#360 3 - 9 August 2007 16 pages Rs 30

Weekly Internet Poll # 360

Q. In light of recent developments, what is your opinion of the Nepal Army? Total votes: 3,257 100 days to go But are they serious about polls?

he Maoist leadership, Khanal: “Party unity is important of Maoists living in harsh serious as some make it out to be, under pressure from a for them.” conditions in camps: “The peace the Maoists may come out of their hardline faction, has Unable to withstand the process has achieved little, yet meeting next week with a hardline Weekly Internet Poll # 361. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com T Q. Which is the biggest obstacle to decided party unity is more pressure of hardliners and with our leadership is wallowing in approach. The irony is that an holding elections in November? important than the November just 100 days to go for polls, the luxury and comfort.” avowed republican party is elections and may opt for an Maoist meeting is preoccupied Sharma, Chand and radicals converging with the monarchy intensified pro-republic with the possibility of an election lead by Mohan Baidya feel the which doesn't want polls either. movement in the next months. defeat. A UML forecast, which peace process is flawed, it has Chairman Pushpa Kamal many find credible, shows the weakened the Maoists and the TARAI EYE Prashant Jha Dahal has been heavily censured Maoists may get just 10 percent of gains of the revolution Beyond Tokenism p12 at the fifth session of the Maoist the seats in the first-past-the-post squandered. The party leadership extended central committee this part of the election. is finding it hard to convince week in Kathmandu for failing to “There is growing frustration them to be patient at least till Barsha Man Pun (Ananta) who stand up to the NC and not taking within the party with the elections. belongs to the pragmatic section of a firmer stand on republic. Dahal democratic experiment,” admits “A large section of the Maoists the Maoist leadership says his has compromised with dissidents ex-guerrilla commander Janardan cadre believe that they have been party is totally committed to the by agreeing to insist on the Sharma (Prabhakar) who is in the betrayed by the other parties,” polls. “We want elections, that is declaration of republic as a dissident faction, “time has come explains analyst Shyam Shrestha, what we fought for. But we are precondition to elections. to develop a new policy.” “and both factions of the Maoists launching a movement for The Maoists have concluded Another central committee know their support base in the republic and proportional electoral they will not perform very member, Netra Bikram Chand population has been eroded.” system in our campaigning.” z well in elections, and may (Biplab) echoes the views Even if the rift is not as John Narayan Parajuli have decided their best bet is to put impossible preconditions for polls just to keep the party together. Says political science professor Krishna

BILASH RAI 2 EDITORIAL 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360

Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Editor: Kunda Dixit Design: Kiran Maharjan Director Sales and Marketing: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Circulation Manager: Samir Maharjan [email protected] Subscription: [email protected],5542525/535 Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 [email protected] Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 www.nepalitimes.com Half revolution The debate about inclusiveness has excluded class

he Constituent Assembly To be poor is to be unable to poverty, Kamis 68 percent, UNNATURAL DISASTERS Members Elections Act fulfil basic needs and to be Damais 67 percent, Sarkis Every year it is the same story: monsoon rains gushing down the T strives to make Nepal, or deprived of the right to 65 percent, Tamangs 59 percent, mountains create floods downstream in the plains. The government at least the constituent assembly, education and health. To be poor Magars 58 percent, Rais is blamed for not rushing relief fast enough. The Indians are blamed ‘inclusive’ based on a six-sector is to be marginalised from socio- 56 percent, and Chhetris for building embankments across the border. The Biharis blame divide. Through the 240 seats political processes and 50 percent). A quarter of the Nepal. And everyone blames god for unleashing a natural disaster. based on proportional resources, to be socially and members of the Newar Lost in this post-event flood of recrimination is the fact that representation the Nepali people politically incapacitated. The community, supposedly the there is nothing natural about the annual loss of life and damage to wealthiest in Nepal, live below crops and property. Granted, the Himalayan arc is a region prone to will be represented as madhesi latest statistics put about water-induced disasters: this geologically young and fragile (31.2 percent), dalit (13 percent), 31 percent of Nepal’s population the poverty line. mountain range itself acts as a monsoon trap, setting off the highest janajati, (37.8 percent), from below the absolute poverty line, Sociologists hope that if all precipitation rates in the world in the most-densely populated backward areas (4 percent), and it could be as high as 40 percent. caste and linguistic groups can be mountain region in the world. others (30.2 percent). According to the 2001 maintained in a proportional Combined, the topography and climate make the Nepal Himalaya census, more than a million balance, Nepal can be a beautiful vulnerable to landslides and floods. But these are givens, and ‘mosaic’. But there is already a GUEST COLUMN Nepalis are landless. In generations of our forebears have learnt to live with the dangers. 19 districts, over 20 percent of mosaic, in fact there are two—of Himalayan habitations are mostly situated along ridgelines or Bishnu Rimal households have no land. About the rich and the poor in each protected river banks, in the plains traditional homes are built on 15 percent of households do not group. Without a mechanism to stilts and farmers depend on nutrients washed down in the silt to Nepalis, who have long lived own a piece of land on which to ensure proper representation of fertilise their fields. the large mass of the working What has changed, is that population pressure has forced with a loss of identity and been construct a hut and members are people to live on slopes exposed to slides and encroach along flood victimised, whether by solely dependent on land-based class people, attempts at caste-, plains. Lacking traditional community ties and a historical memory patriarchal, caste-based, wages. ethnicity- and region-based of coping with floods, they are helpless when the waters rise. Entire geopolitical, ethnicity-based or Without this large mass of inclusiveness will not help end cities have sprung up in the plains blocking natural drainage. Badly linguistic domination, now have people represented in the existing patterns of social designed road embankments and even flood protection levees act as a chance to put forward constituent assembly, it will not inequality. dams, impounding runoff instead of protecting people from floods. alternative agendas in debates quite be an assembly of all of Of course, given the Rivers will find their natural path to the sea no matter what, about state restructuring. Nepal’s historically oppressed multifaceted nature of and protecting one area from floods inevitably means submerging But this arrangement fails to and marginalised people. The oppression in Nepal, and its another. Usually it is the cities, rich farmlands, infrastructure that address another side of the worries that it will end up being many vectors of conflict, there is are protected and this means it is the poorest areas and the most multidimensional conflict in just another coterie of the elites not much sense to the traditional marginalised groups that suffer floods. A tally of flood victims this notion that an end to class year has direct correlation with social inequities. Reflected in the Nepali society: economic of various groups are genuine. flood waters every year is the manmade disaster of governance oppression. Progressive lyricist Manjul has struggle results in an equitable failure. written fittingly of a ‘Brahmin’s state. This hits home when you son deceiving a Brahmin’. see how states established after a Nepal’s inequity is alarming. socialist revolution failed to In fact it is the most inequitable address social oppression. country in South Asia, which The lesson from history is itself is one of the world’s most this: the struggle against class inequitable regions. The people exploitation and social are getting poor and their oppression should go hand in purchasing power is hand. Class is an ideological plummeting by the day. To buy issue and has a national focus one tablet of paracetamol, a unlike caste, regionalism, and Nepali worker has to spend five gender which are identity- and minutes’ worth of wages. A difference-based. If we are really shroud to wrap a dead body committed to the freedom and costs 33 hours and 33 minutes emancipation of the oppressed, of work. we have to look at injustice Poverty cuts across all groups that cuts across ethnic and caste and communities in Nepal’s lines. caste structure. Half or more the total population of most caste Bishnu Rimal is the vice chair of and ethnic groups is poor. General Federation of Nepali (Limbus have 71 percent Trade Unions. NEPAL PHOTO AGENCY The revolt of the aristocrats Why even privileged Yadavs are so very angry

nfluential donors and lenders have long Hatlebakk has been studying the Almost as an aside, Hatlebakk finds that former panchas and the communists in the been involved in manufacturing economics of the eastern tarai for nearly a the Yadav’s landholding makes them one of leftist alliance. I knowledge in Nepal. Since 1996, decade. In the past, when he approached the tarai’s most influential population As is often the case with number-based sponsored scholarships have sought to donor agencies for research funds, all he’d groups. Since the cost of agricultural labour findings, Hatlebakk can’t comprehend the identify the causes behind the insurgency. get was a polite hearing. Now he was asked is low and productivity is high in the reasons why comfortably placed Yadavs Later came possible remedies to counter to do something double-quick. The sense is eastern tarai, big farmers (pahadi bahuns are so enraged. The realisation and leftwing radicalism. clear in his rushed report. Hatlebakk also and chhetris but also Yadavs) who own land frustration that their social and political Latent tensions between Bahun-Chhetri- isn’t too sure what he has stumbled upon. worth, say, half-a-million rupees can afford standing isn’t commensurate with their Newar (BCN) elite and janajati aspirants His researcher lingo is qualified with to explore other avenues. That is why economic status seems to have fuelled has been minutely mapped. Donor support conditional qualifiers: it depends, may be, Yadavs dominate tarai politics. madhesi identity consciousness. possibly. Look at the names: Upendra Yadav Traditional clashes over scarce resources Hatlebakk uses information from the heads the MJF and Sitanandan Raya is his are now complicated with identity conflicts. STATE OF THE STATE Nepal Living Standard Survey to show that political mentor. Rambaran Yadav is the The sociology of identity conflict is C K Lal the farmers of the eastern tarai have the second most prominent madhesi leader in much more complex than that of class resources to continue with the political the NC after Mahantha Thakur. Jai Krishna contestation. When identity groups feel has been channelled for dalit agitation. They have the time and Goit leads the separatist JTMM. Matrika discriminated against and denied respect consciousness, gender rights activism, inclination to pursue political goals and are Yadav is the public face of Maoist regardless of their economic status, violent identity politics, social inclusion, and the unlikely to settle for any compromise they madhesis. NC-D looks more inclusive for conflict becomes inevitable. It could be kamaiya struggle. might consider unfavourable, he concludes. having Chitralekha Yadav. The UML is easy for the state to deal with the Yadav Yet, the Madhes Uprising last winter A year ago no one would have believed his making amends for its weak madhesi aristocracy they have too much at stake to took everyone by surprise. The international pessimistic prognosis that the tarai conflict policies by promoting the interim cabinet’s risk losing everything. But if the landless community was asking who these madhesis could be long drawn-out and intractable if Minister for General Administration Chamars, Doms, Dusadhs, and Mushahars were and why they were so angry. Magnus not handled carefully, but today it sounds Ramchandra Yadav even though he is a were mobilised for the madhesi ‘cause’, Hatlebakk of CMI, Norway, was one of the like conventional wisdom. very junior party member. There are Rayas, Hatlebakk’s worst fears will begin to look ‘experts’ asked to find an answer. The study misses one major dynamic. Yadavs, and Goits among both rightist optimistic. 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 3

