#76 11 - 17 January 2002 20 pages Rs 20 The Great Unifier Prithvi Narayan Shah 4-5

Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust 10-11

EXCLUSIVE 23 February The state of national emergency will come up for renewal in parliament by 23 February (counting by the Nepali calendar). The main opposition UML, Meanwhile, in the rest of Nepal... now close to reuniting with the ML, and which has the critical votes needed for ratification, won’t say yet which way it’ll Rural Nepalis are caught between a rock and a hard place. go. The probable scenario is that the emergency will be lifted on the 23rd, but parliament will allow the government to keep its anti-terrorism enforcement under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Ordinance. Most politicians agree that the army should continue fighting the Maoists, but without absolute emergency powers. The casualties since 23 November has now crossed 500, with 350 of them Maoists, according to the Defence Ministry’s tally. Several thou- sands have been arrested, and 9,000 Maoists have reportedly surrendered. MIN BAJRACHARYA

Weekly Internet Poll # 16 Q. Should the Maoists now return to the negotiating table? ear stalks the land. The army’s cordon Pokhrel of the UML told us the Maoists havecannot identify who is who.” information. A and destroy missions are sudden and gone into hiding in the villages. “Security Food-for-work, non-formal education development workerEditorial p2 Fdeadly. To escape, the Maoists have forces do not go beyond distances from whereclasses, social mobilisation for community in Surkhet says:The morning after melted into the population. Government they cannot return at night,” he says. In development, community forestry meetings “There are gunshots presence is confined to district headquarters. Udaypur, the combination of Maoist andhave all been affected. Villagers tend to stay at night, next morning there is no way to find “We eat by about 4:00PM, fearing that Khumbuwan violence has forced residentsaway from meetings because they are afraid of out what it was all about.” Radio Nepal and the Maoists will come seeking food and in some villages to flee to the relative safetybeing picked up. the media only give out the government shelter,” one teacher in Bajhang told us. “If we of the tarai towns. “It is not very good, or very bad. But it is version of events, and the people know there is let them, the police will get us, if we don’t, the Many parts of western Nepal, includingvery slow,” a frustrated donor representative plenty else that is happening. Journalists are Maoists will kill us.” In Kanchanpur, villagers Jomsom, are cut off because the Maoists havebased in Kathmandu told us. “We would being picked up and interrogated. Sharad KC, cower behind their windows watching blown up repeater stations. Troops still definitely not like to work in a military the BBC stringer in Nepalgunj was taken away security forces patrolling on vehicles by day, guarding telecom towers in Salyan’s Kapurkotenvironment because our projects depend on blindfolded from his office last week and asked

Total votes: 768 and the Maoists going door to door by and Dang’s Rajakot, but Maoists have blownour ability to win the trust of the villagers.” about his Maoist contacts. He was released night. “We can’t report their activities up 56 multi-access radio telephone systems Most development projects keep skeleton after two hours. Basanta Pokhrel, another because the Maoists have threatened to kill (MARTS), and six district headquarters don’tstaff in the field, avoid taking unnecessary risks, journalist in Butwal wasn’t so lucky. He spent us,” one resident whispered. 16 days in detention, no one told him why he The world’s most reliable Some weeks ago troops searched Binauna, was arrested. UPS for PCs a village 24 km from Nepalgunj. When they Suffering heavy casualties in the army’s left, the Maoists returned. The village elders action, the Maoists have changed tactics. They Recommended by Microsoft, “Even non-Maoists who were active in IBM, NEC and Novell fled because, as one of them told us: “The hide in the villages and ambush convoys with Maoists think we had called in the troops.” the village have fled...” — Development worker booby-trap explosives along roads. The banks The bus service from Dang to Holeri remains have phones. The Ratamate tower in Rolpa,and doing the little bit they can, rather than looted at Ghorahi on 23 November are still suspended. It has resumed from Bhalubang to blown up by Maoists a month ago, used toshut down. “It has become difficult to monitor not fully functional. Both the district jail and Libang, and traffic has also returned on the provide connections to headquarters of on-going programs,” says Hirakaji Ghale, of the land revenue office are yet to begin Tulsipur-Salyan-Rukum road. Work on a 16 Rukum, Rolpa and Jajarkot. The tower southNamsaling in Ilam. “No one is in a state of business. Officials say it could take another six km stretch connecting Rukumkot being built of Baglung which was destroyed last weekmind to even discuss new activities. We have months just to compile the missing land by the army has come to a halt. In Nepalgunj, has cut phone connections to Jomsom andnot been able to go into the villages.” records. Private helicopters have stopped Back-UPS 500 the stream of people heading out for work in 20 MARTS terminals. The NTC is Before the army deployment and the ferrying vital salt and foodgrain to Kalikot and India is visibly greater, as is the exodus of rural planning to replace towers with satelliteemergency, the government had launched the Mugu ever since Maoists destroyed one of the • Compact design with surge protected outlet for Laser printers refugees into Kathmandu Valley. systems, but the purchase and installationIntegrated Security and Development Pro- helicopters at Surkhet airport in November. • Three battery back-up outlets Things aren’t much better in the east. process could take over a year. gramme (ISDP) in seven insurgency-affected Bajhang airport is closed. Industries in Birgunj • Lightning and surge suppression Crowds have thinned at the weekly markets, The government’s development apparatusdistricts (with plans to expand to another 30). have cut down one shift—from three to two— • EMI/RFI filters for noise filtration there are fewer buses on the roads. The has ground to a halt, and donor-funded Today, there isn’t even the ISDP. “In some because travel at night has become impossible. • Communication interface port (auto shutdown for all major desktop OS) number of night buses plying from Biratnagar projects are either in deep freeze, or have beensettlements we don’t have enough people to Overnight curfews are still in effect in many • Quickswap™ battery replacement has gone down by half. Newspaper sales are curtailed. Most conscientised village leadersmobilise,” a development worker told us. parts of the country, in Jajarkot it is to end on • Quick Recharge after power outages down, says Surendra Shrestha in Lahan: active in development work are left-leaning,“After the emergency, even non-Maoists that 13 January. In Dang, Sallyan and Jumla the • Save battery power with user “People are buying less because they find the and have fled to the cities or to India to escapewere active in community organisations have curfews will continue until further notice. adjustable option switches same news in all the papers.” the wrath of both the Maoists and the fled fearing arrest.” Indra Dahal, a grassroots Industry approval (safe & reliable) • Tulasi Neupane, DDC chairman of security forces. Bishnu Buda of Ghartigaonactivist in Butwal says: “Even the donors are ® Sankhuwasabha says: “The Maoist are still in Sallyan crossed over into India last week.telling us let us to wait until the emergency is

Legendary ReliabilitySM active in the villages, and most Congress He did not want to talk much, but toldover us: to begin new projects.” Authorized Distributor workers have already fled.” In Khotang, Hari “I had no choice. The bombs and bullets The sense of fear is fuelled by the lack of (Reported by Madhav Ghimere in Ilam, Mohan

Computerland Building, New Plaza, Ramshahpath, Kathmandu Bhandari in Biratnagar, Mohan Manandhar in Tel: 430858, 430859, 431199, 431746 Fax: 430641 Lahan, Chandra Kishor Jha in Birgunj, Madhav E-mail: [email protected] Nepal in Butwal, Sudarshan Risal in Dang, Sarad The Total Solutions Company KC in Nepalgunj and Umid Bagchand in Mahendranagar.) Move with the Times in 2002

Save Rs 165 on the news stand price and enjoy reliable delivery at home or office every Friday morning. One-year subscription only Rs 875. Save Rs 165 Email: [email protected] or call 543337 www.nepalitimes.com 2 EDITORIAL 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES REGION 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 3 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Anagha Neelakantan COMMENT by PASHUPATI SHUMSHERE JB RANA Design: Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 Reform vs revolution If all the government thinks it should do is sit back and let THE MORNING AFTER the army fight the insurgents and the donors pay for It does feel a lot like we are hosts cleaning up the plates after a new year’s party. And what a party it was. Nepalis development, then it is sadly mistaken. showed what we can do when we put our minds to it. We also exhibited our legendary capacity to leave things till ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the last minute. Our expat friends are being polite when they tell us that Nepalis work best under pressure. What they really mean is decay in its functioning. tion of this decay. Politicisation and where the insurgency had forced itment to without reform, without a that we couldn’t be bothered until it’s too late. Nowhere is that more true than the way we have been dealing with our Unless we reform these partisan interference have weakened most retreat into isolated pockets, thererestoration must of the political process will nation’s development for the past 40 years. Sorry to keep on harping problems and set out to state institutions: the bureaucracy, the be impartial development, income-be pointless. about it on this page, but we have really messed things up big time. provide development police, the intelligence services, public generating activities, job-creating How do we find the money for this, Despite being the darling of the donors, despite commanding tremen- that focuses on the poor in education, state corporations. Indeed, programmes. This is essential to winand find it now ? There has been some dous international goodwill, and despite having enormous potential to the affected areas, we will this is the reason why civil security over the masses in the insurgencyattempt at engaging the donors and the surge ahead with tourism and hydropower, we have failed in the only not be addressing the organs of state failed in their attempts to affected areas. And as the hold ofresponse seems positive. However criteria that really matters—we have failed to raise living standards and problem. tackle the insurgency. insurgency is rolled back these securityNepal’s extremely poor record in ensure equity among Nepalis. These failures are all the more glaring The emergency and the It is now up to the opposition to be a actions will create a political vaccum.delivering the aid to the targetted poor because the success stories abound (see “Not all gloom and doom” in # 75). In all these cases, we see how easy it is to achieve results with a terrorism ordinance have given watchdog to ensure that the decay hasn’t All parties must move together inand the tendency for leakage will be an simple combination of integrity, commitment and good management. great powers to the government. eaten into the core of our value-system. consensus to reoccupy the vaccumimpediment. and The government will have Blaming a heartless elite, finding scapegoats, bashing donors, is all There is a danger of the abuse If we are not careful, the emergency restore the democratic process. to provide iron-clad guarantees that very well and easy to do. Many of them deserve it. But that is not going to of such sweeping authority could actually engrain the malaise. The Prime Minister Sher Bahadur theDeuba aid will reach the poor in the affected get us out of the rut we’re in. This time we have to look forward, chart out a because the Nepali Congress constitution provided that a two-third has made statements ruling out anyareas. The negotiating process and the strategy, give ourselves realistic targets and work hard to achieve them. has a history of abuse. The majority must endorse the emergency possibility of reopening dialogue. naturalThis is time lag will also mean that aid Nepali officialdom needs to show a singlemindedness we have not seen opposition must therefore three months after its declaration. This an example of the government’s will take considerable time to materialise. in the past. Our elected leaders need to demonstrate vision, honesty and remain vigilant, it must monitor clause is designed to arrest any misuse of blinkered policy: when it was in theAlternatives need to be examined. efficiency. Nepal’s problems are vast, and solutions are urgently needed. Before we start sounding like a minister’s speech, here is one of our and check the use of emergency the emergency provision by a majority negotiating mood it pursued negotia-One such alternative is debt-relief. periodic checklists for urgently-required interventions: powers to prevent their party or its government. tions with single-minded vehemence,The only reason that Nepal does not misuse. The Nepali Con- A nation cannot remain just a and closed its eyes to any other receive debt relief is that our foreign 1. Resolve the Maoist crisis one way or the other, to OS gress on the other hand geographical configuration. It is a possibilities. Now that negotiationsexchange reserves have made us capable 2. Go hand-in-hand with a massive job-creation initiative, by STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL needs to rise to this collective expression of all ethnic groups, have broken down, it has done anof about servicing debt and repaying 3. Wooing domestic and foreign investors, and extraordinary occasion their cultures, religion and languages. A turn by pursuing a policy of “combatinstallments in time. Nepal must put 4. Concentrating on high-value, long-staying tourism. and set an example of state must strike an ethnic balance and and confrontation” with the sameher case for debt relief in the new 5. Launch a nationwide infrastructure drive that will create jobs and restraint, fairness and must not be the instrument of single-mindedness. context of the worldwide war on provide a backbone for future development, 6. Concentrating in the midwest and other neglected areas. freedom. marginalising a caste or class. The The tragedy with this governmentterrorism. is Indeed, our capacity to The sun will come out tomorrow Restoring law Maoists, for instance, have opened 21 its readiness to swing from one extremerepay to debt is very much in doubt in the 7. Launch an effective anti-corruption drive to catch the big fish, and start with the most blatant and easy-to-stop graft: fuel adulteration. and order will different ethnic fronts to capitalise on the other without considering options.new context. The time has also come to 8. Rescue the garment, pashmina and carpet industries with export merely treat the these sentiments. Twelve years of Politics is a game which thrives on tap the patriotism of the financial system promotion, price stabilisation and quality control. A long, cold and foggy winter in the tarai shows no sign of ending. symptoms, not the democracy have done precious little to alternatives, therefore it would be foolishand of national capital-by issuing long- 9. Begin a result-oriented delivery of basic health and primary health cause of the disease. The resolve the grievances of the ethnic to set aside the option of negotiationterm at “national emergency bonds”. This care to rural areas. SUGA , MAHOTTARY- Winter in a tarai might end up weakening their hold over the emergency is an opportunity for groups of the hills and the tarai. They are any stage. The Maoists indulge in terroristcould be an immediate means of raising 10. Show us some proof that we have a government. village is not charming anymore. Gone are resources of the state. Clan, community, political reform. This is a war not just not just vote banks, and need nothing acts, but there is no gainsaying thatfunds the for the development and reform the days when the fresh hay and balmy sun and caste still rule the roost in the village We got a tiny glimpse of the kind of effort required during the past service provider, public water supply against insurgents, but against corrup- less than affirmative action or even aims of their insurgency is political inprogrammes. If all the government is weeks of breakneck park-building, road-paving and zebra-paintingwarmed in your heart and body. For four years here, but even that is disappearing. It is would not be so cheap, and waste water tion. Political instability has cost the “reservation” to address their just character. The natural landing placegoing of a to do is to sit back and hope that Kathmandu. We had invited SAARC dignitaries for a party, and inwe a row, were the tarai has been gripped by a being replaced by a frightening fragmenta- would be managed a lot better. The market country dearly. Vast sums need to be representation in politics, the services and politically motivated insurgency is athe donors will fill the gap in financing, ashamed about what they would think when they saw the slumsmysterious at winter fog. It is gloomy, blocking tion. At the first glance, the rural landscape ilitary action alone cannot win spent to win the numbers game in all areas of public education. In addition, as negotiated settlement. then it is sadly mistaken. It has to show it went for volume, individual houses opted the hearts and minds of the Tinkune, the shabby buildings and dusty roads. So we sprucedout them the sun up. for days on end, and the air lacks looks all calm and serene. But stay just a for convenience and there is nobody to look parliament. The players in this game have cited in a RPP strategy paper, the govern- Mobilising the army against is at least trying to mobilise internal Somehow it doesn’t seem to matter that the asphalt is alreadythe frayed, characteristic the crispness of early morning few more days, and the harshness of Marx’s Mpeople, and the government mustbecome dependent on the only source of ment needs to use the opportunity of the insurgency is an extremely expensiveresources. after the damage being done to the commu- zebras have faded, the sidewalks have crumbled. But at least mist.it looked In some ways, the gloom symbolises the “rural idiocy” boils over. realise that the causes of the Maoist such large sums whenever needed: the emergency to push through new initiatives affair and this has prompted the good for a while. We showed that when push comes to shove, we can get nity. Another symbolic instance of the insurgency must be addressed at its very foggy state of our state. Remittances from West Asia and “tragedy of the commons”. smuggling mafia which has penetrated the in development and the political process. Minister of Finance to announce off our behinds. And with slightly more honesty and efficiency, we Itcould is easy to blame global warming or earnings from Gujarat and Punjab vie for roots. The insurgency spread because the get much better results. Quarrels in rural areas are vicious, but political system. The criminalisation of As law and order is restored and the diversion of funds from development to the hole in the ozone layer for everything attention as the minarets of mosques rise state failed to deliver service and justice,electoral politics was a natural manifesta- ambit of the state expands in the areas security. Yet security without develop- If only we showed the same sense of shame about outsiders finding the stakes are low and petty. People come because it could not free the people from out about our female literacy, which is the lowest in South Asia.that If goeswe wrongcould with the weather. But more higher and murals in temples become moreto blows over an argument about a goat in-depth studies are needed to explain to us garish. The stronger currency of West Asia the shackles of poverty and backward- be as embarrassed by our maternal mortality rate, which is one of the that strayedLathis into are a brought neighbour’s out to field resolve of Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana is the highest in the world. If we hung our heads in shame at the proportionexactly why of the refreshing, fog-dispelling talks louder than the Indian Rupee bank ness. The state was unable do so because the chickpeas.issue of whose child relieved herself on there was deep-seated distortion and General-Secretary of the Rastriya Nepali children who are stunted because of poor nutrition. Thatwinter is what drizzle has become so elusive. drafts. People raise the volume of their theTV door of the local priest. Brothers and we should be ashamed about, not what visitors will think aboutAnecdotal the shanty reasons are aplenty, but no sets to drown out loudspeakers belching out Prajatantra Party. town below Bagmati Bridge. cousins spend their lives fighting it out in convincing explanations have been offered pop court to settle the ownership of a few hand- The party is over, and there have been enough speeches. Let’sfor the get thick to fog that grips much of the work. measures of fallow land. Indo-Gangetic plain, causing sheer misery bhajans non-stop. The market is Evening adds some more to the litany of LETTERS for many and discomfort for most. The insidious. It does not leave even the non- woes. Firewood is expensive, at Rs 3 per kg, DON’T TALK Tourism Board member norhard our to bereligious an optimist culture but have we resulting cold-wave kills the poor and the participant unaffected. Hawkers move few can afford it. Dung-cakes—the poor Statements by politicians that Yogendra Shakya (Biz Chat, # everhave beenno choice. designed We haveto allow to children by the dozen, but the South Asian around the village exchanging human hair forman’s source of energy—are in short supply. In talks with Maoists are possi- 74). There is a huge potential the horrible behaviour of the make 2002 a better year for peoplelook forward. to “strongly believe in bureaucratic-scientific establishment fistfuls of the cheapsonpapadi . Poor mothers the absence of sunshine, dung doesn’t dry fast ble if they surrender weapons in non-traditional markets. Department of Immigration staff Nepal? A change of numerical anything”, evenSajju their Khatiwadaown remains preoccupied with what it considers and say sorry, and by Nepali Many Americans like me toward visitors. They are numbers in the dates will hardly judgement. Pennsylvania. cut their locks that will probably end up as intellectuals that such talks would love to retire or live part unwelcoming and extort money bring any automatic positive Rajeeb Satyal more pressing issues—nuclear bombs, spy trendy black-hair wigs for chic satellites, and cryogenic boosters. Not just are the only way to resolve the of the year in Nepal. However when you try to extend your visa. changes in our lives and the There could be one moreBansbari New Yorkers so they can feed “insurgency”, are a sad due to Nepal’s present visa And why does the Home nation. The effects of our addition to “Not all gloom and Indians, our agricultural scientists at the their children. confirmation of the inability of policies, non-Nepali citizens Ministry continue to overcharge thoughts, and perception have Itdoom” was really(#75). refreshing The preliminary to know grandly named Nepal Agricultural Research With most able-bodied our elite to be either coherent are allowed only 120 days per for visas while at the same time more serious impact in shaping howfindings Nepal of thehas Nepalprogressed Demo- in Centre (NARC) also couldn’t be bothered.men of working age abroad or consistent in thought, word, calendar year, and must trek discouraging foreigners from our future than we convention- thegraphic last Healthdecade Survey, amidst 2001all the The persistent fog may have somethingmaking a living, the villages here or deed. down to the visa office each spending longer periods in ally choose to accept. We must newsshows of the fighting, Infant killingMortality and Rate to do with the intensive irrigation requiredhave become a refuge for Leaders of major political month and undergo a lengthy Nepal? Is it xenophobia? create our own reality, our own failure(IMR) andto deliver. Child Mortality“Not all gloomRate for the hybrid wheat of India’s Green parties say repeatedly (when it interrogation to be allowed Danny Birch destiny by using our thoughts and(CMR) doom” to have (#75) decreased rightly points women, the unemployable, the suits them) that the Maoists that privilege. And even New York and perceptions as the raw outsubstantially that we have over not the failed years on to all Revolution that has started to push old, the sick and the very young. eastward. It might also be linked to the are terrorists. When the though I am married to a materials. But we are afraid to fronts.64.2/1000 Though live birthsthe most and glaring91/ An unintended benefit of this emergency was declared the Nepali, I could not apply and It is very sad that the tourism accept this because then we failure1000 liveis on births the politicalrespectively. front, waterlogging that has become rampant in has been that women are Government itself formally receive residency status industry in Nepal is suffering but cannot habitually blame anyone theFor commonthe first time Nepali the isfigures moving the flood plains due to embankments builtempowered. Even so-called declared the Maoists to be without my husband person- I think it is as much to do with or anything for our failure. forward,here are slowlybetter thanbut continuously.that of along riverbanks, ostensibly to control high-caste women have come terrorists. How can there be ally making the application in the people operating the Neither our education system InIndia—and these troubling India boaststimes, itone is flooding during the monsoon. It is possibleout of purdah perforce, as they “talks” with terrorists? The only Kathmandu. I encourage tourism industry in Nepal as doctor per 5,000 citizens, that the emissions from the coal-fired powerhave to run their household in talks can be about how to members of the Nepal Tourist with bad publicity. I visited while the ratio in Nepal is just plants of Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar facilitate the surrender of any Board to lobby government Nepal a year ago and saw a over one per 20,000. Thanks the absence of men. They Maoists who wish to give up, authorities to “think outside notice at a Thamel hotel which to some very successful aggravate the situation. Then there is the must go to pay land-tax, buy thinning forest cover in the region, which and what pardon to give them the box” and extend the visa said “Nepalis not allowed”. public health interventions fertiliser from the market or after considering their terrorist allowance, which could How can tourism be revived if such as the Vitamin A pro- does little to help the worsening air-quality.sell agricultural produce to crimes. The numerous victims potentially bring millions of you ignore domestic tourism? gramme, the distribution and In all probability, the fog that hangs like a tide over an emergency in of Maoist murder, rape, rupees into the country. More Jan D consumption of iodised salt, pall of gloom over the Ganga plains and ourbetween collecting remit- maiming, looting, arson, will come to Nepal if the visa Denmark the diarrhoeal disease control tarai is a result of all these factors. tances from the local bank. enough to be used for fuel. The alternative is destruction, and desecration process is more open and programme and the treatment 2002 Even without the fog, life in villages The collapse of community life is to go to bed early. Children who resist are of religious sites and value extended. of pneumonia at the commu- here is changing. It is less laid-back, a lot 0900, 3 January 2002 must be addressed. There is Donna Spoon Regmi Re: your poll question: “Do you nity level by the Female most visible in the drains that flood the frightened with this admonition: “If you don’t no turning back. Chapel Hill, NC, USA think 2002 will be a better year Community Health Volunteers more competitive. Despite the loud protestsnarrow streets of the village. Earlier, sleep early, Maobaadis will come and get you.” you hear in the capital over the Mithun Jung Regarding the interview with for Nepal than 2001?” (#75) among others. people fetched water from public wells At the community tap, “The army will crush Naxal Yogendra Shakya, I was One response could be: we Rajendra Karki politicisation, people are, if anything, not and used it judiciously. These days, them,” is the overwhelming refrain. Another TOURISM amazed you did not ask him can only hope. But is just By email politicised enough. Perhaps people in the shallow pumps are installed in almost says: “What if they don’t?” I enjoyed the interview with (nor did Mr Shakya mention) “hoping or wishing” enough to cities harp on about excessive political spiritevery house, but there are no public The fog holds us prisoner. When will we because they fear the development of drains to safely dispose the overflow and feel the warmth of the sun again? This winter is political solidarity in the “hinterlands” the sewage. The result is cleaner private turning out to be a rather long one for the houses surrounded by dirty public spaces.tarai, for Nepal. Had the state been a more effective

