Nepali Times

#30 16 - 22 February 2001 20 pages Rs 20 PPPASHUPASHUPASHUPAAATINATINATINATH 9

SHIVSHIVSHIVAAA’S NIGHT 10-11 EXCLUSIVE Collateral Damage Coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the launch of the armed struggle, the Maoists have carried out a series of stealthy ambushes which representsLOVING a TO HATE GIRIJA shift from their earlier strategy of BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ daring frontal night-time assaults on isolated police posts. But the new hey all want him out: rebels within the tactics, which involve the use of ruling Congress, the main opposition booby-trapped pipe bombs and tUML, the smaller parties in parliament, pressure cooker explosives, have led to several “mistakes” in which the Maoists, the extreme right. Even innocents, foreigners and unintendedNepal’s donors are getting impatient. But targets have also been attacked. Girija Prasad Koirala is a stubborn fighter, First, it was Chief Justice Keshavand he is getting ready to take a last stand. Prasad Upadhyay who had a narrow After thinking he had defused a mutiny within his party at the Pokhara Convention last month, Koirala was getting ready to DIPENDRA BAJRACHARYA train his guns at the opposition. But the HANGING THEIR HEADS IN SHAME? (from l to r): internal rifts were too deep to heal, and KP Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal from the opposition even a crucial reshuffle last week didn’t do bench, Girija Prasad Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel, and the trick. Key ministerial appointee Khum not only a failed prime minister, but alsoGovinda Raj Joshi at the opening of the winter session Bahadur Khadka refused to take his oath of corrupt. “If he wants to help the investiga-of parliament. Parliament was paying its respects to office at the Royal Palace and was fired a to take sides, if only to prove that they too tion he should resign, otherwise we’ll have “known and unknown” martyrs. week later. Even the threat of a united exist. The country meanwhile teeters on theto understand he’s there to destroy opposition move during the winter session edge, Girija refuses to go and the oppositionevidence,” he warned. Nepal also gave the escape when a convoy he was Girija-bashing is goingCIAA a veiled into warning highsaying it was gear. being travelling in was ambushed near of parliament that began on 8 February refuses to let go. Surkhet on 3 Feb. Five others, failed to unite the Congress. The UML and the four other opposi- watched to see if it would “chicken out” onwhy the tourism minister went back on his the investigation. including the registrar of the Surkhet The UML’s main charge is that Koiralation groups know that they do not decision not to get the jet through direct Appellate Court, died. The Maoists later To be sure, even considering the negotiations. There is no hard evidence to admitted it was a mistake. Then a was up to his neck in the controversial leasecommand the numbers to get rid of Koirala, they are banking on an outpouring of publicaccepted wisdom that all aircraft deals in back the allegations of malpractice, and the similar ambush on 10 Feb in of a Boeing 767 for Royal Nepal Airlines accusations hinge on suspicions that Sindhupalchowk wounded a Chinesefrom the Austrian charter operator, Lauda outrage as in the Philippines which forced Nepal are tainted, the Lauda lease has some national working on the Indrawati President Estrada out after charges of kinks. The aircraft is expensive (the $3,350kickbacks were offered, and taken. They Air. Koirala sacrificed the airline’s executive probably were, but someone has to Hydro Project, the first ever foreignerchairman and later his tourism minister butcorruption. They are also seemingly per flying hour quoted does not include the to be injured in a Maoist attack. unconcerned about what all this politickinglarge bills for crew layovers and other prove it. Eleven police were injured in the the opposition was not satisfied. We’ve learnt that it may take more time for the will do to the CIAA, which is investigating overheads). Still, papers available so far The CIAA is now combing the ensuing firefight. The Chinese from the Parliamentary Accounts Commit- warned they will abandon the projectCommission for the Investigation of the the Lauda deal, and remains one of few paperwork, including what we’re told is a if adequate security measures areAbuse of Authority (CIAA) to press formal institutions that most Nepalis still believe istee (PAC) do not directly implicate the voluminous proposal given to the not taken. In the latest attack, twocharges, if any. But that’s not stopping clean. A CIAA source confided: “We’re prime minister; all they show is that the Cabinet. Only after it is through and children died when a pipe bomb leftUML’s Madhav Kumar Nepal from makingworried about where all this flag-waving is cabinet approved the purchase and releasedprepares a case will we know if there will by Maoists at a community water tap dragging us. There is no reason why the the foreign exchange. What PAC members be any formal charges. One senior in Mangalsen, Accham, exploded onthis the main issue in parliament. The UML and the smaller left and right opposition entire nation should be paralysed by one were more incensed about is that the Koirala aide told us: “The opposition the morning of 12 Feb. Eight others Cabinet ignored it earlier directive to stop were injured, five of them minors.members have been raising slogans inside specific investigation that is taking its knows the prime minister won’t resign the agreement pending an investigation, andover these charges. They may eventually Meanwhile, the National Humanthe House, walking out and staying away. normal course.” for violating a CIAA directive on leasing try to take the issue to the streets.” Rights Commission is stillaiting w for So, there we have it: a government The UML knows it has a juicy bone procedures. It was also suspicious about Ironically, the boycott of parliament is their Maoist “visas” to visit the four mid-whose presence cannot be felt, a ruling and is snarling at anyone who comes near. western districts. party with a majority but which is paralysedIn a two-hour long tirade on the opening delaying the enactment of crucial anti- by dissent, an opposition driven to make itsday of parliament, Nepal said Koirala was corruption bills, including one thatould w presence felt because of impending give the CIAA more teeth. With the house elections, and minor political groups forced paralysed, the Armed Police Force ordinance to set up a special paramilitary unit to fight the Maoists also hangs in the balance.

Stop, look, and don’tgo he transport strike has been called offenough but time to ponder the problem. But because we’ve not heard of any steps by government to 10% clearly this is no reason to celebrate. assessThe the impact and alternatives, don’t be surprised if there’s another standoff one month from now. After failing to resolve the 10 percent t government has just bought itself a It would first need to back its pollution claims and suggest alternatives for mass transit— service charge issue by the 11 Feb month to meet the 13 demands of transport especially after chakka-jams early this week. Then there’s the task force report of November deadline, all parties gave themselves operators, most important of which is to roll back its decision to ban old vehicles.2000 (when the ban was announced), which had recommended that no new passenger vehicles be till Saturday to do so. The prime The issue about student fares was only aregistered until traffic management is improved considerably. The Department of Traffic minister has asked his new tourism minor irritant. The country’s environmentManagement (DOTM) had then said it would “soon formulate a policy to allow only minister to read the National Planning authorities and traffic managers seem environmentally friendly vehicles to ply in Kathmandu” and also “recommend the development of Commission report and see what thoroughly confused about how to handlea mass transit system”. That was the last we heard of the plan. action can be taken. There is a the issue. This is not the first time that promises of “environmentally friendly vehicles” and “mass general mellowing of the hardline MIN BAJRACHARYA Clearly the government found itself inrapid a system” have been tossed about. The National Planning Commission (NPC) had made stance on both sides, with a fix. It did little homework on how the decisionthese suggestions as early as 1996. But instead of following the NPC recommendations, the proposal to postpone bargaining for would impact not just transporters but alsogovernment offered tax concessions to microbuses and electric and gas three-wheelers. With the two years, or until tourism arrivals hit commuters. Then there’s the Vikramtempo number of commuters rising every year, the proliferation of small capacity vehicles will only lead to greater traffic problems. But this is also contentious territory—this is where arguments 500,000, whichever happens first. ghost lurking in the shadows. The government had allowed Vikram owners to import low-capacity vehicles effectively tax-free, and to-be-displaced transport operators may demandconcerning the same. per capita contribution to pollution and the “notorious” and “lesser” polluters, faster The Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs has given the government moreand thanslower vehicles, and industrial pollution in the Valley, also rest. (See also page 4-5). 222 EDITORIAL 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES

1951, 1960, 1972, 1980, 1990, 2001 As with geology, political pressures welling up within Nepal tend to be released in a ten-year cycle of social seismicity. Nepal’s “geo-politics” since 1951 has followed this rule. Four years after India got independence, the Ranas finally decided that their time was up. It took ten years of tinkering with this and that before the winds of change also wafted up the Himalaya, and we had our first-ever democratic elections. The Nepali Congress swept the polls, but King Mahendra and BP Koirala realised that Nepal was not big enough for the both of them. In 1961 democracy was shelved, parliament dismantled, elected leaders put in jail. Remember, these were the bad old days of the Cold War, Nehru was trying to mix Soviet-style central planning with monopoly capitalism, and the Great Leap Forward over, Mao was preparing for the Cultural Revolution. Our own homegrown “suited-to-the-soil” Panchayat ideology was sustained by a grand design for development. We were starting from zero, so everything we built (highways, hydropower, hospitals) were huge achievements. A little over ten years later, King Mahendra died. It then took ten more years, despite King Birendra’s efforts to revamp education, for the pressures to build up sufficiently for students to rise up to demand democracy. The crisis was defused by the 1980 referendum in which Panchayat-with-reforms won 55-45. It was business-as-usual for anotherSTATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL ten years, but by this time so much pressure had built up that the lid very nearly came off. The 1990 Jana Andolan was the Nepali equivalent of the winds of democracy that swept across eastern Europe, Thailand, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The king became a constitutional monarch, he agreed to dismantle the Panchayat superstructure, a new constitution institutionalised political parties and multiparty elections were held.The Rana resonance The euphoria of democracy did not last long. From very early on, it was apparent that freedom fighters who went straight from their jail cells to take oaths of office were going to let the people down. But we told ourselves: democratic transitions are by definition messy, just give them someFifty time. years after democracy,of absolute Nepali rulers, society if it is still a long way from Now, time has run out, our transition has lasted too long, and it democratisation.is messier The remnantscan be termed of athat, feudal is mindset keeps Nepal than is permissible for a country with our capability. that they gave patronage Today, ten years after the renewal of democracy, the stench ofteetering political permanentlyto on the the art edge. and culture of decay hangs heavy in the air.Animal As in Farm, it is getting more and the land. Ranas lacked more difficult to recognise our erstwhile revolutionaries and freedom hen Hegel bemoaned that people even that, they shunned as familiar today as it was during the fighters. When we look at their faces we don’t see anymore the selflessand governments never learnt local music and dance, heydays of Narayanhiti secretaries of 1980s. sacrifice, incarceration and exile that many went through. All we seew areanything the from history, he had no importing Moghul deca- These days we elect what we believe are grinning, greedy countenances of leaders we trusted who have letidea us of the difficulties involved in drawing dence from India instead.our rulers, but they are mere pawns in the down—not once, not twice, but over and over again. The euphoriaany has lessons now from the glorious tales of gory Their palaces were mod- hands of those who continue to carry the been replaced by disillusionment, apathy. Millions of impoverishedrulers. Nepalis History is often a bad dream that elled after the loud ex- are unlikely to wait much longer for democracy to work its way out of its self- legacy of cultural corruption and political you want to wake up from. In order to learncesses of imperial Europe,pollution. Nepali Congress activist Pradip inflicted paralysis. Unless the right to vote leads to measureable not the spartan grace of improvements in the quality of their lives, Nepalis will see democracyanything as from a history, you need to read it Giri is merely being sug- trick. Radicals from the left and the right, religious zealots and separatistswith a point of view. This is like passing Lichhavi structures, nor gestive when he says that will fill this vacuum. judgement in hindsight, but the present the quiet and tasteful army-chiefs and inspec- In the past ten years, the political leadership of all parties havecan’t had be explaineda without taking such a luxury of the Valley’s tor-generals live in pa- Malla courtyards. chance to rule. But all they have shown is fecklessness, calloussubjective immorality, approach. latial houses with mul- and a fatal deficiency in the art of governance. They have squanderedAccording their to the doctrine of The Rana oligarchy had gone beyond tiple guards, while min- mandates in petty infighting, self-enrichment and self-centredness,sovereignty, Prithvi Narayan Shah’s invasionredemption by 1950. It had rotted to its isters in charge of de- radicalising a seething citizenry and bringing the country to its presentof Kathmandu Valley can be seen as an act core, and things had become so unbearablefence or home portfolio state. Today, 50 years after our first taste of democracy and 10 yearsof aggression. after His conquest of small that had King Tribhuvan not put his thronehave to often lock their restoring it, the moral of the story is: Democracy doesn’t come with an principalities was Gorkha imperialism. His at stake by flying off to Delhi via the Indiandoors all by themselves. indefinite guarantee. It needs to be safeguarded by careful and vigilant Embassy, there would have been no throne application. act of vengeance on Makwanpur and Half-a-century ago, power shifted from Kirtipur were barbaric. Dicey stuff: re- left. Public opinion in India would have the male line of Ranas to their Shah reading the rise of the House of Gorkha forced Delhi to act with even lesser restraintcousins. Fifty years after democracy, Nepali with such objectivity. Much more than it did in its settlement with Mohan society is still a long way from comfortable to stick with Babu Ram Shumshere in the winter of 1951. democratisation. The remnants of a feudal Acharya and Fr Stiller, and continue to In retrospect, the achievements of mindset keeps Nepal teetering permanently revere the first Shah empire-builder as the February 18, 1951 (7 Falgun 2007 BS) do on the edge. Rana is not just a surname, it is Father of the Nation even though his regardlook less significant than it must have been a symbol of absolutism. In the colloquial, for his subjects as mereduniya (commoners) to the ‘freedom-fighters’ back then. The the termRanashahi alludes to a century of and raiti (surfs) meant to serve the dynasty importance of the event lay in the fact that dictatorship, decadence and debauchery. Its perpetuity may not be politically correct while the Ranas had come to power and remnants need to be purged from our from the vantage point of the present. ruled for over a century on the basis of system to prevent a septic relapse. Jang Bahadur was an ambitious usurperbrute force alone, the restoration of power The seventh of Falgun set in motion a TOO GOOD TO LAST foisted upon the kingdom by the to the Shah dynasty in 1951 was backed byprocess that led to the launch of the Jana unfortunate circumstances of the a popular movement. Andolan in 2046 BS. It is not a day of Even as we wait for the outcome of several meetings between the powerful conspiracy-ridden court intrigues of Marx was fond of needling Hegel, and celebration, but of determination, of transport lobby, tyre-burning students and a somnolent government, we’ve he said that history does repeat itself: “the learnt that this is all probably for the common weal. The streets nineteenthof century Kathmandu. Jang gained resolving to press ahead on the path of Kathmandu have been visibly cleaner for the duration of the publiclegitimacy transport by offering himself as the first time as tragedy and the second time asdemocratisation. It was D. H. Lawrence strike. The lungs of Kathmandu residents were spared the soot,hatchet-man and we all and errand-boy of the British farce”. Something similar must have who said: “Why doesn’t the past decently got a lot of exercise walking or biking to and from work. All this mustduring have and after the mutiny of 1857. Thoseprompted King Mahendra to assume all bury itself, instead of sitting waiting to be added at least five days to our lives. This week we were looking whoat a call control the first Rana (Jang’s forefathers powers in 1960 when he set the clock of admired by the present?” Resonance is bad sample in air quality: what would happen if the streets were minuswere 20-year-Kunwars) nationalist end up revealingsocial-change back to where it was well enough, wonder what it would be like if it old vehicles. And what we saw was what we’d get if perhaps emissionsthe vacuity of that term. Almost all Rana before 1950s. The ghosts of Ranas that was a full-blown Renaissance… standards were more strictly enforced. Alas, it was not to last, the vehicle rulers thereafter spent time conspiring continue to haunt us were resurrected by lobby has compromised with the government, the belching buses are back the Panchayat Pioneers. on the streets, and the pollution levels are back to normal. Just asagainst well. each All other while they grew rich as that oxygen in the air was making us dizzy. glorifiedgallawals (by selling the services of Today, the ‘nationalist’ slogans of able-bodied Nepalis as soldiers) of British the Maoists resonate with the chants of the empire. Khukuri Dal of 1950s. The vulgar mansions Even more incorrect is the assertion of contemporary politicians approximate that the Ranas kept corruption in check. the villas built by Rana-Shah descendants When the whole regime rested on after the royal-takeover of 1960. Loud cries corruption, the question of controlling it of corruption from the most corrupt are as simply didn’t arise. There was no differencejarring today as the slogans of democracy between the state treasury and the personalfrom the Panchas were in the 1970s. The fortune of the rulers. Taxes were spent culture of chakari’‘ and ‘aphno manchhe’ is pretty much as they pleased. Imposing Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd wedding cake palaces, cars hauled up over Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Pulchowk, Lalitpur Chitlang Pass on porter-back, concubines Mailing address: GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Phones: (01) 543333-7 Fax: (01) 521013 by the hundreds, were all paid for by Editor:Kunda Dixit Nepal’s subsistent farmers. One saving grace Desk editors:Deepak Thapa, Samuel Thomas, Anagha Neelakantan Editorial: [email protected] Marketing, circulation and subscriptions: [email protected] www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba521393 Press (01) 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 333 SUBHAS RAI

unchanged since 1951 are:

