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www.nepalitimes.com Colloseum, Rome EVEREST INSURANCE COMPANY LTD. Hattisar, Kathmandu Tel: 4425758, 4444717, 4444718 #149 13 - 19 June 2003 18 pages Rs 25 shipwrecked on the rock of bad governance,

MANJUSHREE○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ THAPA the Chettri Thapas are back at the helm. ill last week the Thapas merely headed What do non-Thapas make of this? only the Royal Nepal Army (Pyar Jung Mostly they are too tactful to say anything, Thapa), the Nepal Police (Shyam Bhakta not wanting to engender caste disharmony, Thapa) and the Armed Police Force (Sahabir though the republicanists among them do Thapa, who is of Magar origin unlike the secretly wonder if the weight of Thapas will others,T all Chettri Thapas). now lead to another regime change. The Now Surya Bahadur Thapa has become the Bahuns, who are sick of being blamed for prime minister for the fifth time in his life— ruled Nepal, the Thapas have been fighting off everything that has gone wrong in the past 12 not counting his chairmanship of King the Pandeys, Basnyats, Kunwars and sundry years, breathe easier now that they can point Mahendra’s advisory council in 1958. Chettris to claim control of the court. out the Chettris, who did after all govern The last time there were so many Thapas in It was thought those days were gone forever importantThe Thapaday nevertheless of wasthe Kazi Thapasometimes has with returned.khukuri in hand, that all they Nepal for the entire period preceding 1990. government the Panchayat regime collapsed when democracy came to Nepal in 1950, and Amarsingh Thapa, who led Nepal’s capture of have done is try to serve the nation. The The Thapas themselves are quietly under their weight. Ever since the Shahs have especially when it returned in 1990, bringing Kumaon in 1790 and of Garhwal in 1803. He Panchayat years saw many Thapas trying to do exhilirated, discussing at family gatherings so many Bahuns to power in a way that left the finally lost to the British at Devathal in 1815, this many times: Surya Bahadur, Biswabandhu, the infinite kinship lines that ultimately—by ChettrisTHAPADOM muttering against the Bahuns at family and at family gatherings the Thapas still mutter Chiran Sumshere, Sushila, Bhekh Bahadur, marriage, over generations, many times Weekly Internet Poll # 89 gatherings. But luckily for the Chettris little can against the British for this. Niranjan, Kamal Thapa (the last has returned as removed—connect them all to each other. In stop the elite from reasserting themselves. Karl Prime Minister Mathbar Singh Thapa— information minister in the present cabinet). the end a Thapa is a Thapa unless he is a Q. Who do you think currently best represents the Marx wrote something like that in thick books Bhimsen’s nephew—despite or because of his Captain Yagya Bahadur broke the Thapa mould Magar Thapa, in which case he should general welfare of the Nepal and Nepalis? that the Chettris have not read because reading considerable charisma was shot to death in 1845 by leading armed Nepali Congress guerillas till consider changing his name or at least tacking is not what the Chettris do. The Chettris do at the order of King Rajendra and Queen his capture in 1974. For reasons too obvious to on a nom de guerre. statecraft. Rajyalaksmi, by none other than Jung Bahadur belabour, there have been few Thapas in So: The Nepali state has dismally failed The Thapas have distinguished themselves Kunwar (later to rename himself Rana). This democratic politics. (There is Ram Bahadur to be inclusive. What, other than this, is as tenacious courtiers. Mukhtiyar Bhimsen has the Thapas muttering against the Ranas in Thapa ‘Badal’, but Maoism is hardly there to say? The Chettri Thapas are back in Thapa is the first Thapa to come family gatherings. democratic, and anyway Badal is a Magar control of the court. Break out the to mind when Thapas come to The Thapas also held lower posts in the Thapa). Now that democracy has got massively Khukuri Rum. t mind: He controlled the Shah Shah court, and when the Shahs were eclipsed, Total votes:3,280 court for 31 years, in part in the Rana court. Sardar Bhakti Thapa led Chief of Army Staff, Pyar Jung Thapa, the Armed Police Weekly Internet Poll # 90. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com by killing 90 of Regent 2,000 troops against the British and died Force chief Sahabir Thapa, and Nepal Police chief, Shyam Bhakta Thapa. Q. Who do you think is primarily responsible for the Queen defending Devathal in 1815. Subedar current state of the nation? Tripurasundari’s rivals Dalamardan Thapa served as Jung so that he could rule Bahadur’s personal assistant during his under her sovereignty. 1850 visit to Britain and France. Harka He did not succeed in Jung Thapa was one of two officers in the 1814-1816 war with charge of Lord Curzon’s 1901 the British, but the hunting trip to Chitwan. Thapas love him Now the Thapas will argue, nonetheless because he tried so hard to control those pesky imperialists, overseeing military battles and negotiating treaties himself while trying to beat down Hodgson. He was Patan Museum Café eventually done in by the Pandeys, whose treachery the We are pleased to announce that we have Thapas still mutter about at extended the opening hours of the family gatherings. Patan Museum Cafe. Not from the same line of Thapas but an From1030 – 1930 hrs For reservations and more information

please call 55 26271/ 55 24694 Wooing Congress NAVIN○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ SINGH KHADKA At face value, Surya Bahadur Thapa’s government appears to be in deeper soup than his predecessor Lokendra Bahadur Chand’s. The NC and the UML not only spurned the offer to join his cabinet, but say they will continue their street agitation. Within the RPP itself, Pashupati SJB Rana is angry because Thapa has not included his men in the new cabinet. Thapa also faces potential threats from the Maoists and a conglomerate of smaller leftist parties. If Thapa is surrounded, how come he exudes so much confidence? The seasoned politician is playing it cool, confident that kangresis will join his cabinet after an incubation period. The bait: a temporary reinstatement of parliament or elections. That is why Thapa has kept key portfolios to himself. “He knows the kangresis will come to him soon enough, and he’ll need to dangle those posts,” said one Thapa loyalist. What gives Thapa flexibility vis-à-vis the NC is the disenchantment of second-generation kangresis with the leadership. Shailaja Acharya has been against the agitation led by her uncle, Girija Koirala, and other relatively-young turks seem to be siding with her. Even Koirala (undergoing a routine health check in Dharan) has privately hinted that the party will join Thapa if the parliament is reinstated. If that happens, the UML will have been left in a lurch since a NC-RPP combine will muster a majority in a reconvened house. Ideally, there could then be a new all-party negotiating team with the Maoists and a government to oversee future elections. From the point of view of some kangresis, this will then roll back the king’s October Fourth move, and the king will have a face-saving way to break this six-month deadlock. Meanwhile, the politicians from the five-party alliance remain deeply suspicious of Thapa and doubt his intention of reinstating parliament. Editorial p2 Winner takes nothing 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 2 EDITORIAL NEPALI TIMES #149 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Desk Editor: Trishna Gurung, Design: Kiran Maharjan Webmaster: Bhushan Shilpakar [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-5543333/ 5523845 Fax: 01-5521013

Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hattiban: 01-5547018/17 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ WINNER TAKES NOTHING FoxIf○○○○○○○○○ he is really in smart, the Surya chicken-coopBahadur Thapa will reinstate parliament. he political tragedy of our time is that history keeps repeating itself as farce. urya Bahadur Thapa is the second When chosen by King Birendra to position personally to the fifth-time This raises the question: do we need a cabinet at all? It seems to be so difficult prime minister of the post-Fourth bestow retroactive legitimacy on the premier. to cobble together a team, that people are saying we may be better off just October order. If Girija Prasad hybrid democracy introduced by his With the media, Thapa has such a letting the king and prime minister run things for a bit. The biggest objection to Surya Koirala and Madhab Kumar Nepal look father, Thapa ensured the victory of comfortable relationship that even Bahadur Thapa’s appointment of seven trusted colleagues as cabinet members worried, they have every reason to be. Panchayat system in a national Nepali Congress and UML mouthpieces Tcomes from his own party. “Since you didn’t include us, we’re going make life hell for S With Thapa comfortably ensconced in referendum against seemingly have been muted in criticism of a man you,” seems to be the political credo of those left out. Singha Darbar, their virtual parliament will insurmountable odds. The deck against who out-manoeuvred their own political And as long as we are at it, in half jest we suggest scrapping the bureaucracy probably have to sit on the pavement for multiparty democracy in the plebiscite masters. Many old hacks now sporting as well. The terms for ten top HMG secretaries lapsed two months ago, and the some more time. was so cleverly stacked that even a the colours of different political parties Chand administration found itself incapable of replacing them because of rival The Koirala-Nepal clique didn’t risk leader of BP Koirala’s stature failed to know that at Dasain time Thapa will be pressures. So, for the past few months we have been doing without a civil service. much by allowing Lokendra Bahadur smell a rat. generous with the envelopes as usual. Not that anyone noticed. The VDCs and DDCs were dissolved nearly a year ago, citizens don’t have Chand to stay in Baluwatar for a while. Thapa’s close links with an Now that a castling move by the king grassroot representation, but Kathmandu hasn’t seen any reason for undue alarm. Chand was too genteel to be a challenge in influential embassy is well known, but has put the rook to face the regional Police posts, schools and health posts in large parts of the country have been the take-no-prisoners world of Nepali the fact that he maintains cordial ties pawns of global geopolitics, the Maoists abandoned, closed or bombed out and the district headquarters and the capital carry politics. But the sly old fox from Muga is of with other missions too is not are likely to find that their movement on with business as usual. a different breed altogether. Thapa is a sufficiently appreciated by his critics. It’s across the international border has been Business as usual means fighting tooth and nail over who gets to be prime compentent-pancha, and everyone familiar a tribute to his acolytes in the curtailed, if not stopped. The Maoist minister, or who is appointed home minister. If this is what democracy is, and what with the 1980 referendum and its intelligentsia that he is often seen as leadership’s repeated threats to go back we are going back to, then the Nepali people have a right to be worried. This aftermath knows what that implies. a liberal pancha. On the to the jungles is ringing hollow. The country’s citizens have now come to expect so little from the political forces in contrary, he once demanded BP ‘jungle’ seems to be a metaphor for the Kathmandu that they have tuned out, and are Koirala be hanged for treason. political wilderness. That may be why just trying to survive from day to day and Politicians with strong party Baburam Bhattarai was spotted filling up taking it as it comes. loyalties seldom get along well forms for Frequent Fliers aboard a This three-way tug-o-war in Kathmandu with people who do not subscribe Buddha Air flight last week, and then is taking us nowhere. Not that it is anything to their views. Here again, Thapa taking a cable-car ride with his new, our polity has been completely stuck. is an exception: he seems to have parents soon after. Every sordid crisis has the stench of political well-wishers in every political With everything going for him, decay, and it reeks once more of ineptitude, party. He has never revealed how Thapa’s foreign mentors can be forgiven selfishness and greed. And because we he got leftist extremists to boycott for thinking that Thapa is the man for can’t get around blaming ourselves, we blame the plebiscite and demolish the the moment. There is only one problem: the Foreign Hand. reformers, but there must have the septuagenarian Thapa is an It took Prime Minister Surya Bahadur been more to it than mere anachronism in this day and age. His 6 Thapa one full week to name his cabinet. Marxist-Leninist-Maoist June message to the nation had all the There is no sign that the political parties see expediency. buzz of a 78-rpm record being played on any need to unite despite the dire state we are in, and this includes Thapa’s own RPP For a leader of his age and an antique gramophone that needed where the Pashupati faction is on the standing, Thapa is an cranking. His politics is from another warpath. There they are, duelling once more in extraordinary networker with era. Yet, he seems completely one of the suites on the Titanic. functional links in every sphere of oblivious to it all. Meanwhile, the Maoists leaders are busy society. Never shy of bestowing Hridayesh Tripathi’s epithet of taking their aging parents on media-accompanied favours when in power, he takes “date-expired medicine” suits Thapa cable-car pilgrimages, filling out frequent flier miles care to nurture a patron-client even more than it did Lokendra Bahadur on Buddha Air, or flying off on donor-paid junkets relationship. In receiving visitors Chand. The Maoists have been too kind to Sri Lanka. At least they keep themselves busy. to his Maligau residence, Thapa is in calling Thapa “old wine in a new No one in Nepal is satisfied with being Top courteous to everyone irrespective bottle”. His cabinet may smell like wine, Dog anymore. Everyone wants to be Only Dog. of status. His influence in the but it may soon turn into vinegar. Compromise, give-and-take, trade-off, middle-ground, Royal Nepali Army, the Armed If Thapa is the pragmatic politician reconciliation, reform, national interest, common good: Police and the Nepal Police is he pretends to be, he should recommend none of those words exist in our political lexicon. much deeper than the present the restoration of the lower house of the If you want to be the sole winner, it means heads of all these forces with parliament and then vacate Baluwatar to everyone else is going to be a loser. But if you are the Thapa surnames. Higher echelons its rightful occupant. Sometimes the best only winner, you may not remain for very long. of the civil service are even more way to make history is to know when to

