#67 9 - 15 November 2001 20 pages Rs 20 Shanghaied to Shangrila999 HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE SERIES 2001 Rough riding in the Valley10-11

UNDER MY HAT 202020Don’t mess with us Deuba’s gamble that seems to be the gripe even within the The prime ministercabinet: may the powerful be home frittering minister Khum away a strong hand. ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ It was the combined support of Koirala- Bahadur Khadga is publicly saying the prime ○○○○○○○○○ bashers in the Left and the Right that helped minister is keeping him out of the loop on thehead back to the jungles. Maoist negotiations. Koirala, for his part, Deuba oust Girija in July. Now that the On the talks itself, there is a feeling that honeymoon is over, the main left UML is accuses Deuba of giving in too much to the Maoists, and says the peace process should be they have reached a dead-end. A member of getting impatient. It brought together an the government negotiation panel told us: everyone-except-Congress meeting on stopped until the Maoists disarm. They all know Deuba is gambling, and don’t want him“We know what they want, they know we Tuesday, and the message was: “We can’t can’t give it to them. We could just go on expect much from Deuba anymore on talks to take all the credit if he wins peace. Deuba now wants to announce local chatting away forever about things that don’t with the Maoists, we’ll forge a unity of all non- matter.” elections immediately after Tihar to stave off Congress forces.” Deuba’s aide Prakash Sharan Mahat Within the Congress, Koirala is now well-moves to unseat him. Koirala controls the party’s organisation and its vote banks, he disagrees. “The talks are getting to the core rested and restless. He is going around the issues. We have reached the compromise country exhorting villagers to rise up against would like to use elections to get Deuba out. Chakra Bastola is another Congress MP who isstage,” he told us. But both the Maoists and the Maoists, who are now into kidnapping Deuba need to deal with hardliners within UML cadre in what appears to be a warm-up disillusioned with Deuba. “The government is wasting time,” he told us. “It has nothingtheir own fold who are getting impatient with MIN BAJRACHARYA tussle in the run-up to next year’s local polls. to show, it’s just bragging about the the talks dragging on. Both are sabre rattling: BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ Deuba must know that political restless- Maoists not having killed policemen after the Maoists with their abductions and the Weekly Internet Poll # 7 hen Prime Minister Sher Bahadur ness is contagious. And he knows he needs to the peace process began.” Congress will its tough talk. Q. Should Royal Nepal Airlines be privatised? Deuba took office four months ago, get Round Three off and running as soon as The big question now is whether the The Maoists political demands are setting Whe told everyone he had one goal and possible. The trouble is, the talks are stalled up an interim government, rewriting the because the Maoist leadership can’t decide Maoists can be enticed to take part in next one goal only: to make peace with the Maoists. year’s local election. The ideal solution for constitution and And sure enough, he struck a truce with what to ask for, and are having trouble declaring a republic. The reconstituting their negotiating team. Deuba would be to get them to contest the rebels and went about systematically trying openly: that way he gets the kudos, and puts government says it won’t to lure them out in the open. “The talks will resume early next week the UML and Maoists head-to-head. But the give an inch on either theEditorial p2 Deuba was, and is still, gambling on a or immediately after Tihar,” a Deuba aide likelihood of a peace agreement in time to constitution or the told us. “The prime minister is fully aware republic. The only optionAfter is to the convince honeymoon the negotiated settlement so that he can bask in the allow Maoists to prepare for the polls is of the stakes. He knows there are rumblings Maoists to join an interim government, but political glory of being a peacemaker. For a slim. And holding elections without the within the party.” this is opposed by Koirala and the hardliners. while, it looked like he had a strong hand, but Maoists could give the rebels a reason to lately he has started frittering it all away. To The other Congress septuagenarian, For Deuba, the moment of truth will shore up support within his party, Deuba doledKrishna Prasad Bhatarai, is miffed that his come after Tihar when he has to either show out ministerial portfolios to just about protégé is not consulting him anymore. In fact, that the talks are progressing, or face Koirala, everyone. The cronies were happy, but the 41- the UML and the Maoists. In that order. Selected responses on p. 8 Total votes: 1060 member cabinet was an unpopular move.

the exact details of where the windfall is coming from, but Leveque told us in a phone Fairy tale hydro interview from Singapore that the trust is backed by wealthy KUNDA DIXIT investors and runs on earnings ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nature doesn’t make hydropower projects more feasible than this. A 140 mfrom drop investments through in the financial a tunnel of just 2.2 km on a bend in the Karnali river in western Nepal. Littlemarkets. submer- “The idea is to re-invest gence, an eight-hour storage for peak power, project site already accessiblethe on profits the into viable develop- Surkhet-Jumla road. Then there is the price-tag: an incredibly cheap $455ment million projects for a to raise living project generating 300MW. There is more: Nepal does not have to pay evenstandards one cent, in poor countries,” Leveque told us. and we get 30 percent equity in the project from a French charity—for free! Elysee came in through a fast-track investment committee chaired by Prime Minister, It’s all too good to be true. So what’s the catch? “We are a trust that Deubasupports and did not have to compete with other bidders because it took on a project for infrastructure projects in developing countries around the world,” says whichSylvain the NEA already had the license. Ex-prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala strongly Leveque of the Singapore-based French trust, Elysee-Frontiere. “This ispushed a fund for for the project last year during his tenure. peace, stability and democracy. We chose Nepal because it is trying to develop“If it is aby serious party then this is the best thing that could be happening to Nepal,” making democracy work.” says Bikash Pandey, an energy economist. And that seems to be a big if. The fear is that On 22 October Elysee signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Elyseethe Nepal came in through the back door, and is going to squat on the license and hand it Electricity Authority (NEA) to buy electricity from the Upper Karnali project overat a torock a third party. Leveque flatly denies this, saying his group will meet the December bottom cheap Rs 2.90 per kW/h during the dry season and Rs 1.45 duringdeadline the rainy for the financial commitment to obtain its power generation license. “Most of season. (Compare this to the more than 6 cents per unit the NEA pays theto otherwork has been finalised, it is no problem at all to meet the deadline,” he said. private producers.) Ratna Sansar Shrestha, a lawyer and Chartered Accountant who was involved with the The agreement is conditional on Elysee coming up with its share of cashKhimti by project is sceptical. “There are no free lunches these days. There has to be money December. If all goes according to plan, this one project will add Nepal’s entirecoming present from somewhere for Elysee to give the NEA 30 percent equity,” he said. We put hydropower capacity to the grid by 2008. In addition, the country’s neglectedthis far-western to Leveque, who told us the money is mainly from donors in Europe, Canada and hills will get a development boost. Elysee says it is setting aside another $200Australia. million Come December, we may finally find out if it is all too good to be true. for education, health care and other infrastructure projects in western Nepal. “The terms of association with Elysee are just too good to ignore,” says Devi B Thapa, deputy managing director at the NEA. “We’re getting a good PPA and equity in the project, which is what we need to keep tariffs down.” The NEA admits it doesn’t know

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For details please contact your nearest travel agent or call us at 410089, e-mail:[email protected] Northwest / KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lekhnath Marg, Kathmandu. *Fare prices are subject to change 222 EDITORIAL 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES INTERVIEW 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 333 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor:Kunda Dixit Editor:Anagha Neelakantan Design:Swosti Rajbhandari, Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com LETTERS Advertising:Sunaina Shah, Anup Adhikary [email protected] in Nepal who have been doing a lot of technical work Subscription:Anil Karki [email protected] preparing, but it is not an easy reform and it is not just Sales:Sudan Bista [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur about the two sick banks the newspapers write about. CROWN PRINCE PARAS GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-543333-7, It was good to read the sentiments of Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 “Kathmandu isIt isan much more than that. island It’s about the entire banking Prince Paras (“Has Crown Prince Paras system, how to help the central bank to regulate the mended his ways?”, #66), but we Nepalis banking system much better so that good money is don’t trust him. The palace took advan- made, as opposed to bad money. tage of Dasain so there would be no AFTER THE HONEYMOON In Nepal there seems to be the impression that this protest. He does not trust the Nepalis, and Nepalis should not trust him. When Sher Bahadur Deuba ousted Girija Prasad Koirala after a long and in an ocean of poverty.”is a World Bank idea. It is far from the truth. I feel bruising fight on 24 July, we wrote in this space that he did not need a political insulted when I read that, and reformers in this country N Sharma honeymoon period. But as it turned out, he got one anyway. Friends and foes would be doubly insulted by such a remark. It is really, alike have been kind to Deuba for the first 100 days of his second term as Nepali Times:What changes do you see in really homegrown. The reforms are challenging and by email prime minister. Compared to the hand-to-hand combat of Girija’s tenure, the past two years? there is no way it can even start if it is only the World I am not an authority on Deuba’s four months have sailed by in relative serenity. The country is asleep, Nishimizu: I see Nepal much more integrated with the Bank saying so. It has to come from within, with but at least there is peace. Nepali history, but I do know rest of the world even compared to two years ago. The conviction, with determination and with political will. this much: Nepal is what it The prime minister seems to have learnt from the mistakes of his first benefits of that are obvious in Kathmandu, the better The prime minister understands the issue is convinced is today because of the term, and moved with determination and purpose to fulfil his single-point living standard is somewhat tangible. That is what that this reform is about his vision. Shah Dynasty. We could agenda of resolving the Maoist crisis. Deuba can be stubborn when he wants have been a country divided integration of economies brings about—people call it From the point of view of a common, hardworking into small principalities to be, and he refuses to be distracted from the goal. That is why we get the vulnerable to foreign powers if feeling that everything else is on hold. globalisation which has become a bad word. It is but poor Nepali citizen what would happen if, god- what economic integration can do to people’s it had not been for Prithvi Remember the mood preceding Dasain last year when policemen were forbid, a banking crisis happens. I get hit several times, Narayan Shah. So when living standards, to help reduce poverty faster if first I lose my saving deposit, then the government will our so-called “principled being butchered like buffaloes at the Kot, and compare it with this year’s policies are right.. politicians” question the relative calm. True, there has been intimidation and violence by anti-Maoist have to spend millions of dollars to stop the crisis from tax money. Who pays tax, it is I. I get hit again. I lose right of the monarch to village vigilantes, and Maoist counter-kidnappings of UML cadre. True, most appoint his son the MPs and local officials stayed in Kathmandu and did not go back to their And in the villages you visited? my savings and my tax goes into this to rescue all the crown prince, it constituencies for the holidays out of fear of being abducted. Also true that the There it is a confirmation of what I learnt last time, rich, powerful, corrupt people who have ruined disgusts government-Maoist talks seem to be stuck, and rebel cadre are itching for a the difficult lives that poor people lead in this country, some of these banks who were once premier institu- me to fight. This being Nepal, even the peace talks took a breather during Dasain. especially women. And how different their life is from the pit of tions, by being defaulters. my stomach. Still, despite it all, the truce has put a stop to the mindless violence of the OS yours in Kathmandu. The gap between Kathmandu What are they doing, they are essentially stealing What have these “gentlemen” done for past year in which 70 policeman were killed during some weeks in Maoist and the rest of the countrygetting is wider. my money. I get hit twice, and again. Because all taxes Nepal besides trying to look radical with raids. It would be a sacrilege to the memory of the more than 2,000 NepalisSTATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Kathmandu is an island in an ocean of poverty. And their witless questions trying to garner are going to stop in this crisis, what happens to votes in such a pathetic manner? who have been killed by other Nepalis in the past six years if, after coming Dhading is a district just next door to Kathmandu. development expenditure? The school I was hoping this far, we were to return to violence. The obscenity of the past cannot be It gave me a sense of urgency about how important allowed to be a rehearsal for even greater carnage in future. would come up next year a mile down the road isn’t good development polices are to narrow that gap. going to be built. So the hope that I can finally educate Cutting through the posturing and rhetoric of both sides about theFor release the people, by my girls and boys is out of the window again. So, I get of detainees, the third round of talks appears to be delayed because the The last time you were here you told us you hit the third time.Then because the problem could Maoist leadership cannot decide on what to settle for. It has now taken the Siddharth Thapa were angry with the poverty you saw? be severe, the economy will go into a recession and I comrades nearly a month to prepare their bargaining position for substantive Yes. Boston give-and-take on the question of power sharing. the people, of the people will probably lose my job. I get hit for the fourth. A severely limited his options. It is this serious bad policy hits the poor first and most. Of the three agenda points, there is no way the government is going to undermining of the prime minister’s preroga- How has the Bank helped the government to Paras being declared the crown prince What really comforted me is that the prime when the wounds of the royal massacre are give in on the first, the Maoist demand for a republic. That will have to remain tive that has made him hostage to the threats address it? minister understands this and that is why he is commit- still fresh is a serious blow to many a slogan for now. On the second demand for an interim government,A there constitution is that has endured so muchof legislators can’tof his own party. be It has static. led to a People tend to think World Bank has a lot of money Nepalis, especially when his well-docu- a way out if the Maoists agree to emerge above ground and go into general ludicrous situation where a prime minister can ted. It is very rare for me to speak to a leader of a mented acts of indiscriminateence viol is elections. Deuba is even willing to consider an all-party national government and clout to help Nepal. This is a misconception. The become a ball to be thrown around between money the Bank can provide is a drop in a huge country who understands such important linkages, still fresh in many peoples minds. The to precede elections. On the third Maoist demand for a brand new constitu-ing Gyanendra this Dasain had a faced a challenge that has no parallel anywherethe legislature, the court and the palace. without me explaining it, and with a voice of implication of this decision deserves better tion, the government says it is willing to consider a constitutional reform bucket. The bucket is Nepal’s own domestic re- analysis than trumpeting mediocre verses poignant message to the nation. It was in the world. We Nepalis love to wallow in The other aberration—the belittling of conviction. committee, while the Maoists want a constitutional assembly. Kreassuring to hear him reaffirm his self-pity and we lack the self-confidence to sources, including the taxes people pay. What we do is which Paras allegedly wrote. The Maoists need a face-saving way out to sell a future agreement to their accept credit for our accomplishments, but the authority of local government units—also really, a part of the government’s development commitment to the constitution, but it was owes its origin not to the constitution, but its What would be your wish list for things to own cadre. A constitutional review committee would be a compromise both let’s face it—it is nothing short of a sociologi- program and hopefully good policy. In terms of Arun Neupane oddly unsettling to see that he felt it necessary interpretation. By declaring that the happen in Nepal? could agree on. As far as we can tell, it is a question of semantics. We all cal miracle that citizens of a struggling policies, in this trip I have a sense of encouragement. Michigan, USA to do so. He belaboured the obvious. Perhaps Dhanusha District Development Committee ( agree the constitution needs tinkering. Let’s not be hung up about this.the real meaning of the message is a thumb democracy faced a crisis of this unprecedented and Rajbiraj Municipality weren’t free to use In the past two years there hasn’t been any The clock is ticking for the Maoists, it is also in their interest to havedown a to the Maoists. The king appeared to bemagnitude with such stoic fortitude. Not that What the announcement of the crown the national language of their choice, the major Bank lending … has that got to do negotiated settlement. If they had settled three months ago, they maytelling have Comrade got Prachanda directly: a) no an exact comparison is necessary, or even prince shows is that Nepal is still a long court dealt a bigger blow to their autonomy with policies not being right? way from being a true democracy. The a constitutional assembly of sorts. Two months ago they may have gotnational their government, b) no constituent possible, but it helps to remember that the than merely denying them their mother You have to remember that we have financed many palace’s method showed that the old, dark national government. Today, the best they can hope for is perhaps aassembly, constitu- and, c) forget about your republicentire political elite of the country was ways of doing things in secret are still tional review committee. tongue. Implicit in the ruling is another projects in the past. The money is beingdisbursed, in our kingdom. In effect, the king has ruledreplaced in the aftermath of Kot Parba of 14 prevalent. If Nepal is to be a modern, But just as we were beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel on September, 1846, in our own country. In meaning: in the interpretation of our learned millions of dollars, for education, clean drinking transparent monarchy and earn the out any major revision in the fundamental judges, the constitution is unitary in character, respect of the people like the monarchy in the negotiations, what happens? Deuba’s rivals in the party start gettinglaw of the land. neighbouring India, New Delhi plunged into water for people to manage forests on their own. Japan the palace has to change the way it fidgety because they don’t want him to take all the credit for bringing peace. and brooks no interference from local This is as it should be. The Constitution the savagery of communal carnage when Indira does things. We are seeing an ugly repeat of last year’s gnashing of internal Congress Gandhi was shot dead by her own bodyguardsgovernments for autonomy. If this indeed is But no new lending? teeth. Party president Koirala has given derisive speeches accusingof Kingdomthe of Nepal 1990 has stood us in the reality, then it has to change. In the That is not true. We have recently completed prime minister of going soft on Maoists. His cousin and general secretarygood stead over a period of tumultuous eventson 31 October, 1984. For all its flaws, it is the constitution that prevented anarchy postmodern world, all politics is local. negotiations for a new project in telecommunication. Seema Chhetri Sushil Koirala is making similar belligerent noises against his own incol- national politics. We have held three Denying legally constituted local government There is a group of people with foresight here in Nepal Tokyo leagues in government. parliamentary elections and two for local from erupting even in the face of a crisis of The World Bank’s Vice unimaginable proportions. units their rights can lead to unconstitutional who have been hard at work in creating a modern Surprisingly—or maybe it is not so surprising—there is more supportgovernments. Five national elections— forms of protests. Thank you for a balanced and objective The logic that the constitution needs to telecommunication sector, with modern regulation President for South Asia, for Deuba’s negotiating stance from the UML than from within hissuccessfully own completed and declared to be Krishna Prasad Bhattarai’s assertion that that enhances not control, but private-government Laughs) Let me think. Obviously because banking overview of the royal appointment of party. UML’s Madhav Kumar Nepal calls Maoists “terrorists”. Evenlargely the fair and impartial by international be amended to ensure stability does not hold Meiko Nishimizu was in Paras as crown prince. As you correctly the constitution doesn’t need to be changed partnership for bringing information technology. We reform is a very important reform that will change the point out, the king really had no choice. Congress hasn’t gone thataoists far. M are nowtargeting UML cadres at observers—should be proof enough, if at all water. The main concern should be the should not be interpreted to mean that it feel that development cannot be brought about by course of this country when this work is finished. After But he could have done it in a more the grassroots for abductions. It any was needed, that Nepal hasn’t needed astability of the system, not the longevity of a Nepal this week. After a doesn’t need improvements. It is in the nature money only, but through information, timely it is done, given everything remains the same, you can consultative and open manner. Now that it could be they are testing the waters neutral caretaker government of the particular government. The explanation that is done, it is up to Crown Prince Paras to of all things that if they don’t change, atrophy information. That is the future and these people field visit to Dhading, she hope for the growth rate to go up to 4 percentage to field front candidates in local Bangladesh model to conduct its polls. Ourwe are too poor to have frequent elections is earn the trust and respect of his people. sets in. Unfortunately, instead of being at the anticipated it and are starting to create a regulatory faster. I hope that the commitment of the leadership He should know that the people are elections next year. Election Commission is robust, and it is like accepting that we are too impoverished to spoke to Nepali Times and cutting edge of social change, the legal regime to prepare Nepal for the future, so we will be translated quickly into constant, consistent watching his every step. The opposition of the Koirala capable of keeping the partisan attitude of afford democracy. This can then be extended luminaries of Nepal limp helplessly behind it, decided to finance it. action. I have no illusions, it is not going to be easy. cousins to Deuba is understandable. the government of the day in check. further to say that we don’t deserve to be even talked extensively about dragged down on by the polemics of activists Another is related to the women I saw in Dhading But why are Deuba and his home This has also been a independent. Those who talk of a fixed tenure G Thapa minister, Khum Bahadur Khadka, like Narahari Acharya and Govinda Neupane. Did you have a special purpose for this visit? Nepal’s progress in the and other marginalised people, the so called “untouch- period when Nepal faced for the legislature or a constructive vote of the future of Nepal lies with the women. He wants to Hong Kong having a slanging match in public? confidence fail to realise that it isn’t possible toConsequently, not even a credible agenda for Since the last time I was here, there is a new govern- past two years, financial able” people, that I also met. Men in government and Deuba has sidelined the ambitious the most brutal insur- ment. Same party but a new prime minister and give the invisible women a voice. He really is focussing discussion has emerged over last ten years to civil society will have to try to think from the point of For the sake of Nepal’s unity and national- Khadka, and the home minister gency in its history. At tinker with the parts of the system without on the empowerment of women and dalits. contemplate the constitution as a framework cabinet. So my main purpose was to come and meet sector reforms and the view of women. ism, the monarchy needs to have continu- believes the prime minister is doing a one point, in the affecting the fundamental structure of the whole. To solve the problem of revolving doorof discourse between the nationalities that the prime minister and key leaders in his cabinet who ity. With only two men left in the royal solo on the Maoist negotiations. aftermath of Hrithik make up the kingdom of Nepal. are working on some very important reforms. I needed Whatempowerment about economic reforms? of Nepali family, there was no other option. But let governments and frequent elections, it is not Last wish? us use this opportunity to modernise and So at a time when the ruling party Roshan riots, it appeared But fortunately, we still have in our midst to meet them face to face to have a better understand- There is something that Nepal really ought to be proud necessary to virtually contract out the system of: what was announcedwomen. in the last . budget and is being ( reform the rules of succession so that needs to have a consensus on as if the country would ing of the quality of policies they mean to introduce in Paras’ daughter can be the next in line. for a fixed period to a group of legislators. most of those who helped frame and enact the implemented. That is the Medium Term Framework. Laughs) How about peace. The underlying cause of the providing the Maoists a face-saving have to compromise its present constitution. As we enter the twelfth this country. And next time let us do it with more way out so the whole party can benefit No one understands the convolutions of The value of financial discipline that process can bring Maoist movement had a lot to do with the destitution deliberation and grace. integrity in order to save year of a resilient constitution, it would be a from the peace dividend, we have this the Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990 to development expenditure is enormous. There are very in remote areas, so not just dialogue with Maoists, it from itself. But it was salute to democracy to form a high-level What was your impression? clawing and scratching going on. Just the maturity that better than the man who successfully ‘con- few developing countries in the world that have which is continuing, but using the whole might of the goes to prove our old axiom: the committee to review our experiences and I found the people I met to be very candid so I don’t Naresh Pradhan democracy has nurtured vinced’ the king and made him accept in the implemented something like this. Everybody talks about government through development, I hope that every Nepali Congress is its own worst suggest improvements to reflect the new have to worry about what I say. The vision of this Kathmandu preamble that “the source of sovereign it, but to actually have the guts to say we’ll do it and do citizen of this country can get to a point where they can enemy. that helped us overcome realities of our society. To suggest that the prime minister is Nepal without poverty. He has a authority of the independent and sovereign it, is different. I commend the government and this is take peace and security for granted. That they don’t Nepalis have extraordinary our collective insanity. fundamental law is not dynamic enough to very strong focus on the silent majority, the people MAYDAY, MAYDAY All-party rallies for Nepal is inherent in the people”—former something that Nepal as a nation ought to be proud of. have to worry about it constantly. Binod Bhattarai’s report (“Mayday, patience. But it is running out. And incorporate the aspirations of a new genera- who are marginalised from society, including women. communalharmony prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. The people need to make sure this implementation goes mayday”, #64) is right on the mark. What it when the people lose their patience, tion of Nepalis who have come of age after Having listened to him, I believe that the focus and proved once again that When he says that there is no need to fix well so that the whole country benefits from this How did the Nepalis you meet come across? shows is that the private sector is not the neither the government nor the 1990 is blasphemy. A constitution that has the vision is a genuine one, not rhetoric. As for the super-efficient answer to everything that it things that aren’t wrong, we better listen. It is medium term framework as you go forward. Nepalis are extremely patient people, they have Maoists will be spared their wrath. multi-party democracy endured so much can’t be static. process of social transformation, part of which is is made out to be. The domestic airline may be raucous, but in tempting to fiddle with a perfectly functioning On financial sector reforms there has been a hiatus tremendous resilience and inner strength. I could sense business has become a dog-eat-dog Nepal still holds the potential of higher income, he believes very strongly that the the end, it works. In a machine when you have nothing better to do, process has to be participatory. It has to be one from time to time, but I am leaving with a sense of hope that again in Dhading. I would like the people in situation. The reason is private greed and becoming a model of social democracy in the government’s inability to regulate. multi-cultural society, it’s but it is wise to hold the hammer and resist the nation, not Kathmandu vs the rest, or the rich vs the and encouragement that things will really start to move. positions of power, with wealth, with influence in the either democracy or temptation to hit where it can only hurt. South Asia. But for that to happen, we need Since the budget there has been a small group of people public and private sectors to understand how important to have more faith in our own capabilities. poor. He talks about empowerment, but the way he disintegration. That said, it needs to be accepted that describes it, I feel he understands it deep down based that inner strength is, of the entire people of Nepal. S Lama When the entire certain aberrations have crept into the on his grassroots experience. I feel he understands that The people who are better off, when they think of the Kathmandu nuclear family of King constitution due to contradictory interpreta- poor and the under-classes, have to think of them as Birendra was wiped out tions of its provisions. The court once ruled human beings with enormous wisdom. A good democ- UNDER HIS HAT that the prime minister could not go to the racy that really helps raise everyone’s living standard can I’m afraid Kunda Dixit has finally lost it in the royal massacre of 1 (“Lights, camera, action”, #65). But who June, the constitution people if and when he wanted to. This has really happen when more and more Nepali people value can blame him, given the state of the the differences, and we all bring different perspectives to country and the world. There is a message democracy. Learn to value the enormous diversity of in his lunacy. Hang on to your hat! this country as an asset, not as a division. Gwen Ridley by email 444 NATION 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES NATION 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 555 AIDS update ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ An alarming picture of AIDS is emerging in the country. A report tion has over the years come down conducted by Dr Hari Krishna Baskota for UN-AIDS indicates that from 100 percent to 37 percent, will on average 14 people are infected with HIV/AIDS everyday in Bridge builders think nationally and act locally Nepal—that means more than 38,000 HIV/AIDS carriers by end of next month formalise the final five- year phase of its support. Jan this year. While intravenous drug users comprise nearly half the