KUSHAL REGMI KUSHAL Under Bagmati Bridge 4 NATION 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES NATION 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 5

Nepal-India ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Its final: India says it could extend the 1996 trade treaty with Nepal one more time. On the sidelines of the SAARC summit, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said, “The (trade) Treaty has already been extended for three months. It the need arises it can be The Great Unifier extended further.” There is a catch though. Foreign minister HEMLATA RAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Prithvi Narayan Shah is more than the founder of Nepal. Many of his policies Jaswant Singh said this would be done only if the volume of he aggrandising propaganda controversial Nepali exports remains below a certain acceptable level. of the Panchayat years are as relevant today as they were when he set out to make Nepal one. turned Prithvi Narayan Another issue Singh touched upon was the requirement of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ T ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ specific travel documents by Indians wanting to visit Nepal, a major Shah the Great into a surreal reason why fewer Indian tourists are coming here. India’s “security figure. Many of his visionary was on occasion only too human. However, the great king’s in sharp contrast to successors, concerns” is the reason Indians are required to have passports or statements remain buried in exam voter IDs. Singh said these were only “temporary” measures. “The Prithvi Narayan Shah’s vision and policies are as like Singh Pratap Shah and intention is not to harm Nepal’s tourism industry,” he added. “The answer sheets, or the subcon- birthday, 27 Poush (11 January relevant today as they were Ran Bahadur Shah, who spent scious self of most Nepalis. facility of free movement…was being misused by some elements.” this year) is commemorated as when he set out 260 years ago more time pursuing the study There was, however, no pronouncement on when and how the Surrounded by myths and temporary measure could be scrapped—maybe something for Shital Nepal’s “National Unity Day”. from his hilltop town of Gorkha of tantra rather than ruling Gorkha dominions at its widest before 1814. Shaded area is present-day Nepal. legends, Prithvi Narayan Shah is For the ordinary citizen, this has to unify Nepal. Media com- a nation. Niwas to follow up. one of those historical figures turned into yet another national mentator CK Lal says re- Pant prefers to call Prithvi people find it hard to actually holiday, a forced annual ritual— reading Prithvi Narayan Shah is Narayan the “re-unifier” of the the people in the nation- of the state. Narayan Shah recognised the faithful, long-time aide, he relate to. Even so, social analysts, garlanding of his statue in front still useful. “The nation Nepali state rather than “the building process, rather than Kathmandu, Patan and importance of keeping subjects nevertheless appointed Kalu political scientists and historians of Singa Durbar, speeches building project he initiated unifier” school textbooks leave it to an elite class. In his Bhaktapur were all part of a happy and unthreatened —and Pande as Kaji (the equivalent of all agree on two things: that he and photo-ops for political still remains incomplete,” describe him as. According to Divyopadesh, Prithvi Narayan single kingdom, until Shiva unified in their loyalties. After present-day prime minister). was a brilliant leader, and that he personalities. he says. him, stone inscriptions from describes himself as king of Singh Malla divided the he was enthroned in Kalu Pande had displayed New tourism regulation Prithvi Narayan Shah the time of Samundra Gupta of “Magarat” and talks about the kingdom into three in 1457. All Kathmandu and Patan in 1768 splendid diplomatic skills in○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the This might bring a smile to the faces of mountaineering entrepre- inherited the rule of the hilly Allahabad suggest that some need to involve “Pandes, Pant, three states prospered. But and in Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon) signing of the agreement ofneurs and professionals. The government is amending the 20-year- Gorkha kingdom in 1742, at 1,500 years ago, the borders of Arjyal, Khanal, Rana, Bohora” intra- and inter-state distrust in 1771, Prithvi Narayan Shah friendship with Lamjung, andold Tourism Regulation to make the process of obtaining permission the age of 20. But the young a proto-Nepal went as far as (representing the major castes meant that Kathmandu Valley seemed to want to keep the later, in 1763, played a keyto role climb easier. The new amendment proposes allowing climbing king wasn’t content and he Assam in the east and Kumaon of the Chhetris, Brahmins and polity was always weak. Prithvi infrastructure already devel- in the defeat of that kingdom.throughout the year instead of present arrangement of four went on to fight—and win—the in the west before it broke up Magar people in Gorkha) in Narayan Shah strategically oped in the kingdoms much Prithvi Narayan Shah’smountaineering seasons. The regulation also proposes that climbing numerous battles that in 1769 into smaller kingdoms. strengthening of the kingdom. befriended with the rulers of the the same. He respected the ability to unify such a diversepermits be issued in one day, compared to the four months the process can take now. Also addressed are the issues of raising the resulted in the creation of Whatever the case, says “As a king, he worked towards Valley and nurtured the culture and values of the Valley variety of people in such remuneration, allowances and insurance ceilings for high altitude territory we know as modern historian KB Uday, “The gaining total confidence of his relationship his ancestors had residents, and joined them in different geographical locationsporters involved in mountaineering. Finally, the proposed amendment Nepal. expansion of the Nepali state subjects,” says Uday. established. He extended the their worship of the Kumaris, had as much to do with hisis concerned with keeping tourism income in the villages—it Was it all part of a (from what it was in the 18 Prithvi Narayan appears to sphere of his influence to the the symbol of independent economic policy as with hisproposes offering discounts on royalties to climb mountains situated gameplan, a burning desire from have been a born leader. He Malla rulers themselves, but was Malla kingdoms, and Taleju ability to win the hearts andin economically disadvantaged areas. the start to conquer different th was crowned in 1742, but also quick to exploit their Bhawani, the royal goddess of minds of the people whose territories and forge a new historical documents show that relative unpopularity and the the rulers before him. What he rulers he defeated. He exploited country called Nepal? Historiancentury) can be attributed to he was involved in the affairs of lack of clear leadership in the did expel from the Valley was Nepal’s landlocked location to Dinesh Raj Pant brushes asidePrithvi Narayan Shah’s ability state even as a teenager. One of Valley. Kathmandu, for exam- what had not yet taken great advantage. On annexing the probability. He believes to motivate and mobilise his first decisions was to make ple, had an overly whimsical root—the Roman Catholic Nuwakot and Makwanpur Hotelsin hit hard Prithvi Narayan Shah was people.” When he ascended to peace with a stronger Lamjung king and in Patan, between missionaries. 1762, he imposed heavy taxes○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ the Gorkha throne, the The SAARC inspired purely by an ambition after Gorkha was defeated. In 1758 and 1768, the ministers Prithvi Narayan Shah’s on both the Tibetans and thesummit was a brief to expand the borders of his kingdom was weak economi- fact his father Nar Bhupal Shah could replace a king if they unbiased appointment of able Indians who depended on routes cally and militarily. Gorkha respite for kingdom initially, and was seemed to have begun losing wished. Valley residents were public officials, regardless of through Nepal to trade withKathmandu’s determined to avoid the defeatfaced constant threat of interest in the matters of state also slowly drawing closer to the the claims of relation or each other. hotels that have his father, Nar Bhupal Shah, invasion from the powerful after facing defeat against Gorkhali raja, having heard personal equations is another As documented in been hit by the had to face. He was determinedneighbouring states of Nuwakot in 1737, which is about the reputation of his trait that stands out. For downturn in Lamjung, Palpa and Tanahu. tourism. But with to keep his kingdom free and when Prithvi Narayan Shah kingdom for justice and welfare. instance, although he greatly the South Asian safe from the British who were As first step in the cam- may have begun with the reins It is clear that Prithvi favoured Biraj Bhakti, a paign, Prithvi Narayan Shah delegates gone, acting belligerent to the south, Divyopadesh, Prithvi Narayan the rooms are and the restive Tibetans to wanted to strengthen his army strongly advocated self-suffi- empty again. Now the industry says it wants an immediate bailout the north. and so mobilised all the youth ciency, self-reliance and believed plan or else all hotels will shut down. The government has promised “He was an excellent ruler,of his kingdom, regardless of in the concepts of sustainability. to help out by rescheduling loans and offering new soft-loans, but caste. Maybe this was reason He wanted settlements on that has not been put into action. It is this delay that is threatening to strategist par excellence, and blow the fuse on the industry, where the investment so far adds up champion of psychological for his famous edict—though fertile lands moved to make way not politically correct in to about Rs 70 billion. According to the Hotel Association of Nepal warfare. Moreover, he was for irrigation channels and (HAN), the industry has borrowed over Rs 15 billion from banks and single-mindedly into the present day Nepal—that Nepal agriculture. True to those unpaid interest already adds up to Rs 5 billion. Says HAN President business of ruling a kingdom,”was a garden of “four castes projectionist times, he encour- Narendra Bajracharya: “We want a prompt decision, otherwise we and 36 ethnicities”. aged export but discouraged won’t be able to survive.” The industry directly employs about Professor Pant says. That was 200,000 people. Going against tradition, he MIN BAJRACHARYA barbeque import that would drain the recruited Rana (Magars) to country’s wealth. increase the participation of He also discouraged at extravagance and the import of “crystal, glass and other useless luxuries”. He wanted to establish trading houses in both HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK Human Development of his kingdom’s northern and ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ a typical BAN BHOJ southern borders to encourage After 16 years of the South Asian Association for Regional Coop- them to trade with the Nepalis eration (SAARC), South Asia remains the least integrated region ~ With a glass of wine or beer for adults and soft drink for children rather than have Nepalis deal compared with other similar regional groupings, and has the largest directly with traders beyond the number of poor. That was the message of the Human Development borders. He was successful in in South Asia 2001 report, which looks at the region with Blasphemy on the beach globalisation as the overarching theme. Almost half-a-million people most such endeavours—what he in this part of the world have become poorer after the process did not manage to do in his began taking effect. The report, produced annually by the o nuclear weapons work? As agents of mass destruction, Hiroshima lifetime was convince the Islamabad-based Mahbub ul Haq Development Centre, says this is and Nagasaki are a constant reminder of their effectiveness at dealingThere may be a South Asian version of Mutually Assured Destruction. Tibetans to accept his currency. because of the inability of the states to develop response mecha- death and destruction. No, I wonder about the nuclear arsenals of Prithvi Narayan Shah could nisms, incomplete reforms and inadequate pro-poor policies. D But a little less madness would do us good. Beyond the rhetoric of cooperation we heard during the 11 India and Pakistan, and whether they haven’t helped keep the peace be brutal and vindictive. One ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ between two angry neighbours, beset by internal tensions and pressures and,○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ instance is when he is said to until now, largely ignored by the rest of the world. have ordered the ears and noses th Like many, I went ballistic at the Indian nuclear tests in May of 1998. of the previous rulers of Kirtipur summit last week, as a region South Asia has very little to show. Pakistan’s follow-on was even more maddening. Here were twoTitans of Vajpayee makes all the right noises, General Musharaff regrets but talks to be cut off as punishment for Trade among them remains below five percent of their total exports, their resolute resistance against compared to 22 percent for ASEAN members and 55 percent for Poverty pouring funds—in Pakistan’s case, largely money freed up by equally tough. Meanwhile, he quietly rounds up militants while India’s wily NAFTA members, and the region’s average tariffs remain very high overgenerous aid donations—into hideously dangerous weapons. They’d leader keeps the military preparations firmly within reversible limits. War his forces in 1764. Another such compared to other groupings of nations. Nepal’s consolation, fought three largely pointless wars and spent the better part of six decades fears fade as quickly as they flared and only the frighteningly callow incident concerns his killing of a articulated by Shankar Sharma, National Planning Commission finding reasons to hate each other. commentariat in Delhi seems disappointed. battle commander Jayant Rana member, is that we are doing better than the rest of South Asia in In mid-1998, they recklessly upped the ante hugely, endangering a I am willing to bet both Musharaff and Vajpayee were well aware of the for mutiny. human development indicators. In 1975 Nepal’s Human Development region that I’ve come to love and live in. Now I’m not so sure. Call me immense risks they were taking, and knew how far they could go before Some historians like Uday Index (HDI) was 0.29. by last year, it had shot up to 0.48, the think it was a strategic blunder fastest gain compared to other South Asian states. We also spend shallow, or driven by events, but I wonder if the relatively small nuclear starting to tone things down. The problem lies in Pakistan’s conventional the most on education—about 13 percent of all public spending. arsenals in both countries haven’t helped avoid all out war, at least twice in inferiority to India. As a smaller, poorer country that has been subjected to for Prithvi Narayan Shah to the past two years. Whoa, I can hear the screams of outrage already, not an American arms embargo for more than a decade, Pakistan is simply not Enjoy a tranquil SUNBATH with lovely soothing music at our lush shift his capital to Kathmandu, least from my abolitionist wife who marched the 1980s away protesting able to best India in conventional battle. The Pakistani armed forces are green Vaijayanta Garden Restaurant. Witness out master Chef, and name the country he had against American and Soviet nuclear weapons. well trained, morale is high but they lack technology and numerical weight. unified after it, rather than after But let’s consider the evidence. The Kargil conflict in 1999 was widely So asymmetrical strategies like nuclear weapons and support for cross Prem Baniya, at work preparing the most mouth watering his own kingdom. Even today, No salt described as South Asia on the brink of all out nuclear war. Pakistan hadpressure from fire breathing desk generals of the Indian media and the border insurgencies are a natural part of Pakistan’s arsenal. Islamabad might delicacies for you to enjoy. the small hill district, from ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ organised an incursion into Indian-controlled territory along the line of bellicose middle classes of Delhi, Atal Behari Vajpayee kept his troops on have little choice but to use its atomic bombs if invaded by Indian armour where the borders of modern Inhabitants of five mountain districts in far-western Nepal have Nepal were sketched remains been hit hard by a shortage of salt. The salt that is available costs control, India fought back fiercely, and with a little help from Bill Clinton,his side of the LOC. An American diplomatic source told me afterward and infantry. But lest a flock of hawks gather round me, let me say I still Every Saturday Rs 40 a kg. The demand remains unmet despite a six-month-old saw off the threat from across the line. that there were credible threats from Islamabad that nuclear weapons might hate nuclear weapons. Just because they deter war in times of rhetorical neglected. And is known as the agreement between local representatives of the Karnali Zone and Hundreds of young Indian men died retaking ridges and mountain be used if the Indians crossed the line. That’s denied in public by both hostility doesn’t mean that defusing tensions is not imperative. Rate: Rs. 650/- + tax per person* birthplace of another more recent the Salt Trading Corporation in Kathmandu. Locals of Humla, one of peaks that would defy the skills of mountaineers. We’ll probably never India and Pakistan yet it makes some sense. And if it’s true, then we must And there are other, frightening issues like the absence of command and 50% discount for children below 4 ft. political figure, the Maoist leader the most remote districts in the country, are further worried that know how many from the other side were killed, but my friends in Gilgitacknowledge the role of the South Asian version of mutually assured control, extremist forces in both countries, nuclear accidents and so on. It Time: 12:30 - 15:00 hrs. Village Resort Baburam Bhatarai. winter snows will close down the airport and disrupt supply flights. and Skardu told me that funerals went on for days after the killing stopped.destruction—the unwritten NATO-Moscow equation that kept the peace all underlines the need to move towards regional peace and the prosperity Kathmandu Nepal Residents of southern Humla have been forced to travel to Bajura to *Swimming and tennis (advance booking for tennis is buy salt, and their northern counterparts head to Taklakot on the Yet it remained a largely local skirmish. Despite immense rhetorical during the Cold War. that will follow. Even Washington and Moscow eventually abandoned required) included in the package. Tibetan border. I wonder too about the current round of Delhi-Islamabad hostilities. mutually assured destruction, known by its highly appropriate acronym, The usual suspects in India (media, middle classes, pundits) bray for war. MAD. A little less madness in South Asia would do us all a world of good. Amarabati, Toukhel, Godavari. Tel: 560675, 560775. Fax: 977-1-560777. E-mail: [email protected] ~ Website: www.godavariresort.com.np 6 NATION 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES NATION 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 7 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL On shaky ground Democratic dalliance ANJANA SHRESTHA ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ destroyed leaving 600,000 to our north. (See also “Waiting for the he earthquake on 17 July 2001 900,000 residents homeless. big one,” #25.) A seismic risk mapNepal of is still inadequately prepared for the next A lot of people who agree with Girija Koirala’s message are not in Gorkha, which damaged 600 It is a disaster waiting to hap- Nepal produced by the United big quake which, like it or not, will happen. convinced about the sanctity of his motive. Thouses, brought home yet again pen—with a population of 1.5 million Nations Development Programme that earthquakes are an unavoidable and growing, the Valley is seeing a (UNDP) and United Nations Centre ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ part of Nepal’s future, just as they spurt of uncontrolled development. for Human Settlements (UNCHS) have been a part of its past. And as one Construction techniques have based on geological data, shows that more Earthquake Safety Day ap- deteriorated in recent decades as the the country’s hills are more vulnerable proaches, it looks as if we are still demand for cheap, fast buildings to earthquakes than the mountains or likely to be caught unprepared should grows. Even scarier, the Valley’s the terai. And western and central encourage the emergence of the a large trembler strike any time soon. infrastructure barely holds up under Nepal—where a large percentage of the realities. But, again, the people still two eras are hard to miss. The talks with the Maoists collapsed? day-to-day life, and is far from able to population and vulnerable infrastruc- have no way of knowing that this isn’t Nepali Congress was locked in an (By the way, whose side is Khum Maoist equivalent of Sinn Fein that Every year in Nepal there are more support rescue and response opera- ture is concentrated-are more exposed just another ploy to rewrite the internal dispute then, too. Leaders Bahadur Khadka on this time?) could be expected to prevail over its than 1,000 earthquakes ranging in tions such as those carried out in than the far-east. political equations under the were divided over whether they Why this sudden flip-flop from version of the IRA. After years of magnitude from 2-5 on the Richter Gujarat. One of the fundamentals The realisation that Nepal is as constraints of the state of emergency. should continue their campaign for a man who built a 50-year political ambivalence, the Brits seem to have scale. drilled into the mind of every citizen seismically active as Japan but much Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) the restoration of civil liberties from career on an image of steely benefited by allowing the two wings Records going as far back as 1255 of quake-prone countries is that more vulnerable because of poor president Surya Bahadur Thapa the confines of panchayati prisons determination? to co-exist in Northern Ireland. CE show that Nepal has experienced epitomises the nation’s current or from the freedom of the world’s Let’s give Koirala the benefit of Once the Maoist political commis- nine major earthquakes over the last political predicament. He can’t most populous democracy. A state the doubt. Even then, can a broader sars gain supremacy over their 700 years. conceal his outrage at the way his of emergency forced the Kangresis democratic alliance be conceived disarmed militia, the healing Recurring earthquakes in the 20 Seismic Risk in Nepal two-year-old proposal has been to make a choice. without the Maoists? process could begin. expropriated, repackaged and sold by When Indira Gandhi turned Granted, they blew their chance Thapa must have been devas- th a faction of the ruling party. But deep India into a vast dungeon for all to prove they weren’t a bunch of tated by the discovery that his century claimed more than 23,000 down, he must feel vindicated. those who dared to disagree with terrorists operating under speech in Pokhara was late by 23 lives. Koirala, desperate to articulate her, our exiles concluded they ideological cover. But the years. As a gesture of goodwill, The Great Bihar earthquake of what has become an aspiration would have greater freedom of organisation’s official name perhaps he could be entrusted with 1934—which could as well have been transcending party lines, finds himself manoeuvre from Sundarijal. The conveys a clear political orienta- broadening Koirala’s consensus called The Great Kathmandu Earth- engaged in episodes of linguistic operational strategy was to broaden tion, even if it has strayed from package. Given the RPP’s success quake—measured 8.3-8.4 on the legerdemain. the fight for democracy to include the Great Helmsman’s path. rate in ducking the Maoists’ wrath Richter scale, claimed 8,500 lives and After his proposition of a national the defence of nationalism. Why don’t we try to separate in the past, they might consider him destroyed 20 percent of the Valley’s government drew criticism from Democratic forces and the the political and armed wings of the a more acceptable interlocutor than buildings, including a large number constitutional scholars, he accused the palace had to work together if movement? either of two bigger parties. of temples and monuments. press of misquoting him. What he Nepal was to maintain its identity If the Marxist, Leninist, There’s no guarantee the In 1988, a magnitude 6.6 really meant, he said, was that the amid the subcontinental flux. Workers and Peasants and all the Maoists would accept Thapa as earthquake hit eastern Nepal, with the prime minister could include members Many who believe history other variants of the heavily prime minister. But he would have epicenter in Udayapur. More than 700 The seismic zoning of the country is shown on earthquakesmap, where alone z=1.1 do not and kill z=1.0 as many representinfrastructure the highest planning came only after of other parties on an individual basis moves in circles are carried away by splintered left can be part of the a good reason to amend the RPP people were killed, 6,500 were injured to broaden his base. When someone GP’s clarion call. But a lot of platform, can the Maoists be charter and serve a third consecu- and 22,000 houses collapsed. peopleearthquake as the collapse risk zones. of poor the 1988 earthquake. The Destruction from the 1934 earthquake to Darbar Square around the Taleju Bell infrastructure does. This means ^ reminded him that such a proposal Nepalis who agree with the denied a place? tive term as president of the third MIN BAJRACHARYA largest party in parliament. “Kathmandu is the highest at-risk buildings, fire departments, medical ought to be coming from Sher substance of the Kangresi-in-chief’s Perhaps someone should try to city in the world today,” says Amod facilities, and, if they exist, crisis ach time Nepali Congress politics is no exact science. Bahadur Deuba, Koirala checked the message are not so confident about Dixit of National Society for Earth- management cells. president Girija Prasad Koirala If key leaders within the ruling calendar and re-defined his appeal as the sanctity of his motives. Look at bhuichalo quake Technology-Nepal (NSET- Nepal’s seismic record seems to Mahabhukampa, or nabbay saal ko Ecomes back from Biratnagar, party think the idea goes against the an extension of the national the questions we’re asking our- Nepal). The Kathmandu Valley suggest that earthquakes of the 1934 , could have taught Nepal a the political establishment in majority-rule principle, they are only reconciliation policy BP Koirala selves. Why does the Congress Earthquake Risk Management Project magnitude occur approximately every lot, but public and institutional Kathmandu knows he has something illustrating that they retain the probity enunciated 25 years ago while patriarch want to return to (KVERMP) estimates that an earth- 75 years. That, combined with recent memory has proven to be short. An up his sleeves. The product of his to tell us what parliamentary politics returning from exile in India. (See Baluwatar after all he’s been quake today similar in magnitude to seismic activity in the region, has led earthquake memorial, now known as latest retreat in his hometown has is all about. “back to Sundarijal >1, #74, and >2 through? Or is he just playing the 1934 many experts to believe that a major Bhugol Park, was erected in 1934 to electrified the political atmosphere at But many Nepalis are still on p. 17 of this issue) Since we’re games to hold on to the party earthquake is almost certain to hit in remind people of the damage the a time when many Nepalis expected wondering whether it is the future of still at reconciling our positions, presidency? On the other hand, the near future. Nepal is in the disaster caused. Nepal was the first their leaders to be enjoying a forced this particular government Congress what would BP have thought of this didn’t Koirala step down as prime Mahabhukampa, centred in seismically very active Himalayan Asian country to build such a The Bal Vikas Madhyamik Vidyalaya before and after being retrofitted for earthquake resistance three-month vacation. stalwarts are really worried about. interpretation, especially if he had minister while he still had a the densely populated Kathmandu mountain belt, with the Indian plate monument, but it was not until 1988 If anything, the extended Those who argue that the nation has actually used that “h” word to majority in the Congress parliamen- to the south moving burrowing Valley, would likely cause more deaths that attention was refocused on actual resistant by 2020. The organisation story has been the four-year-old School discussions prompted by Koirala’s reached a state where no party or characterise his youngest brother’s tary party? Is there a chance that and casualties than last year’s Gujarat against the Asian or Tibetan plate to earthquake preparedness. One of the helps people learn what “preparedness” Earthquake Safety Project (SESP).Lalitpur is the focus this year, and the proposal for a broader democratic power centre can expect to manage political acumen? Deuba may have reneged on a secret earthquake in India. In hard numbers, products of this new concern was the means, in terms of how they build and Shocked to find that none of week will kick off with the hand-over of alliance reaffirm the assertion that things alone are rooted in ground The similarities between the pledge to resign in case the peace they count something like approxi- creation of NSET-Nepal in 1994. organise their structures, and what Kathmandu Valley’s 643 publicthe earthquake resistant Kaversthali mately 40,000 dead and 95,000 NSET-Nepal believes that with their immediate response should be in schools complied with even theSchool to the community. This will be injured. More than 60 percent of concerted effort, Nepal can be quake the event of a quake. Still, Dixit nominal building code in placefollowed now, by programmes such as a mass the existing buildings would be worries. “Nepalis are very complacent NSET-Nepal decided to strengthencasualty the drill at Machhendra bahal, a and are not panicked easily,” he says. buildings by a process known asseminar on improving building FOLLOW-UP “But to withhold the knowledge so as seismic retrofitting, by which evenstandards, a symposium in disaster risk not to create panic is actually a crime.” poorly-built structures can be management, messages over radio and a Dixit cannot emphasise enough that stabilised to withstand quakes. Today,discussion of the role of media in the only way to deal with such a SESP is so popular that it is beingearthquake disaster management. disaster is to be always prepared, replicated in India, Indonesia andLalitpur’s mayor Buddhi Raj which means having long-term vision other countries. Ram Hari Sharma, Preserving Gurkha history Bajracharya says he plans to conduct and patience. principal of Bal Bikas Madhyamikawareness programmes in every ward of One of the ways to do that is to see Vidhyalaya, one of the schools thatLalitpur. has “My aim is to bring down inally the Gurkha Memorial Museum has visitors. It used to be hidden to it that quakes are never too far from been retrofitted says, “I agreed whencasualties when such a disaster occurs,” away in a dusty corner of Lainchaur, and hardly anyone knew of its the public mind. Which is why, they selected my school, and nowhe there says. The municipality plans to For anyone interested in Nepali existence. But when it moved to Pokhara last September, tickets began though NSET-Nepal, with the are four or five houses in the areamake that the approval of two design plans a F selling even before the museum was officially opened. As the Gurkha Memorial history, there is now a place to support from the government declared have replicated what we did.” requirement for any new construction, Trust, which runs the museum, had hoped, passing tourists and Nepalis saw the Magh 2 (this year 15 January) every Starting 12 January, when andNepal’s already hands out a set of booklets explore a vital part of it in the flesh. signboard and walked right in. year as Earthquake Safety Day, they fourth annual Earthquake Safetyon Week constructing for earthquake safety The four-year-old museum has suffered from a chronic lack of funds and work around the year with institutions begins, different organisations andwhen it approves plans. inadequate space to showcase the entire collection of memorabilia that the trust has and communities to make the Valley a experts will come together in publicThe UN is also doing its bit. The gathered together. Captain Yeknarain Gurung, chairman and curator of the safer place, should there be a quake. forums to raise awareness and discussUN Disaster Management Team museum told us last March that “as this is a national asset, the government Probably their biggest success the problems raised by quakes. (UNDMT), reactivated in 1999, has helped set up the museum by providing Rs 1 million.” Donations followed from come up with the first UN Disaster the Indian Embassy, the Royal Nepal Army, the British Gurkhas Nepal, Response Preparedness Plan in the Grindlays Bank and Lt Col John Cross. These donations and the yearly world. Man Bahadur Thapa of the UN government grants, ranging from Rs 100,000-Rs 400,000, barely covered the Disaster Management Programme, says overheads and it didn’t help that barely anyone visited. the team has trained 47 government Major Yambahadur Gurung says the trust realised that if this were ever to officials at the ministry level in disaster work, the museum had to move where land—preferably government-donated— management and over 100 members of was easy to find and tourists were aplenty. Pokhara was the obvious choice, and in the larger community. The team also August 2001, the entire collection was moved to Pokhara. The museum occupiesas engineers, transport and signals. Yet another gallery upstairs has a small provides technical support to the three an old Nepali house in the compound of Hotel Nature Land. It’s a separate collection from the Indian Army and Royal Nepalese Army, but is mainly groups that, should a quake hit, will building from the actual hotel and stands nearest to the main road, within a dedicated to Victoria Cross winners. There are also some new items on display, work on food and agriculture, health, minute’s walk from the heart of Fewa Lake. Hotel owner WO2 Dilbahadur such as Cross belts, old photographs, badges of rank from the Singapore Police, and logistics. Gauchan offered the house to the Gurkha Memorial Trust free for the first year,flags from different regiments, and old radios used for communications betweenAVAILABLE WORLDWIDE IN HARDCOPY Kathmandu grandparents, when when he heard they were looking for a place to start up until they were allocatedcamps a from the Queens Gurkha Signals. asked about the 1934 quake, often say, permanent location for the museum. “It was an old tattered building that I used The museum is complete, and managed by Lalbahadur Lama, but is a littleNepali Times is now available on “Mother Earth shuddered with anger to store things in, but I just couldn’t find a reason for pulling it down. It paidshort-staffed. off “Visitors have been walking through themselves. Of course later wePEPC Worldwide vending machines because we insulted her by our sins. So in the long run I guess,” he laughs. “We are asking for government land in hope to provide a guide explaining about each item on show”, says Major she took people’s lives and destroyed at major airports and hotel chains. Pokhara so a permanent museum can be built. But these matters take time,” Yambahadur Gurung. Tickets are Rs 50 for tourists and Rs 10 for Nepalis with buildings and religious shrines.” The Receive 40 pages of the latest explains Vice Chairman, Major Judbahadur Gurung. discounts for school children. The museum runs every day but Monday, from editions of Nepali Times and sins of Nepal may bring on quakes, 10AM-5PM, and visitors can browse through the museum library and use the In the meantime, things are moving ahead and with support from the 2 selected material from Himal South but the sin of under-preparation will hotel’s facilities. There is even a souvenir shop that sells khukuris, bangles cuff- only magnify the damage on an links, tie-pins and brooches. With donations from individuals and institutions,Asian and Himal Khabarpatrika in unforgivable scale. 150 cm x 70 cm format on high- nd the museum now has a computer and printer, and has even printed a brochure. Close to 300 people have already visited the museum, and there are bound toquality paper printed while you Gurkha Rifles Association, the house was refurbished last summer, and the be a lot more in the peak tourist season. Finally, it appears as if Nepal’s justly watch commercial video content displays were set up. There are three galleries downstairs, devoted to medals, famous Gurkhas are in the repertoire of institutional history for good. on the monitor. Price: US$ 2.50, all infantry regiments that were disbanded in 1994 to form the Royal Gurkha Rifles, major credit cards accepted. the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force, and corps regiments such 8 NEPALI ECONOMY 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES ECONOMY 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 9 BIZ NEWS FEEDBACK network in the mainland. Hong Kong. “We’ve been trying to Fasten seat belts The hefty investment has open their eyes for the last 30 years ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ already paid-off—tom.com’s to the potential of outdoor and The insurgency and emergency of the past months has slowed not just the government’sAtithi dollar bhava revenues jumped from $1.6 million nothing has worked,” says spending, but has curbed spending in general. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) says the in the third quarter of 2000 to MediaCom’s King. “But they’ve detedriorating law and order situation kept government spending slow in the first fourne is getting sick and tired of Outdoor is $20.4in million in 2001. Its outdoor- finally cottoned on to the fact that months of this fiscal year (until mid-October). Recurrent expenses grew by about sevenhearing the same regurgitated media network alone turned over outdoor is perfect for the kinds of percent and development spending by six percent, while there was a sharp growthO garbagein from each and every Forget banner ads and TV slots. Old-fashioned billboards some $45 million last year. products in their portfolio.” freeze expenditure—money that has to be spent during the fiscal year—up by 46industry, percent in particular to from Nepali One tom.com acquisition, Shrewd entrepreneurs are Rs 1.5 billion. guarantee maximum impact for minimum spend This growth partly reflects spending brought forward by the different ministriestourism to “entrepreneurs”.pay for The 11 Tianming Advertising Company, jumping in to make outdoor the preparations for the SAARC summit. Government spending may have got Septemberworse since, attacks are only partially which places ads on double-decker offerings more palatable to more because the central bank figures do not take into account the developments sinceresponsible the 23for the present crisis in buses and billboards in Henan high-profile advertisers. Through- November Maoist attacks and the declaration of the state of emergency three daysour industry. later. province, in central China, has a net out the region, they’ve consolidated Resource mobilisation grew by just seven percent, compared to 31 percent growthOur “entrepreneurs” in have profit margin of 40 percent. And the assets into networks that are sold to the same period last year. Revenue grew by a mere nine percent compared to brought22 percent this situation upon them- company is growing at more than 30 advertisers in bulk. growth in the last fiscal year, hit by a slowdown in imports and sluggish industrialselves produc-by not devising creative percent a year. “We’re looking for Four years ago, when Nike tion. The budget deficit in mid-November was Rs 4.2 billion, which was plugged with high growth and strong cash flow,” wanted to launch a Shanghai-wide foreign loans (Rs 1.5 billion) and over-drawing Rs 2.7 billion from the central bank.solutions Inflation in marketting. And I don’t is still under three percent, despite a rise in food and beverage prices. The priceblame rise them: of they know not what they says Sing Wang, tom.com’s chief outdoor campaign, it had to fruits, vegetables, sugar and oil offset the reduction in the price of rice. do, for they jumped blindly onto the executive. “The outdoor business in convince 20 different municipal The bank had no good news on the external front: exports are down by abouttourism eight bandwagon. China right now gives us both.” bodies and talk to a handful of percent compared with 42 percent growth in the same period last year. Exports to TheIndia lack of operational aptitude That’s true for the rest of the billboard owners to seal the deal. grew much more slowly than last year, while there was a slide in Nepal’s mainand overseas integrity towards tourism, and region as well. Even in the most Earlier this year Walton arranged a exports—carpets (down 15 percent), readymade garments (down by 34 percent)self-indulgence and were their hallmark. developed markets, like Hong 30-city outdoor marketing push pashmina (down by a whopping 78 percent). Imports also dropped by 3.5 percent,They garneredcom- ego-satisfying duty free Kong, Singapore and Korea, profit with just one phone call to a Media pared to the 13 percent by which it grew in the same period last year. margins are in double digits. So the Nation subsidiary. With 22,000 As if this wasn’t bad enough, a Rastra Bank researcher told us we can expectfour wheelmore drives bad with green plates, news. “Every sector seems to be going from bad to worse,” he said. and the social respectability conse- costs of building an outdoor buses in China, another 3,000 in quent of the construction of a star network can be recouped in just Hong Kong and 23,500 advertising hotel. three years, says Kam Ling, chief displays in Beijing and Shanghai, They cared not that their valued executive of Media Nation, a Hong Media Nation is fast becoming the god-like ( Kong-based transit-advertising Walmart of China’s outdoor company. “Once you’ve invested in advertising industry. “A few years the infrastructure, you can start ago, if you wanted a country-wide atithi devo bhava) guests MIN BAJRACHARYA reaping the results right away.” campaign, there was no choice but arrived in ramshackle cattle carts Media Nation plans to list on TV,” says Media Nation’s Ling. Banking on reformists called taxis spewing smoke inside Hong Kong’s Growth Enterprise “But today outdoor is a real ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○ rather than outside. They cared not Market before the end of the year. alternative since China has one of The World Bank’s deadline to the government for initiating financial reforms expires next month, that hygiene in both the kitchen and In June, the Kowloon Motor Bus the most developed outdoor and it is uncertain whether Nepal will get another extension. If it does, it will be theguest fifth toilets extension. were essential, or that the Employee unions of the two banks have decided to team up to protest the proposed re- Company listed its advertising networks in the world.” Tom.com forms, essentially the handing over of bed sheets and table cloths were subsidiary, Roadshow, for close to is building a network in China as stained. They wallowed in their own trekking industry, most tourism height of creativity was locking the Nepal Bank Ltd and Rastriya Banijya entrepreneurs plunged in to rake in Buddha in by erecting a brick wall $41 million on Hong Kong’s GEM well, providing one-stop shopping Bank to external management teams. prescribed levels of mediocrity. the tourist dollar like there was no around his birthplace in Lumbini. in an offering that was 16 times for billboards, bus shelters and The unions say that hiring highly paid It was so easy to accept this oversubscribed. street furniture. consultants using a World Bank loan tomorrow. The quality controllers For a lesson in marketing, we and the government’s licensing need to look at the Indian state of But even well-funded local Vendors aren’t just expanding was not the solution. They say the ills chalta hai mentality because we players like these won’t be able to their reach, they’re diversifying their can be addressed if there is no thought: “We are a poor country and authorities moved with the flow. The Haryana. It had nothing going for it, political interference. Reformers resulting degradation is evident. but it taught other states rich in corner the outdoor market. First, it offerings as well. In Hong Kong, argue that foreign managers will our revenues are just not enough to is massive—worth over $1 billion a thousands of new bus shelters have look after these trivial requirements of There have been no creative ideas destinations, like Rajasthan and have the independence to sever links and approach to marketing many of Orissa, how to make an impact. Why year. But it is also extremely been set up with more eye-catching between politicians, business the guests.” Few hotels are a planned fragmented. Tom.com’s Wang says displays and billboards and signs

