# 15 3 - 9 November 2000 20 pages Rs 20

CURRENT NEPALI TIMES FREE MOUNTAIN FLIGHT READERSHIP PANORAMA 10-11

Llamas in the Himalaya 19

Himalayan Kings 2 shopping guide 9 From the Nepali Press 6 Sports: Sanat Jayasuriya 17 Economic Sense 8 Under My Hat 20

EXCLUSIVE RAJENDRA DAHAL ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○hey joked, they drank tea and Mobile licence T they shared biscuits. Deputy Prime Minister Ram The Khetan Group and ’s Poudel was in a relaxed Tihar mood. PEACE KEEPERS Modi Telestra won the financial He quipped that he used to be the bidding for a mobile phone leader of a communist student union. • Rapid progress in informal talks, both licence on Wednesday. The Across the sofa, the Maoists’ sides negotiate in good faith, team offered Rs 24.11 billion for Kathmandu commander, Rabindra government promptly meets Maoist the entire package, which Shrestha slapped his knee and laughed demands, and a ceasefire is agreed includes licence and renewal fees out loud, saying: “How strange, I used upon. and a four percent royalty. The one- to be with the Students’ Union • Maoists come up with demand for safe time licence fee offer was Rs 210 (the students’ wing of the Nepali passage, there is prolonged haggling million, and the renewal charge— Congress)!” The maverick activist and over agenda for official talks. Partisan payable once after 10 years and career-mediator, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, interests try to prevent agreement. then every five years for up to 25 who brought the two men together for • Government and Maoists get dragged years was Rs 20 billion. The four the first ever face-to-face talks between a into a propaganda war, Congress percent royalty payable comes to government minister and the Maoists, infighting gets worse, Maoists refuse Rs 3.9 billion. At a 12 percent poured more tea and sat back to let the talks, attacks on police resume. discount rate, the net present value two sides size each other up. The • All talks deadlocked, government SUBHAS RAI of the offer made by the top bidder bonhomie helped. After two hours of refuses to release detainees, Maoists comes to a whopping Rs 9.27 talks, a beaming Tuladhar dropped launch nationwide attacks, billion, which rival participants at Poudel off at the Ministers’ residential paramilitary force is armed, army is the bidding said was a quarters in Pulchowk in a sleek metallic deployed fully. Nation heads towards “stupendous” sum. Now, all we beige Corolla sedan. “So, they don’t look civil war. want to know is this: will mobile like monsters, do they?” Tuladhar asked Prachanda’s latest deadline for the phones become cheaper next Poudel in the car. The Deputy Prime government to meet its pre-conditions, a year? Minister agreed. response to the killing of three rebels in A week later, both the government Kalikot district after the Poudel-Shrestha and the Maoists seem to have sensed the meeting, expires today (Friday). And Radisson shares overwhelming wish among the Nepali from what we know of these conditions, action, and we hear even lobbying with is the people who will keep them there. people that this fragile beginning for talks they are not insurmountable. The The Oriental Hotels Limited has foreign embassies to get himself reinstated So far, the gun has taken precedence over should succeed. After nearly over 1,600 government should have no problem allocated over 30,000 shares to in the peace committee. In an interview hearts and minds. The Maoists may have deaths, mayhem, destruction and bad acceding to them, and it must understand applicants collecting what would in September (# 9) Deuba told us it won many battles, but they haven’t yet blood, public opinion is against more that if he does not produce results amount to Rs 150 million. An didn’t really matter who talked to the won the public opinion war. Dunai, for violence. Even Maoist leader Comrade Prachanda will be under internal pressure investigation on the entire public Maoists, since the credit would go to the instance, may have been a tactical victory, Prachanda said in his 28 October from the Maoists themselves. At the talks issue reveals many questions that party. It is time for him, in the nation’s but it was a strategic turning point. It statement that his movement was on 27 October when Rabindra Shrestha are still unanswered. Financial interest, to show the same magnanimity overturned many givens: it galvanised responding to the “people’s wish” for reiterated the demand that Maoist leader analysts say the July sale of now towards Poudel. Because if the government resolve to partially deploy the dialogue. This perhaps is the reason why Dinesh Sharma be released, Ram shares, which was over-subscribed government and the party do not end army; the prime minister and king were the positive vibes from last Friday’s talks Chandra Poudel is reported to have seven times took place without their bickering soon and sit down to forced to clarify each others’ positions; were so palpable, and the politicians exclaimed in English: “Done!” complete financial disclosures. The prepare for talks they could end up and the present talks got their impetus. made sure it got maximum coverage. In Poudel’s goal at the talks was to assess Security Exchange Board which helping the Maoists re-justify calling off Whatever may be Prachanda’s reason fact, it all seemed too good to be true. if the Maoists were genuine. Talks could regulates the stock market, says it talks and going back to war. to come to the table, the government has To be sure, the road ahead is bumpy. be a Maoist ploy to buy time, impress the has done its best to protect What is intriguing is why the Maoists, no alternative but to negotiate. The But peace talks will be more difficult the domestic public, donors, and the shareholder interest. The issue who are winning the psychological, Maoists have shown their flexibility by longer the conflict drags on. As we have international community that they are manager is also confident the issue military and information battle against removing some of their early pre- seen from mediation processes in reasonable revolutionaries. Poudel appears has benefitted both the hotel and the government, agreed to talks at this conditions, successfully throwing the ball Northern Ireland, from the Israel- to have been persuaded that they were the shareholders. …………..pg 4-5 point. After all, as an ideologically- in the government’s court. The ruling Palestinian conflict, or Sri Lanka, violence genuine. The Maoists, for their part, motivated guerrilla force with a long-term party needs to show has an in-built mechanism for escalation inquired after the fate of Sher Bahadur plan for the capture of state power, time is similar adaptability. Editorial Congress at arms at its own inexorable momentum. If it Deuba’s committee, and asked that the on their side. They don’t lose much by That is why these page 2 goes on long enough there will be enough government appoint an official talking, they can go back to jungle any things are called Just as you expected, the Nepali people who profit and benefit from it, negotiator. It’s funny the Maoists should moment by saying the government is not negotiations: you give as well as take. Congress infighting is not over. It and who will not want it to end. The ask that, since the ruling party should serious about meeting their demands. The Maoists have not yet declared heated up again with dissident Sher Maoist insurgency in Nepal has not yet have done at without anyone asking. But And these are demands we don’t really that the talks are a substitute to the war, Bahadur Deuba dashing off a stiff reached that stage, and we are at a point we all know what the problem is: it is the know much about anyway: is Dinesh nor have they shown signs that they have statement accusing the Koirala in time when domestic public opinion, ’ chronic infighting. Sharma just a red herring, or are there slowed mobilisation. What the camp of not keeping its word on the the debate over the army’s role, the Koirala and Deuba can’t stand each other, more serious hidden demands about government needs to do is to hold on to vexing party membership issue. All constructive role played by the Royal and there is factional competition to take constitutional changes? We may finally the Maoists’ expressed desire to come to this, and the cabinet reshuffle, is Palace and international pressure have all credit from future peace talks. know, for instance, if the Maoists really talks and create the conditions where they distracting the ruling party’s converged to prepare the ground for talks. seems to be an want to abolish the monarchy and turn will keep talking. Otherwise the blame for attention from the much more This window of opportunity will not last. acceptable compromise, and he will need Nepal into a people’s republic. failure will be laid squarely on the feckless important recent question of As things stand, there are four basic to be given the space and the mandate by In the end, even the Maoists need to ruling party, and the inability of its resolving the Maoist issue through scenarios of where things can go from his party to negotiate. Deuba, meanwhile, gauge public opinion. Political power leaders to look beyond the tip of their dialogue. here in a good to bad sequence: has been sulking and taking rearguard may come out of a barrel of a gun, but it noses. t

Special Offer Get NPR 968/- (15 hrs.) worth of Internet surfing CD FREE with every one year 543337 subscription of Nepali Times. Subscription Rate 1 yr 52 Issues NPR 968 EASY TIMES It’s never been easier to subscribe to Nepali Times. Just dial this number and leave your address. 2 EDITORIAL 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

THE TEN-YEAR ITCH The Constitution of the 2047 (1990) has been criticised by a vocal minority on all sides of the political spectrum. The right claims it is against Nepali nationhood because the divine powers of the king have been curtailed. The left says its ambiguous provisions are open to manipulation by traditionalists and reactionaries. Extremists ridicule it as a document that compromised the real interests of the people after the Jana Andolan. To be sure, this first decade has been a roller-coaster ride: three parliaments, ten prime ministers, two local elections, improbable coalitions, perennial infighting, break-ups of political parties, and a tendency to polarise. No wonder some call the system of government in Nepal today “constitutional anarchy”. But there have been achievements: the supremacy of the law was proven when the Supreme Court restored the second Pratinidhi Sabha in 1995, even though it had been dissolved earlier on the recommendation of the prime minister. Taking advantage of the unfettered freedom of expression and organisation, there has been a transformation in social activism, media and civil society. Given the persisting stranglehold of superstition and fatalism in this country BOOK REVIEW by KUNDA DIXIT (not necessarily confined to the illiterate), this is no mean feat. Apart from all that, the 1990 Constitution made a dramatic break from the past—it transferred sovereignty from the crown to the people. Kingdoms in cloud-cuckoo-land The symbol of Nepali nationalism and unity is now the Constitution. So what’s so great about that, you may ask. Well, it puts the onus of A benign king is preferable to the overhasty adoption of an already corrupted building our future on our own shoulders. We can no longer blame it on fate, or callous rulers. If our leaders turn out to be crooks, we have version of democracy, says the author of a new book on Himalayan kingdoms. the power to vote them out. There is an opportunity to start anew as we prepare to mark the hen writer Jonathan Gregson was government and the new constitution. first ten years of our constitution. Informal talks were held last week W born in India, there were four The two Jigmes in the book, the between the Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel, and the Himalayan kingdoms: Tibet, Mustangi Raja and the King of Bhutan, seem representative of a group that doesn’t believe in the present Bhutan, Nepal and Sikkim. And from to wear their crowns with unease. The constitution and has adopted a violent struggle to have it changed. childhood, Gregson had a fascination for these Mustangi Raja comes across as a simple, Hopes have been raised that there is now light at the end of this dark mountains, a fascination nurtured by the likeable man who is comfortable with his tunnel. All right-thinking Nepalis in their heart of hearts are convinced Nepali orderlies who talked about home, by status in the “kingdom within a kingdom”. this is the way to go. The sooner the Maoists use the political space summer holidays in looking out at Yet, there are rumblings. Mainly from the afforded by the same constitution they revile to enter the mainstream, the mountains of Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan, bulldozers building a new road from the the better it will be for them and for the Nepali people. But after living and by a boyhood friendship with Prince Chinese border to Lo Manthang. He doesn’t by the bullet, do they have the political will to face the ballot? The Jigme Singye Wangchuk at school in Calcutta. like the road, but has no power to stop it. Nepali people have such a low opinion of political leaders who have What Gregson has tried to do in Gregson goes to Bhutan twice in search ruled us so far that the Maoists may be pleasantly surprised to win the Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds: Journeys in Search of the classmate he played tag with and is next election. of the Himalayan Kings is pick up vestiges of treated, well, royally. He doesn’t therefore Sceptics have already begun to rubbish the informal talks as a this allure for all things Himalayan and find a probe too deeply into the real reasons for the Maoist propaganda ploy. But if they are sincere, and we have Padma chord that runs through them: the god-kings Bhutanese refugee crisis, and lets King Jigme Ratna Tuladhar’s word that they are, perhaps they discovered its of the Himalaya. Fifty years later, only two of The three chapters in Kingdoms Beyond the off the hook when he is told that the usefulness only after the possibility of the army coming under the these kingdoms remain: Nepal and Bhutan. Clouds that deal with Nepal will be rewarding for Lhotsampas voluntarily left Bhutan attracted constitutionally formed government of the day became imminent. The geopolitical might of the region’s two Nepali readers because of the rare glimpse it gives by the free food and lodging in the refugee Nepalis now have to show they are mature enough to control their superpowers, India and , had obliterated into the inner workings of the Royal Palace in camps in Jhapa. International observers of destiny. After all, they are in charge. Sikkim and Tibet. Gregson, meanwhile, had Kathmandu, and perhaps also into the mind of Bhutan who like to think King Jigme is being turned into a travel writer, trotting around the the monarch himself. (See facing page.) pushed by hardliners in his fold, and that the world doing postcard journalism to fill the Gregson is intrigued about how King monarch himself is a moderate, will find his pages of papers back home. Birendra, vilified during the Jana Andolan for statements a revelation. The king repeats the THE ORIFICE Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds is a 500-page vacillating on restoring democracy, has now re- radical Bhutanese position of blaming Nepal saga of Gregson’s search for constitutional earned the respect of the Nepali people. “King for the crisis. What is it about Bhutanese OK, everyone, back to work. The fun and monarchs, shy kings revered as gods by their Birendra has reinvented himself as the model officials that they can only say how well their games are over for now. Or, are they? By the subjects, and the descendants of others whose constitutional monarch,” he writes, “…What country is doing by putting Nepal down? looks of it, we are headed for another four-day kingdoms have disappeared. But tracking really puzzled me was how to reconcile the Gregson falls into this trap, too, and in his forced holiday, 16-20 November, to protest the down these kings (even his former classmate benign, ever-smiling monarch I had just met with praise for exclusive $200-a-day tourism, fuel price hike. With a work ethic like that, it is who by now is King of Bhutan) and then the bogeyman depicted in so many accounts of snobbishly trashes Thamel and Nagarkot, a wonder that this country hasn’t completely pinning them down for interviews, however, the 1990 Revolution.” He goes on to say that by glossing over the enormous benefit trekking disappeared off the face of the earth. seemed as difficult as trying to find the yeti. taking a step back from the political arena, the has been as employment generation and Even at the best of times, official office But here they are: the Dalai Lama, King monarchy is no longer held responsible for income to the Nepali countryside. time is nine. You saunter in around ten, Birendra of Nepal, King Jigme Singye Nepal’s disorderly transition to democracy. He Gregson gives a hint about which side nobody even notices because none of the Wangchuk of Bhutan, ‘Prince’ Wangchuk, concludes: “Perhaps for these very reasons, (the his sentiments lie when in the epilogue, he colleague is there to notice; they come in at the present ‘Chogyal’ of Sikkim, and last but monarchy) is better loved…the system of concludes: “...in certain stages of a country’s eleven. Just in time for the first round of tea not least, the Mustangi Raja Jigme Dorje monarchy is so deeply entrenched that it would development, a benign king is preferable to on the terrace, to reminisce about the Tihar Palbar Bista. take a far greater upheaval than the Jana Andolan the overhasty adoption of an already winnings. Or bitch about local transport: the stinking three-wheelers Inevitably, given Gregson’s background as to turn most Nepalese into republicans.” corrupted version of democracy.” So, now that run on kitchen gas, the diesel buses that run on kerosene, the a travel writer, Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds It is about the Jana Andolan itself that we know: the author is from the “Singapore Bajaj whose meter gallops faster than a four-wheel taxi, a microbus belongs to a genre of semi-journalistic trave- Gregson has some unconventional views. He school”. Gregson seems to have done his that is packed like a sardine can, the high-handiness of transport logues in the half-way world between serious concludes that the scale of the uprising was homework on recent Nepali history, so he cartels. research and a piece in the travel section of exaggerated, it was confined to Kathmandu and should have known that we did try the An office is where the Nepali civil servant goes to relax, to get away the Sunday Independent. Although Gregson is that the anti-monarchist turn of the demonstra- “guided democracy” model for 30 years, and from the tedium of housework. It all becomes a bit suspicious when not as bad as some of the others, we really tions was not spontaneous but “carefully that didn’t work either. Nepal’s democrati- someone is seen to be actually working these days. Why is he in his can’t seem to get away from these patronising orchestrated”. Then he goes on to say that cally-elected leaders after 1990 have office, poring over files? What’s in it for him? Why the motivation. is he parachute essayists who expose their compared to most other popular revolutions, “the squandered their own hard-earned freedoms, on the take? The only honest civil servants these days may be the ethnocentrism. For example, how does Jana Andolan was a pushover. It was almost too they have insulted the Nepali people by ones out on the terrace having tea. It’s better than working for a living. describing Prasad Bhattarai and King easy a victory.” Compared to what, Jonathan, frittering away the gains. But it is also true Birendra as “looking like Tweedle Dum and Tiananmen Square? There is really no need to that many of the roots of abuse were laid Tweedle Dee” because they are both dressed compare Kathmandu 1990 to Rangoon 1988 or during the years. Let’s not blame Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd in daura suruwal, coat and topi give us any Beijing 1989. By Nepali standards, these were democracy for the misdeeds of venal and self- Mailing address: GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu Nepal extra insight into Nepal’s constitutional unprecedented street demonstrations, with serving politicians. Unless Gregson is trying Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk editors: Deepak Thapa, Samuel Thomas monarchy? But it has to be granted that some unprecedented and seriously escalating violence. to say that democracy is not good for poor [email protected] of Gregson’s barbs at King Birendra’s It is to King Birendra’s credit that he saw the countries, and is meant only for rich ones in Marketing, circulation and subscriptions: (01) 543333-7 Fax: (01) 521013 secretaries are richly deserved, and his descrip- writing on the wall and began the process of Europe which have had two centuries of [email protected] www.nepalitimes.com t Printed at Jagadamba Press (01) 521393 tion of their devious obtuseness hits the mark. consultations that led to the transitional practice. VIEWPOINT NEPALI TIMES LETTERS 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 3 LABIO-DENTAL America misled so many picture of what is going on out ‘dh’ with dot under); s, S (or ‘s’ pronounced like chew, then It is a lie that former Kath- Your “Roman Nepali Phonetic Nepali didis and bahinis. But I there. But she highlighted only with an acute accent mark) we’re in trouble because our also felt that the article was one part. What about Nepalis mandu district president of Guidelines for emails and and s (with dot under). favourite dollop of bad choles- the Nepali Congress, chats” (# 11, p.12) is very based on a few bad experi- living good, decent lives in the There is a full list of terol will end up being “ghoo”. ences. I understand the main United States? And what is Prakash Man Singh, did not confusing and likely to internationally accepted The correct spelling may have give memberships to mislead readers even concern, but can you wrong with working in a transliteration symbols for the to be ghiu. generalise? slaughterhouse to afford Congress stalwarts as you more. You establish ‘aa’ as in Devanagari vowels and K Shrestha claim in ‘NC readies for party paani = ‘water’, and ‘a’ as in Matina school, and living together to consonants used in publica- Kathmandu via Internet be able to minimise ex- election’ (#14). They have pani = ‘also’, and then go on tions worldwide. I cannot 1.6 SYNDROME not been excluded at any to transcribe the Nepali words penses? Can she write reproduce them here as the Artha Beed has a point in his After reading “We wanna time from active member- for ‘waterfall’ and ‘garden’ as another piece about the email font does not have the Economic Sense (#13) about go to America” on your internet ship. The reason for this ‘chhahar’ and ‘fulbar’. struggle of Nepalis in necessary diacritics. You can, Nepal’s “1.6 syndrome” vis-à-vis edition (#13) I wished you had controversy about active Secondly, chiso = ‘cold’ America? however, refer to Asian and India. I would say that 1.50 tried to balance the story by membership has more to do should be ‘ciso’, and Pramesh KC Himalayan Journals like would be a good start to getting getting the US Embassy’s with the whims and fancies chhahara should be via Internet Kailash or Contributions to the ratio down. I’m not an side. That way some of your of the party president who ‘chaharaa’. Thirdly, there is Nepalese Studies for the economist, but your columnist visa-pursuing readers would dissolved the democratically no labio-dental [f] in Nepali, CORRECTION Roman transliteration sym- seems to have done his also learn what it is the elected Kathmandu District and ‘fulbar’ should be bols. homework. consular section actually In Happenings (#14) the Committee and 17 other ‘phulbaari’. Fourthly, the Tej R Kansakar D Sharma wants out of them before it picture showing the prime district committees on 12 distinctions you make Department of Linguistics Kathmandu gives them a visa. Let’s hope minister arriving at the April. He knew that these 18 between ‘d, dd’ and ‘dh, ddh’ Tribhuvan University the situation improves. Millennium Summit and Its committees would not are not phonetically accurate. VISA Deepak K Relevance To Nepal sympo- slavishly toe his line at the The same applies to ‘s, sh, Dipak Gautam is a bit too I read “We wanna go to Chicago, USA sium was organised by the 10th General Convention. ssh’. These are normally hasty in congratulating you on America” (#13) with mixed United Nations Association of Ram Prasad Shivakoti represented as ‘d, D (or small your Nepali phonetics (“Thank emotions. Saddened by the In “We wanna go to America” Nepal and not as erroneously Kathmandu ‘d’ with dot under), dh, DH (or Ghew”, Letters #14). If ghew is fact that the Nepali men in Pokhrel has given a true stated in the caption. ‘Palace-speak’