RK MANANDHAR population of HIV/AIDS carriers, commercial sex workers make up responsible for designing and Roukema, Project Manager of the Trial about 17 percent. It’s time the government acted. In a follow-up constructing suspension bridges, and Bridge Sub-Sector Project at Helvetas seminar to the Sixth International Congress on AIDS in the Asia and communities are being mobilised for says: “We will now be decentralising the Pacific held in Australia last month, Health Minister Sharad Singh the maintenance. As a result, bridge the construction and maintenance of Bhandari said the government would soon constitute a special technology is cheaper, and bridges cansuspension bridges.” parliamentary committee on AIDS and develop a multi-pronged approach to prevent the spread of the disease. be located at more strategically The Suspension Bridge Division appropriate locations to benefit the was shifted to the Ministry of Local maximum number of users. Account-Development last year. Under the ing for time saved by a construction ofLocal Self Governance Act, two-thirds a suspension bridge in conservative of the bridges in place have been manner of Rs. 5 per hour, the 1999 handed over to local governments and Missing Indian impact study found that Molung communities. Proposals coming from ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ bridge in Okhaldhuga district local groups that actively involve The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu is seeking information about the women and marginalised communities whereabouts of Pradip Bhattacharya, a 49-year-old Indian from recouped its cost in 1.5 years, while Kolkata. Bhattacharya was last seen trekking in the Manaslu region, better located Sitkaghat bridge took lessare prioritised, says Roukema. Village at Village Dharapani in Manang District on the morning of 15 than six months. groups identify the need for bridges October. The Embassy says that anyonw helping to trace Once there were enough trained and provide locally available construc- Bhattacharya will be suitably rewarded. Contact telephone personnel to build bridges, the tion materials and labour, and take numbers are 413347, 423390. challenge was to spread that knowledgecharge of routine maintenance. The around and get more people involved costs of major maintenance are shared in the building and maintenance by the government and District process. So, engineering institutes nowDevelopment Committees equally. Peace stupa ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ KUNDA DIXIT common daily sight across Nepal. In help design bridges, but also conduct The people who actually need and addition, early bridges used to have classes on suspension bridge technol- use the bridges in this way have a far May peace prevail. That was the message at the inauguration of Development takes a great leapplanks forward and the hooves of goats as and bridges, getting them to realise that the biggest stupa in South Asia in Lumbini last week. At 41.5 m in ogy. Private firms are also encouraged greater sense of ownership and thus following a construction of the a cattle used to get stuck in the gaps with a bridge there might perhaps be height and 59 m in diameter, the World Peace Stupa towers above suspension bridge at Sitka Ghat in to design and even construct the responsibility. And it shows. Instead their technical capacity to build and suspension bridges span riversbetween across them. The design Nepal. was maintain bridges. So, though they are less reason to move away. It takes Nawagram and is part of the Lumbini Master Plan designed by Ramechhap, the sleepy, isolated bridges. Everyone involved in of the few dozen bridges that used to Japanese Professor Kenzo Tenge to commemorate the Buddha’s ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ changed, and the new models now time, but it happens. Says Shiv scattered across the Nepali hills are the building bridges is now so confident, get constructed annually earlier, in the willing to take over identifying the settlement evolved into a vibrant have grills that ensure a good grip for Chandra Kantha, Deputy Programme birthplace. The stupa, constructed from 900 metric tonnes of mainstay of rural transportation. The there are some pretty ambitious last year, the Helvetas project partneredspecific crossing needs and managing cement and 411 metric tonnes of torsteel iron, is the largest of more market square that on average does Rs both shoes and hooves. Suspension Suspension bridges (left to right) overManager the river atof Muktinath, the Helvetas over project: the Swiss experts invited in at the projects being undertaken. The centralwith the SBD and got local govern- the budget, they are hesitant to take than 70 stupas constructed worldwide by Nippozan Myohoji, a 80,000 worth of business everyday. bridges also used to sway in the “Initially, the social elements of beginning of Nepal’s planned government, together with local ment and communities involved—to overKali the Gandaki technical near part,” Kagbeni said Neeraj and yaks crossing over with Nepali timber Japanese Buddhist Organisation that wants to realise the dreams Four years after the bridge was built, wind, and they are now reinforced development activities were hard to development endeavours in the late government bodies and partners in theconstruct 165 bridges. Even old Shah,on a border Project bridge Manager in Humla at SBD. into And China. of Nichidatsu Fuji, a Japanese Buddhist ascetic. land prices shot up by 1,140 percent. with side wires and much more care see, but now all our partners have 1950s recommended that river private sector, are now all set to bridges were upgraded, with steel this cannot be resolved unless another Most rural communities know all is taken in site selection and realised that society cannot be crossing facilities for isolated commu- construct a 1,450 metre-long grating replacing the wooden walkway major problem is addressed—the high too well the advantages a simple reinforcements so that bridges don’t alienated from development nities and settlements would be the key pedestrian bridge joining the Dudharadecks. mobility among the young and skilled suspension bridge can bring. Every get washed off in flash floods. people makes it difficult to develop activities.” to the country’s economic develop- year the SBD receives requests for 100 and Chadani villages that lie across the The concept of local ownership is ment. In 1964, the government Strengthening communities local skills to sustain the bridges. Dusty city Mahakali, with the rest of the nation. great in theory, and even in practice, as ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ to 200 new bridges, but the govern- economically and socially is only one established the Suspension Bridge The proposed bridge will be the this shows. But there are some The only way to deal with this is Motorcyclists better ment can only take on about a quarter aspect of Nepal’s bridge-building Division (SBD) under the Ministry ofof those requests. An overwhelming 95 longest and most technically advanced stumbling blocks. “Local governments by emphasising the social impact of hold their breath. Works and Transport, and eight years success story. When the government pedestrian bridge built by Nepali everywhere are not confident about Studies indicate that percent of the requests come from started its accelerated bridge later Helvetas (the Swiss Association communities who desperately need technicians so far. drivers of two- for International Co-operation) came construction at important locations Soon, bridge-building will be an wheelers and their short span (under 120 metres) along major trade routes in the mid- passengers are the up with technical and financial all-Nepali venture. The Swiss pedestrian bridges to ease communica-sixties, the technology was fabricated most susceptible to support. Later on, the US and the tions. government, whose financial contribu- British governments and multilateral in Scotland and constructed by a air pollution. Only New Nepali adaptations have been Scottish firm. Pedestrian trail then come cyclists agencies like the Asian Development and pedestrians.

KUNDA DIXIT made to the bridges after studying how Kalikot back to the 1950s. Bank also got involved. bridges, for their part, benefited WHO studies say they are used. For instance, bridges aregreatly from Swiss technical expertise. HEMLATA RAI Since it was established, the SBD Valley residents ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ mighty Karnali could as well have been When Swiss geologist Toni also important crossing points for has constructed some 500 bridges in But the country has come a long way. spend Rs 30-50 million annually treating pneumonia, bronchitis, dry ast December Maoist insurgents living on the other side of the country.Hagen was walking across Nepal 50 livestock, mule and yak trains. 61 districts with a cumulative span Now, Nepali technicians are cough and cold, and red eyes, all caused by minuscule dust destroyed a vital suspension The district headquarters, Manma, years ago, he would ask villagers what Animals are terrified of suspension than now exceeds 50 km. The bridges particles in the air, especially in the dry, dusty winters. Air pollution bridge over the Karnali river at which used to be less than a three- they wanted the most: a school, a bridges and villagers goading water tests indicate that traffic heavy areas like Putali Sadak, Chabalhil, L have been instrumental in catalysing hour walk away when the suspension health post, a road. In village after buffalos or yaks to cross a bridge is a Patan, and Paknajol have a high concentration of suspended Regilghat in Kalikot. Thousands of economic activities and social changes villagers were affected, the bridge was bridge was in place was now at least village, the answer was the same: “We particles—five times above WHO-recommended 70 micrograms per in their localities. A 1999 bridge cubic metre. Tests at Putali Sadak showed 210-375 microgram per their social and economic lifeline. two days away. Neighbouring districts want a bridge.” A bridge was and still also felt the effect of the destruction of is a vital communication link in most impact study found, for example, that cubic metre, Patan 300-350 microgram per cubic metre, and Children could not attend school and Chahabil 280 microgram per cubic metre. While health experts say basic commodities like salt, cooking oila lifeline—the postal service to Mugu, of roadless Nepal. Bajura and Achham was disrupted. masks can, to a certain extent, prevent dust particles from entering and grain were in short supply. Today, suspension bridges the body, the best way to deal with the menace is by reducing What the Maoists had done was bomb Suddenly, residents across the traffic and closing off congested junctions every once in a while. Presently, a record 171,678 vehicles ply Kathmandu’s roads everyday—30,000 more than the city’s road infrastructure is designed to hold. Over 110,000 of these are motorcycles. HERE AND THERE by DANIEL LAK

