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2 4 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 Why can’t a woman be more

like a man? www.nepalitimes.com #186 5 - 11 March 2004 24 pages Rs 25 lthough men are supposed to be from Mars, space robots that have been looking under rocks on the surface of the Red APlanet these past weeks have found no traces of members of Schools are the male species hiding there. Perhaps, if the staffing of the Weekly Internet Poll # 126 turning into American space program was more gender balanced and there were Q. How would you describe the status of more female scientists calling the shots, the quest for intelligent life human rights in Nepal? battlefields, in the inner planets would have centred instead on children are being UNDER MY HAT Venus, where there would taught to fight Kunda Dixit have been a higher probability War school of finding women. (The good news is that space scientists have now Total votes:1,180 found proof that there is water on Mars, although no traces of it Weekly Internet Poll # 127. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com have yet been discovered in Sanepa.) Q. How do you gauge the prospect of the As we get ready to mark another Intergalactic Women’s Day Nepali Congress reuniting? back here on Planet Earth, it is time once more to pay tribute to the longstanding struggle of women from all walks of life for equal rights with men. If men can make complete asses of themselves, it is argued, then women should also have the right to make she-asses of their good selves. This is what gender equality is all about. Over the ages, in the arena of behaving like idiots, it was the men who enjoyed a monopoly. But it is not pre-ordained which sex should have more morons, and if women too want to be as idiomatic as us men, then where is the harm? Having had a headstart, us men have always had an unfair advantage in the race to be the most-asinine sex. So women have a lot of catching up to do, but given perseverance, commitment and determinism they can be as (if not more) idiosyncratic as us. Some men may have their egos slightly dented when they see women overtaking them in the march towards mediocrity, but they should take solace in the fact that imitation is the best form of flattery. A Maoist militia unit drill in the playground What would be more of the Pipallarge Secondary rooms and School wide openin Rukum delightful than to see playgrounds. Some schools have they proudly call their ‘Child two weeks ago. women civil servants literally turned into battlefields Militia’, the Maoists are tapping AKASH CHETTRI mimicing men as they started,” says Puri, adding that the when soldiers schools across the region for squeeze zits in public Maoists may be training them to on patrol come AKASH CHETTRIin RUKUM students in grade 9 and 10. Earlier, while sunning themselves become militants. Since the other upon Maoists the students would be taken and on the balcony of the Department of Women and Labour. children are not attending classes, in schools, or vice versa. Five fearing that they may also be the teachers told they were just children were killed during a Ever since cave men dragged cave women by the hair and chool principal Birbhan going to attend cultural programs chewed mastodon entrails with their mouths open, right down to Puri of Birendra Higher abducted, Puri has closed down firefight in the SharadaEditorial Secondary p2 the school for now. or political lectures. Now, there are School at MudbaraA guru in Doti of district love the modern industrial age where men still haven’t learnt to stow SSecondary School has spent no explanations, school yards are in December, and hundreds of their toilet seats in an upright position during takeoff and landing, sleepless nights waiting for 65 of Across the midwestern districts being turned into parade grounds us boys have been rightly called the stronger sex. Speaking of which, his students abducted by Maoists of Rukum, Achham and Rolpa, villagers fled Khimdi in Kailali in and classrooms into military January when fighting broke out a recent survey has found that men, on average, think about sex 23 to return home. the few schools that have managed training centres. hours a day and the remaining one hour they spend in Since they were taken away in to stay open so far, against all odds, around a school compound where To be sure, the security forces the army was camped. extracurricular activities such as taking sun-baths on the balcony of Bafikot on 25 February, all Puri, are being forced to close. There are no security forces to be seen and are also using schools as campsites the Ministry of Manpower during which period they don’t think his colleagues and the children’s and barracks. Usually, in these about anything in particular. parents can do is pray. The rest of the only presence of the civil service or government are teachers remote hills, schools are strategically So, if women want to play catch-up with us chaps, they will the students are so traumatised that located along ridgetops. They have have to take up some manlike hobbies, like: they are afraid to go to school. like Puri. “We have no idea where they In a bid to strengthen what were taken, their exams had just continued p8

z Not just complain that we have a headache, but become headaches ourselves z Let our eyes rove all over the member of the opposite sex we are talking to, taking time to closely inspect the front bumper and the boot z Use the Phau period to go on an all-out offensive against the opposite sex z Treat anyone who has the nerve to overtake you on the Rabi Bhaban uphill as a personal affront to maledom and sideswipe him z When lost in a strange city, never consult a map, never ask for directions and show we’d rather be lost than found These simple ideas will allow even the most feminine woman to be as macho as the hairiest of us testesterone-filled numbskulls who are proud to call ourselves men. CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59 equal to men? We are not sure. Are the Khadkis a dalit caste or not? That’s up for debate. What EDITORIAL #186 OP-ED 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 2 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 is the economic status of the 3 Chepangs as compared to the Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, ChiefKunda Editor: Dixit Desk Editors:Trishna Gurung, Jemima Sherpa Chettris? It’s anyone’s guess. The party. This is the fear that has Design:Kiran MaharjanWeb: Bhushan Shilpakar Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] fact is, we are only now coming prompted Thapa’s cabinet Subscription:Anil Karki,[email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur into definition as a country. colleagues into packing the GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-5543333-6, Fax: 01-5521013 The intellectual ferment of government with people they [email protected], www.nepalitimes.comPrinted at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 01-5547018 Educating foreigners our times is not obvious to the personally trust. Thapa’s attempt the past.” newcomer to Nepal. What is Whichto appoint handpicked wayofficers now? Outsiders turn to insiders for insight, they ought to also read up To be fair, most Nepalis also obvious is the day-to-day muddle into each ministry to look after We have to A GURU OF LOVE hen an experienced going over obscure events from have a poor sense of history. The of a country undergoing immense o far this week: the US the welfare of the RPP cadre was foreign ‘Nepal hand’ decades or even centuries ago, reason? Only in 1990 were we social and political ambassador goes on a fact- also motivated by a similar ur nights have never been darker. The gloom turns to recently left the country, examining any number of social freed from the Panchayat era’s transformation. finding mission to mid- apprehension. The move was know what our doom with each week that this nightmare of conflictW and S flat, propagandistic ‘Ode to the checkmated by mainstream confusion drags on. Warring sides gauge their successhe took with him his inside issues, decoding the mysteries of This muddle must be western Nepal in a US aircraft, destination is O knowledge of all that ails us now. current politics. Of course, Shahs’ version of our past. Only catching; for it is visible King Gyanendra issues a set of political parties without the on a daily score of body counts, and the measure of victory is Narayanhiti strategists coming how many more Nepalis each side has killed that day, Anotherand this influential foreigner who outsiders will turn to insiders for since then have we begun to everywhere in Kathmandu’s directives to his appointed whole fratricidal madness takes us into an area of darknesshas acquired in-depth knowledge insight: and insiders often enjoy discover, for real, who we have diplomatic and aid sectors. One into the fray. from which, sometimes, there seems to be no escape. This sharing their wisdom. The been and who we are now. glaring example: the weird, For his part, Koirala has been week’s score in Bhojpur was 30:20. problem is, many foreigners in The histories of our willful optimism in the STATE OF THE STATE in politics too long not to realise Who won? Are we competing to reach a threshold of death in GUEST COLUMN Nepal’s international community dissidents, for example, is only international community when CK Lal the true significance of these order to build up a momentum for peace again? If so, how many seemingly unrelated develop- dead Nepalis is enough? Each death inures us, numbs us, soManjushree the Thapa seem to rely more on cocktail hour just being written. Because the King Gyanendra took over in government, the estranged Rana- next time we hear the names of those killed, it isn’t as willsad be as leaving soon, and with himchatter than on in-depth study to political parties were October 2003. Despite publicly Thapa factions of RPP patch up ments. Students affiliated to the previous time. Like taking poison in small doses, wewill go another store of expertise. learn about this country, where underground, many Nepalis are committing to democracy, in their differences, and the Nepali Nepali Congress and its splinter develop a resistance to pain. Both will be replaced by they wield great influence. only now learning about what private most diplomats and aid Congress’ Girija Prasad Koirala faction were badly mauled by the There is dangerous hawktalk that we have to wage war newcomersto who will, naturally, Recently, an aid industry they have done. Women, dalits workers were sighing in relief, and surprises even his supporters by front organisations of UML, and restore peace. Hardliners think people who are for non-violencetake months are or even years to pick consultant who has worked here and janajatis have yet to write even, cautiously, celebrating. calling for a party reunion. it provided him a convenient unrealistic dreamers, that Gandhi was mad and peaceniksup Nepal’s are subtleties and nuances,for more than six years remarked themselves into our history. And “What better option is there?” At first glance, these headline- excuse to sell his message to the hopeless romantics. But by waging war, you don’t get any nearer to masses. By referring to the peace, you just pile up more dead bodies. And, as we see whereinin the hide its truths. that she had not read more than a new facts about Nepal are went the cocktail hour chatter of hogging events look like they reportage from the field in this and other papers, most of theMeanwhile, dead it will fall on their bare sketch of Nepal’s history. “In emerging every day. New the day. happened independent of each message from ex-Indian Prime in our war are not people who are fighting. Nepali contacts to educate them. no other country where I’ve perspectives are opening up. Are The better option, of course, other. But on closer scrutiny, there Minister Chandra Sekhar, Koirala Narayanhiti Palace is more aware of As we mourn this week’s dead, the pampered Valley refusesNepalis to with some (even worked would I be allowed to do we brave Gurkha soldiers or was to place the king’s takeover in seems to be thread running had already won over the line-up the risks of unification of the give up its preoccupation with day-to-day politics. Politicianslimited) wrestle relations with the that,” she admitted. “Here, the exploited mercenaries? We don’t historical perspective, seeing it as through them. of permanent dissenters within Nepali Congress than its leaders are each other to be on top in their petty games of intrigue and one- development sector has no know. Should women really be an aberrant blip in the ongoing his party. The invitation from upmanship as they sink slowly into the quicksand. international community in Nepal The government has admitted about the opportunities offered by historical memory. There is no struggle to establish democracy in Biratnagar was just a formality. But it is when the night is are often obliged to explain their that there are about 50 US such a possibility. The palace’s country to confused ‘experts,’ compulsion for us to understand Nepal. Nepal’s political The more King Gyanendra darkest that even a tiny wick defence personnel in Nepal. Other political conspirators will do asserts his power, the higher the ROBIN SAYAMI appears bright. In its murky glow enlightenment came thanks sources claim it may be as high as everything to keep Koirala and we catch a glimpse of the world primarily to the dissidents of the 500 at any given time. Whatever need of a unified democratic forceDeuba hangers-on squabbling. as it should be: where words like 1930s and 1940s. Had the the exact figure, and whether they to keep him on his toes. idealism, service, compassion political parties not liberated the are in uniform or not, there is little and faith are not clichés, and still country from Rana rule in 1950, carry meaning. We come across doubt about their real mission: to the emergence of a political someone who teaches us the we would not have awakened to contain the insurgency. force powerful enough to inherent goodness of the human our rights. The underground Maoist leader Prachanda spirit and coaxes it out of those activism of the 1970s and 1980s, challenge an activist king will recently said, “The Royal Army has around him. and the 1990 people’s movement depend on the strength of the Fr Eugene Watrin was a guru unleashed ever-expanding drives so far survived due to the public opinion in favour of economic, political and technical who taught us love, who showed for liberty and equality. Without democracy. Ultimately the how each life must help another support of the Americans. That is people will have to show how to live, and how we must give the political parties that the international community so loves why our party has been calling it much they value their rights. back to society what society gave Royal-American Army.” No z to disparage, there would be no us. Even though our government surprise, then, that the visits of never recognised this self- women’s movement in Nepal, no adopted Nepali as a citizen, many dalit movement, no janajati American diplomats and brass to hundreds of his students re- our domestic hotspots in their own movement. There would be no garded him as a compatriot. aircraft has raised eyebrows and unions, associations or forums to Students to whom he also taught convinced many that the the force of the written word, so address public grievances. Americans are more deeply that when we read these lines, we If foreign ‘Nepal hands’ were hear his voice still. engaged with the Royal Nepali properly educated about Nepal’s Army than either of them dare, or past, they would be more care, to admit. sympathetic to the political The king has enough reasons parties, despite the parties’ inexperience. After all, less than to be smug. With the world’s hyperpower supporting him, the 15 years of Nepali history have political parties on the streets been spent on the exercise of democracy: give it 20 years, shouldn’t be much of a worry. His 10-point directive for the democracy will work out its kinks. development of the mid-western Lacking this historical perspective, ROBIN SAYAMI influential foreigners here get region could be precursors to more such missives from Narayanhiti derailed by cocktail hour chatter LL ETTERS Palace in future. More felicitations LLL ETTERS and the slapped-together pseudo- negotiations process. It is not only scholarship of such geniuses (not) are planned in Gorkha and DFID REPLIES politicians who benefit from suchthat turned insurgent organisationspublished by INRUD. Infant mortalityhassled, or a few stones thrown at Pokhara. seminars but they are a key target as Robert Gersony. They throw This in response to Daniel Lak’s ‘No there into political parties. Theyis also considered highest in Mugu,us, but I believe that strikes like group. In every country in conflict, it But something has spooked Nepal’ (#184) where he alleges that met civil society activists and so these data are consistent. these will crumble before they even their weight behind the is politicians who are blamed for DFID’s vision on development is human rights organisations and Griesbaum might take solace fromstart, and the powers that be would anachronistic, the abhorred; and Prime Minister Surya Bahadur creating the problem, but it is often confined to seminars and individuals who were critically knowing that the gap in the USA thinkis twice before dominating their more complicated than that. are shocked to realize, too late, Thapa, otherwise he would have workshops. This is far from the truth. involved in delivering the Goodover 40 years (as reported in ‘USviews over the mass of public. This Delivering a democratic peace no reason to suddenly mend DFID Nepal does not normally fund Friday Agreement. ComparativePatterns of Mortality by County andoption is not open to shopkeepers that the majority of Nepalis are requires political parties to be active workshops unless they are of conflict studies by democratic Race: 1965-1994’ published by theand businesses unfortunately, as elsewhere. fences with party president in the peace process. It is critical strategic importance. And saying politicians are an established Harvard School of Public Health).they are, literally, sitting targets for Pashupati Shumsher and reshuffle that they begin to learn from other There is no polite way to say DFIDdoes not deliveris also method of developing conflict Shame on us all, everywhere. intimidation and mob violence. politicians how this can be done.resolution expertise within countries. And another what if. What if the the cabinet. Does he hear bells unwarranted. DFID delivers Stephen Bezruchka, this. It would greatly help Nepal The Northern Ireland seminar gaveThe UK government has recognised students and friends like Lek Nath tolling? The king is unlikely to important development benefits to University of Washington an opportunity for Nepali politiciansthis in its sponsorship of similar Neupane, instead of following their if influential foreigners here rural communities in Nepal, as we carry an albatross of royal loyals to interact with politicians there fromstudies all over the world. autocratic and feudal leaders who would read, read, read—not just would have been pleased to across the political spectrum. They are in it only for power, use their from the RPP for much longer. A demonstrate had someone checked David Wood, newspapers. Actual books. And if were able to explore the influences time to convince the general cabinet of ambitious independents with us before going into print. The Head of DFID Nepal public of the worthiness of their there aren’t enough good books visit of Nepali politicians to WHAT IF? would implement his instructions cause against injustice, corruption around, then support the Northern Ireland is also far from It struck me after reading your and self-interest? Instead of much more faithfully. being ajunket. The seminar lasted editorial (‘Tearing ourselves apart’, intellectual ferment gathering bemoaning these strikes everytime #185) that while I have been driving force today: invest in new If and when elections are five days and effective working they are held and saying “Nepal my motorbike freely these past weeks hours were 9 am until 7.30 pm khatam bhayo” how about doing scholarships. announced, they could be SHAME in defiance of bandas no one has usually with one hour for lunch. In something about them? We care conducted by the cabinet of Michael Griesbaum is right to ever stopped me, nor have I met with response to the participants need about our future, please don’t question whether health in Muguany is problems. On the contrary, I see rootless politicos like Kirtinidhi for information and discussion, insult our intelligence. Come and as far behind that in Kathmanduothers like me also confidently working hours were lengthened! speak to us rather than making Bista or other party renegades. The (Letters, #183) as I asserted in venturing out and not bowing to the The trip to Northern Ireland was pronouncements on our behalf. RPP will be asked to show its ‘Diagnosing Nepal’ (#182). Sinceanarchy of strikes called by a few Maybe we will listen and take risks also more than an isolated seminar. students with utter disregard of the strength at the elections to reclaim there is no registry of vital together for the future of our This was part of a long process of welfare of the vast majority of the the mantle of a proper royalist events in Nepal, life country if you can show integrity. interactive events that DFID has people. What if half the population supported within Nepal to assist expectancy statistics are of this country who own private Janak Wagley, Patan Nepalis in developing a estimates at best. The vehicles were to defy the bandas as a numbers were taken fromsymbol of their democratic rights? the recent census and Maybe a few people would be reported inDistrict Drug Use and Health Profile 2002 z equal to men? We are not sure. Are the Khadkis a dalit caste or not? That’s up for debate. What EDITORIAL #186 OP-ED 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 2 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 is the economic status of the 3 Chepangs as compared to the Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, ChiefKunda Editor: Dixit Desk Editors:Trishna Gurung, Jemima Sherpa Chettris? It’s anyone’s guess. The party. This is the fear that has Design:Kiran MaharjanWeb: Bhushan Shilpakar Advertising:Sunaina Shah [email protected] fact is, we are only now coming prompted Thapa’s cabinet Subscription:Anil Karki,[email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur into definition as a country. colleagues into packing the GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 01-5543333-6, Fax: 01-5521013 The intellectual ferment of government with people they [email protected], www.nepalitimes.comPrinted at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 01-5547018 Educating foreigners our times is not obvious to the personally trust. Thapa’s attempt the past.” newcomer to Nepal. What is Whichto appoint handpicked wayofficers now? Outsiders turn to insiders for insight, they ought to also read up To be fair, most Nepalis also obvious is the day-to-day muddle into each ministry to look after We have to A GURU OF LOVE hen an experienced going over obscure events from have a poor sense of history. The of a country undergoing immense o far this week: the US the welfare of the RPP cadre was foreign ‘Nepal hand’ decades or even centuries ago, reason? Only in 1990 were we social and political ambassador goes on a fact- also motivated by a similar ur nights have never been darker. The gloom turns to recently left the country, examining any number of social freed from the Panchayat era’s transformation. finding mission to mid- apprehension. The move was know what our doom with each week that this nightmare of conflictW and S flat, propagandistic ‘Ode to the checkmated by mainstream confusion drags on. Warring sides gauge their successhe took with him his inside issues, decoding the mysteries of This muddle must be western Nepal in a US aircraft, destination is O knowledge of all that ails us now. current politics. Of course, Shahs’ version of our past. Only catching; for it is visible King Gyanendra issues a set of political parties without the on a daily score of body counts, and the measure of victory is Narayanhiti strategists coming how many more Nepalis each side has killed that day, Anotherand this influential foreigner who outsiders will turn to insiders for since then have we begun to everywhere in Kathmandu’s directives to his appointed whole fratricidal madness takes us into an area of darknesshas acquired in-depth knowledge insight: and insiders often enjoy discover, for real, who we have diplomatic and aid sectors. One into the fray. from which, sometimes, there seems to be no escape. This sharing their wisdom. The been and who we are now. glaring example: the weird, For his part, Koirala has been week’s score in Bhojpur was 30:20. problem is, many foreigners in The histories of our willful optimism in the STATE OF THE STATE in politics too long not to realise Who won? Are we competing to reach a threshold of death in GUEST COLUMN Nepal’s international community dissidents, for example, is only international community when CK Lal the true significance of these order to build up a momentum for peace again? If so, how many seemingly unrelated develop- dead Nepalis is enough? Each death inures us, numbs us, soManjushree the Thapa seem to rely more on cocktail hour just being written. Because the King Gyanendra took over in government, the estranged Rana- next time we hear the names of those killed, it isn’t as willsad be as leaving soon, and with himchatter than on in-depth study to political parties were October 2003. Despite publicly Thapa factions of RPP patch up ments. Students affiliated to the previous time. Like taking poison in small doses, wewill go another store of expertise. learn about this country, where underground, many Nepalis are committing to democracy, in their differences, and the Nepali Nepali Congress and its splinter develop a resistance to pain. Both will be replaced by they wield great influence. only now learning about what private most diplomats and aid Congress’ Girija Prasad Koirala faction were badly mauled by the There is dangerous hawktalk that we have to wage war newcomersto who will, naturally, Recently, an aid industry they have done. Women, dalits workers were sighing in relief, and surprises even his supporters by front organisations of UML, and restore peace. Hardliners think people who are for non-violencetake months are or even years to pick consultant who has worked here and janajatis have yet to write even, cautiously, celebrating. calling for a party reunion. it provided him a convenient unrealistic dreamers, that Gandhi was mad and peaceniksup Nepal’s are subtleties and nuances,for more than six years remarked themselves into our history. And “What better option is there?” At first glance, these headline- excuse to sell his message to the hopeless romantics. But by waging war, you don’t get any nearer to masses. By referring to the peace, you just pile up more dead bodies. And, as we see whereinin the hide its truths. that she had not read more than a new facts about Nepal are went the cocktail hour chatter of hogging events look like they reportage from the field in this and other papers, most of theMeanwhile, dead it will fall on their bare sketch of Nepal’s history. “In emerging every day. New the day. happened independent of each message from ex-Indian Prime in our war are not people who are fighting. Nepali contacts to educate them. no other country where I’ve perspectives are opening up. Are The better option, of course, other. But on closer scrutiny, there Minister Chandra Sekhar, Koirala Narayanhiti Palace is more aware of As we mourn this week’s dead, the pampered Valley refusesNepalis to with some (even worked would I be allowed to do we brave Gurkha soldiers or was to place the king’s takeover in seems to be thread running had already won over the line-up the risks of unification of the give up its preoccupation with day-to-day politics. Politicianslimited) wrestle relations with the that,” she admitted. “Here, the exploited mercenaries? We don’t historical perspective, seeing it as through them. of permanent dissenters within Nepali Congress than its leaders are each other to be on top in their petty games of intrigue and one- development sector has no know. Should women really be an aberrant blip in the ongoing his party. The invitation from upmanship as they sink slowly into the quicksand. international community in Nepal The government has admitted about the opportunities offered by historical memory. There is no struggle to establish democracy in Biratnagar was just a formality. But it is when the night is are often obliged to explain their that there are about 50 US such a possibility. The palace’s country to confused ‘experts,’ compulsion for us to understand Nepal. Nepal’s political The more King Gyanendra darkest that even a tiny wick defence personnel in Nepal. Other political conspirators will do asserts his power, the higher the ROBIN SAYAMI appears bright. In its murky glow enlightenment came thanks sources claim it may be as high as everything to keep Koirala and we catch a glimpse of the world primarily to the dissidents of the 500 at any given time. Whatever need of a unified democratic forceDeuba hangers-on squabbling. as it should be: where words like 1930s and 1940s. Had the the exact figure, and whether they to keep him on his toes. idealism, service, compassion political parties not liberated the are in uniform or not, there is little and faith are not clichés, and still country from Rana rule in 1950, carry meaning. We come across doubt about their real mission: to the emergence of a political someone who teaches us the we would not have awakened to contain the insurgency. force powerful enough to inherent goodness of the human our rights. The underground Maoist leader Prachanda spirit and coaxes it out of those activism of the 1970s and 1980s, challenge an activist king will recently said, “The Royal Army has around him. and the 1990 people’s movement depend on the strength of the Fr Eugene Watrin was a guru unleashed ever-expanding drives so far survived due to the public opinion in favour of economic, political and technical who taught us love, who showed for liberty and equality. Without democracy. Ultimately the how each life must help another support of the Americans. That is people will have to show how to live, and how we must give the political parties that the international community so loves why our party has been calling it much they value their rights. back to society what society gave Royal-American Army.” No z to disparage, there would be no us. Even though our government surprise, then, that the visits of never recognised this self- women’s movement in Nepal, no adopted Nepali as a citizen, many dalit movement, no janajati American diplomats and brass to hundreds of his students re- our domestic hotspots in their own movement. There would be no garded him as a compatriot. aircraft has raised eyebrows and unions, associations or forums to Students to whom he also taught convinced many that the the force of the written word, so address public grievances. Americans are more deeply that when we read these lines, we If foreign ‘Nepal hands’ were hear his voice still. engaged with the Royal Nepali properly educated about Nepal’s Army than either of them dare, or past, they would be more care, to admit. sympathetic to the political The king has enough reasons parties, despite the parties’ inexperience. After all, less than to be smug. With the world’s hyperpower supporting him, the 15 years of Nepali history have political parties on the streets been spent on the exercise of democracy: give it 20 years, shouldn’t be much of a worry. His 10-point directive for the democracy will work out its kinks. development of the mid-western Lacking this historical perspective, ROBIN SAYAMI influential foreigners here get region could be precursors to more such missives from Narayanhiti derailed by cocktail hour chatter LL ETTERS Palace in future. More felicitations LLL ETTERS and the slapped-together pseudo- negotiations process. It is not only scholarship of such geniuses (not) are planned in Gorkha and DFID REPLIES politicians who benefit from suchthat turned insurgent organisationspublished by INRUD. Infant mortalityhassled, or a few stones thrown at Pokhara. seminars but they are a key target as Robert Gersony. They throw This in response to Daniel Lak’s ‘No there into political parties. Theyis also considered highest in Mugu,us, but I believe that strikes like group. In every country in conflict, it But something has spooked Nepal’ (#184) where he alleges that met civil society activists and so these data are consistent. these will crumble before they even their weight behind the is politicians who are blamed for DFID’s vision on development is human rights organisations and Griesbaum might take solace fromstart, and the powers that be would anachronistic, the abhorred; and Prime Minister Surya Bahadur creating the problem, but it is often confined to seminars and individuals who were critically knowing that the gap in the USA thinkis twice before dominating their more complicated than that. are shocked to realize, too late, Thapa, otherwise he would have workshops. This is far from the truth. involved in delivering the Goodover 40 years (as reported in ‘USviews over the mass of public. This Delivering a democratic peace no reason to suddenly mend DFID Nepal does not normally fund Friday Agreement. ComparativePatterns of Mortality by County andoption is not open to shopkeepers that the majority of Nepalis are requires political parties to be active workshops unless they are of conflict studies by democratic Race: 1965-1994’ published by theand businesses unfortunately, as elsewhere. fences with party president in the peace process. It is critical strategic importance. And saying politicians are an established Harvard School of Public Health).they are, literally, sitting targets for Pashupati Shumsher and reshuffle that they begin to learn from other There is no polite way to say DFIDdoes not deliveris also method of developing conflict Shame on us all, everywhere. intimidation and mob violence. politicians how this can be done.resolution expertise within countries. And another what if. What if the the cabinet. Does he hear bells unwarranted. DFID delivers Stephen Bezruchka, this. It would greatly help Nepal The Northern Ireland seminar gaveThe UK government has recognised students and friends like Lek Nath tolling? The king is unlikely to important development benefits to University of Washington an opportunity for Nepali politiciansthis in its sponsorship of similar Neupane, instead of following their if influential foreigners here rural communities in Nepal, as we carry an albatross of royal loyals to interact with politicians there fromstudies all over the world. autocratic and feudal leaders who would read, read, read—not just would have been pleased to across the political spectrum. They are in it only for power, use their from the RPP for much longer. A demonstrate had someone checked David Wood, newspapers. Actual books. And if were able to explore the influences time to convince the general cabinet of ambitious independents with us before going into print. The Head of DFID Nepal public of the worthiness of their there aren’t enough good books visit of Nepali politicians to WHAT IF? would implement his instructions cause against injustice, corruption around, then support the Northern Ireland is also far from It struck me after reading your and self-interest? Instead of much more faithfully. being ajunket. The seminar lasted editorial (‘Tearing ourselves apart’, intellectual ferment gathering bemoaning these strikes everytime #185) that while I have been driving force today: invest in new If and when elections are five days and effective working they are held and saying “Nepal my motorbike freely these past weeks hours were 9 am until 7.30 pm khatam bhayo” how about doing scholarships. announced, they could be SHAME in defiance of bandas no one has usually with one hour for lunch. In something about them? We care conducted by the cabinet of Michael Griesbaum is right to ever stopped me, nor have I met with response to the participants need about our future, please don’t question whether health in Muguany is problems. On the contrary, I see rootless politicos like Kirtinidhi for information and discussion, insult our intelligence. Come and as far behind that in Kathmanduothers like me also confidently working hours were lengthened! speak to us rather than making Bista or other party renegades. The (Letters, #183) as I asserted in venturing out and not bowing to the The trip to Northern Ireland was pronouncements on our behalf. RPP will be asked to show its ‘Diagnosing Nepal’ (#182). Sinceanarchy of strikes called by a few Maybe we will listen and take risks also more than an isolated seminar. students with utter disregard of the strength at the elections to reclaim there is no registry of vital together for the future of our This was part of a long process of welfare of the vast majority of the the mantle of a proper royalist events in Nepal, life country if you can show integrity. interactive events that DFID has people. What if half the population supported within Nepal to assist expectancy statistics are of this country who own private Janak Wagley, Patan Nepalis in developing a estimates at best. The vehicles were to defy the bandas as a numbers were taken fromsymbol of their democratic rights? the recent census and Maybe a few people would be reported inDistrict Drug Use and Health Profile 2002 z 4 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 How much aid for AIDS? MUDITA BAJRACHARYA For now, the government is or the past 15 years as the HIV patients with ARVs. The offering anti-retroviral therapy AIDS epidemic has spread in campaign was launched at the F Nepal, donors, government Sukraraj Tropical Infectious Disease to 25 patients and health activists have focused on Hospital in Teku with free ARV prevention through public treatment for five patients who were earmarked to fund ARVs in Nepal He is torn by guilt and a sense of awareness about modes of infection. paraded on stage. Activists who have over the next five years from the responsibility towards his wife, two But statistics like a recent survey been campaigning for access of $15 billion Global Fund daughters and a sister. ARV that shows 90 percent of Nepalis are treatment were angry that the announced by US President treatment would prolong Shyam’s aware that condoms help prevent patients were shown on television George W Bush last year. life, but he can’t afford it and the infection, but only 12 percent receiving their medications from ARV treatment is very government’s therapy plans are actually use them points to a big gap Health Minister Kamal Thapa. expensive, costing up to Rs 2,600 restricted. in changing public conduct. “It showed extreme insensitivity a month for the rest of the patient’s For the moment, as per WHO impact on every sector of the As the unofficial estimate of the on the part of the government life. Most Nepalis with HIV will protocols, the government is only economy and society, and the whole number of infected people in Nepal towards the plight of the patients,” never be able to afford it, and it is considering HIV patients with population is vulnerable, not just approaches the 80,000 mark, the said one activist. “If this is how callous also beyond the government’s CD4 cell counts of less than 200 high risk groups like sex workers, issue of rehabilitation, care and cure the government can be, we doubt if budget capacity to provide the for ARV therapy. But cost of the their clients, injecting drug users or have also become important. it is really committed to lifelong drugs to all HIV patients for life. treatment is only one of the issues. migrant workers,” says Ram Prasad AIDS activist Rajiv Kafle, whi The government also has to ensure Shrestha at the National Centre for is himself HIV positive, is critical of proper training of health staff for AIDS and STD Control. the government undertaking ARV selecting patients, and there needs The government wants to treatment without first ensuring to be a well-organised infrastructure ensure that there are rehabilitation that treatment will be sustainable. to take the drugs to the patients— centers before it commits to “It is good news for us positive many of whom may not even be medication. It also wants NGOs people that the government has visiting hospitals. The right people involved in the process. “Unless started ARV therapy, but it will be need to get the drugs in the right there is a joint effort of the a blunder if it is done without manner with a strong supporting community, donors and the homework and the necessary network of health and social government, we cannot make it a commitment to provide the drugs counseling. Follow-up clinics need self-sustaining therapy,” Shrestha to patients for their entire lives.” to be set up with professionals. adds. Shyam Sunuwar, 32, is a farmer “There must first be a concerted At the Teku Hospital, nurses Nir from Sarlahi. He had been suffering national policy to address the Kamal Basnet and Bhagbati from diarrhoea and fever for the past epidemic and a well-organised Shrestha are counselling patients six months and came to mechanism to deliver therapy,” says who have come for ARV therapy. Although AIDS is still officially a treatment or whether it is prepared Kathmandu for treatment. He was Michael Hahn, country “We get at least ten patients every disease without cure, there are now for the legal and ethical implications diagnosed HIV positive at Teku coordinator for UNAIDS in Nepal. day from all over Nepal who have anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) that of an unsustainable ARV program.” Hospital. Although he knew about The government has been heard about ARV, we have to send allow patients with HIV to live The government’s anti-AIDS HIV from radio, television and promised help from the UN to them for the CD4 test, and then longer by bolstering their immune strategy, unveiled two years ago, says leaflets, he never felt it necessary to support ARV therapy, mainly the committee will select them on systems. In combination with ARV therapy is actually not feasible use protection while having because as the epidemic grows the basis of their physical and conventional drugs to treat or affordable for Nepal. But there physical relations with a woman he there will be more and more HIV economic condition,” Basnet opportunistic infections, ARVs can seems to have been a U-turn, and trusted. He fears his pregnant wife patients and the sooner the explains. indefinitely prolong the life of an the government now says it is back home in Sarlahi may also be government can start more patients For now, it looks like the HIV patient as long as the treatment launching a pilot project to treat up infected. on ARV the better. decision between life and death, is not temporary. to 25 patients with ARVs. The Now that the enormity of his But for now, the government and how much longer HIV infected Last month, the government reason for the hurry seems to be to situation has dawned on him, only has the resources to extend people will live, which Nepali will announced amidst great media demonstrate that Nepal has the Shyam has been told by his doctor ARV therapy to 25 patients. “This get ARV therapy and who won’t, fanfare that it was beginning to treat capacity to absorb the $11 million that he may only live six more years. is not just a medical issue, it has will be decided by a committee. z