“I was left in no doubt that Nepal’s ruling monarch has an agile mind with a strongly analytical bent,” writes Jonathan Gregson, but because of the palace-speak of the 90s stemming from the king’s new role as constitutional monarch, he “is unable—or unwilling—to make an unequivocal statement on just about anything”.

clear opinions of his own. A. Every nation has to evolve a political system which is best suited To begin with I found all this rather baffling. The whole conversation to meet its requirements. In Nepal, the monarch has always had an Alice in Wonderland quality to it. For just as it seemed that the king been guided by popular will and the relationship between the was on the point of reaching a firm conclusion, he would introduce two monarchy and the people is traditionally based on mutual trust other points of view; and, like Alice, I was left wondering which hole the and confidence in each other. White Rabbit had run down. I could go on, though I doubt one would be any the wiser about On the other hand, I was left in no doubt that Nepal’s ruling monarch what the actually thinks on such weighty matters. His has an agile mind with a strongly analytical bent—an approach which, like replies, both formal and informal, more closely resemble an elaborate the slightest trace of an American accent, may well go back to the time he kind of verbal fencing, the main purpose of which is to avoid making any spent at Harvard. As he worked his way around a subject his whole body statement that could be judged unconstitutional rather than an attempt shifted from side to side, as though this would facilitate his acquiring a fresh at a ‘full and frank response’. viewpoint on the matter at hand. The large square glasses which he always That King Birendra does have strongly held views on all these issues wears swivelled like TV monitors that seemed to focus upon some midpoint is certain. The role of monarchy, the direction of the country, foreign in the air where he could best conceptualise his latest argument. In his policy issues, the importance of traditional culture— all of these were mannerisms he reminded me more of an academic than a power-broker. And expounded in extenso during the eighteen years he presided over the yet I was very much aware that for nearly two decades King Birendra had Panchayat system of government. Then came Jana Andolan and the exercised close to absolute power over his twenty million subjects. country’s adoption of multi-party democracy. Since then there has been I must confess to experiencing real difficulties in following some of the a resounding silence from the Palace. And although, through persistence king’s arguments. Maybe this is because I am not sufficiently quick-witted and luck, I became the first foreign writer to be granted an audience to appreciate all the subtle nuances. Or maybe it is because he has adopted with the king under the new dispensation, I cannot claim to have a new rhetoric to fit in with his new position as constitutional monarch penetrated the palace’s in-depth defences whose very purpose is to within a multi-party democracy. shield from public scrutiny what are the king’s real views on matters of One of the cardinal rules of this ‘palace-speak’ is the avoidance of any public interest. statement that might be construed as an official line on policy, since this Such self-imposed restraint applies to all constitutional monarchs. he king rose from his seat and advanced to shake my hand. He was could be taken as infringing on the domain of the duly elected government. Imagine the public outcry in Britain if Queen Elizabeth II were to make dressed in white, the loose shirting and tight cotton trousers or And given how recently the Palace was effectively running the country, any statement that clearly favoured one political party over another, or T suruwal worn by most Nepalese men. On his head was a typical locking up pro-democracy leaders and shutting down opposition newspa- even seemed to endorse a policy other than that approved by the elected Nepali topi, again mainly with a muted grey-and-pink pattern. His heavy, pers, it is only natural that the current generation of politicians remains government of the day. It is almost unthinkable precisely because Britain dark-rimmed spectacles were as in all the official photographs I had seen, highly sensitive to anything that smacks of royal intervention in policy- has had a for so long. And although left but his face was thinner than it had once been and his moustache was making. The end result is that King Birendra is unable—or unwilling— to unwritten, the basic ground-rules of what may or may not be said have trimmed to a shadow of its former, more luxuriant self. I wondered whether make an unequivocal statement on just about anything. For if he were to do been observed punctiliously from one generation to the next. the weight loss was connected with the king’s recent heart problems. so, he would almost certainly be criticised for acting unconstitutionally. This is not the case in Nepal, where less than a decade has elapsed I was asked to sit on an upright, white upholstered chair, while King To give some idea of how palace-speak has evolved during the 1990s, since the monarchy stood at the very centre of government. True, the Birendra returned to his black leather armchair opposite me. The room was here are some of the king’s formal replies to my questions. 1991 constitution redefines the king’s role with some precision. But large and rather impersonal, its furnishings dating from the 1960s or 70s Q. What were your overriding thoughts at the time of your coronation? there has not been sufficient time for its provisions to become accepted when had been refurbished. A leopard skin half-hidden A.I have always endeavoured to abide by the aspirations of the people norms, nor for their observance to be taken for granted. And some areas beneath a glass-topped table and a pair of elephant tusks above the book in the best interest and welfare of the nation. Some of my primary remain rather loosely demarcated. For instance, while I was waiting in case were the only hints of oriental exoticism. Otherwise all was plain and concerns during that time were consolidating the sovereign integrity Kathmandu to see the king a controversy arose over whether the three functional. The king put his hands together in front of him, forming a bridge of Nepal and safeguarding the liberty of every Nepali while royal appointees to the Upper House could vote as they deemed fit, or with his fingers. enhancing their welfare and building the necessary institutions so whether they should always support the elected government. Some “So what do [sic] want to ask me?” He smiled. that all Nepalese could live in justice, peace, security, happiness and members of the majority Nepal Congress Party went so far as to accuse And so began a long and broad-ranging conversation, the main theme of freedom. the Palace of acting unconstitutionally because the royal appointees which—whether one liked it or not—was the limitations of what King Q. Shortly thereafter you proposed that Nepal and/or the Himalayan region voted against their party. Birendra can speak out on in his role as constitutional monarch. We become a Zone of Peace. Do you think the concept still has validity? Or A residue ot suspicion remains between the Palace and the main touched on many topics: the changing role of monarchy; Nepal’s delicate given the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region, is it an idea political parties. Sensitivities are such that even the slightest issue might position wedged in between India and China, which the king’s ancestor whose time has now come? spark off accusations that the king has exceeded his consitutional role. Prithvi Narayan bluntly described as being like “a yam between two A. There is a wide consensus on the fact that the need to Which is why the king does not normally talk to the media, and when boulders”; Birendra’s own proposals that Nepal and the Himalayan region institutionalise peace is even greater today than ever before. There he does is careful to steer clear of any contentious issues. t generally be declared a ‘Zone of Peace’. But every time we seemed to be can, of course, be differences of opinion on how best to go about getting somewhere the trail went cold and we entered an indeterminate achieving it. (Excerpted from Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds: Journeys in region of possibilities and options, with the king proposing any number of Q. What do you consider the principal benefits conferred by the monarchical Search of the Himalayan Kings, Macmillan, London, 2000, alternative ways of looking at the question without coming up with any system, as opposed to republican or other forms of government? £14.99. Available at Mandala Book Point, Kantipath.) 4 NATION 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

hotel complied, but got away by tus, which highlights on its front cover taking the unusual step of publishing an “operating profit”, an accounting the corrected version in a newspaper terminology that tells little about with a much lower circulation, Nepal actual profitability. The issue manager, Samacharpatra. Potential share buyers NIDC Capital Markets, went ahead Buyers beware who read only were therefore with the issue. What they should have unaware of the correction. insisted on was disclosure of “net Four banks, 17 financial profitability”. companies, and the issue manager, Oriental used a loophole in the Two recent share NIDC Capital Markets, seem to Company Act, which does not specify offers by hotels in have been unconcerned or what kind of profit figures should be decided to look the other way disclosed. A financial consultant who Kathmandu showed rather than question what has studied the Oriental issue told us: professional accountants now say “Any hotel can have an operating how desperate were holes in the disclosure and profit if you don’t make provisions for Nepalis are to accounting statements made public interest and depreciation—the two before the issue. For instance, the major costs in the industry. If the invest. But however prospectus for buyers came with a hotel had indeed made a profit it enticing, not all balance sheet for a year, without the should have also paid bonus to profit and loss schedules. It had a employees.” public issues of balance sheet for 1998-99 showing a Other players in any public shares are as profit of Rs 1.54 million, but without issue are underwriters who are a profit-loss statement for the same paid a fee for guaranteeing straightforward as year. purchase of shares not taken by We have obtained a copy of the public. Oriental advertised they are made out the hotel’s audited accounts for that its underwriters had to be. We advise the same year and the “immeasurable trust” in the accompanying profit-loss account hotel’s shares. It is unclear who buyers to beware. schedule, showing Rs 1.54 million regulates the underwriters because as profit. But it does not show any they function under the Nepal

A NEPALI TIMES INVESTIGATION ○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○ who question the method in which their prospectus, which was ropanis of land and development at allocation made for employee Rastra Bank. Going by the trend, wo years ago a new the public issue of the Oriental shares sketchy and incomplete; Chabahil was valued at Rs 220 bonus, as required by law. Instead underwriters in Nepal rarely have Kathmandu hotel issued was handled—particularly the • both hotels hired the same issue million). In the absence of there is also a note that says: to worry about actually having to T shares to raise Rs 160 incomplete financial information that manager and there was a similar chartered engineers to valuate “Since the hotel has come into buy shares they vouch for. They million. By the time the public issue painted a false picture about the true information flow pattern—where land, valuation has always remained trial operation only, provisions for know all too well that in a country had closed it had requests for Rs 260 state of the business vis-à-vis its news of over-subscription of shares controversial, especially when it bonus and staff housing have not where interest earned on savings million worth of shares. To accommo- outstanding loans. Sources blame found its way to the media within has been used as collateral for been made.” has remained lower than the rate date the rush, Taragaon Regency regulators and the company for not the first week of the issue; and bank loans. Potential investors rarely have of inflation, the public would not Hotels Limited retained 20 percent providing adequate information to the • eventually both hotels managed to Other concerns relate to time to pore through complicated waste time studying the project more shareholders than it had initially public buying the shares. retain more capital than what they inadequate financial disclosures in financial documents, and anyway before rushing to line up for the planned. “The financial information in the wanted to raise. the prospectus. “In many most wouldn’t understand them shares. The scramble for shares was prospectus is incomplete, even After Oriental announced its countries this would have even if they did. That is why they Commercial banks have the re-enacted this year when Oriental professional accountants find it public issue, one alert investor immediately triggered a thorough rely and trust the regulators to do capacity to scrutinise projects but Hotels Ltd (which owns the difficult to assess the investment,” even wrote down his concerns and investigation before the issue was their homework in vetting a again they have their own secrecy Radisson property in Lazimpat) a financial analyst told us. approached the Securities approved,” a chartered accountant prospectus. By law and also SEB rules. For many banks, public issue of went public three months ago. At first it was only Exchange Board (SEB) with told us. “But in Nepal we have this directives, the issue manager is shares of borderline projects to which Oriental wanted to raise Rs 125 Kathmandu’s close-knit circle of questions. The unnamed lackadaisical yo Nepal ho attitude.” expected to check the books of the they have lent money means there is a million. There was a rush to subscribe chartered accountants , financial applicant was worried that there But since public money is company it is selling. In Nepal, better chance of payment of and by the end more than 94,000 had analysts and stock dealers who became was a deliberate attempt to cover involved, the public has a right to because the general public is even instalments on the interest and requested shares. To accommodate suspicious after uncanny similarities in up the real face of the business. full financial disclosure. It has more illiterate about financial principal. In fact, the lending terms of the high demand, Oriental was the share issues of both the Hyatt and The applicant had questioned the now emerged that even the statements, the role of regulators many banks in Nepal are so stiff that allowed to retain 20 percent more Radisson were noticed: valuation of assets, including the regulator, the Securities and Exchange becomes so much more important. most borrowers, including five-star money than what was initially • Both hotels had hired the Rs 170 million worth of shares Board (SEB) was not satisfied with a But in the case of the Oriental issue, hotels are forced to default. That is announced. same financial consultant, an allocated to the owners for a property notice in the Nepali daily, Kantipur, of neither the regulator nor the issue when they raise public money through But there is a growing group of Indian chartered accountant, to which stands on less than 14 ropanis 19 July, and it promptly asked manager seems to have fulfilled their issues, and that is why banks keep accounting and financial professionals prepare the financial analysis in of land (in comparison, Hyatt’s 150 Oriental to correct the disclosure. The role. The SEB approved the prospec- mum.

FEEDBACK

Paradise? Lost? by Dubby Bhagat in the Village Voice classes and the clergy throughout history who understood only too well that long, hard road, and that realisation column in this space last week has provoked a knowledge is power and used it to suppress entire populations through contributes to the prevailing sour discussion on the quality of change. We reprint some of questionable means like the Spanish Inquisition. At the time when opinion on the State of the the feedback below. –Ed. Goldsmith was lamenting his “Deserted Village” and long before that too, Kingdom. rural folk in Europe were getting disenchanted with their lives of lack and But that long, hard road will I read with much interest Dubby Bhagat’s thought-provoking story flocking to live in appalling town slums. They were trying to get away from lead in the right direction if the “Paradise? Lost?” about an international development project in Nepal. what they perceived as the greater evil of what we romantically call a people are educated, informed, and Bhagat astutely illustrates that sometimes, development—introduced from pastoral life, but which was back-breakingly hard work linked to the free to choose their leaders—and above and without consultation with local people—can easily have hideously unsanitary conditions which caused annual epidemics like the their water pumps. unintended and even disastrous consequences. Cultural sensitivity requires Black Death to rage through Europe. John Child one to stop, to pause, and to listen to the knowledge and needs of people. It is important not to romanticise the terrible lives our rural poor lead. Kathmandu But there is a danger in generalising too far too fast, and in The “error” in both your stories was not that of technology, it was of romanticising “paradises” rife with poverty, malnutrition and suffering. We technology being bestowed as a “gift” from a genie (and we all know that Is it sometimes better to just let must not forget that a fresh well which relieves women from walking hours every such gift has loads of strings attached!), instead of being understood things lie, as they are—undis- each day for water, can, especially in less scenic spots, transform their lives and evolved by the rural people themselves. For the latter to happen, a turbed—while we pause at the and those of their families.Fresh water can restore dignity and joy to life, sustained educational campaign needs to be undertaken, particularly aimed implications of what we are about and help prevent dehydration, diarrhoea and disease. at women in order to empower them, and here TV can be a primary to do? Development can sometimes harm the very environment it was intended teaching aid. This is by no means an easy to protect, but that does not mean all development is dangerous. Usually The idea can never be to keep people in the Middle Ages while we wax choice. Philosophically, the Gita lack of development is far more dangerous to the poor. lachrymose about “Paradise Lost”, but to bring them forward into the light tells us that the more things appear Shashi Tharoor of the new day dawning so that they can gain the benefits without enduring to change the more constant they are. But in the real world of development Director of Communications and Special Projects the stings of the double-bladed sword of technology. If this is not done, it is economics, the limited choice is really one of catching up with the Jones’. Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, New shame on the US class, because we are perpetuating a repressive stereotype. The alternative is continued deprivation. Many would argue that not York We deserve no Paradise. knowing how the Jones’ live is in fact a blessing in disguise. Unfortunately, Bunny Suraiya television denies us this luxury. The rapid shrinkage of global space through Dubby Bhagat’s piece, “Paradise? Lost?” is interesting, though I don’t agree New Delhi the communication revolution has ensured that all of us know what good with it at all. Right from the title down, there is a presupposition that it is living is all about. Materialism and demand for more and more has become somehow obligatory on the part of the rural poor to keep their environ- Dubby Bhagat’s cautionary tales about the consequences of unreflective the order of the day. Change is seen as being synonymous with living like ments rustic and undeveloped so that the rest of us can have our quaint and adoption of new systems and ideas provides an interesting counterweight to the Jones’ and thus, a better life. picturesque “paradises”. It totally ignores the proven fact that that the life my views. Change cuts both ways. But believers in the system of democracy A lot of the old and the traditional will become extinct like the cheetah of “the noble savage” is nasty, brutish and short. This approach polarises take as an item of faith that good drives out bad. Where the people have the and the dodo. Television ensures that globalisation cannot be held back society into classes: US, who are presumably smart enough to handle the right to choose, be it among ideas, goods, parties or political systems, they because change is the essence of life and everyone wants a ‘better’ life. More benefits of basic technology such as piped water and electricity and THEM, will, in time, end up choosing well. To believe otherwise reflects a deep money, bigger houses, acidity and ulcers. who are not. I think this is a very dangerous trap to fall into, particularly pessimism about the human condition. Do tell us: can we have change if we must but along with continuity. Or when you turn television (a disseminator of information, which is indeed the The catch is “in time”. Development and freedom don’t come over- are they incompatible? cornerstone of knowledge) as one of the villains. night. Many Nepalis expected immediate gratification upon the advent of Amit Dasgupta The article skirts too close for comfort to the attitude of the upper democracy. Now they are realising that Nepal is only at the beginning of a Kathmandu NATION 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 5

soon spread and many who asked it to make more informa- PAC gets back to work remained undecided joined the tion available,” Dhungel said. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The new chief of police, Pradeep Sumsher Rana, has admitted to bandwagon. By the time the issue “We don’t have adequate the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that his organisation had closed, there were a total of intermediate mechanisms to made a “mistake” in an agreement with the Indian Oil Company 95,708 investors were ready to punish anyone for non-compliance (IOC) for the exclusive supply of branded lubricants to the police invest Rs 942 million in Oriental. with our directives, and so force. The products are sold through a gas station (standing The hotel then went back to the sometimes implementation beside the main entrance to the police headquarters and which regulator seeking permission to suffers.” was constructed by the IOC as part of the agreement) managed retain 100 percent of the over- Clearly, the regulator has by the Police Welfare Fund (PWF), a charity for former policemen. subscription—with a recommen- problems implementing the law, The PAC had summoned the police chief to answer questions dation from the issue manager. but that is little consolation to related to the agreement that is valid for 15 years. Members of the The regulator refused total the retail investors among the PAC subcommittee looking into the deal—MPs Prakash Chandra retention, but it did allow public who may be surprised how Lohani (RPP), NP Saud (NC) and Krishna Lal Maharjan (UML)— Oriental to keep an additional 20 long they may have to wait for say that the PWF has already begun implementing the agree- percent. their money to start yielding ment, which gives the IOC the right to accept or reject any Now the hotel is richer by Rs returns. Dhungel also told us that amendment. According to them, the IOC, which is both a party to 150 million in cash, but an it was his office that had asked the agreement and the final arbiter in the case of any dispute, may increase in shareholder numbers the hotel to add footnotes to its not be amenable to any changes suggested retroactively by the means that future profits will now balance sheet to clarify its PWF. They also pointed out another faulty clause in the agree- have to be distributed to a larger profitability. ment which lays out that the Nepal Police and the PWF would pay pool of shareholders. The hotel We tried to talk to Oriental’s for the supplies. also did not point out in the financial consultant about the The police has been maintaining that the PWF is an That thinking is reflected on page to explain these highly technical prospectus that it could exercise share issue but he asked us to talk organisation independent of the police. But PAC members differ 24 of the 6th annual report of the accounting questions. But the option to retain more money to NIDC Capital Markets. There arguing that its office bearers are ex-officio high-ranking police Everest Bank Ltd, one of the eight someone will have to ask them on by accommodating more share- we were told that the detailed officials, instead of being elected under a separate constitution as banks in the consortium that put up behalf of the investors. holders. footnotes in the prospectus is the case with NGOs. Rs 770 million (as reported in the By the end of the week of 25 A notice on the new alloca- provided perhaps more informa- prospectus) into Oriental. The Bank July, when Oriental Hotels tions was published in Nepal tion than any issue the company