Agitated teachers ○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The info war There’s another potential upheaval in store for Nepal’s long- ISLAMABAD: There’s a new front in the “war against terror”. For days suffering education sector. Nearly 150,000 public school teachers are threatening to take to the streets soon. The teachers, organised now, verbal air strikes on the media have been proliferating. US DefenceLak is back in Pak, holding a mirror to the media. under the Nepal National Teachers Association (NNTA) and the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spent about half of a news briefing during a Nepal Teachers’ Organisation (NTO), are unhappy with the seventh recent visit here castigating questioners from newspapers and television Blair and others who attack the media for its Afghan coverage. He is amendment to the Education Act approved by the House of networks about their “failure to understand what we’re doing”. Representative a month ago, especially the clause that requires calling for wartime censorship—if necessary— to be overt, and justified them to sit for exams to acquire licences within five years of British ministers—even Tony Blair who ranks with Bill Clinton as one by a full explanation of what is to be gained from restrictions on the press, implementation of the amendment. Failing to do so would mean of the great all-time handlers of media—are constantly critical of TV other than political advantage for elected politicians worried that they are losing their jobs. The teachers plan to publish appeals, hold pictures of suffering Afghans, and commentators who point out that failing to get their message across, and finding reporters an easy scapegoat. Oriental Decorator dialogues with parliamentarians and educationists, and wear black bombing of Afghanistan has yet to produce visible results. Winston Churchill, for many the greatest wartime leader of all, not bands to work. If the government fails to respond positively, they Kathmandu-3, Nepal will organise rallies and sit-in protests at district education offices By contrast, the verbal campaign has scored a significant victory. CNN only imposed censorship during World War Two. He is alleged to have Tel: 242389, 241760, starting 21 December. The NNTA and the NTO allege that the is now putting “health warnings” on its coverage. A report showing prevented information from decoded messages getting to the people of the 241058 government is trying to evade its responsibility of providing pictures of dead Afghan civilians, or the catastrophic humanitarian situation English city of Coventry that might have saved lives in German bombing Fax: 977-1-428122 education, and is encouraging the commercialisation of education. But that’s as far as their like-mindedness goes. The Nepali Con- there, will also have to mention that “Afghanistan harbours terrorists who raids. The reason? Enemy spies would deduce from an evacuation that Up to 50% have praised the September 11th attacks in America that have killed more their secret codes had been cracked and endanger the future war gress-supported NTO and UML-supported NNTA plan to protest Discount at separately. than 5000 people”. effort. “The truth,” he told his cabinet, “must be protected by a Tripureshwor Praising an atrocity is now enough to justify war, at least for CNN’s bodyguard of lies.” On the management. Their journalists in the field aren’t happy with this, but none Perhaps. But consider also these words from a woman who lives a few occasion of have yet protested publicly. Interestingly only the American people are miles from where the World Trade Centre used to ominate lower Happy Vijaya deemed worthy, or perhaps in need of, the health warning. CNN’s Manhattan. “As appalled, horrified and saddened by the events, (the Dashami & international service, seen everywhere but the continental United States, lingering sickening smell alone reminds us New Yorkers constantly) I am Deepawali will not be required to add comment to coverage of casualties. more enraged by the blatant manipulation of the press. It is as painful to watch and hear...as it is to view the formally spectacular skyline where the Sponsored by: My own frequent employers, the BBC, are horrified at this, althoughmore a popular, I daresay. towers havesimply vanished.” spokesman said it was up to individual correspondents to add what context The Pentagon has hired a PR firm to monitor the media around the world, they deemed fit to such reports. Other American networks, who capitu- Me, I think the journalist must always try to comfort the afflicted particularly in Muslim countries. That’s throwing good money after bad in Floor & Furnishing lated to earlier pressure from the US administration to stop showing videos and afflict the comfortable—a cliche that came about long before Emporium many ways since so few of those countries have a free media. If the local of Osama bin Laden, have drawn their line in the sand well short of what television and politicians (and now terrorists) began the devil dance authorities deem the American message to their taste, it gets on. If they don’t, it CNN has agreed to. American newspapers have roundly condemned the that blurs entertainment, enlightenment and the peoples’ legitimate Panipokhari, exists only on the BBC, CNN and the World Wide Web. But the Pentagon, news network, in part because a print journalist rarely misses an opportu- right to know. It’s going to be a long war, andfront this will be no KTM., Nepal never forget, throws far more money around than ordnance. Tel: 428414, 427806, nity to rubbish colleagues in television for being much less in-depth. And easier than the one in Afghanistan. Truth, it’s famously said, is the first casualty of war. Phillip Knightley, 434075 Fax: 977-1-428122 the author of a book calledThe First Casualtyhas challenged Rumsfeld, 666 NATION 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES NATION 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 777 SOMEWHERE IN NEPAL by PUSKAR BHUSAL Climb every mountain, butDemocracy slowly in a time of individualism percent had life-threatening HACE. “Trekkers to the Himalayas need toGuided Commercial Expeditions. remain alert about safety precau- anesh Man Singh used to recall One reason political analysis goes awfully wrong during these transparent times is that pundits have With more and more experienced how the Nepali Congress had tions for their porters, who usually Bahadur Thapa’s government in and not-so-experienced climbers envisioned the panchayat to take into account who is not in the minority in the majority party at any given moment. aren’t insured, so that both trekkers G 1983, exposed the extent of the group joining commercial expeditions ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ and the porters are secure in the system as a non-party structure for dynamics that had gripped Rastriya that advertise guided climbs up local governance. Nepal’s democracy, compromise on the principle of mountains,” says Dr Basnyat. Panchayat members. Most of the Translation: “I had to get on sometimes become so mesmerising the ferment of party politics. 7,000 m and 8,000 m peaks, the the argument went, was too nascent to universality, Koirala’s call carries ministers abided by the palace board as many people as I possibly that opposition groups simply tend to Former deputy prime minister Discussions at the symposium risk has become greater for clients sustain party divisions and distinc- special weight. secretariat’s whip and quit the could to save my wobbly government.”lose their relevance. Public interest ranged from high altitude physiol- as well as guides. Recent studies tions at the lower rungs of society. The Ram Chandra Poudel, largely government to vote against Thapa. A One reason why political analysis goes in feuding politicians Its significance becomes more ogy, Himalayan high altitude plantsindicate that of the 4,664 real extent of the Kangresis’ shock at dismissed as a one-man army by his few remained aboard to back the primeawfully wrong during these transpar- conspicuous when you recall that the in medicine, the impact of high individual ascents of 8,000 m having been supplanted by their own has become so intense own party colleagues, too, seems to be minister until the very bitter end. Oneent times is that pundits have to take Kangresis almost succeeded in altitude tourism on local peaks before January 2000, there scheme in national politics can that the internecine loyally wedded to cultivating the high assistant minister later said he would into account who is not in the toppling the panchayat system in populations, the effects of altitude have been 591 deaths—close to perhaps never be measured. squabbling endemic in tradition of democratic individualism. have done much more than vote minority in the majority party at any 1979 riding on a wave of student He recently warned of the dangers training on physiological and one death for every seven ascents. The first generation of panchas, against Thapa had he received the almost all of the other dissatisfaction over, among other given moment, which isn’t as easy parties automatically multiparty democracy faced from the biochemical parameters of health, And it isn’t only summitteers who who were expected by the professional directive directly, and not through a as it sounds. things, the New Education Plan, becomes front-page news. Maoists perched in the high-altitude and the practical aspects of are in danger—estimating a 10 ethics of the day to uphold the shadowy representative of the The Nepali Congress which was touted as being more forests and the political parvenus acclimatisation to high altitude. percent success rate, the risk of fundamental tenets of partylessness, notorious Recent comments by responsive to the realities of Nepal’s parliamentary party has proliferating in the capital’s expand- was too enmeshed in the culture of earth, air and water. Professor Dr Franz Berghold death on 8,000 m peaks is 1 in 79 mutated into a two senior Nepali ing concrete jungle. Few can accuse association to be so disorganised. Since from the Austrian Society for climbers. In the US, where the rambunctious cluster Congress leaders To be sure, Koirala has main- Poudel of belonging to either group, an overwhelming number of recruits Mountain and Altitude Medicine highest mountain is Denali (6,195 of MPs who have encourage one to make a tained an enviable record when it which may be his greatest disadvan- to the new order had crossed over reiterated that the most reliable keym), the risk of death while long learned to comparative study of comes to thinking aloud. When he tage. It’s quite lonely out there in the from the formerly dominan Nepali bhumigat giroha. to success is to follow the tactical climbing is 1 in 6,000. assert their contemporary politics. described the restoration of multiparty middle ground, especially when you Congress in different phases after the This pattern of organisational rules of altitude climbing, especially “The current UIAA guidelines individuality democracy as a victory for the panchas have to fend off endless accusa- Paush 1, 2017 putsch, they simply politics, which was referred to as Party president above 2,000 metres.“Severe AMS, lack strict definitions of exactly over their as well, the audience in Tundikhel losttions of sitting on the fence. found it difficult to abandon their samuhagat rajnitiin order to avoid Girija Prasad HAPE and HACE are not at all what the duties of commercial organisational no time in heckling him. It took seven However, the real merit of predilection for organised politics. having to use the maligned, albeit Koirala spoke of years, after Chand and Thapa returned ANAGHA NEELKANTAN ANAGHA fatal, but they are always the result expeditions, guides and the like affiliation. The party’s Poudel’s method lies in his These tendencies were particularly shorter, the need to to the prime minister’s office in of disregard of the rules of acclima- are. They may be insufficient for bahudalbadiadjective, chief whip knows that no (perhaps unintended) undertak- make our succession, for Koirala to finally have tisation,” said Berghold, who is the unique situation at extreme evident during the graduate- continued until the system’s collapse amount of lashing would ing to amalgamate the cultures of There are three rules to avoid mountain sickness. And commercial constituency elections to the pre-adult education felt proudly vindicated. Koirala’s claim associated with the University of altitude, when mountaineers, seven years later. In the end, the three-work to restrain MPs partyless and multiparty politics franchise Rastriya Panchayat. Since system more that the zonal commissioners of the Salzburg, Austria, and Institute for particularly those climbing above way Thapa-Lokendra Bahadur Chand-who know they can’t in a real spirit of generational expeditions on the world’s highest peaks may need more. Nepalis then were only allowed to join responsive to Nepal’s panchayat era were useful administra- Sports Sciences. Dr Berghold set 8,000 m, may reach the limit of Marich Man Singh Shrestha internal expect to stand for reconciliation. Since the panchas topic is immensely relevant,” says organisations that represented their split did as much to hasten the soil. Considering tive tools whose continuation could out the three major rules of thumb their mental and physical re-election unless borrowed much more than their RAMYATA LIMBU Dr Buddha Basnyat, Medical 4,300 m, were susceptible to Acute age, occupation or sex, most promis- demolition of the partyless edifice as they have served that it came from have stopped the Maoist steamroller ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ severely impairs breathing. to avoid mountain sickness: don’t capabilities, and so may not be polity from the Kangresis, Director of the Himalayan Mountain Sickness (AMS)— ing candidates who ran on overt did the hollering hordes on the in the council the chief of a party paved the way for the two ordinances perhaps it’s only fair that the ast week, for the first time, headaches, gastrointestinal troubles, “Women seem to be very go too fast too high, avoid capable of assisting others,” says platforms of political philosophies on setting up regional administrations. Rescue Association (HRA) and capital’s streets. of ministers. whose success in Kangresis should be practising medical experts from around newly appointed vice president of insomnia, dizziness and fatigue. susceptible,” says Dr Basnyat. overexerting yourself during Dr Litch. He suggests a specific found themselves incarcerated. In the annals of post-1990 the world descended upon Twelve years later, Prime Minister Motions three decades of the brand of political individual- L MedCom, the medical commis- The symptoms of mountain “Seventy-three percent of the acclimatisation, and always sleep UIAA Code of Practice for Nepal’s first experience with no- within the politics, Koirala embodies the perfect Sher Bahadur Deuba began voicing ism the panchas could only the Valley to discuss various population we studied were men, lower than the maximum altitude commercial expeditions to 8,000 opposition was sion of the UIAA. sickness are basically caused by lack confidence politics, against Surya dissatisfaction with the composition of ruling party blending of personal assertiveness withpreach. you climb in the day. m peaks, the majority of which rooted in its aspects of mountain sickness and “Contrary to popular belief, of oxygen—the medical term is and yet women had significantly his cabinet the day after he swore in fall in Nepal and Pakistan. steadfast high altitude medicine. hypoxia—as a result of the decreasehigher rates of AMS, HAPE and Dr James A Litch, a medical the new members. Nepalis trekking at high altitudes “There’s a difference in terms of The Nepal Mountaineering in atmospheric pressure. Dr HACE.” doctor, Everest summitteer and refusal to are equally susceptible to acute knowledge and experience Association sponsored the Interna- Basnyat’s study indicated that 32 A cross-sectional study of non- extreme altitude guide, urged the mountain sickness as their between guides and clients, but tional Symposium on Mountain percent of the pilgrims had High Sherpa porters, one at 4,300 m- UIAA to review its WWestern counterparts,” says Dr VILLAGE VOICE by BINOD BHATTARAI Medicine, organised by the Altitude Cerebral Edema high Pheriche in Khumbu, and a not in the terms of physiology,” Basnyat. “This is not just a says Litch. international mountaineering body, (HACE), a more malignant form controlled study lower down at vehicles to the high school from where it would be visible to large parts of AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE IN HARD COPY the Union Internationale Des of AMS in which fluid collection 1,500 m, concluded that approxi- the village. Local donors, drivers of the vehicles, village elders all had Associations D’Alpinisme (UIAA), bideshi in the brain leads to a dangerous mately one-third of the porters marigold garlands on their necks and vermilion all over their faces. It was and the Society of Internal Medi- affliction, butswadeshi a one too.” suffered from AMS, and two Recommended a celebration of victory over the difficult mountain terrain and theNepali triumph Times is now available on PEPC Worldwide lack of muscular coordination. Jamuna gets aof self-help. road I was born and raised in Jamuna and was visiting aftervending a gap machines at major airports and hotel chains. cine of Nepal (SIMON). A recent epidemiological study of Another acute, if relatively rare, Code of Practices for High Altitude of about six years. The time that had elapsed since my last visit hadReceive 40 pages of the latest editions of Nepali “It is important to enhance the Nepali pilgrim populations that Dr form of AMS is High Altitude If you ask Nepalis what they want most desperately in their effectivelyvillage, made me an outsider, and I was initially unable to soakTimes up the and selected material from Himal South Asia interest in and understanding of Basnyat conducted with fellow Pulmonary Edema or HAPE, fluid more often than not, the answer will be: a road. In the morejoys remote of the road getting there. My admiration of my compatriots grewand only Himal Khabarpatrika in high-quality paper parts of Nepal, many have waited their entire lives for the roadwhen to I heardget the full story. printed while you watch commercial video content mountain medicine, especially in researchers showed that 68 percent collection in the lungs that on the monitor. PriceUS$ 2.50, all major credit cards of pilgrims travelling to to their village. But in some places, they don’t wait for the govern-This was the second road the villagers had built in the past three countries like Nepal where this ment: they build the road themselves. This is what happened in the accepted Gosainkunda, a sacred lake at years. The first one, of almost the same distance, connected it with the north-east of Ilam. Indian border to the east. But soon after it was completed, a change in It isn’t long, just 5 km. But that is all it took to join Jamuna withcustoms the rules made it difficult for vehicles with Indian license plates to road to the district headquarters, and what a world of differenceservice it is the village. That was the end of the road, and all the money and going to make. It took the local people over six months to completelabour thethat Jamuna had put into it. task, and on 24 October two Land Rovers arrived here amidst much“We realised we had to connect with the district headquarters,” Jit fanfare and jubilation. Bahadur Sawa, VDC chairman told me. He began “A the work with a Rs 75,000 grant from the Village Development Committee, a promise by MP gadi before Dasain” was the slogan in Keshab Thapa to contribute Rs 25,000 and Rs Jamuna and it happened with two days to 120,000 from two local contributors. The villagers spare. It proved to many here that where there put in labour—some families up to 32 worker days. is commitment, there is a way. The going was A villager with road building experience in the not smooth, especially on a road designed Indian hills was hired to be the surveyor, engineer and built entirely by the villagers. The Land and contractor. Rovers needed a bit of human power to get The road has injected new energy into over the rough bits. The fast-flowing Mai Khola Jamuna. “We’ll get back to road building again after Tihar,” Sawa said. was still swollen with water because of recent Surprisingly for a politician, Sawa worked on the road-gangs alongside the rains, and the road builders had waited two other labourers throughout the construction period. “It will be a shame if days for the water to recede. we don’t fix the road and make it usable throughout the year,” he adds. On the 24 “Now we’ve an additional responsibility, thinking about how to build a permanent bridge across the Mai.” That may take some time because with th they decided to take on the river, within half a day,less there than Rs 500,000 to spend every year, it is clearly beyond the VDC’s budget. So what does Jamuna get from the road? Will the quiet little was a temporary log bridge in place. By early afternoon the vehicles were village be converted, like most other newly-connected settlements, into a on their way, negotiating sharp bends up the spur on which the village squalid and noisy town? Perhaps not. The people of Ilam are very rests. Villagers clung to every inch of space in the cars, dismounting to industrious, and this village of 6,000 people produces over 20 tons of get around the quick twists that local engineering had not been able to cardamom, 40 tons of ginger, over 15 tons of potatoes and several get right. A loudspeaker mounted on the hood of the first vehicle hundred kilograms of tea leaves every year. They are sold mainly in India, croaked continuously—tinny music that was supposed to be festive. But carried on horseback or by porters. Now there is the road. “We are about to no one was really that bothered, it was the sound of revving engines that take a great leap forward,” Sawa tells me, as the Land Rovers give off a was music to most ears. mighty cloud of soot and heave up to the school grounds with blaring As a visitor, I was co-opted to be the official photographer ofhorns. the “This road will help make it happen.” ceremony. My grandfather, 90-year-old Devi Prasad Bhattarai, was cutting ribbons. The bazaar folk had readied two ceremonial copper

