#302 16 - 22 June 2006 18 pages Rs 30 LANDING

KUNDA DIXIT

rachanda appears as The negotiating teams met the formally Thursday for a second P politician in a lengthy tv round to iron out details for a interview. Girija Prasad Koirala planned summit between Dahal says we need a ceremonial king. and Koirala before the prime The UML central committee lays minister leaves Saturday for his down the party line for a postponed checkup in Bangkok. democratic republic. The two will agree on a sequence If all this sounds like an of events in the coming weeks: election campaign, that is Interim constitution exactly what it is. The first The Maoists want an interim salvos were fired this week in constitution scrapping the 1990 the battle for constituent statute and ending the revived assembly elections to be held house, which some of the seven within a year. Political forces, parties oppose. including the Maoists, are now Interim government AIR DYNASTY: Babu Ram Bhattarai and jostling for space in an election Maoists will be offered cabinet Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Chitwan last week that looks set to be a referendum posts, including deputy prime before taking a helicopter to Siklis. Dahal is on the monarchy. ministership. But the expected in Kathmandu for talks with Parliament’s radical moves government, parties and the Prime Minister Koirala on Friday. last month to defang the international community will monarchy had begun to worry insist they first renounce the Maoists who suddenly saw violence and agree on a timetable themselves sidelined. They for decommissioning arms. insisted on dissolution of the Constituent assembly house and speeding up the peace An eight-party interim process. The Maoists can’t afford government will decide on dates to keep their fighters mobilised for an election to a constituent indefinitely and need to finalise assembly earliest by November an entry into multiparty latest by April 2007. politics. The road ahead is fraught Home Minister Krishna with dangers because of Sitaula understands why the entrenched positions and comrades are in a hurry (See potential for derailment. The interview, p 6) so he responded Maoists are having doubts about this week by scrapping TADO, an ethnic-based autonomous setting Maoist detainees free and federal structure because it suspending parliament. We would open a can of worms. The don’t know what the government issue of Nepali citizenship for got in return but it looks like a over three million people in compromise on an interim the tarai is already a political constitution. hot potato. And how is the interim constitution going to tackle the monarchy? Who is currently Weekly Internet Poll # 302 ’s head of state? That Q... Should parliament be dissolved as the question is perhaps answered by Maoists want? the new South Korean and Thai Total votes: 5,842 ambassadors belatedly presenting credentials at the palace on Friday to King Gyanendra. It will be interesting to see if caretaker foreign minister and deputy

Weekly Internet Poll # 303. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com prime minister Amik Sherchan Q... Describe how you feel about the current will be present at the event. political situation. 2 EDITORIAL 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editor: Marty Logan Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Vicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh Sayami Advertising: Sambhu Guragain [email protected] Subscription: [email protected] Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur [email protected], GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu Tel: 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 Chasing utopia RADIO FREE NEPAL … and planning for the worst The Nepali media has earned well-deserved praise for protecting and upholding democracy and its own freedom during direct royal ill the high-minded can’t campaign locally look too peacekeeping mission departed, reign since 2002. notion of ‘permanent much like appeasement. Are these security has unravelled. and the Notwithstanding attempts to sully its message and collusion of W peace’ advocated by the dangerous craven actions by the country is in chaos. It is our very some colleagues with authoritarian forces, the media withstood seven parties and civil society government, or components of an own Ian Martin who has been pressure from extremists of the left and right. Nepali newspapers, only lead us to fool’s gold? What elaborate strategy to convince the dispatched there like a human magazines, radio stations, television and even blogs defied about ‘total democracy’ and Maoists to join modern rights version of James Bond. controls, courageously defending freedom of expression not just for ‘unconditional constituent democratic practices? Preferably Kaplan suggests that in many themselves, but to defend the rights of citizens to information. assembly’? Are these ideals to the latter but one hopes that societies, an enlightened dictator In doing so, they built on gains since 1990 to enhance motivate us, or dangerous leaders understand that the or a hybrid government may be professionalism in print, production values on tv and the spread of Maoists will sing any tune preferable or at least inevitable: community radio. Indeed, Nepal’s progressive legislation to to attain complete control of deregulate the FM band is far ahead of our neighbours and is the GUEST COLUMN Chile built much of its envy of broadcasters in the region. Pravin Rana the state. democratic infrastructure under Which is why we have to use the triumph of people power to Then there is the phrase ‘total an autocracy followed by what never again allow the misuse of government media for shameless democracy’. It implies some now appears to be a solidly propaganda. It is not just the royal regime that is guilty of this: delusions that might make us utopian end-point and we anchored democracy. Singapore’s successive democratic governments in the 1990s treated NTV, more vulnerable to those with Nepalis have the inside track. Lee Kwan Yew created a Radio Nepal and Gorkhapatra as party mouthpieces. malicious intent like the Maoists. Sustainable democracy, however, prosperous society from a State ownership of media doesn’t mean state control. It is In the euphoria of Jana- is often the final layer in society’s backwater state through a anachronistic in a democracy for elected governments to own and Andolan II, of course, when the social, cultural, and economic contract with Singaporeans that operate a propaganda arm. The governing boards of the three official ‘people’ are being saluted evolution. Fareed Zakaria, in the placed security, order, and organs must now be made autonomous and brought under purview of internationally and civil society Future of Freedom, Illiberal economic growth over many parliament, not the government of the day. The freedom and activists are patting themselves Democracies Here and Abroad independence enjoyed by state media during the current interregnum rights taken for granted in other must be institutionalised, otherwise they will once more lose on the back, questioning these offers some sobering numbers: liberal societies. them to politicians who know no better. notions borders on heresy. countries with per capita incomes Of course, the very thought of Nowhere is this independence and credibility more War journalist Robert of less than $1,500 have a an enlightened leader in the critical than in Radio Nepal, the medium with the widest Kaplan who has also democratic life expectancy of just mould of Lee Kwan Yew is reach. The pro-democracy warriors who were propelled to written on Nepal (‘Who lost eight years and adds that a unlikely to survive Nepali power by the April Uprising must realise that Nepal?’, Wall Street Journal, country’s wealth has to be politics. Wild opposition, civil democracy in future will be best defended by 20 December 2005) ‘earned’. That is, prospects are society and activist anguish, lack participation of all citizens, and there is no cautions us against grim for countries that rely of strong hegemonic support and participation without communication. A free placing too much hope heavily on natural resources (or the need to deliver results radio will empower people with information, on democracy and the foreign aid). quickly would undermine such a and foster communication as a tool for social blind pursuit of peace. Processes such as elections, change and development. leader. Unshackling state media must go hand-in- In The Coming parliament, or in our case a Without throwing cold water hand with building on the success of Anarchy, a collection of constituent assembly (which will on prospects for democracy, the community radio stations by streamlining the essays on topics ranging require elections) have not intellectual elite, media, application and registration process and from peace, democracy, resulted in sustainable activists, and politicians are reducing the fees of non-profit grassroots FM idealism, Kaplan democracy. In particular, many predictably engaging in group- stations to make them sustainable. points out that ‘peace, third world countries have held think about a utopian vision of As for the rest of us, it is time for as a primary goal, is elections only to have dictators democracy and peace for the introspection. Somewhere along the way have dangerous because it legitimise autocratic power or masses even while knowing (or we crossed the line between activism and implies that you will governments unravel amidst ignoring) that most Nepalis’ journalistic professionalism? Are we now sacrifice any principle bickering, corruption, and needs are elemental, and repeating the mistakes of the 1990s when we for the sake of it’. mismanagement. Others have confused freedom with free-for-all journalism sustainable democracy a difficult that unnecessarily spread cynicism about Removals of the fared even worse, descending into challenge. Then we have the politicians and tarnished democracy itself? terrorist tag, red corner anarchy or civil war. Maoists who continue to affect We need to look at the larger picture: notices, and release of Consider the most recent the economy, education, politics is not just a quarrel that makes all Maoist prisoners in casualty, East Timor, poster-child security, and liberties. headlines. It is about ensuring accountability the face of increasing of United Nations nation- We must hope that politics, and efficiency so governments remain extortion, allowing building success and touted by as promised, will transform our focussed on the urgent task of raising living political space to Kofi Annan as “a glowing example society. We must, as a matter of standards of all citizens. Maoist cadre even to the world community”. prudence, keep our feet firmly while the seven parties Almost a year after the UN on the ground. MANIX ABRERA Diplomacy for dummies With such a poor talent pool it will be difficult to find a new breed of ambassadors