SUBHAS RAI beholden to him—many owe their make your exit. t

LETTERS castles’ (#148) says that Surya care about form not substance. attending ribbon-cutting country four times in the last two assume that she has been the AfterREGIME reading CHANGE your editorial ‘The Bahadur Thapa has been This feudal mentality is ceremonies, book and CD years. As a foreigner, I do not victim of sloppy sub-editing Kathmandu Shuffle’ (#148) of bestowed with full executive perpetuated by a servile and launches, and empty speeches. believe I have the right to when I read her say, of Purna the regime change in Nepal on powers by King Gyanendra and subservient bureaucracy. It is The journalists in our state- comment on the governance of Bahadur Vaidya's Nepal-bhasa your online edition, I get the that he is the most powerful also reflected in the sycophantic owned media boycott events that your country, as this is for you to poems that she has translated impression that there is a lot of prime minister he has ever been coverage of royal events on have no news value. Where decide. However, I do believe that from Nepali into English, "It is suspicion about foreign four times previously. It may be national radio, television and Nepal wants to move in the next the criminal action of the Maoists impossible to tell how close influence in the appointment of true, but how can he be every irrelevant pronouncement couple of decades, and how it is against tourists cannot be they are to the original." Has Surya Bahadur Thapa. But as powerful if, right after his that makes it to the evening going to get there has to be forgotten or condoned. In a Nepal-bhasa already gone the you argue, it is mostly our own swearing in, he is dragged to a news. Let’s see some genuine planned. Otherwise it will not recent trip to the Rolwaling valley, way of the Harappan action (and inaction) that has ceremony where the Crown concern from the royal patrons happen. my group was demanded Rs civilization's language—lost brought us all to this state of Prince is the chief guest and he and political head who grace Sarita Khatri, Sanepa 4,000 per person by Maoists. My beyond recovery? Or does affairs. It is easy to blame a sits for hours watching a prize- these functions. A moratorium subsequent enquiries lead me to she—or Nepali Times—think foreign hand when we have giving ceremony? At a time should be called on all members believe this was not an isolated that none of Kathmandu's made such a mess of things. In when he should be the busiest of the new Thapa cabinet from IMAOIST have trekked FEE and climbed in your incident. These actions in no way trilingual intellectuals is capable fact, it is probably why we like person in Nepal, the prime enhance the political claims of the of discussing the issue with to blame outsiders. The minister is already following the Maoists that they represent the her? leadership we do need is within mindless rituals of his repressed and underprivileged David Gellner, Oxford the parties. The ossified heads predecessors. sections of the community. should be replaced by commited If protocol requires the prime Rather, they are illegitimate politicians who are not allowed minister to be wherever the heir actions of criminals that will to rise up: Subhas Nemwang, to the throne is present, then he directly impact the already WEPCOCORRECTION ('Rubbish awards', Shailaja Acharya, CP Mainali, needs to change the rules. The depressed tourism industry. #148) does charge for Narhari Acharya and others like head of a government of 23 Actions like these will galvanise garbage collection. them. This second-generation of million people should not be made international opinion against their In BP Koirala's diary 'The leaders are smarter, have more a showpiece at a time of national claims, regardless of their merit. king needs to balanace' integrity and could lead the crisis. Not only is it a complete Trevor Bennett, Australia (#147) the Bollywood song country into a new direction. waste of time, but it also sends BP quotes should have read J Vaidya, by email the message that nothing has "dil dhundhata hai.." and not VAIDYA changed, it is business as usual I am a great admirer of "dil chahata hai".

l Kunda Dixit in ‘The king and we have rulers who only MIN BAJRACHARYA Manjushree Thapa, so I can only

13 - 19 JUNE 2003 4 NATION NEPALI TIMES #149

THOMAS BELL and don’t dare speak out. The police InPaedophilia the is hidden, elusiveshadows and it is spreading.“Some former street children came ○○○○○○○○○○○

MAARTEN○○○○○ POST say it is not aware of paedophiles to my house two weeks ago,” Bertin tanding on a Thamel rooftop currently active in Nepal. NGOs says. “They told me this English guy Sudhir, a 19-year-old street working with street children have who some street children testified sleeper, points to a middle- stopped filing cases. The result is against, is back in town.” Some aged white man walking with a that the issue doesn’t get coverage street children who gather at night child on the road below. in the Nepali press. But that does between Thamel and Durbar S“He used to take me to his not mean it doesn’t exist, and our Square talk about foreigners who room and ask me to shower and he investigation shows paedophilia is let them play computer games, give would say if you do nice things I out there and it is growing. them clothes and shelter. The will give you clothes, food and In the late 1990s the issue children are not eager to talk about money. I needed those things,” briefly flared up in the media. Five sexual abuse. Sudhir says. He counts on his men and a woman, all from Europe, Often, they will say that their fingers, and says he personally were arrested between 1996 and friends have experienced it, but knows seven men who pick up boys 1999. Some were expatriates, deny that they have been involved in Thamel. others tourists. All were accused of themselves. Ganesh, now in his Until recently there was no law running unregistered childrens’ early 20s, has been living on the in Nepal against child sexual abuse. homes, where street children were streets of Kathmandu for more than In September 2002, an amendment allegedly exploited for sex. Others a decade. He works as a tourist to the Country Code created a new were accused of bringing children guide in Kathmandu Darbar Square. offence of “unnatural sexual back to Thamel hotel rooms. A If even a part of what he says is relations with a minor”. Depending 1999 UN report stated, “Sex accurate, sex tourism is rife in on the age of the victim, either a tourism is on the rise in Nepal, Kathmandu. boy or a girl, an offender can be including increasing incidences of When he was 16, Ganesh says sentenced up to 16 years in jail. paedophilia, as the business appears he was induced to give oral sex to a Nobody has been convicted. to be shifting to Nepal from other paedophiles down. “It’s hard work. testimonies.” In fact, some of the embassy. They have very good foreigner. He didn’t like it and Paedophilia everywhere is countries in South and Southeast The children are very afraid the children even accused the charities networks.” never went back, but he says many hidden and elusive. It is even more Asia.” Countries such as Thailand abusers will hurt them and there is themselves of forcing them to Jean-Jacques Haye, a French other street children are tempted by so in Nepal. Neither the had been adopting harsher also a lot of social pressure amongst testify, and that has disheartened suspect who was released twice in gifts and money. “Everybody knows perpetrator nor the victim want to legislation, and several high-profile the children,” Thapa told us. the activists. Nepal, is presently in jail in France who they are,” he says. “You can talk about it. Usually, the children cases on Sri Lanka’s west coast Voice of Children is currently The driving force behind the with his paedophile-case pending. recognise them on the streets.” resorts involving European sex collecting testimonies against a earlier prosecutions was Olivier He is being prosecuted under a Children who were willing to talk tourists had increased vigilance German national running a Bertin, a French national living in French law that allows prosecution gave us several names and identified there. childcare centre, but in the last Nepal. He told us: “I was appalled for crimes committed outside the four houses that they say are used Nepal is still a safe haven, but three yeras this group and others by the stories I heard from the country. Planète Enfants and Voice by foreigners to house children things may be changing. Krishna have not been as active as they street children, but it was difficult of Children cooperated with the whom they use for sex. Thapa, the director of the charity could be in investigating child to do anything against it. It took a French enquiry, even sending a At the Darbar Square police Voice of Children, estimates that sexual abuse. In fact, none of the long time to win their confidence. I street child to France to testify. It is station the officer in charge, KS nine out of every ten Thamel street child protection groups we spoke to quit because the pressure became understood that the Nepali police Rana, says he hasn’t received children have had sexual encounters knew about the September very big—lots of people were have never attempted to share reports of any recent paedophile of one kind or another with a amendment of the Country Code. against me and I received threats. It information with foreign activity in Kathmandu. If any foreigner. Sunil Sainju, mission “We are fed up with the fact that is very difficult here in Nepal to prosecutors. Twenty-three reports came to him, he would be manager of another group, Planète nothing happened after we filed target a foreigner. They can afford countries now have laws that allow willing to investigate. “But basically Enfants, agrees. “It is not isolated, cases in the past,” Thapa says. the best lawyers, pay lots of the prosecution of their citizens for we are not very interested in it happens to a lot of children.” “Almost all suspects were released baksheesh, and the Minister of sex offences committed abroad. looking into what expats are doing But both groups say it is soon after their arrest. Children Justice in 1996 told me in one case Most other released suspects unless they are involved in some extremely difficult to track the sometimes changed their there was a lot of pressure from an are still free to visit or live in Nepal. heinous crimes,” he added.

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK

Marpha: High above this village in Lower Mustang a revolution is brewing. a living growing the excellent Mustang apples. “The government used to And for once, it doesn’t involve guns and utopianism. This is a revolt subsidise the air freight to get them (apples) to Kathmandu,” he says, “but against tradition that could change the Himalaya,Revolution and it is a concept so now they spend that money on the armedin forces and theMustang police.” The local The future is a tiny shrub thriving simple that I’m amazed that it wasn’t dreamt up years ago. fear is that this year’s apple crop will go largely to waste. Not so for the In an apple orchard one hour’s walk above Marpha’s cobbled streets, fronds of Pacific Yew and Padamchand that Dabur will make into under the apple trees above the small buds of fruit are being nurtured by the sun and occasional rain. medicines. Porters and farm labourers straggle by the five hectare summer pasture Medicinal plants are not traditional export crops like coffee or cocoa Kali Gandaki. where hundreds of apple trees sway in the constant wind. But it’s what’s that require exclusive cultivation and harmful chemical inputs. All these dignity of labour. happening between the trees that has the potential to plants need is water and tender loving care. The 50 You need training and awareness to cultivate taxus baccatta—the plant shake things up here and around the country. The anti-cancer plant, Taxus bacatta, or so local people who work this patch of land for that eventually becomes the anti-cancer drug, Tamoxifen. It’s not brute Look closely and you’ll see a few strange sights. growing in an apple orchard at a Dabur are more than willing to provide that. In other labour like porterage or domestic work. More than half of the Dabur Instead of grass for fodder, the ground is covered with Dabur plantation in Marpha. parts of the country, the company is giving saplings employees in Marpha are female. The women who put the seedlings in the small leafy shrubs and a creeping, flowery plant with to villagers on a guaranteed buy-back basis. ground are proud that they’re contributing—in their small way—to the waxy leaves. There are patches of a large rhubarb-like Until recently, Dabur and the many other firms health care system. plants with bushy, red growths. Each of these plants that make medicines from plants, obtained most of What struck me as I wandered around Marpha was that this simple idea produce extracts that save lives and was planted here their raw material from wild harvesting. This is still is worth more than all the development esoterica that has been heaped as part of a daring project by the joint Indo-Nepali the case in much of Nepal and the Indian Himalaya. upon this country over the years. It’s sustainable, the potential is huge and company, Dabur Nepal. Many of the most sought-after plants are increasingly participants do not form an exclusive clique based on money and patronage, Harvested plant products are turned into scarce, thanks to over-harvesting and loss of habitat. as often happens in development projects. On the outskirts of Marpha, the medicines at Dabur’s factory in Birganj, the largest Cultivation of such endangered species will preserve crumbling skeleton of a German-funded fruit-drying factory is testimony to employer in that part of the tarai. There are several them and enhance Nepal’s threatened bio-diversity. the frequent folly of outside aid. revolutionary aspects to this project, and the many It will also stop inroads being made into valuable Further up the valley, the Americans built a wind-powered electricity others like it, that the company is starting up in traditional knowledge systems by Western and generator that was soon blown over. The village now gets its power from a remote and rural areas of the country. First of all, at allopathic medicine. micro-hydro plant that is locally funded and run. least in Marpha, land that is otherwise unproductive is Traditional Tibetan medicine and village I have seen the future and it’s not to be found on some foreign being used to produce employment and a beneficial herbalism are both making a comeback in various consultant’s expensively produced report on gender awareness in a time of product. parts of the country. Perhaps the most important conflict resolution and capacity building across a broad spectrum of civil James Hirachan, whose father owns the land thing about this project is that it’s helping build a society. No, it’s a tiny shrub thriving under the apple trees, bending but not above Marpha, says it is increasingly difficult to make viable market economy in Nepal, and adding to the breaking, in the Kali Gandaki wind. t 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 NATION NEPALI TIMES #149 5 DOMESTIC BRIEFS

form of lost services, lower national ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ productivity and output, loss in skills and Thirty-seven percent of street children interviewed in an International Labour InIndia-Pakistan a sign of gathering thaw Roadmap between India and experience, depletion of workforce in specific TheirOrganisation (ILO) survey nightmarish last year said they were sexually abused and reality Pakistan, or maybe just the searing heat in the sectors, increased demands on health and exploited. Older over younger, girls over boys, and the children living longer Indus-Ganga plains this summer, an Indo- social sectors and loss of human capital”. on the streets are more exposed to sexual abuse and exploitation. Frequently Researchers are worried that social stigma reported sexual abusers were tourists (67 percent), leader of street children Pakistan peace meet begins in the cooler climes packs (24 percent), locals (and disturbingly) even those posing as social of Kathmandu on Friday. against HIV carriers will spread the virus more activists. On hand are ex-military brass, retired rapidly. The average age of street children initiated into sex exploitation was 11, diplomats, media and peaceniks from both according to the survey, and though most were promised money, 30 percent countries who will try to boost “confidence-

say they were coerced. Eleven street children also said foreigners took nude ○○○○○○