ou don’t have to have 20-20 vision to spot Western hypocrisy, not in Nepal Y and not around the world. The latest example is Haiti. Haiti’s warning for Nepal Basically what has happened is this. The United States, France, Canada and a few other interests of democracy are best served by countries—all ostensibly democratic and What we saw in Haiti was gunboat democracy. Right? Wrong. committed to expanding democracy in other diplomacy in the name of democracy Washington, Paris and Ottawa used lands—backed an armed rebellion against an diplomatic pressure and threats of aid elected embargoes to force Aristide to flee from Haiti HERE AND THERE leader. last weekend. The US basically told the Daniel Lak And they Haitian president that he could leave the were country in a aeroplane or a body bag. The successful. Bush administration blocked attempts by Make no mistake, what has happened in Aristide to bolster his coterie of armed body Haiti is nothing less than an internationally- guards. backed coup. President Jean Bertrand Aristide This is 19th century Imperial-style gunboat was no angel. His administration was corrupt diplomacy done in the name of democracy. and incompetent. Its support was withering. What bugs me most is not the brutal force or But it was elected. Aristide was the first-ever coercion that’s used in these situations; it’s elected President in Haiti, despite 200 years of the mealy mouthed self-justification. We do it proud independence as the world’s first for peace, we do it for stability, we do it for— republic founded by black people. parties are free in democracies to demonstrate force has only 4,000 officers, all poorly trained hold your breath—democracy. He had a year-and-a-half left in his second against the government and to rally popular and underpaid. The rebel gangs were largely If this sort of behaviour by the West is term in office. If the motley opposition of rich support. ex-army soldiers who’d kept their guns when going to continue, and it will, perhaps Nepal people and American-educated rightwingers What happened in Haiti was something Aristide disbanded the military in the 1990s. should take note. Perhaps the democrats in had been willing to wait, they might have seen different. It seems to me that the developed this country, agitating against the king, could Aristide humbled at the polls. They weren’t. Instead of launching a nation-wide democracies, and Canada, France and the US convince the West to support their cry for a So under the auspices of the US Embassy in movement to force a change in government are the big players in the neighbourhood here, republic. But don’t count on it. As an the Haitian capital, Port Au Prince, they came peacefully, the opposition leaders tacitly backed and shouldn’t be backing armed, drunken, American black community leader said the together and started to protest against Aristide. armed gangs of criminals who captured towns violent thugs against an elected leader. other day in Washington, “We’re always on So far so good. Protest is okay. Opposition and cities. Haiti has no army and its police However bad that leader was, surely the the wrong side in these things.” z NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 5 US AIDS fund Activists are dismayed by a Bush administration strategy on funds for anti-AIDS drugs

JIM LOBE in WASHINGTON DC

resident George W Bush’s new, five-year, $15 billion strategy announced last week to fight the global HIV/AIDS pandemic has P provoked dismay among health activists. The 103-page document details the first disbursements totalling $350 million, but details to clarify whether Washington will buy life- preserving, anti-AIDS drugs from generic producers, which are mostly made in poor countries such as India, Thailand and Brazil, as opposed Volunteer army to western brand name drugs that are generally more expensive, are absent. Ambassador Randall Tobias is in charge of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is non-commital on the issue, stressing that brand producers have reduced their prices so much against AIDS that the question is no longer particularly relevant. “It’s a go-slow, go-it-alone approach,” noted Paul Zeitz, head of the Global AIDS Alliance (GAA). “And it’s amazing that more than 13 From east to west, young Nepali volunteers are months after the president announced the plan, only now is the first dollar being spent.” Many activists are concerned the administration on the frontline of the battle against AIDS will buy only brand-name drugs. The fact that Tobias, former chairman SRADDHA BASNYAT and chief executive officer of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, was chosen as the global AIDS czar, has enhanced those concerns. n five years, AIDS will be the People in the remote mid- people. Already, he says he sees less biggest killer of Nepalis in the 15- western district of Achham have discrimination: children from I 49 age group. One unofficial traditionally migrated to India. Now, families with infected members play estimate puts the number of Nepalis the insurgency has increased the with others freely and funeral rites with HIV at 80,000. Other number of people leaving. Neera are accorded to AIDS victims. The estimates are higher. Khadayat’s brother was among those men ask for a fresh blade at the AIDS is now no longer a risk who left. While he was away, she saw barber’s and disposable syringes for limited to ‘vulnerable groups’. villagers ostracise the family of a their vaccinations. Everyone is at risk because the virus neighbour who died of AIDS, after Ram Bharosha Kunwar watched has entered the general population. coming home from Mumbai with people in his village dying from Communication is the first line of the disease. AIDS. “Our women became defence against this communicable “I realised this could happen to widows, children became orphans. disease, and since infections are my family too and the fire of pain I said this is enough, now I have to spread by unsafe sex or sharing started to burn,” Neera recalls. She fight,” says the 58-year-old teacher needles, there has to be awareness at learned all she could from from Achham. As a volunteer, Ram all levels of society. newspapers, radio and books and knows awareness is the only true To start a new approach to gradually gained her neighbour’s protection he can give his students. communi cating HIV and AIDS trust. The 16-year-old then offered By grade three, he is already talking awareness, last week Save the to write letters to family members in to students about AIDS. Children UK presented ‘Our Voice, Mumbai, informing them about the AIDS is much less of a threat in Randall Tobias, former CEO of the pharmaceutical giant, Eli Our Emotion: a photographic nature of the disease, what it was Jhapa compared to Accham. Jasmine Lilly, has been appointed by President Bush to head the $15 billion journey’ documenting individual doing to their society and how to be Rajbhandari, head of SC-UK’s Global AIDS Fund. voices at the grassroots. The safe. Neera wrote to her brother as advocacy unit, says Jhapa is a more portraits, which capture the voices well. “Lack of knowledge is how it urbanised border area where the Activists said key anti-retroviral drug treatments from brand and emotions of volunteers in spreads, so that’s why we write to disease is not so prevalent yet. “But companies were four times more expensive than comparable ones Accham and Jhapa who have been our people there.” in a few years it could be, in a sense, from generic manufacturers currently recommended by the WHO. mobilising their communities in Kabiram Joshi, 22, witnessed another type of Accham,” she warns. “Tobias’ assertions are factually untrue”, said Zeitz who added that planning and implementing AIDS first-hand society’s brutality towards The social mobilisation initiative the strategy document is curiously silent about both debt relief for awareness activities, will be on an HIV infected neighbour in an targeted high risk youth because they AIDS-affected countries and any follow-up on administration pledges display at Standard Chartered Bank Accham village. “After he came back have the motivation and the time to two years ago to exempt certain life-saving medicines from intellectual branches across Nepal. Called Social from Mumbai, I saw his neighbours do something to make a difference. property rights provisions in new trade agreements. The strategy document, developed over the four months since Volunteers Against AIDS (SoVAA), and friends pull him from the car. Anita Nepali is a dalit, and the 19- Tobias was appointed, lays out how the administration intends to these young men and women are He was bleeding but they didn’t year-old has been a volunteer for the spend the $15 billion dollars, which Bush first pledged 13 months ago, involved in awareness campaigns, help him—I wondered why. I found past three years dedicating all her free to be spent over five years. In a rare display of independence, battling social stigma and out he was HIV positive.” The time from school and household Congress approved $2.4 billion for 2004, and increased the fund’s discrimination, providing care and incident motivated Kabiram to chores to work with 12-24 year-old share to $550 million. But under the strategy released Monday, Bush support to families with infected become a SoVAA. Kabiram has drug users, making them aware of is proposing the US commit only $1 billion to the Global Fund over the members. spent the past two years networking the dangers of sharing needles. z five years. He has again requested only $200 million dollars. The other $14 billion, says the strategy paper, would be used for with 60 other volunteers to fight bilateral programs only—$9 billion for programs in 14 African and stigma and ostracisation of HIV Caribbean countries and another $5 billion in ongoing bilateral programs, most administered by USAID, in more than 100 countries worldwide. The strategy says that in the 15 focus countries the $9 billion will be used to provide treatment to two million people through 2008, prevent seven million new HIV infections and provide care to some 10 million people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, including AIDS orphans and other vulnerable children. To many activists, what was most disappointing about the new strategy was how much time it had taken to put together. “Three million people have died waiting for a new bureaucracy to be set up at the State Department, while Bush denies the already existing Global AIDS Fund the cash needed to actually fight AIDS and save lives,” said Paul Davis of Health GAP. “The plan released today by the president is a vastly under funded initiative that favours corporate interest over public health and undermines multilateral efforts to fight the AIDS pandemic,” said Sherry Kabiram Joshi speaks to youth in Accham (top) and Neera Khadayat writes a letter for a woman in her village. Ayres of Africa Action, another advocacy group. z (IPS) 6 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 7 Charitraheen Cheli A Koirala-Deuba patch-up is meaningless without wider debate Women declare independenceon the purpose of such a reunionUnity? What for?

haritraheen Cheli (The Women of Ill themselves from all forms of monetary, lmost every party decries the Repute) is an underground group of On the occasion of International social and psychological exploitation and politics of untouchability, women aiming to ‘rip apart the veils,’ sexually transmitted disease. C yet they all practice it. The who meet regularly in Kathmandu and Women’s Day on 8 March, an 29. Men who commit violence against A engage in all kinds of guff, from high- women are anti-national elements. Six out main opposition, UML, practiced minded politics to raucouspandherni ’ underground Nepali women’s group hasof ten of Nepal’s sitting judges have said, untouchability in its ugliest form watertap gossip. At a recent meeting, they in a widely-known study, that it is okay for when it obstructed parliament for men to slap around their wives to keep released a statement declaring their 57 days, and, not content with independence, which reads: issued a 40-point declaration them in line. (Dear judges: shame, shame, “With all respect to the women who have puppy shame; all the donkeys know your that, announced a social boycott rebelled before us, the women who rebel name!) of Prime Minister GP Koirala alongside us, and the women who will 30. Men with two or more wives must not in 1999. rebel after us: we refuse to be good.” enter public office. We shall judge men in Then it was Koirala’s turn, and They say the word ‘good’ is public office on their private as well as public morality. treacherous because it usually upholds the he trudged along the UML’s well- 31. Dowries are a joke, and if you have patriarchal standards of our society, and beaten path by treating Sher add: “We rejoice in our ill repute. We refuse given a dowry for your daughter’s Bahadur Deuba as a political pariah to limit ourselves to what patriarchy deems wedding, you are a joker. Ha, ha, ha! until recently. to be serious, worthy, right and correct for 32. We like women with power and women to think, speak and do. We think, express solidarity withboksis and That is why Koirala’s unity call speak and do anything and everything that it illegal and publicly shame all kichkannis. last week from his hometown of we feel perpetrators. 33. There should be no colour coding for Biratnagar for a general amnesty to like, 22. Which moron made the Civil Code? widows. They should love and marry and of the district or constituencySUBHAS RAIlevel when all Deuba kangresis assumes (And which morons have perpetuated itshave any kind of relationship they choose we feel significance far beyond a temporary committees. discrimination thus far?) We demand equalto have. like, in citizenship. Women should be able to pass34. Women must have quick and easy patch-up. But unity, if it takes The current political the way we feel like, led by the wishes of along citizenship to their husbands and access to social and legal justice, as well uncertainty did not suddenly our independentCHELIS minds and hearts and children. Our fatherless children, children as clean indoor toilets. appear out of the blue on bodies.”Rosy Chhetri we adopt, children born by artificial insemination, test-tube babies and off- 35. Why only twenty percent? Half of all Fourth October. It was the The Chelis’ 40-point declaration of boys. No man should ever be called ‘Raja’. springs of our frozen eggs and clonedgovernment jobs should be reserved for unspecified reasons. 12. Boys and men must share in all CAPITAL LETTER culmination of a series of factors independence states: genetic material should all be granted women. But equality and justice should be place Yubarajat all, will beGhimire meaningless Do the lapses by two leaders triggered by the unmanageable 1. To have or not to have an agenda ishousehold our tasks. Men should be encouragedcitizenship. in practice, and not just in paper. Paper liberty. We take on agendas as we wish,to stay home, cook, clean, look after children23. Which idiots would think women should be relegated to the above- without a wider debate on the (dissolution without party’s now. Will the united party be rivalry and power tussles between and change dirty diapers, while women without accepting the burdens that others should have the permission of their mentioned clean indoor toilets. purpose of such a reunion. Not consent, or public humiliation of supporting the call for Koirala and Deuba. The fact that work outside the home without any would like to saddle us with. fathers/ husbands/ guardians to obtain36. We are not loyal to any political party if only will they have to delve into the prime minister by the party continued politics of boycott and apologies. Also, we demand regular republicanism or defend the Koirala and the UML did not ask 2. We are underground because its fun passports, or to travel and work abroad?the party is not loyal to us. If you want our massages after a long day’s work with no the origional reason the parent chief) deserve this amnesty? GP’s untouchability any longer. If the present constitution, which has for Deuba’s reinstatement, only down there. We are everywhere around (The same idiots who framed our Civil support, you’ll have to work for us. Put attached conditions. party split, but also critically call not only fully absolves himself unity between the two kangresi you, on the streets, in your office and even Code, that’s who). Having reached thewomen in half the leadership positions of constitutional monarchy and the calling his dismissal as prime 13. We see menstruation as natural. We in your home. You are being watched!!! age of 18, we exercise the right for all the political parties. But we only support analyse the role of the leaders. and Sushil Koirala but also projectsfactions happens outside the multiparty democracy as its salient minister an “undemocratic and 3. Our thoughts are utterly uncensored.refused We to be ashamed of it. Neither docomplete we freedom of movement. Insteadwomen of who have women-friendly politics. The Congress split took place him as someone above party rules ambit of the wider political features? unconstitutional act” by the king, speak in soft, melodious tones, and alsoview women who have given birth as curbing this freedom, the state should Not even women can take our support for and norms of public office. For context, it will just be another is sufficient evidence to throw polluted. All women should be pampered and granted. We are fed up with being used. when Deuba, as prime minister, Political parties which do not scream, shout, yell and roar. We laugh loud fulfill its obligation to provide women with meaningful unity, he should step political farce. their democratic credentials into and often. We wail. We whistle, hum, sing.honored during menstruation and duringprotection, via consulates, in the foreignEnough is enough. dissolved parliament without pursue internal democracy cannot We speak freely. Nobody silences us.pregnancy, childbirth and after. This willcountries in which we travel, work and37. We demand to have women in the post informing the party or Koirala, down and inspire Deuba and Last month, Chandra Shekhar, be real instruments of politics in a doubt. The unity move, therefore, 4. We behave freely. We do not bow, combat Nepal’s shamefully high maternalreside. of prime minister, and as Ministers of Home amidst growing mistrust and Sushil Koirala to follow the path ofa friend of many Nepali leaders has to be an exercise of mortality rate. 24. We refuse to return our share of ourAffairs, Finance; Foreign Affairs, multiparty set-up. In order to make scrape, or act tamed or humbled — unless14. We demand easy access to cheap, safe hostility between the two. Not retroactive sacrifice. Secondly, this who struggled for restoration of unity more meaningful, and a introspection and public pledge. we want to be, for our own purposes. We family inheritance to our brothers post-Defense, Law, Justice and Parliamentary politics of unity should be the The propagators of unity owe it to and effective contraceptives and urge menmarriage. IT IS ALL OURS! Affairs, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Sports only had the prime minister been democracy in Nepal in 1991, met united party a vibrant political chew paan in public. We exchange blows beginning of a process of when we need to. We buy contraceptivesto learn to love condoms. 25. Single women should be legally and Education, Water Resources and instructed to withdraw an official senior leaders like KP Bhattarai, instrument, it should make its the people to explain to them how 15. We know we have the right to sexual openly. We eat, drink and smoke anything, allowed to adopt children. Physical Planning, Industry and Commerce, resolution for the extension of the reconciliation that discards the Koirala and Deuba, and suggested membership drive, internal it will help to bring the depending on our whims. We are the onlypleasure, including, but not limited to, 26. We want girls and young women to Science and Technology, Land Reform and state of emergency tabled in politics of untouchability in any that the Nepali congress unite and constitutional process back on orgasm. Management; Information and electoral system and auditing ones who control our actions. pursue their studies without any shape or form. To prove they have track. 5. We wear combat boots, paint our 16. We reserve the right to choose sexual Communication, Agriculture and parliament with the consent of the defend multiparty democracy and transparent. The choice of hindrance, growing up to become Cooperatives, Population and Environment, done that, Koirala and Deuba, as toenails silver, have buzz-cut hair andpartners wear to fulfill our desires (regardless of party chief, he had also been issued constitutional monarchy. Koirala’s candidates for parliament should mechanics, surgeons, editors, judges, Forest and Soil Conservation, Labour and leopard-spotted matching bra and panty—class, caste, ethnic identity, nationality, a show cause notice in the most well Nepal and the rest should sit unity call appears like a belated electricians, mathematicians, diplomats,Health. We also demand to have a woman be decided on the recommendation or no bra and panty at all. The clothesreligious we belief, age or sexual orientation). with Surya Bahadur Thapa to find taxi drivers, woodworkers, priests andChief of the Army Staff. humiliating manner by the response, but he has not yet wear, our shoes, our haircuts, our jewelry17. We also reserve the right to develop dhamis, etc. 38. We are tired of old ways of activism. party general secretary for a way out of the current impasse. explained why he wants unity and makeup are all for our own comfortemotionally and and intellectually fulfilling 27. Women’s labour is as valuable as Marching from Bhadrakali to Singha Darbar The country and democracy should pleasure. friendships with anyone we like. men’s, and should be paid equally. 6. We move about without restriction. We18. We say no to advances that are not to with a placard is mostly a waste of time. It not be forced off the edge by their Household work should be recognized isas also polluting our lungs. We will use walk where women are not supposed to our liking. We know that ‘no’ means ‘no’.a Doform of labor. Labor laws created to helpother means of exercising our politics, walk, leaving our homes, offices and you know that ‘no’ means ‘no’? If not, consultwomen, such as the provision of child including non-violent guerilla tactics. neighborhoods far behind to enter spaces the dictionary. care services and maternity leaves, 39. We do not hold double standards. We where we are not allowed, welcomed19. or Marriage does not license sexual should be made more practical. do not say one thing in public and practice expected. misconduct or rape. Men: if a woman says28. We demand legal action against the 7. We work in all professions, no matter something else in private. We speak the she has a headache, she has a headache.traffickers of girls and women. Sex truth. Our characters are ISO 9002- how ‘unwomanly’. Reach for a Cetamol, not a condom. workers should never be arrested, onlycertified! 8. We redefine family roles so that they do 20. Incest and sexual exploitation of childrentheir pimps and brokers. Sex workers 40. We recognise that women are not a not impinge on our individuality. Our should be empowered to protect is unacceptable. It must be exposed and homogenous group and that there are identities are not based on our being the punished. We should admire the courage of differences of class, caste, ethnic identity, daughters of our fathers, the wives of our victims who come forward and support nationality, religion and sexual orientation husbands, the sisters of our brothers or the them. between us. We respect and celebrate mothers of our sons. We have individual 21. Only pathetic losers harass girls and our differences and we pledge not to let identities of our own. women. Harassment on the streets, in public elite women overshadow women who are 9. We may have breasts, vaginas, clitorises vehicles, during festivals like Holi, in offices less privileged. and wombs; we also have kidneys, livers,and workplaces and in the family are all lungs, stomachs, hearts, pancreases,unacceptable. Harassment, including intestines, fingers and toes, nails, arms,seemingly innocent ‘only teasing’ makes us In conclusion, patriarchy creates legs, pubic-hair, skin, eyes, ears, mouth,feel vulnerable. Then we get mad. Let’s make hierarchies. We reject all hierarchies. lips and tongues. There are more similarities There is no high and no low, no than differences between women and men. superior and inferior in our sisterhood of Most importantly, all people have sovereign souls. We call for the support of independent minds, spirits and souls. all like-minded people in committing to 10. We have sovereignty over our bodies. taking action—big and small, public and 11. All children should be valued equally, private—to realise liberty, equality and and female fetuses should not be camaraderie. ultrasounded and discarded. Girls should receive the same care and opportunity as

