last it is about time they began entitled to the duty-free export products. The Nepali garment even when there is less margin we industry. With such a crisis in fifteen years, Nepal’s garment planning ways of competing in quota. industry’s global market access can sustain ourselves. The EU Nepal’s premier manufacturing industry is today the highest the global market—with no The decision to allow duty-free relies primarily on the quota market volume is much less.” segment, in an industry that foreign exchange earner in the quotas and with competitors who access from sub-Saharan countries system. Though businessmen are After the removal of the employs over 40,000 people, manufacturing segment. But that have economies of scale that comes within the 10-year hopeful that US would grant duty quota system, Nepal will have to entrepreneurs and the will change when the WTO trading cannot even be compared with transitional programme of the free access to Nepal as well, they compete with 123 other government had better sew regime takes effect after 2005. Nepal. The only advantage Nepal WTO Agreement on Textiles and are unsure when that decision will countries for their slice of the things up fast.  Today, Nepal sells more has over those producers is the Clothing (ATC), which came into be made. They believe that Nepal is garments than woollen carpets, experience in selling in the US. effect on 1 January 1995. ATC is a already losing out to new players and the last two years have been The reason for the jitters in special safeguard mechanism to deal out to make a killing before the positively scintillating. Taking the Nepali garment industry is with new cases of serious damage or WTO regime and that if the US advantage of the US guidelines the opening of the US market to threat thereof to domestic does not decide in their favour soon devised in 1974 for the allotment garments manufactured in sub- producers during the transition enough, that disadvantage will be of trade quotas to least developed Saharan Africa. Some Central period. Before the Agreement, most pressed home, at a great loss to countries (LDCs), Nepali garment American countries have also textile and clothing exports from Nepali business. exporters have developed the US as been granted preferential access, developing countries to Presently, businessmen in the their main market, selling clothes and Sri Lanka and Singapore are industrialised countries were US importing textile products from worth $164 million last year, up from also lobbying the US government subject to quotas under a special Nepal pay 18-21 percent duty. “If $126 million in 1999. That represents for duty-free market access. The regime outside normal GATT rules. other countries are not obliged to only 0.0174 percent of total imports main eligibility criterion now for But since 1995, WTO members pay any duty, certainly, they will be into the US although it is a full 85 exporting nations is a per capita have committed to removing the at an advantage,” says Udaya Raj percent of Nepal’s garment exports. income under $1500. Nepal’s per quotas by 1 January 2005 by Pandey, general secretary of the integrating the sector fully within Garment Association Of Nepal. In GATT. addition, there’s been no serious Nepali exporters have plenty of impact assessment study on what cause for worry. Nepali garments the planned phasing out of the The stitch, in time The history of the readymade garment industry in Nepal goes back about 15 years. Before that, garments as an export-oriented segment in Nepal meant only traditional Nepali garments exported to a few countries in small quantities. The meteoric rise of the garment industry was the result of the interplay of various factors, both domestic and foreign. The first much-needed boost came when garment-exporting industries in Asia were hit by the quota system that limited their exports. It also coincided with rising labour costs in garment-exporting countries which undermined their low-cost advantage. Producers were forced to look for cheaper alternatives. Nepal emerged as a relocation site, especially for Indian producers by the mid- 1980s, when they hit the quota ceiling and began pouring into Nepal. By then corporate development of the industry had already begun with a few Nepali players.  ACCESS/GD/EH/040/2001 101010 CITY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES

Ganesh V Langtang Ganesh I Pabil Ganesh II COMPOSITE. PICS MIN BAJRACHARYA One fine day On a rare day like this you can see forever. From Annapurna to Everest— 500 km of sky in one great sweep of the northern horizon.

But it was Ganesh Himal that turned from white to pink to yellow stole the solar spotlight that in reverse as the sun came up that evening. There was about 15 mistless morning. But without the minutes of sunlight left, and it hit interplay of cloud, the peaks looked the Ganesh peaks, incongruously, alone and naked. No wonder the from the base up. The icefall at the scriptures believe the clouds to be

bottom of Pabil was ignited, the wings of the mountain gods that ○○○○○○○○○○○

KUNDA○○○○○ DIXIT exploding into a golden flash that were clipped off by a demon, and hey are getting rarer and rarer, travelled up the southeast face. that is supposed to be why they days like this when the wind Pabil’s exquisitely chiselled profile often come back to linger among tsuddenly shifts, bringing a crisp suddenly shone brighter than the the mountains to try to attach freshness in the air, and Kathmandu sun, illuminating the clouds, and themselves to the snows again, since Valley briefly lives up to its reputation its reflected glory gave that is where they belong. again of being one of the most scenic Kathmandu Valley an unfamiliar This was too perfect a day to be capitals in the world. The pall of northern light. And it stayed like on the Valley floor, so we drove off brown haze over the valley is parted that for a few more minutes, until to the hills on the rim. As we like a curtain, letting the blue hills the gold turned to fuchsia to climbed, the mountains rose with us unexpectedly leap out of the haze. crimson to a cold ashy white. We above the smogline, above the ridges And beyond, the mountains come may have to wait many years for a of Shivapuri on the other side of the out one by one, as if frozen on day like 1 February 2000. valley until we saw the Himalayan the catwalk of a gigantic The show was over, and it was wall in its true perspective. Try to Himalayan beauty pageant. hard to believe that this celestial- imagine where Mt Blanc would be if Not everyone is into temporal drama of sky, earth and it was where Gauri Shankar is, and mountains, of course, and we light had actually happened at all. you realise that Europe’s highest Nepalis are pretty blasé about The Big Cloud glows red above Kathmandu Valley on 1 February, and the Cloud on a satellite picture. We rushed to download digital point wouldn’t even reach the base that saw-toothed line of jagged images from camera to computer, of the black ridge at its feet. The rock and ice to the north. It is a located in our country, we really really rare displays of nature’s water vapour, the cloud had an and it was clear that the technology valley itself looked like a soup bowl, thing of vague beauty extolled in didn’t take too much of an flamboyance, almost as if after a almost-solid presence with the is incapable of capturing such and the soup was the smog forming a few patriotic songs, but interest in the peaks. In fact it dreary, dry winter we were being entire central and eastern subtlety of light and shadow in a flat inversion layer topping off at regarded more as obstacles on the was only after Westerners began compensated with a two-hour Himalaya brooding under its shadow such difficult exposure conditions. 5,500 ft. The filth is emitted not just path of development, obstacles mapping them that we started extravaganza of psychedelic all day. But it was towards evening, Any reproduction technology by the vehicles, as we tend to think, that have to be sliced by highways giving the peaks individual names, proportions. when the sun dipped into that layer would be inadequate in capturing but by the hundreds of chimneys of and demolished with our bare like Sagarmatha itself. For centuries The Big Cloud must have of sky between cloud and horizon and replicating such perfection. The the brick kilns belching black smoke hands. It is also where the gods most mountains (except peaks like been at 8,000 m moving from that the slanting rays from the west celluloid film fared slightly better, but on the city’s outskirts. We also live, halfway between earth and Machhapuchhre or Gauri Shankar) southwest to northeast, the leading turned the heavens crimson. From turned an experience that bordered blame the bad visibility only on heaven, and therefore out of were just “himals”. edge of a gigantic plume travelling below, the ribbed shadows on the on the sacred into just another Kathmandu Valley pollution, it is not. bounds. We are indifferent about So last week when the setting from the southern Arabian Sea to ochre cloud made it look like the kitschy picture postcard. If the smog does not clear after noon, our mountains rather like sun set ablaze a spectacular the Himalaya in an enormous arc inverted surface of Mars. Then The next day dawned cold and it is clear that the dust and haze is Maldivians are casual about the ceiling of altocumulus clouds across the Subcontinent. And there the peaks themselves finally frosty. We had just seen the also blowing in from the Gangetic beauty of their lagoons—we grazing the tops of the mountains, it was above the Valley, looking like caught the pale rays of a dying highest daily variation of plains. And that is what was acknowledge that they are there the terrace restaurants and hotel the underbelly of one of those sun: the rocky snowless flanks temperature in Kathmandu happening, the wind changed to but aren’t terribly excited by balconies in Kathmandu were full science fiction Hollywood movies of Gosainkunda turned velvety Valley in recent memory with the southwest, and suddenly the them. Until we found out in the of tourists in a trance, but none of incredibly large alien mauve, 40 miles from us temperature ranging from a low mountains start fading. The sun was early part of this century that the of the surrounding rooftops had spaceships visiting the earth for Langtang glowed like ember, of 0.5 Celsius in the morning to pale, Kathmandu’s urban sprawl highest mountain in the world locals admiring this once-in-a- close encounters of some kind. further east Dorje Lakpa just pervious afternoon’s maximum at started to disappear into a miasma. and eight of the ten highest were lifetime view. It was one of those Although it was just an expanse of had a brief blush. 26.5 Celsius. The mountains The sun was a dirty red eye again.  TONI HAGEN Compare this picture of Kathmandu Valley taken in 1956 by Toni Hagen from Hatiban with one taken from the same spot in 1999. The hills on the valley rim have more forest, but the city is bursting at the seams with the Chobhar cement in the foreground spewing dust. CITY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 111111

Xixa Pangma Gurkapo Ri Phurbi Ghyachu Gang Chenpo Dorje Lakpa Gauri Shankar Choba Bhamare in Kathmandu

Wheat and mustard terraces on the soutern outskirts of the Valley. How green is our Valley, still? View from Nagarkot. Vantage Points uphill where the haze is thinner. The road to Godavari offers good views of the mountains normally blocked from Kathmandu: Himalchuli, Manasalu and the Annapurnas. But if you really pepsi want to get above the haze, then climb up to the highest mountain