building measures” between the two countries. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ photographs of them once they created a dependency relationship through The Indian delegation, led by Gen Ashok K MoreWho than goes a year afterback it began to verificationBhutan? of provision of money, food, medicine and clothes. The most common forms of abuse were requests for masturbation, oral and anal sex. Hotels and lodges Mehta, told media in New Delhi: “The Kathmandu Bhutanese refugees in one of the seven camps were identified as primes locales for abuse, followed by the client’s home, meeting will try to deconstruct and demystify in eastern Nepal, the categorisation procedures temples, riverbanks and the street. reasons (for tensions)…and will recommend a for those who were left out of the process roadmap for peace.” Also attending are former was reassumed by the Nepal-Bhutan joint Trafficking and Sexual Abuse among Street Children in Kathmandu, ILO, Pakistani foreign ministers Inam ul Haq, Sartaj team. March 2002. Thursday, 12 June was World Day Against Child Labour. Azis and ex-foreign secretary Niaz Naik. Indian The 14th round of Nepal-Bhutan talks last ex-foreign secretary MK Rasgotra, and former month had decided to process close to 600 The main problem seems to be Activist groups and the police have implicated in abuse, has Indian envoy to Pakistan Satinder Lamba will refugees who were missing during verification also be in the Indian delegation. The Indian and at Khudunabari camp when more than 12,000 that even though paedophilia is trade accusations about not being recently been given a licence to run Pakistani ambassadors in Kathmandu will also were interviewed a year ago. The two nations now a crime, there are still legal serious in controlling the problem. a child welfare centre. Hari says he attend. had agreed to use the Khudunabari camp as a loopholes. “We still need a Gita Upreti, who heads the Nepal is a victim of this person and has A Nepali foreign ministry source told us the blueprint for the six other camps in Jhapa and definition of paedophilia and the Police’s Women and Childrens’ recently given a video testimony to government is watching the meeting closely, and Morang districts. The results from their first various forms that sexual abuse can Cell says, “According to the law, Voice of Children. He is now 23, look forward to an immediate positive outcome batch have not yet been made public. take what is ‘unnatural’ is yet to the victim should come to us to file but like many victims of child like the resumption of Pakistani airlines flights to Last month, Nepal acceded to the be subject to interpretation,” says a complaint, but we can also go out sexual abuse, is still traumatised by Kathmandu. Bhutanese proposal that Thimphu would take lawyer, Sapna Pradhan Malla. For and investigate.” However, she his experience. “When I was a child back some refugees while the remaining would instance, paedophilia is attached to admits that this is very difficult it felt normal, but nowadays I feel be granted Nepali citizenship. This move drew

the Country Code chapter on rape, when there is no hard information. bad, ashamed and uneasy. I still ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ criticism from many quarters, including from the and as with rape, an allegation must “We don’t have a mechanism to have nightmares about it,” he says. South Asia Asianis already AIDSthe second epicentre refugees themselves. be made within 35 days of the investigate,” she told us, “and Hari is convinced the man is epicentre of HIV/AIDS after Sub- Before agreeing to the incident. children are hesitant to go through still abusing children, but he is torn Saharan Africa. The virus is verification process, the two There is also a danger that this the police’s normal procedures.” between reporting the case or spreading rapidly across the Himalayan kingdoms had locked will only be seen as a crime The Women’s Cell is now starting letting it go. “He could do bad subcontinent and already afflicts 4.2 horns for two years before deciding perpetrated by foreigners. Malla out by first making its own officers things to me again,” Hari says, “and million South Asians. on four categories for the 100,000 says many cases of child rape and understand what child abuse is, and I think because of him at least some Given the population in the region, refugees: bonafide Bhutanese, incest perpetrated by Nepalis, often the prevalence of the crime. children are getting food, and some countries may emerge as new Bhutanese who have emigrated, within families or in schools, go Better regulation of childcare maybe if I report him maybe they epicentres in the second wave of HIV Bhutanese who have committed unreported. “These crimes exist in centres is also needed. Inge Bracke will be deprived of even that infections, warns UNDP in a new crimes and non-Bhutanese. The negotiations now centre around our society, and we should create runs a registered orphanage near support.” t regional report. “The region cannot an environment to address them not Boudha, but says no one has come afford to be complacent over the low how to treat these categories. only by legal mechanisms, but by to inspect her centre in its seven (The names of the street children levels of the prevalence of HIV/

enabling weak people to take action years of operation. Krishna Thapa and former street children quoted AIDS,” states the report, released this ○○○○○○○○○○○ and by informing children what agrees, and says that a regular in this article have been changed to week. With 90 percent of the South ○○○○○○○○ Can’tPM really Chapa blame Time magazine for sexual abuse is,” she says. German visitor, who many children protect their identities.) Asian HIV/AIDS patients belonging to the 15-49 age group, the region’s getting confused between the prime national productivity is the first ministers that keep coming and going in casualty, the report states. It adds the Nepal (left). Will the real Lokendra epidemic will take a further toll “in the Bahadur Chapa please stand up?

EASY TIMES It’s never been easier to subscribe to Nepali Times Just dial this number and leave your address. 5543333 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 6 NATION NEPALI TIMES #149 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL

nguished by the debasement of the prime minister’s post, we, as former occupants, The palace has never been able

Ex-primeappeal to the incumbent and ministers speak out ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ aspirants to work forthwith to to○○○○○○○○ get along with assertive PMs. Arevive its dignity. Despite our whether the prime minister years ago simply by imagining serious differences on almost comes with a democratic himself on the premier’s seat. To everything during our mortal mandate or from a highly see him send in a petition to be existence, we were united in our ambitious clan. (The Koiralas appointed to that job while still commitment to empower the are in double jeopardy here.) leading street protests broke our people. The fact that only two of From a purely human hearts. (An unencumbered us were democratically elected perspective, when you count the parliament might have warded off premiers does not diminish our king as a political force when the Commission for Investigation belief that the other five you need him, isn’t it rather of Abuse of Authority sleuths all signatories have equally valuable implausible to expect him to the living ex-premiers are thoughts to offer. play a purely ceremonial role dreading today.) True, most of us betrayed one when you don’t? another in our eagerness to Admittedly, the Supreme Matrika Prasad Koirala befriend the palace. At first, we Court spoiled things by Nagendra Prasad Rijal thought this could be a good way systematically restricting the Bisweswar Prasad Koirala of institutionalising democracy, prime minister’s prerogative to Tanka Prasad Acharya but the habit somehow stuck. dissolve parliament. The chief Manmohan Adhikary There was no way of knowing whip has more power than the Mohan Sumshere Rana MIN BAJRACHARYA that the constitution and premier to discipline party MPs. Kunwar Indrajit Singh elections were so many years premier. Deep down, those of us discretion only experience could Manmohanji tried persuading his The party leadership should away, especially at a time when who hailed the royal intervention bring. The closest link to the 50s younger comrades not to pretend be been more prudent. PS: Despite our otherworldly we suspected that Mohandai was were humiliated by the last laugh was Kishunji, but he was still the country had been painted in Matrikababu underscored the existence, we were too human not still plotting a comeback from Mohandai was having. By the annoyed that he was jailed despite red. All of his successors are still perils of a ruling party by trying to squabble over the order of the Bangalore. time we reconciled with the being a theoretically non-partisan in the mortal world and can to restrain an errant prime signatories. Since the purpose of Once the people had spoken, imperative of working with the speaker. Without his banter vouch for the agony the premier minister when Sher Bahadurji this joint statement is to help the majority party should have monarchy, it was too late. While backed by bold threats to resign, feels in having to brief the king was about seven years old. The restore the dignity of the been allowed to work. The one of us went on to enrich the however, we doubt Nepalis could each week with an ever-growing opposition, too, should quit premiership, we decided to list palace, which expected Nepal’s genre of prison diaries, the rest have had both a new constitution list of national problems. behaving as if the Jana Andolan ourselves according to our term in first parliament to be as severely remained endlessly embittered. and elections within a year of the If you wonder, as we did, why gave them the right to name office. Despite their valuable splintered as its political Since no pre-Satra Sal ex- Jana Andolan. the palace can’t seem to get along every prime minister from the input, Subarnaji, Gen Keshar leadership, was obviously alarmed premier had the opportunity to Girijababu acted as if the with assertive prime ministers, street. Madhab Kumar Nepal Sumshere and Sardar Gunjaman by the outcome. Instead of serve in the restored multiparty majority the Nepali Congress won consider this: four consecutive could have avoided that chose not to sign because they did reassuring the king, the polity, the quest to co-exist with was a mandate to sideline kings were virtual captives of the misguided boycott of the entire not carry the formal designation opposition went after the a humbled palace lacked the Ganeshmanji and Kishunji. Ranas. It doesn’t really matter winter session of parliament two of premier. Hearts, minds and haircuts MIN BAJRACHARYA

MIN BAJRACHARYA astonished Baglung villager. Even

in BAGLUNG ○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ the Chief District Officer glowed with he locals don’t know what to goodwill. An office was opened to make of it. Till a few months ago help locals get their citizenship when the soldiers came on immediately. There even was help at patrols the villagers cowered because hand to apply for passports. the army would punish them if they In Palpa’s Rampur, residents Twere sheltering Maoists. And the received medical attention not only Maoists would target them if they were for humans, but livestock too. Some suspected of being informers. villagers had staked their spot in When the army operation began both lines leading to two different here last week with helicopters landing clinics. The camps also offered in the corn fields the locals were minor surgery by both army and civil stunned. But this time, the soldiers doctors. Dhana Maya Ghale, 84, was came to win their hearts and minds delighted. “The army is doing with medical care, food, clothing, everything for us now,” she says. education and even free hair cuts. The “Life has become much better.” locals say the security personnel are Army officials said they have applying themselves to this end with been helping out for quite sometime. as much, if not more dedication as “Before, our focus was on providing help the people in these districts. they took in flushing out the immediate relief during natural The Maoists are conducting their Maobadis. calamities like flood and landslides. own hearts-and-minds operations, The Royal Nepali Army swooped Now we are trying to look at all helping farmers plant paddy, re-roof down on 7 June to distribute clothes, aspects,” said one army officer. their houses and build roads to make it stationery to students, biscuits and They have joined hands with local easier for villagers to travel to the sweets. “It’s like Dasain,” said one clubs and business communities to district headquarters. t 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 ECONOMY NEPALI TIMES #149 7 BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

Ram Krishna Pokhrel, deputy director general at

the road department told us: “We have some ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ TheSliding onset of monsoonaway may be good tidings for ideas that we think will be cheap to implement farmers, but along the Prithbi Highway, the and will work. We are trying them out.” Cross massive Krishna Bhir landslide threatens to block fingers. this artery again for weeks this year. This major

mud and rock slide (see pic) started three years ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ago, and has been disrupting traffic ever since. ○○○○○○○○ Curtain call The highway is the only other surface link to the FedRunning up of running fit along Kathmandu streets and aced with the loss of a loved one, The business of death south, west and east of the country from breathing the fumes? You can exercise indoors whether expected or abrupt is Kathmandu besides the serpentine Tribhuban now with the new Intertrack 6100 treadmill from not the issue. Most of us give Highway. Korea. This is definitely not run of the mill. It into the familiar comfort offered by features a long-wearing waxed deck for nearly religion, culture and grief. We silent operation, an emergency stop button, Fsuspend planning and logic for the expanded running area and an impact reducing emotional cushion of the Grand Send system. Importers, Spectrum Merchandise Nepal, Off. The notion of our mortality say the machine is ideally suited to physical comes as a jolt. Rarely, if ever, are we rehabilitation programs especially at hospitals considerate enough to pre-plan our and physiotherapy centres. own exit. This realisation set the Beed’s mental cogs into a whirl,

resulting in what some may label a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ rather morbid and tasteless column on EventsBrand are becoming event the new byword for brand the business of death. cultural landscape. Death has become a degradation of the environmant, far too building in Nepal. The annual Surya Grind Death is a perfectly respectable boom sector for private enterprises that many people find no comfort in the

KUNDA DIXIT presented by Surya Lights cigarettes is scheduled and well-conducted business in the work hard at personalising a business rites. A lot of them are milked into for 14 June at the Hyatt Regency. The poolside United States. Many people have that ironically, requires detachment. spending vast amounts on logs of This year, the Roads Department says it is party will showcase five international DJs, prepared to deal with anything Krishna Bhir funeral plans. They put away a little They can and do cater to diverse sandalwood, gold, the gift of a including Alps, India’s first female professional something towards the ceremony, a religious communities. Many offer cow the list is endless and throws at them. Others are doubtful. The whole spinner. With no expenses spared, the Surya mountainside is unstable and threatens to burial spot or the increasingly popular immigrants an informal rate continuously embroidered upon. A Grind is bound to attract Kathmandu’s hip, young route of ash to ash. The manager of a inclusive of arrangements that allows complex web of socio-economic tumble down with the first downpour. “We are not segment. interfering with the nature here,” explains Naresh funeral home let on that funerals can them to incorporate elements of their reasons bolster the attitude that “this Shakya, the department’s senior engineer cost $15,000-20,000—almost as own beliefs. is the way it’s always been done”. It

responsible for managing Krishna Bhir. “All we much as most weddings. The Beed recently attended one keeps us from looking at our funeral ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ are doing is keeping the slides from hampering ○○○○○○○○ Funeral homes have plenty of of these funerals. The American- rites with fresh eyes. traffic movement on the highway.” FOSA,Digitally an American yours branded laptop described by brochures that give detailed steps on Hindu family was comfortable Kathmandu is bursting at the Embankments have been put into place to PC World as ‘Top Pick Notebook’ in 2001 is now how to plan your own funeral. It’s a performing the last rites of the seams. While there have been talks stop the debris from reaching the road, but not available in Nepal. Digitek.com.np in Durbar pragmatic approach that accepts all our deceased from a funeral home. After about opening crematoriums, it everyone is convinced it will do the trick. Some Marg is selling two models: the Flex CL00 comes bits and parts on the stage of life ends all, adaptation is a two-way street. needs more thought and planning. engineers complain privately there isn’t enough with an Intel Pentium III Processor1 GHz, 256 MB with curtains. It’s all there, from how There was a sense of solace and peace This initiative must come from money from the road toll being invested in a RAM that is upgradeable to 512 MB, 30 GB hard to write wills and structure accounts to to the proceedings as family religious groups. It is their duty to long-term solution. disk, 56K modem and a DVD ROM. reminders that the funeral home must members thanked those who came to help Nepalis separate the rituals of “Controlling the rock overhang at the top of be notified if there is a change in pay their respects. There even was a death from the duties of the living.