[email protected] 6 INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 7 Charitraheen Cheli A Koirala-Deuba patch-up is meaningless without wider debate Women declare independenceon the purpose of such a reunionUnity? What for? haritraheen Cheli (The Women of Ill themselves from all forms of monetary, lmost every party decries the Repute) is an underground group of On the occasion of International social and psychological exploitation and politics of untouchability, women aiming to ‘rip apart the veils,’ sexually transmitted disease. C yet they all practice it. The who meet regularly in Kathmandu and Women’s Day on 8 March, an 29. Men who commit violence against A engage in all kinds of guff, from high- women are anti-national elements. Six out main opposition, UML, practiced minded politics to raucouspandherni ’ underground Nepali women’s group hasof ten of Nepal’s sitting judges have said, untouchability in its ugliest form watertap gossip. At a recent meeting, they in a widely-known study, that it is okay for when it obstructed parliament for men to slap around their wives to keep released a statement declaring their 57 days, and, not content with independence, which reads: issued a 40-point declaration them in line. (Dear judges: shame, shame, “With all respect to the women who have puppy shame; all the donkeys know your that, announced a social boycott rebelled before us, the women who rebel name!) of Prime Minister GP Koirala alongside us, and the women who will 30. Men with two or more wives must not in 1999. rebel after us: we refuse to be good.” enter public office. We shall judge men in Then it was Koirala’s turn, and They say the word ‘good’ is public office on their private as well as public morality. treacherous because it usually upholds the he trudged along the UML’s well- 31. Dowries are a joke, and if you have patriarchal standards of our society, and beaten path by treating Sher add: “We rejoice in our ill repute. We refuse given a dowry for your daughter’s Bahadur Deuba as a political pariah to limit ourselves to what patriarchy deems wedding, you are a joker. Ha, ha, ha! until recently. to be serious, worthy, right and correct for 32. We like women with power and women to think, speak and do. We think, express solidarity withboksis and That is why Koirala’s unity call speak and do anything and everything that it illegal and publicly shame all kichkannis. last week from his hometown of we feel perpetrators. 33. There should be no colour coding for Biratnagar for a general amnesty to like, 22. Which moron made the Civil Code? widows. They should love and marry and of the district or constituencySUBHAS RAIlevel when all Deuba kangresis assumes (And which morons have perpetuated itshave any kind of relationship they choose we feel significance far beyond a temporary committees. discrimination thus far?) We demand equalto have. like, in citizenship. Women should be able to pass34. Women must have quick and easy patch-up. But unity, if it takes The current political the way we feel like, led by the wishes of along citizenship to their husbands and access to social and legal justice, as well uncertainty did not suddenly our independentCHELIS minds and hearts and children. Our fatherless children, children as clean indoor toilets. appear out of the blue on bodies.”Rosy Chhetri we adopt, children born by artificial insemination, test-tube babies and off- 35. Why only twenty percent? Half of all Fourth October. It was the The Chelis’ 40-point declaration of boys. No man should ever be called ‘Raja’. springs of our frozen eggs and clonedgovernment jobs should be reserved for unspecified reasons. 12. Boys and men must share in all CAPITAL LETTER culmination of a series of factors independence states: genetic material should all be granted women. But equality and justice should be place Yubarajat all, will beGhimire meaningless Do the lapses by two leaders triggered by the unmanageable 1. To have or not to have an agenda ishousehold our tasks. Men should be encouragedcitizenship. in practice, and not just in paper. Paper liberty. We take on agendas as we wish,to stay home, cook, clean, look after children23. Which idiots would think women should be relegated to the above- without a wider debate on the (dissolution without party’s now. Will the united party be rivalry and power tussles between and change dirty diapers, while women without accepting the burdens that others should have the permission of their mentioned clean indoor toilets. purpose of such a reunion. Not consent, or public humiliation of supporting the call for Koirala and Deuba. The fact that work outside the home without any would like to saddle us with. fathers/ husbands/ guardians to obtain36. We are not loyal to any political party if only will they have to delve into the prime minister by the party continued politics of boycott and apologies. Also, we demand regular republicanism or defend the Koirala and the UML did not ask 2. We are underground because its fun passports, or to travel and work abroad?the party is not loyal to us. If you want our massages after a long day’s work with no the origional reason the parent chief) deserve this amnesty? GP’s untouchability any longer. If the present constitution, which has for Deuba’s reinstatement, only down there. We are everywhere around (The same idiots who framed our Civil support, you’ll have to work for us. Put attached conditions. party split, but also critically call not only fully absolves himself unity between the two kangresi you, on the streets, in your office and even Code, that’s who). Having reached thewomen in half the leadership positions of constitutional monarchy and the calling his dismissal as prime 13. We see menstruation as natural. We in your home. You are being watched!!! age of 18, we exercise the right for all the political parties. But we only support analyse the role of the leaders. and Sushil Koirala but also projectsfactions happens outside the multiparty democracy as its salient minister an “undemocratic and 3. Our thoughts are utterly uncensored.refused We to be ashamed of it. Neither docomplete we freedom of movement. Insteadwomen of who have women-friendly politics. The Congress split took place him as someone above party rules ambit of the wider political features? unconstitutional act” by the king, speak in soft, melodious tones, and alsoview women who have given birth as curbing this freedom, the state should Not even women can take our support for and norms of public office. For context, it will just be another is sufficient evidence to throw polluted. All women should be pampered and granted. We are fed up with being used. when Deuba, as prime minister, Political parties which do not scream, shout, yell and roar. We laugh loud fulfill its obligation to provide women with meaningful unity, he should step political farce. their democratic credentials into and often. We wail. We whistle, hum, sing.honored during menstruation and duringprotection, via consulates, in the foreignEnough is enough. dissolved parliament without pursue internal democracy cannot We speak freely. Nobody silences us.pregnancy, childbirth and after. This willcountries in which we travel, work and37. We demand to have women in the post informing the party or Koirala, down and inspire Deuba and Last month, Chandra Shekhar, be real instruments of politics in a doubt. The unity move, therefore, 4. We behave freely. We do not bow, combat Nepal’s shamefully high maternalreside. of prime minister, and as Ministers of Home amidst growing mistrust and Sushil Koirala to follow the path ofa friend of many Nepali leaders has to be an exercise of mortality rate. 24. We refuse to return our share of ourAffairs, Finance; Foreign Affairs, multiparty set-up. In order to make scrape, or act tamed or humbled — unless14. We demand easy access to cheap, safe hostility between the two. Not retroactive sacrifice. Secondly, this who struggled for restoration of unity more meaningful, and a introspection and public pledge. we want to be, for our own purposes. We family inheritance to our brothers post-Defense, Law, Justice and Parliamentary politics of unity should be the The propagators of unity owe it to and effective contraceptives and urge menmarriage. IT IS ALL OURS! Affairs, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Sports only had the prime minister been democracy in Nepal in 1991, met united party a vibrant political chew paan in public. We exchange blows beginning of a process of when we need to. We buy contraceptivesto learn to love condoms. 25. Single women should be legally and Education, Water Resources and instructed to withdraw an official senior leaders like KP Bhattarai, instrument, it should make its the people to explain to them how 15. We know we have the right to sexual openly. We eat, drink and smoke anything, allowed to adopt children. Physical Planning, Industry and Commerce, resolution for the extension of the reconciliation that discards the Koirala and Deuba, and suggested membership drive, internal it will help to bring the depending on our whims. We are the onlypleasure, including, but not limited to, 26. We want girls and young women to Science and Technology, Land Reform and state of emergency tabled in politics of untouchability in any that the Nepali congress unite and constitutional process back on orgasm. Management; Information and electoral system and auditing ones who control our actions. pursue their studies without any shape or form. To prove they have track. 5. We wear combat boots, paint our 16. We reserve the right to choose sexual Communication, Agriculture and parliament with the consent of the defend multiparty democracy and transparent. The choice of hindrance, growing up to become Cooperatives, Population and Environment, done that, Koirala and Deuba, as toenails silver, have buzz-cut hair andpartners wear to fulfill our desires (regardless of party chief, he had also been issued constitutional monarchy. Koirala’s candidates for parliament should mechanics, surgeons, editors, judges, Forest and Soil Conservation, Labour and leopard-spotted matching bra and panty—class, caste, ethnic identity, nationality, a show cause notice in the most well Nepal and the rest should sit unity call appears like a belated electricians, mathematicians, diplomats,Health. We also demand to have a woman be decided on the recommendation or no bra and panty at all. The clothesreligious we belief, age or sexual orientation). with Surya Bahadur Thapa to find taxi drivers, woodworkers, priests andChief of the Army Staff. humiliating manner by the response, but he has not yet wear, our shoes, our haircuts, our jewelry17. We also reserve the right to develop dhamis, etc. 38. We are tired of old ways of activism. party general secretary for a way out of the current impasse. explained why he wants unity and makeup are all for our own comfortemotionally and and intellectually fulfilling 27. Women’s labour is as valuable as Marching from Bhadrakali to Singha Darbar The country and democracy should pleasure. friendships with anyone we like. men’s, and should be paid equally. 6. We move about without restriction. We18. We say no to advances that are not to with a placard is mostly a waste of time. It not be forced off the edge by their Household work should be recognized isas also polluting our lungs. We will use walk where women are not supposed to our liking. We know that ‘no’ means ‘no’.a Doform of labor. Labor laws created to helpother means of exercising our politics, walk, leaving our homes, offices and you know that ‘no’ means ‘no’? If not, consultwomen, such as the provision of child including non-violent guerilla tactics. neighborhoods far behind to enter spaces the dictionary. care services and maternity leaves, 39. We do not hold double standards. We where we are not allowed, welcomed19. or Marriage does not license sexual should be made more practical. do not say one thing in public and practice expected. misconduct or rape. Men: if a woman says28. We demand legal action against the 7. We work in all professions, no matter something else in private. We speak the she has a headache, she has a headache.traffickers of girls and women. Sex truth. Our characters are ISO 9002- how ‘unwomanly’. Reach for a Cetamol, not a condom. workers should never be arrested, onlycertified! 8. We redefine family roles so that they do 20. Incest and sexual exploitation of childrentheir pimps and brokers. Sex workers 40. We recognise that women are not a not impinge on our individuality. Our should be empowered to protect is unacceptable. It must be exposed and homogenous group and that there are identities are not based on our being the punished. We should admire the courage of differences of class, caste, ethnic identity, daughters of our fathers, the wives of our victims who come forward and support nationality, religion and sexual orientation husbands, the sisters of our brothers or the them. between us. We respect and celebrate mothers of our sons. We have individual 21. Only pathetic losers harass girls and our differences and we pledge not to let identities of our own. women. Harassment on the streets, in public elite women overshadow women who are 9. We may have breasts, vaginas, clitorises vehicles, during festivals like Holi, in offices less privileged. and wombs; we also have kidneys, livers,and workplaces and in the family are all lungs, stomachs, hearts, pancreases,unacceptable. Harassment, including intestines, fingers and toes, nails, arms,seemingly innocent ‘only teasing’ makes us In conclusion, patriarchy creates legs, pubic-hair, skin, eyes, ears, mouth,feel vulnerable. Then we get mad. Let’s make hierarchies. We reject all hierarchies. lips and tongues. There are more similarities There is no high and no low, no than differences between women and men. superior and inferior in our sisterhood of Most importantly, all people have sovereign souls. We call for the support of independent minds, spirits and souls. all like-minded people in committing to 10. We have sovereignty over our bodies. taking action—big and small, public and 11. All children should be valued equally, private—to realise liberty, equality and and female fetuses should not be camaraderie. ultrasounded and discarded. Girls should receive the same care and opportunity as

[email protected] 8 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 “We are scared.”

from p1 country. It is a tragedy that so many security searches while entering schools have closed, that so many their school. A school identity card A group of child rights teachers have been kidnapped, costs Rs 50 and many can’t afford organisations, National Coalition killed or have fled, and that the it, and so can’t go to school. for Children as Zones of Peace, schools that remain open have “We have asked the army estimates that 500,000 children continual interruptions due to repeatedly not to walk around across Nepal are being deprived of bandas.” with their weapons inside the primary education. At this rate, Some parents in the mid-west school, but they don’t listen,” says Nepal’s achievements over the past have had enough. Last month, in one teacher, “the students are 15 years in raising literacy, Rukum’s Pipal village, a group of distracted and are afraid all the especially of girl children, is going parents gathered up their courage time.” We asked the officer on to suffer a serious setback. to warn Maoists to stop political and duty why the army base had to be In a strongly-worded press military training of their children. in the school, and he replied flatly: statement issued in Kathmandu “We told them that they were “It is for their own protection.” this week, the Coalition said: “We disrupting our children’s studies,” But it is clear that for both the MIN BAJRACHARYA view with deep concern reports in said one parent. The Maoists went Maoists and the army, their own the media that school-going ahead anyway with their two-day security is more important than children are also being targeted for program at Pipal Secondary School. the security of the civilians, and Friendly autocrats conscription as combatants in the In Rukum’s Khalanga district keeping out of schools doesn’t conflict. Children should never be headquarters, the Tribhuban Public seem to be a priority. “We are really recruited as combatants and never High School is surrounded by surprised with their attitude, It is in the US national interest to be used in any activity relating to barbed wire because the classrooms neither side seems to think make the king restore democracy armed conflict.” have been requisitioned by the army education is important,” says The statement adds: “It is a and turned into a barrack. The Navaraj Gautam, vice principal of he US State Department released its annual country reports on human rights practices last week. Few students of international tragedy for our nation that teaching classes are still held inside what looks a high school in Musikot who is T politics still believe that the US changes its polices towards has become one of the most like an army base and even small worried students will just drop particular countries on the basis of their state of democracy and human dangerous occupations in the children have to go through out. Says one student in Musikot: rights. It is the national interest that reigns supreme and we don’t have “It’s scary seeing all those guns, to go very far for examples. we are always afraid something will In the 1980s, the fundamentalist Islamic government of Gen Zia-ul- happen to us.” z Haq was the most trusted and reliable friend of America in its campaign against the Soviets in Afghanistan. In 1998, sanctions were imposed on India and Pakistan following their nuclear tests. In the aftermath of LONDON EYE the September 11 attacks in the Robin Raj US, President Bush declared sanctions were no longer in America’s “national security interest”. The US has often over-ridden democracy and human rights in pursuit of its national interest. Having said that, democracy and human rights do feature prominently in US foreign policy. Since the idea of “democratic peace” (democracies don’t fight each other) was promoted in the early 1980s, the successive American governments have given due prominence to democratisation and human rights. Only when the US administration feels that the American interests are served better through dictatorial regimes, as in the case of Saudi Arabia or Musharraf’s Pakistan, does it speak duplicitous language. Or when it believes that the promotion of democracy and human rights serves the US national interest better in the long run. In its Nepal report, the State Department blames the army and the Maoists for dismal human rights records. However, the report does not blame anyone for the most fundamental violation of human and democratic rights of the Nepalis as a nation: the right to choose their government, which has been taken away by the king. Does this mean that the king’s action has better served the American interest, hence the silence? We obviously can’t expect the Americans to promote rights at the expense of their national interest. But how does the king’s undemocratic regime do America any good? Washington must remember how the promotion of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan in the 1980s to fight the Soviets resulted in the emergence of the Taliban 20 years later. The support to Saddam Hussain during the Iraq-Iran conflict emboldened him to start subsequent adventures. The Americans, and the West in general, have been visibly lenient about the royal takeover of executive powers. They don’t seem to realise that the king’s continuing rule has only helped extremists of the right and the left of the political spectrum. They should realise that unless constitutional institutions are strengthened, there is a possibility of human rights violations getting worse. Children as zones of war This is not, in any way, a call for coercive intrusion into the state’s affairs. However, let’s be open enough to understand that there are The Maoists don’t seem to be too worried about abandoned and lost after being taken away by certain universal values like human rights and democracy, the violation concerns raised by human rights groups about Maoists. of which, call for international pressure to stop it. Such pressures recruitment of children. They haven’t even Even so, there is no direct evidence that children should not be considered as a violation of sovereignty, the definition of bothered to deny the army’s allegations that are getting arms training. Even the army admits its which, has changed drastically in this era of globalisation. hundreds of children and teachers have been information is based on secondary sources. “We It may, therefore, be time for greater international pressure on the abducted from villages in Rolpa and Achham don’t have evidence or witnesses of Maoists training king to restore the democratic institutions as a first step towards resolving the country’s political crisis. The irrational arrogance of districts in the past month. In fact, Kamala Shahi of children to use arms,” says human rights activist sovereignty and fear of being labelled anti-nationalist in supporting the Maoist-aligned student union admitted this Dhana Shyam Acharya from Rolpa. Pro-Maoist international pressure for protection of human rights and democracy week that a child militia was being set up after five student and coordinator for Seti-Mahakali, Ramesh will do no good to our nation. school children were killed in an army attack at the Matal, admitted children were being taken in, but The silence of the State Department report on the fundamental Sharada Secondary School in Doti in December. said they were only receiving janabadi sikska and violation of human and democratic rights of the Nepalis should be “The child militia will soon be 50,000 strong,” were taken on “educational tours” of Maoist base deplored, but there should be no hesitation to say that if the US and Shahi boasted this week. Several dozen students areas. But one Rolpali villager, who is now a refugee other Western governments want Nepal to stop from sliding into a failed from Jangariti School in Jugar in Rolpa who were in Nepalganj, told us he has seen armed children state, they should be more vocal in pressuring the king to rectify his mistakes. Actions have to be taken in time. History has plenty of forcibly taken away recently were sent back after a below 18 patrolling his village and is convinced: weeklong participation in a Maoist program. And “Their ultimate aim is to build a children’s army.” examples that delays can have dangerous consequences. z z there are reports of young children being found (Netra KC in Nepalgunj) ECONOMY 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 9 BIZ NEWS

Ultimate pilgrimage

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Nepal Tourism Board along with private sector participated in the Travel Busing blues Trade Fair (TTF)-Bangalore from 24-26 February to project Nepal as an ‘Ultimate Pilgrimage and Adventure Destination’ aiming for the Indian market that generates one-third of the tourists coming to Nepal. Nepal’s n 23 February, Nepal and Pashupati Darshan Package with a visit to Pashupati, launced earlier in India signed an agreement Chennai by His Holy Highness Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya, was a big O to promote direct bus attraction. The parallel theme of projecting Nepal as an adventure services between the two destination served to attract the younger generation. With Royal Nepal Airlines’ direct flights from Kathmandu to Bangalore, it could be a countries. This meant that Nepali potential tourist hub for promoting Nepal’s tourism to Chennai and other long-distance buses are now able parts of south India. That is if Royal Nepal Airlines can make that flight to take passengers to India regular, tour operators add. without much red tape, while Indian buses can bring in

Launching Manang ○○○○○○○○○○○

○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ STRICTLY BUSINESS The travel program Destination Manang will be inaugurated on 22 Ashutosh Tiwari March. Organised by the Manang Youth Society, the ceremony will take place in Chame, headquarters of Manang district, with the primary travellers to Nepal. The Hotel objective of introducing Manang to those seeking a once-in-a-lifetime Wriggling out of the clutches of cartels adventure and a unique cultural experience. Manang Youth Society will Association of Nepal (HAN) and float a special package for Destination Manang-2004 for Nepalis and Nepal Association of Tour services. Indeed, the jingles Used to operating out of such a foreigners. www.destinationmanang.com Operators (NATA) welcomed the (especially the one of Kankai Mai cocoon, it is no wonder that the agreement, saying that it makes it Yatayat for early-morning buses Indo-Nepal agreement would make

Tourism tricks easier to bring in more tourists, leaving for Kakadbhitta from the FNTE members nervous. With