reported an income of Rs 6.37 million opened the public issue, the press Samacharpatra on 13 October. has handled. “Oriental may be the MPs still after RNAC ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ from the hotel as interest even though was already reporting breathlessly The notice details the new capital only company that has detailed The PAC, which is also investigating a recent lease agreement the payment had not been made. It on how it had been oversub- structure and changes made in the what made its operating profit,” between the Royal Corporation (RNAC) and added that the interest income was scribed many times over. Only composition of the board of says Sunanda B. Shrestha, Austria’s Lauda Air, has decided to summon the Minister for shown because the hotel had given its those that were counting the directors to take into account the manager, merchant banking Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to a hearing next week. word in writing that the money would change—in this case the issue new changes. But all of that department, NIDC Capital Executive Chairman of RNAC Hari Bhakta Shrestha and be paid after the share allocations were manager—could have had that happened only after the 94,000 Markets. several high officials of the ministry took to the stand to explain the made. information. Yet, the information people had applied for the shares. “As far as scrutinising leasing process done through a quotation and negotiations The present status of the found its way to the media We asked Damber Dhungel, accounts is concerned, we are rather than open bidding. Royal Nepal has agreed to lease a 12- loans remains unclear, and apart despite a written directive from chairman of SEB, what was going forced to rely on assessments year-old aircraft from the charter airline. The officials told the from overdue interest payments, the SEB against that, and the on and he told us that his office made by banks and other financial committee that the council of ministers had approved the decision the prospectus does not tell how issue manager, NIDC Capital M had made all efforts to safeguard institutions.” We worked on the and that RNAC had already sent $1 million to Lauda Air to lock the much of the Rs 770 million loans arkets, admits providing the press shareholder interest. He expressed Oriental issue for about a year, deal. Shrestha added that RNAC had gone for direct negotiations is capitalised interest (which is with tentative estimates of the helplessness saying, there’s very Shrestha says, adding, although after failing to lease aircraft through open bidding, which has interest that is merged with the capital subscribed “in the name of little a regulator can do when so everything may not be perfect, no always been controversial. PAC will continue the hearing next principal and which indicates that transparency”. many financial institutions, effort has been spared to ensure week. a company is not meeting interest One early news report said including banks that invest in that both the shareholders and payment commitments). Only the 75,000 applicants had requested projects, screen and even under- the hotel get the best deal. Some auditors of the hotel and its shares worth Rs 860 million. write the issues. “We felt the believe at least the latter half of Nepali Congress still at it t ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ financial consultants may be able Word of the over-subscription disclosure was inadequate so we this is true. The truce brokered between the warring sides in the ruling Congress Party has begun to unravel. The two factions are back with what has become their favourite pastime: accusations and counter-accusations. Now it is the election committee formed to hold party polls at the next convention. A dissenting minority in the committee suspect that the membership lists prepared by the party could be faulty and has begun asking that the list be scrutinised by the committee before sending it to the districts. Defeated by majority vote in the committee, which said that that was beyond their authority, two members representing the Bhattarai camp, and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, went to the press. Adding fuel to the fire came the resignation of Hari Nath Bastola a member of the active membership investigation committee. Bastola accused the committee of not following the decisions of the central working committee (CWC) and the existing rules while preparing the membership list. The list soaltee ad comprises of over 105,000 NC members who will elect delegates to the 10th party Convention to be held in February in . On 1 November four prominent dissidents, , Chiranjivi Wagle, Khum Bahadur Khadka and Bijay Gachhedar, took up the case of Nidhi, Karki and Bastola to castigate the Koirala camp for not abiding by the CWC’s decision, and called on their supporters to rally against the “impending division of the party”.

Chandra and Jivan ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Chandra Kumar Rai and Jivan Thapa, two Nepalis serving life- sentences at Bangkwang Central Prison in , continue to languish in jail denied of the basic facilities allowed to foreigners in Thai prisons. The two were convicted about eight years ago on charges of drug trafficking, for which they have pleaded not guilty (see Nepali Times # 9, 13-19 September). Their request for just treatment and application for royal pardons and transfer to Nepal has fallen on deaf ears in both Nepal and Thailand. “We are denied the right to choose whether we want to work instead we are forced into labour. We are not even given the rations that foreigners are entitled to,” wrote Jivan Thapa in a letter posted to Nepali Times with the help of prison volunteers. We also received copies of handwritten letters the two have sent to people of rank in Nepal. These include Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, Permanent Representative of Nepal at the United Nations, Murari Raj Sharma, and the general secretary of the main opposition CPN(UML), (all three applications are dated 5 October 2000). They have also sought help from two Nepali human rights organisations, but they have received no response so far. 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

Congress and to control the opposition by indirectly helping to establish base areas Nation in favour of Maoist proposal declaring army rule. Even foreign powers in the villages. In the same way, the PM may be backing the fascist government to has pushed them closer to such a Front. Rabindra Shrestha in Kantipur, 19 October run down the Maoists. But the fact is that The CPN (Maoist) has said that the The politburo of the Communist Party of army and starting a civil war. The fascist The CPN (Maoist) has from the dialogue seems to be the best way through present government cannot be trusted. Nepal (Maoist) has called for a dialogue group in the Congress was sidelined at the beginning advocated peaceful means to which the country’s problem can be Why is this so? The PM has violated all saying that only dialogue can resolve the all-party meeting. resolve the problems of the country and resolved and a civil war can be averted. agreements he has made with all political grave problems faced by the people. The government media which is run on people. Again after the Dolpo incident, In such a situation can a civil war be parties. He has broke agreements reached Comrade Prachanda had called for a the hard earned money of the people and Comrade Prachanda, in the belief that avoided? Before fighting the fascist powers with the Bhattarai-Deuba camp. He has dialogue immediately after the successful some private papers close to the fascist logical thinking and rationality would in his country in 1945, Mao had said, “If all not been keeping his word. Therefore he attack in Dolpo. As a response, the government have been spreading the prevail in the government, had proposed people become united and increase their has lost the trust of everyone. government tried to build a consensus on rumour that it was only after the talks. To consider this offer as a sign of strength, a civil war can be avoided.” For Another reason is that the how to deal with the “People’s War” government decided to mobilise the army weakness of the Maoists is nothing new to these very reasons, the Maoists have called government alone cannot resolve the through a forum convened by the Speaker that the Maoists agreed to a dialogue. They some sections of the PM’s supporters. for the formation of a Comprehensive problems faced by the people and the of the House of Representatives. To keep said that the Maoists were frightened by the Whether the country heads into civil war or United Front without any preconditions to country. For all problems to be solved, his corrupt government in power and to mobilisation of the army, which actually is a not will depend on whether the government fight the fascist government and were the Maoists believe, dialogue must be suppress the just protest of the people, the very base remark and one that amounts to takes or rejects the advice of such idiots. getting positive feedback on that call. held with all parties. All political parties prime minister is even prepared to lying to the people. The truth is that If to suppress the people’s voice the The government itself is helping to form have started taking positive steps towards mobilise the army. To some extent this Comrade Prachanda had called for dialogue PM uses the army, people with even the this Front to a great extent. By increasing this. has failed to materialise. All parties (except immediately after the Dolpo incident. That least humane and religious sentiments will the price of petroleum products recently, Even in such circumstances the the Girija faction) are in favour of dialogue was when the Girija camp began take notice. If the army is mobilised, the the government has made enemies of the government has not taken any steps to as was made public at the all-party expounding its “new principle” that the civil war that will follow will result in a people and the opposition and encouraged build an environment conducive to talks. meeting convened by Sher Bahadur Maoists were scared. That it was the thousands repeats of the Khara incident them to revolt. By destroying the agreement Even Deuba said that the whereabouts of Deuba. All parties and people have government that was scared and implored (where the police is said to have torched an reached between the government and the Dinesh Sharma and other Maoists in strongly opposed the stand taken by the for help from the palace and the army is entire village). Everyone knows this. But is nine left parties, the RPP, the UML and the custody should be made public, but no PM which shows that the PM has lost the something that cannot be hidden if one it justifiable to thousands of human NSP, the government has pushed all these action has been taken on this front. moral authority to continue in power. The wanted to. live to save the necks of his corrupt parties toward the Front. Some MPs close While a dialogue between Deuba and government is clearly in a minority. The What is the reason for the Maoists to colleagues and his ‘corruptocracy’ (not to the PM have labelled Deuba a Maoist, so Maoists has been taken positively by all government which had a policy of propose talks? The answer is realisation of democracy)? The Maoists have called for people from the Bhattarai-Deuba camp will people, a certain section of the fascist excluding and finishing off the Maoists is their responsibility towards the people. dialogue to avoid such severe consequences. also be inclined toward the coalition. Congress still thinks it is a conspiracy. now isolated. In spite of this, the What do the Maoists think about war? Is it justifiable to call this a sign of Chiang Kai-Shek had once said that This is all because of their lust for power. government, true to its reactionary Responding to a question of an American weakness or fear? The government may see Mao should be thanked for helping the character, is now preparing for civil war. reporter, Mao had once stated, “As far as benefits that can accrue from a civil war. Chinese villages to develop. Mao had said (The author, a central committee member of The government thinks it will be able to we are concerned, we do not want to fight They know that maximum kickbacks can that Chiang Kai-Shek should actually be the CPN-Maoist, held talks with Deputy solve all domestic and international for a single day, but if circumstances force be got on weapons purchases. It will also be thanked for oppressing the communists in Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel on problems of the country by mobilising the us, we will fight till the decisive hour.” easier for them to suppress the revolt in the the city and driving them to the villages and 27 October.)

Profits all the way for NOC the sale of petroleum product has been handed over to the new generation. It was issue of free and fair elections at the convention that the central committee wants people

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepal Samacharpatra, 1 November increasing by 12.41 percent each year. But in this belief that I contested for the post of had cropped up and you had asked for a who would toe their line. This is why we most of Nepal’s energy is obtained from party president at the 9th convention. I separate system. doubt the fairness of this election. The The Energy Research Centre of the traditional sources—88 percent from believe that Koirala’s leadership has already controversy over the party grassroots Institute of Engineering organised a firewood, nine percent from petroleum been tested and another five years have members has raised further doubts. That is discussion on the implications of the recent products, two percent from coal, and one passed. Now we are preparing for the village why we have raised the issue of fairness of changes in fuel prices in which experts percent from hydroelectricity. Nakarmi convention. After the village and town the elections. The party president has to warned of severe consequences on the added that only the mechanisms of a free conventions, the regional conventions will guarantee that the elections will be fair. We economy. market could correct the inefficiencies of be held, which will be followed by the have established multiparty democracy, vital Director of Nepal Lube Oil Ltd, Amrit the NOC, and lead to more realistic prices. district conventions. Only then will the to which are free and fair elections. We have Nakarmi presented a 20-year data series on At the same meeting, Deputy Director national convention be held. To talk about established the system of free and fair prices of petroleum products in Nepal, of NOC Rudra Bahadur Khadka clarified leadership issues at that time would be elections in the country and this has to be arguing that the Nepal Oil Corporation that the corporation cannot always fix prices ideal. followed in the different parties too. We (NOC) stood to earn a profit of Rs 520 based on the market situation only, adding want a system of free and fair election not that the government decision to subsidise Q: Isn’t your demand of handing power to the only in the Congress but also in all political million a year even if it sold kerosene at Rs new generation going to create problems for you 19 per litre (instead of the present rate of Rs five litres of kerosene per family per month parties of the country. would lead to annual losses to the tune of in the cabinet reshuffle that is going to take 26). Nakarmi, a former general manager of place soon? the NOC, argued that petroleum prices Rs 2.4 billion. Q: Why are you holding your convention when A: I am not going to be in any difficulty. I murder and loot are taking place in parts of the were raised due to NOC’s inability to take ‘Koirala’s leadership has don’t know if it is going to be a problem for precautionary measures because country? Why don’t you take steps to solve the

been tested already’ others. In the working committee meeting Maoist problem before the convention?

○○○○○○○ international prices were already headed ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ held last Sunday, an agreement was reached A: The responsibility to solve this problem upwards in late February 1999. “The Budhabar, 25 October among us. Now the implementation of that present crisis could have been prevented if lies with all of us. The ruling party and the (Excerpts from an interview with Chiranjibi agreement is the most important issue. opposition are responsible. But the greater the NOC had carefully studied the market Wagle, Nepali Congress dissident leader.) There should not have been such a big hue and prepared long-term plans for domestic responsibility lies with the government in and cry over the names of the party power. Yesterday Bhattarai was in consumers accordingly,” he says. Q: You contested against Koirala for party workers. This sort of problem never occurs Nepal’s annual per capita consumption leadership at the 9th party convention. How are government and the responsibility was ours, in any other party, only in the Nepali A: For this an election committee has been today Koirala is in government and the of petroleum products is 35 kg, compared you preparing for the forthcoming 10th Congress. to the US’s 3,170 kg, ’s 2,835 kg, convention? formed. The meeting of the working responsibility lies with him. ’s 2185 kg and India’s 82 kg. In Nepal A: I believe that the leadership should be Q: What is the next issue after this? Earlier the committee discussed this too. A five- member election committee has been Dinesh Sharma is alive

QUOTE OF THE WEEK formed, with two representatives from our ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ side and two from the opposing side. The Ghatana Ra Bichar, 1 November When the army had been mobilised to disarm the Khampas (in 1972), the entire area had been declared a military zone, and all 5th person is Mukunda Regmi, who is security agencies were under the army. The administration also worked with the army. (That is why despite)...reports of army neutral and is the chief of the party election Dinesh Sharma, the Maoist leader who has mobilisation in some districts today, we cannot in truth call it mobilisation of the army. commission. That the commission will take been in police custody for some time now, is —Sachit Sumsher Rana, former Commander in Chief of the Royal Nepal Army, in Jana Astha, 25 October. care of all issues regarding the election has alive, says a home ministry source. The been agreed to at the meeting. But the issue Maoists have been demanding that the of party members is likely to crop up and government declare his whereabouts. the issue of representatives and observers is Another Maoist leader, Matrika Yadav, is in also important. For this, my friends and I police custody too but the whereabouts of had asked that these be resolved as per the the wife of Dinesh Sharma, Kamala, and regulations of the party. Representatives and others like Milan Nepali, Dandapadhi is still observers will be sent only after a consensus not known. It has been assumed that they has been reached. After this, the possibility were killed when Govind Raj Joshi was of having fair elections is very high. home minister. The rebels have always demanded that Dinesh Sharma be released. Q: You were a candidate for party president Sharma, who was earlier the chief of the earlier. Were there irregularities then? Trade Union Federation, is now a member Otherwise why are you raising the question of of the central committee of the CPN free and fair elections? (Maoist). People feel that the capture of A: Everyone learns from history. I don’t Sharma and Yadav has not affected the want to get into how the elections were activities of the Maoists in any way. Political held earlier. The present central committee analysts have felt that if the release of the has dissolved 16 or 17 district committees. two is going to bring the Maoists to the Maoist Problem Solving...High-Level...Recommendation Committee Many of the district committee presidents negotiating table and stop the massacres Himal Khabarpatrika, 1-15 November had voted for me at the 9th convention. All taking place now, then it would make sense of them have been removed. This shows to release them immediately.

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI-LANGUAGE PRESS. NATION 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 7

“The government should treat us differently because we are environmentally friendly and we do not depend on fossil fuels Tempos on the run that are a drain on the national coffer. Instead the government earns Rs 30 million annually from us,” Prasad Limbu.

showed that traffic delay caused by bad which are imported with only 1 percent management ranged from 21 hours to 299 import tax, but do not pay VAT. The hours per day. Increasing the efficiency of tempo companies have applied for licences traffic flow by 33 percent could have to manufacture chassises in the country, but accommodated the annual growth of have so far been denied permission on the commuters up to 2001 without any grounds that the government lacks policies. significant increase in the 238,063 vehicles Safa tempo entrepreneurs have also registered till that year. shown willingness to reduce their rates once Both the NPC and the taskforce reports the government agrees to provide subsidies stress the need to encourage more ‘clean’ on the purchase of batteries and in vehicles, but as the idea is to develop a mass electricity tariff. The Clean Locomotive transit system, the battery-operated three- Entrepreneurs’ Federation of Nepal (CLEFN) wheelers are not even considered. “We are recently announced a cut in electric tempo capable of manufacturing four-wheeled large fares on some routes, and has promised capacity electric vehicles of 20-22 seat reductions on other routes “soon”. capacity,” claims Ashok Pandey, general “The government should treat us manager of Nepal Electric Vehicle Industry differently because we are environmentally (NEVI). “But first the government has to friendly and we do not depend on fossil fuels come up with a favourable policy.” that are a drain on the national coffer. Under present rules, only manufacturers Instead the government earns Rs 30 million of electric tempos (popularly known as safa annually from us,” says Devi Prasad Limbu, tempos) are provided tax cuts on imported CLEFN president. He said that for a parts. But they say that the government’s country that is going to see an electricity policy of waiving VAT for electric and LPG surplus by the second half of next year, tempo imports is hampering the Nepali electric vehicles are the only answer to city tempo industry. Presently, there are five transport. electric tempo manufacturers in the country All the general public can do is wait and

HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○ “We will soon formulate a policy that electric and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and they produce two tempos per day on an see what kind of policy the government he government’s recent decision to will allow only environmentally friendly three-wheelers (tempos). average. But since they depend on VAT comes up with when the government finally withhold registration of new vehicles to ply in Kathmandu, we also The number of commuters in payable imported parts like chassis and opens new registrations, and, more passenger vehicles for the recommend development of a mass transit Kathmandu has been rising by an estimated batteries, they do not have the price importantly, if it makes public transport any T t Kathmandu core city area may have made system,” says Director General of the 7.2 percent every year, and an unchecked advantage over the electric or gas tempos, better. environmental activists happy, and Department of Transport Management, influx of a large number of small capacity disturbed operators, manufacturers and Krishna Murari Sharma, who was also a vehicles could lead to more traffic head- advocates of electric vehicles, but it remains member of the taskforce. aches. That was one reason why the NPC to be seen how it will affect the transport This is not the first time that “environ- had suggested the gradual phasing out of situation in the capital. ment-friendly vehicles” and a “mass transit six-seater tempos (which, in 1991, made up The decision followed a government system” have been advocated for more than half of the 12,386 daily service taskforce report that the number of motor Kathmandu. Back in 1996, the National trips in the valley) which would drop the vehicles plying in the capital has already Planning Commission (NPC) had made the traffic volume by 53 percent. Presently, 12- crossed the bearing capacity of the roads same suggestion. The following years saw seater electric and LPG tempos and here. According to the report, if all the the government offer import tax cuts and microbuses have replaced most of the six- 248,000 vehicles registered in the valley VAT (value added tax) relief to entrepre- seaters, but their effect on public transport were to come out on the valley’s 740 km of neurs who wanted to operate non-diesel has not been studied. motorable roads, Kathmandu’s traffic would and non-petrol vehicles. At the same time, The 1996 NPC report stated that come to a standstill. The report recom- rather than follow the NPC recommenda- efficient transport management was the mends that no new passenger vehicles be tion that a mass transit system be devel- solution to the city’s traffic problems. Its registered until Kathmandu’s traffic oped, the official policy encouraged small ‘origin-destination’ survey of total trips management is considerably improved. vehicles like low-capacity micro-buses and made by public transport on various routes

HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK

What’s the point, I ask myself, bowl and the staring out my office window at toil of summer Time for sale the Ganesh Himal. Well, for one is a distant thing, to avoid being devoured by memory. Even all those who have a different now, with There are quite simply too many demands outlook on time. Ladakh Those without it don’t steal it promoting made on our limited time in this cyber- from others; they try to deny the year-round driven, obsessive web-based world we time-rich the opportunity to tourism and cybercafes springing live in. No time for reflection, enjoy their wealth. And they up everywhere, people still relish usually succeed. Take the their long winters of nothing to contemplation, medication, vegetation or example of Ladakh, an outpost of do but enjoy life’s passage. And an afternoon nap. Jammu and Kashmir in India. Biharis do the labouring, Like Mustang, it’s a proud Kashmiris run the shops and

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ enclave of Tibetan Buddhism hotels and the Ladakhis protected by soaring mountains increasingly become spectators in riends from India, Singapore things done in preparation for my that only the hardiest of traders their own land. It’s tragic and F and other beehives of visit. My colleague laughed and and explorers ever passed inevitable. Someone should do industry and workaholism said it was impossible. “Nothing through. The arid landscape is something to stop it, but of often remark on how little I seem is impossible, let’s get cracking,” pockmarked with oases of green course no one will. They’re all to do these days. I tell them that was my somewhat tart rejoinder. around the mighty Indus river either too busy doing something I’m a great believer in observing “But Dasain is next week, then where intricate and ancient else, or doing nothing at all. But the pace set by society. And in Deepawali, then Bhai Tika and irrigation canals water the paddy that’s not exactly true. Ladakh is Nepal, we move, amble perhaps, we take about a month off to and barley crops. Visit Ladakh in going through yet another bout of at our own pace—a very sensible observe all the festivals. The summer and people toil as if anti-outsider violence that does one. Take the past month of government does too, so your list One long party in Ladakh they’re driven by demons. Come little but make things worse for festivals and holidays and pujas. I of interviewees will all be too back in winter, and it’s different the very people it’s trying to help. had a wonderful time, again as busy, having too much fun, to see colleague’s gentle but unbending limited time in this cyber-driven, story. Sad thoughts to end a lovely part of an exercise in being in you.” I sputtered in outrage. insistence that I was doomed to obsessive web-based world we live The cold season in Ladakh is festival season, but in the end I tune with local sensitivities. I “But, but, don’t they know who fail if I insisted on my schedule in. In other parts of the world, one long party, punctuated with suppose I’m trying to urge myself learnt this the hard way. we are (we were giants of won out in the end. I came later, people are rich in material goods, periods of contemplative silence, to get back to work and start A few years ago I rang a international television journal- at Nepal’s convenience and had a technology and the latest of with plenty of afternoon naps. using up some of this time on my colleague in Kathmandu, grandly ism, or so we thought)? They very nice trip indeed. Productive everything, but they have no time. People do nothing for weeks at a hands. if only some dotcom whiz announcing that I was arriving can’t just take all that time off. too. No time for reflection, time and they enjoy themselves kid somewhere would come up the following week with my We have identified a time to There are quite simply too contemplation, medication, immensely. Their larders are full, with a way to sell time on a web camera crew and I needed a list of cover Nepal, and that’s it.” My t many demands made on our vegetation or an afternoon nap. there’s chchang brewing in the site.... 8 NEPALI ECONOMY 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED

New insurance companies ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Competition is brewing up for the Rastriya Beema Sansthan and the National Life and The craft of graft General Insurance Company, the two companies that have so far monopolised the life insurance market in Nepal. The Insurance Board has received applications from four organisations seeking permission to set up life insurance companies. These four are besides the American Life Insurance Company (ALICO), which has already been given the go-ahead to open a Nepal branch. (Its entry has, however, been delayed due to a case s the rocket's red glare and Corruption rules. It determines what flies over our filed by a group of Nepali lawyers with the Supreme Court arguing that ALICO is not a the bombs bursting in air heads and what is driven on our roads. Nepali company.) A rent the night sky this The four new applicants are Nepal Life Insurance Company Ltd, Laxmi Life Insurance Tihar, Artha Beed’s thoughts and the businessmen settle their have to work for a couple of Company Ltd, Kantipur Life Insurance Company Ltd and Global Life Insurance Company turned once more to the familiar deals directly, be it the profit of a hundred years to earn. Black money Ltd. Among them, Nepal Life Insurance has already been approved for licensing. subject of corruption. Why would truck of sugar or a tanker of petrol. lights up Tihar, and the goddess of Nepal’s insurance market is growing by about Rs 40-50 million annually, says Laba firecrackers remind anyone of graft? Of course, the payment terms are wealth has never complained. Raj Sharma, chairman of the Insurance Board. A study conducted by the Board shows Good question. In case you didn’t strict, delivery of money in cash on Corruption rules, be it in that there is room for five more companies to join the life insurance business apart from know, firecrackers are actually the day the goods are delivered. determining what flies in the air or the two already operating. Nepal has an eligible but uninsured population of about 11.7 illegal in this country. They are Tihar gifts have developed as what is driven on the roads. Two- million people, of whom less than two percent of the eligible population is insured. banned; they’re contraband. But another interesting way of returning stroke motorbikes are trying to going by the sound of explosions in favours. Boxes of whisky or a velvet make a comeback, pending certain Kathmandu this year, you’d have box containing unspecified jewellery clandestine transactions. Three-

Tourist arrivals down by 12 percent thought there was a civil war going have replaced boxes of sweets. Or wheeler electric and cooking gas ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Overall tourist arrivals by air declined by 12.7 percent in the first nine months of this year on. Anyone caught smuggling gift vouchers to sari and jewellery vehicles have been banned from compared to the corresponding period in 1999. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, crackers into the Valley has his shops. These vouchers can be inside the Ring Road, and the number of tourists flying into the country till the end of September was 250,957, while consignment seized at the Thankot encashed at the designated shops, all microbuses seem to be making it was 287,768 last year. The decrease came about largely due to Indian tourists who customs post. From there, the stuff of which show how we are refining macro-linings to some pockets. stayed away in large numbers in the aftermath of the December 1999 hijacking of an finds an underground conduit to the art of corruption. Any day now, Why choke the valley roads with Indian Airlines flight from Kathmandu. But present trends are encouraging. After slumping the bazaars of Asan almost car keys will change hands. We have public transport it cannot cope by 54 percent in January, Indian tourist arrivals increased by almost by almost 38 percent- overnight. Says one trader, when used cultural and religious events to with? The purchase and lease of age points in June, when Indian Airlines began flying to Nepal again. The largest number asked who his suppliers are: “You sanitise a transaction which is in jets by the national flag carrier has of Indians (14,902) came in June, though this figure was much higher in June 1999. want me to tell you? It’s like the essence stealing, and therefore become the national emblem of Meanwhile, there has been a steady improvement in the number of tourists from coun- dance restaurants, the cops have breaks the Fourth Commandment of corruption, and now parliament has tries other than India, though the figures for September are still about seven percent less the monopoly over the firecracker just about every religion. These new decided to take over. than the numbers last year. trade.” developments have made the ferrying Enough lip service and hollow Corruption stinks more than of passengers by white licence plate gestures. We have the institutions the garbage heaps that keep vehicles on bhai tika seems abso- to deal with graft, but the position

Toyoda in Nepal building up outside my house. It lutely insignificant. of Chief of the Commission for the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Shoichiro Toyoda, a confirmed Nepalophile and the honorary chairman of Japan’s Toyota has become an acceptable way of The fact that gambling is Investigation on Abuse of Authority Motor Corporation, arrived in Kathmandu Wednesday for a three-day visit during which he life, and the more one thinks of it synonymous with Tihar has also (CIAA) has been lying vacant for is expected to visit some of Nepal’s best-known tourism destinations. the more difficult it seems to provided a perfect platform for the last nine months. Will someone Toyoda, who flew into Kathmandu in a private jet, will be visiting Pokhara and uproot from the system. Crises are ostentatious displays of wealth. be appointed if enough is paid in addition to stops at Tukuche and Ghandruk on the Annapurna circuit, and a brief stop at created for corruption to thrive. It People play stakes that are some- under the table? Someone has to Langtang. Toyoda is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister . could be the sugar shortage, or the times several times their annual make a start somewhere. Are you Toyoda, who had joined the Toyota Motor Company in 1952, became its chairman in hoarding of petroleum products. salaries, and at the end of everything up to it, Suryanathji? 1992. He has been the company’s honorary chairman since June 1999. He is also The business-bureaucracy nexus they might have just won or lost president of the Vehicle Road and Traffic Intelligence Society, Chairman of the Fiscal thrives on creating artificial money that is equivalent to what an Readers can post their views and System Council (of the Finance Ministry) and Chairman of Japan’s Economic Council the scarcity. The government official average middle-class Nepali would discuss issues at [email protected] Economic Planning Agency, among others. Toyoda flew in from Hamburg in his private jet and is flying back to Italy, spending an estimated Rs 8 million during his stopover in Grindlays Gazette Nepal. Toyota's net worth is $ 45 billion and its research and development budget alone is equivalent to 60 years of Nepal's budget. There are said to be 60 Japanese and Asian INTEREST RATE UPDATE CURRENCY UPDATE business leaders in Kathmandu this week to meet Toyoda while he is here. NEPALI RUPEE CURRENT% PREVIOUS% AG/USD CURRENT * WK/AGO %CHG

Dragon Air resumes flights Call Money Avg. 5.25 5.10 OIL(Barrel ) 32.70 33.38 - 2.08 ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Hong Kong’s Dragon Air resumed flights to Kathmandu on 29 October eight years after it 84 Days t/bill 5.00 5.10 GOLD(Ounce) 272.80 276.75 - 1.43 had stopped flying the route. Initially the airline will fly twice weekly—on Sunday and 91 Days t/bill 5.21 5.32 Thursday—between Hong Kong and Kathmandu. Dragon Air, which flies an Airbus 320 to GOLD ( NPR *) 7150 7150 + 0.00 365 Days t/bill 6.18 6.16 Nepal, comes just in time to make the best of the peak tourist season. EUR 0.8675 0.9004 - 3.65 Repo rate 5.80 5.80 RNAC to Bangalore GBP 1.4190 1.4619 - 2.93

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Market is excessively liquid and it is expected that the JPY 106.23 105.85 + 0.36 Nepal’s flag carrier began flying to Bangalore, an emerging destination for average rate of 91 day T/bill will come under severe Nepalis headed for a darshan of Sai Baba at his two ashrams of Whitefield and Prashanti pressure due to aggressive bidding by government banks. CHF 1.7804 1.7240 + 3.27 Maturity of T. Bills bought by banks in the secondary market Nilayam. Royal Nepal Airlines is to fly twice weekly to the south Indian city which is also will also put additional pressure on the rate. Expected range AUD 0.5575 0.5763 - 3.26 India’s leader in multimedia and information technology. Besides, Bangalore, Royal for coming weeks 5.0 to 5.25. Nepal has regular flights to New Delhi, Calcutta and Mumbai in India. A roundtrip-ticket for INR 45.59 45.71 - 0.26 FOREIGN CURRENCY : Interest rates the roughly two-and-a-half hour flight costs Rs 16,800. *Currency bid prices at 12.45 p.m. on 11/9 - Source Reuters USD EUR GBP JPY CHF Currencies : The US dollar enjoyed broader gains against LENDING 9.50 6.25 6.00 1.50 5.25 most of the currencies, climbing to multiyear peaks against LIBOR (1M) 6.62 4.70 6.07 0.40 3.35 sterling, Euro and Swiss . The Euro fell to its lowest in

Hem Bahadur Malla, 62 its 20 month life as sentiments turned increasingly sour over ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ the single currency's prospect amid conflicting comments Hem Bahadur Malla, the man responsible for BANK RATES(DEPO/LENDING) Mkt Hi/Lo Mkt Avg from ECB officials. The British pound tumbled to seven-year single-handedly improving the IQ of millions S/A NPR 6.0/3.5 5.30 lows from the effect of the Euro's steep decline, along with of Nepali children by managing salt-iodisation expectation that U.K. interest rates had topped out. The dollar and distribution in Nepal died of cardiac F/D 1 YR 7.5/6.0 6.81 stabilized against the Yen after falling initially on news that Japan's April-June gross domestic product grew 1.0 pct from arrest at a New Delhi hospital on 28 October. OVERDRAFT 15.5/12.5 13.54 previous quarter, slightly exceeding expectations for 0.7 pct Over the past 20 years, iodisation of salt TERM LOAN 14.5/13.0 13.49 growth. distributed in Nepal has reduced endemic goitre, cretinism and other disabilities related IMPORT LN 13.0/10.5 11.52 INDIAN RUPEE OUTLOOK : The Indian rupee traded firm last to the shortage of this micro-nutrient. Malla EXPORT LN 13.0/10.0 10.96 week as market sentiment on rupee is slightly positive following the OPEC decision and bunched dollar inflows. The was president of Salt Trading Corporation MISC LOAN 17.5/13.5 15.13 rupee is now a little over one percent higher than its lifetime (STC) which supplied salt under the Goitre Prevention Project. It was low of 40.08 hit on August 11. However, it is 4.7 percent Malla’s single-minded energy that helped make the distribution effective, Oil : OPEC ministers on Sunday agreed to raise oil supply weaker than its January level. Foreign exchange reserves one reason why iodised salt is available today all over the country. The STC by 800,000 barrels daily in a bid to tame runaway crude rose by $ 17 million to $ 35.619 billion in the week to now has six iodisation plants where the iodine content in salt is checked prices and avert a consumer scare over fuel bills. September after eight successive weeks of declines. and augmented, where needed, before supplying it to the market and the goitre-prone districts. Malla, 62, was STC’s the first general manager, and later went on to be INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES FOR NEPALI TIMES the CEO and finally the president. In his 24 years at the corporation, Malla also pioneered the establishment of Nepal’s first modern factories 6 months 1 year producing flour and banaspati ghew (hydrogenated vegetable oil), and the SAARC countries US$25 US$48 Gorakhkali rubber tyre factory in Gorkha. Other countries US$40 US$75 [email protected] NEPALI ECONOMY 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 9 Shopping till you are dropping

pashmina shawls, silver jewellery, bronze and brass work, dolls and puppets, T-shirts and funny football fan hats, traditional musical instruments. You name it, and there is a shop specialising in it. Basantapur and New Road are also definitely worth a raid, although these places are less traditional and more trendy. And if you care to cross the Bagmati Bridge at Thapathali to Patan, Kupondol and Mangal Bazar have loads of tempting goods on display. With Dasain and These shopping tracts are close to the fascinating Durbar Squares in Tihar over and less Patan and Kathmandu, and will than seven weeks to

HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ traditional handicrafts, weaves, not mean a big revision of plans for go for Christmas, t is the last quarter, and the urge jewellery, sculpture, woodwork, tourists out on a sightseeing trip. to splurge is back. Everyone can music and art. And the prices here The details and artistic Kathmandu’s trinket Ishare in the mood: visiting will beat both India and Thailand. perfection of thanka and paubha art bazaars are gearing tourists looking for souvenirs, In fact, Banglampu now has a whole might appeal to you. A piece can up again for the expats planning to go home for alley full of Nepali shopkeepers cost you anything from Rs 200 to Christmas, those staying back and selling Made in Nepal cloth jholas well over Rs 80,000, depending on next holiday season. locals who are looking for ethni- and lost-wax sculptures for about quality, artistic excellence, the cally-chic but functional items for three times the prices in theme of the painting and who should be paid superior value to the home. We’ll let you in on Kathmandu. painted them. If you are among the commercially manufactured statues,” Kathmandu’s best-kept secret: it Thamel might not give you about 10 percent of buyers who go says Sunil Krishna Shrestha of is a bargain hunter’s paradise for the real picture of a “typical” in for works of the masters, you Picasso, a souvenir shop. exotica. Between Hauz Khas and Nepali lifestyle, but it does offer you may have to pay much higher Another speciality of Nepali Banglampu, Kathmandu offers a great deal to whet your craving for prices. Even smaller and less- sculptures are their uniqueness— personal use for those who have crafts, silver jewellery, gems and you the best choice for shopping shopping. Hand-woven carpets, complicated pieces by world- they are moulded from mud devices settled there. Chinese, Pakistani, Tibetan plastic beads, puppets and renowned artists like Uday Charan that are destroyed after each Indian and Afghani carpets are also dolls in Nepali traditional costumes, Gandharba Shrestha and Prem Man Chitrakar moulding, while the Indian statues available and some might be clay ware, hand-knit woollens, will cost you around Rs 20,000 at are mass produced from multi-use machine made though they look furniture and house decorations. If Gandharbas are believed to be the the least and well over Rs 100,000 metal moulding devices. Mass otherwise. Nepali carpets are you are going to further extend the musicians of gods in heaven. for the grand larger paintings. manufactured Nepali statues are also heavier, thicker, become more traditional Tihar shopping binge, a Nepal’s oldest professional Lama thankas painted by lamas available, but after adding the profit lustrous with use and are available hand-weave dhaka topi for men and singers are concentrated in the from the Buddhist can margins of 10-15 percent maintained in all sizes you fancy. “Nepali hand- a dhaka shawl or sari for women are western part of the country. Playing be good bargains—they are by trading houses and further by knotted carpets are available in the suggested. Recent successes of the sarangi and relating historical artistically rich but less expensive retailers, the price of a mass- European markets also, but a large Nepali fashion designers with dhaka events in song are their traditional because they do not carry world- manufactured statuette and a unique variety are available here for lower cloth have proved that the textile occupation. Seen in the photo- renowned signatures. Works of statuette collected directly from a prices,” claims Hari Pandey of New can be tailored into anything from graph is Bukun Gandharba who Buddhist Tamangs from Patan sculptor by a retailer may not Dragon Carpet Centre. A 60-knot evening gowns to casual wear. completed a sarangi tour of Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok and differ much. However, the quality and Nepali hand-knotted carpet can There are hand-loomed row and Europe last year and earned Kavre, for whom thanka painting is value of that piece of work certainly cost you about Rs 1,700 per square soft silk that cost between Rs 600 international acclaim. Proud of his a traditional occupation rather does. metre, a 80-knot around Rs 2,400 to Rs 900 per metre. musical tradition, Bukun sells than an artistic endeavour, are also Bronze statues are least expensive per square metre and a 100-knot Pashminas in three varieties of Nepali instruments like sarangi, available for lower prices. and a copper statuette of the same carpet would be approximately Rs cotton cashmere (about Rs 1,500 madal and bamboo flutes at Thamel. He also teaches These unknown Tamang weight can cost you twice as much. A 4,800 per square metre. for a 36 x 81 inch shawl), silk foreigners to play this instrument at his Himalayan Melodies painters lost out when expansion of simple silver statuette of Buddha is Some carpet entrepreneurs have cashmere (Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,500) music shop. Bukun is seen playing a sarangi he himself tourism in the capital encouraged sold at Rs 500 to Rs 600 per tola (a recently ventured a contemporary and pure cashmere (about Rs 3,500) made, in strict accordance with all the traditions involved in them to mass produce paintings, tola is equivalent to 11.664 gram), touch to Nepali carpets. Though are available. Also available are sarangi making, which is a rare buy in Kathmandu. thus forcing them to forego the but others can cost you more they still rely on the traditional hand-loomed cashmere shawls attention needed to create great depending on the craftsmanship. A technique of carpet knotting, their which cost more than the machine- paintings and also defying the complicated one-thousand-arm Ava creations are a departure from loomed, while the famous ring Jewellery boxes rituals that go with thanka Lokeshwora, or a Mahakali or tradition in colour and design. shawls cost something between Rs These jewellery boxes painting. Tradition demands long Bhairav statue in the mudra position, “Carpet making is like painting. 8,000 to Rs 12,000. might look similar at first devotional rituals and prescribes a with ornaments and instruments in You should dare to experiment with Then there is music to celebrate glance but vary in cost. limit to a day’s painting time to their numerous arms, can cost you colours and designs to be able to your Nepal memories. Meditative The one on the left is a less than four hours so that intense Rs 600 to Rs 1000 per tola. communicate better to your Nepali classical music by well- mass-produced Indian concentration on detail is possible. Then there are the Nepali clients,” says Pradeep Shahi of known masters and popular folk product that costs about The artists painting thankas for carpets, which are popular with Carpet House. songs, made familiar by the Rs 150 while the other purely commercial purpose in the Nepalis travelling abroad as gifts for Apart from these top sellers humming of porters during a trek, is a Nepali product, valley’s surrounding districts are their foreigner friends and for there are paper and metal handi- are available in CDs. Nepal is a totally hand made, and said to be working for more than country of festivals and pujas, and costs about Rs 500. 16 hours a day at a stretch. there are CDs available with There is a wide range of silver, traditional music to commemorate bronze and copper statues available the festivals. “Its only due to the Emporium to choose from. Metal statues from lack of publicity that Nepali music India are also sold alongside Nepali does not sell internationally. From The government-run carvings—the Indian ones look like my experience, one good concert Cottage Industries and Nepali carvings at first glance but a and the lucky musician sells like hot Handicrafts Emporium closer look will show the differ- cakes,” says Bhaskar Shrestha of at New Road is recom- ence—Nepali statues have single Dexo Music Centre. mended for poor moulding while the Indians ones Window shopping is also fun in bargainers. Handicrafts are twice moulded. The Nepali Kathmandu. “Salespersons accept from all over the country, sculptures are heavier and are your ‘no’ gracefully with a big from ‘Palpali’ dhakas to notable for their fine craftsman- friendly smile,” says American ‘Chainpure’ karuwas ship. Price-wise, Nepali statues are insurance agent John Marshall Lee, and ‘Bhojpure’ khukuris, are available here unlike the costlier than the imported ones. “A who was doing his rounds. So go privately owned shops that sell only those made around the Nepali sculptor might have around, take a good look and make capital. The emporium also offers a range of wood carvings confined himself to his workshop the best of your shopping trip. t and brass ware, the favourite buy of Nepalis as gifts for their for months at a stretch to make the friends abroad. statue. His devotion and hard work All photo credits: Min Bajracharya 10 TOURISM 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