the mountain is going to be very costly,” admits address. Unlike the esoteric rituals that small funeral procession to the We have embraced modern ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Shakya. “Right now, we are trying to manage it ○○○○○○○○ surround funeral processes in Nepal, crematorium behind the premises. methods of birth. It’s time to re- within the budget we have.” Of the Rs 7 million ChineseDebut pick-ups are making their debut into the the Beed was pleasantly surprised by The eldest placed an incense stick in examine death. t allocated for the job, and Rs 2 million spent so Nepali market. Changhe flatbed trucks licensed this method of soliciting customers— lieu of the daag batti on the body as far, workers are racing against the monsoon to by Suzuki and imported by Prime Global, have a especially as every person is a future the large electric furnace was switched Readers can post their comments or finish the work before the rains. Some donor 797cc petrol engine and a big cargo deck. Prime customer! on. The ashes were placed in an urn suggestions to agencies have proposed a tunnel and other Global has also set up a workshop facility to Following the tenets of good and handed back to the family. [email protected] expensive diversions, but the Roads Department service Changhe vehicles and a special outlet in is confident it can handle the problem itself. Kuleshwor stocks spare parts. business practice, funeral homes have Altogether, very different from adapted to a changing American proceedings in Nepal. Besides the

t has been said that if you want to Flying for Nepal survive like that. Negative thoughts and know how Nepal is doing, just look at vibes will only bring negative results. how Royal Nepal Airlines is doing. Perhaps what we need at present is an Our flag carrier is an indicator of our Ladies and gentlemen, this is the flight deck: Will attitude and willingness to start off on a Icountry’s wellbeing. politicians please stop interfering in Royal Nepal Airlines? positive note, and the airline’s staff is There were those glory days when recognising that the company’s image Royal Nepal Airlines was a well-regarded reflects on their image. A poor reputation of carrier, and every Nepali took pride in its the airline will reflect poorly on them. And performance, punctuality, its vital services a shoddy airline is a blot on the country’s to remote area airfields. Passengers own image. preferred the airline’s in flight service to First, we have to start working on a many other companies in the region. And situation of trust among employees, which Nepal’s own image had not been is at its lowest ebb for many of the reasons tarnished by mass tourism, violence and cited above. The only way to do this is to political instability. be united against interference from above or In the past 12 years, the country’s outside to professional decisions that the political slide downwards is matched by the airline has to take. Too many times in airline’s descent into mismanagement due the past the airline and its staff have paid to overt politicisation. Since the restoration dearly for the short-sighted political of democracy, party leaders and corrupt expediency of the government in power.

politicians made the airline their cash cows, KUNDA DIXIT The airline suffered, and the country ruining its brand name and making it suffered even more. synonymous with corruption. A politically-appointed board with we have: our national integrity. experience in the airline and has risen up Our slogan should be: Royal Nepal There was a time when Royal Nepal directors who had no aviation knowledge Besides, the policy of forcing Royal the ranks. If he is given the freedom to Airlines is one family, and we will remain Airlines had a fleet of 21 aircraft, today it is was probably the biggest setback the Nepal Airlines to become a service-oriented manage the airline professionally without one no matter who is trying to divide us for down to nine out of which only four are in airline faced, and is still facing. The first operator must be abandoned for a political interference and hassles, he is personal benefit should be our slogan. Time operation at any given time. If anyone order of business is to get a board that management strategy that stresses revenue- capable of pulling the airline out of its dive. is running out. Too much time has been wanted a lesson in how to run a perfectly knows the business. generation for long-term viability. There is It’s as simple as that. Making Royal Nepal squandered. We don’t want to be a good airline to the ground, this is it. It is Royal Nepal Airlines runs on taxpayers’ a limit to how much the airline can be Airlines viable is not such a difficult task: all footnote in Nepal’s aviation history, we will time now to go beyond the blame-game and money. It doesn’t just belong to the milked for populist services to non-profit it needs is integrity and professionalism at not allow our sacrifices and commitment to trying to state the obvious about the employees or the government. It’s interest sectors, why should it be the only one the top. It can be done. be wasted like this. t political interference that ruined the airline, is the national interest. At a time of crisis operating in loss-making sectors? This To make that happen, we the we must look forward and try to chart a for the country and the airline, we must not should be in the government’s own interest, employees can start putting in quality time strategy for recovery. let outsiders come in between us. Nepal’s because it would allow the airline to be self- and working in a dedicated fashion to (Capt Vijay Lama is Chief The staff’s lack of motivation, half- tourism industry can be saved if we save our sufficient and less dependent on restore the airline’s reputation for quality Pilot of the Domestic hearted attitude, and absence of national flag carrier. But if we sell our government largesse. and service. At the moment, staff morale has Division of Royal Nepal professionalism have been the result of interests to foreign airlines like Qatar The present Managing Director, sunk so low that the airline’s employees are Airlines and has been with political appointments at the top. Airlines, we will slowly lose the only thing Mohan Khanal, is a person with 40 years of its own biggest critics. No company can the company for 15 years.)

8 FOOD ○○○○○○

SRADDHA○○○○○○○○○○ BASNYAT akeries in the Valley have Give us our come a long way since the B humble pauroti—named after the rather unappetising fact that the bread was kneaded by assistants who hopped feet first into large vats of dough. Another, daily bread more plausible theory, is that the word comes from the Portuguese word for bread, pão, that came to To resist may be Nepal from India. Today, equipped with virtuous, but to spatulas, state-of-the-art ovens, a lot more experience and a high surrender is divine. appreciation for hygiene, years ago, Nepalis were rolling out and got Krishna working at an mix the batter although Krishna Kathmandu’s bakers are turning hearty rotis but had no baked English bakery. He returned says it was always a handmade out an array of goodies that could alternatives. His story began with home and in 1947 established affair. Ghana Shyam Rajkarnikar, tempt the patron saint of dieters. disappointment. He never Krishna Pauroti. As with all new Krishna’s son, now runs the Why resist when giving in is received the land that was things, there were sceptics, and show. He recalls when asking 50 such a pleasure? Nepali Times promised him by Indu Shamshere true-blue Brahmins suspected paisa for a loaf of bread was lines up a baker’s dozen— Rana in return for years of loyal pauroti contained alcohol. considered exorbitant as he deftly twelve plus one, just in case—of service, so destiny took him to Actually, Krishna Bahadur used wraps up another box of the the best bakeries in town. Calcutta to learn a skill that boiled hops as a leavener. Then popular fruit cakes. When Krishna Bahadur would bring in some money. A there was the name: many While tradition is all very

Rajkarnikar began baking 55 prominent baker befriended him thought bakers used their feet to well, consumer tastes do change. MIN BAJRACHARYA Realising they needed to put out a bigger selection, in 1986 Krishna Bahadur’s grandsons opened Mabacos—a clever acronym for Master Bakers and Confectioners. It has gained a pop over, place an online order at but they do take orders, which loyal clientele for products that www.thamel.com. is how it appears as dessert at don’t stint on quality but are easy The favourite venue for dinner parties. on the pocket. Rabi Rajkarnikar, chocoholics is probably the A place that is always stocked the general manager, knows Radisson Pastry Shop. In air- is Hot Breads Bakers and competition is stiff and image is conditioned splendour they can Confectioners, an international essential in a brand-conscious be spotted with rapture on their chain with five outlets in the economy. They are now looking faces as they reverently bite into Valley, including one in Durbar into opening Mabaco’s Cakes and the Chocolate Nemesis—77 Marg. They offer variety at Bakes that won’t use preservatives percent of pure chocolate that affordable prices, luring in and artificial colours. seeps into the blood, releasing a students, executives and A street away on the posh flood of endorphins 'happiness families. “We maintain Durbar Marg is The Cake Shop hormones' on their way. international standards and at Hotel de l’Annapurna. Since Many a hostess has tried to only offer the freshest products 1978 they’ve turned out breads, pass off the Success Cake from because Hot Breads has become cakes, pastries and savories that set the Shangri-la Bakery Shop at synonymous with quality,” standards for others in the Lazimpat as her own creation. proprietor Shridar P Sharma business. The White Forest, Not that anyone is fooled. The says with pride. Don’t fret if recently renamed the Everest signature French specialty that your favourite cheese croissant Cake, is a triumph. Thanks to a involves layers of merengue, is all sold out. Before you know half-price scheme between 9- almonds and a rich but light it, a fresh batch will emerge 10PM, The Cake Shop never has cream filling, is a Shangri-la from the kitchen. Good things anything but the freshest hallmark that the discerning do come to those who wait. temptations on display. know and love. Unfortunately Shyam Kakshapati’s Nanglo’s There are few better ways to it only makes rare appearances Bakery Café that opened its first begin your day than with the Yak & Yeti’s fruit danish washed down with a double shot of espresso. It’s a sugar and caffeine rush that nutritionists may frown on but indulgence is rarely fat- free or healthy. Ram Lal Shrestha, the pastry chef has been going about his business at the hotel since 1979. The Centre Point specialty is the custom made MIN BAJRACHARYA animation cakes topped with 3D planes, trains and cartoon characters no child (or adult) can resist. If you’re just too busy to 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #149 9

restaurant at Teendhara, is endless. The pretzel and perhaps Nepal’s best-known chocolate spice cake got my eatery chain. Say “I’ll see you at thumbs up. One stop over, the the bakery” and most cake selection at Helena’s is Kathmandu residents will only quickly gaining respect. ask which of the numerous Patan may not have rows of Nanglo café’s you are referring to. bakeries, but who needs quantity Since 1991, Nanglo’s has become when Hermann Helmer’s offers a favorite hang out for the young. the finest quality in German The website, www.nanglo’s.com, bakery products? The Nepali lets students vote or comment on venture has been in operation for current issues. Those who join 25 years, passing from father to Club Bakery Café get discounts sons and all three bake with the at various shops, recreation nurturing assistance of their centres, clubs and resorts. mother, Ram Maya. Ashok KC, Twenty years ago Norbu father and founder of the Sherpa started carting his pies to enterprise, trained in Germany Thamel after baking them at his and was deeply impressed by the father’s restaurant in Boudha. emphasis on quality, something Looking around his bustling these bakers do not compromise Pumpernickel Bakery he on. Sons Nirmal, Kamal and remembers when it used to be all Bimal now run the show. dirt roads lined by a handful of Nirmal’s true passion is white houses. Sherpa got his experience bread and the perfect little the hard way—working in cupcakes younger Hermann’s bakeries across the United States, customer’s love. Kamal handles Germany and Switzerland. Each the pastry department, while time he brought home new Bimal, the youngest, makes the techniques and recipes, which puffs. The bakery has proven to explains why you can get be a menacing temptation to authentic German bread in the many who work out at the gym heart of Thamel. He uses only next door. Since there is so much local ingredients, and flour from whole grain goodness going Manang and Mustang for special around, the disciplined can find a orders. Pumpernickel Bakery has snack to compliment their a wide selection of bread: workout. The bakery opens its wholewheat, multigrain doors at 7AM, and by and oatmeal to name mid-morning the first just a few. This was lot is already gone. the place that Those willing to introduced the go the extra mile “proper” croissant won’t be and bagel to disappointed if they Kathmandu. And make a pilgrimage to just by the way, the Hyatt Regency, this bakery also Boudha. Chef Pratap excels at homemade Dhaubhadel’s Italian icecream. stunningly elaborate Around the corner, Weizen creations look almost too good Bakery tempts the casual too eat. Almost. The happiest passerby with a street side hour at the Hyatt is between 7- display of goodies: cheesecake, 8PM when you can go home scones, very sizeable apple with everything at almost half muffins, brownies the list is the price. t 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 10 WORLD NEPALI TIMES #149

ANALYSIS

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ BRUSSELSCombating – A group child of international pornography NGOs say that the EU needs to enforce stricter guidelines to curb the access to and practice of internet-related sexual exploitation of children. Interest groups from all sectors of the computer industry, including on-line child protection experts and representatives of children’s n independent central bank organisations, focused exclusively on price expressed their stability has become a central concerns at the Bigpart of the mantra of “economic lies about central public hearing ‘Child reform”. Like so many other policy safety on the Internet maxims,A it has been repeated often - Identifying best enough that it has come to be practice: how has believed. But bold assertions, even industry risen to the challenge?’ from central bankers, are no before the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). substitute for research and analysis. Economic efficiency Participants welcomed the European Commission’s recent Research suggests that if central extension of its Safer Internet Action Plan (SIAP), which aims at banks focus on inflation, they do a must be balanced tackling the controversial issue of illegal, harmful and racist content better job at controlling inflation. on the internet. But they insisted that the plan was not enough and But controlling inflation is not an with democratic that a definite framework needs to be introduced. They end in itself: it is merely a means of recommended that greater prominence should be given to issues of achieving faster, more stable growth accountability. child protection and child pornography in Central and Eastern with lower unemployment. European countries. They also proposed increased cooperation These are the real variables that between these countries and the Europol, the European Police matter, and there is little evidence Office. The framework includes a series of measures to be that independent central banks adopted by the EU’s member states to ensure that offenders are focusing exclusively on price severely punished in their countries. (IPS) stability do better in these crucial respects. George Akerlof, who

shared the Nobel Prize with me in

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ 2001, and his colleagues have WASHINGTONBurmese – Asanctions growing number of Congress members support argued forcefully that there is an sanctions against the authoritarian regime after repeated serious optimal rate of inflation, greater attacks on Suu Kyi and her political party, the National League for than zero. So ruthless pursuit of Democracy (NLD), last week. Last week, Senate Majority Whip price stability actually harms Mitch McConnell introduced the “Burmese Freedom and economic growth and wellbeing. Democracy Act of 2003” that imposes a US import ban on goods Recent research even questions manufactured in Burma. whether targeting price stability The new bill will further isolate the military junta economically. reduces the trade off between The Clinton administration had imposed a ban on new investment inflation and unemployment. by US companies doing business in Burma in 1997, and activists A focus on inflation may make languishes, because the ECB is That might be the case if all that During America’s growth boom have urged a comprehensive ban on trade with the country. The sense for countries with long constrained by its single-minded central bankers did was, say, choose in the 1990s, the Clinton proposed ban on goods made in Burma would be in place until histories of inflation, but not for focus on inflation from promoting computer software for clearing Administration believed that certain conditions are met and certified by President Bush, others, like Japan. America’s central economic recovery. payments. pushing the unemployment rate including measurable progress to end human rights abuses, the bank, the Federal Reserve, is Technocrats and financial But central banks make lower was worth risking, especially release of all political prisoners and the achievement of an mandated not only to ensure price market players who benefit from decisions that affect every aspect of when the social gains—declining agreement between ruling State Peace and Development Council stability, but also to promote this institutional arrangement have society, including rates of economic welfare roles, reduced violence— (SPDC), the NLD and ethnic minorities to transfer power to a growth and full employment. There done an impressive job of growth and unemployment. Because were added to the direct economic popularly elected civilian government. The legislation would also is broad consensus in the US convincing many countries of its there are trade offs, these decisions benefits. By contrast, the IMF urged freeze the SPDC’s assets in the US, and expand a visa ban to against a narrow mandate, such as virtues, and of the need to treat can only be made as part of a tighter monetary policy, because it former and present SPDC leaders. (IPS) that of the European Central Bank monetary policy as a technical matter political process. Some argue that in put far less weight on the cost of (ECB). Today, Europe’s growth that should be put above politics. the long run there are no trade offs. unemployment, seemingly no