○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ but the Federation of Nepali Kathmandu) were catchy and fun, the agreement in place, Indian bus Provided all goes well, Nepal will soon have a new tourism policy based Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE) patterned as they were after operators need not play by on the suggestions the government is canvassing from many sectors of protested against it on grounds of memorable Nepali folk songs. FNTE’s inward-looking and cartel- the industry. Various associations of tourism entrepreneurs have already patriotism, among other reasons. Besides amusement, the jingles friendly rules. To make money, submitted their input. “Given the changed national and international scenario, we need to It’s easy to understand why gave one a sense of the kind of most likely, they will offer different have a new policy,” Rabi Jung Pandey of the Tourism for Rural Poverty HAN and NATA would support fierce market-based competition service packages and wider choices Alleviation Program told the agreement, but what could that the bus companies were then that appeal to both Nepali and us. “New concepts that are explain the FNTE’s mindset? engaged in. Indian customers interested in picking up, like domestic As a child in the late 70s and This sort of competition went visiting either country. tourism, will have to be early 80s, I fondly remember on till the early 90s, after which Sooner or later, their operating included in the new policy.” listening to commercial jingles for owners of bus companies, with ties to and from Nepal will also force us Some quarters in the various long-distance bus to unions affiliated with political to deal seriously with issues of travel industry want issues companies on the one and only parties, got together to form adulterated petrol, the needless like categorisation of entertainment station at the time regional and national federations traffic-related deaths and travel and tour operators, — Radio Nepal. The major to protect their own interests. destruction that occur all too often standardisation of services and quality control, arterial highways had just opened, With entities such as FNTE on our highways and how among others, to be included in the new policy, while others have been linking Kathmandu to parts of eventually holding sway, this led transport-related services (auto opposing it. eastern and mid-western Nepal. to the inevitable for the bus repair, insurance, advertising etc) The list of what tourism entrepreneurs want and what they don’t may go The good roads made it easier for companies: no need to compete are bought and sold in the on and on. But the key challenge, tourism pundits say, is to maximise the buses to run day and night. with one another as aggressively as marketplace. The FNTE members contribution of tourism industry in the national economy with due Seeing opportunities to make before. The catchy tunes on the can bury their heads in the sand attention to sustainability. So far, tourism has been contributing a meager 0.3 percent to the GDP. “We will first go through the suggestions money, Nepali entrepreneurs, radio stopped, there was and continue to shout for of all the stakeholders and hold a national level workshop for the final with permission from the widespread price-fixing, bad protection by launching chakka- draft of the policy,” an official at the Tourism Ministry said. Panchayat government, started service and fewer choices for most jams. Or they can wisely accept the Tourism arrivals grew by 44 percent last month compared to figures transport companies. Soon these passengers. Bus owners emerged as change as an opportunity to for the same month in 2003, bringing visitor totals up to a total of private sector companies were a minor political force that could improve business and access new 24,456. jostling with one another on the call on and off chakka-jams in any markets in India and Nepal. NEW PRODUCTS radio to claim how much road-linked part of the country. Let’s hope that they take the ‘comfort’ their buses gave The result? A comfortable cartel latter route by first ungluing RUGGED: Mahindra is passengers. To attract customers, that has been chugging along with themselves from FNTE (which has introducing two new models of they added to the competition by the best of all worlds: political now outlived its usefulness) to put “tougher than the toughest offering ‘cabin coach’, ‘video patronage, almost no market out even catchier, more vehicles” to the Nepali market. Both claim to be comfortable movies’, ‘deluxe seats’ and other pressure and guaranteed profits. competitive jingles on the radio. z with low maintenance costs, easy maneuverability and high ground clearance. The Mahindra Bolero Camper Single Cab is priced at Rs 935,000 (or 995,000 for the 4-wheel drive option) and the Mahindra Maxx Pick Up is Rs 935,000 as well. 10 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 11 wants to, as it did in Kalikot to flush out Maoists from the airfield in Kotbara last month. “You don’t get an autonomous region by just announcing it, they are being immature about it,” says former guerrilla and leftist leader, CP Mainali. Other intellectuals and political leaders have criticised the autonomous region announcements, saying it may fragment the country. Lawyer Sindhunath Pyakurel says: “It would have been better to push for true political devolution at the regional level.” Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara has argued, a bit unconvincingly, that ethnic and regional autonomy will actually strengthen the country’s unity. Shyam Shrestha, editor of the leftist magazine Mulyankan, says: “It’s not clear whether autonomy also means the right to secede. If it does, then it’s not right.” The Maoist have received the bitterest criticism for their Kirant Autonomous Region in the east where a chauvinistic politician, Gopal Khambu, was made the chief instead of the popular activist, Bhaktaraj Khandangba. Maoist commander ‘Pasang’ All this has made the political parties addresses the inauguration of the nervous about the Maoist’s real intentions , ‘Magarant Autonomous Region’ despite Prachanda having tried to take a softer in thawang on 9 January. approach by his statement on 26 January in which he said his party could “accept Torn asunderNARENDRA KC legitimate ‘tax’. After all, the Maoists haven’tmultiparty competition..and the role of the United Nations mediation and monitoring in SHARAD KC The Maoists are playingreally dangerous been doing much ethnic development games even in the Tamsaling Autonomous Region for thethe base areas that are under their control. Inany means to peacefully gauge public toTamangs, keep Bheri-Karnali up the Region, momentum the Madhesfact, the of education their and revolution health care systems,opinion…” And as usual, the Maoist Region, the Tharuwan Region, the Seti-rudimentary as they may be, are still being paidleadership has been sending out contradictory here are examples of revolutions throughMahakali, Tambuwan and Kirantfor by the ‘old regime’. messages. Soon after Prachanda’s statement, history that start as freedom struggles,Autonomous Regions. They have left the In terms of security, it is hardly possible forthe head of the Bheri-Karnali Region, Khadga Tbut soon degenerate into religious, ethicdeclaration of the Newar Region in the capital Biswokarma, proclaimed that those who did the Maoists to ensure security for the people in or separatist wars. The nine-year-old Maoistfor a later date. their autonomous regions when they are notnot agree with the party line were banned from ‘People’s War’ could be headed the same way. There are several theories about why thissecure themselves and need to rely on safehis newly autonomous region. The slew of ethnic and regional autonomoussudden flurry of autonomous declarations. Thehavens across the border in India. The fact that Mahara has tried to gloss things over, regions that the Maoists have launched inmost plausible seems to be a morale booster forthe head of the Madhes Region, Matrika Yadav,saying: “We are in a war situation. It won’t recent months makes this a legitimate concern. the Maoists’ own rank-was detained in India and extradited to Nepalalways be like this.” But, asks CP Mainali: According to its directive on autonomous “When protesters burn an effigy of the king, q last month proves this point. MUSIC FOR PEACE regions released last year, the Maoists have, in In the war’s present deadly stalemate, boththey are not shot at. Why should Ganesh addition to the central government, decided sides are given to hyperbole. At theChiluwal be shot dead for burning the effigies to set up seven ethnic and two regional of Baburam and Prachanda?” autonomous regions (see map). Within these The Maoist decision to go ahead with the regions there are several tiers of district and autonomous region declarations appears to have Over the past few years, Kathmandu has gained a town-village local government units with their been brought forward as a damage control growing reputation as being a jazz-friendly valley. own ‘people’s assemblies’. measure to neutralise the group’s public image However, it does not look like the selection as being ruthless, brutal and murderous. It Since the first Jazzmandu in March 2002, the festival procedures for who gets to be in these could be intended to show that besides its is now an established stop on the international jazz assemblies is going to be done underand-file who are military activities, the Maoists are also a political calendar with music, participation and arrangement that democratic principles of adult franchise. Thereunder considerable military launch of the Magarant Region, its chairmanforce with their own political agenda. “It may are provisions to ensure that at every level ofpressure from the army’s counterinsurgencySantosh Buda declared the airspace over hisalso be a show of political and military is world class. Event management company Upstairs government there will be more nominatedoperations and must be thinking there may beautonomous region “out of bounds” for thestrength,” explains Shyam Shrestha. Ideas first envisioned the festival after the experience of members than elected ones. For example, eachno end to the fighting. royal army. A few days later, King Gyanendra In the final analysis, the Maoists may also the local ensemble, Cadenza, at the 2000 Palmer Street village assembly will have 45 elected members Indeed, besides making declarations amidstand the Chief of Army Staff, Pyar Jung Thapa,be finding it difficult to gain new recruits solely Jazzing from the wards and more than 55 will belarge public gatherings, there hasn’t been muchcrisscrossed the midwest by air visiting theon political slogans of a class war. Maybe they Jazz Festival in Australia. nominated members from the Maoist army,by way of an administrative structure totowns in Maoist strongholds. Theneed something more potent, like ethnic self- Despite the fact that a musical event of this magnitude the militia, marginalised and minority groups,maintain these autonomous regions. Thegovernment’s writ may not go beyond thedetermination, to ignite populist passions. The had never been attempted in Nepal before, through a intellectuals and businessmen. declaration of regional political units ofdistrict headquarters, but there is really nothingMaoists are already being accused of using The present series of announcements ofgovernment could also be one way that theto stop the army from flying in whereverautonomy it as an excuse to foment ethnic sheer commitment to the music, the organisers managed autonomous regions started with theMaoists can convert the revenue they presently tensions. it up in to pull off an event that set the festival’s reputation of declaration of autonomy for the Magarantcollect from extortion or forced donations into Region in Rolpa’s Thawang on 9 January. high-caliber jazz, quality sound and an enthusiastic Within two weeks, the Maoists had declared audience. The appearance of Australia’s leading jazz musician z ‘Mandu Don Borrows, and the ability to attract international jazz superstars has been another plus point. Word spread, and over 2,500 people turned up at the second festival in March 2003 to see acts such as Jesse Van Ruller, Afro Daughters sue their dads Dizzi Act and master percussionist Trilok Gurtu. With a MAYA SHARMA in NEPALGANJ continuing emphasis on quality sounds and experienced

Following theth 11amendment to the civil code two years ago,against an her father for paternal property. She says she really musicians, the festival created a buzz in Kathmandu and increasing number of daughters have knocked on doorsdidn’t of the have a choice but to go to court because her father around the world. court system to claim their share of paternal property. married for a second time and abandoned her and her mother. “I was not given anything to eat, forget about going to Before the amendment, only those unmarried at 35 had The third annual Kathmandu Jazz Festival, kicking off school,” she says. Khan is confident that she will win the case inheritance rights. Now that the law has been changed,because more and she has already submitted what she calls proof to the March 11, 2004, has peace as its main theme. And the more daughters are filing cases against their fathers tocourt. claim the property which is otherwise inherited by sons. Even daughters who are still minors are suing their lineup includes six international bands and three with a Shanti Ajad, 19, and Sanjay Ajad, 21, of Nepalgunj in Banke daddies. Nine-year-old Ratna Kumari Brijbase has filed a case homegrown flavour. The headliner for the event is Louis district have taken their father to court. Their mother couldin the not district court of Banke. She doesn’t know what it is all produce a son, so their father remarried and became theabout, proud but her brothers have reportedly made her one of the Banks Brotherhood from Mumbai. The other father of a son and three other daughters, while the twodefendants sisters in the case against their parents who started from the previous marriage were neglected. “Since we areselling off all their family property. international bands are Urban Connection from regarded as a burden, we filed a case in the court for the paternal The Banke district court has around half-a-dozen cases in property,” says Shanti. The court is considering the case. Norway, Simak Dialog from Indonesia, Hannah Vasanth which daughters have claimed their share of paternal Before the amendment of the civil code, the Ajad sisters properties. The court hasn’t given a verdict on any of them Trio from England, Max Lolo from Benin, Africa, and would not even have been able to file the case. The twoyet, decided but more and more new cases are being registered. to go to court as soon as the amendmentwent into effect last year. Soul Mate from Shillong, India. This year’s Jazzmandu Sabare Bano is another daughter who is waging a legal battle z includes a free show for school students, workshops and (Mahila Bolchhin) a peace parade. MOHAN MAINALI 10 NATION 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 11 wants to, as it did in Kalikot to flush out Maoists from the airfield in Kotbara last month. “You don’t get an autonomous region by just announcing it, they are being immature about it,” says former guerrilla and leftist leader, CP Mainali. Other intellectuals and political leaders have criticised the autonomous region announcements, saying it may fragment the country. Lawyer Sindhunath Pyakurel says: “It would have been better to push for true political devolution at the regional level.” Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara has argued, a bit unconvincingly, that ethnic and regional autonomy will actually strengthen the country’s unity. Shyam Shrestha, editor of the leftist magazine Mulyankan, says: “It’s not clear whether autonomy also means the right to secede. If it does, then it’s not right.” The Maoist have received the bitterest criticism for their Kirant Autonomous Region in the east where a chauvinistic politician, Gopal Khambu, was made the chief instead of the popular activist, Bhaktaraj Khandangba. Maoist commander ‘Pasang’ All this has made the political parties addresses the inauguration of the nervous about the Maoist’s real intentions , ‘Magarant Autonomous Region’ despite Prachanda having tried to take a softer in thawang on 9 January. approach by his statement on 26 January in which he said his party could “accept Torn asunderNARENDRA KC legitimate ‘tax’. After all, the Maoists haven’tmultiparty competition..and the role of the United Nations mediation and monitoring in SHARAD KC The Maoists are playingreally dangerous been doing much ethnic development games even in the Tamsaling Autonomous Region for thethe base areas that are under their control. Inany means to peacefully gauge public toTamangs, keep Bheri-Karnali up the Region, momentum the Madhesfact, the of education their and revolution health care systems,opinion…” And as usual, the Maoist Region, the Tharuwan Region, the Seti-rudimentary as they may be, are still being paidleadership has been sending out contradictory here are examples of revolutions throughMahakali, Tambuwan and Kirantfor by the ‘old regime’. messages. Soon after Prachanda’s statement, history that start as freedom struggles,Autonomous Regions. They have left the In terms of security, it is hardly possible forthe head of the Bheri-Karnali Region, Khadga Tbut soon degenerate into religious, ethicdeclaration of the Newar Region in the capital Biswokarma, proclaimed that those who did the Maoists to ensure security for the people in or separatist wars. The nine-year-old Maoistfor a later date. their autonomous regions when they are notnot agree with the party line were banned from ‘People’s War’ could be headed the same way. There are several theories about why thissecure themselves and need to rely on safehis newly autonomous region. The slew of ethnic and regional autonomoussudden flurry of autonomous declarations. Thehavens across the border in India. The fact that Mahara has tried to gloss things over, regions that the Maoists have launched inmost plausible seems to be a morale booster forthe head of the Madhes Region, Matrika Yadav,saying: “We are in a war situation. It won’t recent months makes this a legitimate concern. the Maoists’ own rank-was detained in India and extradited to Nepalalways be like this.” But, asks CP Mainali: According to its directive on autonomous “When protesters burn an effigy of the king, q last month proves this point. MUSIC FOR PEACE regions released last year, the Maoists have, in In the war’s present deadly stalemate, boththey are not shot at. Why should Ganesh addition to the central government, decided sides are given to hyperbole. At theChiluwal be shot dead for burning the effigies to set up seven ethnic and two regional of Baburam and Prachanda?” autonomous regions (see map). Within these The Maoist decision to go ahead with the regions there are several tiers of district and autonomous region declarations appears to have Over the past few years, Kathmandu has gained a town-village local government units with their been brought forward as a damage control growing reputation as being a jazz-friendly valley. own ‘people’s assemblies’. measure to neutralise the group’s public image However, it does not look like the selection as being ruthless, brutal and murderous. It Since the first Jazzmandu in March 2002, the festival procedures for who gets to be in these could be intended to show that besides its is now an established stop on the international jazz assemblies is going to be done underand-file who are military activities, the Maoists are also a political calendar with music, participation and arrangement that democratic principles of adult franchise. Thereunder considerable military launch of the Magarant Region, its chairmanforce with their own political agenda. “It may are provisions to ensure that at every level ofpressure from the army’s counterinsurgencySantosh Buda declared the airspace over hisalso be a show of political and military is world class. Event management company Upstairs government there will be more nominatedoperations and must be thinking there may beautonomous region “out of bounds” for thestrength,” explains Shyam Shrestha. Ideas first envisioned the festival after the experience of members than elected ones. For example, eachno end to the fighting. royal army. A few days later, King Gyanendra In the final analysis, the Maoists may also the local ensemble, Cadenza, at the 2000 Palmer Street village assembly will have 45 elected members Indeed, besides making declarations amidstand the Chief of Army Staff, Pyar Jung Thapa,be finding it difficult to gain new recruits solely Jazzing from the wards and more than 55 will belarge public gatherings, there hasn’t been muchcrisscrossed the midwest by air visiting theon political slogans of a class war. Maybe they Jazz Festival in Australia. nominated members from the Maoist army,by way of an administrative structure totowns in Maoist strongholds. Theneed something more potent, like ethnic self- Despite the fact that a musical event of this magnitude the militia, marginalised and minority groups,maintain these autonomous regions. Thegovernment’s writ may not go beyond thedetermination, to ignite populist passions. The had never been attempted in Nepal before, through a intellectuals and businessmen. declaration of regional political units ofdistrict headquarters, but there is really nothingMaoists are already being accused of using The present series of announcements ofgovernment could also be one way that theto stop the army from flying in whereverautonomy it as an excuse to foment ethnic sheer commitment to the music, the organisers managed autonomous regions started with theMaoists can convert the revenue they presently tensions. it up in to pull off an event that set the festival’s reputation of declaration of autonomy for the Magarantcollect from extortion or forced donations into Region in Rolpa’s Thawang on 9 January. high-caliber jazz, quality sound and an enthusiastic Within two weeks, the Maoists had declared audience. The appearance of Australia’s leading jazz musician z ‘Mandu Don Borrows, and the ability to attract international jazz superstars has been another plus point. Word spread, and over 2,500 people turned up at the second festival in March 2003 to see acts such as Jesse Van Ruller, Afro Daughters sue their dads Dizzi Act and master percussionist Trilok Gurtu. With a MAYA SHARMA in NEPALGANJ continuing emphasis on quality sounds and experienced

Following theth 11amendment to the civil code two years ago,against an her father for paternal property. She says she really musicians, the festival created a buzz in Kathmandu and increasing number of daughters have knocked on doorsdidn’t of the have a choice but to go to court because her father around the world. court system to claim their share of paternal property. married for a second time and abandoned her and her mother. “I was not given anything to eat, forget about going to Before the amendment, only those unmarried at 35 had The third annual Kathmandu Jazz Festival, kicking off school,” she says. Khan is confident that she will win the case inheritance rights. Now that the law has been changed,because more and she has already submitted what she calls proof to the March 11, 2004, has peace as its main theme. And the more daughters are filing cases against their fathers tocourt. claim the property which is otherwise inherited by sons. Even daughters who are still minors are suing their lineup includes six international bands and three with a Shanti Ajad, 19, and Sanjay Ajad, 21, of Nepalgunj in Banke daddies. Nine-year-old Ratna Kumari Brijbase has filed a case homegrown flavour. The headliner for the event is Louis district have taken their father to court. Their mother couldin the not district court of Banke. She doesn’t know what it is all produce a son, so their father remarried and became theabout, proud but her brothers have reportedly made her one of the Banks Brotherhood from Mumbai. The other father of a son and three other daughters, while the twodefendants sisters in the case against their parents who started from the previous marriage were neglected. “Since we areselling off all their family property. international bands are Urban Connection from regarded as a burden, we filed a case in the court for the paternal The Banke district court has around half-a-dozen cases in property,” says Shanti. The court is considering the case. Norway, Simak Dialog from Indonesia, Hannah Vasanth which daughters have claimed their share of paternal Before the amendment of the civil code, the Ajad sisters properties. The court hasn’t given a verdict on any of them Trio from England, Max Lolo from Benin, Africa, and would not even have been able to file the case. The twoyet, decided but more and more new cases are being registered. to go to court as soon as the amendmentwent into effect last year. Soul Mate from Shillong, India. This year’s Jazzmandu Sabare Bano is another daughter who is waging a legal battle z includes a free show for school students, workshops and (Mahila Bolchhin) a peace parade. MOHAN MAINALI traditons alive and popular, and help educate the musicians at JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 12 the same time. They are a self 13 supported organisation, carving Cadenza and Friends been dividing his time between sarangis and selling them to Prustaar playing at Swayambhu Samundra tourists to raise funds and teaching tabala and madal at the This year will see the return of teaching the sarangi. University of California in Santa another homegrown musical Barbara and Kathmandu where product, Samundra. A union of he is involved in many music five gandharbas they will add a They have instruments we’ve all projects. He is president of traditional touch to the event. seen before: madal, bamboo Pasupatinath Music and Art Bandleader Sanu Kancha flute, sarangi, tababla and Academy which holds devotional Gandharba is clear that his group santoor. But Hom Nath song sessions twice a month and has its own traditional style. And PrustaarUpadhyaya and his 6-member an annual Shivaratri event. just to be sure, they’re coming group Prustaar throw together Upadhyaya’s duties include with sarangis and classical raags classical raags and folk tunes, encouraging sponsors to help their great grandfathers played. producing a very precise artists. He is also working on On an invite from a Japanese rhythmic variety that he simply publishingKashi to Kantipur in student who fell in love with the terms “fusion”. English, a history of tabala music sarangi while studying in Nepal, The music is the result of in Nepal. the quintet is preparing for a tour Hom Nath’s labour of love: the “King Surendra Bikram Shah in Japan after the release of their music he composes comes from brought a tabala player from latest album, titled Samundra the rare collection of raags and Banaras for the palace. The tabala Band, which is available in two folk tunes he has accumulated player’s sons and grandsons also parts. It’s a huge accomplishment over 15 years of exploring and played and generations followed for all five members of Samundra, research. “The inspiration came creating their own style, very especially since Buddha from Pandit Nararaj Dhakal different from the Banarasi, Gandharba, Ram Krishna who told me to mix raag and which became our Nepali style.” Gandharba, Samsher Gandharba folk,” explains Hom Nath. It has The most exciting parts of and Arjun Gandharba, all in their worked out perfectly. During being home for Upadhyaya and thirties, have mastered the art of his many years as a teacher at the band is Jazzmandu. They the sarangi but have no formal Tribhuban University Fine Arts performed at both previous education. “It’s not in our Campus he wanted to offer events. “Jazzmandu is an event culture,” explains Sanu Kancha. something new and refreshing that gives a lot of inspiration to Kathmandu’s music lovers who to the students. They developed Nepali artists. From East to West, missed or didn’t get enough of a technique where the band all come together and make one their music in the recent begins with a classical song, family. That’s our goal too, and Gandharba Festival will have then things pick up with a it’s working out very well.” As an another chance to listen and Nepali song or rhythm and then afterthought, Upadhyaya adds: dance to this quintessentially finish with something fast. “A lot of good has happened in Nepali folk music at Jazzmandu. Since 1998 Upadhyaya has all styles of music here. And most Sanu Kancha runs the amazingly, it’s without What they can do in Gandharba Culture and Art government support. There’s so Organisation in Thamel. He much talent in our Nepali hopes to keep the gandharba artists.”

z

Three Nepali ensembles will be playing a great chance to see different at the Jazzmandu Festival next week,styles.” let’s Young and talented garage in Darjeeling to join him in Gaurab Raj Pandey, a former introduce them toKathmandu. you student of Navin’s, will also be A decade and two Jazzmandus returning on the keyboard. Cadenza and later, Cadenza is grooving on Newcomers include drummer Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Siddhant Thapa, another of Friends Upstairs Jazz Bar where they have Navin’s students, on congas and Kathmandu’s resident ensemble, been known to pack it in even on percussion. Peter Kroultil on the Cadenza, is not only the moving a mid-week jam. With just enoughclarinet, saxophone and flute hails force behind Nepal’s jazz scene room to chill–but probably not to from the Czech Republic. As a but has also helped propel the lounge with legs extended–the working musician, Peter has country into international jazz cosy den is the cradle of jazz in thebagged several awards in his stardom. Valley. homeland and admits, “I never It all started when Cadenza At this year’s Jazzmandu, expected anything like this in Nepal in terms of quality of music was performing at the Palmer Cadenza will take the stage as a 7- when I arrived.” The youngest Street Festival in Australia in 2000 member group. Original members addition is James Lhalungpa on and they wondered why Jigme on the guitar and Chi on the tenor saxophone, which he is Kathmandu couldn’t have a the bass both think of the festival learning in high school. The 16- similar gig. Jazzmandu was born: as a chance to see how far they’ve year-old prodigy has been playing our very own annual international come since last year and to learn for five years. jazz festival. more. Says Jigme, “It’s like Dasai When he dropped in for jazz musicians.” Chi adds, unexpectedly at the Upstairs Jazz “There’s no jazz school here so it’s Bar in Lazimpat last year, music superstar Sting noted, “Any band is only as good as its drummer and this one is surprisingly good.” He was speaking of the man behind it all: frontman Navin Chhettri, who is also the band’s vocalist. Samundra Band Cadenza’s roots go back to the mid-1990s when Navin and his friends were struggling to get gigs at various Thamel bars. Often, passers-by would jam with Navin and turn out to be superb players, and that’s how he began to discover jazz. To keep the band alive, Navin convinced friends Laxmi Raj Thapa (Chi) and Jigmee Dorjee Sherpa who were playing traditons alive and popular, and help educate the musicians at JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 12 the same time. They are a self 13 supported organisation, carving Cadenza and Friends been dividing his time between sarangis and selling them to Prustaar playing at Swayambhu Samundra tourists to raise funds and teaching tabala and madal at the This year will see the return of teaching the sarangi. University of California in Santa another homegrown musical Barbara and Kathmandu where product, Samundra. A union of he is involved in many music five gandharbas they will add a They have instruments we’ve all projects. He is president of traditional touch to the event. seen before: madal, bamboo Pasupatinath Music and Art Bandleader Sanu Kancha flute, sarangi, tababla and Academy which holds devotional Gandharba is clear that his group santoor. But Hom Nath song sessions twice a month and has its own traditional style. And PrustaarUpadhyaya and his 6-member an annual Shivaratri event. just to be sure, they’re coming group Prustaar throw together Upadhyaya’s duties include with sarangis and classical raags classical raags and folk tunes, encouraging sponsors to help their great grandfathers played. producing a very precise artists. He is also working on On an invite from a Japanese rhythmic variety that he simply publishingKashi to Kantipur in student who fell in love with the terms “fusion”. English, a history of tabala music sarangi while studying in Nepal, The music is the result of in Nepal. the quintet is preparing for a tour Hom Nath’s labour of love: the “King Surendra Bikram Shah in Japan after the release of their music he composes comes from brought a tabala player from latest album, titled Samundra the rare collection of raags and Banaras for the palace. The tabala Band, which is available in two folk tunes he has accumulated player’s sons and grandsons also parts. It’s a huge accomplishment over 15 years of exploring and played and generations followed for all five members of Samundra, research. “The inspiration came creating their own style, very especially since Buddha from Pandit Nararaj Dhakal different from the Banarasi, Gandharba, Ram Krishna who told me to mix raag and which became our Nepali style.” Gandharba, Samsher Gandharba folk,” explains Hom Nath. It has The most exciting parts of and Arjun Gandharba, all in their worked out perfectly. During being home for Upadhyaya and thirties, have mastered the art of his many years as a teacher at the band is Jazzmandu. They the sarangi but have no formal Tribhuban University Fine Arts performed at both previous education. “It’s not in our Campus he wanted to offer events. “Jazzmandu is an event culture,” explains Sanu Kancha. something new and refreshing that gives a lot of inspiration to Kathmandu’s music lovers who to the students. They developed Nepali artists. From East to West, missed or didn’t get enough of a technique where the band all come together and make one their music in the recent begins with a classical song, family. That’s our goal too, and Gandharba Festival will have then things pick up with a it’s working out very well.” As an another chance to listen and Nepali song or rhythm and then afterthought, Upadhyaya adds: dance to this quintessentially finish with something fast. “A lot of good has happened in Nepali folk music at Jazzmandu. Since 1998 Upadhyaya has all styles of music here. And most Sanu Kancha runs the amazingly, it’s without What they can do in Gandharba Culture and Art government support. There’s so Organisation in Thamel. He much talent in our Nepali hopes to keep the gandharba artists.”