LLL ETTERS

STAND TOGETHER Yet, despite this, the huge investment required You have hit hard on one of the major problems the to establish themselves in the UK, and the large parties have failed to address so far in ‘United we differential in pay scales means most are not stand’ (Editorial, #359)—they gloat over the going home yet. If the current trend of nursing infighting, disunity, and power struggles within migration does not change soon, our health other parties. services will face a crisis emanating from the In a parliamentary democracy, alliances are senior management levels down, as senior staff supposed to be developed over issues and retire. policies between different parties and even Just training more nurses isn’t the answer. Nor between different groups within parties so is Lal’s assumption that training more non-elites programs and policies get implemented. But not in will somehow make things different (nursing, a Nepal. Parties in Nepal change their colour least, has long been more differentiated in its according to what will get them the most ethnic diversity than other professions in Nepal). (personal) advantage at a given time. Just look at Why should their aspirations differ? But starting the UML. bilateral discussions on the issues at stake would At this juncture, the seven parties, particularly be both an acknowledgement of the problem, and a the NC and the UML, must in every possible way starting point for developing solutions. support those willing to go along with the current Radha Adhikari, email frame of governance. The media should help discuss this openly so political parties can forge ‘It will matter a lot less that the Bahun- common ground and make less room for hardliners Chhetri-Newar elite is trooping out of the country. to rumble the peace process. As it is, we could do with fewer of them in almost Kamal Kishor, email every discipline,’ writes CK Lal. I am appalled to read a pseudo-intellectual stoking the flames of The election to the constituent assembly will casteism at such a sensitive period in Nepal’s probably take place, but it will not be an analytical, history. Many of us from all sections of Nepali well-debated exercise. The situation is exactly the society have worked hard to reach where we are, same as it was a year ago. The problem now is and are proud to be ambassadors of our country that none of the political parties are confident of overseas. We live in harmony with our fellow achieving the result they desire in the elections Nepalis and do not share Lal’s communal views. and so we must watch out for them turning the Mr Lal, if you do come overseas on one of your current parliament into a constituent assembly. It many junkets, please come and see the facts for does not have the mandate of the people and as for yourself. This will give you some food for thought the Maoist MPs, they are appointed by their high and more importantly, readers of Nepali Times a command and do not necessarily represent the break from your columns which have quite frankly views of most Nepalis. Democracy is for all, even become a bore. small parties such as Hariyali. Vijay Baral, USA PP Luintel, Green Nepal Party/ Hariyali CK Lal’s analysis of the impact of brain drain LEAVE IT TO US is extremely one-sided. There is no doubt that the Prashant Jha addresses the root of the issue, that loss of skilled individuals has an adverse effect most madhesi intellectuals want their issues on poor, unstable countries. to be internationalised (Tarai But the positive aspects of Eye, #359). To some extent, migration must not be that gives them bargaining overlooked. First, power. The question is how expatriates make a large long can madhesis hold on to contribution to their home that power without country by investing, and internationals taking over the sharing the knowledge whole game on behalf of they have gained. This is madhesis. especially true in the IT Pahadis have always and outsourcing thought that the tarai was industries. While highly India’s property and so instead unstable countries like of talking directly to madhesi Nepal and Bangladesh leaders, the pahadi elite talks to may be feeling the SD Muni, Shyam Saran, negative effects of the Jaswant Singh, and Sitaram ‘brain drain’, developing Yechuri. Jha rightly points out, countries like India and the pahadi elite has a deeper China are reaping the relation with these diplomats, benefits of ‘brain than madhesis do. Meanwhile, the US and the UK circulation’. The problem, thus, is not the exodus will want to use tarai power to counter the Maoists, of talent. It is the political condition in the home and who knows what China wants? country. The mindset of the pahadis will cause a Lal’s prescriptions to stanch the loss of skilled deadlock. But this time, it won’t just be the individuals are also troubling. Delaying the madhesis bleeding as always, it will also be the outflow of trained professionals is only going to pahadis who are swinging off the very branch on increase the financial burden on hardworking which they sit. individuals. The same is true for an exit tax. Lal Ram Manohar, email forgets that it is not just the elite (whom he openly despises) who are emigrating. BRAIN GAIN It is amusing that Lal thinks that affirmative I agree with much of what CK Lal’s says in ‘Brain action is going to alleviate this phenomenon. deficit’ (State of the State, #359). I am currently According to the 2007 migration report by OECD, researching professional nursing training in Nepal emigration rates for highly-skilled women are and the migration of nurses to the UK. Although higher than for men by a slight margin (http:// Nepal produces more nurses than the capacity of www.oecd.org/dataoecd/57/18/38875143.pdf). The our health service to employ them, most nurses same would be true for janajatis, dalits, and dream of migrating to western countries. I know madhesis. After all, they are no different from the none who wants to work in rural districts. It is a elite. It is only in Lal’s warped mind that training vital policy issue for the state to balance the more janajatis, women, and madhesi doctors and safeguarding of services in Nepal and the dreams scientists is going to solve this. of these professionals. The issue is crucial Aayush Sakya, email especially at the levels of senior nursing. There is already a severe shortage of experienced and LIMBO qualified academic nursing faculty in training Thank you for denouncing the desperate situation institutions. adoptive parents and children have been put in I have met and interviewed a number of highly (‘Kids in limbo, #359). Finally, somebody cares experienced nurses (in critical areas like ICU/ for the kids waiting for their parents. My son was CCU) at Patan, Teaching Hospital, Norvic, and three when I met him. He is now four. He is a real Model Hospitals, senior staff from nursing orphan and spends his day in the children’s home colleges, and people from other senior public instead of going to school and being loved by us. health positions currently working in the UK. They It is a scandal and we are hostages of the Ministry face difficulties in the UK, and have to perform for Women, Children and Social Welfare. I am so menial tasks way beneath their level of training. tired of waiting for the final signature, I would like They are frequently exploited and face complex to just die. Your article was a great psychological institutional discrimination in a country support. increasingly hostile to migrant workforces. Beth, email 4 ECONOMY 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 “Business shouldn’t be the government’s business.”