OPINION by MAI YAMANI A Saudi survival strategy

The old regime has procrastinated so long that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ every○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ choice it now faces is risky. id the bombings that rocked Riyadh Saudi Arabia’s population is divided into leaders want to rescue the state, not raze it. Some royals recognise this and know that a shock the al-Saud royal family from its distinctive regional, tribal and sectarian They form the vast majority of people in Saudi more thorough housecleaning is needed. They complacency at long last? This rude groups. To the east, in the oil-rich province, Arabia, and have not yet embraced the realise that the al-Saud must choose: continue Dinterruption to their majesties’ indolence by are the Shia. Politically emboldened since the uncompromising rage of Osama bin Laden’s on the narrow path of repression, ethnic and their subjects incited rage, fury and something fall of Saddam’s regime and the resurgence of clones. religious intolerance, or adopt a more open and else—fear. Of course, alarm bells have rung their brethren in Iraq, the Shia wasted no time The challenge facing the al-Saud is to inclusive policy. before in Saudi Arabia, but the ruling family in petitioning Crown Prince Abdullah to end include at the heart of the political system the Both choices are fraught with danger. Open remained in denial—deniability and repression both their exclusion from Saudi politics and peoples they have shunned for decades. Unless up, and they include people in Saudi public life being the political arts at which the al-Saud their demonisation as heretics by the Wahhabi they begin to do so, these peoples will drift hitherto considered unworthy for being either excel. If the regime is to forge a survival religious establishment. Their message to the into the camp of the fanatics—if not as active heretics (the Shia), of impure blood (the strategy, it must now re-examine its rulers is that it will no longer suffice to identify terrorists than as passive supporters, much as Hejazis) or too primitive (the border tribes). foundations. being Saudi exclusively with being Wahhabi the Catholic community in Northern Ireland Remain closed, and they will find themselves As ruling families go, the al-Saud are Najdi. passively embraced IRA terrorism as a way to hostage to the forces of intolerance that spectacularly numerous—there are perhaps as Meanwhile, the Hijazis, who originate in end their exclusion from political life in the threaten the regime. The al-Saud religious many as 22,000 of them. But vast bloodlines Mecca and Medina, hold long-repressed province. The danger in Saudi Arabia is that alliance with the Wahhabis and the latter’s have not prevented hardening of the arteries. resentments due to their humiliating partial the IRA are no match for Muslim control of a rigid religious educational system Indeed, the men now struggling to hold things inclusion in Saudi politics. Although the fundamentalists in their fanaticism. must change. “Moderate” elements among the together are the incapacitated King Fahd, 84 (pic, Hijazis, who are Sunnis but not Wahhabis, are For the regime to embrace peoples it has population will support this change (and the right), his half-brother Crown Prince Abdullah, not viewed as heretics, they are marginalised excluded, it must agree on inclusiveness—and manhunt for terrorist fanatics) if they secure 79, and his full brothers, Defence Minister because the Islam they practice has Sufi the tolerance of non-Wahhabi forms of inclusion in Saudi life. Sultan, 78, and Interior Minister Naif, 75. leanings—and tolerant Sufiism is anathema to Islam—as a survival strategy and stick to it. Alexis de Tocqueville warned that the most Old men, unsurprisingly, find it hard to the austerely dogmatic Wahhabis. Educated This is difficult because the ruling al-Saud are dangerous time for any authoritarian regime is cope with the breakdown of the assumptions Hijazis ask only for modest reforms. Yet even themselves divided. Crown Prince Abdullah is when it reforms. The al-Saud have that have governed their entire lives. Perhaps moderation is dismissed by the al-Saud. far more disposed to reform than Prince Naif, procrastinated so long that every choice they the most shattering lost illusion is the fact that The tribes of the Asir region, which have a the powerful Interior Minister, who clings to now face is risky. Inclusion is the less the bombings occurred in the heart of the al- mixed sense of identity due to their close ties to the old narrow system of repression. dangerous path. It puts at risk only the Saud’s homebase in the Najdi region, which Yemeni tribes, feel alienated from both the The al-Saud will undoubtedly be ruthless ethnically narrow and religiously intolerant indicates that the enemy within resides nearer political and the economic centre. The in seeking out the individuals directly structure of the regime. By contrast, the regime to the throne than anyone suspected. This population of al-Jawf in the north has a similar implicated in the terrorist bombings. Those itself will be imperiled if it clings to its narrow recognition is particularly unsettling because sense of political and economic alienation. captured face beheading in the traditional way. base. t (© Project Syndicate) the al-Saud have alienated every group except Despite long simmering feelings of resentment The problem for the regime is that the springs their own. If some Najdi may now be and dispossession, these ‘minorities’ remain that nourish fanaticism will not be dammed by (Mai Yamani is a research scholar at the mistrusted, where can the al-Saud turn? moderate in their demands for reform. Their such exemplary punishment. Royal Institute for International Affairs.) 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 NEPALI TIMES #149 11 by JOSEPH STIGLITZ End game in Burma? SATYA SIVARAMAN in CHIANG MAI – The recent attack on Burmese release from house arrest in May 2002. In the past six months there has weight on the ancillary social workings of the macroeconomic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Asia’s most well-known been no real contact between the two sides. The junta was extremely benefits of reducing it, and much system—as evidenced by their campaigner for democracy, marks a turning point in Burma’s unhappy about the political meetings that Suu Kyi had around the greater weight on the costs of frequent mistakes in managing it. otherwise painfully slow and unchanging politics. Three possible country. potential inflation. For example, most US recessions scenarios of a global response are now The second scenario of a popular uprising banking emerging. breaking out depends on how much opposition The economic analysis of since 1945 were caused by the Fed One is that the military junta manages to activists within Burma have been able to Clinton’s Council of Economic stepping on the brakes too hard. ride out, for the time being, the growing fury maintain their strength. “There is a fire Advisers turned out to be right; the Similarly, central banks adopted both in and outside Burma, over their attack burning within each one of us and it will take models of the IMF (and the Fed) monetarism with a fervour in the on Suu Kyi. In the second scenario, the attack just one bold show of public defiance against were wrong. America secured a late 1970’s and early 1980’s, just as could become the spark for a nationwide the regime for many of us to come out onto much lower rate of unemployment empirical evidence discrediting the movement of civil disobedience against the the streets,” said Suthin, a resident of without inflation—eventually underlying theories was mounting. junta. The third possibility is that if the true Rangoon. unemployment fell to below 4 Whatever the merits of a extent of injuries sustained by Suu Kyi come The third scenario of foreign intervention percent. But that is not the point: common currency, those in Europe out, there might be growing calls by Burmese in Burma, or at least much greater external the point is that no one could be deliberating about adopting the groups in exile for UN intervention in Burma pressure on the regime, depends on the sure. A calculated risk is always Euro should consider whether to tie to effect a change of regime, a la Iraq. extent of physical harm sustained in the unavoidable. Who bears it varies their fortunes to an institutional “Will Burma be next?”’ read the title of the Friday attack by Aung San Suu Kyi, who with different policies, and that is a arrangement whose flaws are Friday editorial of Irrawaddy magazine, which reportedly has broken an arm and suffered decision that cannot—or at least increasingly apparent. Likewise, is based in this northern Thai city and watches head injuries. should not—be left to central bank developing countries need to Burma affairs. “It is doubtful Washington will Already, the United States and the technocrats. While there is a consider not only the central bank’s squander its political ammunition on Burma,” European Union have called on the Burmese legitimate debate about the degree independence, but also its mandate it said. An invasion could be justified as yet military regime to release Suu Kyi from of independence accorded to central and representativeness. They need to another case of ‘humanitarian intervention’ detention and allow her to appear in public. banks and other decision-making balance concerns about economic similar to the one in Kosovo by the North US lawmakers are reported to be weighing a bodies, within a democracy, the efficiency with those of democratic Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in 1998. number of actions to express their displeasure perspectives of those whose well- accountability. For the United States, entering Burma with Rangoon, from freezing assets belonging being is affected by the decisions In many new democracies, militarily could also be a strategic move to to the country’s leaders to prohibiting Burmese exports from entering the US. Given taken should be represented in citizens are bewildered. The virtues gain a foothold right at the doorstep of its only global economic and military rival— the precedent of the US and Britain forcing the process. of the new regime are first praised, China. regime change in Iraq without even a UN Workers, for instance, who but then they are told that the If the first scenario materialises, it will show Where is this last Security Council mandate, there has been have much to lose if the central macroeconomic policy decisions how the Rangoon regime has managed to some debate among Burma groups about the bank pursues an excessively tight about which they care most are too survive crises since the late eighties. It clung outpost of vintage idea of a similar intervention in Burma. policy, do not have a seat at the important to be left to democratic to power even after losing to Suu Kyi’s While the Chinese government is table. Financial markets that do not processes. Citizens are warned National League for Democracy (NLD) in the military dictatorship considered close to Rangoon, nobody expects have much to lose from against the risks of populism 1990 general elections it organised. In recent it to actively enter into a war with the United unemployment but are affected by (meaning the will of the people?). years, the opposition and Burma’s military in Southeast Asia States to save its ally, unlike in the case of inflation, are typically well There are no easy answers. But rulers have been able to rope in the NLD into headed? North Korea which is strategically far more represented. And yet financial in too many countries, nor is there a long drawn-out process of so called ‘dialogue’. The regular visits to important to China. markets hardly have a monopoly on democratic debate about the the country by Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy who arrived in These are still early days for such speculation and Burmese pro- technical competency. alternatives. t (© Project Syndicate) Rangoon on Friday, has given rise to the belief that the military was democracy groups in exile would prefer that the Burmese throw out their Indeed, many in the financial serious about negotiating a transition to some kind of democracy. dictators on their own. However, they would not mind a strong reaction community have little (Joseph E Stiglitz is the 2001 The attack on Suu Kyi and her supporters came after she from the international community to tell them they are not entirely understanding of the intricate Nobel laureate in Economics.) criticised the military for not initiating direct talks with her since her alone in their struggle. t (IPS)

Pakistani city of Lahore. But Vajpayee, who ○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○ made another attempt at peace by inviting United Nations Development Programme TOKYOBillions – Donors in pledged aid $4.5 billion for Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for a rebuilding efforts in Sri Lanka on Tuesday at summit in the north Indian city of Agra in July South and West Asia Sub Regional Resource Facility the Tokyo Conference on Reconstruction and 2001, appears to be playing it slow this time. with the United States, Norway and the The Indian prime minister said another Indo- European Union. While the meeting was a Pakistan summit would be possible, “only after success in terms of drawing loans and grants, cross-border terrorism ends”. Attempts at Invitation to Apply for Young Professional Programme (YPP) it may fail to prod the Tamil Tiger rebels back peace were widened after US Deputy into the peace process. Despite last-minute Secretary of State Richard Armitage visited appeals by international donors to the Tiger Islamabad and New Delhi in May. He was UNDP is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to rebels, the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam reported to have taken up cross-border knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 (LTTE) leaders boycotted the two-day donors militancy as a priority issue. Following his visit, countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they meeting. They want an interim administration Islamabad ordered the arrest of several develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. that would have autonomy in the north and leaders of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group east, a move that would put reconstruction of and ordered ‘restrictions’ on it. (IPS) The Kathmandu SURF is the UNDP’s Sub Regional Resource Facility for South and West Asia. We the country’s Tamil-majority areas under the provide UNDP Country Offices in the sub region (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, hands of the LTTE. Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) with timely, high quality substantive support for the effective design and imple-