z

Three Nepali ensembles will be playing a great chance to see different at the Jazzmandu Festival next week,styles.” let’s Young and talented garage in Darjeeling to join him in Gaurab Raj Pandey, a former introduce them toKathmandu. you student of Navin’s, will also be A decade and two Jazzmandus returning on the keyboard. Cadenza and later, Cadenza is grooving on Newcomers include drummer Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Siddhant Thapa, another of Friends Upstairs Jazz Bar where they have Navin’s students, on congas and Kathmandu’s resident ensemble, been known to pack it in even on percussion. Peter Kroultil on the Cadenza, is not only the moving a mid-week jam. With just enoughclarinet, saxophone and flute hails force behind Nepal’s jazz scene room to chill–but probably not to from the Czech Republic. As a but has also helped propel the lounge with legs extended–the working musician, Peter has country into international jazz cosy den is the cradle of jazz in thebagged several awards in his stardom. Valley. homeland and admits, “I never It all started when Cadenza At this year’s Jazzmandu, expected anything like this in Nepal in terms of quality of music was performing at the Palmer Cadenza will take the stage as a 7- when I arrived.” The youngest Street Festival in Australia in 2000 member group. Original members addition is James Lhalungpa on and they wondered why Jigme on the guitar and Chi on the tenor saxophone, which he is Kathmandu couldn’t have a the bass both think of the festival learning in high school. The 16- similar gig. Jazzmandu was born: as a chance to see how far they’ve year-old prodigy has been playing our very own annual international come since last year and to learn for five years. jazz festival. more. Says Jigme, “It’s like Dasai When he dropped in for jazz musicians.” Chi adds, unexpectedly at the Upstairs Jazz “There’s no jazz school here so it’s Bar in Lazimpat last year, music superstar Sting noted, “Any band is only as good as its drummer and this one is surprisingly good.” He was speaking of the man behind it all: frontman Navin Chhettri, who is also the band’s vocalist. Samundra Band Cadenza’s roots go back to the mid-1990s when Navin and his friends were struggling to get gigs at various Thamel bars. Often, passers-by would jam with Navin and turn out to be superb players, and that’s how he began to discover jazz. To keep the band alive, Navin convinced friends Laxmi Raj Thapa (Chi) and Jigmee Dorjee Sherpa who were playing 14 JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 SCIENCE AND HEALTH 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 15 Social sciences are being stonewalled in the Disappearingvast conversation of “human nature” science PROGRAM hy are the social sciences so much what humanists have for centuries called more at risk of having their “fate”. In other words, the configuration of Wbudgets cut than the other two our brains and genes may ultimately be out great bodies of academic knowledge, the of our control, however deeply we come to humanities and the natural sciences? Formerunderstand them. Pinker’s message will British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeal to those eager to avoid political notoriously proposed that the field simply reforms that would compel a greater sense of does collective responsibility. After all, the social not sciences historically offered empirical COMMENT exist: support and spiritual hope for just such Steve Fuller there is reforms, which are increasingly dismissed as no such thing as society, she claimed. Others“utopian”. point to the restructuring of university social By contrast, the humanities and the science departments. But the expansion of natural sciences share a sense of reality that business schools arguably testifies to the transcends time and place; hence their continued vitality of the social sciences. common interest in a fixed “human nature”. Wednesday – 17 March Nor is it true that the social sciences This is tied to a way of thinking and a sense Sounds of Africa - Max Lolo and Cadenza belabour the obvious, as is sometimes said. of knowing that is largely contemplative and VenueYak : & Yeti Hotel, Kingsway On the contrary, today’s commonplaces sometimes even disempowering, as reality Time7PM : onwards comes to seem to be whatever resists our Thursday – 11 March were yesterday’s innovations. If you compare EntryTickets : Rs 1399, including Jazzmandu Free show concerted efforts at change. food and drinks the concepts used to frame newspaper VenuePatan : square, Patan Sunday – 14 March editorials today and 10 or more years ago, These two great academic cultures also Time4:30 : PM onwards Jazzmandu Work Shop. prefer to study humanity without having to VenueElites : Co-ed, Nagpokhari Saturday – 20 March you will find the deep—but PerformingUrban : Connection Live mingle with flesh-and-blood human beings. Time4:30 : - 6:30 PM Jazz Uncorked unacknowledged—impact of the social sciences. The influence may be regretted, Thus, evolutionary psychologists infer what EntryInvitations : from Elites School or theVenueShangri-La : Village, Pokhara Friday – 12 March Upstairs Jazz Bar available on a firstTime6.30 : - 10PM but at least it is registered. makes us who we are from the remains of Jazzmandu Work Shop come, first served basis EntryTickets : at Rs 999 with Dinner Still, where are the social sciences in the our Stone Age ancestors (including their VenueElites : Co-ed School, Nagpokhari Instruments:Drums, Guitar, Saxophone, KeyboardPerformingHannah : Vasant Trio, Max DNA), whereas humanists focus on artifacts Time4:30 : - 5:30 PM vast conversation over “human nature” that Lolo, Cadenza with Peter, has been prompted by recent advances in of a more recent and literate age. EntryInvitations : from Elites School or the Soul Mate social scientists made the everyday lives of Upstairs Jazz Bar available on a firstTuesday – 16 March cognitive neuroscience, behavioral genetics In contrast, the social sciences adhere to Jazz for school students ordinary people respectable, while refusing come, first served basis and evolutionary psychology? Check out thethe maxim that the best way to study to privilege certain animals over certain – VenueBudhanilkantha : School, Wednesday – 24 March humans is to interact with them, typically Instruments:Drums, Guitar, Saxophone, Keyboard Narayanthan elaborate and informative website typically disabled or unwanted—humans. Jazz at Patan by getting them to do and say things that Time4:30 : - 6:30 PM VenuePatan : Museum (www.edge.org) devoted to the promotion “Welfare” occupies a pride of place in the of a “third culture” that bridges the they might otherwise not. This profoundly to natural selection. In his words, the human Friday – 12 March EntryOnly : on invitation Square,Patan social sciences that humanists and natural Valley Jam humanities and the natural sciences. Social simple idea, common to experiments and condition is not about “survival of the PerformingMax : Lolo, Simak Dialog, Time6 : - 9PM scientists replace with “survival” and maybe VenueShangri-La : Jazz Bar, Lazimpat scientists are conspicuous by their absence. ethnographies, inspired the triumphs and fittest” but “the fitting of as many as can Cadenza with Peter, MIK, Soul MateEntryTickets : Rs 1149 even “fortune”. survive”. Time7:30 : - 10PM But what difference would their disasters that punctuate modern politics. It EntryTickets : Rs 350 requires an increasingly controversial To be sure, the checkered history of Huxley identified humanity’s Friday – 26 March presence make? It is often assumed that welfare in the 20 PerformingUrban : Connection Supper Club – Headliner everyone recoils at the prospect that there areassumption: all human beings—whatever achievements with legal conventions and VenueHyatt : Regency, Boudha genetic limits to our capacity for change. their achievements, competences, status or medical technologies, artifices that extend Saturday – 13 March Time7:30 : PM to 11PM Actually, only those imbued with the health—are equally significant members of human dominion by enabling people to be Jazz Bazaar EntryTickets : Rs 2999, including optimistic spirit of social science recoil. society, whose strength ultimately lies in and do more than they could individually. VenueGokarna : Forest dinner and Seagram’s what they can do together. The future of the social sciences may lie in Everyone else is relieved. th Time4PM : onwards selected drinks century put the future of rekindling this coalition of law and medicine [Gates open at 2PM] In the “third culture” best seller The social sciences’ egalitarianism runs PerformingLouis : Banks Brotherhood The the social sciences in doubt. But a way and upgrading the artificial in a world that EntryTickets : Rs 599 Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Humancounter to both the humanist fixation on elite “classic” texts and the natural scientific forward can be found in TH Huxley, may have come to overvalue nature. PerformingUrban : Connection, Max Lolo, Simak Saturday – 27 March Nature, Steven Pinker says that we may tendency to generalise across species. Thus, Darwin’s fabled public defender. A late z Dialog, Cadenza & Friends, Cadenza Jazzmandu All Star Fever need to admit a natural scientific basis for convert to evolution, he was a lifelong with Peter, MIK, Prastar, Gandharva, VenueHotel : Summit, Kupondole (© Project Syndicate) Nepali exotic cultural dances skeptic about the theory’s political Time6PM : onwards implications. For Huxley, civilised society Steve Fuller is Professor of Sociology at the EntryTickets : Rs. 699 rose above nature by its systematic resistance University of Warwick and the authorRe- of Sunday – 14 March Imagining Sociology. Jazzmandu Peace Parade VenueLazimpat : Time1 : - 2PM 14 JAZZMANDU 2004 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 SCIENCE AND HEALTH 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 15 Social sciences are being stonewalled in the Disappearingvast conversation of “human nature” science PROGRAM hy are the social sciences so much what humanists have for centuries called more at risk of having their “fate”. In other words, the configuration of Wbudgets cut than the other two our brains and genes may ultimately be out great bodies of academic knowledge, the of our control, however deeply we come to humanities and the natural sciences? Formerunderstand them. Pinker’s message will British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeal to those eager to avoid political notoriously proposed that the field simply reforms that would compel a greater sense of does collective responsibility. After all, the social not sciences historically offered empirical COMMENT exist: support and spiritual hope for just such Steve Fuller there is reforms, which are increasingly dismissed as no such thing as society, she claimed. Others“utopian”. point to the restructuring of university social By contrast, the humanities and the science departments. But the expansion of natural sciences share a sense of reality that business schools arguably testifies to the transcends time and place; hence their continued vitality of the social sciences. common interest in a fixed “human nature”. Wednesday – 17 March Nor is it true that the social sciences This is tied to a way of thinking and a sense Sounds of Africa - Max Lolo and Cadenza belabour the obvious, as is sometimes said. of knowing that is largely contemplative and VenueYak : & Yeti Hotel, Kingsway On the contrary, today’s commonplaces sometimes even disempowering, as reality Time7PM : onwards comes to seem to be whatever resists our Thursday – 11 March were yesterday’s innovations. If you compare EntryTickets : Rs 1399, including Jazzmandu Free show concerted efforts at change. food and drinks the concepts used to frame newspaper VenuePatan : square, Patan Sunday – 14 March editorials today and 10 or more years ago, These two great academic cultures also Time4:30 : PM onwards Jazzmandu Work Shop. prefer to study humanity without having to VenueElites : Co-ed, Nagpokhari Saturday – 20 March you will find the deep—but PerformingUrban : Connection Live mingle with flesh-and-blood human beings. Time4:30 : - 6:30 PM Jazz Uncorked unacknowledged—impact of the social sciences. The influence may be regretted, Thus, evolutionary psychologists infer what EntryInvitations : from Elites School or theVenueShangri-La : Village, Pokhara Friday – 12 March Upstairs Jazz Bar available on a firstTime6.30 : - 10PM but at least it is registered. makes us who we are from the remains of Jazzmandu Work Shop come, first served basis EntryTickets : at Rs 999 with Dinner Still, where are the social sciences in the our Stone Age ancestors (including their VenueElites : Co-ed School, Nagpokhari Instruments:Drums, Guitar, Saxophone, KeyboardPerformingHannah : Vasant Trio, Max DNA), whereas humanists focus on artifacts Time4:30 : - 5:30 PM vast conversation over “human nature” that Lolo, Cadenza with Peter, has been prompted by recent advances in of a more recent and literate age. EntryInvitations : from Elites School or the Soul Mate social scientists made the everyday lives of Upstairs Jazz Bar available on a firstTuesday – 16 March cognitive neuroscience, behavioral genetics In contrast, the social sciences adhere to Jazz for school students ordinary people respectable, while refusing come, first served basis and evolutionary psychology? Check out thethe maxim that the best way to study to privilege certain animals over certain – VenueBudhanilkantha : School, Wednesday – 24 March humans is to interact with them, typically Instruments:Drums, Guitar, Saxophone, Keyboard Narayanthan elaborate and informative website typically disabled or unwanted—humans. Jazz at Patan by getting them to do and say things that Time4:30 : - 6:30 PM VenuePatan : Museum (www.edge.org) devoted to the promotion “Welfare” occupies a pride of place in the of a “third culture” that bridges the they might otherwise not. This profoundly to natural selection. In his words, the human Friday – 12 March EntryOnly : on invitation Square,Patan social sciences that humanists and natural Valley Jam humanities and the natural sciences. Social simple idea, common to experiments and condition is not about “survival of the PerformingMax : Lolo, Simak Dialog, Time6 : - 9PM scientists replace with “survival” and maybe VenueShangri-La : Jazz Bar, Lazimpat scientists are conspicuous by their absence. ethnographies, inspired the triumphs and fittest” but “the fitting of as many as can Cadenza with Peter, MIK, Soul MateEntryTickets : Rs 1149 even “fortune”. survive”. Time7:30 : - 10PM But what difference would their disasters that punctuate modern politics. It EntryTickets : Rs 350 requires an increasingly controversial To be sure, the checkered history of Huxley identified humanity’s Friday – 26 March presence make? It is often assumed that welfare in the 20 PerformingUrban : Connection Supper Club – Headliner everyone recoils at the prospect that there areassumption: all human beings—whatever achievements with legal conventions and VenueHyatt : Regency, Boudha genetic limits to our capacity for change. their achievements, competences, status or medical technologies, artifices that extend Saturday – 13 March Time7:30 : PM to 11PM Actually, only those imbued with the health—are equally significant members of human dominion by enabling people to be Jazz Bazaar EntryTickets : Rs 2999, including optimistic spirit of social science recoil. society, whose strength ultimately lies in and do more than they could individually. VenueGokarna : Forest dinner and Seagram’s what they can do together. The future of the social sciences may lie in Everyone else is relieved. th Time4PM : onwards selected drinks century put the future of rekindling this coalition of law and medicine [Gates open at 2PM] In the “third culture” best seller The social sciences’ egalitarianism runs PerformingLouis : Banks Brotherhood The the social sciences in doubt. But a way and upgrading the artificial in a world that EntryTickets : Rs 599 Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Humancounter to both the humanist fixation on elite “classic” texts and the natural scientific forward can be found in TH Huxley, may have come to overvalue nature. PerformingUrban : Connection, Max Lolo, Simak Saturday – 27 March Nature, Steven Pinker says that we may tendency to generalise across species. Thus, Darwin’s fabled public defender. A late z Dialog, Cadenza & Friends, Cadenza Jazzmandu All Star Fever need to admit a natural scientific basis for convert to evolution, he was a lifelong with Peter, MIK, Prastar, Gandharva, VenueHotel : Summit, Kupondole (© Project Syndicate) Nepali exotic cultural dances skeptic about the theory’s political Time6PM : onwards implications. For Huxley, civilised society Steve Fuller is Professor of Sociology at the EntryTickets : Rs. 699 rose above nature by its systematic resistance University of Warwick and the authorRe- of Sunday – 14 March Imagining Sociology. Jazzmandu Peace Parade VenueLazimpat : Time1 : - 2PM Khamenei is himself more of an ideologue makes that task doubly difficult for him. Although he is capable of providing 16 ASIA increased political5 -and 11 socialMARCH freedoms, 2004#186 he is INTERNATIONAL 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 17 member Islamic Guardian Council. simply unwilling. The Guardian Council’s barring of over Above all, the conservatives’ fate—and 2,000 mostly reformist candidates from the fate of the regime as a whole—depends participating in the parliamentary elections on the country’s punishing economy. was the last straw. Reformist parties Despite Iran’s vast oil wealth, close to a boycotted the vote. Despite a frenzied third of the population lives in poverty. Haiti on public relations campaign by regime Inflation and unemployment remain officials, only half of all eligible voters rampant. Two-thirds of Iran’s 69 million participated. In Tehran less than a third of people are under 30 years old, and officials the electorate turned out. admit they have no way of accommodating Foreign journalists declared it the the burgeoning labor force. For the fire again biggest legitimacy crisis in the 25-year majority of Iranians, economic improvement is the priority. Conservatives, aiti, once again, is ablaze. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is history of the Islamic Republic, but Iranians While Nepal widely blamed and he has just been toppled. Almost nobody seemed surprised by the commotion. They no less than reformers, must come to terms with this reality. No matter how hard they Hunderstands that today’s chaos was made in Washington: held no illusions that their country was a prepares to enact try, there exists no simple or immediate deliberately, cynically and steadfastly. History will bear this out. In the democracy. a reservation meantime, political, social and economic chaos is deepening, and Haiti’s Iran’s near-term political future remains solution to Iran’s endemic economic impoverished people are suffering. corruption and mismanagement. But while policy, let’s The Bush Administration has been pursuing policies likely to topple unclear. How reformists regroup, and how Iran’s near-term political prospects appear the youthful Iranian populace reacts, Aristide since 2001. The hatred began when Aristide, then a parish ominous, there are reasons to be hopeful examine its track priest and democracy campaigner against Haiti’s ruthless Duvalier depends largely on the path the about the longterm political future. An record in other dictatorship, preached liberation theology in the 1980’s. Aristide’s conservatives take. Similar to reformists, indigenous civil society has emerged; attacks led US conservatives to Iranian conservatives are a mixed bag. Manyindeed, Iran appears to be the only nation countries brand him as the next Fidel Castro. are reactionary religious fundamentalists in the Islamic Middle East that is building a They floated stories that who abhor the concept of democracy. sustainable liberal foundation from the OPINION Aristide was mentally deranged. Conservative disdain multiplied However, a small but increasing bottom up. Monarchic and theocratic Jeffrey D Sachs number of conservative thinkers—while ShouldPerhaps entrenched institutional we affirmseveral-fold when President Bill Clinton took up Aristide’s cause after systems have both failed. Backers of a cultures militated against women he was blocked from electoral victory in 1991 by a military coup. Clinton not democrats—advocate a more pragmaticsocialist model have gone the way of the or black people. Wanting real put Aristide into power in 1994 and conservatives mocked Clinton for and conciliatory approach, essentially Soviet Union. Liberal democracy is wasting America’s efforts on ‘nation building’ in Haiti. This is the same citizenship for all meant that more adopting the language that once worked so essentially the last man standing in Iran. right wing that has squandered $160 billion on a far more violent and affirmativehad to be done than offering legal action?dubious effort at ‘nation building’ in Iraq. well for the now-beleaguered reformists. The road from authoritarianism to guarantees, information or even Attacks on Aristide began as soon as the Bush administration “It’s better for all of us that mainstream qual rights for all citizens are not done any harm. Many democracy will not be smooth or short. financial support. assumed office. I visited President Aristide in Port-au-Prince in early Revolt of conservatives go to parliament, people who fundamental to a liberal countries have benefited from the Agitators for reform will continue to push. are not extremist but pragmatic and It was a courageous step, first 2001. He impressed me as intelligent and intent on good relations with Regime loyalists will continue to push back. Eorder. Such rights offer entrepreneurialism of their Haiti’s private sector and the US. No firebrand, he sought advice on taken in the United States, to moderate,” says influential newspaper editorIn the absence of a credible and readily opportunities for political Chinese or Jewish minorities. Are how to reform his economy and explained his realistic and prescient decide that at least for a while a concerns that the American right would try to wreck his presidency. Amir Mohebian, the emerging face of available political alternative, deadlock will participation, to form associations we perhaps pursuing too new kind of policy was needed to the mullahsIranian “compassionate conservatism.” likely continue, with the pace of change and to speak one’s mind. But they mechanical an ideal which remedy long-term injustices. Whether conservative ideologues or slower than the population demands. also open doors to economic confuses the absence of privilege Affirmative action, as it was called, pragmatists dominate the new parliament—Courageous Iranians who have laboured to participation and doors to and disadvantage with the absence consisted of rules that set aside a Power in Iran lies in the hands of the which takes office in June—remains to be reform their country may continue to feel as participation in social institutions of diversity? certain percentage of seen. Either way, the conservatives must though they are plowing the seas. like education. Constitutional Third, is affirmative action in representation among candidates unelected conservative establishment weigh their strategy carefully. A more guarantees of these rights are the some cases producing a new kind ideological and antagonistic approach of for office, students and teachers, police and the military and in of rigid segmentation that destroys ran’s election fiasco seemingly confirmed Iranians grew impatient and then increased political and social repression the very civil society it was could stir Iran’s discontented masses, other walks of life to members of for Iranian reformists a conclusion that despondent after years of waiting in vain. COMMENT intended to create? Are women, for tens of millions of Iranian citizens reachedReformists were justly criticised for lacking reviving the non-violent but radicalised hitherto disadvantaged groups. I Ralf Dahrendorf example, always the best defenders The US Supreme Court became long ago—the country’s Islamic unity reformists. Some of these now call for great achievement of the long the guardian of affirmative action. of women’s interests? government, as it exists today, is beyond and passive resistance and civil disobedience. battle for citizenship that marked The same question can be COMMENT Wherever it was seriously tried, rehabilitation. Whether ordinary Iranians resolve, Ayatollah Khamenei’s task is to rein in the last two centuries. raised for members of religious now believe that the reformers are also Karim Sadjadpour but in conservative ideologues and make sure However, such legal guarantees affirmative action undoubtedly had some success. This is notably groups and ethnic minorities, or beyond redemption is an open question. truth their greatest impediment was a lack ofpragmatic conservatism prevails. That of rights are often insufficient. even of certain social classes. One Since the landslide 1997 election of constitutional authority. Power in Iran lies in (© Project Syndicate) Even the right to vote means little the case in countries that were once homogeneous but now have shudders to think of parliaments President Mohammed Khatami, Iranian the hands of the unelected conservative for someone who is totally to deal with citizens who are black in which the main criterion of reformers had tried (to no avail) to change establishment, namely Supreme Leader Karim Sadjadpour is an analyst with the dependent on other people or membership is to belong to a or Muslim or are otherwise in an Haiti was clearly in a desperate condition: the most impoverished the system from within. Initially hopeful, Ayatollah Khamenei and the twelve- International Crisis Group and currently a visiting institutions. Equality before the group in need of affirmative fellow at the American University of Beirut. identifiable and neglected country in the western hemisphere, with a standard of living law remains an empty promise for action. Indeed, in some countries, comparableThe chaos to sub-Saharan in Haiti isAfrica made despite in being Washington only a few hours by those who cannot afford to make minority position. But at the very moment that other countries were democracy fails to deliver air from Miami. Life expectancy was 52 years. Children were use of it or simply do not know chronically hungry. An AIDS epidemic, the worst in the Caribbean, was looking to America for a policy imaginative and effective The new cultural revolution in how to do so. governance because the main running unchecked. The health system had collapsed. Fearing unrest, model, affirmative action began to tourists and foreign investors were staying away, so there were no China is rooting out the old in The civil right to an education raise questions, of which three are objective seems to be to have all jobs to be had. according to talent requires particularly important. major groups on board. But Aristide was enormously popular in early 2001. Everybody favour of the new encouragement of many kinds. First, is there not a risk of a To repeat the earlier point: referred to the President affectionately as “Titid.” Here, clearly, was an Thus, one great theme of social affirmative action was and is a elected leader with the backing of Haiti’s poor, who constituted the bulk Big city dreams kind of inverted injustice by of the population. When I returned to Washington, I spoke to senior ANTOANETA BEZLOVAgraduallyin BEIJINGdemolished. Even some of progress in the last century was to courageous final step in the fight imbue the abstract concept of which the traditionally privileged officials in the IMF, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the city’s top architects concede that become the new underprivileged? for universal citizenship rights - Organization of American States. I expected to hear that these the scorecard is mixed. The UN equal rights with social substance. not just on paper, but in reality. international organisations would be rushing to help Haiti. Beijing’s ambition to re-invent This meant active encouragement The US Supreme Court Educational, Scientific and Cultural But affirmative action must not Instead, I was shocked to learn that they would all be suspending itself as an ultra-modern by information, by political confronted this question when it Organisation (UNESCO), which first dealt with the case of a white become an enduring principle of a aid, under vague ‘instructions’ from the US. America, it seemed, was capital has sparked a frenzy education, for example. As far as unwilling to release aid to Haiti because of irregularities in the 2000 had declared the inner city of the student who was not admitted to liberal order. of copycat metropolises, infuriating education was concerned, it often legislative elections and was insisting that Aristide make peace with the capital a world heritage site, has raised medical school despite having If any set of rules needs a preservationists and state planners meant committing resources to political opposition before releasing any aid. The US position was a its voice to protest the callous better academic qualifications than“sunset clause” to enforce review travesty. Aristide had been elected president in an indisputable and re-igniting an old debate about financial assistance for students, disregard of preservation by greedy other applicants. In Britain, after a specific and limited period, landslide. He was, without doubt, the popularly elected leader of the the emergence of megacities in such as subsidised loans or country: a claim that George W Bush cannot make about himself. developers working in tacit agreement children in private schools must it is affirmative action. The China. The Chinese capital has just scholarships. The more one sniffed around Washington the less America’s with local authorities. now fear to be at a disadvantage flexibility of the US Supreme announced an impressive plan to position made sense. People in positions of responsibility in international From the original 6,000 Yet when all this was done, because of the pressure on Court in this regard is admirable. transform itself into a “modern agencies simply shrugged and mumbled that they couldn’t do more to ‘hutong’, Beijing’s narrow alleys that certain stubborn obstacles to equal universities to admit more studentsElsewhere it is probably best to cosmopolitan city with unique help Haiti in view of the Bush veto on aid. Moreover, by saying that aid criss-cross the inner city, a mere 25become big megalopolises too. The participation remained. Major from state schools. This takes us include in the laws of countries would be frozen until Aristide and the political opposition reached an characteristics”—bureaucratic are being preserved. Out of acandidates include many beyond groups remained underrepresentedback to the old and vexing and the statutes of organizations a agreement, the Bush administration provided Haiti’s un-elected jargon that eyes to place Beijing withthousand temples, a few dozen willShanghai and Guangzhou— among societies’ most successful clause that makes affirmative opposition with an open-ended veto. Aristide’s foes merely had to question: can we be equal and refuse to bargain in order to plunge Haiti into chaos. grand global cities like New York,be left, isolated islands set in a grid ofBeijing’s obvious rivals in the citizens. This was notably the case action lapse after five years, or at excellent too? That chaos has now come. It is sad to hear rampaging students on Tokyo and London. In preparationeight-lane expressways.booming east and south coasts of the for women and for some cultural most ten. Such a clause could be Second, is equal representation BBC and CNN saying that Aristide ‘lied’ because he didn’t improve the for the 2008 Olympics, Beijing isPreservationists have long chargedcountry. 