But our hidden strength are the solid back-up services: Central ghadas to mark the arrival of the cars and had strung marigold garlands air-conditioning, Central hot water boiler, Full capacity generator, Own on everyone that deserved one—including the Land Rovers. perennial source of potable water; and above all, the experienced It took some time for the moment to come because one road gang managerial support of the ACE Hotels & Resorts team ! had marched ahead to level the road beyond the bazaar to take the Om Ad247661 OUR TTOURTARIFFARIFFARIFF FFFor SPECIAL RATESTESTES Contact Room US$ INR “Best Resortintintinthethethe best location at Royal Bardia National Park” Mrs. Bindu Sakya Single 35.00 1600.00 (Managing Director) • Seminar hall with 65 Pax capacity Double 40.00 1800.00 • View Tower 10% VAT & 2% T.S.F Mr. Hari Shyam Shrestha (Manager-Sales & Marketing) We specialize in Meal • Elephant Safari • Dolphin Tour Breakfast 3.00 130.00 C/o Hotel Ambassador P.O.Box: 2769, Lazimpat, Kathmandu, Nepal • Jungle Walk • Wildlife Rafting Lunch/Dinner 6.00 275.00 • Bird Watching • Culture Dance 10% VAT & 2% T.S.F Tel: 410432, 414432, 419432, (res) 612383 Fax: 977-1-413641, E-mail: [email protected] “We offer promotional rate” Nepal Wildlife Resort: Thakurdwara-6, Royal Bardia National Park. Kathmandu Office: Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal G.P.O. 1044, Fax: 419237, Tel.: 258492 E-mail: [email protected], www.nepalwildlife.com.np Japan Office: Tokyo to Sumida Ku 3-40-6 Kyoujima. Japan E-mail: [email protected] Tel/Fax: 03-52473585 888 NEPALI ECONOMY 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES ECONOMY 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 999 BIZ NEWS ECONOMIC SENSE by ARTHA BEED Trade Treaty update ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepal and India moved a step closer toward coming to an agreement on renewing the trade treaty before if expires on 5 December. At the centre of the dispute are five Nepali exports whose surge India says has hurt its domestic producers. There’s another unarticulated issue that India wants addressed—a safeguardThat to ensure sinking feeling (and back) that it will not be hurt when Nepal joins the World Trade Organisation (WTO). WTO rules say a member country Shangrila tothan Shanghai most Englishmen. Massood must extend to all members the same treatment, and though there are safeguards for concessions given to has been the Holiday Inn Crowne least developed countries, India would like to ensure that the treaty does not require it to grant facilities similar Plaza regional director for South to the provisions of the treaty to other LDCs. Still, things appear to be progressing. Finally, in the last round (3- Every treaty time, we learn anew the importance Asia, has visited Nepal several 4 November) officials took the advice of lobbies in both countries and began talking about value addition as a other explanation is there for such a way to deal with the problem of surge, an indication that a resolution is imminent. Indian officials are said to times, and is happy to help promote have suggested different models for calculating value addition and Nepal has its own ideas onof howtimely that shouldtete-a-tetes, and firmmanohue and a crymanos about a ‘surge’. in Nepali Nepal. He has even offered to rent exports that continue to be on the be done. Finalising a formula acceptable to both sides, fixing value added percentages and ironing out the office space to Royal Nepal Airlines implications of this on industry and trade may take some more meetings. t least we agreed on something. wrong side of the decimal, compared But, this Beed and others of with total Indian imports. in the Crowne Plaza (easier to find, better exposure and support), as the our ilk, dear reader, agree that For Nepal, the sops provided by A airline’s lease at the cubby hole it is becoming a bad habit in this part the 1996 renewal of the treaty have (monthly rental about $1,300) of the world to agree to talk, and then been good for those businesspeople expires next year. More Belgians agree in talks to talk again. who have taken advantage of the ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ After the fourth round of talks loopholes. Overnight, businessmen Royal Nepal hosted a dinner The global impact of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington are beginning to reflectbetween on tourism India andhere. Nepal on the trade engaged in informal trade with India recently for local media at Nepali Arrivals for the first ten months of the year fell by roughly 14 percent. Indian arrivals fell by abouttreaty, 29 diplomat-speak percent says there is became ‘industrialists’. Only a few Kitchen, the one Nepali restaurant in and third country tourists by about eight percent. The October arrivals, which directly reflect travel plans after Shanghai, run by Kanchha Ghale from the terrorist strikes in the United States and the war in Afghanistan, were 34 percent lower compared‘progress’. with Fair the enough, but where on multinationals came, as the industrial same period last year—Indian tourists were down by 50 percent and third country visitors by 30earth percent. are we progressing?The With less and business environment never Manang. Although it seats only about only nationality that saw an upturn were Belgians, with 13 percent more arrivials. than a month to go before the 5 The private sector, after intervening in became conducive. The increase in 40 persons, it is very cosy, tastefully December deadline, that perennial trade matters so successfully in 1996, investments from reputed Indian and decorated by an Italian interior South Asian rope trick will be pulled has returned to being the dumpy multinational companies envisaged designer. The occasion was to out—miraculously, things will be handmaiden of less competent, if during the 1996 renewal never publicise the airline’s summer The slowdown begins sorted out, wrapped up etc. But, a few higher bodies. Five years ago, the materialised. Nepal missed a great promotion fare for Kathmandu for ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ months down the line, or when the efforts of the Federation of Nepalese opportunity for industrialisation and only $400 return. Ghale, who used to has offered to run a Nepali food We are now officially facing an economic slowdown. The Nepal Rastra Bank’s treaty comes up for renewal next, Chambers of Commerce and Industryrapid economic growth. work in Taiwan, is well-connected economic report for August-September records a drop in government spending, someone will realise that an adequate (FNCCI) and the Confederation of The treaty renewal discussions promotion in cooperation with Royal including development expenditure, a slump in resource mobilisation, and an with both Taiwanese and Japanese Nepal and to send Chinese artists to solution was not found and we will Indian Industry (CII) expedited the have centred only on issues relating to expatriates who patronise the upswing in inflation. Overall government spending grew by just 9.7 percent to Rs process, and Nepal also managed to Kathmandu’s Soaltee to promote their 6.25 billion, compared with 26 percent growth in the same period last year. The have to go through this whole painful value addition. Other major issues for restaurant, and has already brought From bandhs to The Bund (left) and a Starbucks mobile dispenser on get a pretty nice deal. new restaurant, China Garden. unusual spending slowdown in the early months of the fiscal year is because of pussyfooting again. Nepal remain buried in the arguments some groups to Nepal. a Shanghai street. delays in disbursement, which was slower this year because of the extra time it took There seems to be a sense on the The concern among travel For India especially the commerce on content percentages. We need to get Other expats with connection in getting the budget approved by parliament. However, a worrying trend is that other side that Nepal has become the issue of the railway link to Birgunj agents in Shanghai is the unstable over 58 percent of the allocation was spent on recurrent expenses and only 12 ministry, renewing this treaty is not a with Nepal are Dominic Bauquis, Shanghai may make it as adventure complacent, and that we cannot be before the machinery and equipment political situation in Nepal and the percent on development projects. Regular spending dropped by 4.3 percent while priority. The WTO summit in Doha Director of a Beijing-based public tourists, for trekking, rafting or safari. is priority number one right now, as trusted to make good on our commit- from the dry port finishes its region, and the fact that Royal the drop in spending on development was 11 percent. relations firm hired by Nepal Tourism But what of the Chinese themselves? that is where India’s interests lie. The ments to curtail smuggling of goods tovanishing act. (See “Treaty time”, #55) Nepal fares are expensive compared Board for its media campaign in What does Nepal have to offer them if commerce ministry is working more India. This, together with India’s own Nepali exports from taxation by to other regional destinations. and when they come? domestic industry pressuring the Indian provincial governments. For China, Sigrid Seel, a German travel under pressure from the country’s In addition, Royal Nepal cannot Gambling is one attraction, but External Affairs Ministry. government for protectionism has instance, a luxury tax of 20 percent is consultant in Shanghai who had Nepal’s “look east” tourism policy will have to always guarantee seats on the Macau’s casinos are a lot closer Of course, it is in Nepal’s interest meant real complications. Indian imposed on tea by the West Bengal already brought groups to Nepal. “Special Editions” for Tihar domestic industries, like those in Then there is Dorjee Sherpa, Shanghai-Kathmandu sector. than Nepal and they speak manda- ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ government. This provision should, to sort out this matter post haste. But focus on the China market. But what can they Once all the red tape gets sorted rin. Then, are Kathmandu’s Chinese S&Y Mills Ltd, a Chennai, India-based Public Limited Company has added two new outlets to market its Nepal, have enjoyed protectionism in of course, be reciprocal. previously with the Soaltee Crowne rather than deal with it preemtively, out, will Nepal be ready for inbound restaurants authentic enough to upmarket shirts and trousers, sold with the “Special Editions” label. The new outlets are Shresthawe procrastinated. Tailoring We have forgotten various forms, and now with the Right then, to work. Speed is of Plaza in Kathmandu, now general get here they can’t get at home? tourists from China? Expats living in satisfy finicky Chinese palates? Centre, Bag Bazar and Chabahil, and the Kasthamandap Bazaar, Kamaladi. The company saysthe embargo its Special days of 1989, which WTO regime nearing, they are the essence. manager of the Gloria Hotel in nearby Editions garments are “five-star stuff without a five-star price tag.” resulted almost solely due to Nepal’s nervous. The situation has already Association). Suzhou. Massood of Crowne Plaza There is the Mandarin Room at the late-firing national synapses. This timebecome pretty nightmarish with the Royal Nepal Airlines already flies Everest, the Imperial Pavilion, or invasion of Indian markets by cheaper around, the blame lies not only with DANIEL B HABER twice a week between Kathmandu to on the Kathmandu Valley. the Tien Shan. But will the avante quality Chinese goods. Unfortunately IN SHANGHAI New NEPSE listings the government, but also the apex ○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ Osaka with a stopover in Shanghai. Jian Ming Wu is a Shanghai garde Shanghainese undertake the ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ bodies of Nepali trade and industry. for us, domestic Indian industries are n agreement between China businessman and restaurateur who long march (er, long flight) to venting their spleen on poor us. What Despite the midnight departure there The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) has listed two joint ventures: Nepal Alpic (CHK SPL) Everest Finance and Nepal has approved Nepal said through an interpreter that he Kathmandu? Limited, and the Bangladesh Finance and Leasing Limited. Alpic applied for 200,000 of its shares to be is chatter in the cabin, primarily from as an official destination for would like to open a Nepali restau- listed, and Bangladesh Finance has 300,000 shares for trading at the exchange. Readers can post their views at A Japan-bound Nepalis, some Japanese [email protected] China’s outbound tourists. Nepal tourists or aid personnel, and a few rant in Shanghai in partnership with Rastra Bank has agreed to make the Chinese businessmen and workers Fulbari Resort, and that they would Chinese yuan a convertible currency. returning home. By and large, most of probably also name the restaurant Weekly Internet Poll #7 www.nepalnews.com That is why Nepal’s nervous tourism the passengers are flying to Osaka, via Fulbari. Just hope Wu gets his industry is desperately hoping to fill Shanghai, although a metropolis of 17fengshui right and that the Shanghai the vacuum left by dwindling overseas million (China’s second-largest city), enterprise fares better than the and Indian arrivals with Chinese. is used by RNAC primarily as a Pokhara money-drainer. Should Royal Nepal Airlines be privatised?Of course, nobody in Nepal’s refueling stop. There are over a The Royal Nepal Airlines office is tourism biz really expects masses of quarter million expatriates living in a small glass cubby-hole in an out-of- shopaholic Chinese tour groups to Shanghai and it would be useful to tapthe-way location—even the Chinese There is no other way to save RNAC than to hand it over to privateworld. Instead of privatising it, it may be cheaper to just close it down.No privatisation. The government shouldn’t blindly privatise RNAC. immediately start flocking to the into that market, to convince some of driver got lost since there is no visible entrepreneurs. A virtually resourceless state can not rescue a bankruptAnd let andother private airlines come in. P Budhamagar Himalayankingdom. them to spend their holidays in Nepal.signage. The airline is not in the mismanaged state corporation. The corporation should find its bread and Former RNAC passengerPrivatise RNAC and turn it into the Bansbari Leather Factory? Hand over In Shanghai the first thing to do is listings in local periodicals. At the butter from it’s own revenue. Once it goes to private hands, the state coffers What can they get here that they RNAC to Indians? will stop bleeding and the CIAA, Parliament, the Courts, the Press,Privatise. and Take it away from the politicians. Let Singapore Airlines run it. can’t get at home? to head straight for the shopping Crowne Plaza Hotel, Lok Raj Pant even the general public can use their time and resources for other MG Gorkhaly RNAC Staff Many, however, are initially malls, and plunk into a Starbucks. is the Nepali Director of Finance constructive business. Time is running out, we may not get qualityAnyone investors who has worked in the remote districts of Nepal knows theNo, no no no. Royal Nepal Airlines is not listed and Business Support. His wife if we delay the process for long. banking on the large expatriate importance and service provided by RNAC. Life without RNAC is RS Rana anywhere in any travel magazine or Soma Pant teaches French in a unimaginable there. Tell me how a private airline can take you to communities that live in such Look at the scandals: Dhamija, China Southwest, Lauda, Chase Air. And brochure. Nobody even knew it European school in Shanghai, and Taplejung for just Rs 500. RNAC connects poor and remote areas. What “hardship” postings as Beijing and then ten years ago, RNAC sold two perfectly good 727s for scrap. both are well-connected in the Tanka Khanal will happen to them if you privatise the airline? Shanghai. flew to Shanghai except for one RNAC is marred by inefficiency, mismanagement and frequent scandals, it Kapil Rimal magazine called expatriate community. “Our first target group is needs a complete overhaul. The government has proved to be incapable An RNAC aircraft engineerRoyal Nepal Airlines is destroying Nepal’s image. Privatise it immedi- Crowne Plaza’s General Manager of running any sort of business, including civil aviation. RNAC must be China’s wealthy expat community,” Give it to business entrepreneurs, and not politicians, to run. ately. is Mahmood Massood, one of those privatised, but it must go to a party that can run the airline efficiently and says Subodh Rana of Marco Polo Varat Pokhrel Prakash Sanjel suave UK-educated Pathans from profitably for the greater interest of the nation. Travels and Director of NICA All good citizens of Nepal should join together to voice loud andPrivatisation clear is good, but private companies in Nepal do not have the Karachi looking more aristocratic (Nepal Incentives and Conventions City Weekend, Atma Shresthaour determination to rescue RNAC. expertise to run an international airline. It will be another mess. There may be hope for privatisation if the process of privatisation went honestly which a few weeks earlier had JN Rai, Brunei without any nepotism. But there is no chance of that, is there? published a pictorial travel feature No privatisation. Already there is a huge gap between the rich andWe’ve the seen how other governments are pouring extra cash to save their poor. Let’s not widen this gap by privatising. respective flag carriers following the attacks in the USA. In RNAC’s case Rajeeb L Satyal the government just keeps taking money from the airline. Pukar Bista RNAC, like everything else the government runs (Sajha, Trolley Bus, The way the government is sucking RNAC dry, it is better to keep the airline S Bhattarai Banijya Bank) are all bankrupt. They should all be privatised. out of the government’s reach. Knowing the way business is done in Nepal, it really makes no difference HR Shrestha Deependra P Acharya, UKwhether airlines operate under the government or the private sector.There Both are pros and cons. If RNAC goes into the hands of those private NOVEMBER ISSUE OUT NOW!! Win Every Week are corrupt. Privatisation may not be the best solution to the problem. Nepal is not yet companies with vested interest to make hefty profits, then what is the point of privatisation? ready for full-blown privatisation. Due care must be taken in protecting the Sabina Neupane domestic sector so that ordinary Nepalis will still be able to fly. @ Sujit Shakya Batu Krishna SapkotaPrivatise. And save RNAC from corruption and destruction. DisgustingRNAC staff are not even getting their salary. Privatise it. www.wavemag.com.np Before privatising think of what happened to other companies thatand were rude flight crew, unreliable service, how long will we let RNAC Rajesh Adhikari embarrass Nepal? privatised If RNAC disappears from the sky nobody will shed any tears. Deepak KC Payal Rai Kumar Adhikari Political interference has ruined RNAC, but everyone blames theGood staff. question. So But you think corrupt politicians will allow privatisationThe privatisation to unit in the Ministry of Finance is not moving. There is let the government hand it over to the public. happen? They won’t privatise unless they getdakshina a good. no political will to privatise RNAC. A loyal RNAC staffer for 25 years Dharma Gurung Shyam Subba, Khotang Immediately, urgently and instantly. Yes. Not only RNAC, everything must be privatised. RNAC should be 51% owned by the government, the rest should be Navaraj Dhakal Dev Gurung, Hong Kong allowed to public. Why stop with RNAC? Privatise the whole country. Privatisation is the only solution…but Nepal is not yet ready for full-blown Iswar Atreya Chandra Prasad Mishra, Koreaprivatisation. Due care must be taken in protecting the domestic sector so that ordinary Nepalis can still afford to fly. The selection of bidders or a RNAC should be privatised so it is no longer a cash cow for politiciansIt should for be privatised at least to control the corruption so that RNAC can parent company should be done in a transparent manner. International funding elections and employing cadre. be an airline with an image like other Asian airlines. airlines like KLM, SAS or Air France should be approached individually. Purshottam Rai Pramod Dawadi, Japan Leave out Asian carriers with the exception of Cathy Pacific, Singapore It is a disgrace to call RNAC a national flag carrier. It is an embarrassmentYes. Government is too busy being corrupt to improve the airline.Airlines and JAL. Many others are doing okay but do not have enough experience of managing a subsidiary company. Politicians must not for the country. The attitude of the staff is appalling, rude to say the least, SB Gurung and the on-time record is very poor. As a passenger, you just can’t plan interfere with this process. Yeah, privatise it. But who is going to buy a bankrupt airline? And why around an RNAC flight. Flight cancellations are rampant and worst of all, it should the government privatise its milking cow? Just ask Girija! still boasts of one of the highest number of employees per aircraft in the Samir Tamang Ramesh Shrestha 101010 ADVENTURE 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES ADVENTURE 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 111111 RACE 1 National Championship 10 November The first race of the for disabled athletes And they’re off... series on 10 Novem- ber starts from the This will be the first international sporting event in Nepal South Gate of where the disabled will also have the chance to prove International. Raniban Forest, two themselves. Some 30 disabled people will be participating With all this ahead, it is not km off the turn from in wheelchairs in all three races. The race courses have the Ring Road to surprising we see all these bikers out been adjusted to accommodate the participants, but be Balaju. The course certain, it will a challenging task. Says Rakunuz Zaman, training in the mornings and follows a steady 22 program manager of Handicap International Nepal, and evenings these days. Ranjan km uphill climb that Rajbhandary is said to be in Tibet can be described as one of the members of the race committee, “This will give an opportunity to the disabled to prove that they are normal, preparing for the race. Peter Stewart, intermediate in difficulty. This might and ensure they are recognised by society.” There is even the race director thinks the Nepali talk of recognising this event as a national championship riders have a fair chance. “Given that just be one of the RACE 3 most picturesque for the disabled. things are tough as it is, what with roads along the 24 November equipment being so expensive, Valley rim, as it Nepali riders who take the sport winds through small villages, occasionally opening up to glimpsesRace course three on 24 November, which starts from the seriously have it in them to do well. of terraces on both sides. The road is mostly sealed with roughtown gate of the old village of Lubhu, is moderate to difficult, Their only disadvantage is that they patches, minor water crossings and the occasional muddy anddepending on the race category as there are different don’t have up-to-date equipment,” sandy sections. Even for non-participants, for those who lovecourses the for some. All riders follow the same route from says Stewart. sport or simply want to see what the sport is all about, the viewLubhu of out to the village bus park near Siserni adjoining a Antu Charan Shrestha is a the Himalaya from Kakani, at 2,066 m, comes as a splendid bonus.large But spectators need to get into the perimeter of the race course young businessman and an amateur pipal tree. From here the wheelchair riders will return before 9.30AM, as the roads will be closed to all traffic and policedto Lubhu while the junior and women riders will continue to rider. He recently discovered the during the event, while Race Marshals man the course. joys of pedalling uphill and the gate of the Elite’s Co-Ed School grounds and then return Participants in the open and seniors category will complete tothe Lubhu over the same course. Participants in the open and speeding down muddy tracks, and is whole 21.9 km course, while those in the women and juniors senior categories will ascend the challenging 7 kms to Lakuri hooked. The monsoon season for segments will start their event from the 14.5 km mark of the raceBhanjyang testing everyone’s endurance and then their him was exceptional. “This was my and complete the last 7 km. The school relay teams will completedownhill abilities on the return to Lubhu. The course starts at first season of mountain biking and the entire course, with each member riding approximately 7 km.an elevation of approximately 1,310 m and climbs steadily as NEPAL PARA OLYMPICS ASSOCIATION I loved it,” he says, laughing at how Wheelchair riders will start from the main starting gate and it winds up to Lakuri Bhanjyang at 2,066 m. Once again, he was covered with leeches and complete the first 7.85 km, up to the first change-over in the Nepali villages and a forested terrain set the landscape, with Mountain biking is the sport du jour in Kathmandu.mud when he and a friend biked schools relay. a stunning display of the Himalaya across the northern edge open to all and will be attended by a from Kakani to Budhanilkantha of the Valley rim. The road is a dirt jeep track, and in sections number of high-ranking government is stony and ripped. 18,And and 24 we November, are might about be just to be hit by its biggest event. during the rains. He plans to do ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ officials, ambassadors, prominent ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ everything he can to keep riding and that extra boost Nepal’s flagging figures from the Nepali sporting tourism industry needs. getting better, including participat- world, the race participants, naturally, open, women’s, masters (over 40), ing in the Race Series, “Some friends The races will be filmed by and also Village Development juniors (under 16), and the inter- of mine and I will certainly be taking TransWorld International, one of the Committee members from Lubhu, school competition. Besides local stars part, even if we will be competing world’s leading producers of sport Sankhu, and Kakani, where the races like Ranjan Rajbhandary, who came with professional riders,” he says documentaries, and 30 minute will take place. Ceremony over, the second in last year’s race, the Series enthusiastically. packages will be distributed to celebrities will be sent off through the will also have big-name international