PICS: MONIKA DHAKWA not, that’s good. Does she sleep on bed with mosquito net? I explained to your finance ministers that running Muhammad Yunus and the institution If yes, that’s good. If not, she’s poor. Does she have access microcredit programs through the government would he founded in 1976, Grameen Bank of to clean water and sanitary latrines? Do her children go to never work. Things get politicised. Loans are given to Bangladesh, won last year’s Nobel primary school? Does she have access to basic health friends and supporters, who do not pay back. Political Peace Prize for ‘efforts to create service providers? Do her children go hungry at any time supporters are hired as bank officers, and they do no economic and social development of the year? Only when our 10 easily verifiable criteria are work. I have seen this happen in every country where the from below’. Owned largely by poor fulfilled do we say that her family has graduated out of government runs micro credit programs. So, the first poverty. This check-list of simple monitoring indicators principle is: no matter what sort of micro credit program women borrowers, Grameen Bank has has worked well for us. you run, do it away from the government. Choosing long upset conventional banking partners such as NGOs or socially-oriented private paradigms. It does not ask for You have said, “We can put poverty into businesses comes next. I define a socially-oriented private collateral, legal instrument, group- museums”. Are you suggesting that microcredit business as a business that can get its investments back guarantee or alone can eradicate poverty? from a socially useful venture but earns no dividend. joint liability My point is that all human beings are packed with a FOCUS ON bundle of capacities that they need for themselves and to You continue to equate microcredit with social BANGLADESH of any kind contribute to others’ growth. But we live in societies that business and Pierre Omidyar, the founder of when giving do not give opportunities to people to unpack the gifts eBay, thinks that it should be commercialised to out small that they have within themselves. If we find ways to reach millions more poor people. loans or microcredit. It enjoys a unleash people’s potential, then, yes, we can put poverty Omidyar sees microcredit as a profit-maximising recovery rate of about 97 percent. into museums. business. I see it as a social business to help the poorest, Since its inception, it has disbursed I am not saying that microcredit alone will do all that. and we keep on fighting (laughs). I define a social But it is one tool that helps unlock poor people’s business as a non-loss, non-dividend business that is $6.20 billion to over seven million untapped potential to do good for themselves and others different from philanthropy in that a social business women in 77,000 villages across around them. A woman gets a loan. At first, she is scared returns the invested money to its owners. Micro credit Bangladesh. Grameen’s microcredit because she has never handled borrowed money. Once she should be a social business. We do it to help the poor get model has been replicated in over 100 starts to use that credit to make money for herself through their rice. When the poor become rich enough to have that countries. Columnist Ashutosh Tiwari a small-scale entrepreneurial activity, she finds that new 15-course dinner, then commercial bankers can come in, met up with Yunus in Dhaka. possibilities have opened up for her and her family. Those offer additional financial services and make money off possibilities are likely to get her out of poverty. them. Until then, the profit-maximising approach is If all our global formal banking systems collapsed similar to that of village money-lenders who come with today, that would have almost no effect on two-thirds of gleaming eyes. Omidyar understands returns, and he is What do you mean when you say “access to credit humanity. That’s because billions of poor people are not arguing on behalf of a business principle, which I is a human right”? even participants in what goes on in the name of financial understand. We have the bill of human rights, which covers the rights services. Microcredit is one way they can open bank But one recent event highlighted these different to shelter, work, education, and so on. My question is: accounts, borrow money, make use of their ideas to make approaches. Compartamos, a bank in Mexico, issued an who’s going to bring these rights? There is this expectation more money for themselves, learn to make their own Initial Public Offering, and made about 400 million that the government will somehow provide these rights. decisions and empower themselves. dollars. They sold the idea that the bank could make lots But we have seen that the government is unable to provide of money by giving loans to poor people at interest rates them on a silver platter. What it can do is create an But not all poor women can be successful small- hovering over 100 per cent! What a wrong message to give! enabling environment so that people can earn incomes for scale entrepreneurs. Does that mean that the food and shelter. This makes earning an income a critical success of microcredit is necessarily tied to there What relationship do you advise a government to task. Textbooks say that the only way to create incomes is being a bundle of services to go along with credit? have with the private sector? through jobs. But the governments of Nepal and Let’s look at it this way. If you have a 15-course meal, First, the only thing any government can do is have the Bangladesh cannot create jobs for all the people. If so, why that’s good. But if you are hungry, and have nothing else, humility to accept that it cannot change people’s lives, not let poor people create their own jobs? then plain rice will do just fine. In times of famine, when and that it can only help people who are changing their As it is, people sell food on the street, pull rickshaws you don’t even have that rice, then you might ask for the own lives. But most governments simply mess up and do other things to make a living. One way to support water that comes out when the rice is cooked at a wealthy people’s lives, something they are good at. My experience such self-employment is through financing. That’s because neighbor’s kitchen. is that business should not be the business of once you have some borrowed money, you can use it to When you say that microcredit needs a bundle of government. Business should be in the hands of the earn an income, which makes it easier to buy food, be services, you are talking about the 15-course meal. I am private sector, which produces jobs and services. I define healthy, and have a shelter and get an education. starting with plain rice. Gradually, I might add salt, then a private sector broadly to include both businesses that few chillies or vegetables to my rice. But that comes later. make profits and do good for society at large such as by You’ve developed a list of 10 qualitative For now, I want to survive. If someone offers the 15-course building schools, hospitals and the like. indicators to assess whether a family is out of meal, I will say that, that’s great, but I will not wait for it poverty. Are these Bangladesh-specific indicators to come to all anytime soon. What is life like after the Nobel Prize? or can they be applied widely? My point is that the concept of microcredit is flexible The interest of governments in many countries to We have been using them to monitor whether our enough to be customised to address various levels of implement Grameen-style micro credit programs has gone borrowers get out of poverty. If others find these indicators hunger for credit. People everywhere need money, and up. Because of the prize, I think journalists and the useful, that’s good. When you define a poor person as there are more ways than one to get it to them. What is public are asking them, “When are you starting micro someone living under a dollar a day or surviving on less important is to start from somewhere, anywhere, and credit programs in our communities?” I am using my time than 2200-calorie of daily food intake, who, except for the build up from there by seeing what works and what to advise several countries, including China, to set up experts, is going to measure all that? This means that we doesn’t according to local opportunities and constraints. their own microcredit programs to help their poor. The need experts to tell us who is poor and who is not, and prize has made it easier for me to advocate for changes in that gets us into academic debates that do not help the In Nepal, government promoted microcredit relevant policies and regulations. Earlier, I used to scream poor. programs through five regional grameen banks, and shout, and not many listened to me. Now I am seen In our case, we regularly visit a borrower’s home, and all of which failed. Is microcredit an area in as a wise man, and even my mere whisper carries a lot see what kind of roof she’s got. If it’s leaky, she’s poor. If which a government can play an active role? more weight. (Laughter) BUSINESS 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 5

regulator can always encourage

Security first professionalism as well as ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ growth, as has been demonstrated Laxmi Bank has been given an ‘A’ rating after an audit by Arif Taking stock by the banking industry. Time Ahmed and Associates, a firm that works with India’s Ministry of has come to really make the Information as Information Security Auditors. Laxmi Bank is the first regulator attuned to global Nepali bank to have its IT systems audited by an independent body. What is happening to stock prices? practices, our weekly Beed is being privatize the

Safe syringes buttonholed at parties, stock exchange

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Everest Med, Nepal’s disposable syringe Y being asked why the stock and let the manufacturer has launched an prices are increasing and whether trading go awareness campaign on the use of safe one should invest or not and in electronic. syringes. The company says lack of a which stocks they should. For investors monitoring body for quality control and an unhealthy competition How should he know? It’s hard to to really reap between traders are reasons for imports of illegal products. Everest say when it comes to explaining benefits from Med’s Lifeline product line has been certified by ISO – 9001:2000. stock market movements in stock markets, individual investors have

Another ATM ECONOMIC SENSE MIN BAJRACHARYA ○○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ to be replaced Artha Beed Machhapuchchhre Bank has opened a new ATM in Kalimati. This is Further, the size of our companies by institutional ones. This means the eighth ATM in the Valley and is accessible to people with is very small. In India, the mutual funds and other disabilities. The bank plans to open five more ATMs around general and in Nepal in particular. definition of small cap institutional investment Kathmandu in the near future. Millions have written doctoral companies are those whose possibilities must be opened up. theses about stock markets and market capitalisation is less than Institutional investors can afford

NabilInstallment how to predict their movements. $400 million. In Nepal, the largest to employ people who can do

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nabil Bank has launched NabilInstallement under the bank’s credit An MIT maths professor made companies would be less than better analyses and help in card (Visa and Mastercard), which allows cardholders to buy billions after devising a formula this cap. So, there is a long way stabilising the secondary markets. consumer durables like home appliances, electronics, computers, that could recognise patterns and to go. They need to be treated at par and jewelry with cards. Payment is made at a low interest rate in predict the market. But at the end Stock market fluctuations can from the tax perspective as well as monthly instalments and can be used at shops in Kathmandu. of the day, playing the stock be volatile and a piece of paper given incentives to take the risk of market is a bit like gambling in a can be worth a lot more or less in managing funds.

Scratch and win casino. a matter of hours. A strong These elements have to be of

○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The NEPSE has zoomed regulator is therefore necessary to course looked at by the Alankaran Electronics, the producer of KEC TVs and sister considerably in the past six ensure that the trading is close to government, which has to conglomerate of Kedia Organisation has launched a scratch card months. If one had invested, say, efficient and also encourage more formulate necessary legislation to scheme ‘Bhagyo Tapainko...KEC Ko Saath, Jadaina Khali Haat’. Rs 1,000 on listed stocks in 2005, people to access the market for ensure that the market grows KEC provides a scratch card in every purchase and customers can the value today would be funds. and encourages companies to take win cash from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000. Rs 2,500. Considering the roller Unfortunately, in Nepal, the the public company route. Surely, coaster ride that the economy regulator sees itself as another this needs to be linked to the

Merchant has been through, this is government department and not constituent assembly! ○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ phenomenal. The stock market really interested on how to take United Finance, Kathmandu has started merchant banking services. starts to gallop when there are the markets ahead. A strong www.arthabeed.com Certified by Nepal Stock Exchange Board and Nepal Stock Exchange Market their new services will include initial public speculative instincts at play rather offering and right issue of shares. than technical analysis. Equity investments is more scientific, but in a country where

Networking we still believe that its better to

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ United Telecom has started UTL phone service in Butwal from this queue at empty gas stations than month. In addition the company will also provide a limited utility UTL to leave it to the market, we would Mobile at Rs 2,525 (including taxes) and Rs 8,595 worth wireless still like to consider playing in fixed CDMA at monthly instalments. UTL is providing services in the secondary markets an Kathmandu, Hetauda and Birganj and plans to extend its networks to extension of the card game, Pokhara and Bharahawa in the future. marriage. Nepal’s stock market volume is NEW PRODUCTS not at all small when we consider SAY CHEESE: Marigold Food has launched the market capitalisation of Cheesy Cheese Rings in new flavours, new shapes shares: the number of shares at Rs 10 for 20gm pack and is introduced with a new multiplied by the closing prices. slogan ‘Life Ma Naya Zing.’ The current capitalisation of $3 billion is nearly half of Nepal’s ALUMINUM: Hansraj Hulaschand, has introduced Alstrong and GDP. So if one is to consider that Metastrong, aluminium materials produced by India’s Alu-Bond at least ten percent of these shares Enterprises in the Nepali market. Alstrong aluminium composite are floating in the market, then panels (ACP) are made of high quality aluminium and are there is about $300 million of appropriate for exteriors. Meanwhile, Metastrong, available in shares that can be traded. 30 colours are for interiors, and is touted as being better than Considering the volumes of laminates, veneers, granite, and marble. less than $10 million a day, the transactions are still small. 6 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 Prachanda vs Kiran