VIEWPOINT by KAPIL actively repeating the same old SHRESTHA mistakes. The intriguing question really is: why have we failed to find solutions to familiar old problems with some of the We had everythingstalwarts of the past, like Krishna before us It was the best of times, it was the worst of times: it was the age of wisdom, it wasPrasad Bhattarai and Girija the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity;Prasad it Koirala (and until very and political parties without recently the late Ganesh Man • The habit of politicians to go the slightest regard for values, was the season of light, it was the season of darkness;change it was to disappointment the spring of and hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us.Singh and Manmohan Adhikari) for untimely and counter- ethics and norms. frustration, to cynicism, and then still around? Nepalis had expected productive compromises and We elect with our valuable –Charles Dickensto anger in and rebellion. slumber into the modern world. A Tale of Two Cities these leaders them to put their agreement with the status quo, ballots whenever we are called ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 1990 brought down the undemo-○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The genesis of the Maoist long experience, sacrifice and jettisoning the original goals andupon to do so. But since ‘People’s War’, which celebrated commitment to good use. Why objectives of their movement. democracy cannot function The celebrated English novelist cratic Panchayat system which its fifth anniversary a few days did they fail? The Delhi compromise in 1951,successfully without efficient, Charles Dickens’ observation on King Mahendra had put in place ago, can largely be attributed to Despite superficial transfor- and the Tanakpur and Mahakalihonest and committed political Revolutionary France some 225 after staging the coup d’etat the callous neglect of successive treaties in the 1990s are cases inparties and politicians, it is time years ago can easily be applied to against the 18-month-old mation and modernisation, popularly - elected government governments to their own Nepal’s political idiom has not point. for us to remind them of the present-day Nepal. Especially in commitments, compounded by a historical challenges and the context of the euphoria led by BP Koirala. changed in the last 50 years. The success of both the 1951 vulgar and megalomaniacal There have been no conscious • The unwillingness of politicians opportunities confronting them. following the “Revolution of obsession with power and wealth We can’t always start from 1951”, popularly known as the and the 1990 movements set the and collective attempts to to bring plunderers of national among politicians who came to transform a political culture and ground zero. We have to move “Sat Salko Kranti”, and the stage for unprecedented transition, wealth or human rights violators power after 1990. value system characterised by to justice, thereby encouraging afrom 50 years of transition and Movement for the Restoration of transformation and experimentation The roots of the more general authoritarianism, patron-client pervasive culture of corruption apprenticeship to serious Democracy (MRD) of 1990. in Nepali politics. But an objective assessment of their consequences problems that bedevil our dependency and patriarchal and impunity in administration consolidation. It is time to start These two events in recent democratic system today, like relationships. Not even radical- and government. For instance, building a viable, sustainable and Nepali history have had epochal shows that the lofty missions they extolled and the high expectationsendemic political instability, bad sounding communist leaders or the exoneration of the Ranas by efficient democracy that can consequences. They fired the governance and corruption, can, their political parties have Nepali Congress leaders in 1951finally give the long-suffering popular imagination and gave rise they fostered remain as distant and unfulfilled as ever. No however, be easily traced back to ventured out that far. against allegations of “national Nepali people a more decent life. to tremendous expectations. the period following the change in loot”, and the refusal of Despite being separated by almoststatesman of vision, integrity and commitment has emerged to fulfil1951. But we have learnt preciousOther features that haveremained successive governments after half a century, the impact of these few lessons from our half-century- 1990 to implement the events on society and politics them. A failure to meet the people’s minimum expectations long efforts at governance to recommendations of the Mallik (Kapil Shrestha is Professor of have been strikingly similar. 1951 tackle them. In fact, we are Commission on human rights ushered in democracy for the first can quickly change the popular Political Science at Tribhuvan mood from hope and optimism abuse during the 1990 University and a member of the time in Nepali history by toppling movement. the 104-year-old Rana oligarchy, that accompanied the euphoria of National Human Rights and catapulted an isolated Commission.) country out of its medieval • The wild scramble for power and unending internecine power struggles among politicians am not saying that the media did a flawless job of covering the would enjoy full and equal rights earthquake; it did not. There were and privileges of humans—male problems. But I strenuously object to and female—of those societies. But LETTERSthe casual assertion that somehow we SELFLESS when people are prepared and thistheir bill and inadvertently act their selfless dedication drives were to blame for the plight of the requires political commitment atunjustly. We, along with most visitors, I hope readers of your recent them to their struggles for NepalParekh of Gemini, (#29,Covering hapless people of Kutch. the highest level. Technicians would be satisfied, knowing that we article on the noble efforts to gainand set aside such a life of the quake) himself a survivor of the Daniel Lak could take five years for a massivehad forgotten none of the many who full and equal human rights forprivilege. Such dedicated Nepali quake, make some extreme Kupondole Heightsawareness campaign. Leaders ofprovided cheerful and effective Nepali women (#24,Women, women activists inspire me to generalisations. His allegation, the country can do it in three service to us. rights, and the )Bill did not believe that there is indeed hope printed by you in a provocative sub months, and achieve complete for the future of Nepal. Arthur Bennett headline, that the media ignored unity across party lines. Marion Sonderegger Lozang Sherpathe plight of stricken villagers and Organisations like NSET (National by email thus was responsible for thousands Society for Earthquake Technology) by email of deaths, is outrageous and false. or SCAEF-Nepal can carry out the As one of those reporters on the actual donkey work. Ramyata Limbu’s writing on helicopters (#25) was good, but scene, I went to dozens of villages, Bibhuti Man SinghMAD HATTER many well off the highway. Janaki Gurung has written a great SCAEF- NepalHow come the Mad Hatter missed Colleagues with the BBC, CNN, piece on domestic aviation. I am DAMAGE CONTROL some of the obvious proud of Nepali women who canAmerican and British newspapers and countless Indian television Iand am prompted to write this after a cyberportfolios in “An Ultraviolent write about technology with such Mouse?” (#29). Given that the press outlets roamed far and widerecording session at NTV. Despite consummate ease. Auditor General has decided not over the vast district of Kutch, allmy objections the session was SERVICE CHARGE Harisaran Raiwithin a few days the earthquake.dominated It by technocrats who SERVICE CHARGE to make any more recommendations on fiscal by email is simply untrue to say that the knocked the rest of us silly by goingAs occasional visitors to Nepal over media “concentrated on Bhuj” andon about the “Indian plate” and manythe years, we have always beencontinence if the government ignored Anjar, Rapar, Bhachau “Tibetanand Plate”, “active fault” andimpressed by the friendly, graciouswon’t take his audit reports seriously, Ram Sharan Mahat: the countless other places smashedother technical terms that no oneand effective rendering of services in the earthquake. My own cares much about. What was saidin your hotels, lodges, [email protected]. colleague at the BBC, Mike incompletely or, left unsaid, is and the like. It has become With Purnagiri and all the Sapana Malla Wooldridge, went to Bhachau onperhaps 27 more crucial: Whateverincreasingly the obvious, however, thatUML acrobatics Baldev Sharma overlook this fact: Legal activists January and reported back that cause of earthquakes, all these excellent workers receive lessMajgainya: like Ms Sapana Malla-Pradhan evening—the first international indications are that Nepal is nextin ingratuities than their [email protected]. could easily be working as OUTRAGEOUS reporter to reach the epicentre. lineI for a big one, an earthquake.elsewhere. That is especially true professors in the law schools of Dipak Gautam In the aftermath of a massive and Also, the risk of one is too seriousfor a the less obvious workers not Harvard and Yale, and are so tragic event like the Gujarat matter to be left to technicians visible to the visitor at checkout Chakupat professionally qualified they earthquake, it’s obvious that alone. Damage control is easiertime. Also, many visitors may assume could have their pick of countriesemotions will run high, traumatised that a service charge is included in to take citizenship where they people will look for scapegoats. Nonetheless, the article by Shyam Even withdrawing the decision will send a wrong message. But that does vehicles as long as the government not mean there’s no way out. does not come with another plan to “Strict monitoring of compliance subsidise new imports. “Imports to standards is the place to begin,” financial cost. By DOTM numbers, must be allowed only after proper says Sharma of NESS. “Policy maker, 5,678 vehicles used in public demand studies,” he says. regulator and monitor need to be transport qualify for displacement Electric vehicle operators also separate bodies and made to work.” under the ‘20-year’ ban. Another support the government decision, Still better would be to involve 1,616 government vehicles and not surprising because that will NGO representatives during spot 382 belonging to public provide them more room to checks and routine monitoring of corporations would also have to operate. But the number of compliance with emission go, along with 2,334 owner- electric vehicles now on the road standards rather than leave it to operated and 303 vehicles that is not just enough to meet the cops alone. gone in for a complete ban. The carry tourists. If all these were to transportation demands and they Kathmandu Valley does not MOPE State of the Environment be replaced, it would cost the are unlikely to emerge as an get strong winds to blow away report says 30 percent of the country billions of rupees. alternative, at least in the near pollutants in the atmosphere. roughly 136,000 vehicles tested Calculated at Rs 600,000 per car future. The haze we see above the city is between June 1996 and May 2000 (the cheapest compact car could be a repeat of the September The government has already set a made up of smoke from motor flunked the tailpipe emission tests. available in the market) it works 1999 decision to rid the Valley of precedent by offering tax concessions vehicles, emissions from industries NATION 16 - 22 TakingFEBRUARY action againstNEPALI 2001 them TIMES alone NATIONout to a whopping Rs 6.2 billion. 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 444 Vikram tempos. After protests, the for the Vikram replacements. And the and combustion of household fuels 555 could have led to a reduction of government negotiated a way out by Given all these owners of 20-year-old buses and taxis about 40,000 non-compliers. and dust. The finest of the particles allowing the 600 or so operators of inconsistencies, it is therefore notmay not settle for less, which, of Nobody would have complained, get lodged in the lungs, which is why the diesel three-wheelers to import surprising that the FNTE even course, the government cannot afford. and there would have been no clean-up is much required. But even Maoist demands brand new microbuses with the 99 suspects corruption as the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Public transport, private operatorsstrikes. zero emission vehicles cannot help in percent duty and Value Added Tax motivation for the government the clean-up if all the industries and The Maoist insurgency entered its sixth year this week. A few weeks before the ‘People’s War’ began on 13 BINOD BHATTARAI MOPE spokesman Ananta Raj ban. It says that because auto February 1996, the Baburam Bhattarai-led United People’s Front (sometimes called the political wing of the ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ (VAT) waived. The government was brick kilns in the Valley are allowed Pandey says that the Ministry has CPN-Maoist) submitted a list of 40 demands to the government. In the absence of any further demands by t is an all-too-familiar happy because the tempo ban was dealers stand to benefit most from to carry on with business as usual. conducted studies at various times the new decision, they may have the Maoists these 40 are still considered to represent the core of what they seek. This charter of demands is scenario. There is a build-up something it could trumpet as an often referred to in conversation and in writing, including mention by both the US Ambassador to Nepal and the decisions are based on these to a crisis that threatens to achievement, and business houses greased both the bureaucracy and Ralph Frank and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar in Nepali Times #29). We publish below a i reports. “We had said we would the politicalleadership. The more so because they could raise translation: bring the country to a standstill. phase out old vehicles when we The public has no idea how to their sales portfolio. But for all that charges can neither be substantiated decided to tackle the diesel nor totally discounted. Concerning nationality react. And the government Kathmandu’s air quality shows no 1 All discriminatory treaties, including the 1950 Nepal-India Treaty, should be abrogated. sign of improvement, the 50 tempos,” says Pandey. “We’ve tried Ramesh Parajuli of Martin 2 The so-called Integrated Mahakali Treaty concluded on 29 January 1996 should be repealed stumbles along at its to address both the problem of characteristic way pretending percent pollution reduction claim Chautari, one organisation that immediately, as it is designed to conceal the disastrous Tanakpur Treaty and allows Indian imperialist by the then environment minister pollution and carrying capacity of wants the government to stand firm monopoly over Nepal’s water resources. nothing is happening—until the the roads.” last possible moment. notwithstanding. by its decision, says his group 3 The open border between Nepal and India should be regulated, controlled and systematised. All Those who have studied air This time it is the Federation “Old vehicles have to be phased supports doing away with old vehicles with Indian licence plates should be banned from Nepal. pollution first hand don’t agree that 4 The Gurkha/Gorkha Recruitment Centres should be closed. Nepali citizens should be provided dignified of Nepalese Transport out at some point but not in the all old vehicles are polluters. Even employment in the country. Entrepreneurs (FNTE) that is on manner the government plans to,” says Toran Sharma of Nepal the MOPE environment report 5 Nepali workers should be given priority in different sectors. A “work permit” system should be strictly the warpath demanding that the agrees that suspended particles and government revoke its ban on Environmental and Scientific implemented if foreign workers are required in the country. Services (NESS), which has studied PM10 (particulate matter less than 6 The domination of foreign capital in Nepali industries, business and finance should be stopped. vehicles 20 years or older. A well- 10 microns) are the chief culprits, 7 An appropriate customs policy should be devised and implemented so that economic development planned calendar of protests has Kathmandu’s vehicular emissions and not gaseous pollutants. Old helps the nation become self-reliant. already been announced and extensively. “Does the government vehicles do emit PM10—PM2.5 to 8 The invasion of imperialist and colonial culture should be banned. Vulgar Hindi films, videos and we’ve already experienced some have a list of old vehicles that be more specific—but MOPE magazines should be immediately outlawed. of the ‘chakka-jams’ in the past pollute or that of 20-year-olds studies show that household fuels 9 The invasion of colonial and imperial elements in the name of NGOs and INGOs should be stopped. week. More are likely to come. whose emissions are within permissible standards?” (mainly kerosene) also contribute At the same time, the student to PM10 in the atmosphere. Concerning people’s democracy Definitely not at the DOTM or 10 A new Constitution should be drafted by representatives elected for the establishment of a people’s wing of the Communist Party of Emissions also depend on road and the Traffic Police Office, where democratic system. Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) chose fuel quality, vehicle maintenance emission-free ‘green stickers’ can be 11 All special privileges of the king and the royal family should be abolished. to pipe in with their demands for and traffic speed. “Generally, more obtained for any vehicle by paying a 12 The army, the police and the bureaucracy should be completely under people’s control. a 50 percent discount on all bus was no one to question the fuel is consumed by vehicles moving RAVI MANANDHAR bribe. The irony is that almost 13 All repressive acts, including the Security Act, should be repealed. fares for students, with an government on the long-term at lower speeds. The pollution Kathmandu’s chaotic traffic chokes 14 Everyone arrested extra-judicially for political reasons or revenge in Rukum, Rolpa, Jajarkot, Gorkha, underlying ‘or else’ threat. The The ban on old vehicles may not come through. And evenevery if vehicle on the streets of impacts of its decision—including almost doubles,” says Sharma of the streets and pollutes. Transport Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Sindhuli, Dhanusa, Ramechhap, and so on, should be immediately released. Kathmandu has a green sticker. FNTE got another reason to it does, the haze overban. Accordingthe Valley to its own willState of remain.on the environment. The FTNE NESS. “Vehicles may be old but operators protest the government ban All false cases should be immediately withdrawn. Those affected most are pedestrians react and immediately took all ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the Environment report, “vehicular○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ did raise some pertinent questions, that does not mean they are all (facing page and left). 15 The operation of armed police, repression and State-sponsored terror should be immediately stopped. public transport off the streets pollution control” is the and traffic cops. It is ironic that the 16 The whereabouts of citizens who disappeared in police custody at different times, namely Dilip same decision also stated that all but as they came from the poorly maintained and hence the from Saturday. responsibility of the Ministry of police out on Kathmandu streets Chaudhary, Bhuwan Thapa Magar, Prabhakar Subedi and others, should be investigated and those petrol- or gas-run three-wheelers with aggrieved party, few gave them main polluters.” By Wednesday the buses Labour and Transport. That is moot have to suffer because their responsible brought to justice. The families of victims should be duly compensated. two-stroke engines would not be serious thought. The other concern is the were back on the streets after a now, since the cabinet itself has colleagues in another department 17 All those killed during the People’s Movement should be declared martyrs. The families of the martyrs allowed to ply in municipal areas The Federation of Nepalese government guarantee that it endorsed the MOPE decision. are getting richer—through bribes. and those injured and deformed should be duly compensated, and the murderers brought to justice. nation-wide. Chambers of Commerce and would ensure security against However, it is clear that MOPE had There are even doubts if the 18 Nepal should be declared a secular nation. Industry (FNCCI), well known for 19 Patriarchal exploitation and discrimination against women should be stopped. Daughters should be possible student violence. But the Following the ensuing uproar, gone ahead without even discussions government believes in emission quick comments on any allowed access to paternal property. larger issue of the ‘20-year’ ban MOPE moved into damage control, within the ministry, let alone studies checks. If it did, it would not have government decision affecting its 20 All racial exploitation and suppression should be stopped. Where ethnic communities are in the remains unresolved, and the and said only old vehicles used in on how much pollution would be public transport would be thrown out constituents, preferred to remain majority, they should be allowed to form their own autonomous governments. FNTE has hit back at the reduced and what it would cost. It silent for almost a month. Only government decision with its own arguing that those used for private did not take into its purview the 21 Discrimination against downtrodden and backward people should be stopped. The system of travel were better maintained. last week did it issue a statement untouchability should be eliminated. list of 13 demands (see NT#27). industries in the Valley that are saying the dispute and the chakka- On Tuesday, the new However, this part of the responsible for most of the pollution 22 All languages and dialects should be given equal opportunities to prosper. The right to education in the pronouncement has yet to be jams should be resolved through mother tongue up to higher levels should be guaranteed. environment minister pleaded for in the air. Neither did it take into talks. As transport entrepreneurs a month to resolve the matter. published in the Gazette, so it isn't account the slow traffic, road 23 The right to expression and freedom of press and publication should be guaranteed. The government mass taken too seriously. began organising protests, the media should be completely autonomous. The transport operators conditions, or fuel adulteration. government waited in silence, magnanimously granted him that MOPE’s ad hocism becomes even 24 Academic and professional freedom of scholars, writers, artists and cultural workers should be guaranteed. “Even now we don’t know how despite some convincing 25 Regional discrimination between the hills and the tarai should be eliminated. Backward areas should be given and an extra five days and called more apparent when you consider much pollution is caused by vehicles arguments about why the vehicle off their planned protests. that the Department of Transport regional autonomy. Rural and urban areas should be treated at par. and what types of vehicles are most operators were contesting the 26 Local bodies should be empowered and appropriately equipped. This whole mess began with a Management (DOTM) was caught to blame,” an environmental decision, until the latter actually Ministry of Population and completely unawares. Immediately economist told us. “It is all right to shut down services affecting Concerning livelihood Environment (MOPE) after the MOPE announcement we try to stop old cars, but then we hundreds of thousands of 27 Land should be belong to “tenants”. Land under the control of the feudal system should be confiscated and announcement in November that asked the DOTM how many vehicles should be able to tell how much commuters. distributed to the landless and the homeless. would be displaced by the ban. They effective 16 November this year, pollution we’re aiming to reduce, As things stand today, the ban 28 The property of middlemen and comprador capitalists should be confiscated and nationalised. Capital lying all vehicles manufactured before hadn’t the faintest idea. We were toldwhat the health benefits are and how unproductive should be invested to promote industrialisation. 1980 would be removed from they would have to thumb through they benefit the people.” With green 29 Employment should be guaranteed for all. Until such time as employment can be arranged, an