Choba Bhamare Manaslu Dorje Lakpa 5960 8163 Gang Chenpo 6486 Phurbi Ghyachu Ganesh I Langtang 6658 Himalchuli 7429 7225 6379 Loupo Gang 7893 7083 Ganesh II, III, IV

Kathmandu MIN BAJRACHARYA INSTANT EVER For those who can’t trek up the highest mountains in the world, the

accomplishment of a mountain flight is mountaineering itself.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ MIN BAJRACHARYA he next best thing to time this year, the flights were Annapurna ranges. Pokhara- since a Gypsy Moth piloted by Secretary General Dag Himalaya you can imagine climbing mountains not affected by the monsoons Jomson really rubs your nose LVS Blacker made the first- Hammarskjold in 1961 were the enormous tectonic forces Ton foot while in Nepal as airlines have acquired at the close-ups of Nilgiri and ever aerial “conquest” of Mt allowed by King Mahendra to that must have caused the is to take the awesome flight higher-flying pressurised Machhapuchhare. The Everest in 1933. Flying up take a DC-3 on a flight to Mt Indian landmass to collide that gives you instant aircraft. You may be in the Kathmandu- flight from India, Blacker survived Everest (see box). head-on with the Eurasian Everest. This unique middle of a torrential offers a panorama of the an open cockpit and icy gale- Later, Royal Nepal plate resulting in this pile-up. journey—one of the few downpour or in mist at entire Himalaya past force winds in his flimsy introduced the turboprop HS- The collision sent the rocks airline flights in the world Kathmandu, but the mountain Dhaulagiri as well. The flights biplane to become the first 748, which flew at 19,000 ft soaring nearly to the that takes off and lands from flight will still take off, climb to and Tumligtar person to look down at the top but had large bulbous engine stratosphere, to heights of the same airport—has now steeply over the Kathmandu from Kathmandu have great of the world. Thus began a nacelles that made the whole more than 29,000 ft—and become a must-do for most Valley to get above the clouds, views of Mt Everest and glorious tradition of flying up front part of the aircraft fairly looking out of the window, tourists visiting Nepal. and give you a majestic fly-past . Even international to Mt Everest. useless for views. Then there the summits of many of the The success of the flights of the world’s highest flights offer great scenery— Nepal has also come a long were the aisle seats, which mountains are even higher has now spawned an entire mountains. some of the best ones being way since the days of rickety, made many passengers feel than the plane! sub-sector of Nepal’s Drawn by the bonanza, new the flights westwards to Delhi, noisy planes with portholes. short-changed. The state-run It was only after the tourism industry that caters airlines specialising in the Gulf or European deregulation of the domestic just to giving tourists a quick mountain flights have come up. destinations which fly parallel airline industry in Nepal that flypast of the highest Some like and to the Himalaya for half-an- Actually, most flights in Nepal are private airlines started gearing mountain in the world. As have introduced hour before turning south, or up for the profitable word spread through tour large-windowed Beech 1900Cs the flights to Dhaka and mountain flights in one way or an- sightseeing flights. Three operators, through the huge and Ds, which are much better Hong Kong which overfly other. You pay for the ticket to your airlines, in particular, have box-office success of the suited for sightseeing flights Biratnagar and therefore give made the Mt Everest flights IMAX film Everest a couple than earlier planes. There are passengers an unsurpassed destination and the view is a bonus. their niche markets: Buddha of years back and by word- no aisle seats, and Mountain view of the entire eastern Air, Mountain Air and of-mouth, air treks have Air has even painted a Himalaya up to even Gone are the times when airline sometimes even Shangri-La Airways. The cost become the rage in 2000. panorama of Mt Everest on its Kangchendzonga and passengers were allocated seats conducted mountain flights is $109 for foreigners, Tourism arrivals to Nepal fuselage so passengers get a Chomolhari in Bhutan. But next to the engine where all using Twin Otters, which gave IRs3,000 for Indians and Rs may have fallen slightly, but preview of what they are in for, the regular airline flight with they saw was a reflection of great views of the river gorges 4,800 for Nepalis. the number of tourists taking even before they get airborne! by far the best views is the themselves on its thundering below but not much of the Other airlines like Necon the Everest Flypast has Actually, most flights in thrice-weekly China aluminium skin. Royal Nepal mountains above. Air and also quadrupled in the past three Nepal are mountain flights in Southwest flight between Airlines began condu-cting In comparison, today’s Mt operate mountain flights, but years. In the current tourism one way or another. You pay Kathmandu and Lhasa. If you mountain flights from the days Everest flights are much more these make up a smaller season (September to for the ticket to your are on economy, make sure of the DC-3 in the 1960s, geared to hardcore mountain proportion of their total December) alone, an destination and the view is a you get a seat at the back of which despite the noisy viewing. The Beech 1900s revenue. is estimated 35,000 visitors bonus. The regular the plane for unobstructed unpressurised cabin had slow have brought a virtual beginning once-daily will take the $109-a-shot Kathmandu-Pokhara shuttle views of Makalu, Chamlang, speed, low wings and small revolution in sightseeing, and mountain flights in its 30- flights that wing you past the gives passengers magnificent and Mt Everst gliding engines and were not at all bad their cruising altitude of seater EMB-120 on 10 central and eastern views of the central Himalaya past at almost eye-level. for views. Foreign dignitaries 25,000 ft gives an unsurpassed November. Cosmic and Yeti Himalaya. And for the first from Ganesh, Himalchuli to We have come a long way visiting Nepal like UN perspective on the moun-tains: have aisle seats and the from the violet-brown expanse airlines do not guarantee you of the Tibetan plateau to the a window seat, although north punctuated by dark blue Necon says it sells only 23 “A REGAL ORNAMENT” lakes, the jagged icy wall of the seats at the back of its ATR- Himalaya, and the velvet 42 and offers a $164 couple An excerpt from an account by Dag Hammarskojld, the former UN Secretary General, of his foothills of Nepal that plunge discount for a second person Mt Everest flight 40 years ago. down to the haze-filled plains. sitting on the aisle. The mountains look almost The most frequently asked After sunrise the next morning, the haze had gone and the sky was without a cloud. holy in their magnificence and question aside from which When we came down to the airstrip, the icy summits of the closest mountains stood out their expanse, and if you are airline offers the best views is sharply over the green hills around the valley. aware of the genesis of the which side of the plane it is We flew through the valleys in the direction of Gauri Shankar and Everest. Even if we had never come to these mountains, it would have been a great experience just to see the FOR BOOKINGS beauty of the valleys and of the hillsides in the early morning light, the structure of the landscape, and the picturesque way in which cultivation and villages have developed. The AIRLINE PHONES AIRCRAFT plane in which we were flying was a DC-3, nonpressurised and without oxygen. That Buddha Air 542494, 437025 Beech 1900D naturally set an altitude limit for the flight, we flew at a height of twelve to fifteen thousand Cosmic Air 241053, 244955 SAAB 340 feet. Our route took up first under the overwhelming south wall of Gauri Shankar, with its beautiful double summit consecrated to the two Hindu that give the mountain its Gorkha Airways 436576,436579 Dornier DO-228 name. At our altitude we needed to approach it at mid-height. Its vast size gave the Mountain Air 489065 Beech 1900C impression that we were even closer to the mountainside than we were. 480565 ATR-42 Makalu mis-identified as Everest in the article. Forbidding in its bold, sculptural structure, it was a world far beyond human Shangri-La Air 439692,416028 Beech 1900C comprehension and of the harsh purity we are accustomed to find in the miniature world of crystals. But here it met the eye in Yeti Airlines 421294,421215 EMB-120 (from 10 Nov) proportions that reduced our human world to a microcosm. Everest wore a plume of snow, made by strong northwesterly winds…it had a special rank and position marked with a truly regal ornament. (Note: Fares may vary depending on the travel agent, but the airline fare is $109 for all tourists, except Indians who pay IRs 3,000 and (From the National Georgraphic, January 1961) Nepalis pay Rs 4,800) TOURISM 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES11

Cho Oyu Nuptse Everest Makalu Pigferago Ghyachung Kang Pumori Lhotse Melungste 8201 7855 Kangtega 8848 8463 6675 Numbur 7952 7161 8516 7181 Thamserku 6799 Ama Dablam Gauri Shankar 6937 Lundarstubugo 6623 6812 7134 6696 REST

e thrill and BAJRACHARYA MIN ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

better to sit on. It is now MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN official: the right-hand window seats are better because the mountains are closer on the flight back, but the return flight is also shorter mountain-identification Computer-enhanced panorama (top) of the central and eastern since the plane is descending. charts, and treat every If you are on the right-hand passenger like they are Himalaya as seen from a mountain flight. The mountains look seat, you have to learn to curb potential repeat customers. larger or smaller depending on the route flown. (Top, right) Early your impatie-nce on the Otherwise, like the carpet and morning at the domestic apron at Kathmandu airport as one of 20 outbound leg as the left-hand daily mountain flights return from an Everest flypast. (Right)

pashmina industries, the BAJRACHARYA MIN passengers do their “oohs and Everest flight may also end up Passengers stretch to catch a glimpse of the mountains and the aahs”. being a flash in the pan for spectacular wideangle view (top) as the plane turns around near Mt Another frequently asked Nepal. t Everest, with Namche Bazar in the valley below. question is: how close do we get to Mt Everest? This depends on turbulence and winds at higher altitudes. Later in winter the jet stream makes the flights bumpier, and planes don’t venture closer than 20 km from the Lhotse Wall, and generally the earlier morning flights are less bumpy. Passengers also have to learn to prepare themselves for mammoth tourist jams that occur at the domestic terminal on days when Kathmandu PREMIUM AD C airport is fogbound, and camera-totting passengers from 20 mountain flights and other domestic routes are stuck for hours while the airlines wait for the visibility to improve. There is no doubt that Everest is the great draw. Some airlines tried out mountain flights from Pokhara on an experimental basis, and Buddha even had a Sunset Himalaya flight last year, but there weren’t enough takers. But given the congestion and winter fog at Kathmandu, there is no alternative for airlines than to start thinking of creative new routes like Pokhara-Everest, or extending the regular Kathmandu-Pokhara flight to include a Dhaulagiri fly-past. Buddha has begun on-board merchandising of Mt Everest memorabilia like T-shirts, certificates and even a video of the flight, on the return leg. The airlines also need to pay greater attention to passenger handling on the ground—to make the long wait at the domestic airport more bearable, distribute clearer and more-precise 12 MOUNTAINEERING 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES A Slovenian autumn in the Nepal Himalaya

There were a number of Japanese and Korean expeditions in Nepal Sherpa Insurance this season, but it was the Europeans who stole the show. The question of compulsory insurance for Nepali high-altitude porters/climbers came to the fore once again this season after accomplished climbers. This climbers to come to Nepal. three Sherpas accompanying two Korean expeditions to Cho Dorje Lakpa’s west face from which a autumn saw six teams from That may happen in the spring Oyu (8201m) died in an avalanche. Slovenian climber fell to his death. this former Yugoslav republic of 2001 when the tourism Prior to leaving for the mountains, mountaineering teams climbing in the Nepal ministry, in consultation with have to provide the Ministry of Tourism with signed affidavits of Himalaya, and despite Tribhuvan University’s each climbing member and high-altitude support staff, together Karnicar’s success, they had Geography Department, is with insurance details. The Nepali government’s mountaineering their share of tragedy too. planning to open up new peaks regulations require porters and high-altitude Sherpas to be insured for a minimum of Rs 50,000 and Rs 150,000 A Nepal-Slovenia joint for climbers and to simplify respectively. expedition abandoned the the process of applying for However, unknown to the ministry, the Koreans, who were effort on Mt Pathivara, Mt permits. “We want to attract climbing as one team, had hired three Sherpas up in the Jongsang and Mt Kiratchuli climbers to virgin peaks, mountains citing lack of manpower. “They say they hired the after a Slovenian climber fell to mainly in the west, to balance Sherpas to carry supplies up to base camp only. But his death, while another the regional disparity,” says investigations showed otherwise,” says a ministry official. Slovenian attempt on a new Ganesh Raj Karki, head of the “The expedition said they tried to inform me by phone about route up the west face of the mountaineering section at the their decision to hire extra people,” said Ang Karma Sherpa, 6990 m Dorje Lakpa (visible ministry. managing director of Windhorse Trekking, the company that to the northeast of But even as mountaineers managed the expedition. The Korean climbers, who abandoned Kathmandu), too had to be eagerly await a formal an- their attempt after the accident, face the possibility of being given up when a Slovenian nouncement, there is reason blacklisted, banned or fined by the tourism ministry. member died. Further to the for scepticism. The tourism The ministry ordered the teams to pay Rs 180,000 to the west, yet another team of ministry cannot decide on its families of the three deceased. Other climbing Sherpas on the Slovenians abandoned their own. For security purposes, it Korean teams were insured for Rs 500,000 each. “The pity is the attempt on Annapurna III. has to get clearance from the families of the dead won’t get the same amount,” said Sherpa. Meanwhile, favourable defence and home ministries, “It happens rarely but sometimes teams try to save money by weather conditions in the and any such application, even forming small expeditions. Then they realise that they don’t have Khumbu saw five Koreans if it is intra-government, has to enough manpower and hire staff who may be untrained, ascend the world’s highest wind its way through the long inadequately insured and outfitted,” said a ministry official with peak. Two climbers from the and tortuous bureaucratic long experience as liaison officer to expeditions. “What Korean Ulsan Everest Expedi- channels. And that, as every- happened on Cho Oyu is nothing new. It is only that these tion and three from the Chung one knows, can take quite incidents are not reported and trekking companies hush up matters and pay off the families of those killed on the mountain.” Buk Korean Everest Expedi- some time. t tion reached the Everest summit via the regular southeast ridge. Six of their compatriots succeeded on the nearby Lhotse (8516m) from the west face. But not all Koreans were that lucky. The 2000 Korea Gyung Nam Student Alpine Association Dhaulagiri Expedition abandoned their attempt to climb from the

RAMYATA LIMBU ○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○ face of Dhaulagiri by another north face after climbing he highlight of the Slovenian climber, Thomaz leader, Lee So Ho, died in an T autumn mountaineer- Humar, in an attempt de- avalanche. A Sherpa climber ing season in the scribed by High magazine as with the Dhaulagiri 1 Expedi- Nepal Himalaya this year was “audacious”. Kmet, who plans tion from the Nagoya Alpine the first-ever descent on skis to accompany Karnicar on the Club of Japan also died on the down the world’s highest skier’s quest to ski the seven mountain. A Russian climber mountain. Not only was this a summits within a year, is died on Lhotse Shar (8400 m). daring first, but the Slovenian already thinking of the A total of 65 teams received Davo Karnicar’s feat also went technical challenge, permits to climb various peaks down in the record books as transmitting live, Karnicar’s this autumn season, which the fastest-ever descent of Mt ski descent on the remote Mt officially ends on midnight of Everest. Vinson in the Antarctica. 15 November, by when teams And so, it was a double “They don’t have satellite have to be back at their celebration when Davo phone facilities there,” he says. respective Base Camps. Karnicar celebrated his 38th A tiny country of about Generally, expeditions tend birthday on 26 October, two million people and where to concentrate on popular amidst well-wishers, journalists nearly half of them are mountains in the eastern and and friends at a rambunctious involved with mountain sport central regions of Nepal. The party at the Rum Doodle in one form or another (the government has indicated that Restaurant and Bar in Thamel, country’s president himself is a it would simplify permit the unofficial hangout of the mountaineer), Slovenia boasts procedures and open up new international climbing some of the world’s most peaks to encourage more community in Kathmandu. At Rum Doodle, he and his teammates, Tadej Golob, Matlej Flis, and Farnc Digital Symphonic Recording Pvt Ltd. Oderlap, also added their names to Rum Doodle’s The only trustworthy destination for digital quality recording lengthening list of Everest & summiteer-patrons (entitling computerised CD premastering. them to a life-time of complimentary cuisine). “We couldn’t have asked for more. The weather and snow conditions were perfect. The gods were smiling on us,” said Andrej Kmet, Slovenian climber and communications expert. Kmet was in Nepal last Anil Bhawan, Kamaladi, Kathmandu, Nepal autumn too, managing the Phone: 00977-1-243649, Fax: 00977-1-220161 website that covered live the E-mail: [email protected] solo first ascent of the south WORLD 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES13 COMMENTARY by MARTIN WOOLLACOTT US Elections COMEDIAN CANDIDATES EDWARD HELMORE