Drishti, 31 July to armed struggle. This is not the first time that there has been a The commander of the People’s Liberation Army serious rift over strategy within the Maoist party. SURESH RAJ NAUPANE and supreme leader of the Maoists, Chairman Eight years ago, Prachanda and Baburam Prachanda is in a minority in his own party. Even themselves had a difference of opinion over the Insult to flag airline. Neither the current before the Maoists’ fifth extended conference centralisation of leadership and in 2005 Baburam ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ government nor the concerned began, Mohan Baidya (‘Kiran’) and Ram Bahadur came close to be being expelled from the party. It Editorial in Samaya, 26 July 2007 minister seem to have any new Thapa (‘Badal’) launched an attack on the was the Chunbang central committee meeting that ideas about rescuing the airline. If Prachanda line. Kiran and Badal think the party patched up the differences. After the political changes in that’s the case it is better to pull should launch a republican rebellion even before The Maoists have in the past tried to put an Nepal last year, many national the plug on an airline that is in a ideological label on symbols were altered. We are coma. Because allow it to these rifts, but given getting a new national anthem, function would just spread a the kind of abuse that the coat arms has been changed. negative image about the country. is being hurled the But the fact that our sun and rifts seem to be moon flag was left alone shows mostly due to Hand-in-hand

just how potent this symbol of ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ personality clashes. One of the reasons our national identity is. Editorial in Himal Khabarpatrika, for the present rift is Yet, the way this flag is being 1 August that a party that dragged on the ground by the fought a war, one with national airline that carries it is a There are now only 100 days to go its own army has disgrace. It shows that just by for elections. The Election been considerably dropping ‘Royal’ from its name Commission and Parties say they weakened after the hasn’t changed the way Nepal are looking at the security, budget peace process. More Airlines is managed and operated. and technical aspects of the polls. than a year after It also shows the political apathy Even so, the conditions for entering the for the airline’s growth as well as elections are not being created. mainstream, the interference by successive There are three reasons for country is still in the shadow of violence governments. The plane has only this.First, efforts to defuse the KIRAN PANDAY MIN BAJRACHARYA and threats. Says two aircraft for its international madhes andolan have come not one maoist central flights and they are mostly achieved results. Second, there is the constituent assembly election and in this they committee member: “There are always discussions grounded. Whenever one goes off still uncertainty about the delays are supported by Biplab, Prabhakar, and and disagreements at these meetings, and it will for routine maintenance, the in addressing janajati demands. Sudarshan. In addition, RIM and COMPOSA have happen this time too.” airline’s schedules go haywire. And the third is the behaviour of also voiced their opposition against the politics of In the past it would be Kiran or Badal who would This time, the airline is taking a the Maoists. This week, the compromise. mediate during rifts, but this time both are aligned Druk Air plane on lease. It just Maoists roughed up the Dolakha Prachanda’s forumla is to contest the against the leadership. Source say the Maoists will shows Bhutan, which despite its district administrator. Then there elections and make a strategy based on the be evaluating their activities since the last landlocked topography has are the behind-the-scenes result. Besides these two lines, there is also a convention and may decide to announce a rebellion managed to allows its airline to activities of the palace, army or small faction that wants to take the Maoists back and take steps to reinvigorate the organisation. grow, and underlines the total religious groups that have trying mismanagement of our national to sow uncertainty about FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 7

elections. If these three problems to the local level. Even if it is just Maoists are actually helping Pro-Hindu ○○○○○ are addressed, the other issues to raise the morale of the police spread terror. What’s the point ○○○○○○○○○○○ will resolve themselves. But force, this cooperation is of having a peace process if they Mahima, 2 August time is running out. necessary so that voters can be want to terrorise the people just The eight parties need to protected from intimidation.” as they did during the war? In the last few days, Hindu immediately go hand-in-hand in Why stay in government? How extremists in bordering Indian creating conditions for elections. Junglis does it make any sense for a states have launched a movement

They must have a high-level ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ party that is sitting in against Nepal’s Maoists, while the meeting right away on the Letter to the Editor in government to allows its own Indian administration is madhes and the janajatis. The Kantipur, 1 August cadre to ransack the district tightening its noose on them. In Maoists’ job is to assure the administration office and beat Nepal, meanwhile, the palace country that it will curb its The people had pinned a lot of up the CDO? Is this the model continues to organise feasts. It pamphlets (see pic). Meanwhile, violent behaviour. hope on the Maoists, but they of new Nepal that you want the may seem like there is no India has expelled Bir Bahadur Only after this will things haven’t lived up to that trust. world to emulate, Comrade connection between these two Shahi and his friend on the like low police morale be Aside from a few token actions Prachanda? This isn’t about events, but sources think there is. charges of being close to the addressed. Recently in New from the YCL, there isn’t much. showing off your political arm- There is a tacit agreement between Maoists. Even Nepali organisation York, UNMIN’s Ian Martin said: And instead of warning its twisting capability but how the palace and India. In December in India with perceived links to ‘There has to be cooperation affiliated organisation to desist effective you are in the 2006, BJP parliamentarian and a the Maoists are coming under between the parties right down from terrorising the people, the marketplace of ideas. The preacher of the Gorakhnath increasing scrutiny of the Indian Maoists are the third-largest temple in Gorakhpur, Adityanath authorities. Jaswant Singh, party in government, but they had passed a resolution against during his recent visit to Nepal, didn’t attain that through Nepal becoming a secular country. publicly objected to Nepal elections. If they want to know Upendra Yadav and Lakshman becoming a secular state. Upendra “Why blame the driver?” their political status, they must Lal Karna had attended the Yadav is spearheading a Interview with Sushil Koirala Naya Patrika, 1 August allow free and fair elections. But meeting. Lately, Adityanath is movement to disintegrate Nepal if it keeps on its present path, advocating the expulsion of and has demanded the You are allegedly delaying the the Maoists may have to wash Nepali Maoists from India, giving dissolution of the parliament to unification of the two their hands of politics. provocative sermons and issuing weaken the Maoists. Congresses? There are so many allegations against me. Why do I have to respond to them? What have I gained? I have not become minister or deputy prime minister. I have always worked in the interest of the party. I am all for unification.

So who is holding it back, then? The unification of the two congresses is need of the hour, and it is inevitable. Both parties are doing their homework, and it will be finalised soon.

Is it the seniority dispute between you and Deuba that is delaying the process? I have not made any claims about seniority. But one’s contribution to the MIN BAJRACHARYA party, role in the people’s movement and continuity should form the basis of determining the seniority chain.

The NC is leading the government, are you satisfied with its performance? This is a coalition government. Our party is leading the government, so in a way we are more responsible. But what is happening here is that we have been asked to drive, while others in the government are creating roadblocks. They blame the driver and pass the buck. Dumb-bells: Peace and Security What would you say to those creating obstacles? Weightlifter: Government Let us move forward. It would be better for them to get off the vehicle if they don’t want it to go forward. Abin Shrestha in, Samaya, 2 August Are you saying the Maoists should quit the government?

I am only saying no one should create problems in the day-to-day running of

the country. I want the eight parties to come closer and work together, but QUOTE OF THE WEEK what doesn’t make sense is those who are in government themselves behaving like the opposition. “ I don’t think the army can takeover. If anyone is planning a coup, they Why did you reappoint an ineffective Home Minister? “ should forget it. I didn’t appoint him. What the Prime Minister saw in him, what the issues are, I don’t know. Ask the Prime Minister, but certainly there is a growing concern over the deteriorating security situation.

How will the madhesi movement affect the NC? CPN-UML general secretary Madhab Nepal, in an interview with Not just NC, if the movement continues to escalate, it will affect all the Himal Khabarpatrika, 1 August. parties. That’s why I am saying we have to work together to resolve it. SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS Instead of one laptop pe computer network per scho

n recent months many leaders of education in Nepal and elsewhere have been attracted by the rhetoric about IOne Laptop Per Child (OLPC). While computers in schools are a good idea, an over $100 million project to give each Nepali child a laptop is not. There are advantages to having computers in schools. FIT Nepal has recently installed telecentres in government schools; ENRD has done so in Kaski; Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya’s Bhasha Sanchar project has installed four- computer networks that work in Nepali in two schools. These enable teachers to prepare teaching materials, and children to use educational programs and become familiar with computers. With internet connections, these computers could be used for management, interacting with computers in local District Education COMMENT Offices and ultimately with the Pat Hall Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES). Two locally developed proprietary schools management systems were demonstrated at CAN Softech in May. An open source system is being localised to the Nepali language and education context. An installation of four computers with a high-powered ‘server’ and cheap recycled ‘thin clients’ costs Rs 120,000 ($1,700). With transport, installation, and training, the final cost is around Rs 200,000 ($2,800). Equipping Nepal’s 26,277 schools (MoES. 2004) with this very simple network would cost $74 million, not including PICS: RAMESH KARKI Dailekh bridges the Cost and language used to be barriers to computer

SHRISTEE GURUNG

he two factors restricting the spread of computers in Nepal are cost and language. But a pilot scheme to Ttest a Linux-based LAN system in schools in Dailekh and Lalitpur have shown that accessibility and affordability needn’t be a problem anymore. The digital divide doesn’t just exist between rich and poor countries, but also within countries like Nepal. More than 80 percent of the computers and internet connections in Nepal are located inside Kathmandu’s Ring Road. The challenge is to encourage computer usage in Nepali language and also equipment that would be cost- effective for the school management. Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya’s Linux Terminal Server Project (LTSP) is trying to test initiative and see if it works. The idea is not to distribute laptops to every school child, but set up a computer lab so students can learn basic skills. LTSP is a Linux add-on package where one powerful