The conference listed 10 guidelines that ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ mentation of country programmes and projects. In keeping with UNDP’s corporate vision of a knowledge- link progress in the peace process to the new KUALAIllegal LUMPUR timber – Malaysia is implementing a based advisory service organization, our objectives are: (a) to meet the policy advisory needs of Country aid pledges. At the forefront is full compliance ban on the importation of timber from Offices and (b) to enable Country Offices to more effectively develop and access knowledge and expertise. with the ceasefire, assistance in the north and Indonesia, but this remains some way off from east, the participation of a Muslim delegation, dismantling the entire system that allow We offer an opportunity to exceptionally qualified young professionals, age - below 30 years, to work at the and ending the underage recruitment of rebels. Indonesian timber to reach this country illegally. Kathmandu SURF for a period of 11 months. This will be an opportunity for young professionals from the Japan pledged $1 billion and the US followed Malaysia announced this ban last month to sub region to work closely with SURF Policy Advisors, gain experience in developmental research and with $54 million. The Norwegian government address widespread criticism that its timber advisory services, and be exposed to UNDP’s operations and policies. pledged $3 million, mostly for the north and industry has been part of the illegal system east. The Asian Development Bank promised that adds to the destruction of forest cover in $1 billion and the World Bank, $200 million per its neighbouring country. The applicants must have a Masters degree in an area relevant to UNDP’s practice areas (democratic year. Among others, the European Union Starting June, the Malaysian government governance, poverty eradication, energy and environment, hiv/aids, crisis prevention and recovery and committed $293 million over a three-year said, it will issue import licences only to those gender) and a maximum of 1 year of professional experience after the Masters degree. period. (IPS) importers who can show proof that the origin of incoming logs is not Indonesia. Ecologists We are compiling a pool of qualified and interested young people for possible participation in

are worried that these well-intentioned our Young Professional Programme (YPP) in the coming months. If you are suitably qualified and

○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ measures will not halt this illegal trade that interested in working with us, please send us your CV with a cover note and brief statement why you are NEWSummer DELHI – India thaw and Pakistan continue to irreparably damages the environment. interested in working with the SURF. move slowly but steadily toward dialogue, say Indonesia’s ecologically rich forests includes analysts who point to recent trends that 11 percent of the world’s plant species, 10 reflect an effort not to let the usual irritants percent of its mammal species and 16 percent undercut the new, if cautious, warmth in their of its bird species. Environmental groups ties. This peace initiative was announced by estimate that in the last decade, timber Interested candidates should submit their applications along with up-to-date CVs, by 30 June 2003, to: Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on smuggling from Indonesia’s Kalimantan alone 18 April this year and Pakistan has since has cost the Indonesian government a minimum Chief, South and West Asia Sub Regional Resource Facility responded with a willingness to pursue it. A of $580 million. Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry U.N. House, P.O. Box 107, Kathmandu sign of the thaw in relations is India’s said in 2001 between 80,000 -100,000 cubic Fax No. 977-1-5548597 announcement of the resumption in July of the metres of illegal timber were moved every month. (IPS) bus service between New Delhi and the We especially encourage qualified women to apply for these positions. 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 12 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS NEPALI TIMES #149

pressure from powerful Bhote ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kosi backers, the water resources BikasExpense Bhattarai inaccount ministry has lobbed the hot Nepal Samacharpatra, 6 June potato at the Department of Electricity Development. Talks An ordinance for the royal were scheduled this week. “We EditorialPolitical in Kantipur, 9 June playground are trying to perform the role of family’s expenses was recently passed in secret, a move that a facilitator, but the two sides major political parties and some have yet to agree to meet intellectuals have been opposing halfway,” said the department’s vehemently. It was created by an director general Lekhman Singh amendment to the Royal Bhandari. Expenses Management Act 1972 Department officials are that allows the king to increase worried the row between Panda the royal palace’s expenditures to and NEA will send a negative any amount he desires. Payments message to potential investors. A were made till six months after recent study revealed the the provision had expired. This American investors evaded paying controversial ordinance was royalty by understating the pushed through the interim plant’s capacity, which changed government just days before from the planned 36MW to the Lokendra Bahadur Chand current output of 45MW. In The student wings of seven major political parties have declared resigned from his post. If the total, the investors themselves indefinite strikes in all educational institutions across the kingdom constitution is considered valid, owe the government Rs 2.7 beginning 15 June. This at a time when the student body of the the previous law’s tenure has million in royalty, pending for Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) suspended their lockout of ended. The fact that the news the last three years. While the private schools and agreed to hold talks with school operators. was kept under wraps has raised issue of capacity can be amicably Things had barely begun to get back to normal before this new suspicions. “It is a blow to the settled, the same may not be development sowed fresh seeds of chaos and uncertainty. people’s right to knowledge,” possible between Panda and The student unions are progressing on to what they call a says lawyer Bhimarjun Acharya. NEA. And the situation has only “decisive” movement, but the people don’t understand their The people are owed an been aggravated by talk of motivation behind strikes that close schools. Judging by what has Headline: Schools closed due to viral influenza. explanation. punitive measures on Nepal’s happened in the last few months, schools and colleges have garment exports. Schools are rapidly closing down! Is ‘viral influenza’ a new student become playgrounds for student unions affiliated to political organisation? parties.

Temporarily closing schools and colleges have become a ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Gorkhapatra, June 12

LekhnathPanda Adhikhari vs NEA in ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ handy tool for student wings to spring their friends from police NepalBhutanese Samacharpatra Maoists, 11 June custody and secure free medical attention at hospitals. It is the Nepal Samacharpatra, 8 June have begun distributing refugee issue to a decisive end,” easiest way for them to express their political dissent despite the obvious lack of logic in their actions. After all, the Ministry of American investors of Bhote Kosi The Bhutanese government has pamphlets and posters even in a party member said. The Education and Tribhuban University are currently holding talks with Power Company (BKPC) are been alerted to a radical urban centre like Thimphu, people that the Bhutanese them on their 68-point demand list. pulling all kinds of strings in the communist outfit, similar to the Paro and Ha. The king is not government resettled on their Students bear the brunt of abuse, and we know who prompts US senate to make the Nepal Maoist rebels in Nepal, that ignorant of these developments. lands are already fleeing in fear, their actions. They must understand that political loyalty and blind government cough up the $1.5 recently announced an armed There are reports that he began he added. faith are not one and the same. What can we expect of the future million they claim is owed them struggle in the Druk kingdom. to chart out strategies to With headquarters at when the present generation has nothing to look forward to? The by Nepal Electricity Authority. After its formation in the counter the newly formed party Siliguri in India, the party students unions should ask themselves what they stand to gain by Texas-based Panda Energy Bhutanese refugee camps in and several raids on villages took members are able to move calling for schools like Notre Dame in Bandipur or St Mary’s in International reportedly eastern Nepal, the Bhutanese place recently. easily across three international Lalitpur to permanently shut their doors. threatened retaliatory pressure Communist Party (BPC) BPC insiders don’t believe borders. The Bhutanese This Taliban-style path was embraced by Maoist student wings through US senators on duty-free announced it already has the Nepal-Bhutan talks will lead government has sought help and we all felt the disruption caused by the insurgency in both Nepali garment imports. The strengthened bases inside to a solution. “We have already from Indian paramilitary forces urban and rural education. It doesn’t seem to be at an end. Now, American operator of the 36MW Bhutan. They have youth, declared our armed struggle and to fight these freshly-minted we have yet another series of extreme anti-school measures hydropower plant has also taken peasant and student wings that this is what will bring the Maoists. under the explicit encouragement of parties that call themselves the matter of payment up with democratic. The student unions are egging each to outdo the other, as if closing educational institutions was a game. If it gains enough the Nepali embassy in the US, momentum, their “decisive” movement could result in a domino and the Foreign and Water effect that closes schools down all over the country. Resources Ministries in National political power play should not infect the school Kathmandu. system. Why have the student unions let themselves become NEA says the company is pawns for the political agendas of their mentors? In the end we all trying to make it pay for what OliDrishti, 10 June on troubled waters pay the price for their actions. was not included in the Power Purchase Agreement. Under Interview with KP Oli, Central Working Committee member of the UML. Extracts: What created an environment that let the king instate Thapa? Madhab Kumar Nepal was backed by six parties including Deuba’s breakaway Nepali Congress (Democratic). The Mandal faction of the Sadbhabana Party and the RPP came up with their own candidates. It is paradoxical that the king passed over the recommendation made by major political parties to act on one made by a minor player.

Is the new premiership unconstitutional? Naming Thapa as prime minister was not another regressive step. It was a continuation of the king’s October Fourth agenda. The constitution allows for three ways of instating a prime minister—the leader of a party with the majority vote, a leader unanimously selected by all political parties and lastly, the leader of the largest party. All three options require the person to be a member of parliament. In our situation the premiership would be unconstitutional no matter who is in the prime ministerial seat. However, I suggest that a solution can be found based on the present scenario instead of wasting time and energy on discussing constitutional Refugees. legalities.

Robin Sayami in Himal Khabarpatrika,15-30 May Will the difference of opinion between the king continue after Thapa’s cabinet is QUOTE OF THE WEEK formed?

When Sher Bahadur Deuba said his government should be reinstated, Crown Prince Paras intervened By circumventing the political parties the king MIN BAJRACHARYA eliminated an opportunity to work together and saying his claim was unjustified. make his peace. We are waiting to see if the cabinet that is formed will have executive powers. - Amik Sherchan of the People’s Front Nepal on the meeting Thapa’s cabinet will be defunct if it doesn’t receive between the king and political parties last month. Jana Aastha, 11 June. what it was promised. 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 HISTORY AND CULTURE NEPALI TIMES #149 13

Back at Sundarijal >37 “Solitary confinement is softening my mind ” 5Sundarijal April, 1977 6Sundarijal April When GM was here I used to discuss all kinds of political When on 25 March Asst Anchaladhish with a team of officers and clerks thoughts that occurred to my mind—mostly about the political had come to take our statement, I had expected that after all the train had situation of Nepal as we see it from prison in total ignorance. My moved and that legal process had started. They made their appearance conjecture was as good as his, but since it was a question of after 3 months, and now again they seem to have gone to sleep. It is measuring in darkness, two imeasurements are double as good already 12 days and nothing happens. Granted that the king was away as one. Now my ideas or measurements are bottled up inside for a month on a visit of India and nothing happens without his personal me. Sometimes I am assailed with doubts about the correctness order, but it is already five days that he is back here. If only they take us of our present line—GM used to be never in doubt that it was to the court or do something about us, decide one way or other, there the only line we could take. Today, I am again assailed with would be some psychological relief from this boredom, this loneliness, this doubt, there is no reason why I should have doubts like this stagnant existence, this total preoccupation with one’s own psychological about a line which had been considered thoroughly from all moments alone—all this will be lifted even if the legal process is started. I sides. The psychological softening, which the present solitary say legal process for the convenience of expression. The directive confinement provided, is obviously responsible for recurrence whatever it is likely to be has to be taken by the king, hence the legal of doubts in my mind. Any mental conclusion or reaction process is only a formal show—but still there will be goings on, our reached or produced in the present extremely unnatural movement from the prison to the court (which I expect would sit here in condition is bound to suffer from subjectivism. No objective the prison…) some new faces seen, some arguments and counter- assessment is possible in this state of mind. Moreover, I have no arguments etc, etc—all this will be at least a small pebble thrown into the news of any kind—don’t know what developments are taking still scum-covered water of my present existence. There will be an place or what our people are thinking or doing. This total lack of element of fight also, for which I am itching—a legal fight before a bogus information tells against any attempt at objective assessment. court, but I will give it in my own way—state my case, knowing fully well This solitary confinement is affecting my mind—softening it most that I would be addressing a deaf judge, and therefore knowing that my likely. Sometimes the horror of indefinite detention grips me with pleadings wouldn’t make any difference in the judgement he has to give in terror. I know such fear, again is a psychological reaction of the any case. Therefore when 14 days ago, the officers came, I brightened BP Koirala fears that present state of incarceration. I also know that they won’t keep up. The Asst Anchaladhish has even assured me GM wouldn’t be kept incarceration is making him lose us like this for long. Still, I am sometimes gripped with horror. But separate from me for long, a day or week or so, no more. Perhaps the in my case I have to live in solitary confinement for a few Anchaladhish himself doesn’t know anything about us or what orders he touch with objective reality. For months more. There is no indication that the severe restriction will have to execute next. In his judgement he thought that we won’t be the first time, he admits in this imposed on us would be relaxed. I don’t even hope that GM kept separated beyond a week. would be brought back to my camp now. How to manage to The pages of my diary are full of my mental agonies, even torture; and diary written in English, that the spend the time in this distressful condition? If I had books, they I give the impression of having been considerably weakened. The horror of indefinite detention would have perhaps helped—perhaps. I remembered Madalasa psychological condition is exactly so, but I haven’t weakened in the who told me last time that I should take such opportunity of practical sense in the least. When my politics arises, or my political grips him with terror. Anything solitude to contemplate Infinity. Loneliness and solitude are conviction and ideals are affected, I bristle up, ready for a fight. would be a distraction, and he perhaps two things or the same thing looked at from two Saw Madalasa in the early morning dream, soft, loving and psychological divergent points. What I am suffering from is exceedingly charming. yearns for the legal proceedings loneliness—utter loneliness—loneliness which is horrifying. I Inscribed under Sushila’s photo the immortal line of Keats: “A thing of against him to start, even should have practiced some yoga which would have perhaps beauty is a joy forever.” This picture of hers gives me joy and morale helped me, quickening my mind. I took ½ tablet of valium as a whenever I look at it. It is a great pity that I didn’t bring a bigger picture of though he has no illusions of a chemical substitute for yoga—to calm my agitated mind. hers to paste it prominently on the wall of my room. fair trial.

BOOK REVIEW by MARK TURIN

The mad Carew

Disseminating deranged ideas in the volatile political climate of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

the○○○○ present is simply irresponsible.