Failures in intervention ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Two weeks ago, when Al Gore’s presidential hopes appeared to be Peace arrives in Belgrade and fighting breaks out in Gaza. What are we to make of this? slipping with each new poll, he took a call from his boss, the

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ president. Otherwise shut out of his deputy’s campaign, Clinton London - When Milosevic fell in the same week that fighting broke out not as great as it seemed. urged vice-president Gore to watch a Saturday Night Live parody of between Israelis and Palestinians, was it merely a matter of the coinci- If these were the years in which America failed to live up to its his television debates with his Republican rival. dence of bad news and good news that always marks human affairs? potential, that was also true of Europe, which notoriously After first resisting, Gore acceded to Clinton’s almost unerring What are we to make of this arrival of peace in one place and loss of it in mishandled the crisis in former Yugoslavia. But America and Europe political instinct. The tape revealed the public’s perception of the another? In the one case, flawed policy just barely achieved a kind of together did, in the end, adopt policies that halted the Serbian candidate and his media-genic shortcomings that no pollster or focus success, and, in the other, flawed policy has led to a tragic failure. The campaign in Bosnia and later forced a withdrawal from Kosovo, group could have bettered. Clinton touched on one of flaws, too, were of a similar order—policy driven by domestic pressures, which in turn contributed to Milosevic’s fall. A new report by an the few political realities of this policy that paid too little attention to the facts independent international commission charts how campaign—that television on the ground, and policy too wary of difficul- Kosovo was allowed to fester to the point where comedy has become one of ties and costs. Serbian suppression of rebellion provoked NATO the few clarifying elements of A decade that began in an atmosphere of intervention. It allows that this intervention was a political discourse great confidence in many countries and across “illegal but legitimate”. In its broader conclusions, obfuscated by hours of the political spectrum has ended with a sharp it states in a measured way the need for early punditry, spin and anti-spin. reminder of limits and an unmistakable loss engagement in the kind of situations which could As Americans tune out of momentum. The sense of foreboding arises produce violations of human rights on a scale that from serious political at this moment in part because this was Bill may later give grounds for a humanitarian military coverage and analysis, they are getting Clinton’s decade and in part because his intervention. If, as a last resort, such intervention more of their election news from late night talk. A recent survey found presidency is finishing with such a defeat in becomes necessary, it proposes “a principled that 47 percent of people aged between 18 and 29 often gleaned the Middle East. Clinton’s departure will framework” for it, which it would like the United information from these programmes, along with a quarter of all mark the end, if not of an era, at least of a Nations to take up in some way. adults. “So much coverage in the mainstream press is dishonest and time when America had extraordinary What is striking about the Kosovo report, like manipulative,” says Columbia University journalism professor Craig opportunities which are unlikely to reoccur. This was because those others, is their essential optimism. They look to a managed Wolff. “To me, the humorists are in some ways presenting the most America had a capital of influence and power when he took over world, in which most disasters are headed off by preventative action, honest coverage.” which is now much drawn down. Much of the world was awed, and others are dealt with, when they have to be, by the judicious use Politics as television comedy is hardly new and has been gaining ready to listen, and, up to a point, ready to be persuaded. of force. In any case, the potentially grave regional crises which the momentum since Richard Nixon appeared on the 1960s television But America under Clinton did not use its influence to the full world could face, such as a further breakdown in the Middle East, a comedy show, Laugh-In. What’s new is just how blurred the line or to the best effect, whether in the Far East, south , Russia, or confrontation between nuclear armed India and over between politics, news and entertainment has become. Late-night in the Balkans. Above all, in the Middle East it was by turns serious Kashmir, or a clash between China and Taiwan, are of an order in comedy talk shows such as those of Jay Leno and David Letterman and timorous in its campaign to isolate and bring down Saddam which humanitarian expeditions are irrelevant. It is only in the have become political essentials, both as barometers of how the Hussein and it was slow and often partial in its mediation between context of the containment of these larger conflicts that these lesser, campaigns are playing and through appearances by the candidates Israelis and Palestinians. The daily bombing of Iraq, now an activity internal problems may be amenable to solution. themselves—a way of personalising their brand. entirely divorced from any coherent strategy, is one index of One lesson that has been understood is that such quarrels are To former Texas governor Anne Richards, it’s America’s failure. The savage daily encounters between Israeli and more obdurate than is sometimes lightly assumed. The past 10 years become important for Palestinian young men, boys who grew up during these Clinton should have been a time when the US and Europe, the two wealthi- candidates to show a sense of years, is another. Perhaps American power to change the Middle est and most developed regions, took a strong grip on affairs. Instead humour than demonstrate a East—to the point of largely excluding other outside powers—was they have come perilously close to losing it. t (The Guardian) grasp of issues when debating their opponents. A the land, externalising costs of good joke can be incredibly efficient production, destruction effective in getting your The globalisation of hunger of environment … it has done it message out, she says, by waste.” Lang says the FAO is “because people repeat it”. And Is a growing trend toward economic globalisation, especially in agriculture, to “in love with” big agriculture, big that’s invaluable for politicians because with blame for a lack of progress in fighting global hunger? business, large-scale food produc- an electorate disenchanted with politics and an election said to hinge tion and a high-tech investment on a small number of swing voters, humour has become one of the

DOUG ALEXANDER IN LONDON ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ de Haen argues that other healthy. In Asia and the Pacific, strategy. What is needed, he says, few ways of gaining attention. n today’s world, 826 million factors—‘low food supply’, 16 percent of countries suffer this is a “bottom-up, community-led But while Gore has appeared on Letterman and Leno, and Bush people are hungry—792 mil- natural calamities, economic woes level of undernourishment. FAO agriculture” approach. has kissed talk show host Oprah Winfrey on Oprah, and had an lion in 98 developing count- and conflict—have had a greater advocates four measures to fight The UK-based International unhappy (and un-repeated) experience on Letterman in March, none I of the current crop of candidates besides Gore’s democrat running ries and 34 million in the West impact during 1996-98, the latest hunger: reducing conflict; boos- Society for Ecology and Culture, a don’t get enough food to lead years for which hunger data is ting economic growth; establish- non-profit organisation working mate Al Lieberman have dared venture on to The Daily Show on normal, healthy lives. And despite available. ing a social net for the poor; and on ‘locally-based solution’ to Comedy Central. The programme, hosted by Jon Stewart, has a global pledge to cut the number Some regions are doing better improving agricultural produc- global problems, blames hunger emerged as America’s sharpest satire. First broadcast in 1996, The of undernourished in the world by than others: South and East Asia tion. on globalisation and economic Daily Show captures the absurdity not just of the US political process half by 2015, the United Nations’ are on track, while Sub-Saharan But not everyone supports changes sweeping through the but of the media that cover the news and the pundits that interpret Food and Agriculture Organi- remains far from the 2015 these suggestions. Tim Lang, world’s agricultural sector. “The and re-interpret it. In a show presented as a seemingly real newscast, sation (FAO) now claims the target. falls some- professor and food expert at majority of the people in the so- Stewart and his team of correspondents spoof what increasingly world is nowhere near this goal. where in between. This year’s London’s Thames Valley called Third World are in feels like unreal news. As the 37-year-old Stewart himself liked to The FAO’s newly-released report examines how hungry the University, believes FAO is agriculture, living on the land,” quip during coverage of the political conventions in the summer: The State of Food Insecurity in hungry are by measuring the pursuing the wrong strategy to ISEC director Helena Norberg- “We’re a fake news organisation covering a fake news event.” But the World shows that there has depth of hunger with ‘food fight world hunger. “At the end of Hodge says. “Economic policies that didn’t stop the game (and very funny) senator Bob Dole been no improvement in the fight deficit’—how many fewer calories the 20th century it was clear that that destroy their livelihoods and appearing as the programme’s desk-bound political pundit, or against hunger. The problem is the hungry are getting compared for the last half century in which offer them no substitute are the Republican John McCain agreeing to be interviewed by Stewart not lack of food: there is enough to a well-nourished person. In the FAO was around the world main culprit behind hunger.” She faking a real interview. to feed every man, woman and terms of sheer numbers, Asia and adopted a productionist, high- says local farmers are being drawn In creating a comedy show that looks like a news broadcast, The child. It is about access to food, the Pacific have more chronically tech investment strategy to solving away from growing food for local Daily Show’s formula is to satirise every element of the political and some argue that a growing hungry people, but Sub-Saharan hunger,” Lang says. “Without a needs by producing commodities process, from the pretensions of the candidates themselves to the trend toward economic globalisa- Africa has the greatest depth of doubt this had important for export thereby putting their over-heated pronouncements of pundits. Stewart, who started out as tion—especially in agriculture—is hunger. In nearly half of these successes, such as increased cash livelihoods at the mercy of a stand-up comedian, understands exactly what it’s about: “The to blame for a lack of progress in African countries, the undernour- flow and increased production, international markets. Such ‘cash longer I’m doing this I’m coming to learn that entertainment, politics fighting global hunger. FAO ished are getting 300 kilocalories but it has done this at immense crops’ include tobacco, rubber, and the media are really just juggling the same balls. We’re all going assistant director-general Hartwig less than what they need to be social costs: driving people from tea, coffee, cocoa and flowers. for ratings, so we function by the same rules. What’s a political poll “The imposition of trade other than a focus group for a television show?” Madeleine policies worldwide is forcing Smithberg, co-creator of The Daily Show, dates comedy’s new farmers to grow larger and more importance to the political process from the occasion when Clinton specialised crops in order to went on the Arsenio Hall show in 1992 and played the saxophone. survive … it’s merge or die,” “That signalled a whole new ballgame,” she says. “This year there’s Norberg-Hodge says. “But this huge emphasis on entertainment and whether the candidates millions of farmers in the Third can be funny.” World are small farmers, they are But as the hunt to find and win over the crucial but possibly non- not able to compete.” ISEC notes existent “undecided voter” peaks before the 7 November vote, US that while threats to food security comedians know they have a golden opportunity. To Smithberg, the once came chiefly from natural quest for the undecided voter is itself absurd. “It’s ironic, because the circumstances—crop failures due undecided voter has become the most empowered voting block. to drought or an unexpected frost, We’ve somehow given this most important decision over to the idiots for instance—farmers hooked into who can’t make a decision! We’ve empowered the fools.” If, by some the global food system today strange fluke, Smithberg’s fools are also the ones who watch The continue to face those same risks Daily Show when it beams out of New York on weekday nights at 11 plus many others of a purely pm, then late-night comedy might indeed prove to be the deciding factor in the election. (The Guardian) economic nature. t (Gemini News) 14 ASIA 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

Taliban and Masood in peace talks

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Uttaranchal’s birth pangs Geneva - The feuding parties in the Afghan civil war have repeatedly had confidential talks in Switzerland in 1999 and March this year. Representatives of the Taliban regime which is not internationally A new Indian state will be born after a six-year campaign, but the real problems lie ahead. recognised and forces loyal to Ahmed Shah Masood had met in the Alpine republic. The meetings were organised by the Swiss foreign Uttaranchal from the big cities in the plains of has only worsened environmental ministry, but failed to kick-start proper peace talks. The Swiss has one of India’s India. degradation, adding to women’s work, newspaper Le Temps reported Wednesday that a Taliban vice highest levels of The creation of the new state is by making them walk longer to fetch minister and a minister of Masood’s Northern Alliance had discussed adult literacy and expected to result in better attention fuel wood and water. According to heath care issues at a meeting in March in the presence of the education, but to these priorities. But that will have Sachidananda Bharati of the International Committee of the Red Cross and United Nations repre- decades of neglect to wait for the resolution of political Dudhatoli Lok Vikas Sansthan, a sentatives. are blamed for the problems that have cropped up even people’s group working in ”In an internal conflict like this one has to open up a contact and continuing before Uttaranchal is born. Many Uttaranchal, the continuing further dialogue between the parties which is often very difficult, downhill migration among those who agitated for a neglect of the hills has hurt Berne foreign ministry official Raimund Kunz told the paper. There has of residents from a separate home for the hill people are women the most. The migration been renewed fighting in Afghanistan since last August when the region that still has now complaining of serious flaws in of men to the plains has meant Taliban, which rule 90 per cent of the country, launched a new a subsistence the administrative shape of the new not only loneliness for the women offensive against Masood’s forces in the north. Last month alone farming-based state. They are unhappy with the but also forces them to take up some 28,000 people fled the war-torn and drought-stricken country to economy. It was decision to make the major hill town hard physical work on farms. Pakistan. (dpa) this feeling of being of Dehradun, some 250 km north of The creation of a new state is neglected by the the Indian capital, the ‘interim capital’ also expected to draw in more real RANJIT DEVRAJ IN NEW DELHI

Kuwait ends ban on Bangla workers ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ federal government and the rulers of of Uttaranchal. estate developers from India’s big ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Kuwait City - Kuwait has agreed to end a bar on workers from he forthcoming ‘addition’ of Uttar Pradesh based in the distant state The problem has arisen because cities. In recent years, property Bangladesh, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said. Sheikh a new province to India to capital Lucknow that had fired the Uttaranchal is made up of the two developers from the Indian capital Hasina said her Labour Minister Abdul Mannan has signed an T be carved out of the central demand for a new state. Its pictur- culturally different sub-regions of have bought up picturesque hill agreement with Kuwaiti officials on lifting the year-long restriction Himalayan foothills in northern Uttar esque river valleys, flanked by snow Garhwal and Kumaon. Dehradun is slopes from local farmers to build which was imposed after a Bangladeshi worker allegedly killed his Pradesh state, will satisfy a decades- topped mountains, make tourism a part of the former. The relatively holiday homes for rich people Kuwaiti employer and then fled the emirate. Meanwhile, the two old demand of the hill folk in that major source of income for the region, obscure, but strategically located town from the plains. “This racket is nations were discussing a draft extradition treaty that could affect the region. Uttaranchal will be one of the but not much has been done to of Gairsen, which straddles the happening with the connivance of ongoing murder case, she told a press conference in Kuwait City at three new Indian states to be born on develop this in ways to benefit the local Garhwal and Kumaon areas, has long local level officials,” says Nathu the end of a three-day visit. The labour bar “was lifted yesterday,” that day, which are being created out economy. Uttaranchal, with its major been suggested as a ‘compromise’ Begum, the president of an elected Sheikh Hasina said. She said that the original measure had been an of three big states—Uttar Pradesh, its Himalayan rivers, also has tremendous capital. “There is too much uncer- village council in Dehradun administrative procedure and not an official ban. eastern neighbour Bihar and Madhya potential to generate hydro-electricity, tainty over vital issues,” says Harish district. Nobody is complaining Kuwait had put a stop to processing work permits for Pradesh to its south. but this is not easy in the highly seismic Rawat of the Uttarakhand Sanyukt too loudly because the racket is Bangladeshis after the alleged killing. Sheikh Hasina said the suspect While the setting up of and ecologically fragile mountain Sangharsh Samiti, one of the groups keeping land prices up, she adds. was in custody in Dhaka and that her government has been providing Uttaranchal, with a population of region. Fruit and flower cultivation also which campaigned for the new state. Demands have been raised that Kuwait with information about the case which is pending trial. ”If about eight million people, marks the offers much scope for job and income There are also fears that the kind the new state follow the example necessary” she said, Bangladesh was ready to send the suspect success of a six-year-old mass generation. However, Uttaranchal of development promised by the of other Himalayan states like back to Kuwait. campaign, a tough job awaits the continues to be a ‘money-order’ politicians may lead to further adjoining Himachal Pradesh, Further exchanges of information about the killing were needed, rulers of the new state. Their goal is to economy, where generations of male environmental damage to the which have strict laws, banning however, and a proposed extradition treaty still had to be enacted. tackle a unique form of underdevelop- migrants have supported families back hills. Studies have found that so- outsiders from buying local Bangladesh and Kuwait officials discussed the shaping of a mutual ment. home with monthly postal remittances called development work in the area land. t (IPS) extradition law during her visit, Sheikh Hasina added. Registered workers from Bangladesh in Kuwait number about 160,000 but some estimates of the total have been put at around 200,000. Most are unskilled and are among the lowest paid labourers in the Gulf. The ending of the bar was expected to increase badly needed income sent home by Bangladeshis annually. (dpa) 1.2 billion and counting

Narmada activists begin final battle This mother of all censuses is China’s fifth. Under scrutiny will be the one child norm, believed to be ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ New Delhi - A week after India’s Supreme Court rejected their responsible for a hidden 200 million—China’s “black population”. case against the Narmada dam, activists opposing the scheme have begun what may well be the final battle by the country’s best known ANTOANETA BEZLOVA IN BEIJING

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ million people could be unaccounted for. people’s movement. Famed anti-Narmada dam campaigner, Medha he Chinese government will begin facing up to the hidden millions who Judging by the publicity accompanying the current census, it seems that the Patkar, entered the tenth day of her hunger protest Thursday in the have eluded its “one child” policy on family planning, as it embarks Nov 1 government is preparing to encounter the large number of extra people dubbed city of Bhopal, the capital of central Madhya Pradesh state. The state T is the home of most of the quarter million, mainly indigenous people to on the largest population census undertaken anywhere in the world. An the “black population”. The government has appealed to people to co-operate be displaced by the four billion-U.S. dollar Sardar Sarovar dam. For army of six million census workers will knock on doors throughout the country with census-takers, and promises no illegal charges would be allowed during the well over a decade, Patkar, who has won the Swedish ‘Right to next month, carrying out a 500 million yuan ($60 million) plan to count the population survey. “Information collected during this census would not be used Livelihood Award’, also described as the alternative Nobel Prize, has number of people in a country home to one-sixth to punish anyone for their past mistakes on led hundreds of anti-dam rallies, been beaten up and arrested several of the world’s population. population-related matters,” assures Zhang times by the police. She almost died of dehydration, during a similar This will be China’s fifth national census, but Weimin, director general of the State Statistical 22-day hunger protest nine years ago. the first in which census workers will be equipped Bureau. He says each of the six million census Patkar’s protest has been accompanied by a series of public with computing devices. Hoping to get an workers recruited to carry out the registration has demonstrations against the court ruling, held across the country as accurate picture of China’s population, the received special training. “They were told to be well as in North America, West Europe and South Africa. The Sardar government has promised households who have careful when asking questions which people feel Sarovar, being built in the western coastal state of Gujarat, adjoining not registered their “out of planning quota” might embarrass or endanger them,” explains Madhya Pradesh, is to be the first of 30 big and hundreds of medium children to apply for permanent residence during Zhang. and small dams planned on the Narmada, which flows westward the census. Beijing claims that its draconian By some domestic media accounts though, across central India into the Arabian Sea. family-planning policy launched in 1980 had when pilot interviews were carried out in the While the NBA’s campaign is backed by a number of well-known succeeded in lowering the population growth rate summer, many people refused even to open their personalities like famous Indian author Arundhati Roy, the pro-dam by one percent a year in the 1990s. Last month, doors to census officials. Even in the cities, where lobby does not lack for big names. These include former top journalist the China Youth Daily said the “one child” policy the “one child” policy has generally worked, B.G. Verghese and prominent development economist Yogendra was responsible for preventing 250 million births people felt fearful about the census. “We don’t Alagh, a former federal government minister. (IPS) in the past 20 years. The policy stipulates that worry about having “black children” (unregis- each couple living in the cities should have only tered children),” says Zhao Linzhi, a middle-aged Indonesia military feels pinch one child, unless one or both of the couple are Beijing woman who works with a foreign family