1997. Then, alarmed by satellite resources. “We anticipate that by minorities, especially if these were renewed, but there is nothing so already being subjected to one of the defined by unchosen “ascriptive” at all levels really what all groups country’s social conditions. Yes, Haiti’s economic collapse is fueling that by destroying all traces of old In the early 1990s, thephotos that showed that China was 2020 some 300 million to 400 want or need? After all, the effective as a firm deadline to force rioting and deaths, but the lies were not Aristide’s. The lies came from most extensive urban re-engineeringChina, Beijing would find it hard togovernment created buffer cities—losing more than 500,000 hectares million rural dwellers would have characteristics, such as skin color. a thorough review and concentrate Washington. projects ever undertaken “feminisation” of the teaching measure ranks with cities like Parissettlements with populations of lessof arable land a year to housing, moved to China’s towns and cities,” Few people from these groups profession in many countries has minds. by an existing city, costing overand London, which havethan 500,000— to prevent the bigroads and factories, the government says Chen Xiwen, one of China’s were found among senior $100 billion. incorporated the past into theircities from swelling tostopped encouraging the expansion top rural-sector officials. managers, government ministers, A monumental city of greatpresent. unmanageable proportions. Moreof towns. Government officials have also been professors, doctors and lawyers, so avenues, massive ring roads, Yet Beijing’s example has beenthan 200 buffer cities were In recent years, the under increasing pressure to meet that the suspicion grew that there grandiose ministries and banks, giantso tantalising many other Chineseestablished between 1990 andurbanisation trend has picked up, world urbanisation rates. Despite are largely invisible barriers (Project Syndicate) stadiums and shopping emporiumscities have declared they want to fuelled by projections that being home to 20 percent of blocking access to such positions. is rising at breathtaking speed. humanity, China has only two Ralf Dahrendorf a former European increasing the population of (Project Syndicate) Meantime, the remains of old China’s largest cities would boost megacities with populations of more Commissioner from Germany, is a Beijing are being dwarfed and than 10 million: Shanghai and member of the British House of Lords, a consumer spending while Jeffrey D Sachs is a professor of economics and Director of the Earth Institute Beijing. former Rector of the London School of efficiently preserving land and other Economics and a former Warden of St at Columbia University in New York (IPS) Antony’s College, Oxford Khamenei is himself more of an ideologue makes that task doubly difficult for him. Although he is capable of providing 16 ASIA increased political5 -and 11 socialMARCH freedoms, 2004#186 he is INTERNATIONAL 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 17 member Islamic Guardian Council. simply unwilling. The Guardian Council’s barring of over Above all, the conservatives’ fate—and 2,000 mostly reformist candidates from the fate of the regime as a whole—depends participating in the parliamentary elections on the country’s punishing economy. was the last straw. Reformist parties Despite Iran’s vast oil wealth, close to a boycotted the vote. Despite a frenzied third of the population lives in poverty. Haiti on public relations campaign by regime Inflation and unemployment remain officials, only half of all eligible voters rampant. Two-thirds of Iran’s 69 million participated. In Tehran less than a third of people are under 30 years old, and officials the electorate turned out. admit they have no way of accommodating Foreign journalists declared it the the burgeoning labor force. For the fire again biggest legitimacy crisis in the 25-year majority of Iranians, economic improvement is the priority. Conservatives, aiti, once again, is ablaze. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide is history of the Islamic Republic, but Iranians While Nepal widely blamed and he has just been toppled. Almost nobody seemed surprised by the commotion. They no less than reformers, must come to terms with this reality. No matter how hard they Hunderstands that today’s chaos was made in Washington: held no illusions that their country was a prepares to enact try, there exists no simple or immediate deliberately, cynically and steadfastly. History will bear this out. In the democracy. a reservation meantime, political, social and economic chaos is deepening, and Haiti’s Iran’s near-term political future remains solution to Iran’s endemic economic impoverished people are suffering. corruption and mismanagement. But while policy, let’s The Bush Administration has been pursuing policies likely to topple unclear. How reformists regroup, and how Iran’s near-term political prospects appear the youthful Iranian populace reacts, Aristide since 2001. The hatred began when Aristide, then a parish ominous, there are reasons to be hopeful examine its track priest and democracy campaigner against Haiti’s ruthless Duvalier depends largely on the path the about the longterm political future. An record in other dictatorship, preached liberation theology in the 1980’s. Aristide’s conservatives take. Similar to reformists, indigenous civil society has emerged; attacks led US conservatives to Iranian conservatives are a mixed bag. Manyindeed, Iran appears to be the only nation countries brand him as the next Fidel Castro. are reactionary religious fundamentalists in the Islamic Middle East that is building a They floated stories that who abhor the concept of democracy. sustainable liberal foundation from the OPINION Aristide was mentally deranged. Conservative disdain multiplied However, a small but increasing bottom up. Monarchic and theocratic Jeffrey D Sachs number of conservative thinkers—while ShouldPerhaps entrenched institutional we affirmseveral-fold when President Bill Clinton took up Aristide’s cause after systems have both failed. Backers of a cultures militated against women he was blocked from electoral victory in 1991 by a military coup. Clinton not democrats—advocate a more pragmaticsocialist model have gone the way of the or black people. Wanting real put Aristide into power in 1994 and conservatives mocked Clinton for and conciliatory approach, essentially Soviet Union. Liberal democracy is wasting America’s efforts on ‘nation building’ in Haiti. This is the same citizenship for all meant that more adopting the language that once worked so essentially the last man standing in Iran. right wing that has squandered $160 billion on a far more violent and affirmativehad to be done than offering legal action?dubious effort at ‘nation building’ in Iraq. well for the now-beleaguered reformists. The road from authoritarianism to guarantees, information or even Attacks on Aristide began as soon as the Bush administration “It’s better for all of us that mainstream qual rights for all citizens are not done any harm. Many democracy will not be smooth or short. financial support. assumed office. I visited President Aristide in Port-au-Prince in early Revolt of conservatives go to parliament, people who fundamental to a liberal countries have benefited from the Agitators for reform will continue to push. are not extremist but pragmatic and It was a courageous step, first 2001. He impressed me as intelligent and intent on good relations with Regime loyalists will continue to push back. Eorder. Such rights offer entrepreneurialism of their Haiti’s private sector and the US. No firebrand, he sought advice on taken in the United States, to moderate,” says influential newspaper editorIn the absence of a credible and readily opportunities for political Chinese or Jewish minorities. Are how to reform his economy and explained his realistic and prescient decide that at least for a while a concerns that the American right would try to wreck his presidency. Amir Mohebian, the emerging face of available political alternative, deadlock will participation, to form associations we perhaps pursuing too new kind of policy was needed to the mullahsIranian “compassionate conservatism.” likely continue, with the pace of change and to speak one’s mind. But they mechanical an ideal which remedy long-term injustices. Whether conservative ideologues or slower than the population demands. also open doors to economic confuses the absence of privilege Affirmative action, as it was called, pragmatists dominate the new parliament—Courageous Iranians who have laboured to participation and doors to and disadvantage with the absence consisted of rules that set aside a Power in Iran lies in the hands of the which takes office in June—remains to be reform their country may continue to feel as participation in social institutions of diversity? certain percentage of seen. Either way, the conservatives must though they are plowing the seas. like education. Constitutional Third, is affirmative action in representation among candidates unelected conservative establishment weigh their strategy carefully. A more guarantees of these rights are the some cases producing a new kind ideological and antagonistic approach of for office, students and teachers, police and the military and in of rigid segmentation that destroys ran’s election fiasco seemingly confirmed Iranians grew impatient and then increased political and social repression the very civil society it was could stir Iran’s discontented masses, other walks of life to members of for Iranian reformists a conclusion that despondent after years of waiting in vain. COMMENT intended to create? Are women, for tens of millions of Iranian citizens reachedReformists were justly criticised for lacking reviving the non-violent but radicalised hitherto disadvantaged groups. I Ralf Dahrendorf example, always the best defenders The US Supreme Court became long ago—the country’s Islamic unity reformists. Some of these now call for great achievement of the long the guardian of affirmative action. of women’s interests? government, as it exists today, is beyond and passive resistance and civil disobedience. battle for citizenship that marked The same question can be COMMENT Wherever it was seriously tried, rehabilitation. Whether ordinary Iranians resolve, Ayatollah Khamenei’s task is to rein in the last two centuries. raised for members of religious now believe that the reformers are also Karim Sadjadpour but in conservative ideologues and make sure However, such legal guarantees affirmative action undoubtedly had some success. This is notably groups and ethnic minorities, or beyond redemption is an open question. truth their greatest impediment was a lack ofpragmatic conservatism prevails. That of rights are often insufficient. even of certain social classes. One Since the landslide 1997 election of constitutional authority. Power in Iran lies in (© Project Syndicate) Even the right to vote means little the case in countries that were once homogeneous but now have shudders to think of parliaments President Mohammed Khatami, Iranian the hands of the unelected conservative for someone who is totally to deal with citizens who are black in which the main criterion of reformers had tried (to no avail) to change establishment, namely Supreme Leader Karim Sadjadpour is an analyst with the dependent on other people or membership is to belong to a or Muslim or are otherwise in an Haiti was clearly in a desperate condition: the most impoverished the system from within. Initially hopeful, Ayatollah Khamenei and the twelve- International Crisis Group and currently a visiting institutions. Equality before the group in need of affirmative fellow at the American University of Beirut. identifiable and neglected country in the western hemisphere, with a standard of living law remains an empty promise for action. Indeed, in some countries, comparableThe chaos to sub-Saharan in Haiti isAfrica made despite in being Washington only a few hours by those who cannot afford to make minority position. But at the very moment that other countries were democracy fails to deliver air from Miami. Life expectancy was 52 years. Children were use of it or simply do not know chronically hungry. An AIDS epidemic, the worst in the Caribbean, was looking to America for a policy imaginative and effective The new cultural revolution in how to do so. governance because the main running unchecked. The health system had collapsed. Fearing unrest, model, affirmative action began to tourists and foreign investors were staying away, so there were no China is rooting out the old in The civil right to an education raise questions, of which three are objective seems to be to have all jobs to be had. according to talent requires particularly important. major groups on board. But Aristide was enormously popular in early 2001. Everybody favour of the new encouragement of many kinds. First, is there not a risk of a To repeat the earlier point: referred to the President affectionately as “Titid.” Here, clearly, was an Thus, one great theme of social affirmative action was and is a elected leader with the backing of Haiti’s poor, who constituted the bulk Big city dreams kind of inverted injustice by of the population. When I returned to Washington, I spoke to senior ANTOANETA BEZLOVAgraduallyin BEIJINGdemolished. Even some of progress in the last century was to courageous final step in the fight imbue the abstract concept of which the traditionally privileged officials in the IMF, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and the city’s top architects concede that become the new underprivileged? for universal citizenship rights - Organization of American States. I expected to hear that these the scorecard is mixed. The UN equal rights with social substance. not just on paper, but in reality. international organisations would be rushing to help Haiti. Beijing’s ambition to re-invent This meant active encouragement The US Supreme Court Educational, Scientific and Cultural But affirmative action must not Instead, I was shocked to learn that they would all be suspending itself as an ultra-modern by information, by political confronted this question when it Organisation (UNESCO), which first dealt with the case of a white become an enduring principle of a aid, under vague ‘instructions’ from the US. America, it seemed, was capital has sparked a frenzy education, for example. As far as unwilling to release aid to Haiti because of irregularities in the 2000 had declared the inner city of the student who was not admitted to liberal order. of copycat metropolises, infuriating education was concerned, it often legislative elections and was insisting that Aristide make peace with the capital a world heritage site, has raised medical school despite having If any set of rules needs a preservationists and state planners meant committing resources to political opposition before releasing any aid. The US position was a its voice to protest the callous better academic qualifications than“sunset clause” to enforce review travesty. Aristide had been elected president in an indisputable and re-igniting an old debate about financial assistance for students, disregard of preservation by greedy other applicants. In Britain, after a specific and limited period, landslide. He was, without doubt, the popularly elected leader of the the emergence of megacities in such as subsidised loans or country: a claim that George W Bush cannot make about himself. developers working in tacit agreement children in private schools must it is affirmative action. The China. The Chinese capital has just scholarships. The more one sniffed around Washington the less America’s with local authorities. now fear to be at a disadvantage flexibility of the US Supreme announced an impressive plan to position made sense. People in positions of responsibility in international From the original 6,000 Yet when all this was done, because of the pressure on Court in this regard is admirable. transform itself into a “modern agencies simply shrugged and mumbled that they couldn’t do more to ‘hutong’, Beijing’s narrow alleys that certain stubborn obstacles to equal universities to admit more studentsElsewhere it is probably best to cosmopolitan city with unique help Haiti in view of the Bush veto on aid. Moreover, by saying that aid criss-cross the inner city, a mere 25become big megalopolises too. The participation remained. Major from state schools. This takes us include in the laws of countries would be frozen until Aristide and the political opposition reached an characteristics”—bureaucratic are being preserved. Out of acandidates include many beyond groups remained underrepresentedback to the old and vexing and the statutes of organizations a agreement, the Bush administration provided Haiti’s un-elected jargon that eyes to place Beijing withthousand temples, a few dozen willShanghai and Guangzhou— among societies’ most successful clause that makes affirmative opposition with an open-ended veto. Aristide’s foes merely had to question: can we be equal and refuse to bargain in order to plunge Haiti into chaos. grand global cities like New York,be left, isolated islands set in a grid ofBeijing’s obvious rivals in the citizens. This was notably the case action lapse after five years, or at excellent too? That chaos has now come. It is sad to hear rampaging students on Tokyo and London. In preparationeight-lane expressways.booming east and south coasts of the for women and for some cultural most ten. Such a clause could be Second, is equal representation BBC and CNN saying that Aristide ‘lied’ because he didn’t improve the for the 2008 Olympics, Beijing isPreservationists have long chargedcountry. 1997. Then, alarmed by satellite resources. “We anticipate that by minorities, especially if these were renewed, but there is nothing so already being subjected to one of the defined by unchosen “ascriptive” at all levels really what all groups country’s social conditions. Yes, Haiti’s economic collapse is fueling that by destroying all traces of old In the early 1990s, thephotos that showed that China was 2020 some 300 million to 400 want or need? After all, the effective as a firm deadline to force rioting and deaths, but the lies were not Aristide’s. The lies came from most extensive urban re-engineeringChina, Beijing would find it hard togovernment created buffer cities—losing more than 500,000 hectares million rural dwellers would have characteristics, such as skin color. a thorough review and concentrate Washington. projects ever undertaken “feminisation” of the teaching measure ranks with cities like Parissettlements with populations of lessof arable land a year to housing, moved to China’s towns and cities,” Few people from these groups profession in many countries has minds. by an existing city, costing overand London, which havethan 500,000— to prevent the bigroads and factories, the government says Chen Xiwen, one of China’s were found among senior $100 billion. incorporated the past into theircities from swelling tostopped encouraging the expansion top rural-sector officials. managers, government ministers, A monumental city of greatpresent. unmanageable proportions. Moreof towns. Government officials have also been professors, doctors and lawyers, so avenues, massive ring roads, Yet Beijing’s example has beenthan 200 buffer cities were In recent years, the under increasing pressure to meet that the suspicion grew that there grandiose ministries and banks, giantso tantalising many other Chineseestablished between 1990 andurbanisation trend has picked up, world urbanisation rates. Despite are largely invisible barriers (Project Syndicate) stadiums and shopping emporiumscities have declared they want to fuelled by projections that being home to 20 percent of blocking access to such positions. is rising at breathtaking speed. humanity, China has only two Ralf Dahrendorf a former European increasing the population of (Project Syndicate) Meantime, the remains of old China’s largest cities would boost megacities with populations of more Commissioner from Germany, is a Beijing are being dwarfed and than 10 million: Shanghai and member of the British House of Lords, a consumer spending while Jeffrey D Sachs is a professor of economics and Director of the Earth Institute Beijing. former Rector of the London School of efficiently preserving land and other Economics and a former Warden of St at Columbia University in New York (IPS) Antony’s College, Oxford 18 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 19 sleeping on the pavement. Maoist eastern command, has Maoist jamindars Whenever people see her they been no progress in institutional According to a committee of Rapti made it easier to learn about the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ stone and beat her and call her reform,” said a Nepal Rastra Zone Transporters’ Association, present state of the rebel force lists Rajdhani, 2 March “AIDS patient”. In fact she does Bank official. Since the after the incident, the Chief problems faced by the units. The not even have the disease. In an World Bank has found out that District Officer, a senior official of report is filed by Commissar Maoist rebels in Dang have begun effort to find out the truth about the primary conditions of the army and a deputy Basant of the Sangram battalion. distributing land captured from Sri Maya, a local NGO took her institutional reform have not superintendent of police had The battalion has a total of 358 Bhutanis suffer what they call the feudal class for HIV testing and the result been met, it has withheld its attended a meeting and decided toguerrillas split into three Space Time, 2 March among their supporters, activists, came out negative. But despite second phase of the reform compensate Gupta at par with companies. The report says the programs. IMF’s institutional security personnel. Transport families of martyrs and deserters this, society still mistreats her and 10-month-old battalion was Damak—The Bhutani government has denied school enrolment to thousands of Nepali- from the army. The newly elected Sri Maya is under immense reform conditions include the labourers have warned that they having a tough time continuing its speaking Bhutani children. Only a few months back, many children in south Bhutan were not district people’s government chief psychological trauma. Sri Maya government’s cooperation to will launch a strike if the activities. “The battalion has not allowed to enroll in new classes without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) which is available only Indrajit Chaudhari said this was inhates the sight of men. There are contract management at Nepal agreement is not implemented been able to deploy an adequate through the Police Headquarters in Thimphu. Bhutani citizens are deprived of all privileges and Bank Limited and the Rastriya within 15 days. This was not the rights without a NOC. Thousands of children in southern Bhutan’s Samchi, Sarbhang, Dagna, line with the land policy of the reports her police officer husband number of forces as per the Samdup, Jokher, Chirang and Chhuka districts were asked to quit school when they failed to Communist Party of Nepal abandoned her and after that evenBanijya Bank, prohibiting the first time a civilian driver has been decision of the divisional show their NOC papers. (Maoist). At a press conference in her parents refused to give her banks’ black-listed debtors from killed while driving for security headquarters,” the report reads, “Now these children are Bagmare in Dang on Sunday, shelter. Recently, a group of getting loans. forces in Dang. In a similar adding that 24 guerrillas were sent forced to work as shepherds after the Chaudhari said his party has also youths beat her up and stole her incident, Chhedilal Chaudhary from Sankhuwasabha and 60 from was killed almost one-and-a-half government action,” said intensified the process of seizing few belongings. Every morning Morang to join the battalion. In Bhutani leader SB Subba, land from zamindars in the area. she goes to a nearby temple and years ago. His wife Bina has not his report, Basant says military who recently returned from a “We will be flexible with the collects rice and food offered by Driving range received any compensation as of action has not been as effective as visit to Indo-Bhutani border. landlords who are ready to worshippers. Even the NGO that ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ yet. The Rapti Zone transport expected because most weapons Getting an NOC is a long compromise with our land policy,”tested her didn’t think it necessary Annapurna Post, 29 February entrepreneurs say they have been are not in proper condition and process. First they need he added. The Maoists have to put her in a rehabilitation compelled to deploy six vehicles inthere are no skilled technicians approval from the local Dang everyday to carry security village council, then process allocated Rs 6 million for militia centre. Sri Maya continues to live For transport workers in Dang, available to repair them. The through theDungpa (sub- and security training, agriculture, in misery in Banepa’s bus park. work has become a hot potato. troops. “It is injustice to use the report also discloses that a Maoist non-combatants like us for divisional officer) and forest management, health, Against their will, they are forced sentry raped a 14-year-old girl and Dzongda(district head warfare,” transport labourers education and culture in the to carry soldiers over dangerous gunned down a farmer. It appears officer) and eventually get Protecting current fiscal year. The new roads. A roadside landmine complain. “We can no longer carrythat the group has financial the certificate from the Maoist district government has planted by Maoists on 22 the security forces. Our voices problems as well. “The decision to police chief. Despite having decided to collect tax from all February hit a civilian bus must be heard.” provide Rs 100 to each guerrilla an overall population of 300,000, only 6,000 children in south Bhutan are enrolled in school. By contrast, in Nepal 41,000 children from the total 100,000 Bhutani refugees have been admitted possible quarters. It has also Banking on reform carrying security forces from member a month has not been into schools. “The Bhutani government is trying to deprive southern Bhutanis of every privilege by the innocentconfirmed that organisations ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Ghorahi to Lamahi of Dang implemented due to a lack of making NOC mandatory,” says Subba. Since the Bhutani army built their barracks in the village linked to the ‘old regime’ and the Space Time, 2 March district. Two soldiers and bus funds,” the report states, adding schools, students have not been able to go to class for the last 12 years. The government has Rajaram GautamNepal in 28 February-12 March United States will not be allowed driver Yam Prasad Gupta were that 25 guerrillas had been killed established army and police camps in all the 21 government schools of six districts. These to operate here. At a press meet, Immediately after the World Bank killed on the spot. Nineteen in the past 10 months. Maoists schools built with help of local people are now being used to torture the villagers. other soldiers and the conductor Deserting Mao also said they had killed 14 people Getting a citizenship certificate is much more difficult. The King’s brother-in-law, Tshering Have Nepali citizens lost their right to live? They get killedthe rebels said they were on a charged the government of not ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Wangda, is in charge of citizenship unit at the Home Ministry and he has given strict orders not to while on their way to meet relatives or while celebratingcampaign to maximise the strengthbeing serious about financial were injured. After the driver’s Nepal Samacharpatra, 2 March including ex-army officials and festivals. They get caught in the crossfire. Many are give citizenship to any Nepali-speaking Bhutanis. “The government has been doing everything to of their district militia which is reforms, the IMF has begun death, his wife and two policemen. The RNA claims the displace us from Bhutan,” said Subba who adds that denying citizenship has been one way to get suspected to be state informers or Maoist militants andnow are at 1,000. “We have control evaluation of Nepal’s commitment daughters have been left without report indicates a growing trend of killed. Children die while playing with metal objects they find Dharan—The Royal Nepali Army rid of the Nepali speaking Bhutani population. over all areas of the district except to the Poverty Reduction Grant their family breadwinner. “After defection within the rebel outfit. by the roadside. (RNA) has obtained a report from Civilians are fast becoming targets of both the Maoistsin Tribhubanagar and Tulsipur Facility (PRGF). Based on the receiving repeated calls, he had municipalities,” Chaudhary said. left with a sad face that night a Maoist commander which says and the security forces. According INSEC, 191 civilians were report, the fund will decide that moral degradation and killed by the state and another 259 by the Maoists in the last whether or not to continue the without speaking to anyone,” his eight years. Maoist victims include teachers, political activists wife Goma said with tears in her deserting the outfit is on a sharp program. An IMF team led by rise. RNA says the report, filed five and local government representatives. The individual Asia Director Mulayan Indrawati eyes. “How can the drivers run assassinations by the Maoists continue. Now they have the risk of their lives while months ago by cadre for the started targeting senior political leaders and army officers. is in town and has already begun (Nepalnews.com) The security forces have also been targeting ordinary the evaluation process. Three yearscarrying security forces? If they civilians, as is evident from the recent killings in Nuwakot, after it began lobbying, Nepal was are made to do so, they must Kalikot, Bara, Sindhuli, Tehrathum and Chitwan. The Social stigma finally allowed to enter the PRGF receive the facilities like the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ question is, why are the citizens getting killed by the entity program on agreeing to the fund’s security personnel do.” Gupta’s that is supposed to protect them? Experts list the followingGorkhapatra, 1 March also spends her time grieveing. reasons: conditions that Nepal would have to attend two different targets of “The security personnel who Banepa—Sri Maya (name monetary index and institutional died in the same vehicle get changed) is perhaps one of the reform within six months. The assistance. So, why should my worst victims of social cruelty. monetary index is largely son, who was driving the vehicle, z Action taken based on false information After she was falsely accused of symbolic, and therefore does not be deprived of such z Insufficient knowledge of human rights issues being HIV positive, she ended up matter so much. But institutional compensation?” she asks. z Strong animosity towards Maoists in the streets and has been living reform is mandatory. “There has z Revenge against those who harmed family and colleaguesthere for the last 15 years. She is z Psychological pressure and aggressive state of mindoften seen wearing rags and z Fingers always on trigger while on patrol z Not being accountable towards the civilians in absence of local government representation But the main problem seems to be trigger happiness of a jittery army. “A soldier on patrol is fully authorised to open fire if he feels threatened,” said army spokesperson, Dipak Gurung. Now people have started speaking out against the unjust killings. Recently in Bara locals held a street demonstration protesting the killing of Kisori Patel and Suresh Patel in Sisahiniya village, but it proved to be in vain. There was no response at all from the government. A similar protest against the Maoists would have lead to terrible repercussions as was evident from the assassination of Ganesh Chiluwal, the anti-Maoist activist who was killed for burning effigies of Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai in Kathmandu last month. The army has started to realize that the human rights situation is getting out of hand, and has responded by organising human rights training with help of ICRC. On the other hand, all the Maoists have done is to apologise for killing innocent people. The Maoist still terrorise ordinary villagers by planting bombs in the villages, blowing up public vehicles, attacking unarmed civilians and assassinating local political leaders and activists. The security forces also continue to take action against innocent civilians despite commitments from the state to be careful during security operations. In a bid to show its commitment, the army announced in January it would take action by Bus: United Coach imprisoning 15 army personnel and suspending 7 seniorGirija: Come on, get inside! officers, but their names or their crimes were never revealed.Deuba: Will you drop me at Singha Darbar? The government has established a human rights cell in all Rajdhani, 29 February the army, police and armed police force units which are coordinated by a section in the prime minister’s office. In reality, though, the situation has not improved at all. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Should I again return to become Girija’s kamaiya?”