ALL PICS AND MAPS COURTESY: HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN BIKES MOUNTAIN HIMALAYAN AND MAPS COURTESY: ALL PICS And he isn’t the only one. international television channel participants like Marc Weichert and streets of Thamel in decorated There is great enthusiasm, especially amphitheatre that is the Himalaya. networks such as ESPN and National rickshaws behind a police band, while Christoph Muller both top European ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY among young men, for jolting ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ A number of Nepali youth Geographic, with a potential viewing cyclists. The open and masters race some 1,000 flags, whistles and ticker around and even falling off bikes, ow that autumn is finally jonesing for the distinctive adrenaline audience of 64 million. “This could betapes will be handed out to onlookers. will cover a distance of 35 km over here, and the clear blue skies rush of biking, and tourists longing just what was needed to kick start five laps, the women go 18 km, while and with events like this race series The procession will end at the to add that professional edge, it will and sunny afternoons with it, for a taste of adventure, have ensured tourism,” says Pradeep Raj Pandey, Himalayan Mountain Bike office in the juniors cover 12 km. Winners sporty types, especially that the sport has captured public CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, will take home hefty cash prizes, be surprising if in a few years Nepal N Thamel with a cultural show. does not have at least a couple of cycling enthusiasts, say it is time to imagination. And it all comes to a headone of the sponsors of the event. Organisers are expecting about trophies, and certificates, and other start gearing up for a season of ups andthis season, with several biking events goodies like round trip air tickets to world class bikers. There are endless The event opens this afternoon on 200 cyclists, Nepalis and foreigners to places to ride out to, so go! And if downs. Mountain biking, which has being organised, the most exciting andTridevi Marg, and the organisers say compete in five different categories: Europe. In addition, the organisers become an increasingly popular largest of which is the Siemens Action have also decided to give away great you need some inspiration, just get Thamel has not seen a show of this size out and watch the races. adventure sport here in the last few Asia Himalayan Mountain Bike Race for quite some time. The ceremony is prizes to onlookers—three years, is the sport of the season, and Series 2001. This three-day race series, mountain bikes worth $650 each RACE 2 one of the biggest cycling events is to be held around the Valley on 10, from the world famous brand Fuji about to begin in the splendid 18 November The second race on 18 November will commence from the Club Himalaya in Nagarkot. From a starting altitude of approximately 1,950m, the road descends across a fantastic Himalayan backdrop and typical Nepali countryside that will make every stretch memora- ble. The road is nearly all jeep track, with some rough and monsoon-ripped sections that will require cautious riding. Pros describe the course as intermediate to challenging, with a progres- sive drop of 515m over 9 kms after a short uphill at the start of the race. All participants will complete the entire length while the disabled will race from the starting point to the Nagarkot Tower.

ON STANDS NOW 121212 TECHNOLOGY 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES WORLD 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 131313 COMMENTRY a concise,by cogent MARK manner MORFORD so you are Back in business entertained and informed, and do so ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ such that they can still make their car BELGRADE - Macedonia has ordered weapons worth “millions of payments. Really. dollars” from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), marking, say Or, you can believe everything The bottom line is, there is no analysts, the revival of the country’s military industry. The deal was The worm that In defenceyou see and read and hear, suck of it objective media truth in the fluxive worlds of clinched in capital Belgrade in late October. “The important thing is, the down, every Rumsfeld shuffle, every religion and hate and politics (or love, military industry is being revived,” military analyst Stipe Sikavica told us. “Thirteen percent of all the exports of the former Yugoslavia in the Dubya flub and every robotic CNN sex, or fine dining, but that’s another talking head, spinning yarns, pre- 1980s were from the military column), during wartime in particu- industry.” Since the Federal packaging wars and leaving enormous lar. No black/white absolutes about amounts of information out because Directorate for Special Goods the human condition or what drives (SDPR), the FRY’s military either you can’t handle it or they can’t the dark mind or what the appropriate trading company, was won’t die tell you—because it would kill the response is when a nation is attacked, reorganised in 1949, the ratings or affect your vote—or maybe where to draw the lines of what’s country has exported military because, very simply, they don’t really acceptable and moral, and what’s equipment worth $23 million. Customers were Third World “Sir Cam, I presume?” And know. Which isn’t unlikely. pointless, barbarous war-mongering. MICHELLE DELIO countries who bought the equipment when the former Yugoslavia ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ sometimes includes random file There’s nothing like a compli- infections seem to have slowed “We must consider how very little was a “respected” member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). “We nlike most of its headline- somewhat last month, suddenly otherattachments from ways its victims of with winning friends cated, nasty, lie-riddled war that’s not history there is; I mean real authentic combined (former) Soviet and East European weaponry with the grabbing predecessors, the in the last week, new and more andthe infected influencing e-mail; SirCam always people. really a war to get people riled about history,” wrote Samuel Johnson, back Western technology at our disposal and made sophisticated goods,” SirCam virus that hit us in potent variants have surfaced. includes a file plucked from the the media. And it’s a slippery slope, in 1755. “That certain kings reigned said Jovan Cekovic, head of SDPR. “The crown was the M-84A tanks U ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ July was not a transient threat. And experts say it will continue infected machine. And like all major media outlets trying to and certain battles were fought, we can made for Kuwait, and successfully used by the allied forces in the to spread until computer users SirCam, Magistr has its own e-mail package the war as attractively and 1991 Gulf War,” he added. The tanks raked in $500 million in exports. Almost four months after it was ment—to be activated, but once temper, he sends sarcastic memos depend on as true; but the colouring, Until 1990, Yugoslavia was a non-traditional Communist country that develop a healthy scepticism of engine that allows it to connect excitingly as possible while down- all the philosophy, of history is first spotted, the virus and activated they are capable of to his staff. And Thomas is an had good relations with the former Soviet Union and the West. After any and all e-mail attachments, directly to a mail server. But playing the sensationalism and the conjecture.” There are few facts. There deadlier variants are still replicating themselves. accountant with a wicked porn blood and death, but also clearly the bloody 1990s wars of disintegration of the former Yugoslavia, the pouring into e-mail inboxes. no matter who sent them, how Magistr trashes infected comput- The virus-laden attachments are few known truths. FRY was placed under sanctions, including an arms trade embargo “SirCam packs a double collection.” leveraging the horror like hell, but Most viruses peak and then legitimate they look, or how ers, which has limited its ability to can be safely pried open by the It’s all about context. And context that was lifted after the 1996 Dayton Peace Accord ended the punch with its viral ability to Anders and others who are then denying it because they’re Bosnian conflict. It was re-introduced in March 1998 to curb the rapidly fade away two or three tempting the contents of those spread widely. It’s hard to transfer tech-savvy, so some SirCam Are TV and newspapers really to blame for is all about perspective. And perspec- appeal to humans’ ‘curiosity’ cell, accused of pandering, hyping and military adventures in Kosovo by the regime of Slobodan Milosevic. days after their Internet debuts. attachments promise to be. a virus when the computer that victims have been turned into reading the attachments said they all the spin, war-mongering and fear? tive is all about personal experience, a harbours it is unusable. and its bacteria-like ability to first attempted to alert the senders lying. Call it a dilemma, a conun- After Milosevic was ousted last October , the UN Security Council But so far, SirCam has been “Viruses like LoveBug and unwilling exhibitionists, flashing ○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ damaging bombs and absurd TV mad tangle of synapses and memory, lifted the embargo last month. self-replicate,” Young, the head of of SirCam-infested e-mails that drum. Just don’t call it reasonable or more like a monsoon than a Kournikova all had the same Dr Wise Young, recently their private parts to nosy nerds images of old ladies walking around in in any way something you can signifying nothing. Nobody knows subject line, body text, and high-tech WM Keck Center for they had been infected. But the ou can rant and can pule and the proper spin, the right words, the squall. Lists by antiviral honoured by around the world. Some people call the American media a gas masks, Donald Rumsfeld placing condemn with 100 percent impunity. attachment name,” Shipp said. Collaborative Neuroscience, said. alert e-mails often were returned correct answer. You filter and learn companies that track virus who have been reading the bunch of liberal hype-mongers his foot in his mouth and quickly But know this about journalists “So they were easily spotted “So there is a good chance that with error messages indicating that Y and do your best to make sense of it all infections have SirCam topping attachments speak almost fondly removing it after a nasty phone call SirCam may be with us for a long or conservative war-drunk jingoists and editors-in-chief and news the all-time active threat lists and all turned out to be one- of their new plague-ridden the infected user’s return address from Ari Fleischer. Repackaged reality and if you’re honest, really, really time.” Inboxes filled with was incorrect. SirCam’s built-in e- controlled by heartless corporate directors and etc.: Most take their honest about it, you simply say, I don’t by a huge margin. So, either day wonders, fading out within “friends,” saying they feel they and dissecting the human drama into responsibility to the public seriously, messages asking for advice have money-slugs who would sell their really know. But I’m trying to. (IPS) SirCam is one incredibly 48 hours of being identified. have come to know them by mail program can spoof addresses. tidy sound-bites until your eyes glaze already become the norm for own mothers for a juicy 175-point genuinely want to tell the “real” story, pervasive and persuasive virus, But viruses like SirCam, peeking into their private And so, when the e-mailed attach- over and you think, there they go get at the honest truth, not overhype those hit hardest by SirCam— banner headline. or its much-heralded predeces- Magistr and Hybris change their Timemagazine as documents. “Yes, I read all the ments just kept coming, some again, the goddamn media, skewing or instil wanton fear and cause you to (Mark Morford writes a column anyone whose e-mail address people started reading them. Either one you choose it’s still a everything, pumping out one-sided on sfgate.com/newsletters/.) GTZ gets active sors didn’t have a huge effect on identity and all these viruses one of America’s best scientists, attachments,” said Terry Anders, build a bunker and wear a hazmat suit ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ appears on a website. Each time “SirCam has been like a sleazy soap rarified cabal of fear-happy headline versions and pro-America headlines as most e-mail users. have been very long-lived in said SirCam and Magistr have a freelance technical researcher. to have sex and never open another FRANKFURT - The state-owned German Agency for Technical the user of an infected computer opera for geeks, so I’ll be sorry to whores who only occasionally stumble ratings magnets until you don’t know Rob Rosenberger of comparison to the one-day many of the same features as “There’s Enrique, he’s looking for greeting card. Most want to deliver Cooperation (GTZ) has acquired a crucial role in Germany’s aid policy boots up a program on that see it fade away,” Anders said. “But across the truth, and almost by who to believe anymore, the ostensibly wonders.” biological viruses and bacteria. a job and is getting desperate. I accident, moments of genuine emotion balanced and thorough information in following the recent decision by the German parliament to focus on vMyths, a virus hoax site, machine, SirCam infects a it’s got to suck for all the people liberal journalists, the ostensibly bilateral cooperation with 70 developing countries, rather than the 118 Hybris, first spotted in “A virus cannot reproduce by keep getting new ‘upgraded’ and human connection, until they cut argues that most “red alert” randomly selected document from who suddenly realise that their conservative media owners, the anti- that Germany provided official aid to until recently. The objective, say October 2000, was still rated as itself. It must do so with host versions of his resume and cover to commercial. viruses are really just tempests the My Documents folder and media cynics, or somewhere in officials at GTZ’s largest client, the Ministry of Economic Cooperation the third most active virus on cells because it contains little or letters. Maria is in human little secrets have been providing in a teacup, dubbing them attaches the document to an e- It’s the typical cynical outlook, between. You can trust no one. and Development, is to increase the efficiency of aid and strengthen Sophos’ summer list, with 4.1 no machinery for protein resources and is struggling hard tomad amusement for techies around regional cooperation. “This (new policy) enables us to respond “Hystericanes” that do little mail. It then sends that e-mail to amplified by innumerable anthrax percent of all reported infec- synthesis,” Young said. “In keep a large corporation happy. the world.” flexibly, and at short notice, within a setting that is changing at an damage to few users and fade randomly selected names gathered hoaxes and uncountable collateral tions. It often cops a top spot contrast, a bacterium is a Gerald is an immigration lawyer ever-quicker pace—a crucial factor, especially in the case of emer- fast. Impact statistics for the from an infected computer’s e- gency assistance measures,” says GTZ director-general Bernd on virus threat lists, but unicellular organism that with a heavy caseload and a short best-known viruses seem to mail address book and Internet Eisenblaetter. The new policy will enable GTZ to respond directly to confirm Rosenberger’s theory. infection rates have continued contains its own machinery for tensions and conflicts and reconcile divergent interests. This is to diminish significantly since reproduction. A biological worm cache files, which contain copies OPINION by GEORGE SOROS Melissa, which spread across of recently visited websites. becoming increasingly important as crisis prevention and conflict networks in March 1999, only last October. Hybris updates such as a tapeworm or a liver management move higher up Germany’s development cooperation itself by downloading little fluke is a multicellular organism agenda. Other areas of GTZ activity include helping implement the UN reached fifth place on antiviral Convention to Combat Desertification in development cooperation for company Sophos’ list that pieces of code that allow it to that not only contains its own (Wired) natural resource management and desertification control in dry zones, month, with a mere 6 percent perform new, malicious actions. machinery for reproduction but where 1.3 billion people live. GTZ also has a crucial role in bringing of all reported infections. But so far, the text of an has many multiple cells that private companies to co-finance government-aided development “VBS/LoveLet,” better known infected e-mail always refers to perform specialised functions.” projects. An example of the so-called public-private partnerships Snow White and the Seven Fix it, don’t sink it(PPPs) is an innovative solid waste management system in Peru being as the Love Bug, came in first Computer viruses are introduced in cooperation with a Frankfurt company. In Nepal, in place when it debuted in May Dwarves, which makes it easier malicious programs that spread for computer users to identify The WTO could do with a cooperation with the Sulzburg firm Primavera Life, GTZ is training 2000, but claimed only 36 only through physical actions local specialists in organic farming. Germany’s annual budget for percent of all reported infec- than Magistr. such as clicking on an e-mail better-defined mandate and development cooperation is about $4 billion, just under 0.3 percent of tions. That record was barely Magistr has appeared in the attachment or sharing an gross national income. The UN target is 0.7 percent. topped by AnnaK in February top five of most antivirus infected diskette. In this respect, less sweeping powers, but it 2001, with 38.2 percent of all companies’ lists since it was they are similar to biological needs to stay. reported infections. Variants of first spotted in March, and has viruses. A computer worm— ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ all three of these viruses maintained a steady rate of malicious code that can auto- occasionally turn up, but the infection. SirCam is similar to matically replicate itself over WTO’s regal status needs to be changed. First, the order of (IPS) originals sputtered out after Magistr. Both create the networks—is biologically similar precedence between WTO and national laws should be only a few days of running wild. subject, body and attachment to bacteria, which is capable of reversed. As things stand, no country can use trade sanctions SirCam’s infection rate is text of their infectious e-mail reproducing without any outside to impose its own standards on another country when an far greater than that of its attachments from files on an help. Technically, both Magistr imported product is the same as the nationally produced predecessors and, although infected computer. Magistr and SirCam are worms as well as one. Banning imported hormone-treated beef, for example, viruses. Both require an action— is disallowed, unless there is evidence that that beef is clicking on an infected attach- different from domestically produced beef. The exception is if there is an international agreement to which both countries have subscribed. But such agreements are hard to reach. Countries should be allowed to enforce their higher national standards on imported and domestic goods