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ from an ethnic minority or they are both the only as a domestic help. “But if census workers want Jakarta - Recent attempts by parts of Indonesia’s military to children. In most rural areas, a couple may have a to know about our income, this might get us into flex its political muscle are a challenge not just to President second child after a break of several years. trouble with the tax authorities.” Abdurrahman Wahid, but to the country’s bumpy transition to democ- Yet despite the policy’s strict rules, family Zhang from the State Statistical Bureau racy. Since becoming president a year ago, Wahid has taken several planning targets have been loosely enforced in admits that many economic elements have been steps to assert civilian rule over the military—a major lever of political many of the poorest regions. Nowadays it is common to find couples in the added to this census’s questionnaire. “We want to know about employment and power for more than 30 years during Suharto’s presidency. countryside—where 80 percent of the population live—with five, six or even find out the number of people out of work,” he says. “We also want to know Among others, Wahid has replaced many high-ranking military more children. In the 1980s, local officials often forced couples to undergo about the housing situation—this would help us determine the pace of housing officials known to be Suharto loyalists, moved to cut the soldiers’ sterilisation or abortion, and if a couple exceeded its quota of one or two influence at the village level and told them clear their actions with reform.” “Yet we won’t be asking about income levels,” he promises. “We just civilian authorities. But getting the military to accept the changes in children, officials might confiscate property or levy a heavy fine. But in recent hope to catch on the social welfare conditions of households.” To quell fears political culture brought by the end of the Suharto era has not been years, family planning authorities have halted coercive measures and called for a about the census, the government has launched a campaign to raise conscious- easy. Juwono Sudarsono, former minister of defence under Wahid’s more flexible approach in the countryside. ness. In the run-up to the census, signs were posted throughout Beijing asking administration, warns that civilian politicians must seriously develop As a result, many rural couples have learned to get around the law by residents to faithfully report their family situations. the democratisation process in the country. ‘’If they fail to set up a sending the pregnant woman to stay with relatives until the baby is born, or During the 10-day census that starts Nov 1, census takers will work from democratic political system, the military then will make a comeback,’’ claiming the newborn baby was adopted or belongs to a friend or relative. door to door, visiting about 350 million households. Initial results would be Sudarsono, a political professor at University of Indonesia, was This loose enforcement of birth quotas, combined with the traditional announced in February next year. Zhang would not however comment on quoted by local media as saying earlier this month. ‘’So, civilian leaders Chinese preference for boys, has led to a population explosion in rural areas. official estimates of the hidden population that has eluded previous census. “We must set up a political system that paves the way for civilian su- According to official statistics, China’s population reached 1.259 billion at the will have to wait for the results and compare,” he says. “The central government premacy,’’ he said. (IPS) end of last year. However, some demographers believe that as many as 200 expects that the figure in this census would be below 1.3 billion.” t (IPS) NATION 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 15 Nepal’s new neighbours The reorganisation of states in India has one important lesson for Nepal. It is the demand for

development that creates fissiparous tendencies rather than regional or linguistic chauvinism.

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

Bihar and elsewhere, or Nepali desperation to get away. migrant workers find it increas- The clamour for autonomy is ingly difficult in Bangalore and not merely a product of linguistic other cities, or why the madhesi or cultural chauvinism, although (plainsfolk from Bihar, Orissa, the organisation of states in India Uttar Pradesh and Nepal’s own was largely on linguistic lines and Uttaranchal tarai) is much looked down had to give way some day. It has upon in Nepal’s hill to do with development and country. There underdevelopment. For too long is enough these regions were treated as inter- “internal colonies” and remained in various stages of underdevelop- NEPALment, while the money The new earned state of Uttaranchal is coming up in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions that the Gorkhali conquistadors had captured and ruled ruthlessly nal

SAMUEL THOMAS ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○ noise is mainly among people who Jharkhand with its capital in displacement quarter of a century after think that this is the beginning of Ranchi. Bihar of proxy chief due to underdevel- Sikkim became the fourth the disintegration of the Indian minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, is The adjoining opment, and the A Indian state to share union. Supporters of the new the vote base of his Rastriya Bihar is going to outsider is clearly borders with Nepal, two new states say these fears are clearly Janata Dal and therefore where unwelcome. Bihar Indian states are soon going to unwarranted. They argue that his strength lies. However, the be even poorer The lesson appear as its neighbours: to the these regions are vastly different rump Bihar is where land reforms than before—with can be taken south, a truncated Bihar, and from the centres of power that have had little impact, and the further. Even if along its western border, determined their development politics of caste warfare is rife, its resource-rich not faced with Uttaranchal. since independence and earlier, the marginal poor are amongst southern half the demand The two new states have and hence the separation is with the poorest in the country. The for greater Jharkhand resulted from New Delhi and the just cause. poorest regions of India’s poorest breaking off to autonomy or from the parent states finally recognising There are implications for state are in northern Bihar next form Jharkhand statehood, resource base fled and acceding to voices from Nepal to having these two new to Nepal, and economic migrants there are lessons to the centres of below. Their emergence has been neighbours. The adjoining Bihar from these areas have tradition- in administering power. It is the met with some degree of scepti- is going to be even poorer than ally moved to the tarai plains and (a fact that is resented even distant regions that clamour for cism in other larger states in before—with its resource-rich in search of today) around the turn of the Nepal could well development India. But the confusion and southern half breaking off to form jobs. 18th century only to lose it to learn. The poverty of that creates the British in the 1816 Treaty the far-flung areas is in fissiparous of Sugauli. And it has problems stark contrast to the affluence of tendencies. Himachal Pradesh is very similar to Nepal’s. The the capital. It is the striking an example of how a state was people are ethnically and disparity that forces people to flee able to successfully adopt its own temperamentally closer to the one place for another, seek development model since its From 3rd - 12th November western hill Nepalis than to greater control over their lives separation from a larger Punjab. the plainsfolk down south. The and resources like the There are other demands as well, 7pm to 11:30 pm economy is largely dependent Jharkhandis, and cause Maoists to and some believe that a on tourism; there is large-scale be as active in Bihar as in Nepal. Gorkhaland is not a distant migration of menfolk to the Whether it is the Bihari coming possibility. t Chef Noor Khan the ultimate Khansama from the Palace of the plains to work (who send back across the open border or the Nizam of Hyderabad money and bring back AIDS as Nepali going to the plains or the Top left, Bihari migrants congegrate well); and the state has high increasing human pressures on near the Bagmati bridge at brings hydroelectric potential. Kathmandu, it is the same forces Thapathali; below, Nepali porters toil Economic disparities too are at work. And the same quiet in Uttaranchal. The Hyderabadi Food Festival large and glaring, and the poverty in the hills is strikingly To similar to Nepal’s own. Here too there is cross- border migration, but this time Far Pavilion it is one that goes from Nepal RBrilliant Biriyanis to the hills across the Mahakali river. While the population of RSucculent Kebabs the poverty-stricken hills of RInviting Vegetarian Cuisine western Nepal migrates to cities all over India, there is And quite a number that hike across RHyderabadi Specialities like into Uttaranchal, whose own menfolk migrate to Delhi to Pathar ka Gosht, Bagaire Baingan, Mirchi ka Salan, find better work. In Khubani ka Meetha, Haleem Uttaranchal, Nepalis (called Dotiyals) serve as porters in hill stations like Nainital and And the Favourite Anand Karki Mussoorie and carry loads for pilgrims—and the pilgrims The Sizzling Sheetal Pun themselves—at holy places like And our very own Chef Siddiqi Gaumukh and Kedarnath. The point to be made here is that all these regions and peoples are victims of relentless economic marginalisation. Economic refugees, and South Asia has loads of them. There is also increased hostility toward migrants these days and may better explain why Bangladeshi refugees are hated in Delhi by other refugees from 16 SPORTS 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

COMMENT by KRISHNAMACHARI SRIKKANTH Lankan coach Nepal’s sporting season begins

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ for Bangladesh With the end of the Dasain and Tihar festivities and the onset Dhaka - Former Sri Lankan of winter, the Valley’s sportsmen are gearing up for another ‘Shockingly disgraceful’ test cricketer Roy Dias is round of sports tournaments. From lawn tennis to golf to tipped to become coach of cricket, the racquets, clubs and bats are out of the closets and Bangladesh’s national cricket being readied for battle. India crashes to the most humiliating defeat ever in a title team, according to With leaders of the tourism industry trying to establish clash. Clearly, a side that lacks consistency is not going Bangladesh Cricket Board Nepal as a sports destination, the theme seems to be well sources. Dias’s name was underway. Golf especially seems to be catching up with the to make any headway in the long run. proposed to Bangladesh by capital’s upper class. In the month of November alone the Sri Lankan cricket Nepalis golfers will be putting away at three major tourna- ments and one amateur game. The first in the series is the o put it in short, it was a during the final in Sharjah, authorities recently. The retired star cricketer will famous Grouse International Shotgun Foursomes Golf disgraceful performance by this very essential quality Tournament to be played on the 4 November at the Le the Indian team in a title was conspicuous by its replace South African coach T Eddie Barlow, who suffered a Meridien Gokarna Golf Resort. Organised in honour of Queen clash. Even this would sound an absence in the Indian stroke last April and is unable Aishwarya’s birthday, the tournament will have amateur understatement. Losing is one thing, team. simple cricketers who golfers teeing off to make it to St Andrews in Scotland, the succumbing without a hint of a fight It is also time that believe in performing on to complete his two-year contract. Mecca of golf for the next Famous Grouse. The annual event is quite another. Without taking the media and the other the field of play. Skipper is being sponsored by Highland Distillers Brands Ltd, away any credit away from the commercial interests Sanath Jayasuriya’s big Barlow, the former South African all-rounder, was Scotland. Favourites are last year’s winner Tashi Ghale and winner, the Lankans would never stop playing up some hundred, during which he runner-up Pradeep B. Rana. have expected to have it so easy. cricketers after a took the game away from appointed after West Indies opener Gordon Greenidge Professionals have set their eyes on a different course. In all my years as a cricketer, couple India after a slump in the Tobacco Company, in its effort to promote golf in Nepal, coach and a critic, I have never middle overs, was a was fired as coach last year. Bangladesh, which achieved will be holding three major tournaments. The first in line is the come across a side giving in so masterpiece in terms of Surya Nepal Western Open to be held at the Himalayan Golf easily. Being an Indian, it was a stroke production. After test-playing status five months ago, have been Course in Pokhara on 10-11 November. Next is the Surya heartbreaking sight to watch one Vivian Richards, he has to Nepal Eastern Open to be held at the Dharan Country Club on batsman after the other, departing as of performances. be the most explosive frantically looking for an effective international coach. 17-18 November. These two tourneys are only open to Nepali if in a daze. One is sure that millions Players have to be batsman when in the mood, pros and carry a purse of Rs 50,000 each. The last in the of fans across the country would judged over a period yet there is no hype about Bangladesh is scheduled to play their inaugural test series is the Surya Nepal Masters carrying a prize money of have felt the same. of time, with this humble man even in his Rs 1.2 million, to be held from 22-25 November at the If a side’s approach is going to consistency being own country. And Lanka match against India in Dhaka 10-14 November. Sri Lanka Gokarna Golf Club. Around 100 professional golfers including be like this, no coach whether he is the key indicator. has always produced better 16 from Nepal and 80 from India are expected to participate in from India, abroad, or even from the One does feel pacemen despite pitches had also proposed the name of Roshan Mahanama who this mega event. The favourite is last year’s winner, Rohtas heaven, can make a difference. What there is too being placid in that part of Singh of India. went wrong? Everything. The much hype the world as well. One does had retired from international cricket last year, but he On the cricketing scene, Soaltee Crown Plaza along with bowling lacked purpose for most about the game not have to go beyond Surya Tobacco Company, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), part, vital catches were put down in the country. Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan refused the Bangladeshi offer. Dias served for some and Zee Sports Channel is organising the Soaltee Super and the batting was shocking to say The selectors Zoysa who blew the Indians Sixes 2000 to be held from 3-5 November. This tournament the least. Was this the same outfit too should away to see the point. time as coach and manager for the Sri Lankan side after will bring together board members of big corporate houses, that had defeated Australia and stop catering Last season was a bad along with diplomats from the embassies of Britain, India, South Africa only days earlier in to regional one for India. The way quitting active cricket. After the recent brilliant and Pakistan, as well as our own hardy British . The back-to-back matches? Those heady interests and things are going, this could tournament in its distinctive six-sided format designed by CAN victories seemed a distant memory. turn out to be even worse. successes in Sri Lankan cricket, demands for coaches is being held for the second year in a row. The British Em- But then, a side that lacks consis- Sanath Jayasuriya: Bold steps are the need of bassy and Kantipur Publications are the defending champi- tency is not going to make any the hour and the men who from the island have soared single-handed demolition. in Bangladesh. Three other ons and runner-up respectively. headway in the long run. matter should have the Tennis fans too have a tournament to look out for. The All What separates the successful should sit down and pick an courage to take them. t Sri Lankan coaches have been appointed by Nepal Lawn Tennis Association, in collaboration with Carlsberg, sides from the also-rans is the INDIAN team. These parochial (The Hindu) is coming up with the 3rd Carlsberg Open Tennis Tournament strength of character. That will to considerations have caused enough Bangladesh to train junior cricketers of different age 2000. The matches will be held 18-26 November at the buck the odds, that self-belief in harm to Indian cricket. K. Srikkant is a fromer captain of the Satdobato Sports Complex. The total prize money is Rs 92,905, groups. (dpa) sight of a challenging task. Sadly, Look at the Lankans. They are Indial cricket team. with the men’s singles winner taking home Rs 16,940.

Tennis at future Olympics unsure

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Stuttgart, - Men’s tennis supremo Mark Miles said he was unsure about the sport’s future at Olympic Games after some problems around the Sydney Games. But the ATP Tour chief executive officer Miles also said there were no immediate plans to withdraw tennis from the 2004 Games in Athens: “At the moment we are in.” He said talks on the issue were planned with players, the International Tennis Federa- tion (which runs the event) and the International Olympic Committee. “It is a tough call. There are valuable reasons to be in the Olympics,” Miles said. Tennis became an Olympic sport again in 1988 when the IOC opened the Games for professional athletes. But many top players have snubbed the Olympics because they don’t fit their calendar in which the Grand Slams normally rank highest. World ranking points were awarded for the first time, but the absentees in Sydney were led by Pete Sampras as the event took place just two weeks after the U.S. Open. The situation in Athens is even graver as the Olympics will be just before the New York Grand Slam. Miles also said the ATP was “close to serious problems” in the run-up to Sydney “to conform the rankings with the Olympic culture” regarding the entry list. (dpa)

Maradona farewell match

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Buenos Aires - Former Argentine football star Maradona said he would like a “farewell game” for the national side wearing his old number 10 shirt. “I would be the happiest man in the world if I could play a farewell game in the Argentine shirt with the number 10,” he said. Maradona celebrated his 40th birthday into the early hours at a night club in Buenos Aires along with 500 guests. The former World Cup star has returned to the capital to take over as general manager of the first division club Almagro following a months-long course of therapy in Cuba for drug addiction and weight problems. Overweight and suffering a heart problem, Maradona admitted that he was close to death after collapsing in January. “I will thank God if I reach the age of 50,” he said. Maradona intends to return to Cuba to continue his drugs treatment, planning to return to Argentina at Christmas. (dpa) CULTURE 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 17

SAVING FAITH by DESMOND DOIG NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA CM BISWAKARMA’S COMMITTED POETRY On the banks of Thanks to the current resurgence of pride in ethnic identities and languages, there are, now, an increasing number of (largely male) writers from minority ethnic groups. Dalit authors, however, still remain almost wholly unheard from in our literature. The low literacy rate—and negligible rate of higher education—among Dalits, is surely one reason for this. Nepal’s scattered Dalit population, which eternity itself by some accounts constitutes twenty percent of the national population, has yet to be freed from centuries’ long economic exploitation and social discrimination. Only now are crops of educated Dalits emerging from colleges; only now will Dalit voices A teller of tales or a priest from any of the temples crowding be heard in literature. Yet the exclusion of Dalit voices in literature the ghats would have said that gods and goddesses came cannot be chalked up to the Dalits’ lack of privilege alone. From Bhanubhakta’s days to the present time, Nepal’s literature has been