MIN BAJRACHARYA these hotels and destinations. The can’t Nepal, which is so rich in the groups and bank employees— exercise, most evolved on the whims only marketing tool applied is rate diversity of its tourism product, do a over 80 percent of outdoor assets in have been placed on everything identified as a major reason for the and fancies of the landlord who just axing. Even the “two percent” Nepal similar repackaging? Just shedding China are controlled by small from the cross-harbour Star Ferry crisis. A study based on 1998 data made alterations to his home. Few players that each have less than a 1 to a driving-range net. had said both the banks are insolvent, even though they have substantial liquid funds. The Tourism Board has not determined tears, pumping out vague worry about waste disposal, parking SUH-KYUNG YOON percent market share. Most other But the most cutting-edge liquidity has resulted from their nationwide reach, and is not because they have recovered their for itself the level of quality, or statistical reports and organising these days are billboards, bus panels with innovative displays and eye- when you can buy a flashy 30- or other infrastructure. Hotels in IN HONG KONG outdoor ad markets in Asia are just innovations are coming from the investments. Nearly half of the loans at the two banks are said to be non-performing. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and flyers pasted on newsstands and catching visuals. Local companies second television spot? By 1997, Pokhara pump their sewage tanks applied any effort to repackage the interaction programmes will not Nepal product. The opening of more help. Stop crying and pointing or a hip hi-tech company, benches. Outdoor advertising is specialising in transit and billboard advertisers in Asia were spendingas ripe for consolidation. Eyeing an most unlikely sources—Hong into the lake on which they depend Palm Corp’s marketing about the only thing advertisers are advertising are getting stock market only 9 percent of their budgetsopportunity, on savvy multinational Kong’s listed public-transport for their own water supply. peaks lacks creative inputs and is the fingers, take responsibility. strategy in Asia is as low-tech splurging on. According to market- listings and winning venture outdoor ads. media companies like Clear Channel companies. The Kowloon-Canton Much like the carpet, garment, knee-jerk reaction of file-pushing F finger-pointing bureaucrats. The and Old Economy as you can get. research company ACNielsen, capital, while multinationals are Then came the financialof crisis the Unitedin States and APN News Railway Corp, the Mass Transit pashmina, airline, banking, taxi, or the Sanjay No digital blips and interactive spending on outdoor media in Asia piling into the region. As for 1997. While the rest of the and Media of Australia are aggres- Railway Corp. and the city’s three Baneswor clicks for its latest Palm Pilot rose by 20 percent during the first advertisers, they’re waking up to advertising industry suffered,sively cheap expanding in the region. bus companies have all gone on launch. Just some good old- nine months of 2001—even while the fact that Asia’s crowded cities and easy outdoor ads flourished.That’s the supply side. But is an LCD binge, fitting their trains, fashioned paint and paper in the total ad expenditure was up less guarantee more eyeballs than any They’ve been on an upswingthere ever sufficient demand for outdoor buses and stations with flat- INTERVIEW form of billboards. than 5 percent in the same period. website or TV spot. since, growing more than 10ad space? Depleting ad revenues screen TVs. It is in good company. Nokia’s “Everybody was talking about ‘new What a turnaround. Outdoor percent throughout the regionhave in forced newspapers and These screens are used by pitch for its sleek new phone is media, new media’ in 2000,” says advertising has been dying out in 2000-2001—the largest increasemagazines throughout the region to companies like Roadshow to right next to Palm’s board by the Philip Rich, ACNielsen’s executive the region over the past decade. In since 1990. cut costs. But companies still need broadcast ads to a literally captive “We need to agree on a minimum entrancecode of the Cross-Harbour ofdirector conduct.” for Hong Kong and China. 1990, these media took up about China is growing fastest—noto advertise. And put bluntly, audience. “With three million Tunnel on Hong Kong Island. “Well, the new media have turned 14 percent of total ad expenditure surprise. Hong Kong-based market-outdoor is cheap. An ad on the side passengers a day, we have the Opposite are ads for Cathay Pacific out to be outdoor, the oldest in Asia. But as economic develop- research company Zenith Mediaof a bus in Hong Kong costs just largest audience in town,” says the This delay must be costing you and the exchequer. Does this say something What about affordability? Airways, Citibank and Pacific advertising form around.” ment brought televisions and radios predicts that the China market$385 a month while a full-page company’s chief marketing officer, about the governmentís attitude to privatisation of this sector? We will price our product to make it competitive, because in any splash in a local newspaper can cost Nancy Pang. “And we know they’re It is definitely costing us heavily. The money we have committed is lying business volume and reach are crucial. The further we areCentury able CyberWorks. to Old, but by no means dull. At into almost every home and expanded 15 percent last year. idle in the bank. We have also lined up many people to work on the project, reach, the higher our revenues. I cannot talk about specificForget pricing banner at ads and short least not these days in Asia. newspapers and magazines prolifer- Advertisers there spend aboutclose 16 to $13,000 a day. “There’s no watching the screens—what else all are waiting for the green signal. The losses on the government’s side are this point. messaging service (SMS) marketing. Creative directors have gone all out ated, outdoor lost its cachet. Why spend of their budget on outdoordoubt that people are trying to find would they do on the buses?” The for the NTA to tell. The hottest things in advertising in the outdoor medium, coming up advertise on a plain old billboard media, significantly more thanways in to stretch their money these spin-off reported revenues of The privatisation of mobile telephony is a test for the government. This How is your joint venture incorporated? How much money are other countries. One reasondays for and outdoor provides good $8.85 million for the first six will show how serious it is about privatisation of the telecommunication you and your partner putting in? sector. The initiative has opened a new avenue for Nepali business and I We have tied up with Spice Cell owned by Modis from India. They their popularity is the relativevalue lack during tough times like months of this year. am hopeful the government will support the project and see it through. It have 60 percent stock and we have 40 percent equity. The project of regulation. “Unlike TV orthese,” the says John Smallwood, head The outdoor media work better makes sense in every way—we will generate employment and bring in cost is around $13 million. The debt-equity ratio is still being worked press, outdoor is totally deregulatedof Singapore-based Asia Posters, in Asia than anywhere else in the competition, which is best for the customer, and there is extra revenue to be out. in China,” says Adrian King,APN’s venture in the region. world. “Most of the cities in the earned by the state in the form of royalties, taxes, etc. We all stand to gain Outdoor may be cheap, but region have lots of people packed from this. Son a different note, what do you see as the basic problems of director of media research and doing business in Nepal today? strategic planning in Hong Kongdon’t for discount its impact. Used into a tiny territory,” says Clara If you get your frequency sorted out, how much longer will it take? Government officials do not implement laws and policies in the spirit US-based media planner properly, it can effectively raise Liao, Palm’s marketing manager. After we get all clearances from the Authority, it will take another 12 to 14 that an investor would desire. But then, even the laws are very MediaCom. “The government’sbrand awareness. “Outdoor can’t “That means a lot more people are weeks for us to launch the mobile service. traditional. There are problems with the labour law, which favour involvement is virtually negligible.build a brand by itself,” says Chris going to see outdoor ads here.” labour unions. Revenue officials still have discretionary powers and What extra services will you provide and what company-specific because the new law has made them more powerful, business You can basically do anythingWalton, you chief executive of media- Palm’s billboards by the Cross- technology will you use? remains at their mercy. Businesses are also affected locally by the like in the outdoor medium.”buyer Mindshare in China. “But it Harbour Tunnel in Hong Kong We’ll provide all the essential components of mobile telephony, such as whims of local administrators. Of course, the major concern at this That means it is also onecan of bethe used to increase and have certainly caught consumers’ short messaging (SMS), email, Internet, and maybe new services such as point is industrial security. We have discussed these issues with the few media avenues that is openmaintain to awareness levels for an eyes. “Everyone seems to have news alerts, weather forecasts and the like. We are also looking at offering Minister for Commerce and Industry, Purna Bahadur Khadka, who has Rajendra Khetan is executive director in the the other possibilities in telephony, such as roaming services, and the other assured us he will do his best. The newly constituted Board of foreign investors. One companyextended period of time.” noticed them,” she says. “We’ve all Khetan Group, which is involved in producing data communication facilities possible under the GMS mobile technology. Investment should also help resolve some of these problems. that is exploiting this is tom.com.Forced to cut costs, many been stuck in traffic around the everything from instant noodles to beer, from Mobile phones can also be used as a security tool, and we’re exploring the Launched as a portal in 2000brands at the are rejigging their media tunnel at one point or another.” insurance to banking. He is also a vice presidentpossibilities of that too. We will be using the latest technology. We are What exactly is the problem with the labour law? height of Hong Kong’s dotcombudgets to throw more outdoor into As Asia Poster’s Smallwood currently negotiating with a few technology suppliers. Spice Cell has a wide We in business think wages should be linked with productivity to mania, its stock price jumpedthe 335 mix. US conglomerate Procter says, “It’s the last true mass at the Federation of the Nepalese Chambers of knowledge of the business and their experts are already assessing the enhance competitiveness. People should not be paid simply different options. because they are there. Industries, particularly those concerned with percent on its stock market debut.and Gamble, for one, has tradition- medium around. Not everyone Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) and Honorary seasonal products and businesses, should be free to use contract But like other dotcoms, its on-lineally shunned the medium but is now watches TV, reads the papers or Consul of Portugal. We spoke to Khetan to find Mobiles can leapfrog the expensive copper wire technology required for labour, that would help us keep production in tune with demand. How operations failed to make money.testing the waters with its Hugo surfs the web. Outdoor gets to out what was happening to his mobile telephone rural telephony and to connect the highways. Do you see a market can we ensure productivity and discipline when we can’t hire and fire So now it’s turning to Old Boss perfume, which has been everyone who leaves their there? workers? We need to re-think the rights of employers and employees, project, and also about other issues affecting Our plan is to provide the service along the highway and all hubs and where industrial disputes are concerned. Any disruption at a Economy tricks to tap into thesplashed onto billboards throughout homes.” business in Nepal. markets to make our coverage as wide as possible. Mobiles are definitely a workplace affects everyone—owners, workers and labourers. Why can’t booming Chinese advertising better communication option than wire connections. Like in Bangladesh, we we agree on a minimum code of conduct to ensure that production is market and pad its bottom line. are also eyeing rural markets. not disrupted, whatever the differences. Earlier this year, tom.com bought Nepali Times: People are waiting for your mobile service to be seven companies for $97 million to launched. Whatís holding things up? create the largest outdoor-media Rajendra Khetan: We completed all the legal and joint venture proce- dures in September. We applied to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority for frequency allocation and other such matters on which approval is needed. We are waiting to hear back from the NTA. The project is very much ready, we only need to be given the go ahead. (FEER) 10 HERITAGE 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES HERITAGE 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 11 Before and after in Kathmandu Valley While high profile monuments get all the attention, Kathmandu Valley’s old-world architecture is equally in peril. A conservation trust is racing against time to save these forgotten treasures.