stablished in 1947, Nepal Council of taken even less seriously. The Institute of With such a poor talent pool, our new imperatives. A few others point out the World Affairs is perhaps the oldest Foreign Affairs was established in 1993 to democratic leaders will be as hard- magnanimity of the EU and the E foreign policy institute in the region. train our rookie dips and became a semi- pressed to find new ambassadors: a generosity of while others are sold ‘The Council’ has been lead in the past by autonomous think-tank only seven distant nephew here, a party loyalist there on the sole hyperpower. prescriptive individuals with decisive years ago. If senility afflicts the council, and turncoats of the previous era. In any Uncertainty is the only certainty in influence in foreign policy: Subarna the IFA is never grew out of adolescence. case, shuffling appointments can change politics and diplomacy, but few indicators Shamsher, Surya Prasad Upadhyay and It seems to have been set up to groom the form but not the substance of towards the future are discernable. The Basudeb Nischal Nath Pandey, scion of royalist diplomacy. The government will be forced media will play a far greater role in Chandra foreign minister Ramesh Nath. Pandey Jr to pick someone from the administrative international relations. The importance of STATE OF THE STATE Malla. has been with the institute from its cadre as its foreign secretary. And coercive diplomacy will diminish as C K Lal In its inception first as its deputy and then whosoever that person may happen to be, interdependence between countries heydays chief. he is extremely unlikely to steer the increase. addressing the council was mandatory for With both institutions decayed the foreign policy of Nepal away from its Pomp is past, formalism is on its way every head of state and government visiting dissection of Nepal’s foreign policy has subservient track to proactive diplomacy. out and the future belongs to a generation Nepal. Shital Nibas often used this fallen into the hands of officials. The Aspiring ambassadors in business of diplomats willing to break the barriers ‘independent’ forum to raise issues foreign ministry is a direct descendent of suits are already queuing up at the of protocol and reach out directly to the considered too sensitive to be voiced the Rana-era Jainsi Kotha where clerks Balkhu Palace to promote economic people rather than through its rulers. directly by the government. diligently translated messages from the diplomacy. The cultural diplomacy We have to move from the traditional But all that is in the past tense. The 59th palace to the British resident. wallahs come in labeda-suruwals and are craft of dummy diplomacy practiced by anniversary of the council this week was Out of 12 royal ambassadors recalled fluent in Marxist jargon. royal nominees in the past to suave lacklustre and uninspiring. The rituals were last month four are retired generals, five Non-alignment is passé, globalisation multi-disciplinary envoys of a new dominated by grouse and gossip of retirees. are palace loyalists, three had a career in is the flavour of the century is the refrain. Nepal. The Council itself will need to re- Age seems to have taken its toll on this diplomacy, and the lone academic on the So, they argue that non-reciprocity with energise itself with younger members to septuagenarian body. list hasn’t published anything for the southern neighbour and dependability remain relevant and freed from the The other foreign policy institute can be a long time. of the northern neighbour are our two clutches of the foreign ministry. 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 3

LLL ETTERS

UNSECULAR out first and explain to us properly what the very people enjoying the and able to operate but they I disagree with the statement in your they mean by the new political and security it provides is have nowhere for the dogs editorial ‘Even though the kingdom was economic order that they want to create in probably unrivalled to recuperate. The situation not designated a secular state, Nepal Nepal, let them give up their arms, let anywhere on earth. The could change if the will, has never been as Hindu as it was them stop their intimidating tactics, let psychological effects of determination and made out to be by the ancien regime’ them tell us categorically that the resulting such demoralising and interest and care for (‘Theocracy to democracy’, #300). The situation will mean more rights for people hostile reaction upon one’s community were 1990 constitution simply took over the and not less. Until that happens, please those giving up their present in all. Basic religious fanaticism imposed by King don’t publish pictures, life histories and lives to prevent war from kennels cost little, and Mahendra when he declared Nepal a propaganda of the Maoists. engulfing the whole nation they don’t take up much Hindu state in 1960. From 1962 many And please don’t let them fool the needs to be taken into room. Once released onto Nepali Christian leaders found people that they are on the side of peace. account when analysing the streets all these themselves in prison for no other reason Going to war can never be a means of incidents such as Nuwakot and animals need is one good than their faith in Jesus Christ. One in establishing lasting peace anywhere. Of Belbari. meal a day and the Okhaldunga succumbed to police course, we will all rejoice when there is Abhishek Basnyat, email occasional stroke. They will torture, and is the first known Nepali this lasting peace in the country that every repay such kindness with total Christian martyr. When Nepal one is looking forward to but please don’t CHILD LABOUR loyalty and devotion. became democratic in 1990 two British torture us in the interim by glorifying a I was shocked to read that there The terrible cruelty we MPs, David Alton and David Atkinson group of terrorists who are yet to prove are 22,000 children working have witnesses towards pleaded with KP Bhattarai’s interim that they mean business for the ordinary as domestic help in dogs such as poisioning, government for the release of 60 people of Nepal. Kathmandu alone. As we know kicking, beating with Christians behind bars. One elderly Sunil Sharma, Teku domestic helpers are one of the sledgehammer, brick pastor in Dharan has been in and out of most vulnerable groups—they are throwing and even setting jails 14 times. Although such Ref: Pravin Rana’s article, ‘Loving to overworked, underpaid and in most dogs alight is not only cruel imprisonment ceased after 1990, no hate the NA’ (Guest Column, #300) and cases abused in various forms. and cowardly but offers no Christian organisation has succeeded in response-letters to it (#301). Any time Most of us are aware of the abuses solution at all. How much better getting legal registration as an NGO issues of ‘militarisation’ comes up, it is these children go through but are it would be to be proactive, without deleting terms like ‘Christian’ or invariably the national army that is held up silent witness while it is going on in intelligent, to work out with kind ‘Bible’ from application forms or to blame. It is easily forgotten that the the very society we live. If the solution together and to be guidelines. Churches never even had 40,000-strong (R)NA soldiers were happy Nepal government is serious responsible—rather than to inflict the option. enough doing their morning and evening about tackling child labour the suffering to pretend that it is After the historic 18 May declaration drills inside their barracks and disaster- public should be made aware of somebody else’s problem. of Nepal as a secular state, Nepali relief work outside until the Maoists drew the legal age of domestic Every individual on this earth Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, them to battle in 2001. It is the Maoists workers and carry out spot ROBIN SAYAMI has the power to do something Jains feel they too are now first class who put guns into the hands of common checks to monitor it. Let however small to change citizens of their own country. Before, Nepalis, many of them teenagers. They Nepali children live as children. things for the better and not just for advocates of other religions had to were abducted and indoctrinated with Usha Moktan, email themselves. Why not try? make use of Hindu means for progress, extreme left ideology that exalts armed Helen Palmer, Kathmandu as the anthropologist Prayag Raj rebellion. Why is it the NA still bears the DOG’S LIFE Sharma so aptly states. Thus contrary prime guilt for ‘militarisation’? Even more I fully agree with the letter by S Shrestha I agree Kunda Dixit (‘Getting along to your editorial opinion the executive, ridiculous is the charge about that ‘there is something wrong with our like a house on fire’, #301). The legislature, and the judiciary promoted ‘unprofessionalism’. Any organisation is psyche that puts self-interest before transformations parliament is making in Hinduism with state mechanism and clearly limited in its aim (to be as common welfare’ (Letters, #300). This is the name of political decisions are both finance. ‘professional’ as possible) by the pool it nowhere more obvious than within the good and bad. Many would be good if they Ramesh Khatry, Arubari recruits from and the training it can neighbourhood as it deals with its stray would be implemented. Others are just provide to these recruits. Can we look dogs. Bricks and stones are regularly plain absurd. One wonders if the It is absolutely outrageous to see around our poorly developed nation and thrown at dogs simply to move them on to government is just making radical the kind of publicity the Maoists are find it teeming with other ‘professional’ somebody else’s street so that they proclamations just to be radical, and if getting in the local media. Each institutions which the NA would do well to become someone else’s problem. The that is so there are a lot of logos to be Prachanda statement is greeted by the emulate? As an institution, the NA clearly street dog problem is not insurmountable, changed. Now that we’re secular how leading Nepali media houses with front aims to respect human rights and but there is no evidence of people trying about changing NTV’s logo as well? page space accompanied by his picture minimise civilian casualties. But the fact to find a logical solution or of talking S Awasthi, email which I am sure makes the surviving that even the world’s most advanced army, things through with their neighbours in an families of the 13,000 people killed in in the most advanced democracy, still falls intelligent manner, then acting collectively LETTERS the past decade awfully sick to their short should help provide a sense of for the common good. Nepali Times welcomes feedback. Letters stomach. Merely repeating their rhetoric perspective when judging these issues. If, for example, everyone in a should be brief and may be edited for space. that the current change in Nepal was No intention to condone the NA’s neighbourhood donated a small amount of While pseudonyms can be accepted, writers their doing doesn’t absolve them of the mistakes here. But war, by its very nature, cash there would be enough to have the who provide their real names and contact crimes that they have committed and details will be given preference. Email letters is an ugly business. Given that war was female sterilised, which would over time should be in text format without attachments are still committing. For all the flip- thrust upon the Nepal Army, Mr Rana gradually reduce thousands of stray dogs with ‘letter to the editor’ in the subject line. flopping we have witnessed on their makes a valid point. The Nepali military is all over the city. It would take years but it part, the Maoists yet don’t deserve any different from militaries in action would work. There is one organization Email: [email protected] benefit of doubt. They have intensified anywhere else in the world (and he has having tremendous impact by doing just Fax: 977-1-5521013 their tax and donation collections using the numbers to prove it). But the this, but it is not enough. Vets we have Mail: Letters, Nepali Times, GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal. severe coercion. Let the Maoists come continuous harangue the NA faces from spoken to have said they would be willing 4 NATION 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 Cash and brain drain MALLIKA ARYAL and ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY Nepali students pack up their dreams, and dollars, to study abroad