Kathmandu roads. A part of the their files to find out, and that it NGOs siding with government, there MIN BAJRACHARYA unemployment allowance should be provided. would take a week. 30 A minimum wage for workers in industries, agriculture and so on should be fixed and strictly implemented. MOPE may have overstepped its 31 The homeless should be rehabilitated. No one should be relocated until alternative infrastructure is boundaries by declaring the blanket guaranteed. 32 Poor farmers should be exempt from loan repayments. Loans taken by small farmers from the Agricultural Development Bank should be written off. Appropriate provisions should be made to provide loans for small farmers. 33 Fertiliser and seed should be easily available and at a cheap rate. Farmers should be provided with HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK appropriate prices and markets for their produce. 34 People in flood- and drought-affected areas should be provided with appropriate relief materials. 35 Free and scientific health services and education should be available to all. The commercialisation of education should be stopped. 36 Inflation should be checked. Wages should be increased proportionate to inflation. Essential goods should be cheaply and easily available to everyone. No help in the loo 37 Drinking water, roads and electricity should be provided to all villagers. he plane shudders through the cloud that always seems to blanket the gap in 38 Domestic and cottage industries should be protected and promoted. the hills around the Kathmandu valley. I take a final sip of my RNAC coffee 39 Corruption, smuggling, black marketing, bribery, and the practices of middlemen and so on should be Too much outside assistance is a bad thing—it eats away at local initiative eliminated. tand hand the cup to a flight attendant, the horrors of the Gujarat They have to take a begging bowl to the big table where 40 Orphans, the disabled, the elderly and children should be duly honoured and protected. earthquake well and truly behind me now. First off the plane, first through and pride, sidelines self reliance. the rich boys eat. Even fledgling or moribund notions of immigration, gazing around approvingly at the assembled ranks of foreign accountability and the role of democracy, the media and tourists come to lavish their hard currency on Nepal. the courts in bringing the elite to book, all these are Then a jarring reminder of things unpleasant as I visit the mens’ room marginalised in a cascade of money for nothing. briefly, near the luggage carousel. An attendant, presumably a government In Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, I’ve servant, makes no bones about it. “Sir, give me money,” he says in pretty clear seen how promiscuous development assistance, even English, begging on duty. He’s done this before, I can tell. The mind makes given in good faith, spawns rampant corruption and inevitable and perhaps slightly unfair comparisons with the past two weeks destroys peoples’ self worth. Yes, yes, there are many travelling through Gujarat—there were people truly in need, with no other forces at play here: natural disaster, social Dam lies government jobs and little of any consequence left undamaged by the inequity, bad local management, incompetence, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ earthquake. And not once was a hand extended towards me in supplication, naiveté, even outright cynicism and larceny. But The opposition CPN (UML) parliamentarians who trekked to Purnagiri in west Nepal two weeks ago and came back nor a voice raised to ask for anything other than the media coverage I increasingly, I am convinced that aid itself is the with the revelation that India was unilaterally building a dam have some explaining to do. The government and the provide because it’s my job. Indian Embassy in Kathmandu have both denied that any dam construction is taking place. An 8 February Indian major problem—however benign the source. Embassy press release says: “There can be no question whatsoever of one party to a bilateral agreement taking An old Muslim woman crouched on the rubble of a village home, tears dry So apologies to the fellow in the loo at the unilateral steps for any investigation or construction.” It adds that the joint investigation underway at the potential on her dusty faces a few days after rescuers discovered her husband’s body; dam site was to generate data necessary for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR) that is required if airport. He extended his hand to the wrong man. the Mahakali Treaty is to be implemented. members of a Hindu youth organisation rebuilding their shattered temple, but at The American and Swedish tourists calling out to each other in the the same time running a free and generous kitchen from a tent alongside; middle Some UML leaders have since backtracked from their earlier position that dam building is underway, but insist arrivals hall might have been easier pickings. But Nepal should be that even survey work should stop. It is believed that at a time the country is heading for local elections, the UML class families from old Bhuj getting together to sing bhajans in their tents at theacquaintance, brought a swift reply. “Why not? The country’s addicted to aware that once-generous international donors are starting to think like city’s old open air theatre—the stage piled high with relief goods. No one asked posturing has more to do erasing from public memory the fact that the party was right behind the government in foreign aid anyway. Might as well start them young.” Oh dear, I thought at theme. A scary thought, but consider that decades of generous overseas ratifying the treaty. Differences over ratification of the Mahakali treaty a factor in the UML split in 1998. for anything. Some complained about the government, or said they’d really like time. Too cynical, too brutal, even as I offered up the obligatory wry chuckle.assistance has meant little to hundreds of millions in this subcontinent. The 12 February 1996 treaty that was ratified by parliament in 1997, approves the integrated development of to get their hands on a better tent. But no one asked me for one, because they Now I’m not so sure. I’ve always had a sneaking suspicion that too much outsideThey probably won’t even know if it dries up, and I think they’ll be the the Mahakali River. This takes into account the existing Sarada and Tanakpur barrages built on the Indian side, knew I didn’t have one. And they had their pride. assistance is a bad thing for a person, a family, a community, a nation. It eats better for it. Perhaps they’ll force their elites to get up and start doing and the Pancheshwar Project to be built jointly by Nepal and India. Investigations are now underway through a Joint That washroom attendant in Tribhuvan Airport is a rich man by away at local initiative and pride, sidelines self reliance all of which Nepal hasthe in job they’re supposed to do. Or else. Project Office set up in December 1999, and two sites, Rupaligad and Purnagiri, are being investigated for possible construction of the re-regulating dam. comparison, but no doubt he doesn’t think so. Some readers may remember abundanta potential. People begin to think that good things only come from column from some months ago, wondering whether it was right and proper tooutside and they notice that local leaders and elites don’t deliver the goods. hand sweets out to children whilst trekking. That question, put to an foreign Even withdrawing the decision will send a wrong message. But that does vehicles as long as the government not mean there’s no way out. does not come with another plan to “Strict monitoring of compliance subsidise new imports. “Imports to standards is the place to begin,” financial cost. By DOTM numbers, must be allowed only after proper says Sharma of NESS. “Policy maker, 5,678 vehicles used in public demand studies,” he says. regulator and monitor need to be transport qualify for displacement Electric vehicle operators also separate bodies and made to work.” under the ‘20-year’ ban. Another support the government decision, Still better would be to involve 1,616 government vehicles and not surprising because that will NGO representatives during spot 382 belonging to public provide them more room to checks and routine monitoring of corporations would also have to operate. But the number of compliance with emission go, along with 2,334 owner- electric vehicles now on the road standards rather than leave it to operated and 303 vehicles that is not just enough to meet the cops alone. gone in for a complete ban. The carry tourists. If all these were to transportation demands and they Kathmandu Valley does not MOPE State of the Environment be replaced, it would cost the are unlikely to emerge as an get strong winds to blow away report says 30 percent of the country billions of rupees. alternative, at least in the near pollutants in the atmosphere. roughly 136,000 vehicles tested Calculated at Rs 600,000 per car future. The haze we see above the city is between June 1996 and May 2000 (the cheapest compact car could be a repeat of the September The government has already set a made up of smoke from motor flunked the tailpipe emission tests. available in the market) it works 1999 decision to rid the Valley of precedent by offering tax concessions vehicles, emissions from industries NATION 16 - 22 TakingFEBRUARY action againstNEPALI 2001 them TIMES alone NATIONout to a whopping Rs 6.2 billion. 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 444 Vikram tempos. After protests, the for the Vikram replacements. And the and combustion of household fuels 555 could have led to a reduction of government negotiated a way out by Given all these owners of 20-year-old buses and taxis about 40,000 non-compliers. and dust. The finest of the particles allowing the 600 or so operators of inconsistencies, it is therefore notmay not settle for less, which, of Nobody would have complained, get lodged in the lungs, which is why the diesel three-wheelers to import surprising that the FNTE even course, the government cannot afford. and there would have been no clean-up is much required. But even Maoist demands brand new microbuses with the 99 suspects corruption as the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Public transport, private operatorsstrikes. zero emission vehicles cannot help in percent duty and Value Added Tax motivation for the government the clean-up if all the industries and The Maoist insurgency entered its sixth year this week. A few weeks before the ‘People’s War’ began on 13 BINOD BHATTARAI MOPE spokesman Ananta Raj ban. It says that because auto February 1996, the Baburam Bhattarai-led United People’s Front (sometimes called the political wing of the ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○ (VAT) waived. The government was brick kilns in the Valley are allowed Pandey says that the Ministry has CPN-Maoist) submitted a list of 40 demands to the government. In the absence of any further demands by t is an all-too-familiar happy because the tempo ban was dealers stand to benefit most from to carry on with business as usual. conducted studies at various times the new decision, they may have the Maoists these 40 are still considered to represent the core of what they seek. This charter of demands is scenario. There is a build-up something it could trumpet as an often referred to in conversation and in writing, including mention by both the US Ambassador to Nepal and the decisions are based on these to a crisis that threatens to achievement, and business houses greased both the bureaucracy and Ralph Frank and human rights activist Padma Ratna Tuladhar in Nepali Times #29). We publish below a i reports. “We had said we would the politicalleadership. The more so because they could raise translation: bring the country to a standstill. phase out old vehicles when we The public has no idea how to their sales portfolio. But for all that charges can neither be substantiated decided to tackle the diesel nor totally discounted. Concerning nationality react. And the government Kathmandu’s air quality shows no 1 All discriminatory treaties, including the 1950 Nepal-India Treaty, should be abrogated. sign of improvement, the 50 tempos,” says Pandey. “We’ve tried Ramesh Parajuli of Martin 2 The so-called Integrated Mahakali Treaty concluded on 29 January 1996 should be repealed stumbles along at its to address both the problem of characteristic way pretending percent pollution reduction claim Chautari, one organisation that immediately, as it is designed to conceal the disastrous Tanakpur Treaty and allows Indian imperialist by the then environment minister pollution and carrying capacity of wants the government to stand firm monopoly over Nepal’s water resources. nothing is happening—until the the roads.” last possible moment. notwithstanding. by its decision, says his group 3 The open border between Nepal and India should be regulated, controlled and systematised. All Those who have studied air This time it is the Federation “Old vehicles have to be phased supports doing away with old vehicles with Indian licence plates should be banned from Nepal. pollution first hand don’t agree that 4 The Gurkha/Gorkha Recruitment Centres should be closed. Nepali citizens should be provided dignified of Nepalese Transport out at some point but not in the all old vehicles are polluters. Even employment in the country. Entrepreneurs (FNTE) that is on manner the government plans to,” says Toran Sharma of Nepal the MOPE environment report 5 Nepali workers should be given priority in different sectors. A “work permit” system should be strictly the warpath demanding that the agrees that suspended particles and government revoke its ban on Environmental and Scientific implemented if foreign workers are required in the country. Services (NESS), which has studied PM10 (particulate matter less than 6 The domination of foreign capital in Nepali industries, business and finance should be stopped. vehicles 20 years or older. A well- 10 microns) are the chief culprits, 7 An appropriate customs policy should be devised and implemented so that economic development planned calendar of protests has Kathmandu’s vehicular emissions and not gaseous pollutants. Old helps the nation become self-reliant. already been announced and extensively. “Does the government vehicles do emit PM10—PM2.5 to 8 The invasion of imperialist and colonial culture should be banned. Vulgar Hindi films, videos and we’ve already experienced some have a list of old vehicles that be more specific—but MOPE magazines should be immediately outlawed. of the ‘chakka-jams’ in the past pollute or that of 20-year-olds studies show that household fuels 9 The invasion of colonial and imperial elements in the name of NGOs and INGOs should be stopped. week. More are likely to come. whose emissions are within permissible standards?” (mainly kerosene) also contribute At the same time, the student to PM10 in the atmosphere. Concerning people’s democracy Definitely not at the DOTM or 10 A new Constitution should be drafted by representatives elected for the establishment of a people’s wing of the Communist Party of Emissions also depend on road and the Traffic Police Office, where democratic system. Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) chose fuel quality, vehicle maintenance emission-free ‘green stickers’ can be 11 All special privileges of the king and the royal family should be abolished. to pipe in with their demands for and traffic speed. “Generally, more obtained for any vehicle by paying a 12 The army, the police and the bureaucracy should be completely under people’s control. a 50 percent discount on all bus was no one to question the fuel is consumed by vehicles moving RAVI MANANDHAR bribe. The irony is that almost 13 All repressive acts, including the Security Act, should be repealed. fares for students, with an government on the long-term at lower speeds. The pollution Kathmandu’s chaotic traffic chokes 14 Everyone arrested extra-judicially for political reasons or revenge in Rukum, Rolpa, Jajarkot, Gorkha, underlying ‘or else’ threat. The The ban on old vehicles may not come through. And evenevery if vehicle on the streets of impacts of its decision—including almost doubles,” says Sharma of the streets and pollutes. Transport Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Sindhuli, Dhanusa, Ramechhap, and so on, should be immediately released. Kathmandu has a green sticker. FNTE got another reason to it does, the haze overban. Accordingthe Valley to its own willState of remain.on the environment. The FTNE NESS. “Vehicles may be old but operators protest the government ban All false cases should be immediately withdrawn. Those affected most are pedestrians react and immediately took all ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the Environment report, “vehicular○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ did raise some pertinent questions, that does not mean they are all (facing page and left). 15 The operation of armed police, repression and State-sponsored terror should be immediately stopped. public transport off the streets pollution control” is the and traffic cops. It is ironic that the 16 The whereabouts of citizens who disappeared in police custody at different times, namely Dilip same decision also stated that all but as they came from the poorly maintained and hence the from Saturday. responsibility of the Ministry of police out on Kathmandu streets Chaudhary, Bhuwan Thapa Magar, Prabhakar Subedi and others, should be investigated and those petrol- or gas-run three-wheelers with aggrieved party, few gave them main polluters.” By Wednesday the buses Labour and Transport. That is moot have to suffer because their responsible brought to justice. The families of victims should be duly compensated. two-stroke engines would not be serious thought. The other concern is the were back on the streets after a now, since the cabinet itself has colleagues in another department 17 All those killed during the People’s Movement should be declared martyrs. The families of the martyrs allowed to ply in municipal areas The Federation of Nepalese government guarantee that it endorsed the MOPE decision. are getting richer—through bribes. and those injured and deformed should be duly compensated, and the murderers brought to justice. nation-wide. Chambers of Commerce and would ensure security against However, it is clear that MOPE had There are even doubts if the 18 Nepal should be declared a secular nation. Industry (FNCCI), well known for 19 Patriarchal exploitation and discrimination against women should be stopped. Daughters should be possible student violence. But the Following the ensuing uproar, gone ahead without even discussions government believes in emission quick comments on any allowed access to paternal property. larger issue of the ‘20-year’ ban MOPE moved into damage control, within the ministry, let alone studies checks. If it did, it would not have government decision affecting its 20 All racial exploitation and suppression should be stopped. Where ethnic communities are in the remains unresolved, and the and said only old vehicles used in on how much pollution would be public transport would be thrown out constituents, preferred to remain majority, they should be allowed to form their own autonomous governments. FNTE has hit back at the reduced and what it would cost. It silent for almost a month. Only government decision with its own arguing that those used for private did not take into its purview the 21 Discrimination against downtrodden and backward people should be stopped. The system of travel were better maintained. last week did it issue a statement untouchability should be eliminated. list of 13 demands (see NT#27). industries in the Valley that are saying the dispute and the chakka- On Tuesday, the new However, this part of the responsible for most of the pollution 22 All languages and dialects should be given equal opportunities to prosper. The right to education in the pronouncement has yet to be jams should be resolved through mother tongue up to higher levels should be guaranteed. environment minister pleaded for in the air. Neither did it take into talks. As transport entrepreneurs a month to resolve the matter. published in the Gazette, so it isn't account the slow traffic, road 23 The right to expression and freedom of press and publication should be guaranteed. The government mass taken too seriously. began organising protests, the media should be completely autonomous. The transport operators conditions, or fuel adulteration. government waited in silence, magnanimously granted him that MOPE’s ad hocism becomes even 24 Academic and professional freedom of scholars, writers, artists and cultural workers should be guaranteed. “Even now we don’t know how despite some convincing 25 Regional discrimination between the hills and the tarai should be eliminated. Backward areas should be given and an extra five days and called more apparent when you consider much pollution is caused by vehicles arguments about why the vehicle off their planned protests. that the Department of Transport regional autonomy. Rural and urban areas should be treated at par. and what types of vehicles are most operators were contesting the 26 Local bodies should be empowered and appropriately equipped. This whole mess began with a Management (DOTM) was caught to blame,” an environmental decision, until the latter actually Ministry of Population and completely unawares. Immediately economist told us. “It is all right to shut down services affecting Concerning livelihood Environment (MOPE) after the MOPE announcement we try to stop old cars, but then we hundreds of thousands of 27 Land should be belong to “tenants”. Land under the control of the feudal system should be confiscated and announcement in November that asked the DOTM how many vehicles should be able to tell how much commuters. distributed to the landless and the homeless. would be displaced by the ban. They effective 16 November this year, pollution we’re aiming to reduce, As things stand today, the ban 28 The property of middlemen and comprador capitalists should be confiscated and nationalised. Capital lying all vehicles manufactured before hadn’t the faintest idea. We were toldwhat the health benefits are and how unproductive should be invested to promote industrialisation. 1980 would be removed from they would have to thumb through they benefit the people.” With green 29 Employment should be guaranteed for all. Until such time as employment can be arranged, an

democracy in the 90s, Tanzania’s first multi-party elections being held in 1995. Ethnically, both are composed ofKathmandu a wide variety of tribes, but are to Kilimanjaro strongly united. eaving Nepal after nearly 20 years Here the similarities begin to Ganesh Himal rises above Kathmandu in development-related work was fade. Tanzania is a big country, 30 (left) and Mt Kilimanjaro, 5760 m, the lfar harder than we had anticipated. million people compared to Nepal’s highest mountain in Africa. We suffered withdrawal symptoms for 22 million, and roughly seven times nearly six months (and it wasn’t just larger in area. Tanzania has fertile the lack of toxic fumes). But three agricultural land that would make a two, Tanzania is the more peaceful, years later, I am grateful, for leaving Nepali peasant think he’s reached

MIN BAJRACHARYA the more politically stable country. has enabled me to gain a new heaven. A tobacco company official (a Since adopting democracy, Tanzania perspective. My new perspective— foreigner) shared with me that has followed a very different political one neither from within, nor from the Tanzania could be wealthy on the history that have led to this is beyond path to Nepal, largely due to the fact “West”, but from a country which at basis of its tobacco-growing potential the scope of this article. Certainly that her embracing of democracy was first glance might seem to have alone. Much of this land is under- colonialism and its legacy of racism not the result of a spontaneous nothing in common with Nepal: exploited. True, rainfall is unreliable, played a role, as did the slave trade. An expatriate developmentthey are doomed worker to be constantly compares Nepal with Tanzaniauprising, but theand choice concludes of her leaders. that Tanzania, on the east coast of Africa, but still there is good land with good Evangelism by Christian missionaries Consequently, the old socialist party has shown me that while Nepal may rainfall that lies idle for much of the a sense of self-worthdisappointed and political and dejected. Nepalisstability areadded areto the slow worth erosion ofmore than economic prosperity. willing to do without, or make do with of Julius Nyerere that ruled Tanzania be economically poor, in year while inhabitants scrape a living ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ indigenous culture, but socialism had for over 30 years, Chama cha psychological terms it is very rich. from a straggly crop of maize. cheaper, less-sophisticated alternatives, I do not want to attempt a socio- an even more marked impact. Under Mapinduzi (CCM), is still in power. On a recent visit to Nepal we (Interestingly, fertilising fields with rather than be beholden to anybody. the socialist policy of ujamaa, all land economic analysis. What I want to sayStubborn pride? Maybe. But it is an In rural areas the socialists are still found our friends eager to learn about animal manure, or using oxen for was owned by the government, and very popular, and they provide the ploughing is not widely practised in is that Nepal may be resource-poor, invaluable asset. When a Nepali life in Tanzania. “Is Tanzania as poor but it is rich in what I would term the the population was forcibly moved country with stability. By contrast, the and backward as here?” they asked, Tanzania.) But Tanzania has mineral peasant asks me (as they have many into collective villages, and tribal “national psyche”. This is hard to times) “Nepal is a poor and backward opposition parties are immature and unknowingly echoing the question ourresources too. It has gold, diamonds, identities and customs actively fragmented, squabbling among, and and other precious gems. It has more define, but it depends on three things: country, so why do you bother to Tanzanian colleagues ask about the hard-working and industrious discouraged. Since an abrupt volte facewithin, themselves (sound familiar?). Nepal. Changing countries, as any mineral wealth than South Africa come?” I know they’re asking a in the 90s, capitalism has been according to a mining company nature of Nepali people; their self- rhetorical question. When I reply that So, while the rest of Africa burns expatriate worker knows, leads to the sufficiency and independence; and embraced and foreign companies with civil strife or inter-tribal warfare, bad habit of making comparisons. official (another foreigner), all on the Nepal is a wonderful country and and consumer imports are flooding brink of being exploited (by foreign their sense of pride in who they are, Nepali people are the best in the Tanzania is a haven of peace, the Hardly a day has gone by in the past and in their culture. The three are into the country. It is no wonder temporary home to some 800,000 three years when I haven’t reflected companies, of course). But mineral world, I can sense the relief in their Tanzanians feel confused as to who wealth in Africa is a dangerous asset: closely related, and it is impossible to smiles, happy that their own feelings refugees who have fled Rwanda, upon the similarities and differences of say which is the cause and which the they are. Burundi and Congo. Like Nepal’s the two countries. But the civil wars rage in mineral-rich have been confirmed. It is due to this What does the future hold for the countries as Angola, Congo, and effect. I suppose I have always been sense of national pride that black and sense of self-worth, that stability and comparison in this instance is aware of these qualities in Nepalis, but two countries? When we first moved peace are worth an awful lot more thought-provoking and instructive, Sierra Leone. Still, on top of these white (or rather, wheat-brown and it is only my stay in a third country sun-screened pink) can meet in Nepal to Tanzania we were shocked by the than economic prosperity. Viewing and it is hard to think of two things, Tanzania has easy access to high crime rate in Dar es Salaam and markets through the port of Dar es that has made me realise how with no sense of imbalance, no sense Nepal’s political progress during the countries where the similarities are so important they are, far more than the general feeling of insecurity. In the90s one is led to have serious strong and the differences so striking. Salaam, as well as half a million annual that one is superior to the other. having a wealth of natural resources. Psychiatrists know the importance of alight of our recent visit to Nepal, misgivings about democracy. Perhaps Leaving aside for a moment the tourists who come to enjoy its game however, I am re-assessing this parks, climb Mt Kilimanjaro, or bask From an aid/development sense of “self-hood”, of knowing who it is a necessary stage the country has obvious physical differences, let us viewpoint, they make the one country you are, and being happy in it. opinion. Our visit coincided with the to go through. Yet I fear by my next look at the similarities. Both countrieson the beaches of Zanzibar. By riots in December. We also decided to comparison, the only natural resource a delight to work in, while in the By contrast, Tanzania seems like a visit to Nepal there will be a civil war. can be summed up as subsistence risk visiting Kailali and Baglung that Nepal has (besides the other you wonder whether more aid nation that has lost its soul. In I hope not. agrarian economies. According to means less progress. In Nepal a little districts, old stomping grounds of ours, UNDP’s Human Development Index,Himalaya), is the monsoon which Tanzania I am conscious I carry a labelwhere the Maoist insurgency is guarantees a crop once a year. It help, financial or technical, goes a longthat says Privileged White. As such I Tanzania and Nepal are close way. A Nepali farmer is totally self- beginning to make its presence felt. neighbours. In 1998 they were ranked would seem that Nepal cannot begin perceive that I am an object of envy, These are disturbing developments in to match Tanzania’s resources, nor reliant—he saves his seed, builds his and also resentment. Tanzanians, I number 150 (0.358) and 152 (0.351) manure pile, ploughs and plants and what I have always thought of as the respectively out of 174 countries can it match Tanzania’s adult sense, are not happy. They would most peaceful and tolerant country in literacy rate of 74 percent. Nepal’s harvests. He is willing to walk his rather be somebody else, say privileged worldwide, which groups them both vegetable crop to market, while his the world. I would now say that of the as “countries of low human is 39 percent. whites. Tanzanians don’t just lack a Tanzanian counterpart is likely to sense of pride in who they are, they development”. Throughout the 60s, complain that the government doesn’t 70s, and 80s, both were ruled by a don’t even know who they are. hand out seed and fertiliser any more, Separating out the different strands of one-party state, albeit one left-wing and that he cannot market his crop and one right-wing under a monarchy. until an aid project builds a road and Both embraced multi-party donates a vehicle. Tanzanians’ expectations are sky-high, as a result

Joy Stephens is a freelance writer and development consultant.

BARBS by BARBARA ADAMS Don’t control corruption, eradicate it Corruption in the ruling elite represents a There is a simple English expression which describes very well the corrupt hypocritical faces calling for the control of corruption: “The pot calling the greater danger to Nepal’s existence than kettle black”. When-ever I attend one of those anti-corruption seminars or talk the guns of Maoists. programmes my friends and I take notes on the known corrupt, a few of whom are always present on the panel or in the audience. Perhaps, as a prelude to ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ such programmes, one could have a half hour of confessions by the participants. They should be collectively asked if they have ever taken kickbacks or had their o they’ve finally admitted that corruption is rampant in the ruling circles palms greased. A few insiders should be supplied with information to shame in Nepal, and since then we’ve had a spate of conferences on how to someone who lies. “control” it. By using that very ambiguous term (usually used in s Perhaps the donor-driven, anti-corruption NGOs and INGOs could come “controlling an unruly child”) the anti-corruption wallahs show that they accept up with a list of prevalent corrupt practices in all sectors of society, including the evil, and just want it kept within limits. the one peopled by foreigners, circulate them to participants and audience at These limits will presumably be defined by those designated to “control” it. anti-corruption seminars, and then ask them if they have ever indulged in any Are they going to arbitrarily decide who among their friends and acquaintances one of the listed practices. No one should be above it: media, NGOs will be allowed to be corrupt, and to what extent? Will an upper limit of themselves, donors, foreign businessmen, traders. stealing, say ten million a month, be set by the controllers of corruption? Will We are a bit leery of the AsianDevelopment Bank’s (ADB) offer earlier unlimited corruption be allowed for special friends or politically necessary allies? this month to finance the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of And who is going to control the controllers? Authority to help improve its investigative powers. There have been hints Those who earn heaps of dollars by holding anti-corruption seminars should of corruption even in that (until recently wimpy) organisation, and actually advocate “eradication”—trying to root it out, abolishing it. The dangling large sums in front of its badly paid staff might actually be difference is betweenniyantran (control) andnibaran (eradication). But the counterproduc-tive. The donor presumption that in poor developing argument of those who want to control corruption is that it is too pervasive, it countries anything can be achieved if enough money is spent is almost as exists even in the United States, and it is unrealistic to talk about eradicating it. absurd as the Nepali: “How can we do anything without foreign aid?” Corruption is bad no matter where it exists, or who indulges in it, and we should Much more important than ADB funding for the CIAA is a cadre of at least assert that our goal is to wipe it out. Maintaining “acceptable” levels of impeccably honest citizens, who will thoroughly and painstakingly corruption, using some arbitrarily decided upon measure or criteria will never research and list the “before” and “after” property of every high root it out. government official starting with the prime minister and his family, and If corruption is illegal, immoral, and the opposite of all concepts of good including everyone through the joint secretary level. Most important is governance, why should it be tolerated at all? Why should elected or non-elected wiping out corruption in the law enforcement agencies and the judiciary. officials be allowed to steal from the people, whatever the amount of money theywork punctually, are dedicated to their work, refuse to have anything to do withAs a recent article on corruption in the local press put it: corruption in steal? Does that not discourage the straight, the corruption going on around, but are scorned, harassed, and eventually the ruling elite represents a greater danger to Nepal’s existence than the honest bureaucrats or elected officials who are dirt-poor but can live with theirhounded out of their jobs. In other words, instead of being rewarded for theirguns of Maoists. conscience and constituents? There are many cases of civil servants who arrivezeal to and honesty, they are forced by the corrupt to either give in to corruption, resign, or eventually be fired. NATION 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 777 Bahadur Nepali