Hui, a Chinese Professor of Microbiology deranged ideas in the volatile political preceding Chapter One, ‘while all the published by 1st Books Library, an outfit and Chemistry who has perfected the climate of the present is simply characters are fictional, the fabric of the which specialises in ‘publishing on demand’. airborne dispersal of germ anthrax and is irresponsible. bloody historical events depicted in this This should have warned me away in the eager to unleash a few canisters over the Aside from the fantastical plot, the book are a tapestry woven from known first place, since no reputable book house United States. Aim: to sow death, misery book is peppered with mistakes and facts, the author’s imagination, and public would go near such inflammatory and and probably the seeds of WW III. Enough misrepresentations: ‘Nemaste’, says Gail statements’. The known facts, I should add, jingoistic drivel, but fascination with the already? No, the final battle takes place in Tenzing Carew (the daughter of ‘Norgay are almost twenty pages of the 1999 title overwhelmed me and I purchased a Mustang and involves a CIA operative, the Tenzing’, of course). One would have interview between Revolutionary Worker copy anyway. Save yourself the trouble. t American Himalayan Foundation, Tibetan thought that Paul Ryder Ryan might have and Prachanda, reproduced in their entirety KEW, The Nepal Maoist Strain Khampas and a clutch of automatic been able to check the spelling of this now as Chapter 3 of the novel, and five pages of (Mark Turin is is currently with the by Paul Ryder Ryan Department of Social Anthropology at Pages: 148 weapons. Thankfully, the bad guys are all almost international greeting. Proper names the special report on the 1 June massacre of University of Camridge.) 1st Books Library destroyed, a requisite number of good guys are so frequently misspelled that we may 2001. The rest can indeed be put down to die with them (to make it realistic) and the have to put them down to Ryan’s failed the author’s considerable imagination. See also: ‘The peoples’ peace’ by Puskar world is saved by the ingenuity and attempt at preserving a pretence of the KEW, The Nepal Maoist Strain is Bhusal, Nepali Times, #123. resilience of a band of Americans. Oh dear. unreal (or protecting his sources): a town Anyone with a predilection towards outside Kathmandu called ‘Braktapur’, a ary Carew, nom de guerre ‘Kew’ paranoia, conspiracy theories or weapons of lake in Dolpo called ‘Proksumdo’, three- after the famous gardens in mass destruction should definitely neither day general strikes called ‘bundhs’ and a US London, is an American guerrilla purchase nor read this book. There are Ambassador to Nepal named ‘Ralph fighter with a leadership role in the Maoists enough half-baked, specious and entirely Drank’. In a discussion on why the of Nepal. She is also blinded in one eye, a maniacal speculations to keep the present ‘peasants’ of Nepal have been effectively MBuddhist spiritualist, conversant in Nepali, US administration in foreign policy for a galvanised by Maoist ideology, we learn the mistress of Comrade Prachanda and good five years. All the more reason, then, that ‘Mao is just another god in Nepal’ living in ‘the forbidden Kingdom of Lo’, or that this treatise should not enter the (page 8). was it Dolpo. Her father and brother, ex- public discourse. Better to denounce it From the back cover, it appears that army and trekking types, are commissioned now, outright, than to let someone pick it the author has spent ‘more than ten years by the US secret services to track her down up by mistake and believe even a single travelling and working in Asia, most before she gets more deeply embedded with word of it. I also don’t believe that the recently in troubled South Asia’, although the insurgents than she already is. At the writer can claim any protection by branding what troubled him about the region behest of Prachanda, she meets with Chen his book as ‘a novel’. Disseminating remains unsaid. According to a disclaimer 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 14 CITY NEPALI TIMES #149 BOOKWORM

Integrated Pest Management in Nepal Fanindra Prasad Neupane (ed) Himalayan Resources Institute, 2003 Rs 500 This approach to pest management is ecological and socio-economical. It needs collaborative efforts from various experts, institutions and farmers. The contributions in this book seek alternatives to chemicals pesticides wherever possible, advocating minimal and judicious use when unavoidable.

Flora from Kathmandu Valley Neera Joshi Pradhan ABOUT TOWN Park Gallery, 2002 (Second Edition) Rs 250 This slim publication is the result of three years worth of intensive study of the Valley’s flora by the artist. FESTIVAL AND EXHIBITIONS v Orchids and Jewels of Nature Botanical art exhibit by Neera J Pradhan from 1-15 June at Park Most of our garden flowers are exotic, making Pradhan’s paintings a valuable nature resource. While Gallery, Lazimpat. 981055263 retaining accuracy, her work reflects great delicacy and a true admiration for the subject. v Pictures from Modern Life in Nepal photographs by William Mebane till 4 July at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited. 4411122 The nature of underdevelopment and regional structure of Nepal: A Marxist analysis Baburam v Walking photographs by Ashok R Shakya from 17-22 June at Park Bhattarai Gallery, Lazimpat. 981055263. Adroit Publishers, 2003 Rs 960 EVENTS v Imaging Everest photographic exhibition from the Royal The author, a leading figure of the CPN (Maoist), probes the subject of why our ‘yam’ nation is caught Geographical Society, London, in association with The British Council, in a quagmire of underdevelopment from a historic-materialist perspective. He concludes a revolutionary Kathmandu. 8.30 AM-4.45 PM till 31 July at the British Council, rupture from the past is necessary if we are to progress into the 21st century. Lainchour. v Hyatt Open Tennis Tournament 19-21 June. For registrations: Hyatt Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected] Regency Kathmandu 4491234 ext 5165 v The British Film Festival 16-20 June. 16: Once Upon a Time in the Midlands, 17: The Emperors's New Clothes, 18: This is Not a Love Song, 19: Happy Now, 20: Bridget Jones's Diary. Daily screenings at 6.30 CLASSIFIED PM at Gopi Krishna Cinema Hall, Chabahil. Tickets available at the British Council and from 6PM at Visit Ground Zero Fine wines, ON NEWSTANDS the venue. designer candles, cards, gifts, stationery, wooden items, MUSIC v Live Music Friday at 5.30 PM, Saturday movie at 4.30 PM. Jivin’ Joe’s Restaurant, Kupondole. perfumes and more. Darbar v Live Acoustic Jam 7PM on Saturdays at Himalatte Cafe, Thamel. 4256738 Marg, opposite Hotel de Full Circle acoustic jam every Friday at New Orleans Café, Thamel. 4427311 l’Annapurna NOW v v International music day at the Alliance Française. Free concert, non-stop music 12PM till late on 21 June. Visit Femilines, the Exclusive Lingerie Store for ladies DRINKS v Fusion offers over 100 cocktails. Happy hour from 6-7PM. Dwarika’s Hotel. undergarments, nightwear, bathrobes and more. Ladies v K-too! Special Tropical Khukri drinks Rs 125 or Rs 750 for every 1.5 litre. Free Irish Coffee with every main course. K-too! Beer & Steakhouse, Thamel. 4433043. staff. Opposite Sajha Yatayat, Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk. Tel: The Piano Lounge & Bar features the Trio Givone for Gypsy music, cocktails and snacks. Yak & Yeti v 547428 Hotel. v Friday the 13th with the Cobwebs, 6PM onwards on 13 June. Gents Rs 600, ladies Rs 400 Flowerlovers: Flowerlovers, it’s (complimentary drinks). Rox Bar at Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. 4491234 FUCHSIA time again!! See 60 v Thunderbolt with Ram Shrestha and Sabu Lama. 8PM onwards Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Red beautiful varieties in bloom! Our Onion Bar, Lazimpat. 4416071 lovely CYCLAMEN are also v The Jazz Bar presents Abhaya and The Steam Injuns. 7PM onwards, 13 June. 50 percent discount on flowering. Only at THE food and drinks. Shangri-la Hotel, Lazimpat. 4412999 BISHALNAGAR NURSERY, tel. SAVE FOOD 4431797; 5 min. from v Friday BBQ with 10 different delicious salads. 6.30 PM onwards at the Summit Hotel. Rs 500 + tax. Bhatbateni Supermarket, 2 5521810. minutes from Bishalnagar Chowk 25%off the cover price v Saka dhawa Celebration 14 June at Stupa View Vegetarian Restaurant & Terrace, Boudha, 4480262 (turn right and downhill). v Traditional Nepali Thali lunch at Patan Museum Café inside Patan Museum. 11AM-2.30 PM. 5526271. v Mexican Food festival 13-22 June. Dinner: Rs 750 + tax. The Café at Hyatt Regency, Kathmandu. Custom Made: Generate Wealth Off the stands you will pay Rs. 1020 annually, 4491234 with Feng Shui. Get a custom SUBSCRIBE NOW and receive 12 issues at made tabletop fountain. Call v Weekends BBQ at the Shambala Garden. 50 percent off through June. Shangri-la Hotel, Lazimpat. Rs. 865/- includes delivery within the Valley. To 981054102 4412999 have your copy delivered immediately, call v Summer specials smoked salmon soufflé, shrimp newburg and crispy duck breast. Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, Thamel. 4250440 Co-Q10 and all dietary supplements imported from v Naachghar Revisited with Myrna, an international exotic dancer, and North Indian delicacies. Every 4781153 evening from 7.30 PM onwards. Rs 749 per person. Yak & Yeti Hotel, Durbar Marg. Singapore & Malaysia Contact 5520294 v Wood fired pizzas, Baskin Robbins icecream, cocktails and coffee at the Roadhouse Café, Thamel. or fax completed details to: v World BBQ Nite 27 June at Dwarika’s Hotel. Singaporean satay, Persian kababs, Churasqueria. To Let: Rabibhawan area, two- Rs 699 + tax. 4479488. storey house, 4 bedrooms, 2 4782100 Café Bahal Dieter’s delight at Kathmandu Guest House’s Food Court, Thamel. 4413632 v bathrooms, large kitchen, Yes, I would like to subscribe to v Kids Combo Meal at all Bakery Cafés. Kids’ meals with exciting gifts. dining, living, terrace, lobby, the boss v Saturday BBQ Lunch at Club Himalaya Nagarkot. Rs 500 per person. 4680083 porch and telephone. Contact: Name ______v Papaya salad, seasonal vegetables with fillet or chicken and Italian icecream at Singma, Jawlakhel, Roshani 4275180 Lalitpur. 552004 Address ______New York Pizza: Free Home GETAWAYS v Dakshinkali Package every Saturday Rs 500+tax. 4370714, 4371537 delivery Contact:5539345 ______v Shivapuri Heights a traditional cottage with modern facilities. Rs 1,850 pp. www.escape2nepal.com, Email: [email protected] Tel. :______Great Godavari Getaway special weekend packages. Godavari Village Resort. 5560675 For insertions ring NT v Marketing at 5543333-36. v The secret of Kathmandu Overnight package $99. Dwarika’s Hotel. 4479488 MYriAD Pvt. Ltd. v Writing Retreat Full board package. Aesthetic living, innovative thinking, creative writing and nature at Park Village Resort, Budhanilkantha. 375280 v Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge Special offers for Nepalis and expats. 01-361500 v Bardia Tiger Madness special deals for expats. Jungle Base camp, Bardia. 061-532112. on FM 102.4

NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL Mon-Fri 0615-0645 BBC World Today VIS -11 -06-2003 0 4:00 GMT Sat 0615-0645 BBC These last days before the monsoon breaks sees the classic struggle over Nepal of the westerlies fighting a losing battle to Sun 0615-0645 BBC Agenda hold off the advance of moisture from the Bay of Bengal. In a good year, the monsoon winds prevail and the clouds mass up Daily 2045-2115 BBC g]kfnL ;]jf against the Himalaya and travel westwards. This year, the Daily 2245-2300 BBC monsoon is about a week late, and is due to arrive in eastern g]kfnL ;]jf Nepal on Thursday. Wednesday morning’s brief storm was a Sun-Fri 0740- 0800 Ps}l5g\ -/]l8of] klqsf_ westerly front making its presence felt one last time. The winds Sun-Fri 0800- 0830 are whipping up sand in the Rajasthan desert (see satellite 8anL -ljifout cGt/lqmof_ Kathmandu picture, taken on Wednesday morning) transporting it even up to Sun-Fri 2000- 2030 cfhsf s'/f -;d;fdlos ljifodf ax;_ central Nepal in the form of haze. The monsoon is expected to arrive with a bang this weekend and with it a dramatic change in Sat 0800- 0830 zflGt cleofg wind direction, muggy conditions and torrential showers. Sat 1930- 2000 cfrf/ ljrf/ -e|i6frf/lj?4 ;xsfo{_ KATHMANDU VALLEY Sat 2000- 2030 s"6gLlts d~r Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal S SS S Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 30-19 30-18 30-18 31-19 30-18 E-mail: [email protected], www.radiosagarmatha.org /]l8of] ;u/dfyf 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 REVIEW NEPALI TIMES #149 15 Coming soon to Jai Nepal Cinema

The Matrix,. Elegant martial arts, sharp and worlds—one Roundof the Matrix, a computer by the Oracle as the only being II with the 1999 innovative cinematography, a stunningly simulated dream designed to use humans as power to destroy the Matrix. Together with nightmarish future world with overtones of sources of fuel and energy, and a hard reality Trinity (Carrie Anne Moss) and Morpheus Descartes’ Meditations: The Matrix was outside the program. The creator-director (Laurence Fishburn) Neo navigates his way A return to the more than equipped to turn the popular duo behind the movies, the brothers through an unfamiliar post-apocalyptic notions of sci-fi blockbusters on its head. Wachowski, based the basic premise of the landscape. post-apocalyptic The movie created a tsunami that swept movie on Descartes’ analytical scepticism through urban sub-cultures. It became that questioned notions of reality. The 2003. Four years later we are poised to enter Charlie’s Angels 2: Full Throttle sci-fi world that fashionable to discuss Neo with philosophy Matrix repeatedly asks questions about the that brave new world again. The Matrix July 2003 neophytes at universities. Matrixmania was nature of truth and reality, the possibilities Reloaded promises more, not only of special The beautiful and accomplished crime- we can’t get invested with the kind of cool never of choice and free will, the meaning of life effects, action sequences and cutting edge fighting trio is revved up and raring to go. associated with laser-wielding starship and love. It offers no answers. technology but also a deeper journey into captains and journeys to far-off planets. The first movie charts Neo’s (Keanu the real world—of course, as defined by The enough of. Imitations were spawned but everyone knew Reeves) “rebirth” from the womb of the Matrix. This time round more humans have The Matrix got there first. computer to the responsibility of liberating broken free and are attempting to live in the It created ‘there’. Two parallel the human race. He is the One prophesised real world. As their numbers grow, Zion, the last real-world city, falls under siege to the Machine Army. Only a matter of hours separates Zion from the machines and it is up to Neo, Trinity and Morpheus to save the day. Neo is still a saviour in the sequel but he is forced to make difficult choices. The machines are stronger too and powerful figures on the inside offer increasing Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines resistance, including Agent Smith who July 2003 thirsts for vengeance. Arnold Schwarzenegger battles a The genius of the publicity-shy Larry stunning and ruthless fembot (female and Andy Wachowski will hit Kathmandu robot) from the future. 14 June when The Matrix Reloaded premiers at Jai Nepal Cinema. And just to keep you in the loop, look out for the final installation in the trilogy, The Matrix Revolutions, due out in November later this year. Watch this space. t The Matrix Reloaded at the Jai Nepal Cinema from 14 June at 1.45, 4.15 Koi Mil Gaya and 6.45 PM. Bhoot at 11.15 AM. August 2003 For reservations call 4442220. A syrupy Bollywood love story starring www.jainepal.com Hrithik Roshan and Preity Zinta. 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 16 EDUCATION NEPALI TIMES #149