t’s been over a year since Abhisek Thapa, 24, finished I his BA in Arts in political science from Calcutta. Abhisek now plans to get a postgraduate degree from . “It is not just the education. Foreign cultures and their ways of life are something I’ve long wanted to explore,” he says, “my first choice was the US but the application and immigration procedures were much more complicated.” Instability at home, lack of job opportunities, an uncertain future and dreams of a better life are driving more Nepali students to North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and even Cyprus. EAGER TO FLY: Students Although the US remains seek academic counselling popular, complex admission at an education centre in procedures, standardised tests Kathmandu . and the huge cost of getting a US KIRAN PANDY degree are driving more and more reality check when they start way, at least for the first year, much more than their initial Nepali students to opt for other applying for a visa. Our job is sometimes as much as Rs 1 expenses,” says Uddab Khadka of countries. simply to make the process million that includes tuition, Mentor Institute, which places Rs 10 billion a year A prospective student could easier by helping them choose a airfare, exam charges and living students in Singapore, Ireland There is no way currently to always deal with a university university, advising them on expenses. While there are more and Denmark. keep count of exactly how directly but not knowing where the necessary documents and scholarships and loans available Universal’s Uttam Panta is a many Nepalis are studying abroad. The Ministry of and how to start draws them to forwarding them to the visa in US schools other countries let little more sceptical. “ It may be Education estimates that up the 300 or so consulting firms in consular section,” says Subash students earn by working part- true that those who do well to 12,000 go abroad the capital with names like Gauchan of PAC Asia which time. The 20 hours per week academically repatriate sizeable annually, excluding to . Interface, Unisearch, Universal, says it sends 200 students a permitted in Australia is an sums,” he says, “ but most others About 40 students come to Orbit and PAC Asia Services. year to Australia, New Zealand, incentive for many like Abhisek don’t remit much.” At least one the ministry every day for “Students who wish to go Canada and the Philippines. to go down under. “My parents expert believes that the trend of recommendation letters for abroad for further studies get a Most students pay their own will be sponsoring the first two Nepalis venturing abroad to visas. According to the semesters and then I am on my study will not stop soon. “You Institute of International own,” he says with a hint of cannot blame students or their Education, a US-based hope. In Australia the minimum parents for being sceptical about organisation that monitors hourly wage is AUS $16, while the quality of education in international students, 4,861 Nepalis were studying in US Canada offers 15 working hours Nepal,” says Dilli Ram Dahal, universities and colleges in for a minimum CDN $ 11 an hour. professor of sociology and 2004-2005. International This is a relief to parents and anthropology at Tribhuban students deliver $13.3 also reduces the amount of money University. billion to the US every year. that goes out of the country year Dahal adds that the real issue Our estimates show that, to pay for Nepalis studying is creating opportunities for India aside, Nepali students abroad. “I understand the concern Nepalis studying abroad to apply take out Rs 10 billion a year that money is going out of the their skills back at home. He says: out of the country in hard country but the majority of them “If their skills are not being used currency to pay for their finish their education, get jobs in Nepal, we have to admit that studies. and send money back which is we have been a total failure.” z NATION 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 5

Internet media excluded

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Online, or internet media, must be given the same recognition as Dealing with disputes traditional print and electronic media, argues the Online Media Association Nepal (OMAN). “When media law is being developed to Nepalis aren’t quarrelsome by nature, but we lack institutions to resolve them govern media as a whole, it is very important to have representation from all sectors,” added the body in a press release. The organisation z A federation of Dalit activists amicably as possible so that we cutting losses and moving to is demanding a seat on the Media Council formed by the previous splintered into factions early this can pick up the pieces and get on solutions. government. “Dozens of online magazines are providing the same week. with our lives. Since democracy allows people services as mainstream media. However, the Media Council lacks z Disgruntled employees of As a result, we often see no to have differences without having representation from this sector and is absolutely unable to build Kathmandu University (KU) are choice but to either drag the to kill one another, quarrels are effective and efficient rules, regulations and mechanism for online battling it out in the letters pages quarrels on for a long time, even bound to happen. As such, we media.” of the papers through generations, in some should welcome them as openings z For the last several months, the cases, or apply fistfight- to air differences. But once they are

Caring for customers Nepal Industrial Development equivalent tactics to get quick aired, we need to have institutions ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Vijay Motors, Tiny Town Day Care Centre, Healthy Smiles and Photo Corporation (NIDC) and Yak & justice. In either case, the damages in place to deal with them. One Concern were recently honoured with ‘Excellence in Customer Yeti Hotel have been at in terms of hurt emotions, dented solution is to develop alternative Service’ awards from The New Era Career Development Institute. loggerheads over the use of an reputations, strained dispute resolution mechanisms The prizes are part of New Era’s Customer Focus Year 2006 project, access road. relationships and lost businesses such as arbitration and give such which aims to help the 110 participating organisations identify are bigger than any putative short- processes a legal authority to drawbacks to providing customer service, project a more positive term gains. address quarrels. image and maintain long-term customer relations. STRICTLY BUSINESS Isn’t it time we looked for Anecdotes suggest that we have Ashutosh Tiwari ways to see what can be done to informal arbitration processes in

Cricketers crowned better resolve our inevitable some communities. But the

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Surya Nepal, John Player facilitated the Nepali winners of the ACC On one level, these quarrels disputes faster? Take our courts, challenge is to formalise them so under-15 cricket championship by presenting the team with Rs do not make sense. NIDC exists, for instance. They make up a bulk that arbitration with regard to 100,000 at a function on Saturday. The champions beat UAE in the presumably, to help companies of our formal dispute-resolution land, labour, contract and family finals in Kuala Lumpur. including hotels. KU must have process. But they are disputes becomes a respected procedures in place to address overwhelmed by an avalanche alternative to going to courts. Such

Gift of life employee grievances. And you’d of cases. respect will have three good ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ think Dalit leaders would cast From 1999 to 2003, more than effects: the load on courts will be Everest Bank organised a blood donor differences aside to maintain 500,000 cases were filed in the lighter, more quarrels will be camp on Wednesday to coincide with World Blood Donation Day. Stressing the need for more Nepalis to unity for the far more important Supreme Court, appeals and resolved and many interested donate voluntarily, the bank gathered about 100 donors. goal of fighting to end district courts. By types, almost Nepalis will grow up to be discrimination. 300,000 were about just three arbitrators. NEW PRODUCTS But these and other quarrels issues: land, family and business One result of all this is not SPICY: Tulasi Spice and Food Products has that spill into our public domain transactions. Given the that we will have fewer quarrels. introduced its new line of spices called ‘TSF do conform to an observation constraints of time and resources, It’s that in case of disputes, we Deluxe Masala’. The spices are available in about our societies: when it it’s safe to predict that the courts will know what to do to resolve stores all over Kathmandu. comes to finding ways to end will never address the majority of them speedily, inexpensively and conflicts, our social, political and those cases. And even in cases with respect for our social, cultural FUEL EFFICIENT: The Indica V2 Xeta Petrol is legal institutions routinely fail where courts render decisions (as and legal norms. After all, it’s in the latest offering from Tata Motors. Distributor us. While few see Nepalis as in NIDC vs. Yak & Yeti) the interest of our larger democracy Sipradi Trading says the Xeta delivers fuel efficiency of 14 km per litre and is available quarrelsome people, when faced enforcement of verdicts remains to see all sorts of quarrels as in five colours. The Xeta is priced from RS with quarrels, we lack an issue. Disputing parties problems in search of solutions, if 945,000 to Rs 1,246,000. institutions to help us end continue to engage in fights only we are creative and persistent conflicts as speedily and instead of accepting decisions, enough. z Study the risks Nepali students among dozens who were duped by a Canadian college

MARTY LOGAN Training College and Universities another two years so that all those with suspended CCBC’s registration after claims have a chance to apply. Finally, to numerous complaints about missing get a portion or all of their deposits back, shesh Khanal has a cheque for refunds and poor quality instruction. students would have to obtain a judgment $4,000 that he can’t cash but he has “All of the students are complaining to from an Ontario small claims court. A not just lost his money, he has also me,” says Rai sitting behind his desk in the Last month, the Star reported that lost almost all hope of ever studying small MMC office where prospective CCBC owes 60 students at least abroad. overseas students and workers sit on $227,000. Former Canadian Ambassador The Chitwan native wired the money to couches waiting to discuss their plans with in Delhi, Lucie Edwards, told us in a the Canadian College of Business & him. “They want 75 percent of their deposits recent interview she was worried that so Computers in Toronto in March 2005 which returned now.” many students who want to study in confirmed his admission in August. But the It appears that CCBC did operate as a Canada pay agents to complete their Canadian Embassy in Delhi rejected his college after it was founded by Shelvan paperwork when they could do it application for a study visa and when after Kannuthurai in 1995 but it’s difficult to know themselves. But in the CCBC case, the some months CCBC sent him a partial if it was a legitimate business that hit hard cheat was a Canadian college. “What refund cheque dated 16 December his bank times or was set up to swindle overseas bothers me most is that an advanced here told him there was no money in the students eager for Canadian credentials country like Canada allows schools like account. Khanal has since made numerous and a chance to get established in North this to operate. They weren’t held to any trips to the bank-each time to find the America. Almost all its students were from standards. It’s shameful,” said the brother account dried up. South Asia, Africa or Iran, according to the of one of the cheated students. z “They already sent five or six cheques Toronto Star newspaper. MARTY LOGAN (to various students) they have all In an April 2006 email, Kannuthurai bounced,” he says with a worried look. Six wrote to one of the cheated Nepali students: other students sent $4,000 to CCBC after ‘We require confirmation until the end of Deal directly answering an ad placed in a local paper by April 2006. In the event you are unable to The Canadian Embassy in Delhi offers these tips for students planning to study in Mission Mark Consultancy in accept our request we recommend that you Canada. Some could be followed for other countries as well: Kamalpokhari. MMC owner Prasad Rai contact the ministry directly to request a says he was approached to go into refund under the security bond that CCBC z Verify if the university or college is a member of one of these two recognised partnership with CCBC by an unsolicited deposited. Please note that this process bodies: Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), www.aucc.ca email. will take at least 2-3 years to complete.’ or Association of Community Colleges of Canada (ACCC), www.accc.ca The college sent MMC a certificate of That information, at least, seems z Use the Government of Canada website: www.livelearnandsucceed.gc.ca partnership, provided a mailing address in correct. In May, Khanal (pictured) received z Apply to the college/university directly whenever possible Toronto and even had a website. It couldn’t a letter signed by the ministry that said z Speak to Canadian colleges/universities that recruit directly at education fairs or at have looked more legitimate, say Rai and CCBC had appealed the suspension of its your school. Using an agent is not required. Khanal. But Canadian newspapers reported registration. That means the ministry will z Use the services of the Canadian Education Centre based in Delhi that the college fled its offices months ago first have to hear the appeal and then z Use the services of recognised Canadian recruiting agents, such as the University without paying its rent. And on 19 January, decide if the college’s bond should be of Windsor representative in Delhi. the Province of Ontario’s Ministry of forfeited. If it decides yes, It must delay 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302

Bhairabnath calls for punishment of the guilty

○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ from within the ranks. “The Maoists should not be suspected, Jana Aastha, 14 June Decommissioning