Khalkhu pati (rest house) restored ALL PICS: KVPT ALL Ayuguthi Satal, before and in the process of being renovated. The 16th century Tum Baha Narayan in ruins in 1994 and after restoration in 2000

ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ has eroded the character of to restore a site. “Renovating will be completed in March. Radha Krishna temple in Patan hey have called Patan the Kathmandu Valley towns, as work it does is commendable, but it Square, and restores it painstak-falling structures is only one “Once the work is done thesatal ended in 1993, but the locals Florence of the East. concrete blocks replace old-world has received far less media attention ingly to its previous beauty. It aspecthas of our work, we need to will be turned into a resource and showed little enthusiasm to look TBhaktapur has been architecture. Many invaluable, and promotion than it deserves,” also rebuilt entire temples thatovercome a lot of challenges educational centre for tourists after the rebuilt temple. evident all over Patan today— situation has certainly improved a compared to Seville. While the but less highlighted, monuments says Keshav Raj Jha, former Nepali have been ravagedth century by time andbefore we can even reach to thatand scholars,” says Rashid. The 13th century Sulima when residents of an area see one lot and people have begun to tall temples and the elegant built by our ancestors within the ambassador to France and long-timeKulimaweather, Narayan likenear the 18 part,” says KVPT’s Imrana Fund-raising may be a Ratneswara is another temple in building being restored, and see realise the importance of these Darbar Squares of these towns depths of the dark alleys and that there are often tangible structures.” Rana was the first bahals consultant to the UNESCO WorldBagalamukhi. “The KVPT has set Rashid. For instance, the trust problem, but sometimes a bigger Patan that KVPT helped renovate. stand out, what gives them their obstacle is lack of help from the benefits that can accrue from it, Nepali to be elected to the board are crumbling away. Heritage office Nepal. a standard for building conserva- had to fight legal battles for nine Manager Raju Roka partly blames unique urban ambience is the The KVPT has been aroundtion in Neoal which is unri- years to renovate the Ayuguthi local community. Many commu- the temple priests for the temples’ they are more receptive to doing of directors of KVPT. Rana has Thankfully, city planners and 13th century Sulima Ratneswara after restoration architecture of the individual for ten years, doing its work valled,” says Peter Laws, a Satal in Patan. In 1992, the nities have helped support the disrepair. “There are more reasons the same. As one reaches the been a longtime supporter of the buildings, the sidewalk temples, archaeologists and architects are renovation by contributing Kulima Narayan temple, an old trust’s work with his own Baber now taking notice. The Kathmandu quietly, without too much cultural heritage expert with KVPT obtained funds to repair for temples and old structures to the rest houses and the harmony fanfare. It has rescued over a UNESCO. the crumbling labour, wood or even money. But fall apart than just old age,” says building on the right, in the same Mahal Revisited—an example of of space and colour. Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT) satal, initially a these are exceptions. The apathy style, is being renovated. Until cultural heritage conservation. is now working to renovate the dozen monuments of cultural But it has not been easy for Roka. He says buildings crumble Heritage conservation efforts pati, value, mostly in Patan, but alsothe in KVPT and its director, place where the faithful sang is puzzling, and is probably due because the traditional management some time ago, the owners were In Kathmandu, the Trust is in Kathmandu Valley over the pauwa, matha and mandir of the Kathmandu. It selects simple American architect Eric G religious hymns and pilgrims to the fragmentation of clans, systems designed for their upkeep planning to destroy the decades- working to re-renovate the past 30 years have focussed on inner city. “If it weren’t for non- roadside structures such as theTheophile. They have had to face spent their nights, now long have fallen apart. “The main old building and have a concrete Jaganath Temple which had been trying to restore the monuments, structure. With help and advice destroyed by monsoon rains, and profit groups like the KVPT, much Mani Gufa temple that lies all sorts of problems, from fund- overtaken by squatters unwilling guthi and communities in the problem with conservation here, as but the march of modernisationof the Valley’s architectural heritage hidden beside the temple of raising to even securing the right to let the Trust in. But work is elsewhere,” says Laws, “is of course from KVPT, the owners are now disturbed by shoddy reconstruc- formerly closely-knit urban turning the building into a bed tion. There are also plans to would already have been lost. The Krishan Mandir in Patan Darbar now underway and renovation environment. Renovation of the universal one, that of the lack of public awareness. People neglect and breakfast pension where renovate a falling Sherpa monas- Lakhe Agam renovated in 1996 their cultural heritage.” Laws tourists can enjoy living in an tery in Junbesi in Solu Khumbu, suggests that one way to ensure that old-style Newari house with but that has had to be shelved building conservation is smoother is modern comforts. because of the counter-insurgency to give municipalities more power, There are positive signs that operation. the awareness level among the KVPT’s real seriousness is

so they can make the road easier for ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY organisations such as the KVPT. local community concerning reflected by its office. It is a rented Where KVPT’s work has been architectural heritage is also old Newari house near Patan smoother is where local bodies increasing. A walk around Patan Durbar Square, re-vamped with a such as reveals numerous houses being style and grace that symbolises its re-built in old-style architecture, passion for conservation. With its even though modern materials traditional exterior and modern guthi are intact. And the have been used. Says KVPT office space, it reflects a perfect most heartening impact of the board member and director of and harmonious blend of old and Trust’s work is what some call development Gautam SJB Rana: new. They certainly practice what The Trust’s office, an old Newari house in Patan re-vamped in style. the “demonstration effect” “Compared to the past, the they preach.

Radha Krishna Mandir restoration period 1991 -1993

Kulihma Narayan before and after restoration completed in 1998.