Cheaper and better Unit Price Server 1 33,300 Thin client 3 15,400 Normal cost 4 26,400 TOTAL

If a school were to install four computers under the prevailing cost But if the hardware was networked through a server and three dum EARLY START: These children in schools in Lalitpur (top) and in Dailekh saw computers for the first time last month Rs 26,000. because of a new pilot project to provide cheaper networks with Nepali language commands. er child, how about one ool, one laptop per teacher?

installation and training. Schools also need internet access Lab’ brand, and for advice and help in setting them up, envisaged by OLPC shows that learning only improves if and a reasonably reliable electricity supply. This Media Lab Asia was established in Mumbai and Media Lab teachers, learners, and parents are closely involved in the infrastructure has not been costed in, since it is necessary Europe was established in Dublin. But just a few years design of their content and use. for any computer use in education. later, the collaborations had failed and both governments In the US there has been a much wider use of laptops A great potential use of computers, the internet, and a lost a lot of money—the Irish figure is reported as $40 in schools, but the New York Times reported this May that schools network is to disseminate the best teaching million. This negative experience should make us many schools are dropping laptops, troubled by practices in inclusive education in Nepal. This is where cautious about acting purely on Negroponte’s assurances. breakdowns and the need to manage inappropriate use, and one laptop per teacher comes in. The OLPC is too small for Olpc.com, says the project’s mission is “to develop a most damningly because there is “literally no evidence it adults. It aspires to be the $100 laptop, but in reality costs low-cost laptop—the ‘$100 Laptop’—a technology that had any impact on student achievement—none,” and that $150-$200. Fortunately other companies have announced could revolutionise how we educate the world’s children.” “It’s a distraction to the educational process.” competing full-sized offerings—Taiwan’s AsusTek has The website does not elaborate how it will do so, but It would cost over $1 billion— Nepal’s entire announced a $200 full-sized laptop and Intel has a points us to the olpc.news.com site where a June 2007 educational budget for the next four to five years—to give a similarly priced community PC. With a laptop each, article by an anonymous ‘Roland’ talks about Seymour laptop to each of Nepal’s 6 million school-going children. teachers can take distance education courses, share Papert, “the mental father of the education part of OLPC”. For this price you could rebuild and modernise every practices, and develop educational materials. To equip Papert believes children learn best as they did before going school. each teacher with a laptop and a computer lab in each to school—by exploration, learning from errors, and But while Nepal is better off without OLPC, some level school would cost around $100 million. responding to challenges. These ideas date back 50 years, of school-based computer provision is worthwhile, OLPC groups sell their proposal partly on price but the technology just wasn’t there then. particularly to disseminate some of the excellent teaching (though it costs twice the claimed $100), its robust There is no evidence to back up OLPC’s aims of practices in Nepal, and promote good teaching that technology, and its claimed educational advantage. Now embodying exploratory learning through interactive embodies OLPC’s principles. OLPC was conceived by Nicholas Negroponte while he was multimedia software and internet access. The top story in Some able and enthusiastic young Nepali engineers are director of MIT’s Media Lab. In 1995 Negroponte wrote the 17 June issue of African e-zine Balancing Act was an working on OLPC, localising software and creating new Being Digital, which describes a world that has become real interview about OLPC pilots in South Africa and Nigeria content in Nepali. The volunteers have deliberately made it for many rich northerners, in line with MIT Media Lab’s with a South African enthusiast Antoine Van Gelder who possible to use this software and view this content without mission. His enthusiasm for computer-based education, is still looking for funding, and whose best evidence of OLPC. We need to channel this talent into supporting based upon the advocacy of Seymour Papert, is embodied success from Nigeria is 100 percent school attendance and schools in an economically and pedagogically appropriate in OLPC. “a lot of smiling kids”. BBC World reported the same week way. But Negroponte’s expertise is questionable, particularly that an OLPC trial run in Peru involves 250,000 OLPC on big and expensive projects. In the 1990s he sold the laptops, making this a large, costly experiment. Pat Hall directs the Bhasha Sanchar project at Madan Media Lab to the governments of India and Ireland. In Research in the UK on children using laptops and Puraskar Pustakalaya and is a visiting professor at exchange for substantial payments for using the ‘Media other mobile devices at school and at home in the manner Kathmandu University. ([email protected])

Web pioneer Mahabir Pun put Nepal on the information technology map not by complaining about how the poor didn’t have access to computers, but actually doing digital divide something about it. He gave up a potentially lucrative dot com career in the US to return not just to Nepal, but take the information age to his remote ancestral village in use in Nepali schools. No longer. Myagdi. This week, Pun received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for 2007 in recognition of his efforts to connect his village to the global village. server is shared among dumb terminals (also known as Grade Four student Laxmi Kumari Thapa couldn’t hide After returning from the US in 1997 to his village ‘thin clients’). The server is a high-end computer with a her excitement. “I hadn’t even seen a television before of Nangi, Pun started out with four computers and set them up at a hard disk of 120 GB capacity, a powerful processor of this,” she said, “I can’t wait to tell my parents that I used a school. He set up 2.6 GHz and 512 MB RAM. Although the cost of the server computer.” a wireless is 20 percent higher than a standard computer, the cheaper Installing the computers in the school was also an antenna on top of thin clients cut down overall cost of the network. Because exhilarating experience for enginners Amit Aryal and a tree to connect the dumb terminals don’t need CD-ROMS and other Dayaram Budathoki who went to Dailekh to teach teachers him to a server in accessories they are 40 percent cheaper than standard and students basic concepts of mouse, keyboard, monitor, Pokhara and computers. writing and saving files with Nepali text. connect his school to the This is an excellent way, for example, to recycle used “It was my first encounter with the reality of Nepali internet. CPUs from companies and individuals in Kathmandu schools in remote areas and I was really moved, it was very “Given willing to donate them when they upgrade to more rewarding,” says Dayaram. Nepal’s powerful equipment. It can be up to 25 percent cheaper to Basanta Madhyamik was the first school in Dailekh to topography and install four computers under LTSP compared to standard ever have computers, so there was excitement not just at cost, the future is costs (see table). the school but also among local government officials, in wireless,” Pun At Dailekh’s Kimugaon a pilot LTSP project was political parties and parents. said this week. In implemented at the Basanta Madyamik Bidayala which has Says Amit: “In Kathmandu we’ve become so blasé 2001, with help from foreign 400 students, most of whom have never seen a computer about computers, and to see the excitement in the faces of volunteers, Pun before. So, the first computer they used had a Neplinux 2.0 the students really made it worthwhile for me.” rigged a wirelesss operating system so everything on the screen was in Teachers are planning to make computer class connection between Nangi and the neighboring Nepali. compulsory for students of grades two to eight. And since village of Ramche using TV dish antennas. Today his the desktop commands are all in Nepali there won’t be any Nepal Wireless Project in mid-western Nepal is a barrier to use. model of simple, effective, and successful rural The LTSP project is already running successfully in internet access. In five years, 22 villages in Myagdi and Parbat Cost LTSP Normal cost Phulchoki Primary School in Godavari south of have been wired for just Rs 2 million. The network is 33,300 Kathmandu, and Dailekh was the second pilot. Two more used for education and to exchange information about 46,200 schools in Dang and Bhaktapur are getting LTSP networks locally produced goods and commodity prices, with a grant from the Helap Nepal Network from the Nepali village activities, and weekly markets. The wireless 106,000 diaspora. Students from class one to five can now use network also provides telemedicine facilities to eight 79,500 106,000 computers to play educational games, learn to type text villages with doctors from a Pokhara hospital. files, and send emails in Nepali. Pun’s model is proof that villages don’t have to ts, the bill for four computers would come to Rs 106,000. wait for landlines for communication, and the internet More Nepali schools can benefit from this scheme mb terminals, it would be less than Rs 80,000, saving more than is not just a luxury. Mallika Aryal because the computer applications are accessible and also within the budget of most schools in the country. 10 INTERNATIONAL 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360