Colonel Raju Basnet of the Nepal ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and they shouldn’t suspect us.” Army who has been accused of Drishti, 13 June sexual abuse and the brutal Home Minister Krishna P Sitaula in How about the army and police? murder of 49 suspected Maoists at The Maoists, who have refused to Himal Khabarpatrika, 14 June As per the 12-point understanding, the army will be the Bhairabnath Battalion was lay down arms until the confined to the barracks. Police will have to work suddenly arrested on Tuesday. constituent assembly elections are Himal: When will the talks resume? towards peace and security. Basnet is accused of abducting 49 held, have now put forward three Krishna P Sitaula: Informally, it is already The Maoists say they will still mobilise their Maoists, killing and burying them new proposals for happening. We want to hold formal talks between militia. They will work as activists, this is not a big in the Shivapuri jungles last year. decommissioning. According to the prime minister and Chairman Prachanda by concern. The main problem is managing the Maoist An ad hoc board of inquiry under sources, the proposals include: Thursday or Friday. army and disarming them. This is a very sensitive Brigadier Sharad Neupane of the storing weapons and troops in a and significant issue. We will ensure that both the Army Staff College had designated area, locate Maoist What will be the main points on the agenda? armies are monitored by a reliable organisation. weapons and warriors in a The constituent assembly will be the main point. recommended his arrest and There will also be discussions about modalities to In that case, there will be two armies under the detention. Sources said Basnet temporary barrack, or store go about it. Crucial issues Maoists when they join the was transferred from the Mid- weapons and use fighters in include arms management, interim government? western Division to Kathmandu political work. The rebels would fixing dates for an interim There is no need to fear that for his prosecution for being like the UN to oversee government and constituent because the Maoists will join involved in the actual slayings. decommissioning and assembly elections. It will the government only after The colonel is said to have been demobilization in all three of be the first time top leaders demobilising their own army. seeking revenge after Maoists these options and the seven will sit for formal talks and it The important thing is that the killed his brother Colonel Kiran parties and government are said to will send the message at army should not go out during Basnet at his home. The UN’s have agreed with the proposals. both national and assembly elections. Office of the High Commisioner The proposals come after the international levels about prime minister’s recent visit to commitments from both But the Maoists are saying that for Human Rights had issued a Maoists and us about they will keep their army in report on the Bhairabnath India during which India is said institutionalising loktantra. demarcated zones? disappearances last week which to have agreed to a future UN role We will definitely reach a That is true. And we have to increased pressure on the army to in monitoring weapons decision once Girija babu see about that. There are bring the guilty to book. Colonel decommissioning and and Prachanda sit face to various modalities for that as Basnet is under ‘line arrest’ but no demobilisation of the Maoists face. well. legal proceedings have been preceding a constituent assembly started. Also implicated in the election in Nepal. Other than this, So, when will the interim Do you trust the Maoists when disappearances of the 49 is the government that includes they say they will not take up former commanding officer of the the Maoists be formed? arms no matter what the results No. 10 Battalion, Toran JB Singh We are preparing for July or of the assembly elections? August. We have that firm belief that currently posted at the royal arms will not be taken up. palace. Meanwhile, the US What about constituent KIRAN PANDAY government has blacklisted assembly? This means the problem can be solved? members of the Bhairabnath By October this year at the earliest or April 2007 I am very optimistic. We reached the 12-point Battalion from taking part in at the latest. agreement even at a time when the political military training. Three members antagonism between us was intense. The problems of the Battalion who were What did Prachanda tell you in Siklis during your in the present situation are just relatively minor. supposed to leave on training meeting? But we have to be cautious about some forces have had their visits cancelled The chairman said that we should move as per the trying to jeopardise our efforts. and members of the battalion 12-point understanding and that there has been a already in the US are expected to delay in going for constituent assembly despite Then, why the delay for the constituent assembly? mutual consent. He also felt parliament should We can no longer afford to plague our country with be recalled. Besides the immediate have consulted his party while making decisions. indecisiveness, suspicion and fear. The Maoists curbs on captains and majors from It is natural for him to say those things and the should not be suspected anymore and they should the battalion, the US decision is meeting removed such confusions. also not suspect us. We were the ones who put a expected to have far-reaching price on their heads and declared state of impact on non-guilty officers as And how about his stance on arms management? emergency in protest. They are also the same well. That is why there is now a Very positive. There was no beating around Maoists who had killed many of our cadres and backlash in the army not against the bush. Demobilisation of the PLA will rendered many of us homeless. But both have the black-listing, but against happen before the Maoists join the interim corrected their mistakes by reaching the 12-point colleagues who violated human government. agreement. We have to put our past behind us. rights and brought the US reaction. This has intensified

Shed: Communisty Party of Nepal (Maoist) “..or else, the talks will fail” “Preparation for second round of talks is going on.”

Abin Shrestha inSamaya, 15 June

QUOTE OF THE WEEK Look here,“ PM, I’m committed. I’m not FACING THE MUSIC: A member of the Maoists’ cultural troupe performs a dance sequence at Tundikhel “hiding anywhere or leaving the country, I’m staying during the rebel mass meeting two weeks ago. She was performing to the music of a ballad that went: here. ‘When people are hungry, where there is injustice, the volcano erupts...’. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to senior Indian politicians quoting what King Gyanendra Akhanda Jyoti, Himal Khabarpatrika, 15-29 June told him at a meeting at the palace on 26 May.

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 7 the Maoists and the seven parties benefited from the priority. For agree that there is no need for instance, the priority on outside mediation in the peace agriculture has made little negotiations. difference to production. The The Maoists had felt a bit left time has come to prioritise non- out after parliament started farm sectors for investment and passing far-reaching political employment creation as well as resolutions on state restructuring attract joint ventures into and this had delayed peace talks. agriculture. But this logjam has now been Third, there has to be a big removed after Home Minister leap forward in revenue policy. Krishna Sitaula’s meeting with Nepal has notoriously low Prachanda in Kaski after which revenue collection and the reason the seven parties agreed to focus for that is tax evasion and that, in on peace negotiations and turn, is caused by the high tax suspend parliament. The rebels rate. The current revenue policy have welcomed the suspension punishes those who produce of parliament. The stand of the more. This actually undermines seven parties not to dissolve poverty reduction by dampening parliament is commendable wealth creation. A more because this would have created progressive tax structure would a vacuum. help correct this., Elsewhere in the world a flat tax rate of 10-15

Budget percent has been successful in ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ reducing the tax evasion and Editorial in Abhiyan, 12-18 June higher revenue collection. This policy could be combined with a This is a government that gets its high ‘after-death tax’ which taxes mandate from people power and property and assets that are has been varying out a transferred to those who inherit revolutionary transformation in them. We must break the the state structure. That is why tradition that those who inherit the forthcoming budget should property get it for free. In also be revolutionary. Firstly, all addition, revenue collection must government decisions and be decentralised. actions should be transparent, Fourth, government this is a value system that comes spending must be decentralized from democracy. to the village and district level. Second, the traditional The argument that local bodies priorities in the budget must be can’t handle such decisions done away with. Priorities are set smacks of a colonial mentality. At by learning from past mistakes a time when state structure is and by scientific evaluation. The moving towards a federalist and new budget can’t keep giving inclusive democracy, we must priorities to areas that have never decentralize and do it now. 8 & Coffee, te

Next time you have coffee in Starbucks there’s a good chance the beans were grown in Nepal

DANIEL HABER in KABHRE particularly under a canopy of fruit trees. 12,000 household farms who have benefited Just outside Dhulikhel Chola Nath from this market-based approach to cash Timilsina grows coffee on his terrace farms crops. epali tea may be making its mark where he earlier raised corn. He even roasts Winrock plans to expand the program to in the world market, but coffee some of his own coffee beans and sells 6,000 households in the next two years so isn’t far behind. them by the highway alongside women that in a decade 700,000 farmers across N Unlike the British in States which is a major supplier to the offering tomatoes and plump cauliflowers. Nepal will benefit from tea and coffee or Ceylon Nepal never had Starbucks chain. Production is still The wizened 64-year-old farmer points production. colonial companies planting tea or coffee. miniscule in proportion to the demand out his coffee bushes set amidst guava, Says Winrock’s Luke Colavito: “This Legend has it that coffee plants were and Nepal’s total exports of coffee beans in mango, macadamia nut seedlings. “I now will provide strong examples of commercial introduced to Nepal only in 1938 by a 2005 were only 65 tons but this set to grow earn about 15,000 rupees more a year from markets benefiting poor small farmers, and certain yogi named Hari Giri who was fond with new marketing efforts. coffee,” says Timilsina who is among helping Nepal in a period of crisis.” of the caffeinated beverage, and brought Besides Gulmi in central Nepal, Kabhre seeds from Burma to cultivate coffee for his is one of the major coffee-producing areas own use. where Winrock International along with Commercial production, however, USAID and other partners are helping small didn’t start till 1976 with the import of farmers with market-led cash crops. Arabica coffee from South India. Nepali Chandra Bhusan Subba is team leader coffee is grown commercially in a scattering of the Tea & Coffee Global Development of over 17 districts in the midhills Alliance-Smallholder Mobilization through from 800-1,600m where the soil and Improved Governance with its unwieldy climactic conditions are favourable. acronym, TCGDA-SMIG. Nepal is going for highland Arabica for Subba and his colleague Ratna Bhuban the specialty coffee export niche market. Shrestha recently brought back coffee seeds Through private companies such as the from Sumatra for planting in Kabhre. Highland Coffee Promotion Company Ltd Winrock also got coffee experts from El (HCPCL), Everest, Plantec, Gulmi Salvador with Tekisic, Pacas and Pacamara Cooperative Nepali coffee is now exporting seeds which are now available in Nepal processed green coffee beans for major coffee through government-subsidised and markets including the US, Japan and some private nurseries. European countries. In contrast to monoculture tea gardens Last year, HCPCL shipped 23 tons of in India, coffee in Nepal is usually grown coffee to Holland Coffee in the United in combination with other crops, With help from Helvetas