Uma Maheswori restored and made safer. 12 TECHNOLOGY 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES WORLD 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 13 ANALYSIS by WALDEN BELLO Gross National Happiness in Russia ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ MOSCOW- Russia’s economy has picked up after a decade-long decline, but, say economists, a lot needs to be done. 2001 was a The American way of successfulwar year for Russia and the average Russian would “be The American way of happy”war by 2010, President Vladimir Putin said on national television Internet gatekeeper 24 December. By end 2001, Russia’s GDP growth reached 5.5 percent, says Finance Minister Alexey Kudrin. Tough reforms by the Kremlin include the introduction of a 13-percent flat income tax, new labour and land codes, and restructuring of the country’s pension Boundaries are MANILA - Europe is cool, there is system. In 2001, Russia’s foreign trade surplus exceeded $40 billion, apprehension throughout the South, and its gold and hard currency reserves rose to $35 billion, tripling being drawn and outright despondency blankets the 1998 level, says the Central Bank of Russia. much of the Arab and Muslim world. But experts warn that continued over-reliance on oil and gas all over the There are at least 4000 dead in exports might eventually push Russia into a vicious circle of debt Afghanistan, a large number civilians, crises, and increasing dependence on international commodity prices. Russia’s financial health has improved significantly since the formerly- four million refugees, a return to tribal 1998 crisis, largely due to high world market prices for its energy chaos with the dismemberment of and commodity exports. Russia is a large oil producer, and the borderless central authority. What bin Laden and world’s biggest natural gas producer and exporter. But many of his organisation did was horrific and Russia’s oil and metal industries were sold cheap to well-connected Internet. inexcusable—but to do this to a tycoons, who have been siphoning out as much as two-thirds of the country in the name of justice? profits from their cheaply acquired assets offshore instead of It is again okay to intervene in the investing in production. There has also been nervousness recently ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ And yet this victory has a wider significance for the Pentagon. Massive, as Russian oil hovered below $20 per barrel. Another potential affairs of developing countries. challenge to sustaining such growth is Russia’s $150 billion foreign precision-guided air power can win debt, which represents roughly four-fifths of the country’s GDP, or wars, with almost no commitment of Times Modern eral in political engineering, thus $1,000 per citizen. Russia’s slowing economy could entail devalua- US ground troops, and thus almost no tion of the Ruble between 2003 and 2005, argues Mikhail Delyagin, : “...the best medium-term getting others to take the blame if thenot going as gently into that good different from different parts of casualties. With this renewed Paul Johnson, author of head of the Institute of Globalisation Problems, a Moscow-based the world,” said Lee Tien, a confidence in what historian Russell solution will be to revive the old political structure collapses. On the night—including, surprisingly, the think-tank. lawyer with the Electronic Weigley called “the American Way of League of Nations Mandate System, domestic front laws and executive British parliament, which shot down Frontier Foundation in San War”—massive firepower, high which served well as a ‘respectable’ orders restricting the rights to privacyTony Blair’s draconian proposal to Francisco. technology, total victory—Washington form of colonialism between the and free movement have been passedallow the indefinite imprisonment of Already legislatures and is now considering similar interven- wars... Countries that can’t live at with astonishing speed and ease. foreigners suspected of terrorism. peace with their neighbours and wage Not even the Cold War was The new US legislation institu- court systems around the world tion in states that allegedly provide aid covert war against the international presented in such totalistic terms astionalises unilateralism: the latest laws and comfort to the terrorists, such as (IPS) have been attempting to assert community cannot expect total the War against Terror. and executive decrees self-endow their country’s authority over Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Iraq. The events in Afghanistan have likely given independence. With all the permanent Writing in Washington with the power to do the World Wide Web. Hong members of the Security Council The Nation, David almost anything abroad. US forces Kong’s government, for instance, a boost to plans for a strong US Flier in the ointment backing, in varying degrees, the Corn observes that a mere nine weeks displayed this recently, when, in an act ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ has been debating whether to military role in the drug war in Colombia. American-led initiative, it should notinto this war, legislation had been indistinguishable from piracy, they WASHINGTON - US Air Force fighter pilot Martha McSally was made pass a law that would make it a be difficult to devise a new UN passed and executive orders signed in boarded without consent a lieutenant colonel four years before her peers. She had flown over crime for any overseas gamblingaddress. enormous fees for the rights to mandate that places terrorist states the US establishing secret military Singaporean ship in the Arabian Sea,100 hours in her A-10, with its fast-firing Gatling gun. She was a site to offer services to its under supervision.” tribunals to try non-US citizens, overpowered the crew, and launchedchampion a triathlete with a master’s degree in public policy from Silicon Valley’s Quova Inc., broadcast the games on a Newsweek reports that residents. A court in Genoa, Afghanistan is now turning intoimpose guilt by association on fruitless search for terrorists. Had a Harvard. She had patrolled the no-fly zone over Iraq and directed one of the leading providers of country-by-country basis— Colombian authorities seeking a more search-and-rescue missions inside Afghanistan. Then she landed at Italy, recently found the the latest experiment in the New immigrants, authorise the attorney suspect been discovered, the Pentagon this technology, claims it can NBC, for instance, shelled out decisive US role are now “trying to Prince Sultan Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia in November 2000. In a operator of a website in another Trusteeship or New Mandate System,general to indefinitely lock up aliens could have shipped him to a US base correctly identify a computer $3.5 billion for the United show the parallels between the Taleban briefing, officers there laid down the rules for travel off base, even country guilty of libel. A French following the failure of the first majoron mere suspicion, expand the use of in, say, Germany, tried him in a secreton official business: All female personnel would wear the customary ARIANA EUNJUNG CHA user’s home country 98 percent States—and they were worried and their own guerrilla movements...” ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ initiative owing to Somalian recalci- wiretaps and secret searches, allow military tribunal, and had he been sitting in one place could get or who should erect and maintain judge has ordered Yahooof to the stop time and the city about that piracy or even legitimate There is also emerging a renewed head-to-toe gown, the abaya and its matching head scarf. They WASHINGTON trance in 1993. The EU is asked to secret evidence in immigration found guilty by a process significantlycould not drive. They would ride in the back seat and be escorted by - It is the send information anywhere in the electronic fences, whether selling Nazi paraphernalia85 percent of the time, but online transmissions that were respectability in direct intervention in provide—under British leadership, ofproceedings, destroy the secrecy of the less rigorous than civilian justice, males at all times. Officials said the policy was to keep from offend- modern-day equivalent of a the world,” said Jack Gold- it should be done by nation- because a law there bansonly such if it is a large city. accessible to anyone, anywhere the affairs of developing countries. course—a permanent occupation force,client-lawyer relationship, and transported him to be shot or ing conservative Saudi leaders and protect US troops from terrorist border sentry. When visitors try smith, a professor of interna- states or by the website practices. Respect for national sovereignty and the UN is brought in to broker a institutionalise racial and ethnic imprisoned in the US, possibly attacks. But to McSally, the directive, with its different instructions to enter UKBetting.com, a tional law at the University of operators. Without an international self-determination has been further for men and women, “abandons American values.” Last month, she “representative government” among profiling. Many of the US’s European anonymously. computer program checks their Chicago. “But now the Internet The new borders provide treaty or mediation organisation, eroded in Washington and London sued Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, contending that the competing tribal groups to fill the allies have also tried to push through a identification to determine is starting to act more like real what some call a neat solution such rulings have so far been since September, with conservative policy is unconstitutional, discriminating against women and violating political vacuum. Washington is beingdraft of legislation waiting in the wings (IPS) where they’re dialing in from. space with all its limitations.” to the vexing problem of how largely unenforceable on parties intellectuals voicing opinions powerful their religious freedom. The suit seeks no monetary damages. She unilateral in military action, multilat-before 11 September. In Europe, Most people are waved on These new barriers take to resolve the often-conflicting residing outside a country’s states cannot yet articulate. One has support from an unlikely coalition of Republicans, Democrats however, citizens and parliaments are (Walden Bello is Executive and liberal feminists. “This is bizarre,” says Senator Bob Smith, one through. Those from the United many forms. One method is to policies of the roughly 200 borders. But that has not influential formulation comes from Director of Focus on the of five Republican senators pushing the Defence Department to junk States, China, Italy and other simply restrict who has access to independent states of the world stopped countries from drafting Global South.) the policy, “becuase we are waging a war in Afghanistan to remove countries where gambling laws computers and gateways to the on matters such as gambling, rules for what is and is not those abayas.” In a letter to Rumsfeld, Democratic Rep Louise are muddy, however, are flashed Internet. Another is to make all commerce, copyright and permissible online. Slaughter wrote, “It is unconscionable that our own government a sign in red letters that says communications pass through speech. At least 59 nations limit COMMENT by DAN KENNEDYshould uphold this institutionalised disrespect of women by requiring “ACCESS DENIED” and are filters that seek to weed out But critics fear that the freedom of expression, according Americans conform to these standards.” Says McSally, “The last thing I wanted to do was make a big deal about being a woman. As locked out of the website. objectionable content, such as barriers will create an Internet to Leonard R Sussman, author an officer, you need to shut up and follow when an order is lawful. For much of its life, the pornography or information that is balkanised. And civil of “censor.gov”. Singapore, for You need to step out when it’s unlawful.” Internet has been seen as a great deemed to endanger national rights groups warn that instance, works with Internet democratising force, a place security. Growing in popularity freedom of speech will suffer, access providers to block any Can CNN be saved? where nobody needs know who is software that attempts to that the technology will make material that undermines public 24-hour all-news cable audience to itself. Founder Ted Turner took the or where you are. But that match a computer’s unique it easier for oppressive govern- security, national defence, racial opportunity presented by this fortuitous lack of competition to build up his notion has begun to shift in Internet address with a general ments to stifle nonconformist and religious harmony, andIndependent studies have might devalue the worth of network to become one of the more respected international electronic news recent months, as governments geographic location, a technol- viewpoints, and that people’s morals. That includes pornogra-pegged the accuracy rate of those contracts. The IOC and organisations—no BBC, but a lot better than the Big Three broadcast and private businesses increas- ogy that is becoming more privacy will be eroded, espe- phy and hate speech. such programs, which also are many of the owners of broad- networks, which spent the decade closing foreign bureaus and dumbing ingly try to draw boundaries precise every day. cially because some technolo- Some analysts say thesold by companies such as cast rights say the accuracy rate down their products. around what used to be a The debate is no longer gies can pinpoint one’s location barriers could grow withInfoSplit, the Digital Envoy, for geolocation technology is In the mid ’90s, other players decided to grab a piece of the action. Microsoft borderless Internet to deal with about if we can create these down to the latitude and development of “geolocation”Netgeo and Akami, at 70 to 90 still not good enough and they and NBC formed MSNBC, a younger, hipper alternative. Rupert Murdoch legal, commercial and terrorism barriers—but whether or not we longitude. technology, which attemptspercent. to won’t allow any webcasts for started the Fox News Channel to peel off conservatives. With the tiny all-news concerns. should. Even those who support “It’s likely that the Internet match a person’s location basedThe technology also is the Salt Lake City games this audience split three ways, CNN’s forte—on-the-ground reporting—became too “It used to be that a person the idea in theory disagree on of tomorrow will look radically on a computer’s Internetbeing embraced by web February. expensive, especially compared to Fox’s lineup of boneheaded talk shows, broadcasters, whose nascent “The technology just epitomised by the loathsome The O’Reilly Factor. industry had been growing doesn’t pass muster yet. Things only got worse after the corporate owner to whom Turner sold out, slowly because of concerns There’s no way to guarantee Time Warner, merged with AOL last year. Time Warner head Gerald Levin may be calling the shots, but it’s AOL that’s holding the checkbook, and its approach about copyright. JumpTV is that your broadcast would be suggests Visigoths pillaging Rome. Last summer, they shut down the fabled betting its future on this confined to your territory and Time, Inc library, a substantive symbolic blow for an organisation renowned for technology. The Montreal- would not run in to someone its institutional memory. And CNN started emulating its downscale competition, based venture retransmits else’s,” said Kevin Monaghan, a unveiling its own lame talk shows. television broadcasts from vice president for NBC Sports. After 11 September, ratings for CNN, MSNBC and Fox all soared, and around the world and is trying Even if geolocation The left and the right alike hate CNN. ○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ CNN, with its superior journalistic resources, led again. Isaacson said CNN had to avoid being sued by broad- technology worked perfectly, Journalrediscovered its mission. That didn’t last. With the terrorism crisis less acute casters who claim it violates some legal experts said it would or those on the right, the trouble with CNN is its alleged liberal bias. now, ratings are down and the struggle with Fox has resumed. The their broadcasting licenses. In not be feasible because it “Clinton News Network” was the sneering tag conservatives slapped on it in early 2000, a US judge would require website opera- Fthe late ’90s, helping to fuel the rise of the right-leaning Fox News Wall Street effectively shut down another tors to know the applicable Channel. This perception has been so damaging that Walter Isaacson, since recently wrote that CNN will blow through its annual news budget in Canadian company called laws in every country from becoming head of CNN last year, has gone so far as to have a chitchat with iCraveTV by prohibiting it Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. six months, even as ad revenues continue to plummet. The only solution may be Republican members of Congress, explore a talk show for right-wing icon Rusha merger of newsgathering operations with ABC or CBS. But those networks are from broadcasting its signals “Geographical location Limbaugh, and recently remind his troops that they shouldn’t dwell on civilianreportedly talking with each other. into the United States for technology is a red herring,” casualties in the Afghan war without reminding viewers about 11 September. 90 days. said Alan Davidson, a lawyer (Gee, Walter, do you think we’ve forgotten?) Fast Company columnist John Ellis observed in Newthe York Press in The difficulty in recognis- with the Centre for Technology On the left, CNN looks very different. Immediately after 9/11, a falseSeptember report 2000 that CNN’s problems are deep-rooted. Ellis, a veteran of NBC ing nation-state borders on the and Democracy, a Washington started zipping around the Net that a CNN tape of Palestinians celebratingand thethe Fox News Channel (being President Bush’s cousin cost him his freelance Internet became such a concern think tank. “It would be attacks was file footage from the Gulf War. This fit perfectly with the antiwargig at left’sFox during the Florida fiasco), argued that CNN’s problem is ingrained. during the 2000 Sydney Games incredibly burdensome to tailor preconceived notions. After the bombing started, some leftists started calling“The CNNit culture is sort of retro-Southern gothic,” Ellis wrote. “Most people that the International Olympic content to meet all of the “CMN,” for “Cable Military Network,” referring to its alleged unquestioningthere have never worked anywhere else. They see themselves as Georgians doing Committee effectively banned different laws in all of the embrace of US efforts in Afghanistan. battle with hostile Northern forces.” That was true even after Turner sold out to most web video of the events. different countries everywhere That such a resolutely centrist news organisation could be the subjectTime of these Warner, Ellis added. That culture apparently did in Isaacson’s predecessor, Rick Kaplan, now in Television stations had paid the world.” ideological passions says something interesting about CNN’s place in American culture. But CNN today is in real danger—not from such critics, but fromexile at Harvard’s Kennedy School. Isaacson should presumably encounter less relentless corporate pressures to squeeze out higher and higher profits withresistance fewer from old CNN hands—there are fewer of them around anyway. But and fewer people. The last few years have not been kind to CNN. Whenwill it his corporate masters let him use this chance to make CNN better, or to rocketed to prominence during the Gulf War in 1990 and ’91, and whenstrip-mine Larry it for lucre. Headline of the day. From a recent King served as a virtual media consultant for Ross Perot in 1992, CNN had the Boston Herald: “Budget Fight Could Hurt—or Help—Gov Hopefuls.” Yes, that just about (WP) covers it. (MediaChannel) 14 ASIA 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 11- 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 15 code of conduct acceptable to COMMENT by YOSHIUMI WAKAMIYA Singing for its Coup in Manila? all that can guide its own ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Weakening democracysupper operations and also those of the government is spending Rs 21 MANILA - The Philippines opened the year inauspiciously, with ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ security forces. But it isn’t billion on this, and people rumours of a coup brewing against President Gloria Macapagal- Sanghu, 31 December Budhabar, 2 January doing that yet. It talks about presume that the corporation Arroyo’s one-year-old government as it marks in January the first allowing rebels to surrender, will soon be privatised. It is year of its installation after a popular uprising against former Excerpts from an interview with Kapil Shrestha, member of the National “Kamikaze pacifism” but it is unclear where they can also presumed that the president Joseph Estrada. The biggest report New Years’ day Human Rights Commission. KP Oli, UML leader surrender and how. The press was the murder of a self-styled ex-army captain and informant “The press must not be different political parties, government will soon announce for the national security adviser Roilo Golez, who had persist- should also make efforts to fulfil On the timing of the emergency and excessively controlled… This is including sections of the ruling its intention to privatise the ently warned that a coup against the government was in the deployment of the army: its responsibilities and should Nepali Congress, want the Lumbini Sugar Factory, Birganj offing. A day earlier, a senior Navy lieutenant, Antonio Miraflor The deployment of troops was long what the press has become— continue fighting for the right was arrested for possession of a cache of explosives large overdue and no one has protested it. The when it was free, it was going emergency to end as soon as Sugar Factory, Himal Cement to do that, the emergency does possible… The government for Factory and Bhaktapur Brick enough to blow up all military service installations and several tall “lifting this prohibition would allow for government was late in doing this and had overboard, and now it isn’t not disallow that. The situation buildings. The media was quick to speculate on these events, closer and more efficient security run out of options at one stage. The army brave enough to fulfil its basic its part wants to extend the and Tile Factory. was not mobilised even after 54 police we are seeing with the press is asking if a destabilisation plot might have been in the works. The cooperation.” responsibilities. The press is emergency to crush the Baluwatar’s military establishment was quick to quash reports of a coup in But establishing a practical meaning posts had been destroyed and police were that if rules are not enforced, Maoists, but the political being killed like sacrificial lambs—even now overly concerned with this country of 80 million, but that is not easy to do given the for this remained difficult. Japan’s new they write and say anything parties are inclined to want to seven coup attempts in the 1980s—three of them bloody. Leftist then the government just stood and saving its own skin. It is not they please, but when there is neo-Ranas law was one effort to impose clarity on ○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○ leader Satur Ocampo says Arroyo’s government is bedevilled by watched. even writing against the end the emergency, but the idea, and Prime Minister Junichiro some enforcement they begin to an economic crisis and a fractious coalition all demanding a lion’s Yet, why declare an emergency just controls on itself. It is even continue the deployment of theGhatana Ra Bichar, 2 January Koizumi testified in the Diet that the because troops needed to be deployed? sing hymns in praise of the share of the spoils of power. Adding to this is the fact that scared to print what we have to army to fight the rebels. Even “everyone’s interested in (the presidential elections in) 2004”, he constitution contained obscure and Was the emergency necessary to get the government. The press is not army out? If we have a similar situation tomorrow, does that meansay about we controls on the press. India uses the army to fight theNo need to turn the pages of adds. “2002, is when people start building up resources for unclear terms and that Japan must balanced. The volume of the terrorists, but it has not needed continue with the emergency? It is said that one tends to be addictedThe press to must not be totally praises it has been singing is history books to understand the 2004, so we can at least expect some destabilisation attempts,” interpret them with common sense. In bad things, not good things. If that is true, then we cannot say that we to impose an emergency. Even Ocampo predicts. Sociologist and political analyst Randolph David free, it has to function within a Rana aristocracy, it is very the end, however, Koizumi avoided any will not have an emergency again at a later date. Should we continue deafening, it is turning the press so, regardless of what other adds: “Coup rumors flourish especially in the afterglow of formal commitment to act in “collective with more emergencies if tomorrow we are unable to resolve thecode Maoist of conduct and within into a farce.” RIP much alive at the Baluwatar ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ political parties want, it is momentous political events.” Ocampo and David say the defence” or to revise the constitution. problem or if another insurgent group takes up arms? We needexisting political laws, and it must never Darbar these days. If you dont rumours and reports of coups point to the reality that the Should Japan amend its pacifist constitution? Deshantar,likely that 30 theDecember emergency could The Upper and Lower Houses of efforts if we want to resolve both the problem, and also the emergency.shun responsibility. Even now it know how to utter the military establishment, which had been politicised and made What part of democracy remains if you do not give the people their stretch further. lthough I knew 7 December, the Diet created committees to investi- is said that the emergency was aristocratic strong during the years of dictatorship under Marcos, still has basic freedoms and rights? That is why we should not give the army too The government first decided baksiyos and if you 2001 marked its 60th gate constitutional revision, especially imposed with the acquiescence the power to change the tide for a government. much power… an emergency means (giving someone) absolute powers. Info-war to close down the Nepal are not fluent in English, the Aanniversary, I never imagined support—through supply, transporta- created to express them. The Cold Article 9, but change remains hard for of the opposition parties. That ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Transportation Corporation, salute of ‘Jai Nepal’ will not the phrase “Pearl Harbor” would be tion, repair, maintenance, medical War soon made Article 9 seem several reasons. A majority of Japanese So the army should not be given as much power as it hasÖis not true, the emergency was Gatibidhi, 29 December That (the army getting more power) happens the moment you have an Orient Magnesite Limited and allow you entry here. The heard so often this year. It began services and so on—American forces. excessively idealistic to some. Japan do not want to change Article 9, as ordered by the government, emergency. But if the forces that are charged with repressing such the Cottage and Handicraft prime minister’s official prosaically, with the release of the Though the SDF still cannot has seen a severe confrontation