unlessWTO experts find that such domestic standards ew people question the benefits of international trade. And since global should be prohibited or are unnecessary. markets require international institutions, the World Trade Organization Second, the WTO was overreaching when it became involved in intellectual F(WTO) is in many ways the most fully developed such institution. It hasproperty rights. Intellectual property rights have turned science into business, been successful at creating international law, and adjudicating disputes andwhich is motivated by profit. This process has gone too far, posing an obstacle to enforcing its decisions. But the economic dislocations of the last decade, andimportant research for developing countries. Far more money, for example, is the lack of adequate social safety nets in less developed countries have spent today on developing cosmetics than on curing tropical diseases. Patent and generated tremendous resentment against globalisation. As member statescopyright protection are needed, but this constitutes a restraint of trade. How meet in Qatar today, globalisation’s opponents want to “shrink or sink themuch is justified? The calculus is different for technologically advanced countries WTO.” They are misguided. that profit from innovations and press for their protection by the WTO, and less- The WTO has its shortcomings, but it is designed to guide international developed countries that have to pay for them. LDCs have reason to be resentful trade, not pursue social goals. The trouble is not the WTO, but the lack of aboutTrade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs). similarly effective institutions devoted to social goals like environmental protec- Third, the agreement on Trade Related Investment Measures (TRIMs) tion, food safety, human rights and labour rights. The WTO’s should be renegotiated to allow support for homegrown small and medium modus operandi enterprises. TRIMs are designed to provide a level playing field between foreign is unsuitable for social development. Its strength is its enforcement mechanism,and domestic enterprises. But in a world in which capital is free to move around, which states accept because they want the benefits of trade. They will not acceptthe it playing field is heavily tilted in favour of international investors and multina- in other areas. Would China, soon to be a member, agree to the inclusion of tional corporations. TRIMs institutionalise and reinforce this bias. Countries human rights? Would the United States be amenable on the environment? often offer tax incentives and other subsidies, often even bribes, to transnational Enforcing agreed-upon rules is not appropriate for achieving social goals, as manycorporations because they have to compete to attract foreign investment. The countries lack the resources to meet international standards. Instead, it wouldWTO be does not address these issues and there are no rules against activities of better to provide resources to enable poor countries to comply voluntarily. Fortransnational corporations harmful to the countries in which they operate. example, instead of introducing a WTO rule prohibiting child labour, we oughtAlthough incentives for domestic small and medium businesses (microcredit and to provide resources for universal primary education and then demand that better financing) should be provided outside the WTO, trade rules should be recipients of such support eliminate child labour over time. modified to make room for such support. Still, there are valid objections that call for significant changes in WTO rules. The WTO is practically the only international institution to which countries (Project Syndicate) willingly subordinate themselves. This makes it too powerful, because its trade liberalisation rules trump domestic regulations aimed at social values. The George Soros is Chairman of the Open Society Institute and of Soros Fund Management. and the Maoists want him to resign. He has not been able to 141414 ASIA 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES FROM THE NEPALI PRESS THIS PAGE CONTAINS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE NEPALI PRESS Since education is a9 very - 15 important NOVEMBERcome homeNEPALI 2001 for DasainTIMES for151515 the last area, it is only natural that it will bethree years, because the Maoists COMMENT by PRAFUL BIDWAI directly affected by the situation of told Bal Bahadur that his brother regime collapses. Such Jumbo Cabinet the country. Our party has always should send in his resignation once NEW DELHI- Recent disclosures that reports, and action by The new drug problem ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ raised its voice against the he reaches home. ○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Khojtalas,4 November Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is not safe, the deep-penetration privatisation and commercialisation There is presently a truce unit, may only further NEW DELHI - India has followed up its offer to supply cheap anti- Speech, after long silence coming amid unrest over the war in of education, and it is in this between government and Maoist intensify the crisis in Pakistan. anthrax drugs to the United States with the announcement of an Recently Prime Minister Sher Afghanistan, and rumours that the US Nuclear worries affordable and effective vaccine against the deadly bacteria being Babu Ram Bhattarai context that you have to under- forces. Also, most army and police might be planning to “neutralise” it, Pakistani and Indian authorities used in bio-terrorist attacks in America. Last month India cocked a Bahadur Deuba expanded his 13- stand our stance. personnel have returned home for once more highlight South Asia’s are downplaying the vulnerability of snook at the global patents system by offering the US 20 million member cabinet to 41. This We have to realise that the tablets of ciprofloxacin, the drug of choice against anthrax, at a Kantipur, 21 October Dasain. The Maoists are taking nuclear dangers. The region, which Islamabad’s poorly-safeguarded expansion has placed a bigger present system is a multi-party advantage of this and pressuring the fraction of going costs. Apart from this offer by private pharmaceu- financial burden on the country. He crossed the nuclear threshold in May nuclear arsenal. An official Pakistani tical companies, Foreign inister Jaswant Singh offered a gift of a constitutional monarchy. So all families of people in the army and 1998, could be on the brink of a spokesman says the danger of nuclear $1 million worth of ciprofloxacin to the US to tide over shortages. …Till date two rounds of dialogue have has got together all the smugglers already taken place, and we are now governments that work within this the police to ask their members to confrontation unless India-Pakistan weapons falling into unauthorised But both offers ran up against patents held on the drug by the and made them ministers, at a cost system have to work for the benefit resign. Sources say that the Maoist German pharmaceutical giant Bayer in the US, valid until preparing for the third round. The tragedy of rivalry is defused and pro-Taliban hands is “unthinkable.” The Indian of Rs 50 million per year, an of the monarchy. This means that cadre are moving from house to December 2003. Ironically, the US took India to the WTO dispute the situation is that although the third roundadditional of burden on the country. protests abate in Pakistan. To government, otherwise extremely dialogue is set to begin, there are very many until the present system is not house and threatening the families settlement tribunal, and in 1999 compelled India to begin work on It was estimated that the total complicate matters, US Secretary of adversarial towards Pakistan, also says legislation to introduce product patents and allow foreign patent learned people who have no idea about what completely destroyed, we will not of army and police personnel. The Defence Donald Rumsfeld on 29 Pakistan’s nuclear programme is safe. holders exclusive marketing rights until then. India’s policies until it is being held for, who just refuse to listenexpenditure to of the earlier cabinet be able to completely liberate the students’ wing of the Maoists had October refused to “rule out” the Defence Minister George Fernandes this time fostered the growth of its legendary, privately-owned it, or pretend they know nothing while, in fact,that had only 13 ministers would beeducation sector. The main goal of said earlier that it would try and said last week: “Those concerned with pharmaceutical industry and ensured that drug prices remained they know everything. Do they really think thatonly Rs 25 million per year. This possibility that the US could use under government control. our student wing is to establish a convince the children of army and tactical nuclear weapons against bin Pakistan’s nuclear programme are after making these great sacrifices we will estimatebe has been revised for this US lawmakers have been calling for lifting Bayer’s patent willing to join the present political system, revolutionary education system police personnel to ask their Laden’s suspected hide-outs. responsible people.” He said he was huge cabinet, and now stands at Rs once we come to power. parents to resign from their jobs restrictions given the huge rise in purchases of the antidote there. which is rotten to the core? Don’t you think75 that million. Numerous recent developments, certain that Pakistan would not allow One way out now is the compulsory licensing route under the Trade we are ready for a dialogue to find a way out of We demand that private and try and enlist these children There were not enough flag- including media reports, suggest that anybody to tamper with the devices. Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs), which enables WTO the mess the country is currently in? schools should be handed over to into the Maoist cadre. Given this members to allow cheap local manufacture in the public interest. the danger of Pakistan’s nuclear This is an irresponsible comment, If we try a little and remember the situationbearing vehicles for all these the government. At the moment, wesituation, many people are But compulsory licensing has long been resisted by transnational ministers and so the government weapons or materials falling into the not based on real familiarity with drug corporations that demand higher levels of patent protection of the country to 23 July, we will definitely get are involved in handing over private threatening people according to hands of pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda Pakistan’s nuclear weapons pro- than provided under TRIPs. The International Federation of the answer. Haven’t our great fighters has hired seven vehicles for the schools to local communities, and their whims and fancies. elements is very real. The gramme or practices. There has never Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations (IFPMA) opposes achieved one victory after another, from Dunaiministers of state. The people they will later be brought under The Maoists have started been any clarity among Indian officials compulsory licensing, arguing that it constricts incentives for to Holeri? Doesn’t the “people’s government”,realise that the prime minister research and development and slows the search for better drugs. government control. Education is visiting the families of army and New York on these issues. (Some had dismissed formed in almost all districts now, show thatformed this huge cabinet only to the responsibility of the govern- police personnel in more than 35 Mira Shiva of the Voluntary Health Association of India, says the the nation is ready for a change, that the tighten his grip on power, and to Times,Guardian, the (London) the possibility of Pakistan ability to IFPMA is over-reacting, given the negligible share of developing ment, and it must never back out ofdistricts. Their message is simple: make and test a bomb until the day it countries in the $400 billion global pharmaceutical market. Even people have accepted us and support us fully? Isn’t this proof of our success and our Times, and theWashington Posthave this duty. We want education that “We will soon be forming a tested.) Fernandes’ remark is meant to now, she says, the US is not interested in reforming the global achievements? So how can you imagine that a force which has been victorious on the all carried articles quoting US and patent regime, only in solving ciprofloxacin shortages. military and non-military fronts is surrendering when they come to the negotiating table? It is will benefit society, not schools thatgovernment. If you do not ask your deflect questions about the safety of are run with the intention of family members to resign from the British intelligence officials on the The vaccine was developed at Delhi’s Jawaharalal Nehru stupidity to even think so. Doesn’t this show our greatness, in fact, that as the reactionary India’s own nuclear arsenal (which also forces are moving from one disaster to another and we are moving from one victory to turning a profit. Education must be army or the police as soon as vulnerability of Pakistan’s nuclear has a high potential for mishaps and University, and Panacea Biotec, an Indian company, is committed to mass producing it at a fraction of what existing vaccines cost. another, we are still prepared to come to the negotiating table and speak with them? provided free of cost and work for possible, you may have to leave the weapons. The most revealing is a story accidental or unauthorised use), and to by Seymour Hersh in the 29 October Professor Rakesh Bhatnagar, who helped develop the new vaccine Despite this, the reactionary government is not prepared to find a peaceful way out of this the well-being of all society. country for ever.” dismiss concerns about the unique using recombinant technology, says it is far superior to existing problem and only harps on that it is not prepared to compromise on the present constitution On the issue of giving schools New Yorker. This is a credible account nuclear danger in South Asia. India “supernatant” vaccines produced in the US and in Britain, which or the constitutional monarchy. are expensive, have side-effects and need booster doses. Sameer back to communities, we have said of the high vulnerability of Pakistan’s and Pakistan are disaster- and mishap- Keeping the aspirations of the people in mind, our party has agreed to an agenda that that any person can start a prone. And both their nuclear Brahmachari, a biotechnology expert, says it is inconceivable that nuclear stockpile, and of how the US the US has not yet developed safe recombinant technology meets its goals only halfway. We have put aside our main demands and are ready to meet community fund and then a school, security establishment sees it. Hersh programmes are marked by appalling vaccines. “They probably have them stashed away because of their the other party. For now, we only want an interim government, a new constitution and a but not to make money off it. republic. This is our minimum-points agenda at the moment. These are not communist says the US military has a special deep- breaches of safety regulations. Even strategic value in biological warfare situations,” he said. The new Anyone can work for the benefit of their military infrastructures have a vaccine, which is patented, will be cheap—no high royalties are to principles but are, in fact, pure capitalist ideas that we have put forward… penetration unit to seize, take out or be paid because of the government’s low wages. society. Education must be a social defang Pakistan’s nuclear weapons. bad safety record. In Pakistan, two The above three points are indivisible and inter-related. Negating one makes the others Just how safe are South Asia’s Amit Sen Gupta, an expert on pharmaceutical drugs with the service, it must work for the benefit The commando group is supposedly former senior scientists of the Atomic incomplete—it only takes common sense to figure this out. Anyone can understand that an of society. This was the stand taken Energy Commission have been Delhi Science Forum, sees a lesson in this: “It is finally dawning on interim government leads to a new constitution, and a new constitution leads to a republic. training with an Israeli outfit, Unit everyone that even developed countries need cheap drugs in at the recently concluded conven- nuclear arsenals? arrested and detained for alleged pro- Anyone can figure that out. If we say an interim government only, it means stayingincrease within the durationthe of his term as Poor, but proud 262, known for covert operations ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ times of crisis.” He added that the argument that compulsory present system and constitution and this is not in our interests… tion of our students’ wing. … including theft and assassination. Taliban views and links. Both are said licensing destroys incentives for R&D was specious, as much of it prime minister. People also realise There are certain issues that we had put forward right in the beginning, but itthat seems this is notthat beneficial to the Kantipur,3 November Pakistan is believed to have nuclear weapons could fall into the spokepersons refuse to confirm or to be experts on plutonium technol- happens in areas of little relevance for developing countries. “Take ogy. Media reports, denied by the case of tuberculosis where no new drug has been developed for many people simply did not get it, or analysed it incorrectly. First of all, we havenation agreed and to is a purely political by Khagendra Sangroula between 20 and 60 nuclear weapons. wrong hands. The Pakistan army, deny if there is a special unit engaged Islamabad, say they have been handed 30 years—though this may change with teh resurgence of TB in stop all military activities. We have in no way stopped our political activities—wemove. have Immediately after the (India probably has twice as many). which controls the nuclear pro- in nuclear surveillance in Pakistan, developed countries,” Sen Gupta said. A 1996 WHO report says of over to US intelligence agencies for continued the process of forming people’s governments, the collection of donationsformation and of this huge cabinet a I heard this a couple of months ago. Both states lack reliable command- gramme, may split over militarily and if it is training with Israeli forces. the $56 billion spent worldwide on health-related R&D, only 0.2 other economic and peaceful activities. No one has ever objected to these activities. If interrogation. percent is spent on pneumonia, diarrhoeal diseases and TB, which decree was passed allowing the An Indian businessman wanted to and-control systems to prevent supporting the US-led war. Alterna- But Joseph R Biden, chairman of the people do not understand this, there is little we can do to help them. During this ceasefire, tively, if the existing state structure Senate Foreign Relations Committee, represent 18 percent of the global disease burden. Sen Gupta also prime minister to appoint 49 start a newspaper in Nepal and he unauthorised access to the weapons, or referred to “orphan drugs”, medicines effective against diseases in we will be carrying out our regular activities—everything but our military campaign.ministers. We Inhave addition, each minister collapses, radical Islamicists has confirmed that President George the right to do what we want and no one can tell us what to do. was on the look out for a Nepali their accidental use. If Pakistan’s street tropical and developing countries that cannot be manufactured of cabinet rank could appoint seven who would help him in this sympathetic to bin Laden or the W Bush is consulting senior leaders because they make no profits for transnational companies. I think it will be proper to talk about donations. A donation is something given voluntarily. protests against the war escalate and people and each minister of state Quit, or else endeavour. He did not find anyone the state is destabilised, Islamabad’s Taliban could take over the nuclear on plans to neutralise Pakistan’s It is not collected forcefully, and that is not what we do. Revolutionaries collect donations in ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ arsenal. US government nuclear capabilities if Musharraf’s and deputy minister could appoint and I was quite happy. I was happy a peaceful manner, while the enemies of the revolution collect taxes and fines fiveforcefully people. Spacetime,20 October (IPS) from the people. In fact, the enemies confiscate property forcefully at times, too. We also because I believed that although have the right to collect economic wealth, that is a fundamental belief of any revolution.Recently In Prince Paras and his the Nepalis are poor, they have a Ram Bahadur Biswokarma of ANALYSIS by MARTHA BRILL OLCOTT our efforts to collect donations, we have heard, some difficulties crept in, in the wifeway were we made were Crown Prince and lot of self-respect and are national- doing it. Our leader Prachanda has publicly apologised for that. This does not Crownmean Princess.that we The palace has Dolakha district is terrified and has ists to the core. A few weeks later, I have stopped collecting donations, for the time being or for all time. We are stillsent collecting a letter to thein government moved to Kathmandu. His son, heard that finally some Nepali was many areas. We are just requesting people to be cautious and make sure no onerequesting is that they be given their Bimal, is in the police force, and thewilling to help the businessman. I cheating them in our name… due as set out by the civil list. The Maoists had put a lot of pressure onfelt disheartened. Some Nepali was In the shadow of Tamarlane palace has asked for Rs 3.5 million him, asking him to make his son willing to help this Indian, willing immediately, though in this fiscal resign from the service. Some 20 to to become his stooge. The Nepali is (IPS) year no money was set aside for 30 students affiliated with the willing to start this English paper. within CentralAsia would change, as the US will certainly offer Uzbekistan them. This year’s budget for the Maoist party visited Biswokarma’s This paper is going to be published long-term military assistance as a reward for serving as a gateway for US Keeping China trucking civil list was Rs 12 million. … house a couple of days ago to ask in Nepal, but its heart is not going military engagement in Afghanistan. ○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ his son to resign. to be on this side of the border. Either way, Uzbekistan will distance itself from Russia militarily, which will BEIJING - With the ‘war’ against Afghanistan in its sixth week and The students visited In India there is an organisation not please Russian President Vladimir Putin. But the degree of his displeasure uncertainty gripping the Middle East and Central Asia, China faces Biswokarma’s house at night and related to this field. It is called the will be shaped by the nature of the evolving relationship between Russia and new fears about oil security and has accelerated plans to establish told him that the whole family a strategic oil reserve. For long-term oil security, China needs to Asia Pacific Media Association, APCA NATO. A future US military base in Uzbekistan won’t seem as troubling to reduce dependence on the Middle East as an energy supplier and would face a lot of problems if for short. APCA is now going to set Russia if Moscow is itself preparing for eventual NATO membership, a once- on the US, whose military controls the tanker routes across the Bimal did not resign immediately. itself up in Nepal and start an English fanciful idea that has been a subject for serious discussion in recent weeks. PutinIndian Ocean and the South China Sea. China imports about 30 This has taken its toll on all daily called is also aware of an implicit quid pro quo with the US—Washington’s use of percent of its oil consumption, two-thirds of this from the Middle members of the family, who are in a East. With economic growth steady at around 7 percent in the QUOTE OF THE WEEK state of shock. The women of the Uzbekistan as a stronghold to protect US strategic interests in Central and foreseeable future, the country’s need for oil could only rise—it is Maoist education South Asia creates room for Russian manoeuvring in Chechnya, and possibly expected to reach 390 million tonnes by 2020, with domestic ○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○ family urged Ram Bahadur to come to Himalayan Times, with Georgia as well. This may only partly appease Russia’s displeasure, but it will production at around 180 million tonnes. Last year, despite If you consider the nature of the wrongs that Paras has committed, he should be put in jail,Janadisha, not 1 November Kathmandu and speak with his son. Ram Pradhan as editor. There can be allow Russia to address its own self-defined strategic interests. soaring international prices, China imported 70 million tonnes of on the throne. Ram Bahadur is in a fix. He told two motives