RUPA JOSHI RUPA on the valley rim, If you want to see the mountains on a Phulchoki (9,100 ft) or along the Haatiban clear day from Kathmandu, the general ridge on to Champadevi (7,000ft). There rule is: go south. That is where you get is a jeepable road that gets up to enough distance from the hills to the north Phulchoki past thick forests, and the of the valley for the mountains to emerge. panorama from here is unsurpassed: Some of the rooftop restaurants near from Dhaulagiri to Makalu with Patan Durbar Square offer great views of Kathmandu Valley spread out at your feet the historic monuments below as well as below. Chandragiri is more barren, and the mountains beyond. Bhaktapur has does not have a road going to the some of the best vistas of the Jugal Himal summit, but it also offers the best views group from the valley, while a visit to of Mt Everest from the valley rim—even Swayambhu at sunset on a clear day can better than Nagarkot. be rewarding for a view across the valley But for by far the best of Kathmandu and Gauri Shankar far off on the horizon, and the mountains in serene but you have to be very lucky. Venturing surroundings, and the vantage point of even more south, the well-preserved the gods, there is absolutely nothing to Newar towns of Thecho and Bungmati beat a hot air balloon ride floating at offer good views of not just the mountains 11,000 ft in the early morning above the to the north but also (believe it or not) city. Dangling on a small wicker basket Machhapuchhre. Both are within biking- hanging from an enormous balloon distance of the city centre, and are painted with Buddha’s eyes is an becoming increasingly popular with experience of a life-time. The picture Kathmandu residents looking to work up a (above) shows Kathmandu with sweat amidst scenic surroundings. Himalchuli and Ganesh on the horizon Kathmandu Valley is tilted to the north, so as seen from an early morning balloon going south also means you are going ride.  121212 TECHNOLOGY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES Marathon Man Ernst Jünger—tech visionary, sceptic, Nazi supporter—wrote about a future in which “human perfection and technological perfection are incompatible.” According to Thomas Nevin, authority, and individuality that author of Ernst Jünger and Germany: Jünger valued. Technology’s levelling Jünger in World War I Into the Abyss, 1914-1945, in his effect might even carry over into early years Jünger had a “chivalric civilian life, he worried—and once set decimation of the Jews”. After the war, miniaturisation, which plays a key role perspective on war, almost an in motion, it could not be stopped. Jünger began to write science fiction to in his worldwide dominance of anachronistic position.” Nevin After World War I, writing in address his long-standing concerns movies, household gadgets, and explains, “Schoolboys in his day newspapers published by Nazis, about technology. The Glass Bees, military secrets. The captain ends up a looked to the military as we look to veterans, and independent fascists, originally published in 1957, is an bureaucratic lackey. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.” But Jünger argued that Germany should example of this approach, an allegorical What do we make of this story? Jünger, who was wounded thirteen be governed by a dictatorship that novel that can be read—depending on Nevin contends that the way Captain times in the war and earned would “substitute deed for word, one’s perspective—either as a Richard is “brought in and co-opted Germany’s highest honour for bravery, blood for ink, sacrifice for phrase, and remorseful meditation on Jünger’s role by power is interesting for anyone came to feel that preserving pre- sword for pen”. The Storm of Steel, in developing Nazi culture or as a going through the Third Reich,” and modern codes of soldierly conduct admired by Hitler and Goebbels, was surreptitious plea to resist so The Glass Bees becomes a was impossible in the face of the included as recommended reading in technological barbarism by returning cautionary tale. Neaman, on the other mechanisation and mass mobilisation the Third Reich’s school curriculum. to the goals and methods of the old hand, sees Jünger’s later novels as “the

used to carry out war’s carnage. Yet for all his seeming support of the German right. most popular version of messages to ○○○○○○○○○○○ AARON○○○○○ RETICA Jünger and the Politics of Literature In 1920, Jünger published one of Nazi Party, Jünger never joined it. In The novel’s narrator is an the faithful,” bagatelles for rnst Jünger’s early writings on After Nazism (California), suggests his finest books, the brutal war 1939, he published the novel On the unemployed veteran, Captain Richard, reactionaries—perhaps even signals to technology, war, and death that in his allegorical novels, Jünger memoir The Storm of Steel. Battle Marble Cliffs, which many interpreted raised in the glorious traditions of a hibernate and wait for the eearned him the admiration of presaged the Internet and the rootless, here was a worthwhile “inner as a thinly veiled indictment of the distinctly Prussian army. Captain technological and emotional self- Adolf Hitler and Joseph Goebbels, networked culture of Silicon Valley. If experience”, a genuine and thrilling vulgar direction totalitarianism was Richard has fallen on hard times destruction of the modern world. and the command of a firing squad in so, it was an ironic act of foresight proving ground. Still, the extremes of taking in Germany—and as a because of his honour-bound code of Here, Zapparoni represents not WWII. His later, sceptical ideas for a man who disdained even the modern warfare suggested to Jünger mocking caricature of Hermann ethics is out of tune with modern ways, fascism but decadent corporatist about modern technology found most widespread modern that the factory model had finally Göring and Goebbels. Jünger so he is receptive when a fellow veteran democracy, and Captain Richard, one expression in his futuristic post-war inventions, including cars, which he caught up with the front lines, with “understood democracy as a offers to help get him a security job of the faithful, does whatever is novels. One of these startling works, refused to drive. devastating effects on men and the totalitarian phenomenon,” Nevin working for the inventor Zapparoni. necessary to survive, even if it means The Glass Bees (New York Review In the course of his long life (he true warrior ethic. According to argues, and “he interpreted the Third (In his introduction to The Glass Bees, being corrupted. Books), depicts a barbarous near- died at the age of 102 in 1998), Jünger Neaman, Jünger saw “the coming Reich in the same terms.” Cultivating the cyberpunk novelist Bruce Sterling Whether his technological future in which “human perfection shifted restlessly from one intellectual technologies and how important they a deeply anti-modern aristocratic suggests that the inventor can be read explorations were a sound response and technical perfection are phase to the next: from aristocratic- would be.” He adds: “Jünger was elitism, he felt superior to mass as “a hybrid of Bill Gates and Walt to Germany’s awful history or an incompatible.” In today’s heady minded foe of the Weimar Republic deeply reactionary, but he’s the kind movements on the left and the right. Disney.”) Captain Richard interviews invitation to repeat it is, perhaps, a atmosphere of technological to “national Bolshevik” reactionary, of reactionary who really wants to Because of his good standing with for the job at Zapparoni’s home, a question that Jünger himself could enthusiasm, a revival of interest in from “inner emigrant” during World understand what he’s up against.” The Hitler, Jünger was not punished for former monastery turned tech not have answered. When Nevin Jünger’s work is underway. War II to science-fiction novelist, airplane, mustard gas, mass writing On the Marble Cliffs, and wonderland where, among other met him, he asked why evil had Elliot Neaman, a historian at the from psychedelic-drug enthusiast to mobilisation—the very scale and continued to have reservations about inventions, Zapparoni keeps a been at the heart of his work. University of San Francisco and the nonagenarian diarist, all the while sophistication of the killing— the Nazis, in part because he began to collection of mobile glass bees. The “Because it is so often hidden,” author of A Dubious Past: Ernst working as an amateur entomologist. threatened the old-fashioned heroism, comprehend what he called “the bees exemplify his technical gift for Jünger replied.  (Lingua Franca) Now, newspaper vending machines Global newspapers on-time, on-line and on-demand, anywhere in the world. ravellers, expatriates and others won’t now have to read yesterday’s edition of their favourite or hometown newspaper. tPEPC Worldwide, a Dutch firm, will now distribute digital content from the world’s most influential newspapers via satellite to self-contained interactive Newspaper Vending Units (NVU), capable of printing same-day editions of newspapers on-demand within minutes. PEPC has already installed the first of these NVUs in Amsterdam, and aims to become the global standard for print- on-demand applications within two years of operation. PEPC offers world-wide distribution of newspapers through a network of satellites to local electronic NVUs around the world. The PEPC Central System in the Netherlands receives the latest edition of newspapers every hour, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in digital format. The digital newspapers are then distributed by satellite uplink to PEPC NVUs around the globe. Once a day Management Information System data is uploaded from all NVUs through a private telephone line network. The PEPC NVU is a self-contained machine that is easy to use and both environmentally and user-friendly. The reader, in his/her native language, is prompted through four simple steps on the colour touch-screen of the Unit. The screen also serves to inform or assist the consumer with video images while the printing takes place. Specially developed software ensures that the latest same- day edition of the selected newspaper is available in its familiar layout. The newspapers are printed in A3 format with a high-quality printer linked to a quick two-head stapler. For payment, the Unit is equipped with a card reader, suitable for all the popular credit cards. To develop the revolutionary same-day electronic newspaper distribution and publishing concept PEPC, Publishers Electronic Printing Concept, has established strategic partnerships with IBM and Xerox, and the publishers of the world’s leading newspapers. The first Units were installed in the Holiday Inn Hotel and Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, both in Amsterdam. Raoul Maphar, CEO of PEPC Worldwide says: “International travellers and global business executives sacrifice the comforts of home. Now, they no longer have to settle for yesterday’s news, but are able to read the latest edition of their favourite hometown newspaper. Our aim is to install the Units at hotels, airports, amusement parks—wherever international travellers congregate .”  Nepali Times is also available through PEPC Newspaper Vending Units. WORLD 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 131313 COMMENT by EDUARDO GALEANO

authorised the sale of this milk protest the damage it does to the without mention of this fact on the ecosystem, the agitator/organiser Jose The age of Frankenstein label, because hormones stimulate Bove became a national hero, a new growth and increase production, and Asterix, who stated in his defence: MONTEVIDEO - In his novel Brave thirty years ago in his film 2001: A more production means more profit. “When were we, the farmers and the New World, Aldous Huxley Space Odyssey, today we eat And it’s the health of the economy consumers, consulted about this?” predicted the assembly-line chemical food. We are part of a that comes first. The government, which had arrested production of human beings. procession of abbreviations: after Anyway, even when Monsanto him, withdrew its authorisation of the Embryos would be developed in DDT and PCBs, which were finally is required to admit what it’s cultivation of biotech corn. test tubes according to their banned after it became known, selling, nothing much changes. A Of course the Europeans have future social functions, from years ago, that they caused more few years ago the company had to other reasons to distrust technocrats’ those created to command to cancer than comfort, it was GM’s pay a fine for “seventy-five inexact manoeuvres on their dinner tables. those made for servitude. turn. And now GMs from the United mentions” on the cans of its They are still shaken by their recent Now, seventy years later, States, Canada, and Argentina are poisonous herbicide “Roundup”. experience with mad cows. For the biogenetics promises us, as a sort of invading the whole world, and we are The company was given a special thousands of years that cows lived off millennium gift, a new human race. all the guinea pigs in these bulk rate and paid a mere $3000 grass and grain, their behaviour was Altering the genetic code for gastrological experiments of the per lie. impeccable and they accepted their generations to come, science will major laboratories. The Europeans are the only ones fate with resignation. Then our insane produce beings that are intelligent, In reality, we don’t even know who are defending themselves, or at current system forced them into beautiful, healthy, and perhaps what we eat. Except for a few least trying to. The import of GM cannibalism. Cows ate cows and grew immortal, depending on how much exceptions, the labels on the foods products is prohibited in certain cases fatter, rendered humanity more meat money the parents have to spend. The despotism of science will produce genetically- we buy don’t tell us whether their and subject to regulation in others. and milk, won the applause of the