RAMYATA LIMBU ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ still remember the time he brought ome 40 “Bahadur Nepalis” a cholera-stricken child into his gathered in the library of the home and nursed it back to health sParopakar orphanage in against the wishes of his family,” Bhimsensthan, Kathmandu, to pay says compounder Indra Prasad their last respects to the man who Nepali, one of Paropakar’s earliest

had touched and altered their lives. volunteers. Later, doctors and FAMILY PICTURES The people, a mix of teachers, paramedics would come to help out hydrological and agricultural at the dispensary. engineers, and shopkeepers, were in An example in many ways, a reflective frame of mind. Kansakar became Nepal’s first blood “Daya Bir Singhba believed that donor in 1950, when he donated women as equals and was constantly striving to educate and empower all men were equal. He didn’t believe blood at Bir Hospital. “People were From left: Nepal’s first blood donor, in class and caste so everyone who afraid to give blood then. They women,”Kansakar insays 1950; Tuladhar. visiting Indian An executive Prime came to the orphanage took the thought donating blood weakened a boardMinister member Nehru lookingof Paropakar out at the school surname Bahadur Nepali, meaning person, sapped their energy. They’d Organisation,from the orphanage Tuladhar, building along in 1952 with (the FAMILY PICTURES ‘brave Nepalis’,” says 50-year-old rather donate a buffalo than give otherlate Ganesh silver-haired Man Singh members, is behind is Nehru

Damber Bahadur Nepali. One of over blood—as if a buffalo’s blood could PICTURES FAMILY concernedwith face partially about covered); the 50 andyear-old Kansakar’s 250 students to pass out from the replace human blood,” says 70-year- toe the line of donor-driven projects,” organisation’sbody being taken future. for the last rites. Paropakar orphanage, Nepal’s oldest old Prayag Raj Suwal, another youth Daya Bir Singh Kansakar’ssays Daya Bir’s last oldest dreams, son and general to At the organisation’s secretary of Paropakar, Hitkar Bir headquarters in Bhimsensthan, charitable organisation founded in volunteer and currently chairman of mobilisedset up during a home the cholera for the aged and a medical Singh Kansakar. “Later, he agreed to black-and-white pictures of the firstguided for decades by Kansakar’s 1952, Damber Bahadur Nepali is Paropakar Organisation. epidemic,college, Suwal remained along with hundreds unfulfilled when he become a founder member of the batches of bedraggled and barefoot principles of selfless service, must today deputy director of the Nepal Following the democracy of Paropakar youth volunteers, was passed away at the ageNepal Redof Cross90. Society.” children occupy a pride of place now engage in some serious soul- Electricity Authority and managing movement in 1950, the dispensary also active in the pro-democracy ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Towards the end of his life alongside pictures of a smiling King searching and introspection. “Of director of the Chilime Hydro Power was transformed into the Paropakar movement. “It wasn’t possible for Bir Tribhuvan and numerous visiting course in a philanthropic Company. “The principles of selfless Organisation—Nepal’s first non- Hospital, then the only hospital, to Kansakar was greatly disillusioned by dignitaries, including Nehru and organisation like Paropakar there’s service to one’s country and governmental organisation, under cope with the sick and the dying. the growing number of organisations Indira Gandhi, as memories of a always more expenditure than countrymen that Daya Bir Singhba which the Paropakar Orphanage Until the ambulance service was that did little in the name of service. glorious past. “There’s a dire need income. Our orphanage, dispensary, practised are reflected in the design of (1952), the Paropakar Ambulance started, Paropakar volunteers would The government takeover of Prasuti to rejuvenate the organisation,” saysambulance services are all free. We the company. It is run entirely on Service (1953), the Paropakar Shri bring sick people on stretchers from Griha, the maternity hospital at Damber Bahadur Nepali. “The do keep a little donation box. Nepali investment, and seeks to Panch Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi places as far off as Sankhu and around Thapathali that Paropakar started various programmes Paropakar runsThose who can afford it leave provide cheap electricity to the NepaliPrasuti Griha (1959), and the the Valley rim to be treated at the with donations and help from local are supported by some government something, which is welcome,” says population,” says Damber Bahadur, Paropakar Adarsha Secondary School dispensary. The feeling of selfless people was a great shock. He always funds, charitable donations and Hitkar Bir Singh Kansakar.” But we who is also president of the Paropakar(1962) were established. Today, the service was truly felt then,” he recalls. hoped it would be returned to Alumni Association. Founder of organisation has branches in 30 Paropakar some day. “We helped income from a few shops that have to think of more income- It was this feeling for Nepal’s poorbuild the place, weeded the garden, Paropakar has leased out. But it is generating measures.” Paropakar and its driving force until districts and runs primary health care and underprivileged, that dissuaded he fell ill five years ago, Daya Bir Singhcentres in 175 villages around the helped carry stones,” says Tara Devi not enough to fund any expansion The orphanage has changed Kansakar from accepting a Red Cross Tuladhar. One of the first batch of of activities. Most of Paropakar’s with the times. The fifty-two Kansakar’s legacy is huge. country. The Paropakar Children’s proposal to come under the In 1947, moved by the plight of Village was set up in Duwakot, Nepali nurses Kansakar sent to India assets are in property.” “Bahadur Nepalis” at the orphanage international organisation’s umbrella. to train in midwifery, Tuladhar As social service becomes more now sleep on iron bunk beds rather people affected by the cholera Bhaktapur this year. “My father couldn’t see the considers herself fortunate to attend management- and donor-driven, than old wooden ones, dining chairs epidemic that hit the Valley, Kansakar’s last dreams, to set up organisation without the name Kansakar, then in his thirties, a home for ageing people and to school in Kansakar’s home even after organisations like Paropakar, have replaced the old traditional Paropakar—which means selfless the ruling Rana regime had ordered pirkaas, an electric iron has started a dispensary—Paropakar establish a medical college, remained service to others. It meant losing out the closure of all educational replaced the coal iron and senior Aushadhalaya—after getting a seal unfulfilled when he passed away at theon millions of dollars of regular aid institutions. “He treated men and students have a separate study of approval from the Rana rulers at age of 90 on 5 February. “His death isbut he decided that it was important room. “They don’t have to study the time. The dispensary was an irreparable loss to Paropakar, one to maintain the Nepaliness and under a single lamp like I did,” initially run from his cloth shop of few organisations that is run on the uniqueness of Paropakar rather than where he kept a stock of medicines goodwill and charitable donations of smiles Damber Bahadur Nepali. He, and distributed them to families the Nepali people,” says Suwal. One like the others, is now thinking of affected by the epidemic. “People of the youth volunteers Kansakar ways to ensure that Paropakar can carry forward Daya Bir Singh Kansakar’s work.

FEEDBACK byPUSKAR BHUSAL Somewhere in Nepal However, if the government really wants to hold talks, it can lay the basis for s an ardent supporter of the ongoing “people’s war”, I read your 9-15allowed to see real change. Our so-called revolutions have resembled nothinga so meaningful agenda by deleting those four “unchangeable” features of the February issue (#29) with special interest. Your editorial “Red Alert”,much as compromises dictated by the power equations of the moment. Our constitution. Otherwise, it should stop wasting time debating whether the aPadma Ratna Tuladhar and the US Ambassador Ralph Frank all revolutionaries have never squeezed enough change out of the order they “People’s War” is a political or a law-and-order problem. We know that it’s a repeated calls for dialogue with varying degrees of fervour. Hari Rokka seemedreplaced. to The trickle-down effect has never been able to fill the pail of the mixture of both—it’s just that the proportions keep changing with each offensive be a little more realistic about the core question: talks on what? However, evenpeople’s aspirations. or ambush. he voiced misplaced optimism about the Maoists joining the political Consider the following: If they can, the multiparty leaders should try to eliminate the Maoist mainstream, possibly because of a split in the movement. insurgents and their sympathisers physically. They have the international The New Delhi accord on ending the Rana regime was drawn up even The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) may be spearheading the violent legitimacy and support that would cushion them from the consequences of such before BP Koirala and King Tribhuvan had a chance to meet face to face brutality.on The Nepali Congress government might even qualify for western aid for insurgency that is raging in a large part of the country, but the movement is the details of the order of precedence in the Rana-Congress coalition. In the hardly a homogenous entity either in terms of ideology or operation. It is a search-and-destroy missions and mopping-up operations. However, no amount end, what the 2007 ‘revolution’ turned out to be was redeployment of theof firepower would be able to crush the spirit that drives the Maoist movement. melange of elements united in their opposition to the current political bijuli garad from Singha Darbar to Narayanhity Darbar. dispensation for their own reasons. Some joined the battle after having lost On the other hand, the government can let the Maobadis—that umbrella power and privileges and realised that they would never be able to reclaim the The abolition of multiparty democracy in 1960 saw BP Koirala, Ganesh group of royalist reactionaries, rabid revolutionaries, amateur anarchists and past in any other way. Others may have been frustrated by the mutilation of Man Singh, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and company thrown into jail. But impatientthe individuals—clamber onto the Tundikhel open theatre to proclaim multiparty democracy by today’s criminalised political class. Still others may Panchayat system easily went on to garner the support of over three-quarterstheir victory. Rest assured, they would soon turn against each other and have chosen to become Maobadis not out of any reverence for the Great of the MPs in Nepal’s first elected parliament. And let us not forget that thecontribute their might to another round of national destruction. In the process, Helmsman but because they have no other platform to register their opposition Nepali Congress had a two-thirds majority in the lower chamber. the country will have witnessed the emergence of yet another aristocracy that from. After all, the CPN-UML, RPP, Nepal Sadbhavana Party and all the other would rival today’s Pajero-driven political class. The changes of 1990 were neither a gift from the palace nor the gains of the Personally, I do not think events will culminate in either scenario. This leftists in the political centre are brothers-in-arms when it comes to sharing the people’s movement. They were the outcome of a sudden compulsion to spoils of power—hung parliament or not. compromise, which was triggered by the attack on King Mahendra’s statue“People’s War” will go on in varying degrees of intensity because it benefits I am not a believer in letting a hundred flowers bloom in my neighbourhood on 6 April 1990. Had the real people who led that march on the Royal everybody. Those in power need something that would help them divert public or taking a great leap forward towards international proletarianism. Neither do IPalace been able to work for another few hours, we would already be livingattention from their inefficiency. This insurgency comes with added look forward to following strictures laid down by a battle-hardened cabal under many of today’s Maobadi leaders, even if not in the form of a full- opportunities for lining pockets from arm-purchase commissions and the entrenched inside a Great Hall of the People in some Kathmandu square. fledged People’s Republic of Nepal. The 400,000 local-levelpanchas who commissioning of the Armed Police Force. Nevertheless, I do unequivocally support the “people’s war”. were supposed to come out in the streets to defend the partyless polity knewFor their part, the discontented and disaffected young can keep alive the I do not have any remorse about ‘innocent’ blood being shed because, where they fit in the grand scheme of things. They are the backbone of myth that they are fighting for a change that will never take place and hand the whether you like it or not, this is a war being waged in the hallowed name of thetoday’s multiparty local bodies. torch to a new generation when they are exhausted. people. The government machinery unleashes its full force against the Maoist The country has suffered too long from these compromises of convenience. Supporters of the “People’s War”, like myself, will be happy to see the rebels in the name of defending defenceless men, women and children. The rebelsAs for the dialogue that everyone thinks will end the Maoist insurgency, considersovereign people’s name invoked in every matter of life and death. Isn’t that more than match that ferociousness with the firm conviction that they are justthis: the Maobadis’ demand for an end to the current parliamentary system andincessant invocation what our hard-won democracy is all about? responding to decades of state-sponsored terrorism against the people. constitutional monarchy is not negotiable under the present constitution. (Fill in the colour of your choice) Salaam. Obscured in the middle of this muddle is the fact that Nepal has never beenMoreover, the Maobadis are not in a hurry to begin talks at a time when they have the capacity to hold on to their strategic advantage. 888 NEPALI ECONOMY 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED Tourist arrivals up ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ The system spawns outdated Nepal Tourism Board has reported an increase in January tourist legislation implemented by a graft- arrivals compared to last year, when tourist arrivals dipped to an Wake up, lawmakers!prone government and executive. It all-time low. The NTB says tourist arrivals were up by about 33 market economy in any significant has led to a nation with an economic percent last month, compared to the same period in 2000. Third system and policies that do the exact country arrivals (excluding India) grew fastest, by about 35 way. Protectionism remains the rule of percent. Indian arrivals also grew by about 26 percent, not much, We have yetthe day to as those be in grouped government and withopposite failed of what theynation-states. should, retard given that compared to January 1999, it was down by about 55 nother session of Parliament politics can work things to their own growth and diminish prosperity. It is percent. Taiwanese tourists, followed by those from Israel, begins, and the same story benefit if it remains in place. The time lawmakers realised that they have Sweden, Austria, China and Switzerland led this year’s growth in repeats itself—walk-outs, result—there is no sense of urgency into take the leading role to provide the third country arrivals. Arrivals from Spain were slightly down, though. Still, January arrivalsa this year right institutional and legislative fruitless debates and never-ending preparing Nepal for the inevitable were slightly higher than the 1999 total, mainly due to the increase in third country tourists. Indian framework for Nepal. Their power arrivals in January this year were about 43 percent lower than in 1999. power struggles. In the clamour for WTO regime and there are no systems more power and access to power, basicin place to counter onslaughts from struggles and their prioritising of issues and questions concerning the both sides of the border. We seem to individual objectives over national ones Travel trends country get lost under a morass of be content to remain like many Africanhave caused much damage. Year/January Total arrivals Indian arrivals unimportant squabbles. This session There are several Acts that need 1999 25, 264 9,195 will end, insignificant legislation will change already lined up in Parliament 2000 19,529 4,207 be adopted, and we’ll just wait for the for our lawmakers to deliberate upon, 2001 25,905 5,294 next session of the lawmakers. and more on their way. Walk-outs, This is hardly new. After a decade pandemonium and mud slinging are of functioning, the government and not the only activities of parliamentar- the rest of parliament still can’t learn ians. They are also responsible for the their lessons and move on. Issues of nations—a strong sovereign identity 22 million people they represent in HFCL wins WLL supply economic importance never make it with no place in the global market. various capacities. It is easy to criticise ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ out of the files of lawmakers. We talk Issues at the many seminars, and point out past mistakes, but it is India’s largest private sector telecom equipment manufacturer, Hindustan Futuristic about hydropower, but successive meetings and workshops are the tough to lay the foundation of a better Communications Limited (HFCL), will supply digital WLL (wireless in local loop) systemssessions to still the haven’t got around to same—better laws that govern future. We have yet to be grouped Nepal Telecommunications Corporation. Reports say HFCL was picked over nine companies, formulating an official policy on it, business, more tax-payer friendly laws,with Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan and including Alcatel, Fujitsu, Mitsubishi, Mitsui and Sumitomo, for 5000 lines of WLL systems and other nations that have failed as microwave radio transmission equipment. HFCL quoted $4.5 million for 5000 lines, followedeven after two by years of debate. There improved bureaucratic processes. But are many legislations that require for any improvement on any of these nation-states. Our lawmakers cannot Sumitomo, which quoted $5.1 million. NTC sought tenders for digital WLL technology in June 2000. lead us down that road. The Nepal Telecommunications Authority is preparing to begin negotiations to licenseurgent a rural amendment, but nothing seemsfronts we need an active State, not one telecom operator using the WLL system. to happen. The laws remain the same,constantly teetering on the verge of and it hardly seems to matter to our failure. The people in power under- scores of “lawmakers”. stand what remedies we need, but we Economic liberalisation initiated aare nowhere near seeing an amend- A winner in you decade ago seems to have some sort ofment to the Companies Act or the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ loose direction. But people at the Labour Act or the Income Tax Act. Surya Tobacco Company (P) Ltd is organising a “people enhancement” programme grassroots level demand more socialist for Nepali executives 21-23 April. Shiv Khera, well-known educator and motivator, willpolicies and successive governments moderate the workshop. The sessions will cost Rs10,000 per person. have not been able to push an open Readers can post their views at NECO Insurance dividends [email protected] ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The th5 General Assembly of NECO Insurance has approved payment of 10 percent of its 1999-2000 profits as dividend to shareholders. The company’s after-tax profit for the fiscal year 1999-2000 was Rs 9.78 million. Its insurance premium collection for the same year was Rs 140 million. The general public owns forty percent of NECO shares.

Hyundai Hungama ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Avco International, sole distributors for Hyundai vehicles in Nepal, has announced the results of the ‘Hyundai Hungama’ lucky draw. The lucky draw was for persons who purchased a Hyundai vehicle between 17 October 2000-15 January 2001, and prizes were distributed at the Hyundai showroom at Nag Pokhari 5 February. Shailendra Dhakal of Kathmandu was the lucky winner of a Hyundai Accent and Kumar Shrestha of Birgunj a Hyundai Santro, a press release said. The company also gave away cash prizes totalling Rs 120,000.

Right man, right award ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The corporate chairman of the Soaltee Group, Pravakar Rana, has been awarded the Outstanding Manager Award by the Management Association of Nepal (MAN). Soaltee has interests in hydropower, tourism, agribusiness and shipping, among others. “Nothing these days is done by an individual,” says Rana, adding: “This award is for all the people behind the Soaltee Group.” This year’s MAN convention discussed the deteriorating law and order and industrial security in the country.

No Pajeros please, we’re Chinese ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ Chinese authorities have banned the import of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s Pajero sports utility vehicle (SUV) because of faulty brakes, Xinhua news agency reported last week. CULTURE 16 - 22 FEBRUARY 2001 NEPALI TIMES 999999 SAVING FAITH by DESMOND DOIG Holiest of the holies

radition has the most sacred Where the temple was built temple of Pashupatinath as once stood a mound where a Pashupatinath both fascinates and frightens me. Here is beauty t one of the lotuses that fabled cow was wont to go and commissioned by art’s greatest patron. But here too are Kathmandu’s few floated on the turquoise lake that offer her milk. Her intrigued

once filled the valley of cowherd decided to dig into the real beggars, people ravaged by poverty and disease with death in their eyes. ○○○○○

Kathmandu. More substantial mound and of a sudden was ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tales have the city of Deopatan consumed by a blaze of light finial melted down to finance his even the humblest dharmshalas on the temple and its busy Bahadur’s daughters and she gave which flourished in the third that emanated from a Shivalinga war against the invading Gurkhas are ornamented with wasp- courtyard. If they are lucky they her name to the art by either century BC occupying the banks with faces of Shiva carved on all and such is the power of waisted deities and intricate may have a glimpse into the patronising it or by being the first of the holy Bagmati and built about four sides. So terrifying was one Pashupatinath that he lost. floral designs; temple spires shrine, but usually no sooner are to wear it. Strangely the the shrine of Pashupatinath. Even of the faces that an early invader God Pashupati is Shiva the writhe with serpents of gold and they sighted than the silver doors blockmakers and printers who then it was crowded with lesser who looked upon it took flight Destroyer in one of his 1008 on two of the platforms on are hurriedly shut. practise their ancient craft in this shrines, pilgrims, resthouses and and died. It is miracles such as reincarnations, protector of which the dead are cremated are A Westerner who Hindu stronghold are Muslims. burning ghats. this that have contributed to the animals. Appropriately, throngs sixth-century stone carvings of accompanied me to Kathmandu One can take them a length of Today Pashupatinath is a protective sanctity of of chattering monkeys swarm rare beauty. But here too are long before the first hippy cloth and have it printed with pagoda-type temple with heavily Pashupatinath. Termites so through the temples, feasting off Kathmandu’s few real beggars, arrived, went with me to blocks of one’s own choosing. gilded roofs, heavy silver doors ravaged the temple that in 1684, offerings of rice, fruit and cooked people ravaged by poverty and Pashupatinath to sketch the The colours are inflexibly orange, that are closed to non-Hindus, Queen Ganga Devi was able to food. They live on the wooded disease with death in their eyes, temple. She was barefooted, wore red and black. and is the centre of a vast rescue only two floors of it. hill which is a part of the temple and the dying all around them. gypsy clothes hung with sacred When I first came to complex of temples, shrines, Twelve years later the temple complex and once reached to the There was a day I thought I beads and had her hair tied Kathmandu a famed mystic, the dharmshalas, bathing and burning was entirely reconstructed by airport until recently called recognised one, more by the old sadhu-like in a knot. We got Shivapuri Baba lived on Pashupati ghats held together by an aura of King Birpalendra Malla. And gauchar, the meadow of cows. T-shirt he wore than by his separated and after a while as Hill close by the airport. religious fervour and smoke from since then it has been so added Pashupatinath both fascinates withered face. Months before in darkness settled over Troubled by Pashupati’s over- funeral pyres. But history records to and embellished by patrons, and horrifies me. For here is Calcutta he had come to me for Pashupatinath I started a search powering reminder of death I that in 1412, King Jaya Jyoti royal and otherwise, that it is beauty commissioned by art’s a job and shortly afterwards he for her which became frantic until went to meet him and was Malla constructed a three-storey almost impossible to define the greatest patron—religion, so that had come again saying he was there she was being escorted by a enchanted by a jovial old man temple over a Shivalinga of great original. The last Malla king, Jai hardly a stone is unchiselled or going home and was in need of concert of priests. Apparently on with a flowing beard who claimed antiquity and miraculous origin. Prakash Malla had the gold wood uncarved. The windows of clothes. I had given him an old an impulse she had entered the to be 150 years old. Life, he said T-shirt among other things and forbidden temple ignoring signs was wonderful, to be lived and we laughed at its flamboyant that said “Hindus only” and had enjoyed without giving offence to design. Now, he said with reached the holy of holies before others. He had done and seen so haunting resignation he awaited she was discovered. As guards much in this century-and-a-half of