between opinion polls consistently show. Japan because it was unsure of what Last week the Maoists movements are given absolute powers for long, that does no one any Industries Sales Depot. And, residence is seeing a revival of Disney movie participate in combat, the new law is constitutional revisionists and those was able to pass the Anti-Terrorist Law good. Absolute powers are absolute. other measures it could take published Pearl Harbor last June. the first that allows Japan to dispatch who want to protect the Peace without revising the constitution, but Janadesh recently it came up with the the aristocratic practices of the (IPS) without needing to impose a After 11 September, many Americans armed forces to join in military Constitution. the limits of expansive constitutional What is the response of the National Human Rights Commission?state of crisis. They could have clandestinely. [This is a now- decision to shut down Sajha Ranas and the Mallas, as they spoke of “the first attack against the US operations outside Japanese territory In 1997, Japan took a big step interpretation may one day be reached. We have not been able to go outside (to the districts). We havediscussed been it with us, or asked us banned pro-Maoist Yatayat. are the family that Prime since Pearl Harbor.” One person even and territorial waters while a shooting toward dispatching military forces The reaction of other Asian unable to go to where human rights are being violated. All sources of publication.] It is not clear These public enterprises Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Recycling Tokyo told me the attacks gave Japan a golden information have been controlled, we haven’t been able to do/about find other out measures and we all ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ war is on. Japan’s alacrity reflects the beyond its territory when it concluded countries, especially China and South which press the paper was have been in the red for quite a has married into. His son, Jai opportunity to clear its name of the anything about that either. People are being needlessly killedcould and have discussed them and TOKYO - Desperate over its mounting garbage problem, Japan is trauma of the Gulf War. Although the “Guideline for Defense Coopera- Korea, also limits revision. When human rights are being violated. We have been unable to get first-hand printed at, butJanadesh says it long time. The hundreds of Bir Singh Deuba, is enjoying about to embark on a 20-year programme to turn the world’sstigma of Pearl Harbor. The way, it Japan paid much of the costs of that tion” with the US, though that Koizumi explained Japan’s new law in information. When civil rights have been usurped, what is the point of was printed at Nepal employees working with these aristocratic privileges. Mrs second largest economy into a recycling society. Japan disposesseems, was for Japan to provide war by raising domestic taxes, its restricted operations to the “area China and Korea in October, leaders in talking about other issues? Chapakhana. The police raided enterprises will be laid off, and of 51.2 million tonnes of garbage annually, and wants to bemilitary a support to the US. supportive actions went largely surrounding Japan.” The new law both countries offered sharp cautions, the government will end up more sustainable and recycling-intensive society. A governmentCritics of Japan’s defence posture unnoticed. It was nowhere to be seen in virtually eliminates this, making it with Korea’s President Kim Dae Jung The government says the emergency is aimed only at the MaoistsÖ the press and the offices of the team has set as a national goal the reduction of waste production paying a large sum of money to over the years have often been the ads the Kuwaiti government possible for Japan to send troops telling him, “I hope the SDF behaves No one can forward the cause of the Maoists after what they have done. weekly Nepali Patra. Kamal to 7.3 million tonnes by 2050, roughly a tenth of the 1996 levels.unforgiving. Nepali Maoists resemble Pol Pot. I would like to challenge all Maoists former employees of these Waste reduction and recycling would ultimately boost domestic published after the war to thank the 30 anywhere, anytime. within the limits of the Peace here, including Baburam Bhattarai, on this count. It is also mindless to Joshi, editor of Nepali Patra, enterprises in the form of production by $ 46 billion beyond business-as-usual projections The Economistonce nations of the international coalition Whether or not to revise the Constitution.” think that you can achieve something through violence now. What I want and the press itself says they accumulated salaries and derided the Japanese as “kamikaze that expelled Iraq from Kuwait. constitution, especially Article 9, is a The Japanese public needs to argue to say is that no one should try to achieve something by violating to about $ 4.9 trillion in 2010. ‘’Japan’s recycling has still a ways used to print Janadesh before gratuities. The government has to go. Efforts are being made to change the current mass pacifists.” The reality is that defence These debates are also traumatic for divisive political issue, as pressure for human rights. The problems we face today cannot be solved by the seriously, thoroughly about the already spent about Rs 3 billion production and consumption lifestyle to a mass recycling one,’’debates within Japan are invariably an institutional reason. Japan’s so- change comes not only from within by country’s future defence policy. discredited ideology of Baburam or Prachanda. Yet they defy the the emergency, but has not constitution and are pressing ahead. They do not abide by this to pay one-year salaries to 295 says Kentaro Doi, of the environment ministry’s recycling traumatic, based on sharp memories of called “Peace Constitution,” including conservative politicians, but from Formulating a basic law governing been doing so since the state of promotion office. Japan produces almost 460 million tonnes of constitution, and so are unaffected by the emergency. Knowing this full emergency was imposed. The employees of the Nepal the war and the horrors of Hiroshima Article 9 which prohibits the country without. The so-called Armitage national security that defines the role of well, this impotent government has wrested away from the people their waste annually, of which less than a tenth, some 45 millionand Nagasaki. Still, Japan responded from possessing “war potential,” was Report of 2000, produced by a the SDF and limits its actions is a Nepali press has also turned Transportation Corporation. tonnes, is refuse. The rest is industrial waste. Tokyo alone rights. It has no right to do this. The government should have been more sensitive about this, it should have remembered what it and its anti-Maoist after the According to the spokesman of produces almost four million tonnes a day, according to theto 9/11 by passing a new law allowing created after WWII under strong committee headed by the now Deputy mechanism we should seriously supporters went through in the past. the Ministry of Labour and government. If this waste output continues unchecked, thethe refill country to support American American pressure, and in an US Secretary of State Richard L consider. emergency. In the past it used sites in the capital will be overflowing within the next 30 years.forces. The Anti-Terrorism Special atmosphere of deep self-reflection Armitage, stirred up a hornet’s nest (Project Syndicate) to engage in one-sided publicity Transportation Dhruba Kumar Does the emergency threaten democracy? Sharma, the government needs “The situation is crucial, which is why there is the need to Law,control passed by Japan’s Diet in toward the Pacific War. Some of its when it said that “Japan’s prohibition Yes, it does. Democratic forces become weak during an emergency; and for the Maoists, and the rebels the behaviour with new laws,’’ says Doi. Starting this year,October, the enabled Japan to send its concepts were so alien to Japanese against collective defence is a constraint(Yoshibumi Wakamiya, senior political people begin to lose hope. Because of this, there is the dangeragreed that or disagreed. The also were intolerant of to cough up Rs 20 billion to government has promised to include cars, computers and Self-Defense Forces (SDF) overseas to tradition that new ideograms had to be on alliance cooperation” and that writer at Asahi Shimbun, is the author of anti-democratic forces will begin raising their heads. The emergencygovernment has preferred not to do criticism. Pro-Maoist reports cover the gratuities and other microwave ovens in that list. Furthermore, the new law also The Postwar Conservative View of Asia.) taken away the right of citizens to protest against such forces.that The and went for the have almost stopped after the facilities former NTC employ- paves the way for arrests to be made for illegal dumping of home newspapers have been controlled, and transparency suffers. When there ees are entitled to. Similarly, appliances. emergency instead, under emergency and the Maoists is no one to expose the wrongs, it is only natural that the situation the government needs Rs 11 ANALYSIS by MUSHAHID HUSSAIN becomes more dangerous. All such developments weaken theArticle system 115 (7) of the have been unable to get out from within. Constitution, and suspended their version of what is going billion to pay off the the 226 civil rights under Article 12, on. Even the foreign press has employees of Orient Magnesite [Arzoo Rana] Deuba insisted which again was unnecessary. stopped carrying stories that and 137 employees at the on commandeering an Assistant could possibly help the rebel Cottage and Handicraft Sub-Inspector of police as a (IPS) Now the government needs to look for ways to make the cause. Without the press, the Industries Sales Depot. And bodyguard for her son when she Afghanistan’seventy years ago, the Islamic visionary Dr potential Maoists are like fish out of finally, there are the 800 Sajha went to the US on a “state situation in the country more Muhammad Iqbal wrote, ‘’Afghanistan is the flexible and it needs to lift the water. Yatayat employees to deal with. visit” two months ago and this key to Asia’s stability. If there is strife in providing innovative, good governance during his The government is adopting “prerogative” has been Afghanistan, there will be strife in Asia, and if there restrictions slapped on the tenure of less than five years. the policy of privatisation as a maintained until now. In the is peace in Afghanistan, Asia too will be at peace.’’ press. It needs to formulate a S Second, Afghanistan today after 23 years of panacea for the structural ills of last two months, Jaibir’s The verses of Iqbal, now Pakistan’s official poet internecine warfare is a de facto confederation of tribes, these enterprises, such as lack bodyguards have changed who first envisioned a free state for the Muslims of chieftains, ethnic groups and warlords, and most, if of able management, lack of frequently and are required to India in the form of Pakistan, appear to have Year-long not all, have found accommodation in the interim opportunities to employees to accompany him everywhere—to prescience today. administration cobbled in Bonn. Kabul is more a upgrade their skills, corruption There is a certain timelessness to Afghanistan’s emergency? the play ground and at school, symbolic seat of authority than the real source of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ situation, the more things change, the more they and poor performance. But the and what’s more, they are power, but there is one point everyone, including Asan Bazar, 5 January remain the same. Take the former Afghan monarch process has taken some time to required to report the child’s Afghanistan’s neighbours, agree on: Afghanistan Muhammad Zahir Shah, who has been living in pick up speed. The Ninth Five- activities to a Deputy Superin- should be a unified state whose sovereignty and Over 500 terrorists have been Year Plan envisaged the tendent of Police three times a exile in Rome since 1973 when he was ousted in a territorial integrity must be respected. This is a good military coup. Zahir Shah, now 87, assumed QUOTE OF THE WEEK killed since the army was privatisation of 30 public day. When Arzoo Deuba was starting point for Afghanistan’s journey from decades Afghanistan’s throne in 1933, the year Franklin deployed against the Maoists, enterprises by 2002, but only on the tour to America, Jaibir’s of revenge and retribution, to reconciliation and Roosevelt was elected President of the US and Adolf In general, the king’s role is as a constitutional monarch. I see it as an honourable role. But we cannot sayand thousands more have been the Nepal Tea Development bodyguard was sent to his reconstruction. Hitler, chancellor of Germany. These two figures that there aren’t any weaknesses anywhere. Corporation was privatised in maternal grandparents’ house at Third, Afghanistan’s strategic location can be arrested. Over 2,000 rebels seem part of distant history, but Zahir Shah remains —KP Oli , this period. Jawalakhel. The bodyguards are conducive to dividends of peace in the form of aid Rajdhani, 8 January have surrendered and about relevant to Afghanistan’s future, and is arguably the The government has called from donors, trade with neighbours and a stable two-dozen security forces have not allowed to sleep until the single most popular public figure in strife-torn, centre of gravity for the countries that surround this been killed. Even though the for technical and economic prime minster’s son has gone to war-ravaged Afghanistan. land-locked land. Afghanistan is Central Asia’s Maoists have been less influen- proposals from interested bed, and they must wake up in There are reasons for optimism about Afghani- gateway to the Gulf and Pakistan’s gateway to Central tial during the day, they are parties to privatise Hetauda the morning as soon as he does. stan’s future: First, the chequered course of Asia. it is key to stability in China’s neighbouring continuing to loot and murder Textile Industries. The bid call We are told that the police contemporary Afghan history—in the last 30 years, Xinjiang province, where the Muslim Uighur in the night in districts where requires the interested parties personnel who have already of which 23 were virtually at war, the Afghan nation population resides. It is in the vicinity of Russia’s they had influence. Because the to deposit Rs 1.5 million for experienced being bodyguard to has experienced a royalist regime followed by a ‘near abroad’, the former Central Asian republics. rebels rely on ambushes and Nepalis and $20,000 for the six-year-old old are republican one, a Marxist set-up followed by one claiming to be Muslim but Iran and Turkey have a cultural, political and night attacks, the security foreigners. The deposit will be exasperated as he is hyper almost medieval in its outlook, then invasions and civil wars, interventions first economic influence through an affinity with Afghan forces are finding it difficult to expropriated if the successful active and demanding, only by the Russians and now the Americans. Nations destroyedThere by war isoften a develop sense of déjà vu ethnic and linguistic groups. Likewise, Israel’s biggest presence in the Muslim take control of the situation. bidder fails to sign an agree- natural for a child of that age. a resilience and rise, phoenix-like, to become prosperous and stable. Germany, in Afghanistan.world is right next door in Central Asia, particularly Uzbekistan. ment within four months of the It must be noted that even the Japan, Korea, Vietnam and even China and Malaysia, all witnessed revivals. The strategy of the Maoists is The head of the Afghan interim administration, Hamid Karzai, underlined government’s decision. late princes Dipendra and Afghanistan’s own history is testimony to the talents and skills of a strong people now “strike, flee and hide”. this unity in diversity through his inaugural address in Kabul on 22 December— Unlike the past, the Maoists The government has also Nirajan did not enjoy the who can bounce back from adversity. Historically, Afghanistan produced the which was bilingual with Pashto and Darri, a variant of Farsi, which is the official most skilled diplomats, known for pragmatism coupled with their pursuit of don’t roam the villages during decided to lay off 50 percent of facility of personal bodyguards language of Iran and Tajikistan. His dress also reflected Afghanistan’s mixed goals in a cool manner that facilitated compromise and agreement. It has also the day, they attack in large the employees from the Nepal when they were students at the cultures—he wore an Uzbek flowing gown over the Pashtun long shirt and baggy numbers at night. The army is Timber Corporation. The Kanti-Iswori School and at produced some of the most ferocious warriors in recent regional history, manytrousers, of adorned with a calfskin cap popular among Afghans of different whom invaded and conquered India several times. And one of India’s great on a campaign to disarm the Finance Ministry says that the Budanilakantha. nationalities. But the most hopeful was Karzai’s message that ‘’We should be first builders, who laid the basis for a modern transport, revenue, mail and adminis- Maoists, and says it will shoot and foremost Afghans before belonging to any ethnic group.’’ trative system was the 16th century Afghan ruler Sher Shah Suri, remembered for to kill only if attacked. High- level sources say that it may take about a year to fully disarm the Maoists. But Now that SAARC is over why delay in starting our game? Come on! (Mushahid Hussain was Pakistan’s Minister of Information in Nawaz Jan Bhawana, 7January Sharif’s government.) HISTORY NEPALI TIMES 16 SPORTS 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES 11 - 17 JANUARY 2002 17 Beckham book deal may be shelved Back at Sundarijal >2 No way back for Cronje○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ David Beckham has been advised by the Football Association to scrap a £2mil- Sonn was speaking on the eve of the reverse this decision and the UCBSA incident will be brought up at the lion World Cup book deal. The England third test between South Africa and now considers the matter closed. The body’s General Council on 19 Januarycaptain was poised to sign a lucrative Australia in Sydney. “Cronje is a son of meeting was not in any way a ‘discipli- after Magiet submits the report. “Why this darkness?” contract to write a diary of his experi- South Africa cricket. He is entitled to nary hearing’, nor was Sonn called in to The UBCSA outlined their ences during this summer’s tournament 1 January 1977 2 January 1977 the freedom and liberties of all South face the Executive Committee.” selection policy. “Where there isin an Japan and South Korea but the FA, Sundarijal Sundarijal Africans and there is a place for him in The UBCSA also backed Sonn opportunity to do so, young blackmindful of the row over coach Glenn Yesterday I was conscious of the importance of today—first day Yesterdayof the was Saturday, hence that nothing happened was accepted as our cricket,” Sonn said. following a selection row that flared up players who are on the fringes ofHoddle’s the book on the 1998 World Cup, year; but when I got up at five in the morning today I had clear normal. But nothing happened even today. This is disappointing. No But his comments appeared at odds before the Sydney Test. team must be given the chance tois play worried about the publication of forgotten about it. But after bed tea, which was late in coming asnewspapers, GM no news from anywhere, we are kept in strict isolation. How with the official line of the UBCSA. The They announced that they will ask for their country,” the statementdressing said. room secrets. The FA cannot [Ganesh Man Singh], who prepared it, overslept, the realisation longslowly will this last? Till the King returns from Pokhara or he makes up his executive committee released a statement, convenor of selectors Rushdi Magiet why “The process of selecting the nationalprevent Manchester United midfielder dawned on me that today was New Year’s Day. Why is everythingmind so about us. I know the world hasn’t forgotten us—even the King must be Beckham from signing a commercial contract with a pub- vague? The awareness of my prison state also very slowly emergesaware in of us as a problem, but to be buried here in the isolation of a after a meeting with the Minister of Sport the original team sheet for the Sydney team includes the endorsement of the my mind. The thought that Shailaja [BP’s niece] is alone in themilitary camp and to know their one fate is in the absolute hand of the and Recreation Ngconde Balfour, to Test was publicly “leaked”. The incident team by the President and no teamlisher but has recommended that he not proceed with any he United Cricket Board of South deal. Beckham’s agent, Tony Stephens, has informed the FA janana jail almost prompted me to visit her there—that I am myselfKing inis an experience which is both desperately lonesome and frightening. refute Sonn’s remarks, but refused to led to a row between the selectors and selection is complete until it has been prison is realised moments later. Here in my solitary exile I become poignantly aware of the enormity of our Africa (UCBSA) has rejected a about the plan for the book and says he has been ap- return for disgraced former criticise their president. “The UCBSA Sonn earlier this month. The selectors endorsed by the President.” The On the first day of the year I am partially successful in organisingdecision to return to Nepal. T proached by five publishers. my daily programme. This year I didn’t make more resolutions for theShailaja had asked me to search my heart in the crisis of my life which captain Hansie Cronje. UCBSA would like to reiterate its position that had originally picked white batsman executive committee also voiced their former captain Hansie Cronje has been Rudolph but were ordered by Sonn to continued support of under-fire year. Didn’t promise that I would organise my time so that my minutesmy return to Nepal would entail who was nearest to me to etc. I remember president Percy Sonn last week hinted of the day are profitably utilised etc. I start organising my daily Sushiladuties and am filled with sadness, but dear Shailaja, I miss you. Sadness that Cronje might be permitted to banned for life by the General Council of replace him in the team with coloured captain Shaun Pollock and coaches without more fervour, or a resolve. I did half an hour’s brisk walkinghas and history and partakes of homesickness. But when you miss a person, it is play a part in South African cricket the UCBSA. There is no intention to all-rounder Ontong. The selection Graham Ford and Corrie van Zyl. did skipping of 80 skips, some deep breathing and some stretchingthe futureof that you miss—it is a loss of the perpetual present. despite a life ban imposed last year. limbs—all before breakfast. Breakfast consisting of two eggs, cheese,Psychologically I am steadier today. If I could be certain that people toast and butter and milk was brought at 8AM. I cut out one egg.at Triedhome would sit, suffer for sheer want of money, that Sudule would be FIFA names World Cup referees reading after breakfast with no success. At about nine when the sunproperly had looked after, that Shailaja is taking the hardship of the prison life ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○ been a little warm, I scrubbed my boots with a wet towel. Tidied inthe her stride—then I will have no worry in the world. room. All the time being homesick and sad. Before lunch I did twentyOur daily routine is fixed. We get our food from outside at fixed ZURICH: FIFA has named the referees for the forthcoming minutes walking. Lunch at 1pm. The camp commander told us hours—likethat breakfast at 8am, lunch at 12 noon and dinner at 7pm. We World Cup in Japan and South Korea, with orders for them to today being Ekadashi meat was not available, hence was not servedtake bedat tea at 5:30am and afternoon at about 4pm. Since this evening be tough on fake fouls as well as aggressive play and lunch. Then tried to sleep which I could not do. GM prepared after-they have started giving us milk. Perhaps the instruction is that we should tackles from behind. The list of 36 referees - including 14 noon tea and some fruits. Evening shadows suddenly descend, beand well it fed. What we’re starved of pertains to our mind and heart. No from Europe - and their 36 assistants was issued late equally suddenly becomes cold. Again walking for half an hour.company, Dinner no books or writing materials. What I need most is company. GM Monday by world soccer’s governing body. All of them have at 7PM. To bed at 8:15PM. Before going to bed GM comes to mycan’t provide that kind of company which I hunger for. Shailaja—I think of officiated at World Cup qualifiers. “Not only must they ensure This is the second instalment of the unpublished diary of room—that is the practice. There is not much to talk about. Shailaja because in prison she would be my best company. She is that the laws of the game are enforced, but they must also BP Koirala, whichNepali Times is serialising in this space I remember Nanu who is a misunderstood woman. Her ways arepolitical, intellectual, emotional—what more do I need in prison if she demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills, coupled with tact every fortnight. The diary covers the period immediately abrupt; and what we think is egoistic in her character is only her were here. But what a fantastic wish! Would Sundarijal be a prison then? and intuition, so that the teams can fulfil their potential and attempt at the assertion of her personality in a family whose ethos I think it is cold wave—there is no respite from cold. In the morning it entertain those watching,” said FIFA General Secretary Michel following BP’s return to Nepal from exile in India with a being alien to her has given rise to a complex of inferiority in her.is frost, I am all one. The whole day, cold wind blows. Is it age that has affected full of remorse today because I was not understanding and fair tome her. and hence I feel so uncomfortably cold. I can’t think of taking a cold Zen-Ruffinen. All the referees will take part in a seminar in call for “national reconciliation” between the monarchy and pro-democracy forces. At that time, India was under Prakash and his children Shreeharsha and Ruchira were obviouslybath. When I was here last, i.e. 8 years ago, I would take cold water bath at Seoul 20-23 March. This will focus on directives relating to bewildered by the sudden turn of events immediately after their5 am, when the world lay frozen. I haven’t bathed for so many days. I the excessive use of force, the outlawed tackle from behind Indira Gandhi’s emergency rule. We left BP two weeks marriage. I remember all of them and suffer pangs of homesickness.scrubbed I my body with a wet towel. and on how to recognise and penalise the feigning of fouls. ago with his entry for 31 December 1976, “sad and don’t know how Girija will manage. I hope he won’t break under his Desperately homesick, desperately hungry for some emotional FIFA said the chosen officials would also face a “comprehen- homesick” during his first full day in Sundarijal jail. “I present terrific responsibility. company. Why this darkness? sive, co-ordinated fitness program” to ensure they are at their look forward to 1977 with hope for both Nepal and our physical peak for the finals, which take place 31 May – 30 family,” he wrote. The diary, written in English, is June. AP available on microfilm at the Madan Puraskar Library in Patan and at the Jawaharlal Nehru Museum and Library in New Delhi. It was donated by senior advocate Ganesh Raj Sharma.