Nobel laureate James Watson, who modified people just as it does foods. ingredients have been genetically Since 1998, for example, the European markets and encomiums from their ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ discovered the structure of DNA ○○○○○ modified (GM). Monsanto, the Union has required clear labelling on owners—and went stark raving mad. and heads the Human Genome wish to have, just as “great breeders try the future will produce superbabies main provider of these products, genetically-modified soy products. But People made a lot of jokes about Project, preaches a despotism of to match a breed of dog to the needs of like these geniuses. Today the doesn’t include this detail on its it is hard to put this good intention this—until they started to die from it. science. Watson refuses to accept a family”. Lester Thurow, economist at improvement of the species doesn’t labels, even in the case of milk into practice: the trace of this In 1996 the British Ministry of any limit on the manipulation of the Massachusetts Institute of require the gas chambers that from cows that have been treated substance is lost when combined with Agriculture informed the population human reproductive cells, either on Technology and the successful theorist Germany employed to purify its with transgenic growth hormones, other ingredients. According to that animal feed made from animal research or on commerce. He says: of success, asks who would turn down race, nor the surgery that the United which according to studies Greenpeace, GM soy is present in 60 blood, fat, and gelatin was safe for “We have to stay away from rules the chance to programme a child with States, Sweden, and other countries published in The Lancet, Science, percent of all the processed food sold cattle and not harmful to human and regulations.” greater intelligence. “And if you don’t,” use to prevent low-quality human The International Journal of Health in supermarkets around the world. health. Bon appetit!  (IPS) Gregory Pence, a professor of he argues, “your neighbours will, and models from reproducing. The world Services, and others are a cause of The attitude of the Europeans was Eduardo Galeano, an Uruguayan medical ethics at the University of your child will be the stupidest in the will manufacture genetically-modified breast and prostate cancer. shaped under the pressure of public journalist, is author of Memories of Alabama, is an advocate of the right neighbourhood.” people just as it does foods. Nonetheless, the US Food and opinion. When French farmers set fire Fire and The Open Veins of Latin of parents to pick the children they If we are lucky, the nurseries of As Stanley Kubrick predicted Drug Administration has to the silos of transgenic corn to America. Reforms and other lies of the land The World Bank, UN agencies and donor nations are excited by market-driven land reform. But this may not alleviate rural poverty or lead to agricultural reform. of land. The government would get But the World Bank-inspired landowners to dump less desirable impair the land reform process together with other players and, New-wave land reform programme in plots in return for immediate cash, in Brazil”. identifying regions where land is the northeastern states of Brazil has protecting their prime holdings—idle The Bank is also targeted by the available for distribution, organise land run into criticism and protest. The or not—from disappropriation,” says Peasant Movement of the markets. Since this market by itself Cedula da Terra project, designed by 50 Years is Enough, which campaigns Philippines (KMP) for influencing would not be sufficient to transfer the Bank in conjunction with the for winding up of the Bank and its the half-hearted land reform land to the poor, the state would Brazilian government, began in 1997 sister organisation, the International programme of former President provide loans and institutional as a three-year project with a loan of Monetary Fund. In 1998 the National Corazon Aquino. KMP accuses services to establish their rights to $90 million from the Bank and $60 Forum for Agricultural Reform and Aquino’s Comprehensive Agrarian the land. “It is important to draw million from Brazil. “The project pays Justice in Rural Areas, an umbrella Reform Programme (CARP) of distinctions between confiscatory, for land in cash rather than in 20-year organisation of Brazil’s rural never intending to “distribute land statist or top-down approaches and bonds. It allows landowners to workers, filed a formal request with to the poor and landless peasants, the New-wave land reform: negotiate prices and determine which the World Bank, claiming “the let alone shatter feudal rule in the decentralised, market-friendly, with plots to sell. Cedula da Terra allows project will harm family farmers and countryside”.  (Gemini) support from and involvement of civil-society action with consensus,”

the IFAD report says. Antarctic ice cap thinning ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Global poverty-reduction targets ○○○○○○○○ are clearly not being met. Thirty British scientists have detected ominous signs of the million people a year should have been ice thinning in west Antarctica. The continent’s biggest released from poverty for the 2015 glacier, which has been systematically measured for the target to be met. IFAD says the figure last eight years, has lost a 10-metre thickness of ice is no more than 10 million a year. and retreated five km inland. If the thinning goes on at Since 75 percent of extreme poverty that rate, the entire glacier could disappear into the occurs in rural areas, IFAD says that ocean within a few hundred years. The region holds enough ice to raise worldwide sea levels the whole question be looked at in the by five metres, flooding coastal cities such as London, New York, Tokyo, and Calcutta. context of the rural world. “Current An international panel of climate scientists last week confirmed that the Arctic ice sheet

NEVILLE DE SILVA IN LONDON ○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○ behind the target set by world leaders development efforts grossly and had thinned by 40 percent because of global warming in the northern hemisphere—but said fter years of suffering neglect because rural poverty is not addressed. increasingly neglect agriculture and there were so far no signs of similar thinning near the south pole. But researchers from at the hands of international ‘New-wave’ land reform—the rural people,” says Dr Michael Lipton, London’s University College and the British Antarctic Survey report in Science that the Pine afinancial institutions, land redistribution of land through director of the Poverty Research Unit Island glacier, the largest in the west Antarctic, has lost 32 cubic kilometres of ice over a 5,000 reform is suddenly back on the decentralised, market-based means—is at Sussex University, who co-authored sq km area since 1992. The glacier is one of the fastest in the world, flowing at 8 metres a day. development agenda. The World a cost-effective strategy to reduce the report. “For the past 25 years there has been speculation about whether a retreat of a west Bank and major donor nations are poverty through creating small family Between 1987-98 agricultural aid Antarctic glacier could accelerate ice flow from its interior, producing rise in sea level,” said singing its praises. But it is a sanitised farms,” says IFAD. to low-income or least developed Andrew Shepherd of UCL, who led the study. Scientists said the discovery added weight to the version they advocate, not the land The ‘New-wave’ reform mirrors countries, which account for over 85 argument that small changes at the coast of the continent—such as the effects of global reform of the past under which recent World Bank ideas. Rogier van percent of the world’s poor, shrank by warming—could be transmitted swiftly inland, leading to an acceleration of sea level rise. governments nationalised land and den Brink and Klaus Deininger of the two thirds. John Madeley, a writer There had also been dramatic losses of ice in the Larsen ice shelf, on the other side of the distributed it among the landless and World Bank wrote last year: “Land specialising in agricultural issues, says: Antarctic. But researchers were not yet confident that these two things added up to evidence of poor or simply bought it from their reform is more likely to result in “When rural families—small-scale global warming around the continent. wealthy owners for a low price. poverty reduction if it harnesses (rather farmers—have land and secure control The Antarctic contains 90 percent of the world’s snow and ice. The mountain glaciers in the The flavour of the times is than undermines) the operation of land over that land, they are likely to grow west get the worst blizzards and some of the harshest cold on the planet. The zone is too market-oriented land reform, as markets and is implemented in a more food and see their incomes rise.” hostile for any research station, and scientists had to base their information on satellite explained by a United Nations decentralised fashion.” Markets are the Landlessness and poverty go hand-in- studies and aerial surveys. agency, the International Fund for best arbiter of supply and demand of hand in Ethiopia, Chile, China, Ivory Pine Island glacier starts at an altitude of 2,500m, and its frozen tributaries gather into a Agricultural Development (IFAD), in goods and services, and stress the need Coast and Tanzania. And extreme land massive river of gradually accelerating ice, 25 km wide and 150 km long, which reaches the its Global Poverty Report for 2001. for “consensual arrangements” between inequality leaves the poor with few sea in a wall 750m high. “It is a very, very fast glacier, one of the fastest in Antarctica,” said Dr IFAD urges that land reform be buyers and sellers, which would options in Kenya, South Africa, Shepherd. “It starts at around 100m a year and the ice flows into it gradually. Alpine glaciers hastened as a means of reducing eliminate conflicts arising from Zimbabwe, northeast Brazil, and parts generally travel at no more than 50m a year and this one travels at 2,500m a year.” (Guardian) global poverty which has fallen far nationalisation or forcible occupation of India and the Philippines. 141414 ASIA 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES Dangerous waters

Pirates struck 75 times in the Malacca Strait last

○○○○○○○ RUSSELL○○○○○○○○○ BARLING

he Global Mars, an ageing, year, compared with two the year before.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ modest-sized tanker bound for ○○○○○○ tIndia with 6,000 tonnes of palm oil products, was making up the 18 startled sailors, bound last week. Twenty-six people are during daylight, to eliminate the good time. and blindfolded them, and missing. Piracy rose by 56 percent risk of having to anchor outside After 20 hours of watching her transferred them to the hold of the last year to 469 incidents, of ports, waiting for pilots.” bow cut a path from Port Kelang waiting boat. which 119 were reported in Pirates struck 75 times in the in Malaysia through the busy There they remained for 11 Indonesian waters, hostages being Malacca Strait last year, compared waters of the Malacca Strait, the days while their captors anchored taken in 46 of the latter incidents. with two the year before. It makes Burmese pilot’s focus had begun to the Global Mars at sea, repainted Even those attacks which do an inviting target: 90 percent of waver. He had already weaved his her, renamed her Bulawan, and not result in loss of life or hostage- Malaysia’s trade by volume CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. COMMERCIAL CRIMES SECTION INTERNATIONAL way through the 200-odd sailed her into a pre-selected port, taking are becoming increasingly traverses through it and it is 1,000 commercial vessels that ply the carrying forged identity papers and violent, the IMB’s deputy director, miles shorter than alternative routes 500-mile waterway daily. flying a Honduran flag, to unload Capt Jayant Abhyankar, said. from the Persian Gulf to the Pacific. As night fell he continued 3,500 tonnes of their booty. It was “These pirates are extremely Its 2,700 miles of coastline is pock- Pirate attacks in the Asia-Pacific region in 2000. northwest at 12 knots into the the kind of a professionalism brutal. They terrorise the crews, marked with bays, inlets and Andaman Sea, off the coast of exhibited only by organised crime beat them, shoot them and lock tributaries that make perfect hideouts. has also had some influence, by offence being committed in Chinese Thailand. The strait’s narrowest syndicates. them up for long periods, during Some experts believe that changes in reducing the demand for some black- waters, despite an array of munitions passage, where most of Asia’s On the 12th day the crew which they are in constant fear for regional economics drove piracy from market goods, Capt Abhyankar said. on board. pirates lurk, had long dipped were dumped into an open boat their lives.” On the Global Mars, its mid-1990s hotbed in the HLH Because smuggling has become less This, Capt Abhyankar said, below the horizon. The 17 other and set adrift with minimal when one of the crew locked triangle (Hong Kong-Luzon-Hainan profitable, the crime syndicates which illustrates the problems faced by the members of the crew were relaxing rations. After five days in the himself in his cabin the pirates Island) further south into and around used to control the waterways IMB. There are jurisdictional hurdles in their cabins. Andaman Sea they were found off fired shots into the air, telling him the straits. “The after-effects of the jealously have moved on, allowing to overcome before prosecuting, and Silently, an unlit fishing vessel the coast of Phuket. they would continue killing his financial crisis was definitely a factor petty criminals to flourish. In May, some countries, including Singapore, glided up to the stern. A masked Horrifying though their ordeal mates if he did not come out. in the rise of piracy in southeast four months after the Global Mars was Malaysia and Indonesia, have no laws man threw a shrouded grappling may have been, they were A spokesman for the cruise Asia,” said David Tan, executive hijacked, the Bulawan was found governing piracy. “Piracy is a growing hook over the rail and clambered fortunate. Last year 72 crew and company Maersk-Sealands said: director of the Singapore Shipping anchored off Zhuhai, southern China. problem and very difficult to aboard, lowering a rope to the passengers were killed in pirate “We have had some incidents with Association. “Indonesia’s ongoing The authorities, tipped off by the prosecute,” he said. “The UN has many waiting hands below. attacks, 40 of them in southeast charters in southeast Asia in the political instability has not allowed IMB, arrested the 11 Filipinos and said it may get involved, we hope Within minutes the pirates, Asia, according to the past. Our scheduling is now it to recover from that as quickly as nine Burmese nationals on board, but they do. It may be time for the masked and armed with guns and International Maritime Bureau’s arranged to make sure all our some of its northern neighbours.” just as promptly released them. They Security Council to have a look at annual report on piracy, released metre-long swords, had rounded vessels only arrive and depart The global liberalisation of trade said there was no evidence of any this.”  (Guardian)