to bathe unseen at the confluence known as Shankhamul. the bastion of ‘upper-caste’ men—which, given the priority placed on ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ education by the priestly caste, effectively means men. he lovely city built the wall about the city Newar writers, with their extensive and excellent Nepali and Nepal- of Patan is so old its that remains only in the bhasa compositions, are the only group to seriously rival Bahun T origins are largely briefest snatches or men’s dominance over our literature. One can only hope this forgotten. Legend has whether it was there insularity will end—soon—so that Nepali literature may speak in the Buddha visit it with his already, a bastion Nepal’s many different voices. beloved disciple Ananda. The not only against Chakra Man Biswakarma brings to Nepali literature a great Mauryan emperor Ashoka invasions but refreshingly down-to-earth perspective. He is founding member of built four stupas about the city nocturnal intruders. the Dalit Sewa Sang and the Dalit Gair Sarkari Sanstha Mahasang. to testify to its blessedness. The city also had the The best of his slim first collection Dalit Bastika Suseliharu (The From Patan, almost certainly, protection of a river, Whistles of a Dalit Settlement) accomplishes what all good went the Princess Brikuti to more holy than progressive literature aspires to: to speak of the masses and to the marry the famous Tibetan king protective since there masses, with art and instruction both. The first poem below speaks Tsrong-Song-Gompo. It is said are seasons when it is eloquently of the lingering inequality that sharply contradicts Nepal’s that she took with her as her sole almost dry. claims to democratic nationhood: dowry the begging bowl of the It is across this Buddha and through her own sacred river, at the My Settlement My Country indomitable faith caused confluence of the In places, hungry stomachs Buddhism to take firm roots in Bagmati In places, unfarmed fields Tibet. She comes down to us and the For some here, employment through history as the charming Manahara, is mandatory to support life Green Tara, subject of countless that For others here, employment statues and paintings. traders counts for mere pocket change To the Nepalis, Patan was and The learned people say Lalitpatan or Lalitpur, city of visitors this country is a garden of all castes beauty. To Tibetan traders it from the north came, But for Dalits who are told: don’t pollute this and don’t pollute that; was Ye Rang, which means over a medieval bridge of who are barred from touching the taps, wells and temples eternity itself. The beauty stout wooden beams, brick near their own homes and courtyards; remains, despite the passing of and earth. It still is easy to who can’t risk revealing their castes corroding centuries, destructive imagine their awe and amaze- I was assured by a garrulous name was Amitabh even in a settlement of scholars—the nation’s capital; earthquakes, wars and the ment at first sight of the city priest that it must have chosen Dharmendra, seemed to have who preserve Nepal’s culture by playing sarangi and sahanai attention of vandals who with its piled pagoda roofs, just the moment of the celestial the same idea. As I drew the melodies sacrilegiously have wrenched golden finials flashing in the dip to profane the happening. perched Garuda he clapped his who have made Nepal’s renown as a country of the brave some of its finest detail from the sun, its stupas and temples The old bridge fell apart in hands and shooed loudly as he by fashioning khukuri knives; magnificence that still remains. across the river. If they had a anguish and no one has bothered would a wayward chicken. “If he for them, even after democracy Down every lane, in every teller of tales travelling with to put it together again. flies away,” he said, “you cannot —oh hajoor!—this country remains courtyard and in the great them, or met a priest from any Dominating this particular sketch him.” If he flies away, I a patch of stinging nettles squares are jewel-like memories of numerous temples crowding approach to Patan—there is said in reply, we will both die of of the past which, I like to the ghats, they would have been another downstream where a shock. The boy ran off to share The second poem is more personal; and yet it expresses an think, serve as inspiration to the told that gods and goddesses new bridge and highway his joke with a group of other unfulfilled longing which is not just universal, but which comes from large number of artists and came to bathe unseen at the obliterate the old crossing children, no doubt called migrations caused by the economic and social discriminations that workers in wood and metal who confluence known as between Kathmandu and Zeenat, Hema and Mithun. are specific to Dalit communities: inhabit the city. They were Shankhamul. One knew they Patan—is the temple of Jagat The temple was built by known to be there, feeding a were there when the water Narayan, nineteenth century Colonel Jagat Shumshere Jung Remembrance flourishing Indo-Tibet trade suddenly stopped in its glide new, and not very attractive Kunwar Rana, brother of the In solitude, I keep remembering you route, when whatever there was southwards and sometimes even except for four powerful images famous Prime Minister my heart pierced by bitter recollections… of the ancient city was rebuilt by reversed direction. A couple of that face its entrance. Three of Maharaja Jung Bahadur, in When clouds start dancing in the sky King Veera in the year AD years ago an adventurous truck them, massively carved in stone 1860. Ten years ago he had when cuckoo birds start singing in the spring 299. It is not known whether he tried to cross the ancient bridge. as if they intend to sit out the accompanied his brother to somehow I feel that your own sweet voice is ringing centuries, are under metal England and Europe and by and I feel much love for you in my heart The four powerful images of Ganesh, canopies. They represent doing so had disregarded the I see your own ardour hidden Garuda in his human form, Ganesh, Garuda in his human taboo of crossing the kala pani. in spring flowers reaching their prime and the gilded Garuda form, and Hanuman. I have yet Some believe he built this You must be playing hide and seek, teasing the moon atop the pillar, as they stand today. to find someone who will date temple to Narayan to atone for you must be smiling, jesting with your own youthfulness these images that to me appear his sin, while others see it as an you must be roaming the hills and cliffs cutting fresh grass much older than the temple attempt to keep up with his you must be singing, sinking in melancholy whose courtyard they occupy. famous brother who was The waterfalls must weep to hear your songs Perhaps they were already there, planning to build a temple at Even if you’re in great sorrow open to the elements, adding Kal Mochan in Kathmandu. don’t stop loving me for going abroad their blessings to the sacred Perhaps he was merely gifting to don’t stop loving me because our love is out of caste confluence. Perhaps they graced Patan a new temple as the If not in this realm I’ll come to you in another realm a far older temple long since culmination of a great deal of if not as a living corpse I’ll come in the guise of a butterfly destroyed and swept away. For, building and rebuilding he had to me, they have the same done in the area. Several smaller Dalit Bastika Suseliharu speaks without guile of the material and quality as the colossal statues of temples and an imposing stretch emotional suffering of Nepal’s most discriminated against Garuda and Bhairab in of burning and bathing ghats communities. Sophisticated readers will be facile to look down on Kathmandu. Behind the owe their origin to the pious the simplicity of language that the collection adopts: for the fact kneeling Garuda, atop a tall colonel, whether easing a guilty remains that the majority of Nepalis can access literature only if it is stone pillar supported on the conscience or attempting to written, as this collection is, in the everyday language of speech. back of a stone turtle, is a gilded immortalize himself. Certainly Anyone committed to a literature which speaks of and to the masses Garuda, bird-faced and horned the four handsome images will t can learn much from CM Biswakarma’s simple yet elegant and wearing a plume of flames. perpetuate his name. expressions. This is the kind of literature which can thrive, as all He crouches, which is unusual, literature should, outside exclusionary literary circles. Dalit Bastika giving the impression of (Excerpted with permission from In Suseliharu—and similar writings from Nepal’s underrepresented immediate flight on golden the Kingdom of the Gods, communities—should be made widely available for the burgeoning wings. A small boy who watched HarperCollins, 1999) post-literacy readership all over the country. me sketch and claimed that his SALIL SUBEDI 18 CITY 20 - 26 OCTOBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

ABOUT TOWN QUICKWORD 6 by Cross Eyes FILMS 100 HOUR v Nepali WIN A OM INFOC Basanti - Plaza II NNIUM CD Chautari - Ashok, Krishna (470090) MILLE Dhukdhuki - Bishwo Jyoti (221837), Ganga Chalchitra, Prithvi, Goon (Kha) (520668) Mailee - Goon (Ga) (520668), Ranjana (221191) v Hindi The most convenient and economic way to surf the internet Deewane – Metro Dhadkan - Sri Nava Durga Dhai Akshar Prem Ke - Gopi (470090) Terms and conditions Fiza - 1 The contest is open to everyone, except employees of Himalmedia Pvt Ltd and Infocom Pvt Ltd. Hindustan Ki Kasam – Shivadarshan 2 In case of more than one correct entry, the winner will be decided by lucky draw. Jis Desh Mein Ganga Rehta Hai - Kumari (414932), Goon (Ka) (520668) 3 Entries have to reach Himalmedia, by 5 pm, Josh - Padma 7 Nov, Tuesday. 4 The winner will be announced in the coming issue. Mission Kashmir - Tara (476092) 5 The prize has to be collected from Himalmedia within a week of the announcement. Please Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani - Manakamana (225284) come with an ID. QUICKWORD ANSWER 4 ( 27Oct - 2 Nov) Shikari - Plaza 1 Across 45 Second video in Greek? (4) 27 And only (3) SPECIAL VIDEO SHOW 1 Donahue in Manila? (4) 48 Fight over who moves oar? (3) 29 French no (3) 30 An ad for this place (3) Video documentary Qoyllur Rit’i: A Woman’s Journey, produced by Holly 5 O! A poem (3) 50 Drag a senior student? (4) 8 Golf beverage? (3) 51 Adjoin a backside? (4) 31 Sting like a bee (3) Wissler and directed by Gabriela Martinez Escobar. Seventy percent of the 32 Big guy with hair? (3) proceeds will go towards the continued education of Rajen Rai, the 10- 11 Not always to tie shoe (4) 52 Munched with tea? (3) 33 Tool for owl? (3) year-old son of a porter who died in a trekking accident in 1993. Indigo 12 Ex-federal? (3) 53 Jay may say no (4) 35 Car man in Nepal this week (6) Gallery. 6 pm, Friday, 3 November. Rs 300. 413580 or 13 Look at summit (4) 54 Nepal Biscuit Enterprises? (3) 38 At the opera with her (5) [email protected] 14 Tell it in Israel (4) 55 Has in the past (3) 39 Made well again (5) 15 Bureau of 12 across (3) 56 Paradise garden (4) 40 In a silly one (5) MUSIC 16 Wag this story (4) Down 41 Addition (3,2) 17 Boom in sound (5) 1 Proto, a lump of (5) 42 Munch (3) QUICKWORD ANSWER 5 v Jazz session 19 LA university (4) 2 Chaos (5) 44 Olga’s look? (4) Yak & Yeti warms up for the winter with its annual autumn event the 21 Microgram (3) 3 Cold top on cake (5) 45 Nab a censor (3) “Kathmandu Jazz and Food Festival.” A fundraising dinner “All that Jazz” 22 Slow musical in lent? (5) 4 Jeans in a veil? (4) 46 Recede (3) with Kathmandu’s premier jazz band Cadenza starting off. This will be 47 Before Wed (3) 24 But it’s a vat! (3) 5 Disconnect (3) 49 Marry on this day (3) followed by a special appearance by French bass guitarist Daniel Givone, 27 Miss Piggie said (4) 6 Expose as junk? (6) solo guitarist Jean Claude Givone, and rhythm guitarist Christine Givone 28 Untie or merge? (5) 7 Ed’s decree? (5) and their gypsy jazz inspirations. Last act will feature the band Chakra. 30 Sacrifice this Indian? (6) 8 Jumble 52 across (3) Madhuban Garden, Yak & Yeti Hotel. 7 pm, 10 November 33 A ton of penitence (6) 9 Lee’s sea food (3) 34 Mohammed was a boxer, not 10 Squeeze a living (3) v Unplugged an…(5) 13 Parents and teachers (3) Live unplugged performance by Sabu Lama at Las Kus Restaurant 35 Identical victory? (4) 18 Customers (7) Courtyard, Kathmandu Guest House, Thamel, 6:30 pm onwards. 413632. 36 Excavate an infra? (3) 20 Stupid-ish (7) 37 Loot the implements (5) 23 East northeast (3) v Piano and Percussion 39 Central spooks (3) 24 Push this in the tower (3) Piano, Drums and Double Bass performance by Budaprithi Trio band from 42 What 39 across would do? (4) 25 North American native (3) Out of 17 entries, there were no 7-9:30 pm everyday except Mondays at the Juneli Bar, Hotel De l’ 43 Chase dog (5) 26 Ed’s sleeping here (3) correct answers. Annapurna, Durbar Marg. 221711 To send in your entries, please fill in the details below and fax to 977-1-521013, or email to [email protected]. Entries can be dropped off at Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. v Pop Name...... Filipino band Spice and Ice playing at the Grill, Soaltee Hotel. 7:30 pm. Everyday except Monday. 272555 Ph...... email......

v Classical Musicians from Nepal and abroad perform on 11 November at Kirateswor Temple, Pashupatinath. 4-8 pm. Free entrance but charges may apply for special guest appearances. Organised by Kirateswor Sangeet Ashram. 492139

v Jazz Live jazz by Cadenza and friends at Upstairs Restaurant, Lazimpat. Every Saturday 7:30-10:00 pm. Adventure Sports v Mountain Bike Championship Second phase of International Class Mountain Bike Championship. 11 November, Saturday. Registration open till event eve. MTB theory and practice workshop follows after the champi- onship by international cyclists. Surf www.bikingnepal.com or contact Peter Stewart, Race Director at Himalayan Mountain Bikes, Thamel. 427427

NEPALI WEATHER DSES- 01-11-2000 0400 GMT

The glorious weather of the past week was the result of northerly winds on the fringes of the Bangladesh cyclone that grazed Kathmandu, and brought some rain to eastern Nepal. These winds have now shifted northwest and will bring clear weather for another week or so. There may be some fast-moving high altitude clouds from the west over the weekend, but these will quickly pass. The wind and holidays were also responsible for clean air in Kathmandu Valley. Unfortunately that was too good to last, expect the morning mists to return as night tempera- tures fall to 7 degrees next week.

KATHMANDU Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue

For inclusion in the listing send information 27-09 26-09 26-08 26-08 25-07 to [email protected] 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES 19 HAPPENINGS Andean llamas in the Himalaya How some domesticated cud-chewing artiodactyl mammals of Chilean origin travelled to Godavari.

SALIL SUBEDI

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ hree years ago, five alpacas stepped off the cargo hold of T a Lufthansa jet at Kathmandu MIN BAJRACHARYA airport. They literally breezed through A oil-lamp procession taken out by a local community in Kathmandu on the occassion of the customs and were whisked off to their Newari New Year 1120 on 27 October. The banner wishes all Nepalis a Happy New Year. new home. At last count they numbered eight, are housed on a farm at Thaiba near Godavari, and have adapted well to the Kathmandu clime. Now, what on earth is an alpaca one might ask? They belong to the same family as the llamas and were once endemic to the rugged Andean mountains where they have been alpaca is “because of their low slaughtered and almost wiped out an hour due to the overpowering farmed for over 6,000 years. They are maintenance, their eco-friendly by Spanish invaders to make room odour. prized for their wool, which has a fine nature (animals like goats strip for sheep are now staging a Here in Godavari the alpacas silky quality like cashmere. The every green off plants), a long comeback and replacing sheep in live on green grass, hay and cereal MIN BAJRACHARYA Captain Nicolli Didier makes an inaugural paragliding jump from Chhayau Danda east of ancient Incas treasured alpaca wool productive life of around 20 years, many countries. Because of the feed. Alpacas don’t leave their Kathmandu Valley to exhibit this new adventure sport in Nepal. The event on 28 October was and the finest fleece was preserved for and because they are intelligent, growing industry of items made droppings all over the place. Like organised by Mt Pumori Adventure Treks and Expedition and Hotel Mount . their royalty. quiet, gentle and hardy”. The from their wool, farmers all over the trained pets, they always go at the At Thaiba the alpacas graze couple has already extracted around world are replacing their sheep with same place. “Keeping alpacas is very about totally at home in their new 15 kg of their fleece, which they say alpacas, which are hence in great cost effective. They are efficient surroundings owned by Hartmut is “a token quantity”. An alpaca demand. The Bauder couple had to ruminants and digest almost and Pramila Bauder, who may normally yields 3.5-4 kg of wool pay almost Rs 500,000 for each of everything they eat,” says Hartmut. actually have pioneered the every year, which fetches a good them. For now, the couple plan to introduction of these animals to price in the international market Alpacas are gentle and docile by raise at least 50 more after which Asia. The German-Nepali couple and is free of the fluctuations that nature, and love being in herds. they might finally let Nepali farmers (who were also the first to intro- affect traditional sheep-wool. Because of their gentleness, they are have them, beginning with the duce olive farming in Nepal) were Bringing the animals into Nepal also easy to handle. “We haven’t government yak farm in Khumjung, struck by the idea on one of their was surprisingly very easy. “We faced any problems—they some- just north of Namche Bazar. The treks. “We thought of ways in were impressed by how everyone, times spit at each other when they couple is impressed by the Animal which people in the high-altitude starting from the ground staff at the dislike their partner’s actions but Husbandry Department’s interest in regions could supplement their airport to those in the Ministry of they never fight or bite or kick,” alpaca farming. If all goes well, it

MIN BAJRACHARYA income. After a feasibility study, we Agriculture, showed curiosity and says Hartmut. The spit of the may only be a matter of time before Autumn is here, and with it glorious weather and unobstructed views across Kathmandu Valley decided to introduce alpacas in lent a helping hand,” says Pramila. alpacas is known to smell so vile Buddhist lamas in Nepal’s remote towards Ganesh Himal. In the foreground is the increasingly congested skyline of Kathmandu, Nepal,” say the Bauders. Interestingly, the alpacas that that a partner at the receiving end mountain regions will have Andean with (from l to r) Swayambhu, the Taleju temple and Dharahara, as seen on 1 November . The reason they chose the were once indiscriminately cannot taste anything for more than llamas to keep them company. t

tuborg 20 LAST WORD 3 - 9 NOVEMBER 2000 NEPALI TIMES

Anyway, it will be interesting to see just how God NEPALI SOCIETY Under My Hat is going to go about fighting corruption, which in Nepal has been honed over the years into a fine art Sengupta to her name, bid au by Kunda Dixit form. Does He/She have a plan? Or is It just going to revoir to the glitz and glamour provide lip service, and make speeches that go: Caroline’s place of her hometown of Paris, and he manager of the Rastriya Banijya Bank is one “Honourable Ministers, Honourable Members of the settled down here. Although T completely frustrated man. He has nearly given House, His Excellency the Devil, Esteemed Bandits, she still takes time off to travel up fighting corruption, and now he is going to Respected Crooks, Venerable Smugglers, Gentlemen to Paris every now and then, (and I quote) leave it to God. It could be that the bank and Ladies. It gives me great pleasure today to Caroline says, “I can’t imagine chief is on the right track. Even our god-fearing inaugurate this new Anti-Corruption Temple Complex living anywhere else.” prime minister has now said he has one dedicated to fighting graft. As we know, the Caroline has been last weapon up his sleeve to fight main opposition led by the Devil has been involved in different activities corruption: religion. At least we now trying to sabotage our divine from leading tourist groups to seem to have a National Plan of programme to ensure a clean and decorating the Shangri-La Action. Subcontracting the efficient bureaucracy, setting back Village in Pokhara. She’s even Commission to Investigate the Abuse our effort to bring relief to the had a brief fling with journal- of Authority to the Almighty is one people in this period of crisis for ism. All this changed when helluva move. Basically, our leaders the country. There can be no two three years ago her husband have passed the buck on to the opinions that the Number One came up with the Chez Supreme Being and they are going to let challenge for the Nation today is to Caroline and asked her to run God fight it out with the Devil. We’ll just fight this scourge that is eating into it. “I don’t do it for the money,” sit back and enjoy the show. the vital statistics of our society. So she says. “I wanted to provide God created us all. So in the end, He let me assure you that We will leave a clean, hygienic and is responsible for the greedy thoughts no stone right-side up in affordable place where people that enter a customs officer’s getting to the bottom of could come and just relax mind when he sees a migrant Leave it to God this sinful, sinful act.” even if it’s just a cappuccino worker returning from Qatar. God could start by they want.” After all, He made the migrant worker, He made the announcing a Zero Tolerance campaign so that those f ever Kathmandu’s elite Caroline was no flower child What makes the place customs officer, He made Qatar, and He even made the on the take will be awarded draconian punishments on I chattering classes had a hanging out on Freak Street. special is what Caroline Devil. I see some restless hands in the audience, and I the spot. Ripping off the nation on hydropower deal: café culture, then the India had always been on her breathes into it, and the know what you are dying to ask me. You want to know Eternal Damnation in the Kingdom of Hades. beginnings of one can be mind, and Caroline took pains complete harmony and how I know that God is a He. The simple answer to Kickbacks on jet lease: Slow roast in Hell-fire. Mixing seen at Chez Caroline at to learn Hindi in Delhi. Later, understanding between that is that at the present stage of our investigations we kerosene with diesel: Shovelling coal in Perdition. Baber Mahal. Writers, poets, she began leading tour Caroline and her team of 16 have no idea which gender, if any, God is possessed of. Harassing Qatar returnees: Serve as a peon to the artists gather in the veranda groups to different parts of Nepali workers. “We work And don’t ask me if Satan is a man or woman. Devil’s advocate. t setting in an ambience that is India and eventually to Nepal. more like colleagues rather so Mediterranean in its feel “Things happen when then employer and that it could be situated on the they have to happen,” she employees. If you give people Left Bank of the Seine. says, and Caroline’s destiny pride in their work the perfor- Just pronouncing its led her to meet her husband- mance is bound to be good,” official name, Chez Caroline to-be, Utpal Sengupta, at the she says. The positive vibes Salon de the‘ Café Restaurant, bar of the Shangri-La Hotel in emitted by the team may be is a mouthful. The Caroline Lazimpat in 1979. Caroline just one reason why her comes from Caroline was there with a tourist group clients keep coming back— Sengupta who first came to and Sengupta was General not to forget the delicious Nepal in 1969 at a time when Manager of the hotel. A year assortment of her family Kathmandu was going later, they were married and recipes of salads, soups, and through its hippie era. But Caroline Dominique added cakes. t

Ambassador whiskey mayo

0.74 0.37 0.40 0.22 0.37 0.04 53.75 0.65 0.31 0.56 0.33 0.18 0.02 44.46 0.64 0.36 0.56 0.28 0.13 0.05 46.48 0.25 0.28 0.40 0.30 0.42 0.21 11.82 0.42 0.44 0.52 0.23 0.12 0.03 57.40 0.76 0.38 0.63 0.24 0.20 0.03 79.36 0.65 0.38 0.63 0.36 0.35 0.09 74.05 All prices are in US dollars, collected from informal sources, and are only indicative.