The Swiss aid agency Helvetas has also been Coffee farming is attractive to farmers because the helping Nepal with training of Nepali coffee farmers, beans fetch a good price and also because it can grow setting up demonstration farms, marketing campaigns in combination with fruit trees and other crops. The in Europe and elsewhere as well as training in other challenge is to convince domestic consumers to processing of beans. switch from imported refined instant coffee to Nepali- But experts say a lot more needs to be done to grown beans. In 2005, 34 tons of coffee (about one- promote Nepali coffee. The ‘Nepal’ brand may not yet third of the total production) was consumed within be very well known for coffee, but it is gaining Nepal. This demand grows and falls with the number of recognition among connoisseurs for its organic tourist arrivals—indicating that it is mostly foreigners content. In addition, Nepal could benefit from ‘Fair in Nepal who drink the stuff. Trade’ and ‘Organic’ labels in Europe and the United However, all this may be changing as the Nepali States if consumers there know that the coffee they taste for coffee gets more sophisticated and new cafes drink directly benefits farmers in the Himalaya and serving brewed coffee spring up in Kathmandu and protects the environment. other cities. 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 9 ea and we

Promoting Nepali tea through tourism

KC, manager of Ilam Tea Producers in Sri Antu says tourists coming to watch the sunrise from the Sri Antu Hill are now sold on tea drinking. “French and Japanese visitors come to us every year. They live in the staff quarters, roam the gardens, drink tea and return with a most wonderful experience,” says KC. It will take time before Ilam catches up with Darjeeling which has a head start in mixing tea with tourism. But importers from , Japan and the US have started showing interest. Nepal could also PESHAL POKHREL in DHANKUTA Kurseong across the border. The cool list of assets. Eighty percent of tea grown in get visitors from Darjeeling when the climate, emerald greenery and the songs of Nepal today comes from Ilam. Most of the Pashupatinagar checkpoint has an the tea pickers all blend to produce a gardens are less than 15 years old and the immigration office. ount a crest in the carpeted green particular Nepali , one that leaves are hand-picked from young bushes Tourists can also choose to visit the CTC slopes of the Kanyam Tea Estate growers think is ripe for tourism. that have two leaves a bud, growing at (Cut Tear and Curl) tea gardens in Jhapa and and you will be atop ‘Shooting “This is proof that even the gardens can 3,000-7,300ft. then journey to breathe the fresh mountain MHill’. It is so named because of pull people,” says Punya Dhakal, manager All of this produces a unique blend for air in the Guranse Tea Estate in Dhankuta the countless Nepali film song and dance of Kanyam, one of the area’s largest growers tasters and tourists alike. “Our tea is virgin, which at 7,300ft is the highest garden in sequences and music videos that have been of orthodox tea, and a fervent believer that free of . The weather is very Nepal. shot here. When there is no one shooting, tea tourism” has a great future here. similar to Darjeeling and the culture of this While Darjeeling produces 10 million kg picnickers flock the area to romp and sing Known for ginger, milk, jute, potato region is equally unique.” of premium tea a year, Nepal’s annual yield their favourite movie songs. and its blistering hot chilli eastern Nepal’s The geographically distinct eastern is about 1.6 million kg. Ninety-three From up here at 5,500ft you can see the Ilam, Panchthar, Dhankuta, Tehrathum and hills form the only hill region in Nepal percent of the orthodox tea grown in entire Ilam region, even Darjeeling and Sankhuwasabha has now added tea to its whose weather is right for growing tea. And Dhankuta and Ilam is exported. Annual they are well situated for those who wish world demand is about 50 million kg and to escape the heat of the tarai. “We have Nepali orthodox tea is now making a mark seen a lot of potential for internal as well in the Japan, Germany and US markets. as international tourism promotion here as Guranse Tea Estate has already earned a ISO there is direct contact with nature and the 9001-2000n certificate. warm hospitality within the gardens to add Experts say that if properly marketed to it,” says Uday Chapagain, chairman of Nepal can sell as much premium tea as it Himal Tea Producers Cooperative. can produce, and they think promoting tea Tea growers here say tourists will not tourism is a good way to market Nepali tea. just enjoy themselves but also warm up to Some of the estates are now developing the art of producing tea—from picking, hotels and lodges inside the gardens like in plucking and tipping, through withering, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Visitors there can rolling, fermenting, drying and sorting and roam the hills at their leisure and return finally to , all the while learning with various flavours of tea as souvenirs. about the lives and cultures of the growers Guranse’s manager Santosh KC is and pickers. optimistic: “If we create the proper Tea has transformed the lives of farmers atmosphere, we can make five Darjeelings in in eastern Nepal in the past decade with Dhankuta and attract buyers and tourists at more than 7,000 families benefiting. Kumar the same time.” PESHAL POKHREL Top climbers pitch Nepal tea

Nepali tea growers have realised that they need to exports, leading to today’s price of Rs 10,000 per kg for create a create a brand image in the global market Nepali premium tea. The Private Sector Program under and have united under the slogan: ‘Nepal Tea: Quality German development agency GTZ is also playing a from the ’. major role in promoting Nepali orthodox tea For this, they have enlisted the support of famous internationally. mountaineers. Tyrolean climber and former member “German investors are keen to visit Nepali gardens of the European Parliament, Reinhold Messner, who and more than a dozen of them will be visiting Ilam this has climbed all eight peaks in Nepal above 8,000m, is October to examine the potential of Nepali tea. “They Nepal’s tea brand ambassador. Guranse Tea Estates are not only interested in tea tourism but also want to has named Jamling Tenzing Norgay, Brent Bishop provide cutting edge facilities to Ilam’s old gardens,” (son of American climber Barry C Bishop) and Peter says Arun Rana, a consultant for GTZ/PSP, “If our tea Hillary (son of Sir Ed) as ‘brand promoters’. growers can also focus on the international code of Groups associated with the Nepal Tea Alliance conduct for tea production Nepali tea has limitless are also uniting to promote the brand and boost potential.” PESHAL POKHREL 10 NATION 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302

Fighting bloodsuckersLeeches are the main enemy of Maoist guerrillas during the inceasefire Belgian belt-ammo Minimi GUNS AND LEECHES: machine gun, one of the few of Decommissioning of this type they have captured from Maoist weapons like these the army. The rest of the No 1 under UN supervision will Battalion of the Paribartan be one of the items on the Memorial Brigade are carrying agenda of a planned vintage .303s but in the front row summit between are M-16s, INSAS and SLRs as Prachanda and Prime they conduct a photo-op for the Minister Koirala. benefit of visiting journalists. Yoddha is 25-years-old and is from Jumla. He has been with the Maoist army for three years, taking part in some well-known battles like the one in Taulihawa in April where 100 Maoist prisoners were freed. That is where he captured the Minimi, with which he poses proudly wearing the ammunition belt. “At the moment we are carrying our weapons but not PICS: BIBI FUNYAL using them,” he says, “we are a BIBI FUNYAL in LAMJUNG off his socks and peels off a even the sentries guarding the political force that employs armed fattened leech from his right foot clearing are more relaxed than struggle as a means. We don’t fter walking uphill all day with his left hand. they used to be. But the ‘People’s want unnecessary bloodshed.” through a cloud forest, “They are like the feudals we Liberation Army’ still has to move, Yoddha and his comrades are ANepal’s mountain guerrillas are fighting,” he says, “both are and the guerrillas walk up to 20km optimistic about the outcome of finally reach their rest stop at a bloodsuckers.” Others in the a day up and down the mountains the peace talks and if it does clearing. group don’t see it quite in such carrying their arms. They need to succeed they’d all like to visit The trail is steep and slippery stark ideological terms. A leech is move because they depend on the Kathmandu where they have and it was a pitched battle as the a nuisance, part of the hardships local villages for food and don’t never been. 175-member platoon fought every of a conflict in which they have want to burden a particular area But even in peacetime, duty inch of the way against an to be on the move all the time. by staying in one place. calls. It’s time for Yoddha to take invasion of leeches. At the The ceasefire means no danger Yoddha (the nom de guerre his sentry shift in a lookout on a clearing, Comrade Yoddha takes of confrontation for now and means ‘warrior’) is carrying a nearby corn field. Paying more attention to women’s wages Women from western Nepal bring their equal pay for equal work struggle to the capital

NARESH NEWAR Many female workers in both urban and rural areas have failed to get compensation en work harder and produce more, after filing complaints in district courts. In women are weaker and take Kailali, Bhandari had for many years M longer to do anything. So pay the approached the CDO, LDO, and other woman less. officials to raise the issue with the central These are prevailing beliefs that shape government. They even went to trade the reality of millions of female Nepali unions and local party leaders but nobody workers, who have always been paid less paid much attention. A case filed by a than their male counterparts for the same female construction worker in Kailali two amount and quality of work. months ago is gathering dust in the CDO “This will change now and we won’t office. stop until justice is served,” says Kailali “We are not asking that we should have activist Sapana Bhandari who with dozens every right as men but this is such gross of other female wage labourers travelled to discrimination,” says activist Bishnu Maya Kathmandu to file a case at the Supreme Pande from Chitwan. Court on Thursday. For the activists this is not merely an The women from eight western districts issue of daily wage labourers, but will want the court to order the government to open doors to address issues of female introduce a special law providing equal workers in every sector—construction, wages for female workers. Activists say they farming, factories, stone quarries, brick need the law to fight legal battles against kilns, domestic work and others. “Male employers. workers are now fully backing us in our Bhandari and her colleagues are struggle,” says Bhandari who has fought for determined to put up a fight until the equal pay for four years often battling parliament acts. On Thursday, they led apathy. activists and workers from Kailali, Chitwan, At a time when the parties and Maoists Bardia, Banke, Kapilbastu, Nawalparasi and are preparing for summit talks and all Surkhet in a protest near Singha Durbar, sectors of society are discussing a blocking traffic for 15 minutes to attract the constituent assembly, the women activists attention of Kathmandu (see pic left). say this is the right time to raise their The minimum wage for male labourers voices. In late May, parliament ended is Rs 100-150 but no more than Rs 80 for discrimination against women in granting women, and the rate has been frozen for the citizenship and pledged to reserve 33 last 10 years. The 1990 constitution has percent of civil service jobs for females. several laws that protect rights and promote Says activist Goma Acharya from gender equality but there is still no law that Kailali’s Women’s Advocacy Group: gives a female worker the right to approach “We must strike when the iron is the courts to demand equal pay. hot.” KIRAN PANDAY NATION 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 11 Lamjung New look at Lukla Lukla is more than trekking lodges attached to an airstrip as this year’s Dumjee festival showed