Panda flies from Japan to Mexico ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ TOKYO – A team of Japanese zoo keepers and Ling Ling, a giant panda, travelled last week to a breeding Covering the quake programme in Mexico. The giant panda has become a SHYAM PAREKH

IN BHACHAU, GUJARAT symbol for international organisations campaigning for ○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ don’t know whether I should wait for hen the 26 January the rescue worker to pull her out or the protection of endangered species. According to the earthquake hit Gujarat, the take my nephew to hospital,” he said. World WiIdlife Fund for Nature (WWF), there are currently w national and international There was a cinema, where now about 1,000 pandas media made an instant beeline for only the screen stands—an eerie in the wild in China, Bhuj, the ill-equipped headquarters of epitaph to the mass grave below. and some 114 in the flattened district of Kutch. The Slowly some ambulances and cars captivity, 99 in epicentre of the earthquake lay some began arriving but by then it was clear Chinese zoos. 20 km north-east of the town. that not many would be found alive. For Japan, Within hours, visuals and news Most of the survivors had left the which acquired its reports about the utter destruction of town in any case. Tremors still first pair of pandas the town had reached all corners of occurred, shaking debris, vehicles and from China in 1972, the world—through the Internet, people. Here, the devastation was Ling Ling’s trip radio, press and television. In turn, aid complete, much greater than what inspires both hope agencies, alerted in time, were able to was shown on the television or and apprehension. respond rapidly and in proportion to published in the newspapers. “Ling Ling is the the scale of the disaster. But there was This tragedy is far from over. sole survivor in a downside to this, as the state What I have written is based on what Ueno zoo,” explains government, the federal I could gather from the few towns Fukuharu administration and aid agencies all that were approachable immediately Sugimoto, one of channelled their aid to Bhuj. after the earthquake. Even on 1 the panda’s For the next 48 hours—the February, a full week after the quake, keepers. The 15-year-old male panda was born in a critical period for saving lives—the nobody knew the fate of the hundreds successful artificial insemination programme in China. world and the rest of India saw the of villages spread over the expanse It will be on loan to Mexico, which has only three female disaster only in terms of a handful of of the 45,000 sq km Kutch district, pandas. The first cub born will be sent to Ueno Zoo and Aerial view of the centre of Bhachau, Gujarat urban centres: Bhuj, some of the other which had a population of nearly Mexico will keep the second. The San Diego zoo, the nine towns in Kutch, and Ahmedabad, Reporters rushed to cover Bhuj and 1.5 million. sponsor of this effort, is entitled to one cub. Last March, Gujarat’s largest city. But there are ignored villages—a mistake that may have This need not have been so. Just a a sperm sample from Ling Ling was sent to Mexico but 884 villages in Kutch, which also little disaster preparedness would have produced nothing. If the current trip does not work out, happens to be India’s second largest led to thousands of preventable deaths. helped save thousands of lives. Having Mexico will dispatch a female panda to Tokyo.

district! Surely, an earthquake of this ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ coped with three drought years in the Wildlife experts see the project differently. “Wild magnitude—at least 7.7—would and Bhachau, from where I reported, earthquake, there was no one, 1980s, a devastating cyclone in animals are best protected in their natural habitat,” says have affected these villages. And had simply ceased to exist. Relatives barring a few local volunteers, to 1998 and the subsequent floods, Makiko Mizuno of WWF Japan. Mizuno believes that the surely aid should have been spread rushing in from different parts of provide relief. A few local the Gujarat administration should illegal trade of wildlife is also to blame for the panda all over the district. the country and the world, carrying policemen and doctors did whatever not have been caught by surprise. crisis. She points to Japan’s foot-dragging on the ban Immediately upon receiving news addresses of their relatives, were they could—heroically under the The criticism might appear too on the import of Chinese medicinal herbs that contain of the quake the state machinery shell-shocked to learn that none of circumstances, for every one of extreme but as a reporter rendered tiger products or bears’ gall bladders as an example of should have dispatched small teams to the addresses existed any longer. them had faced personal tragedy. homeless by the earthquake I feel how even protected animals such as the tiger and bear, all corners of the district and There were no buildings—or streets The first bulldozer entered the shock. Along with my face the threat of extinction. conducted an aerial survey. By the or roads. Bhachau after 6 pm on 27 January. By colleagues at the Times of India in China has had a WWF panda programme for over a same evening they could have had a Those who had survived were in a then only a few people had been Ahmedabad, I work from an office decade—wild pandas are bred in an environment as good estimate of where aid was daze. Those still able to move about pulled out alive—by locals who had building that was still being shaken close to its natural habitat so the animals can be needed most, and directed aid helped cremate dead bodies, burning chosen to stay back. The survivors by daily tremors a week after the released to the wild. However, experts acknowledge the agencies accordingly. them with kerosene, wood, petrol, included an advocate who lit the earthquake. going is tough because it is difficult to return animals As it happened, with the media, diesel, plastic, rubber, paper— funeral pyre of his wife and a daughter Such mismanagement is bred in captivity to the wild and because development officials and aid agencies concentrating anything that would burn. In on the night of 27 January, after particularly ironic in a country programmes are rapidly encroaching on natural on Bhuj, people in the villages were Bhachau, funeral pyres were lit on the dragging their bodies out of what was where business management habitats. left to the mercy of nature—to die roads. The sight of so many charred their home and then rigging up the institutes attract thousands every Japan is eagerly awaiting news of Ling Ling’s visit to under the debris of their own homes. and half-burnt bodies was pyre on the street outside. “Still there year and whose business Mexico. Panda hysteria is such among the Japanese The conditions in these places were unbearable—and this was just the day is another daughter buried inside and I management gurus are exported all that people will pay $1,000 for a small panda statue. (IPS) dire. Small towns like Anjar, Rapar after the quake. Thirty hours after the am feeding her with water and food. I around the world.  (Gemini) FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 151515 The mafia has a stranglehold over business RNA can crush automatic weapons, the Maoists Lauda costs Rs

insurgency have also felt the need for self-

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ loading rifles. According to the 110 mn a month ○○○○○○○○ (Excerpts from an interview with leading industrialist Mohan Gopal Khetan leftist leader Padma Ratna ○○○○○○○○ Deshantar, 4 February Budhabar Saptahik, 31 January Punarjagaran, 30 January) Tuladhar, in case no talks take place between the government and A report prepared by the Royal Royal Nepal Airline Corporation How do you assess the economic situation of the country? insurgents, rebels might get time to It is not very good. Industrialists do not feel confident enough to invest here. Nepal Army (RNA) after (RNAC) employees have acquire more weapons. “From what There is a mafia-like group that wants to make fast money through any means. conducting a survey in Rolpa, demanded that the Lauda Air plane I have heard, the arms mafia has The country’s economy is in the hands of this group; industrialists and the Rukum, Salyan and Jajarkot says that has been leased for 18 months contacted the rebels with the business community in general have no say about the nation’s economy. Unless only 20-30 percent of the people be sent back immediately. They intention of selling them modern the industrialists and business community are allowed a certain amount of living in these areas have joined the state that this deal is not in the freedom there will be no improvement in the economy. weapons saying that they will MIN BAJRACHARYA insurgency on their own free will. country’s interests and fear that if Currently, a vast portion of the business community’s earnings slips away to the government in the form of accept payment later. If there are According to a source in the RNA the plane is not returned revenue and bank interest, and the rest goes to pay wages. If you follow the trends of the last three months, no talks before the Armed Police most people are supporting the immediately, there is very little you will that all the industries are running up losses. The performance of the share markets and the reports of Force is sent to action, a civil war Maoists out of fear of retribution chance of RNAC surviving in the the FNCCI suggest that the economic scenario of the country is bleak. will break out in the country,” said and pressure. The source says 2-3 near future. Tuladhar. How do you suggest the industrial sector in the country be improved? percent of Maoists are elderly In a press conference First of all, political interference in the industrial sector must end. Currently, politics and industry are infringing The Maoists too claim to be in people who have joined up of their organised yesterday, the Nepal on each other’s territory. Politicians try to use business to serve their interests, and the business community the process of acquiring modern own free will and that the rest are Airlines Pilot Association tries to influence politicians. The business community is taking far too much interest in politics. Secondly, I weaponry. “Rebel commander mostly youngsters. Unemployed (NAPA) and the RNAC think that we are the victims of a misconception. We have developed a habit of contacting New Delhi for Baburam Bhattarai is worried that youth find the job of an insurgent Employees’ Union stated that whatever occurs. In the case of China, talking to Tibet can solve problems—we don’t need to rush to Beijing. once his forces get their hands on attractive. “The Maoists even leasing the Lauda Air aircraft has When Sher Bahadur Deuba visited China, I was part of the business delegation. Beijing said that since modern weaponry they might think Tibet is our neighbour, we should talk to Tibet if problems in trade occur, and that only policy problems should provide a salary to the young,” said placed a extra financial burden of like the army,” say Maoists sources. be referred to Beijing. They told us that if the trade agreement reflects the interests of people on both sides of the source. almost Rs 110 million per month The rebels, entering their the border, no trade problems would arise. On the contrary, New Delhi has never displayed this courtesy. I The report, which the source on RNAC. sixth year of insurgency, are also believe if India adopts a similar policy, many trade problems will be solved—whether issues of customs or the says took one year to prepare, NAPA general secretary preparing to end the government expanding market for our products. UP and Bihar are our main concern, but we sign agreements with New places the blame squarely on Yuvraj Kumar Bhattarai and administration in Rukum, Rolpa, Delhi. Our neighbours, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, then decline to comply and as a result the Nepali business government’s weakness and failure Badri Bahadur Karki jointly community is made to suffer. and Jajarkot and start their own to control the insurgency. The army stated that the earlier Boeing I believe that Nepal should first take the UP and Bihar governments into confidence. If we manage to rule. An FM radio station is on source also claims that the military 767-300 ER RNAC had leased expand our market to the 400 million people along the Nepal-India border, our industry and business will its way to announce the forma- can easily bring the situation under for 10 years cost Rs 850-900 boom. New Delhi’s concern is only external affairs, defence and other policy issues. As far as commerce is tion of their government. But the control but that the government million annually, but the Lauda concerned, we should review our policy of approaching the UP or Bihar governments. leaders are discussing the issue, should set the stage to use the Air plane would cost RNAC Rs It was once claimed that political instability is costing Nepali commerce heavily. Now, we have political the source said. stability but business and commerce have failed to grow. Times have changed. In the last 10-15 years there army. “To use the army, the 1.34 billion, a cost the airline To make their strategy last the have been political changes. There is crisis of confidence in the political and commerce sectors—corruption is government must declare a military cannot bear. rebels are thinking of creating a rampant, underhand dealings are the norm. As a result the non-commercial sector has become very programme in the region,” said the According to them, RNAC united front in the centre and influential in industry. A non-industrial group was granted the Upper Karnali licence and a luggage loader at source. According to the Military can function adequately with involving opposition parties where RNAC has become its promoter. In this situation how do you expect economic growth? Act 1962, in case military rule is three aircraft and the fourth one required, bringing the revolution to announced, all cases looked after by was not needed at all. In fact, it You have claimed that the business community is losing and that politicians have gained control over the streets and making the the civil courts will be handled by has become a burden on the money. Can you explain? insurgency constitutional. The the military court except those of RNAC. According to the It is not my claim alone. Whether it is the issue of shares or the Nepali Congress convention, millions of long-term plan is to put the homicide and rape. To use the agreement, if the aircraft needs rupees are diverted. Leaders who could hardly garner 100 votes chartered a plane or reserved tens of vehicles. government under siege from all army, the region must be declared a repair, a replacement plane will Where do you think the money came from? It is simply a show of wealth acquired by unjustifiable means. As I sides. Since the start of the riot-hit region, after which the civil not be sent over by Lauda, and mentioned before, politicians have become businessmen. There is no room for genuine businessmen. If insurgency on 13 March, 1996, the people in power interfere with the commercial sector, the powerless businessmen cannot survive competition. administration will automatically be the RNAC will have to pay Maoists have been stepping up Those who have mafia connections can open an LC today and deliver consignments by the evening. The next transferred to the army. Habeas $7,000 per day for repairs. their activities every anniversary. day, they are ready for more business. It is only these people who can survive in business today. corpus all other civil rights will be Although it has been stated in the discontinued. agreement that it will cost only It is rumoured that the Marwari community has been targeted in Kathmandu. The fact that Maoists have PM’s messenger $3,350 per hour to lease the