Wikipedia’s boosters herald it as Web Wikipedia embodies a democratic virtual medevialism version 2.0. While Web 1.0 facilitated the storage and transmission of vast amounts of different kinds of information in cyberspace, the second version supposedly renders the whole process interactive, removing the frontier separating It’s a wiki world transmitters and receivers of information. But we’ve had this for most of human ikipedia, the online history. encyclopaedia, is the most In Wikipedia, any change to an entry W impressive collective generates a historical trace, so entries can be intellectual project ever attempted and read as what medieval scholars call a perhaps achieved. It demands the attention palimpsest, a successively overwritten text, and contribution of anyone concerned with and ‘talk pages’ provide ample opportunity the future of knowledge. to discuss actual and possible changes. Because of the speed with which it has Everyone has a virtual copy of Wikipedia. become a fixture in cyberspace, Wikipedia’s Wikipedia’s content policy remains true significance has gone largely deeply medieval in spirit. The rules are: unremarked. Since its sixth anniversary in 1) no original research; 2) a neutral point of 2007, it has consistently ranked in the top view; and 3) verifiability. These rules are ten most frequently viewed websites designed for people who have reference worldwide. Everyday it is consulted or material but no authority to evaluate it. changed by 7 percent of all 1.2 billion Such was also the epistemic position of internet the Middle Ages, which presumed all users. humans to be mutually equal but OPINION Its rate subordinate to god. The most one could Steve Fuller of expect was a perfectly balanced dialectic. In usage is the Middle Ages, this attitude spawned growing faster than that of internet use as a scholastic disputation. In cyberspace, the whole. same practice, often dismissed as ‘trolling,’ Some 4.7 million ‘Wikipedians’ have is the backbone of Wikipedia’s quality contributed to 5.3 million entries, one- control. third of which are in English, with the rest Wikipedia’s democratic medievalism in more than 250 other languages. There is that does not respect claims to personal a relatively large group of hardcore expertise in the absence of verifiable contributors: roughly 75,000 Wikipedians sources. To fully realise this ideal, have made at least five contributions in participation in Wikipedia might be made any given 30-day period. compulsory for advanced undergraduates The quality of articles is uneven, but and master’s degree candidates worldwide. not uniformly bad. True, topics favoured The norms of conduct for these students by sex-starved male geeks are elaborated in correspond to Wikipedia’s content policy: disturbingly exquisite detail, while less one is expected to know where the research alluring matters often lie fallow. material is and how to argue about it. Nevertheless, University of Chicago law This would improve Wikipedia’s professor Cass Sunstein says Wikipedia is collective knowledge base and help curb cited four times more often than the the elitist pretensions of researchers in the Encyclopedia Britannica in US judicial global knowledge system. z decisions. Nature’s 2005 evaluation of the (Project Syndicate) two encyclopaedias in terms of comparably developed scientific articles found that Steve Fuller is professor of sociology at the Wikipedia averaged four errors to the University of Warwick and author of The Britannica’s three. That difference has Knowledge Book: Key Concepts in probably since been narrowed. Philosophy, Science and Culture. Exlied to Cyberia Do child pornography laws apply in Second Life?

PETER SINGER Labs, have said they will modify when it protects children from making something a criminal of producing violent games. The the game to prevent virtual being exploited for sexual offense, we should always ask: manufacturers fall back on the n a popular Internet role- children from having sex. purposes. It becomes much more who is harmed? If it can be simplistic assertion that there is playing game called Second German prosecutors have also dubious when it interferes with shown that the opportunity to no scientific proof that violent I Life, people can create a become involved, although their sexual acts between consenting act out a fantasy by having video games lead to violent acts. virtual identity for themselves, concern appears to be the use of adults. What adults choose to do virtual sex with a virtual child But sometimes we cannot wait for choosing such things as their age, the game to spread child in the bedroom, many thoughtful makes people more likely to proof. sex, and appearance. pornography, rather than people believe, is their own engage in real pedophilia, then The burst of publicity about These virtual characters then whether people have virtual sex business, and the state ought not real children will be harmed, virtual pedophilia in Second Life do things that people in the real with virtual children. to pry into it. and the case for prohibiting may have focussed on the wrong world do, such as having sex. The law is on solid ground When someone proposes virtual pedophilia becomes target. Video games are properly Depending on your preferences, stronger. subject to legal controls, not when you can have sex with someone But looking at the question they enable people to do things who is older or younger than you, in this way raises another, and that, if real, would be crimes, but perhaps much older or younger. In perhaps more significant, issue when there is evidence on the basis fact, if your virtual character is an about virtual activities: video of which we can reasonably adult, you can have sex with a game violence. conclude that they are likely to virtual character who is a child. Those who play violent increase serious crime in the real If you did that in the real video games are often at an world. At present, the evidence for world, most of us would agree impressionable age. Doom, a that is stronger for games involving that you did something seriously popular violent videogame, was violence than it is for virtual wrong. But is it seriously wrong to a favourite of Eric Harris and realities that permit pedophilia. z have virtual sex with a virtual Dylan Klebold, the teenage (Project Syndicate) child? Columbine High School Some Second Life players say murderers. In ten years in the Peter Singer is Professor of that it is, and have vowed to video game industry there Bioethics at Princeton University expose those who do it. hasn’t been any serious and author of How Are We to Meanwhile, the debate within the Live? and Writings on an Ethical manufacturers, Linden industry on the ethics Life. NATION 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #36011 Could be worse Looking from Afghanistan at Nepal’s failure to get its act together

ot to minimise Nepal’s challenges, but after a month or two in Afghanistan and Pakistan, it does seem as if there are countries N with problems, and other places that just can’t seem to get their act together. I’m afraid Nepal falls into the latter camp. Just think of it. The Afghan people have faced 30 years of near- constant conflict mixed only with uncertainty. Their country has faced Communist coups, meddling from Moscow, an invasion by the late, unlamented Red Army, civil war, perpetual interference from neighbouring states, economic and infrastructural collapse, hundreds of thousands of deaths, the exodus of 5 million citizens fleeing war, HERE AND THERE famine, floods, earthquakes, Daniel Lak international isolation, the brutal rule of the Taliban, bombardment by the US despite what Donald Rumsfeld called “a lack of targets”, a growing narco-economy run by warlords with familiar faces and friends in Washington and lately, international involvement far short of what is required. Yet Afghans remain resilient, proud and capable people. They have never lost hope, despite constant disappointments. They are good humoured, hospitable, and cultured. Poets and musicians thrive and are honoured. Guests are treated better than royalty. Food is lovingly cultivated and prepared and life celebrated, despite the frequently fatal crossfire between US-led forces and the resurgent Taliban.

As I wandered and filmed in Afghanistan recently I found islands of hope in what should have been a sea of despair. The United Nations led relief effort in the country is well-staffed and funded, but it lacks political leadership from the security-obsessed American and British authorities. Many Afghan provinces have little or no relief work going on because of fighting with cynical Islamo-nationalist forces more intent on kidnapping and violence than rebuilding their country. It’s a grim picture but people still laugh, welcome you into their homes, and express hope that their children will enjoy life more than they have. Then there’s Pakistan. The wretched Lal Masjid affair produced no winners, only bloodstains and vengeful minds. President Musharaff has made some mistakes in his time but sending his crack commandos into a girl’s school affiliated with a religious institution leads the pack. Suicide bombers have come out of the woodwork to attack Pakistani soldiers and police, men from poor backgrounds blown to bits on both sides of the explosion. Musharaff’s government tries and fails to maintain a moderate religious stance in a land that grows more committed to faith by the day. Secular forces are still powerful but in troubled times, people seek solace in culture, nationalism, and familiar patters of devotion. Pakistan’s 87,000 mosques are full to bursting and even a cynical, westoxicated national elite is hedging its bets on the religion front. More and more children flock to religious schools that are supposed to teach proper Islamic principles of justice and peace, not the jihadist hate that blooms across a Muslim world under pressure. Yet again Pakistan defies easy categorisation. The press is free, lively and critical. Deep analysis and investigative journalism are thriving and if the picture that emerges is gloomy, the sense of excitement in its emergence is contagious. Pakistanis are also dignified, friendly people who long for better days but don’t lose their sense of humour. And what do I find in Nepal? A political elite with the means and resources to move forward but a fractious mindset that places point- scoring above the national interest. The old courtiers and royals rightly on the ropes but plotting their absurd comeback. Maoists who are either deceiving themselves on the grandest of scales or lying shamelessly to their dedicated, if overestimated, cadre. I find a country that faces very real problems but wants the United Nations to solve them, if only to have someone to blame when things go awry. Perhaps it’s time to cast an eye around the region, and to give thanks that things are not much, much worse. z 12 NATION 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360