List of referees named by FIFA for World Cup finals: Pierluigi Collina, Italy. Hugh Dallas, Scotland Anders Frisk, Sweden Terje Hauge, Norway Antonio Lopez Nieto, Spain Lubos Michel, Slovakia Markus Merk, Germany Repeating history Urs Meier, Switzerland Vitor Melo Pereira, Portugal Kim Milton Nielsen, Denmark A new museum in Johannesburg physically recreates for Graham Poll, England Kyros Vassaras, Greece visitors the experience of living under apartheid. Gilles Veissiere, France ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ Jan Wegereef, Netherlands Mark Alexander Shield, Australia NAWAAL DEANE The entrance brings with it the experience the reality of physical displayed on television screens that are Ubaldo Aquino, Paraguay IN JOHANNESBURG ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ experience of what it was like to live in Jorge Larrionda, Uruguay separation. Walking up a ramp mounted in steel cages. The multime- Byron Moreno, Ecuador outh Africa’s Apartheid Museum the apartheid era. Each visitor is enclosed by a huge wall (made of dia approach is further enhanced by Oscar Julian Ruiz, Colombia opened last month at Gold Reef handed a ticket with the words “white” fenced cages filled with rocks) depicts each television feeding into a sound Angel Sanchez, Argentina Scity in Johannesburg bringing or “non-white” that dictates their the migration of people to the dome giving the viewer an intimate Carlos Eugenio Simon, Brazil with it memories and facts of those journey through the museum. Witwatersrand area of Johannesburg. look into the lives of black people. Carlos Batres, Guatemala who lived through the struggle to Entering the wall of “Classification”, a Double mirrors placed randomly on The sense of separateness Brian Hall, United States freedom. Sitting on a bench branded visitor is bombarded with blown up this ramp with photographs of a continues with the Voortrekker (the William Mattus Vega, Costa Rica with the word “Europeans only”, the dompasses [passes that people of variety of people create a feeling of a Afrikaaner Great Trek) on one side, Peter Prendergast, Jamaica museum radiates a sense of immense African ethnicity required under crowd. There are also alcoves in the red and the ruling African National Felipe Ramos Rizo, Mexico power symbolising the oppressive apartheid to move about the country] brick building with paintings showing Congress’s birth and growth on the Coffi Codjia, Benin regime, which collapsed in 1994. and ID books that depict the people common origins, giving the impres- other. Dramatically placedslams on a wall the door,is calling out: “See you graphs of smiling people. Overhead Mourad Daami, Tunisia The first building is a solid square according to race. The museum sion of life before the gold rush in all the apartheid laws implementedtomorrow!” in The 1960 Sharpville skylights work to create an image of Ndoye Falla, Senegal with virtually no windows. Built of captures the separateness of the South Africa. But as a visitor walks South Africa. Looking at thestudent names unrest is almost poetically walking into the light, and leaving the Gamal Ghandour, Egypt raw concrete it stands in the harsh different races through the use of steel further, the path becomes narrower create a sense of detachmentshown to the on televisions in a semicircle dark days behind. On one wall is a Mohamed Guezzaz, Morocco - mounted along a wall, where videodisplay of guns, AK-47s, but lying Ali Bujsaim, United Arab Emirates sunlight as a symbol of the uncompro- cages. The dompasses are hung in huge reinforcing the feeling of the reality of emotional and psychological damage Toru Kamikawa, Japan mising apartheid state. Seven strong steel structures while the European apartheid. The top of the ramp opens these laws had on non-whitefootage people. of the massacre tells the truthunderneath is a pile of metal putting Kim Young Joo, South Korea pillars, representing the seven corners ID’s are merely housed in structures, out onto the majestic Johannesburg Another dramatic feature isshowing a room the atrocities of that day. A across the end of violence. Lu Jun, China of the country’s constitution, stand in with coloureds (people of mixed races), skyline creating the sense of journeying with 131 nooses hanging fromcinema a roof screen with testimonies of Still a work in progress, the Saad Kamel Mane, Kuwait front of the entrance. Each enhances Indians and Chinese thrown in the to the place of gold. representing the names of thosepeople who fighting in the eighties leavesmuseum promises more truth, the overall feeling of immense strength middle. The cages with apartheid signs The museum works as a maze with died in detention. one sick with the brutal treatment ofcriticism and reconciliation for all those of the past against a backdrop of the like “Taxi ranks for whites only” a spiral staircase leading to the main Bringing the experiencepeople of being by the police during the statewho step through its doors. Mounted mine dumps and Johannesburg City hanging overhead is claustrophobic reception area, giving the impression of in detention to life is Dawnof Elliot, emergency. a above a pool of water at the entrance of centre. But it is more than just a enhancing the feeling of oppression. movement and distance. Most areas former prisoner of the state. SheHaving takes gone through the time the Apartheid Museum are the words of museum—from the moment a There is a separate exit for white have an attendant who briefly takes visitors through solitary confinementsince 1948 it is hard to take all the former South African President Nelson visitor steps in front of the prison- visitors where they walk on a ramp visitors through their section, and what it was like to be afactual high school information in but a visitor Mandela: “To be free is not merely to type solid building, it demands his above the non-whites coming out on a explaining the relevance of the student fighting for freedom.walks She out locks feeling free after going cast off ones chains but to live in a way or her participation. lower level. At this point, visitors displays. Human experience is visitors in a replica of a prisonthrough cell, the democratic elections with that respects and enhances the freedom life-size queues made-up of photo- of others.”