No, this is not the case. Of course, windowpanes were shattered during the riots. Processions were taken out declared their own government in at Oli’s house plane, if actual costs and other

○○○○○○○○○○ under the banner of the NC, CPN-UML and the Nine Left groups. But what we should understand is that small ○○○○○○ certain regions is an attempt against hidden costs are taken into groups that tailed the genuine processions were responsible for the vandalism. The Marwari community has sovereignty. Because this is not a Jana Aastha, 31 January become synonymous with wealth, and when the poor are hungry, the rich are often targeted. consideration, it works out to common riot situation but one that over $5,000 per hour. So instead of interpreting the incident as a communal outburst, the poor should be given employment. questions sovereignty itself, the The government did nothing to protect the Marwari community for three days. During the Panchayat regime, when the Jansewa Cinema was burnt, King Mahendra personally visited the site and suspended the Zonal army, which is at the disposal of the Deuba-UML in Chief Bishnu Mani Acharya. This time around the government remained tight-lipped and reluctant. It is government, may be utilised.

natural for the Marwari community to feel insecure in such a situation. After the formation of the secret parleys ○○○○○○○○ Armed Police Force, the question of ○○○○○○○○ Prakash Saptahik, 29 January Do you provide the Maoists with donations? whether to use the army or not has I have never been forced to donate to the Maoists for reasons unknown. Four years ago, Baburam Bhattarai definitely moved further away. called and said he would ask for help when needed. But he has not approached me since. Earlier when the Nine Left were While the army chief, Prajwol agitating and demanding the When are you planning to start mobile phone services? Shamsher Rana, has said that the MIN BAJRACHARYA resignation of the Prime How can we begin providing services when the government keeps playing games? The government provided us army will only move in if the Armed Minister, the UML withdrew with the licence to begin mobile phone service and then restrained us. How can a responsible government let Police Force fails, a major general from that agitation and an employee file a writ against the licence after the concerned ministry had already issued the licence? If the has been included in the central employee filed the writ of his own accord, the government could have taken action against the individual. The supported the Koirala regime. security board of the force. government has played dirty regarding the mobile phone licence. Now it has again taken a stand against the Koirala government The UML has decided to ask for Month-long and has asked for his resignation. QUOTE OF THE WEEK the prime minister’s resignation The Nine Left view this action— Maoist violence in the forthcoming session of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and the UML—with suspicion. parliament. They have accused We are not trying to displace the Nepali Congress. We are asking a corrupt Girija Prasad Koirala to resign from Deshantar, 4 February According to sources, a the PM of being inefficient and the post of prime minister. meeting took place recently say that corruption, instead of —Bharat Mohan Adhikari, chief whip of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) in Budhabar, 7 February. between a leader of the UML and The Maoists have declared a being curtailed, is increasing the leader of the anti-Koirala month-long programme of violence daily. Discussion of the Lauda faction in the Nepali Congress, to celebrate the sixth year of their Air issue features prominently in Sher Bahadur Deuba, in insurgency. Sources close to the the UML’s plan of action. The Kathmandu. The agenda of the Maoists said they plan to increase UML had asked for the PM’s meeting was how to demand activities in the eastern and mid- resignation late last month, and Koirala’s resignation. The silence western regions of the country. immediately after that, on 29 of UML heavyweight Oli has They also said that the special rebel January, the PM spoke over the added to the mystery. According task forces deployed in these areas phone with UML leader KP Oli. to a source close to Oli, the UML would be upgraded to that of a The conversation lasted at the leader is sick at present. But he company and that they might attack most five minutes. Immediately thinks that even if Koirala goes and any strategically and geographically after this conversation, at around Deuba steps into the PM’s slot, weak district headquarters. 9pm, the PM sent his secretary, this will not stop the present chaos Likewise, the campaign against the Gokarna Poudel, to meet Oli at and therefore feels that any step of mandatory teaching of Sanskrit in his place. Gokarna went to meet the UML has to be thought out schools and the singing of the Oli in a car with private plates. very carefully and taken cautiously. national anthem already on in the As soon as Madhav Kumar Nepal In the meanwhile, Madhav Kumar far-west will be extended to the got wind of this conversation and Nepal, who is vocally demanding eastern and mid-western regions Gokarna’s visit to Oli, he rushed the PM’s resignation, is out of the once the insurgency enters its back to the capital from Bara, the Valley. This has led to the UML sixth year. very next day. Unfortunately, “No, go that way. All of you will be satisfied. Then it will be difficult.” (The banner reads: Nepali and its leaders still not being able With the formation of the new Nepal could only reach Congress (Dissatisfied). The sign says: Cabinet Reshuffle) to finalise their course of action. Armed Police Force, with its Kathmandu the following day. Himalaya Times, Daily, 4 February 2001 trained manpower and semi-

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 161616 CULTURE 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES SAVING FAITH by DESMOND DOIG NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA ‘NO GREATER LITERATURE THAN REALITY’ A victim of the Indra Bahadur Rai n the heart of Kathmandu, where streets old and new meet in a small Many years ago, someone who knows much isquare known as Indra Chowk, is a about modern Nepali literature—and views temple of uncertain date dedicated to much of it in a critical light—told me, rather crossly, not to bother Akash Bhairab, or the Bhairab of the with too many writers, to just go straight to Indra Bahadur Rai’s sky. The present structure, but for its Mahabharata work and to translate that if I had the capacity to. When I finally powerful embellishments, is much like read Rai’s Aaja Ramita Chha (There’s a Commotion Today) an old Nepali house; tiled, two some time ago, I found that my cross and critical adviser was storeyed, with a row of shops on the right: if I had the time and linguistic dexterity, I would take on this ground floor. The square is a meeting novel to translate. place for just about everybody, from Aaja Ramita Chha is, without a doubt, one of the most Kathmandu, the surrounding valley evocative and lively novels I have read in any language, sketching and the distant mountains, and well- the larger social life of Darjeeling town, and the individual lives of known to visitors from India who pass myriad characters with a deftness and lightness of touch that is it in their perambulations between the both breathtaking and heartrending. The hodge-podge of modern shops and supermarket and Darjeeling Nepali, English, Hindi and Bengali languages the small but enticing shops in the textures the novel with vibrant, everyday inflections. The attention old Asan bazaar where Tibetan that Rai pays to his characters’ smallest gestures and traders sell goodies from Bangkok mannerisms invests them with a rare humanity and individuality. and Hong Kong. This is the kind of novel to read and re-read, savouring all its Until recently, the two handsome stray wisdoms and passing insights. The author’s introduction to metal lions on either side of the the novel contains much to think about for younger writers such entrance door used to provide as myself, and it is this that I present below: convenient display for a fruit vendor who innocently hung bunches of To write a novel one needs some paper and a pen, and one bananas from the gaping jaws or tied a needs some knowledge of life. Knowledge of life consists of shading umbrella to the mane or tail. three parts experience to one part imagination. Our view of life She has been tidied up and in the and the land is formed as age and experience lead us to effort has deprived tourists of a recognise life. That’s the view which makes one write a novel. If splendid photograph. But rickshaws a single story about equal characters is written with five and thelas, happy porters from the separate views, these are in the truest sense five separate hills and tentative pavement shops novels; but if written with a single view, hundred and hundreds of that bloom between the coming and volumes remain but the divergences of a single novel. Others going of policemen, lend a busy charm won’t feel the way I feel about life based on my experience. Thus to Indra Chowk. Within reach are a not everyone has the same view of novel writing. Through shimmering bead market, shops selling experiences and reflection on them—which is, in short, pashmina shawls of every quality, fruit attentiveness—each writer has to slowly, slowly discover this and flower vendors, and flute men. view for himself, and bring it to the fore. Any literary effort These unsung musicians, some of without reflection is only a fanciful pretense, a sham. them quite brilliant, stand under trees I saw that life was moving ahead, but not in an orderly way, made of flutes stuck into bamboo exactly as it should. In a similar way I’ve disarrayed this novel. I poles enticing passers-by with the didn’t see life as a singular concern or the chemical purity of latest Hindi film song or the most one topic and unhindered progress. Love is the mother of all popular tunes of Radio Nepal. Krishna fearing that Yalambar would join the Kauravas, decapitated emotions, one that if handled makes all our emotions and The actual shrine is on the first feelings writhe to life. But even those who run behind it floor, at its centre a large silver mask the king with a blow so powerful that his masked head flew across undertake other tasks in between which are just as vital in