moderates, are in the weakest Is it too much to expect Kathmandu’s rulers to take spot. If the government is unwilling to give in on issues, madhesi grievances seriously? which have no political cost, they wonder whether the state is prepared for a true transformation. Most moderates say that the ground is becoming too radical for them to urge for restraint. Beyond tokenism In May-end, some NC madhesi leaders in Birganj and Janakpur were critical of armed groups. athmandu needs to stop Three weeks later, the same playing games with the politicians sounded sympathetic K madhesis. Unless the state and admitted there was increased and civil society here understand acceptance of use of violence. At a and acknowledge the true nature Kathmandu discussion last week, of the madhesi movement, the a Sadbhabana Party youth leader problem will fester and flare up said that picking arms seemed to in more dangerous forms. The be the only way out. These maybe government makes the right voices of mainstream politicians noises but seems to think short- keen on using armed groups as a term Machiavellian tactics will bargaining chip to extract more solve the tarai issue. but it also reflects the increasing Unfortunately for Koirala & Co., radicalisation of the mood. It may the time for that has passed and not amount to much immediately such a strategy can only lead to in the absence of a strong force but further radicalisation. ingredients for sustained confrontation are coming together. TARAI EYE The state is banking on a Prashant Jha divided and, to some extent, discredited madhesi leadership which lacks a coherent political The madhesi struggle is not agenda or strong support base. for a few additional Despite the public show, the constituencies or token speeches government has done little to on inclusion. It is certainly not an initiate back-channel attempt to split off tarai from communication with madhesi Nepal. Instead, this is a ROBIN SAYAMI groups. Neither has it created an movement to redefine what being environment by fulfilling some a Nepali means. It is a cry for the power elite is sincere about did not consult any madhesi numbers, look at the cabinet, list minimum preconditions like respect and equality, abstract including them in all spheres. Let groups before amending the of ambassadors, statutory bodies, assuring full security to leaders, concepts which have struck a alone a change in mindset, the electoral law; and it has made a and recent recruitments in the agreeing to withdraw cases in chord on the ground, and a desire state appears to have done its best decision in principle to use police force. The silence of the principle, and guaranteeing to be a part of the mainstream. to add to the trust deficit with security forces to quell the unrest. capital’s much-feted liberal civil minimum face-savers. People in the capital wonder madhesis. The major parties ensured that society is also noticeable. Where Instead, the Baluwatar recipe why there is still trouble in the Look at the government’s the constituencies were are the Devendra Raj Pandeys for managing the problem is tarai when the prime minister stand, it has done nothing to gerrymandered to suit pahadi when it comes to using their engineering splits within ostensibly gave in to the demands honour the movement, and not candidates. Instead of showing influence and pushing for madhesi groups, luring some in his second address. The even declaring those killed as some political imagination and madhesi concerns? away with money and posts, problem persists because what is martyrs. It took them four months reshuffling Home Minister Take all this together, add it using coercive tactics, and asking as important as substantive issues to set up a commission to Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Koirala to long-standing grievances, and India to put pressure on them. (which incidentally have not been investigate police atrocities and stuck to him as the face of the it shows why the eastern tarai This may, at best, work in the addressed either) is sending out a guess who is a member—the state, and Situala is one face remains fertile ground for short-term but will sow seeds for message that madhesis are police chief of the eastern region madhesis don’t like. Madhesis are agitation. It also explains why the an even deeper and prolonged respected as Nepali citizens and in charge during the killings; it still not being appointed in fair most critical players, madhesi conflict. REVIEW 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 13 August sky his month, Saturn, Venus, and Mercury are performing some fancy celestial dances close to the Sun, and will not be visible T to us. However, mighty Jupiter will dominate the night sky. During evening hours, look for a bright Jupiter high overhead in the constellation of Ophiuchus. Predawn sky watchers should look out for the red planet Mars in the constellation of Taurus the Bull. Weather permitting, get ready to enjoy celestial fireworks this month. August brings the well-known Perseid meteor-shower, the best of the year. Perseids can be seen from late July to late August, but the peak is expected in the early hours of 13 August. Tiny particles of dust and rock left by the Swift-Tuttle comet will smash into Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 215,000km per hour, INGMAR BERGMAN STARGAZING producing a brilliant display of Kedar S Badu shooting stars. 1918-2007 Perseids are a rich and consistent meteor shower and wedish maestro Ingmar artsy (read pretentious and DIRECTOR’S PERSONA: Ingmar you can expect to see one Perseid a minute. They all seem to radiate from a point in the constellation of Perseus, which is high in Bergman died this week at irrelevant). His critics – a lot of Bergman (left) and Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann his film, Persona the east by dawn. Since the Moon is New, the sky will be very dark, the age of 89, leaving behind whom assumed a non-cinema making this an incredible display. S (1966) an oeuvre of unique significance. orientation – condemned his Also during August enjoy the red-giant variable star Antares, a Best known for his quaintly bleak individualist and existentialist brilliant jewel at the heart of one of the great constellations, the and brooding style, Bergman’s approach as being a result of Concrete objects of art and Zodiac’s Scorpius. (The brightness of variable stars changes perennial exploration of the petitbourgeois apathy, and of the nature are present in his films, periodically). Antares is easy to find a little south of Jupiter. Antares human psyche and human desires typical predilection of the but exist only as abstract means ‘Mars’s rival’ and many a stargazer has mistaken this ruddy red star for the planet Mars. With a size of 15 to 18 solar masses, prosperous Swedish society for symbolism, as ideas receding Antares probably does not have CRITICAL CINEMA things static, apolitical, and behind the individualities of his much time left, since super ahistorical. characters. Ideas and emotions, on Diwas Kc massive stars quickly exhaust their One cannot deny that Bergman the other hand, seem to take solid hydrogen fuel and explode as films rarely did well in the box- forms, as if sitting ponderously brilliant supernovas. is one of the most impressive in office, appealing mainly to art- in the front. What we get in Don’t miss the meeting of the film history. Scout around in houses and academia. His Bergman films is a reality of a waning Moon with Mars in the early morning hours of 7 August, when Thamel, and you will spot some of characters were hapless artists and wholly different quality: the Moon will be seen crossing his landmark films like Smiles of writers, failing, flailing due to intuitive, Pleiades. There is a total eclipse of a Summer Night (1955), Wild madness, paranoia, ennui, introspective, intellective, and the Moon on 28 August that will be Strawberries (1957), The Seventh loneliness or senility. Removed imaginative. partially visible from Nepal Seal (1957), and Cries and from social context, his films take All great artists have pushed between 6.30 and 7PM. Whispers (1973), must-see for any on massive ethical dimensions the boundaries of their medium, serious film buff. and demand a doggedly and Bergman has done the same. August highlights: The Sun is in the constellation Bergman started his career in universalist outlook on human In spite of all the fallacies, of Cancer at the start of August, the post-WWII era, flourishing emotions. Bergman films have contributed moving into Leo on the 11th. remarkably in the 50s and the 60s. Yet it is hard to judge how more to cinematic language with Mercury starts the month rising At a time when the world of mistaken Bergman’s style was. regards to the expression of about an hour before the Sun and cinema was captivated by the need Social scientists may be rankled subjective reality than many might be seen before sunrise. On 15 August, it goes through a to make ‘realistic’ films - which by his persistent separation of the geniuses put together. Very few superior conjunction (behind the Sun) and becomes an evening usually meant dealing with social moral from the cultural, and of filmmakers narrate emotions and object. Venus is at inferior conjunction (in front of the Sun) on 18 issues, depicting a connection the personal from the political. passions – the sap of human August. But towards the end of August, it will start to appear as a with a public environment, and But who is to say that the existence – as luminously as brilliant Morning Star, low in the east before dawn. shooting in real location - the aesthetic pleasure one derives Bergman did. If melodramatists Mars rises after 2AM and spends most of August moving metaphysical and subjective ethos from this is worthless?If had learnt their craft from him, through Taurus. We have good views of Mars now and it will put on a of Bergman films stuck out like a anything, it’s just the opposite. perhaps they wouldn’t have such good show right into winter. thorn. Moreover, the staginess of The psychological intensity and a bad name today. . Jupiter, in Ophiuchus, is dominant throughout the month and is his films lent a contrived quality the dramatic finesse Bergman just northeast of Antares, the red giant star in Scorpius. Jupiter meets the Moon on 21 August. that counterpoised the established achieved by relinquishing The following Bergman films are available on DVD at Suwal Music and Saturn is getting closer to the Sun. On 21 August the ringed- idiom of cinematic experience. specificity is purely delightful to Video, Lazimpat: Persona, Crisis, To planet goes through a superior conjunction almost directly behind Inevitably, Bergman was a watch. Through close-ups and Joy, Summer Interlude, The Devil’s Eye, the Sun to become a morning object. subject of tireless criticism. Over Wild Strawberries, Shame, The Passion corporeal imageries, he created a of Anna, The Serpent’s Eye, A Lesson the years, he had drawn a technique that idiosyncratically in Love, Port of Call, Summer with [email protected] reputation of being cultish and suited his intentions. Monika. 4421522 14 CITY 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360

ABOUT TOWN In Cash, Doc (Ajay Devgan), an ace con artist hires the services of top notch robbers Puja EXHIBITIONS (Esha Deol), Aditi (Dia Mirza), Danny (Zayed ™ Amalgam a group exhibition of paintings by national and Khan) & Lucky (Riteish Deshmukh) to rob a international artists at Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babar Mahal set of three priceless diamonds in South Africa. Revisited, until 20 August, 11AM-6PM. 4218048 Angad (Sunil Shetty), a vicious underworld henchman, gets two of the diamonds and now EVENTS wants the third one. The robbers also need to ™ Rang De Basanti a film by Rakeysh outrun Shania (Shamita Shetty), the head of Omprakash Mehra, 3 July, 6.45 PM at Entertainment security at the Indian embassy of South Africa. Lazimpat Gallery Café. 4428549 ™ Shastrartha on Buddhism by Naresh Man Call 4442220 for show timings at Jai Nepal Bajracharya and Narayan Prasad Rijal, 4 Quest www.jainepal.com August, 4-6PM at Martin Chautari. 4238050 ™ Thai Film Festival 3-6 August with one film each day at 5.30 PM - The Overture, Ong Bak, Nang Nak, and Monrak Transister, at the Russian Culture ;xeflutfdns" ;ljwfg+ lgdf0fsf{ nflu ;ljwfg;efsf+ ] g]kfn ;/sf/ † Centre, Kamalpokhari. lgjfrgdf{ ;xefuL eO { cfkm}+n] 5fgsf] kltlglw| dfkm{t ;"rgf tyf ;~rf/ dGqfno ™ Rato Bangala School presents West Side Story 9 August: 6.30 PM, ;"rgf ljefu 10 August 3PM and 6.30 PM, 11 August 1PM and 4PM, 12 August gof F ;ljwfg+ lgdf0f{ u/f }+ . 1PM and 4.30 PM. Tickets at Rs 250, 500, and 1000, proceeds go to Gangalal Memorial Hospital for heart surgery on economically disadvantaged youth. ™ Film South Asia 2007 Festival of South Asian documentaries, 11-14 October. www.filmsouthasia.org ™ Toastmasters a communication and leadership program, organised by Kathmandu Toastmasters Club every Wednesday 6PM at Industrial Enterprise Development Institute (IEDI) building, Tripureswor.