SAGUN S LAWOTI in LUKLA

he deep drone of Tibetan horns reverberated across the Bhote Kosi valley and Lukla’s mist-covered pine forests as the gateway to Khumbu marked the start of its annual Dumjee Tfestival last week. Monks clad in reds and yellows danced in harmony to the sound of cymbals and drums at Kemgon Monastery—proving to all present that Lukla is more than just a place where trekkers wait for their plane. Indeed, even for locals Lukla is a transit stop. Most people only pass through Lukla on their way up the valley to Namche, Tengboche and Everest Base Camp. It is only when you’re stuck in Lukla fora few days because the clouds close the airport that you get to explore and discover that it is more than just a runway. Luckily, our flight was cancelled two days in a row. Otherwise we’d never have seen the cultural side of the town that grew after Sir Edmund Hillary carved a sloping runway out of a mountainside at nearly 3,000m. Dumjee is the Sherpa festival to drive away evil spirits. Music, dance, food and drinks coupled with sacred rituals, traditional and hilarious dances herald the beginning of the festival. Things start slowly as families gather and when the Nepte Rimpoche flies in from Kathmandu to preside over the fiesta the tempo of performances and rituals accelerates to reach a crescendo of sounds and sights on the last day. Dumjee is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Guru Rimpoche Padmasambav. Dawa Phuti Sherpa of the Lukla monastery says its message is to pray for peace and order in the world, and given Nepal’s own problems, the festival has added significance. The festival also serves to reinforce clan bonds and friendship ties between highland communities. Some trekked from villages a day’s walk away and the better off chartered helicopters to get into Lukla in time for the prayers. Some Kathmandu-based ambassadors were also on hand to witness the festivities. l Dumjee festivals are also observed in other places in the Khumbu such as Khumjung, Namche, Thame and Phortse. But it is Lukla and the Solu region where Dumjee has more significance. “Unlike other parts of the region, we in Lukla observe the festival a month before other places,” says AG Sherpa, chairperson of the festival organising committee. Lukla’s Dumjee was last week and the rest of the Khumbu celebrates it next month. There are solo and group dances in the monastery courtyard in the course of the five-day fiesta depicting different deities in varying moods. Led by head priest Nawang Lopsang, the monks also performed a hom to keep evil spirits away. Finally, the Rimpoche blesses the crowd indicating that the festival is drawing to a close for this year, and hopefully the evil spirits have heeded the warning. z

KIRAN PANDAY 12 SPORTS 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 Star-struck After watching two gruelling weeks of action at the French Open, aren’t you ready to get going on the tennis courts? No surprise that Rafael Nadal and Justin Henin were crowned champions—they both have a great balance of offence and defence but what separated them The geo- from the pack at Roland Garros was their guts and heart. There was plenty of great tennis and for us tennis junkies a great deal to learn. Here are four singles strategies to glean from the stars.

Mix it up like Roger Federer Roger has the ability to hit a bullet past his opponent as well as change pace and slow things down. He knows the importance of keeping his adversary off balance. Watch him use backspin to keep the ball low. And when his opponent starts feeling comfortable and in a groove in baseline rallies, he is quick to apply pressure by coming in on his serve and approach shots. Federer also does not hesitate to use the drop shot to lure his opponent into unfamiliar territory. GAME POINT Find such ways to break the Sujay Lama rhythm of your foe and you will be off to a flying start every time.

Develop an all-court game like Amelie Mauresemo One of the reasons Mauresemo finally broke through in a major at this year’s Australian Open was because of her belief in her all-court game. The women’s tour is largely one-dimensional, with most players simply bashing the ball from the baseline as The French Open hard as they can. But revealed these lessons Amelie has that rare ability to serve and volley, come in for singles players off an approach shot, slice, loop or bang the ball off the backhand side or use the drop shot when she is in an offensive position. Avoid being predictable like Mauresemo and you are going to frustrate your challenger set after set.

Have a major weapon like Rafael Nadal What makes Nadal so tough is his ability to dictate the pace of a match with his forehand. He has great preparation and by that I mean early shoulder turn and little adjusting steps. He coils his shoulders and hips and uses his strong lower body to generate tremendous racket head speed. The ball explodes off his strings. His heavy topspin shots give him the ability to fire from all angles of the court to keep his challengers on the run. Nadal has also learnt to take the ball early with his forehand, which creates havoc for his rivals who are left with very little reaction time. Build a forehand like Nadal’s and you will have a go-to shot that will spearhead your offensive game. You will definitely do a lot less running around. PASCAL BONIFACE game but a type of war that stokes ’s defeat by Bismarck’s Rely on patterns like Martina Hingis the basest sort of nationalist Germany in the Franco-Prussian Martina Hingis is regarded as the smartest strategist to have ever played the women’s game. The thing that jumps out watching her is n football defeat is never emotions. War, Baron Pierre de Coubertin how she deploys her inside-out forehand to attack her opponent’s definitive, but it is always Is there a relationship (who re-launched the Olympic weaker backhand as well as move them around the court. When the passionate. For football between football and a spirit of Games a few decades later) ball finally arrives on her backhand, she cracks a devastating down I nationalism and militarism? recommended a renewed national lovers, FIFA should have been the line shot that is wide open every time. This is Martina’s signature pattern, which she uses successfully time and again, even under awarded the Nobel Peace Prize During the Middle Ages, sports emphasis on sport, which by this pressure. Establish such a pattern and you will be on automatic pilot long ago. For others, exasperated were regularly forbidden in point was seen as a form of when the big points are there for the taking. by football and the emotions it England because they came at the military preparation. stirs up, the sport is no longer a expense of military training. After In a football match, the SPORTS 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 13 politics of football

style Japanese military uniforms seems to be the best barometer of ambassador for the United mythical excitement of battles Is this a game to express their hostility to the relations between the divided Nations’ Brazilian-led taking place in the stadium and Japanese team. Other Chinese Korean people. peacekeeping forces. And, when they know that neither the players between fans brandished placards with More than long speeches or conflict ends from Kosovo to nor they will suffer any harm.” countries or a the number ‘300,000’ written on international resolutions football Kabul football is the first sign of As in real life, fans can be torn it, a reference to the number of can help induce progress towards a society returning to normal. between their hopes for victory form of war? Chinese murdered by the peaceful solutions for military The former president of the and their fear of defeat. But in Japanese army in 1937. conflicts. After their FIFA, Joao Havelange, often football, the elimination of an But can one really say that qualification for this year’s dreamed of a football match adversary is always temporary. A football is responsible for the World Cup, the Ivory Coast’s between Israelis and return match is always possible. currently bad diplomatic national team, including players Palestinians. Perhaps one day it As a Frenchman, I cannot wait relations between China and from the north and south, will take place. Certainly the for the next World Cup match Japan? Of course not. Hostility addressed all of their fellow Iran-United States football game between France and Germany. But on the football pitch merely citizens, asking the warring in 1998 offered a moment of I want France to avenge its defeat reflects the existing tense factions to lay down their fraternisation between the at the last World Cup in Seville, relations between the two weapons and to put an end to the two teams. Another Iran-US not its defeat at Verdun. z countries, which carry the conflict that has shattered their match might be helpful at this Project Syndicate weight of a painful history. country. After Haiti’s President difficult time. At the opposite end of the Jean-Bertrand Aristide was As the sociologist Norbert Pascal Boniface is Director of the Institute for International and Strategic spectrum, the dramatic semi- overthrown a few years ago, Elias put it: “The spectators of a Relations (IRIS) in Paris. His most final between France and Brazil’s football team acted as an football match can enjoy the recent book is Football et Mondialisation. Germany in Seville in 1982 produced no political ripples, either for diplomatic relations between the two countries or for relations between the two peoples. Antagonism was confined to the stadium and ended when the match did. What football really provides is a residual area of confrontation that allows for the controlled expression of animosity, leaving the most important areas of interaction rituals–the flag waving, the between countries unaffected. national anthems, the collective France and Germany will soon chants–and the language have a common army–they employed ‘shooting goals’, already have a common ‘launching missiles’ reinforce the currency–yet the survival of perception of war by other means. national teams channels And, in fact, real war has actually lingering rivalry between the broken out over football. In 1969, two countries. Honduras and El Salvador clashed Football can also be the after a qualification game for the occasion of positive gestures. World Cup. The joint organisation of the Football matches can revive 2002 World Cup by Japan and national rivalries and conjure the South Korea helped accelerate ghosts of past wars. During the bilateral reconciliation. The 2004 Asia Nations Cup final, performance of the South Korean which pitted China against Japan, players was even applauded in Chinese supporters wore 1930’s- North Korea. Sport, indeed, 14 INTERNATIONAL 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 Editorials in the Indian media