MIN BAJRACHARYA death, for to die in were summoned and priests living. Lest I should doubt his Pashupatinath, feet caressed by congregated she sank quickly to claim, he remembered Queen the icy Bagmati, is to gain the floor and assumed a lotus Victoria being made Empress of immediate entry to paradise. No, position proclaiming that she was India and had seen the first trains. there was nothing I could do for a Buddhist determined to He had travelled far in search of him. But he would pray for me. meditate at the shrine. She contentment. Without conscious And I remember the old man threatened to go into samadhi effort, without any profundity or who lay on a comfortable litter and stop breathing. Anger turned obvious philosophy he exorcised beside the river attended by the to concern. Her death would the troubling aspects of male members of his well-to-do desecrate the temple, so she was Pashupatinath I had arrived with. family. They took it in turns to asked politely to hurry her He asked me to come back, but sit by him. And he demonstrated meditation and leave. Looking at when I did some months later a remarkable unconcern for her I realised that here had been Pashupati had claimed him. But death by keeping time with an no ordinary prank. A deeply the woods are still filled with his emaciated hand to the religious woman, she was exalted. message of living and one’s devotional songs being sung by Not far from the temple are capacity to enjoy it. There is too Krishna worshippers at least half the houses of blockmakers and his humble hut—not a place of of whom were foreigners. block-printers who turn out the pilgrimage. Foreigners who wish to see typical Nepali hand-printed the temple are directed to climb material known as (Excerpted with permission The cremation ghats on the left, bathing ghats on the right and the gilded roof of the temple in the the hill above Pashupatinath Dumbarkumari. Dumbarkumari from My Kind of Kathmandu, background as seen today. from where they can look down was the name of one of Jung HarperCollins, 1999.) 101010 CULTURE 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES CULTURE 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 111111 Creation myths The story of Pashupatinath The first cult of Pashupati is supposed to have started in the second century, BCE, in India. The oldest inscription in the temple has been dated to 477 CE but some believe that the shrine existed even 1000 years before that. Thelingam is a fiery phallic icon with four faces, and a featureless one in the centre.jyotirlinga The supposedly depicts SALIL SUBEDI substances, it’s worth going and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ different aspects of Shiva, much like the Pancha Buddha icon. The fifth you’re smoking with sadhus, it’s a another, “But you’ve got to smoke seeing the spectacle—just stay ver 250,000 visitors are UML government in 1995. part of the ritual,” the boys smile. in a religious way.” And what about away from nanga babas who like expected to visit Many men, young or old, partake Whether you will indulge in to chase people. And forget about the cops? Yes, there is a law that BAJRACHARYA MIN

Shiva’s night SHRESTHA SAGAR Pashupatinath this Shiva’s night o of the Shivabuti , Shiva’s herb, as bans the use of marijuana and narcotic substances or not, and dipping as little as a toe in the year to celebrate the god of marijuana is called. “At least for a day plainclothes cops are on the perhaps this is a good time to Bagmati, or you could be looking destruction during Maha Pashupatinath is already festive. The you become like a sadhu, free from lookout for smokers. “They catch announce that this publication doesat a gangrenous foot. Shivaratri, the great night SHRESTHA SAGAR smoke from burning logs and inhibitions and social obligations,” you, they give you hard time. But if not condone the use of such of Shiva. The shrine, countless chillums signals the presence says a youth from Chabahil. Adds located 5 km east of of sadhus who’ve already taken up BAJRACHARYA MIN Kathmandu, is preparing for residence here. First-timers will likely the big night of 21 February. be foaming at the mouth with featureless face is said to be infused with the power of the sun. The Already, naga babas (naked excitement, seeing sadhus camping Pashupatinath priests wash it every panchamritday with (literally, “five ascetics), sadhus, devotees, cult in the forest, looking terrifying and nectars”)—yoghurt,ghiu , honey, sugar and milk, and a hot bath in the followers (“sons of Shiva”), smoking dope all day. But for winter. Bath over, they draw the signshri-yantra of the on it. tourists, the irreverent and veterans and residents of the areas There are a number of creation myths surrounding this much curious, all manner of passing surrounding Pashupati, the charm revered temple. There is a local spoken history that has Shiva living in thugs and pickpockets, and plain of the babas is fading. “Earlier, the form of a deer the Mrigasthali forest across the Bagmati river from strange people, have started sadhus walked here naked from all Pashupatinath. Tired of being praised to the skies by the other gods, he gathering in the vicinity. had come to the forest to hide out and spend some quality time with his over. It was good to see so many of beloved, Parvati. Soon the gods, who desperately needed Shiva to be Considered one of the them. They still come, but the present in the universe, tried to capture him. Their efforts were in vain, subcontinent’s holiest Shiva number of genuine sadhus has for the deer escaped, leaving them holding his horns. The horns turned sites—the others, Kedarnath, declined,” say a Shivaratri veteran into a lingam, which Brahma installed where Pashupati stands now. And because Shiva was taking care of the animals (in his deer-form), he was Badrinath and Haridwar, are in from Gaushala. namedpashu (animal) pati (lord). India—Pashupatinath is Shivaratri is celebrated with As the guides will tell you, aeons later, a cowherd noticed one of his considered the second most bonfires, trance chants and dances. charges “milking herself” on a black stone. Curious, he lifted the stone powerful place for Shiva The temple and the forest around it and was promptly destroyed by what appeared to be a volcano. His worship. Many Hindu pilgrims Thought you’d seen it all at the Kumbh Mela? Wait till you see Shivaratri areat swept up in the rhythmic fellow-herdsmen found the jyotirlinga and established a temple. believe their devotion to Shiva Pashupatinath. Next Wednesday avoid being crushed or looted, take a dipmovement in of red-eyed Shiva ThePuranas give the following version. One day, for no apparent won’t bear fruit unless they pay younger people, come only to devotees and little children, it’s bhaktas, and the singing and reason, there was a big catastrophe and everything was plunged into homage to this metre-high four- rejoicesewage, in the atmosphere, and be not careful what you smoke. petty thieves. chanting around the bonfires lit by darkness (metorite hit?). Only Brahma, the god of creation and Bishnu, faced black jyotirlinga, as the really to pray at the temple,” says Water is another major the god of well-being, remained. In the dark they began to fight over ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sadhus. For “non-Hindus”, a good who would become the custodian of existence from then on. Their phallic manifestation of Shiva at Kamal KC, secretary of the local concern. The Bagmati is basically the population has increased. So the surrounding forests across the vantage point is the Gorakhnath fighting irritated Shiva considerably. Wanting to show them who was Pashupatinath is called. And for Bankali Youth Club. Ramesh sewage, and will remain so until Shikara temple between Guheswori boss, he appeared between the bickering gods as a massive lingam Shiva devotees anywhere, Uprety, secretary of the they come here like they would Bagmati on the eastern side of the several clean-up campaigns start (phallus) fourkosh (approx 8 miles) long, and radiating intense heat. go to a fair,” he says. “This year, temple. They’re either more and Pashupatinath. But perhaps the Shivaratri is the most auspicious Shivaratri PR committee of the producing results. Last year, best—and most crowded— Brahma and Vishnu backed off from this apparition and heard Shiva due to the Kumbh Mela, there will interested in observing the boom: “Brahma you are only the creator and Bishnu, you’re just the day to pay homage to the ascetic Pashupati Area Development pilgrims took their requisite observation spot is theplatform on god with a name for each of his Fund (PADF), offers an be many more pilgrims here.” proceedings from a distance, or protector. But I am the custodian of all. If either of you are what you “holy dip” from 15 taps attached the hill across the bridge—beautiful claim to be, then find the ends of this lingam.” 1008 manifestations. explanation of uncertain Last year there were officially fascinated by the sadhus in trance to tankers. In an age where most dandain local slang. This is the Taking up this mine-is-bigger-than-yours challenge, Brahma flew up sociological value. “Nepalis have 175,000 visitors. But, Uprety and want to have a go at it Indian and Nepali visitors rituals operate more on the towards the sky and Bishnu reached deep down into the earth. The lingam, more time on their hands, and says, that is just the number that themselves or, more starting and focal point for many of are expected in equal numbers. symbolic than the literal level, it the devotees’ activities. People sprawl as things tend to in myth, was infinitely large. After crossing the seven worlds, “But Nepalis, especially the entered the temple premises. controversially, because they are isn’t difficult to forsake ambience a weary Brahma ended up in the clouds where he ran into Nandi, the holy “We can’t count those who “non-Hindu”, a designation across every available inch. Classical cow, offering milk to the lingam in Golok (the Cow World). Exhausted, and to avoid nasty skin diseases and musicians will give recitals at the don’t enter,” he says, referring to bestowed on anyone who doesn’t certain digestive collapse. surrounded with cows feeding the deities, Brahma didn’t take much Kirateswor temple located on the convincing that the lingam was indeed an endless one. Soon, he was on his the large crowd that remains in fit a stereotypical South Asian Logistical concerns like food description. (NT #16) northern flanks of the Kailashpuri near way down to lie to Bishnu that he had, in fact, reached the top, and took and shelter aside, the the Guheswori temple. Meanwhile along Nandi, the wonder-cow, as a witness. Nandi, being relatively honest, “We’re making preparations municipality will face a litter consented to the lie on the condition she could take along her two flower across the river, east of Pashupatinath, friends, Ketaki and Banduk, for support. on a grander scale this time, so nightmare. “It’s hard to convince Toyota the Pashupati Sangit Kala Pratishthan For his part, Bishnu had reached Patal, the nadir of the world, and things run smoothly,” says Uprety.pilgrims to try and be neat,” says will offer another musical programme. encountered the serpent king, Karkat, who convinced him there was no end He says the PADF will mobilise KC, who, along with 51 club over 2,500 volunteers to ensure Inside Pashupatinath, the Bhajan to the lingam. members, is busy preparing plans Kothari and Mukti Mandal will work When Brahma finished lying to Bishnu, Shiva roared, as was his wont the smooth flow of devotees for a clean-up action. But it’s through the temple premises, and themselves up to frenzy, singing songs when enraged, and cursed Nandi for lying. Exhausted and in hard to tell people to pick up no mood for roaring banter, the two gods surrendered. Shiva was happy, and, help organise shelter, first aid and in praise of Shiva. after themselves when they’ve got The festival ends the dayafter to rub it in, materialised in front of them with Parvati. They all decided the security, and distribute free food sensible thing was to join hands and create a beautiful world. more important traditions than Shivaratri, but the festive spirit to pilgrims and ascetics. Every cleanliness to uphold, some of Shiva made a few prognostications and then diplomatically faded away, year about 100 organisations and lingers for a while longer. Most leaving behind with the other two the jyotirlinga as a keepsake, although its which threaten to turn into visiting sadhus betake themselves individuals contribute in cash or stampedes. “Some pilgrims vow flame eventually started dying out. Shiva then took to frolicking in various kind to support such facilities. to other climes within a week, forms of deer, tending to animals along the way, thus earning the name only to enter from the west gate Pashupatinath. He established the forest on the banks of the Bagmati where This year there are six first-aid but some, feeling the effects of and some only from the east. It’s too many chillums, perhaps, hang the holy temple stands today. camps and three camping grounds very tough to convince them to Ten thousand something years later, in the same place, a cow-herder for the pilgrims at Kailashpuri and around Pashupatinath for as long take the route set by the PADF,” as a month. One sadhu from was burnt to death in a strange incident. His cow was making an offering of Bankali. “The most important says KC. This year the entry milk to a black stone. Being a conscientious guardian, he tried to lift the thing is the security of pilgrims. Varanasi who’s already been here stone to see what was making advances to his charge. Unfortunately, the points are through the north gate for a month, says: “I might stay We know of instances of theft from Kailashpuri and the east stone spontaneously combusted, taking him with it. For reasons that remain longer. This time better unclear, Bishnu and Brahma came down here and put up the four-faced from inside parked vehicles and gate near the bridge, and pilgrims lingam in place of the jyotirlinga. from devotees who remove their arrangements have been made for will exit through the west gate. honorary guests like us.” In While stories like these can be neither confirmed nor denied, they jewellery and clothes to take a The PADF and the Gaushala abound in various forms, some even more complicated. Today this is lore holy dip in the Bagmati,” says addition to food and shelter, the police post will be assigned extra Guthi Sansthan, as a token of that is related in excruciating detail by tourist guides in French, German, Sudeep Shrestha of the Bankali Japanese and English to slightly perplexed-looking tourists. policemen from other areas to appreciation, has traditionally given Club. Like we said, if there’s help in crowd control. sadhus a gift. Even until a few years anyone who awaits fairs and Whatever happens on 21 outdoor jamborees more than ago, they were given marijuana— February, the area around strictly for personal use. However,

distribution ceased during the last SAGAR SHRESTHA SAGAR MIN BAJRACHARYA 101010 CULTURE 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES CULTURE 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 111111 Creation myths The story of Pashupatinath The first cult of Pashupati is supposed to have started in the second century, BCE, in India. The oldest inscription in the temple has been dated to 477 CE but some believe that the shrine existed even 1000 years before that. Thelingam is a fiery phallic icon with four faces, and a featureless one in the centre.jyotirlinga The supposedly depicts SALIL SUBEDI substances, it’s worth going and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ different aspects of Shiva, much like the Pancha Buddha icon. The fifth you’re smoking with sadhus, it’s a another, “But you’ve got to smoke seeing the spectacle—just stay ver 250,000 visitors are UML government in 1995. part of the ritual,” the boys smile. in a religious way.” And what about away from nanga babas who like expected to visit Many men, young or old, partake Whether you will indulge in to chase people. And forget about the cops? Yes, there is a law that BAJRACHARYA MIN

distribution ceased during the last SAGAR SHRESTHA SAGAR MIN BAJRACHARYA educational system produced graduates of a very high standard, TECHNOLOGY NEPALI TIMES 121212 Social Survey 2000 released16 last - 22 withFEBRUARY many of them 2001 being sought by month, the United Nations said both Indian and foreign information that the Indian software industry, technology companies. The report and others, for example, have been like its pharmaceutical industry, also said that the example of able to make rapid progress in high-owes its success largely to human software exports by India highlights Silicon Plateautech areas and towere able to captureSiliconcapital. India had built up the Mountainthe fact that support to all levels of basic education, for girls and boys a significant share of the world critical mass of educated people education, including the highest, is alike—we can bring all kinds of market for semi-conductors and necessary to take advantage of new essential for the development of knowledge within reach of poor other data-processing equipment. developments in information high-technology industries. people, and enable poor countries But India alone, it says, has seen its technology. In 1996-1997, over six Largely because of their to leapfrog some of the long and software sector grow by 50 percent million students were enrolled in connections with Silicon Valley in painful stages of development that throughout the 1990s, creating not India’s tertiary education sector, the United States, some highly others had to go through,” he adds. just exports, but thousands of the largest number among any motivated and qualified Indian Annan also cites the success story domestic jobs and a technological developing country. entrepreneurs were able to exploit from a much smaller country— talent pool that is drawing the advantages that came from the international attention from Yet, by comparison with other Costa Rica—whose rising 8.3 developing countries that have not existence of this highly trained percent growth rate last year has industrialised countries and large labour force, the study said. Indian multinationals. Annan says that enjoyed such spectacular successes been attributed to the development with new technology, India’s entrepreneurs built up a software of its microchip industry, and some African countries too, are exporting industry of nearly 900 learning the lesson. Mauritius uses enrolment ratios are not whose high-tech products find a exceptional. For instance, says the firms, employing about 280,000 ready market in other countries. the Internet to position its textile engineers, the second largest group industry in the global market. Mali report, its gross enrolment rate for In its World Employment tertiary education, at 6.4 percent inof software engineers in the world has established an intranet to “IT requires the one commodity that is Report 2001 released in Geneva 1995, was lower than the average ofafter the United States. last month, the International provide better administrative equally distributed among the world’s services. And Senegal and South 9.1 percent for all developing Labour Organisation (ILO) said nations. However, the Indian peoples—brain power” that given the different speed of Africa have seen a growth in diffusion in rich and poor countries,“telecentres”. THALIF DEEN In the World Economic and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ more than threefold over the last sixthe information and nited Nations - UN years: from about $10.2 billion in communications technology Secretary-General Kofi 1993 to $32.6 billion last year. revolution (ICT) is resulting in a uAnnan has acknowledged Arguing that “our future widening global ‘digital divide’. India’s phenomenal success in the depends on technology—especially “The ICT revolution offers field of information technology (IT)new information technology,” genuine potential, but also raises and the giant strides the country Annan says that unlike earlier the risk that a significant portion (IPS) has made in high-tech exports. technologies, this one does not of the world will lose out,” says India’s software exports, he require vast amounts of hardware, ILO Director-General Juan says, exceeded $4 billion last year, financial capital or even energy. Somavia of Chile. and are projected to reach a “What it does require is brain The ILO points out that the staggering $50 billion by 2008. power—the one commodity that is East Asian economies of China, With over a billion people, India’s equally distributed among the Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines per capita income has remained at aworld’s peoples.” little over $200. But its “So, for a relatively small international reserves have risen investment—mainly investment in