MUSIC ™ Rudra Nite at Le Meridien, fusion and classical Nepali music by Shyam Nepali, every Friday, Rs 800 nett. 4451212 . ™ Jazz at Jatra every Saturday 7PM onwards, at Jatra Café and Bar, Thamel. ™ Soul of Raga live classical and fusion music, every Friday night at Nhuchhe’s Kitchen, The Organic Bistro. 4429903. ™ Open mic night at Via Via Café, every Friday, 8PM onwards. ™ Live music at the Red Onion Bar, Wednesdays from 8PM with Yanki and Zigme Lepcha. 4416071 ™ Ciney Gurung every Wednesday and Rashmi Singh every Friday, live at the Absolute Bar, Hotel Narayani Complex, 7PM. 5521408 ™ DJ Raju and the Cloudwalkers live at the Rox Bar, Hyatt Regency, every Friday and Saturday. 4491234

DINING ™ Starry night BBQ with live music by Ciney Gurung at The Shambala Garden Cafe, Hotel Shangri~La, every Friday 7PM, Rs 666 inclusive of a beer. 4412999 ™ Traditional Nepalese BBQ at Splash Bar & Grill, Radisson Hotel, every Friday 6.30 PM, Rs. 799 nett with 1 large Ruslan Vodka. ™ 5th Annual Monsoon Wine Festival 16 wines at Rs 150 a glass and Rs 600 a bottle, at Kilroy’s of Kathmandu, Thamel. 4250440 ™ Monsoon Magic live jazz by Inner Groove and a variety of cocktails from the summer special menu, every Wednesday, Rs 599 at Fusion – the Bar at Dwarika’s. 4479488 ™ Lajawaab curry, kebab and biryani festival, every Friday, 7PM WEEKEND WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL onwards at Café Horizon, Hotel Himalaya. 5523900 every Saturday at the Shivapuri Heights Cottage. ™ Walk and lunch The deluge this past week was 9841371927 caused by two consecutive low ™ Shangri La’s Pizza pizza pie and pool, a special swimming pressure systems that KATHMANDU package with a complimentary beverage, Saturday and Sunday. strengthened each other and 4412999 kept sucking in more moisture ™ Kebabs and curries at the Dhaba, Thapathali. 9841290619 from the Bay. The Nepalganj ™ Krishnarpan Nepali specialty restaurant at Dwarika’s Hotel, six to floods were the result of a 22 course ceremonial lunch and dinner. 4479488 massive cloudburst in the Rapti ™ Weekend special with sekuwa, bara, barbeque, Fridays at and Bheri catchment areas, but Ambassador Garden House, Lazimpat, 5.30 PM onwards. 4411706 also due to floodplains being every Friday and the taste of Thailand blocked by construction. ™ Flavours of the Middle East Unusual jetstream activity in every Wednesday at The Café, Hyatt Regency, Boudha. 4491234 July had also kept the main ™ Light nouvelle snacks and elaborate cordon bleu meals at areas of cloud over the tarai La’Soon, Pulchok, behind the Egyptian embassy. 5537166 with the midhills and himals ™ Continental cuisine and wine by the fire place at Kilroy’s, Thamel. KATHMANDU VALLEY getting below average rainfall. 4250440. This satellite picture taken on ™ Smorgasbord lunch at Park Village Resort, every Saturday. Fri Sat Sun Thursday afternoon suggests 4375280 more rains in store for the ™ Retro brunch barbecue with Crossfire Band at Le Meridien, weekend mostly during the Gokarna from 12-4PM, Rs 1,000 including swimming. 4451212 night. Valley residents will Indian cuisine at Bawarchi, 6 6 experience sweltering humidity ™ Calcutta’s rolls, biryani, kebabs 26-22 27-21 26-21 during sunny intervals. Bluebird Mall Food Court. 9741000735 ™ Rediscover fine Italian cuisine at La Dolce Vita, Thamel, all new exciting menu. 4700612 ™ Pizza from the woodfired oven at Java, Thamel. 4422519

GETAWAYS ™ Weekend package at Le Meridien Kathmandu Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa, two nights three days at Rs 8,888 and one night two days at Rs 4,444. 4451212 ™ Wet and wild package at Godavari Village Resort, every Saturday and Sunday, unlimited swimming, buffet lunch with a beer, Rs 690. 5560675 ™ Monsoon madness two nights three days package at Rs.5999 for a couple at Shangri-La Village, Pokhara. 4412999 ™ Experience Hyatt one night stay on double occupancy, full buffet breakfast at The Cafe and access to Club Oasis, Rs 5000 plus taxes, valid only for Nepali and local residents. 4491234 ™ Overnight package at Dwarika’s Himalayan Shangri-La Village Resort, Dhulikhel, includes accommodation, snacks, dinner and breakfast. 4479488

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] HAPPENINGS 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 15

KIRAN PANDAY BANZAI: Prime Minister Koirala, who has been absent from cabinet meetings this week because of health reasons, emerged from his residence on Thursday morning to shake hands with visiting Japanese Senior Vice-Minister for Defense, Takahide Kimura. Six Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force personnel are deployed with UNMIN.

RAM HUMAGAIN/NEPALNEWS.COM BREAST IS BEST: Mothers breast feed babies at a mass-feeding ceremony to kick off the Breast-feeding Week 2007 organised by Chhimeki Nepal and Terres de Hommes in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

BOWLED OVER: Buddha Air wins first place in last week's corporate bowling tournament 'Super Bowl 2007' organised by Applaud Event & Promotions at Bowling Boulevard, Kantipath.

Vacancy Rato Bangala School is looking for teachers for 1. A Level Economics teacher 2. Primary Grade Teachers Applicants must have fluency in English, an ability to relate to students and a willingness to learn. A Level teachers should be well versed in current developments in the subject area and be comfortable with theory and practice. They must also be able to handle the challenging A Level curriculum conducted by Cambridge International Examination (CIE). Rato Bangala School is a registered centre for Cambridge International Examination. Interested candidates can collect application forms from the school office. Applications must be in by 15 August, 2007.

Rato Bangala School Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur Phone: 534318, 522614, 542045; email: [email protected] 16 BACKSIDE 3 - 9 AUGUST 2007 #360 SPAM is GON hat’s with our leaders that they sneak off to India at the over the past four months of its existence are just being cynical slightest excuse? And when they do, they do a 180 about GON (Government of Nepal). The non-government of Nepal Wdegree turn on what they were saying before actually deserves medals for saving money by: they went. z Dropping ‘Royal’ from Nepal Airlines and cancelling all Chairman Shock and Awe is having an increasingly international flights, saving the airline tons of money in fuel bills tough time controlling cadre who thrash CDOs and then declare z Fighting over kickbacks on a new jets and stalling purchase, www.nepalitimes.com indefinite district bunds demanding the CDOs apologise. so NAC saves even more money Awesome also can't seem to tone down anti-Indian rhetoric from a z Not appointing 11 ambassadors to various countries and saving radical fringe of the party lead by Comrade Cloud & Co. So, Sital Nibas lots of hard currency that it can squander on Comrade the chairman was summoned by powers-that-be across the border Sahana's sight-seeing of the Pyramids and he air-dashed to Bhadrapur and and slinked across the Mechi z Allowing the tarai to burn so constituent assembly can’t be Bridge in the darkness to Siliguri to return early next morning. held and thus saving the country at least Rs 4 billion Why the hush-hush and giving the slip to his own security z Keeping the East-West Highway blocked means no gas-guzzling detail to vanish across the border? The Ass mole in Kakarbita has trucks and buses burning expensive diesel supplied intelligence that Comrade 'Wherever-Mary-Went-the- z Stalling decision on licenses for Melamchi and all other Lamb-Was-Sure-To-Go' Baburam and Comrade Pratik were in the hydropower projects, so if we don't build we don't spend entourage. What the mole wasn’t able to find out was who the z Not paying IOC for imported petroleum and saving Indian camaraderie met in Siliguri. (Ass' Mental Note: Sack Mole). currency Comrade Lal Dhoj, who till last week had been insisting that his FG party would soon be pushing the eject button from the govt, Comrade Hitman is at it again, hitting us with more requests decided after his Siliguri sleepover to stay put. for donations. The latest is a letter in the Mao Buddy letter head Whoever they met, RIM or RAW, it must have been someone that goes: ‘Gentlemen: Our glorious and proud party the CPN- really powerful to make Ideologue-in-Chief Babuji eat his words. Maoist is holding the Fifth Extended Convention of its Central FG Committee in Kathmandu soon. For this, we expect voluntary economic assistance from you of the amount ……...... (in One wonders why the Baddies have to go to India at all since words) …………………. (and no more). Yours sincerely, Hitman Mohamad has been coming to the mountain. There have been a Sakya, in-charge Capital Regional Bureau. slew of visits by Indian bigwigs to Nepal in the past few weeks. Shyam Saran came through in transit from Oslo to Delhi last FG month, close on his heels was over-rated Nepalwatcher Prof Muni, Kingji’s astrological birthday was held recently at Nirmal Nibas then the architect of the peace process Sitaram Yechuri himself with businessmen, bankers, singers, comedians and even media stopped by and even the BJP’s Yashwant Sinha. (By the way, our (alas, not Ass) attending. The ex-majesty excuded vibrant free press doesn't seem to be able to tell the difference confidence and actually told people he was between Yashwant and the semi-royal ex-minister Jaswant.) looking forward to the constituent assembly The other thing puzzling the Ass is why Yechuri Sa'b keeps elections so the country could come out of its coming here when he already has his party’s permanent indecisive phase. Observed shaking hands with representative serving as a parallel Indian ambassador. the king was our very own Yubaraj. No, not the FG clown prince, the editor. Those who accuse SPAM (Seven Parties And Maoists) of inaction [email protected] ISSN 1814-2613 CDO Regd No 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No 04/058/59