Friends and neighbours Bye-bye Bahadur The Tribune, 12 June Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Nepalis are starting to get respect in Delhi after ousting the king Koirala’s first visit abroad after he assumed office was appropriately after People’s Movement II. Now enough to New Delhi. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh underscored that Nepalis are looked upon as form is as important as substance on freedom fighters, or Maoists, this state visit by breaking protocol to especially outside of the capital’s receive Mr Koirala at the airport. chattering classes. In announcing the Rs 1,000-crore And judging from the many package to enable Nepal to overcome its pressing economic problems, New questions a visitor receives, Prime Delhi has shown a deep appreciation Minister Koirala’s entourage of the neighbour’s needs as well as missed one big opportunity priorities. India has waived the dues during its vaunted visit here last payable by Nepal for defence week: a tourism package. While purchases and also exempted Nepal’s exports to India from the four per cent the big spenders are eager to visit additional customs duty. The number the Himalayan kingdom, most are of scholarships for Nepali students in under the impression that Nepal India has been doubled. remains dangerous, full of gun- These are but a few of the high toting Maoist soldiers marching points of New Delhi’s commitments to assist in reviving Nepal's economy. among fluttering red flags. “I’m With the albatross that was the dying to see Nepal. It’s safer now, autocratic monarchy having been isn’t it?” asks a 30-year-old female downsized to popular expectations, youth worker. Nepal’s defence spending should fall “I still don’t believe you. How greatly, freeing resources for economic development. The Maoists, who were come the Indian media is still not deeply involved in the restoration of writing about tourists being safe democracy, need to march in step with and unharmed in your country?” the mainstream parties. asks another young barfly. Helping a friend NARESH NEWAR The Indian media too has The Hindu, 12 June gradually started to write NARESH NEWAR bartenders to socialites, New EXPORTING LOKTANTRA: Nepali positively about Nepal. Editorials Implicit in India’s ‘no-strings’ offer is in NEW DELHI Delhites are keen to know what’s journalists Ajay Siwakoti from in leading dailies have been the promise that it will not try to happening in the new Nepal. “I Image Channel and Surendra reporting regularly on our peace influence the process of change. The Phuyal of Kathmandu Post with Manmohan Singh government would uto-rickshaw driver Ram bet there are Maoists walking efforts and urging the government also do well to oppose all external Hari gazes into the rear-view openly in the capital with guns. Rahul Kanwal anchor of the Indian to help their northern neighbour. news channel Aaj Tak at a New intervention in Nepal’s internal affairs. mirror trying to size up his I heard it’s very risky to come as “That Mr. Koirala chose India as New Delhi might have faced few A Delhi watering hole last week. problems in deciding on its response Nepali passenger. “Aap Maobadi a tourist,” says a young reporter the primary source of assistance is to Kathmandu’s requests for financial hai ?” he asks while motoring from Indian Express. a tribute to an extremely close, assistance. It needs now, more than toward the posh South Extension “Wow, you Nepalis finally destination for Nepali sex longstanding relationship,” ever, to display sensitivity and a sure shopping area of India’s capital knocked him (the king) out. workers, who often end up in gushed an editorial in The Hindu. touch as the Koirala government and city. “Your Prime Minister Congratulations to your new one of several brothels on the ‘Nepal Calling’ in Hindustan the Maoists move to the next stages Koirala was here, right?” Ram Nepal,” a young reporter notorious GB Road. And almost Times, ‘Rebuild Nepal’ and ‘Fresh of a challenging political transition. every wealthy household India may have to strike a Hari adds and then chatters for congratulates a visitor with a Beginning in the Times of India delicate balance between its traditional another 20 minutes about Nepal, toast. “Out goes your king and in employs a Nepali guard, often and ‘Friends and neighbours’ in opposition to intervention by extra- the Maoists, the king and Jan come the Maoists,” jokes an called bahadur and the The Tribune were other examples regional forces in Nepal’s affairs and Andolan. inebriated female socialite at the underpaid young Nepalis who of the forward looking, very the need to address the practical It’s not just Ram Hari. From plush QBar. toil in cheap hotels are often positive voices in leading issues as they arise. With the known as kanchas. abolition of the ‘king in parliament’ taxi drivers to businessmen, The Nepali clichés have yet newspapers, a refreshing change concept, including his veto on laws, housewives to journalists, to disappear—with reason. New But some locals say the image from superpower poses and Nepal is on the fast track to becoming shoppers to salesmen and Delhi remains a huge of Nepalis is slowly changing arrogant attitudes. a republic. Republican India should have absolutely no problems with this Fresh Beginning Rajeev Dhavan in Times of India, 11 June

There is an inherent contradiction between an exalted constitutional monarchy, which claims special privileges and autocratic power, and a people-based constitution. A new constitution needs to ensure that it is “We, the people, who give unto ourselves the new constitution”. The process of constitution making is arduous and complicated. Compromises are inevitable as long as they are principled and do not undermine democracy and justice. Nepal’s constitution of 1990 was what the king gave, not what the people won or wanted. We are now in a changed situation for which the people of Nepal have paid a tragic and traumatic price. But this is a beginning of a new process. India’s Constitution took four years (1946-50), ’s constitution took eight (1947-56) but collapsed two years later. Constitutions of South Asia suffer amendments, non-completion and abandonment. Yet there is no running away from the fact that Nepal has called upon itself not just to make cosmetic changes in its present constitution but to create a new one. This is going to require wisdom and grit because it entails the people of Nepal reviewing not just their basic law but also their immediate and past history. The writer is a senior Supreme Court advocate. NATION 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 15 In her grandfather’s footsteps MALLIKA ARYAL HEIGHTS OF HAPPINESS: mountain in the storm. safety. Dawn was breaking when Serena Brocklebank on But Chomolungma was never Serena and Pasang Nuru stepped Chomolungma last month out of Serena’s mind. “If on the summit at 5.08 AM, and hen Serena Brocklebank, and her grandfather in Tibet something gets under your skin, from the top they looked out at 39 was growing up she in 1933. its hard to let go,” she says with a the curvature of the earth and the W heard stories about her twinkle in her eyes. In 2005, silhouette of . grandfather Tom Brocklebank’s Serena was posted to the British “I was overwhelmed, deeply 1933 attempt to climb Mount Embassy in Kathmandu and she thrilled in a 8,848m kind of way,” Everest. started planning her second says Serena, who credits Pasang She had no interest at that attempt, this time from the south Nuru for helping her get up so time to climb Everest or any other side. “Having followed Tom fast. “The odds are always against mountain. However, some years Brocklebank on the north, I knew you, but in my case it was the as a climbing instructor and after that Tenzing Norgay and Hillary power of disbelief that motivated some serious high altitude were on to something on the me to not give up,” Serena says, training in Latin America, Serena south side,” she says. explaining how she was aware of was hooked. In April, while Kathmandu the possibility that they might “The idea to attempt Everest was in the throes of pro- not make it all the way up. came to me in 1999 when I was democracy protests, Serena was at The descent was slow because reading my grandfather’s book base camp on the Khumbu they were both very tired. They and realised I was unusually Glacier and after initial problems had been on their feet for 12 obsessed with Everest,” says acclimatised well. She started hours when they got back down Serena. Her grandfather was 24 from the South Col at 9:20 PM on to the South Col. The weather when he was a member of the 17 May with Pasang Nuru Sherpa turned nasty soon after and four 1933 Everest expedition from the of Pangboche. They made such of her teammates had frostbite north side. The team reached good progress that by and had to be evacuated by within 300m of the summit 3.30 AM they were already on the helicopter. before being turned back by South Summit despite deep Serena has another two years storms. snow. “In fact, we had to slow to go in her diplomatic In 2004, Serena followed her down because they didn’t want assignment in Kathmandu. Can father’s footsteps on to be on top while it was still there be anything after Chomolungma from the north dark,” Serena recalls. Chomolungma? Yes. Serena’s eyes side. And just like in 1933, her When she reached the Hillary are now set on Ama Dablam, the team was stopped by storms. The Step at 4AM, the batteries in elegant mountain that stands like expedition was called off and it Serena’s torch went out. But they a centinel above Tengboche. She was only later she learnt that kept going up, grabbing a whole adds: “I would like my seven people from other bunch of ropes from previous mountaineering interest to be not expeditions had died on the expeditions for guidance and all about Everest.” z 16 CITY 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302

ABOUT TOWN The greed to make more money strikes the trio Baburao, Shyam and Raju, who rise from rags to riches in Phir Hera EXHIBITIONS Pheri. So as each one is looking for investment options, Raju Watercolours from Nepal annual exhibition of watercolour come up with an option that promises to double the investment. society till 18 June. The only catch is the minimum investment required, which is 10 Days Atelier group exhibition of paintings from art beyond what the trio saves in the last outing. Raju ropes in a workshop at Nepal Art Council till 22 June. 4220735 couple of unwitting investors, adds it with another interesting People’s Power 1990-2006 by Ragini Upadhyay Grela at adventure to come up with the number. Now will the riches NAFA, Naxal, 9-25 June, 10AM-5PM. 411729 Entertainment double or get them into trouble? EVENTS Call 4442220 for show timings at Jai Nepal Walk With Wave IX: The Bungamati Walk, Saturday 17 June, www.jainepal.com 8.30 AM, in front of Patan Hospital. Quest War Photographer a film about the American photographer James Nachtwey, free screening at the Bakery Café, Sundhara, 12PM, 16 June. Role of Music in Transformation discussion at Martin Chautari 16 June, 3PM Fashion Fusion featuring Nepali designers at Hyatt Regency, 16 June, 7.30 PM Creative Yoga Retreat with Sannyasi Yogatara and Swami Kriyavidya Saraswati, 17 June, 7.30 AM at HBMC. Pre- registration required. 4414843 8th Gokarna Open annual golf tournament at Le Meridien, Kathmandu, 17 June. Postmodernism with Arun Gupto of TU, 17 June, Martin Chautari, 4PM. Bagmati River Fest concert with Robin and the New Revolution and Abhaya & the Steam Injuns at Bambooze, Thamel, 17 June. 7.30 PM, Rs 100. International Music Day free concert with Alliance Française, Kathmandu, 21 June at Basantapur, Shiva Parbati Dabali. 4241163 Communication and leadership program with Toastmasters, meeting every Tuesday at IEM building, Tripureswor. 9841307447 World Cup Action at Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Rodi bar 9 June - 9 July. 4273999 Wave Kick Off Cup media vs celebrities 24 June 2-4PM, Dasrath Stadium, exclusive all stars party post match at Himalmedia Hattiban 7PM.