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Vandana Shiva

] ] ] ] kfnL ; kfnL ; kfnL ; kfnL ; ] ] kfnL ; kfnL ; ] ] ] ] kfnL ; kfnL ; kfnL ; kfnL ; is too far. Botega Restau- Have your bike serviced Rs 320 For canyoning, is a sensitive retelling of not the “longest”, ] ] ] ] jf jf jf jf ] ] jf jf ] ] ] ] jf jf jf jf NEPALI TIMES by MIKU CULTURE AND SOCIETY BINOD BHATTARAI the rhetoric could do more mental vacuity associated with he says. “I feared that the could happen in our backyard,” threatening a conflagration that through controversial elections leader who barely scraped South Asia. the retribution was aimed at more belligerent noises, and beginning to make more and it struck him that leaders were political reaction to the attacks, watching more footage of the sooner was he done, and after entitled ‘Target Humanity’. No the TOI 10-11 editorial minutes later he was dictating tv, but switched it on. A few falling down.” He is allergic to 11 September. “America is Suraiya recounting the events of me to switch on the tv,” says “A friend called me and asked India to create the comic strip. associate editor of the Times that inspired the 55-year-old leaders who are fighting terror. a role model for other world that Dubyaman has now become says Suraiya. Just goes to show with us or you are against us,” George Bush’s rhetoric: you are summit we heard echoes of “Even at the Kathmandu where all the journalists were. was staying at the Everest Hotel this week holidaying, and he ously. He was in Kathmandu Suraiya shakes his head vigor- Dubyaman getting a bit stale? campaign is winding down, isn’t journalist Jug Suraiya. comic strip’s co-creator, Indian on his war terror,” said the his intellect, and this is a spoof not renowned the world over for superhero. “The real Dubya is crusader here is actually an anti- Superman, but the caped Dubyaman is patterned after president George W Bush. middle initial “W” of US Texan pronunciation of the of the Dubyaman comic strip. the world changed was birth ating still. And the other way South Asia which are reverber- bombers triggered tremors in MIN BAJRACHARYA T ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ “Here we had the least legit In fact it was this Bush line But now that the Afghan Dubyaman comes from the after-shocks of the suicide of ways after 9/11. The he world changed in a lot The man behind Dubyaman. churning out Jug Suraiya keeps hate it. And it, or they love to They either love editorial decision-making at the non-haters also tend to sway the-roaders.” The haters and Suraiya. “Few are middle-of- and those who hate it,” says “There are those who like it something of a cult following. through the political rhetoric. common sense, and to cut using humour to spread so it has. Suraiya says he is it and wanted continued, Vice-president Samir Jain loved appeared in the Times of India. black and white strip that Sunday, 16 September as a Dubyaman was born on Banerjee. with staff artist Neelabh wrote a script and discussed it volatile region. Suraiya then bring the war to already make offers to help the US Pakistan began to compete pounded after India and harm.” His fears were com- ○○○○○○○○○○○ atlas-quality map of South Asia. region, this month's issue includes a special downside-up In addition to being a special issue on reconceptualising the Dubyaman is getting The rest is history, Dubyaman ○○○○○ as well Nepali Times. syndicated in papers Europe India, Dubyaman today is also anymore. Besides Times of say it was not relevant TOI when many wrote in to find the humour to be in bad themselves “why me?”. to appear, do people ask pathological conditions begin cancer. It is only after the terror is a lifestyle disease, like happening around us.” To him against war and what is tations. “It is my protest against terror in all its manifes- not against democracy but Suraiya tells them the paper is democracy, many have asked. influential paper against US Those who hate Dubyaman Why is India’s most issue of Himal The January on news- stands. is now see www.timesofindia.com) (For an archive of Dubyaman, Vajpayee. minister Atal Behari Jaswant Singh, and prime leaders like Foreign Minister performances by Indian getting help from cameo- hospitals.” Dubyaman is now bombing of schools and faces of terrorism, including tries to show the different not,” Suraiya says firmly. “It exonerates terror. “It does taste, others argue that it back. Wants You” printed on the a t-shirt with “Uncle Osama a unique letter to the editor: love it. One fan sent Suraiya Then there are those who

there was later cancelled. Also seen in picture are Yogendra and Bindu Sakya. ister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat pose at Club Himalaya at Nagarkot on 30 December. The SAARC retreat scheduled ROYAL INSPECTION: King Gyanendra, Crown Prince Paras, Prime Min- mandala on 9 January as traffic returned to normal after the SAARC Summit. IN-LAW’S ISLAND: The traffic island at Maitighar with its record-breaking launching the “Human Development In South Asia” report on 8 January at Hotel Himalaya. HI, BYE: Outgoing SAARC Secretary-general gives a farewell speech while 11 - 17 JANUARY 2002 HAPPENINGS

NEPALI TIMES

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MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN MIN BAJRACHARYA MIN 20 11 - 17 JANUARY NEPALI2002 TIMES Under My Hat

by Kunda Dixit SAARCASM omeone stop me right now before I get carried away man and/or woman on the street. Every activity of personal and write another column about the successfully- hygiene was under strict scrutiny, even in the privacy of Sconcluded SAARC summit. (“Let Us Grandly one’s own home. It was rather disconcerting to have your Succeed the SAARC!” – Meow-Meow Chow-Chow Pvt every move on thekausi under constant surveillance from Ltd). Go on, restrain me, otherwise I will have to involun-an airborne early warning and control system (AWACS), tarily unleash yet another glowing tribute to the concept ofand the aforementioned common person on the street had to regional cooperation to foster crossborder tourism. (Heartythink twice and look over his/her shoulder before caving in Welcome to Heads of State/Government of SAARC! – Yakto the temptation of pressing one thumb to his/her right Premium Filter). You mean you actually want to hear morenostril and with a sharp exhalation from the lungs, expertly about the SAARC Spirit of Partnership? You mean you’ve not had enough? You sure you don’t have SAARC coming out of your ears? No kidding. All right, then, you asked for it.

discharging a major glob of nasal obstruction (Warning to minors: don’t try this stunt at home) right there below a Now that we have survived a major shark attack, thislarge is hoarding at the Tripureswor intersection that says the perfect timetable for our nation and people to limp back“Heart Felt Well Come to SAARC Heads”. to normalcy. The all-clear has been sounded, the frenzy of Lest our illustrious readers are labouring under the deconstruction has abated, and Nepalis are slowly regainingillusion that we are complaining about the suspension of the socio-economic rights that they had willingly sacrificedcivil liberties, let me dispel that notion right here and now. for the duration of the summit of regional hammerheads.There is no gainsaying that as patriotic Nepalis, we feel no Much to the relief of the man-on-the-street, for sacrifice is too great in order to impress our foreign visitors. instance, the Tundikhel area is now open once more for We will willingly suspend the dumping of our trash with people who want to take a sun bath. And as is the case afterwild a abandon on our own doorsteps (we will dump it in nice noontime nap, one can now also attend to calls of someone else’s doorstep), we will postpone all public nose nature in broad sunlight right there on the wall oppositegrooming, the we will not sun bathe on the bridge—but only PCO without facing the danger of being observed by a for a limited time, and only if you can get parliament to shark head of state (or government) speeding past on ratifya the strictures with a two-thirds majority. motorcade, or an escort helicopter gunship swooping The question in everyone’s mind right now is: when are low to take a closer look at what one is up to, and rhinos going to be translocated to the Royal Tinkune catching one flagrante. National Park? What are we going to do with all the bed It may be hard for those in the corridors of power tosheets that draped the city’s billboards for the past two imagine what a relief the lifting of these restrictions is to theweeks? The answer to both questions: Maybe.

NEPALI SOCIETY Subhas’ explorations

ubhas Rai’s cartoons have by ing agency in Kathmandu where he is the cover for the SAARC issue of now become a staple for familiarised himself with computer Himal South Asian which has an many Nepali books, maga- graphics and design. But even upside down map of the subconti- S nent with Sri Lanka on top. “I’m not zine and is familiar to the readers here, claustrophobia set in. “It is a of this newspaper. But he does not very commercial environment, a cartographer, but it was fun to like to be called a cartoonist, not there isn’t much time to be spoof National Geographic and even an artist. “I am an explorer,” creative,” says Subhas. So he struck make a map that forces people to says the boyish-looking 34-year- off on his own as a freelance take a whole new perspective.” old, and he has never stopped designer. Subhas is off to the US to learn exploring. His most challenging task? To new tricks, more computer aided Starting out in a Kathmandu illustrate Adventures of a Nepali design work and animation. “I’m not ad agency, Subhas was a quick- Frog, the best-selling children’s the kind that will stay abroad,” says learner and soon found the book by Kanak Mani Dixit which has Subhas, “I want to widen my confines of a “job” restricted his now been translated into eight horizons, gain experience with new need to seek new challenges. He languages. Subhas likes to do equipment and bring back world- shifted to a multinational advertis- unusual things, and his latest work class graphics design to Nepal.” Keep on exploring, Subhas, and (like the poet said) return to the place you started to see it for the first time. SUBHAS RAI SUBHAS

CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59