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ad for pg 16 WORLD 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 131313 Fortress Europe ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ STOCKHOLM - EU interior ministers agreed last week to speed The great skin flickup coordination of asylum policies to cut the number of illegal immigrants, but pledged not to spurn refugees fleeing kin removed from patients “The Trust now recognises that this persecution. Meeting in Stockholm, ministers broadly backed during plastic surgery was did not inform patients of the calls by Jack Straw, the British home secretary, for closer ssold to a research centre specific use of the skin and that collaboration in an area of increasing concern across the EU. specialising in chemical weapons. someindividuals may not have No formal decisions were made, but Swedish diplomats Salisbury Health Care Trust wished for the skin to be used by running the union’s rotating presidency said immigration officials admitted last week that it sold off DERA and offers its sincere would hold talks on practical moves to clamp down on trafficking the skin for research without fully apologies for this.” humans from the Balkans. The risks of trafficking were high- explaining to patients what it lighted last summer by the deaths of 58 Chinese immigrants The chemical and biological found suffocated in a Dutch-owned truck, which arrived in Dover would be used for. This practice warfare research centre at Porton from Belgium. was only stopped a fortnight ago Down is on Salisbury Plain. Experts Jack Straw, called earlier last week for a new approach to after hospital bosses reassessed at the South Wiltshire laboratories their practice in the light of the United Nations refugee convention, bringing criticism that carried out the world’s longest- there was a danger of fostering a Fortress Europe mentality. criticisms made over Alder Hey, running programme on chemical He denied yesterday that he wanted to abandon the principles where organs were removed and warfare experiments on humans of the 1951 convention, but said: “We have to modernise the retained from dead children between 1940 and 1989. practices because the world today is different from what it was without consent. The consent form patients were Skin was sold to the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Porton Down.50 years ago.” The skin was sold to the required to sign, which was updated After the organ retention scandal at Alder Last year 390,000 people applied for asylum in the EU, with Defence Evaluation and Researchin 1996, read: “I agree/disagree to Britain receiving the largest number of applications, 97,900, Hey, it is now revealed that skin removed followed by Germany with 78,800. Ruud Lubbers, the newly Agency. The Defence Evaluation any tissue that is removed in the But they were solely for defence and Research Agency (DERA) at normal course of the operation beingfrom patients was sold for chemical appointed UN high commissioner for refugees, has called on the processuntil we get further guidance purposes—we stopped developing union to be more generous in its attitude to refugees and asylum Porton Down paid £17,000 a used for medical research.” The weapons research. chemicals for attack at Porton year for regular supplies. The from the Department of Health.” seekers. Mary Robinson, the UN human rights commissioner, Trust’s statement said: “The Trust ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Down in the 1950s.” She added: has also opposed any change to the 1951 convention. revelation follows the damning The Trust said the money it thought it appropriate for patients “Most of the chemical tests done Most EU member states agree that traffickers have exploited report into organ retention at consent to be sought for the use of received from DERA went back were for the benefit of civilians. their different laws. “We are very anxious to coordinate EU action Alder Hey Children’s Hospital surplus skin in all forms of medical into patient care. As well being soldThey were with corrosive chemicals on Merseyside. to DERA, skin was also used within against the source of this smuggling,” said Straw. Sweden’s research through a consent form.” It that are used in the home and work migration minister, Maj-Inger Klingvall, said: “The goal is that the The skin, which was removed went on: “The Trust made a the Trust to investigate wound place, to see how the skin would be first stage of our harmonisation work should be completed in during breast and abdominal decision to stop providing skin to healing and the preparation of affected by a spillage.” 2004.” Straw made a distinction between “genuine” refugees and artificial skin, as well as the surgery at Salisbury District DERA two weeks ago in the light of She confirmed the skin was also others, but called for a tougher line towards “those who have treatment of burn wounds. unfounded claims for asylum and who are using the very Hospital, was used in “chemical issues raised in the Alder Hey report. used to investigate drug delivery absorption studies” as well as “The Department of Health is A Ministry of Defence complicated and contradictory practices of the different EU and barrier cream formulation. nations as a means of evading normal immigration controls.” investigations of drug delivery and currently considering the issue of spokeswoman, speaking on behalf of Representatives from DERA were Diplomats say the level of discussions marked a new barrier cream formulation, the guidance on the appropriate use of DERA, confirmed the skin was usedcurrently in talks with the trust to Trust said. Patients were required human tissue and on gaining in chemical warfare tests. “Some of sense of urgency since the 1999 Tampere summit in Finland. decide what course of action to It was then that EU leaders set a strict timetable for improving to sign a consent form but this did informed consent from patients and the tests were to find out how the take, she said. not fully explain the purpose of the skin absorbs chemicals that might cooperation among their police forces, easing the extradition relatives for its use for medical of criminals, recognising each other’s judicial decisions and research, the trust admitted. A purposes.” A spokesman for the be used to attack our armed forces. combating money laundering, drug smuggling and illegal statement from the Trust said: Trust added: “We are stopping the immigration. emissions by relying on trading emissions and ‘carbon sinks’—trees, farmland and other(Guardian) vegetation that soak up carbon dioxide. Research shows that increased temperatures will alter crop seasons, increase dairy and beef (IPS) Feeling the heatcattle heat stressdown and introduce new under pest and disease occurrences. Dr NEENA BHANDARIIN SYDNEY Gerhard Berz, head of geo-scientific Controversial new Holocaust book ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ research at the world’s largest re- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ he heavy floods and bushfires American academic Norman Finkelstein defended the insurer, Munich Re, warns that Australia experienced this publication in German of his controversialThe bookHolocaust Australia will be one of the worst summer are only a preview of Industry last week and urged Germany not to submit to t affected countries by global what climate change has in store warming. Berz predicts that the blackmail over its past. “It is Germany’s right to reject the for the country. Indeed, changing use of the Nazi Holocaust as a weapon for global insurance bill for extreme political and economic gain,” he said. weather patterns in the coming weather events and rising sea years due to gradual warming of levels may rise tenfold to $290 “The Holocaust is no longer a the earth will affect agriculture- billion a year by 2050. Frequent source of moral and historical based businesses and communities enlightenment. It has become an extreme weather events, such as extortion racket,” Finkelstein said. The the most, says a report released the hailstorm which devastated here last week calledClimate son of concentration camp survivors, he Sydney in April 1999, are likely says Jewish leaders are stoking anti- Change and Agriculture in New to make some parts of the Semitism by forcing German and Swiss South Wales: The Challenge for country uninsurable, he warns. institutions to pay new compensation to Rural Communities. The impact of El Nino— victims of the Nazis. Farmers and agricultural Climate change is already affecting agricultural production. wildfires, cyclones and hailstorms “The main fomenter of anti-Semitism now is the Holocaust workers are on the frontline, facing much as 35 percent by 2050. —could exceed the financial industry with its ruthless and reckless extortion tactics,” he said. the adverse effects of rising Australia’s locationAustralia’s makes agricultural economyit capacity of the insurance But Michel Friedman, vice-president of the central council of Jews temperatures, reduced access to and crops cut for hay. could lose as much as 30 percent. industry. in Germany, attacked his thesis, saying the memory of the Holocaust should be kept alive so history does not repeat itself. “It water, higher salinity and frequent particularly“Climate change will cause vulnerableThe Macquarie Riverto Basin the ill Worried farmers want to make and intense droughts and floods. agricultural economy would lose is counter-productive and serves anti-Semitic clichés and greater competition between farmers climate change an election issue this prejudices. It confuses cause and effect, victim and perpetrator.” “Climate change, already severelyeffects of globalanother warming. six to 23 percent. Losses year. John Cobb, president of the for decreasing water supplies and are predicted in beef, wool, wheat German government and industry agreed last year to pay $4.8 affecting agricultural production, productive lands,” said Kathy Ridge, New South Wales Farmers will only worsen in coming and cotton. The rise in carbon Association says: “There are more billion in compensation to about 900,000 ageing survivors the executive officer of the National dioxide levels could cut wheat Nazis pressed into slave labour during World War II, provided they decades,” said Tim Fischer, a Conservation Council of New South recorded disasters now. Floods and federal Member of Parliament protein levels by up to 10 dropped law suits in the US. But wrangles in the US over whether Wales, in southeastern Australia. droughts have greater consequences to dismiss class action suits filed by Holocaust survivors and from Farrer. percent. Drier conditions would because of higher concentration of victims’ heirs have delayed compensation payments. “This will drive up costs of produce reduce milk yield from cows by The report, based on research and put further stress on rivers and people and intensive farming.” Finkelstein says survivors should not be compensated by the Commonwealth Scientific four percent, pasture productivitySome farmers also worry about a ground water systems supporting by 15 percent and weight gain in through bodies like the Jewish Claims Conference or World and Industrial Research arable lands.” knee-jerk reaction from the Jewish Congress, who he claims inflate numbers of victims still Organisation (CSIRO), says cattle by 12 percent. government after the CSIRO alive to win more money. “The German government should, on its Previous reports, like that of the “Farmers will begin to lose climate change in the next 50 yearsIntergovernmental Panel on Climate report. While the CSIRO, Bureau own, distribute compensation,” said Finkelstein, who accuses the will decrease water resources, agricultural productivity due to of Meteorology and the Australia body of holding up payments to his late mother while his father Change (IPCC), have said Australia’sclimate change in the next three regularly received a pension from the German government. increase temperatures, reduce location puts it at higher risk for Greenhouse office are putting in arable land, cut livestock output decades if fossil fuels are not up to $5.5 million in research, Finkelstein admits he is worried that neo-Nazis, who have agricultural problems due to global replaced with renewable energy,” and affect crop quality—very real warming. Australia’s relatively low most funding goes to monitoring attracted increasing support since German reunification a decade effects that will affect people’s warned Peter Mullins, a farmer and past climate changes to try and ago, could exploit his thesis. Publishers Piper Verlag have come latitude makes it particularly chief executive officer of under heavy criticism in Germany for agreeing to publish the book everyday lives and livelihood. vulnerable to impacts on its scarce establish that early predictions Greenpeace Australia Pacific. At the and SWR television pulled a documentary on Finkelstein, saying Agriculture plays an important rolewater resources and crops growing were real. in Australia’s economy. The gross global negotiations on climate they would rework the programme before airing it. But the author, near or above their optimum change in November, Australia, a political scientist at Hunter College in New York, hopes his book value of agriculture commodities temperatures. The IPCC report will spark more open debate about the Holocaust in Germany. produced in 1998-99 was $15.8 along with the United States, Japan forecasts temperature increases of and Canada shirked their responsi- “I think there is a kind of political correctness on this topic [in billion according to the Australian 0.8-3.9 degrees by 2050 and a 20 Bureau of Statistics. Principal bility to curb greenhouse gas Germany] which makes honest discussion about these issues percent reduction in rainfall. difficult,” he said. “My father loathed and hated every German. But crops grown here include wheat, Water flows in the crucial Murray he never complained about compensation.” barley, grain sorghum, maize, oats, Darling basin could fall by as rice and triticale. Besides fruits, there are oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton, peanuts, tobacco, legumes

(Asian Age) (IPS) 141414 ASIA 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES

Beyond chequebook diplomacy order between 1983 and 1998, while ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ other war-related spending by the TOKYO – Japan’s prompt response to the devastating earth- rebelsThe reached $4.5 billion, according price of warquake that hit India has been a chance for Tokyo to show it can to 1998 prices. The MARGA go beyond ‘chequebook diplomacy’, say experts here. FEIZAL SAMATHIN COLOMBO ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Institute’s study is consistent with a Japan has pledged close to $2.5 million to India since the s Sri Lanka marked 53 years report published by the semi- quake struck. But in addition to giving funds, Japanese military of freedom from British government Institute of Policy Studies cargo planes are now in Gujarat, with shipments of tents and acolonial rule this month, the (IPS) over a year ago, but its research blankets for hundreds of thousands of victims. Tokyo’s country is feeling the economic and also touches on the human misery. despatch of its Self-Defence Forces, as its military forces are human toll of the 17-year-old “War is the most important called, represents the second time Japanese forces have been conflict between the government and factor that has held back an economy sent overseas, after their involvement in relief operations for the Tamil Tiger rebels seeking their own that should have done well ,” said 1998 hurricane in the Honduras. homeland. A new study, released Gunatillake. The report said the “Japan is moving away from chequebook diplomacy and before independence celebrations 4 actual value of destroyed and damaged doing far more by sending personnel too,” says Professor Widows and female-headed HIMAL SOUTHASIAN February, revealed that the country Toshiyuki Katada, earthquake expert at Musashi Technical property was estimated at $1.48 households have increased over the has already lost billions of dollars in billion and the total of lost output in University. The Self-Defence Forces also conducted training revenue, economic growth and years to restore normalcy, is anybody’syears and this group is very sessions for Indian officials on how to set up tents. In addition, the country’s north and the east, most government fact-finding missions are visiting earthquake-torn human misery due to the conflict, guess.” He says figures don’t reflect vulnerable. The report adds that affected by the conflict, at $3 billion. children have likewise been villages to determine the extent of assistance needed to rebuild among the world’s longest-running The rebels are demanding a separate the actual loss of production in the homes. Japanese medical doctors and rescue workers from internal conflicts. strife-torn north and east. Liyanage brutalised by the war. “I am quite state in the country’s northern and skilled at dismantling and re- the government and non-governmental sectors have also But for the war, Sri Lanka’s adds that some official figures in 1999 been despatched. eastern regions. The cost to Sri The human and economicassembling cost my father’sof Sri rifle,” Lanka’s one economy would have grown by seven Lanka’s economy due to the loss of showed the government spent The local media has covered the Indian earthquake in $500,000ethnic dollars conflict while the is rebels calculatedchild living in in aa conflict new area study. said. percent or more compared to the human capital professionals and ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ detail. A special half-hour focus programme was carried on The study said the direct average four-five percent now, said others migrating was a cumulative spent $423 million on the war, which national television earlier this week—covering the lack of the study carried out by the MARGA $1.22 billion, said the report. works out to “12 percent of the financial cost of the war was sanitation, medical care and psychological care for the Institute, the country’s oldest Thousands of people have either fled country’s gross domestic product making macro-economic victims with a commentary by experts who called for more economic and social research agency. to the west or sought jobs abroad. going into an unproductive sector.” management increasingly difficult. relief from Tokyo. The report, “Economic, Social and Lost earnings from the tourism The report put the estimated “The loss of economic Human Cost of the War” (between industry totalled $2.17 billion with a number of deaths due to the opportunities is preventing the the 1983 to 1998), was commission- value-added net loss of $1.30 billion conflict at 50,000 to 60,000 up to economy from moving to a path of ed by the National Peace Council when foreign investment in the region 1998. It said more than 10,000 to higher growth essential for solving (IPS) (NPC), a Norwegian-backed peace of $1 billion could have come into the15,000 soldiers and many more the urgent problems of group and funded by International country if not for the war. civilians and Tamil Tiger rebels unemployment, persistent poverty were disabled, and 800,000 people and malnutrition,” it said. The More nuke-testing in South Asia? Alert, a Norwegian peace institute. Sumanasiri Liyanage, an ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ displaced due to the war. The exigencies and demands of the war The research team for the report was economist and political scientist SAN FRANCISCO – Relations between India and Pakistan remain report cited estimates saying 30,000are reducing Sri Lanka’s capacity led by retired civil servant and activist attached to Sri Lanka’s University of volatile, making the risk of war between the two nuclear-armed Godfrey Gunatillake. soldiers and rebels alone have died, for good governance, the report Peradeniya, believes the biggest concluded. adversaries “unacceptably high,” director of the Central Sri Lanka should have had challenge facing the country is if and a figure that implies 30,000 families Intelligence Agency, George Tenet said last week. have experienced the death of a buoyant economic growth, compar- when the war ends. “The process of In his reportWorldwide Threat 2001: National Security in a young family member. able the Asian Tiger economies. reconstruction and rehabilitation Changing World, Tenet said: “Nuclear Direct military spending by both the would be a tremendous challenge and deterrence and the likelihood that a government and Tamil Tiger rebels whether it would take 10 years, 20 conventional war would bog down both totalled $3.2 billion, while additional sides argue against going to war. But both war expenditure by the government sides seem willing to take risks over amounted to $2.31 billion. A further Kashmir.” He said there was no sign of a $4.34 billion was spent on law and reduction in the proliferation of missiles and weapons of mass destruction, and there was “a good prospect” of another round of nuclear tests. “India decided to test another Agni (IPS) MRBM missile last month, reflecting its determination to improve its nuclear weapons delivery capability. Pakistan may respond in kind,” he cautioned. Tenet noted that India enjoyed advantages in “military balance” over Pakistan, pointing out that India held “a decisive advantage” in fighter aircraft, almost twice Women make “dummy councillors”as many men under arms, and a much larger economy to candidates. “We want genuine and support defence expenditure. “So, Pakistan relies heavily on its nuclear weapons for deterrence,” Tenet explained, adding, Local elections in Pakistannot dummy councillors,” guarantee says Saima “Deep-seated rivalry, frequent artillery exchanges in Kashmir, women a spot in politicsMunir, a programmefor the officer first for thetime,and short flight times for nuclear-capable ballistic missiles and but many fear that womenwomen’s rights are group just Aurat aircraft all contribute to an unstable nuclear deterrence.” the men’s bidding. Foundation. The Aurat Foundation becomingSuch was the case political for candidate pawns.and more than six other groups have Meera○○○○○○○○ Jana, who when○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ asked what been training prospective female she would do after being elected candidates about the world of politics. replied: “I will do what the men tell The organisations also launched a (Asian Age) me to do.” Jana reflects the more “Citizens Campaign for Women” after common picture of the women taking local elections were announced last Poles repay WWII debt to Gujarat part in the polls. Women in year. “The campaign aims to create an ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○ traditional and tribal societies here areenvironment where women could NEW DELHI – Jamnagar Children, a group of 5,000 Poles, often kept on the margins of all participate, and to motivate people to galvanised public support to generate funds for the Gujarat decision-making processes. Many are accept women as public victims. They reminded Polish people through TV and other uneducated, unemployed and representatives,” Munir said. media why Gujarat, and India in general, was important to restricted to the house. The men in The biggest struggle will be them. The government of Poland responded promptly, sending its presidential Air Force One TU-154 to the family make important decisions against tradition. Despite the regarding their lives and future—even Ahmedabad with relief material. The government has also military’s claims of introducing “new offered its 19-seater aircraft Sky Truck, which works almost political decisions such as who to votepolitical leadership” and taking the for in elections. like a helicopter, to the Gujarat government. country towards “true democracy” the Poland’s Gujarat connection dates back to World War II. Such a situation inhibits women fact remains that people went to the from participating in politics and, In early 1942, the Maharaja of Jamnagar offered shelter to polls because of their historic political about 500 Polish orphans and their guardians who escaped when they do, undermines their role. affiliations, communal and tribal links. from Russia. They were children of Polish prisoners who “Most female contestants do not have Afrasiab Khattak, chairman of the had formed an army against the Russians. Poland was the July, will bring newly-elected an identity of their own and are governments to the district level in Human Rights Commission of first country to be attacked by Germany in September 1939, NADEEM YAQUB IN PESHAWAR merely playing into the hands of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Pakistan, says the reservation of and two weeks later by Soviet Russia. A large section of the Pakistan’s four provinces and capital civilian population was deported. In October 1941, the army asima had never thought of men,” said Mohammed Raza, a voter women’s seats in local elections is a Islamabad. This is the first time in at the recent polls. “They are hardly went to Iraq, but civilians released from Russia—women entering politics until a few Pakistan’s history that women have positive step, if not a breakthrough. with children, and disabled men—came to India. months ago. “The people of aware what their responsibilities are “But this is not enough to improve n been guaranteed political positions. and about their role as a councillor.” They came from Tehran, via Ahvaz, to Karachi—after the the area wanted me to contest because the socio-economic conditions of the Across the country, 7,611 women 500 children were brought to Jamnagar—and were given they wanted to send an educated Experts feel that getting women to women,” he says. “Mobilisation of have filed nomination papers for run in elections is not enough to place in Kolhapur. The Kolhapur Durbar built an extensive woman to the union council,” the 35-5,742 women’s seats reserved at the people can only be done through settlement at Valivade Park, nine km east of Kolhapur, over year-old lawyer said. “My entire prompt social change and empower political parties and they are the ones grassroots level. The process has given women. “For social change to attain 250 acres. The Rs 3.2 million Polish refugee camp for 5,000 family, especially my brothers, backed who generate public interest. The people, the largest in India, was completed by the end of women like Nasima hope to change some ends you have to unleash social me and I got elected.” government has ignored this fact. I 1943. The families lived there for a couple of years before the political system. forces. You can’t just go directly Hailing from one of Pakistan’s But in male-dominated societies don’t think these polls will have a returning to Poland. The Polish ambassador said the district towards that end,” says Kamil collector of Jamnagar was handed over the package from least developed areas, Nasima is the such as in the North West Frontier long-term impact on the lives of Bangash, a leader of the labour- people.” Poland. “It was a gift from the Jamnagar children of the past first person in her family to enter Province, such political awareness is oriented Mazdoor Kissan Party. to today’s Jamnagar children,” he said, adding that politics. Her chance to pursue public the exception. Most women “There is no shortcut.” Jamnagar Children was an active group and that a high life came when Pakistan’s military candidates in this conservative region Activist groups are also worried school in Warsaw has been named after the Maharaja regime, which overthrew the civilian of Jamnagar. were not fully told about the political about the quality of women government in October 1999, called process and the gender issues that local government elections across the were involved. Instead, they were country, and reserved a third of the propped up by influential politicians seats for women. and tribal leaders of their areas—to do The elections, held in stages beginning 31 December and ending in (Asian Age)

(Gemini) FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 151515 Maoists to target Infighting is not a healthy sign UML leaders ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Excerpts from an interview with Chiranjibi NepalipatraWagle in, 9 February Naya Sadak,8 February