— Sher Bahadur Deuba Nepalin Samacharpatra, March 2

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 18 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 19 sleeping on the pavement. Maoist eastern command, has Maoist jamindars Whenever people see her they been no progress in institutional According to a committee of Rapti made it easier to learn about the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ stone and beat her and call her reform,” said a Nepal Rastra Zone Transporters’ Association, present state of the rebel force lists Rajdhani, 2 March “AIDS patient”. In fact she does Bank official. Since the after the incident, the Chief problems faced by the units. The not even have the disease. In an World Bank has found out that District Officer, a senior official of report is filed by Commissar Maoist rebels in Dang have begun effort to find out the truth about the primary conditions of the army and a deputy Basant of the Sangram battalion. distributing land captured from Sri Maya, a local NGO took her institutional reform have not superintendent of police had The battalion has a total of 358 Bhutanis suffer what they call the feudal class for HIV testing and the result been met, it has withheld its attended a meeting and decided toguerrillas split into three Space Time, 2 March among their supporters, activists, came out negative. But despite second phase of the reform compensate Gupta at par with companies. The report says the programs. IMF’s institutional security personnel. Transport families of martyrs and deserters this, society still mistreats her and 10-month-old battalion was Damak—The Bhutani government has denied school enrolment to thousands of Nepali- from the army. The newly elected Sri Maya is under immense reform conditions include the labourers have warned that they having a tough time continuing its speaking Bhutani children. Only a few months back, many children in south Bhutan were not district people’s government chief psychological trauma. Sri Maya government’s cooperation to will launch a strike if the activities. “The battalion has not allowed to enroll in new classes without a No Objection Certificate (NOC) which is available only Indrajit Chaudhari said this was inhates the sight of men. There are contract management at Nepal agreement is not implemented been able to deploy an adequate through the Police Headquarters in Thimphu. Bhutani citizens are deprived of all privileges and Bank Limited and the Rastriya within 15 days. This was not the rights without a NOC. Thousands of children in southern Bhutan’s Samchi, Sarbhang, Dagna, line with the land policy of the reports her police officer husband number of forces as per the Samdup, Jokher, Chirang and Chhuka districts were asked to quit school when they failed to Communist Party of Nepal abandoned her and after that evenBanijya Bank, prohibiting the first time a civilian driver has been decision of the divisional show their NOC papers. (Maoist). At a press conference in her parents refused to give her banks’ black-listed debtors from killed while driving for security headquarters,” the report reads, “Now these children are Bagmare in Dang on Sunday, shelter. Recently, a group of getting loans. forces in Dang. In a similar adding that 24 guerrillas were sent forced to work as shepherds after the Chaudhari said his party has also youths beat her up and stole her incident, Chhedilal Chaudhary from Sankhuwasabha and 60 from was killed almost one-and-a-half government action,” said intensified the process of seizing few belongings. Every morning Morang to join the battalion. In Bhutani leader SB Subba, land from zamindars in the area. she goes to a nearby temple and years ago. His wife Bina has not his report, Basant says military who recently returned from a “We will be flexible with the collects rice and food offered by Driving range received any compensation as of action has not been as effective as visit to Indo-Bhutani border. landlords who are ready to worshippers. Even the NGO that ○○○○○○○○○○○ ○○○○○ yet. The Rapti Zone transport expected because most weapons Getting an NOC is a long compromise with our land policy,”tested her didn’t think it necessary Annapurna Post, 29 February entrepreneurs say they have been are not in proper condition and process. First they need he added. The Maoists have to put her in a rehabilitation compelled to deploy six vehicles inthere are no skilled technicians approval from the local Dang everyday to carry security village council, then process allocated Rs 6 million for militia centre. Sri Maya continues to live For transport workers in Dang, available to repair them. The through theDungpa (sub- and security training, agriculture, in misery in Banepa’s bus park. work has become a hot potato. troops. “It is injustice to use the report also discloses that a Maoist non-combatants like us for divisional officer) and forest management, health, Against their will, they are forced sentry raped a 14-year-old girl and Dzongda(district head warfare,” transport labourers education and culture in the to carry soldiers over dangerous gunned down a farmer. It appears officer) and eventually get Protecting current fiscal year. The new roads. A roadside landmine complain. “We can no longer carrythat the group has financial the certificate from the Maoist district government has planted by Maoists on 22 the security forces. Our voices problems as well. “The decision to police chief. Despite having decided to collect tax from all February hit a civilian bus must be heard.” provide Rs 100 to each guerrilla an overall population of 300,000, only 6,000 children in south Bhutan are enrolled in school. By contrast, in Nepal 41,000 children from the total 100,000 Bhutani refugees have been admitted possible quarters. It has also Banking on reform carrying security forces from member a month has not been into schools. “The Bhutani government is trying to deprive southern Bhutanis of every privilege by the innocentconfirmed that organisations ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Ghorahi to Lamahi of Dang implemented due to a lack of making NOC mandatory,” says Subba. Since the Bhutani army built their barracks in the village linked to the ‘old regime’ and the Space Time, 2 March district. Two soldiers and bus funds,” the report states, adding schools, students have not been able to go to class for the last 12 years. The government has Rajaram GautamNepal in 28 February-12 March United States will not be allowed driver Yam Prasad Gupta were that 25 guerrillas had been killed established army and police camps in all the 21 government schools of six districts. These to operate here. At a press meet, Immediately after the World Bank killed on the spot. Nineteen in the past 10 months. Maoists schools built with help of local people are now being used to torture the villagers. other soldiers and the conductor Deserting Mao also said they had killed 14 people Getting a citizenship certificate is much more difficult. The King’s brother-in-law, Tshering Have Nepali citizens lost their right to live? They get killedthe rebels said they were on a charged the government of not ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ Wangda, is in charge of citizenship unit at the Home Ministry and he has given strict orders not to while on their way to meet relatives or while celebratingcampaign to maximise the strengthbeing serious about financial were injured. After the driver’s Nepal Samacharpatra, 2 March including ex-army officials and festivals. They get caught in the crossfire. Many are give citizenship to any Nepali-speaking Bhutanis. “The government has been doing everything to of their district militia which is reforms, the IMF has begun death, his wife and two policemen. The RNA claims the displace us from Bhutan,” said Subba who adds that denying citizenship has been one way to get suspected to be state informers or Maoist militants andnow are at 1,000. “We have control evaluation of Nepal’s commitment daughters have been left without report indicates a growing trend of killed. Children die while playing with metal objects they find Dharan—The Royal Nepali Army rid of the Nepali speaking Bhutani population. over all areas of the district except to the Poverty Reduction Grant their family breadwinner. “After defection within the rebel outfit. by the roadside. (RNA) has obtained a report from Civilians are fast becoming targets of both the Maoistsin Tribhubanagar and Tulsipur Facility (PRGF). Based on the receiving repeated calls, he had municipalities,” Chaudhary said. left with a sad face that night a Maoist commander which says and the security forces. According INSEC, 191 civilians were report, the fund will decide that moral degradation and killed by the state and another 259 by the Maoists in the last whether or not to continue the without speaking to anyone,” his eight years. Maoist victims include teachers, political activists wife Goma said with tears in her deserting the outfit is on a sharp program. An IMF team led by rise. RNA says the report, filed five and local government representatives. The individual Asia Director Mulayan Indrawati eyes. “How can the drivers run assassinations by the Maoists continue. Now they have the risk of their lives while months ago by cadre for the started targeting senior political leaders and army officers. is in town and has already begun (Nepalnews.com) The security forces have also been targeting ordinary the evaluation process. Three yearscarrying security forces? If they civilians, as is evident from the recent killings in Nuwakot, after it began lobbying, Nepal was are made to do so, they must Kalikot, Bara, Sindhuli, Tehrathum and Chitwan. The Social stigma finally allowed to enter the PRGF receive the facilities like the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ question is, why are the citizens getting killed by the entity program on agreeing to the fund’s security personnel do.” Gupta’s that is supposed to protect them? Experts list the followingGorkhapatra, 1 March also spends her time grieveing. reasons: conditions that Nepal would have to attend two different targets of “The security personnel who Banepa—Sri Maya (name monetary index and institutional died in the same vehicle get changed) is perhaps one of the reform within six months. The assistance. So, why should my worst victims of social cruelty. monetary index is largely son, who was driving the vehicle, z Action taken based on false information After she was falsely accused of symbolic, and therefore does not be deprived of such z Insufficient knowledge of human rights issues being HIV positive, she ended up matter so much. But institutional compensation?” she asks. z Strong animosity towards Maoists in the streets and has been living reform is mandatory. “There has z Revenge against those who harmed family and colleaguesthere for the last 15 years. She is z Psychological pressure and aggressive state of mindoften seen wearing rags and z Fingers always on trigger while on patrol z Not being accountable towards the civilians in absence of local government representation But the main problem seems to be trigger happiness of a jittery army. “A soldier on patrol is fully authorised to open fire if he feels threatened,” said army spokesperson, Dipak Gurung. Now people have started speaking out against the unjust killings. Recently in Bara locals held a street demonstration protesting the killing of Kisori Patel and Suresh Patel in Sisahiniya village, but it proved to be in vain. There was no response at all from the government. A similar protest against the Maoists would have lead to terrible repercussions as was evident from the assassination of Ganesh Chiluwal, the anti-Maoist activist who was killed for burning effigies of Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai in Kathmandu last month. The army has started to realize that the human rights situation is getting out of hand, and has responded by organising human rights training with help of ICRC. On the other hand, all the Maoists have done is to apologise for killing innocent people. The Maoist still terrorise ordinary villagers by planting bombs in the villages, blowing up public vehicles, attacking unarmed civilians and assassinating local political leaders and activists. The security forces also continue to take action against innocent civilians despite commitments from the state to be careful during security operations. In a bid to show its commitment, the army announced in January it would take action by Bus: United Coach imprisoning 15 army personnel and suspending 7 seniorGirija: Come on, get inside! officers, but their names or their crimes were never revealed.Deuba: Will you drop me at Singha Darbar? The government has established a human rights cell in all Rajdhani, 29 February the army, police and armed police force units which are coordinated by a section in the prime minister’s office. In reality, though, the situation has not improved at all. QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Should I again return to become Girija’s kamaiya?”

— Sher Bahadur Deuba Nepalin Samacharpatra, March 2

SELECTED MATERIAL TRANSLATED EVERY WEEK FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 20 HISTORY AND CULTURE 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 DC-3s drop supplies over Mandalay during the Burma Digging for campaign Tharu roots A new book pores through royal records to find how past kings dealt with Nepal’s indigenous Tharu nder oppressive circumstances, it’s too frightening to contemplate the gloom that lies ahead. Dreams turn into nightmares. Fear U replaces hope. Saving sanity becomes the top priority. In such situations, it’s not unusual to fall back upon the glories of an imagined past. The only source of glory of all subject communities in a kingdom is their association with the ruling dynasty. Hence it’s not unusual that Tej Narayan Panjiar began to collect Royal Documents to reclaim the honour that was accorded by the rulers of the land to his ancestors. In Maithil society, Panjiar is traditionally a person who keeps the genealogical records of a particular cast. In this volume, the collector’s canvass is much bigger ranging from Vijayapur in the eastern tarai to Binayekpur in the Gorakhpur district of Indian territory. However, the omission of four districts of Naya Muluk (Banke, Bardia, Kailali and Kanchanpur) raises an important question—isn’t the present plight of Tharus in this region and their absence of any visible connection with the royal dynasty somehow interrelated? Tul Bahadur Pun joined the British Army during the Land administration in the tarai for the benefit of the rulers is the basic theme of all the lal mohars in the collection. The current Chairman Second World War and was awarded the Victoria Cross of the Raj Parishad Parshu Narayan Chaudhary is perhaps the first Tharu for bravery on the Burma front. In this first part of his court noble. The Panjiar Collection gives a glimpse of Tharu history spanning nearly three centuries. No Tharu in that entire period seems to memoirs, he talks about recruitment and his first action have acquired an office of prominence under any king. Unsurprisingly, most anthropologists studying Nepal have with the Kargil Pathans in Kashmir. He describes flying concentrated their interests on ethnic groups of the hills, valleys and into battle against the Japanese in Burma in a glider. mountains. Academic This serialisation of the testimonies of retired Gurkha enquiries aren’t as soldiers is translated from Lahurey ka Katha by unbiased as they claim to Dev Bahadur Thapa. be. It has been in the interest of the ruling class— and their Gurkhas on gliders imperial sponsors was recruited on the 18 April beyond Rawalpindi where there on which hung the gliders. The abroad—to create a body of knowledge about Rais, Gurungs, Magars and 1940 in Gorakhpur, or was a thick forest and also a large gliders also had wings which Limbus because these valiant tribal groups have traditionally produced I Kunraghat as it was also called. river. There we were trained to required a little pulling in the cannon fodder. Bahun, Chhetri and Newars had to be studied because they are the ones who have always ruled, and continue to rule, this My age was recorded as 18 years cross rivers, row boats and climb beginning. As we approached the country. Tarai communities were never considered important enough to although my real age was 23-24 trees with the help of a rope line. landing place, the rope pulling deserve special attention, but this book could be a harbinger of change. years. They taught swimming to those the glider was disconnected. From In addition to the names credited on the cover, acknowledgements in I had attempted to join the who did not know how. That above it was difficult to ascertain the book mentions Mahesh Chandra Regmi, Harka Gurung, Rishikesh army earlier but was not successful river, called Barchha, was quite the ground condition as such Shaha, Prem Khatry, Tirtha Prasad Mishra, Kanak Mani Dixit and Suresh large as it flows into the sea. landing is done without prior Lama. It’s difficult to imagine a more exclusive team of Nepalis to and had stayed home working in appropriate the history of Tharus for the court in Kathmandu. the goth. Soon, war broke out and We were trained in the art of inspection of the ground below. Educated Tharus bemoan the double jeopardy of their community: recruiters started coming. This time making temporary dwellings They left us in the middle of they are too close to madhesis to be anything else, but too beholden to they weren’t as strict. Medical and inside the jungle, what to eat, the jungle. That was a spacious the court in Kathmandu (due to tenancy relationships) to develop local other examinations were waived. how to ascend the hill and how to landing ground built during the solidarity. The crisis in Naya Muluk is even more acute where, at present, The recruiting authorities did not descend. Another training on how First World War which had the security forces consider every Tharu youth to be a Maobadi unless proven otherwise, and the insurgents are so suspicious about cadre there even ask for our age, they were to operate a glider followed. A become useless after the war. Big that most militia commanders are from the hills. instructed to simply write 18 years. glider looks like helicopter but has logs hauled by elephants had This collection succeeds in laying the Those days, if we started at dawn no engine and is hollow inside. It been left there, making the foundation of future studies by chronicling the and walked till nightfall, we would is carried hung on an aeroplane ground unsuitable for landing. glories of the past. The challenge now is to reach Nautanwa in five days. with a chain, taken to the Visibility of those logs was limited overcome fears and begin dreaming about an appropriate place and then the by enormous wild grass that inclusive Nepali society where Tharu will cease There we boarded a train and to be a term of abuse and acquire its rightful reached Gorakhpur. This time we chain is cut. We were trained to grew there. place in the polity of the country. z (Review by were even given an advance. Our land at a suitable place. After the Quite a few of those who CK Lal) small village was called Batuk. landing, the wings were landed there got hurt. Out of Even that small village was visited disconnected and hidden inside 1,800 that landed, about 500 hit The Kings of Nepal & the Tharu of the Tarai Edited by Gisele Krasukopff and Pamela Deuel by four recruiters, and each could the jungle. Also we were trained logs and were seriously injured. Meyer rusca press and CNAS take along 60 persons. The village how to bring down the plane The tall grass was cut and the did not even have 20-25 people (glider) in case it got entangled ground cleared. We carried all our for recruitment, so there was in a tree. materials to that spot. Mules were BIGBEN competition among the recruiters. Before going to the front, the used to carry goods. Before I received half a rupee as advance. commanders had to undergo moving the mules to the front, After the recruitment process at examination. One of our they underwent operations of the Kunraghat, we were given training commanders failed the throat at Tinsukia so they at a big cantonment in Abottabad, examination. He was asked to wouldn’t bray and give away our now in Pakistan. We were pushed undergo training for another two position to the enemy. into war after completing a six months. Meanwhile, we were sent After their operation, the month training. Rebel Pathans had home on leave. On our return we mules were loaded inside the caused havoc at a place called found that he had completed the plane. It was difficult enough to Dumbdel, which lies close to two-month training. Then we carry one’s haversack, arms and Kargil. We experienced our first were moved to a specially built ammunitions so there was no encounter there. We became more area in Tinsukia, Assam, India. question of carrying other goods. alert after that. On the conclusion We all boarded the engineless This is why mules were used. of that battle the Brigadier ordered plane, which was lifted in the air Bigger weapons like machine guns special training for us as we seemed by pulling. That was protected by could not be carried by human The newly appointed Minister for Quality of Life on the first day cleverer than the others. We fighter plane which flew close by. beings, so the mules proved to be of his social awareness program: “Meet the people” proceeded from there to a place In between were big DC-3 planes of great help. z CITY 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 5 repairs- 11 MARCH mountain 2004#186 bikes and 22 has an inventory of 23bicycle spare parts. HAPPENINGS NEPALI SOCIETY “It’s not as difficult as it It took four years of hard used to be the first few years,” work for his business to Srikrishna says, yanking out become established. The factthe tube off a bicycle tyre. But that he was always there onas soon as the children finish the roadside in Pulchok gaveschool he plans to go back to him visibility and he developedJanakpur and start a proper a regular loyal clientele. Today,bicycle repair shop. Enough of he makes Rs 200 a day andsitting by the roadside for him. can send his 15-year-old He shrugs and says: “There Lifedaughter, cycle Laxmi, and 9-year- are people who don’t like us, old son, Baidya, to school. but we work hard.KIRAN My PANDAYwife and They and his wife, children help me, and most ife has never been easy Ramkumari, help him on important of all, they are proud for madhesi Nepalis in banda days, when businessof me.” Kathmandu, whether they ABOUT TOWN L booms because everyone is BOOKWORM are vegetable vendors, riding bicycles. He has now barbers, masons or a bicycleexpanded his sidewalk shop FESTIVALS AND EXHIBITIONS Sexual Sites, Seminal Attitudes repairman like Srikrishna and also sells new tyres, ™ Phau 6 March Edited by Sanjay Srivastava MIN BAJRACHARYA Mandal. What set them apart is ™ Technicolor Holi party 6 March SAGE Publications, 2004 THEIR MAJESTIES: King Gyanendra and Queen Komal graced the their willingness to work long from 3PM onwards at the “Jack hours in menial, low-paying Lives Here” bar at 1905, Rs 1112 Kshyama Puja function of the newly-renovated Akash Bhairab temple in Kantipath. Entry Rs 250 with jobs just to take care of their welcome drink. 4225272. The book is a compilation of essays with special focus on the debate on sexuality in South Kathmandu on Saturday. families. But all they get in ™ Holi Hungama 6 March from Asia, focusing on marginalised sexual identities and providing analyses of both colonial return is abuse from arrogant 11AM onwards at Yak Palace, Hotel Narayani Complex. Entry Rs 500. discourses and postcolonised modernity. The book is aimed at scholars and students with urbanites who treat them as if ™ Reflection and Reality Paintings by Erina Tamrakar till 7 March at Galleryspecial interest in gay and lesbian studies as well as gender, cultural and South Asian studies. they are not Nepalis. In Nine, Lazimpat. 4428694 addition, they face constant ™ Dolpo LivesPaintings by Tenzin Norbu 6-20 March at Shangri-la Hotel harassment from corrupt policemen and neighbours. ™ Toyota Women’sMotor Rally to mark International Women’s Day, 7 March Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected] Srikrishna left his home EVENTS ™ Nepal RideDaman, Sauraha and Pokhara with Himalayan Enfielders and village near Janakpur eight VW rally from 4-6 March. 4440462 CLASSIFIED years ago because he couldn’t A new Robert Rodriguez-directedJAI NEPAL CINEMA feed his family from his small ™ The Power of Love with your favourite artists and the Hits FM presenters (Naresh Newar) adventure of the mythic guitar-slinging Visit Ground ZeroFine wines, plot of land. They came to z at the Bakery Café, New Baneshwar from 6PM onwards on 11 March. hero, El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) set designer candles, cards, gifts, Kathmandu: father, mother, a ™ Aarohan Theatre Grouppresents Henrik Ibsen’sA Dolls House at Sama against a backdrop of revolution and stationery, wooden items, perfumes small daughter and son, to natak ghar. Weekends till 14 March.4466956 greed. El Mariachi is forced out of his life and more. Darbar Marg, opposite as a recluse by corrupt CIA agent Sands Hotel de l’Annapurna start a new life. Srikrishna had ™ Tennis shotsDual tennis courts at The Godavari Village Resort. Facility hoped he could get a good job includes racquet & ball. 5560675 (Johnny Depp) to sabotage an Visit Femilinesthe Exclusive assassination plot by evil cartel kingpin so he could educate his two ™ Dhokaima Saturday Haatfrom 10AM-1PM at Dhokaima Café, Barillo (Willem Dafoe). Complete with Lingerie Store for ladies children. But it wasn’t easy to Patan Dhoka. Organic vegetables, ceramics and more. 5522113 undergarments, nightwear, bathrobes plenty of intrigue, painful history, and more. Ladies staff. Opposite find one, so one day he picked MUSIC destruction and guitar strumming,Once Sajha Yatayat, Harihar Bhawan, a shady patch of sidewalk and ™ Trikaalfusion music at the Patan Museum Café, 5:30 PM on 5 March.Upon a Time in Mexicopromises to give Pulchowk. Tel: 547428 KIRAN PANDAY started mending bicycles. All ™ The Trio Givone Gypsy Jazz band from France, every night from 7PMyou all the action you can handle. LIVE IN STYLE!Arcadia Apartments day, rain or shine, winter or onwards at the Piano Lounge & Bar, Hotel Yak and Yeti. 4248999 in the heart of Thamel. Centrally VICTORY RALLY: Students from Padma Kanya Campus on Sunday summer, he repaired flat tyres. 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He tried to ™ Escape to Godavarion a special halfboard package for Nepalis and Grihini Department Store limited, cut the costs of living in expatriates at the Godavari Village Resort, Taukhel. 5560675 Baluwatar, Phone: 4415186 Kathmandu by sharing a ™ Pure relaxationAward winning Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge. 01 4361500 Wanted Nepali pilot, interested house in Koteswor with 15 TMPL Reservations or [email protected] person should have experience for other tarai people. ™ Thank Goodness It’s Friday Dwarika’s overnight package for local ultra light aircraft with Rotax 582 residents. 4479488 engine. Apply with cv, photo and MIN BAJRACHARYA ™ Golfin the Valley’s last pristine forest. Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa contact address within 7 days to Avia Club Nepal Pvt. Ltd., P.O. Box FINAL REST: Friends and students of educationist Fr Eugene L Watrin 4451212 13680. ™ Shivapuri Heights Cottageat the edge of Shivapuri. Email: Modern houses for residential paid their last respects at the Church of the Assumption in Dhobighat [email protected] office or flat. Contact on Monday. 4720147,4721728 Thursday’s banda was a busy time for bicycle To-Let:Prime Location at Main Road, repairman Srikrishna Mandal and his wife, Ramkumari, KATHMANDU AIR QUALITY Harihar Bhavan, Pulchowk (Opp. daughter Laxmi and son Baidya, at their sidewalk shop in Pulchok. Sajha Bus Garage). Suitable for If you need any more evidence to say that the five-day (or was it three- NGO, INGO and other Commercial MIN BAJRACHARYA day?) banda last week was a flop, take a look at the air quality data. The Offices-3 floors of approx.900 sq. ft. PM10 (particles that are small enough to enter the human body) level in busy streets like Putali Sadak and Patan Hospital on 25 February, the first each along with lift facility. day of the banda, went down by only 18 percent compared to the previous Plus Top 2 Floorswith Big Dining and day. The next day, with more vehicles on the road, the pollution level edged Kitchen Apartment with magnificent up again by 12 percent. In Thamel, the banda brought down the PM10 view of Lalitpur & Kathmandu. level by only 6 percent and in places with less vehicular movement like 91.2 Bhaktapur and Kirtipur, the PM10 level actually went up. Contact No. 981032166 What you burn is For Sale:Prize Winner Beetle 1973 what you breathe. model, excellent condition Contact: 22-28 February in micrograms per cubic meter. Rammani 5521656 Good < 60 Source: www. mope.gov.np Ok 61 to 120 Unhealthy 121 to 350 MIN BAJRACHARYA Harmful 351 to 425 Hazardous >425