MUSIC Heartbreakers live every Friday at Rum Doodle Bar & Restaurant Cadenza Collective live every Wednesday and Saturday 8PM at Upstairs. Live Music at New Orleans Café. 4700311 Uncork the good times with Ciney and Par-e-jat playing every Friday from 7PM o at Fusion bar at Dwarika’s Hotel. 4479448 Jatra Friday nights, live music by Siron. 4256622 Unplugged sessions with Strings, Jatra Saturday nights. 4256622 NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED DINING Pizza and Pasta Extravaganza at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu, Sometimes we weather forecasters get till 18 June. it dead wrong. That happened last week. Floats and Fantasies mocktails and desserts at Juneli Bar till The monsoon was chugging along, and 24 June. KATHMANDU suddenly it was stopped dead in its tracks Brunch from the east weekend brunch till 29 July. by a high pressure system that sucked The Fun Café for set buffet breakfast, lunch or dinner, Olive in unusually hot and dry air from the Bar southwest. Not only did it stop the & Bistro, Radisson Hotel. 4411818 monsoon, but it chased it back to eastern Nepal where it remains in this Meteosat World Cup at K-too! games available with meal and free Irish image taken on Thursday morning. After Coffee. 4470043 five days of uncharacteristic cloudless Hi Spirit serving 350 ml liquor on a higher side at Juneli Bar, skies we are getting some local cloud Hotel De L’ till 2 June. 4221711 generated from convection. But this is Mezza and Margarita at Dwarika’s Fusion Bar every far from a real monsoon pulse, which g]kfn slifk[ wfg| d'n's xf ] . Wednesday, Rs 555 has been pushed back a week. Expect oxfsf+ *) kltzteGbf| a9L Vineyard Gallery Lounge for wines and cocktails at Babar localised showers, hot and humid days. hgtf slif[ k;fdf] cfwfl/t Mahal Revisited. 5g \ . sn" /fli6o« cfosf ] ‰G8} Mango Masti at all restaurants in Soaltee Crowne Plaza. $) kltzt| lx:;f clxn ] klg Beat the heat with milkshakes and smoothies at Hyatt Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue s[lif Ifqn] ] g } cfu6] sf] ] 5 . Regency. l;Ëf ] d'n'ssf ] cflys,{ ;fdflhs Momo & Sekuwa Revolution every Saturday at Tea-House Inn. d]?b08sf ] ?kdf /xsf] ] slifIf[ ]q Wet & Wild Summer Splash at Godavari Village Resort, a pklIft] x'g' x'Fb}g . sifsx¿[ special package of Swimming & Lunch. 5560675 32-15 32-15 30-16 29-16 28-15 b]zsf jf:tljs gfos x'g\ . Breakfast at Singma Restaurant. 8.30 – 11 AM daily. 5520004 pgLx¿nfO { ;Ddfg / sb/ ugk5'{ { . sifsx¿n[ ] klg cfˆgf] GETAWAYS kl;gfdfly ljZjf; ugk5'{ { . Tiger Mountain Lodge, relaxation and massages in gof F gof F slif[ k0ffnL| cjnDag Pokhara. 4361500 ugk5'{ { . k9\b}df vtL] ug '{ gx'g] Junglewalks rafting, elephant rides all at Jungle Base Camp xfOg] . ‰g \ slifIf[ qnfO] { Lodge, Bardia. [email protected] cfwlgsLs/0f' ug { lzlIft / Park Village, Budhanilkantha, Full room Rs 1,600. 4375280 ;rt] ssifssf[ ] vfrf ] 5 . Conferences at Godavari special packages available. 5560675 To;}n] slif[ k;fnfO] { cfb/ u/f}+, Nature Retreat at Park Village Resorts & Spa. 4375280 s[isnfO { ;Ddfg u/f }+ . Star Cruises in April, take your companion at 50% discount. 2012345 g]kfn ;/sf/ Escape Kathmandu at Shivapuri Heights Cottage. 9841371927 ;"rgf tyf ;~rf/ dGqfno ;"rgf ljefu HAPPENINGS 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 17 Round the world in 66 days “We have no time to think about Kathmandu. They flew out on the weather was glorious and we football,” said Ulf Mühlbacher who Wednesday non-stop to Mandalay could see the Himalayan peaks with his son Matthias left Germany from where they will go on to very clearly.” two weeks ago and made a Vietnam, Osaka, Alaska, across Their plane has been fitted with stopover in Kathmandu on Monday Canada to Newfoundland for a hop a special tank to extend its range during their 35,000 km around the across the Atlantic to Rekjyavik to 2,500km, and the crew took world flight in a single-engine and then back home to Germany, special training in sea survival in Piper Malibu. which they hope to reach on 5 case they have to ditch in the While the world’s attention is August. water. The plane is pressurised, focused on Germany, the attention “We have always wanted to can fly to 27,000ft and has a global of the Mühlbachers is focused on come to Nepal,” says Ulf, “and it positioning system for navigation. KIRAN PANDAY the world. The father-and-son flew has been a spectacular flight up As members of the Rotary SMILES ALL ROUND: Members of the government and Maoist talks from Bremen to Istanbul, Teheran, from the plains Club, the two are received by the Dubai and from New Delhi to of India to teams look happy for photographers before getting down to the global network wherever they go. In Kathmandu, Nepal, they were hosted at business of second round of talks at Hotel Himalaya on Thursday. Dwarika’s Hotel and visited Rotary sponsored health programs in the Valley. Matthias just finished high school and is the co-pilot while in the air and spends the long hours maintaining the logbook and the project’s website, www.worldflight2006.de He and his Dad love Nepal, but add: "We just wish Kathmandu aiprort was less bureaucratic." z Min Bajracharya

KIRAN PANDAY OFFICIAL ADDRESS: The CPN (Maoist) attracted a crowd of people, and flags, as it opened its Kathmandu office in Kupondole on Tuesday.

MIN BAJRACHARYA

KIRAN PANDAY ACHTUNG: Popular Nepali rock band 1974AD left for a three week tour of Germany on Wednesday at the invitation of resident Nepalis there. Yes, the lucky guys will also be watching the World Cup games.

KIRAN PANDAY WE GOT THE CUP: A giant replica of the FIFA World Cup outside the newly opened Sports Bar in Kamaladi. 18 16 - 22 JUNE 2006 #302 No news is bad news www.nepalitimes.com

ith so much happening these days it is Smoking Banned On Trekking Trails natural for some earth-shattering bits of BY OUR PULMONARY CORRESPONDENT W news to fall between the cracks. That is Nepal’s activist judiciary is stepping in with public why from time to time it is the duty and interest litigation, thelatest proof being the new law responsi- banning smoking in public places including the bility for us Annapurna Circuit. UNDER MY HAT in the know- “We can’t allow Nepalis and trekkers to gamble Kunda Dixit it-all media with their lives because of the hazards of passive to find the smoking on the trails,” said a member of the two-judge items that didn’t make the headlines and bring bench, adding, “anyone have a light?” them to the attention of our valued customers so The Supremo Court made the ruling after reviewing that they are a matter of public record. scientific evidence that walking for one hour on Kathmandu streets was the equivalent of smoking four Non-working Journalists on Warpath packs of cigarettes because of pollution caused by SELF-SERVICE MEDIA adulterated fuel. Inhalation of cigarette exhaust would Outraged journalists who did not receive exacerbate health hazards, the study concluded. handouts from His Erstwhile Majesty’s “We had to ban smoking on overhead bridges Government (HEMG) have decided to stage a because it is impossible to control fumes from cars,” relay hunger strike and sit-in outside the the justice said, “but our next step will be to ban Ministry of Infotainment from today demanding breathing in all public places. We take citizens' health to be included on the list. very seriously.” The Struggle Committee of the All-Nepal Research has shown that many Kathmandu Non-Working Journalists’ Confederation said the residents can now hold their breath for up to half-an- list was discriminatory and not responsive to hour at a stretch while walking along the Bagmati at the spirit of the Jana Andolan II. They issued a Teku without any untoward side effects. 39-point demand asking for transparency and an immediate resumption of envelopemental 50 More Deputy Prime Ministers journalism. They also brandished placards that BY OUR SUSPENDED PARLIAMENTARY CORRESPONDENT read: ‘Some Journos Are More Equal Than The government will soon expand the cabinet by 50 Others’ and ‘Give Us Some Moolah Too’. more deputy prime ministers when the Maoists join “The handouts helped journalists living the interim government, bringing the total of deputy from hand to mouth and also gave us a cash prime ministers to 52 and the cabinet strength to 165. incentive to make things up as we went along,” “Just having two deputy prime ministers was said a hack who got Rs 1 million from the royal inadequate and there was some disgruntlement among regime to alleviate his poverty. those who were left out,” said the government Other journalists who made it to the list for spokesman, “We are now looking at conducting receiving Rs 5,000 or less also joined the sit-in meetings of the new interim cabinet at the Great Hall but for a different reason. “What do they think, of the People at the BICC.” that we are so cheap to settle for just five grand?” Constitutional experts said there are no statutory asked one irate editor, “this is an insult and limits to the number of deputy prime ministers and a slap in the face for all self-respecting the number can easily be expanded until everyone is journalists. I got much more than that.” He was deputy prime minister. “We are now in an inclusive brandishing a placard that read: ‘Pay Peanuts, democracy,” the spokesman grunted, “So we can’t Get Monkeys’. exclude anyone from having a go at it.” ISSN 1814-2613