for starting this paper in oil, up from 36 million tonnes in 1999. Wang Zhongming, an A US military presence in Central Asia is of even greater potential interest toofficial from the State Economic and Trade Commission, recently —Shyam Shrestha, editorMulyankan of ,inJana Aastha Saptahik, 7 November. Madhav Prasad Sapkota [who?] Spacetime: “If he leaves his job, how Nepal. One is the profit aspect, the China, which, like Russia, has a security relationship with Uzbekistan through emphasised: “We must quickly form regulations in such fields as The students’ wing of our will we run the family, how will the other could be a desire to destroy the membership in the six-nation Shanghai Forum. China would clearly benefit fromSino-foreign cooperation in land and offshore oil exploration, oil organisation has just concluded its children continue their education? If very basis of this country and its and gas pipeline protection and the State oil stockpile to pave way the removal of bin Laden and his multinational terrorist network from Afghani- th he does not quit his job, then any nationalism. for the law,” Wang said. Experts say Beijing should take advantage historic 15 convention. Every The new Uzbek-American alliance is sure to worrystan and might seize this opportunity to crack down pre-emptively on Uighur moment he we will be killed.” The media is a field that helps of depressed oil prices and triple its planned strategic oil stockpile decision taken in this convention separatists in China’s southwest regions and other Chinese Muslim dissidents. spread information, knowledge and Central Asia, China and Russia. to 18 million tonnes. China is also looking anew at gas pipeline has been made public through “We are in the process of ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ But China’s interest in the security relationships of the Central Asian republics isprojects that previously had more political than economic benefit. will inform the people. It can help various means. The most important destroying the present reactionary no short-term matter. Given the region’s energy supplies, it will be a fixed Beijing has announced plans to build a “west-east” pipeline linking build the power of the people, but the natural gas fields in the Tarim basin in Xinjiang with Shang- decisions were that the students government. In its place we will put merica has officially entered into a strategic alliance with Uzbekistan, aobjective of Chinese foreign policy in the years ahead. But for now, China’s it can also destroy it. Media is hai. The official rationale is that the project will bring employment would accept the Prachanda Path a new revolutionary force that will relationship certain to reshape the geopolitical map of Central Asia. government is likely to be content advancing China’s economic interests in directly related to the administra- and jump-start China’s poverty-stricken far west, long troubled by and Maoism as their guiding be peaceful and for the people. AWhile the US has quietly sought to ingratiate itself with the Central Central Asia and ensuring that none of its enemies can take refuge there. separatist movements. But the pipeline faces daunting challenges. Your son is helping the reactionar- tion, the rule of law and the principles, and that they would play Asian states of Kazakstan, Kyrgizstan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan, and It will cost $15 billion to build, 11 ministries will be involved in its political situation of the country. It Russian and Chinese strategic intersts across Central Asia need not be an active part in the “people’s ies suppress the will of the people. Uzbekistan ever since they broke away from the Soviet Union a decade ago, management, and the trunk line alone will traverse 12 provinces can shape the thinking of people, it affected negatively by the US foray there, but Uzbekistan’s neighbours will feel and 50 cities. Experts see the pipeline as the first part of a much revolution”. The state of the So, ask your son to immediately forging military relations with several of them under the auspices of NATO’s can introduce nations and cultures their future security and the regional balance of power might be compromised bylarger grid linking gas fields in Central Asia and China with Japan. education sector is one issue on resign from the police.” This is Partnership for Peace program, a US military presence close to Russia’s Central Asian states such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan hold to the outside world. But it is not a the almost inevitable increase in Uzbek military capacity, a predictable everyone’s minds these days. In fact,what the Maoists who came visiting southern border would have been unthinkable even weeks ago. some of the largest untapped gas resources in the world. Beijing is sector where there is a lot of profit byproduct of cooperation with the US. Uzbek President Islam Karimov has long even right before the convention, in the night told Ram Bahadur. What America’s new relationship with Central Asia will mean for the region’s discussing plans with the Kazakh government to build a pipeline to be earned. Realising the believed it is his country’s destiny to dominate Central Asia and neighbouring from gas fields on the Caspian Sea to Xinjiang and further east to everyone was curious to know what Bal Bahadur Tamang of geopolitics is impossible to predict. No one can now foretell how long the importance and seriousness of this leaders view the recently erected statue in Tashkent of the ancient conqueror markets in Japan and South Korea. line would be taken concerning the Sindhupalchok is also a very US will be engaged in Uzbekistan, or whether America will extend its reach sector, most countries in the world Tamarlane as a warning of that. Many feel American weapons will only fuel private and commercially-run disturbed man. The Maoists have deeper into Central Asia. Much depends on how the ground-war evolves in do not allow foreign investment in Uzbek ambitions. education sector. Even people who threatened him too, as a result of Afghanistan, and if US military presence will make way for a UN- it. India has one of the most did not understand the position which his family could not spend sponsored supervisory mission as in Kosovo. stringent policies concerning this. taken by the student wing started Dasain together this year either. Bal If there is no international military presence in the region, the US may make And a person from this very (Project Syndicate) publicising it. Bahadur’s brother is in the army, its military presence permanent. If it does,Uzbekistan could play the same country, India, is now all set to The nation is in a state of war, cooperative-neighbour role for it that Pakistan did in the latter years of the The Maoists vs Deuba. start a paper in Nepal. … Martha Brill Olcott is Senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for (IPS) Onlooker: “Oh dear...!” and so the situation keeps changing. Cold War. Even if the US were to fully withdraw, the military balance International Peace and author of the forthcoming Kazakhstan: Unfulfilled Promise. Jana Bhawana,5 November and merit, she stooped over and kissed her 161616 SPORTS 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES CULTURE AND SOCIETY son’s9 - 15 NOVEMBERsmall, soundless NEPALI 2001 musical TIMES 171717 instrument. He chuckled as though he’d been tickled, and she too smiled in maternal love. NEPALITERATURE by MANJUSHREE THAPA In the second half of life, she too stands in crowds, in lines, at the gates of temples in a Who will be #1? sinless state of mind, fully liberated from sexual longing, in the hope of receiving the South Africa could eventually replace Australia as blessings of the gods, or in delusion. When the best Test cricket side in the world. someone rings the bell in front of the temple, Bhuvan Dhunganasin and merit suddenly smile at that bell, that symbol of religion, that upside down vulva- THRASY PETROPOULOS ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○ shaped bell and the hanging musical instru- ment of a penis that it tries to cover, but cannot hile the cricket world continues to salute the current Australia their sleep every morning. water. She herself was surprised by the strange fully hide. Tolls and echoes emanate from the side as one of the best in the game’s history, South Africa are comparison. Every year during the Teej One day, towards afternoon time, when her penis-shaped instrument as it knocks and rapidly emerging as challengers to their superiority. True, they Panchami festivals, when the women of the W brother tried to hide the bell somewhere, their thunders against the crevices of the vulva- house were rapt in worship pouring water on cannot match Australia’s record run of 16 successive Test wins. But a look mother heard it ring at a most inopportune time, shaped bell, the tolls outdoing even the top of a banana placed in cupped palms, a at the International Cricket Council’s Test table, reveals them to be far and she scolded her brother— “You’re not hullabaloo of the crowds. She listens, en- corner of her mind would centre on male and closer to Australia than rest of the pack. supposed to ring the bell at off-times, it’s only chanted, to that tolling. female sexual symbols, and she couldn’t lose rung to invoke the gods, in the morning and herself in worship as the others did. She neverToday she finds that bell symbol as evening. You think a bell is a toy?” Writer Bhuvan Dhungana is the author of the probed the mystery of that symbol, it’s beenmysterious as she once found the cupped short story collectionYuddhako Ghoshana As her age increased, she came to under-years she’s kept this sin safeguarded in palms and banana. That bell symbol, that Garnubhanda Aghi (Before the Declarationstand, too, that a bell is not a toy. religion, the mystery of the cupped palmsinstrument and which, without the touch of a of War), a literary translator, an independent-In the passage of time, she turned frombanana—this a symbol of religion. woman’s vulva, cannot make a sound but just hangs there uselessly. She feels a kind of girl into a young woman. She couldn’t become like her mother. minded intellectual, and an active member pride at the woman’s sexual organ, which, Yielding to the pressures of time she became a of Gunjan, a group of woman writers who She remembers—the day of her first upside-down, subdues the machismo of men. housewife as well as a modern woman work- menstruation, when she had to stay locked up When she widens her nostrils to take in the organise monthly meetings in Kathmandu ing outside the house. Her daily routine was in a dark room, a stream of tears had poured fragrance of the incense at the temple as a means of overcoming both minor and extremely hectic. Some days, as she reached out of her guilt-ridden eyes. She thought she grounds, she feels that her entire being is home in the worn out, exhausted, darkening major restrictions on women’s intellectualhad committed a sin. In the days that she being perfumed. evening, she could hear, mixed in with the mobility. The story below shows off remained in that dark room she discovered sound of bells in the neighborhood, the voiceShe’s of already forgotten many of the much about herself. She conceived a sense of Dhungana’s ability to compress time and her absent mother asking, Why so late? Thepleasurable entrapments of sex; but the what was sin, what was merit in a young space in order to throw together a tale that evening bell’s already rung, and you’ve comesymbol of the bell hangs straight in front of her woman’s form. The customs that her mother back tired, haven’t you? Before she couldeyes, come bringing back memories. A faint but is fresh, surprising and quite unexpected.taught her, taking menstruation as a symbol of up with any response, the long sigh of exhaus-unforgettable image appears before her like a This story originally appearedNepal in religion, seemed sometimes like religion, tion inside her, finding no reflection outside,picture. The bell reminds her of an image of sometimes like sin, sometimes like an accusa- magazine. chose to stay inside. Outside the bell keptmale/female on coupling. To remove this sinful tion, and at other times like a gift she’d been ringing, and inside the house her voice stayedthought that arises even in a temple courtyard, The Aussies lead the field with an average of 1.62. South Africa lie in granted, and this is how it seemed to her for suppressed. she lurches forward, grabs the instrument second place with 1.50, while England are third with 1.14. The gulf years. SYMBOL OF RELIGION In the passage of time she turned fromhanging a on the bell, and starts tolling: between Australia and South Africa and the rest is, therefore, immense. On the twelfth day after her menstruation, In her childhood she had heard the young woman into a mother. South Africa have managed to win 12 out of their last 17 Test series, after she had taken her morning bath, put on a including victories in Pakistan and India. They are the only team that can tolling of temple bells. Those bells weren’tyellow blouse and sari, and sat down on a It was a winter’s morning. She had taken off match the Aussies for consistency both home and away. Australia have lost ringing at a temple, though. Her motherspecial had mat to pray, according to tradition,her she year-old son’s clothes so that she could oil only three times abroad over the past four years—to India, Sri Lanka and set up a shrine right next to the kitchen,hung a her head in embarrassment, unablehim to in the sun, and then had fallen into a small version of a temple. The daily routineseven look at the pundit who was teachingquandary. her As she slathered oil on him, her Pakistan, and are unbeaten at home. her mother performed before getting down to South Africa have lost three times in 17 series, to Australia (home and how to make a water offering from cuppedhands stopped suddenly. Her infant son’s housework also involved daily worship.palms And with a banana placed on top. Thosesmall-shaped penis was like that small instru- away) and to England abroad. It is perhaps true that South Africa lack so she would awaken to the cupped palms, the symbol of a woman’s ment-likevulva, dong that hung, tolling, from the bell Australia’s ruthlessness, but when they had the opportunity to wipe the tan-tan, tan-tanand the banana lying on top of it made herin her mother’s hand. Forgetting all about sin floor with the West Indies, they achieved the same 5-0 scoreline. tolling of the bell, the bell that her motherquiver. Her hands trembled as she offered the The two top teams in Test cricket collide in December and January rang just like the alarm clock she now keeps with six Tests split evenly home and away and only then will we know who in her room. can lay claim to the title of the world’s best side. Right now the two teams Once there had even been a pact be- are warming up for that battle. South Africa have just beaten India in the tween her and her younger brother: they first Test of three and Australia warm up by entertaining New Zealand with must hide their mother’s bell that disturbed ta-na- the first Test at Brisbane on Thursday. Their impressive records should na-na, ta-na-na-na, ta-na-na-na…. continue. But while they are close, there is clearly a gap between the sides and that lies in Australia’s staggering strength in depth. There are Aussie batsmen in England’s County Championship who BOOK REVIEW by JANAKI GURUNG would walk into other national sides, and fast bowlers like Damien Fleming, Andy Bichel and spinners Colin Miller and Stuart MacGill to call on. South Africa have few such luxuries. Andre Nel and Justin Kemp do not quite match up to their frontline attack of Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald Everything you always wanted to know about trekking in Nepal (when fit). They do have in Boeta Dippenaar a young batsman versatile enough to cover all bases and Neil McKenzie has promise, but there is not much else ready to step in. And as Australia have shown so readily, it is not encourage an influx of travellers.” love: riddled with factoids, small pages on subjects from leeches (dab so much the personnel as the attitude. (but didn’t know where toSounds find like something Leonardo out) di details, little things that you would salt on the fellows, and they’ll drop But South Africa are now showing a toughness and resolve that is now a Caprio might have said about a certainnever imagine were important until off) to Maoists (you have to be more match for Australia. Their performances have instilled a belief in not only lagoon in the Andaman Sea. But thereyou got to Manang and suddenly it is acareful aboutkhaobadis). their players, but also their politicians. Sports minister Ngconde Balfour you have it: the dilemma of wild and matter of great significance where the Westerners who are squeamish said: “I think we are going to do very well against Australia with the depth exotic places which are wild and exoticbakery is. Or, why you should never of talent we (South Africa) have.” because no one knows about them yet.wave at a low-flying helicopter in the about hiring porters should take Should you tell the others? mountains because it may be on a Armington’s advice about being less “Come here Australia, we are going to murder you,” he said. worried about the moral dilemma of Come the end of March we will see if Balfour’s faith is backed by Armington’s new edition is full of rescue mission and mistake you for the group with the injured patient. Now hiring someone to carry your load, substance. new treks, side-treks from the main and be more careful about whether trails, places where it is worth tarrying.why didn’t I think of that during all these years of trekking? they are paid and equipped ad- He has collected and incorporated equately. (If you are paying less than suggestions of readers of the 1979 The book has other background $28 a day for your organised trek, he edition, like the one who stopped for information that is useful for trekkers: says, then the porters are probably not breakfast at the Komrong Hilton and the history of trekking, ecological tips,being paid enough.) “Using a porter is stayed for four days. the ethics of hiring porters, the not that different than hiring a taxi in different types of trekking and how Most trekkers are on a tight which we pay someone to drive us,” they contribute to the local economy, Dr Raju Tuladhar is quoted as saying. schedule, but Armington notes that and a full 12-page special section on flight uncertainties and the weather The new edition also has excellent Show us the proof the flora and fauna of Nepal (there aremaps with contours, and even side can wreck the best-laid plans, so it is only four pages on the people of Nepal,streams marked. KARACHI: Former South African cricket head Ali Bacher has been asked better to have a buffer. It is also by the way). There is also a whole Armington also shatters some to present any information of alleged match-fixing by Pakistan cricketers important not to hurry past the medical treatise on diarrhoea, and I for at the 1999 World Cup to a Pakistani judicial commission. Lonely Planet has finally updated its trek guide. scenery, and this is not just so you canone never knew there were so many myths like the over-reported story of "We have sent a letter to Dr Bacher asking him to come and share KUNDA DIXIT savour the ambience. There is an different types of gastric infections. Butgarbage on the Everest trail. The real with the commission any information he has on the suspicions he has important health reason: to give your as anyone who has got the runs duringtruth about other myths: it is possible raised on the World Cup matches," Kazim Ali Malik, the commission wenty years after launching to Kathmandu to find work. And whenthe vast vistas. It is about the Nepali body time to acclimatise. With its to have a good enjoyable trek even registrar, said. Trekking in the Nepal the word “trek” entered the Englishpeople and how the trekking trails a walk will tell you: it is vitally altitude warnings for every trek, this isimportant to know prevention and during the rainy season. Despite what The inquiry, headed by Justice Karamat Bhandari, has been orderedT Himalaya,Lonely Planet guide lexicon from Afrikaans after Col reveal a slice of their everyday lives anda book that could quite literally save people say, you should try not to trek by the Pakistan government to investigate allegations that two matches Jimmy Roberts pioneered the first bring to visitors a glimpse of an cure for the exact bug you have. Shoes, books has brought out its much- your life. (For example, it tells you thatsocks, a minimum equipment list, the alone, take a guide/porter as compan- at the 1999 World Cup in Britain involving Pakistan were fixed. Pakistan organised trek for tourists, it fit the uncomplicated world far away from ion for safety and also to generate lost both matches to Bangladesh and India. Bacher, executive director awaited, new improved edition. After trekkers are much more prone to book has all the little fine points that taking the book out for a field trial in description of trudging across the the mad, material rush of thest 21 altitude sickness on the Gokyo trail local employment. for the 2003 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, said last year that countryside in Nepal. may look inconsequential before a Majid Khan, former chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, had the Annapurnas recently, we can say century. Away from the Internet, four-than on the one to Everest Base Camp,trek, but take on enormous impor- Other trivia: where to get the best told him of his suspicions of the results. Four senior players, Waqar So what’s the fun in that, one may that it has been worth waiting for. lane autobahns, from cities lit by and how the climb to Kyanjin Gompatance when you run out of dry socks tongba east of the Arun, where to buy Younis, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saeed Anwar and Moin Khan, have told the The author is that walking encyclope-ask Where is the amusement in may seem easy but it is a 1000 m in inquiry the two matches, as well as Pakistan's losing final against halogens that blot out the stars at on Teshi Labtsa Pass. yak heads in Manang, which police dia of hiking in Nepal, Bhutan and climbing rough trails, staying in rustic Australia, were not fixed. However, former pace bowler Sarfraz Nawaz and night. It is true, Nepal is catching one day from Lama Hotel.) To show The back of the book has a posts are less strict than others. Majid have recorded statements saying they believed there was sub- Tibet, Stan Armington. accommodation, eating strange food? why you should not trek in a hurry, up with that world, but many of the beginner’s guide to basic trekking Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya is stance to the allegations. Nepalis have been trekking long Many Nepalis are perplexed: when we Armington quotes a cryptic conversa- trekking trails can still be a sentences like how to say “Is the trail not a guidebook, it is a trekker’s bible. "Dr Bacher is a very important figure in this inquiry. The commissionbefore tourists got here. This is a walk we walk for a purpose, and yet allpilgrimage of the soul. tion between two trekkers: would like to hear him personally, but so far we have not received any these foreigners wearing big boots are steep?” in Nepali. Armington has also country where locomotion is mainly In a little note at the beginning of tried valiantly to translate some staple answer to our letter," said Malik. "What the commission wants is to hear walking and the national motto is: walking up and down our moun- out Dr Bacher so that it is in a better position to reach a conclusion." The tains—just for fun? the book, Lonely Planet cautions that campfire Nepali folk songs like commission has summoned Pakistani journalists who covered the WorldTwo Legs Good. We walk to the The stupendous scenery is of it cannot include all nice places, and Cup, to its next hearing on 10 November. paddy terraces, we walk to collect exclusion does not imply criticism. “I’ve heard it is possible to do the Trekking in the Nepal Himalaya It’s never been easier to subscribe to water or fodder, to the nearest health course a part of the reward. But “There are a number of reasons why Annapurna circuit in 14 days.” Stan Armington trekking in Nepal, as Armington Nepali Times. post, we walk to and from market, we we might exclude a place,” it goes on, “It’s possible to do it in 40 days , Lonely Planet, 2001, pp 477 walk in marriage processions, we walk suggests in his book, is not just about approx Rs 1,500 EASYEASYEASYTIMESTIMESTIMESJust dial this number and leave your address. 543337 “sometimes it is just inappropriate to my friend.” Resham pheeree ree. There are reader- Armington’s guide is a labour of friendly boxes scattered across the [email protected] 181818 CITY 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES HERITAGE 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES 191919