Putalisadak Patan H Thamel TU Bhaktapu Matsyagaun ALL FOR ATTRIBUTION: Army spokesman Col Deepak Gurung briefs journalists on Wednesday at the Army HQ on the Maoist attack in NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED Bhojpur in which 29 security personnel lost their lives. VIS -04-03-2004 04:00 GMT An unexpected change in wind patterns caused by a high pressure block over For insertions ring NT central Tibet brought a northwesterly breeze Marketing at 5543333-36. into Kathmandu Valley, clearing the skies of haze this week. As a result the full intensity of the sun raised the maximum temperature into the mid-20s. This is expected to rise further in the coming weeks. February saw only traces of rain in the Valley, even though average precipitation is supposed to be 18mm. Rise and shine Expect local convection to throw up localized showers, but there are no signs of Get ready for a brand new day with BBC World Today. any frontal system to break the drought. Every morning on 102.4 FM from 5:45-6:15 AM

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Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, MIN BAJRACHARYA Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 E-mail: [email protected], GHOST TOWN: Even rumours of a banda are as good as a banda. A 27-10 27-09 28-08 27-0927-08 on FM 102.4 www.radiosagarmatha.org/]l8of ] ;u/dfyf deserted alley in Asan on Thursday with shuttered shops. SPORTS 5 - 11 MARCH 2004 #186 21 Tuning in to God

ive-and-a-half years ago, I was GABRIELE MARCOTTI magically fall silent when the host standing a few steps away from asks him a question, usually a generic FPelé in the bowels of the Stade discussion focusing on Italian cream puff on a well-worn de France, an hour or so before the football. footballing talking point. World Cup final between France The program’s freak show appeal David Beckham? “He’s a good and Brazil. soon became evident. Maradona was player, but he’s not a superstar. Still, The man that they call O’Rey, supposed to appear every week, I like him, though it’s a pity he’s the King, flanked by two corporate alternating between the studio and English. But I can’t take him too PR people, was doing what he a satellite link-up from Havana, seriously. He looks like a woman. But, usually does at big international where he now lives. In fact, he has of course, that doesn’t mean I’m events. Surrounded by a gaggle of only made it to the studio once since attracted to him!” Cue hysterical sweaty journalists, he went into September and often (as happened guffawing from the studio audience. retired legend mode, rattling on in Drugs in sport? “Most chairmen a tranquil voice about the A look at the impact take drugs themselves, they all “beautiful game”, the “joy it brings ought to be tested!” Cue earnest to millions” and the fact that “one of Maradona’s nods of approval. can never compare players from involvement in a TV That is the sphere that the man different eras”. has come to inhabit. While he may Suddenly, there was a talk show be reviled as a cheat in England, he commotion at the other end of the remains a cult figure to much of hall. The 20-strong multinational the rest of the world, particularly herd of reporters turned their backs in the developing countries. on Pelé in mid-sentence and Theories abound. Some contend thundered down the hall, sending that Maradona’s popularity peaked a Fifa minion and his stack of after the England game in the lovingly stapled match notes quarter-finals of the 1986 World Inexpensive golf tumbling to the ground. Cup, not for his second goal, As the dust slowly cleared, I which many have described as the Why do people say golf is an was left alone with Pelé, his greatest ever, but for the first and minder and the two PR people. the ‘Hand of God’. expensive sport? “What is happening?” a puzzled Maradona, representing the Pelé asked, his dark eyes narrowing. poor and deprived masses, brings hose who play the game know some of the reasons why golf is “Maradona is here,” one of the PR down the Western Establishment, not considered a cheap sport. Even in a country like the United people said, with a shake of the not with his God-given physical T States, which has around 20,000 golf courses, there is still the head. That day I learnt a lesson gifts, but with his brainpower, the perception that the game is not easily affordable. So what makes golf about the media, footballers and very attribute that the First World expensive, and what can be done to make it more affordable? their careers once they hang up maintains that the underdeveloped As with many other sports, equipment can be cheap and their boots. The more media- savages elsewhere lack. According reasonable, or top of the line using friendly you are, the more anodyne to this line of thinking, this would advanced designs and technology. TEE BREAK your comments, the more you pop also explain why some Marxist Because the equipment used does Deepak Acharya up all over the place, the less people FARC guerillas in Colombia wear make a difference in golf, people care. Osama bin Laden T-shirts: go for the latest, newest and therefore higher costing models, creating No footballer generates the anybody who fights the dominant the impression that golf is an expensive sport. However, one does not kind of visceral, passionate response last Friday) simply doesn’t bother West is a hero. need to start by spending so much. The first steps are getting the that Diego Maradona does. And to show up. No matter. People tune Perhaps the explanation is basics of the golf swing in place, and for this, many cheaper beginners because Maradona does not divide in anyway in the hope that he will simpler. Maradona is the slutty clubs and balls work just fine. his time between glad-handing materialise, much like the pilgrims Jezebel to Pelé’s girl next door, Building a world class golf course is not easy or cheap. To start sponsors, attending awards who go to Lourdes expecting to see absinthe to wine coolers. with, there is the requirement of about 100 acres (roughly 1,000 ceremonies and peddling Viagra, the Virgin Mary. Virtually all of his former team- ropanis) of land. Finding suitable land of that size in a good area, and when he does surface and speak out, When he does make it, things mates—with the notable exception then investing in it is a tremendous challenge. Architect fees follow, people tend to take note. quickly get surreal. Maradona’s of Daniel Passarella, the man he which for a qualified and competent architect can range from a This season, La7, a small bloated figure, usually encased in a replaced as Argentina captain— $100,000 to over $1 million. Finally there are the costs of building commercial television channel in T-shirt (on an early appearance he adore him. But more than one has the course, which includes earth movement, irrigation, drainage, Italy, signed him up to be a regular wore a sleeveless vest, known in slang told me that Maradona is sliding landscaping, and building the club house, car parks, roads, practice pundit on Biscardivenerdi, its Friday terms as a “wifebeater”, that showed towards mental illness, even as he ranges and so on. Quite a daunting investment even for the private football discussion program. Interest off his Ché Guevara tattoo nicely), revels in his image as a footballing sector. was massive: the show’s producers hovers on a monitor in the Ché Guevara. No matter: as long as Once the course is built, must be maintained. Imagine the managed to sell the rights across Latin background as the studio guests he has a soapbox, people will flock machinery, fuel and labour needed for cutting, maintaining and America, despite most of the argue among themselves. They all to listen. watering 100 acres of grass and natural areas. If done well, the effects can be summed up as: ‘beautiful but expensive’. Outside Nepal, governments have realized the potential of the sport, and have allocated public land and funds to build golf courses for tourism, sports promotion and recreation, environmental Nepali cricketers wow media conservation and to give cities open green spaces. It is estimated that by the year 2005 there will be 30,000 golf courses and 85 million After last year’s stellar performance, fans were hoping to the tournament, when they beat a strong South golfers world wide. that Nepal’s under-19s would make it to the Super African outfit, Nepal’s form fizzled out. But that doesn’t Has the rest of the world gone crazy, or is Nepal sleeping through League in this year’s World Cup 2004. Despite losing to take away from the fact that they did beat the Safs. That another missed opportunity? Policy makers need to understand what England, Nepal kept its hope alive with impressive wins puts Nepal on a higher level, than the rest of the this sport brings to a country, and to allocate land for both social and against South Africa and Uganda. However, an associate members and its all happening because of unexpected loss to Scotland in the plate championship the tremendous passion for the game.” public municipal courses, which, if well run, can sustain themselves shattered the spirits of Nepali cricket fans. In an article titled ‘A helping hand from Big and provide the sport at an affordable level. This is the only way for But Nepal’s young cricketers wowed the media in Brothers’ the newspaper has also praised the role of more people to be encouraged to take up the sport. India and Bangladesh, where the matches were held. Nepal’s Sri Lankan coach Roy Dias. “The man making The new tourism policy imaginatively proclaims promoting Nepal The popular cricket portal, Cricinfo.com, has applauded all the changes is Roy Dias, more famous as the stylish as a ‘Sahasik’ tourism destination. Well Mr (and Ms) policy makers: Nepal’s progress in international cricket in a report titled Sri Lankan batsman of 80’s. Appointed three years ago, ‘Nepal contemplates the dizziest height’. Dias has taken charge of all teams, senior and junior, here’s a chance for defining the nature and extent of what is meant by “When their captain Shakti Gauchan smacked a four and is seen as a boon for the mountain nation.” that policy, instead of just using adventurous words. to topple South Africa it marked on of the biggest Cricinfo.com writes that to bridge the divide all that’s upsets in the competition history.” It has also talked needed is a helping hand from the Big Quadrangle: Deepak Acharya is a golf instructor and Head Golf Professional at Gokarna very highly about the selection procedure of Nepal India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The Forest Golf Resort & Spa, Kathmandu. terming it “totally decentralized”. They probably mean performance of captain Shakti Gauchan and Manjeet [email protected] that as a compliment. Shrestha received favourbale mentions in all media The Indian Express gushed: “After a promising start reviews. (Mukul Humagain) CITY 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 5 repairs- 11 MARCH mountain 2004#186 bikes and 22 has an inventory of 23bicycle spare parts. HAPPENINGS NEPALI SOCIETY “It’s not as difficult as it It took four years of hard used to be the first few years,” work for his business to Srikrishna says, yanking out become established. The factthe tube off a bicycle tyre. But that he was always there onas soon as the children finish the roadside in Pulchok gaveschool he plans to go back to him visibility and he developedJanakpur and start a proper a regular loyal clientele. Today,bicycle repair shop. Enough of he makes Rs 200 a day andsitting by the roadside for him. can send his 15-year-old He shrugs and says: “There Lifedaughter, cycle Laxmi, and 9-year- are people who don’t like us, old son, Baidya, to school. but we work hard.KIRAN My PANDAYwife and They and his wife, children help me, and most ife has never been easy Ramkumari, help him on important of all, they are proud for madhesi Nepalis in banda days, when businessof me.” Kathmandu, whether they ABOUT TOWN L booms because everyone is BOOKWORM are vegetable vendors, riding bicycles. He has now barbers, masons or a bicycleexpanded his sidewalk shop FESTIVALS AND EXHIBITIONS Sexual Sites, Seminal Attitudes repairman like Srikrishna and also sells new tyres, ™ Phau 6 March Edited by Sanjay Srivastava MIN BAJRACHARYA Mandal. What set them apart is ™ Technicolor Holi party 6 March SAGE Publications, 2004 THEIR MAJESTIES: King Gyanendra and Queen Komal graced the their willingness to work long from 3PM onwards at the “Jack hours in menial, low-paying Lives Here” bar at 1905, Rs 1112 Kshyama Puja function of the newly-renovated Akash Bhairab temple in Kantipath. Entry Rs 250 with jobs just to take care of their welcome drink. 4225272. The book is a compilation of essays with special focus on the debate on sexuality in South Kathmandu on Saturday. families. But all they get in ™ Holi Hungama 6 March from Asia, focusing on marginalised sexual identities and providing analyses of both colonial return is abuse from arrogant 11AM onwards at Yak Palace, Hotel Narayani Complex. Entry Rs 500. discourses and postcolonised modernity. The book is aimed at scholars and students with urbanites who treat them as if ™ Reflection and Reality Paintings by Erina Tamrakar till 7 March at Galleryspecial interest in gay and lesbian studies as well as gender, cultural and South Asian studies. they are not Nepalis. In Nine, Lazimpat. 4428694 addition, they face constant ™ Dolpo LivesPaintings by Tenzin Norbu 6-20 March at Shangri-la Hotel harassment from corrupt policemen and neighbours. ™ Toyota Women’sMotor Rally to mark International Women’s Day, 7 March Courtesy: Mandala Book Point, Kantipath, 4227711, [email protected] Srikrishna left his home EVENTS ™ Nepal RideDaman, Sauraha and Pokhara with Himalayan Enfielders and village near Janakpur eight VW rally from 4-6 March. 4440462 CLASSIFIED years ago because he couldn’t A new Robert Rodriguez-directedJAI NEPAL CINEMA feed his family from his small ™ The Power of Love with your favourite artists and the Hits FM presenters (Naresh Newar) adventure of the mythic guitar-slinging Visit Ground ZeroFine wines, plot of land. They came to z at the Bakery Café, New Baneshwar from 6PM onwards on 11 March. hero, El Mariachi (Antonio Banderas) set designer candles, cards, gifts, Kathmandu: father, mother, a ™ Aarohan Theatre Grouppresents Henrik Ibsen’sA Dolls House at Sama against a backdrop of revolution and stationery, wooden items, perfumes small daughter and son, to natak ghar. Weekends till 14 March.4466956 greed. El Mariachi is forced out of his life and more. Darbar Marg, opposite as a recluse by corrupt CIA agent Sands Hotel de l’Annapurna start a new life. Srikrishna had ™ Tennis shotsDual tennis courts at The Godavari Village Resort. Facility hoped he could get a good job includes racquet & ball. 5560675 (Johnny Depp) to sabotage an Visit Femilinesthe Exclusive assassination plot by evil cartel kingpin so he could educate his two ™ Dhokaima Saturday Haatfrom 10AM-1PM at Dhokaima Café, Barillo (Willem Dafoe). Complete with Lingerie Store for ladies children. But it wasn’t easy to Patan Dhoka. Organic vegetables, ceramics and more. 5522113 undergarments, nightwear, bathrobes plenty of intrigue, painful history, and more. Ladies staff. Opposite find one, so one day he picked MUSIC destruction and guitar strumming,Once Sajha Yatayat, Harihar Bhawan, a shady patch of sidewalk and ™ Trikaalfusion music at the Patan Museum Café, 5:30 PM on 5 March.Upon a Time in Mexicopromises to give Pulchowk. Tel: 547428 KIRAN PANDAY started mending bicycles. All ™ The Trio Givone Gypsy Jazz band from France, every night from 7PMyou all the action you can handle. LIVE IN STYLE!Arcadia Apartments day, rain or shine, winter or onwards at the Piano Lounge & Bar, Hotel Yak and Yeti. 4248999 in the heart of Thamel. Centrally VICTORY RALLY: Students from Padma Kanya Campus on Sunday summer, he repaired flat tyres. All he had was a toolbox and ™ Not Just the Jazz withBar Chris Masand and The Modern Jazz Live Band located, fully furnished apartments carried out a victory parade after winning student elections. every Friday and Saturday night. Shangri-la Hotel, 4412999 at unbelievable rates. For details: two square metres of 981026903, 4260187 pavement. Often, he would be ™ Abhaya & The Steam Injunsat Dwarika’s every Friday 4479488 From 5 March Call 4442220 for show timings. www.jainepal.com Renting made easy harrassed by the FOOD www.2letonline.com- Looking for a municipality’s staff or police. A ™ Sunny Side UpBBQ lunch with live music at the Garden Terrace, Soaltee place to stay- Log on to find the local mechanic shop tried to Crowne Plaza Kathmandu, every Saturday and Sunday 4273999 perfect house, apartment or even a bribe him to relocate his ™ Café Uin Sanepa, Patan, opposite British School is now serving dinner retail space that meets all your business somewhere else. needs. Make an easy 1000 bucks by every Friday and Saturday night. 5523263 reporting a vacant property to us. But Srikrishna fought back and ™ Bring your winealong every Thursday and Sunday Himalatte Find out how- www.2letonline.com stood his ground defending Café, Thamel. the patch of asphalt on which Get 10 % exclusive discount on the ™ Roadhouse Caféfor speciality coffees. Opp St Mary’s School, Pulchowk. his livelihood depended. All normal subscription rate of 5521755 Himalmedia’s publication namely; his daily earnings went to Himal Khabarpatrika, Nepali Times support his family and there GETAWAYS and Wave magazine. Only at the were no savings. He tried to ™ Escape to Godavarion a special halfboard package for Nepalis and Grihini Department Store limited, cut the costs of living in expatriates at the Godavari Village Resort, Taukhel. 5560675 Baluwatar, Phone: 4415186 Kathmandu by sharing a ™ Pure relaxationAward winning Tiger Mountain Pokhara Lodge. 01 4361500 Wanted Nepali pilot, interested house in Koteswor with 15 TMPL Reservations or [email protected] person should have experience for other tarai people. ™ Thank Goodness It’s Friday Dwarika’s overnight package for local ultra light aircraft with Rotax 582 residents. 4479488 engine. Apply with cv, photo and MIN BAJRACHARYA ™ Golfin the Valley’s last pristine forest. Gokarna Forest Golf Resort & Spa contact address within 7 days to Avia Club Nepal Pvt. Ltd., P.O. Box FINAL REST: Friends and students of educationist Fr Eugene L Watrin 4451212 13680. ™ Shivapuri Heights Cottageat the edge of Shivapuri. Email: Modern houses for residential paid their last respects at the Church of the Assumption in Dhobighat [email protected] office or flat. Contact on Monday. 4720147,4721728 Thursday’s banda was a busy time for bicycle To-Let:Prime Location at Main Road, repairman Srikrishna Mandal and his wife, Ramkumari, KATHMANDU AIR QUALITY Harihar Bhavan, Pulchowk (Opp. daughter Laxmi and son Baidya, at their sidewalk shop in Pulchok. Sajha Bus Garage). Suitable for If you need any more evidence to say that the five-day (or was it three- NGO, INGO and other Commercial MIN BAJRACHARYA day?) banda last week was a flop, take a look at the air quality data. The Offices-3 floors of approx.900 sq. ft. PM10 (particles that are small enough to enter the human body) level in busy streets like Putali Sadak and Patan Hospital on 25 February, the first each along with lift facility. day of the banda, went down by only 18 percent compared to the previous Plus Top 2 Floorswith Big Dining and day. The next day, with more vehicles on the road, the pollution level edged Kitchen Apartment with magnificent up again by 12 percent. In Thamel, the banda brought down the PM10 view of Lalitpur & Kathmandu. level by only 6 percent and in places with less vehicular movement like 91.2 Bhaktapur and Kirtipur, the PM10 level actually went up. Contact No. 981032166 What you burn is For Sale:Prize Winner Beetle 1973 what you breathe. model, excellent condition Contact: 22-28 February in micrograms per cubic meter. Rammani 5521656 Good < 60 Source: www. mope.gov.np Ok 61 to 120 Unhealthy 121 to 350 MIN BAJRACHARYA Harmful 351 to 425 Hazardous >425

Putalisadak Patan H Thamel TU Bhaktapu Matsyagaun ALL FOR ATTRIBUTION: Army spokesman Col Deepak Gurung briefs journalists on Wednesday at the Army HQ on the Maoist attack in NEPALI WEATHER by MAUSAM BEED Bhojpur in which 29 security personnel lost their lives. VIS -04-03-2004 04:00 GMT An unexpected change in wind patterns caused by a high pressure block over For insertions ring NT central Tibet brought a northwesterly breeze Marketing at 5543333-36. into Kathmandu Valley, clearing the skies of haze this week. As a result the full intensity of the sun raised the maximum temperature into the mid-20s. This is expected to rise further in the coming weeks. February saw only traces of rain in the Valley, even though average precipitation is supposed to be 18mm. Rise and shine Expect local convection to throw up localized showers, but there are no signs of Get ready for a brand new day with BBC World Today. any frontal system to break the drought. Every morning on 102.4 FM from 5:45-6:15 AM

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Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Radio Sagarmatha P.O. Box 6958, Bakhundole, Lalitpur, Nepal Tel: ++977-1-545680, 545681, MIN BAJRACHARYA Fax: ++ 977-1- 530227 E-mail: [email protected], GHOST TOWN: Even rumours of a banda are as good as a banda. A 27-10 27-09 28-08 27-0927-08 on FM 102.4 www.radiosagarmatha.org/]l8of ] ;u/dfyf deserted alley in Asan on Thursday with shuttered shops. Subscriber’s copy

2 4 5 - 11 MARCH 2004#186 Why can’t a woman be more

like a man? www.nepalitimes.com #186 5 - 11 March 2004 24 pages Rs 25 lthough men are supposed to be from Mars, space robots that have been looking under rocks on the surface of the Red APlanet these past weeks have found no traces of members of Schools are the male species hiding there. Perhaps, if the staffing of the Weekly Internet Poll # 126 turning into American space program was more gender balanced and there were Q. How would you describe the status of more female scientists calling the shots, the quest for intelligent life human rights in Nepal? battlefields, in the inner planets would have centred instead on children are being UNDER MY HAT Venus, where there would taught to fight Kunda Dixit have been a higher probability War school of finding women. (The good news is that space scientists have now Total votes:1,180 found proof that there is water on Mars, although no traces of it Weekly Internet Poll # 127. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com have yet been discovered in Sanepa.) Q. How do you gauge the prospect of the As we get ready to mark another Intergalactic Women’s Day Nepali Congress reuniting? back here on Planet Earth, it is time once more to pay tribute to the longstanding struggle of women from all walks of life for equal rights with men. If men can make complete asses of themselves, it is argued, then women should also have the right to make she-asses of their good selves. This is what gender equality is all about. Over the ages, in the arena of behaving like idiots, it was the men who enjoyed a monopoly. But it is not pre-ordained which sex should have more morons, and if women too want to be as idiomatic as us men, then where is the harm? Having had a headstart, us men have always had an unfair advantage in the race to be the most-asinine sex. So women have a lot of catching up to do, but given perseverance, commitment and determinism they can be as (if not more) idiosyncratic as us. Some men may have their egos slightly dented when they see women overtaking them in the march towards mediocrity, but they should take solace in the fact that imitation is the best form of flattery. A Maoist militia unit drill in the playground What would be more of the Pipallarge Secondary rooms and School wide openin Rukum delightful than to see playgrounds. Some schools have they proudly call their ‘Child two weeks ago. women civil servants literally turned into battlefields Militia’, the Maoists are tapping AKASH CHETTRI mimicing men as they started,” says Puri, adding that the when soldiers schools across the region for squeeze zits in public Maoists may be training them to on patrol come AKASH CHETTRIin RUKUM students in grade 9 and 10. Earlier, while sunning themselves become militants. Since the other upon Maoists the students would be taken and on the balcony of the Department of Women and Labour. children are not attending classes, in schools, or vice versa. Five fearing that they may also be the teachers told they were just children were killed during a Ever since cave men dragged cave women by the hair and chool principal Birbhan going to attend cultural programs chewed mastodon entrails with their mouths open, right down to Puri of Birendra Higher abducted, Puri has closed down firefight in the SharadaEditorial Secondary p2 the school for now. or political lectures. Now, there are School at MudbaraA guru in Doti of district love the modern industrial age where men still haven’t learnt to stow SSecondary School has spent no explanations, school yards are in December, and hundreds of their toilet seats in an upright position during takeoff and landing, sleepless nights waiting for 65 of Across the midwestern districts being turned into parade grounds us boys have been rightly called the stronger sex. Speaking of which, his students abducted by Maoists of Rukum, Achham and Rolpa, villagers fled Khimdi in Kailali in and classrooms into military January when fighting broke out a recent survey has found that men, on average, think about sex 23 to return home. the few schools that have managed training centres. hours a day and the remaining one hour they spend in Since they were taken away in to stay open so far, against all odds, around a school compound where To be sure, the security forces the army was camped. extracurricular activities such as taking sun-baths on the balcony of Bafikot on 25 February, all Puri, are being forced to close. There are no security forces to be seen and are also using schools as campsites the Ministry of Manpower during which period they don’t think his colleagues and the children’s and barracks. Usually, in these about anything in particular. parents can do is pray. The rest of the only presence of the civil service or government are teachers remote hills, schools are strategically So, if women want to play catch-up with us chaps, they will the students are so traumatised that located along ridgetops. They have have to take up some manlike hobbies, like: they are afraid to go to school. like Puri. “We have no idea where they In a bid to strengthen what were taken, their exams had just continued p8

z Not just complain that we have a headache, but become headaches ourselves z Let our eyes rove all over the member of the opposite sex we are talking to, taking time to closely inspect the front bumper and the boot z Use the Phau period to go on an all-out offensive against the opposite sex z Treat anyone who has the nerve to overtake you on the Rabi Bhaban uphill as a personal affront to maledom and sideswipe him z When lost in a strange city, never consult a map, never ask for directions and show we’d rather be lost than found These simple ideas will allow even the most feminine woman to be as macho as the hairiest of us testesterone-filled numbskulls who are proud to call ourselves men. CDO Regd No. 194/056/57 Lalitpur, Central Region Postal Regd. No. 04/058/59