For more than 50 years, Nepali students have benefited from the world’s most successful educational exchange. hursday was Fulbright Day, Nepali parents can afford to foot the In 51 countries, including Nepal, students and scholars had gone to changes have also been reflected within and some of the 300 or so bill, most students still rely on grants there are binational commissions to the United States as Fulbright the American education system and Nepalis who have studied in Fulbrightand scholarships. Among the latter, administer the program. “ItNepalis began scholars even before that. their teaching values. the United States under the Fulbright the Fulbright Scholarship is perhaps with a simple idea, but has grown to In 1952, Ram Chandra Malhotra Former head of the National Program gathered in Kathmandu for the most contested and coveted. allow an untold amount of shared and Yog Prasad Upadhaya became the Planning Commission, Mohan Man anT annual get-together. This year, there were more than knowledge, cross fertilisation and first Nepali Fulbrighters when they Sainju, remembers how difficult his There certainly isn’t anything 300 aspirants for the Nepal-wide global networking,” says Michael Gill, were selected to study public first two semesters were as a Fulbright unique about Nepali students leaving selection of five candidates for the head of the Fulbright Commission, administration. Since then, some 260 scholar at the University of North home for a Western education 2004 Fulbrighters. The prestige Nepal. In June 1961, the students, 47 post-doctorate scholars Carolina in 1969. “I struggled against anymore. More than 1,500 Nepalis attached to being a Fulbright scholar Commission for Educational and 46 travel grantees have been to the rigidity of science. I wanted to went to the United States last year is partially due to a rigorous Exchange between the United States the US under Fulbright auspices to study development not as an isolated alone, a quarter of them to pursue selection process—only the cream of and Nepal (USEF-Nepal) was study, teach and to conduct economic issue but also in light of post-graduate degrees. While some the crop gets through. formally established, but Nepali research. In a reverse flow, 122 its social, political and American students and 133 senior anthropological connections,” Sainju scholars have come to Nepal. recalls. At least in his case, the hard Many Nepali Fulbrighters joined work seems to have paid off. the civil service and rose up the ranks USEF-Nepal says the quality of but very few got into politics. Former applicants has dipped and crested with From top: Minnesota State minister and RPP leader, Prakash poltical and socio-economic changes in University magazine Today Chandra Lohani, a 1962 Fulbrighter, the last 50 years. The quality of early features former Nepali who is the new finance minister in the scholars were good because most of ambassador to the United States, Surya Bahadur Thapa cabinet is one of them had Master’s degrees from Damodar Gautam (extreme right) the few. “It helped me broaden my universities in India that followed on its cover. Illustrious Nepali perspective—the experience helped me the British-style education system. Fulbrighters Lain Singh Bangdel become a better person and a better In the 1970s education suffered a (left) and Dilli Devi Shakya professional,” Lohani told us. serious setback, but the tide turned (right). Below: US Education Fulbrighters are required to for Nepali applicants, especially Foundation Director in return to Nepal and work in their field in the 1990s. Kathmandu, Michael Gill for at least two years. But Dilli Devi Until then most scholars held (at left below) with former head Shakya, the president of Fulbright government jobs, but today people of the NPC, Mohan Man Sainju, Alumni Association of Nepal working in the private sector, also a Fulbright scholar. (FAAN) is concerned with the international organisations and rising numbers who stay on in the independent scholars are coming to US, especially those who are the fore. “We would like our selection studying technical subjects. to be more representational of the Shakya is a supervisor to research diversity in the Nepali population,” students at Tribhuban University’s says Gill, who himself was a Peace Department of Botany. She is also the Corps volunteer here in the 1970s first woman to head the government and speaks fluent Nepali. “We are funded Research Centre for Applied doing better than before, but we still life, was set up. Science and Technology (RECAST). don’t get as many dalit and janjati The Fulbright Program is the “The Fulbright experience teaches scholars as we would like.” largest exchange of students and you how best to exploit what is at your The Fulbright Program was scholars in history. Nearly 25,000 disposal,” the 1990 Fulbrighter adds. conceived by late US senator J William individuals have lived, studied, taught Nepali scholars are diversifying in Fulbright to promote mutual and learned in the US and 140 other their academic fields of interest under understanding through education countries. Along with Peace Corps, the the Fulbright program. The younger between the US and other countries. Fulbright Program is hailed as the generation has opted for creative The US Congress formally most successful US government writing, fine arts and media established the program in undertaking for knowledge sharing. At studies—a departure 1946. An international present it has mutual exchanges with from the traditionally policy-level governing body, more than 120 countries. t popular areas like appointed by the US economics, President and consisting of administration and the 12 members drawn from sciences. These academic, cultural and public 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 REVIEW NEPALI TIMES #149 17 Being modern life”. He senses individuals claiming identities uniquely their own beneath the trappings and seensigns of pop culture. Were he to widen his gaze and recognise the situation and the difficult dignity of those like the “Man Breaking Rocks For Gravel”, his skills and aesthetic sensibility would unearth not just a changing world, but an unchanging one. A world where individuality is not proclaimed by clothes worn or lifestyle adopted, but by the situation one bears. t This is who I am. This is who we are. This is how I want to be seen. (Wayne Amzits is a poet, looking for the “decisive moment” while the young girls are more photographer and long-time that captures a person or an action defiant and more guarded. In resident of Nepal.) as it is happening. Instead, he is “Learning to Drive a Motorcycle, drawn to the person, his or her Pokhara” (top, left) a young woman Portraits of Modern Life in Nepal by persona or presence, hopefully and man on the bike seem William Mebane, 13 June-4 July at revealed through the comfortable with each other, yet Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited. photographer’s lens in an apart and sure of themselves. They unguarded and willing fashion. are not defiantly being young, but On the rare occasions when they are out on their own, and their Mebane fails, the photo bears the dress and bearing speak of their indelible feel of a studio portrait. lifestyle and free spirit. When he succeeds, as he most often In “Sadhu Putting Water Into does, the individuals, with His Jeep, Mugling” (top) the

expressions and gestures and with irresistible sadhu appears to be ○○○○○

WAYNE○○○○○○○○○○○ AMZITS the clothes they wear, step out of more man of the world than ascetic, ighteen remarkable portraits the photograph with an intensity his jeep more necessary for his trade taken in Nepal in 2003 by that says this is who I am, this is than a trident or begging bowl. William Mebane, an who we are, this is how I want to The man in “Man Breaking AmericanE photographer and visiting be seen. Or sometimes, more Rocks For Gravel, Hemza, Fulbright Scholar, are on display at naturally, this is the person you Pokhara” sits with his tool in hand Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber would see if you happened to come midst the rocks he is breaking down Mahal Revisited. The individuals in by just now without a camera in into gravel. He appears to be as these large sized colour photos look hand wanting to take my photo. self-contained as a statue. His body directly at the photographer and the In a powerful and is still, but his eyes and his face viewer. The people seen here speak uncompromising way, the young seem ready to break open like the for themselves through facial girls in “Three Hip Hop Girls, rocks he shatters. Is the T-shirt expressions, bodily gestures and the Dragon World, Kathmandu” and beneath his vest a token of clothes they wear. the young men in “Three Young modernity, and is his labour, his Mebane, who characterises Men, Lakeside, Pokhara” present exploitation, a necessary himself as a “street photographer” both the trappings of pop culture underpinning for the modern world? went out on the streets of and the reality of being young. Mebane in these few portraits Kathmandu, Pokhara and other These teenagers define themselves presents a Nepal that he Nepali towns to meet and engage by their dress and bearing. The characterises as “caught up in the his potential subjects. He was not boys are at ease with their pose push and pull of tradition and

Walking is a metaphor for life says photographer Ashok R Shakya of his latest exhibition at Park Gallery. “As in Myriad life,of while walking, paths one finds ups and downs, going away and coming home,” he believes. A French language teacher and a freelance photographer whose images have won international awards, Shakya’s works have been published in magazines, calendars, brochures and postcards. Garuda magazine said, “his [Shakya’s] photographs tend to make a balance between suffering and grace…His works often inspire a discreet spirituality.”

Walking by Ashok R Shakya from 16-22 June at Park Gallery, Lazimpat. It moves to the Summit Hotel, Kupondole, from 24-30 June. 13 - 19 JUNE 2003 18 NEPALI TIMES #149 NEPALI SOCIETY Under My Hat by Kunda Dixit The gift of mobility n a country where there are need to do housework and take so many injured people in care of babies, and other hose of you who think there is nothing more avoiding multiple head-on collisions by the skin of need of rehabilitation, there apparatus. Recently, he was even chaotic than Kathmandu traffic are wrong. It is your teeth. is a shortage wheelchairs and asked to design a wheelchair for no moreDriving chaotic than our politics. But you have meb. Driving on themad wrong side of the road is allowed aids for the handicapped. Tara, a street dog paralysed a point. We went straight from being bipeds to driving in Nepal and the answer ‘a’ (above) is legal under IFinally, a Nepali engineer has when she was hit by a car. It took mopeds, and entirely skipped the steeplechase event. the Geneva Convention. started designing and building three months for Shankar to put TSo, unlike veteran democracies like the UK which c. If oncoming lane is occupied by traffic, overtake cheap wheelchairs to meet this together what is probably Nepal’s took 500 years to learn to drive on the wrong side of the slowpoke cars from the left by cleverly employing demand. first canine wheelchair (right). road, we can’t expect ourselves to get there in just 12 the blind spot where they least expect you to be. Shankar Man This 37-year-old teacher at years. Before you go for your driving test, therefore, it d. Stay behind vehicle in front of you and adjust Shrestha crafts Balaju Technical School has built is a good idea to practice this sample muliple-choice test speed depending on traffic conditions. custom-designed more than 200 wheelchairs, and so that you can get your license without beating around physiotherapy his innovativeness is stunning. “I building part, which is not easy the bush too much. 4. You are driving down Putali Sadak, your machines, low-trolley listen very carefully when the because of the shortage of mobile vibrates. Do you: wheelchairs for patients talk about their strong, but lightweight material. 1. All motorcycle riders and passengers are required a. Let it vibrate and enjoy the massage. mothers who requirements,” Shankar Often, Shankar has had to go to wear helmets: b. Pick up the phone, shout obscenities at the caller explains, “then I discuss it back to the drawing board to a. Unless your helmet has just been stolen at Bishal and gesticulate recklessly. This is called Road Rage, with their doctors and find a design solution for Bazar. and it’s understandable. therapists. I spend a lot unavailable parts. The greatest b. Except your three little children aged 2, 4, and 5 c. Pick up the phone, chat with the caller and when of time designing the advantage for physically- sitting on the fuel tank who are only required to wear cop pulls you over slip phone down your shirt and right device.” challenged Nepalis is the fancy shades and frilly hats. pretend to be excavating ear wax. Then comes the surprising affordability of c. At all times, d. Pick up the phone, chat with the caller and have a Shankar’s creations. An d. Including when you are asleep, or in the bathroom. Rs 100 note ready on the dash board. imported wheelchair costs anywhere up to Rs 70,000, but 2. The best procedure for taking a vehicle from a 5. Seatbelts have been made mandatory for your his cost ten times less. And that parked stationery position into the traffic flow is to: safety and comfort. Care to comment? comes with free maintenance. a. Swing out into the lane without looking behind to see a. The belt is a good restraint while I am stuck in a “Life in Nepal is difficult enough if any other vehicle is approaching, especially if you are julus for two hours at Ratna Park, otherwise I may already for the disabled, my job a bus. get out of the car, run amok and start shouting is to make it somewhat easier b. If there are school kids waiting to cross the zebra, anarchist slogans. by giving them mobility,” he accelerate so you can beat them to it. b. I think we should make seat belts mandatory on says. c. Look into the rearview mirror and wait for a safe gap rickshaws as well. The reason they are cheap in traffic to move into lane, even if it means waiting till c. All stray cattle on the street must wear helmets is because it is a labour of love the next bandh. and harness from the next fiscal year. for Shankar, he does not aim to d. Only for Safa Tempos: “Stop, don’t look, and go, d. No comment. make money out of it. And go go!” Shankar’s reward is to see the If you answered 1 (c) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 (a) 5 (d) happiness on the faces of his 3. The fastest way for a motorcyclist to go from you are not eligible for a driving license at this time, newly-mobile patients, including Point A to Point B is to: and we suggest you come better prepared next fiscal Tara as she wheels around a. Overtake slowpokes by cutting into the opposite lane, year. happily. t MIN BAJRACHARYA

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