ABOUT TOWN YAK YETI YAK by MIKU HAPPENINGS

MOVIESMOVIESMOVIES The King of Masks An aged street performer in 1930s The perfect shape Sichuan realises he has no heir to whom he can pass on his ancient tradition and secrets, so he purchases a son on the black market. Wu Tianming, China, 1996. 11 November, 5.30PM, A new book shows that in the Russian Cultural Centre. Inter-Cultural Film Society, [email protected]. 537551 Buddha’s Asia, there are many forms. on Thailand, Laos, Myanmar Nepali and Hindi movies online ticket booking at ○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○

and other south-east Asian MIN BAJRACHARYA www.nepalshop.com countries. Not surprisingly, duo have managed to judiciously Cummings is today considered balance eye-candy with little- an expert on the area. known facts and theories. The EXHIBITION Trekking in Helambu in the book covers 11 Asian nations Digital Art 1995-2001 by Jyoti Duwadi. Until 26 November. Siddharta Art Gallery Baber from Japan to Afghanistan, where BOOKWORM mid-1970’s, Wassman realised his Mahal Revisited. 411122 calling was capturing moments of the Bamiyan Buddhas are now QUEEN WITH SPELLING BEES: Queen Komal poses with winners of Paintings and sculptures by Surendra Pradhan and Ram K Bhandari. Park Gallery, life in pictures. He began as an just a memory. With a foreword the 27th Aishwarya Shield spelling contest at St Xaviers School on 7 by the renowned American Pulchowk. Until 20 November, 10AM-6PM, Sunday-Friday. 522307 Wild Orchids in Nepal: The Guide to the Himalayan Orchids of the Tribhuvan amateur photographer and soon November. The Swiss Alps Photo exhibition. Videos on various aspects of the Swiss mountains, Rajpath and Chitwan JungleKevin White and Bhagirath Sharma worked his way to professional authority on Buddhism, Robert including the highest train in Europe and cheese-making, everyday at 5.30PM, except Sunday. White Lotus, Bangkok, 2000 standards. In 1987, he won the Thurman, 6-11 November, 10AM-5PM, Hotel de l’Annapurna. Organised by the Embassy of Switzerland, Rs 2,650 Pacific Area Travel Association Buddhist Stupas in New Delhi and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation for the International Year The result of 20 years of observing Nepal’s orchids, this is a hands-on companion to Nepal’s (PATA) Gold Award for his story Asiaattempts to explain the of Mountains 2002. most accessible orchid habitats, with practical advice for the visitor, and a handbook for the on Pashupatinath and was one of essence of a stupa, the soul, orchid grower or armchair traveller. This volume has a wealth of data on wild species and the 50 photographers chosen to something the collaborators on EVENTSEVENTSEVENTS detailed descriptions, and also reports on sixteen new Nepal records. cover Thailand for the Kodak- this volume feel the many modern Action Asia Himalayan Mountain Bike Race Series Opening 2001 9 November, 3PM, sponsored Seven Days in the stupas sprouting all over the

parade from Himalayan Bank through Thamel. 10, 18 and 24 November. Open to all, fiveThe race Throne of the Gods: An Account of the First Swiss Expedition to the Kingdom. Since the eternal eyes of globe lack. RAM PRASADHUMAGAI categories, great prizes. Himalayan Mountain Bike. [email protected]. 437437 HimalayasArnold Heim and August Gansser Swoyambhunath first stared back “The stupa needs a soul. The Contemporary Jazz dance classes by Meghna Thapa. At Alliance Francaise Sundays and White Lotus, Bangkok, 2000 at him in 1968, Wassman has had new stupa being built in Godavari Tuesdays 4.30PM-6.30PM, 241163. At Banu’s, Kamal Pokhari, Wednesdays 6.30PM-8PM, Rs 2,550 a rather strong case of obsession certainly has one and transcends Saturdays 1.30PM. 434024, 434830 with stupas. But it wasn’t until politics,” says Wassman, Originally published in German in 1938, this account was written by two geologists who ALOK TUMBAHANGPHEY ○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○ their journey in the late 1960’s about a decade ago that he began referring to the new structure spent eight months in the Himalaya, including in the “forbidden” lands of Nepal and Tibet. he Buddha said, “The path when they realised that there working on an entire book being built in Lalitpur, which is MUSICMUSICMUSIC The authors made geological studies, recorded altitudes and observed the lives of the people, to nirvana is enlightenment.” were more ways to happiness dedicated to these architectural inspired by Burmese, Tibetan MORE TALK: Foreign Secretary-level talks between officials of Bhutan Live music Saturday nights with dinner and wine at La’Soon Restaurant and Vinotheque,animals and plants. The volume includes period photos and maps and is a valuable resource TThat may have been just than the West offered. masterpieces. Wassman was and Nepali designs. and Nepal over “harmonisation and verification” of Bhutanese refugees Pulchowk. 535290 for naturalists, geologists and mountaineers. what author Joe Cummings and Cummings was a political journeying across Asia, staring into Although Cummings says he Weekends at The Jazz The Bar Jazz Commission on Thursdays, Chris Masand’s Latin began in Shital Niwas on 5 November. photographer Bill Wassman were science student in North Carolina its very soul, when he ran into writes “as an art historian”, he is band on Fridays and on Saturdays An Fainne. 7PM onwards, Shangri-La Hotel. 412999 after in the more than eight years when he came to his own realisa- Cummings at a festival in southern Live music Tuesday and Friday nights at the 40,000 ½ ft Bar, Rum Doodle Restaurant. quick to add that for him, Courtesy Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 227711, [email protected] they spent researching the and tion. On his first day at college in Laos in 1998. That, he decided, personally, stupas are more than 414336 author Joe Cummings of the part- 1970, he recalls thinking about was what he needed, a master in Live acoustic music Dinesh Rai and Deependra every just works of art. It is this CLASSIFIED philosophical, part-coffee table America’s involvement in Vietnam, the subject to write about what he combination of the aesthetic and Friday at the Himalatte Café. 7.30PM-10PM 262526 book “I had to establish myself as a was photographing. the academic that is the book’s Buddhist Stupas in Asia: The moral object,” he says. He began That old cliché about not

○○○○○○○○○○ biggest strength, and sets the tone Stupa iewV and Restauranterrace & T at The Borderlands Resort For canyoning, rafting, Shape of Perfection. Published by searching for more information on judging a book by its cover is right MIN BAJRACHARYA EATING OUT for what it attempts to do— Baudhanath Stupa. Well-appointed restau-trekking at Tibet borders, Professional Develop- the international guidebook the East and later came to on about illustrate the different ways that Le Cafe des TrekkersNew Tibetan and French restaurant. Special Spanish Paella on rant and terraces with views of stupa andment Program, Leadership Courses and many purveyors Lonely Planet, the Thailand as a Peace Corps Buddhist communities across Asia 2,3,4, 9,10,11 November. Jyatha, Thamel, opposite Hotel Blue Diamond.Himalayas. International vegetarian more. 425836/425894. volume has just been released in volunteer. Eventually there came a have understood the teachings of specialties, pizza from clay oven, ice cream,[email protected]. 225777 Nepal and is sure to be a bestseller. Master’s degree in Asian art history the master through the difference soft guitar tunes on Fridays, Saturdays, www.borderlandresorts.com. and Thai language from the Splash Bar and GrillNew fifth-floor outlet with view of city and Sundays from 5PM on. Special events on full Cummings and Wassman, in the architectural design of surrounding hills. Radisson Hotel. 411818 University of California at Berkley, moon. Open daily 11AM-8.30PM. 480262. both well known names in the Buddhist Stupas in Asia. stupas. ALPS COME TO THE HIMALAYA: Swiss Ambassador to Nepal, Walter ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ travel guidebook industry, and followed by more than 35 works Barbecue lunch with complementary wine or beer for adults, soft Nagarkot Deepawali SpecialB&B, three-course It may look like just another Gyger showing Prime Minister Deuba pictures of the Swiss Alps at an both devout Buddhists, began drink for children. Saturdays and Sundays at the Godavari Village Resort. 560675 international gourmet dinner, transport both glossy on Asia, but the talented Rox RestaurantTraditional home-style European cuisine from a wood-fired oven. Steaks, exhibition at Hotel de l’Annapurna on 4 November. Secretary wanted Minimum three years ways. Rs 1,440 or $19. Naked Chef, Nagarkot. trout, roasted vegetables, desserts. Hotel Hyatt Regency. 491234 417368, 680115 Peking Duck and Mandarin Music Chinese chefs’ mild and spicy delicacies secretarialfrom the far- experience, excellent written and spoken English, computer & basic accounts, east at the Imperial Pavilion every Sunday. Hotel Shangri-La. 412999 filing. Travel agency experience an advan- K-Too! Beer and Steakhouse not the “longest”, Saturday lunchat Restaurant Kantipur, Club Himalaya, Nagarkot. BBQ buffet Rstage. 500 perImmediate start. Position for GM of head. 410432 Adventure Travel Co. Bio-data and photo “highest”,to “first” or any other superlative. Just a Sandwiches Over the Rainbow American Diner with Fifth Avenue sandwiches, POfull mealsBox 12673 KTM. relaxed, easy-going bar and restaurant with the at backpacker prices. Opposite Pilgrims Book House, Thamel. 426518 coldest beer and juiciest steaks this side of the Saturdays at the MallaSwimming and French chef’s barbecue lunch. 11AM-5PM. The moon. By the Kathmandu Guest House. 433043 Malla Hotel. 418385, 410966 Kodari Eco Resort Peace in natural sur- roundings, good views of Nepal/ Tibet HMB Mountain BikingHave your bike serviced border, jungle-covered mountains, Buddhistor repaired by HMB’s Professional Mechanics at GETAWAYS monasteries, ancient Shiva cave. Hike tothe HMB Workshop. Riding gear, accessories Chiso Chiso Hawama Summer B&B package for Nepalis and expatriates. Rs 1,250villages per with various ethnic groups, vantageand parts available. Second hand bikes bought/ points to Himalayas. Comfortable accommo-sold/hired. New and reconditioned mountain head. Club Himalaya Nagarkot Resort. 410432, 414432 dation, attached bath, balcony or terraces, Escape to Jomsom Two nights, three days, B&B package with tours and Pokhara- bikes for sale. Himalayan Mountain Bikes— good food, friendly service. 480262, Tours and Expeditions. 437437. Jomsom return airfare. Expats $250 per head. Valid until New Year. Jomsom [email protected] Resort. 434870 Dwarika’s Escapes Breathtaking Escape, two nights package with complimentary Sekuwa for Friday night check-in, Krishnarpan dinner, afternoon tea, cocktail, half-hour mas- Best Room in Thamel Long-term only. Private sage, breakfasts. Rs11,800 per couple. Or bid for the Anytime Escape, full overnightThe waypackage to Mexico is too far. Botega Restau-terrace, bath, double-bed, wardrobe, shelves. in one of Dwarika’s suites. Bidding starts at $130 per night. Until 18 November. rant479488 and Tequila Bar is near Thamel Chowk.Quiet, private, and a great view. $5 per day. Nagarkot Escape Weekends in cottages, views of the Himalayas, valleys and266433. forests. 15 percent off-season discount.Contact John 548119. Special rates for Nepalis and resident expatriates. Hotel Keyman Chautari. [email protected] 436850 Himalayan Feelings fusion band playing every Friday night at Dwarika’s Hotel. Rs555 per For insertions ring NT Marketing at 543333-36. person, Rs1010 per couple includes full Sekuwa dinner and complimentary beer/soft drink. Call 479-488 for reservations.

For inclusion in the listing send information to [email protected] on FM 102.4 NEPALI WEATHER by NGAMINDRA DAHAL

This satellite picture taken Wednesday evening shows a strong westerly band moving across central Nepal, the Mon-Fri 0615-0645orld BBC Today W reason for overcast skies and a drop in maximum temperature. Nepal has also been hit by winter GangeticSat 0615-0645Science BBC in Action haze much earlier than usual this year, bringing down visibility throughout the midhills up to an altitude of Sun 0615-0645Agenda BBC

DSES-07-11-2001 1000 GMT 3,300 m. More westerlies are expected and they will bring the season’s first snows to the high passes. Winter rains have failed for the past two years, but all indications areDaily 2045-2115g]kfnL BBC ;]jf;]jfg]kfnL;]jf that this year there will be normal precipitation. Mini- mum temperatures are now into the single digits. Daily 2245-2300g]kfnL BBC ;]jf;]jfg]kfnL;]jf

KATHMANDU VALLEY Radio Sagarmatha

Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681 Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 E-mail: [email protected] www.radiosagarmatha.org 24-11 25-10 25-09 24-11 24-09 /]l8of] ;u/dfyf 202020 9 - 15 NOVEMBER NEPALI 2001 TIMES Under My Hat NEPALI SOCIETY only last week to restrict all non-essential travel. He this—this is not a tradition that was just being careful, that’s all. by Kunda Dixit forgives negligence. What has gone completely unnoticed in all this Gobinda’sThe sweet devotion of Gobinda tooth hullabaloo is that in Nepal, a khukuri is part of our Das’ family to the national sweet rom all corners of the world, reports are pouringnational dress. We don’t think twice about sticking heritage of the country means their store has quite a reputation. in of Nepalis who have made it big and got majorcold steel into our patuka in the morning before The Hanuman Dhoka Darbar F breaks. About time. Nepalis are now award- heading off to our ten-to-five jagir at Charkhal Adda. still relies on supplies from his winning international authors, dot.com entrepreneurs,But America is different: there it is every man for shop for all the royal pujas there. they have done double PhDs in the mating habits of the The Kumari’s house ordered the Greater Himalayan Red-nosed Langur, and Nepalis like 32 varieties of traditionally Kirtiman Lama have become the first to jog up to the prescribed sweets when the summit of Mt Everest Alpine Style in shorts, without new Kumari was instated recently. And during the Rana himself or herself. One knife is not regime, the queens used to rely enough. Overwhelming force is the only on Gobinda Das’ family to keep deterrence against mugging on the mean them Don’t mess aroundstreets. with us oxygen, and without a stun gun. And here is some news just in: a Nepali has By allowing himself to get caught, shattered all previous world records for the number of Subash has also become the first Nepali khukuris ever carried by an airline passenger in his after Girija Prasad Koirala to make an carry-on luggage. It is indeed a matter of great national extended appearance on CNN, and raise pride that a Nepali will now go into the Guinness Book the country’s national profile in the dudh swari, mohan keshari of World Records in the category “Number of Knives international arena. All this free publicity and other delectations required Taken Undetected Through Security Check” by beating can only be good for our tourism and for their Tij fasts. the previous record holder by eight knives and a pepper pashmina industries which, as we know, are For eight generations, sweet- spray. Yet another indication that when it comes to both going through a somewhat sleepy making has been the main brandishing the khukuri and setting new thresh- period. It has been calculated that if we had family business of the olds of achievement with the Knational Knife, f you think fast food is a newobligations to tradition. Rajbhandaris. His great- Knepalis are right up there with the best the to pay for all the air time Nepal got after the phenomenon in Nepali “I am a master craftsman grandfatheras Bhandas, migrated society, consider this: world has to offer. O’Hare episode, it would have run into $9 I far as making sweets are from Patan in search of fortune. Gobinda Das Rajbhandari, 73, We don’t know what motivated the million, almost the exact cost of a brand new concerned, and I am an expertHis start-up capital: “ claims that his on the traditions and norms of heavily armed dude to muster the courage to Super Puma. roti outlet in now- nyarka Difficult as it is for us these days to make it sweet-making,” he says with a go through with his feat, but given the terror crowded Maru has been servingtwinkle in his eye, and no hintpyamo” (Rs 5), his skill: tradi- that our Gurkha forebears have struck in to prime time news, Nepalis have found quick meals to government of modesty. tional sweet-making, already his employees and traders for the the hearts of the enemy by waving ingenious ways to hit headlines despite saturation Traditional sweet-making family’sin occupation. Hewell did khukuris around in the world’s wars, we coverage of Afghanistan. (Network News Editor: last 100 hundred years. for himself. So well, that five In recent decades many Kathmandu Valley is a complex know that this brave young man was “Look at this coming in the ticker, another Nepali sociological matter that bringsgenerations later his outlet sells sweets worth some Rs just carrying on a glorious tradition of caught trying to take two pressure cookers past have relinquished their genera-together art and tradition. Births, tions-old family occupation of 60,000 per day during the valour and gallantry. But like all security. We’ll lead with that, drop the capture of bin marriages, birthdays, deaths humble, modest and self-effacing making traditional, labour- and other cultural and socialfestival and wedding seasons. Gobinda Das’s 21-year-old son Nepalis who tend to downplay Laden to second main.”) intensive Nepali sweets andoccasions require a mind- Now, everyone worldwide who thought Nepal snacks, or have felt the need bogglingto variety of sweets withnow spends all his time their own achievements, our supervising production and was just another banana kingdom knows that it is oneinclude more eye-catching particular shapes and ingredi- man told American network Indian items on their menus to managing the shop. And young with a great martial tradition. No one messes around ents, each symbolic of certain TV that he was carrying the survive changing demands. Butnorms and beliefs. And theseDurlabh Das is determined to knives to protect himself with us. And it is also a country where a major world Gobinda Das, 73, is undeterred.might differ among the manypass on the family business against the al-Qaeda. After all, record is shattered every day. Kirtiman has done it again: He firmly believes that tradingsub-clans within the Newar to his son, one day. Take a walk down Maru and watch Shitall Niwas had issued a travel first person to climb Everest without breathing. only in good old Nepali delica-communities. A real sweet- advisory to all Nepalis planning to visit the Chicago area cies is still economically viable.maker needs to know all of Gobinda Das getting ready for Moreover, he believes he has the Tihar rush.

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