Q. You have been identified as a dissident in the Congress. Is this why the prime minister A recent meeting of the politburo of didn’t invite you to join the cabinet, or is it because you refused? the Maoists has bracketed the UML A. We are not dissatisfied. If we were dissatisfied we would have joined the government. in the same league as the NC and the Because of the amount of responsibility we now have we are not dissatisfied. We have RPP. The UML has been classified as already said that we are staying out of the government for a couple of reasons. Firstly, ‘reactionary’ and it has been decided there has been an ongoing battle in the Congress for some time now. We have demanded that party elections be fair, free and that there should be no irregularities in thethat election UML leaders too will be process. Contrary to this, the party elections were full of irregularities. This raises questions oftargeted how the from party the Nepali new year in is going to function properly in the coming days. We had demanded the PM think about thismid-April. and try to solve this problem before doing anything else. If the PM is prepared to look into this, we might consider joining the government. Secondly, there is the Lauda Air issue. When we moved a vote of no-confidence,A circular doing the rounds this was one of the issues raised. At that time the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuseamong of the rebels states that from the Authority (CIAA) was not involved at all. The parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC)first had day begun of the new year banks will be work and had stated that irregularities had taken place. The CIAA has now started working on this and I, along with other friends, think it would not be proper to join the government now. It is becauselooted of these and police two stations destroyed reasons that we have stayed out of government. in the Maoists-affected tarai. The tarai districts affected by Maoist Q. In the Lauda Air case, the PAC, the CIAA and you have raised the issue and stated that theactivity PM wasare Sunsari, Jhapa, Bara, involved in financial irregularities that took place. How are you going to deal with this issueRautahat, in Sarlahi, Parsa, Dhanusha, parliament? Nawalparasi, Chitwan and A. We are going to raise this issue based on the findings and directives of the PAC report. TheMakwanpur. CIAA is at In the same way it has present investigating this issue. Therefore, our arguments are going to be based on the PACbeen findings. decided that new control areas will be formed in Bhojpur, Sindhuli, Q. To enable a free and fair investigation into the deal, the opposition has suggested that theTherathum, PM resign. Kavrepalanchowk, What is your reaction to this demand? Sankhuwasabha and A. There is space for the opposition to raise its demands. It can present its views in any way it thinksSindhupalchowk. is Likewise possible. We are MPs from the treasury bench. We will be present in parliament and we will people’sremain withingovernments are to be the parameters set by our party. There are parameters set by the parliament and parameters set by the party, and we will remain and work within these parameters. formed in Dhading, Nuwakot, Lamjung and Gorkha. Q. The opposition finds the PM guilty. You too find the PM guilty. Then why don’t you two join handsIt has beenand decided that a two- work together with the opposition? year programme will be initiated in visiting different schools in the areas of our party has asked for the A. As I have just stated, we are MPs from the treasury bench. Therefore, we will have to behavethe and same work way within that people’s and1982. checked General the Secretary annual of accounts the CPN(UML) of resignation Madhav Kumar of the NepalPM. Since poses with this hisis a newly the parameters set by the party and the parliament. married wife Gayatri . FromChhalphal , 11 February 2001. governments are formed in areas the schools. Principals and campus matter of grave consequence and is a where the Maoists are active. It has chiefs have also been warned not to very important issue, we felt that a Q. If the opposition introduces a vote of no-confidence against the present government, whatbeen are decidedyou going that they will attack the meeting of our standing committee to do? Do you have the guts to join hands with the opposition? make any improper utilisation of district headquarters of Kalikot, funds. The schools have also been was required. How do we raise this A. We are the ruling party. If the opposition moves a vote of no-confidence we will have to act Rukum,as required Jajarkot of and Rolpa. The issue in parliament, or how do we deal members of the treasury bench. instructed to complete the courses in politburo has asked all Maoist time and not ask extra fees of studentswith it on the streets? To find answers supporters residing outside the for extra tuition classes. to the questions raised we thought it Q. The PM is accused of not remaining neutral while nominating members to the Central Workingcountry Committee to come and help in the would be best for the standing The Maoists have also been (CWC) of the Congress. What do you feel is happening? struggle. It has also stated that all committee to meet. A. We have always stated that, firstly, we should work to unify the party. Then we can think aboutdepartments, the organisations and successful in eliminating vandalism government and about strengthening it. But the party president has the authority to nominateagencies members working to in these areas and and bullying, a major problem faced Q. The Congress is in government; it the central committee. Till today he has nominated four members. Of the remaining 14 membership by the locals in Itahari. In the past, positions we have always requested that he should choose people on the basis of region, genderrelated and to the caste. US and Indian has a majority government but remains He should bring in those who are honest, and hard-working and who have been with the partygovernments for a long in any way will be gangs armed with swords would be unsuccessful. How long is the country time. But again this is the power and authority of the party president. attacked. To strengthen the finances involved in bloody gang fights even in going to be hostage to such a of the party, it has been decided to the daytime. Not even the police or situation? Q. The present government is a majority government formed by the Congress but it seems to belevy plagued a charge ofby Rs 500 per month the administration were able to solve A. Regarding the Lauda Air issue, we infighting. When is the government going to work and solve the problems of the common man?per house in their areas of influence the problem and the locals were beinghave not demanded that the Congress A. Yes, it is true that there are problems like you have stated. This is the worst thing that has happenedor those bordering in the urban areas. To continually harassed. government should go. The Congress past ten years. The infighting and other problems that exist in the Congress are not a healthy sign, and this is not good for the party. Other parties have split over issues, but the Congress has not beencounter divided the or armed police force has a majority in parliament and broken up. Because of internal problems the Congress has not been able to play a very positiverecently role formed, and the party has stated therefore it should form the prove its true capabilities. that it is providing training to 800 of government. However, the Congress We feel that it is time to solve all the problems that exist within the Congress and move ahead.its cadre. If the Similarly, members of the can form a government under the recent convention and party elections had been free and fair we could have solved a lot of these problems. What actually happened at the convention only added more fuel to existing problems. It is organisationtrue that some who are being trained in leadership of anyone other than problems have been solved. The party president has a big role in solving these issues. We havethe jungle to wait near Ratomatoand and Koirala, since he is involved in the see to what extent he is successful. Bhedabhari in Kavre are going to be We want to remove Lauda issue. We have not demanded deployed in the tarai and eastern that the Congress should not form a Q. You were elected in the very election that you accuse was full of irregularities. If this is true,districts it raises of the country. a corrupt PM government. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ questions about your election too? Maybe your votes were rigged too? No one feels that there is a proper Excerpts from an interview with A. Although party elections were full of irregularities, we had no other option but to participate. We had to government in place, in view of the either boycott the election or fight. If we had boycotted, where could we have gone? Therefore, we had to Bharat Mohan Adhikary, UML either leave the party or participate in the elections, however full of malpractices. Since we do not want to leader,Budhabar, 7 February situation of the past 20 months. It is leave the party, we decided to participate although the elections were not free and fair. not only the UML that thinks so. In Many honest and hard working party members could not cast their votes, and two election commissioners resigned after the election. Despite all these problems we fought the elections and thank everyone who Q. The Lauda Air issue has sidetracked participated and voted for us. If there were no irregularities, then many more honest and hard working all other issues. Why did you call an people would have been elected too. Another kind of emergency meeting of the central committee? Maoist terror A. This is an issue of corruption. It is ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ not a protest directed against any one Nepal Samachaarpatra party, nor in support of any other 12 February party. This should not be made a party issue nor should a whip be Itahari—The underground issued. If a whip were issued in such Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) cases, then the former president of thesuch a situation and also to prevent QUOTE OF THE WEEK has started shaving the head of young USA, Nixon, would never have been men who keep long hair and sport this sort of thing from happening removed. He would not have again, we are demanding that the You don’t get the sense that there’s a government in the country. There’s chaos everywhere. Everytime I leaveearrings. The Maoists caught three resigned, the Republicans themselves students with long hair from the local constitution be amended. If home, I tell my family, “If a stranger knocks at the door and enquires after me, don’t let him in.’” voted to remove him. governments function the way the —Ganesh Gurung, TU sociologistBudhabar in , 14 February. Janata Bahumukhi Campus, took In the same way, eight Congress them out and had their hair shaved Congress has been functioning, then members of parliament’s Public off and removed their earrings in this is detrimental to the country. Accounts Committee (PAC) have broad daylight. According to stated that financial irregularities took eyewitnesses the rebels also went to Q. Has there been any understanding place and that the Prime Minister is the classes and threatened every male with other parties to raise a united involved. The Congress MPs who student with long hair and wearing voice in Parliament? registered a vote of no-confidence earrings. They also advised the A. We will include all opposition against the PM have also accused him students to be properly clad when parties in parliament and move ahead. in the Lauda Air case. This issue was coming to college. That very day a Apart from this all the parties have also raised at the convention held group of students supporting the their own programmes. We feel that it recently in Pokhara. movement went to Jyoti Lower is better to unite and move ahead Secondary School and cut the hair of By raising this issue we are not together when the country is facing students with long hair. Sources at protesting or acting against the such difficult times—and we will do the school say they also warned the Congress. If the PM is involved in a that as far as possible. We want to girl students not to wear short, case of corruption, then the whole unite on all issues and not only on one. revealing dresses or have short hair. country should raise this issue. We Another group of students at the still tell the PM: “Vacate your Mahendra Secondary School also hadposition, form a committee to look their heads shaved while five were into this matter, help in the warned to cut their hair within five investigation and if you are declared days on Wednesday. innocent you can have your position Reports also say that Maoists back again.” The standing committee I swear I will attend the the swearing-in ceremony and the take the oath and take whatever else I can as long as I am protected by my post and the oath of secrecy. Nepal Samacharpatra, Daily,11February 2001

THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI LANGUAGE PRESS 161616 SPORTS 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES

contract reportedly worth $189 million over 10 years. “I don’t Man U play withthink most Americans understandthe Yankees just how big Manchester United’s presence is in the world,” said Scott Branvold, a professor of sports management at Robert has legions of fans in Europe Morris College in Pittsburgh. “If and Asia and a store in one side could be said to get a Hong Kong, was keen good deal in this, it’s the Yankees. to tap the huge As baseball makes inroads around North American the world, maybe this way the market. Hooking Yankees will get one step ahead of up with the everyone else.” Yankees made One thing the Yankees and that easier. United will not do is get involved “They have a particularly well in each other’s sports. You won’t United’s outlets. As for Yankee, see Yankee outfielder Paul O’Neil developed multimedia business Nets or Devils games on playing in goal at United’s famed Manchester United’s own TV Old Trafford stadium, or United and their executive staff know the North station, again the issue was one American markets for the individual leagues. better than anyone. We The deal also includes plans can’t ride in on a white for Manchester United to tour North America before the 2003- midfielder Roy Keane playing charger and say ‘This is the way to do it’ because we don’t know 2004 season starts. In December, defence for the Devils. “We don’t YankeeNets announced a forget our heritage, Manchester the US.” Tartasky said the key to unlocking the financial cooperative marketing agreement United won’t produce baseball with the NFL’s New York Giants, teams and the Yankees won’t potential of the alliance might be Yankee Nets’ Harvey Schiller who lost to Baltimore in last produce soccer teams,” said former the TV rights and YankeeNets presenting a Yankees jersey to United’s month’s Super Bowl. That deal calls United legend Sir Bobby Charlton. was keen todevelop a regional chief executive Peter Kenyon. for YankeeNets and the Giants to sell Asked whether the alliance was sports TV network. Adding sponsorships together and to examine This alliance means they can go everywhere in the merely a cover for the club to sell games from one of the world’s selling each other’s licensed goods. alliance, as did outside sports more merchandise, he said the aim top soccer teams could only The agreement with Manchester world—they’re in bed with each other,analysts. but “This not is a great married. deal for of the partnership was to help enhance that network. United, which has won 13 English ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ alliance is non-competitive.○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ both sides,” said sports analyst develop soccer in the United Kenyon said United, which titles overall, is similar to the one with “We both have global synergies, Craig Tartasky of EJ Krause. “You States. “We are not in the process recently signed a huge NEW YORK – Manchester United, the Giants. but we’re not competing with each take the two strongest brands in of selling our souls to another sponsorship deal with sportswear the richest soccer club in the world,other, so we look forward to sports and cross-sell them to sport. This is to make friends and maker Nike, will eventually have has teamed up with baseball’s bringing future benefits to both sponsors. It’s how do you take two growthe sport,” said Charlton, team stores in the United States world-famous New York Yankees in organisations,” he told a news things worth so much—$800 who was the midfield general of through Nike. US sports leagues a marketing alliance they hope conference in New York. million for the Yankees and $1 England’s 1966 World Cup- currently control overseas will make them even more money “This is a unique alliance in billion for United—and make them winning team and led United to licensing, but Schiller said selling merchandise to fans sports and shows that YankeeNets worth more? This alliance means the European Cup in 1968. YankeeNets will discuss the around the globe. and Manchester United are real they can go everywhere in the However, both Kenyon and possibility of marketing Yankee YankeeNets LLC, parent of the world—they’re in bed with each pioneers,” said Harvey Schiller, Schiller brushed off questions merchandise in Britain through World Series-winning Yankees, and other, but not married!” CEO of YankeeNets, wich is also asking why they did not invest in United, runaway premier league the parent of the New Jersey Nets Even though TV and the existing US league, Major soccer leaders, said the deal would basketball team and the Stanley merchandise licensing rights have League Soccer, if they wanted allow each to move into new (zoomsoccer.com) Cup champion New Jersey Devils not been finalised, there is huge the sport to grow in America. markets and reach more fans. They hockey team. It is also a marketing potential for making billions of Kenyon said United, which will be able to sell more shirts, caps,partner of the New York Giants dollars from marketing the teams videos and other merchandise football team. and their stars. United’s David through each other’s marketing and Whether the marriage of two of Beckham is married to Victoria Join the World’s highest Race around the Annapurnas distribution channels. the most glamorous sports clubs in “Posh” Spice and Yankee shortstop “This is an alliance, there are the world is a home run or an own- Derek Jeter is close to signing a new no financial arrangements,” said goal remains to be seen, but officials Peter Kenyon, chief executive of of both organisations touted the ANNAPURNA MANDALA TRAIL Manchester United. The 2nd edition intriguing thing is that the March 12th to 23rd, 2001

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TIBET BOOKS ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 111777 NEPALITERATURE byMANJUSHREE THAPA “Here, corpse!” The rice vendor hurls a total of fifteenpaisa FOR KATHMANDU, WITH LOVE AND SQUALOUR: RAJAVonto the street. He picks the three fivepaisa coins from the street. Author of three short story collections, one book ofstore. There are two customers standing in front of him. They’ve been “What are you looking at, you cadavers,” he scolds the army of satire and two poetry collections, Rajav is one of thehere since he came. children, shoving them aside and running off at a swift pace. most skillful writers of today, capturing the After the customers leave he grabs a hold of the shop’s bars and stares When he returns his face is drenched. The sweat on his forehead is psychological complexity of Nepal with a few deft keenly at a pile of marbles in front of him. Pulling together a handful of trickling down the bridge of his nose and dripping onto his chest. In one strokes. The story below, originally published in hiscourage he says: “Shopkeeper, give me two marbles.” hand he’s holding an ice stick that he’s sucking, and with the other hand early collectionSamaya Peeda, is one of his most “Shoo, ass.” The shopkeeper stands up, lifting a broom. he’s wiping off his face and neck. compressed and succinct pieces, but the casual He runs off and stands at a distance where even if the shopkeeper hurls By now all the shopkeepers have gathered at their doors, laughing. sadism it captures grows in the reader’s mind afterhis broom, it won’t reach him. Along with them laugh the housebound women watching from nearby the story is over. “Just two,” he says again after the shopkeeper sits down. windows, women whose husbands and children are off at work and school. “Do I have to splash water on you bastard, or will you take off?” A sharp satisfaction glitters in everyone’s laughter. “I’ll bring the money tomorrow. Can’t you give me just two?” “So where are my clothes?” His father is the peon of Sharma and Company. Father leaves home at eight“Do you dare to keep talking, you bastard monkey?” “Did you really go all the way there?” in the morning and returns at eight at night. Mother spends all day on the “Just two.” “Here, look.” As proof he shows them the ice stick he’s sucking. Then topmost floor braiding incense wicks. In the evenings she goes to sell these The shopkeeper asks, “Can you go all the way to Indrachowk naked?”he turns, with a questioning look, towards the army of children. wicks to shopkeepers who have placed orders, then she takes orders from “I can! Will you give me the marbles then?” “He went all the way,” says one boy in the crowd. The rest lend their other shops and comes back home. “All right, take off your clothes and I’ll give you not two—but five.” support by clapping heartily at their leader’s success. He’s now ten years and three months old. When he was two months past “Really?” “Here.” The shopkeeper hurls his shorts and shirt towards the crowd of seven years, his father introduced him to the first letter of the alphabetka” on “ “Yeah, first take off your clothes and go to Indrachowk and come back.” children, then picks up a stick used for shooing cows and steps onto the the auspicious day of the Saraswati prayers. Till today he hasn’t learned the next street to chase them away. They all scamper to a nearby sidewalk. From a letter “kha.” The year before last, his father talked of enrolling him in school, but By this time he’s already taken off his shirt. Seeing this, four childrenshort distance, three of them open up their shorts and pay the shopkeeper a then he’d put aside the matter, saying he’d have him enrolled next year. Whengather around him. The cigarette vendor across the street also steps out,special homage. that year came around, his father avoided the matter by saying it wasn’t timelaughing, yet, to stand at the door to his own shop. But suddenly he totters and startles in fright. He hasn’t put on his and this year he hasn’t raised the issue at all. “Will you really give me the marbles, then? Shall I go?” shorts yet, he’s been busy buttoning his shirt; suddenly a hard, rough He has a sister too. She’s a total of five years and three months old. His “Yeah, take off your shorts too.” hand strikes his neck. A foot kicks his spine. He gets knocked down so father has spoken of introducing her to the letterka” during“ the coming He puts his shirt on the shop bars, and, unfastening the buckle on hisbadly he grinds his cheeks against the tar road. Saraswati prayers. His sister either spends all day on the topmost floor shorts, starts to undo the buttons. His shorts drop from his waist to his He’s still naked below the waist, holding his shorts in his hands. sticking close to Mother, or she flees Mother’s watchful eyes and scavengesfeet. The ten or twelve children who’ve gathered around by now begin to “Deceitful glutton!” His mother makes as if to kick him again. pieces of half-eaten potatoes and grams and peas thrown about the clap. From among the army of children, a boy who recognised him had courtyard, or collects eaten mango rinds and sucks on them in the He puts his shorts on the bars, with his shirt. Now he’s completely gone home to tell on him. passageway. His sister always tells their father to bring mangoes, but at naked. The shopkeeper, in glee, exposes his teeth to some fresh air. “All His mother steps back a little, then lands another kick on his back. night their father always returns empty handed in the half-trance of alcohol.right, now go all the way to Indrachowk and back.” When she lands another kick as well, he skitters three hand-lengths His mother, though, sometimes brings home plums, peaches and cherries, By this time, quite a long line of children has piled up behind him. Most and when they’re cheap, pears and persimmons. away. But not a word leaves his lips. He just looks aslant at his mother of the nearby shopkeepers have come to stand at their doors. with wild, raging eyes. “Why are you sitting there with that look even after you’ve finished In the beginning he crouches in running position. But then he walks at a eating? Go down to the courtyard and mind the hens. Go feed a chick to His mother’s eyes, looking like fire, dance from shopkeeper to normal pace for the first ten or twelve steps. Then, to trick the rows of shopkeeper in the surrounding shops. the dogs like you did the other day!”—his mother said this a while ago, children behind him, he suddenly breaks into run. flashing a toss of the ladle. And he flung his pitcher to the floor, then “Strip your own children you gluttonous asses! Just because you “Ha…ha!” The children dash after him, screaming. find a child of a poor man….” She stands in the middle of the road headed straight down. After reaching the courtyard, he searched for and By the time he returns, the crowd of children behind him has doubled. shrieking, with hersari pulled up to her knees. It’s like she’s counted the two mother hens and twelve chicks. Then he took the alley The shopkeeper gazes at him with subdued eyes. But his lips are still next to the courtyard and reached the main street. Randchandi, goddess of war. A passion for vengeance animates her face, split open like before, and his teeth seem to be hanging in the wind. He spent half an hour at the edge of the street watching the and her eyes spark with the giddiness of wrath. With one hand she’s “Where are my clothes?” he asks, clutching his marbles in his fist. amusement offered by the crowds of cars, bicycles and people. He holding her son’s neck and with her other hand she’s liftingsari her. “You’re asking me, beggar?” By now the shopkeepers have covered their teeth. As retaliation found it really easy and amusing to spend all day in the compound of “They were right here,” he says tearfully, pointing at the bars. the cinema hall. The boy who sold ice there, the son of the dumpling The rice vendor a few doors down holds up his clothes and calls against him, revulsion for his mother has begun to speckle their faces. vendor Pakcha, the son of Puncha the wheat and lentil fritter vendor, “Walk, glutton! You’ll see what’s coming. Did I tell you to stay in and the son of the midget Bahun had become his closest friends. Heout, “Eh, this way, come this way.” So he goes with the crowd of children to stand in front of the ricethe courtyard and mind the hens, or to put on an exhibition for these played marbles and sticks with them in the cinema hall’s compound. other gluttons? You rice-gobbling glutton!” The mother strikes another Sometimes he stuck his ear to the hall door and listened to songs andshop. forceful slap on her son’s face. Her son reels badly, but with great effort dialogues. And he reached home before the film let out at night, before“Give them to me!” He jumps for the clothes in the shopkeeper’ssaves himself from tears. his father came back. By that time his mother would already have hands. “I said walk, you stubborn gluttonous corpse! You like becoming a cooked noodle stew, and she’d be braiding incense wicks in the “Wait, if you reach New Road as you are I’ll give you fifteenpaisa.” spectacle, do you?” She strikes another slap on her son’s other cheek kitchen. His sister would be fast asleep on the floor. “Where’s the money, then?” and starts dragging him off with both hands. Right now he’s been standing for about ten minutes in front of a button“Do you want your clothes or not?” Her son is still naked below the waist. The teeth of the “Then where’s the money?” shopkeepers who stripped him have also become naked.