of God Bhairab stained with the the lower ranges of the Himalaya to come to rest in Kathmandu. understanding life. If this is how things are in life they shouldn’t ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ vermilion and yellow of endless ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ be otherwise in literature. It is said that there shouldn’t be any MIN BAJRACHARYA anointing. Always there are flowers the epic war of the Mahabharata then the battlefield; a mighty figure at the unnecessary character in a novel, but there are such characters and usually the much beloved being fought on the plains of India. head of a terrifying army even among in this novel even though they have no purpose in the story marigold. The eyes of the god are He went suitably attired in the the warring gods and epic mortals because there aren’t only wanted people in the world that I see. turned upward giving emphasis to armour of the times and upon his face about him. Indeed, so powerful was If after having lived together throughout life someone doesn’t the incredible story connected with wore a dazzling silver mask his presence that Lord Krishna affect us at all, that too is a story, an appealing story of a non- the deity. representing Bhairab, Lord of Terror. appeared before him to ask whose side event. Literature reproduces life and the land, but such is the It is told that the first Kirati king, And with him went a seemingly the king and his army had come to philosophy written in refined volumes on reproduction. There is a great warrior by the name of invincible horde of Nepali warriors. join. Yalambar grandly said that he a rage against that philosophy in this novel. There can be no stillness or lack of refinement in the unaltered reproduction of Yalambar, was anxious to take part in One can imagine his appearance on would ally himself to the losing forces. life and the land. There is no greater literature than reality. Whereupon, Krishna fearing that Between drowning in the world’s best oeuvre for three hours and Yalambar would join the simply spending three hours living, the latter contains far more Kauravas, decapitated the king literature. There is no greater literature than existence. with a blow so powerful that his There is a novel on love, it has a story of ‘no love’. Just as masked head flew across the the future remains unknown the strands of the story remain lower ranges of the Himalaya to just as they are. come to rest in Kathmandu. It took me many months to discover my main characters— There is another version of this Indra Chowk today teems with life, scaffolds, Janak, Bhudev, MK, Ravi, etcetera. When I created Janak I took story which has the beheaded and renovation as the Akash Bhairab temple undergoes a complete face-lift. down the details of the good and bad qualities of many people of Yalambar beg of Krishna that his eyes my acquaintance. I had to melt together three people when I be permitted to view the battle until Kathmandu to be any different. made MK. I met ‘Khag Prasad’ in the winter of ’54 at a Chainpur its end. Many versions of the ancient Once a year at the time of the tailor’s shop in Damak bazaar, on the far side of Jhapa district. books, the Puranas, record that this Kumari Jatra which coincides with He had come to have his bag sewn as he was returning to heroic request was granted and only Indra Jatra, the great silver mask of the Dhankuta that day, I had come to have a shirt sewn after having when the war ceased did Yalambar’s Akash Bhairab is enthroned in the lost all my clothes along the way. Both of us were in a rush but head return to Kathmandu. The square below the temple. Thousands the tailor was toothless, his machine was old, so anytime he existing temple in the old bazaar fails come to worship and feed the god so sped up the machine its needle would run off without stitching a in its humble way to match so that his silver face almost disappears thing. We were forced to wait there all day, chatting. A writer stupendous an act, so immortal a beneath countless garlands and must know more about his characters than what he writes, and deed. True, the windows through bouquets and votive offerings. only then can he make the character believable in a few words. which the image can be glimpsed are Aptly, the mask of the Akash Another thing, it’s only possible to write a story about someone beautifully carved and four large gilded Bhairab has been adopted as the that one likes. gryphons, outside the windows, symbol of Nepal’s flag carrier Royal appear to be hurling themselves into Nepal Airlines. And I like to think Indra Bahadur Rai the sky. There are rows of prayer that the god is pleased that his epic Darjeeling lamps along the balcony of the first journey is commemorated every day 18-2-1958 floor and the façade is tricked out by the Kathmandu-Delhi with a variety of porcelain tiles, which Kathmandu flight.  (Note: I have translated the enigmatic shorthand term “ma.sa.a.” used by at a glance appear incongruous but Rai as ‘details:’ if anyone familiar with colloquial Darjeeling Nepali can (Excerpted with permission from grow on one so that it is difficult to inform me otherwise, I am ready to stand corrected). imagine the temple, placed as it is at In the Kingdom of the Gods, HarperCollins, 1999.)

MIN BAJRACHARYA the meeting place of old and new SPORTS 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 111777 the finals of an international tourna- football administrators are now ment. Nepal lost badly, but, “To the fighting like cats and dogs over which boys it was the experience of having faction should take the national team Coach Constantine played in an international game and to Kazakhstan for the qualifiers that

that counted more then the ass- start 21 April. “This is shameful. ○○○○○○○○○○○

ALOK○○○○○ TUMBAHANGPHEY kicking loss,” says the coach. Nepali fans might never get the epali football today faces an Stephen Constantine is the first chance to witness anther World Cup uncertain future, and not football coach ever to be awarded the game here, and what is more the team nbecause of a lack of determina- Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, the would have had all the support they tion among players or lack of money Nepali equivalent of the British could ever want if the games had been and infrastructure to promote the OBE, for his outstanding services to held here,” says Constantine who now sport. The sticking point is who the nation. Modest as ever, he says: has to prepare his team to face Iraq, should lead Nepal’s favourite sport, “I was only doing what I love doing Kazakhstan, and Macao. Any and both the Geeta Rana and and this is the highest award I’ve possibilities of success there? “We Ganesh Thapa factions’ vested ever received.” might be able to face Macao, but the interests are seriously damaging Stephen Constantine Constantine has many more plans. Iraqis and the Kazakhs are too well the game. He now understands the strengths and built for us,” he says pointing out that But before prophesying the “If losing a game weaknesses of football in Nepal, and a well-built physique is a necessary demise of Nepal’s most-loved game, makes us stronger, wants to start coaching players as component of the game. “Not every fans would do well to turn their A jubilant Coach Constantine and his wards after a win in the SAF Games semi-final. young as 12, and also form a federation one is a Maradona,” he says. attention to the manager and coach of playing and move on to coaching. He could make a difference, and he did. I’ll take the loss.” of Nepali coaches. Nepal gets a lot of Constantine’s contract is for a the national team, Stephen attended programmes for aspiring In August 1999 he was in Kathmandu team play decently. What made the aid from the Asian Football three-year term, subject to renewal Constantine. The 38-year-old coaches and earned the English and had two months to prepare the event even more memorable was Confederation (AFC) and FIFA (which every year. He gets a modest salary Londoner started as a forward on his Advanced Licence, the United States national team for the upcoming South Constantine walking into the stadium other sources confirmed as nearly from ANFA—not as high as any club school team and later moved on to Advanced Licence and the UEFA Asian Federation (SAF) Games. “It dressed in daura-suruwal, exuding $250,000 per year) and if those funds in England would willingly pay him, teams in England, Cyprus and the Advanced Licence. was the best thing I ever did,” he says. team spirit and national loyalty. “It are utilised well, Nepali football could but it’s the game that counts. “Nepali United States. Recalls Constantine: Constantine responded to an And it was one of the best things was quite an inspiration when the go a long way. 40 young footballers players are among the most coachable “I was just about making a living in English FA call for coaches for Asia, to have happened to Nepali football, coach entered the stadium in national have been given scholarships to study players I have ever known, but if the the States playing for a number of and was offered a post in Cambodia in something on the order of a minor dress, something not even Nepalis and train in Kathmandu. “But why controversy goes on and people forget pro and semi-pro clubs. I won 1999. But luckily for Nepal, Ganesh miracle, given the state of the wear these days,” says Bikesh Shrestha only 40, why not 400?” asks the the game and think about their own several Championships and even Thapa, then president of the All disillusioned team Constantine started president of the Nepal Football Fan coach. “We have the money, all we pockets I might have to think about Player of the Year once.” Nepal Football Association (ANFA) with. The national team had been Club. Stephen considers the loss in need to do is plan and implement whether I want to stay here after my But his career as a player ended had been petitioning the Asian through a series of coaches and trained the finals a tragedy, one that he those plans. If the people concerned contract,” says he. The coach is when he was involved in a freak Football Confederation for a coach. to differing, sometimes contradictory, remembers everyday. But, he says: “If thought more about what is best for currently in Switzerland undergoing accident during a game between his Constantine, then 36, was offered the standards. It would have been losing a game makes us even stronger, the country then there is so much that training that will make him one of team, the New York Freedoms, and job of manager and coach of the fantastic if Nepal had not lost to I’ll take the loss.” And things did get we could do.” only 55 FIFA instructors. But for now an Italian team. For the 18 months it Nepal Senior National Side, making Bangladesh by one goal in the SAF better. At the under-16 Asian Cup in Due to the ANFA controversy, ANFA should take matters seriously— took him to recover, Constantine gave him perhaps the youngest professional finals, but perhaps what should be Vietnam last year, the Nepali team Nepal lost its chance to host the the future of Nepali football can be his involvement with football serious coach to train a national team in the remembered more than the loss is the made it to the finals, the first time any World Cup Group-6 preliminaries different if Constantine stays on.  thought, and finally decided to give up history of football. He believed he thrill Nepali fans felt, watching their Nepali sports team has qualified for here. Any lessons learnt? Not really— What is Waugh hiding?

MIKE○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ GIBSON By taking the coward’s way out, Mark game, while he may have regained rovided you haven’t had too some of his best form in the autumn

much to drink, you have Waugh continues to raise suspicion. of his career, surely his first priority is ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ p ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ nothing to fear from the to assist authorities to expose the random breath test. The cops pull you There are further investigations. appointed by the ACB, merely wanting scum and the lowlifes who have over. No hassle. You don’t mind Investigations are ongoing. to ask a few questions of a man who shamed themselves and their sport by having your breath analysed when it Investigations never stopped. has already confessed to doing the dragging it into the gutter? Marked Waugh helps to keep lawbreakers off the road. Authorities are continuing to wrong thing by accepting money from By refusing to talk to authorities, So why is Mark Waugh refusing to investigate claims by Indian an illegal bookie during a tour of Sri by taking what has been described as make cameo appearances at hastily- to co-operate with authorities trying blow into the bag, so to speak? bookmaker Mukesh Gupta that Lanka. And what does he do? the coward’s way out, Waugh is in convened media conferences, shakily to clean up the game, he no longer Why is he refusing to co-operate Waugh took in the vicinity of Does he welcome the chance to fact ensuring that the game’s read out brief, prepared statements, deserves to be part of it. The ACB with authorities who are trying to $36,000 from an illegal bookie seven assist the investigator by giving his side reputation is further tarnished. and refuse to submit to any should throw him out of the team weed out lawbreakers in cricket? years ago in Hong Kong. If such a slur of the story, and helping to clean up Speculation will never disappear questioning from the press. until he is prepared to come forward Why, when he could absolve not only were cast against you, if someone the game? No. His lawyers issue a as long as those who are the subject of Now he won’t even read out his and assist in their inquiries. his own reputation but help clean up defamed you in such a way, wouldn’t statement declaring, “Waugh’s focus is it refuse to give evidence that might own statement. He leaves it to the None of us knows if there is a case the game he professes to love, would you be doing everything within your on his commitment to cricket and to clear their names. There will always be lawyers to issue one instead and refuses against Waugh. Yet by his vow of he not assist authorities in every power to prove you are innocent? ensure the game’s reputation is not an odour surrounding Waugh—and, to submit to any questioning from silence it is Waugh who continues to possible way? Why is Mark hiding Some people have to wait further tarnished by endless inquiries by association, Australian cricket and authorities. raise our suspicions. By his reticence behind his lawyers? Why has he put months—even years—to finally have and speculation.” What a load of the Australian team—while he The situation is intolerable. It is to come forward, it is Waugh who up the shutters? Why has he reneged their day in court. Many have had to claptrap. Surely Waugh’s continues to duck for cover and bordering on laughable. If it weren’t so feeds our doubts. In a summer in on the statement he made in fight long and hard for the “commitment to cricket” should be to refuses to cooperate with those trying serious, it would be a joke. What’s the which the Australian team has been November, when he said: “Of course opportunity to stand up and prove to try to help salvage the reputation of the to eradicate the cheats and the crooks point in having a special investigator all-conquering and Waugh has taken I’m willing to co-operate if there are society that they have been hideously game that has been so good to him? who prey on the game. into cricket corruption when the chief so many fine catches, the shame is that further investigations with the ACB or wronged. Here we have the anti- While he may be one of the Waugh’s defence throughout this witness thumbs his nose and refuses to he dropped the one that mattered the ICC.” corruption investigator Greg Melick, outstanding all-round players in the sorry mess has been to sheepishly talk to him? If Waugh isn’t prepared most.  (cricket.com)

sony ad 181818 CITY 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES ABOUT TOWN CLASSIFIED MOVIES Nepali and Hindi movies online ticketing at www.nepalshop.com Exotic orchids for sale!!! ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The most intricately carved statues in Free Movie of your choice on big screen at the Conference Room, Gazabko Cocktail Café, Marcopolo Ring Dinesh or Pinki at 424877. Email Kathmandu. Handmade Nepal, #211, Hotel. Saturday 10 February 2pm. 416432 [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Trievi Marg, Thamel. 253361. MUSIC Car for sale www.handmade-nepal.com Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and Ustad Sultan Khan on sarangi. Organised by Mitsubishi Lancer ’75 model, but in top the Indian Embassy and the BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation. Royal Nepal Academy, Soft toys, doll and flower-making. condition. Very low mileage. Cheap! Email 13 February. 413174 Six-month course Rs 4,000. Ring Shama at [email protected] Live Piano/ Drums/Double Bass by Budaprithi Trio at the Juneli Bar, Hotel De 521196. l’Annapurna, Durbar Marg. Friday 9 February 7 to 9.30pm 221711. Sorbin Optics Ban Tole Tel 226194 Classical Sitar at Pilgrims Book House, Thamel. Friday, 9 February, 7pm-8.30pm. Wanted Rs300. 425919 Remember for sunglasses, frames, contact mountain bike. 10-speed, not too fancy, in Latin music at Rum Doodle Bar & Restaurant, Thamel. Friday, 9 February 7pm onwards. 414336 lenses and solution. Comfort Optics, good condition. Email Live Irish music at the Jazz Bar, Hotel Shangri La, Lazimpat. Friday 9 February 435741 Chhetrapati, Thamel. 266119. All That Jazz International buffet with live jazz—Rodi Band at the Sunrise Cafe, Yak & Yeti Hotel. [email protected] Rs800+tax. Friday, 9 February 7:30pm. 248999 House for rent Classical Guitar by renowned guitarist Kishor Gurung at the Chimney, Yak & Yeti Hotel. Friday, 9 February Bhaisepati. Three ropanies. 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Rs400. 271545 WIN A HOUR INFOCOM EATING OUT MILLENNIUMWORTH CD Authentic Nepali Sekuwa (Barbecue) Regular Friday night Sekuwa in the lamp-lit courtyard at Dwarika’s RS 3600/- Hotel. Select your own appetisers, momos, salads and choice of meats as well as delicious desserts. Package includes one free drink and lucky draw. Reservations recommended. 479488 The most convenient and economic way to surf the internet Strawberries and Desserts Pastry Shop, Hotel de l’Annapurna. Strawberries in all forms on 8 February, 24 Terms and conditions hours or until fruit lasts. Dessert festival starting 10 February. 221711 1 The contest is open to everyone, except employees of Himalmedia Pvt Ltd Chulo Batta Nepali cuisine buffet lunch with live Nepali music at the Sunrise Cafe, Yak & Yeti Hotel. and Infocom Pvt Ltd. Rs700+tax. From 12 noon. Reservations. 248999 2 In case of more than one correct entry, the winner will be decided by lucky Barbecue Summit Hotel, Kupondole. Friday 9 February 7 - 9.30 pm. 521810 draw. 3 Entries have to reach Himalmedia, by 5 pm, Tuesday. Organic vegetable market and lunch Special vegetarian organic lunch Rs 350+tax. Summit Hotel, 4 The winner will be announced in the coming issue. Kupondole. Sunday 11 February. 10 am to 12.30 pm521810 5 The prize has to be collected from Himalmedia within a week of the announcement. Please come with an ID. EXHIBITION Across Down Ragini’s Odyssey 2001 Exhibition of printings & etchings by Ragini Upadhyaya-Grela. Siddhartha Art 1. Upon a time (4) 1. Finished and out (4) Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited. 9 February—10 March. 11am-6pm. Sunday-Friday 5. Bullying spot in school (4) 2. Begins at Jinja (4) 9. Shtetl in Lithuania (5) 3. Prune to short hit (4) SWASTHANI FESTIVAL 11. Winged, sort-of (4) 4. Finis (3) The month-long Swasthani fast comes to an end 8 February, full moon night, at Sali river 12. Gloss sounds, like in Nepali aama (5) 5. Starchy tuber, like sweet in Sankhu. Campers can pitch their camp along with the devotees. Puja by the river bank. To 13. Companionable Argentinean potato tapioca (3) QUICKWORD ANSWER 18 Sankhu: microbuses available from Boudha. beverage (4) 6. Singular nuke-building in America (5) Swasthani Internet Festival A cultural presentation by the Spiny Babbler Museum. 14. Shortened symbol (3) 15. Unit of measurement of radioactivity (2) 7. Tariffs (5) Readings (in English, Nepali, Newari and Maithali), lectures, play, art- and photo-exhibition. 17. The sound of furry selfishness (3) 8. Sketched, like water from a well (4) More information at [email protected], www.spinybabbler.org. 18. Slowly performed piece (6) 10. Make fizzy (6) 542810. All day, 10 February. Spiny Babbler, Bakhundole. 20. Tie up, like an animal (6) 16. Exploratory technology, like rigs (6) 22. Invective at the mutt, partly (3) 18. Korean electronics company EVENTS 23. High in the windy city (2) 19. Short mother-earth metal (2) Slide Show and talk by Anil Chitrakar on how Kathmandu has evolved into a cosmopolitan city, the 24. What the Lumiere brothers missed (3) 20. To err (5) challenges it faces and the strategies being adopted and implemented to preserve its unique built, living and 27. Projection, like a mushrom’s cap (4) 21. Neils Bohr’s vital discovery (5) 22. Free rum, cola, and? (4) natural heritage. Organised by The Nepal Britain Society. Monday 12 February 4pm. The British School 29. Forward fencing (5) 31. Bondsman in detective novels (4) 24. Ginger biscuit (4) Auditorium, Sanepa. 521794 32. Think of the ascetic (5) 25. Man-eating giant (4) 33. Gamblers raise the stakes, up the _ (4) 26. Enough for you _, not your greed (4) Of the nine correct entries, the MARTIN CHAUTARI 34. Rushed the dyslexic to, in the beginning (2,2) 28. Bullfighter’s cry (3) lucky winner is Pushpa Shova Tarai and Hills Options Study: Who should deliver service—the government, NGOs or the private sector? 30. Highs (3) Tuladhar. Pandits: Srikrishna Upadhya and Dr Govinda Koirala, SAPROS Nepal. Participation open to all. Unless otherwise noted, presentations are in Nepali. Discussions take place at Martin To send in your entries, please fill in the details below and fax to 977-1-521013, or email to Chautari every Tuesday 5.30pm Thapathali. 246065, Fax: 240059 [email protected]. Entries can be dropped off at Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. Name...... For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] Ph...... email......

NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL DSES- 07-02-2001 0800 GMT

Satellite images show cloud-free conditions over the Himalaya and the Tibetan Plateau. Also, there are no signs of fresh westerly moisture movements toward South Asia, and no discernible low pressure system over the subcontinent. This means the present dry spell will continue. Last week saw a 35-year record when the maximum temperature reached 26 degrees in mid-winter. The daily variation during a 24 hour period was 25 degrees—another record. There has also been a wide daily fluctuation in relative humidity from nearly 100 percent in the mornings to 30 percent in the afternoon. The morning frost this week will give way to higher minimum temperatures, while the daytime temperature will continue to rise.