ART REVIEW by WAYNE AMTZIS Embodying Myth

integrative process at work here,decorative placement of individual one cannot but be assured by forms;the yet an emotive and intuitive holding power of her animals. rapport is effected by the major They stand (like a stupa or a figure itself. These works, though Ganesh) as an implacable pleasing to the mind, are best presence, not a cow or a lion orencountered a with the body, by a tortoise, but cow-mother, lion- mirroring that will not be parsed mother, tortoise-mother that willwith the logic of words. While her not abandon her progeny or herprints speak directly of corruption bodily parts, though they be tornand hypocrisy or playfully of from her and scattered over thedesire, Ragini’s oils transcend her earth. These forms are peaceful,references with a more complete yet indomitable. There is a embodiment. violence here overcome, a chaosIn her oil on canvas “The that will not prevail, for there is Woman”, a cow with a peacock’s no moving her figures from their tail and wearing a human mask Ragini’s figures, so familiar and rightful place at the centre of gazes at us. Embedded within, a unfamiliar, from another world, are creation. Only the handprints faceless woman dances, her contemporary Nepal. revelatory glimpses of the world remain as signs of the forces she outstretched leg, the cow’s; a we inhabit or (like her larger than nown for her alluring andsubmits to, the violence willed There is a familial and haunting peacock on her shoulder and life Pig with topi and shoe) explicit satirical prints, Ragini against her. presence revealed by Ragini’s outstretched arm. For Ragini, mother, the peacock dreamer, the condemnation of those who can Upadhyay-Grela now menagerie of cow, lion, tortoise et k These figures (the artist “peacock and birds represent dreamwoman dancing, the lotus bringing no longer dissemble that world. displays her creative prowess al. These animals, depicted with a suggests) reinterpret mythic and freedom”. There are other forth, to take the key from the with her work in oil. A single primitive realism, display the embodiments of the female psyche.displaced symbols—a key aroundcow’s neck, and, remove our figure dominates a painterly magnetic and morphlike qualitiesRagini’s of Odyssey 2001 Ragini says regarding her paintings:the cow’s neck, a bird for a horn,handprints a from her thigh is a landscape. Heavy, stable, secure unaccountable creative force. Siddhartha Art Gallery “The Tortoise suggests infinite lotus for sexual organ, and the mostbeginning of a journey inward. and complete unto themselves, These emblems of forbearance,Baber Mahal Revisited patience, which is a female quality.prominent of handprints, like thoseEach one of Ragini’s oils affords the animals she depicts contain a these mythic figures, are signsTill for 28 February The Cow called Kamdhenu in that smear the space behind her,the is onlooker the possibility of range of displaced symbols and what outlasts and precedes us. mythology a symbol of great andstamped on the cow’s hind leg. Theentering the psyche’s hidden forms. Against a wall-like This exhibit is not to be missed. powerful Desire, which is lockedlanguage in of myth and dreamguided realms, though a few (like her background, or one of earth and the case of most women.” The prints) look outward, lambasting sky, stained by numerous the artist, and we too can read the effect on the witness is two-fold; the social and political failings of handprints that mark the central painting in this way.open To one’s perception and intellect are figures as well, Ragini asks the self to myth is to let go of the literal triggered by the seemingly witness to merge with the larger mind. To become one with the cow form even as they identify the particular figures that are bound within. Puzzled or pleased by the 181818 CITY 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES ABOUT TOWN CLASSIFIED MOVIESMOVIESMOVIES ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepali and Hindi movies online ticket booking at www.nepalshop.com Car for sale. Kathmanduechnical T Center: Mitsubishi Lancer ’75 model, but in top Kilagal tole, Kathmandu. Residence, EATING OUT condition. Very low mileage. Cheap! Emailapartment, commercial building design, [email protected]. Authentic Nepali Sekuwa (Barbecue)Regular Friday Night Sekuwa in the lamp-lit courtyard setting of a construction, management, preparation of proposals, supervision, interior designing. heritage hotel at Dwarika’s Hotel. Select your own appetisers, momos, salads and choice of meats as well as delicious desserts. Package includes one free drink and lucky draw. Reservations recommended. 479488 Ph. 259181. Email [email protected]. Exotic orchids and dwarf azaleas Barbecue at the Ropes The first barbecue open for lunch everyday. Over 20 dishes to choose fromfor served sale, extremely sophisticated. Call with a splendid view of the Himalayas. 12 noon—2.30pm at the Sky Terrace, Hotel Everest. ReservationsDinesh or Pinki at 424877 or email LOOK THISw.w.w.AJAYA-ANJAN.COM. recommended. 488100 [email protected] Chinese Food Festival A month-long festival honouring the Year of the Snake offers a wide variety of authentic Chinese cuisine prepared by Chef Wong Jun. Until 22 February. Hotel Shangri La. 412999 Hotel Sharma Ganagabu, discount for Fancy wedding cards and all offset andgroups, students, long-stay.Bath attached, FILMFILMFILM screen-printing chemicals and materials.hot water, TV, STD, ISD, parking, room Contact PBI Traders, Baghbazar, 246061.service, restaurant. Also DK Sharma Travels Kathmandu Film Archivespresent Red Bells, a Russian film about the Mexican Civil War. English and Tours. 350770. [email protected]. subtitles. 22 February, Thursday, 5.30 pm. Russian Cultural Centre. Tickets Rs 50, at Mandala Book Point, Jamal; all Momo King branches; My Home CyberCafe, Patan; Martin Chuatari, Thapathali, GAASorbin Hall, Optics Ban tole. Tamrakar Opticals,Kalimati. 9am—7 pm. Thamel; and the venue. For more info email [email protected]. Remember for sunglasses, frames, contactDoctor available. New fashionable lenses and solution. 226194. Also Comfortsunglasses, frames. Optical parts and Optics, Chhetrapati, Thamel 266119. MUSICMUSICMUSIC repairing. 274196. Fever at the Jazz CadenzaBar (Tuesday and Thursday), live Irish band (Friday), and solo piano the rest of the week. International cuisine and drinks, espresso, cognac and cigars www.hotelshangrila.com 412999. Jazz by Cadenza at Upstairs Restaurant, Lazimpat. Every Saturday 7.30pm-10pm. For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. Live ShowsVarious bands at The Red Onion Bar, Lazimpat. Every evening. 416071 Chakra The Piano Lounge at the Yak & Yeti Hotel. Every evening 7pm onwards. 248999 QUICKWORD 20 by CROSS EYES UnpluggedSyabru Lama plays guitar at the Coffee Shop, Hotel De l’ Annapurna. Every evening 7.30pm– 10pm. 221711 100 Classical Guitar Kishor Gurung plays classical favourites at the Chimney, Hotel Yak & Yeti. Everyday 8pm WIN A onwards. 248999 HOUR INFOCOM DANCEDANCEDANCE MILLENNIUMWORTH CD Classical Nepali Dancesbased on Buddhist and Hindu epics and the Tantric pantheon at the Great RS 3600/- Pagoda, Hotel Vajra. Every Tuesday, 7pm. Rs 300. 271545 Ballads and Dances of Oldperformed Tibet by Tsering Gurmey and Tsering Paljor at the Naga Theatre, The most convenient and economic way to surf the internet Hotel Vajra. Every Thursday, 7pm. Rs 400. 271545 Terms and conditions Traditional Dancesevery evening at Dwarika’s Hotel courtyard. Drinks from two bars. No entrance charge, 1 The contest is open to everyone, except employees of Himalmedia Pvt Ltd however reservations are recommended for diners. 479488. and Infocom Pvt Ltd. 2 In case of more than one correct, the entry winner will be decided by lucky Sunday Night Fever. Free dance classes every Sunday by dancemaster Andreas Lehrke. Salsa, Swing and draw. more. The Piano Bar, Hotel Yak & Yeti. 8.30pm. 248999 3 Entries have to reach Himalmedia, by 5 pm, Tuesday. 4 The winner will be announced in the coming issue. 5 The prize has to be collected from Himalmedia within a week of the EVENTSEVENTS Down EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS 1 Tyger maker’sannouncement. other creation Please come (4) with an ID. Ceramics Exhibition andby Sale Jim Danish, Doug Caseberg and other American artists from the 2 Shivering fit (4) Anderson Ranch Arts Center (ARAC) and paintings by Oma (Judy) Chase. Part of the 10th Annual 3 Spaced out in Houston (4) Across 4 Scoop silt (6) Rhythms of Nepali Life and Culture trip, sponsored by ARAC. Indigo Gallery. Starts Sunday 18 February. 5 Influenced by the virus (3) 10am onwards. 1 Terra firma (4) 2 Leaping parasite (4) 6 Temptations for the trout (5) 7 Common computer error (5) Son Et Lumiere A temple’s tale as told by the temple itself in 9 Hagar’s laxative perhaps (4) 10 Jacket promo (5) 8 Capacity built perhaps (5) speech, dance and lights. Classical dance and music performance in the 11 Writer’s block, find a ______(4)10 Old friend grows contempt (6) Ram Mandir courtyard followedSita byKo Bhojan—Sita’s feast. 12 Characteristic of the country (5)14 Severe insanity (6) 17 The canonised lot (6) Performances by Nassa CultureAcademy, Nepal Music Academy and 13 Chief in church’s petty QUICKWORD ANSWER 19 officialdom (6) 18 Many twisted story (4) Instant Karma. Rs 1100 for adults and Rs 800 for children. Money raised 19 Eatery in red (5) goes to the restoration of the Ram Mandir. 24 February, Ramachandra 15 Easy direction (3) 20 Dissuade the tree dweller (5) 16 Uncertain estimator (7) 23 Another never-ending age (4) Courtyard, Battisputali. Dinner at Dwarika’s. For more informa- 18 Add to the agenda (7) tion and tickets [email protected],. 479488 24 Warsaw counterpact (4) 21 Knotted choker (3) 25 Stash in hold (4) 22 Prolific South, as in us (6) 27 American taxman (3) Shahanshah No. 1 McDowell’s BowlingIntroductory Week. week at Hotel Shahanshah 26 Ludicrous act (5) International’s new bowling centre. Rs 75 per game, includes one free drink. Door prizes.28 14—21 Imbibe tidily perhaps (4) February. 353411 29 Looking askance, slyly (5) 30 Total canine (4) School Fair St. Xavier’s Godavari School. On the occassion of the Golden Jubilee of the31 School. Makes a “people” mistake (4) 17 February, St. Xavier’s Godavari. 9am-4pm 32 Coke, flake and crystal (4)

MARTIN CHAUTARI Education in the Mother Tongue.Pandit: Bhusan Shrestha, and Arjun Limbu of the Kirat Yakthung There were no correct entries this Chumlung. Participation open to all. Unless otherwise noted, presentations are in Nepali. Tuesday, 20 time. February 5.30pm, Thapathali. 246065

FESTIVALSFESTIVALSFESTIVALS Shivaratri, 21 FebruaryShivaratri is the night of Lord Shiva whois believed to have been created on this To send in your entries, please fill in the details below and fax to 977-1-521013, or email to night through his own divine grace. The temple of Pashupatinath in Kathmandu, one of the holiest Shiva [email protected]. Entries can be dropped off at Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur. shrines, receives over 100,000 worshippers during Shivaratri. Name...... For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] Ph...... email......

NEPALI WEATHER byNGAMINDRA DAHAL DSES- 13-02-2001 1100 GMT

These pictures show the Himalaya blocking a caterpillar shaped cloud that is riding the jet stream all the way from the Sahara in a huge wave pattern. Close on its heels is a low pressure area that is bringing welcome precipitation to north India the margins of which should graze central Nepal on Friday, fighting a high pressure region over the Tibetan Plateau that will try its best to keep the clouds out. Maximum temperatrues will fall with cloud cover. Further movement of the cloud mass next week will follow the track determined by the effect of two low pressure zones, one over the southern Himalaya and the other building up along the south-east coast of India. But being a moisture deficient front, chances of the sleet and rain that usually greets Shivaratri are low. By next week, the sky will be clear following the pulling effect of the South Indian low.

INTERNINTERNINTERNAAATIONTIONTIONAL SUBSCRIPTIONTES FORRA ALI NEPTIMESTIMESTIMES

6 months 1 year KATHMANDU SAARC countries US$25 US$48 Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Other countries US$40 US$75 [email protected] 24-05 24-06 25-06 26-05 27-04 fascinated with the possibilities of manipulating music and technology CULTURE to produce unexpected effects even 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 191919 back in 1967. The Beatles were visiting his family, and George guitarist John McLaughlin, famous forHarrison had this nifty portable his association with the Mahavishnu record player. “It was amazing. I’d AtLight Orchestra, 50, and in another Zakirnever seen anything likeHussain it. It was completes a full circle unusual move, with two practitioners tiny—a 78rpm would extend just ANAGHA NEELAKANTAN of Carnatic music, violinist L Shankar, ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ over the end. Harrison had these here’s something quite contradic- and percussionist Vikku Vinayakram. little speakers to go with it. You just tory about a man who’s an icon The result, Shakti, is a classic of plugged the cord into an outlet and tof Hindustani classical music but collaboration between diverse musical played music! But what really got me has played with Van Morrison, styles. Hussain has since played with wasRevolver —they’d just finished endorses a fairly prole tea with the everyone, including the poppy Van recording it and they played it to us. inane exclamation “Wah Taj!” and Morrison, the mad prophet of free They were pointing out how this one who’s consistently been voted the jazz, Pharaoh Sanders, and the new track (‘Tomorrow Never Knows’) sexiest man in India for over a decade. guru of electronic music, Talvin Singh.had a section that was mixed in But then Zakir Hussain is no Shakti may have been one of backwards. My father kept asking ordinary classical musician. It is the first instances of truly organic- what was wrong with the original precisely this combination of sounding collaboration between recording that it needed to be played sounds evolved. Some say he’s prodigious talent, charisma and seemingly incompatible musical backwards. But that was really the gimmicky, but when he banters styles, but it didn’t feel like it for point, to do something different from with the audience in the middle of adventurousness that have made him famous for his dance music album the classical music equivalent of an Hussain. He was simply facilitating what people were used to hearing. what is usually quite a hierarchical and playing music that came That really got me.” Anokha: Soundz of the Asian affair, with the performers perform- international rock star. Hussain was in Underground, one of the phenom- naturally to him, that he would’ve A few years later, Hussain, still ing and the audience reverentially Kathmandu this week, where he also listens to music he believes is ena that sparked off this new wave played to a packed and appreciative liked to hear, but didn’t exist. playing and improving his important, but which he may not listening, he’s also taking classical Hindi film music is much maligned, of interest in things vaguely Indian, music out of the bracket of High Royal Nepal Academy. Hindustani music skills, was doing enjoy in the same visceral way— with one important difference. but its catholic borrowing, from DIPENDRA BAJRACHARYA He has been here before and much the same thing. “I was the “academic listening”, which requires Art and allowing people to engage classical Arabic music, bop or ska, Unlike in the 60s, it is now mostly with it just as music. played at the Academy with flautist first person in Bombay—excuse medarkness and intense concentration, cultural figures of Indian or South Rajasthani folk music, ragtime or Mumbai—to have a ghetto blaster.so it can be dissected and analysed Hussain, who turns fifty next Hariprasad Chaurasia in 1997, but Beethoven concertos, means that Asian origin determining what what he enjoyed best was being in And when I walked around with it,later, like Indonesian gamelan music “Indian” thing becomes flavour of month, is called an “architect of the people who listened to it, or, until I didn’t even think of carrying it in or Nubian drums. Listening to all modern world music scene”, but Nepal as a tourist, “incognito”, seeing twenty years ago, played it, like the month. And Zakir Hussain, the sights and wandering around the my hand. It had to be on my sorts of music is important, says collaborating with Talvin Singh he’s done more than that. His Hussain, were used to all sorts of shoulder. I used to walk around Hussain, “because otherwise how do musical journey is in some ways streets, listening to the rhythms of unlikely marriages. Growing up in (who Hussain claims is “a fine tabla everyday life. Faced with a crowd, Bombay with my boombox you communicate with people, player, though he hides it”) on theiremblematic of the kind of future Bombay in the 1960s didn’t just listening to ‘Light my fire’.” From how“I wasdo you understandthe first what person in Bombay to havemany a South ghetto Asians wantblaster. to see. I Hussain will go on a bit about Nepal’smean familiarity with the workings new album,Tabla Beat Science: mystical and religious resonance, the ghetto blasters to experimental they’rewalked all about?” around with it on my shoulder, playingHe’s played ‘Lightacross genres my with fire’.” John of film music for Hussain, but also Indian classical-jazz was a logical Tala Matrix, released last year, McLaughlin, Pharaoh Sanders and beauty of its mountains, Lumbini and ○○○○○○○○ Hussain doesn’t○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ have any long- exposure to every American and step, it would seem, listening to charts new territory in many George Harrison. He’s creating new Pashupatinath. But one on one, the British trend that hit the shores of standing musical partnership like his different genres of music, and sets man has a lot more to say. him. Hussain was clearly not a father’s with Ravi Shankar, but he forms of “Western” music for an India, like classic and psychedelic “classical music nerd”, as so many the agenda for further musical interconnected world with a drum- But first, a hyper-standard bio: rock. Add to that the obsession comes pretty close with Ustad innovation. young people who take their musicSultan Khan, one of the foremost and-bass musician like Talvin Hussain started playing tabla as a with India that led to the Beatles seriously are labelled. Not only did None of this means Hussain is Singh. But as he does all this, he’s “wee lad”—a tot of two. When he showing up and jamming with Ravi sarangi players and composer and he walk around with a boombox singer of the vastly popular song, giving up on classical music. He stillalso helping keep interest alive in was brought home from hospital, his Shankar, whose own collaboration and “just scrape through” all his performs and introduces new Hindustani music for its own sake father, instead of whispering the more with Hussain’s father, Ustad Alla “Piya Basanti”. He says Khan has the exams he was also on his school last word on all his recordings and audiences to Hindustani music in through his classical recitals. traditional alphabet or other words of Rakha, was well-established at the and college cricket team and, his inimitable style. At the Royal Contradictory, yes, but we live in a holy wisdom, filled the newborn’s earstime, and you begin to understand even sat in for Hussain when he fell this is hard to believe, the ill while composing the score for the Nepal Academy, he was quite the mixed-up world. with the subversive beats of the tabla. Hussain’s musical licentiousness— wrestling team. showman, playing mad solos and The rest is a slice of music history. South Indian filmVanaprastham two er, adventurousness. He doesn’t listen to as much regaling the audience with amusing Hussain went on his first international Hussain remembers being years ago, and on Hussain’s latest anecdotes about how different tabla tour at 12, played for Hindi films rock music now, mostly just foray into experimental and through his youth, all the while giving favourites like Billie Holliday, alternative music. Last year, the duo virtuoso Hindustani tabla Aretha Franklin (“I listen to her collaborated with Talvin Singh, performances. In his mid-20s, in regularly”) and James Brown, who 1975, he teamed up with British jazz Hussain has seen live four times just in the last year. But Hussain

HAPPENINGS RAVI MANANDHAR RAVI HER MAJESTY QUEEN AISHWARYA: The queen being escorted by Sangita Thapa of Siddhartha Art Galley and artist Ragini Upadhaya at the opening of Ragini’s solo exhibition of paintings.

Sharp NFPJ SELF-PORTRAIT: The National Forum of Photojournalists after their annual general meeting on 11 Feb which elected NT photographer Min Bajracharya (centre in green jacket) as chairman. ASHESH DANGOL ASHESH HEAD HUNTERS: De Model Hunt presents a pageant at the Verge Inn Club organised by Bijaya Lal Shrestha and Roshan Karmacharya on 11 February. use your diplomatic 202020 impunity to sneak out 16 - 22 FEBRUARYNEPALI 2001 TIMES 2020 from the driveway of the Hotel Yank ‘n’ Yeti and and make a quick NEPALI SOCIETY Under My Hat getaway in the general direction of the by Kunda Dixit Tibetan Plateau.Pense noch ein mal: you’ll have members of Kathmandu’s finest Geeta, theair space. When Sky visibility is low Cop who know you are going to doexactly that, and they or if there’s a communication ow that scientists from the Human Genome problem, radar equipment in the Project have proved that human beings havewill be waiting to pounce on youfrom behind the “It’s like an addiction. Working as an air traffic(during which she topped her controller, every second,Control every Tower minute helps counts.” her directclass at the Bailbrook College, genes only slightly more numerous than the bespectacled statute of Voice Emperor, the Late Narayan incoming and outgoing traffic.London and was told she was a n ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ genes of a common housefly, civilisation as we Gopal at the Maharajgunj intersection. My “My job is to maintain an credit to her country), and a know it can heave a collective sigh of relief. This hen Geeta Shrestha Communication-Air Traffic question here is: Doesn’t the Nepal Police (this joined Nepal’s civil orderly flow of air traffic and to explains a lot of things that have been puzzling me prevent collisions between Control Conversion Course.

year’s watchword: “Wait Till We Get Our MIN BAJRACHARYA lately: for example, why Kathmandu’s zebras are aviation department in Night Vision Equipment”) have w aircraft and any obstacle on the As an instructor at the Civil 1978, the college graduate always painted during rush hour, why a species at ground,” says Shrestha one ofAviation a Training Centre, she’s the pinnacle of evolution still produces party anything better to do? hadn’t the faintest idea that dozen women who control she’d spend the next 22 years in also assisted in designing and leaders who fight like dung beetles to be on top After all, human Kathmandu’s sky-bound trafficrevising the curriculum for the chromosomes (including Air Traffic Service, the last six(there as are 50 active ATCs in the of the manure heap, or why Durbar Marg is an active Air Traffic Controller at ATC course. “It’s like an the chromosomes of some country). That means constantlyaddiction. Once you’ve worked the only road in the whole Kingdom Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan monitoring the runway and of Nepal where a person cannot make human police) are supposed to International Airport. as an air traffic controller, where taxiway, the surrounding air every second, every minute an illegal U-turn. have the same genetic makeup Aside from having words space, watching out for straycounts and your senses are No modern nation state can consider as the thermophilic bacteria with irate pilots queuing up todogs or birds and checking herextremely well-tuned, you’d itself truly free and democratic unless traffic found in the lower digestive take off on a foggy day, and bible, the Air Traffic Control feel restless in any other job,” rules can be violated with equal ease tract of an adult gnu. being forced to tackle a Manual, whose emergency says Shrestha. procedures she knows by heart. everywhere. There can be no exceptions. Now that it is possible with seemingly endless flight of There are tell-tale signs of Few roads in the Kingdom have white stairs when the lift’s out of order,“It’s one of the most recent breakthroughs to determine Shrestha has no reason to the unseemly fixation—despite dashes running down the middle, but stressful jobs. You have to beholding a Masters Degree in who is genetically susceptible to complain. “You have to loveprepared for every possible the 300-metre stretch of Durbar Marg your job, you know,” she says Business Logistics emergency,” says Shrestha. Management from the Royal is the only road that has not one, but as she takes the winding flightDuring 22 years of service, she two thick yellow centre-lines. And to of stairs up to the control tower Melbourne Institute of has completed an AeronauticalTechnology in Australia, she’s make the that rises high above the Communication Course, an airport and the runway. declined repeated offers to take point Aeronautical Communicationup a management job at the abundantly From her vantage point— Service Supervisor course Civil Aviation Authority’s central clear, there makingillegal U-turns, the procedures for shared by four other shift office. “You have to constantly be are reflective traffic barriers with issuing driving licences will be fairly simple. Allcolleagues and a flock of in the working environment to do red and white stripes on top of we need to do is require applicants to obtain a roosting pigeons—Shrestha the job well. Once you’re out of It’s all in the jeanskeeps a vigil on the runway. A touch, it’s very difficult to catch the double yellow lines that Chromosome Certificate before they go to Baggi makes it look like a giant swivel chair allows her a 360- up. And with Kathmandu’s air Khana so that those with U-turn error in their DNAdegree view of the surrounding traffic increasing every day, one slalom. The message is clear: needs to be more alert. “ Don’t Even Think About can be weeded out. Similar certificates can be After 22 years in the service Making A U-Turn Here. required before anyone applying for a party ticket at election time. Invertebrate party cadre who have a Shrestha knows there’s no I know what you margin for error. are thinking. mutant Kickback Gene lodged in their chromosomes You are will not get tickets. All smugglers and money launderers thinking will be required to undergo a gene-change operation you will so that the particular DNA responsible for smuggling mobile phones or Russian uranium can have their offending jeans surgically removed with laser guns at the Centre for Investigation of Abuse of Authority’s Special Anti- Corruption Clinic at Bag Bazar. Since there isn’t much of a difference between the human genome and the genetic make-up of a dung beetle, there is now hope that we can meet the WHO target of eradicating corruption by the year 2010.

MIN BAJRACHARYA