KATHMANDU Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue

25-02 25-03 24-04 25-03 26-04 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 191919 new aircraft. “After four months of operation, we were very satisfied with the ATR, that is why we acquired Bigger and newer wings another one. And if all goes well, we may add another one in future.” The

main advantage is economics, the ○○○○○○○○○○○

JANAKI○○○○○ GURUNG ATR takes less maintenance and has n the cockpit of Necon Air’s new slashed Necon’s fuel bill by about 30 ATR-42, Captain S Burathoki is percent. For an airline that spends irunning through the pre-flight nearly half its operating cost on fuel, checklist. Outside, the narrow this is a big saving. The flying cost per domestic apron at Kathmandu airport seat mile is therefore much lower in an looks like the deck of an aircraft ATR, and compares favourably both carrier. Two Twin Otters starting up with bigger jets and with the small together, Beech 1900s taxiing in for commuter transport operated by parking, a SAAB 340 requesting other domestic carriers in Nepal. clearance. After a 15-minute wait, the But given the altitude and short controllers allow us to taxi out to the runway for the 20-minute flight to Necon’s CEO Deepmani Rajbhandari Pokhara, but there are four other planes in front which take turns taking off between international arrivals during the busy afternoon rush. Ten years after deregulation, Nepal’s domestic airline industry Finally, cleared to enter the runway, Capt Burathoki guns the is finally taking the leap to larger, newer airliners. throttle and begins the take-off run from the intersection itself to make advanced aircraft,” explains Capt room quickly for another landing Burathoki. “The main displays are aircraft. The two Pratt and Whitney actually computer screens, it is faster, turboprops give the aircraft a powerful flies higher and is smoother.” Necon is now phasing out its gas-guzzling Avros kick, and the plane accelerates quickly ALL PHOTOS:MIN BAJRACHARYA down the runway. Rotation is of which it once had five. smooth, and the climb would put an The ATR-42 is built by the Avro to shame. Engine power comes French-Italian consortium, Avions de down a notch as the pilot banks left Transport Regional (ATR), and has a and aims the nose of the plane for the maximum cruising speed of nearly 330 gap between Nagarjun and Kakani on mph and a maximum cruising altitude a smooth climb to 13,500 ft. He is of 25,000 ft. Some 750 ATR-42 and not going to climb higher today the stretched ATR-72 have so far because of strong headwinds of up been sold around the world. With levels off. To the left and climbing grows in size and it is the pilots will have to extrapolate from runways in Nepal, wouldn’t a plane of to 30 knots. Flying back from seating for 44 passengers in two- steeply is a Buddha Air flight to unmistakeable silhouette of an ATR- Kathmandu to measure distance and this size have a load penalty, and not Pokhara he will go up to 16,000 to abreast configuration, Necon’s two Bhairawa, a Shangrila Air Beech 42 passing swiftly above us. “We have bearing to Pokhara. The plane begins be able to take off with full passengers ride the tail wind. ATRs are the biggest passenger aircraft 1900 slips by two thousand feet now designated incoming and outgoing its descent into the haze below. and cargo? Necon’s operations chief, The vibration and noise level operating in Nepal’s domestic skies at below us . Kathmandu’s radar routes from Kathmandu to Pokhara,” Another vital piece of equipment for Dipak Koirala, says fortunately the inside the cockpit is low enough for the moment and they are also flying control comes on the intercom: says Necon’s Capt DR Niroula. “The flying in Nepal is the Ground routes within Nepal are so short that the air traffic banter to be audible the Kathmandu-Patna and “Foxtrot Uniform, traffic airlines have also got together to space Proximity Warning which computes the plane doesn’t need to be tanked through the intercom, and the pilots Kathmandu-Varanasi sectors. approaching twelve o’clock at one out planes on mountain flights.” The the planes descent rate with a ground- up, and can therefore take off fully take off their headsets, set the plane Another impact of deregulation five five, ATR.” It is Necon’s other new arrangements were instituted after monitoring radar and gives a cockpit loaded from any airfield. As part of the on autopilot and sit back. “The Avros that is beginning to be felt over ATR-42 from Nepalgunj to a near miss at 24,000 ft between two warning by sounding the terrain lease agreement, Necon’s pilots and were great planes, but the ATR is a Nepalis skies is readily apparent as the Kathmandu descending to 15,500 planes near Mt Everest last monsoon. alarm. It become especially useful engineers were trained at the new generation and it is a much more ATR reaches cruising altitude and feet. In the cockpit, a computer Also worrying is the lack of parking during the monsoon when visibility is manufacturers in Toulouse in France voice barks: “Traffic. Traffic.” This is space and hangar facilities, and the poor. The pilot asks for 86 percent and undergo regular simulator checks. HAPPENINGS the Traffic Collision Avoidance airlines all blame the civil aviation power, deploys full flaps, goes through Koirala’s main worry is the lack of System (TCAS) that is now authorities for dragging their feet. The the final checklist and makes a steep parking and hangar facilities at mandatory for flying over Indian new Pokhara airport is a case in point: bank to align himself with the runway, Kathmandu and other airports. “The airspace. With the growth in traffic it is already too small for the daily 40 flares nicely, touches down and with a domestic airlines just park anywhere, on the Kathmandu-Pokhara corridor take-offs and landings. roar of reverse props comes to a stop even the Gongabu bus park has a and the Mount Everest sightseeing At the top of descent, the pilots are with plenty of runway to spare. better system,” he says. Maybe if all flight, TCAS is also becoming a vital in touch with Pokhara tower which At Pokhara airport, Necon’s carriers had bigger aircraft that would safety feature on aircraft here. The informs that the VOR-DME beacon is CEO, Deep Mani Rajbhandari, partly solve the congestion problem, fast-approaching speck straight ahead out of order, which means that the himself a pilot, is ecstatic about the he says.  DHRUBA ALE FOUR WHEELS, GOOD: Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba arrives at the Himalaya Hotel for a workshop on peace and governance organised by SAP Nepal. Deuba spoke on negotiating with the Maoists.

Sharp MIN BAJRACHARYA PEACENIKS: Anti nuke activists (from l to r) Sandip Pandey, Retired admiral L Ramdas, Zia Mian, and AH Nayyar. Moderating the session at Baggikhana is Nepali Times columnist, CK Lal (far left). MIN BAJRACHARYA IN CHARITABLE FASHION: A participant at a fashion show for charity organised by the Active Women’s Organisation of Nepal at Baithak, Baber Mahal Revisited, 1 February. 202020 9 - 15 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES

and Instant Noodles, Cyber Prasad, can make a huge NEPALI SOCIETY Under My Hat difference in the way this country is governed. He’s already made a bold start by attempting to defrag the by Kunda Dixit country, and now wants to ensure that all 37 members of ecently, I had the opportunity of visiting the the new council of ministers get online as soon as Wagle’s wanderlust CAN Infotech at the InternationalDECLASSIFIED Convulsion possible. In the fittingADS tradition of the ruling party, there Centre at New Baneswore where young nerds in is sure to be a mad scramble for the more sought-after arayan Wagle was r pleasantly surprised diapers rubbed shoulders with even younger geeks email addresses, and this could bring a country that is sucking pacifiers. Having myself been born sometime already at a standstill into an even bigger standstill. So, nwhen his article on during the Lichhavi Period, I felt absolutely obsolete in the interest of national harmony, amity and peaceful Thinley Lundup Lama, the among these disgustingly young whippersnappers. charismatic and crusty salt Forget the digital divide, we were face to face here trader in Caravan, triggered off across an age chasm. The other thing that struck me a wave of goodwill for the An Dolpo resident. “I knew it was immediately was that no one at the International Confusion Centre actually spoke any known one of the best interviews I language. The lingua franca there was had taken. You know, that ultra-violent restless feeling, you’re not Geekspeak. I tried to make myself heard: able to sleep, all the details “Hullo. Yes, I’d like to buy churning in your mind…trying With the pastures to organise them. But I never gone, he had to a…um…computer. Would you happen mouse MIN BAJRACHARYA to have a computer, please?” A kidlet thought it would help Thinley sell his sheep who looked like he had just been cover the cost of his son’s and bid goodbye weaned from breast-milk to solid foods treatment in Kathmandu,” to his way of life. unglued his face from a monitor and says a modest Wagle. Says Wagle: replied: “Ah, yes, old timer, here we It’s not the first time that “What could I do have a gfunuk compendium of muscle- Wagle’s empathy for his but write about him? This man journalism. “Nepali media, to jet, think-head 40x Lotus-eater smart subject, the common citizen, didn’t have a voice.” a large extent, has not been suite millennium Ethernet 12.1” SVGA and his articulate writing, have In a decade-old career, able to enjoy the trust of the TFT active matrix ultralight paraglider, evoked unexpected Wagle’s taken strides not many masses,” says Wagle. He mfumboomba Dvorak keyboard with responses from Nepali can match. Few people would wants to make the profession stainless black duralium chassis.” It people and policy-makers link the writer of the popular as respectable as that of struck me that I may need an alike. His reportage from weekly “Coffee Guff” column to doctor, engineer, or IT interpreter, so I waddled over to the Humla two years ago forced the man who presently professional. help desk which was manned by two authorities to address the food occupies the news editor’s His present responsibilities women who looked like they were first crisis that the country’s remote desk of Kantipur, the country’s may have curtailed his time for and second runners-up in the Miss western districts have faced largest Nepali daily. “I came up exploration and adventure—a Photofinish Nepal contest. Sunnusna,” for thirty years now. with the name while drinking dusty pair of leather sandals I said nervously. “Do you know where Recalls Wagle: “I was coffee at a roof-top restaurant in has replaced his trademark I can buy a cheap computer?” First runner up tried to actually wandering through the Thamel. It’s a fiction of facts, a hiking boots—but it certainly be helpful, unfurled her eyelashes which were nearly as area, getting away from the platform to write about all the hasn’t checked the lanky large as the wings of a Lesser Himalayan Fork-tailed co-existence we have city, when I saw a herder I had interesting people I meet but scribe’s wanderlust. Wagle’s Drongo, and asked sweetly: “Do you want a pipeline tabulated below suggested email addresses for cabinet met six years ago. He was can’t fit into the limitations of ultimate ambition is to follow in burst cache with dual entry docking cradle at 99.9 members: standing in line outside the daily reporting,” says Wagle. the footsteps of Dr Harka percent uptime supported by five premium backbones Girija Prasad Koirala: [email protected] food depot.” The carefree, A workaholic according to Gurung, the eminent with integrated 6.8 GB 5400 RPM Smart II ultra ATA Ram Chandra Poudel: home@sweet_home.net independent herder, who’d colleagues, Wagle’s zeal is geographer, and Dor Bahadur hard drive C++ 8.95 gigahertz 15.9” megapixel, or Khum Bahadur Khadka: melamchi%@water.np been on his way to Tibet to today focused on grooming a Bista, the anthropologist. would a simple Titan quantum raid controller with an Aftab Alam: [email protected] trade sheep for salt when younger set of journalists and There’s a slight trace of envy in ultra-violent mouse do?” Mahesh Acharya: [email protected] Wagle met him on the remote strengthening the role of Nepali his voice, and a certain That is when I figured that unless these cyber Omkar Shrestha: [email protected] mountain trail to Kailash, was media. Since his first piece, wistfulness. “They’ve visited tadpoles at the International Confession Centre learn Surendra Prasad Chaudhari: [email protected] a shadow of his former self. about films, was published in a every nook and corner. Been to to speak in a language everybody can understand, the Chakra Bastola: [email protected] Community forests had weekly while he was still at all 75 districts of the country.” Digital Divide in Nepal will only Multiply. And here is Jay Prakash Anand: [email protected] occupied his grazing land. college, he’s been hooked on Wagle’s been to “only” 65.  where the newly-appointed Minister of Micro-Chips Palten Gurung: labour@doha.qt